In Other News... - ID: 1644
FORUM: Gossip - The rusty dagger tavern
This topic was started by chrlpolk on 20/08/2020, 22:09:58
A thread for news and conspiracies related to living conditions and politics of Tarnak.
Aspiring journalists and tabloid hobbyists, now’s your chance! Grab anything from the “Under Investigation” category or create your own scoop!
Under Investigation
- Bandits Brassard, badge of honor or touristy trinket?
- Castle Cranbourgh’s Weapon Shoppe carries arrows, but not bows?
- Mazuriel or Maruziel? The Mandela Effect
Broken News
- Shining a Light on Lamps and Torches
- Fashion statement or ripoff? Inside Castle Cranbourgh’s Armor Shoppe.
- Band of Barders
- Travel Advisory, near Savage Crossing
- Breaking the 4th Wall: an exclusive interview with Alea
- All Along the Watchtower
- Horny Gestures
- “Cellar? I hardly know her!” Campfire tales
There’s a fine line between hints and spoilers, and some of these stories subtly sneak across that line. Here are the spoilers:
Standard Gameplay
- The forums are great!
- Bard songs stack. With multiple bards in the party, you can have multiple effects going, or have a multiplier on a single effect.
- Don’t overthink starting equipment. There is no difference between candles and torches, nor between worn rags and leather armor.
- Therefore, other than a quest-giver, the first armory serves no purpose.
Castle Cranbourgh’s Tunnels
- Don’t waste gold prepping for Tunnel exploration. You will obtain more than enough supplies from encounter drops.
- One of the barrels hides a crossbow. Tapping on any other barrel gives no indication that they are being searched.
- In the Deeper Tunnels, the square where you first hit the darkness is also a spinner. Check your map to see which direction you’re facing.
- Myrthugal’s requested herb is located in the Deeper Tunnels, and the quest can be completed multiple times.
Abandoned Tower (near Castle Cranbourgh)
- The key to the cellar of the Abandoned Tower near Castle Cranbourgh is upstairs.
- There is nothing to gain from levitating and exploring the flooded portions of the cellar of the Abandoned Tower.
Mountain Ridge
- Sir Cranford (who gave you the Bandits Brassard) has the key to the Watchtower.
- Something is going on under the Watchtower!
Savage Crossing
- Savage Crossing area, plot-wise, is the first true difficulty jump where some grinding is necessary.
On Torches and Lamps.
Regarding the pricing of lighting tools, the Tarnak Guild Overseer Office (TGOO) in Annsharbour has verified:
"The Tarnak Guild of Wood Tar Makers (GoWTM) is actually in a dispute with the Alchemists Guild (GoA). Besides many other implications this raised the price for torches (made from wood + wood tar) to new unknown heights. Which in return pleases the Lamp Makers Guild (GoLM) for they now record a remarkable increase in Lamp sales."
Renowned barkeep and local Tavern owner Icetear has petitioned the Tarnak Guild Overseer Office to release a proper paper about this issue to the public. It should be available soon at your local quest/announcement tree.
Thus far, the candle makers have stayed out of the fray, perhaps because of their own ongoing scandal involving the butchers and bakers.
Castle Cranbourgh’s Armor Shoppe has fallen under scrutiny by neophyte adventurers who claim that the shop’s “Leather Armour”, in fact, is no better than worn leather rags.
“I run an honest business. I make no claims that my products are better than this-or-that. You want to be seen walking around in worn leather rags? Fine. Some people care about appearances and are willing to pay a little more for it.”
A source working at Castle Cranbourgh’s Coaching Station, who wishes to remain anonymous, has suggested a link between the substandard leather and another recent customer complaint involving the Armory.
“You don’t see any cows in Castle Cranbourgh, do you?”
Further investigation led us to several farms in the area, and there are no cows there, either! No wonder so many people are wearing old worn leather rags.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the milliner's guild, Olaf Woolworth, denied there was any wool shortage despite the complete absence of sheep. "Shipments continue to arrive from somewhere," he said. "Maybe the flooded isles? Anyway, have you seen any naked mages walking around? Of course not, there are wool robes around if you know where to look."
The Gijatreg Gazette tried to reach the armourer in Castle Cranbourgh for comment, but he was hiding under the counter and wouldn't come out.
