When they arrive back at their wagon, he asks Sildar, "So where are these echo cave things? Wasn't Klarg's boss interested in them, so he kidnapped our boss?"

“Unfortunately, I’m not sure,” Sildar says forlornly. “As you know, Gundren was very secretive of his plans even to me. I wish I could offer more help, but for now your best bet would be to head to that Cragmaw Castle, Klarg had talked about. As for me, this old human needs some rest and relaxation in Phandalin,” he continues. 

Ryzen says to everyone else, "I don't know where this Cragmaw castle is, so we probably need to pick up a map or guide in Phandalin."

Orro advocates a very quick pace with the cart toward Phandalin to get the party far away from Klarg before he snaps out of his charm.

"I agree that going to Phandalin is the best choice for now." Kayassa says as she moves to sit in the wagon, climbing into it quickly. Feeling the need to relax she will grab her bagpipes and start to play it. 

“Agreed,” Sildar says. “Hopefully someone in Phandalin will have more information about the castles and maybe Gundren’s whereabouts.”

Sildar then hops into the wagon after Kayassa, taking the reigns of the oxen. The cart slowly begins to move  as the party begins to once again make their way down Triboar Trail with Sildar driving the cart. 

At some point before the cart reaches Phandalin, Sildar will turn back to the party saying “I can’t express my gratitude enough for saving me from those horrible goblins; I’m not sure what I would have done without you. Although I don’t currently have any coin, please allow me once we reach Phandalin to compensate you with.. ah... let’s say 10 gold pieces each. I can easily secure a loan and it’s the least I can do,” he says. 

Is there anything you would like to do before the cart reaches Phandalin?

Kayassa is ready to go to town and rest. She will keep a look out for Klarg or the goblin she charmed.

I'm fine with skipping ahead to the town. 

Ryzen takes his usual position scouting the trail ahead.

And so travel continues, peacefully, until eventually the rutted track emerges from a wooded hillside, and you catch your first glimpse of Phandalin. The town consists of forty or fifty simple log buildings, some built on old fieldstone foundations. More old ruins—crumbling stone walls covered in ivy and briars—surround the newer houses and shops, showing how this must have been a much larger town in centuries past. Most of the newer buildings are set on the sides of the cart track, which widens into a muddy main street of sorts as it climbs toward a ruined manor house on a hillside at the east side of town.

As you approach, you see children playing on the town green and townsfolk tending to chores or running errands at shops. Many people look up as you approach, but all return to their business as you go by.

Looking to Sildar, he seems much more at ease. 

Sildar now seems much more at ease with a small smile on his face. “My friends,” he says, “let us secure lodgings. I’m told the local inn is very quaint.”

What would you like to do? (I have attached a map of Phandalin to the resource doc.)

Orro offers, along the way, to heal Sildar, or anyone else who is hurt. He chats (reluctantly) amiably with Sildar and the others. He tells Sildar not to borrow money on his account. "It's my cousin, I'd be chasing after him whether or not I was being paid. You can buy be a drink, though." He grins.

When they arrive in Phandalin, he grins for the first time in a while. "An inn sounds good. Been a bit of a day. Now, I'm a bit forgetful. Remind me of what we're doing. There's a castle that this Black Spider might have taken Gundren to, right? We need to find that. To save him, but also to get the money he owes us!"

 "A place to rest sounds great to me? But why sleep in doors? It is much better to rest out in the open after a feast and plenty of drink." Kayassa says as she begins to play her bagpipes once more, not caring if it sounded good or not.

“If that’s what you would like,” Sildar says with a chuckle to Kayassa. I will also note at this point in the journey, Jasper and Thrax have both been quiet, sticking to themselves, and conversing only when initiated by someone else.

As you enter the town, Sildar then points to the first building on the road with a large wooden sign saying Barthen‘s Provisions. It is a large wooden building comparitavely to others in Phandalin and there is light traffic coming in and out of it. “Over there,” Sildar says. “Barthen’s Provisions. That’s the trading post these good were supposed to be transported to, and is most likely where you will be payed. I suggest going there first while we still have daylight.” He then points around the corner to another large building with smoke billowing from a two story roof. “There’s the inn. Join me afterwards and I’d be happy to pay for a drink or five,” Sildar says with a hearty smile— obviously feeling much better.

