The Triboar Trail, Chapter 4. Entrances
4.1 History
Road-worn and battle-scarred, the four adventurers takes seats at a table amongst the locals in Phandalin’s only inn. Their companion Sildar has already retired to his room upstairs.
Nalfos works up the courage to approach the amber-eyed elf and eases out of his seat. “I’m not sure who this is, or what her intentions are. Keep an eye on us in case she means trouble?”
As he approaches, the stranger lowers her hood. She is a young Eladrin elf with an attractive face decorated with a prominent amber scar one one cheek. It stands out against her pale skin. Her amber eyes are sharp and alert.
Their conversation is hushed and lost over the chatter of the local patrons. The town is rife with bad news. A small family has very recently gone missing. The husband had recently stood up to a band of the Redbrands and retribution is suspected. Another patron shares gossip of orc raiders east of Triboar. Freda the weaver mentions that she thinks there’s a connection between the owner of the Miners Exchange and the Redbrands.
As he brings another round to the table, the innkeeper’s young son strikes up awkward conversation. “So, you’re adventurers? I’m an adventurer too! Want to know a secret?”
Ivandale smiles as Tinerella responds in a bright sing-song voice, “A secret? I love secrets!”
The young boy proudly beams at her. “My friend Carp and I found a tunnel in the woods!”
“A secret tunnel! That sounds mysterious!”, responds Tinkerella as she presses a copper piece into his upturned palm. “Can you show us later?”
The boy beams, but his father calls him to another table. His face turns scarlet and he leaves, weaving between guests.
Nalfos returns to the table unable to hide a somber frown. He reaches for his flagon of ale and sucks it down in a single pull. Meza clinks his empty flagon with her own and boisterously copies him. She clearly had not read the elf’s distraught emotions well.
Nalfos lets out a shallow sigh deflates in his chair for a moment. Drawing himself back up he looks around the table catching the eye of each before leaning over in and lowering his voice.
“I owe you all an explanation,” he starts. “Our tail at the other table is named Oriwynn. She’s asked for my help with her guild. A thieves guild in Astrazalian.”
Tinkerella sees confusion and grief in his eyes and presses him for more information. “Why has she come all the way here to find you?”
He swirls the ale in the bottom of his flagon, wishing it were full. “I was raised in Astrazalian. My father is a prominent member of our culture. My first-born brother earned all of his attention and affection. The rest of my siblings and I were ignored, left out of family matters. Mind you, he’s a good guy, my oldest brother. I’m not fond of my father, and care not for the social ladder he’s so deeply invested in climbing.”
“Left to my own devices, I was able to entertain myself. I met a lovely elf. We fell madly in love. Her family holds even more renown than my own in Astrazalian. She was a cultured rogue. A rebel hiding among her family. She sought to help those who were forgotten at great risk to her own safety.”
“Eight years ago, her father arranged for her marriage to an elf in another family for his own social gain. The only way we would be able to be together was to slip away, leaving our homes behind. We prepared to flee. We would leave the safety of our people forever.”
“I waited at our designated time and place, at the border of the Feywild. She didn’t show. I went to her home to confront her father. On the way, her friend revealed that she had given her up. Her father, in a mad rage, had her shot dead.”
“In grief, I fled the Feywild. Alone.” Drawing his eyes from the center of their table Nalfos looks around again. “I’ve just learned that she’s still alive!”
Even Meza is quiet. Possibly for the first time since she roused from their cart on the road. Ivandale places a hand on Nalfos’s shoulder for a moment as the innkeeper distributes a fresh round to the table. They sip their ales and contemplate until the innkeeper spreads the ashes in the hearth inspiring them to retire to their rooms.
4.2 Trouble in Town
The group slowly rises the following morning. Each returns to their table from the night before - except Ivandale. He nods as he passes the group and quietly exits through the front door.
Sildar comes down the stairs and approaches the group. He’s heavily bruised, but he appears significantly more presentable after the use of a warm bed and washrag. “I’m on my way to the Townmaster’s Hall. I have some business with the mayor there.”
A few buildings away, Ivandale drops a letter at the miners exchange, a note to secretly notify his adventurers guild, the Rangers of Red Larch, that the job has been completed. On the return trip to the inn, he notices three red cloaked figures watching him.
