He licks your face in a friendly, puppyish way. What a good boy! And no reason at all to worry!
You walk across town. This is *clearly* a bigger town, and more populous, than Barovia. That much is obvious, even in the dark. But the lamps grow fewer and fewer as you enter the inner part of town, and you aren't getting much of a sense of the place itself at night.
You follow directions across the square and to the western part of the town.
Gray smoke issues from the chimney of this large, two-story wooden building with a stone foundation and sagging tile roof, upon which several ravens have perched. A painted wooden sign hanging above the main entrance depicts a blue waterfall. "Blue Water Inn," it says.
You enter the main doors, and find yourself in the tavern area. Damp cloaks hang from pegs in the entrance portico. The tavern is packed with tables and chairs, with narrow paths meandering between them. A bar stretches along one wall, under a balcony that can be reached by a wooden staircase that hugs the north wall. Another balcony overhangs an entrance to the east. All the windows are fitted with thick shutters and crossbars. Lanterns hanging above the bar and resting on the tables bathe the room in dull orange light and cast shadows upon the walls, most of which are adorned with wolf heads mounted on wooden plaques. A bartender works behind the bar, scrubbing the dark wooden countertop. A few of the tables have one, two, or three people seating at them. Most tables are empty. The room is definitely quiet, by Sword Coast standards, but the establishment exudes a certain liveliness that was missing in Barovia.
Ireena, surely you must be hungry and thirsty. Tell the bartender what you'd like. Once she's ordered...Hello young man, I'll have anything you have got that is hot and a beer.
My name is Barnaby, and these are my friends Ireena, Kif, Fope, and What'shisname. (Sorry, no posts yet on this page and I can't recall.) What's the news of the day?
Ireena collects a glass of wine from the bartender and says a few words to her. She is a young woman tends bar, with a couple of boys - her sons, you would guess - tussling on the floor near her feet. We have wine, not beer. The food is good and hot and will be ready soon for you and the lady. And your friends? She steps back from the bar and hollers through an open door: Oy, Urwin! Two plates. And . . . she looks at Barnaby, waiting for a signal . . .
Wine and food for everyone. The total price is 2 gold. The food is quite good, and the wine is agreeable. Not great, but agreeable.
Well, the Festival of Wolves just wrapped up. Lucky for that one. She arches an eyebrow at Revenge, who is now getting squirmy in Fope's lap. Next up is the Festival of the Blazing Sun. "All will be well" and all that, you know.
What brings you lot to our corner of the universe?
Fope, there are three occupied tables. One of them is occupied by a colorfully dressed half-elf, eating alone. You might guess he was an actor, or something, with his colorful outfit. Another table has two men and one woman, apparently commoners, talking quietly to each other. A third table has two young men, clearly drunk and likely brothers, playing some kind of game, talking loudly, and frequently slapping the table noisily to make some point or other. Other tables are unoccupied.
The ceiling of the first floor is open, and you can see a hallway around a second level. There are doors into rooms up there, but you don't see any activity.
Føpé leashes revenge, and then wanders over to the colorful cloths table Hello he says jovially, I like your outfit. My friends and I have found ourselves in this land unexpectedly. Are you a traveler as well?
Well, my word, he says. A halfling! You are far from home, aren't you?
My name, young man, is Rictavio. A traveler, you are exactly right, and a teller of tales. It is my vocation and my avocation, you might say. Travel from place to place. Share the stories from Place A, so to speak, when I get to Place B. But maybe I'm all the way up to Place Z now, don't you think?
Aye, you're standing in the only inn in town. Beds are 5 silver for the night, each. 'Is wolf, she says about Fope and Revenge, can stay in the stables. If he doesn't want to leave the little one in the stables alone overnight, he's welcome to stay there, too. Should be plenty of dry hay. No charge, if the rest of you are getting beds. But that wolf is not welcome here, outside of the taproom. The taproom is the room you're in now.
Book me for a room, and a basin of hot water would be appreciated clean some of this road grime off. Lucento, let me pay for your room as well, you kept us going back there, most appreciated. Ireena, do you have money or interest in a room?
