Hugo looks down at Circe and says "what?!" "I was serious! If, however, you are offended by that style of poetry, I would say you have good taste. Dreadful excess of rhyming really, I'll admit, but easy enough to rattle off something new without much thought. It's a good exercise while wandering about the city, if nothing else, but I wouldn't dare put my name on such drivel in any written format, or in a live performance! I promise to use better meter and verse next time, Circe."
Hugo just rolls his eyes at Floon's dramatic "performance" once again as they make their way to the Yawning Portal. He is ready to yell at Volo when he says he has no coin but is intrigued by the scroll. Skeptical of the man who can't pay them in the manner promised the bard just folds his arms and gives him a long glare, letting Callan or Zyllee take the scroll. Eventually he says coldly "we'll take a look." "Oh, and my book?"
Upon inspecting the scroll, the manor described is called Trollskull Manor which lies on Trollskull Alley in the North Ward. The three of you know that the North Ward is one of the nicest areas of Waterdeep, and many nobles tend to live there. The area is more peaceful than the Sea Ward, and though it has taverns and shops to suit a variety of tastes, the tenor of the area tends toward reserved and polite. Most streets are lined with row houses inhabited by the families of prosperous people of business, investing, and civic service. They are each wealthy enough to employ a servant or two, or they endeavor to appear as such.
"Indeed!" Volo replies. "As I said earlier, you will be able to inspect the place before making your decision. I will admit that I only recently purchased the manor and that it is in need of renovations still, but it's a large manor with a built-in tavern that could possibly be restored. As for your book, that will take some time. I just finished it and copies are still being published. But have no fear, I shall stop by the manor as soon as it's ready to give you a signed copy! Now then, shall we be off to inspect it?"
At this point, Renaer begins to take his leave. "Once again, the three of you have my sincere thanks. Congratulations on your new home! If you ever require the assistance of a friendly noble, come find me. Despite not being on speaking terms with my father, I still have many friends in high places if you ever need a favor. Now then, I should be off." The noble politely bows, then takes his leave. Floon also bows and takes his leave after thanking you all once again.
---
The four of you make your way to the manor to inspect it. Trollskull Alley and the North Ward are quite nice and peaceful. Many businesses line the alley but you make your way to the manor first. Four stories tall and boasting balconies, a turret, and five chimneys, the abandoned building is one of the grandest in Trollskull Alley.
After checking through the floors, Callan grins at Volo, "I think we need to double check for banshees in the basement, because otherwise this is too good to be true." He turns to the others, "We could make a life in this place easily enough. I can turn that bedroom in the attic into a workspace for my experiments, and we can renovate the tavern, and start serving upper class clientel fine wines and liqueurs. Hugo, when you think you're ready, you could have an audience every night."
"We'll need some free funds to get started though, Volo, do you think Floon might be willing to offer a loan with favorable terms to get things moving?
Zyllee is shocked at the manor. " This can be ours ? I have never really had a home before. This is truly amazing. What a beautiful home. We could definitely make this work. " She walks through the manor visualizing what changes need to be made.
Volo replies to Callan, "I can surely check with Floon and ask, my young man! It will take a sizeable sum to fully renovate this place properly, but he may be able to at least cover your initial taxes and document fees and get you some basic furniture. Indeed, this place will look very nice after some cleaning up I bet. I can get you in touch with a specialist who knows all the contacts at the various guilds required to get this place up and running. For example, repairing the walls will require the aid of the Carpenters’, Roofers’, and Plaisterers’ Guild and the basement and plumbing will need to be inspected and taken care of by the Cellarers’ and Plumbers’ Guild."
Volo begins to walk you through the manor but makes special note of the tavern on the first floor. The tavern’s taproom is filled with broken furniture, tarnished silverware, casks of wine that have turned to vinegar, and worthless detritus. The tavern’s other rooms are all empty, except for cobwebs, dust, and harmless rats. The same is true for most of the other rooms on the remaining floors.
"So, do you all accept?" he asks. "If so, I'll speak with Floon and setup a meeting for tomorrow with the magistrate to finalize the paperwork."
It seems like most you of want to accept this manor. We will be doing a bit of a time skip soon and there will be roughly a week of downtime. As such, in your next posts, I would like each of you to think deeply about your character and their new life in this home. Some questions to think about,
1) Where does your character live in the home? Which room do they choose? And what does that room look like and how is it decorated?
2) On a typical day, what is your character's routine? Do they go out into the city and run errands or do they mostly stay indoors? What types of places would your character frequent? If you have any questions, ask me in chat and I can tell you what's around in the city that would fit where your character would like to go.
3) How do the characters interact with each other during this time? What are their goals as a group? What are their goals as an individual?
Here is a brief summary of the places that are available to you right here on Trollskull Alley. Remember however, that there is a whole city out there as well and you can find most any shop or establishment somewhere.
1. The Bent Nail - A small shop run by a half-elf named Tally Fellbranch. He is a carpenter who sells weapons, shields, furniture, and wood sculptures.
2. Steam and Steel - Another weapons and armor shop run by a fire and water genasi couple named Embric and Avi respectively.
3. Correllon's Crown - A shop that sells healing potions and other potions. Owned and operated by a wood elf druid named Fala.
4. Tiger's Eye - A detective agency run by a human man named Vincent Trench. He's a private eye and will investigate things for a fee.
