session 32 & 33: "When in doubt swift, decisive acts......" or "Why strike out when it's better to.......talk?"

 13^th day of Firewane, Swordsday

The group arrived back in Phandalin. Soaked to the skin in the pounding rain and strong breeze as more storm clouds gathered overhead.

14^th day of Firewane, Saintsday

The group rested and recovered and made plans. The winds had abated to a gentler breeze.

15^th day of Firewane, Market Day

Equipment was repaired, bought and additional items sold. The sky had cleared.

16^th day of Firewane, Moonday

It was decided that tomorrow, Fargim would lead Heimund, Hagnulf, Bandur, Brutus and Uthal to Thundertree. Lionel stayed behind to follow up on some personal research. Storm clouds and pounding rain ruined this day.

17^th day of Firewane, Towerday

Depart Phandalin for Thundertree, sky grey but the rain had stopped.

18^th day of Firewane, Wineday

The group was surprised by a Giant trap door spider, after a short struggle the spider was killed. The wind had picked up to a light breeze.

19^th day of Firewane, Thunderday

                                                                                                                                               The day was grey, overcast and a steady strong rain was falling as in the early morning when the group arrived in the south east corner of Thundertree and decided to check out the first building (13). On entering Fargrim saw 4 individuals, dressed in black robes. One raised his hand and before anyone could speak Fargrim had struck him down and killed him. The remainder of the black cloaks threw down some daggers, the odd sword and surrendered immediately. There were 5 of them, 2 had been in a second room.

After some questions the group found out the black cloaks were led by the one Fargrim had killed. They were here to set up a place of worship and try to settle Thundertree again. Other than that they had no knowledge as Favric was to reveal all once they had settled here. Fargrim was sceptical but agreed with the others to let the 5 go and to take the body of their leader with them.

A search of the room revealed a box, inside a pouch, inside the pouch 3 large diamonds, value around 100gp each.

The group continued to search through buildings and ruins, coming across more twig blights (12) and killing them with ease. 

                                                                                                                                                    On the east side of town, the lane opened onto a small square (10). Several ruined buildings could be seen surrounding the south side of the square but a larger intact structure (11) stood on the north. A lane led southeast, another southwest around a hill in the middle of the town. A third lane meandered north to the square, in the centre of which stood a statue, leaning slightly over, of a weathered wooden statue of a warrior clutching a spear and shield.

Heimund, Fargrim, Brutus and Hagnulf entered the large intact structure, Brutus leading the way. Bandur and Adran looked around the square, Droop found a tree to sit under. As the group entered rotten, humanoid bodies arose and attacked. After a brief fight, the creatures were killed, and the group went outside.

                                                                                                                                            After leaving the large structure, which had been identified as a barracks, Heimund led the group towards the tower (7) which he could see on a hill. Searching round the tower Heimund came across an attached cottage. 

                                                                                                                                             Both the tower and cottage seemed in good condition. Heimund could see a window near the towers curved wall and a door leading into the cottage, several arrow slits are visible in the tower high up. Heimund thought he could put Droop on his shoulders and get Droop to peer through a slit, it was still out of reach, so Heimund balanced Adran on his shoulders and Droop then climbed up both. Droops scabbard clattered into Adrans ear and he slid down bringing Droop with him with a thump. Droop stormed off and sat under a tree in a huff. Uthal gave him a coin so to Heimund. Droop was happier but still refused to move from under his tree. Adran then sent his Owl familiar to see what it could see. Adran got a short vision of a dark interior, deeper shadows then a darkness engulfed the familiar and the familiar was gone.

At the front of the cottage Heimund couldn’t help but notice an eerie quiet and a strange, acrid smell in the air. The corpses of two hideous giant spiders were sprawled near the edge of the pathway, apparently dragged there. Their bloated bodies were puckered and blistered and appeared to have been mauled by a large animal.

