Slûûp forever proclaims his life debt and devotion to his Emancipators, the Breakers of Chains, who freed him from his miserable life in bondage to fell powers and delivered Slûûp into his new life as a free, humble servant of Oghma, the Lord of Knowledge. Slûûp hereby vows to record the great deeds of his saviors and binds their tales forever into The Chronicles of the Former Masters.

The Story So Far

Our story began on the Triboar Trail, where a simple caravan escort for the dwarf  Gundren Rockseeker turned bloody after a goblin ambush claimed the life of the strange and beloved wagon-master Gomlee Moonstagg. The hirlings Vala Silverton, Fallen Persimmon Branch, Orthanc Hellbringer, and "Rig" followed the attackers to Cragmaw Cave Hideout. There, the newly formed party rescued Sildar Hallwinter of the Lords' Alliance and uncovered the first threads of a larger conspiracy: Gundren had been captured on the orders of a shadowy figure known only as the Black Spider, who sought the long-lost Wave Echo Cave.

In Phandalin, the party found a town rotting under the control of the Redbrands, a gang of violent thugs secretly led by the disgraced wizard Iarno "Glasstaff" Albrek. Beneath Tresendar Manor they fought bugbears, skeletons, and the twisted Nothic haunting the ruins below before finally confronting Glasstaff himself. The wizard died by Orthanc's blade after attempting to bargain his way into becoming Phandalin's hidden tyrant. With the Redbrands broken and the townsfolk freed, the party became reluctant heroes.

But every victory only widened the world around them.

They hunted goblins through storm-soaked wilderness, bargained with Agatha the Banshee for forbidden knowledge, and survived starvation, wild magic, and endless rain along the Triboar Trail. At Wyvern Tor they shattered a raiding force of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows in a brutal siege that nearly killed Orthanc and revealed the quiet courage of Slûûp, the goblin slave they had freed beneath Tresendar Manor. No longer a servant, Slûûp emerged as a devoted cleric of Oghma—and one of the party’s most steadfast companions.

At Old Owl Well, the party confronted Hamund Kost, a Red Wizards of Thay excavating ancient Netherese secrets beneath the ruins. Negotiations collapsed into open war as undead swarmed the battlefield. Orthanc carved through the dead while "Rig" fought alone behind enemy lines and Slûûp desperately held the group together with divine magic. Just as defeat loomed, Vala bewitched Hamund , sending the infatuated necromancer fleeing into magical darkness while his undead army crumbled into dust.

And then came stranger things still.

Tomlin Helder, the butler of a once great house, teleported Mosely "Mo" Moonstone, Ilaverna "Verna" Isalo, Raemund Faeton, and Erynn Haldwynn to the Lost Hills, desperately searching for proof that a member of House Silverton had survived the fall of Neverwinter. Vala's survival brought joy—but also terrible revelations. "Rig" and Fallen Persi vanished without explanation. Morthos, the strange cosmic wanderer who had guided the party through the Lost Hills, disappeared just as suddenly.

When the party attempted to leave the Lost Hills, reality itself rebelled. Time twisted. Paths repeated endlessly. The land forced them through trials of grief, strength, faith, and decay while something ancient stirred beneath the illusion. They emerged victorious—but changed—and discovered days had vanished without explanation.

Returning to Phandalin, the party forged new alliances, settled old debts, and finally turned north toward Thundertree. There they battled blights, ash zombies, giant spiders, and dragon cultists amid the poisoned ruins of the dead town. Erynn Haldwynn vanished under horrifying circumstances, consumed by black glass and spirited away by forces unknown. Deeper within Thundertree, the party confronted the green dragon Venomfang. Though they failed to slay the beast outright, they wounded and drove it from its tower, earning the aid of Reidoth the druid and finally learning the location of Wave Echo Cave.

Armed with that knowledge, the party struck at Cragmaw Castle.

Within its crumbling halls they reunited with Sildar Hallwinter and "Rig", rescued Gundren Rockseeker, and slew King Grol after a savage battle that tore through the fortress room by room. But the Black Spider's influence had already reached the castle. A Drow named Vyerith revealed herself to be something far worse—a monstrous shapechanger wearing stolen flesh. Though cornered, the creature escaped into the wilds, leaving the party shaken and paranoid that anyone could be wearing a false face.