As he sits down to join the group he orders a meal and then details his experience with the Radbrands. They agree that they should handle the group after learning more.
Their first priority is a visit to the Lionsheild Coster. Ivandale shows the storeowner, Halia, the seal he removed from the crate in Klargs cave. He offers to provide her with the location of her shipment for a reward of 50 gold. Ivandale convinces the large shopkeeper to trade his shortsword for a rapier with the reward and they head to the Townmaster’s Hall.
As they enter the Townmaster’s Hall, the group finds an apparently empty building. A message board hangs near the door. Tacked most recently to the board is a bounty for nearby orc raiders. The simple building features two open jail cells along the right-hand wall.
The hear scurrying through the open door of the back room. A fat human shuffles out. “I thought I heard the door. Names Harbin”, he says gleefully, eyeing the group. “Who might you be?”
Nalfos responds, “We’re here to see Sildar. He said there may be a reward and information for some local trouble.”
“I’m not sure I know of a Sildar. Trouble? In Phandalin? Maybe if I had something to jog my memory…”
Ivandale frowns at the greedy humans outstretched hand. “Well, if our friend isn’t here and all is well, I suppose there’s no need for us to keep you,” Ivandale nods and turns to exit. “Good day.”
As he does so, Sildar enters the room and greets the group.
“Oh you meant this Sildar! Sorry, I must have misheard you!”
“Thank you again for the rescue. The four of you have proven to be a great help in a pinch. I hope I can ask for further assistance in a few matters? There are coin rewards, of course.”
The adventurers nod to each other.
“The goblins that grabbed Gundren and I are a tribe called The Cragmaw. They’re well known around the area, but they’re usually less bold. We believe the castle that Gundren was taken to is Cragmaw Castle. The are rumours that the castle was built nearby, but no one alive today has seen it. The goblins are fiercely protective of their den. The Lords Alliance will reward 500 gold pieces for it’s location. I believe Halia might have some useful information, but she’s a tough woman to work with. Bring some coin.”
“Additionally, there’s a smaller, but still substantial reward for information leading to the towns wizard. His name is Iarno Albrek and he’s gone missing. The Redbrands are the suspected culprits. A 200 gold piece reward for his safe return.”
As he finishes speaking, a young boy flings open the front door and enters. “They’re here!” he yells in terror.
“Who’s here?” Nalfos turns towards the open door, just in time to dodge an arrow.
“The Redbrands!” shouts Sildar, pushing the boy into the safety of the jailcell with him.
Harbin has already pulled the second cell door shut behind him.
4.3 The Redbrands
Prepared for a fight, Nalfos is the first to enter the street. “ What do you want!?” He yells, as a grinning Meza joins him.
Ivandale leads Tinkeralla out through the front door. An arrow drawn on his bow.
One of the red-clad bandits lets out a laugh. “We just want to talk. Come with us!” He’s flanked by two accomplices, swords drawn. A bowman kneels on the roof above them.
“Ha! I think not. We can speak well enough here,” Nalfos retorts.
“You seem to think you have a choice in the matter. You’re dead wrong,” responds the leader. “Come on out boys. They want to do this the hard way!”
Four thugs emerge from the shadows further down the street. They saunter towards the excitement chuckling among themselves and drawing swords.
“The only way you’re leaving here is with us,” the leader smirks as four more red-masked thugs appear around a nearby corner.
He quickly counts the group and furrows his brow. “I said come on out, all of you!”
In response, three decapitated heads roll between the legs of the most recent additions. A cruel, evil laugh follows them as Nalfos’s amber-eyed friend Oriwynn exits the alley. She holds a pair of long, bloody daggers. “I’m afraid they wont be much help!”
Ivandale takes advantage of the distraction and releases his arrow. It sinks into the chest of the bow carrying bandit on the roof.
Oriwynn slashes the closest bandit as his two companions return strikes with their swords.
Nalfos fits an arrow to his bow, but the string snaps as he pulls back on the string. Swearing, he tosses the useless remains of his weapon to the ground and draws a large diamond from his pouch. The diamond spins between his hands as two balls of flame launch from it, striking the bandit leader.
