The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Isbel Rover.  She shakes your hand.  Good fight.  Now go get your cup.

 Balassar blinks as he realizes there’s a prize and begins to walk to get his cup. He looks over to Alton a signals for him to join him “Come on buddy, time for our trophy.”

Wash rushes over, yells "Well won" and goes to hug Ballasar, but stops himself and asks Ballasar "Is a congratulatory hug OK?"

Alton shakes his head, "That is all you; I didn't enter the tournament, so that prize is yours. Besides, I get more than enough time in the spot light."

The crowd quiets, and Balassar is taken to the centre of the ring where a halfling man wearing rich clothing stands next to another holding a cup and a bag of money.  The halfling has a rather forced smile.  Isbel whisper to you:  Starosta Theanor Whisperthin.  Boss man round here.  

Congratulations to Master Balassar Silverstone, the Starosta says before the crowd's cheers drown him out.  He waits patiently, and his mood seems to improve as the crowd show that they had a good time.  Winner of the Harvest Close Wrestling competition, I present you with this cup and prize.  He hands you a silver cup and a bag of coins containing fifty gold pieces - considering how little you paid to sign up, it's clear that the town is heavily funding this event too.  Isbel gets a smaller cup and a smaller bag, and the whole group of competitors gets several more rounds of cheers.  During this time, as the Starosta is smiling, he looks up at you Balassar:  Well done, lad.  Don't be late for your appointment tomorrow.  And do try to keep your religious affiliations to yourself.  I wouldn't want to... well, let's just leave the matter alone, eh?

Following the competition, the crowd disperses to the remaining events or to make preparations for the evening meal.  Balassar, you discover that you are very popular and everyone knows your name now and many call your name or give cheers as you walk past.

Wash, Trogdor sends an image of a dejected Art returning to the guard headquarters having tried and failed in many competitions, while his guard escorts laugh at him and kick dirt in his face.  You suspect some of that may be accurate.

What would you like to do?

Balassar just nods "After all we've been through seems like some celebrating would be worth it." he says giving Wash a hug. He walks to the Starosta straightening up a little. He just takes the gold and the cup. It is only when the Straosta mentions his religious call out that he looks around and nods in understanding "Won't be late. Hopefully it goes well."

As he walks through the crowd it is weird to be known and even given cheers "This is weird...everyone knowing my name. What should we do next?"

Wash says "I think a celebratory drink is in order, my shout."

Alton pats Balassar on the leg, "You'll get use to it. Now a drink for the Harvest Close Champion."

You return to the Sunset Hall as the afternoon turns into evening, and you spend an enjoyable and relaxing evening drinking, eating and talking to various townsfolk that you have met today and over the last few days.  As well as the food and drink, there's music and dancing, and you can partake as much as you like.

When you feel you've had enough, you can return to the inn where you've been staying, for what might be your last night in town.  There's no indication of what will happen the next day, other than that you have a meeting with the Lawmaster once again.  You sleep well enough, without being disturbed, and wake having completed a long rest.

You rise in the morning and finish your breakfast;  Geta your frequent guard and watcher arrives as you finish.  Time to go, she says in a professional tone which is still friendlier than when you first met  her.

Silent follows Geta, bringing up the rear of the group.

(OOC:  Did we find out how much the pig weighed?  I might have missed that.)  Magnum follows with the group, ahead of Silent.

(I did skip ahead - there is time for you to narrate additional things  you did on the night of Harvest Close)

The pig weighed pretty much exactly what Magnum guessed, given your nat 20 on the roll.  Magnum is now the proud owner of a nine-inch carved wooden statue of a pig.  There were smaller statues for second and third place - you didn't see who got them.

As you all approach the Lawmaster's house, you see a group of few people standing around outside and to the side, having a conversation.  One of them is an apparently-released Artori Hellet.  He notices you approach, and smirks briefly before returning to his conversation with a grey-haired elf wrapped in a black cloak.

Geta sees him and scowls:  Just go inside, don't mind him, she says to you all.

Balassar just keeps walking “Take it he isn’t going to be punished then.” He says in a low calm voice to Greta.

Alton takes up a spot next to Wash and says quietly to him, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Not my place to say, Geta says with her most neutral of guard expressions as she opens the door and gestures for you to enter.

Wash, did Trogdor stay with Art overnight?  Or did he return to you?>

Balassar just forces a smile as he tries to remember to keep his calm “Guess that’s justice for ya. Well let’s go hold our heads high, at least we have our honor gentlemen.”

Wash would have had Trogdor return at night, though would have turned them into a Sprite and sent them to watch Art again in the morning when the party woke up. [So dealers choice as to whether they heard what went down.]

Silent scowls deeply at Art before heading in. 

(OOC: Does the elf and/or the elf's cloak look familiar to Silent in any way? In case this calls for a Perception check, 18) 

If Trogdor flew to find Art when you awoke, he would have caught the half-elf as he was leaving the Lawmaster's house, and missed any conversation with the Lawmaster.  If you would like him to try to eavesdrop on the conversation between Art and the black-cloaked elf, make a Perception and Stealth check for Art.

Silent, neither the elf nor the cloak ring any bells.

You enter, and are shown immediately to the same room where you met Lawmaster Hector Atterly for the first time.  This morning he is not alone; seated across from him is Starosta Theanor Whisperthin, who Balassar met the previous day.  Both halflings wear serious and unhappy expressions, and the Lawmaster waves at you to sit.  Geta salutes and leaves, closing the door behind her.

Thank you for coming so quickly, and for not giving us any trouble over the last two weeks, the Lawmaster begins.  Your conduct has been expemplary, in fact.  Let us get the first matter out of the way quickly.  You are clearly innocent of the accusations Master Hellet made against you.  My investigations confirm this and this morning the young man withdrew his previous statements.  Master Wildcloak, here is your map.  He reaches across the desk and hands the map to Alton.

Alton, assuming you check the map now or later, it is indeed your family's map, apparently undamaged.