```metadata
title: Mandatory Inn-Spection
description: |-
  Welcome to the Outside Inn, your escape from city life!

  A one-shot comedic adventure for 3rd level characters
  version 1.4
tags: []
systems:
  - 5e
renderer: V3
theme: 5ePHB

```

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{{frontCover}}



# Mandatory Inn-Spection
## 
___

{{banner For 3rd level characters}}

{{note
  Welcome to the *Outside Inn*, your escape from city life!
}}



![background image](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/OutsideInnCover.png){position:absolute,bottom:0,left:0,height:80%,mix-blend-mode:multiply}
{{insideCover}}

\page

{{wide
### A one-shot comedic adventure for 3rd level characters
#### version 1.7
::::

*This work includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 (SRD 5.1) by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). The full license can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode*

::::
{{homebreweryCredits
Made With

{{homebreweryIcon}}

The Homebrewery  
[Homebrewery.Naturalcrit.com](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com)
}}


::::

## CREDITS
:
Copyright (C) 2024 by Ben Collins-Sussman

- **Designer**:  Ben Collins-Sussman
- **Editing**:  Titus Winters, Rochelle Lodder
- **Artwork**:  Ben Collins-Sussman
- **Playtesters**: Beth V., Mark F., Judy P., Brad B., Marg F., Peter O., John L., Jack W., Ethan M., Annie B., Mel B., Chris P., Ben K., Erik P., Elee W., Angi R., John R.
- **Tools**
  - Initial draft written on [Freewrite](getfreewrite.com) smart typewriter
  - Edits and revisions done in [Scrivener](www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener)
  - Maps made with [Inkarnate](inkarnate.com)
  - Final layout done with [LibreOffice](libreoffice.org) and [Homebrewery](homebrewery.naturalcrit.com)


This adventure was developed as part a self-guided workshop course from the *Storytelling Collective* (https://www.storytelling-collective.com)
}}





\page
# Introduction

This is a one-shot adventure for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, theoretically playable in a single 3-4 hour session.  The adventure is comedic, deliberately playing with sitcom-like tropes;  to that end, it mostly focuses on the social aspect of roleplaying, rather than exploration or combat.  It might be useful as a comic interlude between larger campaign arcs, or perhaps on a night where a player is missing from the table.

The story was written for a party of 3rd-level good-aligned characters, and much of the comedy comes from their creative use of skills to conceal chaotic situations.   Unlike other adventures, it's not easily scalable;  the obstacles are likely too dangerous for a party with only 1st-level abilities, while a higher-level party could probably solve the challenges with a single powerful spell.


## Overview

The adventure takes place in a relatively dense city at a special nature-themed inn & tavern called **The Outside Inn**, which has a gigantic maple tree growing up through the center of the building.  The proprietor, a boisterous gnome, is worried about the imminent inspection of her tavern by the local innkeeper's guild;  the place is a mess, and there's not much time to get ready.  The players stay at her inn for the night and are roped into helping her and her staff prepare.

When the Guild Inspector arrives, a comedy of errors ensues.  The owner becomes incapacitated at the last moment and the players must guide the process of inspection.  As the inspector is accompanied through his tour, a series of  accidental "mishaps" begin to unfold simultaneously and it's up to the characters to conceal and deal with the problems using social skills, class skills, or spells.  

The Guild Inspector is an elderly man with a methodical checklist of things to examine, and only a certain number of failures are allowed before the tavern fails the inspection.  The story concludes with a final battle with an **ankheg** --- which, depending on how much destruction happens --- might sway the inspector's final grade.

When the owner eventually revives, she rewards the party with a unique magic item as a token of gratitude.

## Background

The *Outside Inn* is a generally successful business, despite some ridicule for being a "themed" establishment.  Long ago, it was conceived and constructed by a druid who wished to make members of his Circle more comfortable when visiting the city.  The towering maple growing through the center of the building is part of a deal made with a powerful Fey:  the maple would flourish, providing shade, comfort, and some magical natural effects to the interior of the building.  In return, a lineage of dryads would live within the tree to keep it protected from the potential abuse of civilization.   **Orla** is the most recent owner of the building, but she's unaware of the full backstory.  She just knows that her employees --- **Sakie** (cook and bartender) and **Thog** (maid and bouncer) --- came with the place (see Dramatis Personae).  Of course her employees also have secrets that Orla doesn't know about.  Thog is a reformed half-ogre attempting to break with his violent past and live a peaceful life;  Sakie is actually the current dryad that protects the tree, but she pretends to be a regular half-elf citizen.

Orla and her employees are on edge. They're excited because a major Festival is about to begin, which means a lot of tourists and business.   They're nervous because they only recently learned of their impending business inspection;  a lot of cleaning and organizing must be done to prepare.

Meanwhile, the regulatory guild known as the High Innkeep Council Concerning Upkeep of Public-houses (HICCUP)  is in an awkward situation:  their two regular inspectors are both unavailable, and so they have reluctantly sent **Brother Klegden** --- a long-retired innkeep ---to investigate Orla's tavern.  Klegden is an extremely elderly human who suffers from age-induced vision and hearing loss, and even a small touch of dementia.  Nevertheless, it's been a long time since he did an inspection, so he's full of enthusiasm.

Unfortunately, a number of other events are in motion that will precipitate comical "mishaps" during the inspection:

*The Undiscovered Zombie.*  The night before the players arrive, a necromancer passed through town and rented a room at the inn.   He brought various dark equipment with him and, by terrible accident, transformed himself into undead.  When he failed to appear the next day, the inn's employees assumed he simply skipped town without payment;  Thog cleaned up the mess of tea and herbs left behind, unaware the man's body lay dormant underneath a guest bed.

*The Vengeful Neighbor.*  Next door lives **Dardly**, an elderly elven alchemist.  He's a bitter hermit who dislikes the traffic produced by the tavern and has gotten into frequent disputes with Orla.  Sometimes her drunken patrons tread on his meticulously manicured garden of magical herbs;  sometimes Orla's employees thoughtlessly dump waste in the common well that the two backyards share.  Dardly won't go so far as to burn the business down, but he knows about the coming inspection and thus has committed some minor sabotage --- the kind he can easily disavow as a natural accident.  

