>>5009140
>As a shrewd adventurer you always made sure to divide up the treasure to favor yourself, and always saved more than you spent. Over the years and through numerous investments, it added up--then it fell apart. The tavern is all you have left now.
>Serendipity mostly. Your last job had you track down a murderer and kidnapper for a local lord. You found him and killed him--but he was already dead. Late stage lungworm disease. He had a little boy, no one to look after him, so you decided it was good a time to retire take up a more peaceful trade.

It was only after we retired that our investments fell apart. We got lucky with the tavern.

>>5009140
>As a shrewd adventurer you always made sure to divide up the treasure to favor yourself, and always saved more than you spent. Over the years and through numerous investments, it added up--then it fell apart. The tavern is all you have left now.

>>5009140
>>Serendipity mostly. Your last job had you track down a murderer and kidnapper for a local lord. You found him and killed him--but he was already dead. Late stage lungworm disease. He had a little boy, no one to look after him, so you decided it was good a time to retire take up a more peaceful trade.

>>5009147
This but the tavern was a reward for one mission.
Other companions were not interested in this, we boughttheir share back

>>5009140

>It's your father's old place. His dying wish was for you to take over for him--you said no--but he put the tavern in your name anyway. Now you're just waiting for a buyer with deep pockets to come along.

>>5009140
>>It's your father's old place. His dying wish was for you to take over for him--you said no--but he put the tavern in your name anyway. Now you're just waiting for a buyer with deep pockets to come along.
Might as well fix the place up, while passing time

>>5009140 (OP)
I like this combo. >>5009147

But if not possible, then just

>As a shrewd adventurer you always made sure to divide up the treasure to favor yourself, and always saved more than you spent. Over the years and through numerous investments, it added up--then it fell apart. The tavern is all you have left now.

>>5009140
>As a shrewd adventurer you always made sure to divide up the treasure to favor yourself, and always saved more than you spent. Over the years and through numerous investments, it added up--then it fell apart. The tavern is all you have left now.

Dead in a week, just you watch

>>5009147
>>5009198
>>5009204
>>5009211
>>5009221
>>5009263
>>5009268
>>5009270
Your last job had you track down a murderer and kidnapper for a local lord. You found him and killed him--but he was already dead. Late stage lungworm disease. He had a little boy--no one to look after him--so you decided it was good a time to retire and take up a more peaceful trade. As a shrewd adventurer you always made sure to divide up the treasure in your own favor, and always saved more than you spent. Over the years and through numerous investments, it added up--then it fell apart. The tavern was the only thing left, a reward for a mission some years back. You had wisely bought up the shares from the other party members whenever you had a chance and had forgotten all about it. Now, it serves as a refuge for you and the kid. It's dirty, dusty, and dilapidated, but it's a league better than the hovels you grew up in.

Now, let's get a few details about the tavern itself.

>A small two story building in a lonely keep, Kinch Castle, far away from the beating heart of the kingdom and surrounded by ancient wilderness and ruin. A refuge for outcasts, criminals, enterprising adventurers and other such undesirables. Your kind of people.

>A cramped three story building sandwiched between two others, and lost in a sea of such buildings in the fabled city of Walzer-Yost. Tens of thousands pass through its gates every day and yours is but one tavern among many that service them.

>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

>>5009271
seethe

>>5009335
>A small two story building in a lonely keep, Kinch Castle, far away from the beating heart of the kingdom and surrounded by ancient wilderness and ruin. A refuge for outcasts, criminals, enterprising adventurers and other such undesirables. Your kind of people.

I'm fine with any other option all of them sound different kind of fun

>>5009335
>A small two story building in a lonely keep, Kinch Castle, far away from the beating heart of the kingdom and surrounded by ancient wilderness and ruin. A refuge for outcasts, criminals, enterprising adventurers and other such undesirables. Your kind of people.

>>5009335
>>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

I'm not married to any particular option, they all sound fun. But this strikes me as the 'unusual and out of the ordinary' option, as opposed to the first being 'rough and tumble but sharp personalities' and the second being 'grab bag, but a varied supporting cast.'

I was hoping our place to be not necessarily a inn of outcasts, but rather an inn of the strange, where normal rules and methods of operation don't necessarily apply.

Fucking love this kind of thing, let's go for the bar at the ends of civilization. A real frontier to work up our customer's thirsts. Here's hoping for a long thread.
>A small two story building in a lonely keep, Kinch Castle, far away from the beating heart of the kingdom and surrounded by ancient wilderness and ruin. A refuge for outcasts, criminals, enterprising adventurers and other such undesirables. Your kind of people.

>>5009335
After moment of thought and this >>5009345 reasoning I change my vote from >>5009336 to >An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

>>5009335
>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

>>5009335
>A cramped three story building sandwiched between two others, and lost in a sea of such buildings in the fabled city of Walzer-Yost. Tens of thousands pass through its gates every day and yours is but one tavern among many that service them.
The comfy quest is heree

>>5009335
>A cramped three story building sandwiched between two others, and lost in a sea of such buildings in the fabled city of Walzer-Yost. Tens of thousands pass through its gates every day and yours is but one tavern among many that service them.

>>5009335
>A small two story building in a lonely keep, Kinch Castle, far away from the beating heart of the kingdom and surrounded by ancient wilderness and ruin. A refuge for outcasts, criminals, enterprising adventurers and other such undesirables. Your kind of people.

>>5009335
>>>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.
I wouldn't mind the other two, but this sounds special. Also, merchants and pilgrims has me selling trading opportunities. Gotta feed the kid and renovate this crumbling ruin. At least we have good opportunities for expansion, and little in the way of competition.

>>5009335
>>A cramped three story building sandwiched between two others, and lost in a sea of such buildings in the fabled city of Walzer-Yost. Tens of thousands pass through its gates every day and yours is but one tavern among many that service them.

>>5009335
>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

>>5009335
>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

>>5009335
>>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

Darkest dungeon but it's a tavern instead of a manor.

>>5009335
>>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

>>5009335
>>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.
Sounds interesting to me.

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>>5009335
>>An enormous and ancient manor house located on a hill just a few miles from the Walzeran Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims.

Muahaha the seat of some ancient house

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>>5009336 >>5009340 >>5009345 >>5009391 >>5009434 >>5009437 >>5009455 >>5009460 >>5009463 >>5009484 >>5009521 >>5009588 >>5009791 >>5009849 >>5009855 >>5009891

An enormous and ancient manor house sitting on a hill just a few miles from the great Walzerian Road. Partially burnt down, and with an ominous and foreboding air (and quite possibly a history to match) it is nonetheless a welcome respite from what would otherwise be long and arduous journey--one frequented by merchants and pilgrims. A signpost directs such travelers to a thin dirt path, flanked by leafless, thorny brambles, proceeding through a cavernous tunnel into the hill, where on other side, an ancient stone path snakes its way up to the manor gate.

In the month or so since you and the boy settled, you've had about a half-dozen guests. The manor-house accommodated them easily. So easily, in fact, that you have not yet explored all its numerous rooms and nooks and closets and secret passageways (and possibly secret chambers) and have restricted yourself to one of three buildings on the premises, the one least damaged by the fire which has wrecked the other two. To your credit, this building is in a far better condition then when you first found it (the family of red-ringed raccoons that had moved in were unrepentant hoarders), the furniture has been dusted, the beds repaired, the storehouse cleared of molevoles, but much work--and many complaints--remain to be addressed. The one silver lining is the two casks of aged Yosteni wine you found in the cellar, which better palettes than yours have claimed is an "excellent vintage", but which is unlikely to last very long with the way you've been going through it.

Of the numerous complaints from your guests, one of them stands out as the clear favorite and should probably be addressed first.

>A lack of a proper stables and a stablehand to manage the pack animals and mounts, of which there are wide variety in Walzer and on which the travelers entirely depend.

>The poor bill of fare available to the guests, both in variety and quality, as you have neither a well-stocked storehouse nor a chef to take advantage of it. Good wine only goes so far--and goes nowhere when it runs out.

>The appalling lack of basic furnishings--blankets, bedding, mugs, cutlery, towels, facilities for washing and bathing, and other such ephemera expected of such an establishment.

Pic related is the rough floor plan of the building you're in. The other two buildings will need major repair before you can use them and are bigger as well. Also, since I'd like to keep updates short and to the point, feel free to ask questions--which I will try to answer outside of the update post.

>>5009972
No stables is a death knell for any establishment that makes its business off travelers crossing large distances. We might be able to build our own, though.
Shit food might open up opportunities for trading down the line considering merchants are apparently a significant part of our clientele. That said, it probably won't be cheap.
Crappy rooms and generally shit QoL might not be the worst thing ever, as it sounds like customers will stay here anyways out of necessity. They definitely won't be very happy, though, and while bad food is still food, lacking the things that make an inn actually worth living in is pretty fucking bad for business.
>The poor bill of fare available to the guests, both in variety and quality, as you have neither a well-stocked storehouse nor a chef to take advantage of it. Good wine only goes so far--and goes nowhere when it runs out.
Just seems like it'll offer the most opportunity for interaction and might draw in more merchant customers. Worth a shot.

>>5009972
>A lack of a proper stables and a stablehand to manage the pack animals and mounts, of which there are wide variety in Walzer and on which the travelers entirely depend.

