Having dispatched the zombies and wizard, the adventurers take a short rest near the remains of the tower. It gives Lilvari a chance to ponder the ring she found inside the wizard’s tent. She senses it has magical properties, and after an hour or so she’s able to discern that it’s a ring of protection. Excited, she slips it on her finger and feels the power wash over her. She also decides to give Mystic a gift, something that might benefit Mystic more than herself: The glass staff she’d obtained from Iarno Albrek, the leader of the Redbrands. 

Lilvari tells her that not only will it grant her additional protection, it can be used as a spell focus if she so desires. Mystic accepts the gift and spends time attuning her powers to it. By the end of the rest, Mystic has carved several constellations upon the quarter staff’s surface.

After their rest, the adventurers head back towards the Triboar Trail. Dare leads the way and is followed by Mystic who navigates. They travel all day, stopping only once around high noon to eat some of their rations. The lower hills of Wyvern Tor give way to dry cracked land beset by tall columns of rock. The low hanging sun paints the landscape a deep amber. They party isn’t aware that they’re heading towards danger. 

Because of the large clusters of rocks all around, Dare doesn’t see the thugs that are awaiting them. By the time he realizes their presence, it’s already too late. The leader grapples him and puts a blade to his neck.

“Your money or your life,” he whispers. As he says this, his men appear from behind the rocks. There are three in total. The bandit looks to Dare’s companions and smiles. “Or maybe we’ll take one of the women-folk instead.”

Dare senses that the bandit’s attention shift to his friends, and he tries to push his way free. The bandit is too strong. He wrestles Dare to the ground instead and jabs him hard with his scimitar. The battle is on.

While Dare struggles to get free and dodge the cheap shots inflicted by the leader, Lilvari, Mercarri, Mystic and even Traubon are able to gain the upper hand on the thugs.

When one tries to overpower Mystic, she transforms into a Wolf Spider and sinks her teeth into his neck, delivering a debilitating dose of poison. Lilvari ends his life as soon as his paralyzed body hits the ground. Dare finally manages to break free. It’s about this time that they see that the bandits are not the only threat. The wind suddenly carries a foul stench, and from behind them they hear shuffling footsteps approaching. Three zombies appear, most likely remnants from their battle at Old Owl Well. 

Dare instructs Traubon to head them off. Reluctantly, he agrees. Traubon holds his own while the others continue fighting the thugs and their leader. One by one the thugs fall, and its only after they’re defeated that the adventurers head over to join Traubon. Lilvari approaches first. She takes on the closest zombie and delivers a devastating blow. After it lands, she feels a slight tremor beneath her feet. The ground shakes and she’s able to make eye contact with Traubon before suddenly the ground falls away from beneath them all. She manages to grab hold to the side but Traubon and the other two zombies have no chance. They fall about twenty five feet to the bottom of the pit. Traubon isn’t moving.

Dare hurries over, shooting his crossbow down at the two zombies who have fallen while Lilvari and Mercarri start descending down. Lilvari slips a little but manages to land on her feet. Mercarri isn’t so graceful. After only climbing down a few feet, she misses a handhold and falls, landing squarely on her backside. Mystic, still in her giant wolf spider form, easily skitters down the cliff wall to head off the zombies. But one zombie is too fast. It rshes for Mercarri who is still lying prone, and it manages to rip a chunk of flesh from her size. Dare continues raining arrows down at the zombies as Mystic bites one on the neck. While the others are fighting the zombies, Lilvari helps stabilize Traubon. It isn’t long before the zombies are vanquished. All that is left is to check the thugs for valuables. They all carry some coin, but the leader also has a very nice pick axe. Burned into its wooden shaft, written in cursive is, “Phandalin Miner’s Exchange.”