Dramatis Personae:
| * Lucius of Hollesary Stoke – A tiefling Cleric of Sharess * Welsh – A human Circle of the Moon Druid * Tezir Iejir’Vrak – A bronze dragonborn Blood Hunter * Placeholder Nameless – A dark-elf Ranger * Jane Doeg – Placeholder Nameless’ trusted animal companion * Mother – A half(?)-orc Inkeeper * Godefridus and Godefroi – Shopkeepers with a problem * Don Osiris – A mountebank * Wild Dog – (Lycaon pictus), the largest wild canine in the Central Continent, and the only extant member of the genus Lycaon, which is distinguished from Canis by dentition highly specialised for a hypercarnivorous diet and by a lack of dewclaws | * Rhea Six-Toes – A mysterious figure with a limp * Rhea’s companion – a large man of few words and great hillarity * Bandits – Hapless foot-soldiers of Scarlet Garvin * Bee-Eaters – Merops apiaster, richly colored, slender near passerine birds in the bee-eater family, Meropidae * Hornbills – Southern ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) one of two species of ground hornbill, and the largest species in the hornbill order worldwide * Jostri Fenrick – (not appearing) A missing Caravaner * Scarlet Garvin – (not appearing) A Bandit Leader * Wasps – (not appearing) An insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant |
The Known World – Episode Recap!
In the rugged frontier town of BarrelHaven, a band of adventurers—seasoned warriors, cunning tacticians, and one terrifyingly creative druid—arrived to seek fortune and carve their legacy into the land. They earned the respect of Mother, the steely-eyed matron of the BarrelHaven Inn, navigating the delicate balance of survival and civility in a town where neither is guaranteed.
But peace is an illusion, and soon, chaos came knocking!
The Mystery of the Missing Caravan
A frantic merchant, Godefridus of G&G’s Fine Goods, rushed into the tavern with dire news—his caravan was missing, along with its merchants, cargo, and one peculiar artifact ordered by the infamous Don Osiris: a left-handed whizbang. Whatever it was, it mattered enough for coin to be spilled and blood to be shed.
With rumors swirling, the party investigated the bustling Caravan Row, uncovering whispers of Jostri Fenrick, an independent caravaner with big dreams and a tendency to cut corners. His latest shortcut was supposed to make his fortune, but instead, it made him vanish!
Enter Rhea Six-Toes
With calculating eyes and a shadowy past, Rhea Six-Toes approached the party with an offer—inside knowledge of Fenrick’s fate. According to her, he had run afoul of the Redbrand Ruffians, a brutal gang under the command of Scarlet Garvin. She provided directions to the bandit hideout, requesting only that they retrieve a small black silk pouch from Garvin’s personal belongings.
With a storm brewing, the party set out to unravel the mystery.
The Journey, The Gift, The Warning
Before they could leave, they were halted by Don Osiris himself, who—rather than threatening them—gifted them an enchanted tent. Outside, a simple canvas shelter. Inside? A 5,000-square-foot mansion of impossible luxury.
His only warning: “There is a back door. If anyone knocks, don’t open it.”
With this unsettling boon, the party ventured into the savanna, navigating scrublands and open terrain, guided by Welsh’s bee-eater scouts.
The First Strike – The DropOwlBear Awakens
As they neared the hideout, Welsh scouted ahead, uncovering guard rotations, patrol routes, and the ominous presence of wasp nests. Then came the ambush.
With terrifying precision, Welsh transformed into an Owlbear, launching from the trees above like a living meteor, flattening a hapless bandit as Tezir and Lucius cut down his companion. A prisoner was taken, their secrets pried free.
Then, another patrol was spotted—and they were expecting someone. “OI! Is yous thems?” the bandit called out before battle erupted!
Revealing the Truth
The second DropOwlBear attempt was less successful—but still devastating. Lucius’s darkness spell turned the fight into a blind hunt, forcing the enemy to fumble and fall before he was cornered by Tezir’s scent and steel. The interrogation yielded a chilling truth:
Scarlet Garvin was hired to retrieve something from a dwarven ruin. He succeeded. But no one had come to claim it.
The Plan – Unleashing Nature’s Wrath
Leaving their captives secured, the party turned its attention to the hideout itself. Welsh hatched a plan worthy of a force of nature:
- Wasps unleashed, driving the Redbrands from their stronghold.
- Spike Growth waiting, ensuring that any who fled would suffer deeply for their cowardice.
- Hornbill scouts watching, prepared to alert them if “Them” arrived before the battle ended.
Now, the party stands on the brink of battle, their trap set, their enemy unaware, and their mystery unraveling faster than they can control.
Where is the Whizbang? Who are “Them”? What was retrieved from the dwarven ruin? Why has no one come to claim the artifact? How will Scarlet Garvin react once everything falls apart? Find out next time on… The Known World!