!!Lost Mine of Phandelver Campaign Thread!!

Quote from Gorthmorg >>

"Nicely done, everyone," Umbriel says, as the group reconvenes. "Now there, Miss... would you like some help with those? Did we search the bodies? There may be a key on one of them."

Umbriel finds a manacle key on one of the hobgoblins.  He also finds a backpack, bedroll, hand crossbow, arrows, daggers, shortbow and rapier and other miscellaneous adventuring supplies that look like they belong to an adventurer more than a pack of hobgoblins. 

Unfortunately, 3 of the hobgoblins also carry bloody sacks, with a severed elf head in them.

Baeshra drags the unconscious goblin back to the group.

The satyr looks different from what you would have expected, especially considering you are all in a forest.Yes she had the fur cover lower body with hooves, pointed ears and horns, but it did not look like she lived in the forest.

The satyr before the group looks young, beautiful and clearly has a taste for the city, considering her fashion sense which seem Waterdhavian for those who could tell. She has long braided brown hair bejeweled with small green crystals and feathers and piercing vivid green eyes. Her horns are small, with two larger horns curling back from beside her temples and two smaller horns above her eyes. Her clothing is of fine make and accentuates her curvaceous form with a tight bodice and frilled sleeves that start below the shoulder. Despite her clothings decorations it does look practical and has clear elements of leather padding as well as an ornate pauldron covering her right shoulder. Numerous rings adore her fingers, some gold, some silver and one with a small blue jewel set into it.

"So... are you ready to free me now? Ohh yes that equipment is mine and I'll be needing it. I have Banshee to question."

"But your presence does beg the question, what are you all doing out in the woods? I would say you look like one of those fabled adventuring groups to me, the ones that the North is renowned for in song and written word"

As he unlocks the satyr's manacles, Umbriel begins to describe how the group came together. He keeps it brief and to the point, but he finishes with "...and so you see, in addition to being partly in the employ of the Lord's Alliance from time to time, we do what we can to help those we meet. Right now, we're on our way to Cragmaw Castle to find Lyngheid's cousin, who we believe has been captured by some entity who calls himself the Black Spider. Additionally, this Spider has put out contracts on us, so I'd like to have a word or two with him on that score as well. Finally, assuming all goes well, we have a few other things to take care of for the people of Phandalin - good folk, deserving of help, I think. Would you be interested in travelling with us? Safety in numbers, and you'd be entitled to a share of the profits as well."

Standing, the satyr rubs her wrists.

"Now that is an impressive story and it sounds like you have found your very own arch-enemy. You are truly are a band of adventures with some repute!"

"You know its funny that you mention Phandalin. I was on my way along the High Road to Neverwinter when I heard tell of the troubles that faced Phandalin. So I to visited the town only to find that a group had been through before me and dealt with a mage of glass and his band of red warriors. While there I spoke to Sister Garaele at the Shrine of Luck. She told me about a banshee named Agatha near Conyberry, who can answer any question posed to her... so that is where I was headed before I came across these..." she motions to the dead goblinoids around her "...lessor villains"

"Ohh but I do forget my manors. I am Nyx, entertainer, seeker, wanderer and surveyor of all fine delights and histories". To which Nyx gives a little curtsy.

About that time Droop returns with Pale and the donkey and cart.  Nyx, you see a young goblin in ill-fitting studded leather armor.  He is smiling and seems quite cheery and greets you with a "Hi Nyx!  I am Droop!  Very helpful!"

Then Droop sees the trussed up and unconscious goblin and he takes a step back and hisses.  "Evil goblin.  We kill?"

Umbriel introduces himself. "I am Umbriel, of the Shadar-kai people. I once served the Raven Queen, but now I am a seeker of mysteries. We are that very group that dealt with the wizard Glasstaff and his Redbrands." With a polite half bow, Nyx sees a bald elf, with gaunt, pale features and a haunted look in his eyes. He wears grey, almost dusty robes, and he carries a glass staff in one hand. 

"It may be wise to question the goblin before we kill it, Droop. It would be helpful to know what else we can expect up ahead."