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\page
In his garden he recently discovered a clutch of tiny eggs laid by a *Phase Spider*.  With the help of his snake familiar, he placed these eggs in the canopy of the inn's maple tree.  He knows that they've begun to hatch, releasing tarantula-sized **Phase Spiderlings** into the tree, which then crawl down into the building to create some chaos.  In addition, he also deployed his familiar to secretly tamper with Orla's private liquor, adding a temporary coma-inducing elixir to the bottle.

*The Hidden Egg.*  Sakie has done a good job of hiding her secret identity as a dryad, and she often sleeps within the trunk of the great maple tree.  Recently, while organizing supplies in the cellar, she discovered a partially collapsed wall and a foot-long red egg lying in the rubble.  She decided to quietly adopt the egg and hide it within the tree's trunk while she works to figure out what happened to the mother.  What she doesn't realize is that the egg was accidentally dropped by an *ankheg*, and the creature is now actively searching for it.

## Adventure Hooks

The only requirement for this adventure is that the party "stay at an inn within a city."  The opening boxed text has the group dashing inside from a sudden late-night rainstorm, still in need of lodging.  The proprietor then offers free lodging in return for assistance in tidying up.

That said, there are other potential ways to set up the story.  Here are some ideas.

*Just passing through.*  The party is passing through town as part of a larger adventure, or perhaps on the way to a bigger quest.  Upon arriving in town, local guards or merchants recommend the Outside Inn as a unique and fun place to spend the night.

*Festival attendees.*  Everyone's heard of the festival, and the Outside Inn is the perfect sort of playful and touristy lodgings for the downtime experience.

*Old friend.*  Make use of a player's backstory.  Perhaps Orla is an old family friend who has sent a note to a player, asking them to visit town for the festival.
::::::



{{descriptive
#### DM Sidebar: Encouraging Comedic Play
:
As mishaps begin to happen during inspection, encourage your players to lean into the sitcom-style humor.  Allow players to lie about events, "yes and..." each other, and gaslight the inspector as needed.  Likewise, allow the inspector to buy into the gaslighting so that his behaviors are determined by these explanations.   Don't be afraid to use classic tropes such as "something right behind the inspector that he shouldn't see" or "inspector does something disgusting or dangerous without realizing it."  Verbal interpretation of events can be humorous too.  For example:  someone saying too much under the influence of a Truth Serum, or ill-timed speech fragments blurted out by the raven.

While the inspector cannot be charmed, spell-casting players still have other tools that can help them with mishap management:

- *Prestidigitation* to clean or soil things;  chill, warm, or flavor things;  *Minor Illusion* or *Druidcraft* to create sounds, sensory effects, or illusions that everything is perfectly fine.
- Covert communications might happen through *Message, Beast Bond, Speak with Animals, Animal Messenger*.  There are at least two familiars nearby who may help or hurt the situation.
- Mental manipulation of NPCs might be possible via *Friends, Suggestion, Command, Charm, Borrowed Knowledge, Magic Aura, Locate Object/Animal*, and *Detect Good/Evil/Thoughts/Magic*.
- Small physical changes can happen to the world via *Mending, Mage Hand, Floating Disk, Feather Fall, Purify Food & Drink, Control Flames.*

}}




![Inn](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/OutsideInnCover.png) {position:relative,top:00px,width:300px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}



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\page

## Story Flow
:
This adventure is restricted to a small space (the inn) over a small timeframe (about 12 hours).  To that end, the overall progression of events and scenes is somewhat "on rails": the players check into the inn, meet NPCs, help with some tasks, and then are caught up in the events of the inspection the next morning.  

The real player agency kicks in during the inspection.  Multiple crises unfold and the party must choose how to split up and/or tackle them in parallel.  As DM, be sure to frequently shift between these ongoing scenes.
:::

![StoryFlow](https://i.imgur.com/lqiSCI8.png) {width:450px,position:relative,left:100px}


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## Chapter 1: Welcome to the Inn
:
When the players arrive, it will be late at night;  the inn is impossible to miss.

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
*It is a dark and stormy night!*  Despite the extremely late hour, a party of brave adventurers pushes their way through dimly lit city streets, past horse-carts and bustling crowds of both locals and tourists, all preparing for the upcoming festival.  Suddenly, a crack of thunder erupts, and the sky opens into a downpour.  People curse and run in all directions to take cover.  Your group, of course, hasn't yet found a place to stay for the night.  You dart toward the nearest --- and most unique --- building you've yet seen.  It's a two-story wooden lodge covered with overgrown vines, with a towering maple tree growing straight up through the center of the building.  The branches spread broad shade over the roof, protecting it from the onslaught of rain.  The front door, flanked by two large bushes, sports a hand-painted sign decorated with small yellow flowers: *OUTSIDE INN*.
}}
:
Upon entering, the players find themselves in a large room that --- with the help of the tree and some illusory magic --- feels like a cozy camp within a forest.

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
You enter the inn, soggy and dripping, with puddles forming at your feet.  But the space is not at all what you expected.  Yes, the main room has the trappings of a typical tavern:  sturdy tables, a weathered bar, and a warm fire --- but it's dominated by a thick maple tree trunk growing up out of the floor and then through the ceiling,  spreading leafy boughs in all directions.  The dirt floor is covered with scattered leaves, and everywhere grassy tufts and shrubs bob in a faint breeze.  Beams of moonlight pour down through the branches; there's birdsong and the distant smell of flowers;  even the hearth in the corner is a campfire surrounded by wide rocks.  Despite the gentle forest all around, a glance out the window shows you're still within the city, and it's still pouring rain outside.  As you take in the serenity of it all, a door at the back of the room swings open and a young green-haired woman pops through. *"Welcome to the Outside Inn, your escape from city life!"*
}}
:
This is **Sakie**, the inn's cook and server.  She cheerfully engages with the party, immediately offering them towels to dry their soaked clothes while answering questions about the space.  Soon after, the owner **Orla** will appear and extend the hospitality.  Orla explains that because of the late hour, all her regular patrons have gone home and she's getting ready to shut everything down for the night.  "Last call for drinks!", she'll offer to the party.
::
### The Quest
At this point, Orla sees an opportunity:  it's pouring rain and the players still need a place to stay.  Rather than close up shop and kick them out, she offers them free rooms for the night in return for a few minutes of helping her "tidy up" for her big inspection the next morning.  She has just a few chores left to do before everyone retires for the night.   It's a win-win for both groups.



