Day 3 - 5: Flamerule 8th-10th
Bremen
You start out from Bryn Shander first thing in the morning. The walk to Targos is mostly uneventful, apart from a flying snake that darts by overhead moving in the opposite direction. You reach Targos in about an hour.
As you spy it from on top a hill, Targos resembles a simpler, cruder version of Bryn Shander. It too is surrounded by wall, but it consists of log palisades instead of the more elaborate construction surrounding the bigger city. You're expecting to be thoroughly questioned before allowed entry, but instead there is only one guard at the sole, half-open gate.
He extends his open hand and recites, "Wecome to Targos, the grandest city in the North. Non-resident entry is five silver."
The price is a bit steep for your current financial situation, and you decide to continue on to Bremen. Targos can wait for another day.
Bremen has been your destination since Teresea Shane whispered to Elva that Ditte Bang lived there. Ditte was a member of the ill-fated party thirty years ago that Elva played a part in saving. She is the only other member of that party, outside the Shanes, who still lives in the Ten Towns. With Ditte's help, perhaps you can afford to lay low a bit longer before returning to Good Mead.
Now at last you come to Bremen—but it is not the warm sight you had hoped for. The occasional torch or lantern lights a huddle of cabins. You notice every building here is built on pilings, lofting them three to five feet in the air. Sandbags are piled throughout town. The town of Bremen sits sleepily on the west bank of Maer Dualdon, at the mouth of the Shaengarne River. It's made more dreary by the dull ice fog that has settled there. You are struck by the sense that you’ve left Ten-Towns, even though the lights of other towns are visible from the town’s docks. The Shaengarne is like a road, slowly bending its way south and west, away from the mountain and Icewind Dale.
Entering from the south, along the river, you notice two businesses along the narrow street bordering the river. The Buried Treasure is an inn, and a couple of buildings to the east, you find Ewin's Trinkets.
Ewin's Trinkets
The small shop is cluttered with a miscellany of objects. Some look as if they might have value to the right person, and others look like the kind of trash a child would stuff in her pockets to keep it from being thrown away.
From behind a shelf, a halfling pokes out his head, "I'm Ewin, let me know if I can help you find anything. Also, nothing has a price listed, so just ask."
...
"Ditte? She comes here from time to time. Can’t say if she does more selling or buying. She’s always on the lookout for something to fit her newest contraption. Can’t say I’ve seen her in a while though, probably at least a tendday. I can tell you where she lives though.”
Ewin Lif
Numchucku feels Ewin is hiding something. After Ewin realizes who Elva is, he feels comes clean. Right before you entered the store, he realized he had been robbed. As you're strangers to him, he wasn't sure if you were the thieves. The only thing taken that he's noticed, were his black ice artifacts kept in a lead case. He doesn't know when they were taken, as he hasn't checked on the case in months.
You recall the conversation you overheard in the Hooked Knucklhead in Bryn Shander, and wonder if "the cargo" was stolen black ice.
Eventually, Ewin realizes he's better off without the contraband and doesn't want you to try to get it back.
Town Speaker, Dorbulgruf Shalescar
and his assistant, Alistair Noomworthy
The Home of Ditte Bang and Town Hall
Knocking, you hear no response. Wanting to investigate but cautious of appearing to break in, you take the short walk to Town Hall. Before you're able to enter, out from the townhall shambles a dwarf of venerable age. His many years are worn on his weathered face, which is exposed to the cold; the dwarf seems to have forgotten his hood exists. Sighting Numchcuku, the dwarf shouts, "Dugal! My old pal! How the hell are ya?"
Numchucku does his best to play along. "Good! Good! How are you!"
Behind the dwarf, an annoyed human informs him, "Mr. Speaker, you don't know this man."
Then, he addresses you as though he has far, far better things to be doing, "This is the town speaker, Doblegruf Shalescar and I, his assistant, Alistair Noomworthy. And you are? And what is it we can do for you exactly?"
You introduce yourselves and explain the situation; that you are here to visit Ditte but there was no response when you knocked. You'd like them to investigate.
Noomworthy informs you, "You are looking at the town government, in its entirety. We do not have constables for this sort of thing. You can investigate this manner further on your own, but do it quickly and do not take anything. This town looks out for one another, and we will be watching."
