PREVIOUSLY - CAMPAIGN DIARIES 19 - THE BATTLE OF CAHERVANIEL

Day 44 - After the Foundingsone

The party stands over the corps of Caullum, the spider-humanoid hybrid known as a chitine. He had been possessed by The Foundingstone, now buried in a mound of soil and rendered inert. The party takes a breath, they have been beaten and bruised and are worn down from sneaking and fighting their way down into the bowels of the earth. They want cool fresh air and a hot meal.

"It is done." Vald, his fellow chitine, says. "We can return to Ulwyn and tell her the evil has been destroyed".  

Immeral states, "Not destroyed, just buried. We need to seal the room."

Orryn speaks, "We should leave the room and destroy the buttons, at least one of them." 

They pile out of the room, into the entryway, and Seraphina takes the mace back for a moment, smashing the button above the doorway, and the door slides shut and the glow ends in the eyes of the skull above the door, hopefully for the last time.  She hands back the mace and states "Let's get out of here."

Orryn asks, "should we rest here, we can guard the single door". 

"That's not a bad idea, with a rest K'ronk and I can recover spells." Immeral adds.  The group agrees to take some downtime in the quiet chamber. Each takes shifts guarding the doorway. The rest goes long, and during the night, the one door handle begins to move, but K'ronk holds the handle steady, and hears footsteps pattering away. After all are rested, they gather to leave the secluded room.

Opening the door, they trudge through the rooms of the filthy meazel, wary of a sneak attack, but they don't find it.  In a room with passages in every direction, they debate which way to go.  Half of the party wants out, half wants to explore.  Clinker is the tiebreaker.   "Seems to me when you open an old tomb, you go prospectin'. Never know what you might find." he states in his friendly deep gnome drawl.

They decide to continue down the long hallway where they fought the wight, Nowhere reminded by Immeral not to open any sealed vases along the way. The come to a door across a turn in the passageway. The hall turns north and there are the axebeaked reptilians they have seen before.  Trying to avoid them, they open the door, and find a storage room, filled with many jars.  Some sound liquid when shaken, some sandy, some solid, some empty. Their weariness pushes them away from experimentation, so they leave the room and decide if they are to continue, they must attack the axebeaks.

As Nowhere, Atlas, Immeral, Dain and Clinker finish killing the axebeaks, the others race down the hall to bag their prize, but he is not laid out. The meazel springs from the darkness and claws at K'ronk, but he dodges the attack and finally little Seraphina smashes the meazel with her new prize weapon Lightbringer, and fells him. She dispatches him with a satisfying whack. The creature has little on its being, except for a fine pair of boots. The party suspects they are magic, offering them to Clinker, but the deep gnome declines.  "Kinda like the boots I have on now." he tells them.

Clinker and the others forage a bit in the room of the axebeaks, Clinker finding some coins under the tatters of old clothing torn and strewn about, as well as the debris from old beds that have collapsed long ago.  He is surprised the others do not want to root for more treasure, but the group grows weary. They find what the axebeaks were protecting though, eggs of the axebeaks. 

Immeral takes one in fascination, while Atlas destroys the others and glares at Immeral.  Immeral tucks the egg in his cloak.  The others look to Vald and Dain offers a magical ointment they apply to him, and he magically heals and awakens. "We should report to Uelwyn."  Immeral seconds the motion "I am so done with this place."

The others agree, and they head out of the dungeons of Cahervaniel, taking their secret way to the upper level.  They debate talking to the other chitine, but Vald states they cannot be sure the influence of the Foundingstone has left them yet, or if it ever will.  He reminds them that Caullum continued to attack them, even after the Foundingstone was buried.  And so they travel in silence up, and up, and finally return to the temporary home of the "good" chitine and their leader, Uelwyn.

Vald is the first to speak.  "It is done Uelwyn, the uplanders have kept their word and nearly lost their lives helping us.  You could say one did lose their life, but is still with us. I am not sure that the lower chitine will have changed though, they still are a threat."

Seraphina adds, "And then you could consecrate the shrine there to Mizar. I could not take part and show disloyalty to my patron, The Raven Queen, but I can tell you how to reconsecrate the temple." 

"I am afraid that there are only fifty or so chitine left here, and many are not strong enough to fight." Uelwyn replies.

