The Crimsonvale Bakery is one of the newest establishments in Crimsonvale, being built at nearly the same time as D'Nar Hall and is located next door to it. In a quick glance one might mistake the establishment for a common home, but upon closer inspection, one will discover the small sign hanging over the single front door, emblazoned in crimson lettering, "The Crimsonvale Bakery."

The building itself is two stories tall and, with exception to the foundation and hearth inside, is made entirely of wood. There are a few windows in the front, none on the sides, and several on the back. The windows in the rear are open most of the time the bakery is in operation to allow ventilation of the intense heat produced by the baking ovens.

Business at the bakery has been good to its proprietors, Mary Smallhill and her younger sister Rachel, and the business is frequented by many of those with high standing in the city. Some regulars include the likes of Phalimar Chembryl I and his adventuring associates [see CM #9, 11], Commandant of the Bright Watch, General Renfield Gladelord [CM #8], the renowned Icedales [CM #15], and the Lord High Mayor, Viscount Kellon Graynight [CM #16, "The History of Crimsonvale"]. The bakery is open for business from around daybreak until sunset, but is closed for about an hour around midday to allow the staff a lunch break as well as to restock the inventory between the morning rush and the evening dinner business.

Mary's personal fortunes have been very bad overall, except the one major turn of luck which fell upon her just recently. Two years ago Mary and her family lived just outside the Forest of Fears in a good-sized village of some 300 people. The village, called Angel's Creek, was mainly a farming community with a history of poor harvests. But the last year that Mary was to live in Angel's Creek her family experienced a very good crop, which allowed her father to pay off his small debts and to save some money for their future. Whenever Mary asked of the money her father had meticulously saved, her parents always referred to it as "the Hope." To Mary's, as well as Rachel's great misfortune, her parents were stricken with a mysterious virus and subsequently died. On their death beds, Mary's parents wished her and Rachel to take "the Hope" and replenish their family's bloodline.

With no one able to work the Smailhill farm, the girls were forced to sell it to their neighbors. After selling it and with the money cache from their dead parents, the two had amassed a small fortune with which to continue living. As luck would have it Mary and Rachel were able to purchase a wagon to carry their personal goods and decided to head for better fortune in nearby Crimsonvale.

On their way to the fabled city of Crimsonvale, the two sisters met a fellow named Leira Silvercloud, who was also bound for the city. Leira was a strange fellow, Mary thought, for she had never seen an elf before and was delighted to see that the gentlemen could fight with only two long knives. This was amply demonstrated shortly after they met, when they all were attacked by five goblins on the road, evil beasts who sought to snuff out their lives simply for the pleasure of the amoral deed. Luckily, Leira was experienced with his blades and defeated the foul beasts before any harm could come to the sisters, suffering only minor wounds.

Mary and Rachel were very grateful to their new friend for saving them, and so they immediately tended to his wounds and fed him well with what food they could spare. Upon receiving this care, Leira took an interested in the baked goods the sisters had prepared with the simplest of tools and conditions on the road. After some discussion and his praise for their fine baked muffins and tarts, Leira encouraged the two to make a living for themselves by opening a bakery in the Crimsonvale area.

Mary and Rachel were flattered and began thinking that perhaps opening a shop would be the best thing for them. It also seemed very likely to Mary that there was more to their friend than he had admitted, since Leira knew quite a bit about the Crimsonvale, area surrounding it, and despite the threat of evil beasts about, traveled the road alone, with an almost defiant, and certainly assured attitude. But Mary thought little more about such things when Leira offered to get the two sisters pointed in the correct direction upon reaching Crimsonvale, and help them set up their trade.

And point he did. Leira was able to introduce the sisters to a well- known and trusted builder to construct their business/home, a friend of his who was also an adventurer like him named Damorn. Mary was able to get a very good price for the establishment, and in the process she met a few influential members of the local society, among them the famous dwarven priest, Bruenor Battlehammer.

Not two weeks after the sisters arrived in Crimsonvale, Mary was confronted with yet another problem, when the children of her neighbors back in Angel's Creek suddenly appeared upon her doorstep with a plea from these foundlings to take care of them. To the sister's dismay, the children's parents had been stricken with the same fatal disease as her own had. Consequently, Mary and Rachel took them in as their own children, and see them as a beneficial addition to their family.

