The BFOAGWGH

Twiglet sees several of the party spending some of their new gold on equipment and, with wide eyes, asks the storekeep to see their clothes in halfling sizes. The range is meagre, but obviously knowing the type of hobbit who might come to such a place, it is mostly serviceable travelers' clothes. Twiglet chooses boots, hose, a jerkin and cloak in muted greys and browns and disappears into a corner to try them on. The storekeep almost goes to catch Twiglet before he can run off, his instinct getting the better of him before the sight of the rest of the party remind him that this isn't a common thief. The storekeep's worried look relaxes when Twiglet returns, dressed in the new clothes. Twiglet also chooses a workman-like dagger from a small display and a set of lock-picks in a soft, leather pouch, to which he adds his own, worn set. Then the little hobbit takes great pride in paying for the goods.

Staying at an inn as a guest is also a new experience for Twiglet. No one in this little town knows him. In his new clothes he could be anyone...the son of a wealthy merchant...or a deadly adventurer. No, wait, he IS a deadly adventurer and killer of goblins (if you ignore the effect the shock had on him). He sits at a table with a big grin on his face and tucks into a bowl of the inn's stew.

Ro sits in the darkest corner of the table with her hood up and alternates between shoveling in food, trying to get Twiglet to help her teach Tallanvor sign language, and discreetly throwing ball bearings one at a time into Sildar's drink when he's not looking.

If no one has any other ideas, Twiglet suggests to Ro that he plans to watch the Redbrands for a while, to get a sense of the scale and competence of their operations. 

This is something Twiglet would want to do for himself, if he’s going to be in this town for any length of time, but he hopes the party will thank him for too. 

The idea would be to quietly break into an attic or hayloft with views over the inn they habituate. If there’s no easy access, Twiglet is happy behind a chimney or gargoyle too. Ten he would watch for half a day, looking for numbers, organisation, leaders, weapons etc. 

‘Any town will have a thieves gang of some sort’ he suggests, ‘but they can be the better or worse kind.’

Humblodt feels drawn to the shrine. He wasn't aware of it beforehand, but now he can feel it's presence and it calls to him. He hefts his staff and his sack o' goblin and follows his instinct.

Twiglet's watch on the Sleeping Giant is for the most part uneventful. You see around 10 people of different races come and go from the tavern all wearing the red cloak which seems to be their gang's uniform and shortswords. From your time as a thief you recognise their kind, cruel and mean muscle, like those who shake down places in your home city for protection money. Your experience of those sort of people tells you that there is probably a mastermind behind them controlling and directing them. All those that leave the tavern seem to head east towards the ruined house on the hill surrounded by forest.

Humblodt makes his way to his God's shrine and finds a young elf, who looks wounded and exhausted, tending to it. Her clothing marks her as a priest of the Daghdha and she recognises Humblodt as a fellow follower. "Greetings brother to our humble shrine. Let me know if I can be of any assistance." 

Whenever the party next congregate in the inn, Twiglet relays this information. "You know, someone might pay for those thugs to be run out of town...I've never liked that sort. They give thieves a bad name"

Curious about his plans for the goblin, Ro trails after Humblodt and joins him just as he reaches the shrine. She hands him a note she had tried to write while she was hurrying to catch up with him. The writing is unusually messy from her trying to write and walk at the same time.

"What you going to do with the goblin? "

Tallanvor contents himself with conversing with the locals at the Inn for the evening. He keeps an eye out for Gundren and will help tend his wounds if nobody else is up to the task and ask about his friends and the current situation if he sees him.

Otherwise he will try to get as much information out of the locals as he can. He's always been good at losing at dice, so he might be able to loosen some tongues when they are happy with their earnings. 
Passive Insight: 15
Passive Perception: 15

And get very drunk while doing so. He's a happy drunk though. A charisma of 15 after all.

"Well met. I am Humblodt Rumnaheim. I must admit, I was not expecting to find a shrine to the Dagdha here, especially one so well tended."

He realises that Ro has been hurrying to catch up with him and takes the proffered, scrawled note. He squints at it for a long moment before giving a short guffaw. "Seems this young acolyte is wondering what kind of offering I am to make to my diety. You have a cauldron, I presume?"

"I'd be happy to accompany you to Linene to return her belongings and learn more about those attacks. Maybe there's something we can help with...for a few gold pieces..."