Now the party flees west through the Neverwinter Wood, hunted by the Bloodsword warband and carrying a gravely wounded Gundren Rockseeker toward Phandalin. Exhausted, starving, and battered by endless pursuit, they have survived ambushes, monsters, storms, and each other.

But the road ahead only darkens.

The Black Spider still moves unseen.

The Skin-Walker, Vyerith lurks in Neverwinter Wood.

Venomfang remembers their names.

And somewhere beneath the Sword Mountains, the Forge of Spells waits to awaken once more.

Session Summaries

Session 00: 26 Ches 1471 (Day 1)

Orthanc Hellbringer, an enormous tattooed Goliath warrior, arrives at the Wayside Inn on the Triboar Trail seeking work. Inside, he meets a lively mix of caravan guards, merchants, and staff: Backes the barkeep; Cooragh, the no-nonsense half-orc cook and smith; and Martisha Vinetalker, the refined half-moon-elf proprietor. Among the patrons are fellow guards Gomlee Moonstagg, the scarred old wagon-driver; Vala Silverton, a nervous noblewoman in outdated finery; and Paxtor, a boisterous guard with sharp canines and a heavy brogue.

Rig, a half sea-elf rogue already well acquainted with the inn staff, joins the group, and Gomlee outlines their job: escort Gundren Rockseeker’s wagon from the Wayside Inn to Phandalin for 10 gp each, warning of increased goblin activity. Conversation drifts through tales of Phandalin’s history, mining rumors, and Gomlee’s beloved mule Meilu—who later proves telepathic and fiercely protective when Paxtor drunkenly tests her patience.

During dinner, the party bonds over stew, strange table manners, and Orthanc’s bottomless appetite. Vala asks Orthanc to guard her while she performs her nightly devotions; afterward the group discusses gods, omens, and news of goblin movements east of Phandalin.

Inside, Paxtor continues drinking, irritating the staff and party alike. Vala buys Meilu a carrot in apology for Paxtor’s behavior and then, encouraged by Martisha, performs on her lap harp for tips, earning appreciative praise from the proprietor. The inn empties as travelers retire for the night.

Orthanc beds down in the stable with the animals, Gomlee drunkenly returns to sleep in the wagon, and the rest of the party finds their rooms. Vala, still wary of Paxtor, quietly warns Gomlee to protect Meilu before turning in.

The newly formed party spends their first night together at the Wayside Inn, ready to begin their escort mission at dawn.

Session 01:  27 Ches 1471 (Day 2)

On the morning of 27 Ches 1471, the party prepares to leave camp. Rig wakes early to find Gomlee already tending the wagon and Paxtor gone. Gomlee introduces her to Fallen Persimmon Branch, a Tabaxi monk who arrived overnight looking for work, and together they ensure it is travel-ready while. Vala pays Orthanc to watch over her as she prays, and the two discuss their relationships with their respective gods. Gomlee mentions Mielikki’s strong presence in his and Meilu’s lives. A scuffle breaks out when Vala tries to magically assist Rig—ending with Rig using the magical asistance she was given to flip Vala into the mud and warn her to never cast magic on Rig again.

By midday, the group encounters two dead horses blocking the Triboar Trail. Before investigating, Gomlee has an intense, almost mystical exchange with Meilu that leaves him suddenly energized. Moments later, goblins ambush him—Gomlee slays two instantly but is critically struck by arrows. Dying, he embraces his warrior’s end, asking to be buried with his gear beneath nearby trees, and urges the party to “find the map.” Orthanc and Vala lay him to rest with reverence. Vala privately reveals that Meilu foretold Gomlee’s death, though he refused to believe her. She quietly retrieves Gomlee’s journal from Meilu’s saddlebags.

Persi finds goblin tracks heading north. The party hides the wagon off the road, assisted—seemingly—by Meilu communicating with the oxen. After testing Meilu for tactical readiness (receiving a warning mule-kick), they camouflage the wagon and follow the trail. Persi easily leads them through the woods while the party avoids two goblin traps.

At dusk, they reach a large cavern entrance. Inside, they confront multiple goblins and wipe them out with brutal efficiency. Discovering captive wolves, Persi and Orthanc feed them goblin meat rather than fight, leaving the animals alive as the party pushes deeper into the unknown.

