I untie him. "Get lost, and don't let me catch you around here again!"
You quickly untie the bandit leader and give him a stern warning. He scrambles to his feet and takes off running down the dark streets, clearly relieved to be free.
With the immediate threat gone, you and Deirdre are left standing alone in the deserted streets. You have some information about a mysterious wealthy man who seems to be interested in the brewery, but you don't know much else.
What do you want to do next?
I ask Deirdre if she knows who the wealthy man might be
Deirdre shakes her head. "I don't know," she says. "But if he's using someone like Drell to hire bandits, he must be up to no good. We should find out as much as we can about him and try to stop him."
She looks at you, determination in her eyes. "What do you want to do next?"
"Where can we find Drell?"
Deirdre takes a moment to think, then suggests, "I don't know for sure, but I've heard that Drell likes to hang out at the Rusty Spike, a rough tavern on the outskirts of town. It's a bit of a dangerous place, but we might be able to get some information from him or his associates."
She looks at you, waiting for your response. "Do you want to head to the Rusty Spike now?"
"Sure! I owe you a drink, anyway!" We head there
You and Deirdre make your way through the dark and quiet streets of town, making your way towards the Rusty Spike. It's not long before you hear the sounds of raucous laughter and clanging mugs coming from the tavern.
As you approach, you can see that the Rusty Spike is a rough-looking place, filled with rowdy patrons and shady characters. You exchange a worried look with Deirdre, but she steels herself and heads inside with you.
Once inside, you find a spot at the bar and order a round of drinks. You scan the room, trying to spot anyone who might be Drell or one of his associates.
After a few minutes, you notice a dark figure sitting in the corner of the tavern, nursing a mug of ale. He's wearing a hooded cloak and seems to be trying to keep a low profile. It's hard to tell if he's the person you're looking for, but it's worth investigating.
What do you want to do next?
"Deirdre, is that Drell?"
Deirdre looks over in the direction you're pointing and squints. "It's hard to say for sure from here," she says. "But he fits the description I've heard. We should try to get closer and see if we can hear anything useful."
She takes a sip of her drink and nods in the direction of the figure. "Let's try to be inconspicuous, though. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention."
We head over and sit down at his table. "Can I buy you a drink?"
You and Deirdre make your way over to the dark figure's table, and you offer to buy him a drink. He looks up at you, his face obscured by the shadows of his hood.
"I don't need your charity," he says gruffly, his voice low and menacing. "What do you want?"
You can tell that he's not happy to have company, but you press on. "We're just looking for some information," you say. "We've heard that you might be able to help us."
He eyes you suspiciously, but seems to relax slightly. "I might know a thing or two," he says. "Depends on what you're looking for."
Remember, you don't speak for my character. "Who paid you to hire those bandits?" I roll a 14 on my intimidation check
You stare at Drell, your gaze unwavering as you demand to know who paid him to hire those bandits. He meets your gaze for a few moments, then looks away, muttering under his breath.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't get involved in that kind of thing."
You can tell that he's lying, but you're not sure how to get him to talk. He seems to be shutting down, withdrawing into himself.
What do you want to do next?
Is Deirdre charming? Can she try to persuade him? She seems very charismatic, and rolls a 17 on her persuasion check
Deirdre flashes a warm smile at Drell and leans in closer to him, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. "Come on, Drell," she says, her voice soft and persuasive. "We just want to help. Maybe there's something we can do for you in return?"
Drell looks at her for a moment, then sighs heavily. "All right," he says. "I'll tell you what I know. But you didn't hear it from me."
He leans in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "There's a wealthy man in town named Harbin Wester," he says. "He's been trying to buy up all the land around here, and he's been using thugs like those bandits to scare people into selling. I don't know who he's working for, but he's got deep pockets and he's not afraid to use them."
He sits back, his eyes darting nervously around the room. "That's all I know," he says. "Now leave me alone."
"What's this got to do with the brewery, though?"
Drell shrugs. "I don't know for sure, but I've heard rumors that Harbin Wester is interested in the land the brewery sits on. Some say he wants to tear it down and build something else there."
He takes a sip of his drink and leans back in his chair. "I don't know if that's true, mind you. But if it is, it's bad news for everyone. The brewery is a big part of this town's economy. If it goes, a lot of people will be out of work."
He looks at you and Deirdre, his expression serious. "If you're really interested in helping, you should talk to the owner of the brewery. Her name's Agatha. She's a tough old bird, but she's got a heart of gold. Maybe she can tell you more."
I thought the owner of the brewery was Calzon?
I apologize for the confusion. You are correct that the owner of the brewery is actually a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker, not Calzon. Calzon was a character from a previous interaction in the adventure.
To answer your previous question, Drell doesn't know much about the connection between the bandits and the brewery. He just knows that there are rumors about Harbin Wester being interested in the land where the brewery is located.
