20 June

Kentaro tells him with a smile that he’s already packed and ready to go. He goes to fetch the horses, which Kinnaka notices are laden with more packs than he remembers them ever having before. He asks Kentaro about them, and the half-giant replies that they are a parting gift from the Chancellery for services rendered. Kinnaka interprets this to mean that Lord Tar overrode Tovish’s intent to turn off their card immediately, and Kentaro sees no need to dissuade him from that opinion. The elf briefly considers sending Lord Tar a personal note, but decides not to. He can always do it later if it seems called for. For now, there is a ride to Karakas to accomplish.

After picking up (and paying for) the blueprint copies, they meeting Thekla and Antonie at the edge of town. Thekla gives Antonie the originals with orders to have their “architect” replace them in Tran’s chest, then go missing. They won’t be needing him any more. Antonie acknowledges the command, and heads back into town, while the others begin down the road to Karakas.

21-22 June

As happened last time, Kinnaka gets to see Brill just after midnight. The meeting takes longer than Kinnaka expected. Brill is very excited to receive the blueprint copies, but then Kinnaka breaks the news of their imminent departure. It takes about 20 minutes of conversation for Brill to move from angry and disbelieving to – at least partially due to Kinnaka’s description of Thekla’s excellent promise, no doubt) – understanding and accepting. Ultimately, he sends Kinnaka off to fetch Thekla, and asks him to step out while he talks with her, a conversation that takes another 45 minutes. When they emerge, they are both smiling, and Brill informs Kinnaka that he has provisionally accepted Thekla, but that if Kinnaka ever returns, he would be glad to have him back.

They part on amicable terms, and in the morning, Thekla and the other two part ways, as they leave Karakas heading in opposite directions – Thekla turns southwest on the road that leads back to Greysmere, while Kentaro and Kinnaka go overland to the northeast, toward Maure Castle in the Duchy of Urnst. There, they plan to join the paved road that leads directly to Leukish, the Duchy’s capital.

Their first mission is to look deeper into Dame Hakkima’s killing. Although the actual perpetrator conducted the killing strictly for profit, Lord Tar suspects a larger organization with more insidious motives and goals. The Chancellery has so far turned up one lead – the man who hired Dame Hakkima’s killers. Brill, aka “Sponge” has been tracked to Karakas, a small town on the new Greyhawk/Urnst border, and so, to Karakas our heroes have been sent.

Settlement population: 1,100

Karakas

• The Ministry of Security (aka, The Chancellery)
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (aka, The Commission)
• The Ministry of the Exchequer

• The Ministry of the Judiciary

Notes:

• During times of war, Patrols (and sometimes the Guard) are subsumed into the Army, which reports directly to the Count
• Knights of the Lion, 1^st class are directly subordinate to the Count. Knights of the Lion, 2^nd and 3^rd classes may be subordinate to a Knight of the Lion, 1^st class or to the Count

• Borough Reeves are always appointed by and are always subordinate to the Baronets

Dame Hakkima, Bt. (right) spent the weeks following her investiture figuring prominently in the Greyhawk entertainment scene. Now she has apparently left the city, but under what circumstances, and with what goals? Count Aphic wants her found and escorted to Ryell Pass to take up her duties in earnest. Kentaro and Kinnaka are on the job!

Bandits are attacking merchant caravans entering the town of Peculiar Manor, South of Greyhawk. They are generally several hours out, but the guard has not seen them. The patrols have been told to watch every merchant caravan when they come into town. From time to time an outgoing merchant has been attacked, but not often. These attacks have been going on every 10 days or so for about six months. The Mayor of Peculiar Manor has never asked for help with this problem, but the Merchant Guild has beseeched Count Aphic, a Merchant Lord himself, to look into the situation. They believe that the Mayor is involved in the bandit attacks. It explains why the patrols are never on the right road, even though the bandits have attacked a lot. In addition, they have attacked barges as well as caravans.The bottom line is that there are three goals here:

1. Determine if the mayor is involved
2. Determine where the bandits can be taken safely
3. Determine the contingent necessary to take them down

Squares:
A. Residents’ square = permanent stalls, locals, family-owned, household items
B. Open square = changeable stalls, seasonal, transient, food and exotic goods

Inns, Taverns, Etc.:
1. Cask and Auger Inn (average, 27 rooms)
2. Red Lion Tavern (average, 4 rooms; popular with demi-humans)
3. Sun Inn (cheap, 12 rooms)
4. Damsel in Distress Tavern (low-class, 4 rooms)
5. Danny’s Inn (average, 15 rooms)
6. Hero’s Rest Tavern (average, 5 rooms)
7. The Cheese Wheel Tavern (cheap, 3 rooms)
8. Hammer and Chisel Tavern (workman’s, 7 rooms)
9. Singing Canary (workman’s, 6 rooms)

Temples:
10. Zeus – King of the gods
11. Hestia – Goddess of Hearth and Home
12. Gaea – Goddess of the Earth
13. Hera – Goddess of Women

Important Buildings:
21. Town Hall, Prison, Courthouse– Mayor also lives here
22. Baron Tryffin, Lord Ryell (Duchy’s Lord, now abandoned)