02 - Getting to know Emberwood Village

If the characters arrived in Emberwood Village in the company of Eren Marlowe (see “The Road to Drakkenheim”), they are paid the agreed rate of 25 gp per character. While Marlowe doesn’t sell goods commonly needed by adventurers, they can offer some friendly advice about town:
- They invite characters to meet them again at the market square in the village. Marlowe will introduce characters looking for adventuring equipment to Armin Gainsbury.
- Marlowe suggests characters visit the Bark and Buzzard if they’re looking for a place to relax and get a good meal. Characters can ask the owner, Karin Alsberg, about setting them up in one of the empty cottages around town should they need accommodations.

Allow player characters ample time getting familiar with Emberwood Village. Ensure characters gather a few rumours, make contact with at least two or three of the major faction agents, and encounter one or two groups of rival adventurers. In addition, player characters can take this opportunity to get to know one another more, and perhaps snoop around town for any information related to their personal quests.

Eventually, several townsfolk may begin asking characters if they’ve been to the ruins yet or tried their hand at collecting delerium shards. Boastful rival adventurers could even set up a wager. If characters are looking for advice, NPCs might recommend characters seek out Gainsbury Expeditionary Supply Company for equipment and information on harvesting delerium, or chat with Fairweather Trades and Exports about selling whatever they manage to dig up. The next chapter, Exploring Drakkenheim, details how characters can explore the ruins, and includes a “Delerium Hunt’’ to help run their first foray!

They have several different events to choose from, see the event list on the right.