Poppin’ Pills¶

2022-May-14

On their way back to Phandalin, the party sees a wagon slowly approaching with an armed escort, emblazoned with the seal of Neverwinter. Kleb and Rowan feel it’s important to establish dominance over this armed caravan, so they spread out to block the road.

A robed man hails them and announces that he is spreading the good word of Lozenge Azure. To Kleb’s absolute disgust, the man offers him a flyer. Kleb cuts his own cheek with a knife, bloodies his hand, and slaps the paper out of the man’s hand before dropping flyers of his own and stomping off.

Rowan and Rulkorf step aside and call out to the man in an attempt to deescalate. They learn that his name is Belethor and some of his companions had split off towards Phandalin earlier, while this group is heading in the direction of Triboar. As the trio walk away, Kleb shares a bit more about his philosophy and how he finds the Lozenge Azure followers pathetic and unmanly. The party makes it back to town before nightfall and sets off towards the Stonehill Inn, noting the presence of more wagons from Neverwinter outside Barthen’s Provisions.

In the central clearing of Phandalin, a crowd has gathered to listen to an orator preaching the word of Lozenge Azure. Kleb starts to heckle him, but realizes this man looks familiar. He can’t quite place him though, and settles for raucously booing him. Rowan is disappointed that none of his men from Tresendar Manor are here to disrupt the proceedings, but he does spot Sildar at the edge of the crowd.

As the orator finishes and the crowd begins to disperse, the party walks closer and overhear Sildar arguing with the man about jurisdiction and propriety. They form up opposite the Lozenge Azure followers who are accompanying the man. The speaker, a one Toby Keith “TK” Blackbird, recognizes Kleb from military school. Kleb, however, doesn’t remember him at all which totally pisses him off.

Sildar informs the party that the men have the blessing of Lord Neverember, ruler of Waterdeep and Neverwinter, which convinces them to refrain from starting an all-out brawl. Still adamant that Lozenge Azure has no place in Phandalin, the group heads to the tavern to begin their scheming.