Session 23: The Undead Hordes

A wise man once said, "Never trust a death priest.  Unless your choice is between a death priest and a horde of undead."

Our heroes had two options:

1. Head directly into the Temple of Myrkul and turn their back to the oncoming undead horde, or
2. Stay and fight the undead horde with Arlew and his minions

With some prodding by Stevil and Velocitor, the team chose plan B.  After a short tactical discussion with Arlew, they began battlefield preparations by spreading out bundles of torches to pierce through the suspiciously pitch-black night.  Suddenly, a warrior charged into their midst shouting at Arlew to prepare for battle.  Yinda was her name, and she came bearing dark tidings of an oncoming zombie onslaught.

Arlew, Yinda and Dog

With little time to prepare, our champions formed ranks behind and to the flanks of Arlew's undead minions.  Blumpkin, Typhus and Merkin took the high ground in hopes of raining death upon the horde, while Stevil and Pog reinforced Arlew's zombie infantry.  Within minutes our heroes began to see the first signs of the enemy... zombies, ghouls, and two hulking giant zombies to the north and south of their formation.  The only way out was straight ahead.

Our heroes began to rain death on their enemies as undead grappled with undead.  Stevil summoned the thunderous fury of Kord, further amplifying his considerable power with lightning from the maelstrom above to electrocute packs of zombies and ghouls and leave their corpses as smoking husks.  Blumpkin and Merkin fired arrows into the undead masses, while Typhus seized control of a hulking giant zombie through his Crown of Madness.  Turnabout is fair play my rotting friends.  Silde and Velocitor probed the enemy defenses from range, while Yinda dove headfirst into the fray with her greatsword.  The advantage seemed to lie with our heroes, but little did they know this was merely the enemy's vanguard.

Ghoulsteed

The site of this pitched battle was made all the more horrifying by the arrival of a Ghoulsteed and a pair of ghasts.  Enemy forces began to make headway through friendly lines, as the forces of evil attempted to make their way to their intended target:  Arlew Finn.  Zombie giants began pelting Arlew from afar with boulders and his health was quickly depleted.  Meanwhile, our heroes continued to hack and blast away at their enemies.  Unfortunately, the enemy had not played their final trump card... until a Necrophage and a Zombie Lord appeared.

Zombie Lord

In a desperate attempt to stem the tide, Velocitor eschewed his cowardly ways to wade into the fray of melee combat with his mace Lightbringer.  Unfortunately, intent does not always lead to results, and his swings mostly connected with empty air.  Merkin was equally unlucky with his bowmanship, and it was only Typhus' barrage of Eldritch blasts and Blumpkin's hail of arrows that kept the north flank from collapsing.

On the southern flank, Pog sliced through zombies and ghouls while Stevil continued his electrical onslaught.  Drawing upon the might of Kord, scores of zombies and ghouls were deep-fried.  Silde held the center line until a handful of ghouls broke through making their way toward Arlew.  Even his flurry of blows could not keep these undead from their quarry.  It soon became obvious that their foes will stop at nothing for Arlew's blood when the Necrophage launched a ball of fiery doom into their midst, scorching friend and foe alike, badly wounding Silde and sending Dog to his grave.  Arlew fell unconscious... the first of many times.

Meanwhile, our heroes on the northern flank were assaulted by the vile aura of the Zombie Lord.  Velocitor began to choke on his own vomit and continued his futile flailing.  Blumpkin's 9 intelligence led him to believe that the real threat was the largely stationary giant zombie, whom he continued to pelt with arrows.  Merkin's attacks sometimes found their target, and Typhus continued to blast away chunks of rotting zombie flesh with his beams.

Pog flew into a rage at the carnage and waded into the thick of battle to unleash his barbarian fury.  Stevil, doubly channeling the might of the mightiest god Kord, continued to blast undead with vicious bolts of lightning while simultaneously reviving Arlew with his ranged healing.  Poor Arlew didn't even have a chance to rise before he was besieged on all sides by undead and brought down once again.  Yinda and Silde tried to form a perimeter to protect Arlew but their foes were too many.  Like clockwork, Silde was beaten unconscious by a pack of ghouls.

