Chapter 1-2: The Cragmaw Hideout

General Summary

The party cleared the Cragmaw Goblin's hideout, killing both the leader (a Bugbear named Klarg his would be usurper, a goblin named Yeemik, and rescued a human mercenary named Sildar Hallwinter - the travelling companion of Gundren Rockseeker. The goblins had been ordered to waylay Gundren on the road by their leader, King Grol, at the behest of someone or something known as the Black Spider. Gundren, and his brothers Tharden and Nundro, have found the entrance to Wave Echo Cave, the long lost mine of the Phandelver Pact. Gundren, along with his map to the mine, have been taken to Cragmaw Castle, the lair of the Cragmaw Goblins. In the cave, Ryoko communicated with three wolves chained up in a kennels, and the party decided to release then. Miaug then climbed up a fissure at the back of the kennels and found herself in the shadows at the back of Klargs cave, where he was chilling round a campfire with his pet wolf and two goblins. The party stealthily climbed up and ambushed Klarg and his retinue. Ryoko blasted them with her fire breath, killing the wolf and injuring Klarg. Highlights of the ensuing fight were when Ryoko walked across the campfire on top of Klarg's corpse and crushed a goblin's skull with her quarterstaff. The group then sneaked back through the cave complex, coming to the goblin living quarters. Ryoko leapt into the middle of the group of goblins and cast Thunderwave, blasting most of the group back. After a short battle they were interrupted by Yeemik, who threatened to throw Sildar off a cliff. He wanted the party to kill Klarg. They told him they already had, to which Yeemik remarked that he didn't need them any more and threw Sildar, attempting to escape in the commotion - Miaug had an arrow trained on him though which went through his skull and killed him before Sildar hit the ground. Ryoko them stabilised Sildar, and Miaug made a healing salve to heal him. Sildar engaged the party to escort him to Phandalin, and offered then 50GP. This would also provide a good opportunity to ask around about the location of Cragmaw Castle. As they searched the goblins' stash, the party found a number of boxes marked with a blue lion rampant symbol. Sildar advised them that this is the symbol for the Lionshield Coster - a trading firm with a warehouse in Phandalin. The group decided to transfer these to the wagon and to return them to the Lionshield Coster when they got to Phandalin.