Barric chuckles as he hears where the townmaster has been holed up.

"Sound like the midwife is not the only 'self imposed prisoner' around these parts. Let us go get our reward"

Barric will head towards the townmaster's home.

 Connak grumbles, "I'm starting to see why Adabra thought it was pointless to come here."

Vaxis frowns at the prospect of another behaving so strangely.

"Odd that a leader of a village would be having this much fear. A leader guides his people. Or else there's something more at work here. Let us go and have talk with this man. I am wanting more answers."

He looks off in the distance a bit, speaking to...someone or something.

"You lie, fiend. Now hush."

He walks towards the Townmaster building, oblivious as to whether anyone in particular follows him.

 Tabesha'l follows a little ways behind the dragonborn, an amused smile playing on her lips, listening to the group's chatter and keeping a sharp eye on the surrounding sights. After a little while, she addresses Vaxis with her soft, musical lilt:

" Forgive my curiosity, friend wyrm'wihr, but I could not help to notice that thou carrieth a... an unwanted guest, mayhap ? Who might thy invisible interlocutor be, whose opinions thou seemeth so intent on discarding ?"

Brutus made sure to dispose of the rotting meat far away from the windmill, ensuring that predators wouldn’t come around.  He has been happily been following the group, allowing them take up the particulars of the matters at hand.  Details never really concerned Him much.  He is enjoying time with his new friends.

Vaxis looks a bit fearful at Tabesha'l's statement and stops for a moment, but quickly regains his composure and carries on.

"I do so hope this townsmaster is okay. Perhaps he knows of a place to pick out a quality suit of armor."

He seems to be changing the subject.

The elf gives the paladin a knowing smile. "... Perhaps." she replies, before continuing on her way in silence, after raising the deep hood of her magus cloak and covering her face in shadows once more.

The party arrives at the front door of a modest two story home. It looked as if it had been neglected, but only recently so...small weeds were sprouting in the rose beds, the front porch appeared unswept and a water bucket beneath a well pump had been standing half full long enough to form a layer of algae around the circumference of its interior.

The sign by the road clearly identified its inhabitant: “Harbin Wester, Esq., Townmaster, Phandalin Mining Outpost”

A knock upon the door is answered sharply from within by a gravelly voice: “Whoever you are...GO AWAY!”

Vaxis bristles in irritation.

"Are you not tribe leader? Why are you turning tribe away? Bahamut does not help those who do not help themselves, and you are not having helping. Allow us inside to speak with you, friend."

(If necessary, Persuausion 12)

Brutus walks up to the door and knocks again, not holding back and pounding the door with his hammer fist.

”Prakt, Strev, Rang, glang byrd. Stomm rang glang du.
Blod ettin er blod kong.  Gi tusen val nul.  Trut zund stommpaart.... that’s a saying for my people, it means Bravery, Effort, and Honor over birth.
The tribe's honor over yours.  The blood of the runt is the blood of a king. Give a thousand for nothing.
Truth is the honor of the tribe.  The truth is, you have people here to help, put yourself aside to serve the one around you, the ones that live here.”

Brutus steps back and looks at the group, his normal naive and dumbfounded look has disappeared.  His face is covered in dissatisfaction.

Barric watches the dragonborn and firbolg banging on the door, waiting for them to finish, smiling at the display. He then speaks up.

"Master Westen, what these two gentlemen are trying to communicate is that we have ensured that the midwife is alive and well and are here to collect our bounty. Although if you are not forthcoming, I do not know how long your door will stand up to their assault."

Intimidation 10

HARBIN WESTER: “Bahamut!? Like the DRAGON? Are you one of them?! Gods have mercy, they go from soaring through the skies, to eating my neighbors to knocking at my own front door! Be gone o foulest of most foul! I’m far too thin and bony to make a good meal!”

Brutus looks and points to the door.  “Do I knock it down now?”  

Yelling back at the man through the door.  “Bones are good for making stew!”

Vaxis eyes go wide and slightly bloodshot. He seems FURIOUS!

"Why you...You gods damned coward! Bahamut is blessing you with life, keeping the dragon from levelling this town, and you call him foul!? You are a poor excuse for chieftan! We even brought the blessing of the Platinum Wyrm upon Lady Adabra Gwynn and made sure she was having life, and yet you still having hatred towards us? I am apalled that you would call yourself chieftan. In my clan, the strongest of the tribe would have challenged you to honorable combat and easily replaced you, for you are weak!"

After he realizes he came off WAY more harsh than he should have, he takes a few breaths and regains his composure.

"I am...sorry. Your fear is having foundation, but you must not hide. Our Platinum Wyrm blesses you, as fearful and timid as you are. PLease...let us break bread and talk."

(If you need a roll of some sort, let me know)

“Gentlemen! Gentlemen!” A voice calls out from behind the party. They look back to find Elmer Barthen hurrying over waving his hands furiously as if calling a halt to a jousting match. “He’s just a frightened old man! He is terrified of dragons and I’m afraid your presence and demeanor,” he says nodding towards Vaxis and Brutus, “is not making things much better!”

”Harbin? Harbin, its Elmer! Don’t worry, they are here to help us!”

Just then, the mail slot slaps open revealing a pair of wide, panicked eyes darting back and forth from Vaxis to Brutus. “Well? What in the hells do you want?!”

Barric pokes his head in front of the mail slot, smiling.

"To be honest, I'm not quite sure what those two want, but I believe you owe us some money. Connak, if you would please?"

He motions to the pouch where Connak had placed the note from Gwynn.

Vaxis first looks at Brutus, "No no...I don't think that is helping. Although you're not wrong. hHold fast on breaking into the cowards house, we will revisit that later. However...I could use some of that hospitality your words drip of, perhaps that would ease the chieftain"

He gives a sidelong glance to Connak, and says "Yes, we completed a task to help the chieftan, and should be rewarded appropriately. A member of the tribe is true to his word."

Vaxis frowns. He speaks to Elmer.

"He is chieftan, is he not? Why does he hide from the very danger that affects his people? He must lead his people and be having protection from dragon. If he has not leading, who will lead the others?" 

Connak digs the note from his belongings and hands it to Barric, while answering clearly loud enough for the townmaster to hear, "There are those who enjoy the prestige of leadership, but are nothing more than puppets that make everyone around them do the real work.  If I wasn't trying to fix my reputation, I'd shoot an arrow right through that mail slot and do this town a favor.  I say we deal with Mr. Barthen here from now on.  I'd be more than willing to give him a cut of our profits so we don't have to be tempted to maim this coward or vandalize his home."

Barrics takes the note and drops it inside. In a low voice, he whispers through the mail slot.

"I do not think you are winning many friends here, Master Wester. If I were in your boots, I would take control of the situation before it takes control of you."

Spending an inspiration point. Intimidation 20

Barric attempts to intimidate Harbin Wester: 12