After infiltrating the Bandit Camp, the troupe was ready to fight the leaders were it not for Aegon’s visions. They decided to retreat for the time being, hoping to catch Tazok when they return. On their way back Drake was killed during an ambush of ogre bandits.

2 Flamerule 1368

We make it to the Song of the Morning and Kelddath raises Drake. He decides that adding to his extensive debt in the Friendly Arm’s bar is the best way to recover from his injuries.

Drake leaves and we are approached by a robed man, likely a wizard.

Viconia: Sure, why not?

Pelltar: Thank you. I am the resident wizard of Restenford. It is a small town on the island of Lendore.

Normally things are very quiet in our little fishing town. However, lately there seems to be problems that I have not been able to identify.

Some caravans have not arrived. Also, the few travellers that have come to town have talked about hobgoblins, gnolls, and other assorted creatures in their travels.

While I don’t claim the island to be free of these beings, I am concerned about the growing problems they may be causing.

We do have some old ruins and caves in the area that they may be hiding in. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to look into this matter. There seems to be some greater issues with the Baron’s family that I must attend to.

So, ma’am? Will you help us?

Viconia: Yes.

Pelltar: Wonderful. I won’t bother updating your map. Since we are located off the mainland, you would need a ship to get there. So I will transfer us there.

Before we can say anything we find our surroundings to change. No longer are we inside the marble walls of the temple, but in a grassy field near a small town.

Pelltar: You will find me either in my home or at the tower I have in the castle. Please let me know when you find anything unusual. When you are ready, I will send you back to the temple.

He walks away, leaving us to ponder our situation. We agreed to help, but we didn’t think he would teleport us here instantly. He said Restenford was “off the mainland”. Are we even in the Sword Coast anymore?

This is the start of The Secret of Bonehill, a mod based on the classic adventure module of the same name. The writing isn’t great in this mod, but I still enjoy it overall.

The bandits will have to wait. For now, we need to figure out what is happening in this town. We approach one of the locals.

Rose: Evil? Here in Restenford. Why would you think that? Have you heard rumors or any some such.

Commoner: I heard some weird stuff about the merchants not getting their shipments in. Well, that’s all I really know. It was nice meeting some real adventurers. Bye now.

Have the Chill and Blacktalons expanded operations to the ships transporting goods here? Unlikely, there’s probably another explanation.

We find some children playing outside a tower nearby. The girl is excited to see us so well armed.

The boy is a bit more cautious.

The tower itself is locked, and neither Cat nor Mur’Neth can figure out how to open the door.

We wander into the town proper, and find a small mansion.

We go inside, and find a bookworm perusing the library inside.

Ah, so this is Pelltar’s home. We find another of his assistants in the back rooms, but he also has little to say to us.

Upstairs we find another, just as talkative.

Cat and Mur’Neth sneak in the bedroom to see what they can find. Mur’Neth finds a Potion of Invisibility in some drawers.

The bedside cabinet here is locked, but neither of the thieves can break in.

We leave the mansion and walk to the next building over. This serves as the local market in Restenford. Inside we find a smith called Smyth.

Rose: What do you have for sale?

He sells several melee weapons, some of them enchanted. We don’t purchase anything for now.

Downstairs we find more merchants selling equipment. Perk is a fletcher.

Rose: What do you sell here?

Perk: I am renowned for my quality fletching, and as a fair bowyer as well. Dost thou care to peruse my inventory of fine missile weapons?

Rose: Certainly. Let me see what you have.

Perk: Excellent! Perk bids thee to take careful notice of his selection of finely fletched arrows on the far wall. Come, I will take thee through them.

He shows us his bows and arrows, one by one. He is especially proud of his arrows. Many are standard, but there are a several that certainly meet the definition of finely fletched. We consider buying some for a moment, but decide it better to return later.

Near the forge deeper into the building is a third merchant. This one displaying a large collection of armour and shields.

Rose: I’ll be the judge of that. Let’s see what you’ve got.

Even with Rose’s negotiating skills, we don’t find anything we can afford. He does have some impressive protection, however. We should return if we make any decent gold here.

We leave and move on to the next building. Music and noise can be heard from outside, and a sign declares it the Tavern of the West Wind. We go inside and find the bartender.

Rose: I was hoping you could answer a few questions.

Zelmar: We are very busy this time of year, but order a few drinks and I’m sure we can get you what you want.

Rose: Sure, drinks sound like a great idea.

She orders a bitter black ale, while Viconia asks for an Amnian ale. Myself, I go for the Shadowdark ale. To my surprise Mur’Neth asks for a Suz-ale. I didn’t know slimes could drink beer. Xan settles for a pint of Golden Sands. We start to empty our glasses and talk to the patrons in the hopes of learning more about what is happening in this town.

A skeleton and some bandits. It’s unlikely they are related to the Blacktalon and the Chill back at the Coast, unless they can teleport like Pelltar.

The other bartenders are too busy to talk.

Rose approaches the bard playing the music here.

Rose: You’re a bard aren’t you?

The man bows.

Fabio: Yes Lady, I am. Am I supposed to assume that because I am a bard, I HAVE to take requests?

Rose: Eh, no, I guess not.

Tavern Wench: Slap!

As she says this, she actually does slap the bard across the face.

Fabio: Ouch! What was that for?!

Tavern Wench: That is for being a pig! Your so called “armour rash” spread to me! I had to see a priest to get it cleared up.

The woman walks away, leaving the bard looking embarrassed. I walk over to join the conversation.

Aegon: Yes.

Fabio: So, what can I help you with?

