"Ale who said ale?" Karl asks. He points a thumb at Zander and says "should we get him a mug as well?" In response to Nif and Vondal's suggestions about dealing with the Red Bellies first, he says "personally I'd rather go after the Orcs than humans!"

"All in due time, Uncle. Al in due time." He says exasperated, and yet smiles mirthfully at Karl. "Let's see to the evening meal and drink 'fore heading to bed. Let's try to keep the craziness to a minimum tho' this time." Vondal says, giving Karl and Zander meaningful looks. 

(@All I don't know if'n there were plans for any evening shenanigans. But I think at this point we can fastforward to the next morning. Vondal will pay for the rooms out of his own pocket, if none don't insist upon chipping in. Though would insist upon the maximum being 2 to a room, if not a shared one for all and the departed Brom.)

Nif will help cover the costs

When Vondal opens the lid to the unadorned, yet nicely crafted case, he finds the inside has been carved to hold four vials. Two of the spaces are empty, but two contain vials of a red liquid which shimmers when he shakes them. (They are each a potion of healing. I assume he takes them inside with them.)

When the foursome discusses lodging with Toblen, he explains that a room is eight silver, and if you want a supper thrown in, it's 10 silver. Otherwise, it's three silver coins per meal. If you rent three rooms and eat four suppers, that would be 33 silver. When you mention that you're going to investigate the Redbrands in the morning, the young man looks like he wants to hug all of you, but settles for telling you your drinks are on the house tonight.

Fast forwarding ... (hit those long rest buttons)

The next morning, you all exit your rooms, grab a bite to eat (two silvers each for breakfast), and promptly discover that your cart has been stolen during the night. Luckily, you had (stealthily) brought Brom in and deposited him in the third room. (Don't forget to keep that room paid for and the door locked. Who knows what Toblen would do if he found out you've left a stiff in one of his rooms, no matter how magically preserved it is.)

While outside grousing about your stolen cart, Sildar approaches from the south, Cyrine following behind the old soldier, looking reserved, yet worried.

"Friends," Sildar says in greeting, but with a bit of anxiety coloring his tone. He looks refreshed and somehow more commanding this morning. He's found a set of light armor to don and is still wearing the longsword he took from one of the Lionshield's boxes. (Don't tell Linene.) "I set off at first light for the Townmaster's Hall to see what I could do about establishing some law and order here in Phandalin. From what I understand, the current Townmaster is a bit lacking. Unfortunately, it seems the Townmaster and his wife have either left town without telling anyone, or ..." He turns and looks at Cyrine who looks as though she might cry. "Or they've been taken."

"I went to their house this morning as usual," Cyrine says to the travelers. "No one would come to the door, so I entered, which they've allowed in the past. It looks like there might have been a struggle inside," she says, a quaver affecting her voice.

"Cyrine tells me the Redbrands, a local mercenary guild, have taken others in the past," Sildar continues. "She thinks the Westers might have been taken as well."

"Mirna and Thel Dendrar and their children disappeared a tenday ago," Cyrine continues. "Townmaster Westin wouldn't listen when the Redbrands were blamed. I wanted to believe him — that they had just moved away in the night — but now that he and Mrs. Westin are missing, too ...." Tears are now falling down the she-elf's face.

Sildar turns back to the party. "Last night, before turning in, I asked around about my associate, Iarno. I was told he disappeared while exploring the area around the ruins of the manor about two months ago, shortly after arriving in Phandalin. That's a lot of disappearances," the old soldier says. "Cyrine says you talked with the Townmaster yesterday about his orc contract. I wonder if you would be willing to do a job for me first. I'd like you to investigate the manor and the surrounding area to find and bring back Iarno — or what’s left of him, if something killed him." Sildar describes Iarno as a short, dark-bearded human wizard in his 30s. "And while I hope the Townmaster and his wife have in fact just left town without telling anyone, if they have been abducted, perhaps you could find them as well."

"Please," Cyrine says, stepping forward. "Please find them."

Just before Nif leaves the Inn he walks up to Toblen and exaplains that their friend is not well, so in case they are gone overnight, he pays 2 additional nights in advance for Bron's room. When he then leaves the Inn, he listens to what Sildar has to say. Once he is done, he turns to his companions, "I guess we are going to this manor. The orcs will have to wait Uncle."

(Good thing he took those potions! But my extra goblin arms! Those bastids!)

Vondal passed the found healing potions to Nif and Karl upon finding them. He also politely warned the young man not to spread news of their plan. Just in case. In the end, Nif and Vondal put for the coin for the room and supper (16sp and 5cps each), and the rest of the night is uneventful...