Session 02:  27-29 Ches 1471 (Days 2-4)

The party presses deeper into Cragmaw Cave, discovering a goblin barracks. Persi hides under a cot while Orthanc charges in attempting diplomacy, triggering a chaotic battle where goblins burn in blankets and are cut down. Yeemik, the goblin leader, attempts to bargain with Sildar Hallwinter’s life, but when negotiations collapse, he drops Sildar from a ledge. Persi intercepts Yeemik’s escape and kills him. The party frees Sildar, who reveals the Black Spider ordered both him and Gundren Rockseeker captured, and that Gundren’s map to Wave Echo Cave has been sent away.

Continuing their exploration, the party engages Klarg the bugbear in his den. Persi and Rig are nearly overwhelmed, but Orthanc’s rage and the group’s coordination bring Klarg and his wolf down. They recover Lionshield Coster goods and Klarg’s treasure before resting.

The next morning, they load the recovered goods and travel to Phandalin, settling at the Stonehill Inn. Over breakfast on 29 Ches, Persi steals the egg from Sildar’s meal, and Toblen Stonehill shares concerns about the Redbrands’ growing control over the town. After Toblen leaves, Trilena privately speaks with Vala, revealing that local woodcutter Thel Denrar was murdered by the Redbrands for defending his wife. Though many witnessed it, Townmaster Harbin Wester has done nothing. She asks the party to speak with Wester and help the town.

At Lionshield Coster, Linene Graywind rewards the party for returning stolen goods and mentions orc raids along the Triboar Trail. Barthen’s Provisions provides Gundren’s promised payment and further warnings about Redbrand activity.

Armed with new leads—the missing dwarves, the Black Spider, orc raiders, and the Redbrands’ brutality—the party turns its attention toward confronting the threats surrounding Phandalin.

Session 03:  29 Ches - 1 Tarsakh 1471 (Days 4-6)

The party’s investigations into Phandalin’s troubles deepen across several tense days. After donating at the Shrine of Luck, Persi meets Sister Garaele, who quietly reveals information about the increasingly violent Redbrands and their mysterious leader “Glasstaff.” Rig observes a secretive exchange between Garaele and Sildar, while Orthanc, Persi, and Vala visit Alderleaf Farm. There, young Carp describes witnessing Redbrands using a hidden entrance beneath Tresendar Manor, and Qelline requests the party check on Reidoth the missing druid in Thundertree.

That evening, the group regathers at Stonehill Inn, hears of a recent Redbrand murder, and agrees to petition Townmaster Harbin Wester. The next morning, Wester proves a fearful coward unwilling to act against the gang. Sildar meets the party privately, revealing quests offered by the Lords’ Alliance: eliminate the Redbrands, locate Cragmaw Castle, and uncover the fate of the missing wizard Iarno Albrek. He also explains the growing orc threat near Wyvern Tor.

After leaving the hall, the party is confronted by Redbrands. A quick street fight ends with four ruffians dead. Persi dumps half a corpse onto the Townmaster’s desk, causing Wester to faint, and Sildar urges discretion. Later, the party questions Grista at the Sleeping Giant tavern, learning the Redbrands hold her son hostage and gather nightly at Tresendar Manor. Hoping to ambush them, the party waits in hiding, but no ruffians return.

Persi scouts the manor alone overnight while the others rest. Before dawn, screams alert the group to the Sleeping Giant — now engulfed in flames. After helping extinguish the fire, they find a blood-streaked note politely stating that Glasstaff has taken Persi and invites the party to meet him at Tresendar Manor. The party immediately moves toward the cellar entrance beneath the ruins.

Session 04:  1 Tarsakh 1471 (Day 6)

The party begins the morning outside Tresendar Manor, where Sildar catches up to them with news: Carp Alderleaf has been tracking their movements, and a note Vala examines suggests the writer is a Waterdhavian noble—likely Iarno Albrek, whom Sildar now suspects is the mysterious “Glasstaff.” Following his advice, the party enters the Redbrand Hideout through its secret entrance.