Nowhere jumps in "perhaps we can get some help, but you will have to be willing to help too, to fight for a new place to live."

Uelwyn agrees.  "If we could count on you again, we would be forever in your debt, and in Mizar's too." 

Nowhere looks to her companions and nods "then we will be back in a few days." 

Atlas retreats with his statue of Mizar and Clinker returns it to his bag of holding for safe keeping.

With that, the party agrees to go back to Phandalin, touch base with Edermath, maybe Sir Isteval and his troops if he is still there, and find a way to get some help to destroy the Caves of Chaos once and for all. They give a final goodbye, and Vald, carefully, not frighteningly, give each a four-armed hug. Then they make the long trek up the stairs back to the outdoors.  They come out into bright daylight, breath fresh cool afternoon air, and glory at the blue sky.  Clinker remarks "Forgot how bright it was up here," and there is a moment of peace, but just a moment.

Dain notices it first, something odd by one of the obelisks, a pile of blood and gristle and feathers.  Except it is breathing and moving and moaning.  "It's Lady D!" he exclaims, and the group runs to the aid of their owlbear.  Lady Decap has been beaten and stabbed severely, and Orryn asks with his special ability to communicate with animals, "What happened?"  Lady D is as clear as animal communication can be, she tells Orryn, 

"Monsters from caves.  Searching, angry.  Make yipping laugh. Attacked me.  Fought them, ate them, killed them all. Came back here to die. Will Orryn lay on me?" As Seraphina finishes a healing spell on Lady D, she gains a bit of life, but is still hurt, and tiny Orryn rests gently on the beast for comfort.  

Atlas asks, "Clinker, will you stay with us?"  We will try not to get you in danger any more.

"Well what's the fun of that?"  Clinker asks, pulling the brim of his fedora down to just over his eyes, but still squinting. "Sure, I'll follow along for a bit." 

Atlas warmly claps the old gnome on his shoulder, as Lady D. start moving, and they start walking back, up to the road, and then the Triboar trail west to Phandalin.  Along the way, they enjoy the night air, although it is getting colder, and they have a few hot meals as Orryn and Nowhere forage for food. Strangely, Nowhere still traps her prey, she refuses to use the bow of anyone.

They make good time, and Lady D. seems well on the way to recovery. The others are healthy too, glad to be eating real food, not that Nowhere's magical goodberries were unappreciated, they kept them strong and magically sated without having to carry much food.

Day 48 - Return to Phandalin

When they finally arrive at Phandalin in midafternoon, they quickly notice changes. There is wooden gate at the main road, with a fledgling log wall going up in either direction of the road. From the looks of it, someone is going to fortify the town. There are a pair of guards at the gate, but they don't seem to know what to do. Right before the party is upon them, the one asks the other, quietly, but within earshot of the party. "What are we supposed to ask, again?" The other responds with a whispered, "It's 'Halt, who goes there.' Hembry." So the man named Hembry Tinkerchap shouts out "Halt, who goes there?" and then snickers. 

Nowhere speaks "The Owlbear League to get some rest and do business with Linelle and Sir Isteval." 

"Oh we heard of you, OK." and the guardsman snicker some more.  His friend Frond Bellbox shakes his head.

 "The militia obviously needs work" Dain remarks.

As they walk into town, they notice changes have been going on. Barthen's provisions is nearly built, with a couple of workers shingling the roof. There is a quite a bit more bustle going on too, there are quite a few more souls in town, and many look to be miners.  A good percentage are dwarves and all have a bit of dirtyness about them, maybe enjoying a day off from the mines or running an errand, or perhaps they are new workers, heading to the mines with a film of road dirt on them. As they look up on the hill, they notice construction of some sort at Tresendar.

Immeral takes his leave of the group and goes to check on Sister Garaele, while the rest head to Edermath's orchard to parlay with the old adventurer. He is pleased to see them all standing and well, even gathering his bravery to give Lady D a ruffle, and introducing himself to Clinker.  He welcomes them inside.  He asks about their quest.

K'ronk answers by pulling the head of the Red Wizard out of a sack, and they tell him that the wizard was after a magic artifact, the Foundingstone, and they prevented him from getting it, and destroyed the entrance to its tomb. They tell him a bit more about the chitine and their plans, and Mizar the positive spirit. Edermath warns that there are ways to pass any locked door, but burying it deep in the earth with a horde of spider-creatures is likely the best he could have hoped for, and thanks them for the work done.  

