The Inn at the Border

[Artemis97]

The Inn at the Border
Week One

OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?570124-The-Inn-at-the-Border-OOC)

On the edge of civilization lies a small border fort belonging to the nearby kingdom of Revard. Here, the river Arnault runs south, away from the smoking mountains, separating the cultured lands of the kingdom from the wilds beyond. On the far side, to the west, a dense forest stretches for miles along the Arnault's banks. Trees have been cut away to make room for the fort, built to guard the wide stone bridge that crosses the river. To the east are rolling plains, rich land suitable for farming. Nestled next to the river, is a small, and quite newly constructed Inn, complete with a large common room, multiple bedrooms, and even a bath. Animal stalls sit outside, near the front, suitable for one or two horses. Beside this is what is, essentially, a flop house, a hastily erected structure meant to act as shelter and little more. A few people, who couldn't afford or couldn't find space at the inn, have set up tents in the area instead. Animals mill about, munching grass and churning up the mud.

It's a bit of a sad place, for now, but one full of opportunity. The Inn, as yet un-named, is a joint venture between a small group. An eclectic bunch, tasked with building something grand here on the frontiers. Many of the people here are their employees, brought along from the cities and only recently arrived. Others are soldiers at the fort, its thick crenelated walls a sturdy reminder of the region's military presence.

Near the tents, a weather-beaten dwarf, his golden beard only just starting to turn grey, bustles about tending to campfires and inspecting the lumber carts. "There's good trees here, nice big pines. And cedars! Nothing wrong with cedar, though everyone wants to use it for closets and sod all else. Pine's better for frames, grows nice and straight, but of course there's no sawmill. I'll see to that soon enough. Provided you keep paying me, eh?"

Throwing a glance over his shoulder at the assembled group of newly-minted inn owners, the dwarf continues. "Let's not mine the iron before the coal, though. That Inn of yours needs a name, something I can put on a sign. Got to have a good sign on an inn. Gets people's attention. You have any ideas what you want to call it?"

[Ganis]

"Well, since we are going for something a bit more inviting than you everyday inn, why don't we name it something that eludes to the greatness it will have. Something like, 'The First Resort', more of a play on being the exact opposite of 'The Last Resort'. It wont take long before we are bustling with those who we don't employ, or at least, that's my plan. and Gorstag looks around on the horizon, "Besides, once we get a quarry going for the minerals we need, coal will come. Resources look fairly good from a cursory assessment."

[Johel]

Tharhoic grumbles.

"-The First Resort... 't sounds about good. 'could always add a sign saying "last civilized stop going this way" or s'thing like that. 'least s'long as that place ain't n'thing more than the dump it is. I recon we ain't getting no fancy customers in those parts. Travelers and merchants, they be. M'be a few peasants and lumberjacks if that place 'ver settled good 'n proper."

[kjelfalconer]

"Works for me. You can give the sign some nice flair, right Grumble? Doesn't matter how good the name is if it doesn't stand out." Aradan already seemed to be on first name terms with half the employees - it was actually quite impressive. He'd simply walked into the place like he'd been there for years, and somehow it felt like he had.

[hannahbbug3]

Grei Goosewhite, perched on a rock outside the inn, looks around at her fellows. The rock was a good place to sit - it not only meant that she wasn't standing in the mud, but it also meant she was much closer to eye level with her new friends. She hadn't expected to be the only one of the small folk here, nor to be the only woman - that said, she hadn't met all the new employees yet, so maybe she would be pleasantly surprised later this day. She pushes her glasses up her nose as the others speak, and a wide smile appears on her face at the name that's suggested. "The First Resort... it's a good pick," she compliments. "It'll be the first building here - and also the first place people who visit will want to stop. I like it," she agrees. She looks to Grumble and gives him a nod. "Perhaps we should choose some sort of symbol to put on the sign, as well... even the gods have symbols," she says, fingering the little silver songbird around her neck. "Something for people to remember us by - a theme of some sort. We should have something on the sign other than the name," she hums. The First Resort didn't have any particular symbol that jumped out - they could pick anything they wanted. "If it were up to me, I would choose some sort of bird, or feather decorations," she pipes up, after some thought.

[Johel]

"-The half-pint be right : can't go wrong with a chicken. 'specially the rosted kind. One of 'em birds on the sign, all crispy an' done 'way with the feathers, ready for diner. That gotta be the way. Well thought, laddie !! "

[hannahbbug3]

Grei gives a light laugh in response to the dwarf. "I'm a lass," she corrects blithely, a bit surprised that the man didn't notice. But then again, she is pretty short, and she supposes easy to overlook, in a way. And a roasted chicken... she'd been thinking more along the lines of a living songbird, but well, she was a little bit biased in that way. A tavern was a tavern, and good food would always lure people in. "The chicken sounds like a good idea. We'll have to be sure to get that on the menu, of course..."

