For his part, Maldorn simply goes back to his normal life after arriving at Seldom Spring. He hunts early in the morning, runs the hunting lodge during the day, and enjoys some of his evening at Seldom's tavern. After being pestered a bit, he even takes Erric out to hunt a few times. It takes a few outings for him to eventually admit to Erric that he enjoys his company out there in the woods, even if the little bard is way noisier than would be advisable while hunting.
(OOC: If we are running downtime activities as per the DMG, I think running the hunting lodge would most closely match the "Running a business" option described in page 129 of the DMG, which I also copied below. Let me know if we should roll for it. If so, does a week in this game equal 7 days or is it a tenday as usual in Forgotten Realms lore? In other words, do we have 14 or 20 days of downtime?)
Downtime Activity: Running a Business
Adventurers can end up owning businesses that have nothing to do with delving into dungeons or saving the world. A character might inherit a smithy, or the party might be given a parcel of farmland or a tavern as a reward. If they hold on to the business, they might feel obliged to spend time between adventures maintaining the venture and making sure it runs smoothly.
A character rolls percentile dice and adds the number of days spent on this downtime activity (maximum 30), then compares the total to the Running a Business table to determine what happens.
If the character is required to pay a cost as a result of rolling on this table but fails to do so, the business begins to fail. For each unpaid debt incurred in this manner, the character takes a -10 penalty to subsequent rolls made on this table.
Running a Business
d100 + Days
Result
01-20
You must pay one and a half times the business's maintenance cost for each of the days.
21-30
You must pay the business's full maintenance cost for each of the days.
31-40
You must pay half the business's maintenance cost for each of the days. Profits cover the other half.
41-60
The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days.
61-80
The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days. It earns a profit of 1d6 × 5 gp.
81-90
The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days. It earns a profit of 2d8 × 5 gp.
91-100
The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days. It earns a profit of 3d10 × 5 gp.
Jambiya is thrilled to be home. She runs into the inn, shouting and yelling for her dads, hugging them both, and nearly throwing the boot at Brunthor. "I have so many stories and what's happened here and it's been so long and why is that table moved and here's your boot we found it with a magical short sword is that yours and I am famished for good food these berries are fine but bleugh and we got Anafrey cursed and then cured and we need your advice on how to resurrect a dead dwarf!"
After they manage to slow her down and get the whole story out of her, she almost immediately starts back to her old job, though they likely found someone to fill her spot since she was gone so long.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
she/her Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Anafrey would follow Jam into the tavern and would spend most of her two weeks there. When the goblin mentions resurrecting a dead dwarf, Anafrey politely interjects. "Well. you see I am trying to help the soul of a cursed dwarf that is living inside of a weapon of mine and it is evil but also sad now and I think I can make him friendly without bringing him to life after a recent dream I had but my would still be nice to bring him back to life once I know he is friendly but we might not HAVE to do it anytime soon." the white haired woman would say with a smile.. realizing how crazy that all just sounded.
Erric, while you are being very quiet while hunting, Maldorn still complains. But you're used to that. What are your plans for traveling back to Neverwinter? Remember that it's a two-and-a-half day trip one way. Are you going by yourself? How long will you be there?
Jambiya, your fathers are (of course) very happy to see you. They tell you they received your letter, so they know what you told them in it, but they still have a lot of questions and are excited to hear about everything from you. Dirk is over the moon and wants to hear about everything, sharing in your excitement and even spurring you on to talk about the scary parts. Brunthor scowls here and there and even makes a few disapproving hums during parts where you talk about dangers, but he doesn't actually say anything negative.
In response to the boot, Dirk takes its mate down and tells you that you can keep them or give them to one of the others.
Brunthor's Boots Wonderous Item
These masterfully crafted dwarven boots are reinforced with fine chain and steel plates, yet don't impede the wearer's movement.
While you wear these boots, you can use a bonus action to move up to your speed toward a hostile creature that you can see.
While you wear these boots with heavy armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dirk says he did have a cleric contact who could perform resurrections, but he hasn't spoken with them in decades and would like to make contact with them before passing on their name. He promises to do that. And, yes, they did need more help at the Seldom Spring, but it has been Aseid who has been helping out. Kul'ra was willing to share the young Calishite man, so he spends half the day at the Welcome Exchange (Seldom Spring's general store) and half the day at the Seldom Spring tavern. With the weather turning colder (it's actually winter now), very few tourists have been stopping by, so business in both places has been light.
Brunthor doesn't know anything about the magical sword.
