Chapter 9: With Friends Like These
General Summary
Date: 30th of Mirtul, 1491 DR
The two surviving members of the Butcherers of Phandalin were alerted as
Gundren Rockseeker along with
Sister Garaele entered the Townmaster's Hall. The worry of additional doppelgangers faded however, when Garaela offered the two a silver dagger to identify themselves to her. She told that silver would cause an allergic reaction to creatures like the doppelgangers and as all were now bearing a clean cut from the blade, it seemed that the threat of the shapeshifters had finally passed.
Garaela wished to talk to the two in private, promising to take care of the dead in their stead. She offered no explanation on why Gundren, who was previously seen murdered in Stonehill Inn was now standing along side them. The two were now tasked with visiting the self-proclaimed townmaster Halia Thorton to withdraw her claim of imprisonment from the Butcherers. The priestess and the Butcherers would meet afterwards in her house.
A chance meeting happened just outside the Townmaster's Hall. A large goliath appeared in front of the two, asking of the whereabouts of the notorious Butcherers of Phandalin. Ranvas and Bene were both exhausted and wanted to avoid confrontation, yet the masked stranger persisted. Once they realized she wasn't a threat, merely curious, they agreed to her tagging along as they ventured towards Halia's house, south of town.
Halia's house was locked and there was no light coming from inside. Bene noticed that the backdoor was unlocked along with a trail of blood leading from it. The three investigated and found Halia grievously wounded on the common room. The newcomer Nal, pressed her hand on Halia's wound and healed it. The adventurers learned that Halia was attacked by the doppelgangers, who used her form to sentence the Butcherers to jail, seemingly for their ambush. Halia offered her gratitude for saving her as well as an opportunity to join her organization. She also offered a task to the three; to find out the identity of a Harper agent rumored to reside in Phandalin. The adventurers left her to recuperate and continued towards Sister Garaela's house.
As the three were back to the town square, a teenage girl ran towards them asking about the Butcherers. The two worn-out adventurers sighed, but the girl Nomime got their attention when she told her father was kidnapped and pleaded for help. She offered them gold and the two off-handedly agreed to look into the matter, since Nomime suspected that her father would've been taken in the Wave Echo Cave. The group now grew with one additional member as they entered the house of Sister Garaela.
Nal and Nomime were seated in the dining room, while Bene and Ranvas were met by another stranger in Garaela's common room. The elf gave a warm introduction to the two, and as Garaela joined them the conversation began. Garaela asked the two to recall their events concerning Gundren and Sildar. She offered explanation on Gundren's sudden revival, her efforts to clear the controversy on his murder and revealed her identity as a Harper agent. She pressed her concerns of the Black Spider as well as his unknown motives to locate the Wave Echo Cave and silence those who knew its location. She also shed light on that the organization had interest in keeping Gundren and Sildar alive. The characters agreed to venture into the lost Mine, with Maescia now accompanying them on their journey. They would also seek valuable diamonds in order to possibly revive their lost friends with Garaelas help.
Nomime left the party and the four adventurers now entered the crowded Stonehill Inn. A large muscular man was waiting amongst the patrons, asking of the whereabouts of the Butcherers. The two, accustomed to this, seated into a free table and had a talk with Virion, who was asking about the murder of the small boy Ander. The Butcherers eventually excused themselves to talk in private. Bene saw an opportunity to ally himself with Halia's organization while Ranvas already had an allegiance to
The Emerald Enclave. After their talk, they returned back to the three new companions who were drinking tea, writing notes and studying a grocery list provided by Toblen.
This memorial was quickly interrupted as
Thistle barged into the tavern. She had heard the news of Ander's death and held the Butcherers responsible. Eventually she bursted out to tears, sobbing to see her adoptive brother once more, which in turn sparked a reaction from the intoxicated patrons. The villagers were now throwing insults, cursing the name of the Butcherers. The adventurers left the tavern to find rest in the abandoned Sleeping Giant's Inn.
During morning the party split up; Bene and Nal were going to meet with Halia, while the others reconvened with Gundren and Garaela. Bene was interested in joining the Zhentarim and provided the information Halia asked for. When the eavesdropping Nal heard this, she barged in the room, claiming Bene a traitor and threatening Halia. Halia studied the goliath who flashed her insignia of Harpers, but reserved her motives and reaction. She promised the reward to Bene to be brought soon as well as the chance to join in on the Zhentarim ranks. Nal stormed out, running to warn Garaela about the news of her discovery.
Meanwhile Ranvas, Maescia and Virion were having tea with Gundren and Garaela. Ranvas asked for gear as well as information regarding the Wave Echo Cave, yet the dwarf had nothing to offer, except his boots. These boots were magical, which Gundren thought could aid on their quest to stop the Black Spider. During this conversation Nal stormed in and confronted Garaela.
The news of Halia being Zhentarim didn't seem to surprise Garaela. Nal learned that the priestess didn't see the Zhentarim to be a threat, but a chance to work together. She offered some light on the cataclysmic events that might unfold in Faerûn which would leave no space for petty differences. Nal clearly didn't like these news and stormed off.
The party reconvened at Alderleaf's Farm and asked Nomime to help them locate their gear. They ventured to the spot where the Diri-dog had followed the scent, a few hundred feet from town to the edge of the forest. At this point Nomime stated that she didn't have a clear way to locate the gear, but could be helpful in other ways. She demonstrated her abilities by blasting a bolt of fire to the canopy of the woods. This in turn seemed to convince the others to agree to her help in the Wave Echo Cave. After a quick shopping spree from Bene, the party tracked their way into the forest.
After a few hundreds of feet of following the tracks, Ranvas led the party into a dell in the forest. The ditch consisted of dozen corpses of villagers from Phandalin, including Elsa the missing barmaid. The open gravesite was also riddled with gear and apparel, discarded hastily and the two Butcherers eventually found their gear.
The party informed Garaela of the bodies and where to find them, afterwards taking the Miner's Trail towards their destination. The adventurers hiked the foothills and valleys of the Sword Mountains. As the sun was slowly setting in the horizon, the group marched the stone bridge towards the entrance of
Wave Echo Cave.
What horrors await these adventurers in the Lost Mines of Phandelver? Can they find Black Spider and stop his dastardly plans? Or will the heroes be lost in the mines, succumbing to the darkness that awaits them?
Rewards Granted
3 Potion of Healing (Garaela's reward for Agatha's information)
Magical Boots given by Gundren to Ranvas
Character(s) interacted with