Kif looks about and starts to feel the hole in the party.
Barnaby, I see Føpé is making friends, what happened out in the woods (have they shared this info with us) How did you get the wolf back and not get eaten?
Barnaby, I see Føpé is making friends, what happened out in the woods (have they shared this info with us) How did you get the wolf back and not get eaten?
Eh, we had another little run in with our friend The Count. We're going to need to keep an eye on the halfling. Straad seemed to be looking to get some hooks into him. Other than that little encounter, things went smoothly.
Wine and food for everyone. The total price is 2 gold. The food is quite good, and the wine is agreeable. Not great, but agreeable.
Well, the Festival of Wolves just wrapped up. Lucky for that one. She arches an eyebrow at Revenge, who is now getting squirmy in Fope's lap. Next up is the Festival of the Blazing Sun. "All will be well" and all that, you know.
What brings you lot to our corner of the universe?
Fope, there are three occupied tables. One of them is occupied by a colorfully dressed half-elf, eating alone. You might guess he was an actor, or something, with his colorful outfit. Another table has two men and one woman, apparently commoners, talking quietly to each other. A third table has two young men, clearly drunk and likely brothers, playing some kind of game, talking loudly, and frequently slapping the table noisily to make some point or other. Other tables are unoccupied.
The ceiling of the first floor is open, and you can see a hallway around a second level. There are doors into rooms up there, but you don't see any activity.
Well, my word, he says. A halfling! You are far from home, aren't you?
My name, young man, is Rictavio. A traveler, you are exactly right, and a teller of tales. It is my vocation and my avocation, you might say. Travel from place to place. Share the stories from Place A, so to speak, when I get to Place B. But maybe I'm all the way up to Place Z now, don't you think?
Aye, you're standing in the only inn in town. Beds are 5 silver for the night, each. 'Is wolf, she says about Fope and Revenge, can stay in the stables. If he doesn't want to leave the little one in the stables alone overnight, he's welcome to stay there, too. Should be plenty of dry hay. No charge, if the rest of you are getting beds. But that wolf is not welcome here, outside of the taproom. The taproom is the room you're in now.
I am waiting on you guys here. Which I'm happy to do! But I wanted to make sure you didn't think that you were waiting for me.
Also, to be clear, the beds are 5 silver a night. Not rooms.
I'll bet there are all sorts of things you can tell us about traveling safely in this land, and the curse that keeps people here. Perhaps my friends and I can buy you a beer if you'd care to join us? Persuasion: 24 edit lucky: 16
No, but the guards direct you to one on the far side of town. I’ll update with that info in a bit, if that’s what you want to do.
Føpé, holding Revenge, nods in agreement.
He licks your face in a friendly, puppyish way. What a good boy! And no reason at all to worry!
You walk across town. This is *clearly* a bigger town, and more populous, than Barovia. That much is obvious, even in the dark. But the lamps grow fewer and fewer as you enter the inner part of town, and you aren't getting much of a sense of the place itself at night.
You follow directions across the square and to the western part of the town.
Gray smoke issues from the chimney of this large, two-story wooden building with a stone foundation and sagging tile roof, upon which several ravens have perched. A painted wooden sign hanging above the main entrance depicts a blue waterfall. "Blue Water Inn," it says.
You enter the main doors, and find yourself in the tavern area. Damp cloaks hang from pegs in the entrance portico. The tavern is packed with tables and chairs, with narrow paths meandering between them. A bar stretches along one wall, under a balcony that can be reached by a wooden staircase that hugs the north wall. Another balcony overhangs an entrance to the east. All the windows are fitted with thick shutters and crossbars. Lanterns hanging above the bar and resting on the tables bathe the room in dull orange light and cast shadows upon the walls, most of which are adorned with wolf heads mounted on wooden plaques. A bartender works behind the bar, scrubbing the dark wooden countertop. A few of the tables have one, two, or three people seating at them. Most tables are empty. The room is definitely quiet, by Sword Coast standards, but the establishment exudes a certain liveliness that was missing in Barovia.
