There is ale aplenty. And it’s not hard to find Sir Mayald. The village has taken up a collection for a reward. The total value looks to be worth 2-3 pounds, but little of it is in coin form. It’s more along the lines of grain, a rake, a couple of pigs, a goat, etc.
I accept praises and give blessings in return. I’ll let my more mercenary companions worry about the rewards and the disposal of the chest.
"Well met, Sir Mayald. This is the chest that Tarwald stored the evil dagger in and in which we transported the dagger for its destruction. It was found on your lands in the cave, so it is by all rights yours, or the Earl’s. Forgive my ignorance of the specifics of property law. But, since my companions and I, as travellers, will have little use for grain and livestock, and seeing as your people are giving a significant portion of their necessities away, everyone might be better served if we could take this chest as payment instead. Your people get to keep the resources they need, and my companions and I get a more portable form of payment that will fetch a modest price in one of the larger cities. Do we have an agreement?
“I understand and thank you for your heroic service. I must take the chest, but please accept some coin from me in compensation. I will also take the gifts that have been given you and pay you fair coin value for them. Does three pounds sound fair?”
OOG Note: Three pounds is huge. That’s a common laborer’s wages for three years. That’s a horse. That’s half of a manor house.
“I shall make my decision concerning the prisoner Tarwal shortly. I would like to hear your thoughts on his disposition.”
OOG Note: In other words, it’s up to you guys.
“Understood. And three pounds is more than generous, my Lord. Thank you. And while I do not speak on behalf of my companions, I wonder if it might be possible for me to invest a portion of my share of the reward into establishing a trade outpost here. [Whatever my character would think is a reasonable amount to invest in starting one up.] It would benefit the town in that it will bring them more customers to sell their goods to as well as bring them diverse goods they can use to enhance their production. It will benefit you in that more trade means more tax revenue. And it will benefit my guild and I in the comissions I get from each transaction. We can discuss the details later, since this is a time for celebration and not business, but if you are open to the idea, I’d be willing to take on the lion’s share of the effort and keep you updated on the progress until the route is firmly established.”
It doesn’t appear that Tarwal has done anything particularly heinous. He admits he kidnapped and bound and gagged the child when the child entered the cave, but he did so to prevent the child from being attacked by the lizard creatures and alerting the lizard creatures to the where Tarwal and the child were hiding. So while his actions may have been heavy-handed, he did probably save the boy’s life. He has also been fully open with telling us his side, and Cella has confirmed that he hasn’t lied to us about anything, including the dagger and chest, so I think he should be let go, but with the understanding that it would probably be best for all involved if he didn’t return to this village.
I don’t think he’s a problem, either. He found the thing, he managed to resist it as far as we can tell, and he hasn’t done anything to indicate he’s dangerous.
Brunis mumbles a general agreement to that, nodding.
“Has there been any further difficulty with the lizards from the cave?”
Ingmar will take the time to peddle his toys to the cheering crowds… Just to see if perhaps he can fetch a better price since he is now a hero and all that, no?
“I too think that Tarwal is not a threat but for his own safety he probably should be banned from the village. I also thank my lord for such a kind reward. I do wonder if you might know of a Blacksmith in the region who might be looking for a journeyman to tutor?”
Ingmar does indeed manage to sell some toys. Most are given to Kial.
Problem with the lizards? They’ve never been a problem. Tarwal, Kial, and you guys were the only ones to ever see them, and that was only in the caves.
Brunis mumbles to himself - "That’s half a pound each . . . "
As far as a finding smithy master, the only ones around are in the bigger towns like Tonot and Gardiren. Go to a guild hall and they’ll have plenty of suggestions.
As far as setting up a trade outpost, that’s up to Earl Curo (his property) and the merc’s guild (their monopoly). After what you did here, it should be easy.
Sir Mayald has decided to let Tarwal go, provided he never shows his face here again.
And they all lived happily ever after. The end.
Thanks for running the game tdn!
Yay!
Thanks, tdn.
You’re welcome! Thanks for playing.
The lizard critters are called Vlasta. They aren’t born, they’re created in a very strange pit where the god Ilvir is said to dwell. They consider eyeballs a delicacy. I was going to link a picture, but I couldn’t find one. I googled on “vlasta eaters” and the first hit that came up was interesting. Go ahead and look if you want.
Thanks for running us, tdn.
You’re very welcome.
I was a player in this when it was still being written. It’s not the same at all as it was then. The missing kid was the son of a miner, and the cave was a huge complex out in the wilderness. And there were lots of ghosts.
I ran it just about a year ago with some friends who were in from out of town. I’d been using a printout from a final draft copy that a GM had approved. The “official” copy arrived the same day my friends did.
They dealt with the creatures pretty fast. Slice and dice. They dealt with Tarwal pretty much the same way. And they threw the dagger back into the pond. “But it’s evil!” “What do we care? We’re leaving town anyway.”
Consider eyeballs a delicacy.
You hear that, Ingmar?! Delicacy!
Thanks, tdn.
Yes, thanks tdn. This was fun.
Although every once in awhile, in the back of my mind, I find myself still mulling over ways to get that horse. (Only 2 1/2 pounds to go.)
Once again, thanks to all of you for playing.
Three days later, you get a horse.
Interesting take on letting Tarwal go. Possible listed outcomes were turning him over to the earl to be hanged for kidnapping, or burned at the stake for heresy (possession of the evil dagger). In fact, he did save the boy’s life (although for possibly nefarious reasons) and kept the dagger locked away. I think that the author of this didn’t really think it through.