DM Notes – C01.S01.03
I intend to write a RECAP with each scene, if only because I want to improve my skill with the recap… When reading things it may be unneccessary… I’ve never seen a writer add a recap to the beginning of each chapter… but then this is not a book. TV Shows have a recap at the beginning of each episode. Sometimes it is simply that… a summary of what has happened… but I’ve noticed that shows will often use the recap to hint that some shadow of a plotline is becoming relevant. The review of that brief dialog 4 episodes ago is a strong clue to the fact that it is coming back around in this current episode somehow. While I’m still at the beginning… I figure making a habit of the RECAP is a good thing to continue. I just have to keep it short and pointed… not tiresome.
In this scene, our party reaches Mosstone – a fairly large town on the south side of the Wealdth Forest. A caravan-stop, so it makes sense to add in a field on one side of the town where caravans can park overnight. I invented “Drovers Field” and imagine a large grassy area on the North side of Mosstone that used to be used for sheep and other livestock.
I feel like I really like Mosstone. Maybe is has something to do with the presence of the Druids, or maybe because it overlooks Firedrake Bay. Actually it is hard to tell on the map if you can actually see the bay from anywhere in town… The Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide gives me the impression that the thick forest of the Wealdath is on one side of Mosstone, and a gentle grassy slope descends from the town for a mile or so down to the bay. Much of the trade centers around caravans of merchants and travels heading either North or South along the Trade Way.
It would make sense that you could easily hired a few extra sellswords in town. I’m sure there would be an organized effort to provide trustworthy mercenaries… as least, as much as one might. If you think about it… the typical D&D scenario is… merc walks into a bar, meets with a few other mercs or maybe know each other, but probably not… and then someone comes in saying “I need to hire help, someone good with a blade.” Now let me ask the question… how many such customers end up with the mercs blade in their own gut? Hmm? Yeah – you cannot trust a bastard sellsword in a divey bar now can you… That is why organizations like Titans Fist Protection Company have had success. They certify their mercs to reasonably trustworthy… and customers pay for the assurance. I would…
The Wardens Guild of Heroes Gate (and we are still a distance from Athkatla yet) is founded on this same premise, except in the City of Coin, appearance is gold. You are just not important if you do not have an impressive armed guard on your either side. Trust is paramount because the clientele are, for the most part, insanely wealthy. Marlow Emberjaw has built a solid reputation for being able to provide capable and trustworthy protection services.
There are some in the city, including at least one of the Council of Six, which balk at the idea of a “guild” of mercenary types. Guilds are for artisans, craftsman and the like… the idea of a guild of sellswords is ridiculous in the minds of some. However… Emberjaw has created great success because he treats his protector shields like elite artists. He vets them thoroughly before giving them any important contracts. He also trains them in the art of protection. He himself was a bodyguard of a king for years… the king and himself still live so it stands to reason he knows a thing or two about the business of protecting very important people. (Nevermind that the kind in question would probably have Marlow killed if he thought it was still alive… but that is another set of notes.)
Anyway… in this scene… the party has opportunity to do a little business and have a little rest in divey bar before Cyrics Cudgel returns to gather up the vengeance they promised themselves.