The BFOAGWGH

Twiglet relays anything he learns to the others. “These thugs have marked this place as safe, which means they are somehow in partnership with the owner...we should be careful”

(I’m at the sales...hope to check in more later today or early in New Year) happy new year everyone

"If the thugs here are in partnership with the mining guild, it is more complicated than I thought" suggests Twiglet. "It doesn't really match their sloppy behaviour...If the mining guild are the root of the problem, they may have hired whatever ruffians they could find to act as a hidden hand for them." Twiglet is already heading for Barthan's Store. "I think we need to talk to Gundren if he is well enough to see us...his friends could have valuable information if we can find them

Ro follows after Twiglet, keeping her hood up in the hopes that passersby will think she's another halfling

At Barthen's, you find Gundren has recovered from the ambush and is talking with Sildar. "My friends, Sildar has told me of your good deeds clearing out that cave and that you delivered the supplies to Barthen. I hope I can persuade you to continue travelling with me to find my brothers at the Wave Echo Cave?" 

"Gundren", Sildar says sternly, "are you forgetting something? Maybe, why you hired such a large party to explore those caves?" 

"Yes, fine Sildar. There might be some creatures that are making the caverns surrounding our prize their homes. But Nundro has scouted out the caverns well and will have made camp somewhere far from the wandering undead." 

Sildar looks shocked at this last sentence. "UNDEAD! You told me that the creatures were normal cave beasts."

"Relax, Nundro said that as long as you stay out of sight, they are harmless, but some might be 'armless." He smiles turning to the party, "The entrance we found into the caverns is about 15 miles east of here, if you would like to accompany me?"

Twiglet frowns and signs to whoever can understand:

[This my surprised face]

Humblodt looks resigned, having expected as much - or worse. “Let’s go before your brothers end up joining the ranks of the undead. No time to lose, this doesn’t sound like a situation that’s under control. Damn fool Rockseekers.”

*Not-Dead Not-Dangerous...like Gundren Say?" Twiglet signs to Ro.... "I never see"

[That some serious bullshit. Not-dead is worse even than goblins. Goblins is cruel and they is eating people sometimes, but at least they is killing you first.]

[Gundren is nice for hiring a goblin maybe, but he is either lying or stupid and now I think we should no trust him.]

"Well, isn't that what clerics do?" says Twiglet, turning to Humblodt, "You hunt zombies and stuff?....I've never even seen one". It looks like another new experience for Twiglet...this sounds more interesting. There's no harm putting some poor soul back in their grave...and don't zombies guard long forgotten hoards of gold...or something

"Undead be not a problem when ye have the light on yer side" Tallanvor chimes in. 

"A fine view Tallanvor. I hope your travels go well. I will stay here and investigate Iarno's disappearance. Hopefully I can convince the townmaster to allow me to enter his hall and talk to him. Until we meet again my friends." Sildar says his goodbyes and leaves heading into town

Gundren takes one of the wagons that transported goods and you set out on the road. The trail heads towards the mountains to the East. Gundren eventually takes the wagon off the path and heads across the rocky ground towards one particular peak. He stops the wagon and hurries up a slope. Following him, he brings you to a large crack in the mountain which he enters.

The entrance tunnel leads into a large cavern supported by a natural pillar of rock and containing three stalagmites. In the western part of the cave, behind the column of rock, are two bedrolls and a few supplies — an empty sack of flour, bags of salt, an open pack of salted meat, lanterns, flasks of lamp oil, pickaxes, shovels, and other gear. Amid the supplies, you see the body of a dwarf miner, dead for at least a few days. Gundren lets out a mighty scream and runs to the body crying.

Humblodt will scan around for obvious signs of danger (perception 19) then, if it appears safe for now, approach the corpse and try to ascertain what caused the deceased demihuman to shuffle off this mortal coil (medicine 19).

You do not spot any danger in the cavern, but notice that the dust on the floor has been badly disturbed leading towards the far end of the room. The floor drops suddenly there,is but a rope has been tied to a pillar and thrown down to the lower level.

At the dwarf's body, Gundren is kneeling and crying "It's Tharden. Oh little brother!"

Tharden looks to have been more of a fighter than his brother. His body is covered in wounds and bruises that someone had been treating with limited healing supplies. However it is obvious that the large stab wound in his chest is the cause of death.

Seeing the dead body, Ro draws both of her swords and edges towards the back of the cavern. When the party is ready to proceed, she'll hold one of the scimitars with her teeth, shimmy down the rope, pull out a whistle she bought before they left town, and then attempt to stealthily scout ahead.

Stealth check: 8

You don't see any enemies after you shimmy down the rope. There are two exits from the lower half of the room, one north and one to the east both leading to tunnels

Does it look like the knife wound to the chest was more recent than the other wounds? Humblodt is wondering if he was slain on his sickbed, or whether he just died of his wounds.

The fatal stab wound is the only one that looks to be fresh, the others had started to heal.