Sword Coast Rambling

Brots, listening closely in the background is going to be listening to see if he senses any hints of lying or deception in Glasstaff's demeanor. Insight: 4

Watching the wizard closely Brots senses that he is finally calming down. His earlier flustered nervous behaviour is being slowly replaced by his a man accepting of his current position. Synas kindness has helped this greatly, and it seems now that Glasstaff is prepared to come quietly. 

Syna, still feeling the wolf's instincts, growls almost inhumanly, "He's a threat to the pack, and our range.. Just kill him."

Serak: Sheathing his rapier, Serak begins patting down the wizard, searching him for hidden items. 

Investigation: 8

While frisking the wizard, Serak asks, "What can you tell me about Halia? You say she's poorly connected, but I've found the opposite to be true. Tell me everything you know about her, including where her information comes from."

Changing the subject, he continues, "How many Redbrands and Bugbears did you have stationed here? Where has this Drow wizard taken Gundren? Where is his base of operations? Speak and cooperate, otherwise Syna is right - you're a threat."

Finally, the bard casts Detect Magic as a ritual and searches the two rooms. He collects all the books of magic and history he can carry, also collecting the alchemy ingredients and anything else of value that may have been missed.

Perception: 7

Brots looks toward Syna, saying calmly. "I'm sensing that he's no longer a threat, he doesn't seem to want to do something with all of us here, knowing it wont' end well."

OOC: Is it safe to assume Serak will level up after the fight with Iarno? I plan on going College of Lore, since we really need the spells from Mystic Secrets. He'll also gain Proficiency in Arcana, and I am wondering if that, plus the books, would allow Serak to determine what kind of potion he was trying to make? I'd also like to try to complete the potion, if possible. You can make any rolls for me. He'd have +3 Arcana if he levels.

Edit: Only +2 Arcana. Forgot Jack of all Trades is already giving half proficiency. 

Terrified the wizard shrieks out, "No you can't! I'm being cooperative! I'll answer your questions!" Struggling against his bindings again, Glasstaff continues. "Halia was one of the first people I met with when I arrived in Phandalin. The blackspider summoned me here to set up a spy ring in the town, so I spun a tale with the Lords Alliance about trouble in the area and they sent me on my way. The BlackSpider gave me strict instruction not to cause trouble with Halia, after all she controls the mining rights of the area. I probed her for what information she knew about the cave or other interested parties but she is as useless as the others. You say you've found otherwise, but I would doubt that very much gentlemen."

Desperate to save himself, Glasstaff answers the bards other questions freely. He begins to shake slightly with the stress of the situation but seems eager to please his captors. 

"I control a group of mercenaries from here in the manor, about 25 or so currently, but we are always expanding. The bugbears were just a temporary measure to subdue the townsfolk should they fight back, but they haven't been needed. Phandalin has proven to be easily controlled with a handful of minor incidents, at least until you showed up. I'm not sure what happened to your friend, but he hasn't arrived in Phandalin that much is clear. It's likely some of the BlackSpiders other contacts would have been tasked with delaying him, the goblins of Cragmaw Castle perhaps? Gentlemen I am truly sorry for the distress I have caused here, but I'm afraid there is not alot else I can tell you. My sole mission was to hold this town to ransom, and prepare it for when the BlackSpider eventually finds the cave."

Hoping that this information will appease his captors, Glasstaff tries to relax again, but this intense pressure makes it extremely difficult to do so.

Frisking the wizard doesn't reward the bard with anything of value - only a thin rod of copper and a small piece of luminous moss in his pockets and his white glass staff. Searching around the room, Serak only detects magic from his allies and the wizard. The books he finds range in content from simple basic texts to lectures from great alchemists too advanced for the bard to understand. Filling his pockets with the small vials of gillyweed, Rowan Berries, mercury, dragon bile and powdered nightshade, Serak feels he has found all he can from these rooms.

Tempted to continue the experiment on the workbench before him, Serak observes the intricately laid out glassware. Beakers and tubing of all shapes and sizes litter the table, full of a variety of different coloured liquids and vapours. One triangular beacon at the end of a long condensing tube slowly fills with drips of silvery liquid. The bards knowledge of chemistry is limited, one mistake in this sort of alchemy rig could be disastrous. 

OOC: Serak will level up soon. Although XP won't be dealt from this fight until the wizards fate is resolved.

You'll need to be proficient in Alchemy to truly understand what the wizard was up to here or how close he was to achieving it. Half proficiency has allowed you to see he was making a potion of some kind. The alchemy though is far too advanced for your current level to continue what he was trying to create without an in depth knowledge of the science. You could try but at this stage it would be mostly trial and error regardless of your arcana roll, and positive results would not be guaranteed.

