Solo LMoP - 06. Redbrand Ruffians (Level 2)

Now up until this point all the personal imput I had into this party was roleplay and combat decisions. For most of our party this still stays the same, since they don't get any subclasses yet. But Quillathe does get to choose her Arcane Tradition. 

Drusa (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d10+2 (reroll 1): 4 => total of 16 HP
- new Feature: Action Surge

Haunui (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d10+2 (reroll 1): 7 => total of 19 HP
- new Feature: Action Surge

Egart (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d8+1 (reroll 1): 9 => total of 18 HP
- new Feature: Cunning Action

Harbek (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d8+3 (reroll 1): 11 => total of 22 HP
- new Feature: Channel Divinity: Turn Undead
- new Feature: Channel Divinity: Preserve Life

Quillathe (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d6+2 (reroll 1): 5 => total of 14 HP

Nou Quillathe has had a few interesting moments that might impact her choice for a specific school of magic. Her first great success was the Sleep-spell that took out two goblins and made sure the party could enter the den without a problem. She did a Burning Hands- spell that took out two wolves and killed a goblin with ray of frost. But together with Harbek she did send Klargh running, saving the party a big fight with a downed healer. 

So, given her knack for manipulation, Quillathe will choose the School of Enchantment. 
- new Feature: Enchantment Savant
- new Feature: Hypnotic Gaze
🎆new Spells: Hideous Laughter and Thunderwave

The night brings rest and healing and the following morning our adventurer take their supplies and leave the cave behind, strolling back towards Phandalin. Traveling at a normal pace they arrive at the town in the afternoon and head straight to the Inn to see if Sildar has made any advancements. The knight tells them that he has been asking around but has not managed to find any news of Iarno Albrek. He does however pay them the promise 50 goldpieces he has managed to procure from the townmaster. 

The rest of the day our group of adventurers can each follow their own goals for a while. As far as they have any. 

Egart would visit his aunt, Qelline Alderleaf, who works a farm at the edge of town. He'd give her all his silver and copper as he is used to share with her. They would chat a bit and Egart would play a game of cards with his young cousin Carp, Qelline's 10 year old son. He'd learn couple of things: Carp has seen a couple of Redbrands meet with "Big, Ugly Bandits" in the woods near a hidden tunnel he discovered. Egart would warn him about both the Redbrands and the tunnel and tell him to stay away from it - which Qelline echoes. When telling about the map to Wave Echo Cave that they found Qeline would advice Egart to seek out her old friend Reidoth, a druid that currently lives near the ruins of the town Thundertree - a name that Egart would recognize from having overheard Haunui talk about it. Reidoth knows a lot about the land and might be the right person to ask about the mines. 

Meanwhile Harbek would have asked around for Daran Edermath and be directed towards a tidy little cottage beside an apple orchard. Daran Edermath, a retired half-elf adventurer well over a hundred years of age would be rejoiced to welcome the dwarf. He'd tell him more about the Redbrands and their misdeeds in the town. This gang of thugs and their leader need to be taken down a notch. He can't pay the party to do so, but he is glad that Harbek agrees with him on the subject.

Quillathe heads to find the local priestess of Tymora. Sister Garaele however cannot offer any aid to her. By now Quillathe is the one who has knowledge about the Cragmaw clan and the castle. Garaele is very distraught with the activity of the Redbrands, who keep the town under their thumb and wishes there were someone who'd go against them. It's a short visit. Quillathe is not impressed by the other elf woman but has nothing against helping rid the town of some ruffians. 

Haunui heads to the Lionshield Coster that draws his attention due to the blue Lion above the entrance. The Lionshields are a merchant company from Yartar and this outpost is run by a woman called Linene Graywind. She is overjoyed by the news about her stolen wares and says that she will send someone to pick them up. Once she has them safely at the Coster (in a few days), she'll gladly compensate Haunui and his friends for them. 

Drusa would accompany Sildar to the townmasters hall where they would be introduced to the fat, pompous Harbin Wester, a former banker who seems to know little about anything. Instead of answering questions about Iarno Albrek he treats the three visitors as mercenaries, asking if they are willing to kill some orcs for him. Although he offers to help, there is little the group can do here at the moment that is worth their time. Sildar is angry and simply informs Wester that he will take over local government. 

Drusa, who has ambitions of her own of course wants to prove her worth gladly heads out into Phandalin to investigate about those Redbrands, meeting up with Haunui, Harbek and Quillathe in the town square that now seems strangely deserted. Four armed ruffians come strolling towards them. All of them are humans wearing grimy red cloaks, their hands on their weapons as they watch you.

One of the ruffians spits on the ground. “Time for you to move on, strangers. Give us your stuff, and be on your way.”

Harbek grins as he fastens his shield to his arm: "Nah, I don't think we'll do that."

Download Full Battle Report including all rolls and maps

The four ruffians draw their blades and rush in, cutting down Harbek within seconds, just before two of them fall themselves, injured by heavy blows from Drusa and Haunui and finished of by tiny magic missiles fired from Quillathes fingers. Rushing around the corner comes the small frame of Egart who joins the fight from a distance. Quickly only one of the Redbrands is left alive and turns to flee. Harbek, shaking out of his unconsciousness stands up, grasping the holy symbol of Marthammor Duin. He extends his hands and shouts: "Come here!" Commanded by the divine magic, the Redbrand turns and starts walking towards the dwarf, his eyes wide. But at that moment an arrow hits him in the temple, piercing deep into his brain and he drops dead. Egart lowers his bow, shaking and sweating. 

Harbek turns to him and curses. "Why did you do that?", he asks. "We could have interrogated him, find out more about them and their hideout."
"I know about their hideout already. And they would only have lied!", says Egart. 

🎲Deception Egart, +5: 24
🎲Insight Harbek, +3: 5

🎲Individual treasure Redbrand Ruffians, 4x 1d100: 98, 52, 9 and 49
    => 🎲1d6 platinum (3), 8d6 silver (27) and 5d6 copper (16)

Haunui also takes a set of Studded Leather Armor from one of the thugs. Since they all are human, none of their armor would fit Egart.

Now that the fight has ended, Harbek leans heavily against the stone wall that surrounds the small shrine of Tymora on the village square. Commoners come rushing up, checking if the adventurers are alright. Many look grateful but from the window of the townmaster's hall one can see the scared and angry face of Harbin Wester. It is clear that not everyone is glad about this fight. The corpses of the Redbrands however are quickly brought into an empty shed as the group reconvenes in the Stonehill tavern for some rest and food.

(3 silver each)

✔ 400 XP awarded

🍗 Short Rest is had, Action Surges and Second Wind regained, Quillathe uses her Arcane Recovery to regain 1 1st-lvl spellslot
    🎲Hit Dice Harbek 2 x 1d8+2: 5, 8 => 14/22 HP
    🎲Hit Dice Haunui: 1d10+2: 12 => full HP

While talking, the group informs each other about what they have learned in the course of the day. The are transparent, except for Egart, who keeps his previous involvement with the Redbrands a secret. He does however tell that he has heard that the guildmaster of the local Miner's exchange might have some intel on the Redbrands. As the day nears its end the party sticks together to make this last visit. Halia Thornton is very pleased to see them. She seemingly already knows that they have dealt with a few of the thugs and tells them plainly that the Redbrands need to be dealt with. She offers 100 gold coins if the adventurers manage to eliminate Glasstaff, the Redbrand leader. She also confirms that the base for their operation is under the ruin of the old Tresendar manor on the East side of town. 

A bit wiser for the day the party turns in for the night, deciding to try their luck against the Redbrands tomorrow. 

🛌Long Rest is had.