S5 (8/22) : Payday, a Gnome, a Theft, and a Murder... What's the Tea?

Written by Renee_StGermain

General Summary

Last session our new companion Eve Noir treated our adventurers to rooms at the Stonehill Inn in the town of Phandalin. All but Tector Ozolith and Jun Sheng had turned in for the night. Tector choosing to stay up and make conversation with the patrons who were enjoying their ale. Jun having been left in the cart fast asleep.

This session, after a short while Jun awakes and wanders into the Inn. Where Tector fills Jun in on the more prominent facts of that which transpired during Jun’s long and deep slumber.
Jun tags Tector out so he may turn in for some overdue rest. Jun tries to gain some information from a very inebriated fellow. Jun trades in the ale option for a rare and delicious cup of tea.

The only thing available at this late hour consumable according to the Inn staff. Although quite pricey, this extraordinary cup of tea was ‘Inspirational’. The next morning members of our crew one by one wake to meet Sildar Hallwinter awaiting us ready to pay our service fees. 16 Gold Pieces each. (Warhun recovering his sock from his rooms door handle.)

After a rousing toast to a task completed by Tector, Sildar shares his desire to hire us for an additional service yet needs to collect the coin to make a solid offer. Warhun discovers while talking to the bar hands (the chatty Freida especially) that there is an orchard keeper who is a former adventurer that is also known to do some metal work and armor repairs. His name is (EDIT SPELLING) Aaron Oldermath.

While discussions wind down, Eve introduces herself to Jun and our adventures eat their fill on Eve's generous tab a loud pounding sounds from a door behind the bar. Jun and Tector take concern. Cassidy chooses to sit back and observe while enjoying the rare and delicious tea, recommended by Jun.

Warhun sneakily follows Eve out as she hurriedly goes out to check on the cart and the cargo held within. (Trying to put some space between her and Warhun ). They discover Eve's horses missing, flour missing from the cart, and Newrt (the inebriated fellow) dead.

Our overzealous paladin Tector, feeling someone is in need tries to knock open the door. The owner is not too happy about the developments yet agrees to let our companions take a gander at his storage room behind the door. Before entering, a nobleman’s voice comes from behind the door, shouting “Let me out now!” Upon entering a wave of air rushes over both Jun and Tector, a feeling of attempted illusion magic causes our colleagues to put up resistance defenses. They realize that the individual in the storage room was not a nobleman. Indeed, a gnome was attempting illusion magic.

Although they were able to see through the illusion, this gnome was able to successfully apply some lipstick resulting in a friendship spell to a full effect on Jun. After which, the gnome named Davnan Solnen, in his very small stature, was hitching a ride on Jun. (First football style, then shoulders.)

Eve and Warhun locate the missing horses. Jun (by way of chatty Frieda again) finds out the locals are concerned with sister Garaele of the Shrine of Luck being injured after returning from a trip. The shrine is located one block from the Inn.

Tector finds a note soaked in blood and rendered unreadable, it does bear an unmistakable mark; the mark of the Lionshield Coster, the same shield that was on the loot found in the Cragmaw hideout. The team is aware they have mounting ties and concerns with this Lionshield, the Redbrands, (EDIT) The Black Spider, and the missing dwarf Gundren Rockseeker. Goal one is to get these provisions cargo to their destination, Barthen's Provisions.

Report Date

03 Sep 2020