You leave the kitchen, but none of the Gnomes follows you. There are no more crazy encounters on your way out and down from the ledge. Once you're down, you all notice a Gnome appearing on one of the ledges across the cave. He yawns and stretches his arms, then disappears back the way he came. The lights around Barthrum begin to fade. Now, they only shed 5' of dim light and flicker occasionally. When you look outside, you can see that the rain has resumed pouring, now stronger than earlier. You can also hear a very dimmed thunder, probably from far away.
Does anyone want to do anything on your way to Phandalin? You'll reach there in the afternoon.
Barthrum just walks along and tries to figure out by himself how to do outdoor navigation. He tries counting trees on the roadside, but gets sidetracked by some weird animals and birds living in them that are much more fascinating.
When Dolgrim notices the rain, he puts the hood on and, still grumbling about the gnomes, takes the lead as the group heads back to the Phandalin. When the group gets to a more open terrain, away from the mountains. He Turns to the other dwarves: Would anyone of you like to try to navigate us back to town?
The way back to Phandalin doesn't take long and when you reach it, the sun has gone about 3/4 of its way in the sky. You know that because, in the last quarter of the way, the rain has stopped and the clouds cleared away. Even the winds have stopped, and even while wet you can all agree that right now, it is warmer than yesterday. The town is rather lively now - everyone is out doing what they couldn't do in the rain earlier. Kids leap into puddles while their older brothers chop woods for fire or arrive with their cattle after a muddy and rainy day. The animals look happy to finally be cleaned of their own stench. No one is giving any special attention to the three wet, muddied and grumpy dwarves. Someone almost bumps into Thenmer but manages to dodge at the last second, apologizes and continues on his way. It's not that the place is crowded or anything, the man is just really not paying attention, as you can see when he fails to dodge an unpleasant encounter with the corner of a building.
Barthrum says, "Lets go talk to the mayor. He put the notice up there and I would like to understand the reasoning behind it. And ask about the other notices - how confident is he about the reliability of them."
(if the others agree/follow then he does just that and asks those questions through the door)
Barthrum, Thenmer and Dolgrim (if he so chooses) walk to the mayor's house. His wooden door remains locked before you as you exhange your words with him.
"I put it up because I've met the Gnomes before and they always had their weird inventions. Most don't work, but we need whatever we can get our hands on to fend off a dragon. Do you think a mere sword will be able to cut a dragon before it devours you? As for the other quests, I'm rather confident. One was escorting provisions to my half-brother. We do it every six tendays, but with so many orcs and dragons we wanted more protection on the way. Another was a quest asked by Don-Jon Raskin. If nobody else took it by now, he should be staying at the Stonehill Inn, waiting for an escort. You can talk to him yourself if you're not sure. The last one is the only one that could be wrong. I hears someone saw orcs attacked Big-Al's ranch, but that may be false. I just need someone to check it for me. Alfonse is an old friend, you know?"
Dolgrim follows the others to the mayor's house, still grumbling about the gnomes, listens to the mayor. Aye I know Big Al and a bunch of greenskins wouldn't stand a chance against him. He is almost as dangerous in a fight as a dwarf. As for your brother and this Dungeon fella, would our journey to Big Al's farm take us close to the places they need to be delivered?
"Take you close?" The mayor stops, thinking. After a while, he answers: "Well, not exactly. The camp in the Neverwinter Woods is not even close to the other two, but you could walk over to Butterskull Ranch through the Mountain Toe's gold mine. It doesn't have a road leading from it though, so you'll walk the wild hills in between. Not something I'd reccommend if you want to stay out of trouble. The safest route to the Ranch would be the Triboar Trail, but that doesn't pass near the mine."
"If you're going to my half-brother's camp, I'll need to mark it for you. Do you still have the map I once gave you? If you're going to Butterskull Ranch, it sounds like one of you already knows Big-Al. Do you also know the way? As for the gold mine, Don-Jon Raskin should know the way." A gust of wind blows over, coming from the east. It's slightly cold, though not significantly so. Wind against wet bodies is always cold.
Barthrum says, "I agree. But lets check first with Mr. Raskin if he is still there and ready to depart at first light, should we decide to take him up on his offer."
