The Dire Melon - Quest Given

Posted on Sun Dec 3rd, 2023 @ 11:49pm by Dungeon Master God-Emperor Taral & Priest (Level 2) Alden Mourningstar & NPC Grumin Brewbeard & NPC Kylathea Palen & Fighter (Level 1) Jaylene Lorenas & Priest (Level 2) Leslie Aryz

Mission: We're Forming A Party
Location: The Dire Melon

The sign directing potential adventurers to the Dire Melon had been up three nights now. On the first night, a group of local harvesters decided to try their hand at the task. Of the five that went out, only two came back, one missing an eye, the other missing a leg. The second night, a retired town watchman went out alone. He hadn’t been seen since.

And so on night three, the dispatcher for the town watch sat at the cherrywood bar of the Dire Melon tavern.

The tavern itself was rustic and simple. A bar. Eight tables of different sizes scattered about. No Bard stage to speak of, though when entertainment did come, old Brewbeard traded ale to anyone who would help him move tables. A cauldron of stew bubbled in the back, the only food Brewbeard knew how to make. Thankfully the barmaid Kylathea was betrothed to the baker, who traded unsold bread for ale every evening.

The dispatcher himself was human. Short and barrel chested, if not for his smooth face one might mistaken him for a tallish dwarf. His town watch hat was on the bar, in full view of the front door.

The Druid Alden Morningstar found his way to the Dire Melon easily enough. It was Fairfell’s only tavern, after all. It took him a few moments to identify the town watchman, far longer than he would've preferred. He attributed it to a mild discomfort with artificial spaces and shrugged it off as best as he could. He took a table near the back, one from which he could see the quest giver, and waited quietly. No way was he doing this alone, so he waited to see what other people might approach.

The monk fairly bounced into the tavern, hood of her cloak thrown back to reveal her fire-kissed hair for all to see, golden pendant bouncing on her chest. She appeared a little worse for wear, scratches on her cheek, but the smile broad on her face was clear for anyone with eyes, as if she didn’t know or at least didn’t care about it as she looked around for something… Or someone. But she didn’t see what or who she was looking for, so she tapped the toes of her cute but well built laced sandals on the threshold of the entrance to knock any extra dirt off of them and headed towards the bar.

As she did so, these in the town watch hat noticed her and looked her up and down classifying what she was wearing and carrying and smirked, “Hey, you there! Monk! Don’t try ignoring me, come over here.” Leslie’s eyes opened wide as she saw him and made a gesture to herself in question, “Yes, you, you’re the only monk in here.” He growled.

With a shrug, Leslie made her way over to the man and smiled up at him, batting her eyelashes as she presented herself, “Why sirrah, I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you, did you have something for me? Do you mind if I get a drink first? It’s been a long journey and I’m thirsty.”

The dispatcher looked into those emerald eyes and slowly nodded, captivated before shaking it off, “Yes, we’ll, of course you can, just don’t go anywhere else until I have a talk with you. I need to find others as well.”

“Of course.” Leslie said jauntily before sliding over to the bar and placing an order for an ale, sliding a coin to the bartender before glancing around for anyone else there that may be… Interesting.

Jaylene made her way inside the tavern, her eyes flicking around to get the lay of the land and try to figure out who might've made the request for help. She didn't think it would be in good form to go in and shout the question over the din.

That was the easy part, given it seemed that the man wanted to be found. She made her way up to the bar but a gruff large man bumped into her, sloshing his ale.

"Hey watch it, girlie." The man slurred. Well, they were off to a great start. Only early in the day and he was halfway sloshed. Jaylene rolled her eyes.

"I'm not your girlie. And you bumped into me. Go away and be drunk elsewhere." She growled back, unimpressed and unamused.

"And just who in the Nine Hells do you think you are talking to me like that?." The drunk sneered. She turned her back to him and he grabbed her by the shoulder, "I'm talking to you!"

"Remove your hand or lose it." Jaylene warned.

"I said..." The drunk didn't get to finish as she grabbed his hand and twisted it in an unpleasant direction. Not enough to break it, but enough to get the point across. The larger man fell to his knees, howling in pain. She let go and he stood up, ordered another ale and shuffled off, grumbling. The other patrons only paid enough attention to make sure no one had just been stabbed or a fight wasn't about to break out. Otherwise, it seemed that they had no reason to care any further.

And Jaylene didn't push it any further either, turning to the barkeep and put down some coin for a wine.

“Nice move.” Leslie nodded towards the newcomer to the bar after watching the drunk walk off with drink in one hand, whining at the pain in his other as he rotated it to make sure it worked properly. She looked the woman up and down, definitely an adventurer of some sort and that was good, “Here looking for something to do? I know I am.”

Alden continued to watch the room but missed the arrival of the Monk. The Paladin was somewhat more obvious though, and seeing the Paladin and the Monk talking at the bar, he decided that yes this group would be fine to work with. Whatever the quest was, they could probably get it done.