Back at Ditte's, the door seems locked, but upon closer investigation, you realize it is unlocked but stuck and will open if pushed hard enough. Inside, two tables are covered with an assortment of gears, pulleys and small metal contraptions. Diagrams are drawn in chalk on a large slate that leans against the wall.
Looking around you find thirteen gold coins behind a loose stone in the hearth, which you leave in place. Winter clothing is found in her foot locker.
The bed is unmade, several blankets lay on the floor. An unlit lamp is overturned on the side table, whale oil covers the table and pools on the floor (a scent easily recognizable to Noom). He finds threads of hemp stuck under slivers of floorboard in three locations, marking a line from near the bed to the front door.
Now confident Ditte has been abducted, you return to city hall and lodge your concerns with Noomworthy. He hastily jots down your details, but you leave unconvinced he will (or can) do anything about it.
Darby Snide recalling the strange footprints outside his tavern.
The Knuckleheader
Heading toward the waterfront, you spot an inn which bears a finely-crafted exterior, a classier appearance seemingly out of place in the rough and tumble town. The windows and door, however, are boarded up. A sign in Dwarvish and Common reads “Closed for the winter.” On the Common portion, someone has crudely carved “long, long, long” above the word “winter”.
As you near, a dwarf rounds the corner, he’s carrying various construction tools and supplies, as well as a look of suspicion. He asks, “All closed up. Can I help you?”
He introduces himself as Darby, the owner. You notice he's staring at your feet.
"Hmm, seem a bit big. Ya don’t spend any time walking around invisible, do ya?”
He informs you about a curious incident that happened on Midsummer.
“It was a full moon that night. I could see better than I can with a lantern. These footsteps appeared one by one, not twenty feet from where I was standing. I was too terrified to follow. Most everybody else was at the five center that night, or on the docks freezing their asses off trying to celebrate another midsummer that ain’t. We keep up on that, even though…well you know. I had my fill early, you know 150 years in the tavern business and that will happen. I stopped by here on the way home to check on things, that’s when I saw it. I told Ditte about the footprints. She asked how much drinking I did, I told her ‘the usual. That was the last time I saw here, would have been the first of Flamerule.”
Dock and Fish Houses
Beyond the Knuckleheader, you find the dock and fish houses. The dilapidated warehouses show signs of repeated, slapdash repair over the decades, perhaps centuries. An elaborate crane with a system of weights and gears appears to be a lift for boats or perhaps the biggest fish to come out of the lake.
The lake around the creaky docks is frozen, forcing fishers to pull their rowboats up onto the ice and heave them toward shore. Standing on the ice between a pair of boats is a stout humanoid in cold weather clothing. A gray stocking cap hides most of his face, but you can make out a wide nose and a long, frosty beard. The stout figure stamps their feet, spots you, and waves you over.
“Good, you’re here. Get to it, ingrates! Those fish ain’t gonna catch themselves!”
He seems to have mistaken you for someone else, but you're not in a position to turn down work. He offers one copper for every five pounds of knucklehead trout you can catch. Before you have a chance to load the rowboat, you hear footsteps approaching on the creaky dock. Another figure covered head to toe in cold weather clothing has joined you. The figure wags a gloved finger at the frosty-bearded dwarf.
“You have no honor, Berylbore!” the newcomer yells, pulling down a woolen muffler. “You’re sending these innocent people to their deaths. And for what, a few fish?”
“Pay no mind to this rambling fool!” says Grynsk.
“Did you tell them about the monster?” she retorts.
Grynsk curses her in Dwarvish before turning to the characters and yelling, “Get to work!”
He then stomps away out of earshot, not eager to hear what she might have to say but still interested in keeping an eye on his boats.
Grynsk Berylbore
Dannika Greysteel
After Grynsk leaves the area, Dannika approaches you.
“I’m getting the feeling Grynsk doesn’t like me very much. Or anyone who steps between him and the gold swimming in this lake. I’m Dannika. Among other things, I’m studying the local animal life here in the Dale. I just couldn’t stay silent and watch another crew fall victim to the creature of Maer Dualdon.”
You learn she in an Acolyte of the Dawnbringer. You recall Mithann, the priest in Bryn Shander mentioning her. The town recently requested help from the House of the Morninglord, and the temple sent her to assist.