Come morning, Vondal probably gets workout trying to restrain Karl from losing his cool on random passerby upon learning of the cart fate. But even the gold dwarf cannot hide his displeasure. Not fully. But he tries, nevertheless for the sake of drawing little attention.

"Not as if we got much choice. But aye. So much for being inconspicuous before." He snorts, and then goes over to Cyrine, taking her hand if allowed to. "We will do everything in our power to help. You have our word." He glances over to SIldar. "Both of you, of course." After patting her hand a few times, Vondal turns to the others with a look of determination. "... Oh shoot. Where is Carp? We still need to talk to him about directions." He says, face faltering into an sheepish one. 

Karl says to Vondal "I aint bloody worried about the cart, its the kids that've been taken that worry me!" He looks at Cyrine and says "right, where this Manor, lets go 'ave a talk with these Red Bellied Gentlemen, although by the time I'm finished with them they'll be Yellow Bellied Scum. I'm sure Pacifer II" hefting his War Hammer "has got a few choice words it would like to share with these kid thieves."  

Vondal facepalms. "We can't just..." He sighs in exasperation, then shoots a look at Cyrine. "Don't tell'em! We think we have another way in that doesn't involve us being shot immediately full of arrows if it turns out this manor is under their control." At that, he'll start leading the march to Quelline's Farm to seek out Carp. He takes care to avoid the Sleeping Giant Inn noted yesterday. 

Nif looks at Vondal and speaks in dwarvish, "I know we can't go charging in but there does seem to be a requirement of urgency here. What if we go investigate at a distance. I will sneak in, see what i can find and then report back to you guys. We can then make further plans then. Luckily due to my youth, urban sneaking is one of my better skills."

Vondal looks anything but pleased. But after a moment or two of hard staring at Nif, he sighs and shakes his head. "I recall the last time you and Uncle decided to go 'sneaking' about, and how well that turned out." He states derisively in dwarvish before letting out a sigh. "And I'm finding it even harder to come up with reason for looking into manor if secret way leads to same place anyways... But, I won't stop you. Meet us as the farm, and we decide from there." If there's nothing more from there, Vondal passes along a few reminders to Nif before carrying on to farm(12). 

OOC: So, who's going where?

OOC2: Oh, and the weather is ... overcast, but not rainy. There is a slight wind, so you're not sure what the rest of the day's weather will be like.

Ooc: what farm? Aren't the redbrands at the manor?

(@Zip I forgot that Nif wasn't in the tavern for that, I think. Though Vondal would've passed along the info. Basically, "we" were told by Toblen's Son that his friend Carp found a secret Tunnel in the woods. Carp is Qellina's Son and both live on a farm near said woods. And judging by the map on top of the recent news of Larno's disappearance in the area of the manor, it /could/ be related. Since any 'secret' tunnel would probably lead into the manor, or serve as a hideaway for any redbrand illicitness in the area.) 

(Don't think I ever flat out wrote the info about Qellina and the potential ruin delving job from her in post, but it would've probably came up during any overnight discussions once the group were ready to retire for the night. Along with anything else.)

Karl says "there's a time for a front door and a time for sneaking in through a back door and I reckon this is time for the later. But we need to extract our digits and get moving. Lead the way Nif!"  

(Oh right, change of plan: let's use the runner but Nif using his superior darkvision and sneaking will scout ahead of the other three)

Nif replies in Dwarvish, "Let use the tunnel you mentioned, but I will scout about 30-40ft ahead of the group? If no objections let's head off now?"

Nif will let Vodal lead the way to the farm and tunnel

The party heads south on the main road and then turns down the lane that runs in front of the Townmaster's Hall. As they approach the last house on the right, they can see a halfling boy playing in the yard close to the house. He watches them keenly, and when they draw closer, he runs into the house. It's a modest home with a few outbuildings. Behind it stretches plowed land that is clearly commercial — more than what a single household would need for itself alone — even a halfling household. Before the four can reach the yard, a halfling woman steps out of the front door, the boy clinging to her skirt. She looks to be middle aged, strong, and aware. She smiles courteously at them, but her face is also guarded. "Good morning, strangers," she calls. "How may I help you?"

If Vondal starts to reach up as if to take off a hat; but, in coming up with nothing, he lowers it with an embarrassed chuckle. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I fear its your boy there that'd be of more genuine assistance." Vondal bows his head, forming a symbol with his hands again. "I am Vondal of the Stormfist Clan. This is my brother Nif, friend Zander, and Uncle Karl. We're... outsiders." He gestures to each in turn before with a hopefully disarming smile, he carries on. "You are... I'm sorry, but you are Qellina, yes? And that is your son, Carp?"

