You all head back to the inn. As you get closer, you see a large, newly built roadhouse of fieldstone and rough-hewn timbers. The common room is filled with locals nursing mugs of ale or cider, all of them eyeing you with curiosity. At the back near the bar, you see Sildar at a table, waving his hand at you. "Over here, friends! Some food for your bellies and then a soft bed after, yes?" Next to Sildar stands a young man. He also greets you. "Welcome to the Stonehill Inn. I'm Toblen Stonehill. What can I get you?"
Toblen smiles at Mulligan and says, "Of course! Ales and hearty stews for everyone coming right up. Sildar has already obtained two rooms for you all this evening, so feel free to head up whenever you like." He turns and heads towards the bar, hollering out your food order to the cook in the kitchen. The rest of the common room has turned back to their own tables, though you do catch one or two appraising looks thrown your way.
You sit down and Toblen brings your drinks. "Your food is almost ready; my wife will bring it in just moment. Drink up," he says with a smile. As he heads back to the bar, Mulligan - you feel a tug on your pant leg. Looking under the table, you see a young boy crouched under the table. "Are you a real adventurer?" he asks in a whisper, his eyes wide.
The boy takes the cookie from Odo with a grin. He munches happily and, through a mouthful of crumbs, says, "Carp said he found a secret tunnel in the woods. He said the Redbrands almost caught him. But I bet you all could fight the Redbrands." He slouches down, making himself into a small ball, still munching on the cookie.
Just then, a pretty young woman appears with bowls for all of you, her eyes sparkling as she smiles. "Here you go - stews all around and an extra serving for the hungry one!" She expertly serves the food and as she finishes, she says loudly, "Pip, you're not bothering these gentlemen, are you?" She winks at you all and then leans down under the table. "What have I told you about hiding under the tables, young man?" she says.
Pip grumbles under the table then crawls out and stands beside the woman. "Sorry, Mama. I just wanted to meet real adventurers!" he says excitedly. "They can fight the Redbrands!" The woman immediately shushes him, looking around quickly, and then says sternly, "Pip, you've been told not to talk out of turn. Off to the kitchen with you." She pushes him firmly towards the kitchen and then turns back around to the table with a smile.
"I'm so sorry about that. He's just so excitable." She looks at you, chewing her bottom lip. "I - Enjoy your meal," she says and turns to walk away.
The woman turns back to the table and smiles sadly. "I'm sorry - it's just that things have been kind of tense around here lately. Thel Dendrar - he's the woodcarver - he tried standing up to the Redbrands a few weeks ago. They came in his shop and leered at his wife and he - " she breaks off, her voice breaking a little. "The Redbrands killed him - murdered him in front of witnesses, grabbed his body and his wife and children. They've been missing since then and now everyone is afraid. I don't want anything to happen to my family," she says with a sniff, her eyes shining with tears.
"I don't know about you all, but I don't have much coin." He nods at the woman. "If we help them with this 'issue' then maybe we can get room and board for a while until we sort other things out. Thoughts?"
At that moment, a red-headed woman from the next table speaks out. "Aye, some people in this town are afraid of the Redbrands. They hassle every business in town, except for the Miner's Exchange. They don't want trouble with Halia, is my guess." She takes a drink of her ale and the roughly dressed man sitting next to her nods.
She shakes her head. "I don't know anyone specifically who saw it, and I doubt they'd admit it now, especially with Thel's family missing," she says. The red-headed woman from the next table nods her head in agreement and says, "I don't know specifics either, but maybe Daran does. He's a retired adventurer - he rarely leaves his orchard, but he seems to somehow keep up on all the latest news."
Looking at her closely, Mulligan, you realize she's probably a bit older than she seemed at first, but her sincerity is clear. She is genuinely worried for her family and her livelihood.
Clearing his throat, Sildar smiles at the party. "It's likely we'll all think a bit clearer after some food and rest. After I sleep, I'll head to the town hall and see what I can find out from the Townmaster. If I can find Iarno, he may have some insight as well."
"That's a good idea. I have some thoughts as well, but I think I'll need to get to know the city a little bit first." Mulligan finishes eating and begins to head to the rooms to take a long rest.
If that's everything for tonight, he will plan to get up early (as soon as possible while still talking a long rest) and take a brisk but casual walk around the Sleeping Giant, keeping an eye out for any quiet back allies or possible late night meeting places.
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Odo shrugs.
"Well... now what?" He leans against the doorframe, arms crossed. "I, for one, wouldn't mind seeing the inside of an inn. I'm starting to get hungry."
Kyanite, "Yes, an Inn and an ale. And a bed! Ohh, a bed. Enough of this living rough."
"ALWAYS GIVE A MONSTER AN EVEN BREAK!"
1st Edition DMG
You all head back to the inn. As you get closer, you see a large, newly built roadhouse of fieldstone and rough-hewn timbers. The common room is filled with locals nursing mugs of ale or cider, all of them eyeing you with curiosity. At the back near the bar, you see Sildar at a table, waving his hand at you. "Over here, friends! Some food for your bellies and then a soft bed after, yes?" Next to Sildar stands a young man. He also greets you. "Welcome to the Stonehill Inn. I'm Toblen Stonehill. What can I get you?"
"What he said," Mulligan says, pointing to Sildar. "Warm food, warm beds, maybe a bath at some point."