Inside a vast cavern, they sense an unseen presence and experience sudden intrusive memories. Moving deeper, they ambush several Redbrand ruffians, triggering a fight that spills into a nearby guard barracks housing three bugbears. Rig nets a ruffian, Sildar fights with brutal precision, and Orthanc single-handedly blocks the doorway against all three bugbears until he cuts them down. With the fight won, the party discovers a new captive: Slûûp, a frail, albino goblin who was tortured by the bugbears. Eager to please, he pledges himself to the party and organizes their loot.

While exploring further, Rig and Vala again experience vivid intrusive memories—this time accompanied by telepathic communication from a mysterious “Guardian of Tresendar Manor.” Slûûp scouts ahead and identifies the entity as a Nothic, an aberrant, twisted former spellcaster. The Nothic offers help in exchange for fresh corpses, and the party throws two Redbrand bodies into its crevasse. In return, it warns them of a trap, hidden doors, and the location of Glasstaff’s workshop.

The party follows these clues, discovering a secret staircase and detecting hidden magic they cannot yet access. Returning to the workshop, they find arcane notes and a brewing potion—and a black rat that flees into the adjoining chamber. A voice beyond the door welcomes them in, signaling that Glasstaff is aware of their arrival.

Session 05:  1 Tarsakh 1471 (Day 6)

The party confronts Iarno “Glasstaff” Albrek in his quarters, where he arrogantly proposes a deal: they may take Persi and 200 gp if they allow him to continue transforming the Redbrands into his personal ruling force over Phandalin. He reveals plans to install farmer Gonth as a puppet Townmaster and reshape the town into an oligarchy under his secret control. Sildar, furious at Iarno’s betrayal of the Lords’ Alliance, insists he should be taken alive for trial but admits he might kill him in anger, leaving the decision to the party.

Rig pretends to accept the deal and ambushes him. Iarno turns invisible to escape but runs directly into Orthanc, who severs his arm and kills him. Vala claims his abjuration-charged Glass Staff. The party presses deeper into the hideout, fighting animated skeletons in a crypt and rescuing several prisoners—including Persi, still unconscious despite being physically unharmed.

After surviving a pit trap and recovering potions from Iarno’s belongings, the party discovers a Nothic stalking the prison room. The creature admits to feeding on the captives’ fear and targets the children. Young Gristar bravely charges it but is nearly killed by its Rotting Gaze. The party surrounds and slays the Nothic together. Rig heals Gristar, though not without berating the townsfolk for their helplessness while Orthanc defends their trauma.

The party gathers loot with Slûûp’s help, including rare alchemical reagents, gems, scrolls, and a half-finished invisibility potion. Vala also secures Urmon’s Journal and disturbing correspondence between Iarno and the mysterious “Black Spider.” Sildar escorts the freed captives safely back to Phandalin while the party settles in for a well-earned long rest.

Session 06:  1-5 Tarsakh 1471 (Days 6-10)

After defeating Iarno “Glasstaff” Albrek and clearing out the Redbrand Hideout, the party rests, gathers two invisibility potions, and returns triumphantly to Phandalin. The townsfolk hail them as heroes, the rescued captives are safe, and Toblen Stonehill offers them free lifelong lodging. Sildar, however, expresses discomfort that Iarno was killed rather than captured, but still pays the party for their work and urges them to follow up with Sister Garaele about Harper business.

At the Shrine of Luck, Sister Garaele tasks the party with negotiating with the sentient banshee Agatha to learn the fate of Bowgentle’s Spellbook. She warns them to avoid the ruined town of Conyberry and offers the use of Harper caches as payment. She also attempts (unsuccessfully) to cure or awaken the mysteriously unconscious Persi, who is later revealed to be poisoned by Drow toxins.

At the Miner’s Exchange, Halia Thornton eagerly buys Iarno’s Redbrand correspondence for 100 gp and flirts her way through negotiations with Rig. She hints that a goblin once kept by the Redbrands might know the location of Cragmaw Castle. The party realizes this refers to Slûûp.

Next, Daran Edermath approaches, thanking them and passing along a quest from the Order of the Gauntlet: investigate necromantic disturbances at the Old Owl Well. He marks their map and warns of dangers along the Lost Hills.

The party trains in town for several days, levels up, and continues to perform “The Ballad of Tresendar Manor,” building their fame. Qelline Alderleaf confirms Persi’s condition is due to potent Drow poison. Once preparations are complete, the party buys a cart, loads Persi and Slûûp, summons Vala’s tressym familiar Miss Tra, and sets off east toward Conyberry to seek Agatha.