No matter the answer (unless it is to run away or yell at them), Vondal presses on, "We've been made aware of in part what has been going on in town, and aim to set things right if we can. But... we need your boy's help. According to his friend, Toblen's Son, he came across a secret tunnel in the woods. While a stretch, we believe it may lead to where the other missing folk have been kept among other things. If we can get but directions..." He trails off from there, leaving it for the halfling woman to finish. 

At the mention of her son, the mother's eyes narrow, and one of her hands pushes Carp behind her. But as the dwarf continues, introducing them all, she visibly relaxes.

"Qelline," she corrects Vondal. "Qelline Alderleaf. And, yes, this is Carp."

And after Vondal has explained their intent, Qelline turns to look at her son, her eyebrows raised. "A secret tunnel in the woods?" All four of the travelers recognize the face of a mother catching their child doing something they shouldn't.

Carp squirms, not wanting to meet his mother's eye. "Um ..."

"What have I said about going too deep in the woods?" Carp looks at Vondal and then back at the ground. "If I can't trust you to stay safe, I won't be able to let you play out here alone."

"I was safe," the boy finally says meekly. "It's not that far into the woods. It's near the manor."

Qelline's eyes close for a second and then reopen. "Near the manor?" she repeats. She squats down to be eye level with her son. "You know we can't trust the Redbrands," she says more quietly. "They are dangerous. And they hang out up there. What if they had seen you alone? What if —" The mother's voice catches and she pauses for a second. "What if they'd taken you?"

Carp's eyes being to stream. "I'm sorry, Mama. I won't do it again."

Qelline's arms swallow up her son in a deep embrace. It's heart warming and only slight embarrassing for the group. After 10 or so seconds, Qelline releases her son and looks at him, then at the others. "If these 'outsiders' think they can help, I guess you should tell them about the secret tunnel." She looks back at Carp, then stands up and moves around behind him, placing her well-worn hands on his shoulders.

The boy looks first at the ground and then up at Vondal. His tears have left little lines of clean skin down his otherwise dusty cheeks. He explains he was playing in the woods near Tresendar Manor when he found a secret tunnel in a thicket. A couple of “big ugly bandits” came out of the tunnel when he was there, and met with a pair of Redbrands. They didn’t see him, he says quickly, glancing up at his mother before continuing. Carp thinks that the bandits have a secret lair under the old manor house. As he talks, his sorrow seems to melt away, and he becomes more and more spirited. He finishes by telling the adventurers he can take the characters to the tunnel or provide them with directions to the location.

Karl turns to Qelline, gives Carp a wink, and says "Ma'am, yup the kid broke the rules but kids do that. In fact I've spent most of my lift breaking rules and I seem to have survived. So don't be too 'ard on him." He then turns to Carp and says "if'n your Ma says its ok, it'd be much appreciated if you show us the way but then you got scarper back here quick smart, you hear! No hanging around cos it'll get noisy and dangerous!"   

Carp looks up at his mother. "Can I?"

Qelline gives Karl a wry smile. "If you only knew how much this boy idolizes adventurers." She looks down at her son. "Let me change my shoes, and I'll come, too."

Carp looks as if he is going to burst from excitement as Qelline enters the house and then returns a couple minutes later, dressed in a travel cloak and hardier shoes. "All right," she says to Carp, "lead the way."

The party, lead by Carp, with Qelline following closely behind, walks around the north side of the plowed land and enters the trees. Not far in, Carp turns and heads north and follows the edge of the forest as it curves around to the east. As they reach where the forest borders the cliff upon which the manor sits, everything gets darker, but not too dark to see. At one point, the halfling boy stops and looks back at his mother. Everyone gathers around the boy, and he says in a stage whisper, "It's not far ahead. We need to be really quiet in case there are more of those bandits or any Redbrands around."

They all agree, and Carp continues forward, walking more slowly, and choosing his steps carefully. The others do the same. Not long after, the boy stops again. As the others gather around, he points at a thicket and says very quietly, "It's right through there."

Qelline puts her hands on her son's shoulders again and looks at the others. "Good luck," she mouths.

OOC: Feel free to add any RP around this event you'd like to, but I'm going to go ahead and move on.

Karl, Nif, Vondal and Zander push through the thicket, finding no other humanoids present. They enter the hidden cave. At first it is dark, and Zander follows along, listening to the footsteps of the dwarves, and holding out his hands to make sure he doesn't run into anything. Just when he begins to wonder if he should light a torch, he sees a light up ahead. The cave extends about 100 feet, a lamp hung from the ceiling about half way through. At the end of the tunnel, the four exit.

A cold breeze fills this large natural cavern, carrying with it the faint scent of decaying flesh. A crevasse divides the cavern and is flanked by two rough stone columns that support the 20-foot-high ceiling. Two arched wooden bridges span the chasm. While the room contains plenty of deep shadows, there are several oil lamp hung about to see by.