The Magnanimous 7
A band of minstrels has been touring the countryside delighting audiences and sharing notes with traveling bards. Of particular spectacle is their ability to evoke a multitude of emotions by intertwining tunes.
“We sometimes blend themes from different tunes. The audience usually doesn’t even notice; they just hear the one tune without realizing that another song is there. But even though they don’t hear it, they feel it!”
The real magic happens when the band plays together on a single song, combining their efforts to the fullest effect. They are staple performers at the various magic conventions of Tarnak.
“Oh, you have a bard in your party. How quaint,” one band member quips as she plays off the audience.
As the group exclaims in their intro piece:
“Every party should have a Bard, and every Bard should have a party! More bards, more party, we are... The Magnanimous 7!”
A band of explorers claim they were attacked by conspiracy theorist and anti-witch activist Jacob Sprenger in the farmland south of Savage Crossing, sources tell the Tarnak Times.
Reached for comment, Savage Crossing burgermeister Stella "Scarface" Skårgård said, "We have good relations with our witch and warlock neighbors. They deliver babies, heal the sick and wounded, teach alchemy. We have no place in our town for hate mongers like that."
Breaking the 4th Wall
An Interview with Alea
I was thrilled to have been assigned an exclusive interview with Alea, the Welcoming Commissioner for New Adventurers. She agreed to join me at the Mended Drum in Annsharbor. When I entered the rustic drinkery, I immediately recognized the slender woman whose hand never seemed to let loose from her bow.
Tarnak Times: Hello! I’m glad we finally get a chance to meet.
Alea: Well, if you wanted to meet earlier, you could have just picked up a rusty sword and old leather rags!
TT: I’d still like to think that the quill is mightier than the sword.
A: Hmmph! (She smiled.) You’ve been talking with those Archmages, I see. Easier to talk about the might of the quill with four bodies between yourself and the sword! But I jest. Casters are fine adventurers.
TT: What made you decide to take on this role, to greet new adventurers with useful tips?
A: It’s in my code. Everyone has to start somewhere! And who knows, the group I’m talking to might just save the world one day.
TT: That’s a grand thought!
A: Indeed. But even if they don’t do anything more than clear out a cellar or shoo away unwanted rodents, they deserve a proper welcome. The castle, village, and town guards are occupied with important defense matters and cannot be distracted by every errand that someone refers to as a “quest”.
TT: Do you have a method for approaching new adventurers?
A: Typically, I try to catch them as they leave the tavern for the first time. That way my advice is fresh and immediately useful.
TT: Do you have anything useful you can share with our readers?
A: If you haven’t already done so, create an account by selecting the “Register” link at the top right.
TT: The what now...?
A: Agree to the terms of service. Read through it if you’d like, but it’s all standard fare for Internet forums.
TT: Internet?
A: Create a username and password.
TT: A what?
A: So you and your messages can be identified and responded to.
TT: Oh! An “Identify” spell. I think I understand.
A: Once you’re registered, log in and post a message to the forum. You will be connected with experienced adventurers around the world!
TT: From anywhere on Tarnak?
A: And beyond!
TT: What’s beyond Tarnak?
A: Ah, ah! That’s in the expansion. Oh! And check out the new Discord server, it also might be useful for exchanging knowledge with experienced adventurers.
TT: The only part I understood of that is “discord server”, and speaking of which, we haven’t placed our drink orders yet! I’ll be back in a moment.
When I returned from placing a drink order at the bar, Alea had disappeared into the shadows. She has a reputation for coming and going abruptly. All’s well, however; with gratitude for an interview, albeit brief and confusing, as well as a stout ale!
This one will make it into the manual with the next update, thank you very much :mrgreen:
All Along the Watchtower
All is quiet, it seems, at the Watchtower located at Mountain Ridge. Just before the mountains, suspected to be inhabited by goblins, and the fields beyond which have been rumored to be ripe for orc attacks, it acts as a warning bulwark for Castle Cranbourgh.
“Should any bands of armed militia come through, we have a three-point notification system,” says Seargent Reynolds, who has been stationed at the Watchtower for several months. “First, a smoke signal from our rooftop, along with bellows from a horn. Third, we send an available courier to the castle to warn the castle garrison.”
“Mostly, we’re just security guards,” says Lonnie, a more recent arrival. “We’re not exactly military trained. Mostly volunteer. But we are led by a few top brass fellows and we are confident in their experience.”