## Chapter 2:  Preparation
:
Helping the staff prepare for inspection is important, because it gives players a cursory familiarity with the layout of the building and important areas.  That said, the bulk of the overall story should be the inspection itself, which ought to begin about an hour into the gaming session.

To allow sufficient game time for the inspection, the DM should try to run this "preparation" section as a (privately) time-boxed scene ---  about 30 minutes of real-time play, if possible.  You can keep things moving quickly by having the three NPCs --- Orla, Sakie, Thog --- be overly directive during this segment.  Orla officially closes and locks up the tavern for the evening, and politely requests that the players split up and help them with a final few preparation tasks.

- **Orla** asks for a volunteer to help her clean the bar in the Main Room.
- **Sakie** asks for a different volunteer to help her organize the Pantry.
- **Thog** asks for yet another volunteer to help him tidy up boxes in the Cellar.

As DM, it’s important to avoid scaring the players by letting them think they’re being forced to "split the party" as some sort of trap.  Make it clear that this is a roleplaying scene, and it's safe to divide up and get to know the space and NPCs.

If using the maps, it's recommended to simply show all three maps at once and allow players to continue communicating with each other as normal, presumably by yelling to each other across floors and levels.  While the chores are being handled in parallel, it should still feel like the players are all actively participating together in the same scene.

Once you're past 30 minutes of playtime --- or if players begin to investigate things too deeply --- you can end this section by having Orla insist that everyone get to sleep.  *"The inspector is coming early, and we need to be fresh in the morning."*  Any one of the NPCs can then show the players to their guest room for a long rest.

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## Ground Floor

![GroundFloor](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/TheOutsideInn.jpg) {width:675px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}


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### Main Room 

This space is Orla's biggest pride;  she's the primary person who keeps it clean and functioning.
:
***Tidying***:  Orla needs a single party member to help her clean the bar area here.  This might include many things, such as dusting and adjusting the bottles, wiping the counters, moving racks of glassware between kitchen and bar, tightening screws on the bar stools, etc.  
***Gossip***:   Orla loves mysteries, and shares that a couple of city guards at the main gate went mysteriously missing yesterday, and only a big hole in the ground was left behind (foreshadowing the Ankheg).  

- *Maple tree*.   Orla happily explains that while the central tree is real, most of the other things in the room (birdsong, breeze, moonlight, smells) are minor illusions generated by the tree's druidic magic.  As long as the tree is healthy, the sensory effects persist and even change to match the time of day.  
- *Campfire*.  The fire is real. While a Continual Flame spell would be an easy option, Orla doesn't like the fact that it produces no heat.  Instead, Orla keeps a real fire burning by regularly adding logs and repeatedly casting Control Flames to keep it neatly contained.  The smoke from the campfire goes through a simple vent in the ceiling above, although occasionally Orla will use a Gust spell to keep the room's air clean.  
- *Bar*.  Orla is the main bartender during busy hours, but her raven familiar Melmond is always close by.  He has a crossbar perch on the end the bar where he likes to sit and interact with customers, often repeating some of their small phrases for amusement.  The bar itself is orderly:  rows of bottles against the back wall, barrels of beer and ale underneath the counter, and plenty of storage for both clean and dirty racks of glass steins.
- *Stairs going up*.  In the corner of the room, behind the bar, some wooden steps lead to the guest rooms on the upper floor.
- *Door to kitchen*.  In the back corner of the room,  this door swings both directions on a hinge, and contains a small cut-out window near the top so that two people approaching the door can see each other to avoid collision.


### Kitchen & Pantry

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
The kitchen mixes the smells of dozens of spices;  the air hangs warm and humid, fueled by small stove fires and a suspended cauldron. Colorful cooking implements hang chaotically from the ceiling, while tools and foodstuffs are scattered across tabletops.  Around the corner, in contrast, is a pantry full of shelves of neatly arranged ingredients in jars, bottles, boxes and barrels.  A staircase in the back of the pantry heads downward, and a large door in the kitchen rear presumably leads to the backyard.
}}

***Tidying***:  This area is where Sakie does all her cooking.  Sakie needs a player to fetch water from the backyard well, and then ensure the pantry containers are  properly labeled and organized.

***Gossip***:  If given a chance, Sakie will happily rant about how next door neighbor, Dardly, is a horrible person.  They've  had a lot of recent conflicts with him.  He's registered complaints about tavern patrons messing with his garden and dumping waste.

- *Cauldron and stove*.   For safety, the fires release smoke to the outdoors through a large pipe near the ceiling.
- *Wash basin*:  Water is brought in a bucket from the backyard well, then used here to wash dishes, often through the use of an Unseen Servant spell.  In the cabinet beneath the basin, behind various soaps, Orla keeps her secret "personal" bottle of high-proof dwarven rum that she only drinks in times of great stress.
- *Pantry*:   Orla takes a particular interest in keeping the back room well-organized.   Note:  whichever player helps organize this larder will (later) remember that it contains various seeds needed for the Well Puzzle.

### Backyard

This back area can be reached from the kitchen's rear door, or accessed directly from the street by walking the narrow passage between two houses. The yard shares a well with the neighboring backyard of Dardly. **Whoever goes to the well to fetch water for cleaning will immediately notice the Well Puzzle.**  If it's an NPC, they'll certainly bring it to the attention of all the players.  This allows the players to begin "working" on the puzzle late at night, if they wish.

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
This small, grassy space has a only few shrubs and a bench to sit on, though the stormy sky can be seen past the billowing leaves of the inn's maple tree.  The tree's branches provide partial protection from the ongoing rain.  An ancient water well sits on the edge of the property, slightly tilted, and shared with the neighboring backyard.  And what a backyard that is!  The neighbor's garden is an profusion of colorful flowers, all perfectly arranged in meticulous rows.
}}
:
- *Bench*.  A place for patrons who might want a break from the bustle of the main room.  Thog often sits here and practices his knitting in peace.
- *Well*.  Old and weathered, has a standard rotary winch for lowering a bucket.
- *Flower garden*.  Those versed in Arcana (DC 13) or Survival (DC 14)  can stand at the edge of Dardly's precious space and identify all sorts of flora used for magic:   Infernal Orangebud, Necrosprout, Hydroblossom, Double-twisted Tremorshrub, etc.  They'll also notice that a few areas appear to be trampled:  Firebush, Icevine, Shockweed. 


