Cragmaw Hideout Revisited
13 Marpenoth, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR)
The Sword Coast
Turnoroth Brimsdall, a Dragonborn sorcerer, arrived at a crossroads along the Trade Way.
Three other roads led away from where he had traveled for days. He was tired and hoped he could find a comfortable inn soon. Fortunately, a kindly old man driving a wagon pulled by an aging ox he called "Bess" allowed Turnoroth to hitch a ride so he wouldn't have to walk the entire length of the High Road after leaving the Neverwinter area in the north.
The crossroad sign indicated the three other roads led to Waterdeep to the south, Saltmarsh to the west, and Phandalin to the East.
It was highsun. He figured if he started walking he could arrive in Phandalin or Saltmarsh long before dusk. Waterdeep, from what he knew, was way too far. He wanted to avoid sleeping outdoors again if he could help it.
The sounds of a rider on horseback caught his attention.
He spotted a rider approaching him from the east. The rider was a young human male. He wore simple fores green robe over chain mail. The man held a light crossbow. A shield was strapped to the saddlebag. The symbol of the goddess of life and bounty, Chauntea, was painted on the shield.
The man was also holding on the reigns of a riderless horse.
He called out to Turnoroth and asked if he had seen a man wandering alone in the area. He described the man in detail. Turnoroth said he had just arrived in the area and had not seen the man in question.
The rider said his name was Crane Dermont, a cleric of Chauntea. He was from Phandalin and was riding patrol with a man named Sildar Hallwinter, a councilman who had mysteriously disappeared when the two briefly separated to cover more ground. Crane found Sildar's horse wandering back to Phandalin.
Crane asked if Turnoroth was willing to help find Sildar. He added that he was certain Sildar would reward him for the effort.
Turnoroth accepted the offer.
***
Goblin tracks they found led the two to within sight of Cragmaw Cave.
Crane said Cragmaw Cave used to be a hideout for a band of goblins that ambushed travelers near the crossroad. But that was five years ago. A group of adventurers had slain the goblins. Since then, Cragmaw Cave was thought to be uninhabited.
It seemed a new band of goblins had returned to reclaim the cave once again.
Leaving the horses tethered far enough away, Turnoroth and Crane made their way towards the cave.
A lone goblin guard stood just outside the cave's entrance.
After dispatching the guard, the two quietly made their way inside.
Inside, they came upon several goblins led by a muscular goblin who stood half a foot taller than the others.
Crane and Turnoroth also found Sildar. He was locked up in a wooden cage and looked like he had been beaten by the goblins. After killing the goblin watching Sildar, Crane healed the councilman who still suffered from injuries Crane's healing spell didn't completely heal.
Despite injuries suffered from battling goblins, the trio fought their way to the goblin leader who, after Sildar interrogated, claimed to be following someone named "Silverclaw". The goblin died from his wounds before he could reveal more information.
The wounded trio dragged all the dead goblins outside after they searched the place for any valuables.
They then went back to the horses and made their way to Phandalin where Sildar said he would gladly pay Turnoroth for helping rescue him from the goblins.
Session played on August 11, 2020
Parent Plot
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