Lost Mines of Phandelver by kyleh2486

Quote from MoistBooks >>

OOC I think Yuri just wants to get back to the manor. Happy to RP with Gramgran on the walk back though.

Seeing nothing but a hole in this house that he can do nothing about, Yuri elects to get back to the manor and search for Mirna's missing husband.

The way there had been uneventful, but Yuri keeps his head on a swivel on the return trip.

Perception 19

I’ll catch Gramgran and Yuri up when the other half decides what they’re going to be doing. 

OOC - doors closed in the crypt

”Vah’Lhorn, I agree we should get rid of this monster, but let’s wait for the rest of our party to return.”

Quote from Legoslost >>

OOC - doors closed in the crypt

”Vah’Lhorn, I agree we should get rid of this monster, but let’s wait for the rest of our party to return.”

Im going to say you found the tome and brought it to the barracks where Kim and Van’Lhorn went to. I assume you all took a short rest together in the barracks. I’d assume the barracks door was closed during your short rest, but I don’t want to assume. 

Also, is anyone going to put on the Redbrands cloaks?

Morpetor picks up a Redbrand cloak.  These may be helpful down the road. They could buy us a couple of minutes.  Enough to have the element of surprise.  My vote is to wear them.”

 Vah'Lhorn nods accent to Morpetor's suggestion. "I am glad you choose to walk beside me, Morpetor. Then let us use the time to prepare and discover what we can of the surroundings in that cavern. It serves us well to know how the area can aid either side, or if there are any more surprises hiding in there for us. We have as far as I can see, three exits to the cavern across the bridges, and the secret door in that store room as options for our advance. If we are to wait for Yuri and Gramgran, I would like to know a little more about those passageways before they return."

Kim is affected by Vah'lhorn story. She starts feeling sympathy for him, until he starts speaking to her as a mere child. "I did not realize you are a soldier. What army were you apart of? Also, has the commander of your division been punished for his brutish and abusive tactics? To toss away the life of your squad is unforgivable and he should be court marshaled. I am sorry your comrades were sacrificed needlessly." Kimberly will make a gesture that is only low amongst soldiers as a sign of respect for the loss of those men. "Now as for the creature. I believe this world will be better without it in it. However, my word has value. We made a deal, unfortunately, but it has been done. As far as being okay with a creature feeding in the dead, I am okay with it. Do you walk around killing every worm and beetle you see? These creatures feed on the dead to help return us to the earth. So the principal of the idea I can be okay with. If he ends life to feed then I have a problem, although that is the way of nature as well. Just as we slay the deer of the forest to feed our bellies. By my own word, I cannot start a fight with the creature. However, protecting my allies comes first. Should you engage the creature and it retaliates,  then I will step in to make sure none of you die. Finally, I am not a child. I am hoping you noticed (implying the hand signal), so I will not tolerate being spoken to as a child."

Kim looks to Morpetor, "Do you think I should act as a prisoner? Or should I adawn the robes too?" Which ever Morpetor thinks is best is what Kim will do. Either wearing the redbrand robes or not.

While you rest in the barracks, I need Kim and Van'Lhorn to make perception checks. 

Perception: 8

"I am no soldier, that life is behind me and though your condolences for the dead are of good intent, they are of no matter to me." Vah'Lhorn talks of this with disappointment heavy on his words. "You see a brutish tactic, but his superiors would have seen a victorious one, and most only care who won, not how."

"I never returned after taking the pact and saving those of my squad still alive. Since then I have learned the reality somewhat belies the belief I once held; a body of people that large are not fighting for a common purpose, a common ideal. There are some who fight out of duty, some who fight for the pay, some who even fight for a cause, and others who fight because they simply like the battle, but ultimately they are fighting because someone in power has had a disagreement with someone else, and that has been escalated through pride or greed, to the point where many must die for it."

Vah'Lhorn seems to shake himself out of his reverie, back with the moment and the matters at hand. "What were the exact terms of your deal with the creature? Do not answer this lightly, for wording is of the highest import when dealing with devils. Upholding the intent over substance shows both naivety and honour, though in your case I suspect the latter may have more weight. In your world of black and white Kim, if you believe with hindsight, that you made a deal which would lead to pain and suffering of others, is the greater crime to uphold your word, or break it?"

"You speak some wisdom, the dead are bound to rot and return to the earth, and nature has measures in place to aid this. Is this creature natural? Does it seek out those that have died naturally, and scavenge of their bodies? Seemingly not, for it held you imperiled against the provision of food. Did it know that there were freshly dead bodies waiting nearby, or did it expect you to kill to feed it? Context matter when weighing actions. Though that you will not simply watch allies in battle a worth clarification."

"I have not spoken to you as a child, but as an adult who needs to find herself. Once you do, once you have rocked your beliefs to their core and know your own truth, no matter what others question, then you may stop feeling like a child." 

13

As Kim and Van'Lhorn leave the barracks (area 2) and enter into the cistern room (area 1). The large stone cistern is immediately to your right.

Only Kim sees the following: The water in cistern seems to have been disrupted recently. It's not very much movement, but you can tell. Like someone or something has been in the water. There is also water on the short wall and the floor to the south of cistern.

At this point, Morpetor joins you all in the cistern room (room 1), entering from the hallway (area 3).

Refresher for room 2. The cistern is a rectangular reservoir, which is very clean and filled with cold, fresh water. It is 10 feet deep with a rim 2 feet higher than the surrounding floor (so that the bottom of the cistern is 8 feet below the floor). Drain pipes from the roof of the old manor above fill the cistern with water. There is a five-foot-wide landing (where you all entered) fifteen feet above a large cellar, with stone steps descending to the floor in two short flights. Another door stands beneath the stairs to the north leading to room 3. A The walls in room 2 are lined with kegs and barrels. This room appears to be a large storage cellar, exactly the sort of thing one might expect to find beneath an old manor. 

“Do you see the ripples in the water?  Someone may have passed through here recently. Be on guard.”

Quote from Legoslost>>

“Do you see the ripples in the water?  Someone may have passed through here recently. Be on guard.”

My fault. Only Kim saw this as she left the barracks. Sorry. Fixed above. She may or may not tell what she saw. 

Kim halts the others movements. "It seems something was here recently." She points to the water on the floor and wall. "Be careful."

Vah'Lhorn looks to see the water, then tries to determine if there is anything still in the water, or a trial out of it that can be followed.

Investigation: 13

Quote from PolarBearSoup >>

Vah'Lhorn looks to see the water, then tries to determine if there is anything still in the water, or a trial out of it that can be followed.

Investigation: 13

The water is almost completely clear. There is a wet trail but only leads a few feet east. 

Morpetor makes his way close to Vah’Lhorn and whispers, “we may have an invisible ‘friend’ in our midst.”

"I don't suppose you have any magical means of detection available?"

Kimberly walks to the wall north. "Put your backs against a wall!" She then cast Prestidigitation to create a fire in the center of the room. "Look for a small distortion of light in the air or even smoke being moved about."

15 Investigation

Kim finds nothing that appears distorted. The smoke from the fire does drift up and toward the door to the east at the top of the stairs. You can not remember if the door was closed or open after what you believe was Ren making his way out of the room. 

((@JJ - wouldn't that be the exit that Yuri, Gramgran and Mirna & co used to exit the manor too, and will probably come back in through?))

Vah'Lhorn uses Thaumaturgy to brighten the flames in the hope it makes any flickers or distortions clearer for Kim.

Perception 3

Presumably seeing nothing himself, he casts False Life on himself (5) just in case.