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\page


Employees will stress how important it is to stay out of Dardly's garden (see "gossip" about Dardly in the Kitchen section above.)  They don't want to provoke more conflict or spark a direct confrontation.

Dardly has a silent *Alarm* spell to alert him of any trespassers entering his perfectly managed garden.  If players decide to venture into it, Dardly will emerge from his home and make verbal threats.  He'll  hesitate to engage in true physical conflict if things escalate.   Dardly is evil, but he's also lawful;  he knows that drawing blood in response to trespassing is likely to get him reported and arrested.  If he's really pushed into confrontation, he might simply push players aside with a *Bigby's Hand* and then erect a *Wall of Force* around his garden.
:

### Cellar

The cellar is a single room --- an undeveloped space used only for long-term storage.  Sakie and Thog often venture here to store and retrieve things.   

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
The stairs lead down to an unfinished space the size of the entire building, though it feels more like a mine than a cellar.  The packed-dirt floor is surrounded by walls of mud and clay, with intermittent wooden posts standing around the perimeter.  The dank air is overwhelmed by massive, magnificent tree roots spreading in every direction;  they radiate from the tree's trunk, which then launches up through the ceiling.   Bulk goods are stashed all over the room --- boxes and barrels, bags and crates --- all tucked away within the nooks and crannies offered by the sprawling roots.  As there are no windows, light is provided by a pair of flickering wall-sconce torches on opposite sides of the room.
}}
:
***Tidying***:   Thog needs a single player to help him stack the boxes, bins and barrels neatly, while also ensuring flammable and magical containers are properly sealed.
***Gossip***:  If given a chance, Thog will talk about the "strange robed man" who checked into a room yesterday but then disappeared without paying.  Thog is annoyed that had to clean up the mess of teas and potions he left behind.

- *Torches*.  The pair of torches is each imbued with Continual Flame.  
- *Roots*.  The tree's extensive root system makes the entire area into difficult terrain.  
- *Stored Goods*.   Unlike the pantry, there's little rhyme or reason to where and how things are stored;  the inn's employees improvise and rely on memory to find things.
- *Broken wall*.  The far wall of the basement is partially damaged, though it’s not obvious on first glance. Any player with a Passive Perception of 15 will notice this damage, though it’s easily detected by anyone actively doing an Investigation check around the cellar (DC 12.)  The wall recently collapsed due to an incursion by an **ankheg** digging tunnels around the neighborhood, and, after discovering and absconding with the ankheg’s abandoned egg, Sakie persuaded Thog to push the rubble back into the wall.  Orla hasn’t noticed the wall damage yet, and nobody has mentioned it to her.   Of course there’s no time to properly rebuild the wall before inspection — it would take at least a couple of days to repair.  Sakie and Thog will both apologize for failing to hide the mess well enough.  At best, the players can help hide the damage for now by covering it with more bins and boxes.

When the player eventually begins to clean this area with Thog, they'll encounter a pair of ambling **Phase Spiderlings** (see appendix) running loose among the boxes.  Because the exploration scene is time-boxed, this should not turn into a full combat;  the spiderlings will simply "phase out" if attacked.   If asked about the spiderlings, Thog will admit that they had to deal with one a couple of days ago, but they haven't yet figured out where they're coming from.  Orla hasn't seen them yet.

### Upper Floor

The players aren't asked to help clean the upstairs area, though Thog takes personal pride in keeping the upstairs clean and is proud to show his work if asked.

The stairs lead to hallways containing doors that lead to five guest rooms.  At the midpoint of the hallway's length, the tree trunk comes up through the floor and continues up through the ceiling --- though guests can still walk around the trunk.   When the players enter the northern guest room (perhaps to finally retire for the night), they di5scover it's affected by the same illusory magic as the ground floor.

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
These quarters contain two beds, a small table, chair, and a chamber pot.  The decor continues the inn's nature-theme, using small illusions like the main room below.  The walls are painted sky-blue with wisps of cloud moving slowly across; small tufts of grass line the baseboards of the wall, gently wavering in an imaginary breeze.  A single open window spoils the illusion somewhat, though, since you can still see the pouring rain outside.
}}
:
If the window shade is closed to block light and rain sound, more illusory magic is activated:

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
As you close the shade, the room goes from dim to dark, and suddenly hundreds of stars appear on the ceiling of your room, while small fireflies glow and swim along the walls --- an unexpected magical moment,  and a nice end-touch to a long day.
}}

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## Cellar

![Cellar](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/Outside-InnCellar.jpg) {width:675px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}



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## Upper Floor

![UpperFloor](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/Outside-InnUpstairs.jpg) {width:675px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}


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#### Blocked Well
:
{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
The well looks strange --- someone has tampered with it!  The top opening has been completely covered by a large metal disc, blocking all access to the water inside.  On closer look, the edges of the disc overhang the edges of the well like a neat, tightly fit lid.  You see some sort of keyhole and lock holding the disc tightly in place, but the whole thing glows faintly with some sort of magic aura as well.  On top of the disc is a tiny slot, as well as a handwritten note.
}}
:
**Dardly** sometimes performs subtle aggressions against Orla's establishment, but in the case he is overtly challenging her.  He seeks payback for what he perceives as direct damage to his property.  Earlier in the week, some intoxicated tavern patrons trampled on certain parts of his garden;  he seeks restorative justice by demanding Orla provide him with magical seeds to replace those plants, holding the well water as ransom.  Obviously, this a a problem for inspection;  if Klegden can't test the water, he won't be able to give anything but a "fail" grade on his kitchen-sanitation checkbox.  

