Millstone

Located in the center of town, the Feedmill is the town’s only inn, tavern, and general store, all crammed into one overcrowded business. Since it happens to be the only place in town with rooms to rent (albeit in the loft above the stables), it is the place where Bort and his caravan stay every time they visit. While the accommodations are far from great, the old straw mattresses are still better than sleeping on the hard earth outside. The food here is passing at best, with much of it focused on the town’s primary crop: turnips. A typical meal here consists of roasted wild game, turnip stew, a slice of dry seedcake, and a sweet turnip porridge for dessert. Few desire seconds.
The Feedmill is owned by Targen Fulst, the aging mayor of the town who opened the business over 50 years ago. Targen is far too old and senile to take part in the day-to-day activities, instead leaving those to his daughter, Delma Fulst, who also tends the bar and the till for the general store. The other employees are Amora Kasillan (cook), Edra Wythe (stablehand), Kolnral Brannak (server), Phinick Padley (helper), and Trin Sathern (server).
Most common items (level 1) can be found in the general store, but unless they’re items that might be useful to a farming community, the store has only one or two in stock. The only magic items they have on hand are three minor healing potions and a potency crystal. No alchemical items are in stock, and if anyone asks Delma, she simply replies that the town hasn’t had “one of them chymist witches” for almost 20 years.

Architecture

Searching the Millstone

One of the obvious places to start the investigation is the Millstone itself. After the events of the previous night, the common room was tidied up a bit, but the kitchen is in complete disarray.
Dining Room: There is little to be found here that relates to Herwig’s death. The poisoned bowl was taken to the kitchen, and there is nothing remarkable about the table or chair where Herwig perished.
Kitchen: The kitchen contains the cooking utensils needed to operate the Millstone—kettles, skillets, knives, a mortar and pestle, roasting spits, a sieve, and a butter churner. Of particular note is the kettle of turnip porridge sitting on the counter, next to Herwig’s large bowl. Although the remnants are starting to dry out, a PC who succeeds at a Perception check DC 18

notices an unusual, faintly floral, smell in the porridge remaining in Bort’s bowl.

Checking all the herbs in the kitchen doesn’t uncover a match, nor is the smell similar to that of ground clove and anise in the mortar and pestle that was used to spice the dishes.
Cellar: Down in the cellar, alongside a number of large casks of ale and a few old, dusty bottles of wine, is the body of Herwig Garbith . His flesh has turned an odd blue color in death, and anyone checking gets the faintest impression of a floral odor from the body. There is nothing else here to be learned that could not be uncovered when he was dying.
The Grounds: There is not much to be gained searching the grounds. There is no sign that anyone unexpected was present. Searching the yard outside the barn does reveal one very important clue: a PC who succeeds at a Perception check DC 15

spots a glint in the grass just outside the stable doors, leading to a small glass vial with a simple cork. The vial is empty but contains traces of a floral-smelling liquid. This is the vial that Gnalter used to season Herwig’s porridge, and he dropped it here when he fled during the bar brawl.

If the PCs do not uncover this, Idora finds it two days later and gives it to them, hoping to assist their investigation.

Type

Pub / Tavern / Restaurant

Parent Location

Qosx

Characters in Location

• Fardis Sigulf
• Gnalter
• Idora Oxta
• Louis Krank
• Mona Lailan
• Ranken Branick
• Thelma Proust
• Trip Sathe

Related Plots

• Murder by Turnip