CoD 1: Session 05: Cliff's Edge Tavern

 Pre-scene Notes

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Scene setup/conflict: 

Outside tavern, no material reasons for party to stick together any more. As aforementioned,  I find this glue to keep the party together is hard to stay strong initially, so have to work at it somehow.

Still no altered/interrupted scene!

Scene:

The Cliff’s Edge tavern looked to have been built right from within the cliff, unassuming without much decorations, simply sinking into the cliff face. The large entrance way was just robust wooden door, which actually seemed as if it could stand a small siege.   

The Party stared at each other: Filli wanted to find Stella while Yankovic wanted to learn more about the Cave. The two argued, but Zar convinced the other two they could both start by finding info in taverns anyway, so at least could enter together. As all adventurers in the town apparently stayed here, they could not really go very far from each other as this would likely be the base of operations for all three of them.

As the party walked in, Filli was incredulous of the the ‘fabled’ taverns in adventurer stories. A massive skull of a creature was mounted the far end of a walk, at the back of the bar. The place was filled with people despite the early hour, as it would likely be the case at all hours due to the unique nature of the Cavesmuth. There were other adventures, guards, villagers , merchants, and trades people alike. There was even a guy and his dog in the corner. No nobles though. Apart form the doorway to the side of the bar, a side stair seemed to disappear into a corridor with rock walls that were part of the cliff. The bar was basically excavated into the cliff, some walls with rudimentary wood panelling, but this did not deter its patrons from partying with meat and mead. 

Map from https://www.czepeku.com/. Tokens from varying pinterest sources, incl some from official DND/Roll20 resources. 

Filli in his wonders ambled past the pool table, but Weird Elf (with a high 15 passive perception), having spotted a relatively stand-out figure, pulled him back in time before he bumped into her. The figure noticed and apologised, patting Filli on the head. Filli grumbled and said he was an adventurer. The other pool players laughed, not really minding the woman going off to speak to them as they continued their game. 

“Adventurers you say?” The woman with elven ears asked, eyeing Zar as well as Yankovic, curiosity perked. “I don’t recall seeing you before, and I haven’t seen any ships from the continent coming in today.”

She was tall for her gender, likely not a full elf without their most hallowing features. She had a pale freckled face, and eyes that seem to have a blue swirl around them like mists and sparkles. She had medium long sandy blonde hair, and worn a fine quality tunic, though a quilt jacket and leather gloves that covered a bit of her privilege. She also worn an ornate rapier to her side, but the handle looked regularly used. (Yankovic perception 20 roll)

Portrait from Charlie Bowater, though for another novel’s character 

Filli introduced themselves and explained they had a shipping accident with the Blue Horizon and washed up ashore this morning. 

“The Blue Horizon? What of the ship and crew?” She asked hastily but caught herself. “Apologies, where are my manners. I am Elodia Rose, the caretaker of the Rose’s estates here on this island. The Blue Horizon is one of  our newly chartered vessels on its first voyage here. Please do tell me more if possible.”

Party relayed their story.

“My most sincere of apologies. This is certainly awful news and I can’t believe those sailors… this certainly is a lesson learned for our business’s practices.” It was pretty clear Rose already had a staff or two in mind that needed ratifying. She turned again to Filli, most sincere in her big watery eyes. “ I will investigate this matter and give you all an adequate response. No one should get away with this, especially one employed under the Rose’s name, whether with our knowledge or not. As you all seem to be adventurers, I take it you have all came for the Cave? If so, I don’t have much on me at the moment, but please do visit the Trade House. I will send word there on my way to contend with this Blue Horizon matter. Please do drop by before your trip into the Cave, as it is dangerous and my staff will help you prepare the best they can. If you’ll excuse me, I will enquire about this vessel right away.”

With that, she said goodbye to her pool buddies and turned to leave, then stopped, turned back and said, “Also, although it started off with a hiccup, welcome to the island and I hope we will have many much more pleasant dealings in the future.”

Filli and Zar commented she was surprisingly nice for being the other leader of the two main factions here, Zar pointing out she even offered compensation without them asking, even if it was not her fault. Yankovic was the only one who spotted the weirdness in that their ‘compensation’ involved visiting the Trade House, where even if they got help, not only might they get tarred with Rose’s brush, but also they would check out their missions before the Governor’s. He also spotted a few bodyguard-looking men who went after her as she left,. They were not with the city guards, who were drinking in one of the tables. (Yankovic again rolled high Perception)

#

Regardless the three headed to the far end to the bar, where a half-orc woman greeted them. According to Zar, who was the same race, she was pretty enough, but had an air of static electricity around her that compelled people to keep their distance. A mixture of intimidation, aloofness, and a watchful eye for even her customers. As the three approached the bar, she having spotted them from a mile off, swayed her hips to the side, not as a flirt, but to show the handaxe in her waist holster. After all, this was a tavern full with adventurers, and the barkeep must have a certain degree of might to keep drunks in line.

The first thing she said though was not to enquire about her customers, “If there’s a bar fight, the loser pays for everything the fight broke.”