Traders need a safe harbor from the terrors of the night on the road.

>>5009972
>A lack of a proper stables and a stablehand to manage the pack animals and mounts, of which there are wide variety in Walzer and on which the travelers entirely depend.

The other 2 are Quality of life. First one is essential.
Also, stablehand might be able to manage a little herd of cow and sheeps to provide wool and milk. As we're isolated, self sufficient might have importance

[SPOILER]And I definitely don't want us to grow to a village or little town or anything[/SPOILER]

>>5009972
>>A lack of a proper stables and a stablehand to manage the pack animals and mounts, of which there are wide variety in Walzer and on which the travelers entirely depend.


The moment anyone loses their beasts of burden or mounts, we'd be screwed, especially if it was due to gross negligence.

>>5009972
>A lack of a proper stables and a stablehand to manage the pack animals and mounts, of which there are wide variety in Walzer and on which the travelers entirely depend.

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>>5010139
>>5010118
>>5010028
>>5010013

A lack of a proper stables and a stablehand to manage the pack animals and mounts--of which there are wide variety in Walzer and upon which the travelers completely depend, seems a good first step toward improving the establishment. Last time you had to tie the animals outside and it was only by luck that the weather was fair and that the pilgrims did not stay for long. The stables you can build easily enough but you will need a stablehand to guide and help you with the construction and with the tending of the animals afterward. The nearest village, Beldingboro, is four miles away and the nearest town, Wnuk, fifteen miles. The nearest city, the great city of Walzer-Yost, is nearly two score miles from the manor, a trip too long to make on foot (for the boy at any rate) and too dangerous to make alone, even for you.

What will you do?

>There's sure to be a farmhand or two in Beldingboro experienced with animal husbandry and bored of tending sheep, hogs and dull-eyed steers. Granted, there's a difference between caring for a flighty pack-rabbit and a herd of cattle but a farmboy will not need much persuading in the way of coin

>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

>You've sent word to Walzer-Yost of your need through some of the merchants that passed through here a few days ago; you expect a response any day now, though you'll be hard-pressed to turn away whoever comes. You'll save an expensive trip but have to take in whatever man you get.

Note that we won't be sweating mechanics too much in this quest since I find it difficult to keep track of numbers. Instead decisions related to resources will impact the quest through narrative. And rolls will be used sometimes to determine how good the outcome is. If you spend lots of money on an expensive trip for example, you may not have enough later to take advantage of an enterprising merchant. Likewise if you come into sudden wealth I'll try and move the quest toward spending that wealth. In anything you're not sure about you can always ask me and I'll (usually) give you a straight answer.

>>5010163
>There's sure to be a farmhand or two in Beldingboro experienced with animal husbandry and bored of tending sheep, hogs and dull-eyed steers. Granted, there's a difference between caring for a flighty pack-rabbit and a herd of cattle but a farmboy will not need much persuading in the way of coin

>>5010163
>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

We ain't looking for extensive experience, just enough of a variety not to be confused by what to do with each mount.

>>5010163
>>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

In such situations, generally experience pays for itself over time.

>>5010163
>>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

As I'd love the manor to get its own milk, eggs and wool, someone with proper training and experience is required

Didn't really realize *all* of them were issues plaguing our business. Shit.
>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

>>5010253
Well, first we fix the stables. We get a few rabbits, a couple cow, some chicken. We train the boy to cook well, homegrown products as delicacies and get a steady food supply chain.

>>5010163
>>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

>>5010163
>>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

>>5010163
>There's sure to be a farmhand or two in Beldingboro experienced with animal husbandry and bored of tending sheep, hogs and dull-eyed steers. Granted, there's a difference between caring for a flighty pack-rabbit and a herd of cattle but a farmboy will not need much persuading in the way of coin
I'm cheap.

>>5010163
>>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

>>5010163
>>There's sure to be a farmhand or two in Beldingboro experienced with animal husbandry and bored of tending sheep, hogs and dull-eyed steers. Granted, there's a difference between caring for a flighty pack-rabbit and a herd of cattle but a farmboy will not need much persuading in the way of coin

>>5010163
>There's sure to be a farmhand or two in Beldingboro experienced with animal husbandry and bored of tending sheep, hogs and dull-eyed steers. Granted, there's a difference between caring for a flighty pack-rabbit and a herd of cattle but a farmboy will not need much persuading in the way of coin

>>5010163
>Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply.

>>5010696

>There's sure to be a farmhand or two in Beldingboro experienced with animal husbandry and bored of tending sheep, hogs and dull-eyed steers. Granted, there's a difference between caring for a flighty pack-rabbit and a herd of cattle but a farmboy will not need much persuading in the way of coin

We have a lot of stuff to fix, and I'm not keen on getting the nearby officials aware of our existence just yet. Lets get a stable patched up real fast and later on we can take our time once our other problems are tended too.

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>>5010163

>5010167 >>5010173 >>5010188 >>5010212 >>5010266 >>5010332 >>5010341 >>5010374 >>5010408 >>5010421 >>5010696

Wnuk has a stables and therefore must have stablehands. If you solicit the castle of its lord, you may even find someone with considerable experience in the trade. Many of these older hands become, over time, surgeons, farriers and even skilled riders of the mounts they tend, but such skill will not come cheaply. Nonetheless, an inn so remote will need to be self-sufficient eventually and a man with such a varied skillset will become a good investment in time.

You wake well before dawn on the morning of the trip (old habits die hard) only to see a line of light settle on the bottom crack of your door. The slim, old finger of a handle slowly ticks down and the door creaks on its hinges as it opens. The assassin has left the candle outside by the door but his drawn knife reflects its light--and his face, which you know--briefly as he slips in. With one fluid movement he charges the cot upon which you sleep and slams the knife down on the thick woolen cloak which you use for a blanket. He stabs again and again, in righteous fury, not realizing that you are, in fact, standing behind him by the door. When he realizes his blunder, when he finally throws back the cloak and begins feeling the straw-filled mattress for you, you pounce on him. One arm catches around his neck, settling it nicely in the crook of your elbow, the other, his thin, delicate wrist--the knife-hand--pulling it away from his body. He struggles, but when you stand to full height the boy's feet--for it is the boy, Rordan--dangle above the floor.

"Lemme go!" he says, choking.

What do you do?

>You laugh and joke and tease him a little, for yours has always been a sunny disposition. It is the only solid defense you know against the horrors and miseries that you have suffered.

>You scold him and hector him on his approach--the candle, not going immediately for the throat, panicking when caught and so on--because how else will he learn? The world is a hard and cruel place and one survives by cunning and skill or not at all.

>You twist his arm a little, a bit of pain to remind him of his place, of the cost of violence, and to discourage him from this path--a path which, having followed yourself for many years, you would not wish on your worst enemy.

>>5010815
Honestly, I don't blame the kid. We killed his father and basically forced our way into his life. Why we didn't just toss him into an orphanage remains to be seen, maybe out of guilt or something, but I'm not too torn up over his anger.
If he can learn to set it aside to prioritize customers, that's enough for me.
I like the third one because it implies a growth and maturity on MC's part, but a personable, upbeat innkeeper is probably better for business than a blatant cynic.
>You laugh and joke and tease him a little, for yours has always been a sunny disposition. It is the only solid defense you know against the horrors and miseries that you have suffered.

>>5010260
Tell me about the rabbits, George.

>>5010815
>>You laugh and joke and tease him a little, for yours has always been a sunny disposition. It is the only solid defense you know against the horrors and miseries that you have suffered.

>>5010779
I don't care.

>>5010815
>You laugh and joke and tease him a little, for yours has always been a sunny disposition. It is the only solid defense you know against the horrors and miseries that you have suffered.

>You scold him and hector him on his approach--the candle, not going immediately for the throat, panicking when caught and so on--because how else will he learn? The world is a hard and cruel place and one survives by cunning and skill or not at all.

Nice try kid, but if you're going to kill me you gotta do it right.

>>5010815
Abandon the child.

>>5010865
>You laugh and joke and tease him a little, for yours has always been a sunny disposition. It is the only solid defense you know against the horrors and miseries that you have suffered.
>You scold him and hector him on his approach--the candle, not going immediately for the throat, panicking when caught and so on--because how else will he learn? The world is a hard and cruel place and one survives by cunning and skill or not at all.

Supporting >>5010865

>>5010865
>>5010884

My vote

>>5010815

>>5010822
>>5010850
>>5010865

You laugh and joke and tease him a little before letting him go, for yours has always been a sunny disposition. It is the only solid defense you know against the horrors and miseries you have suffered. Besides, this is isn't the first time he's tried something like this. As usual, he chafes at your banter, reddening, pushing past you, wiping away hot tears, and storming down the hall like an elephant.

"Don't use a candle next time!" you call after him cheerfully. "And always go for our throat, yeah?"

He has breakfast waiting for you when you come down, the packs and sleeping bags you prepared last night leaning by the door.

"Are we going to stay the night there?" he asks, stirring his oatmeal.

