The Ballad of Waverly Hardwick, Stanza 1

Waverly Hardwick arrives to Ayn Harbor by ship.

Is it morning?

(1) No, and the city streets are nearly abandoned as its night time. Only a few town guard patrol the street with their lanterns as the passengers disembark from the ship.

Waverly steps off the ship into the dock district and looks around. He is exhausted from his journey.

Does he see an inn nearby? (likely, many visitors would come looking for a place to stay)

(3) No, but he sees a sign post pointing to nearby landmarks and services. It points to the nearest inn.

What buildings are at the dock? (roll on Maze Rats Lower Class Buildings)

Mill. There is a river cutting through town that empties out into the sea.

Forge.

Stockyard. Ayn Harbor imports and/or exports livestock.

What is the name of the Inn listed on the sign post? (roll on Maze Rats Inn Names)

Copper Mackerel - They sell cheap mackerel here for only a copper piece. It’s popular with sailors and is the first destination of most visitors arriving by ship.

Waverly walks down toward the Copper Mackerel.

What other buildings does he pass? (roll on Maze Rats Lower Class Buildings)
Gambling Hall.

Fighting Pit.

Candlemaker.

The candlemaker’s shop is closed. The gambling hall and fighting pit are unmarked buildings. Each has a large, burly man with his arms folded across his barrel chest standing outside of each door.

Are other ship's passengers headed to the inn with him at this time? (likely, it's nighttime and their business will likely have to wait until daybreak tomorrow)

(6,6 ) Yes, and Waverly can already tell it’s unlikely any individual rooms will be available. He hopes there is a common room that he can put his bedroll on to sleep for the evening.

Intervention Level: 2

Do any of the ship's passengers go into the gambling hall and fighting pit? 

(1) No, and some of them seem to quicken their pace as they come across these mysterious but obviously seedy buildings. Waverly follows suit. Soon, he and the others outside the Copper Mackerel.

What is the inn like? (donjon and Kassoon Random Inn Generator)

Description: The inn is a two-story half-timbered building, with a large cellar. Accommodations consist of several small rooms with wooden cots. The common room contains curtains draped over the walls and shelves filled with random kooky crap. Kooky crap is nautical and fish themed.

Waverly looks around at the common room. Is there an empty table in the place? (unlikely, nearly all of the passengers from the ship have come to the inn with Waverly)

(4, 4) Yes, but there are so many new arrivals alongside Waverly from the recently arrived ship that they won't remain so.

Waverly finds an empty table and looks around the tavern for a moment.

Is everything as expected? (roll d6 for yes or no)

(1) No (roll d10 on TWENE table) 

(8) Remove Major Element

There is no one behind the counter to take food or drink orders or rent out rooms.

Does anyone at the counter or at a table have food or drink?

(1) No, and Waverly can overhear several of them complaining of hunger and exhaustion.

Waverly is exhausted as well. He would like to find a place to sleep for the night. He has travel rations in his inventory to eat if need be.

Does anyone sit down at his table?

(1) No, and a number of patrons are getting up from their own tables.

Do any patrons try to open the door behind the counter?

(6) Yes, and it’s unlocked.

INTERVENTION LEVEL: 3 (roll on Intervention Table)

(1) New Entity

(Kassoon Random NPC Generator and Knave Character Generator)
William Bradford
Description: Wears clothes in the local fashion, and has cryptic speech. Has a sinewy physique, a ratlike face, sallow skin and long hair. Is honorable, but arrogant. Has been mutilated in the past. Favors chaos.
Personality: He likes to brag about his accomplishments and constantly tries to beat others to the punch. Energy wise he seems alert and responsive.
History: He was born into a rich family. His father was a soldier and died while he was still young. William was left his father's suit of armor and trained in its use and care. He spent several years traveling with his friend, before both settled down to enjoy the fruits of their adventures.
Motivation: He is compelled to act according to his religious beliefs. And he desires power and/or immortality.

Is William the owner of the inn?

