Downtime: The Gearheart Theater

The party arrives at the Gearheart Theater, a well-known theater-turned-inn-and-tavern in central Everward. There are several characters here for the party to interact with, if they choose to, learning more about the city and its residents while they unwind from their day of travel. Cororin, the young half-elf the party encountered at the airship port, has come to the Gearheart while he contemplates his available options. The party can find him at the bar in the main taproom to find what information they need from him.

• If the party didn't receive a passphrase from the procurers outside of the airship port, they'll need Cororin's help to access the Forge. 
• Cororin has a lot of interesting opinions on the things happening in Everward, both in his personal life and in the city as a whole. Learning what Cororin has to say would be immeasurably valuable to the party as they begin to piece together how all of the strange events are connected.

Plot points/Scenes

Ground Floor

The Gearheart Theater is named thus due to the shell of a building the original owners of the tavern built their business within. Ruins of the Time Before, the theater had managed to stay relatively intact, thanks to the protection a large part of the building receives from the mountain that the building is carved into. Outside of the tavern are three statues, all restored and maintained as relics of the Time Before. Known as The Abestia, these three statues depict three beautiful winged women; any engravings on the statues have worn away, but the residents of Everward believe that the Abestia were the muses of the Gearheart when it was still an operational theater.
Entering the inn brings the party to the reception area, where two attendants wait behind counters to greet guests, help with the renting of a room, and direct patrons to the taproom further inside. The party catches their first glimpse of the building's original namesake as they move through the space: two statues rise from floor to ceiling, constructed from polished gears and inert Corstones. The gears rotate in place, but the pieces seem to be entirely ornamental, as nothing happens as a result of the shifting gears.
Located just behind the reception area is the kitchen, which is bustling with activity despite the fact that the only person inside of the kitchen is a half-orc. This man,

Tanatar, is the chef at the Gearheart. Tanatar has an outstanding relationship with the owners of the inn, who offered him work when no one else would. Getting him to talk about anything remotely involving the tavern or its owners is nearly impossible, and even if the party could convince him to talk, there is little the man hears from within the kitchen. He isn't one to stand on the wrong side of justice, however, and will gladly offer to introduce the party to one of the two owners of the inn, if they believe that talking with either of them would help them find what they're looking for.
The space surrounding the taproom proper is largely unused, but the space immediately in front of the taproom has been dedicated to a lounge area. Here, guests who want to enjoy socializing or a drink without the noise and excitement of the taproom have a place to do so. Esties move to and from the kitchen, carrying trays of food and drink to patrons in every part of the tavern; the party should take care not to get in the direct path of an Esty, as the constructs move fast and know how to do little else.
Sitting among the patrons in the lounge is a female satyr, currently engaged in several conversations with the guests around her. This woman is Deorea, a proprietor of a

certain sort that operates out of the Gearheart with the permission of (and a cut of profits promised to) the innkeepers. Adventurers looking to share a warm bed with someone for the night can employ the services of one of her 'companions' for 3 GP per engagement. A successful Investigation check (DC 12) reveals to the party that those around the woman seem to be listening more than they speak, implying that Deorea has interesting things to say, if not relevant. Deodea is exuberant and lively, and enjoys conversing with anyone and everyone, so long as that person doesn't get in the way of the satyr enjoying herself.

Deorea on Cororin
"Oh, I know him, alright." The woman grins brightly. "Half of my girls know him - and I'm fairly certain at least one of my boys, too. We don't do much talking with him, but he's an alright sort - cares a lot about the people close to him, you can tell. I think he wishes those people cared more about him, if you want my opinion - no one that comes to me looking that sad all of the time feels loved. Trust me - I've been doing this for a long time."

Not far from Deorea and the lounge is a large, angry-looking tiefling standing beside the largest mechanical statue the party has yet to come across. This man will introduce himself to the party as Sirreus, one of the two owners of the Gearheart. Sirreus has an undeniably imposing manner about him, but he, rather surprisingly, tends to be extremely cordial and charismatic. Sirreus respects the privacy of his patrons, but he is, above all, concerned with the happiness and safety of those working for and within the tavern. Sirreus is happy enough to talk about his own past, and his relationships with the people he finds himself around most often, but is hesitant to divulge any information about the patrons of the Gearheart themselves.