The disc is magically locked to the well via Dardly's own variant of an Arcane Lock spell, as well as a traditional mechanical lock.  There are at least four possible ways to get to the water:

- *Puzzle:*   solve the poem's puzzle (below) and deposit "activated" magical seeds into the disc's slot.
- *Spells and Lockpicks:*  use a Knock spell to defuse the Arcane Lock, followed by a DC 15 Dexterity (Slight of Hand) check to pick the mechanical lock.
- *Brute Force:* destroy either the cover or well itself by brute force.  The cover has AC 19 and 30 hit points;  the base of the well is made of thick stones with AC 17 and 35 hit points.  Both objects have damage thresholds of 8 HP --- meaning that if an attack doesn't do at least 8 points of damage, the objects take no damage at all.  Players rolling natural 1 on their attack (critical failure) are likely to break their weapons.
- *Confrontation with Dardly:*  This is probably the most risky option.  Dardly is unlikely to draw blood in a direct conflict (see the "Backyard" section).  However, if the players verbally confront the wizard in front of the inspector, some careful intimidation and threat of reporting to authorities might cause Dardly to capitulate and remove the puzzle.


{{descriptive
*Flowers trampled by patrons intoxicated*\
*By justice, in turn, must be re-donated!*\
*The water within shall continue to hide*\
*'Til "activated" seeds you rightly provide.*\
*Icevine thaws in tingling current's desires*\
*and Firebush's born from the ash of great fires*\
*while Shockweed only summer's warmth requires.*
}}

Any player who helped organize the pantry will instantly remember seeing these three types of seeds as part of inventory.  If the players don't make the connection, any NPC (like Melmond or Sakie) will provide this information to them.

Of course, the seeds need to be "activated" for germination before being inserted into the metal cover.  Each time activated seeds are deposited in the cover, it spins a quarter-turn to indicate progress. In their stable-storage state, the seeds are simply red, blue, and yellow in color.  Once activated, they begin to glow and radiate heat, cold, or static electricity.   Again, an NPC can clarify what "activation" means if the players are confused.

This table describes how to activate them.

|  | Red Seeds (Firebush) | Blue Seeds (Icevine) | Yellow Seeds (Shockweed) |
| :----- | :----- | :----- | :----- |
| **Hit with Fire** | glow with gentle heat | burns to a crisp | burns to a crisp |
| **Add gentle heat** | - | - | glow with gentle static |
| **Hit with Frost** | turn black & die | no effect: natural resistance | turn black & die |
| **Hit with Lightning** | shatters into pieces | shatters into pieces | no effect: natural resistance |
| **Add gentle static** | - | glow with gentle cooling | - |

The basic solution is:

* Use fire (from campfire, kitchen, or cantrip) on the red seeds; they will activate.  They now glow red and emanate gentle heat.
* Mix the activated red seeds with the yellow seeds;  the gentle heat will activate the yellow seeds.  They now glow yellow and crackle with bits of static electricity.
* Mix the activated yellow seeds with the blue seeds;  the gentle static ("current") will activate them so that they glow blue and become cold to the touch.
* Deposit all three colors of activated seeds into the hole's well-cover, and the Arcane Lock will break, allowing the cover to be removed.

If players have elemental spells to expend, they're free to explore the effects in the chart above via trial and error.  As DM, you can provide hints about seeds being sensitive to too much elemental energy.  For example, if fire is applied to the yellow seeds, they initially begin to glow and crackle with static, but then are ultimately overwhelmed and get burnt up;  this hints at the need for a more gentle heat.  A similar description can be given when hitting the blue seeds with lightning:  they glow blue for a moment, before shattering.


![magicseed](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/magicseed.webp) {width:80px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}

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## Chapter 3:  Inspection Time
:
### Last-Moment Leadership

Early the next morning, Orla takes a moment to slip away --- alone --- for a quick private drink of her favorite rum, just to tame her anxiety about the imminent inspection.  Because it's been poisoned, she falls unconscious, and she is discovered a few moments later.

If a player doesn't find her, an NPC will and make an enormous fuss --- waking the players who hear the cries for help.  Presumably all players and NPCs will then converge on the crisis.   A DC 10 Medicine check shows that Orla isn't dead or dying:  she's breathing normally but apparently is in some sort of magical coma.  A DC 12 Arcana or Survival check will show that her rum has been magically poisoned but that the effects will eventually wear off.  Indeed, Dardly has tampered with Orla's favorite bottle --- though it will be hard to prove this.  Orla remains unconscious for 12 hours unless cured by a *Greater Restoration* spell.

Sakie and Thog are now panicked, bordering on hysterical.  They implore the party to help them do something with Orla's body (presumably hide it out of view), and to help lead the inspection.  Sakie and Thog simply lack the confidence to represent the tavern to the inspector;  they beg the party to represent the tavern and show the inspector around.  

Immediately after Orla's body has been safely hidden from view, the inspector arrives.

### Inspection Begins

**Brother Klegden** will approach the first female he sees --- whether that be Sakie or a party member.

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
An elderly human, hunched over and quietly mumbling, slowly ambles in with the help of an oaken cane.  He wears brightly colored robes of red and blue, and a golden amulet hangs around his neck.  He raises his eyes to meet you --- squinting --- and a broad smile spreads across his face.  *"Orla!  So great to see you again!  I'm looking forward to seeing everything you've done with the place.  And of course the good folks at HICCUP all say hello."*
}}
:
Allow the players to introduce themselves however they wish --- as business partners, consultants, assistant managers, etc.  (And if the players need help, Melmond can suggest these titles.)

The inspector is cheerful and distractible, and has a matrix-style checklist of things to examine (shown below).  The exact order of the inspection (and slow-rolling disasters) are extremely flexible, depending on how the players and DM roleplay the "tour."  The inspector will ask to be escorted around the building in order to look at each of these 12 boxes, slowly and awkwardly taking notes as he goes.   For each box, he'll  give a grade of either "Excellent," "Pass," or "Fail."   If asked, he'll happily explain the three broad categories of safety he's looking at (structural, magic, sanitation) --- though he won't show the checklist directly to players.

##### Inspection Checklist
| Room | Structural| Magic Safety | Sanitation |
| :----- | :----- | :----- | :----- |
| *Main room* | Tree's branches aren't damaging ceiling | Campfire flame control & ventilation | Maintenance and cleanliness of bar area |
| *Kitchen* | All storage and shelving is sturdy, particularly in pantry | Cooking fires properly ventilate to outdoors; safe use of Unseen Servant  | Cleanliness of cooking space and well water  |
| *Cellar* | Stability of wall supports | Properly storing reactive magic ingredients | Lack of vermin & mold |
| *Guest rooms* | No damage to walls, floors, doors | Maintenance of illusory nature effects | Chamber pot maintenance; cleanliness of rooms |




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### Mishaps

The tour probably begins in the main room, since that's where the players first meet Brother Klegden.  As DM, you can initiate these events in any order, potentially simultaneously, at any time you choose --- whatever is most comedic.  Sakie and Thog are available to help with these situations, but of course they expect the players to help as well.  Melmond is also free to roam between scenes and deliver clue-bat suggestions in the form of wisecracks.

