Bankur nods approvingly at Penumbra's purchase. "That suit seems to fit you well friend Penumbra. May it provide the best of protection to you when most needed!"

Perusing the collection of armor, Bankur notices a set of chain mail crafted to fit someone his size. Rubbing his chin and contemplating the purchase, Bankur turns to the shop-keeper. "Greetings friend. I would like to purchase this fine set of armor and sell my current set. However," Bankur says while tapping the symbol on his shield, "as you can see I am a priest in service to my god and funds are notoriously short for those of my profession. Perhaps there is a special discount that I may take advantage of?..."

((OOC: Persuasion roll trying to get a discount: 14. If it doesn't work I will go ahead and pay full price - 75gp for the chain mail and sell my leather armor back for 10gp.))

Salty Joe poses in the mirror with his new armor incorrectly holding his new shield. "I dont really care too much about selling my old armor man. If its in good enough condition I say donate it to the city guard or some naked lad who needs it." 

"Thank you Bankur. I plan to drop my old armor off at the shrine next time we pass by. With any luck it will end up in the hands of someone who will need it. It seems to me this town needs all the luck it can get with those Redbrands running around." Penumbra says loud enough for the shop keep to hear, hoping to elicit some response from the woman on the subject.

Seeing the other donning the dark leather armor, Raldaen looks at his own leather and though it has a faint twang of the sea to it, which brings a comforting memory, he appreciates that the reality for what it is. His armor is old, sweat-stained, and has had more alcohol spilled on it that most taproom floors. "Since yer all be looking so fine in yer snazzy new get-ups, I might be tempted t' purchase me-self a piece o' this rivetted leather, an I gots a feelin we be needin' it soon. Shopkeep, 'ave yer got one with a bit o' give in it, can't be 'avin it pull me when I be aimin'."

So saying, Raldaen gets himself fitted out with a slightly more worn piece that fits comfortably, trading his old leather in, though it is probably good for naught but patch work now. After admiring his new purchase, he addresses Linene again, "So, we be hearin' rumours about some local thugs, callin' 'emselves Redbrands. Not a nice bunch o' folk from whats we be hearin'."

(OOC: For everyone's consideration, you get half the price when selling armor, so leather, for example, only gets you 5gp. Also, you technically haven't gotten the money from Sildar yet, but we'll let that slide to keep the story going! =D)

Lirene helps those of you who want to buy new armor to adjust the straps and buckles as needed to get the suits fitted to you. To Bankur's attempt to haggle, she merely smiles and says, "In the gods I put my trust, but in all others I ask for coin. Sorry, priest, but times are tough here and I can't afford to barter or give discounts." She mumbles under her breath, "...thank the gods I had some armor left, with my damn shipments gone missing..."

In response to Penumbra's and Raldaen's comments, she spits and wrinkles her nose as if she had gotten a full sniff of a skunk. "Ah, yes, the local 'thugs' guild...them Redbrands are a nuisance, best to avoid them."

Hearing Lirene's reply to Bankur, Raldaen remembers himself and speaks up, "Maybe yer could offer us a discount if'n we could giv yer some useful infermation? I been seein' yer Lion before hereabouts. When we was on the road with supplies fer old Elmar, we we had t' be takin' a little diversion to kill us some bandits. Now in that there cave where 'ems were a hidin', we killed their furball o' a boss, an he be havin some crates stashed in his hold that had yer lion painted onto 'em."

"As fer the Redbrands, I be gettin' the distinct impression that it won't be long before we not be avoidin' them..."

"You found my shipments? And you cleared out the bandits that had them? The gods come through again! Here are 10 gold pieces for each of you. I'll take a cart and some lads from town to retrieve everything. Maybe our crimson cloak problems will be solved soon, after all..." 

(Anything else here? If not, I'll move us to checking out the woodcarver's followed by "Play Time With Carp" =)

(Good to move onwards. Raldaen will head back to the inn for some strong spirits.)

"What can you tell us about the Redbrands? You said something about crimson cloak. My friends and I have heard some rumors around town and we don't like what we hear." Penumbra says adjusting her new armor.

(Once Penumbra has an answer she is ready to leave.)

OOC: So am I

"Oh, the Redbrands are a bunch of good-for-nothing hooligans who hang out in the Sleeping Giant bar and wear tattered, red cloaks.  They walk around Phandalin like they own the place, demanding 'protection' money and generally causing trouble. The townmaster won't do anything about them, and no-one else has the training or muscle. I refuse to do business with any of them, and they generally leave me alone...although I think they're behind my missing shipments. I just can't prove it. Anyways, thank you for your business, and for finding my stuff. Farewell!" Linene walks out with you and waves as you leave her shop. Raldaen mutters something about needing to wet his whistle or something like that and wanders off on his own back towards the Stonehill Inn.

The woodcarver's house is across the street from Lionshield Coster. There is a big, red X on the busted in door. The place has obviously been ransacked, with benches overturned, scraps of clothes everywhere, and the little carvings of woodland animals that were probably gifts for the family scattered around. There is nothing of value here - it was a poor house that looks like it had beds for the man and his wife and two older children. There is a small workshop next to the house whose lock withstood an attempt to break it. 

