Chapter 1-3: Arrival in Phandalin
General Summary
After loading the last of the marked crates onto the wagon, the party (along with Sildar Hallwinter) set out for Phandalin. Along the way, Sildar explained what Gundren was planning. Gundren Rockseeker and his brothers, Tharden and Nundro, recently located the entrance to Wave Echo Cave - which is supposedly the lost site of the legendary mine of Phandelver. Back in 1058, a group of gnomish prospectors discovered Wave Echo Cave in the Icespire Mountains. They allied with a group of dwarves from Kaolinus to exploit the vast mineral wealth they found within. However, as they excavated the area, they found more than just minerals. Legends say the cavern was also home to a mysterious source of magical energy. The gnomes also allied with a cabal of mages from Rakheen to investigate this effect. Together they formed a group known as the Phandelvers Pact.
The wizards of Phandelvers Pact built the Forge of Spells to focus the raw magical power of Wave Echo Cave, to enchant poweeful magical items. Times were good and the nearby town of Phandalin (the original town whose ruins the current frontier town of the same name is built upon) prospered thanks to the blossoming trade in mystical artifacts. But these times were not to last - sources of power such as the Forge of Spells do not stay secret for long. Roughly 13 years later, a massive force of orcs swept down out of the Issati Peaks, razing Triboar and Phandalin, and laying siege to Wave Echo Cave. Hopelessly outmatched, but unwilling to allow the forge to fall into orcish hands, the wizards used their power to collapse the cave, killing many of the attackers and ensuring the location was lost until the Rockseeker brothers stumbled across it. Gundren had been sent to Neverwinter fur supplies, while Nundro and Tharden began to excavate.
The goblins had been informed of the brother's discovery and had captured Sildar and Gundren under direction of the Black Spider, to obtain Gundren's map.
Sildar himself was a member of the Lord's Alliance - a group concerned with mutual protection of eastern cities and settlements against the perils of the frontier. He was on his way to Phandalin anyway to investigate the apparent disappearance of Iarno Albrek - a human wizard and fellow Lords Alliance member who had arrived in Phandalin a few months previous.
After the group arrived in Phandalin, Sildar suggested they secure lodgings at the Stonehill Inn while he spoke to the town master about Iarno. The common room of the Stonehill Inn was a cosy affair. A wooden bar in the corner was tended by short, merry looking man, and a tall, well-built woman, a fire burned in the stone hearth on one wall, rectangular tables and benches arranged around it, while at the other side of the room, three round tables were located on a wooden inset dancefloor. At one of these tables, three burly men sat - two humans and a half-orc. They had the bearing of those used to violence - possibly mercenaries, maybe something more sinister. Each sporting a red trimmed cape. In the centre of the floor, a gnome performed. She was wearing a strange mechanical contraption, a series of harnesses and pulleys, which operated a set of bagpipes as she moved her feet. The bagpipes sounded a low drone and bass pattern, while she simultaneously picked out a warbling melody on a kazoo. The resulting mixture shouldn't work - and it certainly didn't this night.
In a staggering display of obliviousness, the gnome then launched into a routine of racist jokes and limericks about orcs. The half-orc leapt to his feet, "I'm gonna rip your flapping tongue out of your mouth and slap you with it, you little goblin!" He roared, and tried to scramble over the table at the confused gnome, as his companions restrained him. Meanwhile, over by the fire, another figure began to stir. Previously unnoticed, the tall half-elf uncoiled languidly from his seat and sauntered over to the mercenaries. He leaned over their shoulders, resting his arms on the back of their seat: "I apologise on behalf of my companion - Clootie can be a little excitable sometimes. She's not the brightest, to be honest, and occasionally her stupidity can be mistaken for ill intent." He purred with a glance at the gnome "Allow me to buy you all a drink to make amends" The mercenaries appeared satisfied and returned to their seats. The half-elf stood up and sidled towards the bar. Suddenly a bar stool flew through the air, narrowly missing his head, and shattered on the flagstone floor "Thief!" the half-orc yelled.
As the mercenaries rounded on the half-elf, the gnome leapt onto the table and whirled her bagpipes like a dervish, hitting one in the face and irritating him further. The party (Ryoko, Aetilius and Miaug) decided to weigh in on the side of the random thief and racist gnome. Miaug roused herself from the fireside and tried to climb into the rafters, but missed her footing and slumped to the floor still half asleep. Aetilius asked the barman how he felt about the red cloaked mercenaries, and he told them he wanted them removed from the inn. This was sufficient in Aetilius's mind to justify murder, and he unslung his battleaxe. Together the group quickly scared away two of the mercenaries, and captured the third to question. They found out they were members of the Redbrands, a dodgy criminal group who were extorting many people on town. The group decided, in what would prove to be an uncommon moment of generosity, to let the Redbrand go, and he vanished out the door.
The party then spoke to the other patrons and found out some more about the goings on in town and the surrounding area. Most of Phandalin's commerce comes from local miners and prospectors, who wander the nearby wilds. As a result - the folks in town are fairly well versed in local events.
They found out that the Redbrands were a local menace, that orcs had been sighted nearby in the Icespire Mountains, and that they should speak to a couple other folks in town: Sister Garaele at the Shrine of the Five Gods, Darath Edermath at the orchard, and Quelline Alderleaf at Alderleaf Farm.
The party also decided to split up - Ryoko would shapeshift into an innocuous small animal and check out the Sleeping Giant Taphouse (supposed hang out of the Redbrands Aetilius, Clootie, Ramas and Miaug would complete their task and deliver the supplies to Barthens Provisions and the Lionshield Coster, and look for Sildar at the town master's.
Ryoko's reconnaissance mission turned up limited information - the escaped Redbrands weren't there, just a different few. She did discover that the Redbrands base of operations was in an old ruined manor at the top of a nearby hill. Ramas volunteered to check it out. The group discovered that the town master was a pompous coward too afraid of the Redbrands to deal with them, and that the true politics power in town resided with Halia Thornton at the Miner's Exchange. The group did take the bounty the town master was offering on the orcs in the Icespire Mountains - in a cave known as Wyvern Tor.
The group delivered the goods to Barthens Provisions, informing him of Gundren's kidnapping (which he seemed genuinely distressed at), and to the Lionshield Coster (who were overjoyed to have their missing goods returned and the goblins dealt with).
Ramas sneaked up to the ruin. He found evidence of tracks leading into the still intact cellar. He sneaked in and found the entrance to the Redbrand Hideout. He made his was along the northern corridor, dodging a pit trap, and made his way into a burial catacomb. He was suddenly attacked by three skeletons, and just managed to escape. He resolved to come back later with backup.
The group reconvened in the Stonehill Inn, were Clootie 'performed' again in exchange for a room for everybody.
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