2. The First Delve

"Hmm, I had not, " says Fenwick, feeling a foolish given how obvious it is now that Pickles has pointed it out. "I have this tendency to kind of get lost in my own head. But I agree with the good Sister, I think we get ourselves out of here before things get ugly. "

She hurries across the market to join Ricard in the Koppel Kettle.

Pickles smiles before melding into the crowd and shadows again, "I’ll see you at the Inn." you hear as he disappears.

Pickles will make his way to the group of Humans and politely tug on one’s shirt.

Kobold Market
The man looks around, and then down, and seems somewhat surprised to see Pickles. "Well little one, you’re not much of a pickpocket if that’s your game. Can I help you?"

Pickle’s new acquaintance is a bear of a man - tall, broad and imposing. He looks as if he belongs on a pirate ship rather than on land. A bushy black beard obscures his face, large hoop earrings dangle from his lobes, and he wears a checkered black and yellow bandana at an angle so as to cover his left eye.

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Day 2, 12:50 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

Jessica joins the others at the tavern.

Knowing that he has no money to buy drinks, food, or lodging, Gabbro dawdles in the marketplace rather than enter the tavern. He watches Pickles with a bit of alarm as the halfling accosts the human strangers.

With a disarming smile Pickles looks up mountain of a man, "Well hi, you are a lot larger up close. From back there you seemed more, umm, human size. Not so . . . " Pickles extends a hand well above his head to indicate a great hieght, "But I regress. I am Pickles." He extends a hand in greeting and continues, "I am one not to normally meddle in others business, but I feel it would be a miss not to mention that you are being watched by a large group of Orcs." Pickles indicates a few of the brutes in the crowd.

Kobold Market
The human glances across at the orcs, who suddenly become fascinated by the wares of the rope-maker. "Huh, you have sharp eyes Master Pickles. Take this for your troubles."

He flicks Pickles a shiny silver coin.

The orcs look across once more, although Pickles gets the distinct impression that he is also now a target of their observations.

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Day 2, 12:50 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

Fenwick enters the tavern, decides she's unimpressed though the game of tiles looks like it might be fun to learn. She crosses the room to the barman and jerks a thumb over her shoulder at the 'Bedz' sign.

"Hello, I heard you had lodgings for rent. How much is it for a room? Oh, and how big are they?"

Pickles smiles at the big man and gives him a wave, attempting to melding into the crowd and losing the attention of the Orcs.

Ricard adds to Fenwick's question,

"And how much for ale and bread?"

The Kopper Kettle
"Beeg, beeg", says the elderly bar-kobold, stretching his scaly arms wide to emphasise the enormity of the bedroom (note the singular!). "1 copper, 1 copper," accompanied by the raising of a single digit.

"Ale, 1 copper," he answers to Ricard, showing a certain lack of imagination in his pricing. "No bread, but tastee keebabs - 5 copper," holding up a hand with his fingers spread wide.

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I’ll assume that everyone has congregated in The Kopper Kettle by 1.20 pm, and we’ll pick things up collectively from here.

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Day 2, 1:20 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

"Those must be some keebabs! Err, excuse me for a moment," she goes over to the bedroom doorway to get a look at it firsthand before she shells out any coppers. She'd been thinking the Hellions would pay for a room or two upfront to have available if they needed to rest up in after exploring; but it sounds like things are more along the lines of beds in a dormitory. In that case, it will probably make more sense to just rent them as they need them, assuming there are enough free beds.

Dormitory
Fenwick opens the door marked "Bedz" to reveal a room that has more in common with a barnyard than your average inn. Haphazardly arranged makeshift partitions create a limited amount of privacy, but the "bedz" consist of little more than piles of straw, furs and scratchy-looking blankets.

Luxurious it is not.

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From a gameplay perspective, although the accommodation is very (very!) basic, you can consider it a (reasonably) safe place to rest and recover should you need to. You certainly won’t be exposed to the regular wandering monster checks that you would be in most other places in Stonehell.

Mapping information: square room, 30’ x 30’. The only door is in the northern section of the western wall.

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Day 2, 1:20 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

As Pickles slips into the Inn he pulls out his newly acquired coin and smiles. He bounces up to the bar and places it down, "An ale and food my good Kobold" he says with a smile.

After receiving his order he will carry it over to an open table, place his pack under his feet and eat while waiting for the others to join.

Ricard returns from examining the "bedz" and follows Pickle's lead, placing six copper on the bar for an ale and a kebab after which he joins Pickles at the table.

Jessica pays for an ale and a kebob and joins the others at the table.

"Right, definitely a use them as we need them sort of situation. " She returns to the bar, hands over a gold piece for an ale, kebob, and change, and joins the others at their table.

The Kopper Kettle
The kebabs turn out to be roasted rat-on-a-stick. The ale has an earthy, mushroomy flavour. However, whilst both taste unusual, neither is unpleasant.

Just as you’re finishing your lunch, two orcs come through the front door of the tavern. Both wear leather armour, have sheathed daggers on their belts, and sport facial tattoos that mimic seeping wounds. Pickles is fairly certain that these are some of the orcs that were watching the humans in the marketplace earlier.

The orcs approach the party and in gruff, clipped tones pose the question "You lookin’ fer work?"

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A note on coinage: I’ll let you receive your change in the most coin-efficient way. So, for those paying with a gold piece, you’ll receive 9 silver and 4 copper in change. Remember, 100 coins take up one encumbrance slot, so it’s the number of coins, not their value, that determines their encumbrance.

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Day 2, 1:40 pm
Fenwick, Elf 1: 5/5
Gabbro, Elf 1: 7/7
Jessica, Cleric 1: 5/5
Pickles, Halfling 1: 4/4
Ricard, Fighter 1: 5/7
Tiberious, Magic-User 1: 5/5

Link to Gabbro's mega-maps ...
Link to Tiberious' mega-maps ...

As the Orcs approach Pickles lowers his head a tries not to make eye contact, he leans into Fenwick. "Orcs who stork humans." he coughs quietly

"I'm intrigued," Gabbro replies, apparently the only one sitting there without some refreshment. "What kind of labor are you looking to hire?"