Journal 1 - The Lost Mines of Phandelver

(3/07/21)

Neverwinter

Adventuring Day 0

The party met at a tavern named the Murky Crab, in the city of Neverwinter. There, Gundren Rockseeker told them he intended on setting up a mine near the town of Phandalin, and wanted the party to deliver a wagon full of supplies to Barthen's Provisions. After a sudden brawl at the tavern initiated by greedy thugs, they purchased supplies for themselves and spent the night at Gundren's home. The next day, they gathered the wagon and left for Phandalin.

On the road to Phandalin 

AD1-3

The first two days of travel were uneventful. On the third day, the party happened upon two dead horses blocking the road in front of them. They were ambushed by a small group of goblins, but were able to defeat them. After realizing that one of the horses belonged to Gundren, they searched for Goblin tracks, and followed them northwest to a cave in the forest.

(03/15/21)

Cragmaw Hideout

AD3

The party followed the Goblin trail to a cave in the forest. They fought a tense battle against Goblins there. Low Noon had been seriously injured before finding will to go on, and Gunter was brought to the brink of death before he was stabilized and slapped awake by an angry bugbear–Klarg, who intended on interrogating Gunter. The battle against the bugbear was difficult, but they were victorious in the end. They then defeated the remainder of the Goblins and freed a human captive named Sildar Hallwinter who provided the party with the following information:

• Gundren Rockseeker had discovered a map that leads to the long-lost entrance of Wave Echo Cave: an ancient mine full of mineral wealth and magical wonders.

• Gundren had been transferred from the cave to Cragmaw Castle–the location of which is unknown–on the orders of someone referred to as "The Black Spider"

The party then made their way to the town of Phandalin with Sildar.

Phandalin Pt.1

After arriving in the town of Phandalin, the party and Sildar stopped at the Stonehill Inn. There, they spoke with the bartender and some of the inn's patrons:

Stonehill Inn

Sildar Hallwinter

• He is a member of the Lords' Alliance

• He traveled to Neverwinter to learn what happen to Iarno Albrek–another member of the Lord's Alliance who was sent to oversee the development of Phandalin–who hasn't reported back to the Alliance

• He intends on visiting the Townmaster's Hall to learn what he can

Toblen Stonehill, inn owner

• Revealed the location of Barthen's Provisions

• There are a group of thugs known as the Redbrand Bandits terrorizing the town: mugging citizens, stealing supplies, forcing businesses to pay "protection money"

• He is upset with the way the townsmaster has handled the Redbrand situation

Pip Stonehill

• Gunter gave Pip his adventure book of the hero Ulfgar Firebrand. In return, Pip told the party that his friend Carp Alderleaf had discovered a secret entrance somewhere in the forest, before nearly being discovered by bandits and running off

Unknown Dwarf

• The townsmaster was looking for some people to help deal with an Orc problem

Sullen Man

• Farryn chatted with a man who claimed he was an apprentice tattoo artist who was robbed by Goblins on the way to Waterdeep, and lost his irreplaceable tattoo kit

Elsa, barmaid

• Low Noon flirted with the barmaid Elsa who seemed–to Low Noon at least–to be somewhat receptive.

  
  

After chatting at the inn, Sildar went to rest while the party delivered the wagon to Barthen's Provisions:

Barthen's Provisions

Elmar Barthen

• He was upset to learn of the disappearance of Gundren Rockseeker, and told the party to do what they must to rescue him

• He hasn't seen or heard from Gundren's brothers Tharden and Nundro in nearly a tenday

• Revealed the location of the Lionshield Coster, where they may buy arms and equipment to aid them

The party then settled in for the night at the Stonehill Inn.

(03/21/21) 

Phandalin Pt.2

AD4

Stonehill Inn

The party awakens the next day and spends the morning at the Stonehill Inn. Gunter helped Trilena Stonehill prepare breakfast, as Elsa was late to work that morning. Sildar Hallwinter arrived at the Inn and handed the party 50gp as a thank-you for escorting him to Phandalin safely. He explained his plan to speak with the townmaster, and went on his way. Soon after, Elsa showed up and Low Noon spent more time flirting with her. Once breakfast was done, the party left for the Lionshield Coster.

Lionshield Coster

Here the party met Linene Greywind, the trademaster of the Lionshield Coster.

Linene Greywind, trademaster of Lionshield Coster

• She was hesitant to sell arms and armor to the group, until they convinced her they did not work with the Redbrands

• She told them the Redbrands frequent a tavern at the east end of town called the Sleeping Giant Taphouse

• Farryn bluntly asked about purchasing a set of thieves' tools. Linene reminded the group not to be so open with such things in the future, but suggest that Elmar Barthen might have some specialized tools for sale

Location Discovered:

Sleeping Giant Taphouse

After purchasing supplies and equipment the party traveled to the Townmaster's Hall to meet with Sildar Hallwinter.

Townsmaster's Hall

Here they encountered Sildar in conversation with the townsmaster, Harbin Wester.

Harbin Wester, townsmaster

• He was apprehensive when talking about the Redbrands. He considered them "just a group of mercenaries" and "not a trouble at all"

• After some more prying by the party, Harbin revealed that he did not want them messing with the Redbrands, as it would cause trouble for the rest of Phandalin. He suggested they do not confront the Redbrands at the Sleeping Giant Taphouse

• There are a group of Orcs from the Many Arrows tribe robbing travelers near Wyvern Tor. The Many Arrows are from much further North, but have begun sending parties down south. Harbin has offered a 100gp reward for dealing with these Orcs

Sildar Hallwinter

• After asking around town and talking to the townsmaster, Sildar discovered that Iarno Albrek—the human wizard sent by the Lord's Alliance before Sildar—had disappeared two months ago near the ruins of Tresendar Keep

• As part of his mission from the Lord's Alliance—and as a friend of Gundren—Sildar offered the party 500gp if they manage to defeat or drive off the Goblins from Cragmaw Castle, and rescue Gundren

• Sildar will be staying at the Townmaster's Hall for a while

Locations Discovered:

Wyvern Tor

Tresendar Keep

After their meeting with Sildar Hallwinter and Harbin Wester, the party made their way to Barthen's Provisions.

Barthen's Provisions

Elmar Barthen

• They discovered that he was being forced to procure certain shady items by the Redbrands

• He was at first reluctant to sell the special goods to the group—as the Redbrands would certainly take issue with him selling their private wares— but was convinced to sell them anyway

• He hung a wolf's pelt for Gunter

They bought some more equipment, sold some treasure, and left for the Sleeping Giant Taphouse.

Sleeping Giant Taphouse

At the taphouse they encountered a group of thugs waiting by the entrance. They planned to separate and get a view of the interior quietly, however Gunter and Ialtóg found themselves being confronted by this rowdy bunch of thugs. Gunter, unable to stand the insults being thrown at him, initiated a fight with the thugs. After the party won the ensuing battle, Low Noon and Farryn entered the taphouse and spoke with a female Dwarf who appeared to be the owner. She was hostile and angry, blaming them for causing trouble and killing her customers, the Redbrands. She kicked them out of the taphouse, and the group figured it was time to check out this Tresendar Keep. They first however, decided to pay a visit to the Alderleaf Farm to speak with Carp, and find out what he knows about this secret tunnel in the woods outside Phandalin.

Alderleaf Farm

In front of the farmhouse, the party spent much time deliberating on the best way to speak with Carp's parents, in order to convince them to allow Carp to show them this secret tunnel in the woods. Though the party decided to return later with Pip, their loud conversation caught the attention of Qelline Alderleaf, a middle-aged halfling woman, who opened her door and invited them inside after learning they're friends of the Stonehills.

