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The PCs attended a grand opening ceremony at CRI
Adora Bell and Arnac Kildaar participated in some rogueing competitions to secure one of the remaining CRI attendance slots, but were “bested” by an NPC named Norros
The ceremony was interrupted by a drunken, irate Aldrik Darkbane
The festivities are interrupted again by a Skeletal Owlbear Attack.
Adora Bell, Lilian Jacques, and Brother Tomik were involved in defeating the undead beasts, as was the NPC Iridara Ilsinore
During the attack, Aldrik Darkbane runs away, bumping into Lady Ruxwell, injuring her, and landing himself in jail, charged with assault on a noble (possible penalty: death!)
Brother Tomik, asks around at the Leatherworks and Blacksmiths about the harnesses the owlbears were wearing
Later that evening, Arnac Kildaar witnessed an assassination attempt by Norros on Aldrik while he was recovering in his jail cell
When confronted by Arnac Kildaar, Norros threatened him and then disappeared into the woods
Adora Bell, Lilian Jacques, Brother Tomik and Nath’Tanna were led to the town barracks to visit Aldrik Darkbane in his cell, arriving after the failed assassination
The co-owner of Greatberry Provisions, a half-orc named Crall, arrived at the barracks looking for help locating his missing partner, Hengor
Arnac breaks into Greatberry Provisions and steals a shortsword from a pile of pawned items in the back room
Adora Bell, Lilian Jacques, Brother Tomik and Nath’tanna ventured into to wilderness north of town to search for both Sildar Hallwinter and Hengor
The PCs found both Sildar and Hengor and rescued Hengor from another undead owlbear
On the way back to town, the PCs encountered a runaway wagon, pulled by yet another undead owlbear, and ridden by a drunken crew of 2 goblins and a bugbear
The wagon was stopped before it could reach town. The owlbear and one goblin were killed, one goblin escaped, and Rudalk the bugbear was captured
Rudalk tells an incoherent story about how their crew came to be riding the wagon
Adora Bell recalls encountering Rulalk and the goblins harassing people and asking about odd jobs on her way to Phandalin
At the tavern, Arnac Kildaar relates his story about Norros to the other PCs
Iridara Ilsinore gives the PCs 50gp each and asks them to travel to Thundertree to find and convince Juliana Redfield to come to Phandalin and help Aldrik
While preparing to travel, the PCs meet a ranger, Goldtru, who offers to help and guide them but fails to procure horses
The PCs visit the Miner’s Exchange in and meet Halia Thornton
New adventurers join the party! Welcome to Velvine, Adalaide & Odo!
The party is approached by Waldril Vanovar who requests a favor. On their way to Thundertree would be party be willing to make a short side trip and report back on the conditions of Cragmaw Castle.
Waldril offered 10g up front and 20g on completion. The characters negotiated up to 15/25g. Some continued resistance was met with mild threats that Lord Neverwinter would not be pleased to hear about their uncooperativeness. In the end the party agreed and was given a parchment on which was written an assessment checklist in the “Vanovert scale”.
The journey to Thundertree begins! After a long day’s traveling, the party entered the forest of Neverwinter Wood along the newly established Cragmaw Trail. Soon after, in the dimming twilight, they come upon a clearing, within which is a logging wagon blocking the trail and a campfire with 2 humanoid figures standing around it.
After a long, uneventful, first day of travel the party entered the Neverwinter Wood via the Cragmaw Trail and came upon a clearing in the fading twilight. Two humanoid figures stood beside a campfire in the distance. A wagon with a pair of oxen was stopped askew on the trail, some logs having spilled out of it.
After releasing the oxen the PCs scared away whoever was at the campsite using Gust and Thaumaturgy. The figures retreated into the woods, allowing the party to inspect the campsite. They found the bodies of two dwarves hidden under blankets. In a satchel they found an invoice for the logs meant to be delivered to Halia Thornton, manager of the Phandalin Miner’s Exchange. They also discovered a silvered dagger that had fallen into the campfire. During a search for additional firewood, Odo tripped over the body of a dead jackal. In its body was embedded another silvered dagger. Odo buried the jackal under a crude grave marker and said a brief prayer.