You wink at him. "Hoping to get lucky?" The last party of merchants had come from Wnuk's famous bathhouses and were very vocal about the "services" they had enjoyed. Rordan was supposed to be asleep, but the color in his cheeks now says otherwise. "We'll be sharing a room, my lad, so no funny business, yeah? I say that for your sake. They don't kiss murderers good night up there, if you catch my drift."

He glares at you, not daring to say aloud what he means with the glare, which is: "you'd know wouldn't you?", just stirs and stirs.

----

Down the stone path and through the tunnel and past the dirt road and the signpost, the Walzerian highway extends for fifty miles front and back, tying the north and south borders of the kingdom in one long knot. The land around here is mostly level, so that you can see your foreboding manor house from where you stand, but dense clusters of trees blanket the horizon. Very soon you are in the midst of them.

Midway through the forest you encounter a carriage--not merchants, too poorly dressed for that--but travelers, women and a few children. They are all waiting by the side of the road, as their carriage has run itself into a ditch. One of the steers pulling the cart is also missing from its yoke. The menfolk in the party are trying to push the carriage out but are having a hard time of it with just the two of them.

>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way

>Let them be, go on ahead, but then stop a while to see if you can find that missing steer. He'll make a good addition to your tavern--milk, cheese, meat if desperate--and keep the new stablehand busy in the meantime.

>Go on your way and when you get to Wnuk in a few hours, you can send back help. These innocent looking unfortunates are not always what they seem, in your experience, so better safe than sorry.

>>5010879
Careful not to fall off that edge

>>5010908
I meant cow, not steer. Steers don't produce milk.

>>5010908
>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way

If these were bandits, there wouldn't be any kids with them. Plus, we could use the friendly rep buff when we get to the castle.

>>5010908
>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going thevsdtj same way

>>5010908
>>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way

>>5010908
Fuck off.

>kid wants to kill us after years of hospitality and decency
>keep him around anyways

Not edge, just practical. Dump him at an orphanage. What do we need a liability for. Gonna' raise him like our own son only to find his dagger in our belly one day, fuck 'em. I don't care if he has a good reason. Fuck him.

>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way

>>5010958
Bro we can just tell him if he is ever going to kill us and is serious about it, let us know so we can make arrangements.

>>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way.
>>5010958
>not edge just practical
Okay, but why is practicality important anyways? It's a narrative-based quest, keeping him around will make things more interesting, which is what's important. Don't often get to play stories where we care for the child of someone we've killed.
Also not sure why you think we've had years to spend with him, if anything I'm pretty sure the inn was a very recent development for us or we would've taken care of most of its issues by now.

>>5010908
>>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way

Meh, we can take a crack at it.

>>5010908
>>>5010922 >>5010925 >>5010928 >>5010936 >>5010958 >>5010998

Update tomorrow (trying to keep a 2 updates/day limit so I don't burn out), but for now let me get some rolls. As stated before the rolls are there to add a bit of randomness to the outcome, to keep the quest a bit unpredictable. With that in mind, we'll be using a bo3 d6 system (with the occasional modifier), with doubles giving you a bonus (regardless of outcome) and triples triggering a special event.

>Roll 1d6

>>5010993
>Over the years and through numerous investments, it added up--then it fell apart. The tavern was the only thing left, a reward for a mission some years back. You had wisely bought up the shares from the other party members whenever you had a chance and had forgotten all about it.

>over the YEARS
>FORGOT about it

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5011003

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>5011003

>>5011014
>Your last job had you track down a murderer and kidnapper for a local lord.
>The tavern was [...] a reward for a mission some years back.
The kid is a recent development, separate from the tavern. Can always just ask QM to verify though.

>>5011014
>>5011019
see: >>5009972
>In the month or so since you and the boy settled
you've only been together/retired a month, not years.

Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>5011003

Rolled 2 (1d6)

>>5011003

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>5010908
>A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble, since they appear to be going the same way

>>5011003
Rolling!

Rolled 5 (1d6)

Been lurking,now I'm rolling

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>>5011015
>>5011017
>>5011054

A third pair of hands--and ones as strong as yours--would make light work of it. You decide to help them, hoping to get a free ride for your trouble since they appear to be going the same way. And indeed both your guesses prove right. With your help the carriage is easily pulled back to the road and the travelers and the man carting them are so thankful that they offer you a free ride. A good thing too, as the boy was starting get winded (not that he would ever admit it) and having risen so early in the morning, soon falls asleep on your lap.

You wake him as the town walls come into view. The stone walls rise a height of four men standing on each other's shoulders. On either side of the great arched gate are two towers almost thrice the height of the walls. Two guards are perched on each tower, leaning on the crenelations in a bored posture. A bridge extends over the creek or moat whose stink is at once familiar and horrible. As you pass over the bridge you sight a brown pig rooting through filth on the banks, while two shirtless men dump large buckets of human excrement from a cart into the waters of the creek.

"Shitbrook," says one of the travelers to the boy, smiling. The boy however is too busy staring at the pikes atop the gate, upon which the blackened heads of murderers and traitors are being pecked at by crows. You watch as one of them flits away with a fresh eyeball in its beak.

Thanks to the cart-ride you've arrived well ahead of schedule and still fresh to boot.

>By spending the extra time looking for a stablehand, you hope to get a better deal and a better man for your trouble and might even be able to return home without spending the night.

>The last time the boy passed through a great town like this he was too small to remember it, to rob him for the opportunity now seems cruel--especially when you have time to spare.

>This seems a good opportunity to spread the word of your establishment and drum up some future business. Many of the merchants plying their wares and travelers at the inn will be going your way soon enough.

>>5011511
>By spending the extra time looking for a stablehand, you hope to get a better deal and a better man for your trouble and might even be able to return home without spending the night.

>The last time the boy passed through a great town like this he was too small to remember it, to rob him for the opportunity now seems cruel--especially when you have time to spare.

>>5011511
>The last time the boy passed through a great town like this he was too small to remember it, to rob him for the opportunity now seems cruel--especially when you have time to spare.

I prefer not to risk being stuck on the road when dark comes. Even if we can 'leave early', not gonna budge from our schedule.

Likewise, considering how many problems we still have, probably don't drum up support just yet. We can find better prices from farmers close by then the city vendors when it comes for materials, food, and most drinks anyway.

So voting for kid. Not really because I like the bugger all too much, but its the safest option.

>>5011511
>By spending the extra time looking for a stablehand, you hope to get a better deal and a better man for your trouble and might even be able to return home without spending the night.
focus is on better man and better deal

>>5011511

>The last time the boy passed through a great town like this he was too small to remember...

Could be fun for the boy and for us! And you never know, be may cheer up and stop trying to murder us in our sleep too

>>5011511
>>By spending the extra time looking for a stablehand, you hope to get a better deal and a better man for your trouble and might even be able to return home without spending the night.

>>5011533
>>5011551
>>5011553
>>5011556
>>5011557

Going for a bit both it seems. Let me get a roll for the stablehand--with a +1 for the extra time spent searching...

>Roll 1d6+1

Rolled 5 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5011562

Rolled 1 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5011562

Rolled 4 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5011562

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1.15 MB PNG

>>5011511
>>5011571
>>5011627
>>5011633

By spending the extra time looking for a stablehand, you hope to get a better deal and a better man for your trouble and might even be able to return home without spending the night. Furthermore, the last time the boy passed through a great town like this he was too small to remember it, to rob him for the opportunity now seems cruel--especially when you have time to spare. So you let the boy go exploring while you visit the stablehouses near the gate for a prospective hire. The boy is at first surprised that you would give him such liberty, as to go alone. The town has many guards and the rule of law holds strong here, so he is no danger. "But what if I run away?" he says. But you simply smile and tousle his hair (which he hates) and tell him to be back near the gate before supper time. He runs off but not before shooting a thoughtful glance in your direction when he thinks you're not looking.

----

By supper time you've walked the whole length of the town and seen to every stable with an extra hand. The word spreads around of its own accord and you soon have your choice of the litter.

>A swarthy, brawny youth called Shankles who does his work well enough (and cheaply) but has something of a somber and depressing air about him, not so much grim as comical. He is willing to work just for food and board as he has "Gotten right sick of this town life".

>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.

>A family of three, the father, Quincy Mckelly, is the groom in question, but the mother (though currently ripe with child) is a cheesemaker's daughter and can clean and cook and milk and make cheese. Their first child is a little girl, about the boy's age or a little younger, and is clever lass, good with her hands, and supports her parents by selling little baskets she weaves from discarded straw. Of course, to support such a dynasty requires more than usual coin and the family Mckelly will not come cheap.

>>5011671
>A family of three....

If we're going all in on the stable route, we could invest in a cow or two from the outset (perhaps they already have them.) It's hitting two birds with one stone here by updating some of our fare with fresh dairy. There's a diverse skill set here and having a friend for our young lad could really calm him down. A wholesome family would be worth the investment and easy to get along with as we're a cheerful fellow. I'm a many hands, little work kind of guy.

I'd like to interview them. If it doesn't seem a good fit I'm down for the old veteran hand.

>>5011671
>>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.

>>5011671
>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.
>A family of three, the father, Quincy Mckelly, is the groom in question, but the mother (though currently ripe with child) is a cheesemaker's daughter and can clean and cook and milk and make cheese. Their first child is a little girl, about the boy's age or a little younger, and is clever lass, good with her hands, and supports her parents by selling little baskets she weaves from discarded straw. Of course, to support such a dynasty requires more than usual coin and the family Mckelly will not come cheap.

