Perception: 18

Before you get too far into town, a boy wearing a red hat runs up to the wagon. 

"Welcome to Phandalin, strangers! My name is Ander. If you got goods to sell or goods to buy, then you'll be wanting to stop by Barthen's Provisions!" He points towards the trading post. The young man begins pointing out other notable establishments. The Stonehill Inn. The Sleeping Giant Tavern. 

Caledon - Your mind is troubled with the mission. Deliver the goods. Rest. Find Gundren and Sildar. You wait for this boy to finish his speech, but your thoughts are elsewhere.

Cressel - You are exhausted from your days of travel and the battle with the goblins. The place where you were wounded itches. Your feet hurt. You haven't sunk your teeth into truly crisp greens since Neverwinter. Your vision is a little blurry. My oh my, you are sleepier than expected… and so it is all you can do to follow the thread of Ander's speech. 

Latimer - You listen to the boy, but he seems little more than an urchin hoping to earn a quick coin from gullible strangers. The wind whispers through Phandalin and you meditate on what you hear, but it is a riddling sort of wind, full of questions and few answers. 

Nephira - As the boy introduces you to your surroundings, you notice a little girl wearing a red hat scamper down from her perch on a barrel. She darts across the road to an alley and taps at a window. It opens a crack. The little girl in the red hat leans in and whispers something. A hand appears and you see the glint of a copper coin. The girl runs off further into town. From the dark interior of the building, you can see the party is being watched. 

Whether distracted or not: The boy wearing the red hat is sweating and gesturing like a performer by the time he comes to the end of his tour. He bows and holds a hand out for a tip, big expectant eyes shimmering.

Without much thought Caledon pulls two copper bits and tips the little actor/guide.

Attempting to gather his wits, he uses an old trick from his years of late nights studying and pinches his left arm. Feeling a bit more awake, he addresses the young boy, "Young sir, have there been other travelers by his road in the last day or two?"

As the boy does his spiel and her companions respond, Nephira tries to recall what she knows of the Redband gang her contact in Neverwinter mentioned.

Ander receives +2 copper pieces. He thanks Caledon profusely. "I won't forget this kindness, friend!"

Ander thinks hard before answering Cressel. "Other travelers? No sir. Your the first travelers we've had in a tenday. We was supposed to get travelers yesterday to do business, but they never showed." 

Nephira - You had not heard of the Redbrands before the Hooded Man gave you that Intel, but you wager there may be another Hooded Man here at the local inn or tavern. 

[Knowing where things are, where would you like to go? Barthen's to drop off the cargo? The Stonehill Inn and get some rest? The Sleeping Giant for - perhaps - more information?]

At the news that they are the only travelers in the last tenday, whatever energy he had left is gone. His ears slump down on his head, and his entire body seems to deflate. 

"Let's deliver the wagon and get some rest. I think it's best we get back out on the trail as soon as possible to look for Gundren and SIldar."

“Aye Cressel I second that.”  Caledon will guide the oxen and cart to deliver the goods.  ‘Guess I was wrong the lad seems very sincere.’

Nephira motions for her companions to come close before she continues in a hushed tone, eyes scanning the area around them, "You lot go ahead and deliver the goods while I take care of some business. Don't imagine you'll have much trouble. I'll meet you back at The Stonehill Inn or The Sleeping Giant, whichever seems best to you."

She nods her head in the direction of Ander once he's not looking. "Just mind your perimeter for folks in red hats like our friend here... Spotted one of his mates casing us out. I have a feeling someone in town has a keen interest in our comings and goings."

“Thank you Nephira, if we make our delivery now with the three of us I imagine we should be fine.  I just hope it’s still early enough to rouse Barthen.”  Caledon looks like he’s struggling to stay calm, this disappearance of Gundren and Sildar has him very worried.

Looking at Nephira with a tired and worried glance, he whispers to her, "I've never read a good thing about uniformed people keeping watch for outsiders. Be careful, I thought you were lost once already today."

Turning back to Caledon and Latimer, "We should be quick about this."

Nephira nods in agreement to the others. "I'll meet you all at the Sleeping Giant. Think we could all use a drink after that journey."

With those parting words, Nephira makes her own way to the Sleeping Giant, keeping her eyes peeled for anyone else watching around her movements...

Once she arrives, she's going to seek out another Hooded Man to see if she can learn more about these Redbands.

Caledon, Cressel, and Latimer - You notice the color red a little more as you urge the oxen onward to "Barthen's Provisions". Only a few folk wear the color, but those who do take notice of you. And whisper to one another. And shake their heads. You feel the chilling touch of having walked into an owlbear den spider-crawl down your backs. 

You hitch the oxen to a post beside a water trough. They drink greedily. A boy wearing a red hat appears with two buckets of feed for your beasts. It's Ander. Again. He thanks you for stopping by Barthen's and to go on inside. "Master Barthen is closing up, but he'll be glad to see you lot! He's been worried sick." 

Ander looks to the buckets of feed and - a little doubtful - holds out a hand for a tip. Greedy little devil. [Do you tip him again?]