Aegon: Information.

Fabio: Ah, that I am quite helpful with. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Fabio, world renowned bard.

He bows deeply as he describes himself.

Fabio: Traveller to multiple universes, and past member of the Raelis Shai troupe. Of course, you have heard of me?

Aegon: Nope, never heard of you.

Fabio: Either you mock me poorly or you must have spent your life in Candlekeep or some other hole.

Aegon: Actually, I have spent my life in Candlekeep.

Fabio: My poor child, you need to get out more. And I think you’ll need a really great bard to assist you. Plus, I really need to find some better women than in this fishing town.

He winks at me.

Aegon: Sure, we could use a good bard to help us.

He seems a little too obsessed with women, but we could use a local to help figure out what is going on here so we can get back to the Sword Coast.

He is a Gallant, a particularly charming species of bard.

As a bard, Fabio can make use of the Weave. He can summon divine armour to protect himself.

He can Command his opponents to take a short nap.

He can protect an ally from evil.

And he can ensure an ally is able to talk and cast spells.

He is well equipped, sporting some Elven Chain for protection.

Over the armour he wears a Nymph Cloak.

And for added protection he wears a Girdle of Piercing.

His charming ways are improved by his Ring of Human Influence.

While his Bard’s Ring improves his magical abilities.

For weapons he carries both an enchanted long sword and an enchanted sling. He also carries around his personal lute. He says it’s music is even more charming than he is.

Some seriously powerful equipment for a first level bard. I guess the mod author really wanted to make sure you would use him. Based on the rules I’ve set myself for this play through, I won’t be stealing all his equipment and abandoning him, tempting though it may be.

We leave the tavern and make our way toward the warehouses. With their shipments having been intercepted, they may know more of the troubles in the town. The locals here aren’t so talkative, however.

We find a man patrolling the warehouses with two guard dogs. He does his duty in warning us not to steal from them.

We go into one of the warehouses and are met with another warning from the guard inside.

Despite this, our ooze friend cannot resist sneaking into a room in the back and stealing some gold from a locked drawer.

We go to the next warehouse which also has a guard ready to remind us of the rules.

This time there isn’t anywhere we can hide, so Mur’Neth’s favourite activity will have to wait. The third warehouse is much the same as this one.

We speak to someone outside the warehouses to find they are having trouble keeping workers around.

We look over to the locked tower and remember there is a house behind it. We search it again, and sure enough, there is an entrance to the house. Inside Mur’Neth opens a locked chest containing some gold.

We also find a locked chest with a magical dagger inside, though none of us can understand how it is enchanted.

To the north we find the local barracks. Inside the guards insist on reminding us of the laws around here yet again.

Finding nothing of interest we leave. We visit a nearby home only to find the occupant startled that we are travelling with a drow.

Viconia: Calm yourself, little one, and restore your senses to some form of order. I am no murderer. A killer, perhaps, when I must… although I doubt you will detect the difference.

She calms down as we leave, and we pay a visit to her neighbour. He is more concerned about his cattle.

Outside we find a woman who doesn’t like our type.

To the north we find another store, owned by a man named Pheldman.

Rose: What do you have for sale?

He sells some basic armour and weapons. Nothing too special. Nearby we find another barracks. These guards insist on reminding us again and again not to steal and fight. It’s like they are trained to say the same thing to anyone who approaches them.

The next building we find bears a sign indicating it is The Magic Shop. We enter and talk to the owner.

Rose: You have items from other worlds? How is that possible?

Lazarus Librarus: Simple really, Restenford is a major trade route on this isle. We get shipments in from all over the realm. Some of my distributors also travel to Sigil and other worlds to pick up unusual items for collectors. When I am able to, I order some of the more exotic items. Of course, they have to teleport into the store since it is so hard to travel outside of the town. What with the bandits and all.

I find that the nobles on this isle have way too much money to let sit idle. So I do what I can to help them find uses for their gold.

He winks as he says this.

Rose: Well then, let’s see some of these items.

Lazarus Librarus: But of course.

He wasn’t lying. Some of the items he sells are very exotic. Unfortunately we aren’t rich enough to make use of our gold as the nobles are.

Near the back of the shop we find a monk. A follower of Oghma – I would recognise one anywhere having grown up in the Keep.

As we leave the store, Xan expresses his worries about the situation we left behind.

Aegon: These cities are being played against each other, and I am going to put a stop to this.

Xan: Determined as always.

He sighs.

Xan: And doomed as always, I suppose.

There’s going to be a war. Isn’t there? Burning houses, screaming children, corpses and blood, blood…

Try as I might, I cannot get it out of my head. Save for the inevitable detours underground, these lands are so beautiful: forests, hills, meadows, small towns… Will it all be destroyed?

We should hurry. While the threat lingers, there is a possibility we shall arrive too late. And from there, the war will spread. Candlekeep will be in danger, and even Evereska – no longer safe.

Aegon: I am worried, too. What if, despite our efforts, the Sword Coast runs red with blood?

Xan: Imagine: I set out to investigate an iron crisis, but I may return with a full-scale war on my heels.

He sighs.

Xan: Hopeless… unless we hurry. But then, if we do, we are dead.

Aegon: No, we are not!

Xan: I have only one word for this situation. Futility.

It’s getting harder to argue with the worrisome elf. We were supposed to be stopping the bandits that plague the Coast. Now, thanks to being overly eager to help, we are stuck on this island. Our only option is to do what the wizard asked of us and try to solve what problems this town has.

I only hope we get back to the Coast before the war starts…