Against the Cult: Party at the Mill (1.1)

The Kingdom of Keoland is bordered on the east by the vast reaches of the Dim Forest. The town of Hochoch sits on the edge of the Dim Forest, on a road leading east through a narrow southern finger of the forest to the Gran March capital of Hookhill. Cecily Raptor has offered you employment as location scouts for opening a new Dungeon Busters franchise in the area, so you're in town inquiring about the area, and so far there is no need for adventurers here in town. But you keep hearing vague talk about trouble in Orlane.

It turns out that Orlane is a small farming community that was established in a fertile stretch of land between the Dim Forest and the Rushmoors, on the road to Hookhill.

This town of Hochoch was host to several groups of adventurers in the past, including Cecily's own party back in her adventuring days. As such it has all the usual amenities, which seem to have been founded or at least influenced by adventurers: a tavern ("the Grumpy Cube"), an inn ("The Inn of Eternal Rest"), various retired adventurers who can serve as class trainers and might be inclined to part with/produce magic items for sufficient gold, a general goods store ("Fantikaflar's Fantastic Items"), a smithy, a temple, and a stables ("Mord's Mounts"). If you can think of it, Hochoch probably has it...except for actual adventure. For that, you'll need to go elsewhere.

The Inn of Eternal Rest is a broad, sprawling two-storied building that could be fortified without too much difficulty: the rooms are arranged around a central courtyard, with a wide entrance consisting of a double-gate currently flung open. There is currently a driver and his team pulled into the courtyard, while a couple of men unload supplies from the back of the driver's wagon. Smoke curls up from the chimneys sticking out of the roof, and an elf is hanging clothes on a line stretched between balconies overheard to dry. The smell of cooking game wafts out to you and your mouths water. The stables are on the far side of the courtyard; closer at hand is the common room, with shuttered doors that have been propped open. A few tables have been dragged out into the sun, and various people sit and talk good-naturedly with one another and a man, a woman and a halfling scurry around, serving food and drink.

The halfling swings by the table, sets down some tankards (pewter, not glass as shown here), and smiles warmly at seeing the motley band. "Adventurers! Devane will be pleased to see you and talk to you himself. What can I get for you? We have mutton stew and good bread ready, but I can let Cook know that adventurers are here and he'll be happy to oblige you if you need something else."