- Small spiders begin crawling out of the campfire.  See **Fire Hazard**.
- Loud pounding and groaning sounds upstairs.  See **Unexpected Zombie**.
- The ground quakes below the inn, with the sound of falling objects in the cellar.  See **Cellar Problems.**

Once the building tour is complete (and the mishaps have mostly been dealt with), we arrive at the Ankheg Attack scene.
:
#### Fire Hazard

The players will be the first to notice 4 spiderlings falling from the tree's branches into the campfire.  A few of them catch on fire when this happens, which sends them into a panic.  They begin to "blink out" as a fight-or-flight response, then "blink in" somewhere else in the room:  for example, on top of a wooden table, window curtain, or among some tree-leaves.  These objects then begin to catch fire as well.

The players will need to stop the fire(s) from spreading and try to dispose of the bugs, all without attracting too much attention from the inspector.  If using a map:  assume that each round, a square on fire is 50% likely to spread to an adjoining square (in a random direction).  Smoke begins to become an issue as well, since not all of it is strictly drifting upwards and out the vent above the campfire.

:
#### Unexpected Zombie

Thog is the first to respond to the pounding sounds. *"Don't worry, I fix,"* he says as he stomps upstairs to investigate.  He openly welcomes any players who want to join him.

Just as Thog (and others) arrive in the empty guest room, the zombie will attack him.  Thog will fight with fists and possibly improvised weapons (e.g. smashing the undead with a chair).  This is obviously even louder than the original pounding noises, to the point where even the partially deaf inspector begins to express concern.

If Thog fights alone, the combat may take at least a minute and the room will be trashed.  If players are there to help, the zombie might be dispatched much quicker and with less room damage.  

After the zombie is dead, it becomes a bit of a creative endeavor to dispose of the zombie and "fix up" the room before the inspector walks through.  The inspector will be looking for undamaged walls and relatively clean rooms (e.g. not covered with blood.)

Putting the pieces together:  Thog will notice that the zombie is dressed in familiar robes. *"Hey, he looks just like the guy who ran away without paying!"*  Indeed, searching the corpse reveals some packets of tea that match what Thog cleaned up.
:

#### Cellar Problems

When the inspection begins, it's recommended that a few small quakes rumble through the Inn every few minutes or so, gentle at first.  Let it be a mystery to players and NPCs, and let them try to explain them away to the inspector.

Eventually, however, there will be a much larger quake, and a crashing sound from the cellar.  Sakie posits that some "storage boxes must have fallen" and insists on heading to the basement to tidy up, urging at least one player to come with her to help.  Of course, the quakes actually come from the ankheg prowling the area, though none of the players or NPCs know this.

Unfortunately, just prior to folks' arrival in the cellar, some spiderlings knocked over a box of magical dust all over the floor;  the quake caused a glass bottle to fall off the shelf and shatter its liquid among the dust.  The magical chemical reaction has released an invisible gas cloud throughout the cellar.  Though the gas cannot be seen, it can be smelled via DC 13 Passive Perception.  Any humanoid coming into contact with the gas must make a DC 15 Constitution save or suffer the effect of a *Truth Serum* potion:  1 hour of poisoned condition, and can't knowingly speak a lie.  Sakie fails her saving throw;  other players with her may or may not be as unlucky.  Without a doubt, Sakie's truth-telling will make gaslighting the inspector more difficult --- though a *Lesser Restoration* or *Lay on Hands* would cure her of this poisoning.

The "truth gas" can be contained by spells that move air, or simply by improvising some fans to help it dissipate before the inspector heads into the cellar.

In terms of inspection, the immediate order of business will be to clean up the broken glass, liquid and powder as quickly of possible.  Of course, once the inspector arrives, there's still a chance that he'll be suspicious of how the bottles were stored, and there's also the chance of him noticing the damaged wall.




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#### Ankheg Attack
:

Prior to the ankheg's attack, there are three potential clues that foreshadow this event.  As DM, you're welcome to provide them throughout the story, so that the final boss battle doesn't necessarily feel like a non sequitur:

- During the cleanup scene, Orla shares a rumor about mysterious large holes in the ground and town guards gone missing.
- In the cellar, an inspection of the damaged wall reveals a burrowed tunnel.
- During the inspection, there are repeated small quakes coming from under the building.

Once the inspection begins to wrap up, the inspector heads back toward the main room.  After another below-ground quake and horrible screeching sound, the ankheg bursts up through the floorboards from the cellar and attacks anyone and anything in the room.  For dramatic effect, you can have the the creature's surfacing be a (failed) attempt to grapple the inspector.

The party should have no problem coming together to defeat to ankheg;  the larger concern might be around how much its acid spray damages the room.

If Sakie is present and still under the effect of Truth Serum, she's likely to openly deduce that the creature must be looking for the egg she stashed within the tree;  she may also end up revealing that she's a dryad.  If Sakie is allowed to step into the tree and retrieve the egg for the ankheg, this is a non-combat alternative to resolving the scene.
:

## Denouement

After combat is over, Brother Klegden is impressed and grateful for the players' handing of the situation.  *"What an unfortunate event --- and how outrageous it is for such a mishap to happen on a day of inspection!  Ridiculous, isn't it?  Thank goodness nothing else went wrong today."*

#### Tallying the Inspection Scorecard

As Drew Carey famously says, "everything's made up, and the points don't matter."  The inspector is willing to provide an overall "pass" grade to the entire inspection as long as no more than one item received a "Fail" grade (... and assuming the players have made a persuasive proposal to address the issue soon).  If the scorecard has multiple "Fail" grades, the players will need to make an impressive explanation as to why Klegden should still allow an overall passing grade --- a DC 15 Persuasion check, and +2 DC for each added Fail on the card.

