Lost Mine of Phandelver

Rigel rises as the unicorn leaves. The slight shock of the moments events is suddenly broken by Gundren's cries. Shaking off the awe, Rigel sticks his head back into the tower, "Hey Van! Gundren's up! Grab what you will and lets go before he gets out of hand." Rigel starts for Reidroth's hovel.

"Consider'n they'll be more likely poached coming with us at this point... prolly for the best. Give'm time to get used to their new forms, and maybe even learn a thing or two from Mr. Rediroth." Marcon admits, nodding in solemn agreement. "Course you'd have to prolly convince'm tho'. The whole, uh... not sure what to call it, but our whole thing with them before aside, they'd be just as likely to run off altogether then stick around if they have half a mind to do it now they got wings." He adds, looking to the pair of mini wrestlers.

Shaking his head, Marcon opts to leave Garet to talk with the goblins while he carried on ahead back for Rediroth's place

Hearing the commotion coming from his modest home, Reidoth the druid utters a few quiet words under his breath and then literally steps into the trunk of a tree next to the tower cottage just as if he was walking through any other door. The party cannot see where he went, but as Rigel leads them back down the steep hillside to the ruined villiage below, he can hear Gundren now directing his ire at someone:

"You there! Neckbeard! This trash heap yer place? Well where's me map, huh?! You better....."

The dwarf's words are quickly cut short for some unknown reason and the ranger and his allies feel the sudden urge to rush towards the druid's hovel. When they arrive a few moments later, they see Gundren standing in the doorway of Reidoth's home and nearly all of the druid's possessions scattered about the lawn and dirt path in front of the building.

He was frozen in place...not literally cold frozen, but rather like time had simply stopped for him while the rest of the world kept going. An angry scowl was fixed on his face, his mouth hanging open in mid-tirade with his lips curled back over his teeth the way a dog looks when threatened. The living statue was thrusting a stubby, accusatory finger at Reidoth who stood a few feet away, casually scratching at his scraggly beard. Pale white smoke curled out of the head of his wooden staff.

"He disrespected the beard," says Reidoth in calm explanation as the others approach.

Ronk nods slowly at the druid's words. "Oh... Yeah, I can see that being rude..." He waves at the still-frozen dwarf.

"Honestly? I'm kinda surprised he did, being a dwarf 'n all. But, I guess by that same notion, they have a bit more of a stronger opinion on the subject." Marcon adds, frowning a little at the general scene. "But uh... mind if we talk to 'im tho'? No rush, all things considered, but... sooner we can help him maybe get out of your hair, the sooner ya don't have to worry 'bout'im yerself, ya?" He said to Rediroth, then looked to the others as if seeking back up confirmation.

Rigel unslings the map case containing the map as he gets closer to Marcon and Reidoth. He says, "I have his map. Go ahead and let him loose." 

"Hmm, well before I release him from his prison, I would need to be certain that he is going to behave himself," says Reidoth as he walks over to Rigel. "But I have an idea that might work." The druid takes the map case from Rigel, opens it and pulls out the dusty, crudely drawn map. He then unrolls it and holds it open right in front of the frozen dwarf for a few brief moments before rolling it back up and replacing it in its container. He then drapes the sling of the map case over the dwarf's finger and says to Gundren: "Sir dwarf, I don't have your map....YOU have your map. I'm going to let you go now, but if you don't calm down, you're going right back in, ok? Just so we're clear. Also, these brave young people and I just fought and killed a dragon which resulted in you being brought back from...wherever dead dwarves go...so a little courtesy would be appreciated. Fair?"

Reidoth then takes several steps back and bows his head. A second later, the white smoke coming from the druid's staff extinguishes. Gundren regains the full control of his body and immediately collapses to the ground, clutching the map case close to him. "Nundro..." they hear him say quietly.

Vanzaren gives Gundren a hearty and friendly slap on the back, "Welcome back Gundren!"

"That wasn't Nundro, Gundren. It was a creature that took the form of Nundro. I'm sure where ever he is he's fine. Now, if you're up to it, I think it only fair you help us put Reidoth's stuff back inside." Says Rigel as he begins to gather articles and take them back inside.

"Yea... wait, what?" Marcon looks sharply to Rigel. But then a second later his eyes went wide. "Oh yea... that thing... yea.... yea.." He says, trailing off and looking away frowning for a moment or two. Then with a shake of his head and no other word, Marcon follows Rigel's example, unless the Druid rejected the moving of any more of his stuff, well intention though they may be in trying to help.

After all that, Marcon speaks up again. "So, uh... I'd still like to deal with those cultist 'fore we skeedadle, assuming we'd even make any progress at this point back south. So, ya think you and Mr. Rediroth here can get along long enough fer us to go with that fer we head out?" He asked Gundren. "Also, where and when was the last time ya see ya this Nundro?"

Gundren climbs back to his feet and slings the map case cross-shoulder and tightens the strap down all the way to pull his precious cargo as close to his body as possible. "This Nundro, is me brother ye dolt," he fires off at Marcon "an' the last time I seen him was at the Mine of the Phandelvers just before I left for Neverwinter. Went there to get supplies...the same ones I paid yer traveling companions here to deliver to Phandalin fer me. I went ahead of them to get back to Nundro and Tharden but got waylayed by a bunch of damned goblins on the way. They took Sildar one direction...I think they planned to eat him! Took me to that stinkin' castle...overrun with goblins, hobgoblins and that crusty bugbear. You wouldn't believe the filth! Ain't nuthin' more filthy than a damned goblinoid...they'll just poop wherever they stand! Like goats that live indoors....bah!"

