Lost Mine of Phandelver (Kolbitr DM)

"Right, I will remember his teachings. I'm sorry I acted in fear and vengeance. Praise Ilmater"

Tibern will lower the rapier slightly but will still make it obvious that it could easily pierce into the doppleganger in a single swift movement. "That is good to know. Now we should move on before day turns into night."

(If he's dead, does it really matter where his corpse ended up?)

That is the first time you were told that Gundren's corpse was put into the closet, until now you were only told that he was killed by the bugbear and given to the wolf just before you arrived. I think you guys would all be familiar enough with dwarves to know that any dwarf would be grateful to someone for returning the body of a fallen family member, but also that they would be even more grateful for the return of a secret map that reveals the location of a very profitable magical mine that belongs to them by birthright. They might even be a little upset if they learned that you risked such a map by taking it back into a goblin stronghold. (of course you would not have to tell them that detail.) Also you have avenged Gundren's death by killing the bugbear, provided the doppelganger is telling you the truth.

Unless you change your mind and decide to turn around you will be back in Phandalin by the end of the day as the march has gone by with no interruption from hostile creatures or people, perhaps the owlbear you killed on the way out scared everything away for the time being.

"If we are going to return for the body then we should do now. But it would not be the wisest choice to do so unless we are absolutely certain that we can handle the fight that it will invovlve." Tibern says as he looks to the others with a raised brow, his rapier still held towards rhe doppleganger even as he regards the others.

"we should return to phandelan.  It's not worth risking a keep full of goblins simply to retrieve the body of someone who's already dead.  Might be different if he was still a prisoner, but..." Vandar says.

"Agreed.  We can avenge the dwarf's death later.  The map is the most important thing."  Lothar agreed with the others.  It was time to head back to town.

Silas will spend the rest of the journey discussing Ilmaters teachings with the doppelganger. Half as punishment half as recruitment to lead a better life. The most captive audiences are the ones who cant wonder away.

(Sorry for the slow posting on my part lately, getting ready to open up my shop for the summer.)

Having agreed to continue to Phandalin the party resumes their march. The weather is pleasant and they find their progress unimpeded. By the time you reach the town the doppelganger seems thoroughly broken what he assumes must be some strange gnomish form of torture and appears almost eager to turned over to the jailer if only to be free if the incessant chattering about Illmater, the fact that Silas kept getting things wrong and had to be corrected by a staff only made it more maddening.

The town of Phandalin has not been idle in the few days since you were last here, the streets have been cleaned up after the fight with the Redbrands and the townsfolk are busily moving about and getting their lives back together. The general atmosphere in the town is much cheerier than before and the people wave and smile at the returning heros.

As you enter the center of town you can see Sildar outside the Townmaster's hall speaking to a couple of men dressed in what appears to be a town guard uniform. Silas sees Sister Garaele at the shrine tending to a bandage on a mans leg, no doubt a result of the fight with the redbrands.

Tibern will take a hold of the doppleganger and lead him towards Sildar, motioning for the others to catch up as one of them has the map they had been sent to recover. Once the noble has finished speaking with the two men, the bard will then make his way over to speak with the man. "We have news that should be be discussed in private. Our prisoner here will also need a cell if that is what you choose to do with him once our report is finished."

Sildar dismisses the guardsmen and turns to greet the party, his countenance goes icy when he sees the doppelganger and he immediately calls his guards back. "Guards, take this... man into custody. Put him in irons, the smallest ones we have that wont cut off his hands, and both of you men are to guard the cell. I want two men on guard at all times, no exceptions until I say otherwise." The guards cuff the doppelganger and begin leading him into the townmaster's hall, Sildar turns to you and says, "I am happy to see that you have returned all in one piece, I have dealt with doppelgangers before they are dangerous, and tricky foes. Come, we should talk somewhere more private and I can see the door to the cell from my office."

You follow Sildar into his office in the Townmaster's hall he leaves the door open to keep an eye on the prisoner while you speak. "I notice you have returned without Gundren, this does not bode well. Tell me, what happened? Did you find him? The map? Are we any closer to discovering who this Black Spider is?

Silas looks around " Gundrens body was stuffed into a closet by that doppelganger. But we did return with a map. And there are still some goblins left with control there. But if you'll excuse me I need to have a quick chat with the sister. " he will then leave the party saying that he would be back shortly. But not before handing over the map, "hopefully this helps".  Wondering to himself if a piece of paper was worth a dwarfs life.

Taken aback by the hasty explanation Sildar remains speechless as he accepts the map. He ranks the gnome just before Silas makes his exit.

"So, Gundren is dead then. It is a shame, he was good man with a kind heart. All the more reason not to let his loss be in vain." Sildar unfold the map on his desk. "I see, yes that makes sense. It must be hidden well, but with this map finding Wave Echo Cave will be a simple task. But please, tell me what happened, how did Gundren die? Did you find Cragmaw Castle? Did you manage to eliminate the leader of the Cragmaw tribe as I requested?

"We found the castle," Vandar replied.  "The leader killed Gundren, the doppleganger saw an opportunity to escape us by imitating him, so hid the body and took his form.  We did kill their leader before we left."

"It would be wise to send someone there to deal with rest of the little cretins as it would not take long for them to find a new leader to replace him."Tibern says as he crosses his arms to see what else will be happening now that they had done what Sildar had hired them to do.

"Well then you have done as I had asked, and earned your reward." He removes a large coin purse from a drawer in his desk and places it in front of you. It contains 500 gold. "I agree that it would be wise to send someone out to Cragmaw Castle in order to clean things up, and with any luck recover Gundren's body, however that is a task I will delegate to some of the new men The Alliance is sending me to keep order around here. As for you, if you men are still willing to help then I would ask you to make haste to Wave Echo cave, I fear the enemy may already be there. I have not seen or heard from Gundren's brothers since we arrived in town. Tharden and Nundro were supposed to be at the mine preparing for the arrival of their brother with all the provisions you escorted to town, I was expecting them to come looking for Gundren days ago. I unfortunately have little to offer in the way of reward at the moment but I am expecting more funds from the Alliance soon and of course will be willing to give you what I can upon your return, and I am sure the Rockseeker family will be generous towards anyone who helps them secure their mine. You men have have done a lot for this town but it will all be for nothing if this Black Spider takes control of that mine."

Silas finds Sister Garaele still at the shrine, she has finished with her patient and is keeping busy maintaining the shrine. She smiles pleasantly as she sees the gnome approach.

Tibern nods as he takes his share of the of the gold. "We shall rest this evening and then venture out come the morning." He assures the Lord before he will go to check in with the Zhentarim contact he had met with.