Anafrey, after you calmly explain about the dwarf, both Dirk and Brunthor blink at you silently. Finally, Dirk's usual grin splits his lips. "My my! Adventuring has done you some good, Anafrey! I don't think I have ever heard you speak so lucidly." Brunthor agrees, pointing out how clear your eyes are. You realize the past couple of months have really changed you.
Erric wouldn't plan per se -- just get enough food to last both directions in his pack and retrace his steps. He'd tell everyone about it over a meal at the tavern, so if someone thought it was a terrible idea and recommended he not try it solo, he would sincerely listen to them, stay in Seldom Spring, and just perform whenever allowed the The Seldom Spring.
But if not, he'd just try to go on his own, camp solo, and stay for 2-3 days, and return.
(OOC: Was that a "Yes" on the "Running a business" downtime activity? If so, here's the d100 roll: 55)
(OOC: Bang neutral, no extra costs or profits... Oh well.)
When given a chance, Maldorn will show concern for Erric's wellbeing and disagree with his plans to travel solo so soon after arriving home. "Please, Erric. Travelling alone seems unwise and I think it is safe to say that we all would rather rest at home for some time. Could you try and abate your halfing's wanderlust for at least a few weeks? If you still want to perform in Neverwinter this time next month, I'll go with you. Agreed?"
"Oh, and this is Snap, he sort of attached himself to me, though he has a mind of his own. Oh!" and her eyes get all googly, "And I met my mother! Sort of, maybe. I had a dream, and I've been sort of talking to her, and sometimes she guides me, and sometimes she helps me resist things, and I woke up with this book from her," she shows her book, "And she's some kind of faerie tree person, maybe... It's all so exciting!!"
She will find her tavern work less fulfilling than it once was, and mention a couple of times to Brunthor that she feel restless. When Erric suggests he might go back to Neverwinter, rather than discourage him, Jambiya jumps at the chance to join him! "We should definitely go! Maybe we can run an errand for my dads, or something, to make it even more worthwhile."
She will also continually bring up the next step, helping Anafrey deal with Anin. She's not entirely helpful in this regard, it's pretty clear to all that she has caught the adventuring bug, and rather than be cowed by the numerous times she was rendered unconscious, she's energized by the thrill of it.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
she/her Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Two tendays go by quickly for some and slowly for others. Despite Jambiya's excitement about returning to Neverwinter, Erric is convinced by Maldorn to put the trip on hold. Jambiya is disappointed, but decides to look forward to the trip "next month". Maldorn and Erric go hunting a few times together. The trips go well. They don't catch anything overly interesting, but being their first times out together, it goes well overall. Brunthor and Dirk are very happy to have the four back. Dirk encourages Erric to play as often as he can. It's a party practically every night at the Seldom Spring. This is a welcome diversion as the cold days are keeping people inside and cooped up more. The increased busyness helps pass the time.
Anafrey, encouraged by her two dreams, makes an effort to reach out to Anin. (Persuasion checks (one with advantage): 157). Unfortunately, she hasn't made any headway, even with Jambiya's help. Perhaps losing her temper and yelling at the stubborn dwarf isn't the right tactic.
Almost two tendays exactly from the day of their return, a half-elf messenger arrives at the Seldom Spring an hour before sunset with a message for Jambiya. She opens a letter from Ebokk:
My new friends,
I hope your trip home was safe and uneventful. I know it has not been long since I last put you all in danger, but I have recently uncovered an interesting text surrounding a mysterious vault. It seems two brothers, Raman and Grath Turntide, former adventurers, created this vault to memorialize their escapades. The vault is magical and only accessible during sunset and only a few times a year. I know I promised mother I wouldn't adventure anymore, but I am no longer satisfied sitting at home. I am going to tell her I need to travel to Neverwinter for business, but I am heading for the vault. According to what I found, it should be opening very soon. Will you meet me there? It should be located on the northernmost tip of the Sword Mountains. The text says the setting sun will point the way. I hope to see you there!
Included is a map and a timetable. According to it, the date is less than a tenday away!
Maldorn notices Jambiya's discontent with his arguments against visiting Neverwinter so soon and reassures her that he will be the first one on the road with them once "next month" arrives. He had planned to keep his word, of course, but he could not have foreseen that letter. He waits until Jambiya shares its contents to say anything.
Jambiya gathers the crew as soon as she can after receiving the letter, nearly vibrating in the early morning. She’s set out a breakfast, hot drinks, and a nip of ale for everyone. She may or may not have already packed a bag in her room.