Heimund opened the door slowly, a deep voice boomed out, “Have you brought what you promised, enter and give them to me”. Heimund quickly responded “I don’t have them but another will be here shortly and he has them”’ “Quickly for a shall not wait an eternity…” the voice boom boomed out. Bandur entered shortly after, followed by Fargrim and Hagnulf who put his back to the door. Adran stood outside. Heimund and Bandur entered the tower, from where the voice came from, looking up they were both frightened and amazed at what they saw. Both backed up and stood, mouths agape, looking up into the rafters. “Where is it then? I wants what I was promised”. At that moment Fargrim entered the tower sword drawn. Looking up he could see the Green Dragon in the rafters some 30ft above his head, the Dragon seeing the sword in Fargrims hand recognised it immediately.

                                                                                                                                                                    Heimund now free to act ran up the stairs to assist. The Dragon drew back in fear not knowing if Fargrim was an enemy or had arrived to deliver what he (The Dragon) was promised.

Fargrim used his misty step and stood on the rafters, he swung the sword called Frost at the green dragon and Frost bit deep. The dragon bellowed out in pain and managed to bite Fargrim with it’s poisoned bite but missed with its slashing claws and swinging tail. Fargrim swung Frost again, and again hitting the dragon with two mighty blows and calling out his mighty smite prayer sorely damaged the dragon.

The dragon breathed in and filled its lungs before letting out its deadly poisoned breath. Bandur was the worst hit as the dragon took flight calling out as it left “Treacherous Dwarf, I Venomfang will have my revenge.” 

At about the same time as Heimund approached the tower Lionel, who had travelled to Thundertree trying to find his friends, had found Reidoth the Druid in another building (4). He learned from Reidoth that the town was infested with Blights, Spiders and Ash Zombies. He had also seen a group of humans dressed in black with black masks around the south eastern part of the town. The big surprise was when he informed Lionel that a Green Dragon had settled in the tower on the hill. Lionel thanked Reidoth, who refused to accompany him, and went in search of his friends. 

He entered a building (6) and was attacked by 2 Giant Spiders. 

Lionel dagger in hand fought one off and then cast Thunderwave, blasting both spiders back. Utahl, moving from building (11) to the tower (7) on hearing this noise went to investigate. Seeing Lionel in trouble he assisted Lionel in killing the two spiders. They then searched another building (8) but Uthal told him the group had already searched there. They moved to another building (5), Uthal entering from the south and Lionel from the north. 

                                                                                                                                                    No sooner had they done so than they were attacked by 2 waves of Blights. Both waves were fought off with ease.

They re-joined the group near the tower. Fargrim got the group to search the remaining buildings. Some more blights and zombies were found and dealt with ease. They did find some coin, two scrolls and a rusty Dwarven battleaxe inscribed with Dwarven runes which read Hew.

Town/village cleared Fargrim advocated chasing the cultists. Uthal tracked the cultists from the building they encountered them in, around the southern edge of the town to a small copse on the west side of the town and found horse tracks.

Fargrim decided the group must give chase both Fargrim and Hagnulf mounted and followed in the direction the hoof prints left the copse, the remainder followed on foot. After 30 minutes hard riding Fargrim and Hagnulf came to a river, the hoof prints led straight into the river. Try as they might they could not find where the tracks came out. Fargrim and Hagnulf had no other choice but wait for the others to catch up. Uthal found the tracks after 3 hours. The group continued on , until they came to the High Road. The tracks were obvious as they turned north towards Neverwinter.

They had been tracking the horses for 6 hours now. It was late in the day when they arrived at the South East gate of Neverwinter.

Session 33 Post-amble

Having arrived at the south east gate Fagrim realised those they were following had entered Neverwinter. Heimund suggested they go to Lord Gharl Kalinwoods home as he was a member of the Order of the Gauntlet. Fargim agreed, putting forward the idea that he or someone on his employ may have information on the people who they were chasing. Fargrim called them ‘Cultists’.

                                                                                                                                                    It took over an hour to arrive at Lord Gharls home. Dusk was nearing. Banging on the door it wasn’t long before a familiar face opened the view port, it was Skjord, they had last seen him way back in Rainmoot, around the 20^th.

He welcomed them and asked their intentions, it was Heimund who spoke up and Skjord opened the gates and admitted them. He showed them to an entrance and bade them wait whilst he sought the Steward of House Kalinwood.

KALINWOOD HALL