Encounter Key: Outer Ward First Floor

The First Floor of the Outer Ward holds a garden in a central enclosed area. Also of note is a lair of a witch and the main portion of the Inn of the Grinning Bear with its population of talon goblins.

Like the ground level, the majority of the rooms are of dressed stone, with wooden beams supporting the ceilings. Ceiling height is generally sixteen feet. Many rooms have cressets for torches. Individual water closets are scattered over this level and several others. They look like this:

The First Floor directly connects to the Second Floor and the Ground Level.

The talon goblins on the level, at least the living ones, belong to the faction led by Ulixes the Mage (Second Floor Room 39). Most are only loyal as long as it is convenient and they largely run their own affairs. In a crisis, Ulixes or his lieutenant and bully boy Scevelo can whip them into a fighting unit.

If faced with repeated invasions by hostile adventuring parties, Ulixes will erect a plausible defense, organizing goblins into larger groups to better handle the enemy. If left alone or attacked sporadically only, the goblins will not maintain a vigilant defense, however. The goblins can be negotiated with, but will have their own demands as part of any treaty. Full details of their position are described with Ulixes in the Second Floor document.

Three other powers that can be considered "minifactions" are the witch Malphaim Hedzel (Rooms 17 to 20), the evil clerics temporarily occupying Room 28, and the sprites and their allies in the Enchanted Garden (Room 56).