Narrative

Day 4 began on 19th Dec at about 7:00. Dirk noticed that the flower he had received from a tiefling girl was still looking new; it had a magical enchantment that kept it fresh.

The party reviewed local problems and wider news. There were problems with a pylon, and Seawood water spirits were on the move. Fish men had been seen on the other side of the barrier in connection with a massacre, with Dumbold to the south. Stone giants were missing under new leadership by Hyden Goldensell, and the “warmest” were to investigate [uncertain phrasing]. Cold air over the River Rhein had frozen the river between Honeyshore and Agladale, with snow at Sorrows Edge. Ancient [unclear] from slumber sages were trying to interpret omens. Gnolls had attacked Restored Point cobalt mining, with a bounty on Gnally. Blight had hit Azureside cherry crops, halting Eereza production. Isabella Nudegate was listed with a 500 gp reward after going missing on route to Isle Seaside. The Grand Festival of mid-winter would be held at Brookville Springs the next week. Peridot Chewing Death had been spotted fifty miles earthwise of Arrowfear. There was no mention of the pig.

The pig carcass was missing. Singe marks were on the road, and the other cart still sat outside the hostel at about 8:20. At the Cider Inn Cider, Oric the innkeeper said the Earl had been holding a banquet and there were no other strange goings-on, though things go crazy this close to the third [uncertain meaning]. The town crier would give local news around midday.

The party went to the sheriff, passing the Earl’s manor house. The sheriff was in a chair while a kobold shuffled papers. Malcolm, a half-elf steward for the Earl, was in the cells and was supposedly behind plots to kill the Earl. He seemed innocent. There was no evidence, and it appeared he was being held so the sheriff could keep face with the Earl. Something seemed off with the Earl, who had asked the blacksmith to increase weapon production. Invar had just delivered many weapons. Malcolm did not know the Earl from before; the Thirsty Duchesses of Hartwall had sent Malcolm after the previous Earl died. The current Earl seemed to have become more extreme in his views and had wanted to show sorrow [uncertain wording].

The books said there should be twenty-seven militia, but only four were present; twenty-seven was half the required amount. Lawrence Henderson, the exchequer, was paying wages. The ledger was given to the scribes at night and returned to the Earl at 9:00. A half-elf came to the scribes with the party. They picked the lock and found that the left route led to the Earl’s chambers while the right led to the scribes. The ledgers were all copied, and old ledgers were kept elsewhere. The current ledger was from around seven days ago. Isabella had disappeared two weeks earlier, with twenty minutes available to search for her [uncertain phrasing]. Malcolm had disappeared six days ago, while copies from thirteen days ago, dated 3rd Dec, had not scribbled him out. Visiting tourists were noted, along with cider breweries and a tour of woodland. The party spoke with Elffair mead makers for the cutting [uncertain wording], with two bodyguards present.

The half-elf remembered Sir Ailbir. The party went to see Lawrence Henderson and asked about militia wages. Lawrence panicked and said they needed to speak to the sheriff or the Inquisitor. He insisted he had not done anything wrong and blamed the scribes. There had been fifty-four militia, then the baron cut the number down, so Lawrence had been taking payment for the other twenty-three. If the party kept quiet, he would help with more information if needed. He gave them 500 gp. The party learned of eight carts, sixteen horses, and six hundred swords, described as industrial style. They had two extra horses. Town finances had fifty-eight days left. A safe contained a small black velveteen case with gems, three treasure chests of gold, copper, and silver, and two bags of platinum pieces worth 4000 gp [raw note: 4000go]. The Earl’s document pile was empty, but Vicmur Daros, the half-elf, remembered the Earl having documents.

