Droknin also helps "relocate" the bodies, then he follows the others with the unconscious Redbrand.

"That is... No. The dragon doesn't need our assistance. We don't want a gigantic flying beast getting used to being fed by us. Just... let the dead rest, " Keashirryl answers to the presented idea, suddenly feeling exhausted. Jokes, as such, do not even occur to her as a possibility. "Besides, that would probably convince some people that you are in fact an evil cat-man, right?"

Arriving to Sidar and the mayor, she invites herself to take a seat on the nearest piece of furniture or outcropping. After deciding to leave the interrogation part and anything that needs more advanced social skills to the others, she poses a question that has been on her mind for a short while. 

"I was wondering: what is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear that someone is 'black'?"

Leaning forward, she looks around the people present - including her current companions as well as Sidar and Harbin.

T'laren begins to wonder the wisdom of getting involved... but once you plant a seed, might as well see what grows.

At the mayors place, he tucks himself as much into a corner with full view of the room as possible.

An older human in shining armor, Sildar nods at Kemp.  "Glad that you did become involved.  Phandalin is a town with many troubles, and it needs good folk willing to step up and do some of the heavy lifting."  He also glances at T'laren and Garrin, though he doesn't address them directly.  "Allow me to introduce myself.  Lady Keashirryl escorted me into town and I met brave Droknin this morning, but the rest of you are new faces.  My name is Sildar Hallwinter.  I've come to Phandalin by way of Neverwinter, and I represent the Lord's Alliance.  For any who haven't heard of it, it is a... cooperative organization by which the honest and god-fearing lords of the north fund and provide manpower to efforts to keep the peace, and identify and deal with threats to civilization.  The Alliance hopes to see this little town thrive, as it once did in ancient times.  To that end, I was working with one Gundren Rockseeker.  He and his brothers had located an old and lucrative dwarven mine and were planning to reopen it.  Unfortunately, as Keashirryl is aware, Gundren and I were attacked on the Triboar Trail, and Gundren was kidnapped."

"Locating Gundren and his map remain a priority, but upon arriving in Phandalin and seeing the state of things here," he casts his eyes balefully at the Redbrand prisoner (and, more subtley, toward Townmaster Harbin Wester), "I thought it prudent to deal with one thing at a time.  These Redbrand mercenaries have run roughshod over this community, and I suspect they may be responsible for the disappearance of my contact here, a mage called Iarno.  My offer still stands:  200gp once the Redbrands are gone or if you can find Iarno for me."

Both Harbin Wester and Sildar Hallwinter shake their heads at the 'black' question. 

Kemp:

 Harbin seems preoccupied with the prisoner, and he is looking at the unconscious man like he might transform into a dragon and burn his house down at any moment.  "Surely you cannot hold this man?  You are not the law here!"  He begins to pace.  "Or if you must, take him to the inn and lock him in the basement.  But my home is no dungeon!"

Sildar smiles politely, but it is the smile of a man trying to hold down sour milk.  "The Townmaster and I are still working out the terms of our arrangement here."

Cassius sighs internally, he  was hoping that could can keep himself out of such trouble but it would seem that is not an option. Shaking away the thoughts before such things could fill his head, the half orc instead turns his attention to the fact that Sildar clearly dislikes Harbin. Perhaps by helping the man the town could get a proper townmaster that would allow him to continue his quiet life. "I'll help deal with the Redbrands. I enjoy my quiet life here and have had enough with the thugs for a lifetime."

@DM

 "Why do you ask about the color black?", T'laren asks from where he stands, wiry arms folded across his slender chest.

Hearing the townmaster, she groans, and quietly asks: "Who is the law, then? The group of bandits? Or you, seemingly doing nothing but quarrelling? It seems like we're as good as any."

Then, regretting her previous words not for being wrong but for being said out loud,  she turns to the man in the corner. In a short while, she starts explaining the matter. 

"There was a note, one we found after the fight. It sais not to give trouble to someone who has 'black' friends. Not sure what to think of it just yet. It might not currently be relevant, unless our enemy's enemy becomes our ally. A scenario I deem quite unlikely."

"Black market friends? The sort who deal in stolen goods?", He replies.

"Wise as always." Droknin replies to Keashirryl with a smile. "When I have my own pride, you shall be welcomed to be our Shaman." He lightly pokes her arm with his elbow.

Droknin just nods as everyone speaks. Trying to make it not too obvious that he has no idea what this term "black" means. "As I said before, if I need to go through these 'Rebrands' in order for me to get to the Dragon, so be it." He crosses his arms, waiting for the other to decide on their next action.

Garrin smacks his staff on the ground repeatedly and impatiently. "Guest-right is broken! These red brands have overstayed and the mayor is too weak to hold them to their obligations. We will take up the obligation to deal with them, and the mayorship will find obligation enough to do a Favor."

Sildar ignores the Townmaster's complaints and seats the still unconscious Redbrand thug up in a chair.  "I will see to it that he remains in custody.  Unless you have need to question him... it looks like he may be sleeping a bit longer."  

