Apr 19, 2016 7:14 pm
Red Larch is a little town on the Long Road, a few days’ travel north of Waterdeep and south of Yartar. It’s a way station for caravans coming to or from the cities of the North, with only one inn, the Swinging Sword.
The Swinging Sword is a three-story stone structure, crowned by a steep slate roof that bristles with many chimneys. A signboard juts out over the door, hanging from chains. It’s a ten-foot-long carved wooden scimitar emblazoned with the inn’s name in red paint on both sides. An inn yard with stables and outbuildings lies behind the building.
The ground room of the inn is bustling with activity with guests eating breakfast or having a morning drink. Behind the counter, a tall, fair-skinned woman is beckoning a few travelers towards her. She catches your eye, waving you over with the rag she was previously using to wipe down the counter. You recognize her as Kaylessa Irkell, the proprietor of the establishment, who had previously offered you the chance to make some coin in exchange for a potentially dangerous excursion. It appears she has invited others to join you.
When the group appears to be settled, all crowded around the counter with drinks in hand -- "On the house, on the house," Kaylessa had said. "As long as you lot do a good job." -- Kaylessa begins her story in earnest.
"Now, I’m sure you’re all here just because of the promise of some gold," Kaylessa began, leaning forward conspiratorially. "But it’s only fair for you to know what you’re getting yourself into. I don’t know how long you all have been here in Red Larch, but you must have noticed the troubling things happening all around the valley. Fogs in the Sumber Hills even at midday, hot and muggy winds even this time of year, sudden bolts of lightning flashing across the sky even without a cloud in sight--fell magic, I say. Even some of the folks in town are acting… I don’t know. Strange."
She cast a glance around the patrons at the bar, gesturing for the group to shuffle further away from the half-elf who was eating his breakfast next to them.
"Now, I think it has something to do with the happenings over at Lance Rock. You must know the place--it’s a big landmark right near here. Well, I think there’s been some suspicious things going on over there, but the people in this place are too set in their ways to do anything about it. I’m willing to pay you lot 50 gold pieces--total, not each, before you ask; I’m not made of money--if you go and clear out anything sinister lurking over at Lance Rock. I’m fine with being wrong--Lathander knows I’ve been wrong before--but I need someone to at least make sure it’s clear before I can let it go."
The Swinging Sword is a three-story stone structure, crowned by a steep slate roof that bristles with many chimneys. A signboard juts out over the door, hanging from chains. It’s a ten-foot-long carved wooden scimitar emblazoned with the inn’s name in red paint on both sides. An inn yard with stables and outbuildings lies behind the building.
The ground room of the inn is bustling with activity with guests eating breakfast or having a morning drink. Behind the counter, a tall, fair-skinned woman is beckoning a few travelers towards her. She catches your eye, waving you over with the rag she was previously using to wipe down the counter. You recognize her as Kaylessa Irkell, the proprietor of the establishment, who had previously offered you the chance to make some coin in exchange for a potentially dangerous excursion. It appears she has invited others to join you.
When the group appears to be settled, all crowded around the counter with drinks in hand -- "On the house, on the house," Kaylessa had said. "As long as you lot do a good job." -- Kaylessa begins her story in earnest.
"Now, I’m sure you’re all here just because of the promise of some gold," Kaylessa began, leaning forward conspiratorially. "But it’s only fair for you to know what you’re getting yourself into. I don’t know how long you all have been here in Red Larch, but you must have noticed the troubling things happening all around the valley. Fogs in the Sumber Hills even at midday, hot and muggy winds even this time of year, sudden bolts of lightning flashing across the sky even without a cloud in sight--fell magic, I say. Even some of the folks in town are acting… I don’t know. Strange."
She cast a glance around the patrons at the bar, gesturing for the group to shuffle further away from the half-elf who was eating his breakfast next to them.
"Now, I think it has something to do with the happenings over at Lance Rock. You must know the place--it’s a big landmark right near here. Well, I think there’s been some suspicious things going on over there, but the people in this place are too set in their ways to do anything about it. I’m willing to pay you lot 50 gold pieces--total, not each, before you ask; I’m not made of money--if you go and clear out anything sinister lurking over at Lance Rock. I’m fine with being wrong--Lathander knows I’ve been wrong before--but I need someone to at least make sure it’s clear before I can let it go."
