We meet our adventurers as they sleep in two different areas across the town of Brinewood. The majority of the party lies comfortably at the Fairie’s Arse, however Spiphy the gnome ranger has a more fitful rest in the home of the murdered mayor. Deep into the night, a few hours before dawn, she awakes to hear a heated discussion outside her window. She steps out quietly just in time to see Tom Westford and Jerreth Wains, two members of the guard, stab and drag away the bleeding form of Burlap the half-dwarven captain of the guard. Tom then intimidates a fourth guard, Samros Fiddler, into taking a dagger to the city council as “proof” of Burlap’s guilt in murdering the mayor.
Spiphy waits for Tom to walk away, then hurries back to town to inform the rest of the party what has occurred.
As the party wakes and comes downstairs for breakfast, they are greeted by Maggie and a silent Aldreth. Maggie tells them that Burlap never came by that morning, which is unlike him, and she is certain Ned couldn’t have had anything to do with murder. She offers the party a high sum of one hundred and fifty gold if they are able to prove that Ned is innocent and assist Burlap in closing the case of the mayor. B, still impersonating an official investigator, accepts the task.
Outside they run into Spiphy, and after reviewing their options, they decided to try and listen in on the emergency council meeting for more clues. There they see a number of the city members discussing options for new mayor and the potential suspects. Someone brings in the dagger that Spiphy saw Tom give to Samros as false evidence, and they leave the council.
They decide to travel to the nearby jail up the road to ask Burlap and Ned what they know. Before heading out, they go to the general goods store. There they meet Gladstone, a halfling selling a variety of wares to farmers and local folk. After a brief conversation, Gladstone went to the back to check the storeroom and Althea stole several health potions from the shelf (rather noisily). Gladstone came back around, noticed the theft, and confronted the group. B intimidated the poor fellow, and the party left poor Gladstone hiding behind the counter, brandishing a sword, and demanding that they never return.
The party then stopped into the baker’s shop and purchased a few loaves from Gadfield, known to the locals as “Gaddy”. He implored them to clear the name of his friend Ned, and the party then went in the direction of the prison.
After an uneventful trek up the north road through the Brinewood forest, they emerged to find the jail and guardhouse mostly deserted. They went into the jail where they found Burlap and Ned in cells, only to hear Tom Westford, Jerreth Wains, and Samros Fiddler walk in behind them and shut the door.
A few words were exchanged and a battle ensued between the four adventurers and the guards. Blows went back and forth, but a well-placed thunder attack ended up exploding Tom’s head, ending his life. Jerreth and Sam were beaten unconcious and placed into cells, and the party was able to relax for a moment and take in their surroudings.
We end the chapter with the four members of the party about to interrogate the bruised guards, hopefully to take one more step towards solving the murder…