As he sees Rush is also interested in the history, he’s happy to share what he finds with him.

Quote from kevtr0n >>

 

As he sees Rush is also interested in the history, he’s happy to share what he finds with him.

Axeholm was abandoned and sealed up long years ago after being haunted by a banshee — the restless spirit of a moon elf ambassador named Vyldara who tried and failed to foment civil unrest among the dwarves. The dwarves imprisoned the elf and sent messages to her people, asking that they come to collect her. Before envoys could be sent, Vyldara killed two guards trying to escape, only to be cut down by dwarven axes before she could succeed.

When the elf’s evil spirit started filling Axeholm’s halls with deathly wails, the dwarves abandoned their stronghold, but not before several dwarves slain by the banshee arose as ghouls to feed on their kin. Ghouls and other creatures prowled Axeholm, while the banshee continued to haunt the fortress’s upper halls.

 

 (I got the same pm 😂 )

Rush is slightly more satisfied knowing the story 

Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, Kwiz needs to roll his portent dice.

Alright. So, you just finished the Axeholm quest. Is it safe to assume you head back to Phandalin?

I believe we've done all we could there, and I'm sure Harbin(it's Harbin, no?) has some more jobs for us.

Sounds good to me. 

Since you're only about 10mi away from Phandalin, the trip is easily made in a single day, especially after the rest that you all have gotten after the ordeal in Axeholm. In total, it only takes about 5 hours for you to get back, making it just about dinner time when you make it back to the inn. 

You can tell that the townspeople really have made a lot of progress cleaning up the town after Cryovain's attack. It isn't repaired back to how it was before the attack, but all of the ice is cleaned away/melted and the debris is gone. Most of the buildings have at least started on the actual repairs, themselves, with the most effort having been focused on the inn and Townmaster Harbin's Hall. 

Toblen Stonehill is there to greet you with a friendly grin as you walk in, "Speak of the devil and he surely will show," the short human says. "It's good to see you! How was your journey?"

"De haller of Axeholm are haunted no more, and den is back in de hands of its proper Dvergen owners!" Andrømeda exclaims, pumping a fist in the air with the kind of enthusiasm only somebody as large and bombastic as her could pull off, happy from a successful mission and, maybe even more so, to be away from cold stone walls and back where the sun shone and trees swayed with the breeze. "How ha things been, friend?"

"That is excellent news!" Mr. Stonehill exclaims in celebration with Andrømeda. "Well, you lot look like you could get off your feet for a few minutes. Let me get you a hot meal. Your rooms are still available upstairs, too." Mr. Stonehill then leads you over to an empty table, pulls out your seats for you then asks, "So, what would you like to eat tonight? We have some stew, and...er...stew. Come to think of it, options are limited due to the attack an' all."

Andrømeda gives a chuckle, "A hearty stew is just vhat vi need, Am think. Det and some good ale, ja?"

"Oh course! I'll be right back." With that, he leaves your table to get your food, leaving you to relax or talk amongst yourselves.

“It is good to be back in a town.” Kwisatz says, enjoying the warm stew. “I wonder if there has been news of the dragon. I’m sure if anything urgent had happened we would have been told...”

Andrømeda gives a sharp nod. "Headmann Harbin is fond of keeping us in vork, and du sent him vord of vhat happent in Axeholm. If den vas anything serious, he vould probably ha been vaiting at de gate for us, ja?" she says, chuckling a bit.

Mr. Stone hill comes back to the table with a tray of ales as Andrømeda mentions Townmaster Harbin. "Oh!" He says. "Not that I was listening in on purpose, but Townmaster Harbin was here earlier today asking if you had gotten back, yet. It didn't sound like a five alarm emergency but he did ask me to have you check with him if I saw you before he did." 

"Many thanks, friend." Andrømeda says to him with a smile and a nod. She takes up her ale, giving it a big swig and sighing as she sets it down. "Am can go speak vith him vhen Am'm done, if du alle vish to go about dun virksomhet... er, how is den said? Busyness?" She shrugs. "Du know vhat Am mean, ja?"

