DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games LMP: Lost Mines of Phandelver 5 - Epilogue

Daren with Chandan and Bern

As they stroll, he rubs his chin as he thinks through Chandan's question before answering.

"I suppose I will need to go. Sildar will go for sure. Halia will organize some of the miners Hopefully we'll have Tymora's fortune in the form of Sister Garaele along too. I'm trying to figure out if we can handle it."

Halia with Davroar and Jaliera

She raises her drink towards Davroar and says "To you and your friends," she says as she takes a sip with him. Then she turns to Jaliera.

"A mentor. Oh? Interesting. And you don't drink. Hmmm. That's smart thinking. Staying sober means you keep alert. I like that. Your mentor taught you well." She raises her eyebrows, curios.

"I'm not sure what you really owe your mentor but I can appreciate that. In the end, we're all on our own, unless we have family and great friends. But mentors are different. I'm sure Davroar had one and I had one too - my mother. She taught me numbers and about the world. But I think that her most important lesson was to send me out into the world to become independent. Don't you think that is what he did, sending you out like that? I'm sure he wouldn't have sent you out if he didn't think you were ready. If you intend to give him gold, consider it a gift - not payment. And you should consider that it could land on your mentor as some form of charity. I say the gold is yours and it is time for you to start managing your finances.

She lets that all sink in for a moment and then, out of nowhere, she adds, "How old are you lass? You look just old enough to marry."

Her eyes didn't need to move for Davroar to know that the smirk on her face was meant for him.

<Bern>

"Be sure to take some ... 'protection' ... along. And all of you should be ready to fight if your 'protection' gets involved with the 'locals'", he offered.

Sister Garaele with Ryssa

Chandan had downed the tea quickly, but the two women were left alone to discuss spiritual matters while the men went off to talk about the physical dangers that they encountered in the mines. Ryssa could tell that Bern had been uncomfortable for much of the evening and needed some fresh air. And Chandan? Well Chandan did what the wind told him to do. He gulped down the tea and was off.

Sister Garaele glared at the men as they walked away, just a tinge annoyed.

"They're off to talk about killing things. Killing things is not something that I aspire to. But it is a duty. Thank you for helping out with all the information. If that lake that you talked about was where the Black Spider was going, he either had a way out or thought he could hide there. That means we have to deal with that. I'm thinking we need to seal it off. The miners can do that easily."

She glances left and right and when she seemed confident enough she leans forward and pulls aside her vest to reveal a small gold piece of jewelry on her lapel in the shape of a heart. "Have you ever seen this?"

Sildar with Kriv and Luminmorn

Luminmorn joined Sildar and Kriv at the table.

"This is excellent information. We'll make good use of it. I don't know if we'll be successful. The monsters that you defeated were quite dangerous. And the hazards might be treacherous. It might be too much for some of the miners. Hopefully we have enough manpower to handle it. "

He leans back in the chair and asks the pair of dragonborn, "What are your plans?"

Ryssa


She frowned for a moment and then shrugged.

"They are good men. I have grown to trust and respect them these last few weeks."

The cleric took another sip of wine and rolled it around on her tongue before speaking again after leaning close to look closely at the pendent.

"No, not one exactly like that. I do have this, however," she said, showing the Sister her icon of the Morninglord.

"What does it represent?"

Davroar

He was about to agree with Halia's point that Jaliera's share of the mines profits should not be going to her mentor either, but instead takes another deep gulp of his ale to hold his tongue while giving Halia a wide-eyed look at her last question to Jaliera.
Davroar had made a promise to Jaliera to accompany back to her home and help in any way to clear any oath debts she has made to her mentor. His feelings for Jaliera grow by the day, but such a commitment that Halia is suggesting has not been considered at all. Much to early for that he thinks!

Jaliera

She listens to Halia, interested to hear what advice she has to offer but before she can explain further, she is blushing furiously, a quick glance towards Davroar. It is not that she dislikes the idea but they barely know each other!

"I am sixteen but sometimes I feel much older."

What is she saying? Does that sound like she is agreeing with her? She goes on quickly.

"My parents were killed in a fire and I ended up in a bad place. My mentor rescued me and gave me a home along with a few others. He has trained all of us and looked after us. The idea is that we can take on jobs, go adventuring and return to him to share the proceeds. He gets repayment and is looked after in his later years and the rest of us get a life that at one time might have seemed impossible. I owe him much."

Much safer ground.

Davroar

"Perhaps your mentor and our share combined Jaliera, he could afford to hire someone more suited to taking care of him."

Davroar is still unsure just how far this new found wealth will go, but if part of it could go to both Phandalin and her mentor then he will do so.

"I know you said to me he is family in raising you, and I can understand oaths taken, but if all he wants now is coin then surely this wealth can give you and us more freedom?"

Jaliera

She smiles softly at Davroar. He is always looking out for her. She already knows she wants to have him in her future.. and who knows what might become of that?

"We'll have to talk to him. He is a mage and a scholar. We split proceeds equally but I think gaining more knowledge, having company and a continuing income into his old age count for more than just money."

But she smiles again.

"But we can always see if there is a deal to be made."

Halia to Jaliera and Davroar

"That does sound like the Randal Stagg I know. He does know how to get others to enrich him. But it's your share, you do what you think that you must but I am somewhat disappointed. I thought that you were more independent than that."

It's the first time that anyone had mentioned that name in this town. Jaliera sure hadn't.