(6) Yes, and... (unsure what the 'and' might be, so I generate a random phrase using watchout4snakes)

implacable stratagem

William is in his office pouring over paperwork sprawled out on his desk. There are maps of the city plastered all over his walls with different colored pins marking various locations. He leaps up in surprise and quickly gathers up the paperwork into a bundle and holds it up to his chest. Unbeknownst to those that walked in on him, William is linked to one of the factions in Ayn Harbor that is openly struggling for power.

INTERVENTION LEVEL: 1

What does he say to the patrons that broke into his office? (watchout4snakes phrase)

atheistic municipality

“You heathen outlanders have no respect! Don’t you folks knock back where you’re from?”

Do the patrons apologize for disturbing him?

(5) Yes.

“We are sorry, sir. We just arrived to town and are in need of food, drink, and a place to rest.”

Does William calm down?

(5) Yes.

“Of course. My apologies. I wasn’t expecting a ship to come in at this hour. Thought I’d get some work done before turning in for the night.”

Was the ship Waverly arrived on expected at Ayn Harbor?

(4) Yes, but it made good time due to fair weather the whole way across the sea. William was expecting it tomorrow morning.

William comes out of his office and closes the door and locks it behind him before turning around to his guests. Waverly gets up from his seat at the table and tries to get to the counter where the innkeeper is dealing with his other guests.

Does Waverly have to wait long before getting to the counter?

(3) No, but by the time he gets up there he learns there are no more rooms available for the evening.

“I’m sorry, young man. I just gave away the last available rooms to the gentlemen in front of you.”

He then turns to the crowd behind Waverly and addresses them all.

"I'm sorry, folks! I am all out of rooms for the evening. Please, stay for a drink on the house for the inconvenience."

Do any of the passengers take William up on that offer?

(2) No. They immediately turn and leave the inn. Waverly does not turn to leave and nods to the innkeeper.

“I’ve brought a bedroll. Is there anywhere else I can sleep for the evening? A cellar or stable perhaps?”

Will William offer a space to Waverly to sleep?

(3) No, but he offers him directions to where he can find a place to sleep.

“I’m sorry, the Copper Mackerel doesn't have a stable. And the cellar is so damp and cold, I couldn’t call you my guest if I let you sleep down there. You will have to find another place in town to stay. Ayn Harbor has several inns. Is this your first time visiting? What sort of place are you looking for?”

“Some place cheap. I don’t need a bed. Just a roof over my head. Any inns you know of that fit that description?”

“Ah, yes. You’d be looking for the Prince and Lion. Don’t let the name fool you. Their accommodations aren’t fit for a prince’s coachman. But it should suit anyone looking to save a bit of coin.”

“Can you tell me where it is?” (Kassoon)

“Head North from here until you can’t go any further. It’s near the town gate down Prince Avenue off the Old King’s Road. Can I get you something to eat or drink before you head out? Drink's on the house.”

“No thank you. I ought to head out before they run out of rooms. Before I go, maybe you could help me. I’m looking for someone. An older man came into town about a month ago by ship. Maybe he stopped here? Norman Graeme?”

Does William recognize the name? (unlikely)

(3) No, but he claims to remember faces.

“Sorry, I’m not good with names. Never forget a face though. If he stayed here, I’d remember. What does this Graeme look like?”

What does Norman Graeme look like? (roll on Maze Rats and Knave tables)

“He’s an old man, but has a chiseled body you’d expect to find on an athlete. Stern blue eyes. A broken nose. Tanned skin. Short, curly gray hair. If he wasn’t dressed in armor, he was probably wearing an out-of-fashion rumpled outfit in the fashion of the South.”

Does William claim to recognize Norman?

(5) Yes.

Did he get a room when he arrived?

(1) No, and he didn’t get a meal or drink either.

What was he doing there then? (watchout4snakes)

mated loaning

He came seeking out a particular couple who had something to give to him.

Is the couple married?

(4) Yes, but they don't love each other and both are involved in extramarital affairs.

Are they residents of Ayn Harbor?

