We return to our heroes immediately after the viceroy, Dimir, leaves their room. They discuss if they should do something about the Earl of Falxmed, and decide that they must. Paranoid about being watched, they look for sources of magic and find only the party's magical items—including a whistle that Kodrak picked up in Thyrre.
Raehendra and Sentie leave to buy Raehendra a dress. The others examine and experiment with the whistle, eventually blowing it and releasing a "frog jinn", Rana. She isn't much help to them, as she can only grant wishes to frogs. Rana begs not to be put back in the whistle and they free her.
The party splits up again, with Kodrak and Renn visiting a working-class bar (the Curious Crow), Raehendra and Sentie visiting a moderately well-to-do bar (the White Chariot), and Barclay searching for a local thieves' guild.
Barclay finds Vare, a Sanaj (tiefling)-run guild friendly with Whitsleaf and speaks with their liaison officer, Tyesca. She warns him that Falxmed has gradually descended into authoritarianism under the rule of Earl Vict Falkor. It only got worse after a "blood witch", Shammura, arrived and became the governess to his three children. The city is teetering on the edge after the guard kidnapped and murdered several townspeople, supposedly for being involved in the attempted assassination of Dimir. Kidnapping seems to be a feature of the Earl's rule, unfortunately.
Raehendra and Sentie visit the White Chariot and speak with its proprietor, Vencek. Raehendra examines the tavern's artwork, a veritable history of Falxmed:
Paintings in the main room:
- Earl Nathye Falkor and Kater Falkor, First Lord and Lady of the Falconmarch [painted in later style]
- Miela Falkor, Lady Falconmarch [painted in later style]
- Earl Kyril Falkor, Third Lord of the Falconmarch [painted in a much earlier style, and perhaps 500 years old]
- [and so on]
- More paintings of earls, sometimes interspersed with stewards (viceroys and chancellors).
- [Most of the artwork features falcon motifs, but this changes to wolf motifs in the most recent several generations. At this point, Raehendra notices that the tavern is mostly wolf-themed, but all of these pieces appear newer.]
- [more paintings]
- Earl Beris Falkor and Olig Falkor, Twenty-Second Lord and Lady of Falxmed; their child, Vict; Vict's governess, Elena Tesar [Raehendra confirms that Elena Tesar was her own governess.]
- Earl Vict Falkor and Tomil Falkor, Twenty-Third Lord and Lady of Falxmed; their children Vseve, Yaro, and Casim; their governess, Shammura
Paintings in the parlor:
- Kajh Falkor and Jehan Falkor, Second Lord and Lady of the Falconmarch; their sons, Kyril and Miros [a painting removed from the main room]
- Miela Falkor and R. of P., Lady Falconmarch and Court Astronomer [a painting removed from the main room]
- Several other Earls who had fallen out of favor
- This room also features all sorts of falcon-themed wood and stonework, much of it moved here from the main room.
Sentie eavesdrops on the Falxmed guardsmen also in the tavern. They are apparently aware that our heroes are not friendly to the government of Falxmed. A plot is underway to kill them if they visit the Earl. However, if they don't visit the Earl, innocent prisoners will be murdered instead. The victims will get blamed for the attempt on Dimir's life. After the guards leave and citizens arrive, Sentie makes some drinks for the crowd.
Kodrak and Renn visit the Curious Crow and listen for information from Kendruta, the proprietor, and the crowd—loosening their lips with rounds of free drinks. They hear many of the stories that Tyesca told Barclay, albeit from the perspective of the working class. Kodrak wrestles a series of dwarves. Renn talks with Dara, a young woman whose boyfriend, Grann, has been missing for several days. He agrees to look for the man.
Our heroes come together to investigate the disappearance of Grann. He is a successful sculptor who apparently gained a mysterious benefactor. The party breaks into his workshop and is creeped out by all the humanoid statues. Barclay and Renn enter Grann's bedroom, only to find the man dead, hanging from a rope. A suicide note is nearby. Raehendra enters the display room, where a statue animates and explodes when it gets near her. This explains the mysterious method of attack against Dimir, which had previously been believed to be "kids throwing rocks".
Barclay stashes Grann's corpse in his bag of holding and everyone returns to their inn. They cast Speak with Dead on the body and learn/clarify that Grann did die by suicide, that he sculpted the statue that was used against Dimir, that he has carved his "largest work ever", and that he confessed to Father Tverdim, a priest of Gaelid in Falxmed.
Our heroes rush to the Hallasar temple and break into Gaelid's room, only to find the priest dead and desiccated on the floor. The presumed assassin, someone in a plague doctor costume, throws a dagger (which misses Renn but sprays him with acid) and leaps out the window!
Soundtrack:
Robin Carolan & Sebastian Gainsborough - The Northman (2022)
The Main Cast, our player characters:
- Barclay Stone (he/him), human bard (college of eloquence)
- Aevyr, his imp familiar
- Kodrak Kukkerlun (he/him), dwarven fighter (battle master)
- Raehendra Tiddlybumpkin (she/her), gnomish ranger (hunter)
- Renn Summerstar (he/him), elven cleric of Lioris (twilight domain)
- Sentie Rancis (they/them), human wizard (school of transmutation)
The Supporting Cast, non-player characters:
- Dara, Grann's girlfriend in Falxmed
Grann, sculptor/assassin in Falxmed- Kendruta, proprietor of the Curious Crow Tavern in Falxmed
- Rana, frog jinn
- Tyesca, liaison officer of Vare in Falxmed
- Vencek, proprietor of the White Chariot Tavern in Falxmed
- [unknown], assassin
See the full cast list at Campaigns in Elsemorn—now with photos of the miniatures used in the game!
