"Many years without a homecooked meal? Is the life on the road that bad?", Arikon asked Jeb as he fell in to follow to hafling boy.

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"Many years without a homecooked meal? Is the life on the road that bad?", Arikon asked Jeb as he fell in to follow to hafling boy.

 Jeb smiles at the gangly sorcerer as he replies, "Tavern food ain't bad. No offense to John or the other innkeeps; but there is something about being welcomed and served in someone's home. It adds to the experience. I ain't known that since I left home 5 years ago, I reckon. Perhaps we'll be lucky and if not, I plan to tilt the odds to my favor. Just you see, my friend." Jeb smiles at the sorcerer a final time, the same self-confident smile that he displays in his games of chance.

Murmen snorts.

"There ain't no difference between tavern food an' home food, lad.  A tavern is yer home if yer a dwarf!"

You follow Carp down to the street and meet a middle-aged halfling woman. She wears a straw hat that covers her sun-speckled face, and watches the party warily while carrying a pitchfork. However, Carp eagerly runs up to her shows her the gold coin. 

"Look, these men gave me this! I think they are adventurers, and they just moved in to that ruined building by the green."

The woman smiles and musses Carp's hair. "Oh, you little rascal, what are you doing there playing so late?" 

She turns to the party and holds her hand out to shake."I'm Qelline Alderleaf, proud owner of Alderleaf farm. Are you new 'round these parts? What brings you to our quaint little town?"

Qelline takes the coin and inspects it. "I can't tell you how grateful I am. Times have been rough for us lately, with everything that's been going on."

She sighs mournfully. "Normally I'd invite you in for supper...but we've got barely enough to feed ourselves and still have enough for the winter. Please, come by tomorrow evening, and I'll scrounge a meal up for you. You deserve a proper welcome to Phandalin." 

Jeb graciously shakes Qelline's offered hand. As he does so, he notes the firm grip and calluses built up from working the land. It again reminds him of home. He flashes a friendly smile at the petite farmer and says, "Yes we are new to town; but will be staying on a few weeks. We brought in a shipment for Bartheen from Doveheart. In the process we've discovered our employer was waylaid by some goblins from the Cragmaw tribe. We tussled with a group of them that were ambushing travelers on the trail. Now the mayor wants us to see about some orcs out at Wyvern's Tor. So we will be busy for a few days." 

Jeb smiles at Carp as he continues, "That is where your brave lad, Carp comes in. We know that sometimes folks can be right curious about strangers. Maybe even come around when they're sure we're not around. We could sure use Carp's aid in keeping an eye on our place while we're away. Just sort of noting who might be coming around, all from a safe distance mind you. You know how curious folks can be. Sometimes they let that curiousity get the better of themselves and their judgement. We'll be in town for at least a fortnight. We'll provide the lad a gold piece now, a gold piece when we leave, and possible a gold piece for any information he discovers of those curious folks I mentioned. I told the lad, the same for any friends or siblings he may have."

Jeb smiles at the two halflings, as his heart aches for what was lost to him. He says with a thick emotional voice, "I'd love to take you up on that offer in the future. A home cooked meal would be a mighty fine thing indeed. We'll have to find time to take you up on that offer. In the meantime, Carp mentioned something about bandits on the stroll down. Can either of you tell us more about them?"

Jeb had no trouble making new friends, Arikon judged as he watched their conversation with Qellinne Alderleaf. It was a useful trait to have for an adventurer, as a helping hand on the road could often mean the difference between life and death. "Yeah, information about those bandits would be most appreciated. Are they those 'Redbrands' we have already heard about?", he joined the conversation.

Murmen scowls.

"What in the Nine Hells else would it be?  Doubt the name's a coincidence."

Murmen can't help but be a bit of a curmudgeonly dwarf, peering closely at the mother to see if what she's saying is true.

Insight: 18

"I have a feeling we should check out this secret passage our young friend is talking about.", Arikon said to his companions. It sure looked like it was connected to the Redbrands activity in the town. Maybe they could find some answers there.

Murmen scrutinizes Qelline's body language and facial expressions. However, though she becomes quite emotional it appears her feelings are authentic. Which makes sense, as during Murmen's travels, he's heard similar grievances regarding the Crown. It appears that the whispers of revolution has escalated in the form of the Redbrands. 