Sirreus on Deorea
He snorts, but smiles after only a moment.
"She's a flirt, that's what she is." He catches the woman's eye from across the room and winks at her. "A harmless one, though. She came to Iarra and I one night after we took over the place, begging for a safe place for her companions to stay." He pauses, and after a moment, he shrugs. "Iarra has a soft spot for a good cause, and I have a soft spot for Iarra, so here they are." He turns his attention more fully towards you and shrugs again. "Takes care of the people that work for her like they're her own children. It's sweet, once you get past how creepy it is."

Sirreus on Iarra
The tiefling smiles softly - almost fondly.
"We met years ago. Unfortunate circumstances." He shrugs, and doesn't seem intent on offering more details on that particular topic. "She saved me, and I saved her. We ended up in Everward about fifteen years ago, now - Pire was only four. We stayed in a room in the attic, until the former owners of this place decided they were too old to run it. They sold it to us for a steal, and now it's ours."

Sirreus on Maspira
"She's my daughter." He pauses long enough to laugh. "I'd have thought that much to be obvious. Her mother was killed shortly after giving birth to her. I raised her on my own for a few years, until I met Iarra. That woman saved us both, she did."

Sirreus on Tanatar
"He's a good man," Sirreus insists quietly. "He looks intimidating enough, but he's only willing to fight for the causes he believes in - and those are all good causes. He keeps his eyes down, but his ears open. Iarra and I wouldn't be here without Tanatar, I can tell you that much."
He doesn't seem intent on saying any more about the relationship he has with the chef.

Sirreus on Cororin*
The tiefling studies your face for a moment, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. After a moment, he nods his head sharply, grunting in acknowledgement before answering your question.
"Sure - everyone in Castlebell knows who Cororin Wyverstone is. Perks of being the Overseer's son - or downfalls, I guess, depending on how you look at it." Sirreus shrugs, and then points towards the nearby entrance to the taproom. "Saw him head towards the bar not long ago. You can probably still make some sense out of what he's saying, if you catch him before his next tankard."
_{*Requires the party to pass a Persuasion check (DC 12) or Deception check (DC 15).}

Just south of Sirreus is a closed door, which leads to the dormitories for Deorea's employees. Also accessible through this door are the brief rooms, which are used exclusively by Deorea's employees and clients. These rooms, unlike the others available at the inn, are rented for short lengths of time and have little in the way of amenities one would expect from an inn. If the party attempts to enter the area without arranging an encounter with one of Deorea's companions, Sirreus will stop them, informing them that they take the privacy and safety of Deorea's workers seriously. The party can attempt to convince Sirreus that having access to the area is crucial to their investigation (see above for ability checks and DCs), or can attempt to sneak past him (DC 20).
The dormitories contain only a few open books, and a game of cards that looks as if it had to be abandoned suddenly. Similarly, most of the brief rooms are empty and uninteresting, having been cleaned thoroughly enough to remove anything of relevance, if such things ever existed in the space. In the room closest to the door to the area, however, is a young tiefling female, who will introduce herself to the party as Maspira.

Maspira on the party's presence
"You shouldn't be in here." The tiefling frowns and cranes her neck to look past you. "No one's allowed back here unless they're Deorea's. You have to go before you get caught being here and I get caught talking to you." She begins to wring her hands. "Deorea will be so mad if she finds out you were back here..."

Maspira is a generally anxious girl, though she is bright and warm enough when she's not feeling pressured. If the party convinced Sirreus to let them into the space, then simply telling Maspira this will set the girl at ease immediately. Her entire demeanor will change, and she'll go so far as to attempt to leave the room in order to stay out of the party's way. If the party managed to sneak into the area, then they'll have to attempt to calm Maspira down another way. They can attempt to convince her that they have permission or that they're just waiting for their companion to join them (Deception, DC 15), or they can promise to take the brunt of any punishment that comes her way if the party is caught somewhere they shouldn't be (Persuasion, DC 12 or Deception, DC 18).

