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[center][h3][color=ffd700][i]Act 2: Wintering In Wine Country[/i][/color][/h3][/center]
	[color=darkgray][i]In a show of gratitude, the last of a renowned family of Vintners have invited the victorious adventurers back to their estate to spend the coming winter in comfort. While they appear sincere, even lavish with their hospitality, they have yet to answer old questions, even as new mysteries - and possibly dangers - arise. 

	The Rose River Vineyard lays nestled in the heart of the Avonshire region, near the town of Southmoor, and produces some of the finest wines in the kingdom. The master of the estate has perished and his only direct living heir is too young to assume the responsibilities of family affairs. This detail, sadly, is the least of their difficulties. 
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	[color=ffd700]Welcome back to Avonshire.[/color]

	AND WE'RE BACK. There are a couple of things to get out of the way before I open the IC for new posts: 

	First off, [color=ed1c24]I am opening the RP for one more player to join us, provided a fit can be found.[/color] Said player's character must abide by the rules as set in the initial post of this OOC. Second, the character must have a logical entry point and their presence must be believable, based upon setting and characters, PC and NPC alike. No dropping in your fire-tattooed mountain clan Half-Orc Berserker with ties to the great criminal enterprises of the islands of the Great Central Seas unless they have a hell of a reason to be in a (until recently) quiet and prosperous agricultural region in the heartland of a great Human and Halfling kingdom.   

	Secondly, due to the abbreviated rules concerning training, [color=f7941d]Kosara[/color] the Celestial Warlock gets a shiny new proficiency with [b]"Vehicles (Land)"[/b], thanks to her studious observation and willingness to learn from our resident Bard. This is in addition to whatever else she has gained from the level-up. 

	And Third, as we get into Act 2, please detail in your first post how you spent the few days after the conclusion, work out any character interactions among yourselves, and let me know what interactions, if any, you need with named NPCs. Shopping goes by the PHB prices, as applicable. Let me know what you're getting before you make it official - I reserve the right to veto if I don't think this location will have the items in question. How did you acquire your new levels? Did you celebrate the victory? Mourn the dead? How did you train? Reflect upon your character's thoughts and actions during this time. But please make sure to end your initial post with your character en route to the Vineyard with the whole of the party. 

	One more point, and I cannot stress this enough - The setup for this part of the adventure, indeed all of the parts, is a bit railroady. These are the realities of forum RPGs, as opposed to usual TTRPG experiences. This Act takes place (mostly) in the Rose River Vineyard, estate, and lands around. Maybe a little in the small town of Southmoor, nearby. If your character doesn't accept the invitation to Winter in Wine Country, no problem. They will not be joining in on the adventure. Much like [i]Curse of Strahd[/i], you have to go to Barovia or the adventure doesn't happen.   

	Please, [b]DO NOT POST IN THE IC UNTIL YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO START[/b]. When you have the go ahead, by all means, go ahead. Just remember to meet post minimums, though I doubt that this group will have a problem with that. Make sure to check with each other in our Discord before involving each others' characters in you posts. And above all, have fun with it. 

	Thank you very much for your patience while I got my migratory waterfowl in straight queues, and once again, [color=gold][i]WELCOME TO AVONSHIRE[/i].[/color] Time to update those character sheets.