Lost Mines of Phandelver by kyleh2486

“The wizard, Glasstaff, is not here. This will make our encounter with the Redbrand a little easier.”

To the creature, “How long has Glasstaff been gone? Weeks, days, hours?”

The voice in Morpetor's head says, "in mortal time, about an hour ago he passes by here. I do not speak with Glasstaff. Only when necessary. I know nothing of his workings." 

Entering the cavern, Yuri is at once relieved to see the party not engaged in mortal combat with the thing that lives in the crevasse but also cursing Iarno and his lies.

"On the road back from town we met a wizard calling himself Iarno."

Yuri lets his words sink before he continues...

"Said he slipped away in the confusion here and that you three were fighting that thing in the pit. I can see now he was lying, but I can't figure why."

“That, was Glasstaff, the leader of the Redbrands.” 

Kim looks to the group. "Then let's make haste to go after him!"

She frost her hands and looks readily at the others.

“What kind of lead would he have on us?  Is it even possible now?”

Yuri shakes his head, "I knew he was lying! I just thought it was because we were strangers and he didn't know if he could trust us!"

"We left him on the path back to Phandalin, I directed him to the inn to meet with Sildar, but honestly, that was over half an hour ago and he could have gone anywhere."

Yuri is silent for a moment, shamed, then adds,

"We could check his room here? Maybe some evidence ties him to the Redbrands?"

“Yes, and we cant let these Redbrands continue to torcher the citizens of this town.  Let’s continue, and learn more.”

Vah'Lhorn fires off a string of curses in Infernal... "He must have walked right past us as we rested! Curse me for a fool, I should have set some alarm at the door." Turning to Yuri and Gramgran, "It is a vexing web of lies that has been spun here, we were sent to find Iarno, who turned out not to want finding. I cannot fault you, whatever lies he spun, for racing to aid us though."

"Morpetor, if you are still talking to that beast, warn him that I shall not bear sight of him. I shall for the moment abide his presence whilst we search this lair."

"Yuri, it is alright. We can still hunt him down." She turns to Morpetor. "Do you think we need to find proof for the citizens? I am sure most of them will just be glad they are gone."

Quote from PolarBearSoup >>

Vah'Lhorn fires off a string of curses in Infernal... "He must have walked right past us as we rested! Curse me for a fool, I should have set some alarm at the door." Turning to Yuri and Gramgran, "It is a vexing web of lies that has been spun here, we were sent to find Iarno, who turned out not to want finding. I cannot fault you, whatever lies he spun, for racing to aid us though."

"Morpetor, if you are still talking to that beast, warn him that I shall not bear sight of him. I shall for the moment abide his presence whilst we search this lair."

The voice enters Van'Lhorn's head. "I've been listening to you, magic user.  You best let me be or see your fate ended early. Seek what you seek here and leave this place. There is a secret door in the room to the north. You will find it leads down a set of stairs to Glasstaff's sleeping quarters."

"You listen and you hide foul thing, do not be so bold as to believe you can threaten me. You are a scavenger, a thing that preys on the fear of those who do not understand you. I need no words of guidance from you, my own demon guides me, and you are naught in their shadow. Keep yourself hidden, and for the sake of those others here I shall stay my blade. No promises, no deals, just a statement of the moment. I'd suggest you take that advice, for your own wretched sake."

Intimidation: 8

A vision of shadow and pain enters into Vah'Lhorn's mind, the shadows hunger, they feed on the pain, an almost physical manifestation being engulfed by darkness that soaks all light from existence. Vah'Lhorn senses rather than sees the source of the pain, the creature, though it hides from sight it can be made to suffer. Vah'Lhorn instinctively understands the link to the creature was intact, and approves of the sense of timing his pact demon sometimes displays.

To the rest, Vah'Lhorn recounts the wherabouts of Glasstaff's quarters, the door, the stairwell, and suggest the others head that way. Vah'Lhorn starts to tie off a rope to the bridge posts at the north end, in preparation to search for any sign of Thel. "The creature bids me 'seek what I seek', then leave... I shall search for any sign of Mirna's husband, so we may put her mind at rest. Kim, I know we do not see eye to eye, but I will honour your word as my companion. Though it's fit suits me not at all."

Though still feeling hatred for the creature,  Vah'Lhorn realised that his single-mindedness has caused the group to miss their mark. First his mistake letting Glasstaff walk right by them as he tried to cajole Morpetor and Kim into taking the fiend down, then how Yuri and Gramgran's flight back to the manor when they thought the three in peril had caused them to allow Iarno... Glasstaff... to pass by. Both incidents fuelld by his loathing towards this foul beast... Oh he was still of a mind to end it's existence, but he would see within the wider picture now... Sildar had asked him to help, and he has done more harm than he could have imagined.  Besides, he knows where to find it if the opportunity presents itself later on.

Insight check against Van'Lhorn: 14

The voice says, "seek what you must." The creature is short with you now. Clearly taken aback. The creature will not attack unless provoked. You are able to tie the rope and lower yourself down to the floor of the crevasse. 

This steep-sided fissure is 5 to 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Its rough walls are easily climbed without an ability check. The bottom of the crevasse feels unnaturally cold. Currently heaped at the bottom among broken and well-gnawed bones is the half-eaten body. The flesh is black in an advanced state of decay. The clothing is torn apart to get to the body. On the shirt sleeve is a patch, circular, containing a black compass rose on white with a red ring around the patch. This is Thel. 

As you stand over the body, examining it, the voice enters your head again. "I did not kill this man. He was given to me 3 mortal days ago." 

While standing at the bottom, you notice the beady eyes. It is backed into a hole in the crevasse wall. 

As Vah'Lhorn confirms his suspicions about Thel, and the creature makes his plea of innocence for the death of the man, Vah'Lhorn fills with rage. "You do not hide well enough creature!" His hand falls to his axe haft, but Vah'Lhorn holds his hand there, trying to control that base instinct and not lash out at the glint of it's eyes. A long moment passes, and Vah'Lhorn shout up to the others "Mirna's husband lies here, half-eaten, in no first state to return him for a proper burial."

Yuri, leaning over the edge of the crevasse calls down,

"Bring the patch, that Mirna might know peace."

Vah'Lhorn rips the sleeve containing the patch from the torn shirt, and slides it into his pocket.

Investigation: 15

Vah'Lhorn looks around the rest of the pit floor whilst the creature is tucked into it's nook, seeing if there are any other items or trinkets that might identify past meals.

Quote from PolarBearSoup >>

Vah'Lhorn rips the sleeve containing the patch from the torn shirt, and slides it into his pocket.

Investigation: 15

Vah'Lhorn looks around the rest of the pit floor whilst the creature is tucked into it's nook, seeing if there are any other items or trinkets that might identify past meals.

You do notice a battered wooden chest hidden in a cubbyhole at the bottom of the crevasse, under the North bridge. You could not see the chest when you were looking down from the edge of the crevasse. And now that you're down here the chest is easy to see. 

Vah'Lhorn warily walks towards the chest... wanting to ask the cowed creature about it, but wanting more to avoid any further contact with it. He calls up, "It appears that there is a chest down here too." Vah'Lhorn approached it, cautiously in case the creature has secreted it here with some sickening remnants. Checking it for any traps or the like...

Investigation: 5

 He proceeds to try and open the chest if he finds nothing, 

The voice enters Van'Lhorn's head. "That is my treasure. Stay away from there!" You can see it is not trapped or anything, but you do get the feeling if you open it, the creature is going to attack you.