As Calantha listens to Sildar's tale, she becomes more and more worried. So someone has captured Gundren. Someone called the Black Spider. That didn't bode well at all. Was this Black Spider some sort of goblin warlord? Fighting the goblins in the cave had already cost them so much. For a tiny moment, she considered cutting her losses and moving on, trying to find another job that wasn't quite so perilous. But then she thought of Mal and Ragnarok and knew she had to see this through to the end, so that their deaths would not be in vain.

"What can you tell us about this Phandelver's Pact? What makes this Wave Echo Cave so important?"

She gives Sildar a chance to rest before asking any more questions. "I'm also curious about this Iarno Albrek. Do you think he has been captured as well? Also, you are welcome, Sildar. We would not leave you behind to die and not just because we were hired by you and Gundren."

As Calantha speaks, Ink nods in agreement with her line of questioning. He throws in a quick "Gundren shall be found!"

"Do you happen to have any of those maps of the area, or know where we can find some? They may not show this Cragmaw Castle, but they'll help me get a lay of the land, and possible help narrow down where the castle could be. What we do from there... well, we'll have to play it by ear, I suppose." Crom looks to Ink and Calantha, and then back to Sildar.

"As much as I trust these two and their capabilities, I don't know that just the three of us will be storming any castles," he says apologetically. "But maybe... no, we'll just have to see."

"Oh you haven't heard of Phandelver's Pact? I see.. well Phandalin is built on the ruins of a much older settlement. Hundreds of years ago, the old Phandalin was a thriving human town whose people were firmly allied with the dwarves and gnomes of the Phandelver’s Pact. 

More than five hundred years ago, clans of dwarves and gnomes made an agreement known as the Phandelver’s Pact, by which they would share a rich mine in a wondrous cavern known as Wave Echo Cave. In addition to its mineral wealth, the mine contained great magical power. Human spellcasters allied themselves with the dwarves and gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge, called the Forge of Spells, where magic items could be crafted. Times were good, and the nearby human town of Phandalin prospered as well."

He pauses for a moment and glances at Crom, with only a bit of sympathy in the look before continuing,

"But then disaster struck when orcs swept through the North and laid waste to all in their path.

A powerful force of orcs reinforced by evil mercenary wizards attacked Wave Echo Cave to seize its riches and magic treasures. Human wizards fought alongside their dwarf and gnome allies to defend the Forge of Spells, and the ensuing spell battle destroyed much of the cavern. Few survived the cave-ins and tremors, and the location of Wave Echo Cave was lost.

For centuries, rumors of buried riches have attracted treasure seekers and opportunists to the area around Phandalin, but no one has ever succeeded in locating the lost mine, until Gundren and his two brothers that is."

"I am concerned that something happened to Iarno as well, but they are a capable wizard from what I've been told." He trails off and you just barely hear him muttering about himself being a capable knight until he hears Crom and answers, "I think all of my belongings were taken with Gundren, unfortunately. Perhaps Barthen has a map of the area." He nods at the caution of storming a castle and answers, "That is a most reasonable approach, the best course of action for now would likely be to find out what information you can in town."

"A fascinating bit of history," muses Ink. "It seems we are about to embark on a fact-finding mission, friends. An endeavor that should be less harrowing than the goblin cave, I hope. First stop then will be Barthen's Provisions."

Ink indicates to Calantha and Crom that he is ready when they are. 

Crom's face is unreadable when Sildar mentions the orc invasion. After he is finished, Crom says, "I agree, Ink. Let's be off. We have supplies to drop off anyways."

As he approaches the wagon, Ink wrestles once again with the sorrow of having lost Ragnarok and Mal. Softly, he asks aloud, "What shall we do with the two of you?"

Looking at Calantha and Crom, he suggests, "The money we found in the goblin cave should cover the cost of caring for Rag and Mal, eh? A proper burial with last rites? Oh, wait a minute...last rites take place on this side of death. Nevermind."

After hopping into the wagon, Ink adds, "I'll ask Barthen if he can direct us to someone who might aid us with arranging a proper farewell."