Also, Im giving Syna an inspiration point after the glasstaff battle. Turning wolf was very cool

OCC:  Thanks, I have been waiting for the right time...

Serak: Getting the wizard to his feet, Serak says, "Where is this Cragmaw Castle? How do you communicate with this BlackSpider?"

After he and the party get their answers, Serak gags Iarno and leads him out the door on a tether. He drives the point of his crossbow into the wizard's back and demands, "Now, lead us to Morthen's daughter-in-law and her child! Try anything and I have no problem pulling this trigger."

OOC: I forgot Alchemy was a tool proficiency. No way I'd trust Iarno to make it. He'd make Mustard gas or something. lol

Serak will just take all the ingredients and stuff to sell, if you want to add it to the loot horde.

Also, Detect Magic should tell Serak if any specific items Iarno is carrying are magical and what school of magic they're from. It'd also tell Serak if he has any magic effects currently active and their school.

OOC: How did I forget about the staff? Serak will also see that the wizards staff holds magical powers of abjuration. He still has the effect of mage armour which changes his Ac to 13+Dex modifier. I’ll have to update the treasure board later on today. Mobile editing isnt the easiest lol

Dragged to his feet, the wizard shrieks out  in fear, “Argh! I don’t know where the Castle is! Nooo please! The spider only contacts me through messenger and writings! Please there’s no need for this aggression!” The arrow point digs hard in his boney spine, every step is agony as it slowly breaks through ermine and then skin.

“Ouch! Please really that’s not necessary! Ok ok It’s just this way, I’ll take you through the crypts!”

Serak: No matter which way Iarno attempts to lead them, when the group gets to unexplored territory, Serak says, "So, we definitely don't want to go this direction. There are most likely guards, traps or worse waiting in the crypt, isn't there, Iarno? I suggest we try to find another route."

Beetle agrees with Serak and is following along

Syna will cast Detect Magic as a ritual.   Too bad, I don't have Identify.

OOC: Identify is one of those spells that is handy, but not really needed. It requires a 100gp pearl to cast Identify. If I'm constantly buying pearls anyway, I might as well pay a little more to have a mage identify items for me and Serak can still cast it from scrolls.

Also, we can study the staff later and something might come up in an Arcana or History check, or even a Religion check, depending on the item. 

Edit: What am I thinking? We'll just force Iarno to tell us what the staff is and how it works. lol

OOC: Anyway, there is the hidden door in the store room and the door in the cistern room left. If everyone agrees, we'll go to the opposite door to the one Iarno suggested. Serak keeps Iarno gaged, out in front of him on the tether as a human shield.

OOC: It’d be the storeroom door that Iarno takes you towards. I’ll write an update in the next hour or so

Serak: Serak makes his way with the others to the cistern room. He takes Iarno into the bunk room and removes his gag, saying, "You have cooperated and we'll put in a good word with Sildar on your behalf - if you tell us what this staff is and how to activate it."

Pressing for an answer if necessary with intimidation, after getting his answer Serak gags him again. He binds his feet and throws the wizard on a bed. Closing the door, he asks Beetle, "Would you see if that key of yours can lock this door? He's a crafty one. Don't want him escaping." 

Whether or not the key works, Serak also wedges a stone under the door.

 Strength: 11

Beetle moves towards the door and uses the key they found earlier from the bugbears.

Iarno staggers along, whimpering as he leads the party through the crevasse room - to the south east passageway as instructed. Serak shoves him into the solitary of the bunkroom, removes the wizards gag and questions him further. 

 "You have cooperated and we'll put in a good word with Sildar on your behalf - if you tell us what this staff is and how to activate it."

Propped against the wall, Iarnos favourite staff. Hollow, light, strong and slender. Made of glass but strong as oak, it has always been perfect for his needs. The wizard sighs, reluctantly accepting that he must finally part ways with his weapon. "It is a fine weapon forged by the finest wandsmiths of the Sword Coast in Neverwinter. If you are attuned to it, it will grant you additional armour, as well as the ability to cast Mage Armour and Shield at will. It isn't infallable however, and will need charged daily lest it run out of power. I have named her Fethos." Casting his glance away from the glass staff, Iarno turns to the opposite wall. A wizard, after all is nothing without his staff. Serak binds and gags the wizard, leaving him on one of the bunks and closes the door as he leaves. 

OOC: Assuming with the staff lol

Wedging another stone under this door, the bard turns to Beetle asking, "Would you see if that key of yours can lock this door? He's a crafty one. Don't want him escaping." A sly smile on his face. 

Stepping up to the door, Beetle turns the key. The door locks with a loud thunk.