If Quincy Mckelly is also willing to take the job as our Groundkeeper we should take all of them. Breathe some life into our place, get a cheap cook and some extra help around the place.

>>5011671
>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.

Call me old fashioned but I rather not have any one family be more than half our total workforce. Furthermore, trouble has a habit of spreading across a family.

Lets just settle for the old timer.

>>5011671
Hmm...I'm EXTREMELY tempted to get the family. That knocks out a number of upcoming issues at one shot. Question is, though, can we afford it? As >>5011683

said, if we get them, we're gonna need to go all in for the cow and whatnot to make it worthwhile. I think.

>>5011671
>A swarthy, brawny youth called Shankles who does his work well enough (and cheaply) but has something of a somber and depressing air about him, not so much grim as comical. He is willing to work just for food and board as he has "Gotten right sick of this town life".
>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.
>A family of three, the father, Quincy Mckelly, is the groom in question, but the mother (though currently ripe with child) is a cheesemaker's daughter and can clean and cook and milk and make cheese. Their first child is a little girl, about the boy's age or a little younger, and is clever lass, good with her hands, and supports her parents by selling little baskets she weaves from discarded straw. Of course, to support such a dynasty requires more than usual coin and the family Mckelly will not come cheap.

Fuck it, grab all three of them. We've got experience and strength, and the boy need some friends his age to hang around. Plus, if Shankles is willing to work for just room and board, why not grab him I say.

>>5010908
>>Go on your way and when you get to Wnuk in a few hours, you can send back help. These innocent looking unfortunates are not always what they seem, in your experience, so better safe than sorry.

>>5011671
>A swarthy, brawny youth called Shankles who does his work well enough (and cheaply) but has something of a somber and depressing air about him, not so much grim as comical. He is willing to work just for food and board as he has "Gotten right sick of this town life".

>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.

Master and apprentice.

>>5011671
>>A family of three, the father, Quincy Mckelly, is the groom in question, but the mother (though currently ripe with child) is a cheesemaker's daughter and can clean and cook and milk and make cheese. Their first child is a little girl, about the boy's age or a little younger, and is clever lass, good with her hands, and supports her parents by selling little baskets she weaves from discarded straw. Of course, to support such a dynasty requires more than usual coin and the family Mckelly will not come cheap.

>>5011671
>>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.
The little bit of money can help greatly with getting either an herd animal or food supplies.
Plus, Killinger reminds me of Burrich

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>shit my pants
So do I roll for initiative or what

>>5011715
Supporting this one. All three seems greedy, and likely to leave us strapped for cash short-term, but the family of diverse skills and an old man who we're PAID to take? Score.

>>5011792
supporting this

>>5011878
As much as I'd like to agree, Shankles is a steal here

>a family of three...

Frankly, we've not been told how much dosh we have. I take that as "we have enough, so spend it wisely later"

>>5011792
Ooh, I'll support this. The family is less likely to tolerate our inn's current shitty state.

>>5011671
>A family of three, the father, Quincy Mckelly, is the groom in question, but the mother (though currently ripe with child) is a cheesemaker's daughter and can clean and cook and milk and make cheese. Their first child is a little girl, about the boy's age or a little younger, and is clever lass, good with her hands, and supports her parents by selling little baskets she weaves from discarded straw. Of course, to support such a dynasty requires more than usual coin and the family Mckelly will not come cheap.

>A swarthy, brawny youth called Shankles who does his work well enough (and cheaply) but has something of a somber and depressing air about him, not so much grim as comical. He is willing to work just for food and board as he has "Gotten right sick of this town life".

Better to secure our future workforce now while we can, as it’ll save us time later on.

>>5011671
>A family of three, the father, Quincy Mckelly, is the groom in question, but the mother (though currently ripe with child) is a cheesemaker's daughter and can clean and cook and milk and make cheese. Their first child is a little girl, about the boy's age or a little younger, and is clever lass, good with her hands, and supports her parents by selling little baskets she weaves from discarded straw. Of course, to support such a dynasty requires more than usual coin and the family Mckelly will not come cheap.

>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands.

i think this would be the best combo

>>5011671


>>5011864
If able, this too
>An aged, veteran hand, Killinger,

>An aged, veteran hand
>A swarthy, brawny youth
I like the idea of Master and apprentice. One works for free and the other gets us a sum of cash to further fill the stables. I bet the young lad could not only use advice, but also stories that come from Killinger's age, possibly helping him with his grim mood.

>>5012112
We are playing the "Rag tag band of misfits" I see.
>Retired adventurer, skilled at fighting
>Edgy gloomy boy which have been adopted by adventurer after aforementionned adventurer killed the boy father
>Aged, with old wound, stable man. The stable man of the band
>A Medieval Doomer

>>5012121
Hell yeah, if we have an unusual place for a tavern then we must have an adequate team to operate it, no ? Now that I think about it the boy might fit to the old manor very well, stalking it's halls after dark when not looking after the animals, possibly meeting some spirits after dark after wandering off or making a little cubby for himself in the dark tunnel.

>>5012112
Supporting this, sounds like it could be fun!

After tabulating all the results, it seems that things are a bit all over the place. The veteran is a clear winner (plus he's basically free) so we can take him off the table. The remaining choice seems to be between:

>A swarthy, brawny youth called Shankles

>A family of three

>Both

And of those it seems Shankles wins. Note that you could get both by using the money from Killinger to pay for the family of three, but as some anons pointed out that would lead to some problems with space and not having the money for other things. The family isn't going anywhere immediately (pregnancy makes it difficult to travel) so you can potentially hire at a later point if you're so inclined.

P.S In future, please quote the update post when you vote, it makes a lot easier to tally.

>>5012330
Hooray for the old veteran and the young medieval doomer !

>>5012350
I'm glad my medieval doomer meme is taking out

Naisu, our crew isn't looking half bad. Can't wait to meet them.

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>>5011671
>>5011683 >>5011694 >>5011715 >>5011720 >>5011732 >>5011744 >>5011792 >>5011864 >>5011871 >>5012010 >>5012014 >>5012016

In the end, you not only acquire the men you need, you actually make a little coin off of it too. At the lord's castle, you pick an aged, veteran hand, Killinger, of just the kind you were looking for, with many years experience caring for the lord's warlops and warhorses--both in town and on the march--and with many skills beyond mere grooming. Age has robbed him of his vitality and he walks with a limp from an old wound so that the lord has no more need of him, but, in light of his long service, the lord is willing to give you a modest sum to take him off his hands. You are only too happy to take him, but his debilities required another man to pick up the slack, so you also hired a swarthy, brawny youth called Shankles who does his work well enough (and cheaply) but has something of a somber and depressing air about him, not so much grim as comical. He is willing to work for just food and board as he has "Gotten right sick of this town life, boss".

The boy returns a little later than agreed. But you do not have the heart to scold him as he is filled to bursting with stories and adventures from the day and is smiling for the first time since you took him in. You invite the new hires to break bread with you in the inn that night and the four of you make a strange party indeed. The boy and the old man are fast friends, sharing stories, each listening to the other with twinkling eyes, the one thrilled by the outlandish, the other by youthful exuberance. Even Shankles, eating his bland porridge in dismal silence (on which he insisted, complaining of chronic indigestion), must pretend indifference, leaning back suddenly when the others catch him listening intently to the conversation.

The journey back takes longer without the cart and with the old man's limp, and even with you and Shankles taking turns to carry Killinger (over his colorful protestations), the stars are out by the time you arrive. More interestingly, there is light coming from a window on the second floor. The boy shakes his head that he left no lamps burning when you left, besides which the footprints on the dirt path gave away the intruders. Three or four pairs of feet in all.

What to do?

>You sneak around the back of the manor to the eastern side and climb up the balcony via one of the wooden posts. Meanwhile have Shankles knock on the front door to distract them with Killinger and the boy waiting out of sight.

>Have everyone wait hidden out of sight while you go alone to investigate the intruders--if they indeed are intruders, they may after all be potential guests

>Send the boy and the old man in first, for even worshippers of Bezzlebub, the patron god of crooks and criminals obey the laws of courtesy toward children, the sick and the elderly.

>>5012441
>>Have everyone wait hidden out of sight while you go alone to investigate the intruders--if they indeed are intruders, they may after all be potential guests

>>5012441
Are write-ins allowed?
>Check for signs of forced entry and see if these intruders have left horses or something else to identify them by.
If not:
>Have everyone wait hidden out of sight while you go alone to investigate the intruders--if they indeed are intruders, they may after all be potential guests
Glad to see gramps and the kid are getting along at least.

>>5012467
Write-ins are definitely allowed, I just keep forgetting to put that option. Just assume it's implicit for each vote.

>>5012441
>>Have everyone wait hidden out of sight while you go alone to investigate the intruders--if they indeed are intruders, they may after all be potential guests
If they are allowed then I'm picking this option, but I agree that first and foremost we should check the outside for any more tracks or clues

>>5012441
>You sneak around the back of the manor to the eastern side and climb up the balcony via one of the wooden posts. Meanwhile have Shankles knock on the front door to distract them with Killinger and the boy waiting out of sight.