5. Book Wyrm's Treasure - This is a small shop run by a short male gold dragonborn called Rishaal the Page-Turner. He is a mage and sells books and spell books.
ALSO YOU LEVELED UP TO 3!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Congrats! However, keep in mind you guys are still 1 level ahead than normal and that you will be level 3 for two milestones. I decided that it was more fun to stay at level 3 for longer than level 2.
Hugo tries to downplay his excitement about owning such an estate with his friends. It has the potential to be the only other true home he has ever had beyond his mother's place. "Hmmm, not a lot of room for a stage," he remarks. "I can't imagine the lighting will be right..." As Callan and Zylee express their excitement however, the bard's grin does slowly grow wider as he says "we'll take it!" "Oh you guys, this is amazing. Can you envision it?! Ohhh boy, wait until you see what I see..." The bard starts running around the tavern area making all kinds of awkward movements with his arms as if he's taking measurements or calculating angles between one eye and his thumbs, his tongue protruding from his mouth as he does so. He is silent except for the occasional and almost inaudible giggle, but his enthusiasm and energy are obvious none the less.
After taking a bit more time to himself, Hugo returns to the others and says. "Isn't it great?! Zyllee I think you should take the master bedroom and the private bath there. Even the smaller bedroom on the second floor is bigger than my bedroom was at my mom's old house." He tails off a bit towards the end, thinking of his mother, but quickly snaps out of it. "What's with the name of this place, anyway, Volo? 'Trollskull'? No, no, no, that won't do! Who has ideas?"
Callan grins even wider as his friend finally drops his feigned indifference, "In that case Hugo, go ahead and take the good sized room on the second floor, I need less space, so the relatively small one suits me just fine. My tinkering is another matter, but we'll want that stuff removed from the rest of the household anyways, so I would like to claim the attic bedroom as well, convert it into a workshop if there are no objections."
Turning back to Volo he states, "Yes, we accept the offer. I do hope you'll join us for a drink or several once we open up in earnest."
Replying to Hugo, Volo says, "The name of the entire alley is Trollskull Alley. But some say the manor was what named the alley and not the other way around. Rumor has it the name came about as a relic of the old Troll Wars and that the wall nearby held many of them off while mages pushed them back with fire magic. By the end of the war, this area was covered in troll skulls and bones. Hence, Trollskull Alley. The Troll Wars were awful indeed, but the effects of it have lingered and inspired several such things. For example, during the autumn season, there is a festival called Trolltide where people dress up as various monsters and nasty creatures. It's quite a fun event! Last year I went as a giant flumph!"
To Callan he says, "Of course! I'll be back tomorrow to have us all meet with the magistrate to finalize all the paperwork. I shall see you all then!"
With that, Volo heads on his way leaving you all alone in your new home.
"Fascinating, I hadn't heard about all of that about Trollskull Alley specifically before, but OF COURSE I've been to Trolltide, Volo! I snuck in last year myself. My mom let me cut holes in her wardrobe trunk and I went as a mimic! Scared quite a few people, too! I'd just settle in next to a booth somewhere and wait several minutes for someone new to come along and BAM! I'd pop out with a big monster mouth full of teeth and a big tongue! Not bad for some old cloth scraps and about a silver's worth of thread and dye that mom got for me! Mom was... is... really the best." Hugo's excitement fades towards the end of his remarks, once again. "I need to go see her" he says, trailing off and looking at the floor lost in thought for a moment before snapping back to normal as he tends to do.
"What do you think, Callan? Zyllee? Trollskull Tavern, or a whole new name fit for a finer establishment?"
"So I'm thinking there is no great place for a stage as is. The turret might be good, but it's hidden behind the chimney. What I'm picturing is moving the front door just a bit and building a stage against the kitchen wall. We could even cut a small door from there into the kitchen, behind a curtain of course, for people to enter and exit the stage from."
Callan scratches his head, "We might want to ask around about the name first. The locals are our first prospective customers after all, and if they're attached to the name for whatever reason we might be stuck with it."
At some point, once he's free from the immediate tasks of engaging the new home, Callan goes and seeks out the nearest pack of street urchins. He promises a silver piece to the first one that can bring him a live pigeon, two if it is entirely uninjured.
Zyllee hugs them tightly. She then twirls around excitedly " Thank you so much Hugo! It is truly lovely. I cant wait to redecorare it Hmm. " She pictures in her mind various alternatives.
" Trollskull Manor?" Her slender nose wrinkles up at this. " I would rather not keep that name unlesd you two think we should. "
She grins at Hugo. " I cannot wait to see you perform here on stage. "
"I know, I can't wait! Let me know if you need any help decorating your room Zyllee! I have LOTS of ideas!"
"You're right Callan, we'll ask around first!"
After Volo has left and the party has wrapped up their initial tour Hugo finds a broken mirror in one of the upstairs rooms and moves it to his new bedroom. He emerges an hour later with a new look. A much more regal and handsome version of Maximillian strides back into the common room and announces in a slightly deeper yet silkier voice "greetings friends!" "It is I, Maximillian Mercutio Eovaldi!" This version of Hugo's new alter ego does not have the flashy style of the previous one, choosing more subtle but fine clothing fitting of perhaps a nobleman or important envoy. He smiles at his companions and asks, in his normal voice, "what do you think?" "I decided to spiff him up a bit for this part of town, and perhaps for the theater stage some day! Don't worry, the more casual, stylish Max is still around!" "I'm off to do some shopping, if anyone cares to join. There's much to be done!"
