Episode 4: Sharing is Caring

Episode 4: Sharing is Caring
19-21 Eleasis 1481 DR

The Jug or Naughts decided to accompany Bobby on his search for Bowgentle's spell book. As evening falls, the party reached Conyberry, and struck north along the path to Agatha's Lair. The banshee appeared, but Bobby nearly drove her away through… let's call it lack of politeness. Madislaka, however, mentioned the jeweled comb just in time, and the banshee agreed on a trade: the answer to one question in exchange for the jeweled comb. She told Bobby that she had traded Bowgentle's spell book over a hundred years ago to a necromancer named Tseroth. But when it came time to hand Agatha the comb, Bobby decided to keep it. The rest of the party promptly skedaddled. The banshee held Bobby in her lair for a minute, parting with a shot: "You will regret this."

After spending two nights on the Triboar Trail on the way back to Phandalin, the group arrived at the Lionshield Coster to find Linene Graywind tallying the goods from the shipment. As promised, she gave payment to each: new armor for Mulan and PewWee, an Elvenkind Cloak to Bobby, and 50gp each to Madislaka and Eldeth, who had no need of new armor.

The party split up in town to pursue  their various interests. Madislaka and Eldeth visited Sildar and Harbin in the Townmaster's Hall, where Sildar commissioned them to find his friend Iarno and to rescue Gundren from Cragmaw Castle. Bobby returned to Sister Garaele with the information about Bowgentle's spell book and was initiated into the Harpers in exchange for his promise to only use his magic for the good of others. Mulan accompanied PewWee to get more supplies and visit his aunt, Qelline Alderleaf. Qelline told them of her friend, Reidoth the druid, who can help them find any place they're looking for. Her son, ten-year-old Carp, told PewWee about a secret entrance to the Redbrand hideout in Tresendar Manor.

At dusk that night, the Jug or Naughts trekked into the woods just south of the Manor and entered the tunnel. Once under the Manor, they met a nothic, whom they made a truce with. In exchange for food and a jade statuette, the nothic let them pass and take a few items from its belongings… "sharing is caring."

The group crept down a staircase and overheard a group of ruffians playing knucklebones. Eldeth blasted the door open and our heroes charged in, taking the brigands completely by surprise. The fight (if you could call it that) was over quickly, helped along greatly by a sheet of fire from Bobby's fingers and a bit of "candy apple" acrobatics from PewWee.

The party opened the next door and walked in on three large bugbears and a terrified goblin. PewWee managed to bluff the bugbears into thinking that he and his allies were sent to retrieve the goblin for some purpose. The players picked up the goblin, Droop, and scooted out of the room, locking the door behind them.

After a bit of friendly conversation, Droop told them what he knew, which really wasn't all that much. The players walked into the Wizard's Workshop, where it seemed someone, presumably Glasstaff, was attempting to make potions of invisibility. PewWee heard the sound of a door closing in the next room and immediately hid under the table, where he made friends with a rat. After rummaging around, the party entered the next room, which seemed to have been quickly vacated by Glasstaff … and after reading an incriminating note, the group realized that Glasstaff is also Iarno Albrek, Sildar's wizard friend.

The Jug or Naughts hurried through the secret door and up the stairs behind it into the Redbrands' storeroom. Droop told them about another secret door and a little about the rest of the hideout, including the crypts, the armory and the slave pens, where right now, two women and a small boy are being held captive…