Weighing risk and rewards, you decide to try fishing anyway. In the first hour, Numchucku lands a 60-pounder. The second hour brings very different results. You spot a giant creature, over twenty feet long dash beneath the boat. Numchucku recognizes it: A giant barracuda -- the largest he's ever seen. It disappears from sight then, "WHAM!" A head-on charge from underneath damages the boat and nearly sends you into the water. It makes another pass and Numchucku sends his spear into it. It turns and attacks again. This time, the boat springs a leak and begins to take on water. You decide, wisely, to return to shore.
Grynsk is unhappy with the damage to the boat and tries to charge you for the damage before the sight of Numchucku's forearms change his mind. He pays up. Six copper, not much considering you easily could have ended up dead.
Dannika is eager to talk as you walk off the dock.
"Did you get a good look at it? What was it?"
Numchucku's catch
Noom informs her it was a giant barracuda, and as a lifelong fisherman, he is certain.
She is thankful for the information and hands you a small purse with five gold coins and offers you a scroll.
"I hope this can help you. Are you in town for a while? Staying at the Treasure?... Well, I might have more work for you but I need to check on a few things. I'll meet you there tonight.
The Five Taverns owners in a rare moment of truce. Duff Kilm, Stones; Jalurn Bhiln, Grumpy Moose; Vek Bristlehead, Even Keel; Vorumul Marftid, Bearded Brother; Halak, The River's Mouth
Five Taverns Center
With time to spare, you wade deeper into town. You find yourself in a riot of signs and posters. Each notice is from a tavern claiming to have better prices, quality, service or warmth than its competitors. The messages start off curt or cheerful but soon delve into slander, the worst one claiming that a tavern called Even Keel brews its ale from yeti urine.
You select one to start, The River's Mouth.
A dwarf approaches you, seemingly indifferent, and says “Ale, I presume.”
He introduces himself as Halak.
"It would bequeath you to know who I am. The name is Halak, and I am the propagator of this embellishment. If you are for-hire, I have a job that requires your most egregious discreetion."
Halak goes on to explain that he wants you to steal back two kegs of ale, taken by Duff Kilm of the tavern Stones. You agree to think it over, needing to learn more.
While talking to one of the few customers in the bar, you learn about the history of these five taverns. As the story goes, five brothers originally intended to build a tavern together, but each had assumed he would be the one to run the business. Since none of the brothers would work for the others, each built his own tavern, and they all compete for customers.
The current owners are not brothers but they have kept alive the contentious and quarrelsome relationship. The taverns are now better known for the fights that take place outside of them, then anything served inside.
The customer telling you this seems all the while infatuated with his dagger; sheathing and unsheathing, spinning it, and tossing it lightly from hand to hand to feel the balance. Elva inquires about it, as it has an unusual look: a dull, dark grey steel that barely reflects light. The owner gushes about it -- the feel, the weight, and the price (that wasn't that expensive compared to what was expected). He got it from a blacksmith in Targos, named Grændel Granitefist. Elva holds in her hand and notes it does indeed feel well-made. A sensation washes over her -- the temptation to not return it and keep it for herself. In the end she returns it to its owner.
"He always made good stuff, but it always took a long time. Now, he's fully stocked and working day and night to make these. He's got blades of all sorts. It's a special alloy he's calling Graendellium."
Before leaving, you ask Halak about Ditte.
"Deeta who? If she hasn’t visitated this embellishment, I’m afraid…but also probably better off… that I do not know her. All my hours are, as they say, consommé by my responsitudeness to my business concern. It is seldom appreciated by those such as yourselves, how much work goes into the fiducal uptick of a so-owned business."
The "Graendellium" blade
You head to Stones to make inquiries. The tavern is furnished in the simplest manner possible. Cracked mugs cover broken and hastily repaired tables. As you enter, the owner, Duff, hands you each a dark ale. You notice customers watching you intently, trying to hide their smirks.
"Welcome!" Duff says. "On the house!"
As Elva tips it back, a stone slides down the glass and hits her in the teeth. The few customers break into laughter. It is apparent there is not much to do in this town.
Elva inquires about the two kegs of beer, and Duff ascertains quickly that Halak sent you.
