The Golden Tooth Tavern

[Marullus]

01 May 2021

Just before noon, Corbin, Fingers, Silent, Markd, Baxtaw, and Carchannoi are seen exiting the south gate of the town, heading into the wilderness according to Corbin's hand-drawn map.

Hyde grins broadly at Foxy, his misshapen, sharp teeth making the expression somewhere between jovial and menacing. "Private room? Aye! Going quick with the new caravan, for sure, for sure. For a gold piece, I'll give you a room and decent food both for three days. Got to pay in advance to keep it if you leave town, though... I'd need it secured for at least a week, then, yeah." He accepts her gold and the saddle as she makes the bargain.

( who collects the 1 cp charge or is a collecting tin padlocked to the frame?)

Players need to handle accounting of their own coin on their character sheet; I audit them periodically to keep it honest, as I maintain my own totals. Standard procedure is to put the transaction in a post with ooc tags. So, in your next post here, I'd want to see (-1gp for three days room and board) and then see the gp adjusted on the character sheet by you. The same goes for accounting of expended items (rations, arrows, etc) on expeditions. Otherwise, this is an assumed transaction - merchants sell goods, barmaids serve drinks, the constables hang the notices when you pay them. You don't need to wait for a confirmation post from me. Just post on the Bulletin Board and show that you subtracted a copper.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare


She nods and pays the bartender,
"Thankyou Mr Hyde, you are not a friend of Mr Jekylls' are you by any chance?...three days, yes that will be fine for now." then she will head out to post her notice in the town and visit the town.

-1gp three days room and board at inn,
-1cp posting wanted notice on town bulletin board.

[onlyme]

Players need to handle accounting of their own coin on their character sheet; I audit them periodically to keep it honest, as I maintain my own totals. Standard procedure is to put the transaction in a post with ooc tags.

I hadnt exchanged the silver for coppers until this morning... Markd's finances are now updated -1sp, +8 cp

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy returns to the Golden Tooth tavern. Taking a quill she will make a rough copy of the map to Farrows' on a wanted posted and look around for any newcomers, potential aides for the search and rescue expedition.

"Mr Hyde, please be so kind as to advise me on this route to Farrows here. What do you know of the place?".

[Rusty Tincanne]

The door to the tavern opens slowly. An adolescent, human male enters, dressed in many layers of clothes. He makes his way to a table slowly, his actions betraying shyness or inexperience with taverns. When the barmaid comes to his table he orders a cup of tea. "Leigh said to go to the local tavern... so here I am," he thought. He looked around the room taking the scene in.

How much for tea?

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy presses Mr Hyde the bartender for information and any obvious locals for knowledge about the Farrows. Is there a track to follow, how is the place built, what it produces, crops or cattle, horses about, basic Intel stuff. Have the goblin raiders ever taken captives for ransom before? Getting a feel of the place may determine how she goes in, it could be the goblin raid was just after herds to rustle away rather than breaking into the farm building.

Seeing the young guy walk in, Foxy will address him, " you there... yes you, you have the look of a farmer about you. What can you tell me of this place please? It is a nearby farm, Farrows' place, goblins raided it and some of the men are in the Infirmary now. Women and children may still be there."Foxy indicates him over to the table and points to the maps.

[Marullus]

Hyde nods to Foxy solemnly. "Mr. Farrow's a good man, yeah. He's my good pal." He shakes his head, drying a glass at the bar. "Thought the goblins was done, but he got hit just a few days back, yeah. They're still there, o' course, farmin' as they always been. He's not gonna get scared off his land so easy. The hit was hard, yeah. Sounded like they stole the kids, yeah. Ransom, no. They're sure they dead - hopefully quick and not hard." He looks ruefully down at his own bum leg. "If they's alive and you help 'em, you let me know. Farm's easy to find - head out the south gate from town and follow the wagon trail straight west. They come to town every week, so it is hard to get lost."

He gets moody and silent, some of his morning cheer gone from him after the conversation. He gets the lad a cup of herbal tea - chamomile and lavender, changing the conversation to his own herb gardens to lift the mood.

(Added herbal tea for 1cp to the menu.)