[Johel]

"-That you be, me laddie !! That's what I said !!" said the dwarf in common with a thick accent.

[hannahbbug3]

Another light laugh leaves the halfing's lips. She hadn't spent much time around dwarves - she had to wonder if this was common wording, or if this particular turn of phrase was unique to Tharhoic. She gives him a nod of understanding, and stands up on the little rock she's perched herself on. "What do the rest of you think? Aradan, you're the one that cooks. Is chicken a good pick?"

[kjelfalconer]

"I mean, you could probably pick something a bit cooler than a cooked bird, y'know? Partial to lions m'self, but I'm a bit biased," he added with a grin. "You want the safe homely feel, sure, go with food. Me, I prefer a bit more excitement."

[Psilulz]

"Anything is fine, as long as it draws in a crowd." Bastian says dismissively. "Though, perhaps there is something to this roasted poultry. Perhaps the peasants will find it charming."

[Artemis97]

Grumble cracks a smile. "Aye if it be a chicken you want, a chicken you'll have. Wouldn't say no to a roast chicken for dinner m'self. You know, for a reference. I'll get your sign up by the end of the day. I've got some tools in my pack, I think I can do something good with it. Might not be much in the way of colour, I've never been a deft hand with a brush, but with a chisel and a stylus..." He trailed off, leaning to better see around Grei.

Behind the party, skipping lightly across the muddy ground in bare feet, was a halfling woman in a sky blue dress. The dress had embroidered flowers picked out around the hem of the flowing skirts, and a modest square neck with a white shirt underneath. Bastian recognised her, of course - this was Lily Swiftfoot, their new Innkeeper. She'd been wearing green when he'd hired her, and he suspected that the half-dozen large oak trunks she'd brought along were predominantly filled with different outfits.

"I've been poking around inside," she said. "Bit of a sorry state, innit? All hard biscuits and jerky down in the larder, nought fresh in sight. Now an absence of vegetables I can understand, there's no farms around here yet, but we ought to have some meat and things for stews, don't you think? I'm rubbish at foraging, but there's probably some wild onions in the forest over there, or you could ask at the fort, see what they've got kicking about."

As she finished speaking, Lily stood there looking at them expectantly, rocking back and forth on her heels. Clearly, this was a problem she expected them to solve.

[Johel]

Spitting on the ground, Tharhoic shifted the weight of the backpack, adjusting the bow and quiver so they would be more handy. He then spoke.

"-I be taking care of the meat 'd them onions for now.
But aye, farms be good if our cook wants something stable and regular."

[Psilulz]

"Ah, Miss Swiftfoot. It is as you say: the inn is certainly in need of some supplies. Have no worries, we will find something to fill the larders."

[hannahbbug3]

Grei brightens up at once when Lily comes into view. The fact that their innkeeper was not only female, but another halfling, predisposed her to liking the girl immediately. Unfortunately, Grei had discovered rather quickly that she didn't really have any applicable skills when it came to helping out the other halfling. "That dress looks good on you, Lily," she compliments nonetheless when she sees the other girl. She turns her attention to their hunter when he speaks, glad that they'll probably have a stew or something either tonight or tomorrow. As for what she's going to occupy her time with... "I think I'll go to the fort sometime soon. If we can set up some sort of trade deal with their suppliers, it'll probably be beneficial, don't you think?" she asks the others. "I can see about getting some food supplies - fresh fruit and the such. Though it would be amazing if we could get our own orchards running, somehow..." she muses, thoughts quickly filling with the images of birds filling the trees.

[Johel]

"-Can't hurt to ask, 'f ya ask me. Take Stubborn with ya."

The dwarf gave a strong friendly clap on the donkey's backside, eliciting an half-outraged neigh from the beast.

"-I'll empty his packs in the Inn so ya can fill them good again."

He hesitated for a few seconds before adding

"-Ya two could go up there to the fort today.
But then, Laddie Grei and sweettalker there should hit the road. 'see if they can find any farmer and such.
Maybe go back to that town what-is-name-already... the one we passed a day or so ? I recon locals weren't going on empty stomachs.
Once the deals be set, we can always send someone else.
A few trips back and forth, then we be with a full larder."

[Psilulz]

"I will make my way to the village east of here and see what food or resources I can find there. Mister Ironbrow, you are to take thirty of the laborers and help to construct a farm. While a sawmill would certainly be nice, and a likely addition in our future ventures, food is currently the most pressing issue. Miss Swiftfoot, you will have the other five laborers to assist you in whatever you require with the inn."

