Here lies the body of Auberon Greatstag, retired adventurer and owner of the Dread Dragon Inn. It’s been longer than you’d realized since you found yourself hunting alongside him, as it was one of your earliest adventures. It’s hard to believe he’s dead, and if it weren’t for his body laying before you, you’d almost think it was all a show. To think, after all his grand adventures and hard-won victories, he may have fallen to some thieving lowlife. On the floor next to the body is an empty goblet.
You check the body for any sign of what might have caused Auberon’s death, but can find no trace of a physical wound. His face appears calm, at least, as if he had accepted his fate and went without fear. Was he poisoned? Or perhaps this was dark magic? You imagine your friend would have much preferred to die facing down some fearsome beast.
Your keen eyes catch something poking out from one of Auberon’s inner pockets. You hesitate a moment, but reach for it. It’s a crumpled paper, yellowed and thin, crinkling as you unfold it.
Carefully drawn in dark ink is a crescent moon, sharp and jagged, with a dagger positioned beneath it. No other words or drawings are on either side of the paper. Whatever the ominous image means, it can’t be good.
The goblet is a finely crafted piece of drinkware, made of polished silver and adorned with intricate designs that gleam in the light of the hearth. It is large enough to hold a generous portion of ale or wine, but not so heavy as to be unwieldy. There are a few drops of the famed Dragonfire Mead collected along the inside, but you dare not taste it. It may help you identify what toxin it might contain, but it also may be the last thing you do.
