"Thank you," Claire says as they pass the guard.  "Whether we're brave or foolhardy remains to be seen, but I'd like to think that one way or the other we'll get your Baron's job done," she says confidently.  "Ah, and I am so sorry to bother you one last time, but I don't suppose you know of a respectable merchant in town?  I'd like to purchase a map of the area and its surroundings, if possible."

As the group departs from the gate, Claire's eyes are drawn instantly to the Church of Light, towering over the other buildings on the west side of town.  "... Shall we secure rooms at the Torrent first and foremost?  We should see how late it is in the day after that business is done; the Baron might not be taking visitors in the later afternoon."  Her eyes stray to the church once again.  "And I wouldn't mind having a bit of a walk about this town to get a feel for it before we get down to any business."

"Market day is the day after tomorrow, milady," the guard answers you.  "The market square is at the far western end of town at the end of a dirt track, a bit south of the Shack.  You won't be able to miss it.  If you need something more urgently then it would depend on what you're after.  There's no map makers in town, I'm afraid, though the folks up at the Manor might have one I suppose"

"I would like to settle down in the Torrent.  It'd give us an opportunity to drop our equipment, so we don't show up to the Manor looking like hikers.  I would also love a bath or a shower." 

Looking around the town, Sal feels at home.  There's something ironically freeing about being surrounded by four walls.  You're in civilization again, surrounded by people whose biggest concern is whether or not they got overcharged by the cabbage salesman.  "What kind of thing will this Baron ask of us, do you think?"

"Then it sounds like the Manor is the place I need to visit.  My thanks, good sir," Claire says to the guard with a friendly smile.

Rejoining the others as they enter into town, she nods at Salazar.  "Yes... though I'm not likely to leave my weapon unattended anywhere, I wouldn't mind knowing we have a secure room for the evening to rest in, rather than leaving things up to chance and availability."   She hesitates.  "I'm quite sure the Baron is not going to ask us to perform any sort of honorable task.  But as long as he's not going to actively looking to hire us as slavers or the like, I suppose some sort of compromise has to be made.  What coin we do have isn't going to last long here if we can't find some means of gainful employment.  Still, I'd like to offer a few prayers at the church if I can.  It would be at the least a relief to give thanks that we have all made it thus far unharmed.  Plus, it would help me focus on my own goals... and what price I am actually willing to pay to reach them."

Vaclav looks around to make sure no one is watching and then waves his hand a few times. Salazar's clothes and hair are now as clean as they can be. prestidigitation

"Yes, I highly doubt the matter is going to be scrupulous, but those usually mean the most money. Though I do say we should agree right now to not becoming slavers." 

Nos Heliwr listens as the guard explains the party's options and, when he finishes, asks, "Is there an tim' t' meet w' his lordship fer thin's like 'delicate jobs' 'n' is th're a metal smith in town who ken work silver?" 

To his companions he will nod at the suggestion of getting a place to stay first, "T'would bes good t' wash th' dust o' th' road out mes throat, aye 't would indeed.  A bite t' eat would nae go amiss neither. Then I bes wantin' t' see ifn some badges ken bes made fer us, what wes bein' mercenaries and all, ifn wes dinna 'ave a banner wes bes needin' a badge at th' least, 'r so I ken."

"I doubt the Baron will be the one you'll be seeing," says the enforcer.  "The notices say to go and see Nevil who is the Baron's main administrator.  He should be available any time during daylight hours.  There is a Guild smith in town, but I dunno if he is up to silver work.  Maybe.  You can find him across the river from the Torrent.  Just head that way and listen out for the sounds of hammering."

It is currently pretty much midday.  You have walked long and hard for a few hours to get here.   You are all hungry and thirsty, so perhaps a meal and an ale or two at one of the local establishments would be a good option.

Vaclav nods and begins heading down towards the Torrent. "Two birds, one stone then. You can visit your blacksmith while the rest of us get some food. Then we can go and see what the work actually is." 

"Well, visiting the church--"  Claire drops a hand to her stomach, which chooses exactly that moment to tell her that visiting the church is not her preferred option with a loud gurgle.  Flushing a little, she scratches her cheek and huffs.  "-- can wait.  Let's get some lunch at the Torrent, and secure those rooms, then."

"Meat 'n' grog, a plan thet's gittin past its prime," Nos Heliwr agrees, as he follows the others toward the inn. "What say wes sees this 'ere Neevil, er what e'er bes 'is name. Sure t' bes dirty work, as no other 'as spoken up fer it, 'n' mayhaps wes kin push fer a wee bit more than the's bes offrin'."

Up ahead from the Torrent is a man at the gate leading towards the Baron’s manor. He looks a bit out of place, like he’s carrying a whole lifetime of work with him, but he hasn’t skimped on quality, just frills. He’s got a thick leather coat, along with pants, boots, gloves, and hat. They may have even all come from the same animal. The long bow isn’t a usual hunter’s tool, but maybe for bigger game. There’s a dagger and a scythe on his hip that look like tools of the wild man’s trade. His black beard just peeks out from behind it all, but more notable than any of that: 

a set of bagpipes rests in his hands. 

“I know what I’m about man, now let me speak to Master Neville.” He’s talking time a guard at the gate with a gruff, over loud voice that may be just poor volume control, and not intentionally impolite. 

