Memories of Holdenshire: Beginning Act III
Having now received the "lock and key" from Granny Appleseed, the party must travel to Hengistbury in hopes of turning over their minds until they find their missing memories. Belton will accompany them there, but afterwards he insists on getting back to Northminster and business as usual. For the return trip, use the same journey rules for their initial trip to the Weirwood.
Upon their arrival in Hengistbury (or their return, if the memories start stirring) Belton does the party a last service by introducing them to a relative who runs a local boarding house, a tidy building with a freshly-painted and memorable sign—a plump red chicken perched on the back of a young bay horse—proudly displayed out front.
With a solid thump on the door, Belton calls out, "Myco, I've got company for you!"
It's not long before a neatly-dressed halfing in a chicken-embroidered waistcoat flings open the door to wrap Belton in a rib-crushing hug before looking the party up and down.
"They're a bit worse for wear, but if they're friends of yours, cousin, then they're friends of mine!" They then proffer their hand, "I'm Myco Ferris, owner of this little place. Not quite as fancy as the Bleeding Heart, but more than a mite quieter. Less of the traveling riffraff, too—mostly house the farmhands from out of town, or locals like Old Sven when the storm took his roof off last season."
The halfling Myco Ferris is the proprietor of the Hen and Filly and he has a penchant for gossip and long, meandering stories. On the strength of Belton's recommendation, Myco offers the party a discounted weekly rate until they can find lodgings of their own or decide to move on. While it doesn't include food and drink like the inn does, the Hen and Filly is cheaper and, perhaps most important to a group on the run, easier to lay low at. A week's lodging here costs each of the PCs 8 silver.
His work now done, Belton stays in town long enough to resupply (and replace his wagon if the adventurers earlier chose to abandon it) then leaves the next day for Blackford, promising to come and check in when he's next in the area. He also plans to meet with Kit to see about restocking his illicit wares before he leaves town.
Word About Town
Hengistbury is known for being a sleepy town with few troubles, yet that hasn't been entirely true as of late. Kobolds in particular have been spotted recently, and there are even rumors of lizardfolk in Fogmoor to the south. The latter has been largely dismissed as fisherfolk having had too much to drink, but the former is well-attested. Even the Weirwood—a place the town has had peace with for some time—has become more active. Though the locals are trying to put on a brave front, there's an air of tension competing with excitement around the upcoming festivities.
Chain of Memories
Give the PCs some time to explore Hengistbury in relative peace as they attempt to regain their memories. There are a number of locations both in and near the town that should help with this, but the Narrator should feel free to add new places as feels appropriate to Hengistbury's size and culture. The timeline of this adventure assumes that the party will be here for just under a week, beginning just before the Summer Festival and culminating with the news of Belton's disappearance.