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"Herb garden, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Hmmm,(Foxy pauses to think for a moment..), I've heard certain herbs and wild flowers may be crushed and then rubbed over yourself so that it disguises body scent. Wolfsbane, march grass and the like. Don't suppose you grow any of that or if some market barrow merchant sells any in town? "she asks of Mr Hyde.

Foxy turns to the young man, "You look like you know your herbs and natural remedies?" ( trying not to sound like she thinks, 'he looks like a country bumpkin') "Can you make a wolf follow another trail?"

[Rusty Tincanne]

Clay thanks Hyde for the tea and warms his hands on the mug. He lifts his face to the woman talking to him. I don't know as much as I would hope to about the values of plants, but I figure i know more than some people. As for getting a wolf to follow another trail... I suppose I could to that if it were to give me enough time to convince it. He smiled and a few people chuckled. Clay then rose with his tea and walked to look over the maps. I'm new here - like many others, it seems. I don't know the farmers you are talking about, but I am willing to travel out there if you are asking for assistance. Small folk are often caught in the middle of disputes over land. I wonder about the goblins' motives.

1cp deducted

[Marullus]

Hyde responds distractedly, pouring a few ales. "Wolfsbane? Yeah, they have that in the marketplace. A fortune for it; swears it helps with werewolves or somethin'. Deadly poisonous so can't cook with it an' they want a fortune for it. 12 gp per handful, I think." He shrugs and goes back to his work.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy looks around the inn, discouraged by the general lack of interest from locals in seeking the welfare of the farmsteaders. "Have there been so many raids the people just get used to it?" she thinks.

Turning to Clay, ( still a little perplexed he is concerned more for goblins than children), "Thank you for your offer. It will be a great help indeed, at least extra eyes and ears to keep us all safe. I propose we set off from the south gates say in an hour. Enough time to finish any town business. I expect to travel light since my horse died on the plains coming here. So we have to trek out though Mr Hyde says the track is good. I just plan to recce the farm and return quickly with any stragglers if it is not safe to stay. Two children are missing, by Eruannas' grace our paths will cross. "

Foxy looks Clay over, "We'll need a lantern and some oil if you have one, rations for a day and better bring a couple of waterskins. That quarterstaff, does it have a pointy end to stab with? If any wolves follow us I'll let you do the talking.". Foxy smiles hoping we won't have need of that conversation. She hopes that Clay agrees to the expedition. " Any questions or thoughts, we are in this together?"

Then she will go to her room at the inn, storing away non-essentials ( dress, saddlebags, etc), get a meal sent up and in the private quiet of the room, kneel to pray for a safe and blessed journey, lighting a small candle in devotion.

[Stirling]

Mid afternoon 01 May 2021
Foxy and Clay, accompanied by his dog and donkey; are seen taking the road through the south gates leaving for the Farrow's Farm.


Foxy O'Hare, geared up to travel light, she walks out of Gaul. Her companion is the youth Clay. She is glad of his company and the donkey bearing the expedition burdens. She will throw a few sticks for the dog to fetch.

[Marullus]

"Hah? HAH!? Leaving town, and not even a night in the room?" says Hyde, looking at Foxy, displeased. "Said you needed to pay a week in advance if you want it held while out adventurin'..."

(Pay him another gold for 6 days total and he'll be mollified.)

[Marullus]

01 May 2021, 2:00pm

Foxy O'Hair and Clay Weatherwax are seen exiting the south gate of the town, heading due west towards Farrow's Farm to investigate the kidnapped children and goblin raiders. (New Expedition Opened)

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"ah, Mr Hyde, you are a bigger swashbuckler than the dread pirate Roberts! You have some gold already. here's another 1, that will keep the bath water nice and warm for a week won't it. If I am not here to eat, send my daily board over to Mr Farrow at the infirmary. If I'm not back in a week, sell the saddle. Keep 5 for another two weeks board then keep the change."

Slapping one of the serving girls across the backside as she leaves, " and no hanky panky with customers while I'm gone either, clean sheets, bubble bath and that choice wine kept on ice for when I return. "

Placing her Tricorn hat on top of her flame locks, hoisting her bow, Foxy exits with an extra sway of the hips, stopping at the door to turn her head over her shoulders, "iced bubbly, hot bubbles, not the other way round", she winks and leaves.

-1gp (paid 2 gp total) for weeks board and lodging at the inn.

