The Werelights of Dragon Barrow Report

General Summary

Previously: Logger's Camp

Day 22

Before we left Phandalin, we asked about for rumors of the Dragon Barrow.
We heard it is the grave of Lady Tanamere Alagondar and several of her party. She was a member of the royal family of Neverwinter, who went to do battle with the maurauding green dragon Azdraka. They met in battle somewhere east of the High Road, south of Neverwinter, and she managed to kill Azdraka. However, green dragons are venomous, with a very strong poison which she and most of her party succumbed to. They were buried alongside the bones of the dragon.
Thinking of what we'd need, we visited Barthen's Provisions to see what protections from poison we could acquire. He stocks Antitoxin, which gives advantage on poison saving throws. We considered whether to buy profession kits, too. We still had some medicine from the carts that were bound for the logger's camp, so we got a healers kit and a herbalism kit, just in case.
We set out towards the barrow area, first along the Phandalin path, then along the Triboar trail. Along the way we foraged and found some wild garlic and some gooseberry peas (14 pods). We also witnessed a strange magical effect on the road in the distance that may have shown us glimpses of other world or planes.
Once we got to where the Triboar Trail meets the High-Road, it was about time to stop for the night, so we took lodgings at Crossroad Keep. Because of our Worg companion, we were directed to the Exotic Animals Stable around the side of the keep. Here we (or more acurately Smiles) were looked after by Gilbert Gabbledook, a gnomish animal handler. We decided to cut costs and bed down in the stables as well.
Checking out a common room, we enquired for more stories about Azdraka and the dragon barrow. We learned more about the dragon's ravages leading to evacuated villages, poisoned lands, and stolen cattle. Lady Tanamere, a noble lady trained in knightly order, possibly at the nearby Helm's Hold, a large cathedral complex dedicated to Helm, went to challenge and kill the dragon. No-one we asked knew for sure where the barrow is, and the inhabitants of the common room were curious to discover what we ourselves knew. However, the details of the legend are fuzzy, as it was a long time ago.
In the exotic animals stable we had an interesting night. Animals in stable were varied, while Gilbert seemed an expert at caring for the various creatures, including 'Barry White', an Owl-bear-like creature with blue feathers. Also something that buzzed a lot and ate a whole pot of honey for its dinner.

Day 23

On leaving Crossroad Keep, we journeyed north up the High Road for a full day. We camped near a smuggler's landing site and had to scare off some smugglers who were too interested in our belongings.

Day 24

Heading onwards, we set off across country and encountered a proud but friendly centaur named Xanth. Xanth pointed us toward the Dragon Barrow, but warned us that witch-lights haunt the barrow at night and should be avoided. He also told us that he lived in Neverwinter Wood until he was recently driven away from his usual home by orcs and spellcasters gathering in the woods.
Xanth's usual home is the area around a ring of standing stones which have been taken over as a site to perform black magic, and he wants them out.
When we approached the barrow we saw that it had lush growth but nothing that was notably poisonous. Xanth left us at the border of the barrow. He would wait for us for a while, but would leave trail marks for us to follow if we took longer than he could stay around.
On approaching the barrow during the day, we saw a huge shape of a dragon raised from the earth. We found that the highest of the stones making up the spines along the dragon's back was tilted, revealing an entrance to a stone staircase leading into the barrow. Descending this we found ourselves in a circular earthen-walled corridor with tunnels going out in four directions, under the wings, the head and the tail of the barrow.
Heading down the head tunnel, we encountered a simple pit trap, which each of us was able to jump over, and a will-o-the-wisp, a glowing bobbing light with an undead presence. On the wisp being hit, it turned invisible and rushed past us, getting past us outside the room.
Next: Bones and Ghosts.