The Festivals of Shieldmeet Report

General Summary

The cavern is cleaned using sacred flame and fire, and the participants strip down to get their belongings purified.
After being purified Tharg's party return to the Triboar Festival and proceed to win the main competition along with several of the other prizes.
On the morning of Shieldmeet, they use the prize to teleport to Steve, the juvenile brontosaurus, at Conyberry. Steve is happy to go home, but never found the 'big giant tree' that he thinks is in Neverwinter Wood. While there, they pick up various white dragon ingredients, and gather news. They then teleport themselves and Steve to Tharg's Uthgardt clan of the Thunderbeast.
The clan has moved from their previous location in the High Forest and is now camped near Grunwald on the borders of the Lurkwood. They are welcomed as warriors. Anathema and Herdyr are made honorary members of the tribe and tell the barbarians about the Tower of Storms. Now that it has been cleared, the tribe are heading to Circle of Thunder to restore it as a tribal shrine. They speak of a rival group, the Black Wolf tribe who ran them out of the area. Other Thunderbeast tribe totem sites include Morgur's Mound, where a immense skeleton of a brontosaurus once lay, but was stolen when the tribe was driven away. The most closely held shamanic ceremonies of the tribe involve these, and new shamans can't be officially recognised until the bones and the site are restored to the tribe.
The party join in the Shieldmeet celebrations of the tribe, contesting in various competitions of strength and ability and eat a feast of dragon meat, which gives those who eat advantage on wisdom saving throws for a time.
The party next visit Shifra at Woodland Manse, briefly joining in fey celebrations. The tree with blood for sap stands in the courtyard, and pixies have converted it into a miniature treetop village in the style of wood-elves. Shifra talks about how the well the tree sits on is more than it seems, and Shifra can feel fey energies, green magic and pure elemental water. It could hold the secret to Steve's vision as well. Tharg is left with a charm/curse that makes him become smaller whenever he is holding an acorn.
The party make a last teleport jump back to Phandalin and stop in at the Stonehill Inn. Rumours suggest glasstaff went coastwards then south on the highroad, possibly near the Tower of Storms that Tharg is looking for. More likely he is heading towards Leilon, and whatever base he used when the Stoneshard gang stole stuff from him. Other rumours suggest the Orcs are massing near Old Owl Well. Talking to Sister Garaele, Anathema passes on the information from Agatha, and recieves a Harper primer in return.
While at the inn the Party hears that Pip, the son of Tolben Stonehill, has used the vision bowl and seen people being taken by drow slavers. It was upsetting for the boy, but the matter has been reported to Sildar Hallwinter. Squats thinks the bowl shows visions of people who need help. The party talk about sharing the information with the various organisations around Phandalin: the Lord's Alliance (Herdyr), the Harpers (Anathema) and the Order of the Gauntlet (Tharg).
Campaign
Phandalin Campaign
Protagonists
Anathema Summerbrace
Her'dyr Greymoir
Tharg Who is Wise
Report Date
23 Apr 2023