Sildar, the Gryphon Knight we rescued, decided to head back to Phandalin, and after some debate the party followed, quickly catching up as we were on our wagon and he on foot. Along the way, our bard loses his fashionable new goblin gauntlets (his goblets), and is left with two bloody sleeves.
We decide to spend the night at the inn, paying for rooms and as thanks Sildar buys them all some bread and ale for dinner. The group proceed to thoroughly embarrass themselves and the unfortunate knight, having a truly mindless conversation that ambles through as many topics as there were words exchanged. At some point, our need for further information about the town and the local happenings is mentioned and a nearby townsman offers his services as a guide for a couple of gold. The band of warriors agree to meet him the next morning and retire to their rooms, Punky bedding down in Firenze's closet.
The next morning, leaving the bard behind (absent player), we pay the man and we are taken along the streets toward an old manor, where the townsman had mentioned the night before that he had seen a strange dark beast skulking around. Along the way, we come to realise we are being closely watched by some roughians in red cloaks, and Firenze, tiring of the scrutiny, attempts to intimidate them into leaving us be.
Instead, they quickly tire of bandying words and attack. Their attempt is swiftly returned, the first of the thugs to attack earning himself an arrow twixt the eyes from Merielle. The apparent leader of the gang, angered by the death of his friend, fires his own shot at the archer, dealing a damaging blow.
The other two redcloaks charge toward Firenze, who is joined in her defence by Nic and a very hungover Punky. The two fighters are swift and sure, while the wavering goblin misses every shot in his haze. The leader is downed with another well placed arrow, and another is swiftly slain by Nic's longsword. Firenze attempts to kill the last, but her attack misses - the fatal blow is instead dealt by a now very injured rogue.
Once the fighting is done, the party's townsman guide emerges from his hiding spot and offers first aid - for a nominal fee, of course. Having paid, he leads them to his house where he bandages their wounds with his clean socks.
Not too impressed by this, Firenze leads the way back to the inn, where the group take a short rest to recover somewhat, before making a second attempt to reach the old manor, named Tresendar Manor by the townsman who, as decided by the party, was no longer needed as a guide, as they had traversed most of the distance before being attacked.
Sildar, who had remained at the inn talking to the locals about his own missing friend, decided to accompany us, as we had the same destination.
The group arrives at Tresendar Manor, finding it thoroughly abandoned and crumbling, nature reclaiming the stonework. A narrow track leads the group out of the ruins, around a few trees and into a carefully excavated, and much newer, tunnel leading back under the building into the cellar. Exploring the musty room lined with barrels, the group finds a door at each end, one to the north at the bottom of the stairs in and one behind a water-filled cistern. The north door is chosen.
Beyond is a corridor, the floor in the centre sunken and the dust disturbed in a trail that clearly avoids the dip. Reasoning that there must be a trap in the sunken area - why else would it be avoided? - the group edges around, following the trail through some large doors into a room, occupied by three sarcophagi. Atop the carved lids of the coffins, depicting the deceased occupants, lie a trio of red cloaked skeletons.
Ignoring Merielle's distrust of the 'bony boys', Nicolas strides over to inspect one of the coffins, awakening the skeletons.
Firenze, quick to draw her trusty halberd, lashes out at the one nearest her, dealing small damage to the decaying bones. The whoosh of blades missing their target fills the room, until Merielle successfully caves in the skull of the creaking corpse.
Sildar is having a tough time with one of the other two skeletons, and the fighters rush to his aid. More wild slashing of blades and clattering of bones follows, as the living warriors learn the hard way that pointy weapons do little against fleshless beings. Punky, still suffering from the large amount of alcohol imbibed the night before, is still useless, sending goblin shafts flying into walls and bouncing off coffins.
The conflict finally ends with Firenze wearing a new, unwanted piercing, bones scattered all over the place and red cloaks causing concern to Merielle, who suspects a connection to the thugs from before. Why else would they be wearing the same cloaks?
A quick investigation of the coffins proves them to be of the owners of the mansion above. The signet rings are saved, either for use or selling later.
The group decide a short rest is in order, and hope that the bard has recovered from the shock of wearing goblins - a life studying books leads to a weak constitution, it seems - and that he will shortly be joining them in their exploration of the dungeon.
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