Regal version of Max (right, white hair)
Maximillian heads out into Trollskull Alley adorned in illusory fine gray and blue clothing and a dark blue traveler's cloak. He surveys the shops and finds that the Bent Nail catches his eye. He heads in hoping to scout out some fine furniture for after their renovations are done and, in the meantime, some lumber, cloth, thread, needles, and the like.
One of the street urchins, a young tiefling boy with red skin wearing an eyepatch with a small bow on his back, comes back with a live pigeon for Callan. He seems ecstatic as he receives the silver coin. "That was a lively one, but no pigeon can escape me!" he proclaims triumphantly. Then, he turns to his other two friends, who apparently weren't fast enough to catch the pigeon, with a smug expression. "See, told ya I would win! I'm the best at catching pigeons."
---
As Maximillian heads to the Bent Nail, he notices that the small wooden sign above the shop’s main door is bare except for a large, bent nail sticking out of it. When he enters and surveys the shop, he notices that the front room contains displays of ornate wooden furniture of all kinds, as well as a selection of bows and crossbows. The wall behind the counter is lined with rows of finely carved wooden canes, quarterstaffs, and shields.
Soon enough, a half-elven man comes out from the back area of the shop and approaches. He takes off his gloves then addresses the young bard, "Hey there, haven't seen you around before. Welcome to the Bent Nail! My name is Talisolvanar Fellbranch, but please just call me Tally. You know how elven names can be sometimes." The man chuckles at the unnecessary length of his own name, then motions his arm towards the various stock of furniture and wooden weaponry.
"As you can see, I specialize in woodworking and woodcarving of all sorts. I have a good stock of most basic furniture, but I can also take custom orders as well. It's a bit more expensive, but you do get to choose the type of wood as well as the overall design. What's your name sir, if you don't mind my asking?" he asks.
Grinning, Callan hands over the silver coin to the young tiefling, and then a copper each to the two who had tried. "What's your name young man? My friends and I are starting up a business around here shortly, and we might have work from time to time for someone so swift on their feet." He takes the pigeon carefully, keeping a firm grasp on the bird.
Later, Callan returns to the new home with the captive pigeon. "All right Circe, here's the pigeon as I promised, where do you want me to set it loose for you. All I ask is that you not leave any body parts where I can't clean them up, okay?" he seals off whatever room Circe wants to hunt in, releases the bird, and exits promptly, really not wanting to see what was about to happen.
At the Bent Nail, Callan looks around, "This is good work, and we're going to need plenty of it. You see, we're reopening the tavern in the old Trollskull manor, and a lot of the furniture in there needs replacing. Should keep you busy for a while. We won't need anything particularly special for most of it barstools, tables, simple chairs, then simple furnishings for the rooms etc. but there are two things we'll want made to order, a stage for bardic performances, and a workbench built to specifications I'll provide."
"In the interest of price negotiating, I think we can offer up two things in return. One could obviously be some manner of discount at the new business. For the other, I am a craftsman myself, I can make a variety of specialized metal parts for use in your own work, tin, iron, I even do work with finer metals like gold and silver if you have a call for gilded woodwork." He grins at the man, "Think we can make a deal?"
Letting Hugo take the lead on the actual negotiations, just setting the stage for what we're after.
I should also point out that I will not be releasing the pigeon in one of the other's bedrooms
"Greetings Talisolvanar Fellbranch! I am Maximillian Mercutio Eovaldi, and thus your point on names seems to hold true!" The regal Max runs his hand over some of the upholstery, seemingly studying the shopkeep's work as he makes his way across the room and closer to the half elf. He says to himself softly "very nice, very nice indeed" just before looking up again and arriving close to Tally. "...which is why my friends call me Max." "I can tell by the quality of work here, Tally sir, that you may be such a friend very soon, if we can strike a fair deal, that is. My associate here, a talented man by the name of Callan by the way, has us off to a very good start. We will have many needs..." Max puts an arm over Tally's shoulder if he doesn't seem put off by it, and continues by talking more quietly while admiring more of Tally's work in the shop. "you see, I have a few very special projects in mind, and I need someone with the right talent. Alas, the Manor is a business though in the end, and our investors demand only the most frugal of choices. Don't repeat this, but I'm not sure they have the proper appreciation for the finer style and craftsmanship here. What I need, for my special projects, are just the right cloth patterns and thread, and someone with the carpentry talents that I lack. So what do you say, dear Tally, do you think we can work out a deal to appease our investors on the large scale project Master Callan has mentioned so we can work on a few special projects together as well?" Hugo pulls out a folded piece of parchment and places it on Tally's counter, taps his finger on it a few times, and raises his eyebrows at the half-elf to show his excitement for the secret project(s) hidden within.
At some point in the conversation Hugo also asks Tally "so what do you think of when you hear the name 'Trollskull Manor' anyhow, Tally? Should we keep the name? Change it? What do you think the locals would prefer?"
Hoping to Persuade him to give us the best deal he can to work on these various projects for us. If the DM will allow the roll, I'll roll with Advantage for either the Help action from Callan's initial offer for his services, or burning inspiration if I must.
