Sword Coast Rambling

Serak: Glancing over the woodwork in passing, Serak says pleasantly, "Greetings, sir! I am Serak The Skald, at your service! I'm afraid today we're in the market for information, not decoration. It seems you've had some trouble as of late? Redbrands I assume? Keep it to yourself, but we're here to investigate them and bring  peace and justice to Phandalin once more! What can you tell us of the Redbrands and their connection to Halia? It seems they've left her alone so far."

Rising silently from his work, Morthen casts a nervous glance down the street. 

“Thankyou. My work is my life and you are kind to compliment it so nicely. I keep the best pieces inside though, perhaps we should continue this conversation there?”

Morthen shuffles through the door into his workshop, followed by the others, he locks the door behind him with a loud clunk and pulls the window shutters closed. The walls turn to complete darkness, broken up by the disfigured silhouettes of wooden carvings. A single candle suddenly lights up the centre of the room and Morthen reappears between them.

”Excuse me sirs, one can’t be too careful. You were saying about Redbrands? I know them well. They extort my business for protection. They’ve extort everyone.” His hushed voice rises as he speaks but suddenly broken by a mixture of anger and sadness, “oh my dear  Thel.... they...THEY KILLED HIM. They slaughtered him in the square LIKE AN ANIMAL!”

He breaks down. The frail old man falls to his knees, tears stream from his wrinkled eyes. The candle light flickers and outlines his face.

”Thel was a... he was always a good boy. A great father to my grandchildren. But he hated the Redbrands and wanted to put a stop to their games. So he called them out when they came for protection. He fought them.... and they... they...” His voice breaks again and Morthen clears his throat to regain himself, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. They took my daughter in law and grandchildren with them someplace. The whole town knows but nobody will help me! Please sirs, you must do something!”

“As for Halia. Well, she’s always pleasant. She’s lived here all her life, even before the Redbrands turned up. I’m not sure there’s any real connection there, she hates them as much as the rest of us. If they’ve left her be so far as you say then there must be a reason. But I can’t say myself.”

Serak: Stroking his goatee while pondering the situation, he finally says sympathetically, "I am deeply sorry for your loss. I swear I will do everything in my power to bring justice for your fallen. I will not rest until we find your missing kin. Things are changing in Phandalin. I suggest you go to the townmaster's office and speak to Sildar. He is a friend and we're assisting him with the Redbrands."

Speaking quietly with the party, Serak says, "Interesting indeed. I assume that Halia hasn't told the Redbrands about what I said to her, since they haven't come looking for me. Perhaps miss Halia has a game all her own that we're unaware of?

Changing the subject, he continues, "And what of Iarno the wizard, Morthen? He came to speak to you a month ago, yes? What did you speak of? Leave out no detail, please, no matter how trivial. Halia was one of the last ones to see him before he vanished. "

After receiving his answer, he says to the others, "Perhaps I've misjudge Halia, but it will be good to be sure she isn't involved with the Redbrands. I suggest you all speak to Halia without me. I'll be nearby in case I am needed. There is clearly more to her than meets the eye, so be safe my friends."

After the group is finished speaking with Morthen, Serak then proceeds to splinter off and finds a good hiding place from which to keep out of sight from Halia, but close enough to respond quickly if needed.

Stealth: 24

“How should we go about this discussion with Halia? Is there any chance she can connect us to Serak? If not I say we approach her directly, confront her about the Redbrands and maybe act as though others have accused her of involvement with them.”

Beetle: "I agree.  We can let her know we are looking into the Redbrands and it has come to our attention in the investigation that she may somehow be involved with them.  She will then have an opportunity to either offer information and help or let the Redbarnds know we are inquiring, inwhich case may pull some out of hiding."

Brots nods in agreement. "That sounds reasonable. Maybe we should try and keep her outside though? If she's connected at all to the Redbrands in anyway, the last thing we want is to be in a makeshift cage." Brots glances over at Serak before he breaks off. "Serak, do you think you could keep an eye out for anything coming at us if it leads to us being indoors?"

Morthen pauses momentarily, thinking back to the day a month ago. 

