Barthan's Provisions was on the left side of the street as Karok begins walking down it. He passes two homes on the left and notes the smithy on his right, but he keeps walking. The next building on the left is the Stonehill Inn. That's where he's going to meet up with the others for a drink and to find lodging.
But his destination now is the Shrine of Luck, the only temple in town. It is not much more than a small shrine made of stones. It is dedicated to Tymora, the goddess of luck and good fortune.
A young female elf is tending to the shrine. She spots Karok at her threshhold and greets the dwarf, "Welcome! Who has Lady Luck led to Phandelin?"
Having lived his entire life in the wilds with his clan, he is unfamiliar with street gangs and their motives. He was only taken to the trading city of Bildoobaris twice before leaving his family with his mentor to become a druid.
With a bit of a confused look he asks Barthan, "What do mean by shake down?"
He also looks to Jaliera in perhaps she knows more about bad city people. By the sounds of it, Davroar guesses this place is much too small for one to live off others without being productive, but he could wrong.
"It means this group are forcing traders to pay them money. Usually they call it protection.. but they do little in return as generally any threat to the goods or reputation of the business comes from themselves."
She had learned about this during her association with the thieves and is always thankful to her mentor for giving her an alternative to that life.
"Good day lass. I be Karok Battlehammer. I come to tithe to your temple and inquire of news." he said his shield clearly showing the symbol of his God Torm.
She points to a basin at the altar which is under a large gold painted disc in the form of a coin. That, Karok understands, is where tithes would go.
"May fortune be with you and luck be on your side. I am sister Gareale, priestess of Tymora. I am certainly pleased to meet a fellow cleric. I admire your bold approach, Karok Battlehammer, priest of Torm. Not everyone has the courage to be so direct. What news, specifically, are you interested in?"
He took out a gold coin and dropped it in the basin.
"Bah, I have no time for politics, and games of unnecessary courtesy. Me way has always been to go straight to the front." he said with a smile.
"Me friend and I be looking for one of me kind. A dwarf by the name of Gundren. He has been taken by some Goblins so now we seek a place called Cragmaw Keep. But in all me travels, I've never heard of such a place."
"Ah, but games are the spice of life! But not everyone shares my opinions. That is fine. I have not heard of this dwarf or of this Cragmaw Keep, but I do not hear everything that occurs in this town."
"My advice to you would be to venture to the inn across the way. That is a place where rumors flow. Take your chance's there and the odds are in your favor that you'll gain the information that you seek."
"If that reference about a reeking but noble deed is about me, let me assure you that I will tend to the stench once I've secured lodging at the inn. I am not a sell-sword but on occasion I will earn some coin taking on certain jobs."
They were at the threshhold of the inn. The pair spot Karok a short distance away at the shrine to Tymora where he's speaking to the priestess there.
As Karok leaves the shrine, Sister Gareale says to him "If I hear any information that would be of value to you, I will make sure to pass it on to you. And may Lady Luck favor you." Please provide me with an insight roll.
He arrives at the Stonehill Inn at almost at the same time as Chandan and Sildar. It sits in the center of town, 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 eyeing the three people walking through the door with curiosity.
Sildar excuses himself and heads directly for the bar where he quickly identifies someone to talk to. It seems to be the proprietor. The man hands Sildar a brass key which he pockets.
"There is no honor in that", he says to both Jaliera and Barthan after learning exactly what these Redbrands are doing. Silently he wonders if the townsfolk outnumber these Redbrands, and why do they not simply drive them out. Obviously there is more to town life than he currently understands, but he does know from his young barbarian life that power is given not demanded among ones own people.
He would like to tell Barthan and his fellow tradesmen to get a backbone, but saying something like that from a young man like himself, and as an outsider as well, would probably not be the smart thing to do.
When Barthan hands him his share of coin, he gives the older man a thankful handshake and says, "Aside from the goblin attack, it was an easy trip. Thanks."
Pocketing his coins, he gives Jaliera a smile and asks, "Was everyone going to the inn?"
Davroar would like to put his feet up by a warm fire and have a good meal for a nice change, although he feels the wilderness calling him stronger than before. The inn might be a good place to find a ranger or hunter that knows the surrounding area. A warm bed suddenly is not so desirable for tonight.
Taking her share of the payment for bringing the wagon to Bathen's she turns to Jaliera, Davroar and Kriv, the only other left in the shop and says, "Shall we head to the inn? I for one could use to sit for a little while with a nice ale in hand. Not to mention making arrangement for a room."