"For what purpose would a group of hooligans kidnap an entire family..." mused Bankur while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "And a poor family at that. There isn't any obvious potential for any financial gain in it for them... There must be some other motivation in play here, I think."

"Perhaps whatever is in that workshop, guarded by the sturdy lock, can help us figure things out..." says Bankur while raising an eyebrow in Penumbra's direction.

"We know these men murdered the wood carver for no reason other than standing up to them to protect his family, I have a very good idea why someone might kidnap women and children.... slavery." Penumbra says darkly, remembeing that she had been sold as a slave as an infant. "I never met my parents because of slavers, they were probably killed when I was taken. I got lucky, I got out. Thats why I want to find these people so badly, I won't let another family be torn apart by such scum. As for breaking into that shop, I'm not sure that its necessary. If they are slavers they would not have been interested in the shop, just the people. I wouldn't feel good breaking into a little shop like this unless I really have to, perhaps the town master will give us permission to enter inorder to investigate the kidnapping, if not and if you really think we need to get in, then I can get us in there."

Salty Joe plays the Ritual of Detect Magic. It sounds like a 10 minute long acid jam.

(I'm going to move you guys on unless someone feels strongly about getting into the woodcarver's shop...)

After your quick but thorough investigation, you decide there is nothing else to learn here and decide to move on to visit the farmer's boy, Carp, and see if you can get him to tell you about the 'secret tunnel' he found. The afternoon sun has started its descent back down to the western horizon, but you figure there is plenty of time to check out his story before dinner! So the group sets off on the road leading east, soon coming to the farm you were told belonged to a female halfling by the name of Qelline Alderleaf. You can see her and a smaller halfling in the field behind the house, walking through the rows of chest-high (well, to them!) plants and stopping occasionally to expertly pluck a weed from the ground. She sees you come around the house, but doesn’t stop her work.

(Keneux ninja posted me! Didn't see his post until just now! You detect no magic in or around the woodcarver's house / workshop. Nor do you detect any magic nearby...)

Salty Joe smiles calls out, "Hey there Ho there!"

"Excuse us, would you be Qelline Alderleaf?" Penumbra says waving to the halfling woman in the field.

The halfling keeps picking weeds with a practiced ease and rhythm, born of years spent in the fields. She answers back, "Hey there yourself! I be Qelline...who you be?"

The other halfling, a lad by the looks of it, isn't as efficient - or dedicated. As soon as Salty Joe calls out he stops picking and looks up. At the sight of group of adventurers, he comes running over to check you out. It is only the stern hiss from his mother that keeps him from touching Penumbra's wings, or Bankur's always-damp skin...

But the warning doesn't stop the precocious boy from launching into a youthful diatribe. "Are you the adventurers Pip was talkin' bout this morning? He said one of you had giant bat wings! I wanna be an adventurer one day, but my ma wants me to live and die on this piece of dirt...I know I can be a good adventurer, though, 'cause I was playing in the woods near Tresendar Manor when I found a secret tunnel in a thicket." He points towards the large building at the east edge of town on a low hillside amid woods and thickets. It is more like a castle than a house, and appears run down and abandoned. "A couple of big ugly bandits came out of the tunnel when I was there, so I hid in the bushes and watched what they was up to. Well, they met with a pair of those Redbrands. They didn’t see me, but it was close! I bet that the bandits have a secret lair under the old manor house. I can show you where it is..." he starts to say when his ma pipes in.

"Absolutely not, Carpicorn Llewellyn Alderleaf! I told you to stay clear of that place! You will stay here with me where it is safe, and that's final!" And everyone knows that she means business, because she had stopped plucking weeds and actually left the fields to rest her hand lightly, but firmly, on her son's shoulder. "Please forgive my son. His mind is full of fanciful tales of heroes and adventure - but what ten-year-old doesn't have fantasies of swordplay and vanquishing dragons?" 

Penumbra smiles and says, "No need for apologies, he seems to be a fine lad. Many people see me and assume I'm some kind of monster or at least someone who is not to be trusted. I am happy to say the people of Phandalin seem to be more enlightened than others. My name is Penumbra. We are the ones that Pip spoke of, we arrived last night escorting a wagon of supplies. Soon after we arrived we started hearing about the Redbrands. Pip told me about Carp's discovery." She turns to face Carp and says, "It's brave of you to offer to show us the way, but I think you should stay here where you can keep your mother safe. But if you could tell us how to find the tunnel, or draw us a map, we would be in your debt." Looking back to Qelline she says, "We don't like what we have heard about the Redbrands, and we want to help."

Bankur nods in agreement as Penumbra speaks to Qelline and Carp "Friend Penumbra speaks the truth little Carp. You should stay here and take care of your mother and the farm." Kneeling down to look the little guy in the eye Bankur says "Always take care of the ones you love first, there should be nothing more important in your life than that."

"Thank you for allowing us to speak with you and your boy lady Qelline. As my friend stated our mission is important for the good of the town, and any assistance we can obtain will be most appreciated. We don't wish to put anyone in undue danger, so the idea of the map showing the tunnel entrance, and anything else of importance, is a good one, I think."