“Let me see now, a wizard... oh yes I remember a wizard here not so long ago. Deep black beard he had. Didn’t catch his name so it could have been Iarno right enough. Said he was from the Lords Alliance from somewhere out west. He was asking questions about the Redbrands back then too. Where they worked from, who was in charge, well I couldn’t help him out really. He was interested in the older east end of town. He didn’t say much else although he did promise to buy one of my birdhouses. Never did see him again though. I hope that’s of some use? I only met him in passing. Once he realised I didn’t know about the ruffians he was on his way. Strange to see a wizard in these parts, though I don’t think he talked to many others in the town before he disappeared.” 

Beetle turns to his companions..."I'm starting to think Iarno and the Redbrands are connected, maybe somehow they have captured him..."

Do I notice if Morthen is lying or hiding anything about what they've told us so far?

[OOC: I think that's insight: 18]

OOC: Morthen is the woodcutter

Brots doesn’t notice anything unusual about what Morthen has told them. The woodcutter seems too engulfed by his grief to be anything but helpful to anyone hoping to resolve the Redbrand problem

Serak: Shaking his head slowly, Serak says, "I'll stay close enough to the Miner's Exchange to know if a fight breaks out, but other than that... Well, it is the middle of the day. I can't go lurking under windows and creeping through hedges." 

With a sly grin, he continues "If Halia has connected me to the rest of you, just tell her the truth - you've only just met me while traveling, you have no idea what I said to her, and you've no idea my true motives." Serak winks and begins his alternate route to the Miner's Exchange.

Brots looks to the rest of the group. "Shall we make haste to Halia? The longer we linger, the likely the chance the Redbrands will cause more mayhem!"

Syna, never missing a chance not to speak and be thought a fool, grabs his pack and staff and walks toward the door...

The party follow the road away from town until they arrive at the miners exchange. Along the road they are passed by a couple of miners, a dwarf and a half ling, excited about the day that lies ahead. They trade potential prospecting sites with each other, each claiming their plot today will make them the richer of the two.

The scene is very different from the one Serak found himself at the night before. For one, the door is open and inside welcoming. Serak stands out of sight but within earshot just outside the door, as the others enter.

The walls of the trade post are covered in tools of every shape and size. Pick axes, shovels, helmets - everything a prospector could ever need to strike rich.

Behind a counter stands a fairly young human woman, no older than twenty five. Long blonde hair frames her pretty face. Confident but kind. There’s no denying who is in charge of the miners exchange. Next to her on the counter stands a set of scales, on which an older man is weighing an insignificant amount of golden rocks. It’s Lanar.

“I’m sorry Lanar. I just can’t pay you for this. It’s just not enough to be worth my while.” She apologises to the old man who has resigned himself to the defeat already as he begins to pack his haul away again. 

Zyltris paces slowly about the room looking for anything of interest. 

Investigation: 11

Kai lends the old man a hand taking his belongings out to the cart, "May the gods, grant you favor in the future, grandfather," he tells him as he returns to the others.  Before he enters again, he stops and looks about to see if there is anyone watching the place.

Perspeption: 18

Brots, new to the building stands in the back of the room, looking around, taking in everything that's happening around him.

As Lanar leaves the store house, another prospector enters, this time another dwarf, casually bumping past Zyltris as he investigates the rest of the room,

”Morn’ Halia. Jus’ wanted t’ sign paperwork fer t’ new claim. Got a gid feelin’ this time” He holds in his hand an unsigned contract. Eagerly waving it in front of him as he pushes through. 

Halia brings him over to another part of the counter, runs her finger carefully along the large map on the wall, draws out a quill and begins writing on the contract. “Alright then my dear. Well now this part of the stream isn’t actually claimed yet, so you just need to sign this right here. And here. Initial here. And obviously you have the signing fee as well. Then it’s all yours!”

The dwarf hands over a small pouch of gold coins, and happily skips back outside with his signed deal. Meanwhile Halia makes a note on the map of Phandalin behind her and begins writing in another book on the counter. Outside Serak and Syna are relieved to notice that despite the regular comings and goings of customers, the exchange is quiet. Not a red clothed bandit in sight.

A wide bookcase on one of the walls contains a variety of records of the area. Mostly claim details and property deals, but also census information, birth and death certificates, blueprints of several town buildings. Unusual documents to find in a haven for miners and prospectors. As Halia finishes her writings she turns to Zyltris lurking nearby. 

“Well now, you certainly look out of place in here. You’re obviously not the digging type, so what can I do for you?”

Beetle always wary in new surrounding take a stance just outside the door so he can be inside in a moment if needed and still watch anyone coming and going outside. While he has a quite moment he uses it to pray to Tyr.