Zyllee is ecstatic over their new home. She doesnt care for the way her bedroom is decorated though. Her days consist of sleeping late and then going shopping. She picks up a beautiful lace edged blue bed curtain and puts it up on her bed frame. Shopping and bargaining she brings home decent paintings of elves in a forest setting. They remind her of her mother. Her bathroom and bedroom are filled with flowers of all sorts with yellow roses being her favorite. When darkness comes she heads out dressed in dark dresses. She always goes a few streets away to not draw attention to their area. The agile elf studies people carefully and snatches a purse or bag from some unsuspecting person. She limits it to a couple a night to not draw the attention of the watch.
Tapping her foot one afternoon she studies her room and is satisfied somewhat. " Well, that is much better than it was. I need more gold though to finish it. It's too early for that. That interesting shop i saw... hmm..." She heads out of the manor and down tge street cheerfully. Pulling up in front of Correllon's Crown, she pauses a moment. Looking at the wood elf owner somewhat anxiously she enters the store. " Good afternoon miss... I keep seeing this store as i walk by and i keep thinking that i must stop one day and shop. Today is that day apparently. " She grins at the storekeeper.
The young tiefling boy says to Callan, "My name is Squiddly! I'll be happy to work with you nice people again. But my friends can help too if you need more!" He points to the two other children nearby who are his friends. One of them appears to be a taller human girl wearing a determined expression and holding a wooden toy sword while the other is a shorter chubby human boy with dark skin sheepishly clasping a stuffed owlbear doll tightly. He is dressed in dirty robes, and has a wooden stick that almost looks like a wand. "The girl there is named Nat, but she doesn't hear too well so you have to talk to her with signs. And the other one there is Jynks, he is going to be a great wizard someday!"
---
When Callan releases the pigeon into the room alone with Circe, there is an eerie quietness for a time. There is a small ruckus, but upon opening the door there is not much left of the bird. A few feathers lie about, and the tressym is licking one paw.
---
Tally responds to Callan and Max regarding the discount, "Is that so, master gnome? What was your name? I can certainly agree to such a deal with my new fellow neighbors. I have no need or want in metalwork, but your skillset may still come in handy for my trade. Restoring the old manor, eh? Very interesting, it has been some time since it was last lived in. Very well then, it's settled! I can give you the furniture at cost if you agree to help me out from time to time. How does that sound?"
Regarding the name of the home, the man ponders it for a moment, "Well it's true that the current name has some historical significance, but I would suggest you name it based on whatever you would like it to be. I don't think anyone in the town will mind if you change it honestly. It used to be a popular tavern once upon a time. If you manage to revive it, I would recommend something catchy or memorable. Something good for whatever brand or image you are going for."
---
At the Correlon's Crown, Zyllee walks in to a store that is just beautiful. It is a three-story establishment with glass paneling all outside so that anyone may see inside. The third floor is a beautifully vibrant greenhouse. But even on the other two floors, there are plants and herbs growing everywhere and it looks like a dream to anyone interested in nature or herbalism. The wood elf woman smiles a big, bright smile as Zyllee enters, "Hey there! Welcome to Correlon's Crown! My name is Fala and here I specialize in potions and other herbal remedies."
The elf herself is a natural beauty, but she doesn't appear to go out of her way to make herself look pretty. She is dressed in modest clothing of earthy colors. Her hair is long and dark, and braided all the way down her back. She is also wearing symbols and religious iconography referring to the elven god Corellon Larethian, the "father" of all elves.
"Many of the herbal remedies and ointments I sell are non-magical and are more meant for soothing simple pains or for relaxation. I do sell magical potions however, but those are much pricier," the elf says to Zyllee. "Would you be interested in any of these items?"
The elf brings out a few samples of potions just to show Zyllee. She walks her through their various effects.
This is a list of what the elf offers as far as magic potions go:
Potion of animal friendship - 125 gp Potion of climbing - 50 gp Potion of healing, greater - 250 gp Potion of healing - 50 gp Potion of water breathing - 250 gp
"Squiddly, Nat, Jynks, I am please to meet you all. I am Callan Steamrider. My friends and I have just moved into this area. We've taken over the old Trollskull manor. All three of you are more than welcome to visit, and like I said, there will be work available if you ever have need of coin. In fact, how about you come by tomorrow, we'll be pretty busy moving things around and could use a few hands. Jynks, I do know a little magic myself, as do my friends Hugo and Zyllee." The gnome wiggles his fingers and turns the skin on his face a bright patchwork of orange, pink, and green. "If you like I can dig around for some of my old notes on magic. You can study them and learn a few tricks to get you started. Master those, and I'm sure I can get you a real spellbook."
---
Callan's a little queasy as he cleans up the few remaining feathers, "Looks like you enjoyed that Circe. I do hope you know I truly appreciate your help the other day."
---
At the Bent Nail, Callan looks a bit confused, "No metal parts? In that case I have a few designs that you may like to look at, modular furniture especially useful for travelers or people living in limited spaces, and chairs that let you shift posture."
He extends a hand, "But in any case, that does sound like a deal. What kind of help do you need?"
---
As soon as he gets a chance to with everything else going on, Callan snags the others, "Let's meander on back to that Zhent warehouse and pick up that loot we found. No point in the bad guys claiming it again, and we could definitely use the coin."
