"For sure, best to take stock, get a night's rest and maybe spend next day preparing for this next job, if able, set off the day after tomorrow. Beside prep costs, i think money from the job should be banked just in case. The last job is just enough to cover running this place," Fyste stated  after going through the contract for details, "I only like relaxing when I have buffer of gold against shock," Fyste would like to leave the manor and use his criminal connections to try and get an idea of the criminal elements in the general region is like. 

"I was not here for your first contract fulfillment, so I will not take part of your payout for that, or in anything you recieved while exicuting the contract."  Leann says with a shrug.  "My vote is to head out to check on these dwarfs right away, since there is no telling when they could run into the dragon, and be caught unaware...  we won't get paid if they are already eaten..."

"Perhaps compromise, take the evening tonight and morning tomorrow to prepare and introduce ourselves around town, the just after lunch head out to the dwarves, sleep on the road, and arrive fresh, spend the rest of the day and night there then continue to the gnomes. Does that work?"

"Makes sense to stop by the gnomes on the way back."  Kass puts in, pulling a map case from where it lay next to her chair.  "I was able to get this wile you were dealing with the midwife issue, since I knew it was something you wanted."  Kass pulls a map from the case and rolls it out, revealing a fairly decent map of the general area.  It is not well-detailed, with only a few roads and locations indicated.  You see the gnome stronghold marked to the Southeast of Phandalin, with the Dwarven Excavation marked to the Southwest of Phandalin.  Due West of the Dwarven Excavation is a town named Leilon, which is located on the High Road between Neverwinter and Waterdeep, near the Mere of Dead Men.  Other sites are mentioned as well, and we can discuss those as they come up IC.

"Thank you Kass I will add my notes from the adventure with the midwife to this map and update things as we go along. Was that all we needed to discuss as I have a craving for some ale that needs to be addressed very quickly. Till tomorrow then." Reginald replies.

Kass smiles and gets to her feet.  "Till tomorrow then..." She agrees.

"I'll get a tankard or two with you."  Leann says with a hearty smile, getting to her feet with a clink of chain mail.  "I've not looked around town yet, so lead on..."

"Well then Leann, we will discover it together as we have not seen much of it either. One would assume they have a tavern in town, this way." And with that Reginald will lead Leann out of the manor and into town looking for a tavern.

You can easily find the Stone Hill Inn, right across the main road in town from the Town Hall.  It is the only tavern in the town.

Let me know if there is anything else you are doing in town before leaving.  Do you plan on leaving in the morning, traveling during the day, or in the afternoon, and camping out, getting to the excavation earlier in that next day?  Let me know the plans there as well.

Fyste would like to leave the manor, wandering around the town and use his criminal connections to try and get an idea of any criminal elements in the general region. 

Reginald would enjoy a drink or two talking to the townsfolk, introducing himself and letting the townsfolk know about the company and basically just rubbing elbows with the townsfolk. Trying to find or listen to any rumor or folklore about the town and surrounding area. Will let the townsfolk know they can hire us to help out with anything after our current jobs are done. He will also want to know what the townsfolk think of their town master.

[OOC: I would say we leave at first light to travel to the dwarves.]

Seruk will write up the encounter with the manticore, mentioning the midwife as an aside, including all the detail we got from it about the dragon and area and give it to the documancer to distribute amongst the company and main office. He will then spend the rest of the evening examining the spines

Alchemy: 11

Last Tree Standing is in complete agreement with Reginald's plan.  She spends some time getting to know the neighbors, and gets a good nights sleep in preparation of an early start.

Those who are out chatting and socializing with the townsfolk hear the following rumors:

“Once again, the orcs have come down from the mountains to prey on the lowlands! If Neverwinter doesn’t send help soon, the orcs will overrun Phandalin and destroy everything we’ve worked so hard to rebuild.”
“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.”
“Strange magic pervades Neverwinter Wood, confounding navigators and obscuring the ancient ruins of bygone kingdoms lost in its depths.”
“Falcon’s Hunting Lodge is the only safe haven in Neverwinter Wood. It lies deep in the forest along a river’s edge, and wealthy nobles venture there to hunt while under Falcon’s protection. Falcon is a retired veteran of many wars, and it’s said he’ll offer free room and board to anyone who brings him a bottle of wine.”
“West of Phandalin, on the coast, is an old stone lighthouse. Ships are drawn to this gleaming tower like moths to a flame, and are doomed to crash upon its rocks. Their wrecks must be filled with treasure!”
“Some folk claim to have seen a dragon flying through the high clouds. At that distance, it’s hard to gauge the creature’s size, but some say it’s as big as an elephant and has gleaming white scales.”

Reginald would take great interest and ask the locals would told me the rumors if they could point out their potential locations on the map and make a note of them. Keeping a list of what the designations mean on a separate sheet so as to now completely cover the map with nonsense if they do not work out. Taking particular interest in the rumor about the Orc's and when we talk to the Town Master again will bring it up. If we are to establish ourselves in this area, we might want to make sure we have an "area" to establish.

Then he will head off back to the manor for a good nights rest.

Next day, Fyste will get a hooded lantern and 5 flasks of oil for it, with company funds if possible, otherwise with his funds. After finishing up, he will look for the group so they make their journey to the Dwarves. 

Lantern + 5 flask of oil = 10g, 5s

Seruk will be waiting for the others at the edge of town at first light. Practicing martial routines that might look more impressive with a sword rather than a staff.

Last Tree Standing sighs when Fyste submits his receipts, and grumbles a bit, but hands over the loot, saying, "I bet you guyz could see in the dark if you just triez hard enough. Okay, that was 10 for schmoozing, 10 and 5 for light, and we haz 4 gold 5 silver left in our operating budget."

[[ooc: sorry for my absence, life stuff.]]

"I think the plan as it stands is okay. I personally would like to take over or assist with any negotiations with the midwife.  I know her business pretty well."

"Until we try hard enough, this will do. I think only you and the new girl. . . Leann? can see in the dark I think," Fyste said as he pats the lantern and heading to meeting point for traveling to the Dwarf JOb.