Chapter 1: Meeting the Cuckold Moose

The three boys see through Xhava's supposed inspection claim, but let her look into the wagon anyways. The short ginger kid speaks up nervously, "I-it's just camping equipment, we swear... " He doesn't seem to be lying as there is only camping gear in the wagon. Another one of the boy nudges him to keep him straight. A taller brown haired boy with a sturdy frame, his chin had several hairs to indicate a beard was on his horizon. He spoke sensing what they were looking for, "The other crew relayed it to Phandalin last night. We are just cleaning up camp." The boy didn't stop their inspection either.

The rage fuelled Goliath stamps out the boys head with his large warhammer. Blood, skull and brain matter splatters out, covering the adjacent in the mess. Despite moving back, the dragonborn got dirtied as well. The ginger boy fell to the floor in shock while the other living boy looked up at the Goliath with deer eyes.

The blade punctures the boy's soft stomach, blood gushing out in front of his shocked eyes. The boy's hair was vibrant orange compared to the crimson red of the blood. He fell to the ground, sword slipping out effortlessly, and continued to bleed to death. The last boy began crying, eyes filled with heavy tears. "Please, please... my mother will be heart broken. I was just trying to be like my brother, but I don't want to die like he did!" He put his hands together in prayer shape and pinched his eyes waiting for it all to end. These boys were not real thugs, just equipment lackeys.

The boy's stomach turns with anticipation, words fumble out of his mouth as he speaks. "We- They are the Redbrands. They are headed back to Phandalin with the mining equipment. There are more than a dozen, I dont know exact numbers... they never let me down into base." He makes eye contact with Xhava at the end of his shaky sentence.

The already frightened boy continued to shrivel inwards with each huff of the Goliath. His nerves had broke when his first companion had lost their head. Gellbran joined the scene late, however his blood hunting presence unsettled the boy further. Looking for more to bargain is life with, he spewed the last of the his small information pool. "The base is at the mansion in Phandalin, the basement is where the life of the group is. Only more important people are allowed down there, to avoid interference. My brother used to be allowed down there.... He's dead now. My brother told me about the hidden back entrance. Shipments go right around the back to this gate. You'd get stopped before that though, unless you came from the woods surrounding. The basement is dangerous though. I've heard strange noises from upstairs lately... There is talk of new "management", whatever that means. I just know someone new has been pulling strings. I don't ask questions. Ever. I just listen." The boy ran out of things to say and began stuttering, "My mom lives in town, just a farm woman. Hard working, especially since my brother joined father. If I don't make it back to her, please let her know I'm sorry and that I love her. Her name is Laila." returning to his wince, the boy bowed his head.

The boy's face goes more pale than his dead ginger friend that is being looted. The Goliath gathers a mere 3 copper coin, not even enough to pay to remove a stain from his equipment. The living boy began cautiously making his way back to town. Only willing to stop if the group decided he should stay or be dead.

The morning sun glowed a crisp yellow now, drops of dew glistening on top of the fields of grass. The group was sitting no more than 2 days away from the town of Phandalin. With the abandoned Redbrands' wagon stocked with supplies, the can easily continue on their way to the town. The surviving boy cut off the main road and seemed to disappear over a small hillside. High Road was well worn, it being the main trade road to Neverwinter. It was wide with compacted dirt keeping it fairly smooth. Looking out west, the coast line filled the horizon with a deep blue. To the party's east was open fields with only forest to look forward to if venturing too far; The Neverwinter Woods.

The party has found the halfway point of the supply thieves. The new wagon they found was just camping supplies, enough to restock their own stuff. The boys may have not been clear, but the Goliath knows the dwarf's mining supplies has been taking to the main base; the back entrance of the Redbrands' mansion in Phandalin. There doesn't seem to be anything of interest here anymore.