Zyllee beams at the wood elf. " Hello Fala. I am Zyllee. You have a beautiful store. Truly amazing. I regret not visiting before this. " She listens to Fala's description of each item. Her eye remains on the potion of healing. " I would like this one please. It would be useful to keep my trouble prone friends alive. "
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Hugo looks down at Circe and says "what?!" "I was serious! If, however, you are offended by that style of poetry, I would say you have good taste. Dreadful excess of rhyming really, I'll admit, but easy enough to rattle off something new without much thought. It's a good exercise while wandering about the city, if nothing else, but I wouldn't dare put my name on such drivel in any written format, or in a live performance! I promise to use better meter and verse next time, Circe."
Hugo just rolls his eyes at Floon's dramatic "performance" once again as they make their way to the Yawning Portal. He is ready to yell at Volo when he says he has no coin but is intrigued by the scroll. Skeptical of the man who can't pay them in the manner promised the bard just folds his arms and gives him a long glare, letting Callan or Zyllee take the scroll. Eventually he says coldly "we'll take a look." "Oh, and my book?"
Upon inspecting the scroll, the manor described is called Trollskull Manor which lies on Trollskull Alley in the North Ward. The three of you know that the North Ward is one of the nicest areas of Waterdeep, and many nobles tend to live there. The area is more peaceful than the Sea Ward, and though it has taverns and shops to suit a variety of tastes, the tenor of the area tends toward reserved and polite. Most streets are lined with row houses inhabited by the families of prosperous people of business, investing, and civic service. They are each wealthy enough to employ a servant or two, or they endeavor to appear as such.
"Indeed!" Volo replies. "As I said earlier, you will be able to inspect the place before making your decision. I will admit that I only recently purchased the manor and that it is in need of renovations still, but it's a large manor with a built-in tavern that could possibly be restored. As for your book, that will take some time. I just finished it and copies are still being published. But have no fear, I shall stop by the manor as soon as it's ready to give you a signed copy! Now then, shall we be off to inspect it?"
At this point, Renaer begins to take his leave. "Once again, the three of you have my sincere thanks. Congratulations on your new home! If you ever require the assistance of a friendly noble, come find me. Despite not being on speaking terms with my father, I still have many friends in high places if you ever need a favor. Now then, I should be off." The noble politely bows, then takes his leave. Floon also bows and takes his leave after thanking you all once again.
---
The four of you make your way to the manor to inspect it. Trollskull Alley and the North Ward are quite nice and peaceful. Many businesses line the alley but you make your way to the manor first. Four stories tall and boasting balconies, a turret, and five chimneys, the abandoned building is one of the grandest in Trollskull Alley.
"Well, what do you think?" Volo asks.
After checking through the floors, Callan grins at Volo, "I think we need to double check for banshees in the basement, because otherwise this is too good to be true." He turns to the others, "We could make a life in this place easily enough. I can turn that bedroom in the attic into a workspace for my experiments, and we can renovate the tavern, and start serving upper class clientel fine wines and liqueurs. Hugo, when you think you're ready, you could have an audience every night."
"We'll need some free funds to get started though, Volo, do you think Floon might be willing to offer a loan with favorable terms to get things moving?
Zyllee is shocked at the manor. " This can be ours ? I have never really had a home before. This is truly amazing. What a beautiful home. We could definitely make this work. " She walks through the manor visualizing what changes need to be made.
Volo replies to Callan, "I can surely check with Floon and ask, my young man! It will take a sizeable sum to fully renovate this place properly, but he may be able to at least cover your initial taxes and document fees and get you some basic furniture. Indeed, this place will look very nice after some cleaning up I bet. I can get you in touch with a specialist who knows all the contacts at the various guilds required to get this place up and running. For example, repairing the walls will require the aid of the Carpenters’, Roofers’, and Plaisterers’ Guild and the basement and plumbing will need to be inspected and taken care of by the Cellarers’ and Plumbers’ Guild."
Volo begins to walk you through the manor but makes special note of the tavern on the first floor. The tavern’s taproom is filled with broken furniture, tarnished silverware, casks of wine that have turned to vinegar, and worthless detritus. The tavern’s other rooms are all empty, except for cobwebs, dust, and harmless rats. The same is true for most of the other rooms on the remaining floors.
"So, do you all accept?" he asks. "If so, I'll speak with Floon and setup a meeting for tomorrow with the magistrate to finalize the paperwork."
It seems like most you of want to accept this manor. We will be doing a bit of a time skip soon and there will be roughly a week of downtime. As such, in your next posts, I would like each of you to think deeply about your character and their new life in this home. Some questions to think about,
1) Where does your character live in the home? Which room do they choose? And what does that room look like and how is it decorated?
2) On a typical day, what is your character's routine? Do they go out into the city and run errands or do they mostly stay indoors? What types of places would your character frequent? If you have any questions, ask me in chat and I can tell you what's around in the city that would fit where your character would like to go.
3) How do the characters interact with each other during this time? What are their goals as a group? What are their goals as an individual?
Here is a brief summary of the places that are available to you right here on Trollskull Alley. Remember however, that there is a whole city out there as well and you can find most any shop or establishment somewhere.
1. The Bent Nail - A small shop run by a half-elf named Tally Fellbranch. He is a carpenter who sells weapons, shields, furniture, and wood sculptures.
2. Steam and Steel - Another weapons and armor shop run by a fire and water genasi couple named Embric and Avi respectively.
3. Correllon's Crown - A shop that sells healing potions and other potions. Owned and operated by a wood elf druid named Fala.
4. Tiger's Eye - A detective agency run by a human man named Vincent Trench. He's a private eye and will investigate things for a fee.
