Deciding to head back to the city of Laurentiis after bidding farewell to King Skrud you all clamber onto the flying carpet and take flight. Having the name of the black dragon/dracolich and questions about where it's treasure and phylactery are is a sufficient starting point to get some answers as to what exactly is going on and who might be behind it all.

Do you leave the night before?

Or after the celebrations sometime the next morning?

Randall:

Heading to the temple, Randall asks for permission to use it as a holy place of safe return, designating a small room off to side as a return point.  He then casts Word of Recall to set the metaphysical anchor for their eventual return.

Asking about the dracolich and discussing the likelihood of a phylactery, Randall asks to peruse the Temple’s library for possible information.

History:  20

The temple has some stuff on black dragons living in swamps but if they're not particularly active then people either forget over time or don't end up adding much to it. There is some general stuff on phylacteries but since Neforakx was/is a recent dracolich youn don't expect to find anything specific to his case. It is somewhat upsetting to you that this profane practice requires the lich/dracolich to fuel it's unlife by draining souls.

((Shouldn't we start with informing the people in charge before we start out further investigations?))

(Draining souls sounds promising. Like the old Detective story mantra: Follow the money, or in this case, follow the bodies. Maybe we just try to work out where this steady stream of souls comes from, and then follow it.)

Z agrees with Pepin, they should seek a a meeting with the city's leaders and the general, to keep them up to date. And also perhaps they should prepare the city in case the Dracolich comes here for revenge 

You do have a meeting place set up where you can get word to the general or his aide/assistant and they usually respond within the day (a few hours) because they recognize that you are heroes/adventurers and have helped the city a few times already.

Tempe looks on as the others search for information, he then meditates asking the older wizened monks of the temple, when not in meditation.

"We seek an answer to a question of where this draco lich's phylacterie device is, so to destroy it, how could we find it? It called itself, Neforakxd, but I don't know, if it's true name."

He remembers the goblins talking about others going to the black tents and never returning, wondering if that had to do with the undeath's creation.

Pepin suggests to first go to the meeting place before doing anything else. Maybe the general has some locations that he could point us to which might have information.

Randall:

At Pepin’s request, Randall moves on from the temple (after saying his goodbyes) and goes to the meeting place with the general.

"We could seek the knowledge of where this Neforakx's phylactery is but it might take a while."

The devoted at the temple realize how important this matter is and will take the appropriate course of action to help.

You have some time before the meeting is arranged if you want to do something that takes an hour or less. Anything longer, like half a day or days even can be done after the meeting.

He goes to the practice yard, to practice martial arts with the students.

Pepin will just use the hour to rest.

Zenodor will also take the time to rest, maybe getting a meal at a nearby Inn while they wait.

(gentle reminder: for this campaign I am using the 5 min short rest/1 hour long rest (can only restore spell slots of level 5 and lower, for 6th and above a usual long rest is required))

So Tempe, will take long hour rest instead.

Those who do other things for part of the hour don't get a long rest but everyone who took the hour gets it. Right now there is always a chance to take 5 so at the very least you get a short rest.

Z feels refreshed and is eager to meet with the general.

In the meantime, he'll also spend a few minutes tuning into Irraxan's senses to see how King Skrud and the Goblins are progressing. (As a reminder, he left Irraxan with them to allow for some communication/supervision, and can link as long as they are on the same plane)

Pepin is also eager to talk to the general inform on latest developments and to ask if they have ever heard about Neforakx.

Shortly after you arrive at the meeting place guards enter and secure the room. The General and his assistant are right on their heels. Introductions and pleasantries are offered and received by both parties. And finally you can get down to business.

Pepin starts explaining about what happened outside of the city, that they appointed a new goblin king, and that the hoard is retreating to go back home.