She shares the letter with the others.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
she/her Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
"well that is interesting. Ya see that Anin!" Anafrey would pull out her flail and rub it on the map. "Maybe we can become best friends while we go on another adventure." She would say as she puts the flail back on her belt.
Erric listens with mostly rapt-attention, grins, and nods at the others. "Sounds like fun! Hey Dirk, Brunthor, have you heard of these Turntide brothers?"
Dirk walks over to stand beside the table the group is sharing, his perpetual grin lighting up his rugged face. "Raman and Grath Turntide? Of course, I do. I was just getting into the trade when they were already seasoned veterans, but tales of their exploits are legendary. I never actually met them, unfortunately." He looks at Erric. "Why do you ask?"
The human accepts the letter from his goblin daughter and reads the short message. "Well, isn't that interesting?" Dirk asks the room at large. He lowers the letter and gives Jambiya a proud grin. "And you're ready to run off on the adventure." After placing the letter down on the table, he puts his hands under her armpits, and lifts his daughter up to swing her around high in the air. "My little girl is becoming all grown up and following in her papas' footsteps."
"What's going on?" asks Brunthor, stepping over with a curious smile and wiping his hands on his apron.
Dirk returns Jambiya's feet to the floor, turns her around, and, placing his hands on her shoulders, stands right behind her. "Jambiya's going to search for the Turntide brothers' famed magical vault," he says brightly.
Brunthor, his smile looking a little stale now, lowers his eyes to his daughter's. "But you just got home."
She looks down, her face falling. "I know, Pops," she wriggles out of Dirk's grasp and approaches Brunthor, giving him a small smile. "I missed you, lots, and I was really glad to get home... but I don't fit here now. It's not just the adventure, it's... it's a chance to do good, to learn about the world." She drops her eyes again. "If I hadn't gone with Ebokk, I might never have learned about my mother. I always knew I wasn't all goblin, Pops, but now I know know. What else could I learn? I'll always come home, Pops. To bring Dad a new trophy for the wall," she spares Dirk a grin, then turns back to Brunthor. "And to see you both."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
she/her Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Brunthor looks over Jambiya's head at Dirk, who is still looking proud, but in a quiet way. Brunthor looks down at his daughter and puts a hand on Jambiya's shoulder. "I guess we couldn't protect you forever."
Maldorn is not exactly happy that the month-long break he had decided to give himself and worked so hard to convince Jambiya and Erric to agree is suddenly all but forgotten. "I'm getting too old for this crap." He says to himself, feeding Sagitta some strips of dried rabbit meat from one of the earlier hunting expeditions with the bard. "But, I'm not leaving a friend to fend for themselves out there, and there's no stopping the youngins at any rate..."
He sighs loudly, drawing a few stares from other patrons. "When do we leave?"
For his part, Maldorn simply goes back to his normal life after arriving at Seldom Spring. He hunts early in the morning, runs the hunting lodge during the day, and enjoys some of his evening at Seldom's tavern. After being pestered a bit, he even takes Erric out to hunt a few times. It takes a few outings for him to eventually admit to Erric that he enjoys his company out there in the woods, even if the little bard is way noisier than would be advisable while hunting.
(OOC: If we are running downtime activities as per the DMG, I think running the hunting lodge would most closely match the "Running a business" option described in page 129 of the DMG, which I also copied below. Let me know if we should roll for it. If so, does a week in this game equal 7 days or is it a tenday as usual in Forgotten Realms lore? In other words, do we have 14 or 20 days of downtime?)
Downtime Activity: Running a Business
Adventurers can end up owning businesses that have nothing to do with delving into dungeons or saving the world. A character might inherit a smithy, or the party might be given a parcel of farmland or a tavern as a reward. If they hold on to the business, they might feel obliged to spend time between adventures maintaining the venture and making sure it runs smoothly.
A character rolls percentile dice and adds the number of days spent on this downtime activity (maximum 30), then compares the total to the Running a Business table to determine what happens.
If the character is required to pay a cost as a result of rolling on this table but fails to do so, the business begins to fail. For each unpaid debt incurred in this manner, the character takes a -10 penalty to subsequent rolls made on this table.
Erric stealth rolls for hunting: 18 21
Jambiya is thrilled to be home. She runs into the inn, shouting and yelling for her dads, hugging them both, and nearly throwing the boot at Brunthor. "I have so many stories and what's happened here and it's been so long and why is that table moved and here's your boot we found it with a magical short sword is that yours and I am famished for good food these berries are fine but bleugh and we got Anafrey cursed and then cured and we need your advice on how to resurrect a dead dwarf!"
