DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games LMP: Lost Mines of Phandelver N-3.0 Where to next?

DM

The party returns to town, the prisoner in tow. People peer out of their windows or stop in their daily activities to stare at the strange procession.

As the party passes the Woodcarver's house the two women and the boy come out of their home. The mother spits on Iarno as the boy hurls an apple at him. The daughter screams and curses at him as you move by but quiets down and stops to thank the five heroes.

By the time the party reaches the Townmaster's Hall they have quite a bit of a retinue. Small boys and adults follow behind at a respectful, if inquisitive distance and only stop when the party enters the building, heading to Sildar's office.

Entering the office it seems word has traveled quickly, as Sildar seems to know what and who you are bringing to him. His face is grim, but composed. He nods to you as you enter.

"My thanks." He offers to you. "Both for finding Iarno and stopping the Redbrand threat. I am ashamed to find out that a member of the Lord's Alliance, the very same Iarno who was sent here to establish law and order, was the leader of the threat."

He turns to two men to one side of the room and says, "Take the prisoners to the cells in the basement. I will make arrangements to have them transported to Neverwinter for trial."

It seems Sildar has not be idle while you were away and has begun to recruit locals into a constabulary of sorts.

Iarno opens his mouth in protest. "But Sildar! You know me! I had no choice. The Spider forced me into it!"

Sildar's mouth compresses to a thin line. "There is always a choice, Iarno. You took the coward's way out and people suffered because of it. You will stand trial for your crimes. Take him away." He orders the men.

Iarno is shuffled off through a door to the cells below.

Turning back to you, Sildar reaches into a desk drawer and removes a sack of coins and hands it over. "200 gp, as promised." He says. "Have you leaned anything that might lead to finding Gundren or this Cragmaw Castle?"

Chandan

On the walk back, Chandan explains to Kriv that the fight with the unarmed men in the gaol wasn't meant to be a fight but an execution. (But now he knows why executioners bind the hands of their charges!)

He is quiet on the road through the village, but tells Sildar what he knows, with emphasis on the unaccounted 12 other persons the Redbrands might have enslaved; their discarded clothes as evidence.

It's a rather perculiar exchange of coin too, returning the town's money on the one hand, and receiving their reward on the other.

There's much to do in Phandelver environs, but at least the town itself belongs to the townsfolk again, and from the sounds of it, the Lord's Alliance will be responsible superintendents.

To Iarno he says nothing. Words would be wasted on the villain, and what else can they glean from him but more lies.

Sildar asks about Gundren and Cragmaw Castle, and that is where they must focus their efforts now.

"No, proofs of what we know, but locations of Cragmaw Castle and Wave Echo Cave still a mystery." He says, giving the new townmaster a regretful shrug.

You win some, you lose some, but most days you get a bit of both.

Jailera

She listens to Chandan speak and then adds another piece of information.

"We did see one Redbrand make his escape and not long ago. He may well be desperate and you might want to warn the townsfolk. If he could be apprehended here it would aid us in that it would prevent him from giving others advance warning of our interest in these places."

Kriv

He is exceedingly brusque with the vagrant's mewling justifications, giving them short shrift as they make their way back.

At Sildar's question,

"A Bugbear, Mosk one-eye, surrendered and offered to lead us there. Iarno had him murdered by his redbrands, who were waiting in ambush, prior to making a last, desperate escape attempt. Such loyalty to the Spider belies his self-justification: Let him be judged harshly so that all may see the fate of scofflaws and turncloaks. A setback, but not an insurmountable one."

Kallista

After dropping Iarno off with Sildar, she nods as Kriv notes that their one potential lead to Cragmaw Castle died with the Bugbear.

"I am going to stop by the Miner's Exchange. Perhaps it would pay to talk to a few others in town and see if we can pick up any leads?"

Davroar

He is glad to get Iarno off their hands and into Sildar's control. He will remind Sildar that Iarno may still has furry familiar nearby and that it is well-trained to fetch keys. Hopefully the gaoler will keep the keeps safe enough that will make any escape attempt less likely to happen.

When Jailera mentions the one Redbrand that ran away, Davroar will add, "After some rest, I could try and pick up the mans scent. A desperate man should not be too hard to run down with my four paws chasing him."

[ooc: If no one objects may Davroar take the waterproof stachel itself (not the contents) that was used to hold the hidden treasure found in the cistern? ]

Chandan

He considers Davroar's offer from a third person perspective. It seems likely that the Lord's Alliance could find extensive, ongoing use for the party in Phandelvin.

But they have a dwarf to rescue, a dwarf held captive and possibly tortured for information. Only only is Gundren's life at stake, but the Lost Mines of Phandelver and the Forge of Spells. So Chandan thinks they must be wary about distractions. Focus is what their quest needs most.

With that in mind, he says, "Two paths we might take, leading us to our goal.

"We could seek the orcs at Wyvern Tor, extract directions to Cragmaw Castle from them.

"Or we could travel to Thundertree and ask Reidoth the Druid. He should know."