Lonnie and his longtime friend Bryant, a mess hall worker, describe how they pass the time - occasional training and drills, but mostly watching out windows and playing cards. Lonnie is perfectly happy in his assignment, while Bryant has aspirations of becoming a bard.
“I’m not professional or anything, and my voice isn’t the best. But maybe if I write and someone else sings?” Bryant shows his assortment of homemade flutes.
Lonnie is skeptical, but supportive, of his friend’s ambitions. “He’s got some decent songs. He was working on one about a morbid thief. I’d like things to work out for him, but for now, he’s right where he needs to be. Good pay, guaranteed work.”
After a brief tour of the upstairs rooms (lower areas were not made available), I left the Watchtower confident in Castle Cranbourgh’s first line of defense.
For inquiries involving the Watchtower, including obtaining visiting passes, sending care packages, and applications for work, please see Sir Cranford in Castle Cranbourgh.
Update: Frost Horns Donated
As an update to yesterday's story, professional bard Gordon Lightfoot has donated several dozen Frost Horns to aspiring bard Bryant.
"These things are pretty useful in a place like the Watchtower," said Lightfoot. "I've found hundreds of them over my career, and I was happy to find a good home for the 30 or 40 I have left. They're pretty, yes, but not something I would carry to the Flooded Isles."
For his part, Bryant was thrilled. "They're really useful, and blowing them has improved my voice. I think so, anyway. Whatever, they scare the heck out of the goblins. I've been promoted, thanks to these beauties. And what a thrill to meet Gordon, one of the heroes who killed the evil one and healed the realm of the dragons!"
Bryant was rather wistful about the realm of the dragons, saying he'd love to visit the Crystal Sea one day. "But that will have to wait till I have more experience," he said.
“Cellar? I hardly know her!”
A collection of Campfire tales
The Campfire is full of laughter tonight, as the low brow knaves and scamps of Castle Cranbourgh’s surrounding village and farmlands share tales of pillaging through the castle’s tunnels and the cellar of the nearby Watchtower, which has become something of a local tradition amongst new adventure-seekers.
“We hit this one spot, deeper in the tunnels, and the lamp blew out. We got turnt around in the darkness. My cousin kept lighting his lamp, but we were turned around, and so we kept winding up in the darkness! He started to despair, but our drunken bard had the flappin’est idea. He said, get this, when we reach that dark spot, look at the map BEFORE you light the lamp!”
Everyone nodded in agreement. I guess some things you have to personally experience to understand.
“I heard Myrthugal’s new hires found some more of that herb down in the tunnels. I don’t remember the last time I partied with Myrthugal. I remember going there, but not much else after!”
“The old flapper who tends the watch tower leaves the key upstairs. He had too many ‘close calls’ getting drunk and skinny dipping in the flooded cellar.”
Several young and clearly intoxicated impulsiveers gave each other quick glances, then abruptly raced away.
“So I had just turned the corner and bumped right into a flappin’ Rock Crawler! I grabbed it and shouted a warning to that rogue I hired on, and so he disappeared into the shadows. Well, I wrestled with the Rock Crawler, damn thing clamped onto my arm but good! I got it turned around to where’s the rogue could backstab it what for! And guess what? …The flappin’ rogue never came out of those shadows! And neither did the gold!”
The whole roster laughed heartily at the brute’s misfortune.
“Honestly, mate, why would you hire a rogue just to go to the tunnels? I’d take a conjurer to zap the traps. Best thing is, there’s enough old torches and potions lying all around, you don’t even need to rely on magic!”
“No seriously, I killed 8, no, 9 blood rats and got a rare drop!” boasted a skittish man telling an obvious exaggeration.
“Your wife’s knickers are a rare drop!”
“Rumor has it, one of Sprenger’s boys ditched the murder weapon in the tunnels. Next time I go, I’m going to check all the barrels.”
When a particular bard who had been quiet all night finally spoke, everyone waited in anticipation, wondering whether he would speak as a sage or a jester.
“I don’t make travel to the cellar anymore,” he began in imitation of a pompous aristocrat, “It’s beneath me.”
An elderly farmer who lost his livelihood in a green skin attack chimed in, saying, "aye, laddie, life's better now the evil one is gone. I wish they'd do summat about that Astra-stuff, though!"