[Ganis]

Looking over the area a bit more, he turns to the group, "We should probably plan out what we want to build, maybe prioritize certain things and get the foundations placed so once we have the materials, we can erect them post haste." and uses a stick to start drawing out the current setup with the river, bridge, inn and tenement are currently located. "If we get a general layout now, it will pay off in the long run. There have been many places that just threw things together willy-nilly and then a major flaw required entire city blocks to be removed." he then draws out what it would look like if they stuck to a grid pattern with 90ft blocks with 30ft roads separating them. "It might be a good idea to something like this as the basic plan to keep things from getting to close."

[Johel]

"-Smart.
'bit early maybe.
We ain't going to build a whole town on our own, I reckon. Not for years or decades.
But smart, my friend."

Tharhoic pointed at the mountains, North of the river.

"-Already told ya :
There's iron or copper up there somewhere.
Pro'bly some smaller deposits here 'nd there in the woods.
River allowing, a mill sure be helping with the whole crunchin' and sortin' of ore.
Worst case scenario, there ain't a pebble of metal but they still be plenty of timber.
Not sure if that's going to fly with your grid but hey... A mill on the river.
Gotta keep that in your head. "

[Artemis97]

The halfling woman flashes a smile at Grei. "Thank you, dearie." To Bastian she says "You've got it." before moving off to collect a few workers, mostly women, to help with getting the inn into shape.

"Aye, a farm it shall be." Grumble agrees. He goes to collect the rest of the workers, instructing them to bring shovels and picks to clear the land.


Aradan and Grei

After the group splits up to begin working, the former gladiator and the cleric make their way across the wide stone bridge to the fort on the other side. It's surrounded by heavy walls, constructed from the thick pines that grow in the forest, with an over hanging walkway and carved out crenelations. The gate is thick and sturdy, the broad plans held together with iron strapping. Above, in the gatehouse, you can see murderholes, ready to drop unpleasant things on intruders. Today, though, those holes are all shut, and the gates stand open and welcoming. In the yard a few archery butts have been set up, while archers practice, and a half-dozen men run through sword drills in pairs, under the watchful eye of a muscular woman. She's dressed in simple leathers and wears a battered but well cared for sword at her hip. Her honey blond hair is cut straight across at the bottom, falling level with her jawline. She shouts orders for the drills and steps in when a man needs more instruction.

"Sword as an extension of your arm, Davos. Like this, right? Now, follow through. Don't leave yourself open for counterattack. Good? Good."

The woman glances over to where Aradan and Grei are standing, just inside the doors, and starts heading in their direction.


Bastian and Grei

With Tharhoic's Stubborn pulling a cart, the pair of bard and cleric trundle back down the road towards the nearest village, roughly a day's travel away. It's nearing sunset when they reach the outskirts of the village, passing through grassy fields cropped short by the nibbling of sheep and goats. The village itself is tiny, made up of a few small homes, and a single great building that acts as both town hall and inn for travelers. Inside, a fire is burning at the center of the room, with a goat speared on a spit, turning and sending savory smells wafting through the air. There's long trestle tables and benches on either side, and a raised seat at the far end of the room. An older man, with salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard, sits there. Grei and Bastian would remember him from the first time they passed through the village, he was Lysander Knowles, the chief, and had welcomed them all to stay the night in the hall. He does the same now, smiling, "Ah, friends, you've returned. To what do we owe this pleasure?"


Gorstag

With a bit of direction from Ms. Swiftfoot, the smith finds himself at a large, heavy table in the First Resort's larder. Surrounded by crates of salted meat, sacks of flour, and barrels of alcohol, he lays out his tools. It wasn't exactly a forge or a proper craftsman's workshop, but it would do for now. Some nice bits of white stone had been sourced, and the laborers were digging up more from the fields. It seemed suitable for carving and so, with the warning not to get dust on the food, Gorstag can set to work.


Tharhoic

Crossing the bridge, the trapper makes his way into the woods beyond the fort. The trees here are tall and straight, mostly pines and cedars, with moss growing on their trunks. The underbrush is thick, but Tharhoic finds animal trails to follow. Some are relatively wide, leading down to the river, likely indicating deer and other larger animals. Others are smaller, probably used by rabbits and foxes and other small game. Snares are set along these tracks, where animal sign is freshest. Then the ranger sets out to finding appropriate vegetables for the inn. Onions are not hard to find, their straight green stalks growing up out of the ground, neither are similarly growing bulbs of garlic. On fallen trees, mushrooms of all sorts are found, woody and earthy. Salmon berries and blackberries too are there in great big patches, though some bits close to the ground have been stripped by opportunistic animals. Noticing the light disappearing, Tharhoric begins to make his way back to the bridge, checking his snares along the way. Two plump brown rabbits are caught for the pot, their soft furs possibly being useful for trade.