Qelline Alderleaf

• She was a friendly host and offered them tea

• She was taken aback by the group's request to allow Carp to show them this hidden tunnel in the woods, but ultimately decided that their strength was sufficient to ensure the safety of Carp, as long as they brought him straight home

• The party expressed interest in dealing with the Redbrands, goblins, and Orcs around Phandalin

Carp Alderleaf

• His friend, Pip, was ecstatic about the book given to him by Gunter

• He is an adventurous young halfing that is excited to show the party where this secret tunnel is located

They safely escorted Carp to the entrance of the tunnel, and brought him back home. Qelline suggested that if they're looking for more information about Goblins and Orcs, they speak to her druid friend Reidoth. He was last seen heading towards the ruins of a town called Thundertree. They thanked Qelline, and decided to spend the night resting at the Stonehill Inn.

Location of Interest:

Thundertree

(04/19/21)

Phandalin Pt.3

AD5

Stonehill Inn

The party spends another morning at the Stonehill Inn. After being woken up early by the barmaid Elsa, Gunter heads outside to begin his morning exercise. The rest of the group awaken an hour later and are served breakfast by Trilena and Elsa. Shortly after, a group of Redbrand thugs enter the Inn and take position around the party. Two of the thugs grab Elsa and hold a knife to her throat, while their leader explains that nothing bad will happen as long as everyone remains civil. In reaction to this, Farryn draws her bow in an attempt to save Elsa, and the rest of the party follow suit. They were unfortunately not quick enough to get to Elsa, as she is dragged outside by the two bandits, and has her throat slit by one of them. The party manages to slay most of the redbrands, keeping their group leader alive as well as one other thug, but two Redbrands managed to escape. Low Noon planned to exact his revenge on the remaining Redbrands for the death of Elsa, and cut the legs of their leader, crippling him. Trilena was expectedly distraught upon seeing the dead Elsa, and was comforted by Gunter. After leaving some gold intended for Elsa's funeral costs, they decided to take the unconscious thugs to the jail at the Townmaster's Hall.

Townmaster's Hall

They brought the thugs to Harbin Wester, who was worried to hear about what they had done. He told them that the Redbrands will likely retaliate in force upon the town of Phandalin once they find out what became of their group of thugs, and suggested that whatever the party plans to do about the Redbrands, they do it soon. Due to Harbin turning a blind eye to the Redbrands and remaining willfully ignorant of them, the only helpful information Harbin could give the party about the Redbrands was that the leader is a man going by the name Glasstaff. After locking the thugs in the jail underneath the Townsmaster's Hall, they healed the group leader back to consciousness and interrogated him:

Breaka, group leader of a band of Redbrand thugs

• He explains he was sent by Glasstaff, the man in charge of the Redbrands, to deliver a message

• Glasstaff had heard about the murder of a group of Redbrands the day before, and wanted to scare the party into leaving town for good, or else face the consequences

• He revealed the main entrance to the Redbrand Hideout within the ruins of Tresendar Keep.

• He believes that the strong rightfully should hold power over the weak

Before leaving the jail, Harbin mentions waiting for Sildar before deciding what to do with the new prisoners. After a quick rest, the party make their way to Tresendar Keep to deal with the Redbrands.

Tresendar Keep Ruins & The Redbrand Hideout

The party easily finds the hatch leading to the cellar beneath the ruined Keep.

They find themselves in what appeared to be a storage cellar with a large open cistern at the back of the room. They manage to surprise a small group of Redbrands and quickly take them out. Farryn accidentally stumbles into the cistern of water while attempting to retrieve one of the thug's bodies that had fallen in, but notices a satchel at the bottom of the pool. Inside the seemingly waterproof satchel was a potion of invisibility, some gold, and a set of clean ordinary traveler's clothes.

Farryn drank the potion of invisibility and proceeded forward, but not before falling into a pit trap in the next room. The rest of the party follows and manages to avoid the pit trap.

In the next room they find three sarcophagi with a skeleton propped up against each. Low Noon notices something strange about the skeletons, but is unable to discern exactly what it is. A group of three Redbrands thugs in the room next door notices the party when Low Noon attempts to telekinetically open the door, and combat ensues. Two of the skeletons animate and also join in the fight. Meanwhile, Farryn investigates the armory in the next room before returning and joining the fight, losing her invisibility. After successfully defeating nearly all of the thugs and skeletons, one of the thugs attempts to flee towards a seemingly dead end. They free a mother and her two sons from the jail cells, and Gunter guides them safely past the trap leading outside.

Mirna Dendrar

• She and her two young sons, Nars and Nilso, were held captive by the Redbrands

• All she knew about the Redbrands was that their leader is a wizard, and she has seen "tall, furry monsters with big ears" working with them

• After being seen to safety by Gunter and given a crossbow for protection, she expressed regret at being unable to provide them with more help for saving her and her children. Before leaving, she mentions to Gunter that she knows where they might find a valuable heirloom: when she - at a young age - and her family fled from the undead attacking the village of Thundertree, they left behind an expensive emerald necklace in their haste. It can be found at her family's old Herb and Alchemy shop, hidden in a case beneath a section of storage shelves. If the party manages to make their way to Thundertree, they can consider this necklace theirs.

Meanwhile, Low Noon searches the bodies of the Redbrands, and Ialtog investigates the fleeing Redbrand and the supposedly dead end. In the hallway, Ialtog notices a section of brick wall that is not quite like the rest of it. After carefully discovering that this section of wall swings open like a door, Ialtog informs the rest of the party, and then they prepare to open this hidden door into the next room…

(04/26/21)

Phandalin Pt.4

AD5

Tresendar Keep

Through the hidden door in the wall, the party finds a storeroom full of boxes and provisions. The storeroom connected to a cavern that stretched far to the south, with a crevasse splitting the middle. While investigating the crevasse Gunter and Ialtog were contacted by a one-eyed monstrosity who communicated with them telepathically. The creature seemed to know that the party weren't Redbrands, and that they were after the wizard Glasstafff. It seemingly only wanted food in exchange for information, and after feeding it a large portion of their rations, it shared that Glasstaff's quarters were located on the western end of the hideout. The monstrosity sneakily took the remaining rations and quickly fled to the bottom of the crevasse without giving more information.

Continuing ahead, Gunter attempted to cross one of the two bridges spanning the crevasse. Low Noon suggested that the bridge's construction might not be sturdy, but wrongfully determined that it was safe. As Gunter crossed, the bridge collapsed beneath him. He managed to grab onto the destroyed bridge before falling, and climbed back up to the top. Gunter and Ialtog decided it was safer to jump the crevasse than try the other bridge, which they did so successfully, while Farryn determined that the other bridge's construction was much better, and she and Low Noon crossed safely.

Westward through one of the connected entrances was a hallway with two doors on opposite sides. Ialtog heard voices behind one of the doors, and the party prepared to breach through. After kicking the door open, Ialtog was met by three large Bugbears in their barracks, and a goblin who promptly fainted upon seeing the characters. Ialtog, through dumb luck, managed to convinced the Bugbears that Glasstaff had ordered them to guard the walls outside of the hideout. The Bugbears left to do so, and grumbled to themselves, questioning King Grol's choice in allies. Low Noon manacled the Goblin and shoved him underneath one the beds, threatening him to remain quiet or face the consequences. The Goblin seemed to comply.