At about 9:50, the party left to see Brother Fracture. Gregory was doing well, though Brother Fracture had not had the chance to heal the others yet and would heal the rest. There was no way to communicate with other churches. Gregory remembered that the Dec started around the 7th or 8th [uncertain wording], and he could not remember anything from then until now. He remembered two militia taking him to the hostel, then setting up in the church: Stonejaw and Ralfex, two of the missing militia. Other people were in the hostel, which looked like a jail cell. Gregory also remembered Goat Lady on Bagnall Lane and various others. The militia house had been open for about a month, with no reason for it still to look like a jail.

Geldrin painted a sheriff sign on the cart around 10:15 to 10:30. At the Cider Inn Cider, people said there were not really homeless people in town, but they now remembered Gregory. Someone remembered a dead goat down Bagnall Lane about one week earlier.

The party went to the hostel and investigated around the side of the building. Bone stables held two carts and four horses in the courtyard or stables. A chain was on the gates, but the padlock was not locked. Invar broke the wheels. The party released the horses, and one party member was hit with magic missile. They entered the “Hostel” and fought the occupants. One was Gelissa, who had a mystery on the side of her face [uncertain wording]. They killed the other person and subdued Gelissa. There was corruption on her mind, and Invar restored both her mind and her wounds. This was around 11:00.

Searching the hostel, the party found two empty cells and about ten people still in cells, all townsfolk. Invar created a lock for the back door. At about 12:30, the party told Brother Fracture to concentrate on healing the militia. He would take Gelissa, the militia, and the cart to the barracks and use that as a base of operations. At about 13:00, the party decided to go to the Barrier rather than the “Swamp Laboratory.” They rested for the evening, but on third watch the pigeon lady came near the camp, preventing a full rest.

People, Factions, and Places Mentioned

Dirk, Geldrin, Invar, Malcolm, Isabella Nudegate, Oric, Earl, previous Earl, sheriff, kobold assistant, Lawrence Henderson, Vicmur Daros, Sir Ailbir, Brother Fracture, Gregory, Stonejaw, Ralfex, Goat Lady, Gelissa, Hyden Goldensell, Peridot Chewing Death, Gnally, Elffair mead makers, Thirsty Duchesses of Hartwall, Inquisitor, baron, pigeon lady, Seawood water spirits, fish men, stone giants, slumber sages, gnolls, militia, townsfolk, scribes, Cider Inn Cider, Earl’s manor house, hostel, militia house, barracks, Bagnall Lane, River Rhein, Honeyshore, Agladale, Sorrows Edge, Restored Point, Azureside, Isle Seaside, Brookville Springs, Arrowfear, Hartwall, Barrier, and “Swamp Laboratory.”

Items, Rewards, and Resources

Dirk’s magically preserved tiefling flower remained fresh. Isabella Nudegate had a 500 gp reward. Lawrence Henderson gave the party 500 gp. Noted resources included eight carts, sixteen horses, six hundred swords, two extra horses, fifty-eight days of town finances, a small black velveteen case with gems, three treasure chests of gold, copper, and silver, and two bags of platinum pieces worth 4000 gp [raw note: 4000go]. The party used a cart marked with a painted sheriff sign and found two carts and four horses at the bone stables. The Earl’s documents were missing.

Clues, Mysteries, and Open Threads

The Earl appears compromised or unusually extreme, with increased weapon production, empty document piles, and an innocent-seeming Malcolm imprisoned to preserve appearances. The militia records are fraudulent or manipulated: twenty-seven are listed, four are present, and Lawrence had been taking pay for twenty-three removed positions after the baron cut numbers from fifty-four. Missing militia Stonejaw and Ralfex were involved in taking Gregory to the hostel. The hostel functioned like a jail and contained about ten townsfolk. Gelissa had mental corruption that Invar restored. The pig carcass vanished, leaving singe marks. Isabella’s disappearance, Malcolm’s disappearance, the dead goat on Bagnall Lane, the missing Earl’s documents, the “Swamp Laboratory,” and the pigeon lady remain unresolved. Wider pylon, barrier, spirit, fish men, stone giant, gnoll, blight, and Tri-moon-adjacent omens remain active background threats.