What were you even doing in the mine? I thought you went to rescue Gundren? Can you give me a quick summary of what happened there? Did you kill a lot of those bandit assholes? I hope so!

Yulya waits until Cats incomprehensible staccato of Nyas has finished.
Sir Gundren's brothers and Sir Sildar sent us to investigate and clear the mine. We had expected to join them in freeing Sir Gundren - but that was rejected. Instead we found the mine fortified and were greeted by a high-level druid with a cave troll and well-equiped bandits. The mine itself was largely empty. All bandits had been killed fighting the monsters there. We killed bugbears and undead as well as more high-ranking monsters.
Yulya decides to not go into detail about Mormesk and the Spectator here.
We cornered the bandit leader Nezzer - a drow - at the lowest levels. He threw more undead and bugbears at us but by the grace of the Gods we won. I still cannot believe it to be honest. We rescued 2 girls from Phandalin that had been kidnapped. Why - we do not know. Do you have an idea? They had no memories. Also we managed to save a dwarf - Sir Kingir - and together we returned. That is the gist of it. We encountered no further bandits on the way back..

Linene laughs
"I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself. I had losses but I'd rather stomach that than fund those weirdos. Did Elmina finally come out of the closet and complain about having to pay the Redbrands to keep her riches safe? She always refused to talk about the matter. Well there's little she hates more than having to pay for something..."

Yulya looks around nervously.
Y-yes that is true. Miss Elmina spoke of the Redbrands and their leader named Glasstaff, I supose? We lack knowledge about the affairs in this town. But is it not odd that we were sent to this mine? Bandits we interrogated admitted that this was a trap for us. We were sent into a trap - but why and by whom?

"Sure thing! What do you need from me this time? My stock is low and my prices are high, no way to deny it. As for tailoring services - any time! "

Yulya waits until Cat has left with Alice to check out the store.
This may seem a bit odd...
She takes out Elminas fabric
We are invited to a party at Master Edermath but our barbarian still lacks a proper outfit. Might you be able to make one in a few hours? We are supposed to arrive at 14:00. And to be frank, Cat is not fond of such clothes. You might not be able to take measurements. On top of that...
Embarrassed Yulya presents the catnip jar



Please infuse the fabric with this catnip so Cat might have less trouble accepting it! I know this request is ridiculous, but  it would help us a lot! But I understand if it is impossible. Aside from that...
Yulya takes out her cleric vestments
My original clothes were ruined in a magical accident. Maybe you can repair them - or create new clothes suitable for me. But this has no hurry.
Furthermore I am looking for 2 platinum rings for my Warding Bond spell. But again this is no urgent matter.
If you can please focus on Cats outfit. It does not have to be extravagant. Elegant and simple good enough for a formal event. We shall pay for your services accordingly.

Yulya bows

Yulya is unsuccessful in protecting her dignity and modesty and finds herself in lingerie she has never seen before let alone worn.
Uh ah, what is this? The plan is not exactly to seduce Master Edermath - which would not work anyway - so...
But Yulya has to agree the final product looks splendid. She chooses the dark green dress thinking she looks somehow like Eldath now.

"You can use life magic? You are exceptionally clean for an adventurer, even a noble! Your skin is smooth, your hair is great too! And this straight out of a mine? What cosmetics do you use? I smell no perfume..."

Yulya tries to keep Elmina's hands off her body
N-no I know nothing about such things. I lived as a hermit until recently. This is all Alices doing! While odd I have to admit it is very effective...

"As for your Barbarian, no chance with her size and body shape! Linene might be able to improvise something with those fabrics. But you should hurry if you want her to be finished in time! Go see her immediately when you are done here!"

Yulya bows.
Thank you for the effort Miss Elmina! But the issue of getting her to accept such dress still remains.
Yulya looks around in Elminas house that is decorated with plants all over.
You would not by any chance have any catnip or another herb that is attractive to Tabaxi?

At the store Yulya listens to Elminas story about the extortion scheme of the Redbrands. She remembers having heard this name from Hobby before when they first came to Phandalin. Secretly Yulya hopes this issue somehow resolves itself as fighting humans is much worse for her than killing monsters.
I see. Thank you for telling me this Miss Elmina! I understand this is difficult for you and promise we will look into this matter. But I think first we must deal with the source of the cold!

