Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

The party heads west on the old road back to Saltmarsh, the old house now out of sight. The morning is cold and grim.

You barely travel a hundred yards, when a burly dwarf, soaking wet and bleeding at the cheek, his arms manacled behind his back, stumbles out onto the roadway in front of you.

     Fianna quickly, but with care, puts Lucky’s remains down so as to have her hands free and be ready for whatever this turns out to be.

     “Ummmm... hi?” Fianna says warily.  “And just what are you running from?”

Katernin approaches the dwarf as they set Lucky down, "My goodness, we you in that ship wreak from a couple of days ago?"

((Would any of us recognize the dwarf from the ship?))

"Well met, travellers.  My name be Dain. Apologies for the rude interruption but I had the recent misfortune ta be mugged by some unpleasant folk here abouts.  There is every possibility that they might be following me up from the sea cave yonder which I just escaped from.  One of them is a magic user too, I warn ye.  I'd suggest getting off the path soon in case they come or they might look to add you to their list of captives.   Oh, and I don't suppose any of ye can pick locks?" 

Dain will show the travellers his manacled wrists.

     “A magic user too?  As in you’re one and they are too?  Or that they’re unpleasant and one is a magic user?” Fianna asks.  “And how would we be knowing you didn’t escape from some local authorities?”

     Even as Fianna is expressing her skepticism she’s also pulling out the Thieve’s Tools she removed from Lucky and trying her own hand at using them to undo the dwarf’s shackles.

14  (+2 more if it’s sleight of hand, not just a fed save.)

"I means they appears to be led by a practitioner of the mystic arts.  And they have some orange-faced humanoid muscle too.  Now, if yer don't believe me, I'm happy to lead you all down to the sea cave and you can see for yerselves.  In fact, if you happens to 'ave a hammer, an axe or even a sword I can borrow I've half a mind ta head back down there now, once these chains is off.  They have my gear and I want it back.  Plus I wouldn't be minding a bit of revenge too, if you gets me drift?"

Dain does what he can to aid Fianna in unlocking the manacles, being as helpful as possible.  (OOC: not sure if I can Help Fianna to give her Advantage?)

"Oh, and I'm no mage me self, no.  Dain Ironforge, at yer service.  Best smith in the region even if I does say so me self.  You've probably heard of me?"

“We... are so horribly poor. I don’t have any weapons or anything for you.” Molo curls his fists around a dagger.

With Lucky's tools, Fianna manages to make quick work of Dain's manacles. Dain is free.

Dain does a double take when he realizes the diminutive creature in front of him is a kobold.  What the heck?  A kobold?  Well, the rest of them seem pretty normal, I suppose.  I guess this is the frontier lands after all.  Bet 'e smells though.

"You have my thanks, half-elf," he says to Fianna, as he rubs his wrists to get the blood flowing again.  "Where are you coming from and where are you headed to?"

     Unlocking the manacles, Fianna puts them into he bag along with the thieve's tools.  The manacles may come in handy some time.  

     "I am Fianna," she says.  "Nice to meet ya, Dain.  This is Molo and Katernin and Kelnan."  She nods to each in turn.  

     "We are... departing our exploration of the house over yonder.  We had heard rumors it was haunted and decided to explore.  As our companion here would attest to, it was a bad choice."  Fianna pauses for a moment to look down at Lucky and have a thought that he has a better experience in the next life. "We are returning to town to see to our friends final affairs.  I've a yen to return to the house for some revenge after, but first thing first and all that.  I...  don't have a spare weapon, I'm afraid.  But if you want to accompany us you'll be at least as safe as we are."

"The house?  I didn't see no house,  Someone or something whacked me over the back of the head on the road into town and I woke up chained in a sea cave.  I dunno, perhaps the two are linked?   I'm happy to accompany you back to the town though, and it seems we have mutual interest in returning.  I wonder if I can borrow some sort of weapon.  Worst case I can maybe just go and find a big branch in the woods to hit people with."

     Fianna motions back towards where the house is.  "Well I guess we have travelled further than I thought, but it's just back that way.  The people that attacked us inside of it did mention something about smuggling... Which could have a connection to your sea cave.  There most definitely could be a connection there."

"Okay, well I be happy to accompany ye back to town.  Lead on..."   Dain looks bruised and battered but determined.  

Dain's pursuers do not appear. The six adventures begin plodding their way westward toward Saltmarsh, along the sand-rutted, seldom-used road.

The group arrives at the city gates shortly after noon, their arms aching from taking turns carrying the boy's body. You saw no other travelers upon the road today.

A pair of elderly guards at the gate pay little heed to your arrival. They look like they might be fairly inebriated. 

Welcome back to Saltmarsh. Where to?

“Kat, you’re associated with a church here, aren’t you?” Fianna asks as they get in to town.  “Would you be able to set up a proper service?  Or does anyone know Lucky’s religious preferences?”

Dain will respectfully ask if there is anything he can do to help when he realizes you are carrying a dead body back.  "Did this happen up there?  Up at the house?   Those people have a lot to answer for.   I'm happy to pledge my hammer to the cause of righteous revenge!"

Dain is going to wander the town, making use of any contacts he has there to beg, borrow or (probably not) steal a weapon. The bigger the better!

"Sort of," Katernin says, "It's just myself, Weasel, Dianah, Gretal, and Timbers here. They havent really welcomed me with open arms," she laughs a little in embarrassment. "But if you still wish me too I can. We need to find a sapling of somekind though, and perhaps a wicker casket."

Katernin knows that there is only one burying ground in town - a barren and dreary, nondenominational patch behind the Temple of Procan managed by a hunchbacked half-orc. Katernin has never visited, and knows no more than this.

Dain knows that his company (and his boss) has an office here, and bunks where they will likely house and feed him tonight, provided they don't fire him. He has no idea where the office is, but clearly this is not a big town. (...All that trouble for this place?)

 Your characters are now Level 2. Please update your sheets accordingly.

Katernin sighs, "We can try the burying ground... though I'm not sure how happy they would be about me burying anyone there. We can always ask though," She starts to lead the way to the burying ground, feet dragging a little even as she tells herself that what she's doing isn't wrong.