>>5012463
>>5012467
>>5012476

Let's me get a roll here--with a +1 for the added precaution of investigating for more clues.

>Roll 1d6+1

Rolled 3 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5012599

Rolled 4 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5012599

Rolled 2 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5012599
Here's hoping.

Rolled 6 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5012599

Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>5012599

Rolled 3 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5012599

>>5012441
>>5012668
>>5012671
>>5012678

You have everyone wait hidden out of sight while you go alone to investigate the intruders--if they indeed are intruders, for after all they may be potential guests looking for their missing host. Nevertheless old habits dictate that you examine the perimeter for any clues. There is a pack-rabbit tied to the post, scratching its ears in the midst of sleep. It has an elaborate saddle, almost like a throne.

There is no sign of forced entry--nor should there be since there is no lock on the door--and whoever they are, they had the courtesy to wipe their shoes before they entered as there are prints all along the steps. One set of prints is smaller than the others, a child or a woman. And there are two other sets, heavy and large, denoting men carrying something burdensome, either luggage or themselves. Pressing your ear to the door, you can sense no hint of anyone or anything inside and so, cautiously, you enter.

Two men are sitting at the table. The fireplace is out but you can still smell the remnant smoke. The two men are sound asleep and on closer inspection you see that they don scarlet cloaks and well-polished mail. Swords, still in their scabbards, lie on the table, as well as their helmets, which have the image of a leaping warlop on a black background--the crest of a Walzerian knight. Two draughts of your wine in two of your wooden mugs sit before, half full. As you approach, you hear a creak above you, the patter of light footsteps on the stairs in the next room. A young woman in a bright yellow and white dress, in a broad-brimmed hat with a veil that covers her whole face appears, and seeing you, freezes. She's dragging a heavy trunk on wheels and appears to be in a hurry.

"Drat!" she says and even by her voice you can tell that behind the veil lurks great beauty. "I don't suppose you'd look the other way this once?" She nods to the knights. "Tell them you didn't see me slip out?" Then before you can answer she walks up to you in quick steps and reaching into her cleavage she retrieves something--something hard, sparkly and expensive--and places it in your hand. "For your trouble? Answer quickly, they'll be awake any minute!"

>Bar her passage--or escape--there's trouble afoot and you'd rather her ire than the knights'

>Let her go, even by the weight of the jewel you can tell it is worth the paltry price of your silence

>Offer to escort her yourself to the main road, playing along for now

>>5012783
>Offer to escort her yourself to the main road, playing along for now

A noblewoman, running away? Ohhh, you must tell me the tale!

>>5012783
>Offer to escort her yourself to the main road, playing along for now

>>5012783
>Offer to escort her yourself to the main road, playing along for now

>>5012783
>Walk her out of earshot of the guards then ask her what is going on before we make a decision

If she goes missing and we have a priceless jewel that belongs to her in our possession guess who is getting the blame for her disappearance!

>>5012836
THIS

>>5012783
>Let her go, even by the weight of the jewel you can tell it is worth the paltry price of your silence
yeah nice to meet you and bye

>>5012836
>>5012783
+1

>>5012783
>Offer to escort her yourself to the main road, playing along for now

>Give her back jewel it's not worth the trouble
We ain't selling that without heat on our back

>>5012912
+1

>>5012836
Supporting this very pragmatic approach.

>>5012783
>>Bar her passage--or escape--there's trouble afoot and you'd rather her ire than the knights'

We're an upstanding businessman, we don't take bribes.

>>5012783
>>5012790 >>5012806 >>5012809 >>5012836 >>5012855 >>5012909 >>5012912 >>5013007

You escort her outside, depositing the jewel in your pocket as you go. The others are still hidden among the wreck as you instructed. You can see them but only because you know exactly where to look. The lady thanks you at first, lugging the trunk to the pack-rabbit and mounting it, but then, seeing you holding on to its reins she realizes she's not quite out of the woods just yet.

"What more do you want?" she asks.

You grin. "Stop me if you heard this one. Man goes to a carnival yeah? One of the performers has this chicken and a little green flute. Plays a little tune on the little green flute and this chicken--it's the damndest thing-- starts singing and dancing. Not a human song and dance you see, a chicken song and dance--a magic chicken--a mighty sight."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"So this man, seeing the crowd, all that money going into the hat that gets passed around, goes to the performer after the show, the chicken-man, yeah? And he offers to buy the chicken. Man plays a mean fiddle, why not add the chicken to the show? The chicken-man says no. The man insists, offers everything he has but his fiddle, figure he'll make it back twofold lickety-spit, yeah? Chicken-man folds, sells the chicken. Now what do you think happened next?"

"You're mad. You're utterly mad." She struggles with the reins but it's no use.

"No matter how the man played that fiddle, the chicken would not sing nor dance. You see princess, the chicken wasn't magic. It was the little green flute all along. In our trade we call that misdirection and the people who fall for it we call suckers. Do I look like a sucker to you?"

She goes still. "No," she says quietly.

You show all your teeth. "Why thank you. And since I'm not a sucker, you'll tell me why it is your absconding in the dead of night without your burly escorts--who if I'm not mistaken--you've sedated. Yeah?"

"I have a rendezvous with a certain gentleman."

"And who is this prince charming?"

"Just tell those ogres you arrived after I had left. They won't stay long enough to harass you and the emerald more than covers our stay. Please, I may never see him again." Two tears drop from under the veil. "Have a heart."

>Just a lady in love then, which the knights can sort out once they wake (and pay for the wine). But bury the gem somewhere just in case they get handsy.

>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.

>Let her go, but follow her in secret. Her rendezvous may prove more valuable than her bribe

>>5013109
>>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.
Nice act young lady, but do you take me for a fool?

>>5013109
hahahaha... NO.

If she warrants an escort this is something way above our head. Anyway, fencing off a jewel like that is gonna be a pain in the ass, we'll end up hoarding it for years anyway. Better have the knights pay up.

If anything, we can rely on Killinger to know who they are and vouch for our legitimacy.

>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.

>We'll give her the jewel back though

>>5013109
>>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.

>>5013109
>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.

>>5013109
>>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.
NEED MORE INFO

>>5013109
>Let her go, but follow her in secret. Her rendezvous may prove more valuable than her bribe
anons are a bunch of assholes ruining a sweet romance subplot

>>5013109
>Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere.

>>5013109
>Let her go, but follow her in secret. Her rendezvous may prove more valuable than her bribe
If forcing her to stay wins then
>>5013134
This

>>5013134
+1, keeping the jewel could discredit anything we say regarding our innocence. A woman with the ability to sedate two trained men is hardly some budding flower.

>>5013109
>Let her go, but follow her in secret. Her rendezvous may prove more valuable than her bribe

Anons, fencing the jewel won't be a pain in the ass, as these people don't have serial numbers to prove it came from the princess, so that's autism #1 out the window.

#2, since this is royalty or nobility, why would we choose to piss off someone whose going to inherit the power to make our lives miserable? Why not play along to really see what's going on? Are we not an (former) adventurer?

It's those two autisms that frankly bug me the most.

>>5013134
I think its a given that if we hand her back we won't be accepting the bribe.

>>5013288
We're an adventurer that managed to survive till retirement and also managed to build up a sizable nest egg before it all went to hell. That sounds like a guy who knew when to be cautious.

Furthermore:
1) Guess who has even more power then the Lady? Her parents, and her future husband - who by the way is definitely not her alleged paramour. Considering the amount of knights they have under their employ they'd make a wonderful client for our tavern.

2)Just because there are no barcodes doesn't mean it'll be easy anon. While I'm sure it won't be impossible, but we can't just walk into a random pawnshop or jeweler. We'll need to sell it off the black market and we don't know this area yet.

Plot hooks are not compulsory, and right now I want to build a damn tavern, not explore the seedy underbelly of a medieval kingdom. We've retired damn it.

>>5013109
>Let her go, bury the gem

>>5013304
I think keeping the bribe is very much up for debate. We ain't playing a lawful good paladin here.

The cautious option would be to follow the lady into whatever really is going on, not to send her back to someplace she obviously doesn't want to be.

1. I think you overestimate the care the parents/husband will give us, while underestimating the resentment that this future lady of influence may hold over us. I think we need more info on both before we come to a decision.

2. Just because you expect a free ride doesn't mean that the jewel isn't worth the trouble. Like you said before, our nest egg went to shit before we came to the tavern, and we need all the cash we can get to start building up this place into something tolerable for our guests, so if it comes to a vote I'll vote to keep that gem.

I want to build up our tavern too, but we ain't getting anywhere by not keeping our cash flow options open.

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>>5013109
>>>5013114 >>5013131 >>5013144 >>5013149 >>5013163 >>5013172 >>5013224 >>5013246 >>5013288 >>5013312

Two things are never to be trusted: you can never remember the first one, but the second is woman's tears. She's not going anywhere. She protests and throws a fit, lots of weeping and begging, but you meet it all with cheerful courtesy, directing her back into the tavern. It's about then that you whistle for the others come out of hiding and join you. "Right good turn you did there, boss," says Shankles, moving his head in little nods. "Nought but trouble could've come of this." Killinger is silent for a while, then wonders aloud how prince charming will take it. "Break his heart, no doubt, thinking she's abandoned him. Rather tragic." The old man's more of a romantic than you thought. "Nah, sir, nah sir, the tete-a-tete's is all clandestine innit? Nothing tragic about it--adultering little bint--just goes to show you what I've known for years, boss, it's a universal truth: All women are harlots." And Shankles...is Shankles.