Returning to the Inn, Tharhoic finds Lily hard at work, serving ale to a few of the labourers. "Hallo, my sturdy friend," she calls to him. "Watcha bring me?"

[hannahbbug3]

Bastian and Grei

The little town is quite lovely, at least Grei thinks, in a quaint sort of way. Of course, it's very different from the city she grew up in, and before leaving on this journey she had never been so close to livestock that was still... well, living. The goat on the spit was a sight she was familiar with, to be sure, but to see the animals happily grazing gives her a sort of appreciation for nature that one can't get living in a city full of cultivated gardens. They were each beautiful in their own ways - but, she knows, she'll be getting much more familiar with the rustic sort of beauty in the coming days. She appreciates the change of pace.
When they are greeted by Lysander, the halfling perks up, expression bright. "It's good to see you again, too, chief," she begins, giving the man a small curtsy as she was taught while growing up in court. "Are you having a feast tonight? Everything looks and smells so good!" she chimes - figuring talking about food would be a good segway into their talk of trade.

[Psilulz]

Bastian and Grei

Bastian looks around as they enter town.

This town is quite... lovely? Quaint? Is that how people describe this? It is certainly nothing like my stays at our family estates in the countryside. Hopefully our venture with the inn blossoms into something more than this. Much more.

He merely remarks, "How charming." as the two make their way to the inn.

Certainly, even to Bastian, the food smells delicious after the trek. Though he is hungry, he waits to be offered food instead of asking after it. Instead, the bard eagerly awaits to see where the conversation is going after he greets their host graciously with a practiced bow. "A pleasure to once again share your company, Chief Knowles."

His small companion seems to have the right of things, asking over food, though Bastian dared not be so forward.

[Johel]

"The First Resort"

To answer the halfling's question, Tharhoic shows his catches : two fat rabbits.

"-I got berries and 'shrooms, too. Plenty o' garlic and onions to go 'round.
Could be we be eating that for a while but we ain't starving, that's for sure : those woods are full of them critters.
Any news from Gorstag and the others ?"

Listening for an answer, he brings the food to the kitchen.
Sitting on a chair there, he unsheaths his dagger before laying down the rabbits so as to skin them properly.
If his dwarf friend isn't back by then, Tharhoic will sort out the mushrooms and berries once again, just to be sure nothing poisonous or rotten is left.
While doing all that, he'll mentally recall all that he saw in the forest.

[kjelfalconer]

"Good to finally meet who's in charge here. Name's Aradan, with the lot that just opened the inn." He gave her chance to introduce herself.

"So here's the thing - the larders are looking a bit bear right now. Don't worry, we're not begging for scraps, you've got your people to feed. But I figure someone with this many hungry mouths has to know a few people who can help us out. Reckon you could hook a guy up? Once we're set up, I reckon I can probably a little bit shaved off the price for you and your boys, and if you ever want to give them a change of pace in their training, well, I'm happy to give them a run. Arena fighting isn't quite what they'll be up against out here, but I'll sure as hell be fighting dirtier than they're used to."

[Artemis97]

Bastian and Grei

Chief Knowles smiles. "Something of a feast, yes. Ol' Jack's nanny goat stopped producing milk a bit ago, so it was time for her to go. She had a good long run, but it's doubtful she would have made it through the winter. Now she nourishes us all. I'm glad I can offer you both a bit of our bounty." He gestures to some nearby chairs. "Please, sit, tell me what's brought you back to our village. Don't tell me the border proved too tough for you two already?"

Tharhoic

Lily claps her hands, pleased by the sight of the two rabbits. "Oh those will make a fine stew!" She declares. "Garlic and onions and mushrooms are always welcome too. Berries..." She glances towards the ceiling, tapping a finger against her chin. "Make for some nice accompaniment for some breads, or pastries, once I get some real sugar out here. Always did like baking, but there's not much call to practice it when you're neck deep in tomb traps." As for Gorstag, "Your friend's been working away all day in the larder. I don't know what he's doing with all those rocks, but he seemed quite pleased with himself when I brought him his lunch."

