(If it’s not too late.) Kazri tells the group that she would like to excuse herself and that she will head to the Lionshield Coster to inquire about the dragon. Otherwise she will retire.

Trusting Chill and whoever else decides to go with him for information, Rhogar sticks to heading to the tavern, and secludes himself in his room for the time being. A troubled look about him being the last anyone sees prior to the disappearance. It is there he tries to consult both memories and patron, hoping in the moment to learn of these "manticores" that everyone seemed to know something about. Were they just more plentiful in the west compared to home? Or were the others far more seasoned than he gave them credit?

Arcana: 13.
Plus Guidance: 1.

Once he had his answers, or lack-thereof after an hour, he comes down to enjoy what little time is left that day exploring the town by foot until turn in.

Kazri leaves the others and heads to the Lionshield Coster. As she approaches she sees hanging above the front door of this modest trading post is a sign shaped like a wooden shield with a blue lion painted on it.

Entering she finds a woman of thirty-five working the store

"Greetings, I'm Linene Graywind. I run the store here in Phandalin for Lionshields, a merchant company based in the city of Yartar which is over a hundred miles to the east. The company ships finished goods to Phandalin and other small settlements throughout the region. Best quality you'll find in this area. Better than what you'll find in Neverwinter I dare say. You look like a capable warrior. Are you in need of a new sword or perhaps better armor? What brings you to Phandalin? Hear to hunt the dragon? You'll need a sharp sword to do that. I can sharpen yours for 5 silver pieces. It'll cut that wyrms hide for sure when I'm done with it."

She looks to you expectantly.

*Meanwhile*

Rhogar tries to recall what he has heard or learned of manticores in the past. He hopes his patron would provide information to him.

He feels the connection to his patron strengthen while he sits and rests.

Rhogar recalls that they can often be in service to wicked masters as they are intelligent enough to speak. But this one did not speak, except to curse them when it flew away. But he remembers it didn't threaten them in any way to indicate it was in service to another. He recalls they fear dragons. Perhaps this one had been driven from the mountains by the dragon. The manticore was difficult to fight and quite strong. If the dragon drove it from the mountains it surely indicated that the dragon must be quite strong itself. That is concerning. The dragon would not be some small wyrmling.

As he recalls this information he feels a strong impression on his mind

Evil Predators

Information floods his mind

Manticores are fierce killers that hunt far and wide for prey. They work together to take down particularly large or dangerous creatures, sharing the meal once a kill is made. A manticore begins its attack with a volley of tail spikes, then lands and uses its claws and bite. When outdoors and outnumbered, it uses its wings to stay aloft, attacking from a distance until its spikes are depleted.

A manticore isn’t particularly bright, but it possesses a malevolent nature and the ability to converse. In the course of attacking, it often denigrates its foes and offers to kill them swiftly if they beg for their lives.

The vision, or impression, ends and Rhogar finds himself alone in his room.

If Krom was in the common room when Rekuberk said that dwarves are stubborn Krom will reply smiling "Dwarves are not stubborn my friend, we are rentless and determinate. Anyway, this time it will not be necessary to bring them back, it will be sufficient to inform them about the Dragon and the Orcs. They will probably continue to do what they are doing anyway, but they will be prepared."

Krom after giving to Kazri the light hammer, he will drink and eat listening to Chip's story adding some details if asked about it. 

If nothing happens he will retire in his room, "Have a good night my friends, see you at the first light then!"

(OCC Before taking a long rest Krom will create an handaxe using 5gp and at the end of the long rest he will enchant again his warhammer using Blessing of the Forge) 

When his companions pass through the tavern, Chip would point them out and highlight their roles in defeating the vile foe. Using his dancing lights to create a manticore-ish looking figure that flies over to Krom circles around his head three times before exploding into four orbs that return above the brass dragonborn. "Can I get a round of applause for my friend Krom! He lept from the top of the windmill and rode the manticore for nearly a mile, With one hand gripping the beasts wild mane and the other never letting go of his tankard of ale! He may still be riding that beast to this moment if it weren't for my tabaxi friend's crossbow shot! He managed to places a bolt straight through the eye of that manticore I kid you not! The cat-folk was so fast that he was able to outrun the flying beast and get in front of it before firing the shot that brought it to the ground!" Chip would exclaim before holding up his newly carved Manticore figurine and moving it through the air before having it spiral and crash into the table as the dragonborn plays a few sad notes on his horn with his other hand.

As Chip spins his tale he finishes with a flourish.  The appreciative crowd thunders its approval of his master storytelling.

Coins are thrown on the floor in front of him and at the end of the night he collects 4 gold pieces and 18 silver pieces.

(Based on a true story.... is how all of Chips tales start :P)

"Greetings Ms. Graywind. Name's Kazri. You may have noticed that our group arrived yesterday, and yes we are here for the dragon." She walks in and slowly puts her warhammer on the counter. Linene being expert of the trade, can tell that Kazri's weapon like her armor, is of an older design, but still functional. Linene can also tell that the armor has not been properly maintained for quite sometime, and that is has seen a lot of outdoor usage. The armor seems to have received a new coat of paint, giving it a greenish hue to the chains, but otherwise, all the parts seems like they were crafted a long time ago. She notices that, although faded, the armor has the Waterdeep’s City Guard symbol, just like the middle of the warhammer as well. "Unfortunately I do not possess of any blades that needs to be sharpened. I thank you for your offer, though. I am here to inquire about the dragon. You seem to be a sensible and no nonsense person. Perhaps, you may have more reliable information. I hope that it brings you comfort that we just eliminated a manticore today when we rescued Madame Gwynn. Although she wasn't exactly very happy with our rescue of her."