You and the boy work on starting up the fire and heating up some cold pottage while the pair of stablehands see to the pack-rabbit.The boy occasionally glances over at the lady, sitting now on one of the seats by the fire, her hands rubbing her eyes under the veil as she weeps into them. "Not too close, my lad," you whisper in his ear. "A fair maiden's eyes are dangerous enough without her being a princess, yeah? One look costs a hundred lashes--even if this one mightn't exactly be a maiden in the traditional sense of the word."

"I heard that! You horrid beast of a man! My maidenhead is quite intact!"

You wink at the boy. "Hence the weeping." Even the boy cannot help but crack a smile at this and must hide his mouth. The knights soon wake, not at all pleased by their impromptu slumber. The taller of the two appears to be the head of the party and is rather more harsh on the lady than you expected, nearly striking her before the other knight points out your presence. You explain everything and even return the gem, as token of your goodwill and honesty. The knights are appreciative, the gem is apparently a royal heirloom and its possession would have brought more trouble than it was worth--trouble of the kind that ends with your head in basket. Instead they reimburse you with golden coins worth far more than the little they ate and drank. They are, however, reserved on the matter of prince charming. And as they are still a little woozy from whatever the princess slipped in their wine, they ask to remain the night.

>Not for free of course, not with the freedom which with they handle their gold

>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>Make an excuse and get rid of them, aristocrats always make you nervous

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

A good reputation among the "middle class" social circle of knights could be just the marketting this place needs.

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>>5013351
>>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

A heirloom. Oooffff...

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>>5013431
Guillotine: avoided. Glad I lost the last vote.

>>5013351
>>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers
lol Shankles is an incel

>>5013351
>>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers

>>5013483
A midevil incel

>>5013606
>New side-quest: Get Shankles laid

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two nights stay...

Let's build up that good rep when we get this kind of opportunity.

Also we can see if we can sneakily get some more info from the guards about prince charming. maybe if we find out who he is we can get a message to him about what happened. Let's play both sides until we see who is the most valuable to us as an asset

>>5013351
>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers
>royal heirloom
Jesus fuck, good thing we didn't try selling that.

>>5013351
Based Shankles.

>They already paid more than two night's stay, you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers
We're a good host.

>>5013619
I can get behind this. Adding this to
>>5013435
Which was also me.

>>5013619
Supporting this

Thank god the romantic coomers lost. That could've been our head on a pike.

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>>5013351
>>5013386 >>5013387 >>5013397 >>5013431 >>5013435 >>5013443 >>5013483 >>5013606 >>5013619 >>5013632 >>5013668
As they already paid more than two night's stay and you'd rather not a reputation for fleecing customers, you allow them to stay the night without asking for more money.

"Such generosity is appreciated," says the shorter knight, named Fletcher.

"Especially with accommodations like these," mutters the other knight, Howell, looking up at an ancient, web-covered chandelier.

You admit that you have only just established yourself here and as consolation for his more moody companion, Fletcher promises to spread word of your tavern among his people. "Though what do you call it? I saw no name nor sign upon the place and took it for abandoned at first."

>Choose a name

After the short meal the knights and princess--who you learn is called Heloise--retire upstairs for the night. You assure Howell that you'll personally keep guard over the pack-rabbit and the princess's room to ensure no funny business. The princess, having missed the appointed time for her rendezvous, does not seem enthusiastic about another escape anyway.

The walls of the 2nd floor chambers are thin and while patrolling the hall you are able to pick up snatches of conversation between the knights: "...almost gave away the game with the heirloom, the miserable wench"--the gruff, deeper voice of Howell; "...woman's nature is fickle...would've come back probably"--and the airy, soothing voice of Fletcher. "...yet think on the life she'll have...ingratitude!"; "...about the life left behind...her child"; "bah! ...better off than I was as a lad...won't starve..." Then silence for a while.

Then Fletcher speaks again and you press your ear to the door. "Taverner's a good enough fellow. Could've kept the gem."
"Probably knew it was [he whispers this word]. I've seen his type before, what do you think he's doing out here for? And no women?"
"If he could figure it out what hope does our poor duke have?"
"It'll be their heads then, not ours."
"Hold your tongue sir, that's near to treason."
"Oh get the stick out your arse you fussbudget. You know what I meant. Would've preferred a proper war to all this skullduggery, if I'm honest."
"Barbarian."
"Lily-liver."
Silence again followed soon by the sound of soft snoring.

>Leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning.

>You can hear the princess weeping in the other room, perhaps her tongue will be looser now that her hopes were dashed.

>The rendezvous cannot be far, you might be able to nose it out if you take the pack-rabbit, so long as you return before morning

>Choose a Name
The 3 Palaces

>You can hear the princess weeping in the other room, perhaps her tongue will be looser now that her hopes were dashed.

>>5013991
>>Leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning.

We're just a humble tavernkeeper now, we have no time for intrigue.

>>5013991
>Talk to the princess

Name: The Rest Well-Earned

>>5013991
>Name:
The Horny Pack-rabbit

>Leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning.
We do not need to trouble ourselves with the intrigues of nobles, we have a whole damn manor to clean up and get in order

>>5013991
>Adventure's Rest
>You can hear the princess weeping in the other room, perhaps her tongue will be looser now that her hopes were dashed.

>>5014049
+1

Considering the briar patch and tunnel you have to go through to get to it?

>The Sleepy Rabbit Hotel

>Leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning.

>>5013351
>>Leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning

Brace of Coneys

>>5013991
Sounds like the lady is being married off to help stop a war or something. Shit sucks, and I do feel bad for running away from QMs obvious plot hooks kek.
>The rendezvous cannot be far, you might be able to nose it out if you take the pack-rabbit, so long as you return before morning.
>Ask the woman if she has any words you should deliver to her would-be lover.
Taking a look can't hurt, right? Can at least deliver one last message.
>Greenleaf Inn

>>5013991
>>Leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning.

>name
Voyagers rest

>>5013991
>>5014043 >>5014049 >>5014068 >>5014120

You can hear the princess weeping in the other room, but better leave well enough alone and return to your patrol. You're more than happy to wash your hands of them come morning. And when it does come and the gentlemen--and the princess too it seems--are better rested and in better spirits you part without much of a fuss. Killinger, wakened by the throbbing of his old wound went early to the pack-rabbit and spent some time adjusting its saddle and removing burrs, thorns and dried mud from its fur and speaking to it in a low, pleasant voice. For this he is repaid with playful nudges from the--ordinarily shy--beast and given a gold coin for his trouble, which in his magnanimity he shares with Shankles, having little use for money in his old age. Shankles is mostly confused by the gesture, unable to conceive of such selfless generosity. he spends the entire day thinking up schemes to try and repay the imagined debt, brewing tea somehow from the thorny brambles along the road, washing Killinger's socks, even offering to wash Killinger's feet--at which point Shankles finds out that even the old man's patience has limits. (His tea is not half-bad however).

At any rate, the knights and their ward leave in peace and you spend the rest morning in bed, sleeping off the accumulated fatigue of your trip and your guard duty. There's no telling when the next customer will arrive, the road is always busy but your tavern not yet well known. Only the most desperate and exhausted will stop here. Still, there is much to occupy you meanwhile, your sudden surplus of coin--from Killinger's lord and from the knights--not the least of it.

>Explore the ruins of the other buildings in the manor. Not all parts of them have been wrecked by the fire and despite the chill in your spine whenever you go near them, there may be useful things within.

>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.

>Merchants use the main road often and even if they do not stop at your tavern, they are more than willing to stop for impromptu trade. Hail them and buy some much needed sundries.

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.

Also I'm calling it for write-ins for the name. Let's now vote for the names (feel free to pick more than one--and I also threw my own hat in the ring):

>The Three Palaces - symbolized by three houses
>The Rest Well-Earned - symbolized by a gold coin on a pillow
>The Horny Pack-rabbit - symbolized by a rabbit's head with a horn
>Adventure's Rest - symbolized a nightcap crossed with a sword
>The Sleepy Rabbit Hotel - symbolized by a sleeping bunny head
>Brace of Coneys - symbolized by two rabbit heads bound in rope
>Greenleaf Inn - symbolized by a green leaf
>Voyager's Rest - symbolized by a pair of boots, one fallen down
>Aleman's - symbolized by a frothy mug of ale

>>5014298
>Adventure's Rest - symbolized a nightcap crossed with a sword

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.

>>5014298
>Adventure's Rest - symbolized a nightcap crossed with a sword

Mainly for the logo and to break the tie when everyone votes for themselves.

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.
>>5014298
>The Horny Pack-rabbit - symbolized by a rabbit's head with a horn
>Adventure's Rest - symbolized a nightcap crossed with a sword
>The Sleepy Rabbit Hotel - symbolized by a sleeping bunny head
>Greenleaf Inn - symbolized by a green leaf
>Voyager's Rest - symbolized by a pair of boots, one fallen down
>Aleman's - symbolized by a frothy mug of ale

>>5014298
>>The Sleepy Rabbit Hotel - symbolized by a sleeping bunny head

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.

