Aros, soon followed by Quinn, reexamines the western cottage of U2 and feels pretty confident there are no more twig blights within. The interior looks like it was once a fairly posh little home, and also seems unlooted to date. While there is nothing immediately obvious of value visible - most of the furniture and trappings here are badly damaged by years of weather - it occurs to him that it looks like a relatively wealthy merchant's house that once held some fine things.

Syzygy moves along the west side of the cottage ruins, careful as he pushes aside stray twigs and branches: He approaches the building (U2) to the south and attempts to stay out of an eastern tower eye line. 

Syzygy tries to take a peek through a window or hole in a wall. 

Kimberley follows Syzygy heading for the far cottage ( U4).

Syzygy passes by the twin cottages (U2) just outside their western exterior, trying to stay out of sight from the tower on the hill. Like Aros and Quinn, he concludes (upon peeking into the western cottage of U2) that it holds no obvious danger, and once may have held some valuable furnishings.

Kimberley follows, but then continues on toward cottage U4. That small house is in better condition than the dilapidated structures nearby. The northern door is reinforced with heavy iron bands; there are no windows visible on its northern or western walls.

Kimberly knocks quietly on the door.

"Who's there?" calls a voice from within. "What do you want? Didn't you see the sign?" 

Aros follows along to the occupied building. He calls out in Druidic, ”We are seeking the assistance of Reidoth. Phandelver is in danger.”

Quinn hears the voices and he draws switches to his bow to provide cover for the crew. He moves to the eastern corner of U4 and crouches down against the wall. He'll scout to the north, north east and east.

Perception check: 19

Quinn keeps a sharp eye to the northeast, his view dominated by the old tower (U7) on the top of the hill. It has a cottage attached, he notices, and while both are in relatively good condition, about half of the tower’s roof is gone. All is quiet - eerily quiet. No birds sing; there are no signs of life here.

Upon Aros' words, the northern door of U4 is unbolted from the inside and opens halfway. A frowning old woman reaches out and tries to gently pull Kimberley and Aros inside. (Do you go in? Or resist?)

"Get in," she says, flatly. "It's dangerous. What are you doing here?"

A little stunned by the familiarity by which Kimberley so casually knocked on a stranger's door, Syzygy stands back a moment observing the interaction then slowly paces forward on realising Kimberley and Jurgen were being encouraged inside. 

"Hmm" he low mumbles to himself, not yet too concerned they're in danger. Regardless, from the spell pouch/s sewn into his cloak's sleeves, for safety Syzygy palms a pinch of blue coloured sand he mixed out of the left over insect shells from the previous dinner.

Quinn snaps his head back at attention when he hears the muffled voice from within. He’ll backtrack slowly stand near the doorway but out of sight of anyone within. 

He keeps his eyes scanning the surroundings. 

Bryony hears voices and follows Kimberley and Aros toward the southern cottage. She sees the door pop open and an older woman stick her head out for a moment, urging them inside. From a short distance, the woman doesn't look particularly dangerous. Bryony surmises this is likely the person they were send to find. She walks up next to Kimberley.

"You're not kidding. Event the plants try to kill you around here," Bryony quips. "You must be Reidoth."

Aros steps inside, joining the old woman. He returns to speaking in common, “Like I said, Phandelver is in danger. My companions and I are here seeking aid. We heard that you may be able to render some assistance.”

Quinn waits for the others to file in and then joins them. He shoulders his bow and leans up against the wall beside the door. He places his boot overlapping the door jamb to feel if anyone or anything attempts to open the door from the other side.

Kimberley happily goes inside.....there's unlikely to be a dragon inside......

"I am Reidoth," replies the older woman with long white hair, adorned in long green robes. "I am busy here." She begins to count her fingers on one hand. "Yes, mutated plants, ash zombies, spiders, people in black masks and cloaks, but also now a young green dragon has moved into the tower. I suggest you leave Thundertree before you're all killed. But what's going on in Phandelver? Who are you?" As she speaks, a sleek fox climbs up upon her shoulder and stares at you.

Quinn guards the door outside. Syzygy prepares a spell nearby, while Jurgen continues his patrol.

Syzygy calmly stuffs the components back into his sleeve, stepping forward. He catches the foxes eyes and focuses again on Reidoth. 

“Call me Syzygy,” he nods politely. “In short, we seek Cragmaw Castle and hve been led to believe that information of its whereabouts might be found in Thundertree. We were also warned of the feral plants and zombies, spiders are often a given, but the dragon is news to us…” Syzygy pauses “as are people in black masks and cloaks.” 

“Hmmm, as for Phandelver…my companions might be better at explaining but it appears that some unsavoury groups have been drawn to the town by whispers of powerful and ancient rediscoveries. One individual, a wizard called Glasstaff, was causing a whole lot of buggery.”

Syzygy looks to the others for their additions, but also he tries to be tight lipped around strangers. 

Bryony nods along as Syzygy explains their situation. "It was my Auntie Qelline who sent us to find you," she explains. "I'm her niece, Bryony. I lived in Neverwinter for the past two years, but I'm back now and trying to help my hometown. Quinn, Syzygy, Jurgen, and I were hired by Gundren Rockseeker to protect his caravan. But we ran into some nasty goblins that took him prisoner to Cragmaw Castle, and we think some creep named the Spider is in charge."

Bryony watches the fox with admiration. It's so beautiful. She longs to touch its fur; it looks so soft. That would probably be a bad idea, though, she thinks sadly to herself.

"The politics of humanoids aren't my thing," replies Reidoth. "I'm afraid I can't be of much help to you. I'm here to try to restore the natural order, root out these unnatural threats, put the elemental forces of the world back in check, try to prevent civilization and the wilderness from destroying one another. We leave goblins and wizards and politics to others. I'm fond of Qelline, though. There are some good people in Phandelver. What do you seek from me?"

"Do you know where the Cragmaw Castle might be?" asks Bryony. "Auntie Qelline thought you might know for some reason. Also, we can help out here if you need it, with those plant creatures or the spiders."

Bryony glances out the window toward the tower, imagining the green dragon curled up inside on a pile of treasure. "Aren't you afraid of the dragon?"