Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver Campaign!

Berrus: The Lady at the counter gives a dismissive gesture. “They be nothing but a bunch of thugs. The teenaged ones come here with kitchen knives and try to rob me blind, but one look at this-“ She slams a large two handed war hammer onto the counter that nearly rattles the entire store. “And they scatter like bugs.” She puts it back under the counter and frowns. “We all pay protection money in town, but money’s getting scarce nowadays. The entire towns made of logs, once one of them gets a taste for Arson, I think Phandelver will go back to being a pile of ruins.” She changes topics again and regards the Dwarf with a smile. “Don’t know any caves by the name, you’re better luck trying the Mining Exchange! Make sure to come back and tell your friends if you be needing anything metal!’ 

AB: You easily find dice and meet with the Kor and Mav at the desk to purchase your goods. 

Mav asks Berthen "Where is the Mining Exchange? I'd like to check it out to see if Gundren left more instructions for us there."

(OOC: I enjoy that Kor didnt want anythign getting out about the reds... and The two boys in the shop spilled all the beans.)

AB looks in his purse and clucks his tongue. "Ah, what rotten luck!" He looks up at the clerk and frowns. "I only have nine copper. I must have lost the rest of my gold when we were being chased by those Goblins a few miles back." He looks up with a screwed up face. "Nasty things. Big teeth," he says, using his fingers to mimic large fangs. He sighs heavily, looking disappointed. "Unless ... you'd be willing to knock a copper off the price. I wouldn't want to be a burden!" he says hastily to the clerk.

Deception: 11

Mav: (Imagine this was a conversation or something: https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/forgottenrealms/images/a/a8/Phandalin.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140902060823) 

AB: Berthen gives an apologetic smile and replies “Terribly sorry Sir, but if I start making exceptions for out of towner’s, I’d have to do it for everyone. Business isn’t good enough recently, if you be needing odd jobs, townhalls got tasks for strapping adventures like you.”

Berrus admires the hammer   that looked like good work,  Dwarf make?,   would you happen to have any throwing axes for sale?

Berrus: The Counter lady gives you a shrewd smile “Nei, this be a little pet project of mine, one of the few things not mass produced in the shop. Probably not as fancy or high quality as something of Dwarfern make, but she hasn’t failed me yet. I got plenty of throwing axes in the back, but they come from the factories down south. Should be good for a few tosses, but I wouldn’t trust any extended uses for those things.”

ill take one then  1 or 2 throws are sufficiant,    and my complements on th hammer looks to be real high craft work

after i pay i rejoin the others

AB walks out of the shop, looking understanding. He stands outside for about two minutes, then hurries back in. "I found another copper!" He excitedly pays the 10 copper coins and then walks out with his new dice. Walking by any of his party that is outside (I'm not sure who's where right now), he says, "I fancy a drink," and heads toward the Sleeping Giant, a large grin brightening his face.

AB approaches the "scuzzy bar". Perception: 16

to Mav and Kor and Val,   The proprietress said to check the miners exchange fer the cave

Perception to see if i notice where ab is going 17

"The miners exchange. Sounds like our best bet. We should head there now, so we have time to get back before sunset. I'm looking forward to sleeping under a roof tonight, so let's not be long." Valathar remarks, noting the suns level in the sky. "Lead the way Berrus!"

AB: The entire party sees you heading off towards the Sleeping Giant. It’s a large tap house that looks rundown from even the outside, and the closer you get the louder sounds of celebration, jeering, and bodily fighting become. 4 teenagers stand watch on the porch outside, and when you approach, the one with the most amount of facial hair (a few whisky hairs alongside his cheeks) calls out tauntingly-“Little lost walrus hobbling his way here boys, look at the belly of that ****er. Whatcha wanna do fatty, we might let you come in if you make a few walrus calls!”

Others: You walk into the mining exchange, and instantly feel like you walked into the wrong building. The entire building is covered in flimsy boxes, dusty folders, and many many books, all haphazardly stacked on top of each other. The room looks more like the city archives then a mining exchange. From the back you hear “Coming!” and a rather bland looking middle aged lady comes to the front counter, which you can barely tell is there thanks to all the objects laying on it, and pierces you with stricking yellow eyes that do not seem to belong to that face. “Names Halia, what can I do for you boys?”

Noticing AB head off in the direction of the Reds' stomping grounds, Kor grimaces slightly. That's going to be trouble, Kor thinks, remembering AB's ridiculously obvious failed attempt at pickpocketing. Turning to the others he says, "I'm going to work some other angles, see what I can find out. I'll meet at the inn where they're keeping our bodyguard friend later tonight."

Kor sends Mimi ahead to monitor the ranger's path, while Kor himself slips into the crowd. When he's out of sight of the others he ducks into a shadowed recess in one of the abandoned stone buildings and removes his eyepatch, blinking rapidly as his rather normal eye adjusts to the light. He then changed out of his traveling leathers and into one of the outfits he purchased that looked similar to what he had seen the  townspeople wearing, completing with some dirt on his face and a Prestidigitation that gave his new clothes a worn and dirty appearance. When he exited the building he looked for all the world like just another young miner on his way to the tavern after a long day's work.

Kor: You easily blend into the surrounding crowd, nobody gives you a second look as long as you look like you belong, something you’ve learned a good deal over the years. Mimi subtley follows Ab, despite being a owl in broad day light (I’ll give a pass this time cause of that nat 20, but in the future owls in town in daylight is gonna be mighty suspicious). You can tell the guards are all armed with kitchen knives, and metal pipes, and look tipsy despite being teenagers and it being little past noon. Mini finds a comfortable spot to continue spying for the foreseeable future.

AB comes to a halt before the youths, his face alive with a wide grin. "Afternoon, me boys!" he announces, ignoring the taunt. He rattles his new dice in one hand, the thumb of his other hooked into his belt. "I'm looking for a little drink ... a little dice. I've heard the Sleeping Giant is the best watering hole this side of Neverwinter." He nods at one of the youths. "And I can see by that striking headgear that you lot are part of the nefarious Reds." He leans in conspiratorially and speaks a little more quietly, "I was also hoping I might have a word with someone in charge." He makes a show of looking around. "For business reasons."

Ab: Roll either a deception or persuasion please!

Deception: 12

Ouch!

Watching the ranger blunder his way into a con, Kor can't help but grin. He considered leaving the man to his fate, but figured now was a good opportunity to brush up on his skills after days on the road. Let's make sure I'm not getting rusty.

Walking up behind AB confidently, but standing to behind the man and a bit to his side, he leans in and "whispers" just loud enough for the goons at the door to here him.

"Hey boss, I took care of that thing. Are you sure you want to deal with these guys? With the job you got planned we might not need the extra muscle if things go well."

If the ranger was smart, he'd take the opportunity to back out the situation without losing face. If the man was ballsy, he'd try to force the con through with Kor helping blindly. Kor waited for the man's reaction.

Perception to see who the heck is whispering in AB's ear: 15

OOC: I don't know how you'll interpret that roll, Moonknight, so I'll wait to hear from you.

“I was wondering if you could help us locate our employer, Gundren. We were supposed to meet him here in town at Berthens, but he hasn’t been there.”

Mav takes a peek around 

Perception 20

Berrus inquires from Halia if he knows anything about the cave or Gundren