Session Narrative
Bremen is a prosperous walled city built along a river, known for its Guild Quarter, its three famous bells, and a tradition of telling stories that blurs comfortably into history. The party delivers the Count, Countess, and their unsettling daughter without incident — at least no incident they are prepared to discuss — and collects their promised letter of introduction.
The Adventurers Guild of Bremen is housed in a former tournament hall, its walls hung with the shields of celebrated members and its common room perpetually smelling of boot polish and ambition. The Guild Master is Jack Benimble — a compact, quick-eyed man of middle years who is deeply proud of his candlestick-jumping tradition and will defend it against any mockery with visible hurt feelings.
Induction into the Guild requires each applicant to leap over a lit candlestick before Jack’s scrutinising gaze. He has, over thirty years, developed a minor gift for reading futures in the arc and confidence of a person’s jump. The results are characteristically oblique:
Maevis attempts a front flip and comes down awkwardly, knee catching the candlestick. Jack winces and notes that her road will have obstacles she cannot simply vault over.
Elora’s pirouette is flawless, almost contemptuous in its ease. Jack smiles and says that she will achieve everything she seeks — and then some. He adds, quietly, that ‘some’ may be the most interesting part.
Carra’s long jump is powerful and assured, carrying her several feet past the flame. Jack nods: things will work out. He pauses, glances at Elora, and adds that balance may come from an unexpected direction.
Xander’s straddle jump is technically sound but Jack stares at the empty air where a vision should form and simply says nothing for a long moment. ‘I see nothing,’ he finally admits. ‘Not bad luck. Just… absence. That is its own kind of message.’
The party’s first official Guild contract concerns a bridge troll named Grumm who has been extorting tolls on the Millbrook Bridge and terrorising travellers. Rather than the expected battle, the party discovers that Grumm is acting out of desperation: a family of river otters has nested under his bridge, their noise and activity disrupting his sleep for weeks. He is exhausted, irritable, and genuinely not sure why he started demanding coins — it seemed like the sort of thing trolls were supposed to do.
A creative solution — relocating the otter family upstream, negotiating a modest official toll with the town council, and providing Grumm with a contract that makes his bridge-keeping legitimate — resolves the crisis peacefully and earns the party their first official commendation.
Key NPCs
- Jack Benimble — Guild Master. Short, energetic, wears a permanent expression of benevolent concern. Genuinely believes in the candlestick tradition and is wounded by scepticism. Has a gift for cryptic prophecy that he doesn’t entirely understand himself.
- Grumm — Bridge troll. Sleep-deprived, confused about his own motivations, actually quite reasonable once he gets a full night’s rest. Green-grey, 8 feet tall, unexpectedly good at paperwork.
Encounters & Mechanics
Grumm the Bridge Troll
Use Hill Giant stats (reduced to CR 4). Only fights if directly attacked. DC 14 Persuasion or Insight to understand his real problem; DC 10 Animal Handling to safely relocate the otters. Successfully negotiating earns 50 gp bounty plus Guild Commendation.
Loot & Rewards
| Item | Notes / Value |
| Guild Membership Cards | Official Adventurers Guild of Bremen. Opens doors in most civilised towns. |
| Guild Commendation | Written certificate signed by Jack. +2 on Persuasion checks with Bremen merchants and officials. |
| 50 gp Bounty | Paid by the town council for peaceful resolution of the troll problem. |
DM Notes
Play Jack’s prophecy beats seriously — the players will remember them. Elora’s ‘and more’ is foreshadowing her Deck of Many Things draw; Xander’s void is intentional and unresolved. The troll encounter rewards creative problem-solving over combat. If the party kills Grumm, they still get paid but receive no Commendation, and a follow-up quest becomes available from his grieving mother.