Previously: Chapter 02: Arrival at Phandalin
Harbin Wester
As Willowbark is focusing on holding the Redbrand in her vines, the rest of the party approaches to restrain him further. Before they manage to tie him up, the mayor, Harbin Wester, comes running out of the town hall yelling at the party for attacking the Redbrands. When the party points out that they were just defending themselves, the mayor is not having any of it, as he is worried that the Redbrands will take vengeance on the townsfolk as a response to this “unnecessary aggression” from the party. The mayor admits they don’t have any town guards, so it was easy for the Redbrands to take over. There was a wizard that was in town a few months ago, but the mayor tells the party he disappeared, and the town fears that the Redbrands killed him so he could not interfere. A few townfolks comes over, and the mayor tells them to take the Redbrand prisoner into the cell in the town hall, so Willowbark releases him from her grasp, and he is carried away. Theren asks if the mayor has a map of the area, but he either doesn’t have one or doesn’t want to give one to the party, presumably due to being angry at the group. Distraught, the mayor eventually goes back to the town hall to deal with the prisoner.
Sister Garaele comes out of hiding, and thanks the party for dealing with the ruffians, and casts a healing spell on the whole group. She mentions that she thinks that someone will have to deal with the Redbrands now, and not so subtly hints that the party are the perfect ones to do it. In either case, she gives them a blessing and wishes them luck, as she retreats to the shrine again. The party takes a short breather near the sheep that Penny is so fond of, with Kal giving a candy to Demetrius. During the rest, the party decides that they should go to the mansion to take care of the Redbrands.
The Mansion
Heading up towards the ruin of what once was Tresendar Manor, the party can see several footsteps leading up to it, which shows it is not as derelict as it would first appear. Coming up to the ruin itself, they see that there is no way that the mansion holds any hidden inhabitants, as the roof has collapsed, and the whole building is in a sorry state. They do however find a lot of footprints leading to the rear of the manor. Following the trails, the group finds a semi-hidden door that leads down into the basement. Not wanting to go in blind, the party decides to split up, with Willowbark, Grannyand Penny staying near the entrance, watching for Redbrands who might wonder where their friends have gone, whilst Theren, Demetrius and Kal return to the town hall to talk to the prisoner.
Walking into the town hall, the mayor demands to know how it went, as since they returned they must have already defeated the redbrands, but the party tells him they need more information before going forwards with the assault. The mayor reluctantly leads the party down into the old dungeon the town hall was built upon, and in front of them, in one of the cells, sits a beat up, tired Redbrand. He looks up at the party, and doesn’t seem interested in talking. The mayor stays back, letting the trio take charge.
Interrogating the Redbrand
Fie goes in swinging, saying if he talks, they won’t kill him. The Redbrand doesn’t seem to believe them. He simply wants to be released, that’s the price for giving information about his group. He doesn’t really care about the Redbrands, he just wants to live. Kal asks if they release him if he will change his ways for the better. The prisoner gives an unconvincing and seemingly insincere yes to this. Theren responds that he will need to pay his debt by helping the town. Again, the Redbrand doesn’t seem to bite on this, instead asking for better accommodations in his imprisonment. They look back at the mayor who gives a short nervous nod. He tells the party there are about 10 Redbrands in the mansion, but he is not completely sure. When Kal asks if he even knows how to count, he responds in turn that he does. It’s just that they are not all at the mansion all the time. He does reveal that there are two entrances, one at the back, the other in the forested area south of it.
He also tells them about this supposed “Glasstaff”. He says he is pretty powerful, and wields a magic glass staff to direct his magic, as he is a fairly competent spellcaster. He hasn’t heard the name Iarno, but the party suspects there might be a connection here. What the Redbrand tells them is that Glasstaff is quite the silver tongue, as he can easily convince you to do his bidding. The Redbrand makes it clear that Glasstaff didn’t hire them to control the town, but the Black Spider did, and he has sent bugbears to help maintain control if the Redbrands falter. In either case, Glasstaff is rarely outside of his study, as he only comes out to eat and give orders to the others. He doesn’t think they have anyone that actively keeps watch, but they might have someone looking for their missing people if they are gone too long. Finally, he mentions that there is a creature of some sort in the bottom of the base, a horrible creature with a big eye that protects the southern entrance, and all the men are disturbed by it, but Glasstaff insists that it should be left in peace. In the back of the room while all this is happening, the mayor is huffing and puffing, obviously being frustrated or even a little scared about the whole situation. He tells the party he wants this whole ordeal over with.
Into the Keep
Kal, Theren and Demetrius returns to the rear of the mansion, and can easily spot Penny and Granny cloud gazing, whilst Willowbark is chasing after a butterfly. The returning trio thinks about how they were supposed to hide, but as no Redbrand is attacking them, it’s probably fine. They tell the others about what the prisoner told them, and discuss back and forth what they should do. Kal thinks it would be unwise to go through the forest entrance, as it could mean an extra fight with the eye monster, which they all agree to. As there are no guards that can be seen, they take the front entrance instead. Kal makes sure to keep in the rear of the group due to her armor making her less able to sneak around than the others.