>The Rest Well-Earned - symbolized by a gold coin on a pillow

>Aleman's - symbolized by a frothy mug of ale

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.
>>5014298
>Adventure's Rest - symbolized a nightcap crossed with a sword
>Voyager's Rest - symbolized by a pair of boots, one fallen down

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.

>>5014298
>The Three Palaces - symbolized by three houses
>Voyager's Rest - symbolized by a pair of boots, one fallen down

>>5014284
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.
>>5014298
>The Three Palaces - symbolized by three houses

>>5014284
>>5014298

>The wine will eventually run out...

>The horny pack rabbit

>>5014298
>Voyager's Rest - symbolized by a pair of boots, one fallen down

>>5014298
>The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. It may have run dry, in which case you'll have to go down and dig.

>The Sleepy Rabbit Hotel - symbolized by a sleeping bunny head

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>>5014284
>>5014310 >>5014334 >>5014346 >>5014349 >>5014369 >>5014373 >>5014483 >>5014514 >>5014525 >>5014588

The wine will eventually run out and it would be good to have a reliable source of water. There is an old well in the premises, a part of the ruin from long unuse. In fact, it's mouth has been boarded up and as a first task you must remove all the planks (and some of the debris which has fallen around it) before you can check inside. Shankles helps you with this, while the boy and the old man work on making a lamp and a harness in case the well is dry and you have to go down to dig. As it turns out, the wash bucket you send down does come up dry and you must descend into the well after all.

Luckily it does not take long before you strike water again (though it does it take some time to cart out all the dirt) but in the process you encounter something you've never seen before. The water is blood. Or at least, shares the color of blood. It feels and (according to the somehow disappointed Shankles, who seems to have preferred it was poisonous) tastes like water and certainly the color does not linger on anything, not on your hands or clothing or any surface--indeed it cleans them just as water would--yet it has the distinct dark-red tint of fresh blood.

>Perhaps the well was sealed with good reason, one beyond it merely running dry, and perhaps it would better to seal it up again and dig out your own well somewhere else.

>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.

>For all intents and purposes it is water and you see no reason why you should not treat it as such, at least for the purposes of cleaning, cooling and bathing. As for drink, perhaps it can still be used to brew spirits.

>>5014985
Oh and it seems "Adventuer's Rest" is the name of the tavern.

>>5014985
>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.

Lets get this verified and checked. At the very least so we can blame our 'expert' if things go wrong with the well.

Speculation on the knights coversation:
Number 1: Princess is being married off to prevent war
Number 2: The heirloom is probably enchanted or magical - probably to make the Duke infatuated, or maybe something even more morbid.

That said, if it means our tavern isn't going to become situated near a warzone, the happiness of a princess is a sacrifice I'm willing to make (:V)

>>5014985

>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.

Here's hoping its just red clay in the soil.

>>5014985
>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.
>For all intents and purposes it is water and you see no reason why you should not treat it as such, at least for the purposes of cleaning, cooling and bathing. As for drink, perhaps it can still be used to brew spirits.

Crimson Manor would've been a quaint name.

>>5015004
>>5013991
crap, that bit about the heirloom should have been "replica". i.e

>"Probably knew it was a replica. I've seen his type before, what do you think he's doing out here for? And no women?"

>>5014985
>>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.

>>5014985
>>Perhaps the well was sealed with good reason, one beyond it merely running dry, and perhaps it would better to seal it up again and dig out your own well somewhere else.

>>5014985
>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.

>>5014985
>Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even be the kind of novelty that attracts customers--beyond which it may even be useful or valuable. Maybe you can pay someone from town to examine it.
its important to understand resources we got at hand

>>5015419
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like

>Help and advise them for upcoming fight with goblins.

>>5014985
>>5014987 >>5015004 >>5015040 >>5015049 >>5015177 >>5015376 >>5015404

Such a strange phenomenon bears some investigation. If the water is ultimately harmless, its color may even prove to be the kind of novelty that attracts customers. Perhaps you can pay someone from town to examine it. And so, a few days later after sending word to town (via a customer heading that way) a man proclaiming himself to be an alchemist arrives at the manor. He takes samples of the water and the soil and even a chip off one of the bricks from the well. He claims he will need some time to study it all and that he will be back as soon as he has something to report. As for money, he takes a few silver pieces as a matter of course, mostly (he claims) to buy the materials he will need for his experiments but it is the oddity of the phenomenon itself which seems his principle motivation. In the meantime, he judges the water good enough to use for any purpose other than consumption, though he advises a hold on any plans for constructing a baths.

While waiting for the results, you are kept busy by a sudden influx of customers. Word has spread of the Yosteni wine. It has attracted members of a less than reputable crowd--the kind that sport a hook for a hand or carry a spare knife in their boot--rough, rowdy, rebellious men, but men who are well traveled and know the area and its people well and whose lips become looser with a little wine. Few of them stay the night, most having come only for the drink and preferring to camp out in the wilderness in the fair autumn weather.

One party, however, petitions to use the tavern as a kind of base of operations. They are investigating some old ruin or tomb nearby which has been overrun with redcaps, a type of especially nasty goblin that drinks the blood of small animals (and sometimes even children if they can get ahold of them). They've been stealing ewes and lambs and pack-rabbit kittens from the nearby village, Beldingboro, and now some children who strayed too far in their play have gone missing. The party is no motely crew of adventurers but merely a handful of peasants who have decided to take matters into their own hands, as the Duke of Wnuk is too busy with other schemes to hear their pleas.

Their petition entails giving them room and board in exchange for the shortest lay (i.e one-eighth) of anything they might find in the ruin, for though goblins are not nearly the hoarders their lizardly counterparts are, the deeper parts of the tomb are said to be bursting with treasure.

>The rooms are vacant anyway and if they are willing to suffer the poor accommodation you are willing to accept their petition defer payment.

>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like

>They're likely to get themselves killed in such an enterprise. Refuse their petition for their own sake.

>>5015429
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like
>Petition them instead for us to help them out with their problem personally for the shortest lay of whatever is in the ruin.

Frankly, having goblins around stealing food and children from the local area isn’t good for anybody, and this will help develop good relationships with the village as well as help promote our tavern to the locals. It’s a win-win, as I doubt they would have seceded unharmed without our help.

>>5015428
>>5015429
Linking.
>>5015440
I'm not sure about helping ourselves I don't want the running to us with every issue

>>5015442
While I do agree, if the village is setting up a base of operations in our tavern, it stands to reason that we’re closer to the problem than the village is, which means we got goblins running around our figurative backyard, nothing but trouble for our business. Add in to the fact that we’d be developing our relationships with the village, and improving our rep and visibility with what will likely become regulars at our tavern, and I think a bit of hassle now will pay off dividends in the future.

>>5015429
>>The rooms are vacant anyway and if they are willing to suffer the poor accommodation you are willing to accept their petition defer payment.

>>5015429
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like
>Help and advise them for upcoming fight with goblins.
>Petition them instead for us to help them out with their problem personally for the shortest lay of whatever is in the ruin.
We were an adventurer/assassin, we should be able to help here.
More stuff to fill the everhungry maws of taverngoers is always welcome.
Advice and intel should be given freely when the matter is peoples lives and well being.
Putting our own health at risk tho deserves its own share of spoils, not to mention they seem like they could use such help.

>>5015451
+1

>>5015451
Comfy tavern where you can get more than just a beer from the barman. He's already seen his fair share and can advise!

>>5015429
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like

I vote that we don't go along with them on the mission, rather we advise them on how to deal with goblins, the traps they use, how to navigate the caves and not get lost etc. We are getting too old for this shit!

>>5015485
inb4 we go full Darkest Dungeon and slowly level these guys up to legendary fighters

>>5015429
Supporting >>5015485

>>5015451
Support

>>5015451
+1
A fight or two should get the rust off. It's not bad for an innkeeper to have a reputation for a strong hand, too.

>>5015429
>he advises a hold on any plans for constructing a baths.

wait is the water hot? A blood red Onsen would be metal as fuck!

As a side note, we urgently need to get us a buxom bar maid. People are starting to suspect that we fuck each other in the ass up there.

Theory: the red water could be due to rust from a nearby iron deposit... Or structure

>>5015683
naw, if that was the case it would not wash clothes properly, they would come out red as well. This is some spooky shit.

>>5015429
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like

>>5015705
In addition, I also support >>5015677 re:
>get a barmaid
and >>5015485 re:
>advise them on how to deal with goblins, the traps they use, how to navigate the caves and not get lost etc.

>>5015675
The water is not naturally hot (it's not a hot spring or anything).

>>5015671
>>5015451
While I have no problem with you advising (or even training) the party--or procuring help for them from somewhere else--I will draw the line at going with them since I feel like it goes against the spirit of the quest. The main character is, after all, retired from adventuring.

>>5015705
Ok then, a HAUNTED iron deposit

>>5015849
Oh man! We could do some Mr Miyagi shit with these guys, train them to fight by fixing up our buildings! Wax on, wax off, paint the fence, sand the floor...