Gundren notices Ronk out of the cornerof his eye and stiffins a little as if waiting to see if Ronk was going to take issue with what he'd said, but Gundren offered no apologies. Looking back at the others, he continued: "Grol was talking to someone about The Black Spider....apparently this Spider fella is the one what hired Grol and his goblins to hunt me down. They was negotiating to trade me and me map to him. Nundro and Tharden is prolly worried sick by now! By Moradin, if that stinkin' bugbear knows how to read that map, then he could have me brothers already!"

Gundren quickly begins to help Rigel pick up the druid's possessions. "Sorry 'bout the beard thing," he says to Reidoth "it's not bad fer a human." The druid nods in silent acceptance of Gundren's apology. With armfulls of stuff, Gundren walks back inside the hovel and let's go, dropping everything to the floor, "I need yer help," he says to the party while scooping up more stuff, "I gots to get to the mine an' make sure Nundro and Tharden is alright! I can pay ye each 25 gold...up front if he hit Phandalin first...but we got to get me brothers from that mine before the Black Spider gets to 'em! Will ye helps me?"

As Gundren tells his tale Rigel tries to stifle a snicker when the dwarf describes the goblinoids, instead snorting "Tried to tell em." under his breath.

Rigel looks at the rest and says, "I'm for seeing this through to the end." Returning his gaze to Gundren he says, " But as my Barbarian friend here said we have a bit of unfinished business here first. Shouldn't take long. Oh and we should definitely stop at Phandellin first. I'm sure Sildar would be happy to see you alive" 

(Gonna make a retroactive History check to see if Marcon even knows who/what Melikki is: 7. (Same bonus if religion))

Marcon immediately glared at the dwarf, but had at least the patience, if not enough curiosity enough to hear the rest. None of which appears to lighten his mood. If anything, assuming he catches Rigel's remark, Marcon's expression only darkens by the mid point. And yet, clearly unable to completely refute the remarks, even if some had to be exaggerated, ex-farmhand just crosses his arms at that point, and put on a more neutral mask.

"Yea. What he said." Thumbing Rigel's general direction. "And unless that goblin had already traded yer brothers, he ain't exactly alive and kick'n no more to be reading any maps. So fer now at least, assum'n that Black Spider really does need that map.... Wait-..." He looks sharply to Rigel. "Barbarian? Excuse me, Nature Boi? Jus' cuz' I prefer use'n my fist, can take an actual punch, and ain't all "civilized" as some city slickers, that don't make me no barbarian now. I was namely a farmhand 'fore all this." 

Hearing Gundren's comments about goblinoids, Ronk lifts his arm and takes a quick sniff of himself. He shrugs, not really seeing what the problem is. 

"We've come this far. Might as well keep going."

"I..w..will g..go where y.. you d..decide" says Garet still totally amazed by meeting his goddess. 

He moves to Gob-Pegasi not sure about whole thing yet " a..are y..you good ...lads? " and tries to pat them

Rigel says, "Okay then so why don't I go take a look and see what exactly we're dealing with." He starts shedding any non essential gear. "The rest should stay here and be ready. I promise I won't make a move without you but if I get discovered I'll be bringing them back in a hurry. Maybe everyone could hold at the half way point just in case."

If everyone agrees Rigel will head directly east past the smithy to the herbalist shop then down to the second building in from the east. He will stop as soon as he sees any activity. He will protest any but Ronk coming with him since Ronk has his own ways of being stealthy.

Stealth:27

Perception: 24

"We just got through fight'n a freaking dragon. Granted, we had a bit of help 'n all, but I doubt these guys are a bigger threat than that." Marcon says dryly. "BUT.... if you insist, then fine. I assume taking a look yer planning to be all, uh.. stealthy or whatever. But even so-..." He looks at everyone gathered about before settling on Ronk. "Ya mind goin' wit'im as back'up, just in case things go sideways?"

Marcon recalls from the brief religion techings that his mother had given him that "Meilikki" was some sort of nature deity. Reflecting back on how impressed Rigel and Garet had been at the apprearance of the unicorn, he shruggs to himself in a "makes sense now" sort of gesture.

Rigel and Ronk crept past the old smithy towards the east side of town. The small building features a wide chimney and rotted piles of firewood jumbled outside its crumbling walls. Looking inside the old smithy, the ranger sees variety of old tools: tongs, bellows, hammers, and a pair of iron anvils scattered around the interior. Two unoccupied zombies sit on the floor of the place moving thier arms about in random motions.

Quietly moving across the lane, the pair come to the herbalist shop, which Rigel remembers being mentioned by the woman they saved from the Redbrands' captivity back in Phandalin. This ruined shop is cluttered with sagging storage shelves and broken furniture. Shards of glass and pieces of pottery glint in the weeds and rubble next to rotted books and casks. All the reagents and concoctions scattered about seem to have long since been ruined, and the books are unreadable masses of rot.

Fromt the corner of the herbalist shop, RIgel looks north to see what appears to have once been the town square. Looking behind the shop to the east, his view is blcoked by more large overgrown bush and another small crumbling building, but beyond that he can see the corners of another larger structure peeking out over the top. He hears a couple of muffled voices, but cannot see the individuals through the thick overgrowth.

Rigel whispers to Ronk, "Lets try and get closer." 

Rigel tries to get a better vantage point from which to see the voices and maybe hear what is being said.

Stealth: 22

Ronk nods and crouches down as he starts to creep forward himself.

Stealth: 11