Session One

Session One occurred in person at Morgan and Ed's House on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. Austin and Eli were in attendance, with John and Angie calling in following a possible COVID-19 exposure. Mo was not feeling well and sat the session out.

## Session summary

After traveling to the village of Winksomsin for various reasons, Silver, Vitali, and Michaia were each looking through the "help wanted" ads in the newspaper in search of monster hunting gigs. They each discovered a clipping saying that Fred Holland, owner of The Wet Pelican tavern in Winksomsin, was looking for adventures to complete a monster hunt for him. The clipping read:

> WANTED: ADVENTURERS WILLING TO HUNT MONSTERS
>
>

> Winksomsin tavernkeep looking to pay handsomely any monster hunter who can capture the beasts which keep breaking into my bar and eating my stores. Bring your own weapons. Speak to F. Holland at Wet Pelican Tavern in Winksomsin. Safety not guaranteed. Gnomes need not apply.
>
>

The group individually traveled to The Wet Pelican in south Winksomsin, followed by Tinkerbot. At the tavern, they met Fred Holland, who took them into the backroom and explained that he was having a rat problem. He told them that after the tavern closed, he would lead them to the basement where he would pay them one gold coin per rat they slew. The group accepted the quest.

After last call, the group was led to the basement where they were shown an access door leading through an old smuggler's tunnel into the village sewer. In the village sewer, they encountered and killed several dire rats. While looking for more rats, Silver heard voices up ahead. She and the others moved forward to investigate, and overheard at least a dozen members of the Gnomish Mafia plotting to kidnap Winksomsin governor Gretchen Darkmire. Led by Tinkerbot, who is native to the area, the party headed to the Governor's Mansion and alerted the guard there of the impending attack.

Returning to the tavern, they saw at least fifteen gnomes come out of the sewer and start heading towards the mansion. Fearing the guards could be outnumbered and overrun, they followed. When they got to the mansion, they discovered two guards and several gnomes slaughtered at the gate. They closed in and attacked the gnomes from behind while the guards fought them off up front, and successfully stopped the plot to kidnap the governor.

After the battle, the guards surrounded the group and demanded they explain themselves. Tinkerbot volunteered himself and was taken into the mansion while the guards detained the party. Inside, Tinkerbot revealed to the Darkmire Estate Steward that he (or at least part of him) was once property of Gretchen Darkmire's father-in-law, the late Lord Strahd Darkmire, and convinced the Steward that they meant no harm and only wanted to save the governor. The Steward ordered the guards to let the party go on the pretense that they never enter the mansion grounds uninvited again, and the party returned to The Wet Pelican to sleep.

In the morning, Mr. Holland returned. He paid the group for their services and offered them a hot breakfast on the house. The group spent some time bonding with each other over breakfast.

## **Rewards**

**EXPERIENCE**

**Attendance - 100 XP**

**Dire Rats - 270 XP**

**Gnome Attack - 286 XP**

**Rescued Governor Darkmire - 400 XP**

**TOTAL XP - 1,056 XP**

**MATERIALS**

* **Antitoxin x5**
* **Cold Iron, 10 lbs**
* **Glass cutter**
* **Glue paper**
* **Gnome hat x14**
* **Gnome hooked hammer x2**
* **Impact foam**
* **Manacles, masterwork**
* **Oil of taggit x2**
* **Pickaxe, small x18**
* **Ransom note**
* **Rope, 50', hemp**
* **Shovel, small x5**
* **Signal whistle x2**
* **Torch x15**

**In addition, each player got 116 gold coins, 7 silver coins, and 9 copper pieces.**

See next: Session Two