It's not mid-afternoon. Around 17:15 our time. This leaves about two more hours of light, including the various phases of dusk. With no great source of light, most humans go to sleep not long after sundown. Some stay awake for a while with torches used for light, especially at places like the inn where there's also a tavern. Those with eyes accustomed to the night might stay awake until later if they have a good reason to do that. This is how things are almost everywhere.
Barthrum leads/guides the others to where Don-Jon Raskin would be.
"Hi, Mr. Raskin. Should we decide to accompany you tomorrow, would you be ready at first light and is there anything we should know beforehand? I also assume that you know the way very well?"
You three walk to the Stonehill inn and find it rather full. There are many people inside, gathered around the tables. One table is holding a card game, gambling as it seems, and is particularly noisy. Most of the place's patrons seem to be around the table at the moment. Other than that, it doesn't look like there's much different here than other inns or taverns. There are no hooded figures standing in the corner or a peculiarly dressed man waiting for travellers. If Don-Jon Raskin is here, he doesn't present himself in front of you, announcing his name.
In addition, Toblen is currently busy with pouring drinks for others and doesn't notice you. Suddenly, all the gamblers at the playing table rise up from their seats and shout in amazement after someone reveals their hand. As a response, a crying voice of a baby can be heard from somewhere, and Toblen glares at the patrons who quiet down and sit. Everyone are quiet for a moment, and then the crying stops. After another long moment, people continue their conversations, albeit quietly.
You leave the kitchen, but none of the Gnomes follows you. There are no more crazy encounters on your way out and down from the ledge. Once you're down, you all notice a Gnome appearing on one of the ledges across the cave. He yawns and stretches his arms, then disappears back the way he came.
The lights around Barthrum begin to fade. Now, they only shed 5' of dim light and flicker occasionally. When you look outside, you can see that the rain has resumed pouring, now stronger than earlier. You can also hear a very dimmed thunder, probably from far away.
Does anyone want to do anything on your way to Phandalin? You'll reach there in the afternoon.
Varielky
On the way Thenmer seems fascinated with that continual torrent of the waterfall. He keeps trying to focus his will on reproducing it.
Mostly its a failure and he gets very frustrated. At a point where they stop and rest he looks around and has a thought
"Other elements perhaps, I am being too literal"
He continues trying and his fizzling attacks on stray leaves and stones are occasionally effective now. He smiles.
Barthrum just walks along and tries to figure out by himself how to do outdoor navigation. He tries counting trees on the roadside, but gets sidetracked by some weird animals and birds living in them that are much more fascinating.
When Dolgrim notices the rain, he puts the hood on and, still grumbling about the gnomes, takes the lead as the group heads back to the Phandalin. When the group gets to a more open terrain, away from the mountains. He Turns to the other dwarves: Would anyone of you like to try to navigate us back to town?
Barthrum says, "Probably not, I have no idea how."
Thenmer is busy with his strange magical experiments. Trying to get it right. And just sometimes incinerating some poor harmless leaf or pebble
"I, uh, I'm not really very good at navigating if I'm honest"
The way back to Phandalin doesn't take long and when you reach it, the sun has gone about 3/4 of its way in the sky. You know that because, in the last quarter of the way, the rain has stopped and the clouds cleared away. Even the winds have stopped, and even while wet you can all agree that right now, it is warmer than yesterday.
The town is rather lively now - everyone is out doing what they couldn't do in the rain earlier. Kids leap into puddles while their older brothers chop woods for fire or arrive with their cattle after a muddy and rainy day. The animals look happy to finally be cleaned of their own stench.
No one is giving any special attention to the three wet, muddied and grumpy dwarves. Someone almost bumps into Thenmer but manages to dodge at the last second, apologizes and continues on his way. It's not that the place is crowded or anything, the man is just really not paying attention, as you can see when he fails to dodge an unpleasant encounter with the corner of a building.
What do you wish to do now?
Varielky
Barthrum says, "Lets go talk to the mayor. He put the notice up there and I would like to understand the reasoning behind it. And ask about the other notices - how confident is he about the reliability of them."
(if the others agree/follow then he does just that and asks those questions through the door)
"Yes, he seems to have lots of ideas and we don't know if some of them are just bad. Like that one with the gnomes was"
He trudges along with Barthrum. Trying to do his new magic with both hands at the same time but it all gets very confused and nothing happens at all.
