Berghawk play report 06/05/26 (a Greyhawk campaign set in Berghof)

In-game date: 23rd of Readying, Common Year 560. 

(Because there was only one established player and three new players this week, I decided to start them off on a side quest rather than continuing the mainline story).

The Ranger Sepp Wininger, the Hobbit Thief Max Dash, the Dwarf Konrad Stonebarrow, and the Flan Clanswoman Kalista Stein (technically a Barbarian) had formed a small adventuring party in Goldhafen, a small prospecting village (population of 49) on the Western outskirts of Berghof. Calling it a town almost gives it too much weight. Picture a couple of wooden houses around a fire, and a bunch of tents. The only reason Goldhafen hasn't fallen to monsters yet is because most of its citizens are armed, and tough. The watch that patrols the Keep on the Borderland doesn't make it out here often.

On their way from a failed excursion encountered four Al-Miraj - rabbit-like animals with unicorn-like horns. And highly aggressive! The crew dispatched of them handily and sold their valuable horns to George the Hunter. I guess the excursion wasn't a failure after all.

Back in Goldhafen they re-acquainted themselves with the various people about town, and spoke to Barthl Roggenbrot - the man who passes for a pub keep - about the mysterious disapearance of his swill - I mean ale. Barthl was convinced that Warwick the Smith has been stealing his booze at night. He offered the party 100gp to prove it. The party agreed and hid in Barthl's basement only to find that something invisible was breaking in and drinking his booze. When the invisible something saw some of the adventurers who hadn't fully hidden themselves, it panicked and bolted. Sepp's hunting dog caught the booze thief's scent and took up the pursuit but getting up the ladder gave the invisible booze thief enough time to get away. The party agreed to be better prepared next time, and checked out Ingrid the Alchemist's wares. There they bought themselves some Essence of Wolsbane (wolf deterrent), and Witch Powder - powder that glows blue when something magical touches it. Upon hearing about their encounter, Ingrid guessed that perhaps they were dealing with a Clurichaun - a sort of alcoholic relative to the Leprechaun that can control booze in the same way a fire elementalist might control flames. In speaking to her the crew also realised that Ingrid had a bit of a thing for Warwick the Smith.  

The crew decided to take the battle to the enemy. They set up a trap (a big keg of booze surrounded by the magic detecting Witch Dust) in a nearby forest clearing. Kalista armed herself with a bag of flower as well. The trap turned out to be irresistible for the Clurichaun who walked straight into it after a 4 hour wait. 

The crew easily captured the little man once he was visible (a mess of glowing blue powder and white flour). Upon interrogating him they confirmed that he had indeed been breaking into the pub every night and drinking the booze. He offered the gang his pot of gold if they released him, an offer they refused out of a mix of distrust and moral conviction. Kalista and some other party members were keen to exact swift justice, but Max Dash - perhaps seeing a fellow traveller in this man of slight stature and ambiguous morals - advocated for a more conciliatory approach. The Clurichaun could continue to drink at the pub but would have to pay for it from now on. They brought the perpetrator back to Goldhafen, where they pursuaded Barthl to agree to this. The Clurichaun made a fey promise to stick to the arrangement and everyone celebrated. It was suggested that the Cluricauns  magic shenanigans might even be an attractive feature of the inn moving forward. 

With all of this done there was really only one thing left to sort out. The crew had some match making to do. They discovered that Ingrid had been lurking outside of Warwick's home at night and dropping off love letters - letters that he couldn't read and mistook for Fey magic! The gang explained what was going on and also elevated Warwick's concerns about Ingrid being a witch - it was explained that she was in fact more of a crafts woman. Much like the smith himself. 

During the celebrations Warwick was seen approaching Ingrid with some hand picked flowers in an upside down helmet doubling as a vase.

The crew also bumped into Arnold Schwarzenkorder - the former retainer of the Stone Smashers. He was drunkenly la.enting his cowardice for abandoning Magnus when he did. He told the party that the Stone Smashers planned to ambush cultists of Vecna and that they needed all the help they could get. He also said that the Stone Smashers were destined for great adventures and riches. The gang decided to make their way to where the Stone Smashers were camping to join them. Kalista however decided to part ways with the gang to pursue some business of her own. 

That's a wrap. Next up we're back with the main party and their battle with the cult of Vecna!