Lost Mine of Phandelver

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Calal quietly approaches the body and just crouches down and whispers something before standing and walking towards the tunnel. "well? Let's be quick about it then."
 
Following the group towards the next batch of goblins, they decided to ambush the goblins, managing to to kill most of them with ease, however one managed to flee into the next room. Vutha released her jaws from around yet another limp goblin as she followed the others -- a final charge to finish the fight -- and in her adrenaline she spotted multiple enemies around the room, but her gaze locked onto the wolf. She gave it a toothy grin as she quickly bit into it, finishing it off, then moved further into the room to deal with more threats. Even though Fuska had gone down, she knew her skills weren't in healing, but in causing death -- which she promptly did to one of the last few goblins.

Finally the room went silent as the group began to look over the area, and some small amount of coin was handed out. Vutha collected her share with a snort before borrowing Bryn's dagger to harvest from Ripper's body to make a javelin -- a trophy of the battle.

Eventually finishing she looked around at the others, "Still have task to finish. What about the other wolves. Kill? Release? Try to keep?"
 
Calal lands a vicious shot into the biggest goblin, grinning as it tears into his head. He watches the others finish the fight quickly, turning to face vultha as she speaks. "can we keep them? I always wanted a pet...."
 
Following near the back of the group after casting a quick blessing upon those who'd be most likely to get up front and physical, Merimar watched in horror as Fuska dropped below a powerful blow from a furious and furry bugbear.
Seeing an explosion of some magic slam into the bugbear but not downing it, Merimar raised her crossbow. "THIS IS FOR FUSKA!!!" Merimar roared as she shot the bolt, striking the bugbear in the neck and downing the powerful foe.
While her allies tore through the remaining goblins, Merimar hurried over to Fuska and cast a stabilising spell. "Welcome back to the land of the living." Merimar said as Fuska came around.
Hearing Vutha and Calal discussing the wolves, Merimar piped up, "I think we should. All their caretakers are dead. If we just leave them they starve. Setting them free we don't know what they'll do. At least with us we're sure they're safe and maybe in time they can keep us safe."
 
Fuska managed to keep his chainmail from jingling around too much as they sneaked up to ambush the goblins, but his strike went wide as the goblin noticed the lumbering form at the last second. Frowning in frustration as his allies dispatched the others, Fuska took two long strides before...nothing.

Next thing Fuska saw was the face of Merimar as she bent over him. He made to sit up quickly, remembering the danger, but the throbbing in his head caused a wave of nausea to rush over him and he remained there on the ground. Finally he groaned, “Ugh...what happened? What wolves?”
 
Merimar eased Fuska gently back to the ground, "Easy, easy. It's okay." Merimar said in a soft voice, "The goblins and Klarg are gone. Klarg gave you a pretty heavy hit. We were talking about the two wolves chained up near the entrance." Merimar said, glad that Fuska was back among the living.
 
Calal crouches next to one of the goblin bodies, murmuring a prayer in Elvish before methodically finding the meatiest parts and separating them off with ease, turning to look at the others. "This will be very interesting."
 
Sildar slumps to the floor of the cave once Fuska is revived by Merimar.

"Klarg hits hard, but your friend here hits harder." He nods toward Calal, although with an air of apprehension. "That was quite a blast. Maybe next time I'll be a bigger help." He holds up the rusted shortsword he'd taken off one of the goblins and sighs. "Probably should have left one alive to find out where the Cragmaws' fortress is, but I imagine you can find some answers in Phandalin if you're going to go after Gundren. If he found what he thinks he found, well, he'd make it worth your while."

With a little effort he pulls himself to his feet and brings the lantern over to examine the crates.

"Lionshield Coster. These fellows have been busy. They've an outpost an Phandalin as well, and would likely reward you for their return." Sildar turns back to the group and winces, sitting again by the smoldering embers of a fire in the center of the chamber. "And speaking of rewards, I have 50 gold for you lads, and ladies, when we reach town. It's the least I can do. The Lords Alliance remembers its friends."
 
As they had approached the goblins lying in wait to spring the waterfall trap, Bryn's body ached. He'd done his best to stitch himself up, but he was getting quite tired; his muscles burned and his injury stung. He was not prepared when they engaged the goblins, and drove the tip of his rapier into the ground with a frown, making a mental note to repair that damage when this was finished. He withdrew his blade, ready to attack again, but the last goblin took off running. After a moment of prayer form Merimar, they charged into the room to confront the last of the goblins, their bugbear leader, and his wolf. The bugbear and his wolf got the jump on them, Bryn watched as Fuska fell under the weight of the creature's morningstar. He was ready to attack when an arrow flew by, leaving a deep gash in his side.