(5) Yes. (roll names on Maze Rats Upper Class Names Table)

Fitzhugh and Elsbeth Erelong.

Does William know what business they had with Norman?

(1) No, and he hasn’t seen the couple or Norman since then.

Were they lending him money?

(2) No.

What were they giving him? (watchout4snakes)

praising sprig

A plant that is used in some religious worship ritual.

What kind of plant is it? (roll on Maze Rats Plants Table)

Hemlock

Does William know what hemlock looks like?

(4) Yes, but he wasn’t paying enough attention to know what kind of plant it was.

Would William recognize the plant as being religious in nature?

(2) No. It's not a local religion and Norman views anyone outside of his faith as being an atheist and is not familiar with any of their customs.

Is it from a religion from Waverly's homeland? (likely)

(1, 1) No, and it's not a religion that Waverly is familiar with either.

“Yeah, he came in here. Sat down. I greeted him and asked if he would have something to eat or drink. He told me he would look over the menu and let me know. Before I came back to take his order, the Erelongs were sitting down with him.”

“Who are they?” (roll on Maze Rats reputation table)
Weirdo

“Strange couple, if you ask me.”

Why are they strange? (watchout4snakes)

bestial leveraging

“They are about as noble as noble families get in Ayn Harbor. But despite their standing, it wasn’t an uncommon sight to see them dragging livestock through the streets down to the stockyard. That type of thing is beneath people of their class. Pretty funny to see them in their clean clothes of the latest fashions dragging asses and bovine by their leads. I never asked them what they were doing. I've heard from guests it had to do with money.”

Is it unusual that William hasn’t seen them in the past month?

(6) Yes, and he gets a worried expression on his face.

INTERVENTION LEVEL: 2

“Strange I haven’t bumped into them. Their coming and going to the stockyard was such a common sight for so long. One day they just stopped. I wonder if whatever scheme they were involved in got them the money they needed to get out of town?”

Does William believe that is the case?

(4) Yes, but he still has lingering concerns that something bad could have happened to them. Ayn Harbor is far from a safe town to live in.

“What business did they have with Norman?”

“I’m not sure. I remember they sat down at the old man's table. The Erelongs didn’t order anything to eat or drink either. They had a satchel with them. They took out some sort of plant. A weed. I don’t know, I wasn’t really paying attention. They handed it to the old man though.”

“What else can you tell me?”

Does William share anything else?

(5) Yes.

What else does he have to say? (watchout4snakes)

intransitive displacement

Norman took the plant without touching it.

“Not much. It was kind of funny though. The Erelongs took out the plant and held it out to the old man. He didn’t grab it though. He took out a glass jar and had them drop it in before putting on the lid and putting it away. I came to take their order, but the old man said he had sudden business to attend to and had to leave. Haven’t seen him since.”

Did Norman ever show any interest in botany or horticulture to Waverly? (unlikely)

(1) No, and just as Norman scoffed at Waverly’s interest in music, he had scoffed at his brother’s interest in collecting and cataloguing the plants of their homeland. Norman thought the arts and study of nature to be a waste of time for a true warrior.

Can Waverly deduce the plant as being toxic from William's description of Norman's acquisition of the Hemlock? (roll Intelligence Save 15)

(13+1=14) Fail. Waverly doesn't dwell on the innkeeper's account long and just wants to sleep.

“Thank you for your time.”

Waverly leaves the inn and goes out into the street. He is not sure where exactly King’s Road or Prince Avenue are, but follows the innkeeper's advice and heads north away from the sea toward the town gate.

Plots

• Make up with friends by earning back the money we were defrauded of
• Find mentor to help find paying adventuring jobs
• Get payback on the defrauder if ever met again
• Find the Prince and Lion Inn

 Entities

• Friends
• Brothers
• Norman Graeme (mentor)
• Defrauder
• William Bradford (owner of the Copper Mackerel, in league with rebel faction)
• Fitzhugh and Elsbeth Erelong (residents of Ayn Harbor, met with Norman a month ago)