Necrophage

Just when things looked bleak, our heroes rallied to turn the tide.  Typhus, Blumpkin and Merkin focused fire on the greatest threat, and Velocitor put aside memories of childhood trauma long enough to resist the Zombie Lord's aura, smiting him with the fury of radiant energy and sending him to the Nine Hells.  Pog's furious energy allowed him to annihilate multiple enemies simultaneously, slicing through zombie after zombie and leaving their parts for the vultures.  Stevil maintained his concentration through ghoulish wounds long enough to unleash another blast from the sky while once again bringing Arlew back from the brink of death.  Yinda charged through the ranks to unleash the power of her greatsword on the helpless Necrophage, releasing his bond to this world in a flurry of mighty swings.  Immediately after the Necrophage's demise, the evil horde crumbled to dust leaving our heroes and their friends victorious on the field of battle.

After stabilizing Silde, the group took a brief rest to heal and regroup.  Over a score of enemies lay smitten on the battlefield.  Arlew, grateful for having his life saved not once, not twice, but three times by Stevil, provided the group with information about the evil within the Temple of Myrkul, including a detailed map.  Bruised but not broken, our heroes prepared for their descent into the temple to face this unspeakable evil.  What horrors lie in wait in that vile den of undeath?

Session 12: Face-to-face with the Black Spider... and a fireball

The heroes, victorious after slaying the pack of foul Ghouls, were battered and weary from their many wounds. They barricaded themselves in the old Barrack's room and recuperated from their wounds.  They resumed their exploration and discovered an old Smelter room North of the Great Cavern where they battled the ghouls previously. When they entered the room they found several old corpses clad in chain-mail and a floating, flaming skull that warned the party that they "..may not pass by order of Vickana the Blue". Blumpkin urged the party to slay the undead beast, but Pog and Stevil felt discretion was in order and convinced the party to try to find an alternative way around the room.

They explored more of the caverns to the West and passed by a dark pool in the ground (who knows what mysteries lie in its waters?) and opened a door to a barracks full of six Bugbears wearing the emblem of the Black Spider. Pog became enraged at the sight of the monstrous Bugbears and charged into the room, protecting the rest of the party. Three bug-bears charged at Pog with their morning-stars, while the remaining hurled their javelins at the barbarian. Pog side-stepped most of their blows, although he nearly got brained by a morning star that injured him. In retaliation Pog killed two of the beasts in a single swing of his sword. The party swarmed over the remaining Bugbears and quickly defeated them, capturing a badly injured Bugbear, who warned them of a "scary monster" in the Northeast section of the mine. 

The party rested for an hour and headed further North. They discovered more Black Spider forces comprised of a Drow elf (Vhalak) and four Bugbears. The foes engaged the party, and killed two of the Bugbears and badly wounded Vhalak, who the party suspected was really a Doppelganger. Vhalak yelled for reinforcements, and from an adjoining room, Nezznar, the Black Spider leader, and several Giant Spiders charged at the party from their exposed flank. 

The party feared they would be overwhelmed and fled down the hall and regrouped into a better defensive position to take on the small horde of monsters. In response Nezznar cast darkness over the party and sent in his spiders, who can fight in darkness. The heroes retreated again to the Bugbear barracks and barricaded the door. They devised a plan to retreat through the room with the Flaming Skull with the hope that Nezznar's forces would follow and be attacked by the skull.

The party executed the plan – including feeding the zombies the helpless bugbear prisoner to distract them -- and they ran East into the Flame Skull room while Silde tried to open the Western door to the Black Spider. However, Nezznar's forces had barricaded the door to the room to try to force the party to fight the skull as well, so the party's plan was thwarted and Silde fled like the wind through the Eastern door. 

While the party fled East the Flaming Skull launched a fiery ball of destruction that exploded into the party's midst. The party was badly hurt with Goh being knocked unconscious by the great concussive force, while Stevil only managed to stay on his feat with his unyielding endurance. After the fireball the zombies moved to engage the party. They blocked the door to the barracks, trapping Goh and Stevil in the barracks. Stevil slammed the door shut and revived Goh with his healing magic. The party is now split in two facing off against two potential enemies with Goh and Stevil trapped and at risk of being overwhelmed by enemies.

