Barthelm Meadowbrock

Barthelm Meadowbrock was a merchant of the town of Ghars in Cormyr in the mid–14 century DR.

Activities
Barthelm was the owner of the local gristmill, which processed barley, oats, and wheat before being transported to Hultail, and then to Wheloon via barge. The mill was driven by ox, owing to the limited water supply. In addition, he owned a fleet of swift wagons. He purchased produce from local farmers, and had it taken on fast coaches with frequent horse changes to have it arrive in Marsember and Suzail still fresh. His agents sold them for ten times the price. These businesses made him the wealthiest merchant in Ghars.

Description
Barthelm was a huge man with a mop of wavy hair; formerly a red-orange hue, his hair had paled with age.

Relationships
His daughter was Mayella Meadowbrock. Barthelm sought a proper suitor for her and his wealth and her good looks made her seem quite the catch to many men in town. However, it seemed she had her heart only on Rolf, a local roofer who'd been her friend since childhood, and Barthelm disapproved. He was naturally protective of her.

He was a member of the Merchants' Guild of Cormyr. He sat on its Grand Council and was district representative for the area of Ghars.

Personality
Barthelm could be overbearing and demanding, wanting only the best in all things and, if he didn't get it, loudly complaining.

History
Barthelm arranged to host the next meeting of the Merchants' Guild Grand Council in Ghars, and this was quite a coup for him, though he paid for much of it out of his own pocket. He booked the Sheaf of Wheat and Silver Scythe inns to lodge guild members and their retinues (there were too many for just one inn) and even paid for a meeting room to be added to the Silver Scythe. Moreover, he managed provisions, arranged for drinks through the Bold Bard tavern, and brought chefs from Suzail. However, a drought hit Ghars in the ; since his mill was driven by ox rather than a river, Barthelm wasn't immediately hit financially.

On Kythorn 27 in the, Barthelm and the jeweler Diccon Picard rode out of town in the evening to see what the new Swamp Rat tavern was like. They weren't impressed. On the way back, they sighted the ghost of the bandit chieftain Fastred and raced back to town in fear. Since Barthelm didn't want to lose business with Shortshanks of the rival Bold Bard tavern, Diccon let on that he had been alone.

Barthelm went with his daughter Mayella and her dog to the Bold Bard tavern on the night of Eleint 16. There, Barthelm nagged Shortshanks for a butt of Westgate Ruby to go with the Beef and Oysters Barnabus at the Grand Council welcoming dinner. Later, they were met by Mayor Tobald and king's envoy Grodoveth, who made a crude advance that upset Mayella and angered Barthelm. Not long after, Dovo came to pester her as well, but Rolf intervened. The two got into a tavern brawl and Barthelm ordered Mayella to leave with him.

When Dovo was found dead the next morning, after impersonating Fastred's ghost, Barthelm was briefly considered as a culprit because of this. However, he was much too busy over the next few days with preparations for the meeting, aided by much coffee, to kill anyone. On Eleint 19, Benelaius, the War Wizard lead investigator, had his servant Jasper update Barthelm on his progress and the execution order for the killer, but Barthelm gave no special reaction.

When the Grand Council arrived that afternoon, Barthelm had Mayella present each council member with ceremonial food and drink of welcome (elven bread from Evermeet and fresh water in a silver goblet) and a sampling of local produce and crafts, while he gave a welcoming address. After midnight, he was forced to go with Mayella and other townsfolk to Benelaius's cottage, where he would expose the murderer of Dovo and Grodoveth. Barthelm was cleared of involvement, but Benelaius revealed a plot by the Iron Throne to poison the Grand Council, and even the whole town, with blackweed put in the water supply by Mayor Tobald. Barthelm likely left the Grand Council members blissfully unaware of this while the meeting went ahead.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Murder in Cormyr