The Barking Fool Tavern

Game Title: The Barking Fool Tavern
Date: June 13, 2009
OOG Location: Dave's House, Sun Valley, CA
In Game Location: A tavern in the Foreign Quarter of Kessid, Irroquin
Pre-Game Plot Page
Plots: By Irroquin royal law, properties on a Royal frontage road not inhabited for five years are seized by the crown to be auctioned off. Excitement buzzes as mid-June begins the five-year anniversary of the Elves leaving the city, and speculation about the Elven properties generates many intrigues. A thief accused of robbing the Elven properties and giving away or selling enchanted items he stole is arrested by the City Guard. Meanwhile, storytellers and bards present jokes, songs, and tales for the entertainment of the tavern patrons. A drunken fortune-teller randomly dispenses eerily prescient advice and predictions.
Cast (27)
Mike Antos [GM] as Samuel Walker, Hall of Travelers Board Tender; Cpl Arthur, Kessid City Watch; Irroquin Royal Court Mage Reginald Farnsworth II
Alex Arjad as Alaz (Half-Elf Storyteller)
Dale Brodt [GM] as Yohan (Lamplighter); Luther Canis; Randall Strauss, Hall of Travelers Courier; Watchman Kenneth, Kessid City Watch
Heather Brodt [GM] as the Eye of Munin (?)
Mike Budzik as Pestwyk
Quinn Budzik as Valiant (?)
Ernie Burnett as Castus Exilead
Constance Chamberlain as Lady Antillia "Tilly" Geoffrey
Dave Chamberlain as Reginald Farnsworth III
Cassidy Cording as Dolena the Serving Wench
Ingrid deBeus as Kala
Haleanna Fulcher as Ensorrel
Ryan Fulcher as Abel (Myerean Cook), Beggar, Bitters, Verbal Goatblatter (half orc)
Andrew G [GM] as Sal (Lamplighter); William Baker(Scroll Merchant)
Aaron Lyle as Fledge
Sarah Mahoney as Leetha (bar maid)
Dave Miner [GM] as Innkeep William Barkins; Cpl Isaac, Kessid City Watch
Cabernet Murray as Rosha
Devin Parker as Prendergast the Prestidigitator
Coffee Polk as Kini
Roxanne Quezada as Rose
Jessica Richards as Tallow (Lamplighter); Nil (Vorakian)
Andrew Rowe as Salaris the holy warrior
Jason Ryan as Penn
Rev. Joel Schonbrunn as Vartran Gregorian (pre-game only)
D.W. Scraggs as FitzWilliam Trout, Bard; Cleg the Thief.
Joanna Slusser as Isondel
Michael Slusser as Rambert Garnock
Synopsis / Invite:
At the edge of the Foreign Quarter of Kessid, Irroquin, sits The Barking Fool Tavern. Often the first or last stop of many travelers and merchants, The Barking Fool sits just off the Talrydam Road, and if you stand in just the right spot in the garden you can see the Palace Hill, and reportedly the spot where Jester Farbeldook was hanged, but everyone knows that tale...
The Barking Fool Tavern hosts a Hall of Travelers board with a full-time tender, and is in good standing with most of the Guilds in Kessid. The owner, "Wil", welcomes all of the civilized races of the lands (and a few that are only partially civilized, like half-Orcs and Karandian mages) for fine ales and foods at fair prices, and rooms for hire nightly.
Excitement is starting to buzz around Kessid, as mid-June begins the five-year anniversary of the Elves leaving the city . Throughout the many neighborhoods, but mostly in the foreign quarter, shops, homes, glades and storehouses have been shuttered and locked since their owners fled to Doro Y'Edhel to fight against the monster armies. Everyone knows, of course, that by royal law in Irroquin, if your property has frontage on a King's road, you must inhabit and operate that property at least one hundred days per year (to generate an appropriate amount of tax revenue to the crown). And, if you fail to meet this law for five years in a row, your property is forfeit and seized by the crown.
Knowing the law, and suspecting untold riches and mysterious items to be hidden in these soon-to-be-seized Elven properties, the city is filling up with all manner of folk, and gearing up for what will be sure to be an amazing series of auctions in the later summer months.
The winter passed with little excitement in Kessid. The port operated at its expected level, and the many wars spread around Xaria seemed not to touch this coastal city. For the past six years the city has maintained an agreement with Dominia to berth some of their warships, and garrison a Contubernium of their soldiers. Those who remember the "trouble" of 503 are happy that it seems all who wield power in Kessid, both in the shadows and in the light, have been content to do their thing and make their money.
Of note, with the arrival of Spring the normal increase in overland trade seemed not to materialize, with the exception of an increase in exports to Halgudar. Gallura, Chalter Medrium and DeMekrium have yet to send merchants or delegations. The ocean-going trade is on par with previous years; Akkoria, Karandia and Talrydam are well-represented along the Wharf.