Session 11: Wave Echo Cavern

As soon as the adventurers entered the smoking ruins of Phandalin, Stevil tracked down sister Garaele who was the village's best (and only) herbalist. With the help of Kord via Stevil's Guidance spell, sister Garaele brewed a potion that cured Stevil of his malediction.  While in town the heroes agreed that they needed to stop the Black Spider from finding the forge of spells in Wave Echo Cavern. However, before they set out to the mine, Stevil visited Nars and convinced him (barely) to stay in the village and avoid getting into more trouble.

The heroes set out for the mine and arrived later that evening at a cave that descended into the mining complex. In the cavern they found an unidentified body of a Dwarf who had died approximately 1-week ago and was equipped with boots of Striding and Springing that was taken by Pog.  The team dropped down into the mine and headed East. They soon came upon the wreckage of an old battle with dozens of Orc and Skeleton skeletons scattered across the floor. While they were investigating, the team was surprised by a flock of hungry, vicious Stirges, who descended in the party's midst intent on feasting on their blood. After a desperate struggle the party defeated them, although many of the heroes were half dead from blood loss.

Stevil and Goh revitalized the team with their healing magic, and the heroes continued to explore the mine. In a nearby guard room they ran across more skeletons -- remnants of the battle that consumed Wave Echo Cavern 500 years previously. These skeletons had slowly been absorbing the magic of the cavern and quickly reanimated themselves when they were disturbed and hurled themselves at the party. It takes more than skeletons to stop our heroes and the monsters were soon defeated, although Goh was badly hurt from a particularly vicious orc skeleton that hit him with a lucky strike, although Stevil pulverized the skeleton into dust with his maul.

In an adjoining room the party found an old lock box, but despite the team’s best effort it resisted all efforts to open it. The party was feeling worn down at this point and took a quick rest to heal their wounds before they ventured further into the mine. They soon entered a cavern full of mysterious fungi to the East, but when the team attempted to traverse the room a foul gas was released by the fungi that drove them back. The team next headed North in an old barracks where three ghouls were gnawing on old bones and attacked the party. The ghouls were no match for the heroes and were dispatched, although Goh was paralyzed by one of the fiendish creatures that he antagonized. However, the team killed the creature before it could begin snacking on Goh’s flesh. After the battle the team didn’t find anything of worth in the room, and Silde, the monk, lamented the lack of treasure they were receiving.

The team continued their exploration and headed west through a network of passageways. Goh, always eager to explore, ran ahead of the group and was nearly surprised by a large Ochre Jelly that dropped from the ceiling. The team rushed in to destroy the abomination. During the battle Stevil split the ooze in half with his sword, creating two identical (but smaller) copies of the beast, but the the party quickly defeated it after switching to piercing weapons.

After the battle the team noticed a Ghoul up north on the top of some stairs and launched a volley of arrows, badly wounding it, but it ran away. The heroes charged up the stairs realizing there were numerous Ghouls nearby that needed killing, but the Ghouls ran down a side passage and tried to surprise the party from behind. However, the heroes were too clever and discovered their trick and a great battle enveloped on the staircase.

Pog and Sildar held the front line while the party launched arrows at the Ghouls. Stevil unleashed the power of Kord and cast Shatter, which killed many of the monsters. Silde rushed into the gap and took down a Ghoul with a flurry of flows, but he became too eager and charged the last two Ghouls who were anticipating his attack and viciously mauled the monk, nearly killing him. The team rushed in after him and brought down the last two ghouls while Stevil revived Silde.

Session 10: TERPS

The heroes, bloodied from slaying waves of Cragmaw Castle defenders, began searching the castle to clear it of evil and relieve the former inhabitants of their ill-gotten booty. They encountered a group of Goblin acolytes in a chapel that had been corrupted and transformed into an unholy shrine to their dark god Lhupo. The terrified Goblins begged for their lives after witnessing the destruction of so many of their brethren earlier and were allowed to flee the castle by the merciful heroes.