They made their way to the room on the other side of the hallway. Preparing for an eventual battle, Ialtog channeled his divinity to ensure the party would receive constant healing. Inside, they found a common room with four Redbrands gambling away at a table. After unsuccessfully trying to persuade the Redbrands that they were new recruits, combat ensued. The party managed to take care of most of the Redbrands in this room, but not before one of the thugs slipped away and warned their leader. Shortly after combat started, Glasstaff and some fresh reinforcements joined the fight. Glasstaff affected Gunter with a hold person spell upon seeing the ensuing battle. The effect did not last long however, as Gunter was able to break free of the spell's effects on his second attempt. Ialtog was taken down by a Redbrand, but was quickly healed back to consciousness by Low Noon. However, this resulted in the party losing their healing effects, and raising the stakes even further. While the Redbrand thugs fought the party in the common room, Glasstaff engaged Farryn, the ranger picking them off from afar. He hit Farryn with a magic missile, causing her serious harm and leading to her fleeing into the barracks. There, she hid under one of the beds and hoped to buy herself some time. Glasstaff continued to pursue Farryn into the barracks, but was unable to locate her at first glance. This gave her enough time to drink a potion of healing. The rest of the party cleaned up the remaining Redbrands in the common room, and surrounded Glasstaff in the barracks. Sensing that the battle was lost, Glasstaff fled the barracks, and presumably was attempting to flee the hideout in its entirety. Low Noon, Ialtog, and Gunter chased after him, managing to slow him down. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Farryn left her hiding spot and ran into the hall, taking aim at the fleeing Glasstaff. She let loose an arrow, and dealt a critical blow to Glasstaff, putting an end to him once and for all.

After the battle, Gunter took the head of the wizard Glasstaff as proof of his death (note: no one asked them to do this), and Low Noon almost gleefully took the head for himself. Ialtog and Gunter then investigated the remaining few rooms of the hideout. They found a hastily put together alchemical laboratory, and Glasstaff's personal quarters. In Glasstaff's quarters, Ialtog found a chest containing a large sum of gold and two magical scrolls. Gunter searched the wizard's desk, and found a letter left on top. The letter read:

Lord Albrek,

My spies in Neverwinter tell me that strangers are due to arrive in Phandalin. They could be working for the dwarves. The prisoner is set to be moved to the mines on the last day of this Tenday, so don't allow them to upset our plans. Kill them if you must, but see that any dwarven maps in their possession are delivered to me with haste. Don't disappoint me Iarno.

The letter seemed to imply that the wizard Glasstaff was Sildar's missing comrade from the Lord's Alliance, Iarno Albrek.

While Ialtog and Gunter searched these rooms, Low Noon investigated Glasstaff's possessions. He found that the staff the wizard carried, made entirely of glass but as hard as oak, was also magically enchanted. Farryn returned to the barracks and freed the manacled goblin, warning him that he will not be harmed as long as he does not become hostile. The goblin, named Droop, agreed to those conditions without hesitation. She took him into the common room, and offered Droop a drink of ale. Droop explained that he was a Cragmaw, and that the Cragmaws were working together with the Redbrands. The bugbears and Redbrands had treated Droop poorly however, so he was not sad to see them taken care of. The party reconvened in the common room and shared what they had discovered. They decided it was time to leave the hideout and report to Harbin at the Townmaster's Hall. Droop, excited and cooperative, showed them to a tunnel leading directly to the woods outside of Phandalin.

Before making their way to the Townsmaster's Hall, they decided to take a quick rest to recuperate from their hard-fought infiltration of the Redbrand Hideout. Low Noon took the time during this short rest to disguise Droop, so he would not be immediately recognized as a Goblin.

Townsmaster's Hall

Here they spoke with Sildar and Harbin about what took place at the keep. They were both disturbed by Low Noon parading around the decapitated head of Glasstaff, and Sildar was surprised to discover that Glasstaff was his friend and Lords' Alliance comrade, Iarno Albrek. He did not know what could have caused Iarno to form such a troublesome group of bandits.

The party convinced Sildar and Harbin to allow them to use the Redbrand's now empty hideout as a base for themselves, but only temporarily, as Sildar planned to finish construction of the keep above the hideout in the near future.

They planned to return to the Redbrand's old hideout and secure it, then turn in for the day. Sildar took the goblin, Droop, into the cells while the party went about their mission, but not before Low Noon slipped Droop a dagger in secret.

(05/03/21)

Phandalin Pt.5

AD5-6

Redbrand/Party Hideout

The party rested shortly before returning to the hideout through the hidden tunnel. Once inside, they saw a group of Bugbears arguing with a small group of returning Redbrand bandits about the state of the hideout. Farryn and Low Noon managed to get the drop on them, but one of the bandits was able to escape. They killed the Bugbears, leaving their leader alive to take as a hostage. While trying to escape, the bugbear leader slipped into the crevasse below, and was carefully retrieved by Low Noon and Ialtog. They took the unconscious bugbear to the cells at the northeastern end of the hideout, and healed him to consciousness so that they could interrogate him:

Mosk, the leader of the Redbrand Bugbears

• He told them his name, Mosk, and that he was the leader of the Bugbears at the Redbrand Hideout

• He wore an eyepatch jeweled with small rubies, which Farryn took from him

• The leader of the Cragmaw Goblin tribe is named King Grohl

• Low Noon tried intimidating information out of Mosk, with some success, although Mosk was not entirely cooperative. He revealed:

• Cragmaw Castle is located along the southern tip of Neverwinter Woods.

• There is a trap near the entrance of the Castle.

• He insulted Gunter's cooked sausages, saying that they were bland and unseasoned, and claiming that the chef of Cragmaw Castle, Yegg, is a much better cook than Gunter.

After Mosk insulted the sausages, Gunter went into a fit of rage, slaying the bugbear on the spot.

After the interrogation, Low Noon, Ialtog, and Farryn searched the sarcophagi outside the prison. Inside, they found a skeleton wearing a platinum signet ring. Low Noon wanted to take the ring, but Ialtog convinced him to leave it, believing that it is the property of the deceased.

They decided to pay their respects at Elsa's funeral, where Ialtog met Sister Garaele, a young elf acolyte and caretaker of Phandalin's own Shrine of Luck. Ialtog expressed a feeling of guilt for the death of Elsa, and that he sought to what he must to resurrect her. Sister Garaele explained that an acquaintance of hers at a temple in Neverwinter could perform this resurrection, but it would be costly, and wouldn't be performed for just anybody. She told Ialtog that she would explain more after the funeral, and to seek her out at the Shrine of Luck. Ialtog finished casting Gentle Repose on the body of Elsa to protect her from further decay.

The party then gathered themselves, returning to the Townsmaster's Hall to collect Droop. They discovered that the Redbrand prisoner Droop shared a cell with was trying to intimidate Droop, but using the dagger given to him by Low Noon, Droop managed to defend himself. Afterwards, they all left for Thundertree, hoping to find more precise information from Qelline's druid friend, Reidoth, about the location of Cragmaw Castle.

Locations Discovered:

Phandalin: The Shrine of Luck

Thundertree Pt.1

AD6-8

Thundertree Ruins

After 3 days of uneventful travel, the group arrived outside of Thundertree. Low Noon used his newly-acquired pseudodragon familiar to scout out the ruins, and saw images of dead spiders surrounding a large tower.

In the town, they began searching for Reidoth, as well as this treasure hidden in an alchemy shop described to them by Mirna Dendrar. While investigating a seemingly empty, brush-covered building, they were attacked by a large group of hungry twig creatures. During the battle, Low Noon set fire to the twig monsters, as well as the surrounding brush, causing a large fire to begin to spread throughout the area. Alerted by the large blazing building, Reidoth ran to help and summoned rain to quench the fires, afterwards welcoming them into his temporary home, where they took a short rest and spoke with the druid.