Linene looks Kazri over, taking in the armor and the markings on it.

"The dragon eh?  White is it's color, I know that for certain.  The caravan that brought my last shipment, some days ago now, spoke of seeing it from a distance as they made their way just west of Conyberry.  As the Triboar Trail runs east, it passes through the ruins of Conyberry, a town sacked by barbarians years ago. There’s a ruined temple south of Conyberry where it’s said the locals hid their gold.  Perhaps the dragon was seeking that gold.  All dragons seek gold.  It fortunately left them alone but they were fearful for the return trip.  But they headed further west from here and have not come back through on their return journey yet.  Big, they said it was.  Fairly large, with a wide wingspan."

She considers for a moment. 

"If you are here to rid us of the dragon, I thank thee.  It is certainly disrupting trade in this area."

Kazri, roll a Charisma/Persuasion check 

Kazri tries her best to smile calmly to Linene. (Persuasion: 17) "The Dragon is the reason we are here, and I shall not leave this area until it is dealt with. I promise that to you." Kazri thinks that perhaps she has found a kindred spirit in this woman standing in front of her. She seems strong willed and straight to the point. "Perhaps, we should visit this ruined temple to find more information."

Rekuberk will listen to the performance before he goes off to his room to rest for the night, making sure to clean the manticore blood off of his javelin.

 Linene walks to a shelf and returns with a strange looking curved weapon.

"This is a boomerang I am told.  I'd never heard of these before but apparently far to the south in regions of jungle they are commonly used by tribes of people.  You throw them and if you miss your target they swoop around and return to you.  I can't seem to find anyone interested in them.  Take a couple, perhaps you can find a use for them.  She hands you 2 boomerangs.  Just please return and let me know how they work out."

At first Kazri is taken aback by the generosity of the shopkeeper, for she had no reason to give her anything. Then Kazri tries to remember such object during her travels. (History: 18)

Leaving the shop, Kazri tries the boomerang in a unpopulated area, then she goes back to the Tavern. She goes to her companion's table. "Gentlemen, look what I was given at the Lionshield Coster?" She slowly puts both objects on the table. "Chill, have you ever seen such weapon?"

When Kazri lifts the weapon and shows it to him his eyes seem to lost in memory for a moment.

"I have not seen one of these in quite some time.   A boomerang it is called.  Many native tribes of Chult used them for hunting.   They are designed that when you throw it if you miss your target it returns back to you.   They fly in a wide arc.   Great for knocking small animals out of trees.   I could show you how to use it,  they are fairly simple to master once you know the trick.   It's all in the wrist as they say.  Tomorrow, as we go to find the dwarves, I will teach you it's secrets."

Chip would retire for the night, prepared to find some dwarves the next day. 

The next morning the party gathers and again sets forth, this time striking south west, making for the area where they learned the dwarves, Dazlyn and Norbus, have been excavating.  It  is 15 miles across the rolling hills below the peaks of the Sword Mountains and a few hours later they find the mountains rise up out of the hills before you.

Eventually they find what appears to have been an old road, long unused and mostly overgrown.  Only the barest hint that road was once here remains.  You follow it into a canyon.

The canyon’s rocky walls rise to a height of eighty feet. At the end of the canyon, a twenty-foot-high wall of black stone has a broken gate carved into it, with one stone door hanging precariously by a hinge and the other door missing. Beyond this open gate, in the shadow of a great mountain to the east, lies a ruined settlement. All is quiet.

"Can this be my clan's ancestral home?" thinks Krom while trying to recall some details. History 7

Krom will go through the gate, holding his shield and warhammer preparing himself in case of danger. 

Perception13   plus Guidance 2

On their way to the Dwarven excavation site. Kazri is amazed how the boomerangs actually return to the thrower. It took a couple of tries, but eventually she kind of got the hang of it. She thanks Chill for the lesson. “Would you like to hang on to one of these, just in case?”

Kazri with Firebeard's Fist on her right side, boomerang(s) behind her back, holds her large kite shield, and her warhammer at the ready. "Shall we knock?" She sees that Krom goes ahead and goes through the gate. She follow right behind Krom. As they go through the gate, she tries to peek beyond the missing door. (Perception: 11)

Troubled yet mindful enough to keep up, Rhogar follows fourth in line. Every now and then he casts a wary glance to the sky as if expecting something. But if bothered on it, all he has to say is, "Just being careful." Noting the lack of noise, the bronze scaled dragonborn half-whispers something in draconic and started to more frantically look around for any sign of at least some recent activity in the area. "Let's keep our eyes peeled, yah? This whole things got my fin twitching." He asks absentmindedly.

Survival:18.
Plus Guidance: 2.