After a short pause, Elmina adds, almost shy
In turn for my generosity, I also have a favor to ask. I'd like to meet up with you and Su- Miss Summer at Stonehill Inn for dinner. There is still a lot to talk about! Would you be able to arrange this for me?

Yulya is not overly happy to have Elmina around when giving a report to Summer but feels she cant decline after Elmina opened her heart about the bandits.
Certainly this should be possible! We were to meet up with Summer for breakfast but we already ate with Master Edermath before. So we will post-pone our meeting to dinner. Please come to Stonehill Inn this evening and join us! I am sure Summer will be delighted.

Amount to be paid: 255.5 sp

Cat's interest in bandit talk is limited. She packs up the acquired goods, expecting someone else to pay for them.

With the partys trader and negotiator in heaven there is nothing left to discuss. Especially not for Yulya who would rather pay twice the asked price than haggle. Yulya sighs and hands Elmina 255 silver and 5 copper. Then she follows the others to Lionshield Coster - wondering if Cat will ever wear the yet non-existing clothes.

Hobby meets you all outside with Elmina.
Elmina begins, after cordial greetings and welcoming you back, she's down to business: "stabling fees will apply from this moment forward. 1 gold a day for the mules, 2sp a day for cart parking and security."

Yulya bows
Certainly Miss Elmina. This is only fair. I apologize for using your business as our personal warehouse

Hobby adds apologetically, "You did get a slight discount thus far and we didn't charge for parking the cart until now but it is fair to say keeping it out of the weather and under my care will guarantee it's in top shape when you need it next. By the way, I did give it a good once over, greased the shafts and took care of a few minor issues free of charge!"

Yulya bows to Hobby as well.
This is much appreciated Sir Hobnail - you have my thanks! Ashley would especially have appreciated this favor!

Elmina looks at him with a sour expression then huffs, "And where are the Gundren brothers? I thought you were off to fetch them or rescue them? And we're still stuck with this abominable everwinter, Edermath assured me you were to fix that as well!? We can't afford any more charity without results!" Her mood shifts suddenly and dramatically calmer and kinder, "If it wasn't for that wonderful miss..."she turns to Hobby "does Summer have a surname?"

Yulya is caught off-guard by this hostility and gets smaller with each of Emilias words. But with Cats grip there's nowhere to run...
M-miss Summer of Leilon is her full name!
Yulya adds - with a perplexed expression as she had assumed Elmina and Summer were acquainted as fellow nobles.

Indeed our original plan was to aid Sir Gundrens brothers Tharden and Nundro in freeing their brother but they declined - and sent us to the mine instead. To be frank I would rather have aided them to get their brother back. I pray to Eldath that they are alright but we have heard nothing of them so far.

As for the cold - preparations are on the way with Miss Summer - but as the source of this weather appears to be an Ancient Dragon...
Yulya shivers just from uttering the name
... I hope you understand this issue is not resolved while passing by. To say the least!

"Well if it weren't for miss Summer's bravery in getting supplies out of Triboar, we'd be looking at rationing and waiting to starve to death. The bandits haven't let up or the traders still don't trust the road, in any case we've not received any other shipments regardless of the communications we've sent pleading for more!"

Yulya sighs.
I understand your frustration and though we have wiped out the goblin den and the bandit stronghold in the mine - I am afraid this bandit organization is widespread and well organized. I cannot say what their plan is but it appears they are attempting to isolate Phandalin. They may be weakened now but in turn become even more aggressive. We are now working with Master Edermath and Miss Summer to battle the dragon causing the cold. Dealing with the remaining bandits will have to wait so stay vigilant!

Sandra and Sophia both approach her and attempt to nuzzle her to sooth her agitation, she's unable to resist their charms and smiles thinly as she pats them. Then she looks at Yulya with a piercing glance, "If it wasn't for the company you keep I wouldn't know what to think of you at this point!"
Hobby gives you a an indication using body language that says, 'stay calm and cordial.'

Yulya closes her eyes thinking of her cabin and thinks
I am being lectured by a noblewoman. At least it is not an undead this time...
Calm and cordial - calm and cordial...

It only works partially - at least for Yulyas standards.

