Pascal makes a very “eeeeeeeh” grimace and glances at a few broken plate as the others discuss the spirit, “Yeah, Lif wasn’t too happy ‘bout us moving in. However, me an’ him managed to come to an amicable agreement, ain’t that right, buddy?”
"Is there anything we should know about this agreement? It doesn't involve blood sacrifices or anything unpleasant, right?"
Pascal laughs, “Nah, nah, I just assured him that he’d be an equal partner in this little endeavor. We fix this place up, keep the memory alive, that kinda thing. He was also very adamant about not changing nothing ‘bout his stew recipe.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms- The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon- Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland -Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF!- Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
As the others begin gathering around the stew, Hildigrim makes another circuit of the big room before approaching the others. "Friends, this place is — quiet frankly — in a shambles. I have yet to see either the presumed cellar or the upstairs, but assuming they are in as equal a state as the ground floor, by my calculations, renovations will cost us upwards of 1,000 dragons to return Castle Gray— I mean Trollskull Manor to functionality." He sighs. "And then there are guild fees. So ... 1,250 dragons? And, of course, ongoing expenses once the place is running." He looks at each of them, his eyes full of uncertainty. "I know that there are money lenders who can provide this kind of funding. And ... well, we do now have some rich friends and contacts in the government ... but no one is going to just give us that kind of money." He shakes his head. "I'm just not certain this is a good investment." He looks around the room for any sign of a floating spoon or rag. "Do you know why it closed down, Pascal?"
Ilena finds a place to hang the wet rag to dry then approaches Pascal. "Um... what should I do with this fish?" She wiggles a paper-wrapped bundle in front of him.
As the others begin gathering around the stew, Hildigrim makes another circuit of the big room before approaching the others. "Friends, this place is — quiet frankly — in a shambles. I have yet to see either the presumed cellar or the upstairs, but assuming they are in as equal a state as the ground floor, by my calculations, renovations will cost us upwards of 1,000 dragons to return Castle Gray— I mean Trollskull Manor to functionality." He sighs. "And then there are guild fees. So ... 1,250 dragons? And, of course, ongoing expenses once the place is running." He looks at each of them, his eyes full of uncertainty. "I know that there are money lenders who can provide this kind of funding. And ... well, we do now have some rich friends and contacts in the government ... but no one is going to just give us that kind of money." He shakes his head. "I'm just not certain this is a good investment." He looks around the room for any sign of a floating spoon or rag. "Do you know why it closed down, Pascal?"
Ilena finds a place to hang the wet rag to dry then approaches Pascal. "Um... what should I do with this fish?" She wiggles a paper-wrapped bundle in front of him.
Pascal takes the fish, “Much appreciated, Madame! I’ll get something cooked up for us.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms- The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon- Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland -Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF!- Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
"We are allowed to rename the place, right? Trollskull... I'm just not feeling it. (We don't have to decide today.)
"Twelve-fifty is quite the number. Would explain why Volo was willing to hand over prime city real estate.
"The place may be too beat up to be a working tavern right now, but I'd like to see the upstairs to see if it is habitable. Be easier to do cleaning and fixing, if we didn't have to hike to the Portal every night. If we can lock the doors for safety, and the roof keeps the weather out, then this would be a place to stay while we find new quests to cover expenses."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
"Well friends, as you know, I am bound to head back North at year's end, but I will stay and help with this in any way I can until then."
He looks over at Pascal, "I have a bit of something in the works for you in particular, should be ready next week. Now, let us gather and eat and discuss a plan of attack for this project. As I told our troubled friend, many spears fell the greatest beasts."
The group gathers around Pascal's pot, while he heads to the kitchen and returns in a few minutes with a cooked perch, courtesy of Ilena (and Create Bonfire), and the five of you sit down to talk about what to do next.
It is Nightal (December) 6, so Jorin has declared his intent to leave after the year turns. Before then there is Howldown, on Nightal 11, when the City Watch cracks down on malefactors in the city (and children engage in mock roundups of 'criminals' with much howling), but more importantly for anyone intending to run a tavern, Simril comes on Nightall 20. That's the day (well, night) when people look for their star in the sky, then stay up all night drinking, telling stories, and carrying on. Fourteen days from the day you are all sitting down. Plenty of time to effect the repairs needed, you think.
