Part 1: The Village of Hommlet

[GreyWolfVT]

Food & Conversation

It is not long before the food is brought to the tables and refills on drinks are offered. The staff don't interrupt any conversations other than to ask if there is anything more they might get for anyone and to ask how the food and drink are/were. As the dar grows later more folk come into the place and dine, drink and converse. Once the group is ready they are brought upstairs to where the rooms are and are shown their rooms. 

Upper Floor @ the Welcome Wench

You are all taken up the stairs that go between the two private dining rooms and shown to the rooms. Daos is shown to room 4. Narya is shown to room 2. Kevril is shown to room 10. Roshek is shown to room 6. Rooms 3 & 7 are offered to Obasi. "Both rooms are available take your pick unless you wish to join one of your friends in one of their rooms."

Rm 2: The noble or wealthy rent this suite for 5 gp per night, breakfast furnished. The outer room is a sitting room with table and chairs. The inner has a huge feather bed, chairs, and a closet.
Rm 3: This simple room costs 2 gp per night.
Rm 4: This simple room has an extra table and chairs, for 5 ep per night.
Rm 6: This simple place has an extra table and chairs, for 5 ep per night.
Rm 7: This sparse room costs 1 gp per night. 
Rm 10: Here most of the lesser travelers can spend a warm and a safe night for a mere silver piece. The place has a dozen pallets, and in the morning the table in the center is loaded with hot tea and fresh loaves at no extra cost. Even these folks receive warm water and clean towels for morning ablutions; such is the quality of the Welcome Wench Inn! There are always 2-12 (or more) sleeping here.

[Margrave]

After seeing her room, Narya says, "If we wish to use the privacy of my room to plan, so be it.  I would like to visit the tower where the constable is located."

[Daos]

Daos is surprised to see two beds in his room.  He hadn't realized there would be two.  But he likes the table and chairs where he can study on his downtime.  He removes the rations and waterskin from his pack and sets them on the table, as they have been weighing him down.  Then he locks up and rejoins the others.  "I, uh, know the way to the tower," he offers.  "It's on the east side of the village."

[Kvard51]

Kevril smiles in satisfaction upon being shown his room.  He nods to the other occupants as he makes his way to the bed farthest from the door.  This room will do quite well.  A sound place to sleep without too many amenities to make me soft.

He lays down, arranging his gear around him in the bed to protect against thieves, his hand on his dagger.  A brief prayer to Mayaheine later, and he is asleep, counting on his friends to wake him at need.

[Rax]

"A pallet in the dormitory will do for me as well," Roshek says. Bringing his gear, he selects a pallet next to Kevril.

OOC: Is it bedtime or is going to the tower an option? It sees like we have two different readings of the time of day.

Deducting 1 sp from Roshek's belongings.

[Margrave]

If it is time to sleep, Narya will rig a jam in the bottom of the door to prevent it from being opened while she trances.  She will look over her spells and plan for the next day.  

If it isn't time to sleep, Narya will go to the tower to meet the local militia.

[GreyWolfVT]

Potboy "Very well we'll let anyone know that the room is free, the dormitory is quite fine. Pardon but it's quite fine if you wish to rest but I might remind you it is still only early afternoon plenty of daylight left and places don't close up for a few hours or more."

[Rax]

"Travel weighs more heavily on some people," Roshek jokes. "Very well, let's go see masters Burne and Rufus and see what they know about banditry in these parts. Before we do, might I leave some of my gear in either of your rooms?" he asks Narya and Daos. "No need to look like one's off to war now that we're off the roads."

OOC: Roshek wants to leave his bow, shield and backpack behind.

[Daos]

"Oh, uh...sure," Daos says to the dwarf.  Once that is taken care of, he starts leading the group out of the inn and down the east road, toward the guard tower.  "I'm afraid I don't know anything about this Burne or Rufus.  They must have arrived in town long after I left it," he says apologetically as they walk.

[Rax]

"If they've been built a fortified tower here, it's likely they did so with the permission of the Viscount, and the people we've met so far don't seem to mind them. It's a good guess these two are decent folk," Roshek opines.

