Phandalin

Aside from your gathering, there is nobody in the streets. You do notice a few people have come to their shutters or windows to peek outside.

Sister Garaele nods. "When you are ready for this task, I will tell you everything. You may find me here, tending to the shrine."

She pauses. "Unless you mean to do this now? I thought you were looking for someone."

Sister Garaele shrugs. "Not so much a long story, but a long journey. The person I was to seek resides near a place that's two days' travel from here."

"Her name is Agatha," says Sister Garaele. "She lives in a place a few miles outside the ruins of Conyberry. I was to bring a fanciful item to her, in exchange for the answer to a question regarding a lost item."

You are not familiar with the name of the town, but after inquiring about its location and being given a map, you realize that you passed through on your way to Phandalin. You had journeyed through the abandoned area along the Triboar trail, after you had crossed the Starmetal Hills.Qiora nods. "Anyplace is as good as any," she says. "Thinking of kicking more Redbrand ass?"

Rhene seems hesitant to agree with that statement, but she adds, "If your cousin is there, I think we should go. Is he there?"

The walk to the manor is unremarkable save for the emptiness of the streets. You pass by the Sleeping Giant and notice no activity, no movement. The manor itself is alone at the east edge of town, sitting on a low hillside amid some woods and thickets.

You notice that the manor is in ruins. Gaping holes in the collapsed roof leave little to the imagination, and the fallen brick walls litter the hilltop with rubble. The ruins of the manor make it look more like it used to be a castle than a house, but it is obviously uninhabited on the surface.

The grounds of the manor may be deserted, but you easily spot plenty of tracks through the area. The tracks lead to a stone staircase just off the empty ruin of a large kitchen, and at the bottom of the stairs is a door.

The horses are secured out of sight and away from the ruins.

You check through the rubble and do not find anything noteworthy or dangerous. It seems this area is never occupied, perhaps too exposed to the elements.

The door at the bottom of the stairs, leading presumably to a cellar, is unlocked.

The door is made of wood with iron handles, hingles, and built-in locks. It looks well-used and maintained, and is not secured in any way.

There is plenty of cover amidst the rubble. The stairs themselves number about a dozen, descending deep enough to imply a spacious cellar or underground level.

The rock slams against the wooden door and falls with a clatter to the stairs. The door seems indignant at such treatment and does not open.

Some time passes, and there is no response at the door.