5. Awkward

The Broken Head
It’s around half past six in the evening when you finally make it back to The Broken Head after an exhausting and eventful day. You shake off your damp cloaks and pass beneath the colossal stone head of Arden, into the inn’s smoky common room.

As your eyes adjust to the dim interior light, you are immediately aware of movement and the sounds of chairs being pushed back over to your left, towards the large fireplace. Turning to face the commotion, you see five familiar figures - Jason, the stocky, bearded warrior - Helga, the blond Wiskin rogue - Heliagabulus, the skinny wizard with the large nose - Isidor, the plump halfling in the outrageous hat - and Yvette, the hunchbacked holy woman. In other words, The Darlings minus Dalton.

Suffice to say, they seem none too pleased to see you as they stand there glaring, weapons drawn.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

"Can we put this off until we bump into each other outside? I'm sure no one's in the mood for a barfight right now, least of all the innkeep here. Plus you'll have damages to pay." Jacky rubs his cheek. "Incidentally, whose Darlings are you now?"

We don’ want aneh tr-rrouble. N’ neither do yeh. So let’s jus’ keep to our tables, plenty o’ bar fer everyone!

Thrudmarr looks at the Daltonless Darlings with confusion. "What, no want ale?" he gestures vaguely towards the bar. "This drinking place, no fighting place! Come, I buy!"

See?! My fightery friend is willin fer ta buy de firs’ r-round! How ‘bout we jus’ go our sep’rate ways, den?
Grim gives ol’ Thrud a friendly dwarven nod. :)

This outcome had been expected, even foretold from the moment Dalton slapped Jacky, and her comrades chose to respond to violence with more — extraordinarily well-executed — violence. She was the child of a long-lived species, used to thinking about life in terms of centuries, and yet ever since her path had joined those of her fellow-travellers, the horizon of time had just kept contracting. It was now a matter of hours, when things switched violently and not always for weal.
All these thoughts crossed her mind as she observed the Darlings in silence. Her mind thought of fifteen ways of feathering the mage before he could utter a single rune.

The Broken Head
"OI!" shouts Kettle-Belly from behind the bar, mainly directed at the Darlings. "They’ll be NO trouble in here," he yells definitively. "If you’ve got any beef, you take it outside. If any of you raises so much as a fist within the Broken Head, you’re out and at the mercy of Craas. Do I make myself clear?"

With faces of thunder, the Darlings sit down. It’s clear they have no intention of taking Thrud up on his offer of a conciliatory pint.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Zacharias wearily makes his way to the bar. Checking his pouch, he is gladdened to see that he has funds for a drink even before the loot is divided. With a sigh that sounds like it comes from his boot-soles, Zach says "Ho, Cauldron-Gut, how much for a shot of your strongest, wickedest, most evil rotgut spirit? I feel the need to remind myself that there is something worse than running into that passel of ne'er-do-wells yet again!"

When the Darlings don't take Thrud's peace offering, he shrugs and approaches the bar, joining Zach. He slaps a handful of coins in front of Kettle-Belly. "Drink time! Thrud thirsty!"

Jacky nods at the innkeeper, then looks around for Crisarius. After all, the man had said he's willing to buy what they dug up from inside the halls.

The Broken Head
Whilst Zach and Thrud get the drinks in, Jacky wanders over to Crisarius (from the ‘Prosperity Factor’), who is sitting at his usual table alongside his fellow statue brokers, Godric (‘Golden Band Factor’) and Fenitor (‘Wisdom Factor’).

Crisarius greets the halfling warmly with a firm handshake and invites him to take a seat. "So, got anything interesting for me?". The other two brokers lean forward expectantly. Several of the Darlings are also watching the exchange.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Ella relaxed slightly when the Darlings settled down, her eyes registering Jacky's departure towards the antique collector table. She was not sure yet what she would be ready to part with, though she realized that the halfling had good social reflexes and might just be preparing the ground for negotiations.

She moved to the bar, and addressed Kettle-Belly: "I'll have milk, if you have some, good master. I'd also like to know if there are any illusionists currently residing at this fine establishment?"

"Not on my own person, chap, and we didn't unearth any statues worth the taking," Jacky says. "We didn't come back quite empty-handed, though - my friends have between them a fair handful of old coins and a book of, ahem, love. Would you like to have a gander?"

Our dwarven fellow approaches the bar and orders an ale. And an ale. Also an ale.

As she waited for the inn-keeper’s response, Ella thought of what loot she might be willing to present to the collectors. The stained glass squares? The fish-shaped rod? The potions? The Kantor’s tome?

The Broken Head
"Illusionist?" repeats Kettle-Belly, looking somewhat confused at the out-of-the-blue enquiry. "Not that I’m aware of. There’s an adventuring group like yours, goes by the name of ‘Lost and Found’, who had an illusionist amongst them the last time they were in, but that was a few weeks ago."
Kettle-Belly winks at Zach. "One moment, I’ve got just the thing,". He disappears through a door at the back of the bar, to return a short while later with an unlabelled, dark brown glass bottle. "My own recipe," he announces proudly, and pours Zach a (very large) shot into a glass.

(Feel free to embellish how Kettle-Belly’s custom liquor looks, smells and tastes to Zach. It costs 2 silver pieces per shot).
Crisarius looks over the party’s spoils, but there’s nothing that interests him. He does linger at the Cantor’s Codex, which he says might fetch a good price to the right collector, but it’s not something he would deal in. "Come back when you’ve got some statues - statues are where the real money is at!"

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Jacky arranges for a warm dinner and a room for them all tonight, asking for the room nearest the innkeep's own - less chance of a night intrusion by the Darlings, he figures. He'll take second watch too, just in case.