Inside the door, down some stairs, they come across a large room with a big pool of water on the other side. Willowbark decides to take a look into the pool, and finds a getaway bag of sorts, containing fresh clothes, a healing potion and a potion of invisibility. Looking further through the room at the barrels to the south, they realize that this is the Redbrands food supply. Suddenly, most of the group realize they are not alone, as a figure comes walking out of an adjoining room, followed by a couple of Redbrands. They apparently heard commotion outside and so comes out fighting.
They seem to be competent fighters, more so than the ones the group fought in the streets. Using everything the party has at their disposal, the battle goes their way. Demetrius, being quick with his rapier, gets in a few good hits, before running to Granny who was a bit taken aback by the sudden commotion. Penny plays her music helping people fight better, while attacking what she can. At one point, one of the Redbrands throws a dagger at Kal, but misses. When Kal turns around to grab the dagger, it disappears, and reappears in the Redbrands sheath. After the battle is won and the Redbrands lie bleeding on the floor, they search them, finding some valuables and weapons, with Demetrius claiming the Sheath of Returning. While the rest of the group searches, Willowbark gathers the bodies to hide, and to do a ritual of respect for the dead.
The Nothic
To the south, the group discovers a hidden door, which they decide to go through first, after noticing that the hallway to the north has a trap door in the floor. Beyond is a short hallway that leads into a bigger cavern with a ravine running down the middle. Willowbark is scared they will meet the eye monster the prisoner described, but it seems rather quiet. Using her firbolg magic she senses necromantic energy at the bottom of the ravine.
Demetrius and Kal notice movement in the darkness. They feel like they are being watched, and suddenly, both Willowbark and Kal can hear voices inside their heads.
“There is no reason to be afraid. I do not want to hurt you. Why are you here?”
The voice extends to the rest of the group as well. The creature tells the party that the Redbrands have captured it and is keeping it as a prisoner. The creature just wants to be free and eat, but when they ask what it eats, it does not answer.
Demetrius and Willowbark feel that the creature is speaking truthfully, as it doesn’t seem to want to hurt them, otherwise it would have attacked. They get a sensation that the creature is animalistic in nature, not good or evil. It promises that if they help free it, it will show them where the prisoners are being kept. The creature eventually emerges, a horrible spiked body with a large singular eye, and sharp teeth. It seems to try to read the party members, but not everyone is as easy to read as others.
The being takes them back through the secret door, through the entrance hall with the water reservoir, and to the hallway in the north. When the party makes a point of avoiding the trap door in the floor, it seems to be displeased somehow. When they cross the floor, they peer into the opening in the doors, and can see skeletons on the other side. They figure they are probably very hard of hearing, so the party should be able to sneak through, but not long after the doors open, the skeletons turn towards them, with weapons raised. Three more Redbrands from an adjoining room join the battle.
Element of Surprise
Willowbark wild shapes into a wolf, and the rest of the party quickly dispatches the skeletons and the Redbrands, apart from one, who manages to escape through a door to the north. The party tries to follow, but when they enter, he is gone. The party realizes the Redbrands probably know now that they are coming.
In the room where the Redbrands came from they find three prisoners, a woman and her two children. She is dehydrated and starving, and thanks the party profusely for helping her. The party gives her some of their supplies, and she explains that the Redbrands murdered her husband in the streets for defying them, which the party heard about, before abducting the woman and her children. The party decides to lead the woman and her children safely to the outside, and then returns to look where the Redbrand escapee went.
Willowbark, in her wolf form, has heightened senses, and can smell the stench of the Redbrand on a nearby hidden door, which the party passes through. The creature they found within follows behind, and the party can sense something trying to penetrate their minds once more. They grow more distrusting towards the creature, but as it has not attacked them yet, they leave it be.
Taking out the Rest
The party crosses the chasm, and which leads down to two stairways further down into the depths. They decide to take the bottom stairs, and can hear that the Redbrands and some other deeper voices are preparing for the party's intrusion behind a door below. Seeing that the element of surprise is lost, they decide to surround them on both sides, so half the party go through the door to the north, while the other remains on the south. They kick open the doors almost simultaneously, and can see a few bugbears within, as well as some Redbrands. They were seemingly in the middle of a card game, before the escapee came running and warned them.
During the ensuing battle, the creature joins the battle and tries to help the party, but they can’t shake the feeling of being watched. They grow even more distrustful of it, and Theren decides to take matters into his own hand before the creature gets a chance to hurt the party. Suddenly, a bugbear screams at the creature, “TRAITOR!” as it is trying to claw at him, and tosses it to the side before smashing its head in with a mace. From behind the southern group, a couple of more bugbears join the fray, and the party can see a small figure running away from the room. When the bugbears and remaining Redbrands lie dead on the ground, the party decides to look for the figure that came running out of the adjoining room.