Bryn looked to Sildar, "You'll have to deal with Klarg, I'll handle the goblins. I know you're tired, but you can do this." He darted over to the boxes where the arrow flew from, and once again with a vibration in his blade dispatched another goblin. Then looking to the south, Bryn saw the other two, bows at the ready. He dropped to the ground - what it cost him in time, it offered him three fold in protection. He sighed into the dirt, a puff of dust rising from behind the crates as he peered out to see what happened next and wait for an opening. Vutha and Calal dispatched the remaining foes.

The half-elf smith pushed himself up to his feet and began searching through the bodies and boxes, "We should make sure they're dead and take anything they don't need." He found some coin and a jade figurine. He pocketed the jade, "I'll hang onto this, see if we can't get it appraised in Phandalin." He handed each of them 120 copper and 22 silver before remarking, "Those crates belong to that weapon seller, Lionshield Coster. They're part of the guild, but their smiths vary so widely, I don't know that I'd trust anything inside. We'll likely get a reward for their safe and unopened return as well."

He sat atop one of the crates, and began mending his rapier, "Ready to head out when you all are." He smiled, "And let me know if any of you need weapons or armor mended, I can probably handle it as we finish our journey. I'm not really in much shape to be walking, but I'll make myself useful."
 
The rutted track emerges from a wooded hillside, and you catch your first glimpse of Phandalin. The town consists of forty or fifty simple log buildings, some built on old fieldstone foundations. More old ruins-crumbling stone walls covered in ivy and briars-surround the newer houses and shops, showing how this must have been a much larger town in centuries past. Most of the newer buildings are set on the sides of the cart track, which widens into a muddy main street of sorts as it climbs toward a ruined manor house on a hillside at the east side of town.

As you approach, you see children playing on the town green and townsfolk tending to chores or running errands at shops. Many people look up as you approach, but all return to their business as you go by. Sildar seems much more at ease.

"My friends," he says, "let us secure lodgings. I'm told the local inn is very quaint."
 
Calal moves to the edge of the forest, crouching down to speak to the wolves. "While we are not with you, you can roam the woods around here. Please do not attack persons or captive animals, as they will hurt you." He moves to a tree, pulling out his dagger and carving an X into the base of a root. "Mark here. When we call, come back here."
 
The wolves look from Calal to the tree, then do the wolf equivalent of a shrug. All three take turns relieving themselves on the tree, marking it in their own way. The more dominant one locks eyes with Calal.

"We find place to sleep until darkness. You bring food here. We stay."
 
You don't have to go far to find Barthen's. It's one of the first buildings you pass in town and Sildar points it out immediately.

"I believe that's your first stop. The inn is just a little further along, and the town master a bit past that. I'll need to see him to get the 50 gold I owe you. Let's meet at the inn after we conclude our business."
 
Bryn nodded, "Sounds good, we'll see you at the inn." He turned to the others, "So, shall we finish our job? We're a bit late, but we'll just tell them we had to deal with the goblins. Perhaps actually protecting the shipment will keep them from docking our pay for the tardiness."
 
Entering into the city, Vutha couldn't help but give a long slow hiss -- even the few seasons she'd dealt with what was considered "civilization" still didn't please her. All the bright colors people wore that would lead to a quick death in the swamps, then the sheer noise as it echoed between buildings. The only thing she preferred was she could "buy" meat here if her hunting was not fruitful -- likely from the other hunters emptying out the nearby woods or swamps already. Reaching into her coin pouch with a scaly hand she did her equivalent of a frown -- how small shards of metal equaled items still seemed strange to her. How was it a fair trade? Yet that was apparently how "civilization" worked.

Raising her fabric hood as they went through the streets, she met the gaze of any who stared at the lizardfolk before turning to look at Sildar and Bryn in turn as they spoke. "Yes, finish the task. Explain what happened -- the stolen Dwarf."
 
Keeping her crossbow slung over her shoulder and unloaded for the moment, Merimar looked around Phandelin as she followed the group. 'I hope Calal's wolves will wait for us.' Merimar thought to herself, having taken a liking to having them around herself.