The door to the trading post opens with a jingle of a single brass bell and the groan of old hinges. Inside you see shelves stocked with most ordinary goods and supplies, including backpacks, bedrolls, rope, and rations. A broad-shouldered man with a bushy mustache looks up from sweeping the floor as you enter. Barthen, you presume.

 "Sorry, folks, but I'm just closing up. Come back in the morni-..." He begins, but is interrupted as Ander squeezes past you all. 

"These strangers are the ones from Neverwinter! I heard them mention Gundren. They brought the wagon. Looks unspoiled," Ander says brightly.

Barthen grins cautiously. "Go get Thistle and tell him I'll pay you each half a silver if you get the goods unloaded tonight."

Ander's eyes shine greedily. He squeezes past you again with a "nice to meet you, strangers!" and heads out into the growing dark. 

Barthen watches the boy go. When the door finally closes with a jingle, he speaks. "Well met, friends. My name is Elmar Barthen. Thank you for delivering those goods so far on such short notice. Did you meet with any trouble? I am a friend of Gundren's and I was supposed to meet with him yesterday. What happened? Did he not leave Neverwinter on time?"

//

Nephira - You slip into the flow of Phandalin's streets with ease. You know how to recognize currents in a crowd, how to blend. All the same... [Describe how Nephira moves through town. Stealthily? Confidently? Does she just accept that there are spotters in town?]

You make your way to the Sleeping Giant. The Sleeping Giant is a ramshackle taproom at the east end of town. It sports a covered porch that barely protects empty ale barrels and warped chairs from the elements. A red dab of paint marks four chairs around an abandoned game of dice, left out without concern of tampering.

You head inside.

It may have been just as disreputable, but at least The Fiddlecat Pub had been clean. The Sleeping Giant is a giant mess of a place. Old mining equipment hangs from walls beside old oil lanterns. A black grime (or is that mold?) coats the ceiling. It smells of old tobacco, old sweat, and old ale. A surly female dwarf spots you entering. She looks to be the owner. She does not approach you, but waits for you to approach her. 

You scan the room.

There is a young man at the bar who looks vaguely similar to that boy Ander you met earlier. He sits on a stool and plucks skillfully away at an old lute. A girl in a clean green skirt and blouse watches him with bright eyes. They share drinks and giggles. 

Four men in stained crimson cloaks drink quietly in one corner, rolling dice and exchanging small stacks of coin. They pretend not to notice you yet, but you make sure to not turn your back on them. 

And then you find who you were looking for.

There is one in nearly every pub, tavern, and inn across Faerûn; a figure in a shadowy corner, nursing a pipe and a mug of ale. The figure raises a tankard of ale in salute to you.

[What would you like to do?]

Nephira’s prioritizes perception over stealth in her walk through the town. She assumes a casual stride, like she belongs here, no more or less confident than she’d be in any other situation. However, she remains diligently focused on her periphery, wanting to know who’s watching without giving any indication that they’ve been made. 

Quote from petessius >>

A surly female dwarf spots you entering. She looks to be the owner. She does not approach you, but waits for you to approach her.

 

Nephira approaches the dwarven woman, reminded briefly of her vision of sweet Maila during her recent brush with death on the road to Phandalin… She can’t fully bring herself to make eye contact as she orders a simple ale from the dwarven barkeep, then turns the scan the room.

 

There is one in nearly every pub, tavern, and inn across Faerûn; a figure in a shadowy corner, nursing a pipe and a mug of ale. The figure raises a tankard of ale in salute to you.

Drink in hand, Nephira takes a seat near the mystery man, back to back (or as close to it as possible) to ensure discretion while keeping her eyes on the room. She growls, “Evenin’ mate… Fancy joint… Seems I’m a tad out of fashion though… afraid I left all my finest red threads back home.”

She takes a sip of her ale as she surreptitiously sets a gold coin near the mystery man.

 She adopts a more severe tone as she continues. “So, what’s the deal with these Red Bands? Who’s their boss? What’s their angle? And how deep is their bite on the town?”

Ander looks to the buckets of feed and - a little doubtful - holds out a hand for a tip. Greedy little devil. [Do you tip him again?]

1 copper, “Tell me your full name son, and do you have any volunteer firefighters (smugglers) in this town?”  Hold up a 2nd copper piece.  “Oh I almost forgot, I told the oxen apple and carrot treats.  You want to help with that too?” Caledon pulls another copper out.

After taking in his surroundings, he looks back to Barthen, "Ah, Master Barthen, I am Cressel, my companions are Caledon and Latimer." Waving a hand towards each respectively. "Unfortunately, we believe our employers were set upon by some Goblins along the road. We managed to dispatch the Goblins, and headed here in hopes we'd find Gundren and Sildar. We need a rest to recover a bit, but we plan to set out first thing in the morning to look for signs of them along the trail. If I may ask, what is the purpose of the red colorings Ander wears?"

Nephira - You adopted the mannerisms of those around you. It helped ease tensions, but there are several who obviously avoided you. You don't get the impression it has anything to do with your infernal heritage (you saw a tiefling with prominent horns speaking familiarly to two men), but all newcomers seem to be held in distrust round here. 