"Yes, I stole two kegs of beer. Two kegs of beer he's owed me for several years. Look, Halak is still playing his petty games, but the truth is there is something you can do for us, all of us."
He explains there was someone who made inquiries with all five owners a month ago about buying all of them out, but she grew tired of their prideful hemming and hawing and left town. In the tenndays since, all five owners have come around on the offer and regret possibly missing their opportunity. If you could find her, and tell her the owners agree now they want to sell, it would be worth a lot more than whatever Halak offered you. Last he heard, the woman, Finna Bristlehead, was in Lonelywood.
Asking about Ditte, Duff directs you to Jahlurn, the owner of the Grumpy Moose.
As you enter, the Grumpy Moose you realize this tavern is connected to the bar next door, The Bearded Brother, through a common wall. The two different-looking adjacent buildings with separate tavern signs and entrances lead into a joint common room.
You find Jahlurn who tells you, “Well, funny you should ask. I’m not one to kiss and tell, but, well, you know how things are in small towns. Everybody knows everybody - and if you’re not married, or in a few cases even if you are - everybody does everybody. Ditte and I, well, we’ve been intimate on a few occasions. For an old lady she’s got boundless energy. Last time we did a bit of noodling was midsummer’s night, after the revelry. No wait… I came back for seconds in the morning on the first, no, would have been the second. On the first, I was too hungover to do what we did. So you know, if you make a joke about 'Banging Ditta Bang', you won’t be the first. And you won’t be the first to regret it neither.”
Buried Treasures
It's surprising that this desolate town even has an inn, but here it is. A well-lit sign outside the entrance reads, “Buried Treasures, a fine inn. Panners and treasure hunters welcome!"
As you enter, you notice dozens of objects decorating the common room -- shards of pottery, driftwood carvings, rusty knives -- nick-knacks bordering on junk. A single gold nugget sits in a glass case on the desk of the innkeeper, who introduces herself.
"Welcome to Bremen. Room for the night?"
Cora Mulphoon seems to delight in having guests and immediately offers you some fish soup from the hearth. She introduces her teenage son Huarwar who seems just as cheerful as his mother, ”He will show you to your room… When you’re ready.” Cora adds,” Absolutely no hurry.”
You make your inquiry, now routine.
“Ditte? Yes, wonderful woman. Last time I saw her? Probably midsummer celebration, town center. You know, people leave town all the time here. On to Bryn Shander to get away for awhile, maybe to Targos to pick up supplies. I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure she'll be back."
As you're talking around the hearth, Dannika enters.
"You know, if you’re looking to stay in Bremen for a few more days, I have another request. It doesn’t pay you much - a gold a day, and that’s for the both of you, not each. Sorry. But you’ll have a place to stay, and breakfast and dinner. In fact, it’s the nicest place in town, no offence Cora. Quite a view. You remember that mansion you saw on the hill? That's the speaker's house."
Dannika asks you to keep an eye on the Speaker while she is away conducting research, for five to ten days. It is especially important he not wander off, as there has been a wolf pack prowling around recently, with increasing numbers of sightings and attacks. During the day, Shalescar is occupied with his assistant, conducting speaker business, so you're simply asked to be available in the evenings.
Accepting the job, Dannika informs you she'll meet you at the mansion at the seven bell tomorrow morning.
Cora informs you Bremen is known for the treasures and trinkets which get washed upon its riverbanks after the early summer’s seasonal floods. The endless winter froze the water and brought an abrupt halt to this. But there are still valuables to be found beneath the ice. She even has pickaxes to loan you if you’d like to give it a try. It would be something to do during the day. The next morning, you take the borrowed pickaxes with you, along with the rest of your gear to the speaker's mansion.
Cora Mulphoon, owner
The Speaker's Mansion
Noomsworthy waits for you on the stairs. You realize Dannika has already left.
"I assume Greysteel informed you of the conditions. I am not particularly pleased she’s already passed off her responsibilities… and passed them on to complete strangers to town, no less. Mulphoon gives you a recommendation as generally trustworthy and it seems your reputation as some sort of hero in Good Mead precedes you, which is why I haven’t yet overridden this decision. But be warned: I will be checking in, often and unannounced. If you are not here during the agreed-upon hours, or if I get the impression anything is amiss… Anyway, anything of value has long ago been removed from the premises for safekeeping. So I don’t suppose there’s too much damage you can do. You will meet me here everyday at Lastride bell until Greysteel’s return. You will have the speaker dressed… I should add, in normal clothes, and ready for me to escort him to town hall by Seven bells.