On the road, they survive an owlbear attack thanks to Rig’s distractions, Meilu’s bravery, and Vala’s Dissonant Whispers. They find a secure campsite, set magical alarms, and settle in for the night as their journey truly begins.

Session 07:  6-9 Tarsakh 1471 (Days 10-14)

Traveling along the rain-soaked Triboar Trail, the Party pushes onward despite worsening weather and dwindling supplies. Orthanc’s druidcraft “forecast” proves redundant as heavy rain already drenches the camp, slowing their wagon to half-speed. During travel, Rig scouts ahead and spots movement—prompting an attack from giant insects. The Party fends them off, rescuing Rig from a grapple and tending to Meilu, who suffers acid burns. The group presses on and later locates a sheltered campsite with Miss Tra’s help.

Working together, they build a makeshift lean-to and Ritual Alarm, gather water, and rest. Rig carves an anatomically accurate heart into the cart, gaining inspiration. However, rations run dangerously low, creating tension and urgency about finding food.

The next day’s worsening downpour keeps them in camp. Vala cleverly constructs a large water-collection system, securing ample water, while Rig and Orthanc attempt to hunt. Orthanc fails, but Rig brings back three small-game rations. Still, the Party remains close to starvation. Around the campfire, Orthanc casually mentions eating goblins, unsettling Slûûp. Vala prays, and Rig calls upon Tymora for better weather.

The rain finally ends on the morning of the 8th—only to reveal an eerie, magical Purple Haze. Vala recognizes it as a harmless wild-magic illusion, though Rig distrusts both the fog and Vala, covering her face as they travel.

Reaching a crossroads, the group investigates routes toward Conyberry and Agatha’s Lair. Vala struggles with unexpected filth—secretly caused by Rig muddying her boots nightly—gaining stress. They venture north into Neverwinter Wood and locate Agatha’s decrepit cottage. Inside, they parley with the vain, fickle banshee, ultimately honoring their Harper mission and trading her silver comb for the long-lost location of Bowgentle’s Spellbook, now in the hands of an Iriaebor archmage named Tsernoth.

The Party safely camps at the lair, successfully stretches rations, and Orthanc hunts a deer, replenishing their stores.

The next day dawns fair. Unsure of their next objective, they let Meilu choose—she turns west, guiding them back toward Phandalin and the edge of the Lost Hills.

Session 08: 10 Tarsakh 1471 (Day 15)

On 10 Tarsakh, the party awakens to chaos: Orthanc is mysteriously asleep beside the cart and cannot be roused, while Persi wakes suddenly and convinces the ever-trusting Slûûp that he is the “head master” of the group. With Orthanc unconscious and weighing 700 lbs, the party struggles to load him into the cart until Rig recalls basic engineering and leads them in using a simple lever—finally succeeding with Meilu’s help.

As they prepare to travel, a strange figure approaches with hands raised, flashing arcane sparks. Rig nearly attacks him, but Vala deciphers the sparks as Silent Common. After a tense introduction—and Persi’s repeated pranks—the party meets Morthos, an unusual obsidian-skinned tiefling who claims to be a guide seeking “comrades.” His trustworthiness is tested through Meilu, who accepts a carrot from him, granting him the party’s tentative approval.

The group follows Morthos into the confusing terrain of the Lost Hills. Though he quickly becomes lost, he insists on “reading the cosmos,” while Persi continues to torment Rig with subtle spellcraft. Vala attempts aerial scouting through Miss Tra but finds the magically obscured landscape difficult to read. Eventually, after hours of meandering, Morthos finds the path again, though progress for the day is slowed.

Rig later spots a group following them at a distance. The party makes camp, setting traps and alarms; Rig establishes a decoy fire and consults a mysterious two-faced coin depicting Tymora and Beshaba, hoping to invoke luck.

During the night, while the others sleep, Persi spots goblins and wolves approaching. Their release of wolves triggers Vala’s Alarm spell, and the party swiftly dispatches the ambushers. The night ends safely, and the group completes their long rest.