Aradan and Grei

"Captain Meghan Forth." The woman introduces herself, reaching out to shake Aradan's hand with a firm grip. "Well met. So, they failed to account for provisioning when they built that thing, did they? Typical. Well, since you're prepared to pay, I'm sure we can work out some sort of deal short term. Long term... there's always that rat-bastard merchant who comes up this way about once a month. Don't know his name, but he's happy to take coin off my men." The thought sent a frown flickering across her narrow face. "He's a snake, but if there's something you need, he can get it."

Pleasantries over, she turned back to survey the training excercises. "You used to be an arena fighter, hm? I'd be glad to give you a go, one of these days, just for a change of pace. Maybe there's some tricks you can teach them, but I don't want anything fancy. That sort of thing gets you killed in a real battle," she adds, her mouth a hard line.

[Johel]

"The First Resort"

The ears of the dwarf perk at the words "tomb traps". So the little woman is more than just a glorified housekeeper and cook ? Tharhoic hadn't really bothered to check Bastian's notes on the personnel, figuring that as long as he wasn't the one paying for them, their life story and abilities weren't his problem. But he still makes a mental note about Lily : "need to lock my stuff"

"-Now that be something you ma' wanna try, I be sure. Ain't no sugar growing 'round these parts. We'll already bleed money to feed ourselves 'til that dump get rolling so bringing proper sugar ain't happening soon. But I reckon I can find s'thing. Honey would work, yes ? I reckon it be easy to find beehives to bust open. Might be we set up some api-s'mthing soon, too. Always good for mead if n'thing else."

[Artemis97]

Tharhoic

"Oh apiaries!" Lily agrees, "I have a cousin who raises bees. He's got one of those funny suits with the netting all around the head. Yes, honey would be a lovely addition to our stocks. I know a recipe for honey cakes my grandmother taught me when I was a girl. Sugar beets are also a possibility, once we get that farm of yours up and running. But that's a problem for later. I can get by without sugar for now. Let's see those greenstuff you brought in and I'll get working on a stew for those coneys. I think everyone will be happier to have some fresh meat in their bellies." The halfling woman will go to take the bag of berries, roots, and mushrooms from Tharhoic, and sets to work on storing the extra and chopping up the rest. "You let me know when you've got those two broken down, and I'll get them browned up for the stew pot."

[Ganis]

Gorstag

Stacking up another pile of ornate reliefs, washes up before heading into the kitchen. Seeing the halfling so lively talking to his fellow dwarfs, he smiles, "Welcome back. I hope your day was good. You'll have to keep me informed of any interesting terrain you find." and after a few moments of hand gestures and magic mumbo jumbo, starts drinking some ale flavored water, offering some to the others as well.

[Johel]

"The First Resort"

The "ale" was accepted without much ceremony and gulped in one swift motion. While it was better than plain water, the magically-enhanced taste still couldn't compare to a good dwarven stout. But Tharhoic wasn't the type to complain about a free drink.

"-Ain't found much. 'em wood be teeming with critters, that's for sure. So even if Laddie Grei and your associate fail, we ain't starving, I'm telling ya. But as far as metal be concerned, I ain't seen nothing so far. Come next moon, 'could be we got ourselves a map. But one day wandering about, that's too short.
I heard ya kept yourself busy too. What you got ?"

He then handed the skinless rabbits to Lily.

[hannahbbug3]

Bastian and Grei

"Hm, bad for the goat, but good for the village," Grei says, pulling herself up in one of the offered chairs. "Not too 'tough', no. We're just getting settled, and it's a little... uncomfortable," she hums, looking up to Bastian for his confirmation. "It seems our most pressing problem is the lack of food supply. There's enough for us - but not for a whole town!"

Aradan and Grei

Grei doesn't really follow the discussion when it turns to fighting, but the frown on her features is more because of the mention of the 'rat-bastard' which the Captain spoke of. While they were looking to get a steady supply going, dealing with someone that might be difficult to work with would certainly not be the preferable situation.

[Psilulz]

Basitan and Grei

"Your generosity is much appreciated, Chief." Bastian says. He takes a seat next to Grei, and nods in agreement at her comment about the current comfort of their venture. After she finishes, the bard adds, "Indeed, we seek to grow beyond being a mere inn at the border. For that, we need food. We were hoping to make some sort of arrangement with you, or perhaps some local merchants, to supply such sustenance."

[Artemis97]

Bastian and Grei

"Well, that is quite the predicament." Chief Lysander agrees. "There is a merchant that comes through here every month or so, I'm sure he'd be able to set you up with something. In the short term, though, I'm sure we could spare you something. We don't have a lot, but what we have we're glad to offer for a fair price."

He paused for a moment. "Do you suppose you'd be willing to open up some of the land around your inn for farming? Most of the land around here is in use already, and there's a few young folks as would like to start their own places."


