(Following: Paladin Escort to Cragmaw )
Cragmaw Castle in Neverwinter Wood
Cragmaw Castle is a ruin that has been taken over by the Neverwinter Wood. It once had seven towers, but now nothing really stands above the floors of the second story. A group of goblins and hobgoblins from the Cragmaw tribe have made this their base, led by a bugbear who calls himself King Grol.
Disguised as the notorious bandits of Phandalin who call themselves the Redbrand Ruffians, Yeet Longshade and Ujio lead two tied-up captives (Mon-Kei and Willow) up to the front gates of Cragmaw Castle, followed by Belcoria and Tallon the Tall, also disguised in the red hoods of the Redbrands. Coached by Ujio, Yeet (posing as “Dormir” - the group’s leader) is able to talk the party’s way into the castle where he is challenged by a Goblin speaking the language of criminals - Thieves’ Cant, and he persuades the little guy to let them in to meet the Bugbear King Grol and make a deal for the ransom offered for Willow. (The ransom is a made-up lie).
Grol is protected by Hobgoblin warriors, one named Targor Bloodsword leads the group to Grol. In Grol’s room, a dwarf, later confirmed to be Gundren Rockseeker, is lying on the floor unconscious and has clearly been beat up. Grol is an old Bugbear, but still a Bugbear and pretty tough-looking. He has a pet wolf with him as the party convinces him to let them stay at the castle to recover before making the trade of Willow for the made-up ransom.
The Grick and Lupho
Yeet sneaks around the castle, getting to know its layout while everyone else is chilling in the Dark Hall at the castle’s very center. The Dark Hall is separated by heavy curtains to a temple a goblin named Lupho has built for the goblin deity, Maglubiyet. While Yeet loops around and begins to spy on Lupho, who apparently thinks himself a priest, a fight breaks out in the Dark Hall as Talon has a weird thing called a Unknown drop on his head and start biting him. The Grick covers Talon’s whole head, with hooks into his body from four tentacles.
As Talon is wrestling with this thing, Ujio tries quickly freeing Mon-Kei and Willow from their tied hands, but accidentally cuts Mon-Kei a bit in the process. Mon-Kei’s bad luck continues as Talon, unable to see anything, finally pulls the beast off his head - accidentally tossing it onto Mon-Kei. Yeet enters the room from the temple areas, followed by Lupho. Yeet’s expert shooting catches the Grick, just before Talon, charged with Rage, deals a devastating thunder-chop with the axe named Hew. The Grick drops to the floor and Lupho screams, crying for his dying pet.
Lupho makes a deal with Belcoria, giving her equipment he knew had been captured off another prisoner in trade for her, restoring the Grick to health. The gear turns out to be Sildar’s chainmail and longsword, which Belcoria stores for now. Some time passes, and the party overhears Targor and three other Hobgoblins talking as they head out to hunt or raid. Apparently someone named Vyerithhas arrived to take the dwarf prisoner (Gundren) to the villain behind all this evil mischief - The Black Spider.
Rescuing Gundren (and an Owl Bear)
Concerned about how much time left to rescue Gundren, Yeet heads to speak with Grol - continuing to pretend to be the Redbrand leader, to learn more. He barges in on an argument between Grol and Vyerith. Vyerith turns out to be a Dark Elf, what Belcoria later calls a Drow. As Yeet begins to speak with Grol, the elf seems to be studying Yeet closely, and suddenly accuses him of being a spy! Grol immediately believes her (he must trust her even if they were arguing) and he attacks Yeet. Yeet beats feet (runs!!!!) out of there, heading back to the party, but takes two heavy blows along the way.
The party hears the commotion as Grol calls for his guards - two heavily-armored Hobgoblins. The fight involves some serious damage on both sides, but fortunately the party outnumbers Grol and the Hobgoblins two-to-one, and the Goblins never join the battle. Willow and Mon-Kei free the Unknown, who immediately runs from the castle, following Yeet out the side door. Yeet hides in the shadows, his ability to fight mostly expended in the escape from Grol.
Ujio and Talon find Vyerith has cut the dwarf’s throat - they confront her, Talon managing to barely keep Gundren from bleeding to death - as Belcoria joins in the room. Confronting the enormous Talon, the swordmaster Ujio and then Belcoria the High Elf knight, the Dark Elf makes a grim threat - directed at Belcoria - that she and all the party will pay! And then Vyerith vanishes…
Gundren is unconscious and even with Becloria’s healing is so deeply injured, he is unable to move himself or communicate until the party returns him to Phandalin. Before leaving Cragmaw Castle, the party grabs what loot they can find - including a hidden chest Willow locates in the Owl Bear’s tower and a sack hidden under Grol’s bedroll found by Tallon.
Back to Phandalin
Heading back to the town of Phandalin, Willow shares with the party that Shadow’s barks and howls were him convincing Grol’s wolf to escape the castle - and she (Grol’s wolf) is now free in the forest. In Phandalin, Sildar Hallwinter is super excited to see your mission was a success - and you are becoming kind of famous in this area now, and maybe even in the city of Waterdeep, since he has been sending them letters about you. Mainly, Sildar is happy his friend Gundar has made it out alive, even if badly hurt. He is also very grateful for the recovery of the longsword, which is a family heirloom of his House Hallwinter. Belcoria is offered Sildar’s chainmail in trade for her scale mail.