A bandit dashes from the leader’s side and lunges at Nalfos, narrowly missing him. He dodges to the side while maintaining the spinning diamond between his outstretched palms.
Ivandale is critically wounded by an arrow from the opposing bowman. Tinkerella produces a flash of flame, driving back Nalfos’s attacker. She then pulls the arrow from Ivandale’s wound, staunching the spurt of blood with her natural magic.
Meza runs to meet the next bandit. She clips him with a swing of her axe. Ivandale follows her, landing a second blow into the bandit’s side.
Oriwynn continues her assault on the flanking group. She lunges forward, distracting her target, and then drives her off-hand dagger into the chest of his companion. The skewered bandit releases a violent “Urk!” and collapses backwards, sliding off the sharp blade.
Nalfos continues to assail the red-clad attackers with flames. Two bright gouts leap from the spinning diamond and critically strike the leader and his closest ally. The flames shred their clothing and tear at their flesh. Both impacts are fatal.
The group who started further down the street join the fray. The quickest of the four charges up to Meza, but shifts and turns his sword blade into Ivandale. Unable to guard the sudden attack, Ivandale falls to the ground unconscious. Blood pools in the dirt under his body.
Oriwynn is struck by one of the two bandits she is locked in combat with. She returns the blow with another thrust of her daggers.
The bowman laughs as Ivandale falls to the ground. He turns his bow and releases an arrow at Nalfos. The arrow skitters to the ground near his feet.
Tinkerella pushes Ivandale’s attacker back with another blast of conjured flame. She reaches deep into nature’s healing magic again to soothe Ivandale’s wounds. He coughs violently and begins to stand in time to join Meza. They both assail the newest attacker, who expertly parries both of their strikes. Ivandale, struggling with his wounds, retreats backwards.
The Redbrand bowman once again assails Ivandale with an arrow. It strikes true. The natural copper hue of Ivandale’s skin drains from his face as he collapses a second time.
Nalfos’s diamond slows as two of the newest bandits single him out. He releases a final round of flame, striking them both. The magic slows one as he plucks the diamond from the air and returns it to his pouch. The other retaliates with a wild flurry of sword strikes which Nalfos is very barely able to avoid.
Unable to again conjure her healing magic for Ivandale, Tinkerella runs past Nalfos and his attackers. She turns and unleashes a massive blast of thunder, knocking his assailants to the ground.
Oriwynn fatally stabs her remaining attacker. Free from the fray, she leaps to a cart and pulls herself up onto the roof. She strikes the injured bowman before he is able to react. Her dagger sinks deep behind the shoulder of his outstretched bow hand. She twists the blade and it slips between the back of his ribcage, piercing his heart. He collapses instantly.
One of Meza’s attackers flanks her and stabs her in the back. She flies into a rage but is unbalanced by her injury and unable to connect.
Nalfos exchanges blows with his own attackers. He’s able to stab one, which collapses to the ground. Wounded and out of breath, Nalfos falls to a knee. His injuries are grim. Tinkerella mutters arcane phrases under her breath as rejuvenating magics stitch his wounds.
Perched on the roof, Oriwynn pulls her bow from her back. “Let me show you the proper way to use a bow, Nalfos!” She nocks an arrow and releases it, impaling the last of Nalfos’s opponents. The thug collapses face-first in the dirt.
The two bandits each slash at Meza again. Blood wells between the creases in her armor. Enraged by the onslaught, she swings her mighty axe in a brutal crescent, tearing through one. He stumbles backwards, choking up blood.
Tinkerella conjures more magic flame and hurls it at the last bandit behind Meza. He falls to the barbarian’s feet. The gnome runs to Ivandale’s aide. He is barely conscious, his breathe is shallow.
Oriwynn drops from the roof and hands Nalfos a healing potion. She crouches next to Ivandale and administers a second. Slowly, the color returns to the forest elf’s face. He stands and thanks her.
The villagers begin to slowly exit their homes. They clap, astonishment slowly turning to excitement bringing a still nervous Harbin from hiding.
Nalfos flips over the body of the leader and searches the thug for information. He finds only a small money pouch. Meza the barbarian snatches the light coin purse from Nalfos. “C’mon elf, time for a drink!”