OOC > Text about Simril from the official sources:
When dusk comes on this day, folk go outside to locate particular stars that were lucky for their ancestors, or that were associated with their own births. They then attempt to stay up through the night, celebrating outside with bonfires, song, and warmed drinks. Cloudy nights often draw larger crowds than clear ones, since glimpsing your star through the haze is thought to be a blessing from Tymora. Inside buildings, service folk keep roaring fires and engage in making food to keep celebrants fed throughout the long night and into morning of the next day. If you have no particular star of your own, you’ll find many vendors of star maps willing to divine which is yours — based upon your place and date of birth — and to point you in the right direction for a shard or two.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
(When Jorin says he is headed North at year's end, is that "for good", or an extended visit, or a short there-and-back to renew his driver's license? Has he given an estimate for how long he will be gone?)
Drusk thinks, a fortnight may be plenty of time to do the actual labor for repairs, but not easy to get over twelve hundred gold pieces dragons in that time.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Jorin sees the reaction to his statement and a soft smile comes across his face. He says warmly, "Ah friends, do not look so sad. We have some time together yet, the Bodt year is marked by the ferocious winter storms of the Frost Hills. I am not due home until mid-spring by the common calendar. It would be quite difficult, even for a son of the mountains like myself, the trek north in the dead of winter!"
"Worry not Miss Ilena, I will teach you all I know of the axe before I go."
After some soup/stew, Drusk explores the rest of the Moonshine Manor/Spirited Away Tavern/Castle Greyskull. He crosses his fingers that there is a bag of 1250 dragons that was left out in the open.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
"So, do you have a plan as to how to acquire so much gold? To be honest, the gold we procured from Squidface and Braincat was already more gold than I had ever seen. I can't imagine how one would procure a hundred gold, much less a thousand."
The crew begins to explore the Manor. Starting with the ground floor, the only unknown is the cellar, accessed from a hatch in the floor behind the bar. Prepared as you are from your last visit to someone's cellar, this one is disappointingly dull. A few rooms, earthen walls, old bottles long gone to vinegar, lots of smashed glass.
Hildi takes inventory, but there's not much here. You all troop outside and to the north stairs up to the living quarters. Here you find several floors worth of decent accommodations, lots of windows, only a few needing repair. Lots of fireplaces, probably needing sweeping and the dislodging of birds. The second floor has larger rooms, perhaps gathering areas, the third floor and the attic smaller, more private rooms, possible bedrooms. And yes, the turret has a room at the very top.
It is cold up here, with some windows broken and no fire anywhere.
Everything is dirty, but there isn't much here as far as furniture. Former owners or creditors must have removed it. The room labeled "Library and Study" has built in shelves, but no books.
Hildi's estimate stays about the same (1,250 dragons), there's less repair than he feared, but more furnishings will be needed than he had hoped.
OOC > Map below, and added to the campaign page. I'll update as people lay claim to rooms or you decide what to do with rooms, if you do. I left the former room names there, so you get a sense of what the rooms are like. I've colored the exits to the outside pink, fwiw.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
(What is that thing that looks like an anvil, between then 2nd floor bedroom-spare room, and 3rd floor master bedroom-private bath? Fireplace?
Is there a convenient forest nearby for firewood, or do we have to buy from a vendor?
Drusk calls dibs on the 2nd floor south bedroom. The 3rd floor looks better, with the library and private baths, but he will let the others have first crack at those rooms.)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM) Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy) DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
OOC > Yes, the ones that look like anvils are double-sided fireplaces, so you can see through to the other room, you share fire, etc. Some privacy could be had with screens, probably, but right now they are wide open.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
OOC > There are four designated bedrooms, but the Den and the Spare Room, both in the second floor, could be turned into bedrooms. Most importantly, both have access to fireplaces.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he). Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Pascal laughs, “Nah, nah, I just assured him that he’d be an equal partner in this little endeavor. We fix this place up, keep the memory alive, that kinda thing. He was also very adamant about not changing nothing ‘bout his stew recipe.”