Lyngheid nodded, " Aye, she asked me to have a chat to Agatha as well...but we've been a bit busy..."

"It is a pleasure it meet you all. So you know Sister Garaele as well! This world is indeed vast yet small. So we are off to Cragmaw Castle to find a lost cousin. I am happy you asked me to come, it will give me a chance to pay you back. You know life for a life, one of those knightly laws that as Satyr follow."

Nyx slides her lockpick back into her sleeve and starts to collect a number of items off the hobgoblin such as her backpack, weapons and a horn and flute. With a quick twirl of her wrist, the Satyr plays a few notes on the flute.

"Good, I was sure that brute damage it"

Baeshra, a nearly seven foot massive green skinned and yellow lizardfolk carrying a simple club and shield and wearing bone ornamentation but no armor other than his scaly hide, looks over the satyr curiously, “So many strange types in these lands *sighs*, but still no scales. Poor creatures. I am Baeshra, I travel to see all the many beautiful and interesting things of this strange land. And help my new friends while I am here. Do we have any questions for this one before we kill him?” He holds up the little goblin by his ankle.

Ireniana nods at Nyx. "My name is Ireniana. I am a former boxer who now travels the lands to solve cases for other folks and travel with interesting people." She turns to Baeshra and stares at the goblin. "Do you think he knows the layout of Castle Crag and what lies within it?"

"Hello! It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Rosie." You see a halfling with brown skin and wild dark curly hair, wearing armor with bits of flowers and plants poking out here and there from her attire and an amulet of the Wild Mother around her neck.

About this time Baeshra's goblin prisoner starts to stir and wake.  It's eyes flutter open and it starts to frantically thrash around and howl very loudly.

Whistler walks up to the Satyr, covered in Hobgoblin viscera and practically foaming at the beak.

"WHISTLER!" WHISTLER FRIEND?!" he mimics, trying to quell the beast inside.

Whistler, a 3 foot tall black-blue Kenku carrying a Greatsword that roughly comes to 6 foot shines a dull green glow, covered with a heavy waterskin hanging from the belt.

Umbriel will summon his pact blade and hold it to the goblin's neck to silence his screams. Intimidation: 20

"Droop, you speak goblin - try to talk to this one, see if it knows where the prisoners are held, what manner of creature this Black Spider is, and how many enemies are inside. If he cooperates, we let him live. If he refuses, or lies, we let him live... without any of his limbs." 

Baeshra will cock his head at the struggling goblin before clacking his jaws in its face, "I wonder how it would taste. Droop, do goblins taste bettee cooked or raw?" He sounds more curious than threatening.

The goblin stops howling when Umbriel's blade is put to his neck.  And it looks sideways at Baeshra and gulps when Baeshra asks how they taste.

Droop nods at Umbriel's suggestion and replies to Baeshra.  "Droop does not eat goblin!  Droop eats horse!" And he pats Pale on the flank.

Droop then starts talking in Goblin to the goblin.  They chatter back and forth for a while and then Droop looks up and says: "He says the castle is very old and is run by King Grol, king of all the Cragmaw tribes.  He doesn't know where the prisoners are.  He said maybe with the owlbear?  Mean goblin also suggested that Droop sleeps with the horse as well as eats them."   

Baeshra looks to the others, "Prisoners?"

"Before we discuss further," and Umbriel cracks the goblin across the head, knocking him unconscious. "I do plan to let this miserable wretch live, but he doesn't need to know of our plans. 'Prisoners' is interesting - if it were just Lyngheid's cousin, we may have been able to sneak in and sneak out, but this implies we've got a bit more work to do. Whistler may get his owlbear mount after all."

Ireniana raises an eyebrow. "King Grol? Droop. Did he say if King Grol was a goblin, bugbear or something bigger?"

As Rosie approaches, Nyx seems fascinated by the little halfling.

"Ohh my, those flowers are very beautiful on you! I love flowers, you should see some of the varieties that I have seen, from here to Calimport and across to the Chondalwood. The most gorgeous blooms...some even grow forth from the water, or in the desert after it rains"

"So it seems like these Cragmaw goblins like to take prisoners."