So this meant that as for “adventure” time, it was a bit short – for all people involved. But they had some town adventure time and have been following the tiny bread crumbs as to some of the power and underground elements of Saltmarsh – that they don’t NEED to know, but it doesn’t HURT to know. It’s only going to help out later on when these elements and threads all coalesce as the adventure goes on and moves to the next one.
The next meeting, unless something crazy happens, should have them at the haunted mansion and the struggles they will have there.
A copy of the Adventuring Charter has been included for the youths to review during the down time and assign a name and leader - plus come up with any questions that need to be answered next meeting.
Write up follows:
The decision after leaving Sir Archibald’s Demesne was to return to the Saucy Winter Wench and relax before meeting with the council itself on the morrow to get our charter. With the gathering dark we walked through the quieting streets of Saltmarsh on our way to the north end of town, noting that even though many businesses were closing for the night, the docks and longshoremen were still up and working as long as boats kept coming in.
The cool night air was in contrast to the warmth coming from the Wench and upon entering, a group of card playing gamblers immediately started berating the group for “leaving the damned door open. Foreigners and tourists…gotta know their place,” and other grumbling. We made our way past the tightly packed tables, dismayed to see the Common Room had filled up and no tables were available. There seemed to be some counter space so we made our way to the bar and noting that there was one seat short, picked the more drunk of the two at either side of the clear spot and after rousing him, pointed to the blowhard who had cursed at us upon entering, saying that guy was starting trouble with him.
The bleary eyed drunk asked, “Who? Rory?” to which we replied, “Yeah! Him!” So the drunken guy, identifying himself as Durshan, grabbed his copper mug and asked the bar back “gimme the damned equalizer unner the bar! Now!” He took hold of a leather handle wrapped 18” stout length of hickory and made his way across the Wench to the longshoremen and their card game.
Magnus tried to convince Durshan to come back, and this was a mistake, but the rest of the group held the paladin in place, forced him to sit there and just don’t do anything, and to say nothing. During the altercation with Magnus, we missed most of the middle section of Durshan and Rory’s argument, but it was apparent on its completion the Durshan had received the short end of the stick. He was on the ground, bleeding from the forehead, the truncheon in Rory’s hand, and the Longshoremen wet from spilled beer.
They scooped up Durshan, Rory and his friends, and tossed him out the front door after opening it with his head, coming back in the laugh and sit down for more. The group was horrified and disgusted – but seeing as they didn’t want to get on any more bad side, they said nothing and ordered food and drink.
Eventually a bar wench came out looking for Durshan and after directing her towards Rory, she went over there and the two of them had words, Rory looking sheepish, then the wench went out and we glimpsed her helping Durshan off the street and somewhere else.
After eating, the feeling was to go upstairs, use the bath and rest. Magnus was first, anxious to get the road grit off his body, but there was a Halfling at the landing here, hands out and asking for a “few bits or a common to get something to eat.” Veldryn was taken by the young Halfling identified as Senad and helped him back down the stairs as his leg and foot had been injured, according to him, at a warehouse job he had recently.
Talion did not trust this Senad and watched from a distance, Deja doing the same. Veldryn bought the Halfling a meal and a drink and learned that Senad had been victim of Rory as well, the longshoreman shoving a pallet over so the barrels would slide off and hurt the Halfling. Now that he couldn’t work, he was sleeping in doorways and alleys, begging for food and drink. Veldryn offered to heal him up a bit after the meal.
Deja meanwhile had checked on Magnus who was enjoying his bath, and had no problem with his nudity, letting it all flop out. The thief was blushing and offered to get some towels, running away to get some from Pettis while Veldryn and Senad went up the stairs to the room – and they saw Magnus and his…comfortable stance. Veldryn healed Senad, the halfling very thankful, and then Deja came back with towels and gave them to Magnus who proceeded to dry himself vigorously.
During all this, Talion had noted that Veldryn had paid the tab for Senad with her own pouch, taking a gold crown out to make the payment. The coin had been noted from others in the bar and being a keen observer of people, waited and watch. One of the wenches, blond hair and blue eyed, left her normal rounds and went to one of 4 shadowy booths in the back roped off section of the tap room where she spoke briefly to two men who then left the Saucy Winter Wench and the serving girl went back to her normal rounds.
Talion found out her name was Odifys, 19, with a kid, and used to be a Dusthead; someone who would partake of a habit-forming hallucinogenic. She was clean for the last year and the barkeep was happy to employ her. As for the booth, it was a private booth owned by Iran Hamanar of Umbarian Tradegoods, and would often be utilized by his employees or even Hamanar himself should he come in. The group all reconvened at the room and shared what we’ve learned. Veldryn seemed to want to shelf the town info for now and reminded the group we were meeting with the council in the morning.
During the night though, something startled both Deja and Veldryn awake. The Halfling thief looked about and her concerns about the locks and hinges on the door were supported as she could see the deadbolt slowly turning back. She vaulted out of bed and made her way to the door, noting a shadow under the door that could be 2 feet standing there. Meanwhile Veldryn awoke Talion and Magnus, getting them up but quiet.
Something must have spooked the intruder though because they backed away from the door, and to Deja’s hearing, were moving towards the stairs. She motioned the group to stay, opened the door on silent hinges, and saw the tail end of a human sized broad shouldered man in basic clothes and hooded leather cloak making his way down the steps. With silent feet and sticking to the shadows, Deja sprinted to the landing and looked through the bannisters to watch the man cross the mostly empty Common Room and walk out the Saucy Winter Wench. Before he left though, on his right arm, clad in forest green, was a brass armband with a squid design on the front, visible as he reached for the door and stepped out into the night.
Getting back to the room, we shared our information and then shut and locked the door, stacking some footlockers in front of it. Deja recommended strongly that we go to the moneylender in town tomorrow and get some of our coin traded in for smaller denominations.
We did awake eventually, broke our fast, and then got ready – heading off to the Council House where besides Sir Archibald there were 4 other members of the council there. They presented us with an adventuring charter that we signed off on and learned we would need to pick a group name as well as a leader for filing purposes.
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