Chapter 1-2

Entering Jorren’s Rest

Kit is the carriage driver Hilda hired. A short and stout tiefling man, he escorts the party to their destination. Schmead climbs into Torren’s backpack and occasionally pokes his head out to say things.

The carriage is luxurious and a little odd for Hilda to be able to afford. While the party rode in the back of the carriage, they were able to get to know each other:

• Vaelyn is introduced as Torren’s hetero-life-partner.
• Torren is trying to find his dad.
• Jasiri holds memories of those he couldn’t save with tokens woven into his hair. He has 9 total.
• Schmead is from here but not - trying to get to home but doesn’t know where home truly is.
• Excalibur told the group that Hilda saved him and he’s been a free warforged since.
• Hilda hired Hazel due to her alchemy and potion skills.

While the party is talking, Hazel manages to pick off a fancy button from the lush fabric. She pockets it, adding it to her pouch of many odds and ends.

The carriage comes to a stop and the party discovers there is a strange Kobold in a pink dress begging for help, pretending to be trapped under a fallen log, trying to lure the group into a trap. Hazel gets out of the carriage with Jasiri and begins to stalk towards the Kobold during their dramatic performance.

Crawling over the fallen logs, darkness shrouding her face, she moves unnaturally and appears over the edge of the log to the Kobold, greeting them. Terrified, the Kobold realizes their act isn’t working and tells the others to scatter. The party notices movement in the surrounding trees and Vaelyn chooses to investigate more. The Kobold in a dress, also known as Jezebel, reveals a skunk under the dress that unfortunately sprays Hazel before running away. Excalibur uses prestidigitation to remove the smell and Hazel appreciates it.

Vaelyn investigates movement in the bushes, finding a convincing Kobold shaped dummy strapped to the back of a turtle. He then sets off a series of traps, dodging a rope snare by jumping backwards and setting off a widowmaker that he dodges to his left. He is right hand dominant and refers to his left side as his “cold” side. Investigating the other side of the road, Vaelyn avoids the trap that sends a poor turtle into the air, dangling from a rope. Upset with Vaelyn’s lack of consideration, Hazel goes over to release the creature and set it free.

After avoiding the Kobold encounter, Hazel questions if the Kobolds were bad people for doing what they did to survive. They can’t exactly go into town to get food or supplies due to the fear people hold over them. Does that make them evil? Torren experiences a moral check from Hazel’s genuine question.

While curious about Hazel’s strange demeanor, Jasiri casts divine sense and senses nothing from Hazel but senses an undead in the front seat - the seat Vaelyn occupies.

The carriage pulls into a small town square up to the Grasshopper Inn. Kit appreciates the party’s effort in stopping the Kobolds and bids them all farewell. Before he leaves, Hazel gives him a few shiny stones, Torren gives him a thank you note, and Jasiri gives him a few pieces of bread as a tip.

We met up with Hilda Skyhelm after the long journey! After we all settle in, it’s noticeable that Hilda is being weird and dodging the true topic she wants to talk about. She got drunk, told everyone in the tavern she found a fancy gem and map for a special ship, and was robbed.

The ship she found was lost to time - a massive ship that fought against the invaders and took down whole armies but was shot down in the war millenia ago. Someone made a map where to find it. The ship is unique and requires something called a Navis Anima - it acts as a sort of mind/A.I. for the ship. Hilda had reported the robbery to the town guard but there’s been no news yet. Anna the Bartender knows and the Constable knows but won’t talk. Hilda mentions a rival as a potential suspect but doubts he’s around - Captain Berthold ‘Relentless’ Luther.

Investigation

Hilda’s Room

Excalibur and Hazel investigate her room. It’s extremely messy compared to the other rooms they can see. They don’t find anything odd other than a muddy boot print, but no sign of forced entry.

Hazel catches a fly and says sorry before reaching up and revealing her Bramble Crown where a spider crawls along a large web entangled around its points. She tells Excalibur the spider has been one of her only friends - his name is Doom. Hazel claims he is the runt of the egg sack. She looks out for him as he does her.

Alleyway

Jasiri and Vaelyn go to investigate any potential homeless people who might have seen anything that night. Though Jasiri takes the opportunity to shove him against the wall and question him. They decide that as long as they’re not a threat to each other - including Torren, they’re good. Vaelyn says “It’s best everyone keeps to themselves. It’s for the best - there won’t be any problems.” Vaelyn and Jasiri agree it might be better to continue getting to know each other at a later time. They do not discover any clues towards the investigation.