The party continued their search and found Sildar's stolen equipment -- which included a sword of considerable sentimental value -- and then found a second group of goblins, who were attempting to flee the castle after the party annihilated most of their comrades. The heroes -- after some debate -- showed them mercy allowed them to flee the castle unmolested.   Soon after Pog was leading the party through a dark hall when he triggered a trap that caused the ceiling to collapse on him. He nimbly jumped aside to avoid being badly hurt and wondered if he was perhaps too merciful to the Goblins earlier.

The team nearly completed clearing out the castle when they entered the Southeast Tower. It was the home of a ferocious, hungry Owlbear the goblins had been attempting (unsuccessfully) to tame. It charged the party, intent on eating their flesh, but the heroes easily overwhelmed it, slaying it with no injuries.  While searching the tower the party found a decomposed, partially eaten corpse covered with mushrooms and a potentially magical eyeball that caught the party's attention. Pog -- no surgeon -- removed the eye with his sword and a cloud of white spores burst from the mushrooms covering most of the party. Unperturbed, the party continued their search and found a chest full of gold, scrolls, and a potion.


The team, having cleared the castle, traveled back to Phandalin. While en-route they identified their treasures -- which included a very valuable Staff of Defense. However, by the time they reached Phandalin Stevil had became extremely ill with a evil malady that left him exhausted with fungi sprouting from his body. He was able to identify the disease as Terva Elven Rot Plague Syndrome (TERPS).

Session 9: Crisis in Cragmaw

The battered heroes snuck out of Cragmaw Castle with their prisoner, Glasstaff, to their makeshift camp. After Pog put Glasstaff to the question they learned the Black Spider is a Dark Elf and looking for the Forge of Spells in Wave Echo Cavern. Stevil, angry at Glasstaff for trying to incinerate the party in the previous battle, nearly killed the wizard with a mailed fist to the face. The team then sent the unconscious Glasstaff back to Phandalin to face justice by the Lord’s Alliance along with Nars and Goh.

After resting Pog and Silde tried to sneak into the castle the next morning, but Pog was discovered by Targor Bloodsword and his squad of Hobgoblins and Wolves. Pog attempted to talk his way out of combat but Targor was intent on bloodshed and charged at Pog.  The party rushed to defend Pog and the heroes soon had the upper hand in the battle, but then Targor retreated to Krol’s chamber and warned the king of the party’s assault. The team were in pursuit and Stevil cast Shatter into the chamber, killing several Hobgoblins. However, he also killed their own employer, Gundren Rockseeker, who was lying unconscious in the room.

Vyerith, a comely Dark Elf and agent of the Black Spider, fled the room to rally the castle defenders while King Krol and his wolf, Snarl, made a last stand against the party. The team easily defeated the pair and discovered a map of Wave Echo Cavern. Unbeknownst to the heroes a large number of castle defenders were converging on their location as they were looting the room.  Vyerith, feeling like she had the upper hand, parleyed with the party and offered free passage in exchange for the map. Blumpkin responded by firing a Piercing Arrow at her while her forces retorted with a volley of their own arrows. Sildar blocked the arrows with his shield before he slammed the door to the chamber shut, giving the party a few previous moments to devise a plan.

The heroes realized they were surrounded by a superior force with no way to escape. However, Pog realized they could climb out to the roof of the castle via a ruined hole in the tower roof. He used his climbing tools and rope to ascend and helped the rest of the team escape the room to the roof.  The heroes could have easily escaped the castle with the location of Wave Echo Cavern secured and avoided fighting, but undaunted by the magnitude of the threat they faced and intent on wiping out the evil threat in the castle, they heroically dropped into their enemies midst via an opening in the roof.

Immediately the party took several damaging blows from their enemies, who had surrounded them from three different sides. Blumpkin was nearly knocked unconscious when his elven-hating foes focused their wrath on him, but he stayed on his feet and fired an Explosive Arrow, which did minimal damage. Silde was a whirlwind of destruction, and killed two enemies in one turn, while Sildar defended him with his shield. Pog held the line and dropped caltrops to the South, which blocked the party from being flanked, while Stevil cast shatter to soften up the enemies.