Reidoth, the druid

• He scolded the group for setting such a large fire while surrounded by dense forest.

• He recognized Farryn as being from the city of New Sharandar, as his druid circle has frequent dealings with them

• He is a member of the Emerald Enclave, a group that seeks to maintain the balance between nature and civilization

• He gave the precise location of Cragmaw Castle without hesitation, as the Cragmaws have been harassing nearby towns and going against his faction's ideals. He also showed the the location of an alchemy shop in Thundertree

• He asked for help in dealing with a dragon that has recently moved in to Thundtree:

• The dragon is still young, though still incredibly dangerous, and is a blue dragon named Lennithon

• The dragon's lair is too close to Neverwinter, and it has begun harassing nearby travelers

• Late last night, a group of robed figures arrived in the ruins of Thundertree. They have certainly noticed Reidoth, but have not shown signs of aggression or otherwise bothered the druid

Locations Discovered:

Thundertree: Alchemy Shop

Cragmaw Castle

(06/28/21)

Thundertree Pt.2

AD8

After speaking with the druid Reidoth, the group chose to seek out the robed figures before dealing with the dragon, Lennithon. Droop, being too afraid to potentially fight a dragon, opted to wait with Reidoth at his shelter. Low Noon and his new pseudodragon familiar, Ox, began to scout out the remaining buildings while the rest of the party followed behind. They managed to clear out some aggressive giant spiders before making their way to the ruined Alchemy Shop, where Gunter easily spotted the hidden compartment that was described to him by Mirna. Afterwards, Ox spotted a building that was newly boarded up with wood, likely a hideout of the robed figures. They approached the building and carefully set an ambush for the robed figures, should things turn hostile. Low Noon knocked on the door to the building, and was greeted by a female human wearing black robes, named Frulam.

Frulam, dragon worshiper

• She expressed interest in getting the dragon to leave Thundertree as well, though she did not want to fight it

• After some pressing by Low Noon and Ialtog, she admitted that her group were dragon worshippers who sought to become servants of the dragon

• Her group had come to Thundertree with an offering of treasure for the dragon, but they were attacked by giant spiders late in the night. Some of her people were killed, and the giant spiders dragged the bodies of the dead, along with the offering, back into their den. There were a large number of spiders that might overwhelm either party alone, so she offered to work together to reclaim the lost offering. She would then speak with the dragon and convince it to leave Thundertree

• When Low Noon bluffed about taking the offering for themselves, Frulam said that it would not help the party on their own. The offering might simply allow them an audience with the dragon, but Frulam was confident that only she knew what would convince the dragon to leave Thundertree (information she refused to hand over to the party)

The party discussed amongst themselves whether to help the dragon worshippers, and decided it was in their best interest to help the worshippers and avoid fighting the dragon (though Low Noon was still wary of their new allies). Together, they fought off the giant spiders in the town square, but were ambushed again by even more spiders. Frulam and her group chose to hold off the giant spiders outside while the party entered the den and reclaimed the offering. Ialtog kicked down the door to the den with incredible strength, knocking it right off its hinges, and Farryn and Gunter attacked the first giant spider they saw with critical might, killing it before it could react. The giant queen spider rushed out and strangled Ialtog with its web, but Low Noon managed to save Ialtog by using his telekinetic ability to free him from the web. They quickly cleared the spiders from the den afterwards, and found the crate containing the offering amongst the half-eaten remains of the dragon worshippers inside the den. The party met back up with Frulam and handed her the crate containing the offering. Gunter wanted to come with Frulam to see the dragon for himself, but she argued that she could not risk them angering the dragon before she could speak with it. The party reluctantly agreed, and they decided to head back to Reidoth's shelter.

While walking back to the shelter, the party discussed the potential danger of these unknown dragon worshippers speaking with the dragon unchecked, so Farryn decided to spy on them while the rest of the party waited with Reidoth. At the tower, Farryn arrived in the middle of a conversation between Frulam and the dragon Lennithon, who was willing to accept the offering to speak with Frulam alone inside the tower. However, Farryn was not stealthy enough, and was almost immediately spotted by Lennithon who called out angrily to her. Frulam recognized Farryn, and prevented her group from attacking the young elf. Farryn, through her critically quick thinking, concocted a ruse that she was only interested in seeing the magnificent dragon in person. The dragon was mollified by the response, and Frulam permitted her to stay as long as Farryn kept her distance and did not interfere. After nearly an hour, Frulam returned from the tower, telling Farryn that Lennithon had agreed to leave Thundertree with the worshippers and would be gone within the hour after collecting his hoard. Frulam handed Farryn a small golden teacup, engraved with the image of a dragon and inlaid with tiny sapphires, as payment for the party's help. Farryn then began to make her way back to the party.

Meanwhile at Reidoth's shelter, Low Noon began to resummon his lost familiar and Ialtog kept watch outside. Gunter spoke to Droop about the chef at Cragmaw Castle, Yegg. Droop hesitantly explained that Yegg was a very good cook (as far as his Goblin palette could tell) and was fond of the seasonings Yegg used in his foods. In his anger of being bested by a goblin chef, Gunter stormed outside and assaulted a tree.

Farryn returned to the shelter, and informed the group of the outcome with the Lennithon. They were all glad to see that the dragon had been dealt with and would no longer be terrorizing the road to Neverwinter, but Low Noon still expressed concern about the nature of these dragon worshippers. Farryn remembered that blue dragons don't typically make their lair's in forests, and tend to prefer dry areas like deserts, and suggested that perhaps it was driven out of its previous lair by another dragon. They decided to wait on the roof of the shelter to watch the dragon take off from its tower. But when the dragon majestically took flight, Gunter was too busy looking through his bag for nuts to snack on and missed the whole event, barely catching a glimpse as it flew off into the distance. As a small thanks for dealing with the dragon, Reidoth gave the group a Quiver of Returning, something that Farryn would find very useful.

They decided to quickly search the remainder of the town for loot while Reidoth spoke with Farryn in private. Inside the now-empty dragon tower, Low Noon found some scattered gold and a Scroll of Lighting Bolt. Ialtog and Gunter searched the rest of the spider's den and managed to find some more missed gold. They regrouped and split the treasure, then settled in for the night at Reidoth's shelter.

(08/02/21)

Cragmaw Castle Pt.1

AD9-10

After resting at Thundertree, the party left for Cragmaw Castle. A thunderstorm approached shortly before their arrival at the castle. Low Noon sent his familiar, Ox, ahead to scout out the castle. Ox spotted a side entrance, as well as 3 drow entering through the front gates, two male and one female. As they stealthily approached the castle, Gunter slipped in the mud and crashed into a tree, however the rain masked the commotion from the inhabitants of the castle. At the side gate, Farryn managed to pick the lock and the party entered the castle.

They carefully checked the doors inside the castle, and managed to ambush a small group of hobgoblins inside their barracks without alerting the rest of the castle. A wooden door just next to the barracks caught the eye of Gunter and Ialtog; it was shut with a heavy wooden bar. Their curiosity got the better of them, and as they opened the door they were attacked by an angry Owlbear. Farryn tried to use magic to speak with the creature, but it did not work. Ialtog realized that the owlbear was likely just scared and wanted to escape, so they stopped fighting the owlbear and it quickly fled from the castle. However in the ensuing commotion, the owlbear managed to slam loudly into a door, certainly alerting whoever may lie behind it. Storming out from his quarters was none other than the king of the Cragmaw Goblins himself, Grol.