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
The mention of stew puts Jorin even more at ease and he is, once again, his normal, relaxed self...though he is eyeing the stew rather hungrily.
As the others begin gathering around the stew, Hildigrim makes another circuit of the big room before approaching the others. "Friends, this place is — quiet frankly — in a shambles. I have yet to see either the presumed cellar or the upstairs, but assuming they are in as equal a state as the ground floor, by my calculations, renovations will cost us upwards of 1,000 dragons to return Castle Gray— I mean Trollskull Manor to functionality." He sighs. "And then there are guild fees. So ... 1,250 dragons? And, of course, ongoing expenses once the place is running." He looks at each of them, his eyes full of uncertainty. "I know that there are money lenders who can provide this kind of funding. And ... well, we do now have some rich friends and contacts in the government ... but no one is going to just give us that kind of money." He shakes his head. "I'm just not certain this is a good investment." He looks around the room for any sign of a floating spoon or rag. "Do you know why it closed down, Pascal?"
Ilena finds a place to hang the wet rag to dry then approaches Pascal. "Um... what should I do with this fish?" She wiggles a paper-wrapped bundle in front of him.
~♡~
“Not a clue! Probably the haunting.”
Pascal takes the fish, “Much appreciated, Madame! I’ll get something cooked up for us.”
DM - Elustran Days ~ Fate/False Revelation
Rex'aliha - Hoard of the Dragon Queen ~ Mozu of Worms - The Stormpoint Mountains ~ Muireach Maon - Shepherd’s Crossing ~ Crownsguard - Storm King’s Thunder ~ Gunnar Wayland - Boats, Rocks, and Ruffians ~ POUF! - Ex-Ravens ~ Pascal LaRoux - Long Road Dragon Heist
"We are allowed to rename the place, right? Trollskull... I'm just not feeling it. (We don't have to decide today.)
"Twelve-fifty is quite the number. Would explain why Volo was willing to hand over prime city real estate.
"The place may be too beat up to be a working tavern right now, but I'd like to see the upstairs to see if it is habitable. Be easier to do cleaning and fixing, if we didn't have to hike to the Portal every night. If we can lock the doors for safety, and the roof keeps the weather out, then this would be a place to stay while we find new quests to cover expenses."
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
"Well friends, as you know, I am bound to head back North at year's end, but I will stay and help with this in any way I can until then."
He looks over at Pascal, "I have a bit of something in the works for you in particular, should be ready next week. Now, let us gather and eat and discuss a plan of attack for this project. As I told our troubled friend, many spears fell the greatest beasts."
The group gathers around Pascal's pot, while he heads to the kitchen and returns in a few minutes with a cooked perch, courtesy of Ilena (and Create Bonfire), and the five of you sit down to talk about what to do next.
It is Nightal (December) 6, so Jorin has declared his intent to leave after the year turns. Before then there is Howldown, on Nightal 11, when the City Watch cracks down on malefactors in the city (and children engage in mock roundups of 'criminals' with much howling), but more importantly for anyone intending to run a tavern, Simril comes on Nightall 20. That's the day (well, night) when people look for their star in the sky, then stay up all night drinking, telling stories, and carrying on. Fourteen days from the day you are all sitting down. Plenty of time to effect the repairs needed, you think.
OOC > Text about Simril from the official sources:
When dusk comes on this day, folk go outside to locate particular stars that were lucky for their ancestors, or that were associated with their own births. They then attempt to stay up through the night, celebrating outside with bonfires, song, and warmed drinks. Cloudy nights often draw larger crowds than clear ones, since glimpsing your star through the haze is thought to be a blessing from Tymora. Inside buildings, service folk keep roaring fires and engage in making food to keep celebrants fed throughout the long night and into morning of the next day. If you have no particular star of your own, you’ll find many vendors of star maps willing to divine which is yours — based upon your place and date of birth — and to point you in the right direction for a shard or two.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
(When Jorin says he is headed North at year's end, is that "for good", or an extended visit, or a short there-and-back to renew his driver's license? Has he given an estimate for how long he will be gone?)