Maspira on Cororin
The girl smiles. It's difficult to tell against the color of her skin, but you think you see her cheeks darken with a blush.
"He's here a lot." She pauses, and then waves her hands in front of her, eyes wide. "Not in here, but at the Gearheart.* Sometimes he's here with friends, but he usually sits at the bar by himself. He's been really sad lately - he tries not to show it, but his eyes aren't as bright when he smiles, and he doesn't laugh at a joke as long as he used to. His mother's been ill lately - it came on sudden and hit hard, is my understanding. I guess I wouldn't be much in the mood to laugh, either, if it were Sirreus dying."
^{*[If the party mentions Deorea's comment about Cororin] "Deorea is a gossip and a flirt - and a damned liar, if she said she's been with Cororin herself. She doesn't sleep with the guests - it's one of her only rules. I know, because she's told it to everyone who will listen, as if it makes her somehow better than the people she employs."}

Maspira on relationship with Deorea
The girl looks past you for a long moment, and then begins speaking in quiet, rushed sentences.
"She's not really who she says she is. I don't think she has anything to do with all of those people going missing - that's not what I meant." She pauses for a moment, considering her words, and then continues. "She pretends that she's open-minded and free-spirited and just wants everyone to have a good time, but she's not - at least, not primarily. She's greedy - there's coin to be made in encouraging someone to do away with their inhibitions. She takes care of her workers well enough, but she's not exactly nice to them. It just... makes me angry to see someone so ugly on the inside look so pretty on the outside."

Maspira on relationship with Sirreus
She beams widely, and taps a pad of one finger against the tip of a horn.
"He's my dad - can't you tell?" She drops her arm and laughs. "I call him Sirreus during business hours. It makes things easier for the guests." She shakes her head at any implication that the relationship might be strained. "Dad's great - always has been. My mother passed away when I was young, and he's done everything he can to take care of us."
The girl looks around, gesturing to the tavern as a whole.

The main attraction of the Gearheart, and the largest area on the ground floor by far, is the taproom. This space was originally the theater proper: what remained of the plush seating was replaced with tables and chairs, and the bar of the taproom is built directly into the stage at the northern end of the room. A pit has been created at the front of the stage, set low enough into the ground that the floor of the stage is at the proper height for a bar. A second, smaller pit lies behind the bar, and from it sprouts a large tower of gears: this is the Gearheart, from which the theater (and the tavern) took its name. This mechanism once controlled various parts of the stage, but now lies still and dormant.

Tending the bar is an elven woman, who will immediately greet the party as soon as they enter the taproom from her place behind the bar. This is Iarra, the second of the two owners of the tavern. Iarra is a sprightly woman who never seems to stay in one place longer than a few seconds before moving to another, even when she's talking to one of the guests at the bar or the party itself. Iarra will never, under any circumstance, talk to the party about one of the guests at the inn, current or past. She will, however, direct the party to Sirreus, if their questions are important and need an answer. If the party asks about Cororin, however, Iarra will point out the man at the end of the bar. Aside from the guests, Iarra is an open book, and will tell the party almost anything else that they want to know.

Iarra on Cororin
"Sure, I know him. He's in here every time he's in town." She points towards a familiar half-elf at the end of the bar. "Right over there, the poor thing."
She leans in close, beckoning for you to meet her half-way over the bar. She lowers her voice drastically, and you have to lean in even further in order to hear what she has to say.
"It's a shame about his ma getting sick. Now his pa's gone missing, too?" She shakes her head and scowls. "If you ask me, it's a little too... conveniently timed, if you know what I mean."

Iarra on Deorea
The elf laughs.
"She's harmless, most of the time." Iarra smirks widely. "I think she's lonely. For as much time as she spends talking to customers, she isn't the one who spends the night with them. I've never asked her about it, but she doesn't take anyone to her own bedroom. Maybe it's some sort of business etiquette."

Iarra on Maspira
"She's a sweet girl." The elf nods happily as she continues drying glasses on the bar. "I love her like she came from my own flesh and blood. She was just a small little thing when I met her father. She never did outgrow that timid nature of hers, but I suppose being raised in a slave camp will take some of that autonomy out of you."
She sighs.
"We try to give her the best life we can, now that we're free. I think she's happy enough, most of the time."

Iarra on Tanatar
"Our chef?" She laughs. "We've known him for years. It doesn't hurt that he looks like the muscle around here, but he makes a mean pheasant pie around the holidays that is worth its weight in gold."
She grows more serious after a moment, and her voice softens.
"He lost two fingers, helping us escape the slavers' camp. There's no proper way to ever repay him, but employing him here and treating him like family is a good start, in my humble opinion."

