After Action Report: Hruesen, Session 1

Our intrepid band returned to Hruesen last night and happened to arrive on market day. There was a long queue of merchants, farmers, adventurers, clerics and the odd scholar or bard trying to enter the city's gates. The party were treated to entertainment by a gnomish bard, Fendril, while they were waiting. After their long journey, the lads were unusually tight-lipped and didn't make so many friends outside the gates-- although one young bard did his best to ingratiate himself with the group. Camlin had a chat with a visiting scholar, but the entrance to town was otherwise uneventful. Once inside the gates, the adventurers made their way to the town hall to collect their bounty. With 250 more gold coins in their collection, they decided to convert their heavy cash and jewelry into more easily-carried treasure. The local moneychanger and jeweler, Albrecht and Barik, appraised the party's loot. Thanks to Camlin's superior bargaining skills, the boys were able to get fair-market value for their salable items. They exchanged these for gems. After that it was off to The Riverside Inn, recommended by the bard, Locke Silverstring, who trailed the party throughout the city trying to get their attention. It so happened that The Riverside was the location of a local song contest. The winner to receive paid passage to the Sandpoint Swallowtail Festival where another song contest was to be held. Several bards tried their best to win including Fendril's 'Orcus went down to Fairhill'; Acestrus' rendition of 'Black Hole and the Apple Tree'; Henrik performed 'All Along the Borderlands'; Strathian entertained the crowd with 'Passageway to Sandpoint'. In an effort to impress the party, the young bard, Locke, sang a song about their recent adventures with Gritznak and goblins. His version made our group look a little spineless and lowered their estimation of his songwriting skills. He made it up to them later and was invited to join the party in future travels. However, the night's contest winner was Gondo with the crowd-pleasing favourite, 'Whiskey in the Bar!' For good measure, he performed 'I Left My Friend in Falcon's Hollow' and 'By the Sea' as encores. With the contest over and the ales drunk, our band of brave souls made their way to bed for the night.