Drusk thinks, a fortnight may be plenty of time to do the actual labor for repairs, but not easy to get over twelve hundred
gold piecesdragons in that time.Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Hildigrim's countenance darkens a bit when Jorin reminds the group of his impending departure, but after they begin eating, he perks back up.
"What, you're leaving? But we only just met! And here I was hoping you would teach me a thing or two about handaxe technique." Ilena frowns.
~♡~
OOC > Tasks before the group:
No reason to spend too long on any of these, I can guide whomever tackles whichever task. Except Jorin. You're on your own there.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
Jorin sees the reaction to his statement and a soft smile comes across his face. He says warmly, "Ah friends, do not look so sad. We have some time together yet, the Bodt year is marked by the ferocious winter storms of the Frost Hills. I am not due home until mid-spring by the common calendar. It would be quite difficult, even for a son of the mountains like myself, the trek north in the dead of winter!"
"Worry not Miss Ilena, I will teach you all I know of the axe before I go."
After some soup/stew, Drusk explores the rest of the Moonshine Manor/Spirited Away Tavern/Castle Greyskull. He crosses his fingers that there is a bag of 1250 dragons that was left out in the open.
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
Hildigrim accompanies the half-orc, continuing to reevaluate and adjust his estimate.
Ilena looks over at Pascal.
"So, do you have a plan as to how to acquire so much gold? To be honest, the gold we procured from Squidface and Braincat was already more gold than I had ever seen. I can't imagine how one would procure a hundred gold, much less a thousand."
~♡~
The crew begins to explore the Manor. Starting with the ground floor, the only unknown is the cellar, accessed from a hatch in the floor behind the bar. Prepared as you are from your last visit to someone's cellar, this one is disappointingly dull. A few rooms, earthen walls, old bottles long gone to vinegar, lots of smashed glass.
Hildi takes inventory, but there's not much here. You all troop outside and to the north stairs up to the living quarters. Here you find several floors worth of decent accommodations, lots of windows, only a few needing repair. Lots of fireplaces, probably needing sweeping and the dislodging of birds. The second floor has larger rooms, perhaps gathering areas, the third floor and the attic smaller, more private rooms, possible bedrooms. And yes, the turret has a room at the very top.
It is cold up here, with some windows broken and no fire anywhere.
Everything is dirty, but there isn't much here as far as furniture. Former owners or creditors must have removed it. The room labeled "Library and Study" has built in shelves, but no books.
Hildi's estimate stays about the same (1,250 dragons), there's less repair than he feared, but more furnishings will be needed than he had hoped.
OOC > Map below, and added to the campaign page. I'll update as people lay claim to rooms or you decide what to do with rooms, if you do. I left the former room names there, so you get a sense of what the rooms are like. I've colored the exits to the outside pink, fwiw.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
(What is that thing that looks like an anvil, between then 2nd floor bedroom-spare room, and 3rd floor master bedroom-private bath? Fireplace?
Is there a convenient forest nearby for firewood, or do we have to buy from a vendor?
Drusk calls dibs on the 2nd floor south bedroom. The 3rd floor looks better, with the library and private baths, but he will let the others have first crack at those rooms.)
Beegred Thornpost - Lvl 8 Halfling Ranger - Out of the Abyss by Kerrec
Drusk - Lvl 8 Half-Orc Life Cleric - The Long Road: Dragon Heist by Mingofaust (player & current DM)
Hunferho Aelorothi - Lvl 5 Half-Elf Bard/Rogue - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
DM - Frontier City of Nunkreet (ended)
OOC > Yes, the ones that look like anvils are double-sided fireplaces, so you can see through to the other room, you share fire, etc. Some privacy could be had with screens, probably, but right now they are wide open.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me
OOC > There are four designated bedrooms, but the Den and the Spare Room, both in the second floor, could be turned into bedrooms. Most importantly, both have access to fireplaces.
ey/em/eirs, or they/them works, too (just not he).
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands. Here's my D&D stuff. I love it so.
Campaign links for Game Log access because DDB has abandoned the forum dice roller, apparently.
Radiant Citadel by cbaer8 ~•~ Stormwreck Isle by Rforrest14 ~•~ Wildspace by Rhanloi ~•~ Rise of Tiamat by SteveThaiBinh ~•~ The Long Road currently by me