Gorstag and Tharhoic

"Oh yes, do tell us what you've been up to!" Lily says to Gorstag as she takes the rabbits from Tharhoic. In a few swift knife movements she has them dressed and dropped in a heavy pan to sear. A pile of chopped vegetables goes into the big pot on the fire, and then she starts ransacking the cupboards looking for spices. It's rapidly becoming apparent that Lily's cooking style is roughly akin to that of a tornado, though through it all she keeps up the impression that she's paying full attention to everything being said.

[hannahbbug3]

Bastian and Grei

Grei perks up at once at the mention of some of the young folks coming back with them and setting up farms. "Well, I can't speak for the whole group, but we were actually talking about that very thing before we left," she says, a smile on her face as she nods.

[Ganis]

Gorstag and Tharhoic


"Well, since stone is more abundant that coal, I figured I would concentrate on stone works that nobles are typically looking for." fishing out what looks to be a handful of pebbles, until he starts placing them down in the pattern he designed. "collectively, you can make these form much larger patterns that can match the style intended for the location. Simply using the natural differences of different types of stone from the same area, you can effectively make the illusion of objects, simple patterns, or any number of mosaic patterns." the alternating pattern he produces looks very intricate, but is simply different colored triangles of stones that fit perfectly together.

"These ones will work well with the accent relieves I've piled up outside. Just a start for now, but a cart or two of these will bringing in more than enough interest for more."

[Johel]

"The First Resort"

"-Mosaic, then.
And you reckon we can trade that for gold, yes ?"

Tharhoic was obviously not impressed.
Maybe because he had seen his friend create much more impressive works of art in the past.
He took three of them in his hand, fiddling a bit with them.

"-Looks pretty. Clean cut. No imperfection.
That be proper dwarf masonry for sure !!

But I ain't paying more than a couple of copper for one. So as ya said : gotta sell a sell a few whole chariots of the stuff to be worth it.
And from experience, merchants don't usually go for bulky and cheap if they can avoid it. That 'specially if going by land.
Bringing those to a city with chariots ? That be costing a lot : days of feeding for them horses, the hands, the guards,...
Maybe through the river, by boat, that would be s'thing else...

One of ya know how far south that river goes ?
If there be a city down there and it be possible for barges to go, we got a way."

[Artemis97]

Aradan and Grei

"Quiet one, then. Right. Go talk to Doctor Harvey. He's our medic, but he's also handling quartermaster duties right now. He'll be able to get you your food." Meghan walked away, her instructions given, and returned to shouting orders at the men in the practice yard.

The commander hadn't given directions, but the fort only had so many places to hide; it didn't take long to find a bespectacled middle-aged man in a white shirt, sitting behind a desk piled with all manner of strange things. There were glass tubes filled with medical specimens, a large anatomy text, a black leather bag, an enormous jar of leeches, several cookbooks and a wooden perch, on which sat an especially fat grey parrot.

"Visitors!" The parrot squawked when they entered. "Visitors! Snails? Snails?" It hopped back and forth on the perch, eyeing them expectantly.

The doctor sighed, standing up and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He was a slightly built man, small and rather spindly. "Don't mind Percy," he said. "What can I do for you?"

Bastian and Grei

"Oh, yes?" Lysander smiled. "Well, it'd be a big help to us. It's good that you're setting up out there, really. The fort and the growing town ought to drive the wild animals further into the forest, make it a little bit safer to let the goats and hens outside. I'll see to it that word gets around. Now, before we eat, was there anything else?"

Tharhoic and Gorstag

"Oh, stoneworks," Lily picked up a handful of the tiles - as small as she was, this only amounted to a couple of them - and fiddled about arranging them into different patterns. "Probably be able to sell these off rightly enough, the tallfolk go mad for this sort of thing. I think there's a lake somewhere along that river, actually. Great big one, with a couple of towns along the banks. That's a pretty good ways south, but using boats it wouldn't be too bad a trip."

[Johel]

"The First Resort"

"-So that's it !! Once we be safe with the food supply and that tavern be full, I make myself a raft !!
I'm taking a trip down South, just to make sure that river be safe 'nough for travel.
If it be, then there be no problem for the litt' Lord Bastian to set some trading convoy for ya wares, Gorstag.
If it ain't, that be no hair off my beard : 'can still scout the banks for 'nything worth the trouble.

What say ya, friend ?
'nything else I should do down there while I'm at it ?
Or ya think I be more useful here ?"

