Session 2

Plot

After leaving the goblin cave, the party continues on their way to Phandalin. Along the road they encounter a large, copper dragonborn in full plate armour with a double-bladed scimitar strapped to his back. As they draw nearer, Validmir recognises the figure as Tassandar, a friend from his childhood on the streets of Neverwinter. Tassandar takes the group up on their offer to join and help deliver the supplies to Phandalin.

At dusk, the wagon reaches Phandalin and the group makes there way to Barthen's Provisions to deliver the supplies. The group drop the supplies off with Barthen, collecting their pay of 10gp each (Validmir gives Tassandar his 2gp cut, as negotiated). Leaving the wagon in Barthen's stables the group sets off to look for accomodations.

Sildar takes Saryel and Tassandar to the Stonehill Inn where he had previously secured himself lodgings. Sildar disappears upstairs to his room, to rest and recover from his captivity. Saryel and Tassandar share a round of drinks and Tassandar explains a little of how he knows Validmir.

Meanwhile, Tuffy convinces Validmir that she is a devout follower of religion and the pair wander the streets of Phandalin in search of the local temple. Tuffy, dressed as a prostitute, since her armour smells like wolf poo, gets propositioned by a group of thugs wearing red cloaks. Things escalate and a brawl breaks out. Tassandar and Saryel hear sounds of a scuffle outside the Inn and go to check it out. They show up just as the thugs have been dispatched. Tassandar goes to hide the bodies in a nearby alley, while the others enter the Inn to secure lodgings.

Tuffy goes upstairs to have a bath. Upon coming back down she notices a thieves guild informer in the corner and goes over to find out the local gossip. The informer tells Tuffy of the Redbrands and ther leader Glasstaff, that their base of operations is Tresendar Manor which sits atop the hill over Phandalin. The informer also lets Tuffy know that there are rumours of a secret entrance to the basement of the manor in the side of the hill.

The rest of the group talks to Toblen Stonehill, the innkeeper. Toblen explains that the thugs in redcloaks are from the Redbrands, a gang that has recently taken over the town and have been causing problems. Tuffy returns to the group and also shares what she has learnt. The group decides to turn in for the night.

The next morning, the party sets off to find the secret entrance to Tresendar Manor. After spending an hour or so searching they finally come upon the entrance to the cave.

In the cavern they meet a strange, floating creature with a single eye, large toothy mouth and four eye stalks. Validmir recognises this as a spectator, a lesser beholder summoned to guard a particular thing, in this case a large stone vault door. The spectator is named Phur and will allow the group entry to the vault as long as they have the key. The party decides to leave the vault alone for now and enters the basement to the manor.

Entering through a store room, Tuffy locates a potion of healing. The party then finds a set of stairs leading upwards, but unfortunately in making too much noise while deciding what to do, they alert the guards in the next room who come out to investigate. After dealing with the two guards, the party start heading upstairs, but stop after hearing a cry for help coming from the room next door, that the guards had just left. They enter and free a young woman and her children who had been kidnapped. Her husband is nowhere to be found. Validmir escorts them back to the entrance of the cavern while the rest of the party make their way up the stairs and into the manor proper.

On the main floor, Tuffy sneaks along the wall and starts checking the doors nearby. As she checks the second set of doors, she hears the click of a crossbow being cocked and turns around to see a half-orc wearing a red cloak flanked by two more Redbrand thugs. In the ensuing fight, Grazmof is injured and vanishes from the material plane. Saryel manages to charm the Half-orc  who then spends most of the fight watching dumbly as his buddies are taken down. Validmir returns from escorting the family out just as they the last Redbrand is killed.

The party search the dining room before heading upstairs. On the second floor, the group finds a workshop in which the locate a journal. Validmir promptly throws the journal at Tuffy who fails to catch it and has to go back downstairs to retrieve it. Instead of waiting for Tuffy, the party heads into the next room with Saryel in the lead.

Upon flinging the door open, Saryel immediately falls unconscious under a hail of magic missiles and crossbow bolts. Validmir manages to drag her back behind cover and into the workshop as the rest of the party hunkers down. Validmir places his hands on Saryel and divine energy flows into her, bringing her back to consciousness. Taking a more cautious approach, the party eventually takes down the four Redbrands and upon entering the bedroom find it empty. As they search the bedroom they locate a note addressed to a Lord Albreck, presumably Glasstaff's real name. The note warns Albreck that a group is coming who is working with the dwarves and that any maps should be delivered to someone calling them self the Black Spider.

The party searches the rest of the manor and basement, finding a set of goggles and other assorted items. The party then heads back to Stone Hill for the night.

Characters

Black Spider

Elmar Barthen

Glasstaff

Toblen Stonehill

Locations

Barthen's Provisions

Neverwinter

Phandalin

Stonehill Inn

Tresendar Manor

Factions

Redbrands

Thieves Guild