Chapter 1.1: Willowdark (Kaio, Geran, Rixon)

Your adventures shall live here!

Frederick nods slightly at him as he takes the cloak and waves a bit.

The evening is not busy (after all, there are only a few hundred people in town). There is a tavern open in the market place (southeast corner). They have some tables laid out in the square with the fountains and a single placard hangs over the door. On the sign is a picture of a rock with worn flecks of gold leaf on the top. Fine scrollwork letters under it read "The Gilt Rock".

There is the soft sound of a lute drifting through the open door as you come upon it.

The marketplace center (where the fountains are) is empty, save for the one corner where the tavern has a few tables outside. There are only a handful of people out there: two gnomes you've not seen before, a dwarf, and three humans.They are all clustered around two tables they've pulled together and seem to be sharing a small cask of ale. They are seemingly in good spirits, with a bit of laughing and back slapping. They have a heavy candle in the middle of their table casting a small circle of light some 5' around where they sit. Other than that, the marketplace area is quiet - and dark. The few buildings that are there are all shuttered and their awnings are rolled up.

No one else is making their way toward the tavern at this point, likely those that are coming out for the night are already out.

Oy I thank ya Tiller. 've not had - 'ad - a - a DRINK since my boy - not sinc - hic - not since that vile Harrald did 'im. One of the gnomes says, a hitch in his voice. You note this is specifically incongruous with the laughter that was happening earlier. The dwarf nods his head and raises his mug. To Harrald gettin' his some dark night!

Would ya keep yer mouth shut Tiller? You know the Guard comes here off duty, ya knob. How do you think those looeys of Notter's figger their targets? Eh? Flappin' gums and liquored words gettin' back to those cretins. To the health of Telluria. That's what we drink! one of the scraggly humans says, cuffing the dwarf on the head.

Their conversation doesn't yield any other useful information. They seem to almost be looping around and around the same topic. "I haven't drank since my son died.", "Kill Harrald.", "Shut up Tiller." Then they toast Telluria. They are deep enough in their cups that they seem to fixate.

About their third cycle through, you hear the sound of clinking chain armor and plated boots outside the courtyard, to the north.

As Kaio presses himself into the shadows to the north of the tavern, his back against the structure. Hiding in the alley, he watches as a pair of village guards saunter into the cobbled marketplace. Heavy plated boots fall with clanks on the cobbles as their chain clinks with each step. Longswords are belted at their hips and crossbows strapped across their backs.

Pyter! Looks like old Bluebottle is still pining the loss of his sneakthief son. Davven, your lout of a kid was caught with a fistful of gold that wasn't rightly his and ye know it. Let off, he deserved to swing as much as the next thief will! one of the guards says, slightly louder than necessary.

Davven, the teary gnome, looks up from his drink, hatred and rage boiling across his face. MY BOY WASN'T A THIEF AND YOU KNOW IT EDDAN! HE - HE DIDDN - DIDN'T DESERVE HAVIN' HIS FINGERS CHOPPED OFF NEITHER! WHAT DO YA THINK MY LIFE HAS BEEN LIKE WITH WYLLA SINCE?! He cries as he launches himself across the table, his mug trailing behind him in his hand.

One of the scraggly humans, not the one that stopped the dwarf earlier tries to stop the gnome from getting past him but fails. As Davven runs towards the guards, Eddan's hand is already streaking out with his longsword, clearly expecting the reaction. The blade bites into the gnome's side, dropping him to his knees.

YOU ALL SAW HIM HE ASSAULTED ME! A GUARD ON HIS ROUNDS! Eddan roars as he jams the sword down into Davven's back, causing his legs to twitch once, twice, and then no more. A cry of pain escapes the gnome as he lies on the ground bleeding.

A faint whistle whips out of the darkness, and those of you looking at the marketplace courtyard area see Eddan slap his neck as Kaio's dart stings his neck.

COMBAT! No surprise round, they are now on alert. They don't know where you are at this point, so you are all still hidden. PCs won the initiative, so you may act now.