Portrait from Kiiwala

Taken aback, the two looked at Zar, who also did not know if this was normal half-orc behaviour. Zar tried to asked, “Ah hem, barkeep I presume? We are new here and heard from the governor we can get lodgings here. Also, if you would be so kind, we would like to hear more about the Cave, the Trade House and the Governor’s Office. It isn’t a trip to be taken lightly from what we gathered.”

The barkeep eyed him up and down. “You think just because you’re a half-orc I have time to tell you fairy stories? It’s a standard one gold piece a day to stay here, meals included, take it or leave it. Extra if you’re getting drunk. Again, if there’s a bar fight, the loser pays for everything the fight broke.”

I debated whether to bother or not with bookkeeping living expenses, but decided to be a bit more real and poverty may be another reason to make the PCs stay together. The pricing is just to maintain a modest lifestyle per DND standard rules. 

Yankovic interjected, trying his luck, “If you don’t want to talk about the factions, you may want to talk about religion? I’m a follower of Xanthia after all, looking to start a church branch here, and you seem just the sort to receive the grace of the God of War!”

Mythic rolled yes + random event

“Yes I’m familiar with Xanthia back when I was in the army. Some soldiers had worshipped Xanthia, though never seems to be of the same sect. His followers don’t get on very well, do they? But when they fought beside each other, they were unstoppable.” Much to Zar’s surprise, the barkeep elaborated on her story upon hearing about Xanthia, but had stopped herself when she got this this point of the conversation. With a dampened mood, she continued for Yankovic, “If you want to start a church, it’ll either have to be Empire-sponsored by the Governor, or cash-funded by the Roses. Either way, you won’t get far without proving yourself. The Cave is the quickest way to do so, but your green friend is right, it’s a perilous journey. 

“You really should prepare for all eventualities before entering each time. The trip could take you to a small dungeon, or multi-floor crypts, or a front line battlefield, or basically an entire world. A cave or a kingdom as the saying goes around here. What follows that saying is you can crumble a cave or save a kingdom, because each trip, there seemed to be a  hidden ‘objective’. Some calls it a condition. Only when you meet this condition  will you be able to come back. It may be blatant sometimes, like saving a kingdom from a threat everyone you meet in that world talks about. Some can be outright unthinkable, like crumbling the cave you’re in and can’t escape. If you try to walk back through the way you entered, it will basically just send you right back.

“However, whatever goes on in the Cave, no matter how similar it is to this world, the wizards say it’s a completely different plane of existence. You can come back with loot, but never a person or the likes. That’s why it’s called the Cave of Dreams. When you’re back, you wake up. No one knows what you’ll dream of though and some gets stuck in the nightmare and never come back. How do you think I got this place? The last owner was stupid enough to take a trip into that Cave of Greed on a dare. Never came back.”

At this point, an bald adventurer was dragged screaming into the tavern, with his teammates shouting and asking for a healer. Just so happened a cleric was at the tavern and cast Cure Wounds to stabilise the legless patient. 

“Or they come back maimed. He’s not the only one that’ll have to find a ship back to the continent for a healer who can regrow those limbs. His buddies made the right choice coming here first, not that there was a hospital, but it was more likely he would find a cleric here than the barracks. But strong adventurers wouldn’t come to a frontier town like this until it grew more in fame. Why do you think the Governor and that Rose girl both sent out those flyers? Being an adventurer here though is much more advantageous than the continent considering both of factions wants ya.”

Zar enquired more.

“It’s obvious isn’t it? The Governor’s got the Empire’s legitimacy, expansion rights for the settlement, and the well trained city guards. Roses got the commercial shipping, consumer market, and their retainers. They can both send their own guards and retainers down the Cave like they did initially, but they won’t be able to sustain the losses. That’s where you adventurers come in. Expendable worker dogs that can fetch the birds from the Cave while they feed you with scraps. Anyway, I may have said too much, just go the either the Governor’s or the Rose’s place if you want a tutorial. Now are you folks staying or not?”

The party said they’ll come back later and decide as it was still daylight. Filli asked about Stella but the barkeep heard of nothing and shooed them away. Zar finally remembered to ask for a name.

“You don’t get much chicks do you? I’m Soke Buclym. Don’t expect me to learn your names, many don’t make it out their first Cave dive. If it’s not because you guys are from the Governor’s, I won’t even have wasted as much time on you lot already.”

#

Leaving the unwelcoming tavern, Zar said he did not know any other ways to earn money apart from fighting, despite Yankovic’s jab saying he was not much of a fighter. Yankovic needed the fame to get a church building on the table regardless. Filli wanted to find Stella, but ultimately he came here for the Cave. After seeing the injured adventurer who lost his limb, the party thought maybe it was best to stay as a group for now - at least other party members could return their corpses. Despite still being unfamiliar with each other, it would be preferable than venturing around alone. 

They decided to go to the Trade House before the Governor’s Office to ask more about the Cave and their requests and missions.

Scene close-out: 

• Chaos factor down to 4
• + party thread: to find out more about requests/missions
• + party thread: Investigate the Blue Horizon incident

Post-scene Notes: 

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