19 Thunsheer 835

Player Notes

Run into freedom fighters called the blade attacking the dwendolyn empire, crowns guards. They really want what’s in the cart. Amira takes some black liquor vial in the cart plus some gold.

Arrive in Trostenwald

Find out Benedict is staying at the Rusty Tankard…. Drunk guy tells us he’s been with the wildwinds (the fourth group trying to establish itself) at their dig site.

The morning of your final day passed without event on the road, though the rain continued it’s downpour that’s been tormenting you the last three days. After a brief reprieve over lunch, you continued to the Strawberry Arch, a small ravine the road passes through that bisects two strawberry fields, the plants continuing to grow and stretch over a large trellis arch over the road. In the rain and darkness today, the Defiant Blade rebellion has struck a Crownsguard wagon. This led to a moment of deliberation as your fear and disdain for the Empire collided with the knowledge that it’s citizens may not have any other choice.

Della sent a message to one of the rebels, asking what they wanted; they said that this cart contained magical substances that the rebellion could not afford to let the Empire gain access to. While finalizing the decision, Applethorn thought he saw a Wood Elf among the rebels, and fired. While the majority of the party assisted the rebels, Amira and Scrum abstained, with the former going invisible without any others seeing her, and heading into the cart. There, she found at least 5,000gp (and took 500gp) as well as six vials of a weird, black goo that seemed to move freely and, in some instances, attempt to escape the bottle. Asking her patron his advice, he merely replied “I do not avoid more power”, prompting her to take a vial. With the Crownsguard thwarted, the rebels emptied the cart and disappeared, nodding their thanks to you.

You continued the rest of the trek along the road before finally coming upon Trostenwald as night falls and the rain finally, mercifully, relents. You pass through the tall, imposing gates to find the city of Trostenwald to be fairly cluttered and cute, with a homey feel of a village that expanded too quickly as it’s population grew. The Eastern side of the city is made up of the Merchant’s Make district and it’s winding streets are filled with colorful awnings and various shops and stalls. You passed through the Merchant’s Make into the Crown’s Reach, the residential district in the center of the city where the wealthiest of homes stand in the central neighborhoods while older but nice homes and apartment buildings surround them, ringing out to fill the city center. Finally, on the Western side of the city, is the Brewer’s Lot, where you are able find lodging at one of the city’s four Inns and Taverns.

These are Trostenwald’s claim to fame, each run by a different family or group of Brewer’s making some of the finest libations in all of Wildemount. Splitting up, you decide to investigate the four and find success in the Rusty Tankard and the Dancing Nymph. The Rusty Tankard is where Benedict is staying, though he hasn’t been seen in several days. The barkeep obviously has a crush on him, but will not say too much about his comings and goings. A drunk barfly at the other end of the counter, though, is more than willing to speak about Benedict’s goings on.

Apparently, Benedict has been involved with several disreputable members of the town, who have been linked to or rumored to be a part of the Defiant Blade (the man is obviously a fan of the empire, not rebellions). Also, Benedict has often been seen out at the Wildewind’s dig site in their barley field, investigating something, which is suspicious, the man claims, because the Wildewind’s are known for poisoning their drinks and infecting the town with a bunch of chemicals, likely coming from that dig site!

Meanwhile, at the Dancing Nymph, you met the other group from the festival in Ku’Ra’Tar. Now known as the Wandering Flames, they’ve come to Trostenwald to meet a potential patron, named Aloysia Telfan, who potentially has a huge project she needs agents for near the Verstglade under the Ashkeeper Peaks. In their drunk state, Ayo, Maggie, and Dermot were very willing to put in a good word for you with Aloysia, if you were interested. Meanwhile, Irvan and Galasariad, the sober ones of the group, were curious about the amulet and wondering if you had investigated it any further.

Reunited, your unnamed party decided to stay at the Dancing Nymph and party with your… friends? until the wee hours of the night, agreeing to get brunch with the Flames and continue to watch for Benedict and explore the city of Trostenwald in the morning.