King Grol, his pet wolf, some hobgoblins, and two male drow attacked the party from the king's quarters. Low Noon noticed that the female drow was missing from the fight. During the battle, Droop managed to kill the wolf and a hobgoblin with his bow, and celebrated his first ever kills. One of the male drow also revealed that he knew Low Noon from his past at the drow city of Menzoberranzan. Soon, King Grol and his minions were defeated by the party, leaving only one of the male drow alive as a prisoner. Farryn freed two prisoners inside the King's Quarters, one a human female who was unconscious, and the other a human male who was unconscious and whose hands were bound.

• Farryn recognized the man as the sullen apprentice tattooist  from the Stonehill Inn who was robbed by the Cragmaw Goblins on his way to Waterdeep. He explained that he went to search the Cragmaw cave in desperation after Farryn told him where his tattoo kit might be. He was captured there by a goblin search party who believed him to be responsible for the massacre at the cave, and they just brought him back to the castle today to face King Grol as punishment.

• The lady told Low Noon that she was robbed and taken prisoner by the Cragmaw goblins while traveling along the road towards Neverwinter

While Farryn freed the prisoners, Gunter found Gundren beaten and unconscious in a small storage room next to the king's quarters. Ialtog determined that he was still alive, and helped bring Gundren back to consciousness. Gundren expressed his gratitude towards the party for saving, and was relieved to see that everyone was okay. However, Gundren quickly realized that his map to lost mines was missing. The party decided to try to search the castle, and clear out any remaining goblins. Droop stayed behind in the king's quarters to watch over the newly-freed prisoners and Gundren as he rested in the king's bed, as well as to keep an eye on the drow captive.

They soon found themselves in the castle's mess hall, where Gunter was finally able to confront the goblin chef Yegg and his spices that he had heard so much about. Gunter challenged him, but they were attacked by a horde of goblins as Yegg fled from the fight. The party dispatched of the goblins and chased down Yegg, who had taken refuge with another group of hobgoblins in the castle. They tried to convince the hobgoblins to surrender, but the hobgoblins refused, and a fight broke out once more. Ialtog decided to end the conflict early by magically putting to sleep half of the hobgoblin combatants, and the rest finally surrendered. Farryn went into the room ahead and discovered a shrine made by the goblins. There, she found an expensive looking chalice, knife, and censer, which she took with her. The party then gathered their new prisoners, and decided on what course of action to take next…

(10/25/21)

Cragmaw Castle Pt.2

AD10

Before meeting with the rest of the party, Low Noon assassinated the goblins that were affected by Ialtog’s sleeping spell to prevent a possible retaliation. Gunter and Ialtog both expressed their disdain for these actions by Low Noon. 

After collecting a few more goblin prisoners, Ialtog and Low Noon returned to the king’s quarters to search for anything they may have missed, while Farryn kept watch of the prisoners. There, they found Gundren and Droop engaged in a conversation. Gundren told them that he was fond of the little goblin, and that Droop had the spirit to make up for his lack of physicality. Ialtog searched the room and found a bag underneath the King Grol’s mattress, containing some treasure and Gundren’s map to wave echo cave.

Meanwhile, Gunter questioned the goblin chef, Yegg, about these spices he’s heard so much about. Yegg explained that his secret ingredient is just salt… a lot of salt. Yegg and his assistant—a dim-witted goblin named Stik whose face was covered in a mysterious black substance—led Gunter into the mess hall for proof. In the mess hall, Gunter spotted a tiny glass vial containing some of the substance that was staining the face of Stik, as well as a small leather pouch which was handed to him by Yegg. The pouch was a magical item that could conjure any spice it’s wielder could think of. Gunter decided to make use of his new tool and make a quick dinner for the group.

They all gathered in the mess hall to quickly eat before heading out for the day. Yegg seemed indifferent to the pot pies cooked by Gunter. The apprentice tattooist spotted the small glass vial on the table and jumped out of his seat. He experienced a mixture of excitement and disbelief at finding his lost tattoo kit as well as the realization that these goblins were trying to use his expensive and magical inks as a simple cooking ingredient. He reluctantly thanked the party, and finally gave his name: Demetrius Vanderhopt. After a short discussion, the group decided to bring the captive Goblins to face justice at the town of Phandalin. They all finished their dinner, gathered their prisoners, and left the castle for Phandalin.

Traveling to Phandalin

AD10-11

After traveling for a few hours, the party settled down for the night. Gunter and Farryn hunted some rabbits while Low Noon and Ialtog watched the prisoners and made camp. After Gunter and Farryn returned, Demetrius told the group that there was just enough ink to complete one of his magical tattoos, though he was just an apprentice and was only capable of creating one type of tattoo. He would be able to start once they returned to Phandalin. Droop was intent on maintaining his job of protecting Gundren, and slept close to him for the night. After deciding on their watch duties for the night, the rest of the party went to rest for the night. Farryn immediately fell asleep during her watch, but luckily nothing eventful happened during her nap. She managed to awaken in time to pass off the watch shift to Ialtog. 

Matters did not go as planned during Ialtog’s shift, however, and the party was woken by some clattering and a shouting Gundren. After some quick investigation, they learned that the female human had knocked Ialtog unconscious during his shift, freed their prisoners, and attempted to assassinate Gundren. However, Droop was more alert than the assassin anticipated and managed to fight her off, but not before taking a fatal blow himself, living up to his promise to protect Gundren. The assassin then fled along with other prisoners. The goblin chef, Yegg, and his assistant, Stik, both chose to remain with the party instead of fleeing. Low Noon was then able to bring Ialtog back to consciousness using his patron's magic. 

Farryn's experience allowed her to quickly identify tracks in the ground, and after deciding which ones to follow, she headed off while the rest of the party gathered themselves. Ialtog, in the meantime, used his magic to preserve Droop's body. After 10 minutes of preparation, the rest of the party followed the tracks behind Farryn, who had quickly made her way through the forest and into a clearing, where the tracks became hard to follow.

Sitting on a rock next to a small lake was a solitary old man. He tells Farryn his name, Fran, though Farryn is immediately suspicious of the old man. Through some questioning, he told Farryn the following:

• He comes here to this clearing often to relax in peace

• He cannot recall that he saw anyone else pass by, but claims that he may have seen someone off to the west, however his memory is failing him in his old age.

• He has a farm on the southern outskirts of Phandalin

After a period of interrogation, Ialtog, Low Noon, and Gunter catch up to Farryn and the old man. Fran tells the party that he was just about to head to Phandalin, and accompanies them on their way back. Ialtóg does some questioning of his own, and determines that Fran does not appear entirely honest about seeing anyone in the woods. 

Phandalin Pt.6

After reaching Phandalin, the old man parted ways and headed back towards his farm. 

Low Noon explained to the party that he received an important message from his patron, and would have to leave them. After saying their goodbyes, the rest of the party headed to the Stonehill Inn, along with Demetrius and Gundren, and the goblins Stik and Yegg.

Stonehill Inn

At the Inn, they are greeted by the owner Toblen Stonehill, who was ecstatic to see Gundren alive and safe. While they chatted, Gunter spoke with Stik and Yegg, who agreed that they would find a place for themselves somewhere that most likely won't involve eating any more people. The goblins then parted ways from the party. Afterwards, Demetrius explained more about the tattoo process. Seeing as the tattoo would enhance the hand-to-hand capabilities of an individual, Gunter chose to sit down for the hour-long, and slightly painful process. And once the tattoo was finally finished, Gunter gained the effects of an Eldritch Claw Tattoo.

