We explore the Western shaft, kill a zombie, and gather a bucket of gold; strong, unnatural smell is very strong down in the shaft.
We search for ruins in the hills above the mine, but after a day’s search find only an ancient stone archway.
We spend two days returning to Amber. Along the way we are attacked by a band of Hobgoblins – we defeat them in a bloody battle, and carry an emblem of their tribe back to Amber.
In Amber, we visit the Mayor’s office and speak to Wu. He congratulates us on work well done, and notes that the dwarves arrived back in Amber safely. He insists on hearing everything and we show him one of the vials of black powder. We keep the other to ourselves. We learn that the hobgoblins are of the Stonefruit tribe.
Wu delivers the vial to Venessa Sorensen, a very experienced mage in town and provides us lodging in the Pipe and Pint where we eat, bathe, rest, and enjoy libations.
The following day we gear up and visit Sorensen who is polite but unwelcoming. She advises us to visit some of the other merchants in town.
We divide up to investigate locations in town:
Liadan visits Hans Fitzgeran the purveyor. He has some magical items – potions, a magical dagger – but suggests that Kiff the Finder is a better choice for darker stuff such as poisons.
Ariza and Liadan visit Kiff the Finder who sells some already processed poison in exchange for the spider poison. He takes great interest in the vial of black powder and shows A & L to a back room where lots of distillation and other processing is going on. He also takes a keen interest in Ariza and her skills. On their way out, Kiff eccentrically shows them a mask of the “War Wolves” hobgoblins.
Rem’e and Rhun meanwhile return to the Pipe and Pint to change into travel clothes in preparation to head over to the Glass Bugle pub near the soldiers barracks.