The surly dwarf glances over at the table of four men in stained crimson cloaks. She motions at you with her head and one of the men - probably the leader of this particular group - nods to her. She pours a less than generous tankard of frothing ale and sets it forcefully on the bartop. 

You smoothly set the gold down. The Hooded Man sets down his own drink over the coin. When he raises it again, the coin is gone. One of the men in the stained crimson cloaks begins whispering to another.

"Red is the luckiest color these days, mate," the Hooded Man says softly as he relights his pipe and draws from it. The smoke curls round him and hovers near the lamp above the table. "But fashion is a fickle thing. Perhaps someone will give us reason to adopt different rags before long." 

He pauses and glances at the four men in their stained crimson cloaks. He lowers his voice further. 

"Last tenday, the local woodcarver named Thel Dendrar insisted on being unlucky. He didn't like how those four men there were taking liberties with his wife, see? Well, he wasn't wearing red and so he had a very public accident involving his sawmill. Now the story don't end there. His wife and children just had accidents of their own. They up and disappeared in the night. Not a sound. Now, isn't that unlucky? Everyone in town hopes luck changes soon or we might all have little accidents before long…" The Hooded Man sips his ale thoughtfully.

"Now, what exactly can I do for you, mate?"

// MEANWHILE, AT BARTHEN'S PROVISIONS...//

Caledon - Ander takes your copper greedily. He points to himself. "I'm just Ander, and Ander is what I am. As for firefighters… oh! Firefighters. Right. The only firefighters round here are up at the big house on the hill." Ander suddenly becomes very conspiratorial. "You wanna to join em? I could arrange a meeting. For a small donation, that is. Obviously."

From his pocket he pulls a rather sad looking carrot and half-eaten apple. He cuts them up with a small knife and hands them to you with a sincere grin. 

Your hand is now covered in sticky juice. 

Cressel - Barthen grows somber at the mention of goblins. 

"You've done us all a service, and that's certain. Horrible little creatures. You have my thanks. I will visit the Shrine of Luck tonight and offer up a prayer to Tymora for our friends. If you really mean to search for them, I would be happy to supply you with whatever gear you need, within reason." 

"To answer your question about all the red, Master Wizard, that's easy enough: it's the mark of those bloody Redbrands. They hired a few of the kids in town to act as lookouts and informants. Ander is simple enough. He just wants the extra coin, but things are escalating… The Redbrands are making it hard on everyone, shaking down our businesses and flouting the townmaster’s authority. Last tenday, there was a murder and a few disappearances. I've tried to convince Ander to stick with me here, but that boy has aspirations that will land him in hot water sooner rather than later."

"I haven't felt the town this tense in years. I'd wager it has to do with the Rockseeker brothers showing up a few tendays ago. Quiet as you like. Nundro and Tharden. They aren't like the other prospectors. They have old money funding this venture. They were supposed to wait for their brother Gundren to arrive with the cargo you delivered, but they kept talking about rediscovering the fabled 'Wave Echo Cave' and could not wait. They're out there now, picking through every thicket, turning over every stone. I'm sure they would like to meet you lot."

[Any of you present may roll a History Check on 'Wave Echo Cave']

Barthen sighs and digs into a pouch at his side. 

"Here's what I owe you," he says, handing over a bag of coins to Cressel. "I know you arrived with a fourth as well. See that they get their share."

[You each receive (+10) gold pieces. Be sure to give Nephira her share!]

Barthen invites you outside. 

"You'd best be in your way. Speak with Toblen Stonehill at his inn for a good room or speak with the local farmers if you want to sleep outside of town. I'm sure one of them has an empty hayloft. Thanks again for the delivery, friends."

"Is there anything else you need from me? Elsewise, I'll bid you a goodnight and good luck."

[Ask any questions you may have or else decide what you would like to do.]

He grows concerned as he listens to the information about the Redbrands... "It seems the Goblins may be the smaller worry. That is quite generous to offer supplies, I do not believe I need anything, but my companions might."

With a nod, he takes the coin pouch offered, and hands 10 gold pieces to Latimer and Caledon each. "I'll make sure our fourth gets their share."  

Nephira feigns ignorance of exchange between the crimson cloaked men, but makes sure her short swords are within easy reach as she sipping her drink. 

She continues asking The Hooded Man, "That's unfortunate indeed... Sounds like folk around here could really use an opportunity to start making their own luck..." She takes a steadying breath, her suspicions confirmed that they have a fight ahead of them. "So, who calls the shots for these 'Redbands'? How many blades do they have working enforcement and where do they hole up?"

[Any of you present may roll a History Check on 'Wave Echo Cave']  12 game log.  

Barthen assumes responsibility for the cart & oxen too I’m guessing.  

Caledon will round up a bunch of carrots and a couple apples, any farmers around, passive perception 12, he’ll give the oxen a treat.  

Then meet up with Nephira at the Stonehill Inn, buy a couple flasks of hooch.  Caledon is more interested in finding a ‘safe house’ as per his background, maybe a local farmer’s hayloft for tonight.