(12/06/21)

Phandalin Pt.7

AD11

Stonehill Inn

After Gunter's tattoo was finished, Gundren expressed concern for his brothers, as they were still at Wave Echo Cave when he left for Neverwinter. Ialtog realized that the map to Wave Echo Cave was missing from his bag—likely stolen by the human female that ambushed them. Thankfully, Gundren was mostly confident that he remembered the way there. They decided they should deal with the situation at the Cave as soon as possible, and began to head to the Townsmaster's Hall to speak with Sildar and Harbin. 

Before they left the inn, the apprentice Inkwright Demetrius explained to the group that he was leaving for Waterdeep with the next caravan out of town, and that if they ever find themselves in Waterdeep, they should look him up. He would be training under Master Inkwright Luhiren Bardain.

Townsmaster's Hall

When they arrived at the Townsmaster’s Hall, Sildar Hallwinter and Harbin Wester were deep in conversation but they quickly noticed the party's arrival. Gundren and Sildar were relieved to see each other alive, having both been saved by the party. Sildar rewarded them 500gp for saving Gundren and dealing with the Cragmaw Goblins, just as he promised.

Gunter suggested to Sildar that the town seemed like it needed some kind of protection. Coincidentally, that was exactly the matter that Sildar and Harbin were discussing just moments ago. Sildar believed that the town needed to prioritize a strong defense above all else, investing in a strong and trained militia, and rebuilding the destroyed keep. While Harbin believed that the town should first invest in things such as infrastructure, community, and trade, especially if Gundren manages to make Wave Echo Cave a workable and profitable mine. But seeing as there were more pertinent matters, they decided to move on from the conversation.

Gundren intended on rebuilding the ancient mines at Wave Echo Cave, and offered the party a 10% stake of the mine's profits once it’s fully operational, if they helped him successfully deal with the situation there. They happily agreed.

Before leaving, they asked Harbin about the old man they met outside town, Fran, and his farm south of town. Harbin could not recall any such farmer living in Phandalin, but told them to ask the farmer Narth, who’s farm was on the southern outskirts of Phandalin.

They decided to split up before meeting back at the Stonehill Inn. Farryn would investigate the farms on the southern outskirts of town. Ialtog would head to the Shrine of Luck to set up a proper burial for Droop. And Gunter would gather provisions and equipment from the general store. Before leaving, however, Gunter was taken aside by Sildar Hallwinter.

Narth’s Farm

Farryn made her way to the only farm in this area of Phandalin. After scouting out the home, she decided to knock at the and speak with the owner. A elderly man answered the door, and explained that his farm is the only farm in the area, and that he knows no farmer by the name of Fran in Phandalin. Confident that her suspicions were proven, Farryn thanked the old man and headed back to the Stonehill Inn.

Shrine of Luck

Ialtog traveled a short distance to the shrine, where he met the young elf Sister Garaele once again. She agreed to take care of the proper ceremonies for Droop’s burial. She told Ialtog that if he was still interested in reviving Elsa, he would need to prove himself. She has an acquaintance in the city of Neverwinter that would be capable of this feat, a dwarf by the name of Admus Greatbelt who was a member of the Order of the Gauntlet. He was a Paladin of Tyr at the Hall of Justice in Neverwinter. She also explained that if Ialtog wanted to gain Admus’s trust, he would have to help Sister Garaele with a task, as well as a fellow Order of the Gauntlet member, Daran Edermath, at his orchard. Ialtog thanked the acolyte and left, stopping at the Lionshield Coster on the way back to the Inn.

Locations Discovered:

Pandalin - Edermath Orchard

Neverwinter - Hall of Justice

Stonehill Inn

Before returning to the Inn, Gunter picked up some supplies from the general store, as well as a large barrel. Once he made his way back to the Inn, he attempted to purchase enough beer to fill the barrel in celebration, only to find out that he could have purchased a full keg of ale from the Inn itself. He excitedly explained to the rest of the party that he had been formally invited to join the Lord’s Alliance by Sildar, of which his idol was a part of. They had a quick drink in celebration, then Gunter, Ialtog, Farryn, and Gundren left Phandalin, and journeyed towards Wave Echo Cave.

Journey Across the Hills

At the first, the party saw not much more than deer and hunter trails as they were led by Gundren through the foothills. However, Gundren became more confident that they were on the right track when they came into a valley full of streams filling into a large lake. As they emerged from the valley, they discovered the remnants of an old, ruined road. 

Following the road, they eventually came to a large ravine that was spanned by a massive, but destroyed, bridge. Gundren explained that the grappling hook and rope he and his brothers used to cross this bridge before was cut, likely by someone that didn’t want to be followed. Ialtog removed the grappling hook and rope from his bag, and Gunter was able to hook it onto the beam across the ravine. They all managed to easily cross the ravine using the new lifeline. And shortly after, they arrived at the entrance to Wave Echo Cave.

Wave Echo Cave Pt.1

As they enter the cave, a loud booming wave can be heard which repeats itself nearly every two minutes. They came to a room with some camping gear strewn about, and a large pit at the far end. A motionless dwarf laid on the floor, which Gundren quickly recognized as his brother Nundro. Ialtog checked the body, and determined that Nundro had been dead for at least a few days. While investigating, Ialtog found an odd jug full of many stoppers on the dwarf’s hip, likely an item he found in the cave through some exploring. Stricken with grief, Gundren elected to remain here, and wait for the party’s return. They climbed down the pit, which conveniently had a rope set up already, and Farryn scouted ahead through the dark, maze-like mine tunnels.

While walking through the tunnels, Farryn came upon a dead end that was harboring a large, gelatinous creature. She attempted to fight off the creature, but was cornered in the process. Meanwhile, Ialtog and Gunter traipsed along through the mine tunnels, looking for Farryn, and unaware of her situation. Ialtog eventually reached Farryn using his telepathy, and her plight l was made known to Ialtog and Gunter, who rushed through the mines to help. Together, the three of them dispatched the oozing creature without much difficulty. 

Continuing forward past the mine tunnels, they entered a large cavern half covered by a pool of dark water, the shoreline of which was covered with strange, broken shells.

They entered a carved hallway at the far end of the cavern, with a door on one end. Listening through the door, Farryn heard some deep, gruff voices arguing about food. The party decided to leave the door be, and continue down the hallway.

At another intersecting hallway, they saw a large cavern with a rift covering its entire eastern half. A female drow—the same one they saw entering Cragmaw Castle—leaned over the rift, yelling at the creatures below to dig faster. The drow was alert, and managed to spot Farryn down the hallway. The female drow began her attack, but eventually left matters to her bugbear minions as she fled. More bugbears climbed up ropes from out of the ravine, and joined in the battle. Another drow—the male that had a history with Low Noon and eventually escaped the party’s custody—joined the fight, but upon coming face-to-face with Gunter, also attempted to flee. However, Gunter managed to land his spear directly in the male drow’s chest as he ran away. Meanwhile, Farryn found herself pinned in a corner again, and was taken to the brink of death by a bugbear’s morningstar. Ialtog dealt with the offending bugbear, and healed Farryn back to strength. Victorious once more, the party regrouped, as they decided what course to take next…

(12/13/21)

Wave Echo Cave Pt.2

AD11

Meeting the Black Spider

While Ialtog searched the remains of their slain foes, Gunter checked the crevasse on the eastern side of the room, but both spotted nothing of interest. They decided to check the last room in this cavern. Gunter ventured through the door first, and was met by a drow who was wearing dark robes and a strange amulet, as well as wielding a scepter in one hand. Two bugbears stood next to the drow holding a dwarf hostage at knife-point. Gunter immediately recognized the dwarf as Tharden Rockseeker, Gundren’s other brother. As the rest of the party entered the room, the drow finally introduced himself: The Black Spider.

The Black Spider

• He demanded that the party not move too close, or he would kill the dwarf.

