The party leaves the Coster with plans to return later. Heading back north just past the inn, you see the large building marked 'Barthen's Provisions.' This is where Gundren had directed you to leave his supplies. You park the wagon in front of the building and head inside. The building is packed with goods - rope, lanterns, bedrolls, rations, and the like. As you enter, you hear "Welcome to Barthen's!" A few moments later, a young human male comes into view. His blond hair is tousled and he has a welcoming smile on his tanned face. "How can I help you folks?" he asks.
At your words, the young man frowns. "Well, Ander and I can help unload the wagon, but you probably need to talk to Barthen. I'll be right back." He turns and heads towards the back of the building. He returns in a few moments with another young man. "We'll start unloading the supplies. Barthen will be just a moment." The two young men hurry outside and start unloading the remaining supplies out of the wagon.
As you wait, an older man appears. Fifty-ish, balding, lean, but with a friendly smile, he greets you. "Welcome! I am Barthen - Thistle said you needed to speak to me?" he asks.
CC: OK.. I'm back... And in-laws free! And if anyone is from NYC, I apologize, but you can KEEP that place. Ugh! I have a lot of catching up to do for work today, so..
As he listens, Barthen grows pale. "Well, you seem like a capable party, so I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding Gundren. His discovery of the mine was remarkable. Perhaps you can find Gundren's brothers - Nundro and Tharden. They were camping outside of town. They've been gone for almost two weeks; they were supposed to come back a few days ago, though, to resupply," he muses. He shakes his head, smiles, and then stares at something behind you. The smile falls from his face and he frowns. Looking back to you, his smile returns. "Let me go get your pay for delivering the supplies. I'll be right back."
He disappears into a back room and returns with a small pouch. "10gp each, as promised," he says.
Why! How far is that mine? How long should it take to arrive there? A mine, you said, I wonder if they made enemies along the way: a lot of disappearances and kidnapping: too many for a coincidence!
Odo is sitting on the floor near the door cross legged eating some sort cookie or biscuit thing he 'found' on the way here.
"Do a lot of people disappear around here?" He says, crumbs falling out of his mouth. "I'd pick a different profession if I lived here... something safe, like a baker."
Ajax and Mulligan: As you see Barthen frown, you turn around and see a large and intimidating looking man, wearing some tattered leather armor who is glaring at Barthen. As soon as he sees you looking at him, he turns and quickly disappears down the road.
At Ajax's words, Barthen smiles. "Oh, they weren't at the mine, they were camping outside of town. They were waiting for Gundren to head to the mine, I think. That's why Gundren wanted the supplies delivered here." He frowns. "But since Gundren has been taken along with the map, I suppose that means someone else is after the treasures of the mine. Besides, without the map, they wouldn't know where to go." He looks away for a moment, lost in thought. "I wonder if . . . " he mumbles. He sighs and then stands a bit straighter. "Well, thank you for dropping off the supplies. I hope you can find Gundren, he's a good friend."
Mulligan looks at Odo in surprise. "I don't even remember seeing, or even smelling, a bakery. Where did you... have you had that since Neverwinter?"
Following up on Ajax's question, Mulligan asks whether it has anything to do with the giant lump in the beat up old armor that was just in here a minute ago.
Barthen looks startled at Mulligan and Ajax's questions, then sighs and frowns. "The giant lump, as you called him, is one of the Redbrands," he says with disgust. "They are a band of ruffians that are trying to take over the town - forcing businesses to pay for 'protection," he says. "Hah! Protection from them is what the town needs. And Townmaster Wester is too scared of them to do anything." He eyes you all and then says, "The town needs someone to run them out. The Sleeping Giant - that's where his lot likes to hang out. Lazy sots," he says with a gleam in his eye. "As for my wondering, I was just thinking that perhaps the Redbrands had taken Gundren. But that seems way too smart for them."
"I found it in a stall on the road as we came here. Fresh is best!" Odo says, wiping the crumbs off his shirt as he stands up. "I can chase that 'lump' down if you like? He can't have gone too far." Odo starts to walk through the threshold.
"I'll snatch him up and bring him back, how's that?!"
"No! No, bad idea. Let's meet up with Sildar at the inn. Linene mentioned the Redbrands too, that can't possibly be a coincidence. If they're trying to convince people to buy into their protection racket, it doesn't require any spark of genius to realize that a Gundren being snapped up by goblins might not be the worst thing for them. We'll need a plan."
Barthen shakes his head at Odo. "I certainly don't want him," he says. "And unfortunately, that 'lump' has others who watch his back. They've been making business hard for everyone in town, but now that some hearty adventuring types are here, perhaps they'll think twice about some of their actions," Barthen says. "Oh! Sildar's here? Tell him I said hello - and Sildar may have some ideas about the Rebrands as well, since he is a member of the Lords' Alliance." He smiles and says, "Well, I must get back to business. Come back by if there's anything you need before you head off on more adventures!" He bows slightly and turns, heading towards a back room.
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Mulligan makes a mental note to check out the Sleeping Giant tavern once we're back in town with Gundren.
"Until we meet again." He nods and turns to exit.
Odo follows close behind.
((Sorry I'm not contributing much, crazy busy week at work))
((Where are you all heading after this? Back to the inn? To Barthen’s? Explore Phandelin further?))
((If we've still got things to drop off at Barthen's, I think we should do that then head to the inn.))