Unless some form of healing is applied, the thug will remain unconscious for 2 hour(s).

"I have nothing to ask him but I thought someone else might."  Cassius says as he shrugs and looks to the rest of the group.

"That sounds like an awful lot of trouble," the woman answers to Droknin's suggestion, but there is no definite refusal in her voice. If anything, she seems puzzled and a little out of sorts.

To the idea about the black market makes her ponder for a moment. "Yes, that sounds reasonable to me."

"If you" she nods towards Sidar, "suspect them to have something to do with Iarno's disappearance, I suppose any information on his location or current state would be of use. He might have heard something. I can probably quicken the process of waking him up, or we could use some rest while he comes back to consciousness."

[Everyone can take a short rest.]

Two hours pass.  Harbin Wester sequesters himself from the rest of you, reappearing only occasionally to lodge his protest that the prisoner be removed somewhere else.    Eventually, Sildar Hallwinter splashes some water on the bound man and he regains consciousness.

Initially he is uncooperative.  He claims he was only following orders, and that he was told the cat-man had attacked their captain earlier this morning.  When it becomes clear he has no sympathetic ears here, and that the fact finder, Sildar, is more inclined to side with your group, he quickly turns coat and offers to tell you anything you could want to know about the Redbrands, so long as he gets the promise that he will be released when this is all over.  Sildar promises that if the man's information proves honest and useful, then he will be treated leniently, and that is good enough for the prisoner.  

He offers the following information up to Sildar's questioning:

• Numbers....
  • The Redbrands have 17 fighters, though you dispatched 5 of them just now.  So 12 are left.  Most are barracked in the dungeon underneath the manor on the hill, though at any given time there are usually a handful getting drunk at the Sleeping Giant Tavern.
  • There is also the Captain, who commands the fighters.
  • And there is the leader of the Redbrands, a mage called Glasstaff.
  • Glasstaff also has some bugbears working for him, but they do not associate with the Redbrand fighters and tensions are high.  There are only a few bugbears but the rest of the men are frightened of them.
  • Finally, Glasstaff has a lady friend, another mage, who sometimes visits, though this man has not seen her around for a few days.
• Objectives....
  • As far as this man knows, the plan is not to stay in Phandalin very long... just make as much coin as they can bleeding the town dry and then move on.
  • The Captain and a core of the Redbrands are foreigners and have been together for some time.  The rest of them, including this man, were just hired thugs brought on to bolster the ranks.
  • They are supposed to report any unusual traffic in town or rumors they hear up the chain of command.
• Miscellaneous....
  • He doesn't know anything about the missing friend of Sildar, Iarno.  He does admit the Redbrands have several prisoners in the dungeon, both travelers from the road and some people kidnapped from town.  He seems very nervous to admit this.
  • There are rumors that there is some kind of monster in the dungeon.  The men leave meat and corpses out, and some claim they have seen signs that something has been feeding on them.

Do any of you have additional questions for this man?  Include an insight roll along with any questions.

Garrin asks more about the monster, any detail to give away what it is. 

The wood elf lets the others take point on questioning, he cleans the arrows he recovered, checking them over to make sure the fletching and head didn't come loose, before removing the head and fletching from the broken one, shaving the broken shaft down into kindling and tucking it in his pack.

Having been in town for a bit, he thinks back to if he'd heard any local monster stories that would align with the mercenary's account.

History: 13

The Redbrand considers Garrin's question.  "I can't rightly say.  I've never seen it, myself.  I'm not sure if anyone has... but a few of the men claim they have heard it whispering to them... in their thoughts, if you can believe it.  It might be nothing... but Glasstaff gave orders to dump meat and bodies into the pit in the dungeon... said anything down there would make a useful guard dog if we keep it fed and happy."

T'laren:

"Sounds like we need to come up with a way to take them on a few at a time and possibly avoid this creature whatever it may be. Otherwise I can see us being easily overwhelmed." Cassius says as he leans against the wall in a thoughtful stance.

"Hmmm... reminds me of something I heard a bit ago, about a secret tunnel in the hill behind the manor. Perhaps a way in that gets past watchful eyes?", T'laren shares.

Sildar raises a greying eyebrow and looks at the prisoner.  "A secret entrance...?"

The Redbrand glances around nervously.  "Yes... yes of course.  I forgot in all the excitement.  Glasstaff uses it to move messengers and supplies he doesn't want the town to see... and it's how the bugbears come and go to... to do whatever it is bugbears do in their free time."  He nods aggressively.  "I could show you where it is, yes?"

"Or perhaps just describe the location to these good folk... I'm sure they can figure it out for themselves," Sildar replies.  The man obliges reluctantly and provides adequate directions to help you find the entrance.

Harbin Wester returns to the room with a pot of soup.  "Now I really must insist.  It is late afternoon.  Unless you plan to seize my home to quarter your little army," he says to Sildar, "then it is time for your friends to leave and we can continue our conversations about your plans for Phandalin.  Lock your prisoner in my basement, if you must."