Toblen smiles at Mulligan and says, "Of course! Ales and hearty stews for everyone coming right up. Sildar has already obtained two rooms for you all this evening, so feel free to head up whenever you like." He turns and heads towards the bar, hollering out your food order to the cook in the kitchen. The rest of the common room has turned back to their own tables, though you do catch one or two appraising looks thrown your way.
You sit down and Toblen brings your drinks. "Your food is almost ready; my wife will bring it in just moment. Drink up," he says with a smile. As he heads back to the bar, Mulligan - you feel a tug on your pant leg. Looking under the table, you see a young boy crouched under the table. "Are you a real adventurer?" he asks in a whisper, his eyes wide.
"Odo, what are y... oh, hi there. Yes, I guess I am an adventurer now. I didn't plan to be, but it worked out that way."
Ajax looks under the table when Mulligan speaks, adding:
”looks like we found a soon to be adventurer, isn’t he? You have real stealth skills, don’t you?”
,
((OOC: rofl))
Odo, who is sitting across the table, raises an eyebrow at Mulligan.
"Maybe someday he'll be as big and strong as me..." Odo flexes his tiny bicep. "But he has to keep eating like I do!"
"Toblen!" The halfling calls, out. "Get your wife to bring me two dinners, if you don't mind! "
Odo reaches into his sleeve and pulls out two cookies and hands one to the child. Somehow the baked good is still steaming warm...
The boy takes the cookie from Odo with a grin. He munches happily and, through a mouthful of crumbs, says, "Carp said he found a secret tunnel in the woods. He said the Redbrands almost caught him. But I bet you all could fight the Redbrands." He slouches down, making himself into a small ball, still munching on the cookie.
Just then, a pretty young woman appears with bowls for all of you, her eyes sparkling as she smiles. "Here you go - stews all around and an extra serving for the hungry one!" She expertly serves the food and as she finishes, she says loudly, "Pip, you're not bothering these gentlemen, are you?" She winks at you all and then leans down under the table. "What have I told you about hiding under the tables, young man?" she says.
Pip grumbles under the table then crawls out and stands beside the woman. "Sorry, Mama. I just wanted to meet real adventurers!" he says excitedly. "They can fight the Redbrands!" The woman immediately shushes him, looking around quickly, and then says sternly, "Pip, you've been told not to talk out of turn. Off to the kitchen with you." She pushes him firmly towards the kitchen and then turns back around to the table with a smile.
"I'm so sorry about that. He's just so excitable." She looks at you, chewing her bottom lip. "I - Enjoy your meal," she says and turns to walk away.
"Wait, wait. This is the third time today we're hearing about..."
Mulligan has a sudden realization, in the middle of a crowded tavern.
"This isn't something that is discussed in public much, is it?"
The woman turns back to the table and smiles sadly. "I'm sorry - it's just that things have been kind of tense around here lately. Thel Dendrar - he's the woodcarver - he tried standing up to the Redbrands a few weeks ago. They came in his shop and leered at his wife and he - " she breaks off, her voice breaking a little. "The Redbrands killed him - murdered him in front of witnesses, grabbed his body and his wife and children. They've been missing since then and now everyone is afraid. I don't want anything to happen to my family," she says with a sniff, her eyes shining with tears.
Odo leans in to the others.
"I don't know about you all, but I don't have much coin." He nods at the woman. "If we help them with this 'issue' then maybe we can get room and board for a while until we sort other things out. Thoughts?"
Ajax
”maybe Odo is right: if we help them we can be offered more equipment or else to get Gundren back”
,
Odo licks his second bowl clean... "The Abbot didn't raise a dullard..." Odo winks as he pulls a small, slightly squished cupcake from his sleeve.
At that moment, a red-headed woman from the next table speaks out. "Aye, some people in this town are afraid of the Redbrands. They hassle every business in town, except for the Miner's Exchange. They don't want trouble with Halia, is my guess." She takes a drink of her ale and the roughly dressed man sitting next to her nods.
"You mentioned witnesses to Thel's murder. Do you know who any of those witnesses were?"
She shakes her head. "I don't know anyone specifically who saw it, and I doubt they'd admit it now, especially with Thel's family missing," she says. The red-headed woman from the next table nods her head in agreement and says, "I don't know specifics either, but maybe Daran does. He's a retired adventurer - he rarely leaves his orchard, but he seems to somehow keep up on all the latest news."
Do I believe that she doesn't know more than what she's saying?
Insight: 14
((Nice roll!))
Looking at her closely, Mulligan, you realize she's probably a bit older than she seemed at first, but her sincerity is clear. She is genuinely worried for her family and her livelihood.
Clearing his throat, Sildar smiles at the party. "It's likely we'll all think a bit clearer after some food and rest. After I sleep, I'll head to the town hall and see what I can find out from the Townmaster. If I can find Iarno, he may have some insight as well."
"That's a good idea. I have some thoughts as well, but I think I'll need to get to know the city a little bit first." Mulligan finishes eating and begins to head to the rooms to take a long rest.
If that's everything for tonight, he will plan to get up early (as soon as possible while still talking a long rest) and take a brisk but casual walk around the Sleeping Giant, keeping an eye out for any quiet back allies or possible late night meeting places.