After they manage to slow her down and get the whole story out of her, she almost immediately starts back to her old job, though they likely found someone to fill her spot since she was gone so long.
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Anafrey would follow Jam into the tavern and would spend most of her two weeks there. When the goblin mentions resurrecting a dead dwarf, Anafrey politely interjects. "Well. you see I am trying to help the soul of a cursed dwarf that is living inside of a weapon of mine and it is evil but also sad now and I think I can make him friendly without bringing him to life after a recent dream I had but my would still be nice to bring him back to life once I know he is friendly but we might not HAVE to do it anytime soon." the white haired woman would say with a smile.. realizing how crazy that all just sounded.
OOC: A week is 10 days.
Erric, while you are being very quiet while hunting, Maldorn still complains. But you're used to that. What are your plans for traveling back to Neverwinter? Remember that it's a two-and-a-half day trip one way. Are you going by yourself? How long will you be there?
Jambiya, your fathers are (of course) very happy to see you. They tell you they received your letter, so they know what you told them in it, but they still have a lot of questions and are excited to hear about everything from you. Dirk is over the moon and wants to hear about everything, sharing in your excitement and even spurring you on to talk about the scary parts. Brunthor scowls here and there and even makes a few disapproving hums during parts where you talk about dangers, but he doesn't actually say anything negative.
In response to the boot, Dirk takes its mate down and tells you that you can keep them or give them to one of the others.
Brunthor's Boots
Wonderous Item
These masterfully crafted dwarven boots are reinforced with fine chain and steel plates, yet don't impede the wearer's movement.
While you wear these boots, you can use a bonus action to move up to your speed toward a hostile creature that you can see.
While you wear these boots with heavy armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Dirk says he did have a cleric contact who could perform resurrections, but he hasn't spoken with them in decades and would like to make contact with them before passing on their name. He promises to do that. And, yes, they did need more help at the Seldom Spring, but it has been Aseid who has been helping out. Kul'ra was willing to share the young Calishite man, so he spends half the day at the Welcome Exchange (Seldom Spring's general store) and half the day at the Seldom Spring tavern. With the weather turning colder (it's actually winter now), very few tourists have been stopping by, so business in both places has been light.
Brunthor doesn't know anything about the magical sword.
Anafrey, after you calmly explain about the dwarf, both Dirk and Brunthor blink at you silently. Finally, Dirk's usual grin splits his lips. "My my! Adventuring has done you some good, Anafrey! I don't think I have ever heard you speak so lucidly." Brunthor agrees, pointing out how clear your eyes are. You realize the past couple of months have really changed you.
Erric wouldn't plan per se -- just get enough food to last both directions in his pack and retrace his steps. He'd tell everyone about it over a meal at the tavern, so if someone thought it was a terrible idea and recommended he not try it solo, he would sincerely listen to them, stay in Seldom Spring, and just perform whenever allowed the The Seldom Spring.
But if not, he'd just try to go on his own, camp solo, and stay for 2-3 days, and return.
(OOC: Was that a "Yes" on the "Running a business" downtime activity? If so, here's the d100 roll: 55)
(OOC: Bang neutral, no extra costs or profits... Oh well.)
When given a chance, Maldorn will show concern for Erric's wellbeing and disagree with his plans to travel solo so soon after arriving home. "Please, Erric. Travelling alone seems unwise and I think it is safe to say that we all would rather rest at home for some time. Could you try and abate your halfing's wanderlust for at least a few weeks? If you still want to perform in Neverwinter this time next month, I'll go with you. Agreed?"
"Oh, and this is Snap, he sort of attached himself to me, though he has a mind of his own. Oh!" and her eyes get all googly, "And I met my mother! Sort of, maybe. I had a dream, and I've been sort of talking to her, and sometimes she guides me, and sometimes she helps me resist things, and I woke up with this book from her," she shows her book, "And she's some kind of faerie tree person, maybe... It's all so exciting!!"
She will find her tavern work less fulfilling than it once was, and mention a couple of times to Brunthor that she feel restless. When Erric suggests he might go back to Neverwinter, rather than discourage him, Jambiya jumps at the chance to join him! "We should definitely go! Maybe we can run an errand for my dads, or something, to make it even more worthwhile."
She will also continually bring up the next step, helping Anafrey deal with Anin. She's not entirely helpful in this regard, it's pretty clear to all that she has caught the adventuring bug, and rather than be cowed by the numerous times she was rendered unconscious, she's energized by the thrill of it.