((Small flavor retcon)) Over the few days back in the Dwarven Fortress Kwisatz was often scampering about, clearly excited about something he’d discovered. He kept his servant working though, so didn’t affect the clean up work. And while you’d seen him read through his spellbook often in the past in the morning, selecting spells, or when casting rituals, he rarely carried it around with him, but now it was always in his hands. At nights he could even be seen talking to himself. Though that often could have been talking to Duncan, as he has done in the past, this seemed different. Though he would quickly quiet himself and go back to writing in his book when you pass. Additionally, once or twice,  you could have sworn that you saw arcane text swirling about in the air in the passage ways, but it disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared, so again, you could never be sure.

Sitting here at the table now sipping your pints after the long trip, Kwisatz has his spellbook by his side, but also appeared to have pulled a rather ornate, metal pen, from no where and is fiddling with it in his hand in between sips of his drink, and passing snacks up to Duncan.

At the news of the town master wanting to speak with them, Kwisatz says “We shall be happy to learn what he has to discuss with us. Perhaps there is news after all.” Then looking to the group adds “Would any of you mind if we made a quick stop at the traders after we talk with him? I’d like to ask if they could perhaps order a couple things if we wont be making it to a large city any time soon. I really could use more paper and inks...”

After dinner, and allowing your legs to rest for a few moments, Mr. Stonehill gathers up the dishes with his congenial attitude, like always. Since the sun hasn't quite set, yet, you all make your way over to Townmaster Harbin's. He's in his hall, looking over papers and writing intently. As you approach, he looks up taking just a second to recognize you, before he quickly gets up out of his chair. "Oh, good! You're back. I was extremely happy to hear about the outcome at Axeholm. Duncan is always a treat to get messages from. It sounds like we'll have a good ally in the dwarves moving forward and this really is an historic moment for them, too. It's been a long time since they've been able to freely wander the halls of their ancestral stronghold. And, this is yours to split as you see fit." He turns around and grabs a gold pouch off of his desk and hands it to Rush. "That's 50 gold for your troubles and as our thanks."

Taking a breath, he sets his gaze on each of you before continuing. "I have learned of some potentially good news, though. You see, the dragon that besets us is not the first to threaten this region. Between here and Neverwinter lies the barrow mound of a warrior whose magical dragon-slaying sword helped fell a green dragon terrorizing the High Road a century ago. Rumor has it the dragon slayer sword is buried there, too. I have no gold for you on this one, but I do have these goggles. If the warrior was buried with her sword, there's no telling what else could be buried with her. Here, let me see your map. I'll show you where it's at."

Then, he takes your map and marks the spot on it. It's about 40 miles away, to the north-northwest, west of the Neverwinter Wood.

"What do you say?"

"Seems vorth de time, ja?" Andrømeda says, looking at the others with her brow raised in question.

Duncan caws hearing his name, and Kwiz hands him a morsel from beneath his robes as he nods and perks up at the prospect of an outing looking for treasure. This is true adventuring! “If we’re lucky there may even be long lost tomes or markings that can tell us more of dragons in general. I’m certainly willing to head up that way. Would we be able to take those goggles to help us in our search?”

Looking to the others he continues “Though, I do think it’s about time we were mounted. These old legs of mine would much rather sit than walk for days at a time. I’ve always wanted a mastiff of my own. And perhaps it would be worth the day or two extra to head to Neverwinter to see what types of supplies a large city would have that we’ve been unable to acquire here.”

Townmaster Harbin looks at Kwiz thoughtfully before saying, "Right now, we need all of our mounts, but, how about this: I'll have Barthen send a runner to Neverwinter for a supply run. We're running short as it is, anyway. Then, by the time you get back, we should be stocked with fresh mounts for you and perhaps even some paper and scrolls. Would that work, Mr. Sapho? Oh, and to answer your question, yes, you may borrow these goggles for as long as you need."

Andrømeda had kept looking at the map while Kwiz and Harbin spoke, and suddenly snapped her fingers quite loudly. "Am know dette place." She points to the barrow. "Am've spent much time traveling and ha heard many tales of many places. Den took me a moment, but Am remember now. Dir vas a Dame, Alagondar, who met her end slaying a Grun Wyrm. Am can't remember de name, but her and her kampsøsken vere put to rest dir." She cocks her head side to side for a couple of seconds as she tries to recall all she'd heard. "De Wyrm as vell, Am think. Dir vas talk of a secret vay inside, but Am do not know how to find den."