Visiting the Constable

Torren and Schmead go talk to the Constable. They go into the small guard house and find the Constable named Tobias at the front desk. He claims there are no updates on the investigation. They’re still working on it, talking to people, have already talked to the regulars and bartender, but currently no evidence to arrest anyone. He informs them that the town no longer has a Justicar, and need to submit paperwork to the Church to get a new one. The previous Justicar retired and Tobias has picked up the slack in leading the town guard.

Torren and Schmead learn there were three individuals at the tavern that night playing cards with Hilda. Chester (Fire Genasi), Hudson (Tiefling), and Jonas (Gnome). They are hunters who used to steal to make ends meet. He claims not many people like them or trust them as a result.

Back to the Inn

The bartender, Anna, said the three hunters share a cabin at the edge of town. They come to the Tavern often to play cards. If they’re not at the tavern in the evening, they’re at home. The Mayor, Shopkeep, Town Smith, and a lovey-dovey couple come by every night recently.

Visiting the Hunters

The hunters’ cabin is 40ft from the edge of the woods. Vaelyn skulks around the area to check it out. He goes to the back window and spots the three hunters inside. The Genasi man spots him and makes the others aware that someone is outside. The party knocks on the door - Jasiri barges his way in, claiming he wants to play a little game of cards. None of the hunters seem to be hiding anything as the rest of the party stands in the doorway and watches Jasiri attempt to intimidate them. The hunters claim they did win a lot of money from Hilda that night but they won it fair and square. They also confirm they used to be thieves but now they’re making good money selling the pelts of wolves they’ve been hunting recently. Hunting has been really good recently…

Excalibur claims we shouldn’t have done any of that and decides to go back to the hunters to see if they’d be willing to talk a bit more. Giving them 2 gold pieces, they tell the party that Hilda was very loud that night yelling about her findings. They claimed there was also a lover’s quarrel that night and the Constable came to break it up. According to the hunters, the Constable was always a prick and has been buttering up the guards since his promotion.

Back to the Inn

Many of the townsfolk are now at the bar. There is a human mayor, Tomas, and a halfling shopkeeper, Orson, the earth Genasi blacksmith, and two dwarves who can’t take their hands off of eachother. Hazel and Excalibur spoke to the Mayor and Shopkeep and learned that since the Justicar retired, the Constable has taken over and is treating all the guards with food. He makes them a lovely meat stew and goes to the Butcher for meat daily to help win over the guards. Hazel and Excalibur believe he’s being a little TOO nice. They also learn that the Constable has a key to most of the establishments in town.

Talking to the Lovers

Auno and Merka Stonethrow are a dwarven couple who are traveling around the world for their anniversary and have been traveling by carriage. They’ve been here for a week and the Grasshopper Inn is the only place to stay in town. The man was hit in the eye recently - this is the aftermath of their lovers quarrel the other night the Constable had to break up. When Auno and Merka disagree, they get a little physical with each other. It was revealed that Merka punched him after she commented on teh quality of an ex-boyfriends beard and he, jealous, retaliated by calling her fat.

Author Note: THERE’S NO NEED TO HIT EACH OTHER - EVERYONE IS BEAUTIFUL

Torren learns the Constable was there for 15 minutes that night. Anna called him to break up the altercation between the dwarves. He brought another guard with him, Easton. The couple stayed in their room for the remainder of the evening and seemed to be completely oblivious to everything else around them. Schmead tosses them 1 gold for marriage counseling.

Back to the Guardpost

The group go back to the guard house and a different guard is now standing outside. Vaelyn sneaks around back to pick the lock and break in, finding a small barracks in the back with two sleeping guards. He rummages through belingings and finds an interesting pipe that he pockets.

It’s growing dark now - Hazel looks very uncomfortable as the sun begins to set.

The guard out front is Easton and he’s taken over the watch for Evan. While chatting with more of the guards, Jasiri spots one of them eating soup and he offers him some bread. The guard says thank you because the soup is pretty simple. It’s just vegetable soup…

At this point the party determines that the Constable is not using the meat to feed the guards.

Easton’s eyes go wide talking to Torren as he spots something behind the party. He panics, backing away and shouts that wolves are coming. The party turns to see a pack of wolves beginning to surround the town and realize what exactly the Constable was doing with all that meat…