5. Book Wyrm's Treasure - This is a small shop run by a short male gold dragonborn called Rishaal the Page-Turner. He is a mage and sells books and spell books.
ALSO YOU LEVELED UP TO 3!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Congrats! However, keep in mind you guys are still 1 level ahead than normal and that you will be level 3 for two milestones. I decided that it was more fun to stay at level 3 for longer than level 2.
Hugo tries to downplay his excitement about owning such an estate with his friends. It has the potential to be the only other true home he has ever had beyond his mother's place. "Hmmm, not a lot of room for a stage," he remarks. "I can't imagine the lighting will be right..." As Callan and Zylee express their excitement however, the bard's grin does slowly grow wider as he says "we'll take it!" "Oh you guys, this is amazing. Can you envision it?! Ohhh boy, wait until you see what I see..." The bard starts running around the tavern area making all kinds of awkward movements with his arms as if he's taking measurements or calculating angles between one eye and his thumbs, his tongue protruding from his mouth as he does so. He is silent except for the occasional and almost inaudible giggle, but his enthusiasm and energy are obvious none the less.
After taking a bit more time to himself, Hugo returns to the others and says. "Isn't it great?! Zyllee I think you should take the master bedroom and the private bath there. Even the smaller bedroom on the second floor is bigger than my bedroom was at my mom's old house." He tails off a bit towards the end, thinking of his mother, but quickly snaps out of it. "What's with the name of this place, anyway, Volo? 'Trollskull'? No, no, no, that won't do! Who has ideas?"
Callan grins even wider as his friend finally drops his feigned indifference, "In that case Hugo, go ahead and take the good sized room on the second floor, I need less space, so the relatively small one suits me just fine. My tinkering is another matter, but we'll want that stuff removed from the rest of the household anyways, so I would like to claim the attic bedroom as well, convert it into a workshop if there are no objections."
Turning back to Volo he states, "Yes, we accept the offer. I do hope you'll join us for a drink or several once we open up in earnest."
Replying to Hugo, Volo says, "The name of the entire alley is Trollskull Alley. But some say the manor was what named the alley and not the other way around. Rumor has it the name came about as a relic of the old Troll Wars and that the wall nearby held many of them off while mages pushed them back with fire magic. By the end of the war, this area was covered in troll skulls and bones. Hence, Trollskull Alley. The Troll Wars were awful indeed, but the effects of it have lingered and inspired several such things. For example, during the autumn season, there is a festival called Trolltide where people dress up as various monsters and nasty creatures. It's quite a fun event! Last year I went as a giant flumph!"
To Callan he says, "Of course! I'll be back tomorrow to have us all meet with the magistrate to finalize all the paperwork. I shall see you all then!"
With that, Volo heads on his way leaving you all alone in your new home.
"Fascinating, I hadn't heard about all of that about Trollskull Alley specifically before, but OF COURSE I've been to Trolltide, Volo! I snuck in last year myself. My mom let me cut holes in her wardrobe trunk and I went as a mimic! Scared quite a few people, too! I'd just settle in next to a booth somewhere and wait several minutes for someone new to come along and BAM! I'd pop out with a big monster mouth full of teeth and a big tongue! Not bad for some old cloth scraps and about a silver's worth of thread and dye that mom got for me! Mom was... is... really the best." Hugo's excitement fades towards the end of his remarks, once again. "I need to go see her" he says, trailing off and looking at the floor lost in thought for a moment before snapping back to normal as he tends to do.
"What do you think, Callan? Zyllee? Trollskull Tavern, or a whole new name fit for a finer establishment?"
"So I'm thinking there is no great place for a stage as is. The turret might be good, but it's hidden behind the chimney. What I'm picturing is moving the front door just a bit and building a stage against the kitchen wall. We could even cut a small door from there into the kitchen, behind a curtain of course, for people to enter and exit the stage from."
Callan scratches his head, "We might want to ask around about the name first. The locals are our first prospective customers after all, and if they're attached to the name for whatever reason we might be stuck with it."
At some point, once he's free from the immediate tasks of engaging the new home, Callan goes and seeks out the nearest pack of street urchins. He promises a silver piece to the first one that can bring him a live pigeon, two if it is entirely uninjured.
Zyllee hugs them tightly. She then twirls around excitedly " Thank you so much Hugo! It is truly lovely. I cant wait to redecorare it Hmm. " She pictures in her mind various alternatives.
" Trollskull Manor?" Her slender nose wrinkles up at this. " I would rather not keep that name unlesd you two think we should. "
She grins at Hugo. " I cannot wait to see you perform here on stage. "
"I know, I can't wait! Let me know if you need any help decorating your room Zyllee! I have LOTS of ideas!"
"You're right Callan, we'll ask around first!"
After Volo has left and the party has wrapped up their initial tour Hugo finds a broken mirror in one of the upstairs rooms and moves it to his new bedroom. He emerges an hour later with a new look. A much more regal and handsome version of Maximillian strides back into the common room and announces in a slightly deeper yet silkier voice "greetings friends!" "It is I, Maximillian Mercutio Eovaldi!" This version of Hugo's new alter ego does not have the flashy style of the previous one, choosing more subtle but fine clothing fitting of perhaps a nobleman or important envoy. He smiles at his companions and asks, in his normal voice, "what do you think?" "I decided to spiff him up a bit for this part of town, and perhaps for the theater stage some day! Don't worry, the more casual, stylish Max is still around!" "I'm off to do some shopping, if anyone cares to join. There's much to be done!"