As you come down into the main area of the tavern Toblen greets you with a bit of a nervous expression, "How's he doing? Did he tell you anything useful? I've got some breakfast ready for you." He waves his arm over to a table set with food for you.

"He's doing better. But it looks like our work is far from done. Sorry to dine and dash," Crom says, face contrite as he grabs a freshly baked roll from the table. "This is lovely and all, but it sounds like there are still some lives on the line." He bows his head a bit and then follows Ink out to the wagon.

"Thank you for the food and for helping Sildar," Calantha says to the innkeeper. "But my friend here is right. We have urgent business we must attend to."

To Ink and Crom she says, "We definitely need to bury Ragnarok and Mal."

As you head to the wagon and are looking it over, you see a lone figure making their way down the road towards you.

Crom pauses in the middle of hitching the beasts back up to the wagon and tries to make out who is approaching.

Perception: 8 

Calantha stops beside Crom. She strains to see who is approaching. Her hand almost twitches to the pommel of her sword, but she refrains for the moment.

Nervously, Ink calls out in a friendly tone, "Good morrow, stranger! Do you have need of anything?"

The stranger raises an arm in greeting as they continue to approach, "Good morrow, stranger!" Ink's voice echoes back at him.

The further the stranger approaches the more you see of their attire a white hooded tabard with some religious iconography, over a loose padded chainmail long shirt, a few belted tools wrap the whole thing together and their weapons and shield are gilded in a sky blue hued outline, as they approach to the point where you should be able to make out facial features they finally let down their hood revealing a round white and feathered owl like face with large yellow smiling eyes, they gesture happily to the group as they begin to introduce themselves "KLURCH QUAARK!, Pleased to meet you, is this, Phandalin, AM I, in the right place?"

As they speaks each fragment of this birds sentence abruptly runs from one accent and dialect into another, a cobbled together mix of words each piece seemingly taken from a different source.

Crom looks to his two companions, confused, but no longer as on guard. "Um... hail and well met traveller. This is indeed Phandalin. Whether it's the right place depends on your business."

"Excellent news indeed" a deep and wise voice escapes his smiling beak, before it quickly changes pitch and he continues "I was told to go, TO PHANDALIN, looking for a.. Missing person, You see? MY, Mission is to help out where, I, can and see the material plane, Are you from round 'ere?" He again gestures not only to Crom but to the other two following along.

Ink's eyes grow visibly larger when he hears his voice mimicked perfectly. "A kenku?! Remarkable!" he utters softly. He then hops down from the wagon, hoping to garner a better view of the religious symbols donned by Klurch. 

Following Crom's lead and trying to be simultaneously friendly and careful, Ink replies, "Phandalin is new to us, Klurch, but we may be able to point you in the right direction. If you're at liberty to say, may I ask who's missing? Oh, and forgive my manners; I am Ink."

Klurch looks down toward the Gnome "Ink, Pleasure.. I need to, Ask around, Do you know of, ANYONE, Who's missing? I'm looking for, A girl.. sister of a friend, I was sent, HERE, but know no more."

Calantha stares at the new arrival, her mouth slightly ajar, before she remembers herself and tries not to appear so rude. She's not surprised Crom and Ink recovered themselves first. She's never been exactly a social butterfly and that was with other humans no less, let alone with a...what did Ink say? A kenku? She vaguely remembers learning of their kind, but she's never met one in person before. She has to admit Klurch's feathers are quite beautiful.

"Nice to meet ya, Klurch," she says, her twitchy hand relaxing. Like Ink, she is curious about the newcomer's armor and tabard. She studies the religious symbols with interest, trying to see if she recognizes any. "My friends have the right of it. We are new to Phandalin ourselves. Tell us more about this missing girl of yours, and we'll see if we can help."

So long as I'm not the missing girl, she thinks with some alarm. Would her old enemy resort to sending a kenku...knight or whatever he was after her? She didn't think so, but then again anything was possible. 

Religion - 5 to see if she recognizes any of the symbols