Milady Barthen!
We are doing our best to aid the town of Phandalin. Did we not bring you a cart full of supplies from Neverwinter even though that was not even our quest? Yet we are lacking something crucial - and that is not even proper payment for the quests bestowed upon us - it is information. May I remind you that we were lured here under false pretenses to begin with? Sir Gundren hired us for a simple escort mission for his cart - mentioning nothing of the valuable map of the mine he was carrying. Or a well-organized bandit army involving nobles, goblins, bugbears and a high-ranking drow sorcerer. Or an ancient dragon freezing over the land. And were sent to his mine  - I am certain - in order to perish there. The bandits awaited us in a fortification. It was a trap. Only by the intervention of the Gods did we manage to achieve victory - at the cost of the life of our team-member Ashley. May she rest in peace!

Yulya makes a dramatic pause and looks at the ground
Again nobody told us anything. Not of the monsters in the mine, not of the Forge of Spells or the Spectator guarding it. Very odd things are going on here that go way beyond a few marauders robbing traders. We still do not know what the bandits were doing in the mine. Or what the plan of their leader - the drow Nezzer was. But he had kidnapped 2 young girls from Phandalin for some kind of magic ritual.
Yulya gesticulates to Alice to not show off his head.

Milady Barthen! You are a keen tradeswoman as well as nobility! You are well-informed I am certain. We cannot help you if you do not help us. Someone is playing a dirty game with us here. So please- what do you know about the bandit organization called the 'Cloaked Wolves' and their leader Nezzer the Black spider? And what is your impression of Sir Gundrens brothers and their friend Sir Sildar Hallwinter? Or any other odd behavior of residents of Phandalin. Any small detail could matter. I am not accusing anyone but I strongly suspect the bandits have someone aiding them here.Someone who is working against us - and thereby ultimately against you!
In any case first and foremost we are here to trade our loot from the mine as Cat has said. Of course we offer it to you first.
Yulya points at the loot Cat has laid out  - then nervously nestles with her hands

A-apart from that there is something else we need and I want to discuss this with Lady Elmina in private!
Yulya of course refers to the clothes including underwear she needs for herself and Cat.

Once again Yulya is left with more questions than answers and realizes with dismay that neither the captured bandits nor Kingir, the girls or ow Daran yielded any useful answers.

He bristles,[/i] "I can't fathom her dealings here, though she is quite refined and that is refreshing in this part of Faerûn, I believe her when she mentioned she's some royal mage in training. Again I can't imagine why they waste such training on the young shemlen. Though..." he leans in and whispers, "I saw a certain ring she was wearing, it looked fey, and when I asked about it she simply said it was a ring she acquired and she called it the 'Ring of Summer'. I daresay that ring didn't have that name originally, if you ask me, it was a ring acquired from fey royalty. If I'm not wrong, such a ring is far above even royal means of acquisition," he straightens and looks around, "how that came to be on the hand of a shem, even a royal shem, is the biggest mystery of all. I can only imagine one of its abilities would be to extend life or youth, I can't then be sure how old this shemlen truly is."

Yulyas eyes widen.
Fey?
You believe she might not be a child at all? That would make sense in some way. Then again I cannot say she acts adult-ish...

Yulya remembers her Fey Touched abilities she cannot really explain either

Yulya frowns
In Eldaths name - Alice put your trophies away you are bothering Master Edermath!

Yet I admit everything about Nezzer was odd. What kind of man was he Master Edermath? What could have been his goal in this mine? He had abducted the 2 human girls from Phandalin but denied doing anything indecent to them. He called them his 'prize' if I remember correctly. He also manipulated the sparks of the remains of  Forge of Spells. What is the Forge of Spells Master Edermath? Nobody told us there was something arcane like this in the mine. Or a Spectator monster protecting it. Yet I must say the Spectator proved useful in one regard. It created a barrier around the mine which prevented Nezzer from escaping. He even resorted to bargaining with us thinking we could lift it. As Alice has reported he was not a fighter at all and teleported to his death. All h did was cloaking himself with invisibility and summoned a few undead before that. Including another girl that mimicked the ones from Phandalin to lure us into a trap. I believe she was sealed similarly to Mormesk and that Nezzer had also broken this seal. Oh and there were also a strange reptilian creature that disguised itself with an illusion to look like a drow. It commanded the bugbears. Would you have any ideas about this?