The future of the party was looking grim with Silde and Blumpkin on the verge of going down while Stevil, Pog, and Sildar struggled to hold their enemies back. Blumpin tried to reposition and moved West into a Dark Hall, but he unknowingly stumbled into the lair of a Grick, a fearsome tentacle monster. The last thing the party needed was to face a deadly foe while fighting a horde of other enemies and the heroes thought they were doomed but they valiantly fought on. Blumpkin, who was already badly wounded, was repeatedly assaulted by the beast and was on the verge of death multiple times, but Stevil was able to keep him alive with his healing magic. Blumpkin could have disengaged but he stood his ground with his trusty Rapier and tights to engage the beast while the party focused on whittling down Vyerith’s forces.

After a protacted battle the party managed to defeat the castle defenders, and then charged into the Dark Hall to help Blumpkin defeat the Grick. After the battle the exhausted party, surrounded by dead bodies and wreckage from the batle, saw that Vyerith was not a Drow but rather a Doppelganger.

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.

Session 5: On the trail of Glasstaff

After entering the cavern Blumpkin left the party to loot the storeroom while the rest of the team discovered a foul Nothic lurking nearby. The team negotiated with it by feeding it the bodies of the recently defeated Redbrands and travelled deeper into the hideout.

They burst into a Barracks with three Bugbears, who were tormenting Gloop, a Goblin. A melee ensued as Silde unleashed a flurry of blows against a Bugbear, but he was nearly killed by a morning star blow to the head. Pog raged and waded into the room and absorbed repeated blows while Goh shot arrow after arrow into the monsters. Stevil invoked the power of Kord and brought Silde back from near death and charged into the fray. The party was bloodied but ultimately victorious and learned the general location of Cragmaw Castle from Gloop before the party released him.

Our heroes rested before venturing North where they discovered Redbrands playing a game of dice. Stevil summoned a thunderous force that swept across the room hurting the ruffians, but they retaliated nearly killing Stevil, who went down hearing the whispers of Kord in his ear. The team battled while Goh brought Stevil back from the brink with his healing magic. The battered party soon killed the villains, although they were badly hurt and forced to rest again.

The party continued north and found a laboratory where they encountered Glasstaff's rat familiar, who warned Glasstaff before it disappeared in a puff of smoke after Pog attacked it. The team discovered a Dwarvish book that gave the history of Wave Echo Cavern and mentioned a magical mace called Lightbringer that was lost five hundred years ago.

The party entered Glasstaff's quarters where they looted more treasure and discovered a note that affirmed that Glasstaff is likely Iarno Albrek and employed by the Black Spider. Goh found an ajar secret door, which lead to the storeroom with Blumpkin, who saw the wizard running South.  The team pursued but ran into the now hostile Nothic, who attacked Goh, who had eagerly charged forward to hunt Glasstaff. Goh resisted it’s necrotic eye beam while the team surrounded the monster. Silde was nearly eviscerated by it’s deadly claws, but Stevil used his healing magic to bring him back from the verge of death. The heroes then destroyed the aberration and found Talon, a magical longsword, and the half-eaten body of Thel Dendrar at the bottom of the crevasse, which exuded a necromantic aura and is unnaturally cold.

The team, having been delayed by the Nothic and treasure, attempted to pursue Glasstaff, but lost his tracks and were forced to abandon the chase.  The exhausted team headed to the inn for a much deserved rest and discover Yeemik lurking in the  common room. He offered them a deal to clear out the Wyvern Tor Orcs and the new inhabitants of Cragmaw Cavern but the party rejected his shady proposal and rested at the inn.

Session 4: Into the Manor

The victorious party was approached by Halia Thornton who offered 100 gold for defeating the leader of the Redbrands, Glasstaff, who has a Goblin in his hideout under Tesendar Manor who knows the location of Cragmaw Castle. She let the heroes rest in the back room of the Miner Exchange while Goh left to gamble at the inn. While resting, Stevil, who was visited by Kord while unconscious, told the team he'd been given a mission by his god and implored them for help, but his comrades were skeptical and non-committal. The team then went to the Sleeping Giant and drank until a lone Redbrand appeared, but he ran away while the party debated how to chase him.