The monk scratches his scalp.

"I think Thundertree would be quicker and less chancy. Whichever we choose, we should restock on fortifying beverages first."

Jaliera

"I was wondering about the druid. I think it would be a good idea to talk to him. Davroar should be along for this. Perhaps we should all go?"

She pauses.

"Also like to check with the store owner to see if Gundren's brothers have been seen."

DM

As the group huddles up to discuss matters, Sildar turns back to the piles of paperwork on his desk, staying out of the discussion. For a moment he locks eyes with Kriv and then Chandan and nods before turning back to his paperwork. The two get the sense that Sildar wants to talk to them in private.

OOC: Two things.
First, I'm adding a spellbook, because Zeim did. It wasn't in the module but as far as we're concerned, that's an omission.

Second, this is the part of the module where "factions" invite people into their ranks. In a FTF, real life game it's probably easier to lay out hints. I've decided to remove some of the guess work but let you role play it out. Some of you recorded your choice. Chandan didn't but maybe he'll accept an invitation from the Lord's Alliance. There are other connections in town. I think Kallista indicated a desire to see one specifically. Ummm, she's a Zhent so anyone else that's aspiring to be a Zhent might want to tag along there. And it doesn't take much to guess who'll be the Emerald Enclave contact. I don't think we have Harper or Order of the Gauntlet recruits in this group.

Chandan

The smelly vagabond nods at Jaliera's suggestion.

"I will go with you to Thundertree." He says, before following Sildar out onto the balcony.

"The day ends better for this town than the day before." Chandan says to the old warrior.

Kriv

Human body language was not a strong suit, but the intent was clear enough. He followed Sildar.

Sildar with Kriv and Chandan

Kriv and Chandan approach the man that has taken charge of the town while the others discuss their next steps.

"From what I was told by Mirna Dendrar, the woodcarver's widow, the two of you handled most of the enforcing. She had come here to sing your praises. But I've already witnessed your bravery and am here to tell about it because of what you did to help rescue me from the goblins. I've spoken about having been sent here by the Lord's Alliance and I think both of you would be great additions to our faction. So I am inviting you to join our ranks."

"We are headed by a coalition of rulers from cities across Faerûn such as Waterdeep, Silverymoon and Neverwinter who collectively agree that some solidarity is needed to keep evil at bay. We could use heroes like you out in the world to accomplish these goals. Do you have any questions?"

Chandan

Listening with a pensive look, the wizened old man bows his head respectfully to Sildar.

"Your acknowledgment is a great honour, but I am merely a wandering vagabond. If the Lords' Alliance protects people from the forces of evil, then... they will find we are already on the same side." He says.

"And if you ever need my help, Sildar, you will have it."

Chandan thinks Kriv might be more suited to such a formal role, but the dragonborn doesn't need the monk's commendation; Sildar has already seen that Kriv can get results.

With a sincere and amiable smile to both, he backs out and leaves them to discuss.

Kriv

He watched the vagabond depart impassively, cold and loveless reptilian eyes staying on his back until he was out of sight. Returning to Sildar, he weighed his words carefully as he replied,

"The Lord's Alliance is known at Norixius Keep, and is well thought of. I am inclined to accept your offer. I would know more of the local Lord's Alliance structure, chain of command, any ongoing matters, other personnel in the area. Given what happened with Iarno, it would be a comfort to know there were no others who had proven susceptible to this 'spider' or those like him."

Sildar

He nods at Chandan, understanding that joining the Alliance was not for everyone. He had heard how cold-blooded the monk and thought it would be best to keep someone as dangerous as that as an ally. But he believed that the monk was mostly a loner, the type of person that could live in a cave at the top of an isolated mountain and not feel lonely. So be it.

So Sildar focused on this potential recruit.

"So, as I was saying, the rulers of Waterdeep, Silverymoon, Neverwinter, and other free cities in the region are members of the Alliance. While every lord in the Alliance works for the fate and fortune of his or her own settlement above all others, they are loyal to the cause."

"Our agents include bards, paladins, mages, and warriors. They are chosen primarily for their loyalty, and are trained in observation, stealth, innuendo, and combat. We are backed by the wealthy and the privileged. Our forces use the best equipment."

"You see, there is no expense to great than to seek out and destroy threats to our homelands. That's why agents of the Lords’ Alliance must be highly trained at what they do. It's obviously why I singled you out. Few can compare to our skills in the field. We fight for the glory and the security of our people and the lords who rule over us. We do so with pride. "

"However, the Lords’ Alliance can only survive if its members “play nice” with one another, and that requires a certain measure of diplomacy."

"We believe that if civilization is to survive, all must unite against the dark forces that threaten it. Our glory comes from protecting our home and honoring our leaders. The best defense is a strong offense."

"Out goal is to ensure the safety and prosperity of the cities and other settlements of Faerûn by forming a strong coalition against the forces that threaten us all. We eliminate such threats by any means necessary whenever and wherever they arise, and are champions of the people."