BASIC PC INFORMATION

Mary Smallhill: 0-level human; STR 9, INT 15, WIS 15, DEX 9, CHR 10, CHR 15; hp 3; age 23. Hair: Brown, long and flowing; Eyes: Blue; Height: 5' 5"; Weight 110 lbs.

Rachel Smallhill: 0-level human; STR 9, INT 14, WIS 13, DEX 10, CON 11, CHR 13; hp 3; age 18. Hair: Auburn, long and flowing; Eyes: Hazel; Height: 5' 6"; Weight 112 lbs.

Steven age 9;
Jessica age 13;
Sam, age 15.

GUIDE TO THE BAKERY

1. Main Room: This is where Mary and Rachel display off there fine baked goods. There are three long oak tables here upon which the freshly baked breads, rolls, and other items are displayed for sale. The more expensive baked goods are displayed and kept warm until purchase time on metal racks along the walls to the right and left of the entry. The warmers use a single layer of charcoal brickettes below in an iron tray which are monitored by Steven. There are four translucent lead glass windows with handles set in the front wall. The handles are easily accessed from inside the shop and are generally open during all but the coldest days to provide ventilation.

Further in there is the customer counter on which wooden trays of small and tasty pastries are displayed and sold, again kept warm by smaller versions of the warmers used for the display racks. Behind this counter is where all of the business is taken care of, while behind and below is a small pouch of change and a small platinum circlet attached to a steel chain.

This circlet requires a special note: it is a magical item, a circlet of notification, which was created and enchanted by Lycidis of the Araborian Elves to allow any of the Smallhill clan summon the Lycidis and the other adventurers of D'Nar Hall in time of dire need. When touched, the device senses the intensity of emotion from the person touching it; if it is high, a firm and deep voice is heard in the minds of each of the D'Nar adventuring party. If the D'Nar associates [CM #14, 16] are within the two mile range, they will immediately come to the Bakery and offer whatever assistance they can. This also happens if a creature of evil alignment touches or takes possession of the circlet. If such a creature takes it, the group would be able to track that individual by means of the magic of the circlet.

2. Back Room:. This is the room where all of the baking takes place. At any given moment there could be a dozen or more loaves of bread baking, a half-dozen pies, dozens of doughnuts, racks of rolls, etc. The room is unfortunately very hot during most of the business' operating hours as a result of the charcoal-fired ovens. Next to the oven is a water pump, which stands between it and the warming cases, whose doors on either side of the partition between the front and back of the main floor allow easy access for special orders, transfer of freshly baked goods, or the more expensive pastries and bakery goods between the two rooms. The two tables are strewn with cooking implements, bags of flour, trays of eggs, pitchers of milk and water, spices, sugar, and pots of dough. Extra clean pots and pans are hanging from steel hooks that are bolted into the ceiling. Four barrels contain staple cooking ingredients which Mary uses in her various recipes.

3. Rachel and Tessica's Bedroom: This room contains two twin beds, two matching desks (D) and a large wardrobe W in the corner. One window leads to the street outside and is kept locked when the sisters are not within the room.

4. Mary's Bedroom: Mary's room contains a queen-sized bed, a large wardrobe, a desk, a bureau, and a three drawer filling cabinet in which all of her files are kept (invoice, payments, etc.).

There is a special secret cache where the sisters keep their valuables, designed by the builder. It is a section of two floorboards under the wardrobe that comes up when a pressure switch is properly touched, revealing a stone lined cubbyhole. Here lays a small iron coffer with lock, the key belonging to Mary, with some treasures within: two gemstones @ 25 gp each; 135 gp; 120 sp; and 34 ep.

5. Supply Room: This room is currently unused by the Smallhills. Due to the heat from the kitchen below, the fireplace here would not needed even in the coldest months.

6. Bathroom: The bathroom contains a basic toilet M, small bathtub (B), small heating brazier, and a water pump and wash basin W. Two racks hold towels for the fan-dly members.

7. Sam's and Steven's Room: This are is much like Rachel's in that it has two twin beds, a desk, two wood nightstands, and two wood chests (C) for clothing.

The Smallhill's extend family lead a very simple, yet fast paced, lifestyle as required by their chosen business. They are very friendly and love to take to their friends and customers.

Floor Plan