S1 E11: House Hunters

General Summary

The gang decides to invest in a home rather than merely stuffing their recent loot in the bank for safe keeping.
After a financially lucrative but technically incomplete foray to the Caves to rescue, or at least locate, Willow Candler, the party returned to Raven's Rock Keep laden with platinum coin and other goodies from the depletion of the Orc threat.
On the way west they passed by a large and heavily-guarded carriage heading east, eight horses pulling a passenger car and a trailing supply cart of expensive make. Trimmed in purple and white with an interesting triangle-in-circle symbol, Lorfel made a quick sketch as he and the others ducked down to avoid being seen, just in case. Lorfel made out a hard-faced man with a well-trimmed goatee, and another passenger with long blonde hair and graceful features next to him in the carriage as they passed the party. The group took care not to be seen by the passengers or the many well-armed guards accompanying them as they passed.
Once in the Keep, the group went to Dr. Caledia Tesh's Outfitter Shop and discovered in conversation that the man they had just seen was almost certainly an ambassador from one of the northern provinces of the realm who had stopped by on his way out of realm lands. Dr. Tesh said he had been headed to an annual diplomatic meeting with representatives of the Empire of Silk and Spice regarding trade terms and agreements - the trade bit being why Dr. Tesh was interested in it. She didn't recall his name, but she knew that he had been in town overnight and they had departed with supplies in bulk - two barrels of oil, a barrel of wine, a crate of dried fish, sacks of grain, etc, all mundane items and nothing suspicious for a long haul for a group of ten people into the dangerous lands of the Wilds Between.
Fresh, upgraded armor and weapons were procured, and some interesting items were previewed at Falco Nixon's Trader Shoppe. Zeffirelli and the Soup Goblin made an appearance, and for a moment, it seemed like the young thespian and Xi Shi might have a moment of their own - but Zeffirelli, ultimately too self-absorbed to comment appropriately about Xi Shi's battle-worn appearance or her shiny new breastplate, failed the test, and the moment passed. Though he did greatly admire Lorfel's new Cloak of Billowing, finding it inspirational and thematically relevant for a new vampire musical he claimed to be working on.
Eventually the gang regrouped at the bank, and upon discovering that the bank could sell property in the keep on behalf of the Castellan, decided that rather than merely storing their coin in the bank, they would invest it. The day before, having more than five or ten gold to rub together was an exorbitant sum, but today they could easily afford the 1500 gold piece buy-in for the title and deed to a 3-story townhome on fountain square complete with a rooftop patio and full, dirt-floor basement. The bank distributed keys to the property, 11 Fountain Avenue, and the gang spent a great deal of time exploring and fussing over their plans for the place, though in the course of it they discovered that the furnishings merchant was also missing. Falco Nixon had an eclectic assortment of furnishings in a dozen mismatched styles, and timber can be procured raw and in bulk at the warehouse from the local timber merchants; but a plan for actual matching furniture has not yet come to pass. They know that there are artisans and crafting workbenches at the Guild Hall, and that the Smithy can craft metal tools, furnishings and such if commissioned to do so. They also learned that access to the upper baily and its more advanced trainers and craftspeople is granted by invitation from the Castellan, and that he is in the habit of doing so for adventurers who complete valuable missions for the sake of the Keep.
Resting for the evening before taking a meal and relaxing at the Silver Spade, Xi Shi feels a particular discomfort of a spiritual rather than physical sort. She can't put her slender finger on it exactly, but she characterizes it as a sense that the Yuan-Ti deities have displeasure at something happening in the Caves of Chaos. It's a new sensation, so she knows something is in the process of changing there, or has already come to pass. Lorfel and Claude sunbathe on the roof patio, where Mae finds it easy and satisfying to grow flowerboxes full of plants. Keebler eyes the spaces and calculates the additional expenses for sundries like plates, cookware, towels and other items to be no more than 25 gold - a huge sum a day ago, but trivially secured today.
The gang ended the session by reclaiming the Staff of the Bat Swarm from Serene Mistress Alba Filorene at the temple, deciding to keep it in its lead-lined case but in their own new home rather than across the way at the Temple vault. Filorene had thoughts about the antics Naphan (Bad) and Willow Candler (Misunderstood but probably good) had been getting up to. The plan was to rest up, read, study and train, and perhaps to open up the case holding the staff to see if it attracts Willow; but another trip to the Caves seems a certainty in the near future.

Rewards Granted

XP

210

• (Many purchases, including an 8-person tent, magical armor, a Cloak of Billowing and the deed to 11 Fountain Avenue - but these were earned and bought by the PCs, not 'granted').

Missions/Quests Completed

• "Home Sweet Home"
• "Everybody be cool, it's the Duke"

Character(s) interacted with

• Dr. Caledia Tesh
• Soup Goblin
• Janni Zeffirelli
• Falco Nixon
• Barsala the Banker
• Serene Mistress Alba Filorene

Report Date

07 Jun 2022

Primary Location

The Keep on the Borderlands

Secondary Location

The Borderland Marches