Tavern Brawl

We arrived in Phandalin and sold our gifts from Big Al; I really wanted to sample the butter but needed the gold. My rescuers had been staying at the Stonehill Inn and I joined them at the bar inside. Toblen, the innkeeper, was in the middle of telling us about a new game of skill he invented when a group calling themselves the Red Cloaks arrived and started disparaging the townsfolk and our party. One of them made fun of Zook's height which didn't sit well with the gnome. Tensions esclated quickly and a fight broke out.
 
Saw the strangest thing happen to Validus. Just turned into a puddle of slime barely a moment into the fight. Zook mentioned something about a Curse of Greed. Don't know if the curse was Zook's or someone else's doing. Will try to stay on the gnome's good side just to be safe.
 
Before any of us could react, the Red Cloaks cut down Torben like knife through butter. Noticed a boy sitting at one of the tables nearby and put myself between him and the Red Cloaks in the room. He introduced himself as Pip and offered to help fight the Red Cloaks. Kid's got moxy. Turned my focus to the Red Cloak that upset Zook. Used the spell Adaeon taught me back in Amn. Nothing happened. Tried again. Nothing again. Nerves? Rust? Probably both. Took a deep breath and focused my gaze inward, speaking the words of the spell clearly and slowly. That did the trick! Unfortunately, the Red Cloak was still standing. He managed to shake off the mental shock of my spell and strike Zook with a flourish of his blade.
 
The gnome's got guts and talent. Took the sword wound like it was nothing, scrambled over the bar and finished off the Red Cloak with a powerful blast of his blue magic. I got up on one of the chairs by the bar and looked over to find Zook drinking a glass of whatever was on tap. Does his power come from distilled spirits? Judging from the number of drinks he put away, it might very well be the case.
 
With the immediate threat to Zook, Pip and myself gone, I turned my attention to the rest of the inn. Olaf was surrounded by the remaining Red Cloaks but had someone helping him fend off his assailants. With a flash of white light, the paladin struck one of the Red Cloaks with his morning star and the man crumpled to the ground. Zook took down another with his blue magic. The last Red Cloak decided to tuck tail and run but didn't get far before someone took him down.
 
While we discussed with Toblen on how to best proceed with the dead bodies in the inn, I helped tidy the place up. Cleaned what was left of Validus with my magic. We decided to bury the remaining bodies and Toblen directed us to a hill on the north side of town. The warrior who came to Olaf's aid during the brawl offered to help bury the dead and introduced himself as Joxer.
 
Toblen distracted the few townsfolk that were in the vicinity of his inn while we carried the bodies out the back. Under the cover of night, we managed to get to the hill without anyone spotting us. Spent the next hour or so burying Torben and the Red Cloaks. Put an item from Validus' pack in the grave as a formality. As a finishing touch, we used a nearby flat stone to mark the grave. If anyone should ask, we buried our fallen party members on the hill.
 
On the way back to the inn, Joxer mentioned he used to work as a mercenary guard in Neverwinter. Decided a life of adventure was more his style and offered to join us. We readily accepted him into our party.
 
Spent the rest of the night sharing drinks, food and ideas about improving Toblen's new game. Olaf and Zook played a few rounds of Sink It or Drink It; that's the name I suggested for Toblen's game. Got to try out Big Al's butter on a couple slices of toast, courtesy of Toblen. Incredibly creamy and rich. Dreamt about the butter in my sleep.