Lost Mine of Phandelver

"Stop Screaming At Me: How to Converse With Banshees" recites Sildar in a thoughtful tone, turning the worn, white leatherbound volume over in his palms a few times while he unceremoneously appraised the condition of its cover, spine and bindings.

"Not that I have ever encountered her, but an actual banshee is reported to live not far from here...Agatha is her name. Quite powerful too, if the drunkards stories around Phandalin are to be believed," he continues, "though also quite knowledgeable, so I'm told. If the tales are true, anyone bringing Agatha an in item of extrordinary beauty will earn from her a mystical foretelling of the future..."

"Perhaps she may know the fate of the Rockseeker brothers, without having to risk the dagers of tracking them down yourselves, only to find that they may have already perished. Although, I've also heard that if your gift does not properly suit the undead elven maiden's liking, she could, uh....lash out in anger..."

The man slaps the book closed (without having actually read any of its pages) and hands it back to Vanzaren. "Keeping it?" The man questions, "or would you be more inclined to part with it for some small recompense, hmm?" Sildar slaps the bottom of a small sack of coins tied at his waist in such a way as to indicate the hefty girth of currency contained within.

(@Crow: Just to be clear, Sildar has armor and an actual weapon on hand, right?)

"Wouldn't do that." Marcon states calmly to Van; though, he hardly lets his gaze drift for more than a moment away from Sildar, having been watching the man like a hawk. "Not yet, at least. Even if dem stories is true, could be we need it fer getting rid of her if'n she don't take kindly to us visiting." He snorts. "If it comes to it, that is. Tho' I don't see that happening. If there anywhere, then they'll be at dem mines. Where they are hopefully still safe, seeing as the punk arse, cowards hiding behind the scene were still after the map, last we check."

"... which speaking of... hmm.... Garet? Van? I don't s'pose ya'll got magic fer make'n people speak the truth or what not, just out of curiosity?"

Sildar regards Ronk: "How indeed," says Sildar as he takes the tome from Ronk and leafs through it. "Osteroth, hmm...never heard of him. Although I have heard the monastic library at Candlekeep is perhaps the most complete collection of knowledge in all of Faerun. I've never been there, but I have passed it by many times on my way to Amn and Calimshan. What a magnificent sight to behold! Based on the sheer size of the fortress and the number of spires and other visible buildings, it positively boggles the mind to wonder at what secrets it must hold!"

Turning towards Rigel, the man says he has no information concerning Gundren's brothers. "My assumption is that they are still at the mine awaiting Gundren's return, are you planning to go there to check on their welfare? Surely they must be running desperately low on provisions by now."

As their conversation continues, Sildar begins to pull a bedroll from his pack and make himself a place in an available space next to the campfire and comments to no one in particular: "I can assist with the watch if anyone needs extra rest this eve, I'm sure you are all exhausted from your recent ordeal."

Vanzaren eyes Sildar, as if something dawned on him, "Why'd you follow us out here?"

As he asks this, he surveys the area, looking for a bit of flat land. Finding some nearby he stabs his sword into the ground and pulls out his spellbook, which this close up doesn't appear to be like a traditional wizard's. It was smaller for a start, and rather than incantations and symbols he seems to have written the bare minimum needed to actually preform the spells. It reads more like a book of poems or songs. He flips it to the back, and starts to preform a weird type of sword dance. After around ten minutes, he pulls his sword from the ground and a large dome appears from the center and engulfs the half-elf. "Well, that worked!" he says, surprised.

"Follow you?" Sildar questions, almost taken aback by Vanzaren's comment, "Dear boy, I came to find you...perhaps even rescue you, should the situation call for it."

(OOC: the party was traveling south to Phandalin when they encountered Sildar who was traveling northbound.)

"Right," Van says, "because we haven't already proved ourselves as capable of handling danger."

The man stares blankly at Vanzaren for an awkward moment as if not quite sure what to say. "I...I meant no offense sir wizard...you are all, forgive me for saying, quite youthful...not experienced adventurers by any stretch, at least not when we first met. I can assure you my concern is genuine and my intentions pure, but..." he trailed off for a moment while he chose his next words carefully. "If you'd rather I, uhm, remove myself from your affairs," again he goes silent for a moment, "...well, I suppose I can return to Phandalin and deliver word that I found you all alive south of the Thundertree ruins. May we at least agree to travel together there?"

The man gestures with his palms upturned as he speaks and a look of shock and confusion quickly falls across his face at the cold reception he recieved from the party.

Van seems to shake something off, "Sorry Sildar, but you'll have to forgive our unwelcoming reception. Last time we met someone Gundren and us thought an ally, he stabbed Gundren and turned out not to be who we thought they were."

Ronk, remembering that punching Gundren's "Brother" felt weird, reaches out to poke Sildar's face, seeing if it feels similarly weird or just like a face.

