The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Of course, the innkeeper says; he takes your money and provides a key.

So that means Wash and Alton share, Balassar has his own room, and Silent and Magnum share?

Silent is happy to share a room with Magnum. If it's reasonably late in the day he'll go to sleep early, mulling over the recent chaos. 

Over the next two weeks Silent plans to build a rapport with some of the townsfolk to get a read on the average Empire citizen's attitude towards the Kryn Dynasty and the potential threat of war. He has a special interest in looking for any accomplished swordsmen or swordsmiths, though he doesn't expect to find any in such a small town. 

He's also happy to help Magnum, Wash, Alton or Balassar with anything they're working on if they need any additional muscle. 

(OOC: If Magnum proposes the idea for making new armor as mentioned in the OOC thread, Silent will be very interested in working with him on it)

Balassar will just nod handing over the money and taking the key.

OOC:

Balassar will train with Greta and her soldiers for the next two weeks and work to build relationships with the local guards, focusing on building bonds with Greta and Ressin. He will also help Alton and Wash ensure the delivery of the package.

Magnum approaches Silent.  I had originally intended to spend my money on building a piece of equipment for myself, but based on my estimates, I will only get two fifths of the way there, at best.  Instead, I propose that we improve your armor situation.  I will set aside my efforts for myself, for now.  Let us sit down and figure out the cost and time requirements of creating new armor for you.

Guidance for crafting non-magical items are in the Basic Rules:

What kind of armour are you attempting to make?  Do you have the tools, proficiencies and other requirements to make the attempt? 

(OOC:  Splint mail, I have the tools and tool proficiency. Based on the above it would take twenty days to craft unless I had assistance from another crafter. Might be best to try to buy it.) 

Okay, so I have a clear idea of Balassar's plans.  Could everyone else confirm please?  Any questions about what can and cannot be done, you can ask here or in DMs.  Generally, it's best to pick one activity and focus on it for at least a week, and avoid splitting between too many things, but it's up to you. :)

(OOC: We can pass on the armour for now then. It's probably significantly more useful for Magnum to make progress towards his goggles anyway)

Silent will focus on building relationships with people in town. He's especially interested in finding accomplished men-at-arms or mercenaries (rather than Crownsguard, who he will avoid), but he's happy to talk to anyone. His main goal is getting a feel for the general attitudes toward the Kryn Dynasty and Xhorhas among Empire folk. 

(OOC:  Okay. Magnum spends 200 gold and eight days on the goggles. When not working on them he'll look around for work, like at the black smith's.) 

On the first night with the downtime, Alton will dig out the goggles that were nabbed from Huron and try them on. 

At some point in the two weeks Alton will see if a smith/leatherworker can buff up his armor to studded leather. He will also try to earn a bit of coin on the side by telling some of the stories he has already heard; and of course the tale of the Hupperdook Heroes, leaving out the bits he isn't suppose to talk about of course and not using their names for now. If Silent and Magnum are okay with him doing so, maybe get some of their adventures and tell those as well.

I'm sure Alton will also get bored at some point and just meander around the town looking for interesting shops or places.

Balassar

You spend time with Geta and Ressin, training with the Crownsguard.  As a former soldier you fit in well with them.  Geta is assigned to watch you a lot of the time, but not always, and she's initially surprised that you're choosing to spend time with them.  But over the next few days you get to know each other a bit better - you learn she is married, and that she shares a small town house with her wife who is a baker.  She even brings you cookies and other baked goods from time to time.  Ressin is out of town with her patrol for much of this period, but you see more of her in the second week, and you spar a good few times; she's an excellent swordswoman, though you suspect you could beat her in a serious fight.

The Crownsguard of Felderwin is a pretty substantial group, as they patrol a rich and strategically important centre of the Empire.  Most guards are out on patrol most days, but there's always a handful around and there are organised training sessions in the morning.  You also meet and spend a bit of time with two new recruits, Jallia and Mesten, who are being put through their paces by a retired half-elf named Keft. 

Make a Persuasion check to see how well your efforts go overall at making friends with the guards.

Magnum

The Goggles of Night come along slowly but well.  Your artificer skill gives you an understanding of the general principles involved in creating such an item, but this is the first lasting magical item you have ever created.  Fortunately, there is an alchemical supplies shop in town where the halfling proprietor is able to sell you the chemicals and powders needed in your work, and though there is trial and error involved, you make good progress and begin to see the item taking shape.  As the process goes on, you can choose to take small risks if you wish.  If you want to, roll a check with your Tinker's Tools, adding your proficiency modifier and DEX modifier.  If the total is 10 or higher, there will be a minor breakthrough, and if 9 or lower, a minor setback.  

There are three smithies in the town: the Oppaline Smithy on the very edge of town, the Redstone Smithy in the central market, and a smithy attached to the Crownsguard's main building which seems to serve both the guard and the general public.  Geta is not happy with you spending time at the Oppaline Smithy - technically it's outside of town.  So let me know which smithy you will find work at.  Either one is happy to employ you for a bit of extra labour, given your skills.  Make a check with your Smith's Tools plus proficiency plus STR to see how well that goes.