Ireena, surely you must be hungry and thirsty. Tell the bartender what you'd like. Once she's ordered...Hello young man, I'll have anything you have got that is hot and a beer.
My name is Barnaby, and these are my friends Ireena, Kif, Fope, and What'shisname. (Sorry, no posts yet on this page and I can't recall.) What's the news of the day?
Ireena collects a glass of wine from the bartender and says a few words to her. She is a young woman tends bar, with a couple of boys - her sons, you would guess - tussling on the floor near her feet. We have wine, not beer. The food is good and hot and will be ready soon for you and the lady. And your friends? She steps back from the bar and hollers through an open door: Oy, Urwin! Two plates. And . . . she looks at Barnaby, waiting for a signal . . .
Yes, yes, we could all use a good meal.
I've never been to a place like this. Føpé looks around weary at his friend's sudden relaxation. Perception: 18
A plate for me as well, ma'am, and a glass!
As everyone gets settled in Barnaby repeats, So what’s the news of the day young lady?
Wine and food for everyone. The total price is 2 gold. The food is quite good, and the wine is agreeable. Not great, but agreeable.
Well, the Festival of Wolves just wrapped up. Lucky for that one. She arches an eyebrow at Revenge, who is now getting squirmy in Fope's lap. Next up is the Festival of the Blazing Sun. "All will be well" and all that, you know.
What brings you lot to our corner of the universe?
Fope, there are three occupied tables. One of them is occupied by a colorfully dressed half-elf, eating alone. You might guess he was an actor, or something, with his colorful outfit. Another table has two men and one woman, apparently commoners, talking quietly to each other. A third table has two young men, clearly drunk and likely brothers, playing some kind of game, talking loudly, and frequently slapping the table noisily to make some point or other. Other tables are unoccupied.
The ceiling of the first floor is open, and you can see a hallway around a second level. There are doors into rooms up there, but you don't see any activity.
We may get to a point where I'm not counting your gold like this, but for now - because money is scarce and nothing is cheap - please keep track.
Føpé leashes revenge, and then wanders over to the colorful cloths table Hello he says jovially, I like your outfit. My friends and I have found ourselves in this land unexpectedly. Are you a traveler as well?
Well, my word, he says. A halfling! You are far from home, aren't you?
My name, young man, is Rictavio. A traveler, you are exactly right, and a teller of tales. It is my vocation and my avocation, you might say. Travel from place to place. Share the stories from Place A, so to speak, when I get to Place B. But maybe I'm all the way up to Place Z now, don't you think?
Kif will ask the woman if there is lodging available for the party
Aye, you're standing in the only inn in town. Beds are 5 silver for the night, each. 'Is wolf, she says about Fope and Revenge, can stay in the stables. If he doesn't want to leave the little one in the stables alone overnight, he's welcome to stay there, too. Should be plenty of dry hay. No charge, if the rest of you are getting beds. But that wolf is not welcome here, outside of the taproom. The taproom is the room you're in now.
Book me for a room, and a basin of hot water would be appreciated clean some of this road grime off. Lucento, let me pay for your room as well, you kept us going back there, most appreciated. Ireena, do you have money or interest in a room?
Kif looks about and starts to feel the hole in the party.
Barnaby, I see Føpé is making friends, what happened out in the woods (have they shared this info with us) How did you get the wolf back and not get eaten?
I'll leave that up to Barnaby.
Eh, we had another little run in with our friend The Count. We're going to need to keep an eye on the halfling. Straad seemed to be looking to get some hooks into him. Other than that little encounter, things went smoothly.
I am waiting on you guys here. Which I'm happy to do! But I wanted to make sure you didn't think that you were waiting for me.
Also, to be clear, the beds are 5 silver a night. Not rooms.
I'll bet there are all sorts of things you can tell us about traveling safely in this land, and the curse that keeps people here. Perhaps my friends and I can buy you a beer if you'd care to join us? Persuasion: 24 edit lucky: 16