Rigel swats at Ronk arm, "Hey now don't be rude. My apologies Sildar. As Van pointed out we encountered a shape shifter. Now we're all a little on edge. You'll have to forgive us if we seem a little distrustful. So thank you for your concern. You are welcome to stay. To answer your question, we planned on stopping for supplies in Phandelin before going to join Gundren brothers."

Taking Van's dance to be some sort of ritual of truth telling, what with the lack of verbal response to his question, Marcon settled in to wait and watch. "Speaking of plans, I don't suppose you can remind us as to why you stayed behind in the first place, "Sildar"? 'cause last I checked, you were pretty set on hanging back until we returned. Dead. Set on it.... which was fine, consider'n the situation 'n all, but.... I ain't buy'n this recent story 'bout come'n out to help. 'specially not by yerself after getting yer arse handed to ya by a bunch of goblins and one lone bugbear.... So, ya wanna run that story by us again, or gonna quit the act and start speaking plainly."

Intimidation: 16.

Ronk shrugs. "At least I didn't punch him to find out..."

Insight: 3 vs. Intimidation: 16 (Marcon)

Clearly exacerbated with the group already, Marcon's attempt to bully and demean the man takes him from feeling insulted to just plain angry. He stands and reaches inside his cloak towards his waist (raising some alarm among the others that he was going for a weapon) but instead produces a small leather pouch which he throws at Marcon (OOC: not an attack.)

The bag hits the young warrior in the chest, coming open in the process, spilling more gold coins than any of them had ever seen out onto the ground. "There...500 gold coins, for Gundren's safe return, just like I promised. Now our business is concluded. I suggest ye take that sum o' money and pay someone to teach ye some manners," said Sildar, clearly indignant.

The old warrior reaches down to grab his crossbow, backpack and bolt case and slings them over his shoulder. He pulls a torch out of his pack, holds it into the open campfire to light it, and without another word turns and sternly marches off into the gloomy darkness of the Neverwinter Plains.

"Happy?" Says Rigel as he shoots a stern look at Marcon before running after Sildar. ( he'll cast  zephyr strike to catch up if needed. Without the strike of course. Outpacing anyone in order to get to Sildar first.)

Upon catching up with the man Rigel says "Sildar wait! Please! Marcon is a hot head with little sense and as I said that shape shifter really has our guard up. No offense was meant I assure you. He was only trying to make sure you were who you said you were. We're glad to see you just surprised is all. I have no doubt on could handle yourself out here but you shouldn't risk being out here alone. We've still got Hobgoblins among other things looking for us and for Gundren. I'd hate to have them find you alone instead. Please. Come back with me. Any more improprieties and I'll leave with you. Okay?"

Persuasion: 22

 Marcon immediate reaction was not to stand fully, but rather roll forward somewhat, ready to pounce the moment the man so much brought to bear a blade. As a result, he's less prepared to catch the coin pouch, and in a brief moment of panic, put a hand to his chest, expecting an injury but seeing coin spilled about instead. Confused, and then annoyed at Sildar's comment, Marcon settled back into his seat to watch the man walk off into the gloom.

If he had any remorse for what he'd done, Rigel and the rest would see none of it. As he'd only just say with a smile in response to Rigel's rhetorical question, "Yep." But the smile soon faltered into another scowl seeing Rigel run off after the man. At which point, Marcon shook his head, looked back to the coinage on the ground, and then huffed, kicking some of the coinage away if somebody hadn't been in the process of gathering it up. In any event after, and if Sildar should return, not only would Marcon refuse sleeping in Van's eventually conjured dome, but silently promise himself not to sleep that night or any other after so long as the Sildar was with them. Not until they got back in town. 

Garet shrugs his arms "You nn.know R..Ronk" continues calmly while looking around for any suspicious things in surroundings "I am s..suprised h..humans are n..not e..endangered animal" 

Perception 24

Marcon straightens up in his seat for just a moment after Garet's comment, and then side-eyes the Firbolg with a glare. However, its not until he huffs and looks back over to where Rigel and Sildar walked off to that he said flatly, "Well it certainly helps that not all of us are chicken shits about killing when the time comes for it. Especially when some malevolent punk ass threatens the lives of those around us, and ain't above taking advantage of some dumbasses kindness." 

There's a brief pause after that, before he grimaces and adds, "It also helps that humans can breed with just about anyone and thing--" He looks up to Vanzaren. "Even with those it ain't exactly... advisable... No offense, Van.. But, unless both yer parents are half-elves, I... Well, I'm sure you've heard enough stories 'bout when it ain't the case." 

Ronk shrugs. "Most of the people at the Temple of the Tranquil Serpent were human. They could fend for themselves all right. I could punch better though."

"I see.. They just seem v..very eager to f..fight with e..everything e..even themselves"..Garet pauses for minute "m..maybe that is why my f..father had lot of w..work as a m..mercenary"

"Oh, I'm not sure about that," Vanzaren says while working on his ritual. "I think everyone is looking for a fight with someone."