Main Group (in and around Grunal):

The main group wanders into the bustling town of Grunal.  There are about two thousand inhabitants in this town, making it nearly three times as populated as the fishing village of Zaneth you have just left.  

Grunal is the most easterly of the three baronies in the region, which makes it the furthest from the centre of the continent and the hardest for the Guild ships to reach. However Baron Gilbert, who rules here, controls the largest farming and arable lands on the whole of Ibini. So it is certainly worth the Guild ships with large holds making the longer journey to this far barony.

 

Grunal is a walled town with a 15' tall wooden palisade surrounding the whole settlement. The walls have two gates - the southern one leads out towards the village of Zaneth; the northern one leads up towards the hamlet of Hillsend. The fast flowing river Ardeth flows into the town and out the other side, effectively splitting the settlement in half. Two wooden bridges span the river. The manor house of Baron Gilbert sits on the eastern side of the river and naturally this is where the nicer properties are located. There are two inns in the town - the Torrent, which lies on the eastern side next to the river, and the Shack on the western side. The Torrent is more upmarket, but is still only pretty rudimentary. The Shack is as bad as its name implies. It is ramshackle, under disrepair and in need of some care. However the food, as cooked by the owner Mrs Ramsbottom, is exquisite. Rumour has it the Baron has tried to recruit her to his kitchens but she has always refused. Food in the Torrent is acceptable, but the overall ambience of the Torrent makes it the eatery of choice for most. 

The town boasts a few simple shops and businesses - notably a smithy, a baker, a general goods store and a coal merchant. All of these buildings display the fox and scales symbol of the Guild somewhere on their premises, indicating their membership of the ubiquitous organization. There are two warehouses, one of which stores coal, the other stores farm produce from the surrounding area. Trade tends to be centred around coal and farm produce exports with imports being most everything else. A fair amount of fish also finds its way into the town from the port of Zaneth. 

The town is controlled by the enforcers, led by overseer Varnell. The enforcers typically wear light armour and carry an assortment of weapons. They are easily recognised by their orange bandanas or waist sashes. Varnell is easily recognised by his facial scar and missing eye. The enforcers are generally protective of the populace, proud of their role in defending the Baron's territories. Varnell is one of few people in the town to own a horse - which was a gift from the Baron.

The Rodinian Gazetteer

You follow the main road until it reaches the cross roads, where you take a right, as instructed.  The houses adjoining the road get nicer in this direction and looming over all at the far eastern end of the town is the huge Manor House.   Within a few minutes you reach the outside of the Torrent which looks reasonably decent.   The road continues on to where it reaches the palisade which separates the Manor House from the rest of the town.   There you spot a small kafuffle as a figure appears to be in a minor argument with the enforcers on the gate.

Louis Dustpike (Manor House Gates):

"'Old yer 'orses, fella," responds the senior enforcer at the Manor House entrance, to Louis' efforts to be allowed past.  Chewing on something unpleasant smelling, he eyes you up and down.  "I'll send one of the men up ta the house ta make sure Master Nevil is ready for visitors.  Just waits 'ere fer a bit, okay?"  He turns over his shoulder and speaks to one of the junior guards.  "Right, Arnold.   Off yer go.  Go and see if Master Nevil s free."  The young lad nods, and scampers off through the partially opened gate into the grounds beyond and is lost to sight.  "Eel be a few minutes.  Best make yerself comfy like."

Louis nods and takes off his hat. He tries to run his fingers through his beard a few times and drops his pack by his feet to sit on it.

Sal gets increasingly uncomfortable with the perceived stares of the foxes.  Once a comfortable presence, indicating order, now they are an overbearing, unwelcome glare.  Salazar wishes he had been more active in opposing the Guild before his capture.  Their activities are obviously suspect.  He should have been more willing...  

"What's happening over there?  Do we want to check it out or check in?"

Vaclav looks around before ducking into the nearest empty alley. "Let's have a look, in a round about ways." He snaps his fingers and the black owl appears on his shoulder before taking flight and beginning to circle above the gates, silently peering down at the commotion.

"What's going on there?" Claire says, taking note of the commotion at the end of the road.  She squints, looking between the guards and the stranger, and her eyes narrow. 

"Oh... I do believe we're a bit late to the festivities here," she says after a few moments.  "There's another adventurer trying to move in on the job we wish to claim.  ... Well, we are many, and he's only one, so in all likelihood it won't threaten our attempts to obtain employment if this job is as dangerous as suspected.  Still... should we wait on lunch, then?"

The owl does a flyby and then lands on the roof of a nearby large house.   Vaclav, looking through its eyes, can see nothing out of the ordinary, other than a hunter-figure who is sat on a well-worn backpack, scratching his beard and looking like someone who is at home and happy with sitting and waiting.   The enforcers are mostly ignoring him and looking bored.  The owl just spotted a young enforcer entering one of the two front doors of the Manor House but that door is now shut.

"Seems like he's waiting to be let inside. Probably to talk to the Chamberlain. I think we should go up there with him, not let him convince the Chamberlain that he should have the job over us." Vaclav says, his eyes still clouded over and his voice just a touch too loud for normal conversation.