The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Nothing comes to mind. I'm itching to get to Hupperdook at some point, but finding out what happened in Alfield is a higher priority.

Right, let's not lose sight of Hupperdook. In the meantime maybe I'll get some practice in, then, before tonight. 

Silent will spend the rest of the day just outside the tavern's entrance tuning up his lute and running through some songs, trying his best to remember melodies and scales that aren't as explicitly Xhorhasian as the ones he's played before. 

The day passes.  The tavern common room starts to fill up.

Silent, make a Performance check with your lute.

Performance 15  

It's... not too bad.  A couple of bad notes, but the crowd seems to enjoy it, when they listen.  The problem is more that they don't pay much attention, and go back to the conversations quickly, making it hard to be heard.

Towards the end of the evening, a short human man, in his mid-forties, comes over while you are paused between songs.  Nice song.  Bit quiet.  You've the look of a fighter and a traveller, am I right?

Magnum, I assume you are sitting nearby?

Silent cracks a grin. More of a fighter than a musician, yep. My friend and I here just rolled into town. 

I have... that is to say, my family has a job that needs doing.  You're not the only ones I'm hiring, I want to be up front about that.  I just need people from out of town, without local connections, help me track down some vandals. 

Magnum is nearby, yes. 

Vandals, you say.  What did they do?

The man turns round and looks at Magnum, slightly surprised, but he continues.  They damaged some of my family's property.  I can tell you more, but not here.  The reward is 100 gold for proof of who they are.  You don't need to do anything about it, just get me the names.  If you're interested, come speak to me tomorrow.  The tavernkeeper knows where. 

Without speaking any further or giving you the chance to ask questions, he stands and leaves the tavern.

Silent watches him leave and then turns to Magnum. Just names? This'll be the easiest gold we make in a long while. 

We shall see. Couldn't hurt to have some extra coin. Perhaps even get you that armor you were thinking about. 

The remainder of the evening passes.  The tavernkeeper comes up to you as the patrons are beginning to leave.  I enjoy it, he says.  You've got some skill there.  Good to have a change of atmosphere.  Anyway, we're done.  Head on up to bed.

Magnum will go upstairs. 

Thanks mate. One point of order - there was a fellow who came to talk to us a few hours ago, asked us to track down some folks who damaged his family's property. Wanted us to meet him tomorrow and said you'd know where to find him. 

The man nods.  Tember Husseldorf.  A cousin, not from the main branch of the family, but still... he represents the family, so any work he has for you is work from the family.  And they're important in this town.  He's decent enough, a regular here. You could do a lot worse for an employer.

He gives you directions to a townhouse where Tember Husseldorf lives, in the eastern part of town not far from the tavern.

Silent thanks the barkeep again and heads upstairs after Magnum. He'll relay the information about Tember's house to Magnum before turning in for the night. 

Ah.  So based on this and the options we were given when we arrived in town, there must be three families of brewers.  I wonder if this is part of some sort of feud. 

Hmm. Silent scratches his beard pensively. Good beer is worth fighting wars over, that's true. The barkeep seemed to think this Husseldorf is a good sort, hopefully he'll be on the right side of any feuds. Guess we'll find out tomorrow. 

You sleep peacefully in the tavern's guest room, and complete a long rest.

Are you heading to speak to Tember in the morning?