Dawn bell is the first bell of the day so don’t sleep through it. You will make sure he is fed dinner and breakfast, that the doors remain locked at all times, and that he stays inside until morning. You will not remain in the manor while the speaker is not present, find something else to do for a bit. It’s not a complicated assignment, so don’t go looking for ways to mess it up. Oh, it should go without saying, however in this town, it doesn’t go without saying, so I’ll say it: Remain alert…and sober at all times. If I hear you’ve been lingering in the five taverns all day, this arrangement ends."
"One more thing: You may hear a good amount of town business while in his company, and whether it’s true or a fanciful story made up as a result of his… condition, you are to ignore it. Put these stories out of your mind long enough to take them with you when you leave town, which I assume will be after this arrangement. There is enough gossip and mindless speculation in this town without you adding to it.. Lastride tonight. Don’t be late.”
Noomsworthy gives you a quick tour of the home, including several bedrooms, a large social room, dining room, and kitchen. He shows you the drybox outside the kitchen packed with fish. You should have plenty of food.
You spend the day treasure hunting along the shore, as Cora instructed, and have some luck. Elva finds an ancient arrow. Numchucku finds a platinum coin, at least a hundred years old. Marked with a palm tree on one side and the profile of an unknown statesman on the other, you identify it as most likely as traveling here all the way from Amn.
Meeting back at the mansion, you greet the speaker and head inside. He is surprisingly quiet and consistently confused. He refers to Numchuku as "Dugan" and Elva as "Larissa". The latter, you've learned, was his caretaker who recently passed, necessitating the call for help answered by Dannika.
At Dinner, he asks for your names again and if you intend on killing him. He seems satisfied with your answers. Afterwards, he informs you his "idiot brother", Fildreg, lives in a cave somewhere outside Bryn Shander. He is a great inventor and tinkerer.
"He gave me this, you know. Invented it himself."
He smiles and pats grapefruit-sized bronze orb, covered in gears.
“I hid it from Doom-worthy when he was taking away all of my goodies. Would you like to see what it does? To the kitchen, then. Stand back. No stand… back. Against the wall, no not there. Not in front of… Wait a bit…”
He whispers something to the orb and sets it on the table. It begins humming, the gears whir into action. Pots, pans, knives start vibrating. All at once, everything metal in the kitchen flies to orb, remain in place for a few seconds, then clatter to the table and floor.
“...And that was on the lowest setting.”
Dobulgruf's orb
Treasure hunting on the shores of Maer Dualdon
The following day, you try your luck at treasure hunting again. Elva finds small shard of black ice and places it in her cast iron pot. Numchuku finds an older piece of scrimshaw, still in good shape.
You decide to vist Ewin's again, selling your finds, except for the platinum coin and the black ice which he now wants nothing to do with.
"I realized whoever took that, did me a favor."
Returning to the mansion that evening, your routine is repeated.
Once again mistaking Elva for Larissa, Dobulgruf asks, “Larissa, what do you suppose someone would do with a dwarf hand? Are they worth something? I imagine they’d make about the worst selection for eating, if someone is actually that dire. Why kill the dwarf, leave everything, but take the hand - and only one of them?
You learn he's referring to something that happened in or near Lonelywood.
Later that night, Dobulgruf tells you the story of the creation of black ice. You learn:
More than a hundred years ago, a wizard erected a great crystal tower in Icewind Dale. When this tower was destroyed, it's material was sent far and wide throughout the Dale. The magic used to create it fused with the surrounding ice to form what is now known as black ice: a crystalline substance as strong as metal, though considerably easier to work with than steel. Prolonged contact with black ice can warp a creature's mind, causing madness that usually fades away once the contact is broken.
Elva asks what else there is to do in town. Dobulgruf informs you that you could visit a temple, about three miles away.
"You know that temple out in the hills? The storm god one? No? Well perhaps you could go take a look at it for me during the day. The ladies tell me something funny is going on out there. Fume-worthy can draw up a map for you. "