• He questioned the party about their reason for being here, and did not seem to believe Gunter’s bluff that it was all about the gold.

• He explained that he originally needed Tharden alive. But as matters have changed, he would not hesitate to kill the dwarf.

• He was here looking for the Forge of Spells, an ancient magical forge once used to craft items of magical power.

• In exchange for the dwarf’s life, the party must find the Forge of Spells, and clear out any monsters in the way. 

  • Ialtog believed that the Black Spider was hiding something from them. When he questioned the Black Spider on why they should trust him, he said that they couldn’t, but refusal would most certainly lead to Tharden’s demise. They ultimately decided they had no other choice to save Tharden.

  • When Farryn asked for time to talk it over, he snapped, demanding that they would do it, or Tharden would die right now.

• He did not give any useful information on the location of the Forge of Spells, just that there were likely to be many hideous creatures blocking the way.

Journey to the Forge

After the party agreed to his terms, he sent one of his bugbear minions to watch them, as well as a swarm of tiny spiders that kept a short distance from them at all times. They left the room together, and followed the bugbear, Battik, to their destination.

Battik led them to a barracks, where several other bugbears lay waiting. This was the furthest the Black Spider’s expedition had made it, and beyond the barricaded door at the other end were an unknown number of monsters. Before continuing, they decided to have a quick rest in the barracks. The bugbears closely watched the party as they rested, making aggressive gestures, and causing awkward tension. However, an hour passed without conflict, and the party—along with Battik—unblocked the door, and ventured forth.

On the other side of the door was a large smeltery, with a connected waterwheel set within a small channel, and with corpses of long-dead dwarves scattered throughout the room. Gunter noted that this was likely where they brought the mined ore to be melted down. As they entered the room, several of the corpses rose, and a green flame began to emit from the smelter. While they fought the zombies, the green flame became brighter. Soon, a skull wreathed in the green flame flew out from inside the smelter, and caused a flaming sphere to burn Ialtog. Gunter pursued the skull, while Farryn made quick work of the zombie minions. During the fight, the flaming skull shot a ray of fire at Farryn, which missed, but his second ray was aimed at the bugbear, Battik. A superhot beam of fire critically struck the bugbear, vaporizing him instantly. As the fight continued, the skull in desperation let out a giant ball of fire at the party, nearly killing all of them. Gunter, who was on his last legs, charged the skull, jumping off from the smelter, and dealing a severe blow to it. With one final strike, Farryn managed to snuff out the skull's flame.

Once the conflict had ended, Ialtog investigated the channel and noticed a small tunnel leading into the wall, from which the echoing boom seemed to become louder. Meanwhile, Farryn investigated the skull, and felt a magical aura coming from it while she held it in her hands. Ialtog confirmed the magical aura, and they decided to smash the skull as a precaution. They then followed through the tight tunnel.

On the other side was a large cavern. A steep ledge on the far side of the cavern revealed a massive body of water. Waves from the body would slam into the cave wall at regular intervals, creating the booming noise heard throughout the cave. After enjoying the sights, they moved on through a connecting stairway. 

Inside the next cavern, were two large, freestanding buildings. As they examined the buildings, they noticed that the walls were charred, and most of the doors had their hinges completely melted. Ialtog checked the door of the nearest building, and heard a gurgling noise coming from beyond. The cavern outside the far building was full of glittering gems, lighting up the entire area. Gunter broke off a gem to take with him. They then decided to enter the first building.

Inside was what appeared to be a large workshop, badly damaged by an ancient spell battle that laid waste to the mine. In the center of the room was a pedestal holding a small brazier, lit with an odd green flame. Just behind the pedestal was a spherical creature with two eyestalks on each side, and one giant eye in its middle. The grotesque creature was not immediately aggressive however, and greeted the party upon them entering.

The Spectator

• It called itself the Spectator of the Forge.

• It was summoned to watch over the Forge of Spells and its items.

• It would not let anyone come close to the Forge, nor any of the items strewn about the workbenches there.

• It did not care about any other matters that had nothing to do with the Forge of Spells. It believed it only had one purpose, and all other things were needless detail.

Gunter noticed some interesting equipment on one of the workbenches: a breastplate with a gold dragon motif worked into its design, and a mace made of solid brass and a head shaped like a sunburst. When he queried the Spectator about the equipment, it became aggressive, and demanded that they leave at once. The party stepped out, shutting the door behind them while they discussed their next move. Realizing that the Black Spider had ordered all creatures in the way be slain, they decided they had no choice but to forcibly remove the Spectator from the Forge. They charged back into the workshop, and began their conflict with the Spectator.

Gunter was paralyzed by the creature's gaze, but managed to break free quickly. Ialtog’s magic helped to prevent the party from falling victim to any more of the creature’s tricks. As Gunter grappled with the creature, Farryn dealt a fatal blow directly through the Spectator’s large eye. Gunter made his way to the workbench with the curious equipment, and found a manifest written in Dwarvish explaining the function of these magical items: a Dragonguard breastplate and a Lightbringer mace. He immediately put the breastplate on, and gave the mace to Ialtog. Confident that they had held up their end of the bargain, they traced their steps back to confront the Black Spider.

A Path Cleared

As they came back to the bugbear barracks, Gunter realized that the door had been barricaded once more after they left. The bugbears inside refused to let them in however, due to the news of their compatriot Battik’s death. Not wanting to cause a fight, the party elected to search for another way around, and headed south.

While they looked for another route, they passed through a ruined old banquet hall strewn with the skeletal remains of dozens of long-dead dwarves, orcs, gnomes, and ogres. As they followed one of the hallways out, Gunter spotted an old and quiet storeroom that seemed to be mostly intact. At the end of the hall they came to a 30ft high cavern that was intersected by many tunnels. The walls here were carved with simple reliefs showing dwarf and gnome miners hard at work. Many more dwarf and orc skeletons covered the floors here, and while Farryn checked out the skeletons, she was ambushed by nearly a dozen mosquito-like bat creatures known as stirges. The rest of the group quickly came to help, and they fought off the blood-sucking monsters, knocking off stirges as they repeatedly attached themselves to the party.

With the stirges dealt with, they realized how worn they have become. Gunter recalled the seemingly safe storeroom, where they decided to rest before returning to confront the Black Spider, and hopefully receive Tharden Rockseeker safe and sound.

(12/28/21)

Wave Echo Cave Pt.3

AD11

Rest and Return

During their rest, Ialtog examined the strange jug he had taken from Nundro,  and discovered it was a Jug of Alchemy. In demonstration, he poured an entire gallon of honey into the floor, then gave the jug to Gunter. Now rested, they left the room and made their way back to the Black Spider after finding a connection to the mine tunnels from before.

When they returned, they saw that the Black Spider was still there, along with the bugbear and Tharden Rockseeker. The Black Spider was pleased to hear that the path to the Forge of Spells had been cleared of monsters, but also expressed bitterness that they could not have worked together more from the beginning. He gestured at the bugbear, and Tharden was released. Gunter and Ialtog were checking that Tharden was okay, when they were interrupted by the Black Spider, saying: "As much as I hate to cut this touching reunion short, this is, unfortunately, where our tenuous partnership has to end. Kill them."

The Black Spider Battle

Gunter swiftly dodged the bugbear's javelin, while Farryn was restrained by a giant spider's web. The Black Spider used his magic to turn himself invisible, but Ialtog managed to hit him with a burst of Faerie Fire, revealing the Black Spider to all. Ialtog then summoned his spiritual weapon, the twilight moon of Selune.