Iarra on Sirreus
The elven woman smiles widely at the mention of the tiefling.
"I love his with this soul and my next," she informs you. "He kept me sane in the slave camps, and some nights, he kept me safe. He took too many beatings for getting between me and the guards that had had too much to drink before their shifts started. The honor in that man is as unshakable as the stubbornness."

The party has a chance to recognize Cororin for themselves when they enter the taproom (Perception, DC 12). The man sits alone at the far right end of the bar, but won't attempt to get up or move if the party chooses to approach him or join him at the bar. The party can attempt an Insight check (DC 12) at this point; upon succeeding, the party can see that Cororin is tired - exhausted, even - and seems as if only half of his attention is in the tavern and with the party. Cororin is willing to listen to anything that the party has to say, and is more willing to talk about certain subjects than others.

Cororin on missing Forge students
The man stares down at the tankard in front of him for so long that you almost repeat yourself. He slowly looks up at you, his face white and his eyes dark.
"Missing?" His voice is so quiet that you have to lean in to hear it over the other conversations. "What do you mean, 'missing'? How do nearly one hundred people go missing from one of the most famous places of learning in Usora without a single person seeing them? The only way in or out of the Forge leads right to one of the busiest places in central Everward, and - "
He goes suddenly quiet, his brow furrowing.

Cororin on continuing his thought*
"There's a small mine shaft beneath the Forge where the students can mine for their own materials instead of using the ones the Forge provides. It connects to the Bones - there's a barrier in place to keep anything from going in or out, but my father must have the means to open it somewhere in his office or his rooms at the Forge. I suppose it's possible that the students could have escaped through the barrier - or were taken through it - if someone else found that information." He frowns for a moment and then continues the conversation. "The Forge is surely locked to the public, but my father keeps his spare keys in his home office."
_{*Requires the party to pass a Persuasion check (DC 15)}

Cororin on stolen item*
"It was a rod," he mutters. "It was to be a rod of resurrection. I finally found a cleric that would imbue the item, and I'd just saved up enough gold to pay him to do it. I'd just come back from setting up a meeting with him when I found that the rod had been stolen from my home."
_{*Requires the party to pass a Persuasion check (DC 12)}

Cororin on his mother
He frowns and looks away, taking a drink from his tankard before answering you.
"She's sick." He takes another drink before setting his tankard down. "Dying, actually, and no one here is willing to try their hand at healing her, with the aetherstorms right overhead - they're afraid she'd come back worse off than she was dead. Now that the shields have been malfunctioning, there's not a chance someone would risk that level of strong magic."

Cororin on his father
"He's the Overseer of the Forge," Cororin tells you, his voice sarcastic as he lifts his tankard into the air. "An excellent instructor and an even better authoritative figure. That's all I have to say about that." He hiccups quietly. "That's all I can say about that."

The party cannot convince Cororin to stay away from his home or the Forge - it's impossible, no matter what number they may roll on an ability check. They can, however, persuade Cororin to let them accompany him (DC 12) or lie to him about their reasons for finding it necessary to do so (DC 15) - the party is also welcome to find their own way to the Wyverstone estate and investigate on their own. However the party decides to move forward, they now have several clear points of interest to investigate, all which seem to originate at the Wyverstone estate. After accepting or refusing their help, Cororin places his coin on the bar and bids the party farewell. If he's accepted their help, then he will agree to meet them in the reception area of the inn the next morning. Regardless of whether the party convinces Cororin to accept their help or not, they receive experience for learning what information he has to offer about the things happening in Everward. Reward: 50 XP

Second Floor

There is little of interest on the second floor. Guest bedrooms and their connected baths take up most of the space.

---

Plot type

Scene

Special Events at The Snake and Charmer

Taverns are notorious for hosting contests and performances, bringing residents of the city together, and The Snake and Charmer is no different. There is no obligation for you as a DM or your players as a party to treat this game strictly as-written. Of course, if you want to keep to the module in order to take advantage of it as it was intended, you're under no obligation to insert these special events into your game. If, however, your party is interested in excuses to roleplay socializing or looking for more interesting ways to spend their free time in Castlebell, then here is a list of events that the tavern hosts frequently.