The Smack Pack (A DND Campaign)

Session 2.4: A Ruff Interrogation

Sildar leads the group to the town jailhouse with the Ruffian in tow, aided by Cynthia who helps carry him down the street. Arriving at the jailhouse, Sildar and the group begin their interrogation. Intimidating the Ruffian into revealing the location of their hideout, but before they can convince him to reveal any entrances or further information about their base of operations, they are interrupted by the Townmaster, Harbin Wester who demands that they cease their interrogation. With no other choice, they allow the Ruffian to limp way.

Sildar informs the group that in return for any information concerning the missing Iarno Alberak, the captured Gundren Rockseeker, or even the location of Cragmaw castle, he will pay and owe them a great debt in return. After Sildar leaves, Harbin Wester approaches the party and informs them that he does not appreciate them causing trouble in Phandalin, but he is willing to let it slide if they do a service to the town by ridding them of a nuisance to trade in the form of a camp of orcs on the outside of town.

It is here that group separates for the moment to gather information: Zeke and Solana go in search of information concerning the orc camp while Kerikan, Cynthia, and Zalvala go looking for information on the Tresendar Manor and the Redbrand hide out.

While having a drink at the bar, Kerikan is approached by a small boy named Pip, the son of Toblen Stonehill, the innkeeper and his wife, Trilena. Pip tells him that a boy named Carp Alderleaf, the son of a farmer, knows of a way into the hideout.

Meanwhile, Zeke and Solana manage to point themselves in the right direction of the camp but as they make their way back to the group, they witness Kerikan following after a very enthusiastic, Carp. The boy leads them to the manor and points them in the direction of the secret entrance before rushing back home, decreeing that he's going be an adventurer one day to.

Using the secret entrance, the group enters the hideout, pausing only momentarily as Cynthia reveals her ability to transform her being into an assortment of weapons. They are then approached by a very hungry Nothic who telepathically begins demanding food from the group. Feeling threatened by the creature, Kerikan with Cynthia's assistance quickly strike it down before searching the remains of a body at the bottom of a nearby crevasse. Discovering a battered chest among the remains, Kerikan lugs it back up to the group. Amongst the treasure, they find a longsword with a hilt in the shape of a bird of prey and the word 'Talon' inscribed on the blade.

Zalvala claims the blade for herself with the intention of possibly selling it in exchange for a weapon of better use for herself. Continuing onward through the hideout, the group next encounter a group of very drunk Ruffians, who can do very little to fight back in their drunken state, and a group of three Bugbears who were in the process of bullying a very small goblin named Droop, who immediately faints at their sudden entrance.

After killing the three Bugbears, Droops awakens and informs them that while there are no dwarves in the hideout, there are three other prisoners to be saved and is more than willing to lead the way to them. The Goblin, while proving to be a major coward at the sight of the undead and other hostile encounters, Droop makes good on his promise. Inside the cells, they discover Mirna Dendrar, and her two children, Nars and Nilsa, who explain that the Redbrands are working for an unknown Evil wizard, though they've never seen him and that he has several bugbears working for him.

She also explains that her husband was killed for defying the Redbrands, that they were imprisoned in the hideout after they killed him, and that a woman in black said that someone would come for them. Realizing that the body they found is her husband, they inform her of the fate of his body. She is saddened but puts aside her feelings by focusing on making sure her remaining family is led to safety.

She informs the group that while she has nothing to give them in return, there is an emerald necklace that was left behind when her family fled the town of Thundertree many years ago, and that they might have it if they want it.

While the others free Mirna and her children, Kerikan and Cynthia clear out the hideout of remaining Ruffians, before being rejoined by the others as they move forward into the final rooms of the Redbrand Hideout.