Chapter One

    Erasmus, halfling wizard, has set off on a journey of adventure and discovery! His first stop is Goldcrest, a town 12 miles east of the grounds of the abbey. Here, Erasmus hopes to find someone who can craft a wizard's staff with an orb at the end that he can use for attunement. He also hopes to find out more information about Jaezrann, though the Drow are a mysterious race and their leader is reported to be very enigmatic. 

September 15

Approaching Goldcrest from the south, Erasmus seems to have missed the main city entrance. Instead of the broad, well-maintained streets he was expecting, his first experience inside the city involved strolling down a cramped alleyway festooned with orange and green banners. Looking up, he noticed that on the second floor of the buildings that line this alley, elevated walkways have been constructed that run parallel to the street, evidently to obviscate the need to use the alleyway for travel at all. Drawn between the two rows of buildings, orange and green banners hang between the railings high up across the street, creating a festive atmosphere that feels eerie, since the street is deserted. 

Suddenly, a rat scampers down the alley and runs right at Erasmus! He can tell at once by the quality of the rat’s fur and its overall attractive (for a rat) demeanor that it must be a pet. He snags it by the tail as it passes by, and as he tries to get a grip on the scruff its neck, it nips him in the finger. Cursing and sucking his finger--possibly not the best hygenic treatment for a rat bite. he slips the rat into one of the large pockets on the front of his robe.

Passing through the steamy storefronts of the Smith’s district, Erasmus takes a look at the glowing metal being plunged into pools of water. When he was younger, he wanted to hold that steel in his hand, to feel the blade sing through the wind. But that was before he discovered the power of magic. 

Across from the Smith’s District, the sound of children playing among the buildings led Erasmus to believe this was one of the town’s housing areas. Three or four large, elegant-looking houses loomed up in front, though the wear of decades have left them in a state of shabby disrepair. Behind the houses, rows of tenement houses stretched towards the far side of the block, separated by more narrow alleys.

Looking north, and away from the sounds of the smiths and children, there is large market square with brightly colored tents and booths. The square is mostly deserted aside from a few vendors of antiques of dubious value and a fruit vendor. A slim female figure dressed in black leans against the market gate. Erasmus moved towards her.

“Excuse me, did you lose your rat?” 

The dragonborn assassin eyes him with disbelief. “No,” she says. “No, I didn’t.”

“Oh. I found a rat that I think is someone’s pet.”

“Hm.”

“Do you know who might own it?”

“If anyone does, it’s Glenda the fruit-seller. She knows everyone in Goldcrest.”

“Thank you.”

Erasmus leaves the assassin, still somewhat in shock at the conversation that just occurred and ambles over to the stand stocked with oranges, apples, dragonfruit, and grapes. He plunks down 5 silver pieces for a tankard of fresh apple cider. After a few healthy draughts, looks at the plump, pleasant-looking face of Glenda the fruit seller and repeats his question about the owner of the pet rat.

“Pet rat? Sure! That belongs to Varen! That rat goes everywhere with him. Travels around in his pocket, it does, same as he’s riding in yours presently. Funny that he didn’t take it with him.

“Where did he go?” asked Erasmus. 

“Said he wanted to get a closer look at the obelisk. That’s why he’s here. Varen’s an Aasimar, a conjurer. He wants to spend some time up close with that obelisk. He says it’s old, and he likes old things. That’s what he told me, anyway. He’s been in town for a week, and just yesterday told me he was preparing to set off this morning.” 

“Do you know anything about the obelisk?” 

“No--I don’t go outside the town much. I’m kind of a homebody. I couldn’t even tell you where it is. But I’ll tell you who could--Mere over at The Frog and Buttock. That’s our tavern. I know, the name is rather rude, but it’s Issek who named it. He founded our little town and built most of the houses and stores himself!”

“Where is the, erm, Frog and Buttock?”

“It’s pretty close by, just west of the artisan district. That’s the good part of town, the west side. All of the well-to-dos live there.”

“Thank you Glenda. I wish you the best in your fruit selling endeavors.”

Erasmus leaves the market square, which is slowly starting to fill up with people as the afternoon wears on, and makes his way west. Flanking the market square on the west is a beautifully maintained cobblestone boulevard, with stone flower pots filled with annuals of every color. “This was the road I should have come in on!” thought Erasmus.

On the opposite side of the cobblestone thoroughfare, he finds a small plaza with a bronze statue of a carpenter, complete with T-Square in one hand and plumb bob in the other. “ISSEK: FOUNDER OF GOLDCREST” says the plaque on the base. Looking up at the man, Erasmus takes in his maniacal grin. He seems like the kind of fellow who would name his pub The Frog and Buttock. 

North of the plaza lies Goldcrest’s Artisanal District, made up of half a dozen tiny homes that double as storefronts. Erasmus makes a note to check these out later--it’s possible one of the artisans could craft an orbed staff.

    Immediately to the left of the Artisanal District, most likely to the great delight of the artisans, is a stone-walled one-story pub with whitewashed wooden tables and chairs scattered about the front. Above the doorway is a large bronze sign baring the mark of a frog’s head emerging from between a pair of buttocks. “Unsettling,” thought Erasmus.

    What will Erasmus find in the pub? Will Mere be able to give him the information he needs to track down Varen? What will Erasmus feed the rat? Find out the answers at the same time I do in the next chapter!