Droop
When they get back to the cave, they can see the small figure passed out in the ravine. The party is cautious, as they sensed a necromantic energy at the bottom of the ravine, but notice quickly that it just is a cold sensation, and doesn’t hurt them. They drag the figure out of the ravine, and find it to be a goblin.
Waiting for the goblin to regain consciousness, the party takes a look into the ravine, and finds what appears to be a chest half hidden beneath one of the bridges in a nook. They take it out and look through it, finding a magnificent sword that emits light, which Kal recognizes as the “Longsword of Twilight”, owned by Lennek Mercier, who supposedly fell when the orcs invaded these lands around 500 years ago. The sword was never seen again. They also find some potions of healing, and a spell scroll, as well as some gemstones and silver, and, perhaps most interestingly, a tarot card with the symbol of Shehemis on it.
With only the wizard remaining, the party decides to take a short rest, surprised that he hasn’t emerged to check on the commotion. Theren theorizes that he is just waiting for the right moment. Suddenly, the goblin awakens, and acts hysterical from being surrounded by strangers that he thinks will kill him. The party manages to calm him down, and he introduces himself as Droop. He says that he is working with the bugbears against his will, that he really doesn’t want to be here, and that he is sorry if he caused the party harm, after the party members assure him that his captors are dead. The party asks if he knows anything that can help them defeat the wizard, and he replies that he doesn’t know much, but he knows that the wizard has a secret hallway leading out of his chambers, and points it out. The party gives him some food, and Willowbark tells him about a place he can go and be safe, if he just waits for them at the entrance, so that they can deal with Glasstaff first. He is grateful for this, and scuttles out to the exit.
The Wizard
Once more, the party tries to make a pincer move to take their enemy from both sides, both the normal entrance and the secret one. When the main entrance is breached, they can see a small rat inside, that looks curiously at the party, before trying to run away. They hear movement on the door within, presumably Glasstaff noticing that he is cornered, and so they kick open the door once more, with the other half of the party cutting off his escape. Inside they see a wizard with graying hair and a staff made of what looks like glass. He stares at the party members who surround him, looking annoyed at the situation. The party members take turns attacking him before he has a chance to fight back, and they get a few good hits in, but suddenly he grabs Kal by the armor and shocks her with his magic, before teleporting to the doorway and starts running away.
The party follows him, with Penny, Demetrius and Theren taking charge, almost reaching up to him. Glasstaff suddenly turns around at his pursuers, looks at the two half-elves curiously, before casting a spell towards them. Both Theren and Penny slumps over, asleep, but Demetrius is unaffected. Granny and Kal shakes the sleeping members awake, and as Glasstaff is about to round the corner to freedom, he is caught up to by the pursuers, and knocked out.
Glasstaff Unmasked
Having defeated the Redbrands and now their leader, they tie him up, and bring him back to the cavern area, before deciding to search his quarters. Within, they find a few books on various subjects, but most interestingly is Glasstaffs journal describing something called the Forge of Spells, which apparently can enchant items at will. There are also a bunch of notes about Phandelver, which is apparently what the village was called before it was destroyed and rebuilt. Kal takes note of some notes mentioning a mace called Lightbringer, rumored to be in Wave Echo Cave, as it was lost around the same time as the cave was lost. The notes also mention a wizard named “Mormesk”. Finally, they find a letter that appears to be from Glasstaff’s master, signed with the symbol of a black spider.
Lord Albrek
My spies in Rivergrounds tell me that strangers are due to arrive in Phandalin. They could be working for the dwarves. Capture them if you can, kill them if you must, but don’t allow them to upset our plans. See that any dwarven maps in their possession are delivered to me with haste. I’m counting on you, Iarno. Don’t disappoint me.
To no one’s surprise, it is revealed that Glasstaff is Iarno Albrek, the member of the Forgeblades that Sildar Hallwinter was here to look for. They pick him up, along with his valuables, and take him to the town hall. When they get outside, Droop is fidgeting nervously, looking over at the village, knowing that they would probably attack him if they could see him. Willowbark takes Droop to the side, and tells him about a communitythat he can go to where he will be safe. She teaches him a secret hand signal, gives him a few rations, and sends him on his way. Droop gives her a tearful hug in return, having never been treated with such kindness before, before running off into the night.
Returning to the village with the Redbrands dead, and their leader captured, the mayor is overjoyed at how the party handled the crisis, and gladly takes in Glasstaff and throws him into one of the cells. Returning to the inn, with Demetrius declaring loudly that the Redbrand terror is over, and their leader has been captured, Toblen is overjoyed and declares that they all get to stay for free, and breakfast is on them, much to the cheers of the patrons of the inn. Willowbark and Granny still decide to sleep outside.