The Broken Head
Kettle-Belly explains that there’s only one private room and that Crisarius has it. Other than that, there’s only the bunkroom. "However, given the circumstances, it’s probably best if we keep you and the Darlings apart. They were here first, so they get the bunkroom. You can sleep down here in the common room".

---

Correct - 13 silver each for bed and a meal + 10 silver for stabling Billie = 75 silver total for the night.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Jacky heaves a mournful sigh. "The common room it is, master innkeeper. At least it'll be warm," he says, casting a glance at the fireplace. "But no beds in sight. A slight discount wouldn't be out of place, I hope?"

Ella followed Jacky’s lead in the arrangements for rest and recovery. She did, however, approach Crisarius and inquire as to his opinion about the fish shaped rod: it was, after all, a sort of carving, statue-adjacent. She wondered if the collector would recognize the metal rod, or at function.

Grim finished off his ale, and scans the tavern for fellow dwarves. Perhaps to reacquaint his stout-minded self with fellow kin from under the mountain.

Thrudmarr overhears the sleeping arrangements and looks around the common room, noting the lack of actual beds. He shrugs. "Floor fine for Thrud!" Sleeping on floors isn't new to him.

The Broken Head
"Hehe, nice try Jacky," chuckles Kettle-Belly, "but there’s no discount. Think of it as paying for the roof over your head rather than the floor you’re sleeping on."
Crisarius takes the rod and examines it, turning it around to inspect it from different angles. "Hmmm, interesting … unusual even, but I doubt it has any particular value. If I had to guess, it looks like some sort of tool? Or even a key perhaps?"
As you might imagine, there’s not a lot of passing trade at the Broken Head! Apart from the staff, the only patrons this evening are yourselves, the Darlings and the representatives from the Factors. You’re welcome to talk to them, but there’s not a dwarf in sight (although the short, barrel-chested, bearded Jason is doing a reasonable impersonation of one).

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Zacharias morosely finishes his drink, lets out a polite–but audible–belch, and approaches Ellagel. "Lady ElephantEars, have you made a division of the spoils yet?"

Ellagel thanked Crisarius for his assessment. She concurred "Indeed, that is my theory as well, some kind of lever, or key… we will come to you when we have something more substantial and… statuesque.".

Rejoining the party, the elf received Zacharias’ innovative name with a broad smile. "My ears are indeed majestic; as those of the oliphant, but with more gracious shape, to fit my frame. As to the spoils, we must conduct a proper count, I have not done one yet."

With their lodgings sorted, Jacky will go visit Billie in the stables. He looks around for the stable lads. The halfling imagines that they won't have taken much liking to the Darlings either, given their attitude.

What he wants to know is, do the Darlings ride out to the Halls? If they do, might their departure tomorrow be delayed by something unfortunate happening to saddle and tack?

Grim wanders out to visit the local temple. He prepares his holy symbol of Lucrean, in case he happens upon fellow priestly types.

The Broken Head
The stable lad who’s attending to Billie says that the Darlings don’t have any horses. Given that you didn’t see any horses tethered at the pyramid entrance, that would make sense to Jacky (unless the Darlings know another way into the Halls …)
To clarify, The Sign of the Broken Head is the remote outpost to the north of the ruined city (see map). There’s nothing else on the plateau that looks remotely like a maintained provider of services - no temples, no shops, etc. The Broken Head is the only refuge you're aware of. You’ll need to travel back down the cliff face and on to the town of Gosterwick for anything else, which is a journey of about a day.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Jacky shrugs and thanks the lad.

The Broken Head
With it having been such a damp and overcast day, it’s not the best evening for stargazing. Jacky fails to see any correlation between what he drew and what he can see overhead.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Grim sits with his friends, enjoying his ale, abd at times he habitually fidgets with the Lucrean holy symbol adorning his very thick dwarven neck.

Zach sighed. "Very well, Lady Ephemeral, it has been a long day and my middle-aged bones are weary. Please Wake me when we divvy the spoils or tomorrow morning, whichever comes first." Zacharias heads back to Kettle-Belly, sitting behind the bar. "Master Kissing-Bully, how much for another night’s miserable rest?"

The Broken Head
Kettle-Belly looks over each shoulder, pretending that he doesn't know who Zach is addressing, before pointing theatrically at himself and mouthing "Me?".

"Same as last night, master Zebra. It's thirteen silver each for bed and board. Or, in your case, floor and board."

---

We can wrap things up for the evening unless anyone would like to do anything else.

You then just need to decide what to do tomorrow. There is still the open question as to whether you'd like to return to the town of Gosterwick to cash in your magic items and secure enough XP to allow some of you to level-up.

---
6:30 pm, Basilsday 2nd Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 4/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 60’ (Lantern)
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
---
Billie, Mule: 120’

Link to Jacky’s maps …

Ellagel was ready to rest, but waited for her companions to finish their different activities.

If my sums are correct, you could keep the Find Traps scroll and still level up. It's really the potions - five of them - that are the big unknown. But then, after selling some of your non-magical stuff, you should have enough money to pay someone to identify them.

And the codex, but it's in a language that none of you can understand.

As the evening progresses and the rest of the party discusses plans, Thrudmarr quietly moves to a corner table where he can see both the Darlings' table and his own friends. He sits with his back against the wall drinking his ale, his axe within easy reach.

Finally realizing from Ellagel and company that there would be no funds without returning to town, Zacharias sighs and says "very well, we return to Gosterwick in the morning and then see some return on our time. In the interim, unless anyone needs me, I am headed to bed."