Session 5 - The Spider's Web
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I had hoped for a simple and easy start to my day, and was greeted as I woke up in the morning by the stench of brimstone and sulphur, trademark signs of unwanted company and trouble. Unsurprisingly a hellspawn agent was stood amongst my friends in the Stonehill Inn, doing nothing but watching, thankfully. Acting outside of his masters knowledge I am sure, the Lords of Hell know better than to intrude on my business unannounced, which prompted my to lose my temper slightly and raise my Voice. The hellspawn quickly realised he had overstepped and took his leave.
Harbin Stonecleaver barged into the Inn not long after with a map to Wave Echo Cave, something I was not even aware that his family had kept all these years. It proved invaluable to my ratcatchers as the lost mines were already the target of their attention. Before voyaging through the forests in search of the mine, they stopped by the Sleeping Giant Taphouse, intending to snuff out any remaining vestige of the Redbrand Ruffians and seemed pleasantly surprised that only a small handful of fleeing whelps remained. Caught in the middle of packing up to leave, they put up no resistance and were graciously allowed to leave with their lives by the new Lady of Phandalin. Intent on turning the old taphouse into a safe haven for the flock, Vershan requested that the building be turned over to his custody for repairs and repurposing.
With the last of the Redbrands dealt with, the group was able to move on and begin their trek to Wave Echo Cave. A brief encounter with a rampant Treant, which ended in an appropriate amount of fire and ash, left Sir Gorlock with another trophy of their adventures. The entrance to Wave Echo Cave was easy to find thanks to their map, and the group didn't take long before delving into the cave system that has only recently been unearthed. They were met with the bittersweet remnants of the Phandelver's Pact, the murals upon the walls showing their efforts in this place providing a uplifting image of their life and the littering of bodies providing excruciating detail on their deaths.
The first challenge these ratcatchers had to overcome came in the form of some kind of undead scouting force. Whilst it was easily dispatches, the blood markings upon their leaders skin proves very unsettling, and a bad omen for what is to come. My lesser self recovered this body for further examination.
As they went deeper into the cave, its true purpose and use became more clear, with the cold blast furnace and mechanical bellows laying dormant and awaiting further use. Glittering starlight lined the walls and ceilings of some of this cave system, which is likely what drew the original excavators to the area in the first place. The primary crafting chamber, which I have come to learn was once called the 'Forge of Spells' contained a brazier that emanated magic, in one of the most pure and raw forms I have encountered in a long time. The structure is older than I could have imagined, it acts in an almost identical way to the Arcane Forges of Caelia, but I was under the impression that the concept was of original conception, and not a reproduction of something much older. It seems that even the greatness of The Caelian Empire was preceded by something of even greater ingenuity.
The Forge was not left unprotected, and likely serves as the reason why it had not been harnesses sooner, as it was guarded by a Beholder. Though it has grown weaker in its centuries of solitude, it still proved a formidable threat. That is until one of it's greatest crux' came to bite it, and with its loss of vision it was returned to its plane of origin. After their confrontation, the group decided to try and recuperate within the mine, which is not a principle I am entirely in favour of, but it did leave them in the right place at the right time to encounter my lesser self in person.
After resting, the group moved to face their final challenge and end the current threat to Phandalin once and for all. The Black Spider was in the middle of some kind of ritual when they were interrupted and battle began. He was no match for the now seasoned adventurers, but he was not the true threat, as a Slaad erupted from his very body and assailed the party. It seemed especially interested in dispatching Serena, likely due to the power pearl embedded within its head. Once the battle was over and victory claimed, the group took the time to release the prisoners of The Black Spider, of which only a young Eladrin boy and Human girl remained. The boy, wounded by the traumatic events in the days or weeks prior, latched onto the first person he laid eyes upon, which happened to be Vershan on this occasion.
On their way out of the old mine, the lion and dwarf fell right into the old fake gem trap, causing a small roof collapse that left them walking back to Phandalin less healthy than intended. As usual when the party has returned to the safety of town, they immediately sought me out at the Stonehill Inn.
Serena came in first, bringing the power pearl she had claimed from the Slaad, which I promptly disposed of. My lesser self was less than helpful, as anticipated, so I sent him to keep the others company downstairs. One by one the ratcatchers came to see me, I had information from Angel for Kjell and the help I had sent for to assist Bibi arrived just in time to introduce themselves. From what I have heard, Bibi followed up on my advice and spoke with her friends regarding the menagerie of things chasing and hunting her. I once believed that asking for help was a sign of weakness, but I have grown to understand the bravery it requires in a person.
I think it fitting to close out this entry to my personal memoires with the induction of Vershan into the ranks of the Vigil Oculatus. It was a rushed, but necessary choice given the threat he has been sent to chase down by The Matron. He will need all the resources and information he can get to maximise the chance for success. They all will given their current trajectory.
My new friends are keeping my writing hand tired and my mind busy, which I am not entirely opposed to, but perhaps they can find some time to rest and recuperate now that the immediate threat is gone.