diary.txt

Halia is the owner of the Mining Exchange. She's been in Phandalin for 10-15 years where she bought a lot of property early on. She's not a fan of the Redbrands, and they don't come anywhere near her part of the town. Redbrands have been in town since 4 months. The Redbrands leadership is staying at the Tresendar Manor. It could be the Black Spider or Glasstaff.

We captured one Redbrand outside of the Sleeping Giant Inn and tied him. He wakes up from smelling an onion we hover in front of his nose. We question him. We want to know where the
Redbrands took the kidnapped people. He reports to Glasstaff which is paid by the Black Spider. Glasstaff is underneath the Stromhold manor that you can access through the basement.
This guy came here from Waterdeep and is just doing his job because he is getting paid. He tells us there are bugbears and an Eye Monster. He doesn't know what they are. People that were in this inn have never been to the manor. They don't mess with Halia because her people are stronger and they have connections with her through Waterdeep. He runs away.

We go to the tunnel not meeting anyone. We're in an open cellar area. There are staiways to the basement, a large cistern that slowly trickles out water. All is quiet. There's lantern light. Nyx found a satchel with money and potions here earlier. When we go down the stairs, we see a door and some barrels. We find a secret door, well-crafted. We push it, the door sinks in and opens. There's lamp light inside. It's a natural cave structure, there's a breeze and a faint smell of decaying flesh. The cavern branches into two paths. There's a giant boulder on the left. There are two columns supporting 24 ft ceiling. It's dark. There's some faint nectomantic energy coming from this place. The bridge closest to us is rigged to collapse as soon as someone steps on it. Razz is entranced with the cave structure and is hearing voices in his head. They're whispering that the child does not belong here and it's not safe for him. The voices come from behind his shoulder. Petey smells the air and is growling and upset. Someone is cackling and it echoes. It sounds similar to a language that we've heard - hints of dwarwish, goblin, mixed language. The noises are almost forming sentences. The cackling slowly dissipates again. Arissa perceives a neutral evil aberration behind the boulder. Arissa shifts a little and freezes up. We begin to hear cackling again. Some dwarvish words are mine, pickaxe. Arissa wakes up from Razz shoving an onion into her face. The creature behind the boulder has a very small head and hands that turn upside down. Cracks bones. Blades sticking from behind its back. It has one giant eyeball. It just wants to survive. It was employed by the wizard and survives from the meat of men. It likes skin, bones and occasional trinket. We look at the creature's green eye and feel the aura of death. We're able to shake it off. The eye sees through you. Nothic traded with Ruinala and left. Ruinala got a tattoo from Nothic on her wrist with a solid mass underneath. Nothic really liked her. After Nothic leaves, Ruinala and Razz walk forward and hear some goblin. They hear bugbears underneath. Around the corner they see three bugbears and a small figure on the ground. They're throwing stuff at the creature. In the room there are barracks with four wooden bunks, blankets, and dirty dishes. It smells like unwashed bodies, rotten meat. There are three tall humanoids and barking orders at the small goblin on the floor. We perform a surprise attack. We kill all 3 bugbears and take the goblin.