>>5015849
Aww. That's fair, I guess. World-wise mentor it is.

>>5015429
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like
>Help and advise them for upcoming fight with goblins.

>>5015429
>Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like.

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>>5015429
>>5015440 >>5015442 >>5015447 >>5015451 >>5015485 >>5015545 >>5015675 >>5015774 >>5015895 >>5016003

Rather than the promise of uncertain riches, you'd prefer the sure promise of their farm goods--vegetables, grains, cheese, milk, ale and the like--and they are more than happy to oblige, this being a good year for the crop and the villagers--except for the matter of the missing children--in good position for such an arrangement. In addition, you also offer to advise them in their quest, if only because the spread of goblins will not be good for business.

The party is eight men strong, all young, strapping lads used to long toil on the fields if not in battle. If there were a war going on they would no doubt be among the very first conscripted into the duke's army, but in a time of peace they have grown restless and bored. For many of the this outing is a chance for adventure, to return home as heroes in the eyes of the village girls. For others, such as their leader, Van Keely, it is more personal and urgent. His own little sister is among the missing children. it is he who eventually convinces the others to fall in line and listen closely to your counsel.

As time is of the essence you must forego any training and come up with a swift and effective plan. It has been a day and night since the children went missing, but you assure Van Keely that the redcaps will not harm them if they can help it. Judging by the quantity of livestock they've already stolen, they have food enough to delay.

"Delay till when, Master Aleman?" asks Van Keely.
"Till new moon; in three days time." And you explain to them how their dark gods are strongest and most hungry for sacrifice when the goddess moon is spent of her power. You also describe their general strengths and weaknesses. "They sleep morning to noon yeah? And they're all but blind in the dark but that's nothing because their smell's as keen as a pack-rabbit in heat--for blood most. And they fear smoke, the smell of it hurts them, and the smell of anything sweet and strong--flowers, cinnamon--they hate. They're wily yeah? But predictable and easily trapped. And cowards too, when they're alone."

>The plan is to take it slow and steady, gather as much information as you can about the ruin with the remaining time, its points of entry, the redcaps within, and, if possible, about the condition of the children. Only after these scouting missions should they assault the tomb proper.

>The plan is to launch a series of lighting delves into the tomb during the day with the aim of killing as many redcaps as they can and capturing one or two for interrogation and to serve as bait for traps, thereby keeping them too busy to bother with the children.

>The plan is to search for a hidden entrance to the deeper parts of the tomb and avoid battle (and whatever traps the tomb has in store) as much as possible, using smoke and scent to misdirect the goblins while the party makes stealthily for the children.

>>5016165
slight correction on the last option, the implication is that they would have to face the traps in the deeper parts of the tomb but would be able to avoid battle with main goblin host.

>>5016165
>>The plan is to take it slow and steady, gather as much information as you can about the ruin with the remaining time, its points of entry, the redcaps within, and, if possible, about the condition of the children. Only after these scouting missions should they assault the tomb proper.

>>5016165

>The plan is to search for a hidden entrance to the deeper parts of the tomb and avoid battle (and whatever traps the tomb has in store) as much as possible, using smoke and scent to misdirect the goblins while the party makes stealthily for the children.

Some casualities are gauranteed but my best guess is this has the highest likelyhood of getting the kids back.

>>5016165
>The plan is to launch a series of lighting delves into the tomb during the day with the aim of killing as many redcaps as they can and capturing one or two for interrogation and to serve as bait for traps, thereby keeping them too busy to bother with the children.

Leaving any goblin alive is bad for business.

>>5015849
I don't know man, letting children die if these lads fail leaves a bad taste in my mouth, even if we're retired.

>>5016165
>>The plan is to search for a hidden entrance to the deeper parts of the tomb and avoid battle (and whatever traps the tomb has in store) as much as possible, using smoke and scent to misdirect the goblins while the party makes stealthily for the children.

This, then when the children are safe, we can recommend the farmers eradicate the goblins and get their glory/treasure.

>>5016165
>>5016168 >>5016190 >>5016191 >>5016237 >>5016256

Let me get a roll for the quest--with a +1 for giving them advice and a plan.

>Roll 1d6+1

Rolled 2 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5016325

Rolled 3 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5016325

Rolled 1 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5016325

Rolled 6 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5016165
>>The plan is to take it slow and steady, gather as much information as you can about the ruin with the remaining time, its points of entry, the redcaps within, and, if possible, about the condition of the children. Only after these scouting missions should they assault the tomb proper.
>>The plan is to launch a series of lighting delves into the tomb during the day with the aim of killing as many redcaps as they can and capturing one or two for interrogation and to serve as bait for traps, thereby keeping them too busy to bother with the children.

So long as we manage to actually eradicate the goblins, I'm ok with whatever plan. I'm leery on the stealth mission tho, it can really screw over both the children and farm hands if it fails.

>>5016325
Rolling

Rolled 6 + 1 (1d6 + 1)

>>5016165
>The plan is to search for a hidden entrance to the deeper parts of the tomb and avoid battle (and whatever traps the tomb has in store) as much as possible, using smoke and scent to misdirect the goblins while the party makes stealthily for the children.

>>5016325

>>5016342
>>5016347
Damn, I legitimately wish that we could have waited.

>>5016326
Its a good thing we didn't go along.

>>5016364
I'd rather us take the dagger than the kids, anon.

>>5016165
>>5016168 >>5016190 >>5016191 >>5016237 >>5016256 >>5016325

The plan is to search for a hidden entrance to the deeper parts of the tomb and avoid battle (and face whatever traps the tomb has in store). Smoke and scent misdirect the goblins while the party makes stealthily for the children. You describe some of the common defenses that the ancient tombmakers employed in the hopes that it will help them avoid those traps, but every delve is different. The laws of reason and order which constrain ordinary reality are quickly eroded the deeper one goes, and more than the traps, the terrible monsters, the true danger is madness.

They leave on first light of the second day. Though they do not have any coins to afford the Yosteni wine and though you are running low on it now, you pour each of them a mug and when you toast to their health you cannot help but feel an old ache in your bones and an old deadly fear, and you smile and make merry, as you have smiled and made merry since that terrible day long ago.

That night you can hardly sleep. You sit down on the balcony like a child, with your legs between the balcony posts hanging in the air. Killinger is out too, his sleep is strange and broken in his old age and, as there are two Quarter conies in the pen--diminutive creatures (as far as pack-rabbits go) with fat, floppy ears, he busies himself with their grooming, being so gentle that he does not wake them. Yet he too, you notice, glances occasionally at the slopes beyond, in the direction of the tomb.

They do not return again till the next evening--the children with them, four in all, frightened terribly by the ordeal but none worse for wear. Van Keely's little sister is with them in Van Keely's own arms (himself now in an ancient cuirass), but you count only five men of the eight and none of them will speak of what happened to the others--or speak at all. It is Delver's sickness, which has no cure but time and rest. They stay the night, suffering--you're ashamed to say--from a lack of sufficient bedding and blankets and a sudden cold spell. In the morning you feed them as best you can, ashamed again by the poor fare, and a few days later your promised supplies arrive on a loaded cart.

----

It has now been a few months since you arrived at the manor and business is starting to pick up. With all the money you've saved, it's time to start thinking about some improvements.

>Supplies from the village have no one skilled enough to put them to good use, and much of its potential is being wasted. You need to hire a good cook.

>It is starting to get difficult for the boy and yourself to serve all these new customers (Shankles was, predictably, a disaster) as well as tend to all the other duties. The place could also use a more feminine touch.

>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.

>>5016386
Damn, how many kids went missing before?

>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.
Hypothermia is a cold and insidious killer.

>>5016388
Four. They got all of them out.

>>5016386
>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.

Good beds make repeat customers.

>>5016386
>>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.

Pretty solid idea here.

>>5016386
>Supplies from the village have no one skilled enough to put them to good use, and much of its potential is being wasted. You need to hire a good cook.
>It is starting to get difficult for the boy and yourself to serve all these new customers (Shankles was, predictably, a disaster) as well as tend to all the other duties. The place could also use a more feminine touch.

Time to grab that family.

So many more possibilities for the future.

Barmaid, Housekeeper, Farmhand, Cook, Carpenter, and an Armored Mercenary from a trustworthy company and we'll be set.

>>5016386
>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.

>>5016386
>It is starting to get difficult for the boy and yourself to serve all these new customers (Shankles was, predictably, a disaster) as well as tend to all the other duties. The place could also use a more feminine touch.

>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.

>Supplies from the village have no one skilled enough to put them to good use, and much of its potential is being wasted. You need to hire a good cook.

>>5016386
>As the winter approaches you'll need thicker bedding and warm blankets not only for the customers but for yourself and your employees. Some winter clothing wouldn't hurt either.

This is priority one, for a place purporting to offer rest. As for priority two...

>Supplies from the village have no one skilled enough to put them to good use, and much of its potential is being wasted. You need to hire a good cook.

Ideally a lady if we can; get that feminine touch at the same time!

Diversity hire, here we come

>>5016480
I'll change to this. Its worth multitasking

>>5016480
Yeah, worth multitasking.

>>5016386
Supporting >>5016480