[Artemis97]

Week Two


Tharhoic's exploration of a portion of the forest revealed many game trails, edible plants, and animal dens. On the second day, he tracked a family of deer, taking down a young buck still with velvet on his antlers. Lily was pleased with the catch, and went on talking about venison steaks and sausages for days - there was enough meat to make quite a few meals. Tharhoic also located a beehive high in a tree, but there wasn't much he could do to get at it just yet without risking being stung. During his explorations, the ranger also found a few stones in the forest, hewn flat and bearing obvious tool marks, possibly from an ancient road or floor. The last thing he found was an outcropping of hematite, the reddish iron-bearing stone probably marking the presence of more significant deposits.

Gorstag spent his days working, crafting stone mosaic tiles and other goods for sale. Lily's information on the town by the southern lake proved to be accurate, and Grumble was happy enough to throw together a small barge. That went south at the end of the week, and came back the next day having sold the goods on. Some of the money went to supplies for the garden Grumble was building out back of the inn, and the rest went into Gorstag's strongbox. Grumble had started the garden after finishing the barge, and so it was still a little under half done.

Grei and Bastian returned from their visit to Lysander's village with a donkey loaded down with vegetables and other supplies, and Aradan managed to secure a few from the fort as well. This kept the kitchen running, but took most of the week's profits from the inn to pay off. They wouldn't need more for a while now, though, especially with Tharhoic's hunting to supplement their supplies.

The start of the week brought with it visitors; a few of the young couples chief Lysander had mentioned showing up with carts and horses. They stopped outside the inn, looking around at the surroundings, and evidently not quite sure of where to go or what they should be doing.

[Johel]

Week 2 - Day 1

"The First Resort"

As the travelers arrive near the inn, Tharhoic is at the stales, feeding Stuborn with some carrots stolen from the kitchen.
The donkey seems to appreciate this treat, blissfully unaware of the tasks ahead of him should anyone needs to carry large loads over distance.


https://i.postimg.cc/MHR4XJfr/Stall.png

The first week had passed rather quickly, what with the hunter being busy gathering food and exploring the nearby region while Gorstag crafted several crates of mosaic tiles and the others secured more long-term supplies. Not much was accomplished but solid foundations were laid and things are now starting to fall in place.
With the inn basically working on its own with minimum supervision, Tharhoic was planning to capitalize on his exploration.

There is a beehive that could yield some honey already promised to Lily. The insects protect diligently their home but Tharhoic will get it... eventually: he had consulted with Gorstag over the matter, sure the wizard would find a solution. Failing that, lighting a small fire right under the hive is a possibility, though destructive and far from reliable.

There are old pavements in the middle of the woods, which the dwarf intends to inspect in more detail. Should it be an abandoned road, it can be followed as far as possible, just in case there are old ruins along its length. Why waste a perfectly good outpost when it can only take a few weeks of hard work to put it back to use?

There are hematite stones, too. These are a good start into finding an actual iron deposit worth mining. Exploring more thoroughly around those hematite stones, searching for a vein visible on the surface or other possible signs is something the hunter will do.

Finally, there were caves to be inspected for preys and predators. Preys to feed Lily's kitchen. Predators to clean the region, which will make it safer for other animals… which will make hunting for meat, hides and fur easier in a few seasons.

But right now, there were people to be greeted :

"-Well met, travelers !! Ya bunch seems a bit loss here. ‘s there s’mthing old Tharhoic can do to help ?
I see ya got horses and we got fresh hay for ‘hem. Maybe let them rest while ya go inside. I reckon a mug of ale can do ya only good."

He looks around, seeking one of Bastian's stableboys. If none is found, Tharhoic will take care of the horses himself while the crowd go inside the inn.
Taking care of people is not a job for an unwashed dwarf. With Aradan probably busy at the fort, it will fall on Grei or Bastian to take care of the travelers.

[hannahbbug3]

Grei was inside the inn when the travelers arrived, but when they appear, she certainly takes notice. Being that they don't get a lot of traffic to begin with, it's something to take note of, after all. And when she recognizes a few of the faces from the feast the other night, her expression brightens. These must be the folks that the chief was talking about, headed down here to seek their fortune in farming the virgin lands near the river.
She hurries out the door to greet them. "Welcome!" she calls, voice and eyes bright as she throws open the door to the inn. "Welcome, welcome, you all must be from the village up the road! We're so glad to have you! Please, come in. You can stable your animals here, and get rooms - we just have to discuss getting your land claims, and building houses for you, of course..." she is saying as she ushers the group inside.

How many people are we looking at, here? And do we have adequate housing for them already?

[Ganis]

Week 2

Gorstag comes up with a simple yet elegant solution to acquire the honey. Taking a break from the various stonework, he has Tharhoic show him where the bee hives are located and with some delicate calculations, send in an unseen servant to liberate some of the honey, being careful not to take too much. They will be much more useful in apiaries later.