"Do these qualitys, values and goals align with any of yours?"

Davroar

Apparently no one seems to mind letting the one Redbrand run off, so he will forgot about him.

His emotions are mixed when his friends talk about going to visit a druid at Thundertree. He has not seen another druid for a long time now. His powers have grown significantly since leaving his initial teacher, but how he will be accepted for the choices he has made in his short career as a druid so far makes him a little apprehensive. Nonetheless, whether this Thundertree druid is reclusive or if is of a different circle than his, Davroar thinks he could be of some help in gaining information from Reidoth.

"Sure Jaliera, I'd go with you anywhere..." He quickly realizes his poor choice of words and speaks quicker, "I mean Thundertree. Where the druid is, rather than fighting orcs at Wyvern Tor where we could all die and ahh... Yes. Good idea, we should resupply and the same time see if anyone has word of Gundren's brothers."

He turns to leave, heading outside back to Barthan's to buy a few things for the trip.

Jaliera

His initial words cause a blush to rise in her face, though from her smile the words are not unwelcome. He does correct himself though leaving Jaliera to wonder if he actually meant what he had said and was thinking maybe they were too forward.. or whether he hadn't meant it that way. She hopes it is the former as she is quite attracted to the young druid, the first time she has felt this way about someone.

"So heading for the store then, anyone else coming?"

Kriv

He listened carefully, impassive and stoic, considering the words and weighing them carefully.

"I would say this is very much in line with my ethos. My own ties are to Norixius Keep, which whilst small is of like mind with this alliance. Collective endeavour to maintain order around and outside each settlement's bailiwick is both sensible and reasonable, as is the focus on one's own domain as paramount.

I am familiar with the obligations of lordship, and serve my father absolutely and without hesitation or question, which would naturally translate well across the alliance. I would like to think my education in matters martial and arcane has been of the highest calibre, though as with any student I am aware there is always room to improve, always much more to learn, and I seek to do so to the fullest of my abilities.

In short, I believe we are well suited to one another. In me, the Lord's Alliance will have an unflinchingly loyal agent, and perhaps one day once the span of my father's years reaches its natural end, a thoroughly dependable ally and co-patron."

(OOC - Just a note for those who use this sort of thing, now might be a good time to upgrade armour at the Lionshield Coster. I also think Davroar mentioned he would taste the two unknown potions so we can finalize our magic item split.)

Sildar

He reaches into a drawer in his desk and pulls out a little box and opens it. He hands the open box to Kriv and inside there's a ring.

"This signet ring will identify you as a member of the Lord's Alliance. Notice the insignia. You wear that palm side up, like this."

He shows Kriv the way that he wears it. The insignia is a simple crown.

"You have earned the rank of 'Cloak' which is an initiate rank and where we all begin. I am sure that you will advance quickly. With this ring you will be allowed to attend faction events and opportunity to advance. But you can be assured that we are not in this for personal benefit. The Lord's Alliance exists for the reasons I stated before. Indeed, I feel a sense of pride today because the Alliance has added a worthy member."

With that he holds out his hand to shake Kriv's.

Kriv

He accepts the ring in the appropriate manner, and the proffered hand, though the gesture is less common amongst his own kind.

"Indeed. The rule of law, as established by those in rightful authority, is paramount."

Chandan

The monk walks in from the balcony and ambles over to the others.

"Yes. Broke my best wine gourd!" He replies to Jaliera and is eager to accompany her and Davroar to Barthen's. Maybe the store will have a replacement or a durable wineskin.

On the way out, Chandan repeats to the constables what Davroar had mentioned about the Redbrand escapee, and what's been said about the goblin escapee and the 12 missing captives whose clothes he has returned.

Once satisfied that the constables have taken this information on board, and if his companions are content to leave it at that, off to Barthen's Provisions he goes.

"I think you would be a big help to these constables." Chandan says to Davroar, "Indeed, bear-size help! But only we can help Gundren. We must rescue him before he gives up the map. As soon as King Grol gets the map, Gundren is a dead dwarf."

The monk pats Davroar on the shoulder and smiles.

"So, we need your help more!"

DM

Kallista remembered that she has an appointment with Halia Thornton at the miner's exchange.

Jaliera is headed to Barthen's Provisions to see if anyone has sighted Gundren's brothers along with Davroar and Chandan. They are thinking about going to see about the druid.

Kriv is finishing up with Sildar as the others are discussing matters.

The grizzled soldier releases Kriv's hand and says to him, "We will keep a look out for that escaped ruffian but I doubt we'll see him again. With his friends all gone, he knows that he'll be punished for all of the Redbrand sins. Now it's up to the gods to give him what he deserves. If we see him, rest assured that I have a cell waiting for him."

With Kriv done, where is he off to? Kallista is going to meet up with her faction contact.

Davroar

"You're right, Chandan. I was just thinking more of that last Redbrand running to the spider and warning him about us."

Davroar figures they will just have to be a little more careful of being ambushed by this spider's thugs as they travel to Thundertree.