[Kvard51]

Kevril looks on with awe at the tower.  Fortifications and sieges had always fascinated him.  And while this was far from a well defended castle, it would take a disciplined force to take it, by his estimation.  He looked at Daos and Roshek, "Who would have expected something like this in a little village like Hommlet?"  

[Margrave]

Feb 21, 2020 10:23:13 GMT -8 Kvard51 said:

Kevril looks on with awe at the tower.  Fortifications and sieges had always fascinated him.  And while this was far from a well defended castle, it would take a disciplined force to take it, by his estimation.  He looked at Daos and Roshek, "Who would have expected something like this in a little village like Hommlet?"  

Narya replies to Kevril, "I heard that there was an evil temple near this place.  It would make sense that such a place may be connected to enchanted ley lines that would attract all sorts of nefarious creatures and kind.  I would construct such a fortification to withstand such things."

[Daos]

Daos nods as the tower comes into view.  "It's been there for some time, and the local law enforcement group uses it for their base.  Although...that is new," he comments, referring to the beginnings of a small castle being built around a new tower atop a nearby low mound east of the tower.

[Rax]

"Looks solid enough," Roshek comments. "Good to see them putting some proper walls around the tower as well. Stuck up on a hill like that, undermining it would be simple enough for a determined opponent."

[GreyWolfVT]

Heading to the Tower

Everyone after leaving what they do not need to carry in their rooms at the inn. The group heads off to the tower. Taking the east road you pass the blacksmith on the left of the road (building 8). Horseshoes are nailed to three faces of the post in front of this shed, and within sit a forge and bellows. This is obviously the smithy. A short but brawny man is vigorously pounding away at a piece of red-hot iron. To the right is a grove. This is obviously a place of worship. The trees are neatly pruned, and the grass is well tended. A carefully placed line of bluish stones sets off the path leading to a rock cairn where flowers, nuts, berries, and garlands of leaves are placed. A small path leads beyond the shrine to a low-roofed wooden building placed under the great boughs of the central oaks of the copse (area 24 on the map). After that is another barn with a home connected to it (building 25). After that is a barn-like house with a wheel nailed to a post. This is the residence and shop of the local wheel and wainwright (building 26). To the right of the wheel and wainwright is a walled manor house (building 27). This place has an eight foot high stone wall and a heavy gate. It is obviously the residence of some well-to-do folk, and easily defensible in times of trouble. Up the road just a short is a building with a sign before this place shows a saw and hammer. The building appears newly constructed. Your best guess is that this is a carpenter. When you are almost to the tower on the left of the road is a stone house (building 29). This well-crafted stone dwelling seems recently built. It is set off from the road by a low stone wall. No animals are seen, but some children are playing in the yard.

To the right of the road are the beginnings of a smallish castle, being built around a new tower atop the low mound. Workers have dug deep trench lines about ten feet wide and as deep, down to a hard clay. They seem to be in the process of mortaring the foundations of the wall to be built above. Work has barely begun, but the outlines of bastions, towers, a gatehouse and a keep can be noted. The keep is atop the second hillock, and considerable excavation has taken place. The earth from this digging has been used in the walls around the whole. Some dressed stone blocks are visible, but not similar to local stone (area 30 on the map). Just beyond the wall is the two-storied tower you seek (building 31). This structure is some 55 feet tall, a smaller tower rising inside the greater at about 35 feet above the ground. Its entrance is accessible only by going up a curving flight of stone stairs which terminate in a landing about 10 feet above the ground. The outer door of the tower lowers to form a bridge to the stone landing. There are numbers of arrow slits around the tower, and it has a splay around the base to about 6 feet in height. The lower and upper battlements are machicolated, the merlons being pierced for archery as well. Two men-at-arms watch from its roof. Currently the outer door is open and a guard stands awaiting the group as they arrive. "Halt! Who are you and what is your business here?" the guard asks in a commanding tone but a non-threatening one.



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