#### After the Inspector Leaves

Eventually Orla will awaken from her magical coma later in the evening.  Regardless of how the inspection went, Orla will express immense gratitude.  She is so impressed with the players' ability to bluff, that she gives them a *Ring of Mind Shielding* as a token of gratitude, to "help them continue their  persuasive talents."

To create a sense of finality, the story can be optionally be wrapped up:

{{purple,background:#aff0ef,font-family:ScalySansRemake,border-left:"3px solid green",border-right:"3px solid green"
*And so once again, our intrepid adventurers have saved the day.* What began as a mere escape from one of nature's stormy outbursts, has ended with the safe protection of one of nature's great treasures, the Outside Inn.  As you open the front door of the inn, you can't help but wonder:  how will Orla remove the spider infestation?  What will come of her ongoing conflict with Dardly?  The answer, of course, is clear:  those are now someone else's problems.  For heroes such as yourselves, a new day beckons you forth.  The sun is shining, and a festival awaits.
}}

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# Appendix: NPCs

There are five key NPCs for the players to interact with.
Of course, you're free to add other colorful patrons to the inn & tavern as desired.


{{monster,frame
## Orla Knockle
*She/her,  Forest Gnome, Lawful Good*
___
**Armor Class** :: 11 (16 with Barkskin)
**Hit Points**  :: 11 (2d8+2)
**Speed**       :: 25 ft.
___
|  STR  |  DEX  |  CON  |  INT  |  WIS  |  CHA  |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|13 (+1)|12 (+1)|15 (+2)|11 (+0)|
___
**Skills** :: Medicine +4, Nature +3, Perception +4
**Senses**               :: passive Perception 14
**Languages**            :: Common, Gnomish, Elvish, Dwarvish
___
***Spellcasting.*** Orla is a 4th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks.  She has the following spells prepared:

- Cantrips (at will): *druidcraft, produce flame, control flames, gust*
- 1st level (4 slots): *entangle, find famiilar*
- 2nd level (3 slots): *animal messenger, barkskin*

### Actions
***Quarterstaff.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. *Hit*: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. 

}}



A short, stocky middle-aged gnome commoner whose dark blonde hair has begun to grey into salt-and-pepper patterns.  As the owner and proprietor of the Outside Inn, she is typically wearing sensible hostess clothing. Her raven familiar, **Melmond**, is her close companion and keeps her informed of goings-on around her business and community.  While she's able to speak telepathically with him, Melmond is able to repeat bits of human speech out loud to the amusement of guests.

- **Personality Trait**:  I'm energetic and boisterous, always up for a gossipy conversation with neighbors or guests.  Despite my sarcastic sense of humor, I'm optimistic by nature.
- **Ideal**:  I believe nature is healing, and everyone deserves that experience from my tavern.
- **Bond**:  I'm very protective of Sakie, my cook;  I treat her a bit like a daughter. 
- **Flaw**:  Even though I delegate work, I never trust it's done correctly;  I compulsively micro-manage people and check their work.



![Orla](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/Orla-white.png) {position:relative,top:300px,right:30px,width:380px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}

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{{monster,frame
## Sakie
*Medium Fey (Dryad), Neutral Good*
___
**Armor Class** :: 11 (16 with Barkskin)
**Hit Points**  :: 22 (5d8)
**Speed**       :: 30 ft.
___
|  STR  |  DEX  |  CON  |  INT  |  WIS  |  CHA  |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|10 (+0)|12 (+1)|11 (+0)|14 (+2)|15 (+2)|18 (+4)|
___
**Skills** :: Stealth +5, Perception +4
**Resistances** :: advantage on saves vs. spells & magical effects
**Senses**               :: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
**Languages**            :: Common, Elvish, Syvlan
___
***Spellcasting.*** As a dryad, Sakie's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14).  She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

- Cantrips (at will): *druidcraft*
- 3/day each: *entangle, goodberry*
- 1/day: *shillelagh, pass without trace, barkskin*

***Speak with Beasts and Plants.***  The dryad can communicate with beasts and plants as if they shared a language.
:
***Tree Stride.*** Once on her turn, the dryad can use 10 ft. of her movement to step magically into one living tree within her reach and emerge from a second living tree within 60 ft. of the first tree, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 ft. of the second tree.  Both trees must be large or bigger.

### Actions 
***Club.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +2 to hit (+6 with *shillelagh*), reach 5ft., one target. *Hit* 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d8+4) with *shillelagh*.
:
***Fey Charm***. The dryad targets one humanoid or beast that she can see within 30 feet of her. If the target can see the dryad, it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed. The charmed creature regards the dryad as a trusted friend to be heeded and protected. Although the target isn’t under the dryad’s control, it takes the dryad’s requests or actions in the most favorable way it can.

Each time the dryad or her allies do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the dryad dies, is on a different plane of existence from the target, or ends the effect as a bonus action. If a target’s saving throw is successful, the target is immune to the dryad’s Fey Charm for the next 24 hours.

The dryad can have no more than one humanoid and up to three beasts charmed at a time.

}}

A short young female with greenish hair and pointy ears, who poses as an elf.  She’s actually a **dryad** sworn to protect the inn’s great maple tree.  She works as Orla’s main cook but also knows how to bartend and serve food if needed.  She’s almost always wearing an apron of some kind.

- **Personality Trait**:  I am quick on my feet, friendly, and always ready to help.
- **Ideal**:  Food is the quickest way to someone’s heart and trust.
- **Bond**:  I will sacrifice my life, if needed, to protect the maple tree from harm.
- **Flaw**:  I’m afraid to make decisions on my own;  I always ask someone else what to do.

![Sakie](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/Sakie-white.png) {position:relative,top:200px,right:50px,width:450px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}



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{{monster,frame
## Thog
*Medium Giant (half-ogre), Lawful Neutral*
___
**Armor Class** :: 11 (16 with Barkskin)
**Hit Points**  :: 22 (5d8)
**Speed**       :: 30 ft.
___
|  STR  |  DEX  |  CON  |  INT  |  WIS  |  CHA  |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|19 (+4)|8 (-1)|16 (+3)|10 (+0)|9 (-1)|7 (-2)|
___
**Senses**               :: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 8
**Languages**            :: Common, Giant
___


### Actions
***Unarmed attack.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit*: 5 (1+4) bludgeoning damage.
:
***Greatclub.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit*: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage.
}}

Standing nearly 8 feet tall, Thog often has to duck through doorways to move around the inn.  His massive size allows him to manage misbehaving patrons, but most of his time he's busy bussing tables and cleaning guest rooms.  He is not bright;  he speaks in simple, broken common speech, and doesn't like to talk about his  past.  When alone, he calms himself through knitting --- something taught to him by Sakie.