Session 09: 11-13 Tarsakh 1471 (Days 16-18)

Travel through the Lost Hills turns harsh as the party awakens during heavy rain to find Morthos mysteriously gone, leaving only a disappearing message. Orthanc wakes from an otherworldly sleep, and the group—low on food—presses on through worsening weather. A thunderstorm rolls in, limiting visibility, just before an ogre and several stirges ambush them. The battle is brutal and chaotic in the mud; Meilu is badly blood-drained, Rig finishes the ogre but struggles to recover her weapons, and Orthanc harvests ogre meat for scarce rations. The party continues onward in the storm.

That evening they fail to establish a campsite and, while searching for better ground, Rig is nearly struck by lightning, forcing them to make a hasty, inadequate camp. By morning (12 Tarsakh), all awaken exhausted. Still battered by relentless rain, they remain in camp, managing only minimal shelter and going hungry. Weather finally improves by evening.

On 13 Tarsakh they resume travel under clearer skies but remain heavily exhausted. They soon spot smoke and smell a powerful stench of rot near the ruined fortifications of the Old Owl Well. Detecting strong necromantic magic, they approach and are confronted by a dozen zombies—halted only by a commanding voice. The speaker reveals himself as Hamund Kost, a tattooed necromancer excavating the site, who invites them to parlay but refuses to leave the ruins.

Kost, intent on his archaeological work, is irritated by their presence but offers a deal: if the party eliminates the orcs at Wyvern Tor—who have been scouting him—and brings back their banner, he will pay 200 gp and they must leave him in peace afterward. Kost also offers trade and magical aid, including help with their exhaustion, though Persi declines.

The party accepts the job and departs toward Wyvern Tor.

Session 10: 14 Tarsakh 1471 (Day 19)

Following Hamund Kost’s map, the party tracks an orc raiding band to Wyvern Tor, discovering signs of a fortified encampment hidden among cliffs and a cave complex. Attempts at parley with Brughor Axe-Biter, a heavily scarred champion of the Kingdom of Many Arrows, quickly devolve into hostility when the party offers insufficient tribute and challenges his authority.

Combat erupts as the orcs spring an ambush. Persimmon steals and uses a Potion of Invisibility to scale the cliff face, uncovering a concealed archer blind and killing an orc scout. A raging ogre named Gorg smashes through the cave entrance, hurling a tree that gravely injures Orthanc. Despite being battered by Gorg and shield-wall formations of orc blitzers, Orthanc fights on through sheer rage.

The battle turns chaotic: Rig assassinates key orc fighters, Vala supports from cover with magic and inspiration, and Persimmon devastates clustered enemies with acid-infused martial strikes—melting several orcs outright. Orthanc is finally knocked unconscious when Gorg shatters his vertebrae, but Meilu the mule charges into battle, stomping orcs to death as Slûûp secretly channels divine magic to revive Orthanc.

With renewed strength, the party overwhelms the remaining foes. Orthanc brutally kills Gorg, and Vala finishes Brughor with a devastating Chromatic Orb. The orc raiding band is destroyed, earning each party member 325 XP.

Exploring the caves, the party uncovers the spoils of many raids, dangerous traps, and grim trophies. Behind a hidden stone wall, they find the preserved bodies of a griffon and a gnome of the Waterdeep Griffon Cavalry, hinting at a tragic past. Among the relics recovered are a worn Griffon Cavalry crest, fine perfumes, coin, and a finely crafted gnome-sized short sword—clearly of noble origin. 

The party, seeing it's size and knowing Rig would not touch anything magical, they gave it to Sluup to defend himself on the road.

Session 11: 15-18 Tarsakh 1471 (Days 20-23)

After clearing the Many-Arrows hideout at Wyvern Tor, the party rests while Orthanc butchers the ogre Gorg into questionably edible rations. Heavy rain the next morning convinces them to remain at camp. Rig treats Orthanc’s fractured vertebrae and prepares remedies for Persi’s severe case of Gruumsh’s Revenge, while also secretly tagging the best stolen furniture for later “relocation.” Slûûp continues caring for Persi, explaining the illness is miserable but non-lethal.

