Solo LMoP - 12. The Battle for Cragmaw Castle

Knowing that it is probably just a matter of a few minutes at most before the inhabitants of the castle are all on alert and coming after them, the group rushes in a circular movement around the Northern side of the castle and - weapons drawn - attack from the front, prepared for open battle. 

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As soon as the party storms onto the balcony in front of the ruin they are greeted by a hail of arrows from slits in the two towers flanking the crumpled gate. Inside they find an outstretched hall with many doors. Goblins and Hobgoblins push through them, firing arrows and poking with their swords at the bellies of the adventurers. More and more join the fray as they are alarmed and for some time all the group can do is keep them at bay. Quillathe fires several Sleep-spells into the adjacent rooms, controlling the influx of goblinoids. Brandr and Harbek keep their comrades standing while sending spells at the enemies. In the end it is Haunui who gets through the defenses of his opponents and kills the first Goblin with a jab of his new hunting sword and the killing begins. One by one the enemies fall but more are coming in. A monstrous, tentacled snake-creature, a Grick, crawls through a door in the eastern part of the room but triggers a cave-in that crushes part of its body and makes it easier to be dispatched before it could do any harm. Quillathe falls under the hail of arrows but is quickly revived by Haunui and Harbek and together they finally manage to gain victory. Most of the goblinoids lay slain but they disarm and tie up three of them that are still under the influence of a sleep-spell. They push gags in their mouths and retreat into one of the smaller chambers, panting and bleeding. Harbek asks them to keep their ears open while he sinks down on his knees and prays to Marthammor Duin in gratitude for their survival and pleading for his help
🎲Prayer of Healing, 2d8+7: 9 (unbelievable...) HP healed to everyone.

With my knowledge as a DM I know that not all monsters in Cragmaw Castle have been slain. The ones remaining will however need to investigate first. I'll roll to see in what room they'll see the adventurers. 

🎲Roll for room, 1d12 (skipping 1 and 10 on the map): 3 => Archer post 
🎲Stealth Check opponent +6: 9 (failure against everyone's passive perception)

As the group is picking up their arms to investigate the castle, they hear metal shifting in the hallway and as they quickly open the door they see a large, furry figure hunched over the corpse of one of the hobgoblins, spying into the main entrance. It's a huge, grey-furred bugbear, whose eyes quickly shift from the dead, glancing over the tied up goblinoids and finally fixating on the adventurers. He roars in frustration and anger and tries to get away from the group that has slain his entire tribe. 

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The group chases the fleeing Bugbear through the castle to a door where he makes his stand, supported by a snarling pet wolf. Soon he bleeds from many wounds when he is hit from behind and sinks to his knees as a woman in simple, but refined clothes smashes a st0ol on his head. The blow cracks his skull and the party quickly disposes of his wolf as well, while the woman, whose face and arms are covered in bruises, backs up against the wall, panting. 

The group pushes into the room and Harbek shouts out: "Gundren!" as he runs over to a slumped figure in the corner. Drusa immediately turns to the woman and informs if she is alright. As soon as they are convinced that Gundren lives, the others (except for Harbek) join in the conversation. 

🎲Deception Check Vyerith, +6, adv (Read Thoughts): 21
🎲Insight Check Brandr, +6: 12

🎲Harbek Cure Wounds => Gundren, 1d8+6: 14 => healed to max HP

The woman introduces herself as Vyerith, a woman from Triboar who was traveling towards the High Road when she was ambushed by the Cragmaw Goblins. She claims to be a traveling fighter, specialized in unarmed combat and on her way from town to town, wrestling for coin. She is impressed by the characters' skill in combat and requests that she may join them for a while until she can get to a town. The group tells her that they are based in Phandalin and she expresses her interest to get there. They all agree that they'll take her with them. 

In the meantime, Harbek heals his cousin. Gundren is extremely grateful for his rescue but immediately asks if they have found his map and if Sildar is alright. A relieved smile spreads over his face when he hears the good news about his friend. Vyerith points the group to Groll who, according to her had shoved a piece of parchment into his pocket, before leaving to investigate.  And indeed, they find the map in his possession. The group, joined by Vyerith then continues to search the entire castle for treasure. 

They find: 
- Sildar Hallwinters chain mail and longsword
- a small cask of Dwarven Brandy
- a beautiful quarterstaff engraved with feathers (worth 10g)
- a gold statuette of a sun elf (worth 100g)
- golden ritual implements (worth 330g total), which Quillathe takes for the shrine
- three potions of healing, going to Harbek, Haunui and Vyerith
220 silver-pieces and 160 electrum-pieces, divided among the party, Vyerith takes 30 electrum

The group hears terrible roaring, hooting and scratching in the South-Eastern tower.
🎲Quillathe Nature Check +3 (DC 13, 10+CR): 11 (failure)
Not knowing what waits for them inside the tower, the group decides to investigate carefully. But when they open the door they see a large, angry owlbear that immediately charges for the door. 
🎲Who's first at the door, 1d10÷2 (1: Drusa, 2: Harbek, 3: Haunui, 4: Quillathe, 5: Brandr): 4 => Quillathe
🎲Secondary Nature Check Quillathe, +3 (DC 10): 13 (success)

Quillathe, realizing the creature just wants to get out, having been barred and locked inside a building, jumps aside and calls out to the others to make way. 
The roaring animal pushes its way through the door and, ignoring the party, makes its way out of the castle to freedom. 
🎲Perception Check Brandr +4 (DC 15): 20 (success)
When looking inside the room the party finds a hidden chest containing 90 electrum-pieces, 120 gold-pieces, one more potion of healing and two spell scrolls (Silence and Revivify). 
The money is divided (only among the party), the potion goes to Brandr and the spell scrolls to Quillathe (Silence) and Harbek (Revivify).

Quillathe has taken the relics to a room in the Northern part of the castle where the Goblins have defiled a shrine dedicated to Oghma, Mystra, Lathander and Tymora. She starts cleaning it and putting the relics they found back on the altar. While she does so in quiet contemplation, the rest of the group and Vyerith decide to spend the night in the castle to heal up. They clear out the corpses and throw them outside in the woods for the wild animals to devour, then they make camp in the driest part of the castle. The three captive goblinoids are released into the woods, having been shown the defeat of their tribe. Vyerith, seemingly very tired, quickly falls asleep and the rest of the group rests and bandages their wounds. Quillathe refuses their help gracefully and - when the shrine is cleansed - she sinks on her knees and prays.