And then there is this:
Yulya looks around for eavesdroppers - then places the Heart of the Mountain on the table.
Sir Gundrens brothers asked us to retrieve this as proof of clearing the mine. It appears to be some kind of - orb?

To be honest there is another thing that greatly bothers me Master Edermath. The whole story from beginning to end - does it make sense to you? Remember Sir Gundren Rockseeker hired us absolute rookies to escort his cart from Neverwinter to Phandalin with Sir Sildar Hallwinter. He mentioned nothing of a mine - or the valuable map he was carrying. Sir Gundren and Sildar 'scouted ahead' and disappeared. We freed Sir Sildar from the goblin den along Triboar Trail under suspicious circumstances while Sir Gundren was allegedly taken to the Goblin Kings castle because of his map. Sir Gundrens brothers tasked us with clearing the mine 'of sqatters' despite missing the vital map to navigate it while they and Sir Sildar set out to rescue Gundren by laying siege to the castle. I know dwarves are doing dwarf things just like Sir Kingir which I had to revive in the mine - but that approach looks more than foolish to me. If not malicious. The bandits expected us. They knew we were coming. I cannot shake off the feeling that we were sent to our deaths on purpose. We were not supposed to leave this mine alive. And frankly it as a miracle by the Gods that we did.

Master Edermath what is your impression of Sir Sildar Hallwinter - if you have any? Sir Kingir expressed great disdain for this man. I myself - am not sure but I must say everything he was involved with was - dubious. It also appears the dwarves themselves were dealing with the goblins. At least Sir Kingir said so. A most troublesome connection if I my say. The goblins in the cave we cleared were also clearly associated with Nezzer and the Cloaked Wolves bandit organization. I still struggle to make sense of all this. But someone is playing a dishonest game with us here. And this will have consequences!

I presume you made good use of my ring, though I do not see an elf among you yet.

Yulya instinctively grabs the ring on her hand
I-Indeed Master Edermath! This ring has proven invaluable and has saved us countless times. I cannot thank you enough for it! As for Elves - if I may say they do not grow on trees. We have not yet met an elf here let alone one who would join our party. But Summer of Leilon - I believe you are acquainted with her - will at least temporarily join us to subjugate that dragon.

Yulya leans forward and whispers.
Frankly I am worried. This child is a bit reckless - already planning the retrieval of the dragons spoils before we have slain it!

As for the whistle, I would take that off your hands, any fool bandit that comes here for it will get his just reward from me, I'd very much like to ask him a few questions. Rather like if I could entice a field mouse to say more than a few utterances about the weather or his longing for grains."

Yulya is visibly relieved by this statement. She takes out the whistle and almost pushes it on Daran.
Gladly! I am more than happy to get rid of this device! We had similarly planned to lure bandits following it into a trap but I cannot think of a better person to handle this thing than you Master Edermath!
Yulya refuses any sort of payment for it.

I would like to invite you all to my residence this afternoon to speak to him, please come wearing something less... dungeonous, if you can, I can't require it obviously.

Yulya jolts - remembering her size increase due to Ashleys Wild Magic that bulged out her clothing down to her underwear. She thinks to herself:
Indeed I cannot show up like this! I hope we can find some decent clothes here!

Would 14:00 work for you? Daylinn is making something special for the occasion."

It would be an honor - whatever time is right for you Master Edermath! We shall attend in appropriate attire! Again I cannot thank you enough for your help and hospitality.

As nobody else does - Yulya pays 13 sp for the meals and Alices drink (2sp snake 2x5sp lamb 1sp pear cordial).

She falls into the bed and sleeps soundly.
In the morning Yulya proceeds to Hobby to sell the loot minus what Cat wants to keep if any (list will follow). Then its off to Harbin to bring him the ore samples - and whatever Hobby doesnt want to buy..

"Sure thing, I'd recommend the lamb stew, it's not on the menu but it's a favorite lately and only 5sp per bowl."

Yulya nods in agreement
A good offer! I shall take the lamb stew and - for the occasion - pear cordial please!

"The rumor is they're making progress and due back any day."

Alice lets out a guffaw.
Yeah, I'm sure they'll return with the goblin king's head! Any minute now...

Yulya has to acknowledge she shares Alices skepticism about the dwarves professionalism.
I hope they are alright in Eldaths name!

So where's Summer?

I am sure she will arrive shortly. It looks like she is quite a tough negotiator.