_{by jaymamma.}

We thanked Rydolf in the morning. I lingered for a moment as the others exited the abode. 

“Thanks for eveything Rydolf. “I said.

Don’t mention it. One decision at a time” and he winked.

I laughed and hugged him.

Take care of yourself old man, we will be back for the dragon.

When I stepped out the rest of the party were staring at me.

“Yes, can I help you”

“what was that about Mystic asked.

“Don’t worry about it lets go shall we?”

Dare privy to the conversation  last night thankfully said nothing. He just smirked at me as I brushed past for his silence I didn’t punch him on the way past.

Mystic took up her position as navigator, and totally led us in the wrong direction. Though for his sake it was straight to a wizard who had conjured himself straight into a tree. The stupidity was kind of amazing, even for a wizard. My stance on wizards being what it was, I would have been inclined to leave him like that, and share a laugh having drinks over the story at a later time. One decision at a time… We helped him free and were rewarded for it. I found I didn’t hate this wizard and watching him and his ferret skip off happily into the woods was kind of adorable. A wizard I didn’t murder or kick in the nether regions.Crazy. One that made me smile. Impossible, that was a first.

We were disturbed in our rest camping along the high road by a band of wolves and a pup. Dare wanted to murder the adults and steal the pup, we convinced him other wise, and for once we avoided a conflict. I would so much to have liked a wolf pup to raise but I didn’t feel the need to steal his parents to then steal him. One decision at a time…

We did have a scare as the green dragon flew overhead, it took no notice of us though. Well at least we knew how the cultists fared. I hoped Rydolf was safe.

Three days later we finally made it back to town. We sold our bounty and I finally got my damned breastplate. I gave the information about Bowgentle’s spell book as requested. I saw no need to mention the fate of the banshee, there was never a stipulation that stated we shouldn’t destroy her. A slight omission of information. We both got what we wanted and that was that. I would tell her that part if she asked but didn’t think it the best idea to volunteer it.

Then came the jerk who loaned us the horses. I legitimately was sorrowful and ashamed at what had happened to our horses. Those poor gentle creatures deserved much better. I wasn’t however going to give him anything. We risked our lives for these people, clearing out the red-brands. We would do so again in taking on the dragon. The so called town manager or whatever it was he did, had done nothing to protect his town. He would go on the attack though when it came to gold. I would not line his pockets, one decision at a time… They as  reward gave us a busted up estate, which they could then charge us to repair.I enjoyed some of the people here, but at the upper boundaries of its structure I was realizing just how much I began to dislike this place. Maybe this would need to change, maybe that was the true purpose of my placement here. Surely not of my Patrons design, but I was free to have designs of my own. This was starting to remind me greatly of my favorite hamlet where I ousted the thieves guild. There as well the upper echelon went along with the oppressors provided they could still make a coin. They weren’t directly affiliated no, but worse they did nothing. I began to suspect that same corruption was rife here as well. 

I had been pondering the necklace we had retrieved. The poor woman had lost her husband, seen his partly devoured corpse, and I had slapped her for it on top. It could have possibly fetched a high price in the selling, but I thought it better that we returned it. The others agreed and when they did Rydolf’s words echoed in my mind. “ever think about using that talent to get people to do goods things”? She was elated to have it back, and the exp of witnessing her expression was worth more than mere gold.

We then returned to The manor, which was was improving. For the amount of gold we were putting into it, it surely should have. Droop looked stupendous in his new get up and had cleaned the general mess up. I had thought about him while we were away, and had worried for his safety. Before we set out for town I showed him the entrance in the house that led to the caves where we had fought the nothic. 

“If you ever feel threatened or afraid you escape through here, if in the event you must flee I will look for you at the caves northwest of town” I told him.

He nodded that he understood. I really was becoming UN-trusting of things here in Phandalin. I had become fond of the goblin and would not see him come to harm.

We visited Sildar next. He always played so coy in front of the others, in private he played so much differently. I know his pulse quickened at the sight of me, I mean how could it not. He probably thought I was more beautiful than he remembered, and that was the truth technically. I knew I was rubbing off on him when he actually was the one to suggest forging a copy of the note and was interested in my intended playing of both sides. I had never tried my hand at forging documents, but I was quite good at is apparently. So much so that I ended up with the original, and sildar the copy.

Then there was Halia who for some reason, I know I did not like. However, I was curious about what interest she had in the note. She would not answer, and I didn’t appreciate her response. She then resorted to threats of sending her men after us? Where were these men when the red brands were torturing  the town? Yes, I knew I did not like her. The management in this town had to change , and would. I reached down and felt my blowgun against my hip. I contemplated assassinating her later, we would see. We told Sildar of her statements and I  returned the original document. It was a lie that I immediately did not want to live and I’m thankful the happenings led me to return it. I stayed behind and kept Sildar um company for a few minutes, and then left to meet the rest of the party at the bar, I would mull over current events, while dare would no doubt get smashed as usual