In a major emotional moment, Slûûp—who rejects the idea of being paid because he still thinks of himself as a slave—learns from the party that he has been free since they rescued him. Vala formally offers him freedom and wages, transforming his posture and confidence. Slûûp reveals he has secretly trained as a cleric of Oghma, showing his holy symbol and demonstrating spells. Using Identify, he reveals the history and power of the magical short sword Silverwing’s Talon, who it turns out was commisioned by Sildar for his then squire; Orda Griggs who Rig and Vala had found dead with a silver griffon at his side. 

The group spends another day resting. Slûûp observes a meteor shower and explains the strange frequency of falling star-metal in the nearby hills—knowledge that impresses and unsettles the party. They break camp on the 18th and travel toward Old Owl Well, foraging successfully and making camp just an hour from Hamund Kost. Orthanc attempts to cook ogre meat (with foul results), Vala plays harp for Orthanc, and the party rests.

On the morning of the 19th, they approach Old Owl Well and find undead wandering the grounds. A tense debate follows: Vala and Rig want Hamund dead due to his Thayan ties, while Orthanc is indifferent and Slûûp notes the oddity of a Red Wizard working here. Rig goes invisible and sneaks ahead, but Hamund reveals he has been scrying them and demands the entire party present themselves as negotiations begin.

Session 12 Part I: 19-20 Tarsakh 1471 (Days 24-25)

At Old Owl Well, Hamund Kost insists the entire party—including the invisible Rig—show themselves for a “civil” parlay, backed by a hostile army of undead. Attempts at deception fail, and when Rig is discovered, Kost ends negotiations. Battle erupts.

Combat breaks out across the ruins. Rig becomes trapped between Kost’s tent and crumbling walls as skeletons and zombies swarm her. Orthanc invokes his giant-kin rage, growing to ten feet tall and cleaving through undead, while Vala follows his strikes with burning Red Chromatic Orbs that melt entire clusters of zombies. Hamund weakens Orthanc with a Ray of Enfeeblement and later poisons him, but Slûûp bravely slips through the fray to repeatedly restore Orthanc, remove his injuries, and bolster the party with divine magic.

Despite wave after wave of undead—rotting zombies, decrepit skeletons, and zombie orcs—pressing in, Rig fights on.  Unsure of her companion's survival, Vala pulls a Scroll of Charm Person from her pack. She invokes the spell, and a soft pink aura coils around Hamund. 

Charmed, Hamund abruptly shifts from hostility to wounded affection, insisting Vala would never deceive him and that the real problem is her “dangerous friends.” He speaks over the battle to impress her with his magical prowess, ultimately summoning a 30-foot sphere of magical darkness around himself. Moments later, the fighting stops; the undead collapse as their animating force is withdrawn. Hamund has fled. The party earns 100 XP.

After the battle, the group investigates Kost’s camp, uncovering Thayan research notes, alchemical ingredients, a Netherese Floor Tile, and a Netherese Ring of Protection (+1) that Vala begins attuning to. They secure the well, consecrate the undead remains, sabotage the dig site, and rest in Kost’s luxurious bed. On 20 Tarsakh, they awaken well-rested, Orthanc’s injury finally healed.

Session 12 Part II: 20 Tarsakh 1471 (Day 25)

Mosely “Mo” Moonstone, Erynn Haldwynn, Verna, and Raemund Faeton meet a distressed Tomlin Helder at an inn in Neverwinter. Tomlin, an elderly former servant of both the Silverton and Everfall noble families, believes Lady Vala Silverton may still be alive despite supposedly perishing in Neverwinter during the Ruining. He hires the group as escorts and investigators, offering 50 GP each to help him uncover who recently reopened a secret door in Everfall Manor. Using a spell scroll and a pocket watch engraved with the image of a young blonde noblewoman, Tomlin teleports the party to the Lost Hills.

They arrive near Old Owl Well and discover a massive pyre containing 40–60 burned corpses—clear evidence of a recent battle. As Tomlin searches the remains, distant voices catch their attention. Tomlin sprints toward them and is unexpectedly reunited with Vala, who embraces him joyfully and recounts how she survived. He introduces Vala as the former High Oracle of Neverwinter, granddaughter and protégé of Edda Everfall, who served generations of Alagondar kings.

Vala introduces her own traveling companions: Orthanc, a goliath barbarian; Meilu, a mysterious mule; and Slûûp, a pious and unusually literate goblin. When Vala looks for the rest of her party, Slûûp reveals that Rig and Persi have vanished under mysterious circumstances—just as Morthos disappeared a week earlier.