Sildar then hops from the wagon, and begins slowly making his way to the doorway of the inn. You three now stand by yourself in the relatively empty main road of Phandalin, standing about 30 feet away from Barthen’s Provisions and 100 feet from Stonehill Inn. What would you like to do?

Vulmar and Daphina. You two have both been in Phandalin for about a day or two. You received an order from Gundren telling you to meet him in front of Barthen’s Provisions yesterday afternoon, and at this point he is uncharacteristically late. Currently, you have been lingering around the trading post for the last couple hours, waiting to see if Gundren would arrive, and when you have almost lost hope, a wagon full of supplies driven by Sildar Hallwinter (Who you recognize) pulls up to the store. In it you see a ragtag group of people— a female Satyr loudly playing the bagpipes, a tall and lean male human who walks by the cart with a large maul, a stout male dwarf in full chain mail with a long shock white beard, a lithe Half Elf who wears dark clothes and a cowboy hat, and a stoic bald human who seems to be quietly conversing with himself. 

As this group approaches, you may now introduce your characters, and I will ask you as well, What would you like to do? (You may post now!)

Daphnia, a small gnome, leans against the wall of Barthen’s Provisions in her black attire. Her black hood is pulled over her head as she watches the group intently. Out of instinct she slides into a shadow waiting for the group to approach her first. 

Vulmar had grown irritated with their wait. For anybody but Gundren, he would have left by now. But that man had given him some good work, and Vulmar had no better place to be.

He suspected he wasn't the only one waiting for Gundren though. A gnome had been loitering around as well, but didn't seem interested in Vulmar's presence.

As the motley trio draw near on their wagon, they see a lean man of apparent elven blood. His hair is fair and well-kept, his garments apparently those of a particularly wealthy temple. He lazily eyes them, but does not move to approach. His slender ears are pricked up, wondering if they might be discussing anything of interest.

"See you soon, Sildar," Ryzen says with a wave. He looks to the rest of the group and says with a small chuckle, "It's been a heck of a day. Let's go get paid." He looks to Thrax and says, "Watch the horses if you will."

With everyone else, he walks into Barthen's Provisions. He lingers to the back and let's the others do the talking. He looks around for some maps of they have any.

For the newcomers, Ryzen is an imposing figure. Standing at 6'2", he is well built and toned. His fair skin has a light tan from working outside. While he looks to be around his mid-twenties, his short and thick, dark brown hair is beginning gray at the temples. A couple weeks of dark stubble covers his strong jaw. His blue eyes take in all the details of his surroundings. His clothing consists of a simple green shirt with some simple pants. While rather simple looking, he is carrying several dwarven weapons strapped to his back and sides. The one he uses most is a heavy, iron maul.

Thrax gives a curt nod to Ryzen and Jasper tips his hat as you walk towards the store. “Go ahead and grab both of our pay,” he says with a piece of grass between his teeth. “We’ll keep an eye on the cart.”

Ryzen then walks towards the store. Kayassa and Orro, what are you doing?

Orro smiles in thanks at Sildar's offer of a drink or five, and says, "we'll meet you there shortly, after we get our pay!" He begins to walk into Barthen's, glancing at the people loitering outside. 

Perception: 18

His eyes land on Vulmar, and then Daphnia, though he does not know their names, and his eyebrows rise in a "well now?" sort of expression, still saying nothing. He pauses, waiting for a response, but only briefly, and will enter the store if they keep quiet. If not, he'll listen to anything they have to say.

Kayassa hops down from the cart, carefully stowing away her bagpipes in order to grab her staff to use as a pseudo walking stick. "Why are you all so worried about gold? Isn't easier and more fun to barter for what we need?" She asks as she moves to follow them anyway, waving to Thrax as she does so. As Orro pauses she does to, trying to figure out what he is looking at.

Vulmar notices the strangers who noticed him notice them.  He straightens up, dusts off the seat of his pants and b takes a step forward.  There is a slight shimmer in his eyes.

"Did Gundren send you?"

At the sound of Gundren’s name Daphina slides out of the shadow. Silently she approaches the group to listen to the conversation. The only thing visible are her sapphire blue eyes. The rest of her is shrouded in darkness.