Session 8: Glasstaff revealed

Having secured Cragmaw Cavern, our heroes rested to recuperate from their wounds. They traveled back to Phandalin the next morning to return the supplies, but when they arrived they saw that most of it had been burnt to the ground. In the ruins of the townhall they saw the bodies of Sildar, Harbin, Linene, and Barthen, who had been impaled with a warning message from the Black Spider nailed through Harbin’s head. Donton, growing impatient and concerned for his own safety, left the party and began his Journey to Neverwinter.

Despite his horrific wounds, Sildar called out to the party. He extolled them to complete his quest and handed over his ring that opens a vault in his ancestral family castle.  Stevil and Goh used their medical training and magic respectively to deimpale and heal Sildar – an almost impossible task – but they were successful. Sildar, grateful for his life and the return of his ring, recounted the tale of his capture by Glasstaff and the subsequent pillaging of the village out of revenge by the Black Spider.

The band heard the screams of Trilena Stonehill next to Tresendar Manor and charged in to rescue her. They engaged a Goblinoid raiding party about to murder her and break into the basement.  Silde was singled out by the raiding party and was quickly beaten unconscious, but Stevil revived him before he was killed. Blumpkin soon used his Arcane Shot to cause mayhem for the monsters, who were soon destroyed with the help of the heroes. 

The party freed the townsfolk, who had taken refuge in the basement. They soon learned that Glasstaff headed North hours ago and that Nars Dendrar, infused with the resolve of Kord and intent on getting justice, left in pursuit . The party rushed after Nars and Glasstaff, using Goh’s tracking ability to follow, but they were weary from their long march from Cragmaw Cavern and some of them became exhausted – particularly Silde – but they soldiered on. They soon arrived at Cragmaw Castle, but Goh was discovered by Goblins when he came too close to the front gate. However, he was able to flee and the weary party – having lost the element of surprise – rested for the night. The next day they discovered a concealed, side entrance into the castle and ventured inside.

They soon found a pair of Hobgoblins guarding a trap door to a small dungeon and killed them before they could send an alert. Suspecting Nars might have been captured they entered the dungeon and soon found him in one of the cells. He told the party that Glasstaff was in the adjoining room and torturing Toblen Stonehill on a rack.  The brave adventurers confronted Glasstaff and his Goblinoid allies in the torture room, but the diabolical Glasstaff cast a Fireball that smashed into the heroes with a shockwave that reverberated throughout the entire castle – seriously wounding everyone in the party and nearly incinerating Silde. However, Glasstaff also killed his own allies and the party quickly knocked Glasstaff unconscious before he could cause additional mayhem.

Session 6: Bring out your dead

Nars Dendrar

The weary heroes rested at Stonehill Inn and confirmed with Sildar that Iarno was Glasstaff. Sildar thanked the team and rushed South to intercept Iarno, telling the heroes he’d return soon.  The team then told Nars that his father, Thel, was murdered by the Redbrands and agreed to retrieve his body. Stevil preached the word of Kord to Nars, who seemed  highly receptive.

The band headed back to the hideout and heard sinister whispering noises emanating from the Crevasse and feared an evil had been awakened by the previous day’s carnage that would reanimate the dead. They burned the bodies and looted everything that wasn’t nailed down – including the head of the Nothic -- and brought Thel's remains to Sister Garaele for a proper burial. 

Sister Garaele thanked the party and asked for help finding the location of a spellbook that is known by Agatha, a banshee, who is located Northeast near the ruins of Conyberry.  The team tried to collect the reward for defeating Glasstaff from Halia, but she said the terms hadn’t been satisfied. However, Pog convinced her to part with half after he voiced his displeasure. 

The heroes, intent on exterminating the evil presence in the hideout, acquired excavation tools and began digging into the crevasse. They broke through a stone wall when suddenly undead hands reached up and pulled Pog into the tomb below. The rest of the team jumped fearlessly into the depths after their friend while Donton watched from above. 

While the band battled the ravenous zombies, Goh was surrounded and took multiple blows, gravely injuring him. He redeployed to a seemingly safe area, but it was inches away from a deadly locking pit infested with undead that would have lead to his certain doom.  After defeating the zombies and looting the Southern sarcophagi, the team opened a door to the North that contained a horrifying nightmare creature known as a Tentaghoul. The foul-smelling abomination screamed and rushed straight at the party lashing Pog with his tentacles. The impact would have killed most men, but Pog heroically stayed on his feet and fought a desperate battle of survival with the rest of the party and helped block the creature from entering the central chamber.

Tentaghoul

During the melee, Silde attempted to reposition but was sent crashing face first into the floor by a tentacle strike that left him unconscious and near death . Stevil took a mighty blow but stayed in the fight attacking the beast with his sword and divine magic. Our heroes, wounded but determined, slowly wore down the monster until Blumpkin finished it off with an arrow through its head.  Undaunted by their near-death experience the party opened a suspicious sarcophagus in the Tentaghoul room and found a zombie encased in valuable Mithral Chain Mail. The tough creature initially resisted the team’s assault, but soon it was dispatched and Blumpkin donned it’s armor.