Magnum drops his defense infusion from his armor so he can swap in Armor of Tools after his last long rest.  Armor of Tools lets him use INT instead of DEX or STR for rolls involving his tools.

Tinker's Tools - 19

Smith's Tools - 21

Alton

The goggles you recovered from Huron Stahlmast are clearly magical; you put them on and see the world strangely, in gray.  As the night comes, you notice that you can see much more clearly that your halfling eyes would normally allow.  These are Goggles of Night. 

Important note:  Are you going to tell or show Magnum?

Felderwin is a halfling town through and through.  While in other parts of the Empire you might find challenges earning coin from telling stories rather than singing, here you have a ready audience in the market squares, the garden, but most of all in the common room of the Goldfield Tavern and Lodge where you are staying, and where the respectable clientele  is much more interested in a good story than in too much raucous behaviour.  You can make a Performance check to see how much money you are able to earn over the course of about two weeks.

This is not a huge town; there are no magic item shops or other places geared at adventurers.  There's an alchemical supplies shop, a few smiths, some general goods stores, three bakeries (unusual for a town this size), and of course the busy markets.  You learn a little from your wandering; the layout of the town is divided into three main wards, each centred round a large hall.  The Green Hall is the centre of commerce and trade. the Lake Hall at the river's edge is the centre of the fishing community and other agricultural business, and the Sunset Hall acts as a tavern and meeting point for celebrations - it's also a good place where you can ply your trade in the evenings.  Towards the end of the second week you begin to notice decorations being put up for the upcoming Harvest Close festival.

Silent

You ask around in the Goldfield Tavern and Lodge initially, looking for mercenaries or adventurers.  A few blank faces at first, but a pair of young dwarfs nod as you speak, and direct you to speak to Jorthus Blackcrag, a retired merc who has a lot of contacts with merc groups who pass through the town from time to time.  They suggest looking for him in the local taverns, as they're not sure where he lives, and you do find him the following day drinking in the Goldfield Tavern and Lodge where you are staying.  

Jorthus is a grumpy soul and it will take a bit of effort to warm him up to you, but it seems he's the go-to person in Felderwin for what you're interested in.  You can make a Persuasion check to try to win him over; if you're willing to spend some gold buying him drinks, that will cost 10 gp but give you advantage on the roll.

Alton, Balassar and Wash

One day, during your first week in Felderwin, you find yourselves standing in on Queen Street, looking at a large, ornate green door that is five doors down from the rather noisy Oppaline Smithy. 

Geta the halfling guard is eyeing you suspiciously.  Here? This is where you're going?  Isn't that old Master Trey's house?

(Would you have invited Silent and Magnum to join you?)

Silent is happy to spend some coin on buttering up Jorthus, he'll drop the ten gold. 

Perception 12 

Balassar just walks up to the door as he begins to knock heavily on it "Maybe...I don't really know."

OOC:

I'll say Balassar would've extended an invite to accompany, but not given details about the reason for the trip

Persuasion check for guard relationships: 7

Magnum

On one day of the first week, you are working diligently in the small workplace you have set up in the inn.  You are completely engrossed in your work, and hear nothing from outside.  The work is going really well.  You're making excellent progress, you're sure, at what is a very difficult task.  There's a noise; Silent is at the door, returning to the room, and when you look up you notice that the sky outside is dark.  You have worked long into the night, completing the equivalent of three days of work in a single day, and yet somehow not consuming any additional materials.  (You can consider that you have completed ten days' worth of the goggles, though only actually worked eight days, and only used the expected 200 gold).

Make a Arcana check.

Silent

You strike up a good conversation with Jorthus.  He's a tough nut to crack, but the drinks help, and he sees you as a mercenary and someone he wants to do business with.  He doesn't have any business for you at the moment, though.  But through him you meet two guards who like to drink with him off-duty; both halflings who work for merchants in the town and guard their homes and places of business.  They are cousins, Mills and Esme, a man and woman who seems to have a longstanding friendship based on mutual insults.  

From the conversation, you don't get a huge amount of detail, just a general sense. Felderwin is part of the Empire, and an important part, but one that doesn't get involved in politics or foreign affairs too much.  That's largely the halfling influence - the people are focused on their agriculture and trade more than other things, and there's also an element of racism in the Empire, with most senior positions reserved for humans and, to a lesser extent, elves.  Jorthus mentions that there was a visit from some high-ranking wizard a few weeks ago, but he doesn't know the details, only that the guards seemed to be from the Cerberus Assembly.

As for Xhorhas, they both have friends and family in the Righteous Brand who have served in Ashguard Garrison in the past, and they don't have a kind word to say about the monsters who live on the other side of the Ashguard Peaks.  Esme tells a story she once heard of Kryn devils who could make magic to blot out the sun and suck your soul from your body.  It's not clear if she or the others take it seriously, but she tells a good story with lots of gore and sound effects.