"Hopefully they will understand." Merimar said as the issue of payment for delivery came up. 'Thank The Shining One we were able to rescue Sildar and bring him to safety.' The cleric added in her mind as she tried to work out what would be good to buy for a possible rescue attempt.
 
After a moment, two young boys exit the front door of Barthen's Provisions.

"Good afternoon sirs," one says. "Is that a delivery for--" He freezes at the sight of the lizardfolk next to the wagon and makes a strangled squeaking sound before the pair of them dart back inside. A moment later a lean, balding older man emerges, a bit cautiously, but relaxes when he takes in the whole group and scans the wagon.

"Ah, hello there. I apologize for my boys. They're a little skittish. I take it your Gundren's hired hands? Where is the old dwarf? I was expecting him the other day."
 
Bryn stepped forward and offered a hand to the man, "Greetings, I am Bryn Meliscient, you must be Barthen. These are my associates, Vutha, Fuska Hornblower Nugaligala, Merimar Katis, and Calal Despani." Bryn indicated each as he went through their names, before he frowned slightly, "Gundren was taken by some goblins along with his hired hand Sildar. We too were waylaid by the goblins, but handled them and were able to recover Sildar who had other business in town. We intend on going after him to Cragmaw Castle, but needed to finish this job and stop in to resupply before we head out. I hope you can excuse our tardiness."
 
Calal dips his head slightly. "We are very sorry that we are late, and that we were not able to recover the dwarf yet." He has been looking around as they walk, trying to spot both somewhere that sells weapons and somewhere he could find prey for the wolves.
 
Barthen's eyebrows shoot up at the mention of your trouble along the road.

"Taken by goblins? I uh, come in, come in." He holds the door open and ushers the group inside his shop. It's a small and modest, mostly just a small space and a counter, but the shelves behind it are stacked with all kinds of gear.

"As for the delay, don't fret about that. You folks obviously had your share of trouble." He reaches under the counter and pulls out a locked box, opens it, and hands out 10 gold for each person and then sighs.

"I'm right sorry to hear about Gundren. He's a friend. I'm glad to hear you mean to rescue him. He was so excited about finding the lost mine of Phandelver's Pact, or that's what he thinks it is, at least. Heh, he always was a dreamer. Well, hopefully he still is. If there is anything I can do for you folks let me know."
 
"I, for one, could use some information on a great many things, if you know anything. In regards to Gundren, there was mention of a... Black Spider? Someone who sent the goblins after Gundren. Have you ever heard of someone by that name or title? What about Cragmaw Castle, Sildar mentioned it being a old clan hideout but I wonder what kind of state it might be in or if there's anyone who might be familiar with it? And this is the first I've heard of a lost mine. What's Phandelver's Pact and what significance does this mine possess? Is it worth abducting a man over?" Bryn took a moment to think if that was all the questions he had about Gundren. It was. "On a far more personal note, I took on this job to get me here, to the town of Phandalin where there's some link, I've heard, to Black Hawk and his legendary blade, Talon. Do you know anything? Could you perhaps point me to someone who might?"

Bryn looked over his shoulders at the others, "Sorry. Did anyone else need anything, or have any questions?"
 
Listening carefully as Bryn asked his questions, Merimar was glad that most of the things that occurred to her also occurred to him. There was however one thing Bryn couldn't ask for her.

"Excuse me," Merimar said after Bryn had asked if anyone else had questions, "Would you know where I could find Daran Edermath? I heard he was looking for help." Merimar figured she'd fill the others in after they'd finished shopping, preferably if she could find somewhere discreet to do so.
 
Barthen stutters as Bryn peppers him with questions, trying to answer each one as they're asked, then turns to Merimar as she asks.

"Well that's an easy one. Old Daran has an orchard on the west side of town. It's real close. You can probably see it from the front door."

Then he turns back to Bryn and rubs his chin thoughtfully.

"Let's see. Where to start? Can't say I ever heard of a Black Spider or a goblin castle, but I don't much like the sound of either one. As for Phandelver's Pact, I can't give you more than what the legend says. Supposed to be some magical mine where they made all kinds of powerful stuff. If Gundren really found it, some powerful people would certainly be interested. Unfortunately old Gundren could never keep a secret to himself. Who knows who he told. Anyway, someone smarter than me might know the history of the mine." Barthen shrugs and rubs the back of his neck, mentally going over the list of Bryn's questions.

"Talon and Black Hawk, you say? Hmm. Not ringing any bells on that one either. Wish I could tell you more. Ask around though. Never know who might have an answer for you."
 
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