"Not that I think he will suddenly get new ideas or more money to pay for the ideas he has. We are sort of stuck with the town master we have."
Barthrum, Thenmer and Dolgrim (if he so chooses) walk to the mayor's house. His wooden door remains locked before you as you exhange your words with him.
"I put it up because I've met the Gnomes before and they always had their weird inventions. Most don't work, but we need whatever we can get our hands on to fend off a dragon. Do you think a mere sword will be able to cut a dragon before it devours you? As for the other quests, I'm rather confident. One was escorting provisions to my half-brother. We do it every six tendays, but with so many orcs and dragons we wanted more protection on the way. Another was a quest asked by Don-Jon Raskin. If nobody else took it by now, he should be staying at the Stonehill Inn, waiting for an escort. You can talk to him yourself if you're not sure. The last one is the only one that could be wrong. I hears someone saw orcs attacked Big-Al's ranch, but that may be false. I just need someone to check it for me. Alfonse is an old friend, you know?"
Varielky
Dolgrim follows the others to the mayor's house, still grumbling about the gnomes, listens to the mayor. Aye I know Big Al and a bunch of greenskins wouldn't stand a chance against him. He is almost as dangerous in a fight as a dwarf. As for your brother and this Dungeon fella, would our journey to Big Al's farm take us close to the places they need to be delivered?
"Take you close?" The mayor stops, thinking. After a while, he answers: "Well, not exactly. The camp in the Neverwinter Woods is not even close to the other two, but you could walk over to Butterskull Ranch through the Mountain Toe's gold mine. It doesn't have a road leading from it though, so you'll walk the wild hills in between. Not something I'd reccommend if you want to stay out of trouble. The safest route to the Ranch would be the Triboar Trail, but that doesn't pass near the mine."
Varielky
Barthrum says, "Anything else we should know before we take off once again? Or do you have a map or a list of signs we could follow out there?"
"If you're going to my half-brother's camp, I'll need to mark it for you. Do you still have the map I once gave you? If you're going to Butterskull Ranch, it sounds like one of you already knows Big-Al. Do you also know the way? As for the gold mine, Don-Jon Raskin should know the way."
A gust of wind blows over, coming from the east. It's slightly cold, though not significantly so. Wind against wet bodies is always cold.
Varielky
Thenmer looks up at the sky when he feels the cold wind. Somehow he feels that his clockwork soul should just know the time but he looks up anyway
"We may want to rest for the night before setting out unless the journey is very short"
(I'm possibly losing track but is it fairly late in the day now?)
Barthrum says, "I agree. But lets check first with Mr. Raskin if he is still there and ready to depart at first light, should we decide to take him up on his offer."
It's not mid-afternoon. Around 17:15 our time. This leaves about two more hours of light, including the various phases of dusk. With no great source of light, most humans go to sleep not long after sundown. Some stay awake for a while with torches used for light, especially at places like the inn where there's also a tavern. Those with eyes accustomed to the night might stay awake until later if they have a good reason to do that. This is how things are almost everywhere.
Varielky
Barthrum leads/guides the others to where Don-Jon Raskin would be.
"Hi, Mr. Raskin. Should we decide to accompany you tomorrow, would you be ready at first light and is there anything we should know beforehand? I also assume that you know the way very well?"
Thenmer listens as Barthrum asks the questions, waiting to chip in with any help needed but not wanting to confuse the conversation by barging in.
You three walk to the Stonehill inn and find it rather full. There are many people inside, gathered around the tables. One table is holding a card game, gambling as it seems, and is particularly noisy. Most of the place's patrons seem to be around the table at the moment. Other than that, it doesn't look like there's much different here than other inns or taverns. There are no hooded figures standing in the corner or a peculiarly dressed man waiting for travellers. If Don-Jon Raskin is here, he doesn't present himself in front of you, announcing his name.
In addition, Toblen is currently busy with pouring drinks for others and doesn't notice you. Suddenly, all the gamblers at the playing table rise up from their seats and shout in amazement after someone reveals their hand. As a response, a crying voice of a baby can be heard from somewhere, and Toblen glares at the patrons who quiet down and sit. Everyone are quiet for a moment, and then the crying stops. After another long moment, people continue their conversations, albeit quietly.
Varielky