Sister Garaele with Ryssa

"It's a Harper pin. You might have heard rumors about us. We're a very old organization made up of individuals much like you and I. We try to not advertise who we are but we mostly gather information and put that information to use to promote fairness, equality, aid the poor and oppressed. We do our best to thwart tyrants."

She takes a sip of ale and can't hide the small smile forming at the corner of her mouth, "I did mention that we don't really advertise who we are. The fact that I showed you the pin means that I'm taking a risk. I was hoping that you might consider working with us."

Ryssa


Unobtrusively glancing over her shoulder, the cleric of the Morninglord made sure no one was watching the two of them. Satisfied, she turned back toward Sister Garaele and examined the Harper's Pin, turning it over and over and casting a very minor spell upon it to make sure it radiated no signs of divine magicks.

"I have heard of the Harpers," she murmured, barely loud enough for the other female to hear her words.

"What would be entailed by me working along with you?"

Kriv

The Dragonborn noble weighed the question for quite some time, as befit its import. With due consideration, he rumbled,

“Our initial mandate and subsequent mandates here are complete. My options include returning to Norixius Keep with success and spoils, together with a larger than expected down payment on our collective honour debt to the Rockseekers; Remaining here to support Gundren and Nundro in getting the mines secure once more; seeking out fresh problems to resolve; resuming and intensifying my studies into history and the Art. Of these options there’s not a great deal of mutual exclusivity, especially given what’s down there.”

He tapped the location of the Forge of Spells on the map before them, then continued,

“I am best served by sending word home, lending my aid to the brothers both in a logistical capacity and by force of arm when necessary, investigating the arcane mysteries down there within the remit of determining possible threats, and keeping an ear out for opportunity to advance the cause of order and control over the wider region.”

Jaliera

She looks surprised.

"Then you have met my mentor?"

Maybe she knows him well to have recognised him from a description? Then she smiles.

"I aim to be more independent but I do owe him a debt."

Halia to Jaliera with Davroar
"We know of each other. Yes." She gulps down the rest of her drink and waves for a refill. She leans back, with her fingers clasped behind her head and adds "We are associates. This was not all happenstance, do you think?"

Sildar to Kriv

Luminmorn had excused himself and retired for the evening. leaving Kriv to continue talking to Sildar.

"It is appropriate to report your great success and continue to build on the long and illustrious prestige that clan Norixius has gained over it's long legacy. It will not take long to add to that honor within a few days and then you can return to Norixius Keep. The Lord's Alliance is relying on brave and honorable members such as yourself to keep order in the realms and insure the safety of the general populace. Perhaps, after well deserved rest, we can organize ourselves for the cleanup."

OOC: Pandemonium has been quite scarce so let's let Luminmorn get some rest.

Jaliera

"Coincidences occur less often that many folks believe."

She smiles at Halia.

"I would be interested to learn more."

Daren with Chandan and Bern
"Protection you say? What type of protection, aside from manpower, do you suggest? What dangers can we expect from the locals?"

<Bern>

"Weapons for one thing. And ... especially when you are getting mining operation started ... you might want to include a few extra people to actively guard and keep an eye out for trouble before it gets up close and personal since almost everyone we met down there wanted to fight first.

Kriv

"Then it seems the protocol is obvious," concurred the Dragonborn.

Davroar

He exchanges a look directly only for Jaliera with some suspicion in his eyes after Halia's comment that sounds like she knows far more than she lead them to believe at the outset. Not sure whether he should be asking Jaliera or Halia he looks to Jaliera first and asks , "I don't get it. Did this Randall Stag send Halia here to watch over you, us?"

Jaliera

"I don't know."

She looks at Halia.

"But it is nice to know he has my interests at heart." She smiles. "And this task to help Gundren was my first test of all of his teachings."

Chandan

He ponders Daren's question, visualising the map they'd used on their adventure.

"I think you are the locals." Chandan says finally, adding, "Trust in each other be your best protection."

Ultimately, the party had cleared much of the mine, but without the major undead presence other abominations might creep in and make their lair in the dark. Are there any humanoid tribes left in the area? Always, but the most prolific have been crippled for the time being.

"Time is of the essence, I deem. Move fast, before the mine can be reoccupied."

The old monk twizzles his musty grey hair, the wrinkles of his leathery face poised for an expression.

Finally he smiles amiably as he always does, patting Bern on the shoulder.

"Time, yes." He says, "It is a good night for a moonlit stroll. I will be gone for a while.

"Say farewell to the others for me, Bern. Where I'm from we do not say goodbye unless there is no coming back."

He nods to Daren, and says to both.

"Wisemen say 'Wherever you go, go with all your heart.'"

Chandan heads for the door, though stops when he sees the wooden ball lying at the end of the skittle alley. The skittles are all setup and looking somewhat forlorn since everyone is drinking in the taproom.

The old monk shrugs and picks up the ball, weighs it in his hand then hurls it down the alley. It clatters off the walls, only managing to clip and wobble one skittle. Chandan's eyes narrow, the skittle remains standing.

Turning to the other men, he says:

"Oh, the perfect score! Not a single skittle knocked down!"

With a final wink, Chandan adjusts the saffron scarf around his chin, adopts a walking grip on his spear and slips out through the door into the night.

[Chandan over and out.]

Ryssa


Ryssa turned to Sister Garaele.

"I am interested, but tell me more about the Harpers."