As the week goes by, he continues to toil at making the current lifeblood of the town going with the various small tiles and larger accent pieces. Crates provided by Grumble soon start stacking up by the river to be sent down, and foundation corner stones are starting to pop up as plans on what to make next are finalized.

[Artemis97]

The new arrivals unhitch their animals and leave them for the stable boys, who are quickly found by Tharhoic. As soon as the farmers see their animals are being tended to, they move into the The First Resort.

Here, they find Grei. The first of the men, a little older than the rest, with a toddler in tow, chuckles. "Well, first of all, it's been a long journey for us. Perhaps we can have something to eat and drink? The dwarf in the stables mentioned ale?" He asks, hopeful. "Then we can discuss the land. We're not too worried about housing yet. We can make do, building our own, if you don't mind maybe lending a hand to put up a roof here and there."


Early in the week, Tharhoic takes Gorstag out into the forest where he's been exploring. They find a rather large beehive here, high in a tree, the bees abuzzing all around, flitting from flower to flower and returning to the hive, their little legs heavy with pollen. Standing a ways off, Gorstag weaves his spell and sends the unseen servant up into the tree to take down the honeycomb and place it in buckets brought for this purpose. The bees get angry, but find no one to sting. An elegant solution to the problem.

+1 goods for the week for getting the honey. Very clever solution, guys!

[hannahbbug3]

Grei offers the man who spoke a smile. "Of course," she says, quickly realizing that the journey was a long one and they would be tired. She'd felt the same way after coming back the week before, hadn't she? She hurries inside, looking around the place. "Lily! We have guests!" she calls, seeking out the other halfling and - once found - offering to help her wait the tables and such as the new residents take seats around the various tables.

[Johel]

Week 2 - Day 1

"The First Resort"

Tharhoic was impressed by Gorstag's answer to the problem of collecting the honey. Magic does make things easier, sure, but one has to think about all those clever uses for magic to worth a damn to begin with. Gorstag's mind is up to the task and Tharhoic notes mentally to come back to his old friend for similar problem-solving situations.

But for now, the craftman's talents are better used producing the tiles that do sold well down the river. Tharhoic hasn't paid attention much as to who is handling the whole business. Probably Bastian himself, what with the young human not being around much these days. It makes sense : while traveling down the river on a raft might not be very safe for Bastian, he is still the most qualified to interact with merchants.

With the honey in the bag and the travelers handled by Lady Grei, Tharhoic spends the rest of the day hunting.

Week 2 - Day 2 to 4

The ruins in the forest

Tharhoic spends the second day exploring the old pavements he had localized before. He starts by inspecting the ground more closely, trying to see if there is a trace of walls, old furniture, collapsed roof beams, a cellar entrance or anything that can indicate that a building once stood here. After that, he explores around the site, hoping to find more pavements and to be able to find a pattern or a track that can indicate the presence of an old road. If he finds such road, he'll follow it as far as he can : since the West is supposed to be nothing but wilderness, a road going West is strange and should lead him somewhere interesting.

Tharhoic plans to spend a maximum of 3 days on this :
1 day to explore the area
1 day to follow the old road slowly, looking for traces of old ruins along the road.
1 day to come back.

He is hunting and foraging along the way when possible.
Since he is alone with his donkey, he should be left with a lot of extra provisions by the time he comes back, bringing them to the kitchen.

As usual, since he is busy hunting anyway, he'll note the presence of landmarks such as rivers, clearings, caverns,... so as to add them to a crude map of the region.

Week 2 - Day 5

The hematite deposit

Tharhoic spends the 5th day exploring around the hematite deposit, hoping to find more or at least to be able to size properly the scale of the deposit he has already found.

His plan is to speak about it with to Gorstag, Grei, Bastian and Aradan to convince them that, once the laborers of Bastian find themselves with too little to do, they'll just be put to the task of mining the rock, with Stubborn the donkey dragging the load back to the Inn for temporary storage.
The operation won't be anything major so far but having sample can maybe help the party to get a loan from the merchants in the cities around the lake down South. With this loan, it should be possible to buy equipment and hire more workers to prepare a proper mine, which would pay for itself quickly : most of the iron will be bought by Gorstag himself for his crafting so we don't have to worry about finding a market.

This is a long term plan, though : first, they need to set a proper forge or worshop for Gorstag, since he is the one making most of the money so far.

Week 2 - Day 6 & 7

"The First Resort"

Hunting, foraging, resting, discussing the plan with the party.