06: Bruhor’s Lair

Before the undead are burned, Embra sketches descriptions of their carcasses for possible identification later.  The group packs up the Thayvian’s tent and belongings, camps there for the evening and in the morning hike out to Triboar Trail.  Around noon Steve discovers tracks and they change course to follow them.  Further along they discover deer slain by orc arrows and wantonly slaughtered.  Moments later Embra notices they are being tracked and notifies Shiv, who reconnoiters the path and spies an Owlbear.  Shiv targets it with her arrow and it furiously charges her, but she climbs a tree and it gives chase. As it attempts to scurry up the tree the group attacks the creature en masse, slays it, and takes its pelt.

A ways up the mountainside they spot an orc watch-guard in a high point and Shiv & Steve sneak up on him and knock him out.  The group ties him up and Davron interrogates him.  The orc, Gromok, claims that their leader, Bruhor, led them to the area and they are encamped in a cave nearby (six more orcs and an ogre).  Gromok is eager to be away from Bruhor and so provides information about their hideout; he also says that two orcs left days ago on a scouting mission and never returned.  Gromok is dressed similar in style to the orcs who attacked the group on their first night out from Neverwinter.  Bruhor is apparently leading the brigands to steal enough wealth along the trail so as to gain prestige within his clan.  Davron knocks him unconscious and they leave him tied up and approach the hideout.

The group rushes into the cave entrance, weapons drawn, with Steve in bear form at the fore. Steve slams into the ogre and the melee begins in earnest. Embra casts Abjure Enemy on the largest orc at the rear of the cave, slowing its progress. Davron, Jory, Steve, and Shiv make short work of the brigands in a brutal skirmish while Embra is sorely wounded in the melee.

After the fight is over, the group loots the cave and finds only a paltry sum. They release Gromok, permit him to rummage for the best armor and weapons of his dead comrades, give him food for a few days, and command him to leave the area and not to harass anyone along the trail. Embra permits him to take a trophy from Bruhor and he does so, then jogs off into the woods. They agree to return to Phandalin to report what has occurred and, about a few hours outside of town, Embra notices they’re being followed by an ogre.  She sighs and shouts, “Clear off!” and the ogre, suitably threatened, wanders down the path.  It returns later and attacks them and they kill it.  Later they cross a squad of goblin warriors. They make quick work of the squad, recover their loot, and arrive in Phandalin at dusk. The group retires to the inn and Embra sends Mara off to notify the town contacts of their return.

Halia enters and sets a long wooden box upon the table before Davron. He opens it to see a longsword in a silver filigree inlay scabbard. She announces her arrangement with the Nothic in Tresendar Manor: the manor will serve as the stronghold for the town’s security and the nothic will guard and protect the crevasse in exchange for goods. Sister Garaele offered something in trade for the longsword, thereby satisfying Davron’s wishes for the item to be in the possession of warrior rather than stowed in a monster’s hoard. Halia says she has sent for associates from Waterdeep to arrive and form the backbone of the town’s militia until more miners arrive. Sister Garaele is informed of Agatha’s passing and of her answer to Garaele’s question (Tsernoth has Bowgentle’s spellbook), and she leaves satisfied.  Daran is informed of the Thayvian and the undead at Old Owl Well and he thanks the group; he apologizes for not having resources to reward the party but indicates he could procure help for the group from the Order of the Gauntlet.  Townmaster Harbin arrives and rewards the group for clearing out the orc hideout.  Halstead appears and lists Agatha’s haul.

The group remove themselves to a private room and then separate and go through the most unusual items from Agatha’s haul: a ceramic jar, decorated with unusual patterns that feels as if it contains liquids and sloshes when shaken but appears empty—attached is a tag with a list of 3 words and a notation suggesting the likelihood of more words; a shiny metal tube a foot long and an inch in diameter; a crystal globe 8″ in diameter with a surface decorated by a day-lit sky on one side and a night sky on the other, with a silver band around the outside with cryptic writing upon it; a set of goggles and half-mask made of brass that make the wearer resemble an owl. The group agrees to give the +1 Longsword received from the Nothic to Jory and Embra claims the silvered Longsword. Davron secludes himself and proceeds to spend the evening analyzing the magical items. Karendil’s research informs them that Jory’s sword, named Talon, was known to have been lost during the goblin siege of Phandalin and likely belonged to the family that built Tresendar Manor.  That evening the party enjoys food and drink from the Inn and Embra sleeps with Halia.

The next morning is spent testing the magical items. Karendil spends the day trying to decipher the script along the globe and Embra notices the gem on her longsword has transformed from a jet to a ruby. She decides to use the longsword as her primary weapon and gives her axe to Halia as a symbol of her dedication to Phanalin. The group uses the day to rest and prepare to journey out Cragmaw Castle and Davron suggests to Embra that Stonehill Inn be modified for use as a base of operations.  Halia invites Davon and Sister Garaele to sanctify a new mausoleum being constructed in order to move the bodies out of Tresendar Manor and to re-sanctify the old mausoleum.  Davron asks Halia if he could found a shrine to Tempus within Tresendar Manor and she assents.  That evening Davron’s prayers guide him to his original objective: to cleanse the defiled shrine from his dreams.

Embra awakens to find the jewel set in her longsword has transformed into an emerald.  The group rises early and journeys north and after some hours of travel they are ambushed by goblins.  They kill the scouting group, fall back to recuperate, and then sneak close to the castle.  Shiv drinks the Invisibility potion and scouts the interior of the castle, mapping out the entire first floor until she causes a commotion and part of a ruined wall collapses near her.  Amid the uproar she escapes in time to return to the group and reports: she  spied 7-8 goblins, 2 hobgoblins, and heard chanting in another room, and both guard towers seemed to have more in them.  The group falls back a distance from the castle and camps.

• MIA: Jeffery

• 1 Owlbear
• 6 orcs
• 2 Ogres
• 12 Goblins

• Goblin squad: 15sp
• Sister Garaele: three Healing potions for the Agatha adventure.
• Townmaster Harbin: 210gp for clearing the orcs from their hideout.

640XP (2020XP total)

• Miss Perception
  Shiv: Can we tell which way [the orcs] went off?
  DM: Roll your Perception
  Shiv: *rolls a 1*
  Davron: Your eyes cross.
  Embra: You become violently ill.
• Atsa Spicy Uruk Hai!
  Embra: DM, could our scouts tell from the arrow fletching what type of creature are present?  You know, like Legolas in Lord of the Rings?
  Davron: *mimics licking arrow tip* Trolls.
  Nearly everyone at table: *pantomimes licking of arrow like popsicles*  Mmm.  Num-num.  Uhhhhn.
  DM: Tastes like…alfredo sauce!
  Davron: These are Italian orcs!
• Walk It Off, Girl!
  *Sister Garaele traded one of Shiv’s childhood toys to the Nothic for the longsword*
  DM as Garaele: Mother couldn’t stand the sight of it after you left; it broke her heart.
  Oof.