Canine animal sounds began to emanate from the forest. At the same time a thunderstorm was approaching. Soon the two figures from earlier burst from the trees and ran across the field to attack. During their approach the figures both transformed into their Jackalwere forms. The PCs soon discovered that non-magical weapons did no damage to the jackals but were able to fend them off using spells and the two silvered daggers they had found.
At this point the thunderstorm was in full effect. Heavy rain and lightning/thunder. With one Jackalwere dead and the other in bad shape, yet another Jackalwere came running from the trees. This one was followed closely by a skeletal owlbear. The owlbear made quick work of the 3rd jackalwere and the party finished off the other. As the owlbear began charging toward the party it was struck by a bolt of lightning, taking significant damage. Fortunately the party was able to kill it with ranged attacks before the owlbear was able to get close enough to attack. It was discovered that the body of the dead skeletal owlbear still wore remnants of a leather harness.
As the thunderstorm continued to rage, the party took shelter under the logging wagon and attempted to rest.
An inspired Adelaide used her survival skills to help the party in their attempt to get a long rest. Unfortunately, Brother Tomik and Adelaide still failed to get some Zs and took on a level of exhaustion. Odo slept like a baby.
Travelling north on the Cragmaw trail the party reached the turnoff to Cragmaw Castle about mid-day. At the intersection they met the a couple of residents of Kipton (pop: 4), Hilda Kipton, Harley Kipton & Granny Hobbes. The couple’s youngest son, Hosmer, was nowhere to be seen.
After enjoying warm bowls of varmint stew, the party learned that two of Hilda’s sons had ventured off to Cragmaw Castle after being promised employment by the “beautiful and glamorous” Lady Sephia. Hilda referred the party to a flyer that Sephia had posted to a nearby tree, but the flyer had mysteriously vanished.
The party chose to continue on to Thundertree, leaving Hilda in an worried state.
Soon after leaving Kipton, Odo hears the crack of a twig in the forest. An investigation of the nearby woods reveals that the party has been followed by Hosmer. He expresses concern for his brothers, gives a few more details about Lady Sephia, and produces the missing flyer which he took out of concern that others might be lured into danger like he fears his brothers were.
The party continues on and soon encounters a squad of Hobgoblin soldiers transporting two Girallons. While conversing with the Hobgoblin Captain, a small flock of giant pidgeons is disrupted and begins attacking the squad. This provides an opportunity for the Girallons to try breaking free. Eventually the PCs decide to free the Girallons. All but three of the Hobgoblins are killed: the Captain and one soldier are allowed to flee into the woods. One Hobgoblin, [[Nal]], joins the party.
Nal fails to find the exact spot at which his former squad left the road to where the Girallons were captured. The party is waylaid by a pair of red-robed wizards looking for “anything out of the ordinary”. They are acting a bit shifty and seem to be distracted or monitoring something out of site in the forest. ![[red-wizard-scouts.png]]
A group of bandits try to ambush the party. The battle is a bit chaotic, but [[Adelaide]] wild shaping into an Elk finally proves too much. Most bandits are killed; one escapes.
As the PCs finally near Thundertree, the come upon a river scene in which a group of Kobolds is attempting to perform a controlled dam busting operation to protect an old but serviceable stone bridge. Some Kobolds are positioned upstream, attempting to slowly dismantle a giant beaver dam. Others are posted on the bridge, ready with long poles to help guide any floating logs through the archways to protect the bridge from damage.
While [[Odo]] converses with the supervisor on the bridge, Korl, communication signals with the upstream team become garbled resulting in the dam coming apart too quickly and a flood of river to come speeding towards the bridge, along with a pack of angry Dire Beavers.
The PCs quickly move the wagon across the bridge before the flood hits. They also spend several rounds attempting to rescue some of the Kobolds being washed downstream, as well as helping defend against the beaver attacks. The lone non-Kobold of the operation, a scruffy looking wizard fellow that we later learn is named Sandro Ponde, suffers too many beaver attacks and dies, his body floating down river.
