Ashton Oaks is a large village on the cusp of being a town. There are a small handful of commercial enterprises that are established including a tavern and inn, a metalsmith and a general store. The village is located in the heart of Ancient Oaks Forest and due to its location, most travelers would expect it to be a sleepy little village. That couldn't be further from the truth. The village is filled with a curiously high number of travelers for such a small settlement.

Our party takes in the sights and sounds of Ashton Oaks, as they stroll down the main road through town. There are people on the streets, one of whom takes notice of you and introduces herself as Azura. She welcomes you to Ashton Oaks. Over her introduction you can hear the boisterous voices of revelry coming from the tavern just a hundred feet away. She encourages you to visit The Copper Pot.

You walk through the open door to this establishment and are immediately assailed by the sounds of raucous singing and mugs clattering. Inside, several pockets of travellers sit on long benches around equally long tables sodden with the spilled ales of many a night’s celebration. You make your way to the bar where you meet Joanie.

 

"What can I get for you gentlemen?" she says. As you delicately explain your situation of great conquest but meager means, she gives you two options:

1. Wash dishes in the kitchen with Donnie

2. Talk to Sidi, to pick up an odd job in town

At the end of the bar sits a man like none you've seen before. Sidi Limehouse is at the bar speaking to a patron. He is a unique character, barefoot with dry dirt on his feet and under his fingernails. He looks worn and well-versed in a life of hard labor. His appearance portrays a day laborer, but his countenance exudes influence and power. 

 

 

 

 

As you assess the scope of the project, you notice a crate and decide to open it. Inside you find some curiously helpful items:

• a pet mouse

• a block of cheese (+1 HP 1x/day)

• a guide to small woodland creatures

• a survival pocket knife (+1 survival)

• a self-healing rope (50 ft.)

After divvying up these items you set out to repair the fence. Aquilan, curious of the surrounding landscape decides to check the perimeter, initiating an encounter with a goblin and a wolf.

This encounter is no trivial matter. It takes multiple rounds and fast thinking from all members of the party. Barbelle's natural inclination is to save the wolf and free him from his captor. The wolf with glowing red eyes seems possessed and establishes its intentions of spite and malice with a ferocious bite that barely misses our dwarf druid. The only way through is by destruction of the enemy and this is precisely how our party responds. Vicious blows from Rex's morningstar and scimitar bring the confrontation to a bloody climax. Moments later a dead goblin and lifeless wolf lay on the ground having paid the ultimate price for their aggression against a band of adventurers now quite adept at dispatching goblins. As the party loots the goblin, Aquilan seizes the moment to grab a talisman. One wolf's paw becomes Aquilan's neck adornment. A sign to would-be enemies that this clan is no stranger to conflict.

 

You are somewhat surprised to find a young blue lizard-like dragon born laboring over a pile of dirty pots, pans, dishes and mugs. His body language tells you it has been a long arduous evening with no end in sight. You announce your intentions to help and he gladly obliges to pass out scrub cloths and general directions. As the minutes pass and the pile is reduced, Aquilan glances around the kitchen and notices a heavy rug on the floor. Suspecting something worth a closer look he stealthily steps away from the dishes to investigate further. Sure enough Aquilan discovers what looks to be like a secret hatch underneath the rug. With a portion of the hatch revealed, Donnie instantaneously spins around and yells at Aquilan, "What are you doing?" Scrambling for an out, Aquilan quickly kicks the rug back concealing the hatch once again. "I was just uh..."

"How dare you!" says Donnie, "You come in here pretending to help only to snoop around." Barbelle interjects some condescending quips towards Donnie and quickly escalates the tension. Unwilling to tangle with three strangers, Donnie cracks open the kitchen door and attempts to urgently and discreetly call Sidi for help. After three attempts Sidi barges in, discovers your party's misstep and due to your lack of contrition a scuffle ensues. Sidi makes quick work of the dwarf and as Barbelle crumbles to the kitchen floor, Rex pivots to a more diplomatic approach. Rex infers there is an indirect father-son relationship between Sidi and Donnie. It is evident that Sidi is extremely protective of this young dragon-born teen. This impression guides Rex & Aquilan as they assure Sidi, they mean no harm. Tempers calm enough to allow an extremely terse conversation to unfold. Although Sidi is obviously displeased with your invasion of privacy he holds to his word and pays you for the dishes and gives you a key to your room for the evening. He also reaches in his pocket not revealing what he might have retrieved and bends down to touch Barbelle and restores him to consciousness.

Too tired to think after days of travel, multiple encounters with goblins, a wolf and the discombobulation caused by your interactions with Donnie & Sidi, your party goes to rest for the evening in a room at The Copper Pot.

End Session 1.