K'ronk asks, "Would you be willing to let me keep the Staff of Power as a reward?"  

Edermath smiles, "No, but it will be here should the need gets great." 

"Darn!" K'ronk replies with a winsome smile.  Edermath laughs as K'ronk puts the head back in the sack and hands over the staff.  "What do you intend to do with the wizard's head?" Edermath asks. 

"We are going to show it to Townmaster Wester.  We intend to prove that the threats he is mocking are real." K'ronk replies.

"I do not think that is a wise course of action." Edermath states with growing concern. "Things have been changing in Phandalin, and Harbin Wester is using the concern of the people to build a militia. He is even fixing Tresendar and turning it into an armory. He is growing in political power and now has a full-time militia behind him. If he sees that head, he will use it to frighten people and build an even stronger army, and twist it to prove you are the enemy. He has already requested help from the Lord's Alliance.  We need things to settle down, not ratchet up.  Bury it in the fields away from town." The party considers his words deeply as they head out, but unfortunately, cooler heads do not prevail.

The party gathers itself for another confrontation. This time K'ronk, Nowhere and Atlas lead the way with the others uncertain, but in tow. They march to the Townmaster's office, and Jakay, the townmaster's assistant welcomes them. 

"We need to see Harbin Wester" K'ronk states.

"He is busy right now with the town militia. What is the issue you wish to discuss?" she asks.

"We need to tell him how we can save this town." Atlas tells her.  

"Well, you will have to wait." she states, but just then the doors open and a group of ten or so messily dressed militia leaves his office, with Harbin at the lead.  

"The so-called Owlbear League, how bothersome.  We were just going working on plans to secure this town from the mess you have created."  I hope you have a comfortable place to stay, I must say that once we have the town secured, we may be more selective in who we let in the gates."

Nowhere replies "we have something for you."

Wester returns with a haughty snort. "What could you possibly give me?"

K'ronk pulls open a dirty sack, and from within draws out the head of the Red Wizard, Hamun Kost, his eyes open and dead, its flesh grey.  He holds it before Kost.  "Proof that threats of red wizards have to be dealt with and not imagined."

The militia retreats, as does Wester.  "You fool, you've doomed us all.  We will have to double the defenses again. We may need to hire a wizard."

K'ronk interupts.  "We need you to listen, we have a way for you to help the people of this town."  

Confused, Wester replies, "I am helping the people of this town. I am the duly elected townmaster, and aside from my official duties i have been using my own funds to fortify the town from the likes you rat-catchers stir up.  Tell me what trouble is next, a horde of trolls, a flight of dragons, orcs attack?"

Atlas speaks. "We need you to learn about the good spirit Mizar and how she saved the spider-folk of Caharvaniel." 

"Is this man drunk? I don't need you interrupting my business for some religious nonsense. Go tell the folks of your deity down at the town shrine."

At this point Clinker and Orryn and Seraphina appear less and less sure this is a good idea.  Jeldeen looks worried.

K'ronk beseeches "Don't you want to do the right thing for your people?"

Wester snorts "By what, forcing them to worship some spider-god? This is a free town. Go peddle your religion down the street if anyone would listen.  Now if you will excuse me..."

K'ronk goes to block the exit. 

Wester glares.  "Let go of that door now or I will have you arrested." 

"For what?" K'ronk asks.

"Interrupting government business" for one, "whatever else I think of if needed."

"I'm not moving until you listen." K'ronk replies.

"I have heard enough. Militia, arrest that dragonborn." he states.

K'ronk, finally seeing the meeting is not going as planned casts a Charm Person spell on Harbin Wester.  "Harbin, wait, I thought we were friends."  

The spell works.  "Yes, yes sorry, we are friends. Hold, men." the men and Jeldeen seem confused.

"Can we meet later, friend K'ronk? I am very busy at the moment, but perhaps at dinner time.  Come to my house."

"This is very important Harbin. You have to finally do right by the townsfolk." K'ronk tells him.

"I don't understand. What do you want me to do?"

"Just listen to Atlas." K'ronk replies.