The party leaves the Coster with plans to return later. Heading back north just past the inn, you see the large building marked 'Barthen's Provisions.' This is where Gundren had directed you to leave his supplies. You park the wagon in front of the building and head inside. The building is packed with goods - rope, lanterns, bedrolls, rations, and the like. As you enter, you hear "Welcome to Barthen's!" A few moments later, a young human male comes into view. His blond hair is tousled and he has a welcoming smile on his tanned face. "How can I help you folks?" he asks.
"I understand you're waiting for a shipment from Gundren. We're the couriers he hired, and we have his goods, but Gundren himself has gone missing."
At your words, the young man frowns. "Well, Ander and I can help unload the wagon, but you probably need to talk to Barthen. I'll be right back." He turns and heads towards the back of the building. He returns in a few moments with another young man. "We'll start unloading the supplies. Barthen will be just a moment." The two young men hurry outside and start unloading the remaining supplies out of the wagon.
As you wait, an older man appears. Fifty-ish, balding, lean, but with a friendly smile, he greets you. "Welcome! I am Barthen - Thistle said you needed to speak to me?" he asks.
CC: OK.. I'm back... And in-laws free! And if anyone is from NYC, I apologize, but you can KEEP that place. Ugh! I have a lot of catching up to do for work today, so..
"ALWAYS GIVE A MONSTER AN EVEN BREAK!"
1st Edition DMG
Mulligan basically repeats what he said to Thistle. Delivering for Gundren, Gundren kidnapped, etc.
As he listens, Barthen grows pale. "Well, you seem like a capable party, so I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding Gundren. His discovery of the mine was remarkable. Perhaps you can find Gundren's brothers - Nundro and Tharden. They were camping outside of town. They've been gone for almost two weeks; they were supposed to come back a few days ago, though, to resupply," he muses. He shakes his head, smiles, and then stares at something behind you. The smile falls from his face and he frowns. Looking back to you, his smile returns. "Let me go get your pay for delivering the supplies. I'll be right back."
He disappears into a back room and returns with a small pouch. "10gp each, as promised," he says.
Ajax watches as Barthen gets anxious.
ooc: what does he stare at?
Why! How far is that mine? How long should it take to arrive there? A mine, you said, I wonder if they made enemies along the way: a lot of disappearances and kidnapping: too many for a coincidence!
,
When Barthen goes to the back, Mulligan will turn and look to see what made his expression change.
Odo is sitting on the floor near the door cross legged eating some sort cookie or biscuit thing he 'found' on the way here.
"Do a lot of people disappear around here?" He says, crumbs falling out of his mouth. "I'd pick a different profession if I lived here... something safe, like a baker."
Ajax and Mulligan: As you see Barthen frown, you turn around and see a large and intimidating looking man, wearing some tattered leather armor who is glaring at Barthen. As soon as he sees you looking at him, he turns and quickly disappears down the road.
At Ajax's words, Barthen smiles. "Oh, they weren't at the mine, they were camping outside of town. They were waiting for Gundren to head to the mine, I think. That's why Gundren wanted the supplies delivered here." He frowns. "But since Gundren has been taken along with the map, I suppose that means someone else is after the treasures of the mine. Besides, without the map, they wouldn't know where to go." He looks away for a moment, lost in thought. "I wonder if . . . " he mumbles. He sighs and then stands a bit straighter. "Well, thank you for dropping off the supplies. I hope you can find Gundren, he's a good friend."
Ajax intervenes
**you wander?! Sir, please, be frank, maybe we can help..**
,
Mulligan looks at Odo in surprise. "I don't even remember seeing, or even smelling, a bakery. Where did you... have you had that since Neverwinter?"
Following up on Ajax's question, Mulligan asks whether it has anything to do with the giant lump in the beat up old armor that was just in here a minute ago.
Barthen looks startled at Mulligan and Ajax's questions, then sighs and frowns. "The giant lump, as you called him, is one of the Redbrands," he says with disgust. "They are a band of ruffians that are trying to take over the town - forcing businesses to pay for 'protection," he says. "Hah! Protection from them is what the town needs. And Townmaster Wester is too scared of them to do anything." He eyes you all and then says, "The town needs someone to run them out. The Sleeping Giant - that's where his lot likes to hang out. Lazy sots," he says with a gleam in his eye. "As for my wondering, I was just thinking that perhaps the Redbrands had taken Gundren. But that seems way too smart for them."
"I found it in a stall on the road as we came here. Fresh is best!" Odo says, wiping the crumbs off his shirt as he stands up. "I can chase that 'lump' down if you like? He can't have gone too far." Odo starts to walk through the threshold.
"I'll snatch him up and bring him back, how's that?!"
"No! No, bad idea. Let's meet up with Sildar at the inn. Linene mentioned the Redbrands too, that can't possibly be a coincidence. If they're trying to convince people to buy into their protection racket, it doesn't require any spark of genius to realize that a Gundren being snapped up by goblins might not be the worst thing for them. We'll need a plan."
Barthen shakes his head at Odo. "I certainly don't want him," he says. "And unfortunately, that 'lump' has others who watch his back. They've been making business hard for everyone in town, but now that some hearty adventuring types are here, perhaps they'll think twice about some of their actions," Barthen says. "Oh! Sildar's here? Tell him I said hello - and Sildar may have some ideas about the Rebrands as well, since he is a member of the Lords' Alliance." He smiles and says, "Well, I must get back to business. Come back by if there's anything you need before you head off on more adventures!" He bows slightly and turns, heading towards a back room.