The bridge eventually takes too much damage from the wave of water and subsequent battering of large logs being swept downstream. It collapses, taking most of the remaining Kobolds with it. The exception being Karel, brother of Korl. Karel was the upstream supervisor and isn’t aware that the PCs possibly distracted Korl, leading to the tragic incident.
The PCs pile back into the wagon with Karel and proceed to Thundertree.
The party arrives in Thundertree where they enter the town square and encounter the statue of [[Julianna Redfield]] in the town square. They spoke with [[Mertis]], a soft-spoken Kobold painter, who was painting color and learned about his "duplicator" painting device.
[[NPCs/Karel]] attempted to split off and head for [[Julianna's Office]]. The PCs followed and everyone went in and encountered [[Loody]]. The PCs learned her itinerary for the day. Odo lifted a few papers, including a sketch map of the area, a list of townsfolk, and an example of a complaint submission.
Back in the town square, they inquired with [[Mertis]] where [[Julianna Redfield]] might be, but got nothing useful. [[PCs/Brother Tomik]] used thaumaturgy to yell for Julianna at a very high volume. The DM rolled an 85 for a successful luck check to determine if JR was anywhere in the vicinity. The DM then rolled a nat 20 on a perception check for JR to actually hear herself being called.
Finally, as the PCs were about to enter the [[The Poisoned Pint]], a wagon rolled into the town square from the south. The people in the wagon started yelling about the bridge being out.
As the hubub about the bridge being out began to spread, the PCs noticed a sign on the door to the tavern that read, “NO KOBOLDS”.
At that moment Juliana came galloping into the square, powerful and confident looking. She determined it was the PCs who were calling out to her and asked them to explain their business. The PCs relayed the story of Aldrik needing her help in Phandalin. JR brushed it off as non-urgent compared to everything currently going on in Thundertree.
Juliana then learned about the failed dam busting operation and the destroyed bridge. She asked the PCs if they knew anything about what had happened. [[Adelaide]] lied and said no, but JR saw through it and asked again. IIRC there was some hemming and hawing. JR asked if the PCs had done anything to help rescue or recover the crew that was washed down the river. Upon learning that they had not, she expressed disappointment and then galloped off in the direction of the river.
The party was next approached by a powerful-looking kobold in armor who asked about "a wizard guy". Where was the body? Was he carrying a bag or anything? Not learning anything, the kobold withdrew and walked off looking troubled and uncomfortable.
In the Poisoned Pint the PCs saw paintings of Juliana adorning the walls. They met and learned some of recent history from a rando tavern-goer named Dorn. Dorn told them the story of how Juliana had slain the green dragon, Venomfang, which left a local tribe of Kobolds orphaned from their dragon master. Taking pity on them, Julian has put the kobolds to work around town on infrastructure and other building projects. Many townspeople are not happy with this arrangement, hence there is a good bit of tension between the kobolds and the other residents. Juliana is a popular enough local folk hero that she has been able to keep a lid on things.
The PCs also met a barmaid, Lily, who mentioned that there were rooms for rent upstairs. Four total, but only two were available as one was occupied by Sandro (the wizard guy) and the other by some fancy lady. Lily also spoke of wanting to re-open the other pub in town, The Copper Carrot, but the building was in disrepair and infested with spiders. She mentioned Sandro had suggested he could help with the spiders.
A rather loud and boorish patron in a back corner was holding court with some other barflies and talking loudly about how the kobolds were ruining the "neighborhood character" of the town.
Not digging the xenophobic vibe of the tavern, the PCs looked for lodging elsewhere, ending up sleeping in the smithy Rocko's barn. The night passed uneventfully.
![[Next Session#Recap]]
Phandalin - A Town on the Move!
imagining what CRI might look like
The Cragmaw Trail
If you’re familiar with Lost Mines of Phandelver, this is the party of adventurers, now local heroes, that completed that adventure a few years ago
Errich Freeshadow
Aldrik Darkbane
Iridara Ilsinore
Juliana Redfield
Crall
Sildar Hallwinter
Rudalk the Bugbear
Waldril Vanovar
Halia Thornton
Harbin Wester
Hengor
Lord & Lady Ruxwell
Skeletal Owlbear (sans harness)
Jackalwere in hybrid form