"Talk about this good spirit? I can't force anything on the town my friend, it is a free town. Go preach in the street, or build a temple for all I care, but most in this town have fled from religions."  

Orryn is losing his patience with his comrades.  "We should go."

The militia are definitely wondering what has transpired here, but they do not interrupt the townmaster, and the League is able to leave.

IMMERAL

Meanwhile, sister Garaele is at her home near the shrine, and she greets him with pleasant surprise.  They talk for a bit, and she tells him that she is expecting to leave the next day on a mission to Yartar, that they are struggling from unusual earthquakes and floods, and that wagons should be arriving with supplies and other clerics in a group heading there from Neverwinter. 

Immeral warns Garaele about the difficulties still at the Caves of Chaos. He wants to tell her more about his adventures and even death in the dungeon of Cahervaniel, but he holds his tongue until a more appropriate time than the night before she leaves. They talk a bit more about her preparations, and then he asks a favor.  "May I borrow your brass brazier? I have been collecting the components for a spell that will call a magical companion for me, a familiar, and would like to do so tonight."  

Garaele is fascinated, and ask just one thing in return.  "Can you wait just a few minutes while I finish packing, so I may watch?"

"I would enjoy that very much.  Let me catch up with the rest of the League, and I will return shortly." smiling with pleasure from her interest.

The group introduces themselves to the gushing young man, and asks if he will sing the song. 

"Oh!  Not now, I'm not done yet, well it's mostly done, done enough I guess. If you come to the Stonehill tonight I can play it for you.  Oh, there are some messages for you at the Stonehill. Toblen has them - told me to keep an eye out for you.  Oh, is that a real owlbear?  Wow, oh wow!"

The group says they will certainly come see him play tonight, and appears to beam. Immeral catches up to them and asks what he missed, the team introduces Bleen as they part, and then head into the Inn to gather their messages and get some rooms. Toblin welcomes them and goes under the counter for a short pile of wax-sealed sheets of paper and a small wooden box with a note addressed to Immeral.  

The note from Gundren is short, it asks that they come to the mines as soon as they can, regarding their business.  The second note is from Frant, apparently now Captain.  It states that he is in charge of security at the mines at Wave Echo Cave, and that he has an urgent security matter to discuss with them. The third note is from Sir Isteval, sealed with his wax sigil. 

Your conquest of the so-called Caves of Chaos has not seemed complete. The caves are "repopulated" with all manner of treacherous creatures who have been rampaging since your last visit.  Another caravan was sacked on the way to Phandalin, this time the bodies were eviscerated and left on the Triboar trail to bake in the sun. I hope to hear of a more complete eviction when next we meet.  I am also concerned with the state of affairs around your mining partnership. The rabble brought in for the mines are of a base sort, engaged in all manner of incivility. The word is there is even harlotry going on in the tents and the nearby woods. The town does not expect new neighbors to bring this sort of impropriety, even in the wild north. It would be wise to clean up your operation.  

Immeral takes the box and first opens the letter attached...

Dear Immeral,

I'm saddened that we did not get to say our goodbyes in person. I expected to be here when you returned from your quest at the caves, and thought we would have at least another walk and talk together.  Fortune does not favor us, as there is trouble in the Dessarin Valley, an earthquake followed by torrential rains has displaced many in the city of Yartar. The Lord's Alliance has sent a delegation including several other clerics, and we are departing in the morning for that city.  I hope someday we will meet and share a morning together.  I will pray for your safety and think of you fondly.  - Garaele

Immeral opens the box and it contains a potion of greater healing.  A very valuable gift for an adventurer, and he considers it fondly.

BALLAD OF THE OWLBEAR LEAGUE, PHANDELVER SAVED

Rockseeker had hired the league, his cart and his oxen to lead.

While he and his captain raced down, to meet brothers at Phandalin town.

By goblins the pair was waylaid, and dragged off to the Cragmaw cave.

The league found the cave up a trail, but their rescue was to no avail.

Gundren had been taken on, Captain Sildar was left all alone.

Klarg was the bugbear in charge, as foul and disgusting as large.

They divorced the foul thing of its head, and to wolves threw its skull to be fed.

They tried to sue goblins for peace, but a torrent the creatures released.

Poor Sildar he died in the wave, and the group fled from Cragmaw cave.

