Five Rocks

A neighbourhood in the north of Mertle, outside the walls and just south of the Whistlemead river
Shabby, buildings are not as well maintained as within the walls
People mostly living in squalor, with a few thugs being quite wealthy (due to criminal activity/ extortion of the poor folks)
The Whistlemead bridge leads north over the Whistlemead river, towards farm land
This area is less effected by the MoM's curse because people in this area don't shop as much in the marketplace within the walls and are more self-sufficient

NPCS

Randal

• he/him 17, short red hair & freckles, nervous
• Knows the location of Dixie Whitlock's camp under the Whistlemead Bridge
• Easy to manipulate into helping the party
• Orphaned, began life of crime at a young age
• Doesn't mean people harm but always looking for a quick buck

Harley

• he/him 63, bald, smokes a pipe and hotboxes his large hood (always wearing)
• Knows that Randal has been following Whitlock
• Grumpy, mostly unwilling to help the party, but easily persuaded with gold or contraband
• Offers small smuggling quests to the party if they seem sketchy enough:
  • Each of these are high risk/high reward, since there is a chance that the guards will search them any time they enter/exit through a city gate. The gate between Five Rocks and downtown Mertle is especially well guarded since the guards know that there is drug dealing in the neighborhood. A clever party will go around the outside of the walls to avoid a search. Harley can be persuaded to give this tip with a DC 15 persuasion check, otherwise he is fine testing the party on the first quest with the herbs (which don't carry much of a sentence if caught).
  • First: take mysterious herb (the one he is smoking) to a old lady in Heartglen (100GP)
  • Second: take strange mushrooms (see below; sack contains 6) to a man in Anorden (250GP)
  • Third: take white powder (crushed mushrooms: does 3 random from below and [lets user see into ethereal plane, or have terrible trip]. Hangover is horrible itch that forces you to dance or becomes overwhelming) to a half-elf woman in Idemouth (500GP), bandits attack on the road between Anorden and Idemouth, recognizing the party as Harley's delivery crew

Locations

The Knight's Bullock

3 rooms, atrocious quality

Innkeep:

• Bergess Rinni
• Human he/him (civil, Lawful Evil)
• Determined to keep order in his tavern despite the chaos of the neighborhood

NPCs:

• Col 18 human fletcher, very nerdy about fletching (working now in tavern), has some sketchy friends
• Dialla she/her/they lizardfolk pirate
• Thalgar 26 he/him Dialla's bodygaurd
• Helm Andirra Male elf 181 Assasin, dark clothes with hood, doesn't acknowledge the party, keeps to himself

Rumors:

• someone wants a draft horse loaded with good to be brought to Oldspell (about 160 mi to the North). In reality, the horse is a polymorphed hafling refugee. Inspection of the cargo reveals that it is not nearly worth enough to transport so far. The polymorph effect is caused by an amulet, which is noticable in draft horse form and when removed, dispels the polymorph effect.

• Flying snake just outside settlement has been polymorphed to look like a wyvern and has been scaring the local farmers (distraction from MoM)

Theatre

• Loralei Wynleth owner she/her/they 252 elf

Brothel (The Cunning Cuckold)

• Kinoi she/her 65 human madame
• Durz he/him 23 male orc carpenter (john)

Type

Neighbourhood