Chapter 19: Webs of Shadowtop

General Summary

Date: 8th to 9th of Flamerule, 1491 DR

  Yesterday's rain had stopped and shifted into mist around the fields as the Good Fellas arrived to Noanar's Hold. The ram-shackled frontier village gave no welcome to the heroes and the dread only grew when Nomime shared the dark rumors surrounding the settlement. Before delivering the saddles and harnesses, the adventurers decided to visit the only inn of the village; the White Hart Inn.   As they arrived to the fenced front-yard of the establishment, they had a small interaction with three noble brothers who came to Noanar's Hold to hunt Hill Giants. They declined Good Fellas' offer to help them with the hunt and so the adventurers went inside. White Hart Inn offered a fresh change from the rustic scenery the village offered. The dishes were cleaned up by an invisible force when the heroes came and questioned the innkeeper.   Avgar told them the Hunt Lords might've ordered the goods but warned the heroes not to disturb them without a cause. They also learned about Noanar's Hold being one of the most famous hunting lodges in the North. The Good Fellas decided to have some liquid courage before venturing into the Hunt Lords' Keep. They were not alone however.   When the heroes had settled with their drinks, a halfling approached them from one of the corner tables. Felgolos  asked them about their travels, their destinations and other news of their escapades. In return the heroes learned that Felgolos had been following a Cloud Giant castle, presumably the same that Nomime was, but had grown bored of this and decided to have a drink with an old friend Aerglas. Last heard, Aerglas left the Abbey of Goldenfields 30 years ago to pilgrimage to Shadowtop Cathedral , but was not heard from ever since. Ranvas had also met the moon elf during his first encounters in the dry lands above the Sea of Fallen Stars.   The halfling had hired a druid to fetch Aerglas, since no other than a member of the Emerald Enclave could venture in Shadowtop Cathedral without getting lost. He had waited for a few days and had grown worried. The heroes agreed to investigate the disappearance and retrieve Tharra. They agreed to meet Felgolos in Yartar tendays from now in the Pear-Handled Pipe. After finishing their drinks, the heroes delivered the goods to the Hunt Lord's Keep and decided to leave their carriage and horse to the inn and make their way to the High Forest.   The forest proved no trouble to Ranvas, as he led them deeper within. Showing his Emerald Enclave emblem, the shrubs and trees made way and helped to guide the heroes further on. The air became more oppressive as they pressed on and strands of webs became more frequent the further they got. After day's travel the heroes were led into a druidic sanctuary only accessible to the Enclave members where they rested. During the night, dozens of bulbous eyes stared them from the darkness, but the magic of old forbade them to harass the sleeping adventurers.   Come morn, they pressed on and found an ancient moss-covered stone walkway that they followed. During their travel they heard pleads of help that strayed them from the path. Tracking the sounds they found a cocoon covered in webs displayed between two trees. The Good Fellas had no time to prepare when the spiders ambushed them. The spiders and their shepherd bit more than they could chew as the heroes defeated them easily.   Recovering the trapped cocoon from the webs with the help of Nomime, they found the missing druid. Tharra Shyndle. They were ready to lead Tharra back to Noanar's Hold, but she wouldn't leave; she believed Shadowtop Cathedral was in danger and wanted to make sure Turlang was safe. The heroes obliged and after a brief rest, the heroes were led by Tharra to the Shadowtop Cathedral.   Standing on top a hill was the remnants of an old cathedral, now overwhelmed with shadowtop trees that formed the walls and ceiling of the grove. Massive webs stretched between the branches and canopy, covering the most of the area. They found an Turlang paralyzed and webbed in the courtyard of the Cathedral, enraging Tharra who ventured inside.   The canopies couldn't be seen from inside because of the webbing. Gloom took over, the same oppressing feeling they felt before. A voice called out, questioning the heroes of their arrival. At the same time some of the adventurers saw skittering movement in the webs above. Massive, blade-like legs pierced from the cocoon nest on the other side of the room, and the brood mother appeared. Seeing the heroes for the first time, she recognized that this was the group she was anticipating of arriving.   Someone knew the Good Fellas were coming here and had made a deal to not kill them, but to capture them. The spider however had her brood to feed and without hesitation attacked the heroes. Giant spiders lowered from the webs above, an ettercap joined the fray and battle was on them! Webs were shot towards them, ready to ensnare them. The giant brood mother attacked with its spiky legs and some were covered in webs of the spiders. Nomime blasted a fireball scorching the arachnids and freeing her restrained friends. Eventually the spiders were dead and the heavily wounded Good Fellas were at last victorious.   When the battle was over, Bene walked over to the corpse of the brood mother and began carving her abdomen. The rest of the heroes watched as he reached out inside and pulled out a broken piece of a blade, tinted in red. Questions might be asked later, but now the heroes would need some rest. The Shadowtop Cathedral was ridden off from the eight-legged horrors that lurked within, but the encounter had spawned more questions than answers. Who are those who scheme in the dark and know of the Good Fellas intentions? What was the mask in Bene's vision? Have the Good Fellas stumbled onto the webs of plot, ready to be devoured by the secrets that lurk in the shadows?

Rewards Granted

• +2 Renown Ranvas (Liberated the Emerald Enclave's Shadowtop Cathedral)
• Mysterious blade for Bene

Missions/Quests Completed

• Delivered the harnesses and saddles to Noanar's Hold
• Vanquished the evil spiders from Shadowtop Cathedral

Character(s) interacted with

• The Daerivoss brothers
• Avgar Filroy, the innkeeper of White Hart Inn
• Felgolos, the curious halfling
• Amrath Mulnobar, the lawkeeper of Noanar's Hold
• Tharra Shyndle