She turns to walk out the door and turn up the street, pausing to see if Jaliera, Davroar and Kriv are with her.
As Karok walked away from Sister Gareale he got the feeling that she was genuine and being truthful about not having answers to his questions. He also sensed that she was studying him, judging him. Although his dealings with her at the moment were done, he had the feeling that he might have dealings with her later.
Back at Barthan's, payments were made and the group was getting ready to leave. Most wanted to head to the inn to secure lodgings and perhaps quench their thirst and fill their bellies. The dragonborn, however, was interested in seeking out the local authorities. In Kriv's mind it was time to get answers, but he did not know where to find that person. He could either wander around town or ask for direction.
This was a matter for deduction: A town was, amongst other things, a defensible position. The seat of power doubly so. He turned his substantial intellect to the problem at hand: View this place through the eyes of an attacker, and a defender. Were there town walls? Evidence of them, certainly, but they did not seem to be in good repair. A raised fortification, a keep upon a motte? There was a strong candidate on the hill to the east, but again, it seemed a ruin.
An attacker would have a field day here. So, two strong possibilities for the seat of power. Close to the centre, for the people to gather at a defensible point, or close to the roads out, for a swift escape. The wealth of the town had to be going somewhere and it certainly wasn't going on protecting the people, so ostentation, the use of wealth which only those in charge could truly exercise.
He went about the matter logically, cataloguing the largest buildings, the priciest decor, starting at the town centre and looking out along each of the main throughfares to get a good feel for the place and the likely candidates.
Jaliera, Davroar, Kalista and Kriv all leave Barthan's Provisions at about the same time. They turn right which takes them deeper into the center of the town. they pass the smithy on their right across from a few homes on their left. A bit further along is a newly built roadhouse of fieldstone and rough-hewn timbers. A sign "Stonehill Inn" is out front. There they pause there to look around.
A bit further on down the street they see a small Shrine of stones built along the right side of the road, up against the back corner of a pair of homes. It looks well tended by an elven woman. There is a small town square that opens on the right hand side of the main road, behind which is the Town Green. Some small boys play with sticks and hoops, running across the grassy field.
Kriv, however, heads to the left, opposite the town square, to a large building with study stone walls, a pitched wooden roof, and a bell tower at the back. There is something posted on a board next to the front door there. A notice is posted: "REWARD--Orcs near Wyvern Tor! Those of a mind to face the orc menace should inquire within." The notice bears the town's seal and an indecipherable signature. Clearly this is the Townmaster's Hall.
The three others walk into the inn where they quickly spot Chandan and Karok near the door. They are looking at Sildar who is talking to a man that hands him a brass key. Sildar pockets it and walks back to join the others.
"I've secured a room for myself here. It has been a tough few days and I need a bath badly. I'll be down later but I am looking for someone. If while you're poking around town you hear word about a man named Iarno Albreck, I would very much appreciate it if you remember to tell me. I will be down in about an hour and perhaps we can meet for some drinks then? " he says.
Then he looks around and adds, "By the way where is Kriv?"
"Kriv went to a big building to look at a notice I think. He knows we are here. As well as Sildar's friend, apparently Grundren's brothers are camped near by though I don't know exactly where. I think we should try to find them.. maybe in the morning?"
It will be nice to spend an evening in the inn and be able to eat a hot meal comfortably.
Interesting. More vermin activity in the area: It might well be related. He weighed up the merits of going in alone versus taking the others, and decided that taking along a few soft fleshy faces might well help his case. He memorised the wording on the notice and headed to the inn: The filth were planning something substantial, so this might well be a lead that would enable them to rescue the brothers Rockseeker.
The innkeeper is the short human man that had provided Sildar with lodging. He was cleaning the bar when Chandan came over.
"First, welcome to Phandelin and more important, welcome to the Stonehill Inn. It's always nice to see new faces here."
He tucks his right hand under his left armpit to dry it before extending it for a handshake to the monk.
"Well, the townmaster is supposed to take care of that but Harbin Webster could do a better job of that, if you ask my opinion. But I don't want to stir up trouble."
"Why don't you and your party grab a table and I'll send over my barmaid to take your orders. You must be weary after travel. By the way, do you need rooms?"
Walking into the inn with the others she nods at Sildar's comments. "Good idea." She over over to the man Sildar was talking to and asks about the prices for a room, meals, and drink.
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