Most of the heroes excepting Belor awaken in the large bedroom at the inn, the Sunken Norwegian, to knocking on the door by Yogun, inn-keeper. “Time to pay up! And get out by midday or pay another night!”. The heroes pay an exorbitant amount of gold for room and lodging. Perhaps they should have negotiated better. Together, Yogun and the heroes awaken Belor in the next room. Belor negotiates a rate for breakfast and food from the inn for the whole group. Mike stuffs the Gnoll scalps into the mattress because he bears a grudge for the exorbitant rates of the inn. Over breakfast, the heroes are approached by a tall, fine-featured, perhaps some Elvish ancestry, well-dressed man. This man identifies the heroes as indentured servants of the halfling Beckett Sunfounder. This man belittles the heroes and asks them if they’ve heard the rumors floating around. Belor had heard rumors about supernatural events happening in Kith, and another about gruesome disappearances of “most of a person” on the eastern outskirts of Caladan. The man is slightly more informed, but not by a lot. He keeps his relationship to Sunfounder a bit vague, but it’s clear that he works for Sunfounder and is here to guide these heroes on quests to garner political goodwill and diplomatic victories for an unknown reason.
The heroes and the man decide to go after the supernatural rumors in Kith. Finally the man exclaims indignantly “My name is Gideon, thanks for not asking”. After some quibbling, it is established that Gideon holds the purse-strings, within reason, and will fund the quests on behalf of Sunfounder. Belor claims extravagant expenses on behalf of his stay at the inn and gets a gold from Gideon to get the party moving. Belor pockets the gold gained on false pretenses.
Since Kith is across the bridge outside the northern gate and then east down the trail, our heroes walk through the Outer City of Caladan towards the northern gate. While walking towards the gate, the design of the city becomes a little more apparent. The division of the Inner City from the Outer City Ring represents the original fortress and the very diverse suburban area that has grown up around it. Like spokes of a wheel, major streets originate against the walls or gates of the Inner City and then divide the Outer City into pieces of a pie. These major streets are very wide and are natural divisions between neighborhoods. Each of these Outer City’s neighborhoods seem to be controlled by different gangs and enforcers with their gang colors When Gideon is questioned by the heroes as to why they didn’t walk through the shorter path through the Inner City, Gideon insults their heritage.
Gideon stops by a shop, at the behest of Agnes. The shop of “By Laduguer’s Hammer, what a Savings” Duergar. Mike and others try to intimidate the shop owner and get thrown out. Gideon buys explorers packs worth ten gold each.
The heroes resume their walk towards the northern gate when they come upon Dribbler, the Persistent. “Sausages in a bun, fresh sausages in a bun!” he cries, pushing a street-cart. Cletus takes a chance for 8 copper pieces, and finds the taste of what might be horse to be palatable. A passer-by comments on Cletus’s bravery in sampling such a vendor’s wares, especially from a Ratfolk.
The heroes and Gideon leave by Caladan’s northern gate, cross the bridge, and head east on the north river trail towards Kith. On this trail they meet three beggars, two male and one female. Gideon warns the heroes to have nothing to do with the beggars, but is ignored. Cletus and Agnes hand the beggars some rations, silver, and then one of ten “survival cordials”, which are just fake potions from Agnes. The beggars are intrigued by these potions, and then see that nine are being withheld. The three beggars transform into Were-Jackals and attempt to rob the heroes.
Gideon flees and hides, while the heroes take on the Were-Jackals. Cletus, Belor, Gracchus, and Agnes pin down the Were-Jackals and give them a beating. Cletus also battles the digestion effects of the sausage in a bun purchased from Dribbler. Meanwhile, Mike hides behind a tree and then attempts to backflip over Belor and falls flat on his face. Cletus entangles two of the Were-Jackals and the warriors and transformed beggars exchange blows. The Were-Jackals do some damage to Agnes, but they’ve had enough and all three attempts to flee. One Were-Jackal barely escapes after looking back. Another Were-Jackal grovels and begs his life of the heroes who give it to him with the warning to disappear.
The third Were-Jackal also attempts to flee, but Mike catches her and attempts to kill her. Seeing no recourse, the female Were-Jackal turns on Mike and savages his neck and sides, knocking him unconscious with the severity of Mike’s wounds. By this time, the rest of the party had already started leaving the area, but now they come rushing back to save Mike’s poor broken body. This third Were-Jackal is killed and then scalped by Agnes who puts the scalp in Mike’s pack. Agnes and Gracchus carry Mike the rest of the way to Kith.
The heroes reach Kith late at night. Kith has no walls, and the out-skirts of the halfling settlement are obviously more agrarian in nature. Kith does have outpost towers with guards to keep watch. Upon inquiry, the heroes are directed to the tavern named “Cryonic Temple” towards the center of town. Agnes notices the lack of vocal speech in town, after-all, Kith is supposed to be a hive-mind.
Upon arrival at the tavern Cryonic Temple, Cletus barges into the kitchen and starts down what surely would have been a delectable culinary track, but the halflings demand his exit from the kitchen and Agnes obliges by picking Cletus up and taking him out to the common room. The unconscious Mike is laid in front of the hearth’s fire.
Agnes and Belor get into a friendly competition of arm-wrestling and their competition gets very rowdy and energetic. Two tables are broken by the force of Agnes putting Belor’s arm through the table, but Belor’s hearty Dwarven constitution prevents any lasting injury to himself. The halflings demand and negotiate a hefty repair fee for the broken goods and furniture, which fee’s two gold payment is split by Agnes and Belor.
Being a hive-mind, anyone in the halfling community who cares has already heard of the hero’s arrival and relationship to Beckett Sunfounder. A halfling meets them there and tells the heroes about how their hive-mind is more of a giant meeting hall with voices shouting out around and it’s easier to talk to those right around them. A voice intending aggression, violence, and ill-intent is speaking up. This voice is stronger in the east, but the east has marshy areas and what is happening there is very obscure. But surely there’s no community halflings involved, surely none would be involved in anything nefarious. A few Syratic League agents have been seen going around town, seen especially by the Esk family on the north side. It’s possible the Syratic League is a coincidence, since no one can offer commentary on how they might be involved.
The heroes sleep in the inn. Gideon in his own room. Belor, Gracchus, and Cletus sharing a room. Agnes and Mike sharing a room.