Cheesy Shopping Montage Part 1

Description
Graessle’s wife Erica makes the Team a smokey mac and cheese as Juno survives a cuddle puddle, Zabbas investigates some papers, and everyone goes shopping for new digs.

Dinner
Mac and cheese made by Graessle’s wife Erica. Beth adds some flavor to the dish by adding crushed peanuts, sriracha, and lime juice which everyone loves, along with some cilantro that only some partake in. It is a crock pot mac and cheese with some smoked cheddar cheese. Joel, who is lactose intolerant, said it was worth it taking more Lactaid along with saying that Juno loved the dish

Campaign
The Team rests at the Black Oak Inn. While Margarine, Flak, Zabbas form a cuddle puddle that they fall asleep in, Juno sleeps in the corner while Fletch goes and talks to the bartender Gallagher, learning more about the famous black oak walls of the castle. In the morning Flak does a giant load of laundry before the Team heads down to the bar. Margarine warns them to be careful, having noticed how much the town has changed since she left.

In the common area, a group of farmers is gathered around a table with papers strewn about. Wanting to go talk to people Zabbas approaches the table. One of the halflings in the group bangs on the table, lamenting over not having enough crop. Zabbas swoops in and comforts him, the halfling, Oboe, turning to sob in Zabbas’ robe. The other five take notice and a human man, Carrot Top, asks if they could help him to which Zabbas responds that he’s there to help them. Barbra, a human woman, wants to bring the Team in to help though Streisand, the other human woman, doesn’t want to. Carrot Top break the argument, saying that they’ve run out of options and takes Zabbas’ offer.

Zabbas goes to check if it’s okay with the Team. Some are unsure but they all go to talk with the group of farmers anyway. Two halfling brothers of the group, Siegfried & Roy, introduce themselves to the Team, thanking them for helping the farmer group, known as the Halfling Grocer’s Guild. They explain that their harvest has been low because of blights attacking their crops. Juno asks how they could help them. The farmers explain that a Woods Witch told them that it’s a magic problem, leading the farmers to believe that a merchant, Zemehm Brevrisk, in town is responsible. They tell them that once he came into town the crops all died but that he’s been able to sell food no problem, making them believe that he’s an evil wizard but that they don’t have any proof to pin on him just yet. Flak walks up to the bar in order to talk with Gallagher, followed by Juno. He asks if he’s familiar with any woods witches and Juno asks if he knows anything about Zemehm Brevrisk. Gallagher doesn’t know any woods witches but known Zemehm as the man who he’s been purchasing his produce from recently. He tells them that he doesn’t know him personally but knows he has a large estate on the northern side of Night’s Pass in Acorn’s Corner. The Team decides to find out if Zemehm is the person responsible for the farmers’ lack of crops.

Noticing that there are two members of the City Watch at the bar, Flak approaches them to ask about Zemehm but is cut off by one of the guards telling him they’re on break. Annoyed, Flak tells them they can’t talk to him like that for he’s the Super Mayor. Even with Margarine whispering to him that Night’s Pass doesn’t have a Mayor one of the guards completely believes him while the other remains skeptical. Now believing he has status Flak asks the two about a current investigation about Zemehm. They tell him there hasn’t really been anything against him since magical evidence is hard to prove. Juno approaches and tells the guard, Bill, that if he helps with the investigation the Super Mayor could owe him one. Taking the bait, Bill informs them that Zemehm is having a party that evening and that the Super Mayor could probably talk to him there. Flak compliments Bill in thanks and then tells his partner Sherly that she needs to step it up. With their break done the guards get up and leaving, leaving Flak to pay their tab. Returning to the Team tell them what happened, Margarine stops him when he mentions him being the Super Mayor. She explains that Knight’s Pass has a queen, Lady Cathyra Uthendar also known as Lady Cat’s Love as she’s followed everywhere by a silver panther, but that nobody has seen her for 10 years. Moving onto the information he learned Flak informs the Team about Zemehm’s party.

Knowing that they’re gonna need for elegant clothes the Team heads out to do a shopping montage. Margarine takes them to a tailor in The Oaks Shield District called TayLore Made. In the shops works a dwarven woman, Berdalia, and greets them. Zabbas tries to use the Super Mayor trick which doesn’t work but Juno plays it off as a nickname before telling her that they’re looking to purchase fine clothes for a party. To pay for the Team, Margarine slams down the blue-green gemstone on the counter, which Berdalia reveals would only cover one of them. A few members of the Team are hesitant about the price to which Berdalia asks them how fine of finery they’re looking for. After explaining that the clothes are for Zemehm Brevrisk’s party and that Berdalia sees that they need the executive selection Margarine fools Berdalia by slamming the blue-green gemstone down which is then again repeated by Flak, tricking her into only having to pay 50 gold for the group. She tells them that their clothes will be ready before sundown, leaving the Team to decide what they want to do the rest of the day minus Juno who chooses to go for a walk.

Trivia

 * Chelsea gave the okay for middle age women to be attracted to Zabbas, equating him to Edward Cullen from Twilight.
 * As soon as Graessle introduces Gallagher all the farmers in the inn become named after variety acts.
 * The first mention of the Woods Witch.
 * The Team makes fun of Zemehm Brevrisk’s name that they end of referring to him as “The Man Breakfast”, also finding it easier to say as well. Even Graessle admits it’s a hard name to say.
 * This is the first mention of Flak as the Super Mayor, starting would later turn into The Campaign Team.