- **Personality Trait**:  I say few words, but I always speak the truth.  Do not annoy me or behave badly in this establishment, or you will regret it.
- **Ideal**:  Might doesn't make right, but might has an obligation to serve those who are right.
- **Bond**:  Orla and Sakie are my Clan now.
- **Flaw**:  I often lose control of my temper in stressful situations, and end up smashing things.


![Thog](https://social.clawhammer.net/blog/images/oi/Thog-white.png) {position:relative,top:400px,right:150px,width:500px,mix-blend-mode:multiply}


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{{monster,frame
## Dardly
*Medium Humanoid (Wood Elf), Lawful Evil*
___
**Armor Class** :: 12 (15 with *Mage Armor*)
**Hit Points**  :: 40 (9d8)
**Speed**       :: 30 ft.
___
|  STR  |  DEX  |  CON  |  INT  |  WIS  |  CHA  |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|9 (-1)|14 (+2)|11 (+0)|17 (+3)|12 (+1)|11 (+0)|
___
**Saving Throws** :: Int +6, Wis +4
**Skills** :: Arcana +6, History +6
**Senses**               :: passive Perception 11
**Languages**            :: Common, Elvish, Infernal, Draconic
___
***Spellcasting.*** Dardly is a 9th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +7 to hit with spell attacks.)  He has the following spells prepared:

- Cantrips (at will): *fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation*
- 1st level (5 slots): *detect magic, mage armor, magic missile, shield*
- 2nd level (4 slots): *misty step, suggestion*
- 3rd level (3 slots): *counterspell, fly, fireball*
- 4th level (3 slots): *greater invisibility, ice storm*
- 5th level (2 slots): *Bigby's Hand, wall of force, scrying*

### Actions
***Dagger.*** *Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:* +5 to hit, reach 5ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. *Hit*: 4 (1d4+2) piercing damage. 

}}

::

Dardly is a bitter ancient elf, at least 700 years old. He has been all over the continent, seen governments and cities rise and fall, and had his spirit crushed into darkness.  Though he serves unnamed evil spirits, he spends his current era living as a hermit-like alchemist in the middle of the city.  Hunched over like a question mark, he dresses in black robes and wears an enormous bowler hat that mostly obscures his face.  He tends an herb garden in his backyard to fuel his dark elixirs, which he then sells on the black market.  He has multiple grudges against Orla and the inn (see Background);   his garter snake familiar often spies on the inn and its patrons.

- **Personality Trait:**  I do not talk to anyone;  my business is nobody else's.  But I know all the things that happen on this street, and everything is subject to my influence.
- **Ideal:**  Darkness always prevails, but only fools get caught performing in its service.
- **Bond:**  My garden is organized to perfection.  I will harm anyone who trespasses upon it.
- **Flaw:**  I am often a bit too sure of myself.


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{{monster,frame
## Brother Klegden
*Medium Humanoid (human), Lawful Good*
___
**Armor Class** :: 10
**Hit Points**  :: 4 (1d8)
**Speed**       :: 30 ft.
___
|  STR  |  DEX  |  CON  |  INT  |  WIS  |  CHA  |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|8 (-1)|10 (+0)|8 (-1)|14 (+2)|12 (+1)|10 (+0)|
___
**Senses**               :: Passive Perception 10
**Languages**            :: Common, Dwarvish
___


### Actions
***Unarmed strike.*** *Melee Weapon Attack:* -1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit*:1 bludgeoning damage.
}}
:::::
In his youth, Klegden was once a lively barkeep who ran one of the most popular taverns in town.  He's long since passed the business to his children, but in his retirement he still serves as perhaps the oldest member of the HICCUP guild (see **Background**).  Unfortunately, he's a bit hard of sight and hearing.  He hobbles along with his cane, sometimes gets a bit confused, but is otherwise very knowledgeable about the art of running an inn and tavern.  He's excited to run down his checklist of inspection tasks.  Note that while he has no heroic powers, he does wear a magical amulet (provided by the guild) that makes him immune to *Charm* effects.

- **Personality Trait**:  I am friendly and love to teach younger folk how to run a proper establishment by telling stories of the Old Days.  I have a sense of humor, but I also know when to be serious.
- **Ideal**:  Hospitality isn't just a science, but an art!
- **Bond**:  I will uphold the honor of my guild and profession.
- **Flaw**:  My sight and hearing are greatly diminished;  I often mis-hear what people say to me, mistaking their words for similar-sounding ones.




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# Appendix: Creatures
:


{{monster,frame
## Phase Spiderling
*Tiny monstrosity, unaligned*
___
**Armor Class** :: 15 (natural armor, tiny zie)
**Hit Points**  :: 4
**Speed**       :: 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
___
|  STR  |  DEX  |  CON  |  INT  |  WIS  |  CHA  |
|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|:-----:|
|10 (+0)|15 (+2)|8 (-1)|6 (-2)|10 (+0)|6 (-2)|
___
**Skills** :: Stealth +7
**Senses**               :: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
**Languages**            :: --
**Challenge**            :: CR 1/8
___
***Etheral Jaunt.***  as a bonus action, the spider can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.
:
***Spider Climb.*** the spider can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
:
***Web Walker.*** the spider ignores movement restrictions caused by webbing.
:
### Actions
***Bite:***  Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit (touch attack).  Hit: 2 (1d4) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 4 (1d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way. 
::
### Strategy
A phase spider possesses the magical ability to phase in and out of the Ethereal Plane. It seems to appear out of nowhere and quickly vanishes after attacking. Its movement on the Ethereal Plane before coming back to the Material Plane makes it seem like it can teleport.
:
Phase spiderlings are newborns.  They're recently hatched from eggs and are only the size of a human palm (much like a tarantula.)  Because of their tiny size, they do very little damage compared to adult  counterparts, but are also more difficult to hit.  As babies, they are still learning how to hunt, and thus their battle tactics are more erratic and unpredictable.

}}



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