Regal version of Max (right, white hair)
Maximillian heads out into Trollskull Alley adorned in illusory fine gray and blue clothing and a dark blue traveler's cloak. He surveys the shops and finds that the Bent Nail catches his eye. He heads in hoping to scout out some fine furniture for after their renovations are done and, in the meantime, some lumber, cloth, thread, needles, and the like.
One of the street urchins, a young tiefling boy with red skin wearing an eyepatch with a small bow on his back, comes back with a live pigeon for Callan. He seems ecstatic as he receives the silver coin. "That was a lively one, but no pigeon can escape me!" he proclaims triumphantly. Then, he turns to his other two friends, who apparently weren't fast enough to catch the pigeon, with a smug expression. "See, told ya I would win! I'm the best at catching pigeons."
---
As Maximillian heads to the Bent Nail, he notices that the small wooden sign above the shop’s main door is bare except for a large, bent nail sticking out of it. When he enters and surveys the shop, he notices that the front room contains displays of ornate wooden furniture of all kinds, as well as a selection of bows and crossbows. The wall behind the counter is lined with rows of finely carved wooden canes, quarterstaffs, and shields.
Soon enough, a half-elven man comes out from the back area of the shop and approaches. He takes off his gloves then addresses the young bard, "Hey there, haven't seen you around before. Welcome to the Bent Nail! My name is Talisolvanar Fellbranch, but please just call me Tally. You know how elven names can be sometimes." The man chuckles at the unnecessary length of his own name, then motions his arm towards the various stock of furniture and wooden weaponry.
"As you can see, I specialize in woodworking and woodcarving of all sorts. I have a good stock of most basic furniture, but I can also take custom orders as well. It's a bit more expensive, but you do get to choose the type of wood as well as the overall design. What's your name sir, if you don't mind my asking?" he asks.
Grinning, Callan hands over the silver coin to the young tiefling, and then a copper each to the two who had tried. "What's your name young man? My friends and I are starting up a business around here shortly, and we might have work from time to time for someone so swift on their feet." He takes the pigeon carefully, keeping a firm grasp on the bird.
Later, Callan returns to the new home with the captive pigeon. "All right Circe, here's the pigeon as I promised, where do you want me to set it loose for you. All I ask is that you not leave any body parts where I can't clean them up, okay?" he seals off whatever room Circe wants to hunt in, releases the bird, and exits promptly, really not wanting to see what was about to happen.
At the Bent Nail, Callan looks around, "This is good work, and we're going to need plenty of it. You see, we're reopening the tavern in the old Trollskull manor, and a lot of the furniture in there needs replacing. Should keep you busy for a while. We won't need anything particularly special for most of it barstools, tables, simple chairs, then simple furnishings for the rooms etc. but there are two things we'll want made to order, a stage for bardic performances, and a workbench built to specifications I'll provide."
"In the interest of price negotiating, I think we can offer up two things in return. One could obviously be some manner of discount at the new business. For the other, I am a craftsman myself, I can make a variety of specialized metal parts for use in your own work, tin, iron, I even do work with finer metals like gold and silver if you have a call for gilded woodwork." He grins at the man, "Think we can make a deal?"
Letting Hugo take the lead on the actual negotiations, just setting the stage for what we're after.
I should also point out that I will not be releasing the pigeon in one of the other's bedrooms
"Greetings Talisolvanar Fellbranch! I am Maximillian Mercutio Eovaldi, and thus your point on names seems to hold true!" The regal Max runs his hand over some of the upholstery, seemingly studying the shopkeep's work as he makes his way across the room and closer to the half elf. He says to himself softly "very nice, very nice indeed" just before looking up again and arriving close to Tally. "...which is why my friends call me Max." "I can tell by the quality of work here, Tally sir, that you may be such a friend very soon, if we can strike a fair deal, that is. My associate here, a talented man by the name of Callan by the way, has us off to a very good start. We will have many needs..." Max puts an arm over Tally's shoulder if he doesn't seem put off by it, and continues by talking more quietly while admiring more of Tally's work in the shop. "you see, I have a few very special projects in mind, and I need someone with the right talent. Alas, the Manor is a business though in the end, and our investors demand only the most frugal of choices. Don't repeat this, but I'm not sure they have the proper appreciation for the finer style and craftsmanship here. What I need, for my special projects, are just the right cloth patterns and thread, and someone with the carpentry talents that I lack. So what do you say, dear Tally, do you think we can work out a deal to appease our investors on the large scale project Master Callan has mentioned so we can work on a few special projects together as well?" Hugo pulls out a folded piece of parchment and places it on Tally's counter, taps his finger on it a few times, and raises his eyebrows at the half-elf to show his excitement for the secret project(s) hidden within.
At some point in the conversation Hugo also asks Tally "so what do you think of when you hear the name 'Trollskull Manor' anyhow, Tally? Should we keep the name? Change it? What do you think the locals would prefer?"
Hoping to Persuade him to give us the best deal he can to work on these various projects for us. If the DM will allow the roll, I'll roll with Advantage for either the Help action from Callan's initial offer for his services, or burning inspiration if I must.