Carp says, "The secret tunnel is behind some thickets, next to the mansion. I found it when I playing, and that was where those bandits came out. I can show you-"

"No!" Qelline interjects. "Carp, you aren't going back there again. Remember, mommy told you not to stray too far from home. Even if these men tell you to." 

She glares at the party, and says,"It's time Carp had his dinner, and I brought the cows home. Again, welcome to Phandalin. If you need anything, just visit my farm east of town."

Carp picks up his wooden sword and waves goodbye, ecstatic to be an assistant to a group of adventurers. His mother leads him back home for dinner, leaving you at the edge of the Town Green, the evening sun overhead. Businesses are beginning to close around town, though if you hurry you may be able to make some quick purchases. You've been subsisting on dry rations for the past few days, so supper at the Stonehill may be a welcome change. Otherwise, your newly leased building stands proudly on the edge of the Green, ready for new tenants. 

Murmen grunts, his suspicions mostly assuaged.

"I say we call it a day and find some vittles at the Inn, aye?  We can take a peek at this tunnel in the mornin’."

Jeb watches the halfling mother and son head down the trail to their home. He nods absently to Murmen's suggestion to visit the inn. As he comes out of the fog of his thoughts on home and how much he missed this simple existence, he recalls John's concerns regarding the inn. He turns to John and says, "Are you comfortable at the inn or would you prefer to wait on your own at our base camp. I can bring you something to eat from the inn, if you like."

John glances back at Jeb nervously. "I...I guess I should explain why I don't want to go to the Inn. The proprietor of the Stonehill is a man named Toblen Stonehill. You see, he once owned a tavern close to my Night-Hollow Inn. My parents coexisted peacefully with him, but when I took over from my parents...I may have drove him out of business." 

Jeb looks at John trying to imagine the likable innkeep purposely driving a rival out of business. Jeb thinks to himself, "No not likely, I don't think he has it in him." Jeb says, "Surely your business plan and good fortune played a role; but the responsibility for ruining his business lies on his own shoulders surely. You didn't burn down his business did you? No of course not."

"Well, if you more comfortable you could always stay our base of operations. But surely Jeb has the truth of it. You wouldnt have burned down his inn, right?", Arikon asked with a chuckle.

John looks quite bashful, his face full of regret. 

“Well...no, I didn’t burn down his tavern. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say we had a very personal disagreement, and I used business malpractice to drive him out of Doveheart. Now, the man is serving ales in this small town in the middle of nowhere. I doubt Toblen will forgive me. If you’d like, I can take your bags to our new base and see if I can cozy it up a bit. Have a good time at the Stonehill.”

(Assuming you hand your equipment to John and continue on to the Stonehill Inn).

Evening starts to become night, the air crisp and cool. The Inn gives out a warm glow into the dark streets. As you walk there, you pass the shrine to Norebo, where now a woman in nun’s garb prays with a few other villagers. 

You approach the Stonehill Inn- a large, newly built roadhouse of fieldstone and rough-hewn timbers. The common room is filled with locals nursing mugs of ale or cider, all of them looking you with curiosity. A human man stands at the bar pouring a drink to a dwarf with a pickaxe. In the corner, a game of cards is played by a few burly miners.

When you enter, a blonde barmaid glances at you from a few tables away. Spotting Arikon’s fine clothing, she smiles and curls her hair. She approaches you and sets a few drinks at a nearby table. As she speaks, she places her palms on the table, conspicuously displaying that she is not wearing a ring. 

“Fine gentleman, how can I help you today?”she says with a singsong tone.

Jeb passes off his pack to John with a smile. He watches as John walks to their building. As the rest of the party enters the inn, Jeb stops at the shrine of Norebo to make an offering. He takes a copper coin that was won in his game of chance at the Night-Hollow Inn in Doveheart and places it in the offering plate. As he does so, he offers a brief prayer to Norebo for fortune to favor the group as they endeavor to uncover the nefarious going on's in the village.

Once he is done, he rejoins his companions in the inn.

Murmen clumps into the inn, and exhales blissfully.

"Ah, this is more like it.  An ale for me, lass!  Or two.  Or three."