Vala and Orthanc intend to return to Phandalin to claim bounties and invite the group to accompany them, promising additional payment from the Silverton estate. The two groups join forces. However, with signs of a Thayan necromancer, unexplained disappearances, and the stench of a zombie bonfire lingering in the air, the now-combined party decides to leave immediately, heading east toward the Triboar Trail.

Session 13: 20-23 Tarsakh, 1471 (Days 25-28)

After a long day of travel through the Lost Hills, the party makes camp and spends the evening strengthening bonds and clarifying their purpose. Around the fire, they recount past victories and unresolved threads: rewards owed in Phandalin, the escaped necromancer Hamun Kost, the missing Gundren Rockseeker, and the shadowy drow known as the Black Spider. Personal beliefs and tensions emerge—Verna’s brutal pragmatism, Erynn’s carefully veiled past and uncanny blade, and hints of powerful magic among the group. The night is broken by a sudden gnoll ambush, but the party reacts swiftly, destroying the raiders in a coordinated and brutal fight.

The following day, as the party attempts to leave the Lost Hills, they become trapped in a vast illusion. Paths repeat endlessly, the sun behaves unnaturally, and magic saturates the landscape. A satyr named Sappho offers a way out in exchange for something “precious,” but his unsettling bargains are refused. Guided by instinct, magic, and Meilu’s unexpected counsel, the party presses forward toward a weakening of the illusion rather than retreating.

The illusion manifests as a series of trials. First, the party encounters a golden falcon of Lathander, paralyzed by grief over the loss of its god. Raemund’s faith cannot move it, but Erynn’s raw empathy and shared sorrow convince the falcon to stand aside. Next, a stone giant blocks the path, testing Orthanc’s resolve. By meeting strength with strength and shattering the giant’s club, Orthanc earns recognition as true giant-kin and passage forward.

The final trial turns deadly when the hills themselves reveal a gibbering mouther, a harbinger of the long-banished god Moander. Through fire, faith, and coordinated attacks, the party destroys the creature, shattering the illusion at last. They emerge onto the Triboar Trail—victorious, shaken, and unaware that two days have vanished during their escape from the Lost Hills.

Session 14:  23-26 Tarsakh, 1471  (28-31)

The party emerges from the Lost Hills after completing the Trial, passing through an unseen arcane barrier. Though two days have elapsed, they suffer no hunger or fatigue, and their injuries are revealed to have been illusions. The land itself has changed—what was once early spring is now lush and blooming. The Trial appears to have taken a heavy toll on Erynn, who remains withdrawn and contemplative. Vala honors Tomlin’s agreement by paying Mo, Verna, Erynn, and Raemund 50 gp each.

Traveling west along the Triboar Trail, the party discovers a pile of slain goblins and wolves near Neverwinter Wood, likely killed by caravan guards. After making camp in heavy rain, they collect water and rest before pushing on toward Phandalin. Along the way, Vala gently informs Slûûp that Silverwing’s Talon must be returned to its rightful owners; though saddened, he accepts the loss with grace.

At a crossroads, the party encounters a magical floral shrine to Waukeen blessing the road, then arrives in Phandalin and settles into the Stonehill Inn. They reconnect with locals, including Toblin Stonehill and Carp Alderleaf, who delivers a sealed letter from Halia Thornton requesting a private meeting. At the Miner’s Exchange, Halia pays the party 200 gp for the location of the Many-Arrows hideout and agrees to transport the fallen Orda and Silverwing to Waterdeep with honor. She also warns that splinter factions of the Kingdom of Many-Arrows may be acting independently.

At Townmaster’s Hall, Harbin Wester attempts to evade payment and push a dubious “investment,” but the party forces him to pay the agreed reward. The following day, they meet Sildar Hallwinter, who provides updates on regional politics and trade, and is deeply moved when Vala shares the fate of Orda and Silverwing. Sildar insists Silverwing’s Talon rightfully belongs to Slûûp.

The party also visits Sister Garaele, who rewards them for their aid and grants Vala a Harper pin, and Daran Edermath, who promises to alert the Order of the Gauntlet about Thayan activity. After several days of rest and resupply, the party prepares for their next journey—to Thundertree.