Suddenly, from behind, Ialtog felt a familiar blow to the head. He turned in surprise to see Tharden standing behind him. However, Tharden’s form began to shape itself into another creature: the drow female from Cragmaw Castle, and the one they had just briefly fought in the mines. She gave a sinister smile to Ialtog, and said "I should have killed you when I had the chance." While Farryn struggled to escape from the web, Ialtog was magically paralyzed by the Black Spider. Gunter, using his new abilities granted to him by the Eldritch Claw Tattoo, protected his friends by dispatching the bugbear, and keeping the giant spider's attention. Ialtog then freed himself from his paralysis.

The Drow then refocused her attention onto the restrained Farryn, striking her with her fist. For a brief moment, the drow’s face shapes itself into that of the old man from the woods, Fran, before changing back. The Drow then says: "Your friends should have listened to you." Farryn uses her fey step to escape from the web and immediately retaliates against the Drow, piercing her with her arrow. The Black Spider aims 3 darts of force at Ialtog, ending Ialtog’s concentration on Faerie Fire. While Gunter continued to keep the giant spider at bay, Ialtog summoned his Twilight Sanctuary. The Drow responded by revealing that they knew of the party's tactics, and the Black Spider covered the floor in a magical web, restraining Gunter and Ialtog. Ialtog misty steps out from the web.

While Farryn and the Drow battle in close quarters, the Black Spider once again strikes Ialtog with 3 darts of force. Gunter finally escapes from the web and re-engages with the giant spider. After taking a severe blow from Farryn, the Drow yells out in a panic: “Nezznar! I think we need help! You must do it!” The Black Spider looks at the amethyst amulet around his neck and yells “I will not fail again!” He crushes the amulet in his hand, and starts to wail in pain as he begins to shift into a large and grotesque half-man, half-spider creature, dropping his scepter where he stands. He draws a longsword with both hands and charges at Gunter, who manages to brace for the attack and preemptively strike first. The transformed Black Spider appeared to be in renewed health, and strikes three times with his longsword at Gunter, dealing grievous damage. Ialtog’s twilight moon crushes the giant spider against the pillar it clung to, killing it and removing the threat from Gunter. Suddenly, slithering webs then began to move and cover the ground underneath Ialtog.

In a final desperate maneuver, the Drow charged at Ialtog in an attempt to halt his healing abilities, but Farryn loosed an arrow directly into the Drow’s chest before she could finish off Ialtog. As she dropped to her knees, she uttered one final sentence to Ialtog: “You may kill me, but you will not survive what is to come…” and she reverted to her natural form. A tall blue humanoid, with a nearly featureless face. The transformed Black Spider attacks Farryn and Ialtog with a web-like spectral lash. Farryn dodges out of the way, but Ialtog takes a severe blow to his health, leaving him on his last legs. Gunter grapples with the transformed Black Spider, halting its advances. With his last magical reserves, Ialtog healed himself from the brink of death, and escaped from the room into the hallway. Farryn’s space is then entangled by adjacent webs, but easily escapes from their grasp and also escapes into the hallway meeting with the shaken Ialtog. The webs follow Farryn, and momentarily entangles her once again.

The transformed Black Spider comes down with full force on Gunter, but Gunter deflects the first two attacks with his shield. On the third and final attack, the Black Spider slices through the shield, critically striking Gunter down and incapacitating him. Ialtog snaps out of his fearful episode, and runs back into the room to help. He watches as Gunter is struck down, and brings the might of Selune down onto the Black Spider, charging towards it in defiance. Farryn escapes from the webbing, and lets her arrows loose on the Black Spider. Their combined might draws attention from landing the final blow on Gunter. Ialtog uses his halfling nimbleness to run between the Black Spider’s legs and get around to Gunter, while his spiritual weapons engages.

The Black Spider fights Ialtog and Farryn in a frenzied rage, slashing wildly with his blade and shooting spectral lashes without prejudice. He chases Farryn into the hall, squeezing into the doorway, while Ialtog uses his healing magic to stabilize Gunter and keep him alive. The transformed Black Spider strikes Farryn twice with his sword, bringing her to the edge of death. Ialtog and Farryn continue their all-out assault on the Black Spider, but he manages to land one final strike on Farryn, incapacitating her and knocking her out of the fight. With one final effort, Ialtog slams his twilight moon into the Black Spider, ripping a while straight through and killing the creature. Ialtog the ran Farryn, and used his magic to stabilize her.

A Battle Hard-Won

With a moments respite, Ialtog gathered his incapacitated allies, protecting them from whatever else may come. He waited two hours for Farryn to return to consciousness. Exhausted, Farryn quickly fell back asleep, but was awoken an hour later. The sounds of voices coming from the hallway startled Ialtog and Farryn into action. They covered Gunter, and quickly searched for hiding spots. Five bugbears entered the room, shocked by the carnage that remained. One bugbear slowly crept towards the resting Gunter, but was called back by others. Not wanting to incur the wrath of whatever caused the mess, the bugbears decided to leave the cave for good. Realizing that Gundren was all alone by the only exit from the cave, Ialtog and Farryn talked the bugbears to ensure Gundren’s safety. They watched as the bugbears passed through the cave exit, unaware of Gundrens presence. Afterwards, they explained the situation to Gundren, and returned to Gunter. Shortly after they returned, Gunter awoke startled and confused. They told him of their shared victory. 

Gundren searched and admired the decorative room. He discovered the scepter dropped by the Black Spider, which was engraved with imagery of dragons, and handed it to Ialtog. Gunter examined the mangled corpse of the transformed Black Spider, and happened to catch a glimpse of a blue potion hanging out from a satchel. Gunter searched the satchel, and discovered a potion of healing and a key. The party then realized that Tharden’s true fate was still unknown to them, and decided to search the caves more. They used the key to unlock a  room adjacent to the Black Spider’s headquarters, and located Gundrens brother Tharden Rockseeker, alive but unconscious. Ialtog also noticed a pouch containing a large quantity of platinum and silver. They carried Tharden back to the entrance, and picked up Nundro’s remains in order to prepare a proper dwarf funeral. They left the cave, and set up camp a good distance away to rest after a battle hard-won.

(01/03/22)

Phandalin Pt.8 

AD12

The next morning, they safely made their way back to Phandalin. Along the way, Gundren discussed having a traditional dwarven funeral for Droop, to honor his sacrifice. They gathered outside Phandalin and had a heartfelt funeral for both Droop and Nundro, each placing a stone on the cairn atop their graves. After, the party made their way to the Stonehill Inn to continue in traditional dwarven style, as their funerals ended in heavy drinking of remembrance.

Stonehill Inn

When they returned to the Stonehill Inn, they were met by a celebration among people that they had each helped in one way during their adventure. The children listened to their tales, and mimicked the heroes' adventures as they played throughout the inn. 

The townsmaster—Harbin Wester—and Sildar Hallwinter awarded the heroes with a home in Phandalin. It was meant to be a home for Iarno Albrek (Glasstaff) during his original mission as a Lord's Alliance emissary. Sildar also mentioned that he would be running for the position of Townsmaster in the upcoming election, much to the dismay of Harbin. As well, Gundren made their partnership in the Lost Mines official, and arranged for payments to be made to the Farryn, Gunter, and Ialtóg once the mines were fully operational. Gundren gave them an expected time frame of 8 months.

A drinking contest was held between Farryn, Gunter, Ialtóg, Sildar, And Gundren. Unexpectedly, the young elf Farryn managed to come through victorious. As the others lay nearly unconscious on the floor of the Inn, Ialtóg used his divine magic to sober the three of them up. They then ended the celebrations for the day, and made their way to their new home in Phandalin. They rested for the night, as their adventure came to a close. But another, was just beginning…