The mightiest foes are soon to be dead,

Bested and beaten by heroes they’ll dread.

They bring them to justice as quick as a steed, 

‘Tis the tale of the Owlbear League

To Phandalin, team journeyed on, but the brothers Rockseeker were gone.

And no one they spoke to in town, knew where Castle Cragmaw be found.

They asked all around in the town, 'till the Redbrands tried running them down.

Out front of the Sleeping Giant inn, the league beat the ruffian kin.

The Owlbears sent Redbrands to flight, Barthen’s loft they stayed inside that night.

The Redbrands set fire to the house, but the team managed to scramble out.

They snuck through the night dark as tar, to a hideout under Tresendar.

Tearing through their hideout like wildfire, besting ruffians and traps all most dire.

They even freed family enslaved, from clutches of Redbrands depraved.

The mightiest foes are soon to be dead,

Bested and beaten by heroes they’ll dread.

They bring them to justice as quick as a steed, 

‘Tis the tale of the Owlbear League

Searching caves in the Ruffian's lair, the league had a bit of a scare,

There was a voice clear in their head, said all of them soon would be dead.

Seraphina smote down the foul thing, one eyed pet of the Ruffian ring.

Leader Glasstaff failed to be found, but the rest they completely beat down.

The league had been put to the test, and returned to Phandelver for rest, 

From a secret informer they learned, Cragmaw Castle was where they adjourned.

They set off as fast as they could, delving deep into Neverwinter Wood,

They tried to fight through all the guards, but the goblins had numbers most large, 

So they waited till night fell most deep, For a secret assault on the keep.

The mightiest foes are soon to be dead,

Bested and beaten by heroes they’ll dread.

They bring them to justice as quick as a steed, 

‘Tis the tale of the Owlbear League

They bargained with bugbear king Grol, for Gundren in trade for their gold,

But a drow wanted Gundren for one, called Black Spider, still seen by no one.

A battle commenced and they fled, with Gundren tied up and half dead,

The drow was not what it first seemed, a blue creature they beat and they creamed.

The map to the mines left behind, they had to sneak back in to find.

Orryn and Nowhere crept right, through ruins, in dark of the night.

They slayed guards and secured them the map, but while leaving heard something in back.

An owlbear chained like a slave, released by the heroes most brave.

They cut through the goblins so wee, and saved owlbear named Lady D.

An alarm had been raised as they fled, the hordes they knew, would make them dead, 

They ran from their camp and their goods, losing pursuit in the dark of the woods.

The mightiest foes are soon to be dead,

Bested and beaten by heroes they’ll dread.

They bring them to justice as quick as a steed, 

‘Tis the tale of the Owlbear League

The league in the orchard they stayed, to rest well before Wave Echo Cave.

The morning brought trouble around, terror in Phandalin town,

Goblins, hobgoblins and Grol, through the street took a murderous stroll, 

The league met them quick in the street, but were outnumbered, and close to defeat. 

Mad Grol struck down K’ronk all alone, till an angel made herself known,

Sister G. saved the prone dragonborn, but took a bad hit of her own.

Immeral he raced to defend, Dain and Nowhere brought Grol to his end, 

Seraphina healed poor Garaele, Atlas and Orryn slaying goblins so well.

'Til Sir Isteval helped rule the day, killing goblins like cutting fresh hay.

The mightiest foes are soon to be dead,

Bested and beaten by heroes they’ll dread.

They bring them to justice as quick as a steed, 

‘Tis the tale of the Owlbear League

The party is overwhelmed as everyone cheers.  Toasts go up, and drinking is done late into the night, much mead is consumed, and many coins of the league are spent haphazardly, but in good spirit. 

IMMERAL 

In short order under Garaele's watchful eye, Immeral is drawing the weave of magic into the brazier, along with some base materials, and over the course of an hour, a very advanced spell he has been preparing to cast is done. From the realm of faewild, a creature of magical origin appears, it is a seemingly normal looking falcon, and Garaele sighs with delight. 

Immeral tells it with authority. "You are Syldan, my familiar. I am Immeral your master, but also your friend.  I hope we have great times together." 

The avian looks around, taking in its new surroundings, unsure, but unafraid. 

NEXT - Welcome to Triboar