‘INN AT THE DEEP
END OR TAVERNA BLUES’
Location: The Driftwood Tavern, an inn and tavern located in the Blacklake
District on Coriol Street , Neverwinter (near the city gate).
After a successful 14-day employment
as escorts, working for Lord Gharl Kalinwood, a minor noble of House Kalin, the
group found themselves in the Driftwood Inn on a 4-day bender.
On the morning of the 20th
they found out to their drunken cost that not only had they hired on for
another job, but they owed a large amount of money to Madame Rosene, the
proprietor of the Inn. Debt settled they followed Skjord to a square where the
magnificent caravan of 2 wagons were assembled.
The previous night - 19th (Thunderday) day of Rainmoot
– 1491 DR
The party met Gundren Rockseeker in the Driftwood Tavern to discuss an
opportunity to escort 2 supply wagons to Barthen’s Provisions in Phandalin to
the south. For the sake of discretion, Gundren did not travel with the party.
Rather, he headed out the night of the revelry with his associate, Sildar.
Fireday, 20th day of Rainmoot – 1491 DR
The first day on the road is uneventful. The new companions talked and became
better acquainted.
Fargrim Ironfist
– Hill Dwarf Paladin
Bandur Vongrom
– Mountain Dwarf Fighter
Gimli – Hill
Dwarf Cleric
Hagnulf –
Wood Elf Rogue
Eglath Kalagiano
‘Skywatcher’ – Goliath Monk
Beorwulf – Human
Barbarian
They made camp for the night about
half-way through their journey.
Swordsday, 21st day of Rainmoot – 1491 DR
The next morning, they struck camp and continued south. Once they had cleared
Neverwinter Wood, they could see Icespire Peak to the southeast and knew they
were getting close.
By late afternoon, Skjord
turned the lead wagon eastward along the Triboar Trail, several miles after the
turn, the party came upon a pair of dead horses in the road.
Suddenly arrows
flew out of the wood to the side of the road. 2 of the teamsters were hit, one
was killed outright, an arrow through his throat. Hagnulf and Fargrim charged
into the wood line and were confronted with Goblins. Bandur, a trifle slower on
the uptake, bravely charged towards the woods. Spotting a Goblin, he made ready
to throw his axe but forgot it was tied to his wrist, he collapsed to the floor
tripping over his flailing hand axe tethered to his wrist.
Eglath stormed into
the tree line, as is the wont by Goliaths, all 8ft tall of him, promptly raised
his sword and swung it down into a Goblin, only the sword slammed into a branch
overhead. Eglath let go and the Goblin, head back roaring with laughter was
shocked as his head snapped backwards as Eglath let fly a left upper cut and
broke the Goblins neck.
Gimli, hand
crossbow prepared let fly a bolt into the face of another Goblin. Beorwulf,
still getting over his mighty hangover, jumped onto a wagon, threw the teamster
off the wagon and made ready to ‘charge’ his now personal ultra-heavy, ox
pulled ‘chariot’ towards the Goblin threat.
Skjord and the
remaining teamster took up defensive positions to protect the wagons. Eglath
pounced onto a Goblin and held him captive by his feet, upside down. Beorwulf,
realising his ‘chariot’ was going no where fast leaped off in dramatic style,
doing a forward roll and coming out in a running attack swung his battle axe at
the upside-down Goblin in Eglaths hands. Eglath could see what was coming and
dropped the Goblin and stepped back as Beorwulf’s axe spliced the Goblin in 2.
Beorwulf picked up the 2 bits of Goblin and tried to hand them back to Eglath
who walked away shaking his head.
2 of the Goblins
made good their escape deeper into the woods as the remaining Goblins were
killed.
On examining the
dead bodies, Skjold, stated they were from the Cragmaw tribe, they filed their
front teeth into points to make them scarier. He also noted that the two horses
belonged to Gundren and Sildar. Hagnulf found some drag marks, which could only
have come from the two riders.
It was getting dark
and the group had wounds to tend so they camped down between the 2 wagons for
protection.
Saintsday, 22nd day of Rainmoot – 1491 DR
In the morning they set off to track down Gundren and Sildar. By
late afternoon they came to a small canyon. After a few hours, wary of more
ambushes, they came across a stream. The stream flowed slowly from a cave
mouth. They found the tracks led across the stream and set off to follow. Hagnulf
dropped to a knee as an arrow thudded into his right shoulder. He managed to
loose off an arrow which found the mark and a Goblin fell dead. Eglath striding
forward called into the bushes how the remaining Goblin would like a dart for
his troubles. The Goblin thought this very funny and laughed loudly in ridicule
as the dart unerringly flew into his mouth, impaling him to the tree behind.
The group set off
into the mouth of the cave following a path on the right-hand side of the
stream.