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Two tendays go by quickly for some and slowly for others. Despite Jambiya's excitement about returning to Neverwinter, Erric is convinced by Maldorn to put the trip on hold. Jambiya is disappointed, but decides to look forward to the trip "next month". Maldorn and Erric go hunting a few times together. The trips go well. They don't catch anything overly interesting, but being their first times out together, it goes well overall. Brunthor and Dirk are very happy to have the four back. Dirk encourages Erric to play as often as he can. It's a party practically every night at the Seldom Spring. This is a welcome diversion as the cold days are keeping people inside and cooped up more. The increased busyness helps pass the time.
Anafrey, encouraged by her two dreams, makes an effort to reach out to Anin. (Persuasion checks (one with advantage): 15 7). Unfortunately, she hasn't made any headway, even with Jambiya's help. Perhaps losing her temper and yelling at the stubborn dwarf isn't the right tactic.
Almost two tendays exactly from the day of their return, a half-elf messenger arrives at the Seldom Spring an hour before sunset with a message for Jambiya. She opens a letter from Ebokk:
Maldorn notices Jambiya's discontent with his arguments against visiting Neverwinter so soon and reassures her that he will be the first one on the road with them once "next month" arrives. He had planned to keep his word, of course, but he could not have foreseen that letter. He waits until Jambiya shares its contents to say anything.
Jambiya gathers the crew as soon as she can after receiving the letter, nearly vibrating in the early morning. She’s set out a breakfast, hot drinks, and a nip of ale for everyone. She may or may not have already packed a bag in her room.
She shares the letter with the others.
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
"well that is interesting. Ya see that Anin!" Anafrey would pull out her flail and rub it on the map. "Maybe we can become best friends while we go on another adventure." She would say as she puts the flail back on her belt.
Erric listens with mostly rapt-attention, grins, and nods at the others. "Sounds like fun! Hey Dirk, Brunthor, have you heard of these Turntide brothers?"
Dirk walks over to stand beside the table the group is sharing, his perpetual grin lighting up his rugged face. "Raman and Grath Turntide? Of course, I do. I was just getting into the trade when they were already seasoned veterans, but tales of their exploits are legendary. I never actually met them, unfortunately." He looks at Erric. "Why do you ask?"
Jambiya hesitates a fraction of a second, but shakes her head slightly and then shows him the letter. "It's what we're doing next!"
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
The human accepts the letter from his goblin daughter and reads the short message. "Well, isn't that interesting?" Dirk asks the room at large. He lowers the letter and gives Jambiya a proud grin. "And you're ready to run off on the adventure." After placing the letter down on the table, he puts his hands under her armpits, and lifts his daughter up to swing her around high in the air. "My little girl is becoming all grown up and following in her papas' footsteps."
"What's going on?" asks Brunthor, stepping over with a curious smile and wiping his hands on his apron.
Dirk returns Jambiya's feet to the floor, turns her around, and, placing his hands on her shoulders, stands right behind her. "Jambiya's going to search for the Turntide brothers' famed magical vault," he says brightly.
Brunthor, his smile looking a little stale now, lowers his eyes to his daughter's. "But you just got home."
She looks down, her face falling. "I know, Pops," she wriggles out of Dirk's grasp and approaches Brunthor, giving him a small smile. "I missed you, lots, and I was really glad to get home... but I don't fit here now. It's not just the adventure, it's... it's a chance to do good, to learn about the world." She drops her eyes again. "If I hadn't gone with Ebokk, I might never have learned about my mother. I always knew I wasn't all goblin, Pops, but now I know know. What else could I learn? I'll always come home, Pops. To bring Dad a new trophy for the wall," she spares Dirk a grin, then turns back to Brunthor. "And to see you both."
she/her
Role-playing since that keep on those borderlands.
Erric's grinning like a fool at this, almost wiping away a tear. Taking notes for his next inspirational ballad about family.
Brunthor looks over Jambiya's head at Dirk, who is still looking proud, but in a quiet way. Brunthor looks down at his daughter and puts a hand on Jambiya's shoulder. "I guess we couldn't protect you forever."
Maldorn is not exactly happy that the month-long break he had decided to give himself and worked so hard to convince Jambiya and Erric to agree is suddenly all but forgotten. "I'm getting too old for this crap." He says to himself, feeding Sagitta some strips of dried rabbit meat from one of the earlier hunting expeditions with the bard. "But, I'm not leaving a friend to fend for themselves out there, and there's no stopping the youngins at any rate..."
He sighs loudly, drawing a few stares from other patrons. "When do we leave?"