Following the chase and its aftermath, the adventurers decide to take a few days to recalibrate. Lilvari unwinds by planting a garden in front of the manor. She uses this time to get to know Droop a bit, and the goblin seems to enjoy her company. She also finds time to visit Freda Drawning, Phandalin’s seamstress, to get a goblin-sized outfit just for Droop and several dresses for herself. When she offers payment, Freda tells her not to worry — the ‘favor’ Lilvari had done for her earlier is more than enough. 

Using her magic, Lilvari crafts a special flute for Mystic to replace the one that was stolen. She also gives Mercarri a few gold pieces and tells her to go to town to sow a different type of garden — one of rumors about none other than Halia Thorton. Mercarri does her job well. Though Halia is well respected in town, Mercarri manages to plant some seeds of doubt. She mentions the fact that Halia did very little to stave the Redbrand menace, despite her many ‘powerful’ contacts. She goes as far as suggesting Halia might be in on it, trying to work with the Redbrands in order to gain control of the town. Others, it seems, have already formed a distasteful opinion of the adventurers, however, and Mercarri wonders if perhaps Halia has been spreading rumors about them as well.

Dare and Mystic decide to spend most of their time at the tavern — drinking and getting to better know the villagers. Before Dare’s drunken tirades drive them off, Mystic is often able to get them to stay and listen to her story about the stolen flute, the chase through the forest and the slightly morbid events afterwards. Most nights, Dare and Mystic part with their company as friends.

During their downtime, Sildar pays them a visit. He tells them of Halia’s visit to the Townmaster’s Hall, confirming their suspicion that she’s spreading rumors of her own. She heatedly described the adventurers as warmongers, a group of savages no better than the Redbrands. She sited several examples: Ajax tackling Sister Garaele, the so-called missing horses (she claims that the adventurers probably killed them on purpose to cripple the town’s trade), the stuffing of a dead body in a barrel and the subsequent threats made to the townsfolk afterwards. Unfortunately, these rumors are taken to heart by Harbin Wester, the town master. Sildar manages to calm the situation by offering to personally pay for the four horses that were lost while under the adventurers’ care. He also decides to ask Neverwinter to send a dozen guards to help protect the town. He says the horses and guards will arrive in a tenday. Both Halia and Harbin are happy with this turn of events. Halia even offers to help pay for the guards. Sildar declines her offer, telling her that their salary will be paid in full by Neverwinter. 

The Orc Menace

Perhaps to prove their alignment with good or maybe to hone their skills, the adventurers decide to take care of the Orc problem at Wyvern Tor. Prior to departing, they have a hearty breakfast at Stonehill Inn. Before long, Sister Garaele stops by their table. She has an interesting look on her face. She says she heard a rumor — something to the effect of Halia blowing goats. Mercarri turns a little red and avoids eye contact. Before the conversation can get any deeper, Sister Garaele points out two men who’ve recently entered the tavern. One is Scoff Kneelender; the other is Laral Benners. Both work for Halia at the Miner’s Exchange. She tells the party that recently, these two have been hanging around the inn far more than usual, usually in the presence of other townsfolk. Quite a few times, Sister Garaele has heard the party’s names come up — especially Lilvari’s and Dare’s. 

Lilvari and Dare immediatley head over to where Scoff and Laral are sitting at the bar. They cause no trouble, but simply sit besides them. It’s enough to make the two men feel uncomfortable. They quickly finish their meal and leave the inn. 

After breakfast, Dare, Lilvari, Mercarri and Mystic head out of town, leaving Droop and Ajax back at the manor. They head North-East along the Triboar trail in the direction of Wyvern Tor. The day is uneventful. The weather is fair. As the sun kisses the trees on the distant horizon, they start to look for a good place to make camp. The trail itself is bordered on both sides by rocky inclines. Mystic happens to hear a noise. She looks to where it came from and sees several hobgoblins on top of the rocks. The one in the lead has an arrow knocked. She manages to warn Dare just as the arrow is loosed in his direction.

“Remember, we have to take her alive,” says one of the hobgoblins as they descend the hills to attack.  As the party fights them, they realize that none of the hobgoblins are attacking Lilvari. Though they outnumber the adventurers, it isn’t long before the hobgoblins are defeated. At one point during battle, Mercarri uses her powers to summon a spiritual weapon, a mace made of dark brown, shimmering smoke. Lilvari comments that it resembles smeared feces. Mercarri smirks as she raises her hands and flicks her wrist. The ‘smeared feces’ hits a hobgoblin across the face so hard that its head spins halfway around with a crack loud enough to echo across the hills. It drops to the ground with a broken neck.

The hobgoblins are taken down one by one until only one remains. Dare grapples this one to the ground and Lilvari summons her war glaive. She holds the tip of the blade to its neck and demands information. It refuses. Mercarri steps forward, trying to help, but the hobgoblin spits in her eye. At this point, Dare pulls a dagger and puts it to the hobgoblins crotch. Unfortunately for the hobgoblin, the dagger slips and slices off a bit of his manhood. Screaming in pain, the hobgoblin finally relents. He tells them that he and his friends set upon some soldiers in the woods several months back. When searching them for loot, they found a note that mentions a bounty for “The Devil of Noble’s End” in the amount of 5,000gp. It describes a tiefling who put an entire town to death and is signed by someone named Gennal Nailo. The sketch on the top of the note is none other than Lilvari. 

Lilvari finishes off the hobgoblin while the rest of the party looks on. They decide to make camp on top of a nearby hill, but making camp isn’t as cheerful as it normally is. Despite their easy victory against the hobgoblins, talk seems stinted as they start a fire, lay out their bed rolls and prepare for the evening ahead.