Belcoria shares some lore with the party concerning the Drow - the Dark Elves - that would seem to be involved with this Echo Wave Cave somehow, by Vyerith’s appearances. The Drow and the High Elf races are mortal enemies - both very ancient, but one seeking the powers of darkness and the other the powers of light. The Drow worship a goddess named Lolth, also called the Spider Queen. In some stories, Lolth is an enormous spider with a strikingly beautiful woman’s belly, chest, head and arms. In others it’s just her lovely face on the nasty giant spider. There are legends about some servants of Lolth that are half Drow and half spider - like a centaur, but instead of the horse - a giant spider.
As you spend a few days in the town, you learn the townsfolk, who think of you as heroes, have been keeping you hidden from the Redbrand Ruffians. The bandits keep looking for you (and Sildar) but you’re well-hidden because the townspeople lie to them. The Redbrands are not very smart criminals, except for Glasstaff, who seems to never leave their base in the ruins of Tresendar Manor.
Daran Edermath, Order of the Gauntlet
One day, Daran Edermath - an old retired half-elven adventurer who lives in the north end of Phandalin and keeps an apple orchard - asks to speak with the group. He’s been very quiet among the townspeople, keeping a low profile himself, but known to really hate the Redbrands.
He tells you that he was out hunting one day and spied on a meeting between some of the Redbrands and a Hobgoblin captain named Targor Bloodsword. Targor was trying to thank the Redbrands, but also confusing them because they did not know anyone in their group named Dormir. Targor said those people did him a favor, defeating that awful King Grol - who he had wanted to get rid of for months. He was glad the goblins had been spared - only mean ol Grol and his loyal Hobgoblin guards killed - since the goblins hated him too. They only followed King Grol because he was so terrifying! Targor has now become the leader at Cragmaw Castle and they are much happier.
After hearing there are no Redbrands named Dormir to owe a favor to, Targon told them to tell Glasstaff the Redbrands were to keep away from Neverwinter Wood. They don’t want to work with the Redbrands or the Black Spider any longer, just want to be left alone.
Daran has been watching you all and impressed with all you have accomplished, tells you about the Order of the Gauntlet, a group devoutly dedicated to protecting others from evildoers. He has retired from this group but he keeps an eye on things in Phandalin and travelers from the group come by and he helps trade information for them. Showing you exemplify the Order of the Gauntlet’s virtues of honor and vigilance, he would be able to bring you into the order with the title of Chevall. In addition to the matters of the Black Spider and the Lost Mine of Phandelver, two matters concern him:
- Daran is not happy about the Redbrands - and even more concerned about all the things The Black Spider seems to be doing around this part of the world. He would really like someone to stand up to Glasstaff and drive out the Redbrands.
- In the hills to the north of Phandalin there is a ruined tower called Old Owl Well. Mining prospectors have not only faced problems from orc raiders on the Triboar Trail, but have also been chased off by undead (zombies). Daran is concerned something evil may have awakened in the Old Owl Well, which was built in the times of the magical empire known as The Netheril.
Gundar Rockseeker and the Wave Echo Caves
After almost a week, Gundar Rockseeker is able to communicate by writing. To get his voice back after the cut to his throat, he will have to visit the healers in one of the cities. But by writing he tells you he thinks Vyerith was never there to take him to the Black Spider - she always meant to kill him. She wanted the map to the Wave Echo Caves from Grol, but Grol thought he could sell it for more than the Black Spider was offering to him for it. Vyerith kept asking about who had seen the map other than Grol. When Grol chased after Yeet, Vyerith searched the room and she did find the map. Then she tried to kill Gundren and get away, but Ujio and Tallon interrupted that plan, it would seem. Gundren remembers nothing after she cut his throat.
Gundren is eager to travel to Waterdeep to get better healing and will not be able to help find the caves. Because nobody has heard from his Rockseekers brothers (Nundro and Tharden), he hopes you will try to find them. Without the map that Vyerith stole, Gundren doesn’t think he would be able to find the cave location - Nundro was the exploration expert - Gundren was the mining expert. Sildar will take Gundren to Waterdeep and when he is there, Sildar says he will register worthy and willing party members into the Lords Alliance with the rank of "Cloak".
Coneyberry and the Triboar Trail
The Triboar Trail leads to Coneyberry, and this is where those Orc raids have been happening - what Belcoria was off to investigate when you first met her. Coneyberry was a town similar to Phandalin until a wave of attacks from barbarian clans drove out the people and sacked the place. (Sacked means robbed, burned, destroyed in a raid).
Belcoria had mentioned there is a bounty on the orc raiders. The bounty is an offer of 10gp for information or 100gp if successfully driving off this orc problem. This is offered by the Townmaster (kind of like mayor) of Phandalin, Harbin Webster. Harbin told Belcoria they might be based in the Old Owl Well, but after speaking with Daran, he thinks they may be further up in the hills at Wyvern Tor. (A "tor" is a term for a rocky peak of a mountain or hill.) It got its name because a long time ago there was a nest of wyverns (smaller dragon-ish beasts) there, but adventurers got rid of them and they have never returned.
Reidoth claimed to know the location of the Echo Wave Cave entrance, but he’s all the way north in Thundertree (or somewhere deep in the Neverwinter Wood). In pointing you to Belcoria, Reidoth had also mentioned one other potential source of information - an ancient Banshee named Agatha that lives just inside the Neverwinter Wood, near the ruins of the town of Coneyberry. She is a dread evil undead spirit, but she can be reasoned with, if treated with respect. She has been around long enough to remember the days before the Wave Echo Caves were hidden.
(Next: Zombies, Orcs, and an Ogre )