Ro starts to shake her head, but then she remembers that she has money now. She holds up a gold piece and points back towards the general store.

"I do indeed. Give me a minute and I shall go and collect it" She walks, obviously in pain, towards a storage cupboard to one side of the shrine and returns with a large cauldron which she places on the fire in front of the altar.

Meanwhile, Tallanvor's attempts to get information are going well. He overheads a table complaining about the Redbrands,

"They harassed me again earlier demanding more food and blankets", 

"They have being getting bolder and bolder. I think everyone is getting targeted these days. Thel Dendrar stood up to them last week and he and his family haven't been seen since."

"Everyone but the Miner's Exchange. They are scared of Halia.",

"To be fair, would you want to cross Halia?"

Tallanvor finds a table where some locals are playing dice, who warmly welcome him. One of them, a miner who is already pretty drunk by his look, says "Evening traveller, any news from the road? Haven't seen the dragon flying around have you?"

One of his friends says "Ignore Oisin, he has been claiming that he saw a dragon flying around when he was returning from the mines out east. We all think he probably just saw a hawk while drunk."

"I don't know, Ailbhe said she saw something large and green flying over the northern forest when she was at her logging camp"

"And you believe her and not me? Besides what I saw wasn't green."

Tallanvor attempts to find out more about both the gang and the dragon:

In regard to the Redbrands:

• "The miner's exchange, have they put together some sort of resistance?"
• "Halia, be that the leader of the Redbrands? Where can we find Halia, are they ever seen in town?"

In regards to the Dragon:

• Guffaws. "In all seriousness, tis not like a miner t' go t' work drunk. Best way t' find yerself not breathin' come mornin. Oisin what is it that ye saw that day? What color was it and where was it heading? I've been meaning to find a new parrot anyhow! (in jest)"
• If Ailbhe is there, question her further as well as to what she saw as well.

Barthen smiles, "Of course, just follow Fionn and he will introduce you."  XiaoLong walks down the trail and sees the wagon parked outside the blue building. The captive you rescued is being helped inside with a stern woman over seeing. She turns as you walk up, "Ahh, so you must be one of the travellers who reclaimed my goods and cleared out the bandits who have been attacking them. I am Linene Graywind and I run the local branch. Thank you for that. We have been losing a lot of our shipments and the drivers recently. This one seems to be in pretty bad shape, but hopefully Sister Garaele can help mend him. Come inside, your good deed should be rewarded." You follow her inside and she reaches under the counter and hands you a very full coinpurse containing 70GP. "Have you heard about our recent Redbrand troubles? What do you think of them?"

"From what I have heard, they haven't put up any resistance, but the Redbrands who tried to bother the exchange left empty handed and haven't been seen around town since. No one knows who leads the Redbrands, just that it is someone they call Glass-staff. Halia can be found in the Miner's Exchange to the south.

Oisin:

"I saw it in the evening when I was walking back to town. It was the size of an elephant with wings bigger than this here inn. It was white as snow. I don't know where it was heading, looked like it was hunting."

Ailbhe isn't around, but she might return in a few days from what you gather

Humblodt winces at the obvious discomfort of the elf, exclaiming, "please allow me to assist" as he helps manhandle the small, but obviously heavy item. With a skyward glance* he states firmly, "When the moon reaches its zenith I shall return for the ritual - and to ensure your wounds are properly healed. Perchance you could tell me what ill-fortune befell you? And, perhaps, your name?"

"Thank you. I was asked to travel to the shrine of Savras near Conyberry out west by the faithful. There are legends of an altar there with a truth-speaker bound to it. I was to go and ask about the Lia Aengus, but was attacked by an orc patrol. I was lucky to escape with my life."

Ro follows Humblodt back to the inn, stopping along the way to buy more pencils and paper.

"Thank you Linene. I have only heard rumours. What do you know about them and how are they causing troubles ? Do you know who leads them and where to find him/her ?"

After Linene replies, XiaoLong is going to meet the rest of the gang at the recommended inn. Have a nice meal, share the 70gp and share what she's learned about the Renbrands.

"They appeared a few months ago and have been recruiting from the area. No one knows who leads them, only that they call themselves Glass-staff. There are usually a few of them in the Sleeping Giant tavern, but I have heard rumours that they are based in the ruined manor on the east of town." She looks around to check that there is no one nearby, then leans close and whispers "If some trustworthy travellers were to decide to do something about them, I might be able to assist them with some special stock."