The heroes scouted the Manor and found a cellar door. They hid and soon three Redbrand's emerged that were easily defeated by the party’s ambush. The team then ventured into the cellar and made a ruckus when Blumpkin started banging open barrels searching for loot. The team barricaded a door to the West and entered a hallway to the North. A trap-door opened under Pog, but he was unhurt after he grabbed (barely) a ledge, and then helped the party navigate over the treacherous pit with a rope. They soon entered a crypt with three inanimate skeletons, but before they could investigate they heard a woman's scream and the sounds of beating from a room next door. They rushed forward but the three skeletons came to life to stop them, although they were easily dispatched by the heroes.

The team burst through the door and found two Redbrands and Thel's missing family who were imprisoned and about to be sold into slavery. The party was shocked when they saw the women had been savagely beaten and chained naked to the floor with a range of depravities inflicted upon them by the Redbrands. They unleashed their righteous fury on the two guards, and easily crushed them. They freed the family and were rewarded with the location of a valuable family heirloom in the ruins of an old store in the village of Thundertree, which was overrun by undead 30-years ago.

The heroes returned to the crypt and found a locked door through a hallway to the north. Pog deftly picked the lock and discovered that it contained a multitude of weapons and ammunition the team used to restock and upgrade their equipment. While they looted the team was discovered by Donton Clinald, who was sent by Tuggie Two-bone from Neverwinter to deliver a message to Pog about an opportunity and escort him back to Neverwinter. Pog refused and Stevil convinced Donton to join the party to keep an eye on Pog until he was ready to leave. The team then passed through a secret door to a storage area connected to a cavernous room with a large crevasse in the center spanned by two small bridges.

Session 3: Roughing up Redbrands

Stevil and Pog wisely didn’t trust Yeemik to honor their agreement and successfully intimidated him into releasing Sildar with a dramatic show of force by hurling Klarg’s head into his cave while blinding the Goblins with magic.

Having completed their objective, our heroes traveled to Phandalin, where they delivered the provisions to Barthen, who asked them to find Gundren and his missing brothers. While the team reprovisioned, they learned of a reward for the return of the supplies in Cragmaw Cavern and an odd tunnel near Alderleaf farm. While at the town hall, the team discovered that Sildar is part of the Lord's Alliance and looking for a missing wizard, Iarno. They are then offered a reward by Sildar and Harbin if they will neutralize the Cragmaw Castle Goblins and Wyvern Tor Orcs respectively.


The group discovered that the townsfolk (who can’t do anything for themselves) were being harassed and extorted by the Redbrands, who recently murdered Thel and likely kidnapped his family. Our noble heroes headed to their hangout to bring them to justice, but enroute they were accosted by four thugs. A brutal, no-quarter melee ensued where Stevil was brought down by a barrage of sword thrusts while Pog was gravely wounded. Sensing defeat Silde unleashed his Ki while Pog flew into a rage, and the two rained death and despair upon the scoundrels and turned the tide of battle with Goh and Blumpkin. As the town watched and the din of battle subsided whispers in the wind could be heard around the stricken priest of Kord. The party, hurt, but not beaten, were victorious.

Session 1: Wagon Duty

Sildar Hallwinter

Our story began with four brave adventurers and Blumpkin accepting a mission to protect a wagon full of provisions headed to the mining village of Phandalin. They are ambushed by Goblins, who earlier kidnapped their employer, Gundren Rockseeker, and his sellsword, Sildar Hallwinter. The party easily defeated the raiders forcing a captured Goblin to lead them to their hide-out avoiding multiple traps along the path.

The heroes discovered their cavern hide-out and killed a pair of sentries along with their own prisoner, who made an ill-timed escape attempt during the battle. When the party entered the cavern they discovered three wolves chained in a kennel. Goh (aka Vanekas), the Ranger, coordinated a ranged assault but this enraged the beasts who broke their rusty chains, savagely mauling Blumpkin before they were brought down in a surprisingly tough battle.