18
Zyllee is ecstatic over their new home. She doesnt care for the way her bedroom is decorated though. Her days consist of sleeping late and then going shopping. She picks up a beautiful lace edged blue bed curtain and puts it up on her bed frame. Shopping and bargaining she brings home decent paintings of elves in a forest setting. They remind her of her mother. Her bathroom and bedroom are filled with flowers of all sorts with yellow roses being her favorite. When darkness comes she heads out dressed in dark dresses. She always goes a few streets away to not draw attention to their area. The agile elf studies people carefully and snatches a purse or bag from some unsuspecting person. She limits it to a couple a night to not draw the attention of the watch.
Tapping her foot one afternoon she studies her room and is satisfied somewhat. " Well, that is much better than it was. I need more gold though to finish it. It's too early for that. That interesting shop i saw... hmm..." She heads out of the manor and down tge street cheerfully. Pulling up in front of Correllon's Crown, she pauses a moment. Looking at the wood elf owner somewhat anxiously she enters the store. " Good afternoon miss... I keep seeing this store as i walk by and i keep thinking that i must stop one day and shop. Today is that day apparently. " She grins at the storekeeper.
The young tiefling boy says to Callan, "My name is Squiddly! I'll be happy to work with you nice people again. But my friends can help too if you need more!" He points to the two other children nearby who are his friends. One of them appears to be a taller human girl wearing a determined expression and holding a wooden toy sword while the other is a shorter chubby human boy with dark skin sheepishly clasping a stuffed owlbear doll tightly. He is dressed in dirty robes, and has a wooden stick that almost looks like a wand. "The girl there is named Nat, but she doesn't hear too well so you have to talk to her with signs. And the other one there is Jynks, he is going to be a great wizard someday!"
---
When Callan releases the pigeon into the room alone with Circe, there is an eerie quietness for a time. There is a small ruckus, but upon opening the door there is not much left of the bird. A few feathers lie about, and the tressym is licking one paw.
---
Tally responds to Callan and Max regarding the discount, "Is that so, master gnome? What was your name? I can certainly agree to such a deal with my new fellow neighbors. I have no need or want in metalwork, but your skillset may still come in handy for my trade. Restoring the old manor, eh? Very interesting, it has been some time since it was last lived in. Very well then, it's settled! I can give you the furniture at cost if you agree to help me out from time to time. How does that sound?"
Regarding the name of the home, the man ponders it for a moment, "Well it's true that the current name has some historical significance, but I would suggest you name it based on whatever you would like it to be. I don't think anyone in the town will mind if you change it honestly. It used to be a popular tavern once upon a time. If you manage to revive it, I would recommend something catchy or memorable. Something good for whatever brand or image you are going for."
---
At the Correlon's Crown, Zyllee walks in to a store that is just beautiful. It is a three-story establishment with glass paneling all outside so that anyone may see inside. The third floor is a beautifully vibrant greenhouse. But even on the other two floors, there are plants and herbs growing everywhere and it looks like a dream to anyone interested in nature or herbalism. The wood elf woman smiles a big, bright smile as Zyllee enters, "Hey there! Welcome to Correlon's Crown! My name is Fala and here I specialize in potions and other herbal remedies."
The elf herself is a natural beauty, but she doesn't appear to go out of her way to make herself look pretty. She is dressed in modest clothing of earthy colors. Her hair is long and dark, and braided all the way down her back. She is also wearing symbols and religious iconography referring to the elven god Corellon Larethian, the "father" of all elves.
"Many of the herbal remedies and ointments I sell are non-magical and are more meant for soothing simple pains or for relaxation. I do sell magical potions however, but those are much pricier," the elf says to Zyllee. "Would you be interested in any of these items?"
The elf brings out a few samples of potions just to show Zyllee. She walks her through their various effects.
This is a list of what the elf offers as far as magic potions go:
Potion of animal friendship - 125 gp
Potion of climbing - 50 gp
Potion of healing, greater - 250 gp
Potion of healing - 50 gp
Potion of water breathing - 250 gp
"Squiddly, Nat, Jynks, I am please to meet you all. I am Callan Steamrider. My friends and I have just moved into this area. We've taken over the old Trollskull manor. All three of you are more than welcome to visit, and like I said, there will be work available if you ever have need of coin. In fact, how about you come by tomorrow, we'll be pretty busy moving things around and could use a few hands. Jynks, I do know a little magic myself, as do my friends Hugo and Zyllee." The gnome wiggles his fingers and turns the skin on his face a bright patchwork of orange, pink, and green. "If you like I can dig around for some of my old notes on magic. You can study them and learn a few tricks to get you started. Master those, and I'm sure I can get you a real spellbook."
---
Callan's a little queasy as he cleans up the few remaining feathers, "Looks like you enjoyed that Circe. I do hope you know I truly appreciate your help the other day."
---
At the Bent Nail, Callan looks a bit confused, "No metal parts? In that case I have a few designs that you may like to look at, modular furniture especially useful for travelers or people living in limited spaces, and chairs that let you shift posture."
He extends a hand, "But in any case, that does sound like a deal. What kind of help do you need?"
---
As soon as he gets a chance to with everything else going on, Callan snags the others, "Let's meander on back to that Zhent warehouse and pick up that loot we found. No point in the bad guys claiming it again, and we could definitely use the coin."
Zyllee beams at the wood elf. " Hello Fala. I am Zyllee. You have a beautiful store. Truly amazing. I regret not visiting before this. " She listens to Fala's description of each item. Her eye remains on the potion of healing. " I would like this one please. It would be useful to keep my trouble prone friends alive. "