Investigate Twill

Type: Side Quest
Region/Scope: Roads outside the Onadbyr / The Haunted Manor

Overview

After meeting the kobold merchant Jorban Twill, the party quickly realized there is more to him than simple salesmanship.
Though friendly and eager to trade, Twill demonstrated unnerving magical behavior, including entering a trance and delivering a mysterious black stone to Harlekk without explanation.

Concerned about Twill’s motives, magical nature, and potential ties to unknown forces, Nelvax initiated an investigation through his Thieves’ Guild contacts to determine how trustworthy Twill truly is.

This quest tracks the party’s efforts to uncover who Twill is, what he wants, and whether his strange behavior is benign—or dangerous.

Objectives

• Determine what Twill actually is (kobold merchant, magical proxy, something else).
• Identify the source or purpose of the trance-like state he entered.
• Learn why he gave Harlekk the black stone, and whether it was intentional or compelled.
• Confirm whether Twill has ties to any factions, hostile or otherwise.
• Receive and review the findings from Nelvax’s Thieves’ Guild investigation.
• Assess whether Twill can be safely relied upon for information, trade, or magical services.

Role in the Story

• A side quest that supports multiple ongoing storylines, including:
  • Voss’s investigation into his mother (Twill is now gathering information for him).
  • The party’s growing network of magical and political contacts.
  • Understanding the nature of strange magical phenomena encountered this arc.
• Establishes Twill as a recurring wildcard NPC whose reliability must be evaluated.
• May influence future Bastion development, item acquisition, or faction interactions.

Source

• Nelvax – Personally initiated the investigation by sending a message to his Thieves’ Guild contacts.
• Harlekk’s black stone incident – Prompted immediate concern and suspicion about Twill’s nature.

Notable Moments

Session 12 - Acquired

• The party encounters Twill on the road after escaping the city.
• Twill sells several unusual magical items, including:
  • A whispering lantern
  • A three-foot “waving tentacle” weapon
  • A summon card that allows the party to call him once per day
• During the exchange, Twill enters a trance, his eyes glazing over as he silently retrieves a smooth black stone and hands it to Harlekk.
  • He appears unaware of what happened afterward.
• Nelvax, suspicious of this behavior, sends word to the Thieves’ Guild to investigate Twill’s background and determine whether he is trustworthy or dangerous.
• Twill accepts a contract from Voss to investigate Alira, showing he is willing to trade in information as well as goods.