[Spearmint]

Blackjack Amistad

Fresh from the wood yard, Amistad goes to the tavern. He will buy an ale or two-2 cpand try to mix with the locals, engaging in talk of news from out of town. Are there any obvious ranger/poacher types present or lumberjacks.

[Alethan]

Earc
A youth with tousled red hair and freckles quietly enters the tavern. Tired and haggard, Earc spots an empty table and sits down, a billow of dust settling on the table and floor after a moment of stillness.

He orders a cup of herbal tea (out of habit) and his mouth suddenly waters at the thought of food as his stomach lets out with a loud grumble. While he has the barkeep's attention, he decides to order some of the basic fair (a commons meal) as well.

As he eats, he listens to the conversations around him, keen to hear what is going on in the area. "A smart man knows what comes and goes," his Uncle Keevin used to say...

-3sp commons meal
-1cp cup of herbal tea

[Marullus]

Are there any obvious ranger/poacher types present or lumberjacks.

Sorry, I didn't mean to neglect that in your previous posts. Yes, there are lumberjacks, including the one who piped up earlier in conversation with the guardsmen. Reposting below from earlier in the thread for your benefit as new players:

01 May 2021

The tavern glows brightly on an otherwise overcast morning, Hyde and his staff anticipating new arrivals coming with this month's caravans. The smells of a hearty breakfast waft outward into the streets of the town.

"Hah! HAH!" exclaims Hyde as new folks enter. "Come North with the brave, did ya! Ready for hot eggs, I imagine!" He grins broadly, mishappen and strangely sharp teeth unnerving in an impossibly wide grin. "Glad you all made it, this time. Not everyone's so lucky, no. April caravan got sacked by goblins. March was frozen up in the mountains. Bad winter for everyone, yeah." He nods once, a somber moment. Then he grins again and continues, slapping random newcomers on the back as they enter. "But you're here, hah? HAH! Yeah, you all made it! Gods come with ya, the big guys looking down." He grins and sets about taking and serving orders.

A large, sturdy table sits conspicuously against the wall, old rolls of parchment curled upon it and a giant map drawn delicately on a full hide of vellum. "Explorers, I see!" grins the innkeep. "Aye, not afraid of danger, I see! Those that return put notes there, good bits to help figure out what lies... well, beyond, eh? HAH! Yeah, my good buddies, they keep the near parts. Have a look, yeah." (See the Maps thread as an IC resource for players, represented by this table in the tavern.)

"Goblins?" pipes up an older guardsman with a few missing teeth, answering a question in a much-too-loud voice. "Vicious little blighters, they are, all teeth and cruelty, you ask me. We burned them out before the winter, clear to the bottom of their rotten little hole! Sent the rest running back into the mountains like the rats they are!" He cackles. "Things around the city been a bit safer since," he slugs a hot mug of whatever dark liquid Hyde is serving, "'cept for the caravan that got sacked, coming down the mountain last month. Surprise, that was. Other than that, though, and the raids on the farms by them and their wolves, and the creepy quiet that comes across the river, things are much better." He ends, nodding firmly. "Don't forget the... things in the wood," chimes a grimy man from the lumber yard. "There aren't even names for what's off to the north." The guardsman scoffs dismissively and waves the lumberjack off. "Reward is for the goblins. You're scared of grumpbears and weaseljays, can't help ya." He laughs, falling silent as he chews a piece of fried ham.

[Spearmint]

'Blackjack' Amistad

Amistad will seek out these lumber fellows, taking a chair at the table. " Been chatting with foreman Hickory from your yard. He says you guys need to chop further in the forest now, looking for prime logs. Any of you guys been that far?"

Amistad smiles broadly and indicates a serving girl to bring a tray of ales to the table. (-4cp).

[Marullus]

"Aye," the grizzled lumberman nods. "A few are hankerin' to go further, but most are too scared. Things there're just plain unnatural." He grins, showing vicious bite marks on his harm from tiny teeth. "That's from a weaseljay. Wrung its little neck, I did."

(Rule #14 - the town is not the adventure. You get some inklings in town to get you started, but digging for information beyond the mapped zones isn't a town thing - you need to go out yourselves. You can recruit these guys as retainers to help (see page 46) or get minor atmospherics through conversation, but nobody in town knows more about what's out there than the PCs, generally.)