He made his way to the bar and stood beside the fiery-haired Aasimar Monk. He locked eyes with the bartender and cocked his head toward the girl's drink, but the dwarven bartender merely frowned. "I'll take an ale too," he said aloud. The gruff barkeep nodded and poured him one in trade for a coin. "So you both saw the sign too?" he asked the ladies.

“Sign, there was a sign?” Leslie asked, looking around before taking another pull on her ale, “Town crier over there caught me, but I suppose he’s the one I was looking for anyways, by the Grace of our Lord Bahamut.” She brushed her hair back behind an ear.

Oh great, a monk, though Alden.

"Yeah, town center board but..." Jaylene started but was cut off.

"If you're all done socializing," the town watch dispatcher said, now standing behind the group, "maybe we can get started?"

Alden leaned against the bar but turned to face the dispatcher. He sipped his ale and listened.

“It’s about time.” Leslie stated with perhaps a bit of impatience. The scrap from this morning was already behind her and she craved more action. Her mug stayed in her hands, however, because she wasn’t ready to give up what remained of her drink.

The quest giver huffed and started his well practised explanation. "As you saw when you came into town, most of what we do here is farming fruit. The fields and orchards give us plenty, and we sell a lot to the boats that come up and down the Dragonfly Tributary. The people in Glimmerhand like the wine made from our apples. All that to say, is our town's prosperity depends on good harvests.

"Well," he continued, "for the past four weeks, stores have gone missing. It started just with barrels left outside the walls after dark. We don't like being in the wilds after dark, you see, so sometimes we leave a cart or barrel outside if we can't get it inside in time. Then barrels started going missing inside the town walls, and we saw scratches along the walls outside. Then last week, someone harvesting a bit further afield...never came back. We fear it will only get worse. We need someone to find whoever or whatever is doing this and stopping it."

Eyes brightening with a bit of a glow to them, not just through eagerness, Leslie drained the rest of her ale in one long pull, then roughly put the mug down on the bar, “We’ll take it!” She announced, speaking for the other two even though she didn’t have even half a clue of who they were, “It’ll be good to get a bit of exercise this early in the week. I suppose, of course, that there’s a reward for solving this little… Problem of yours?”

"We pay 20 gold pieces each for finding and stopping what's been taking our food," the guard said. "Payable upon showing us proof that you've done it."

"Just 20 gold pieces?" Alden asked, leering at the guard.

"Yes," the guard said firmly. "That's already more than what we offered the last party, and they never came back. Normally I'd offer a bonus for retrieving the merchandise but we have to assume it's gone bad. If something there is good, keep it, but I doubt any of it will be edible anymore. Find something for the family of the man we lost and maybe, just maybe, they can do something for you, but 20 gold pieces is the price."

Leslie toyed with a lock of hair as she considered it. One of the rules of the Monastery was that one in four pieces of any reward went to the Order's hoard, which wasn't actually as bad as it sounded. Fifteen gold pieces of net profit wouldn't be be horrific for a quest for a new adventurer and it would reimburse the Order for equipping her. She nodded once, "I'll do it. It may be a bit low, but the cause is good and protecting the people is worthy as well. I know she can handle herself in a fight and you... Caster?" She directed at Alden.

The Druid nodded. “I know a bit of magic, yes.”

"It's a job that needs doing - gold covers expenses but I'm not about to quibble over it. 20 is fine." Jaylene chimed in, "Plus, this sounds as though this is an issue that has been building up to this point for a while anyhow. Hopefully, we find the cause and prevent it entirely for the future."

“Excellent,” the Quest Giver said. “I recommend going at first light. Mr. Brewbeard has a room upstairs with a few beds that I’ll pay for for tonight.” He nodded to the barman and then stood. “Good luck, brave adventurers. Ask for me at the town constabulary when you have proof that the problem is solved. Good evening.”

END


OOC: Roll checks:
Morningstar tries to perceive who is the quest giver: 5+5 = 10
Morningstar stealth check to not be seen by the dispatcher: 19+2=21
Morningstar tries to identify the new arrivals: 3+5 = 8

Aryz tries to perceive who is questgiver: 3+2 = 5. Fail
Dispatcher DC 10 to notice Aryz: 11
Aryz persuasion check to get a drink: 17+3=20

Jaylene Rolls -
Perception to determine Quest Giver: 16+2 = 18
Intimidation to deter drunkard: 2+3 = 5
Opposed Athletics Check vs Drunkard: 13+4 = 17 vs 16. Jaylene passes.

Aryz constitution check to keep from choking on ale: 16 pass

Morningstar tries to persuade the guard to pay more: 5 + 3 = 8. Fail.

FYI: Basic map of Fairfell: https://pegasusfalls.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/specs