Solo LMoP - 13. The Spider's Web

 I accidently deleted most of this post without being able to restore it. I will therefor need to quickly summarize what happened after the fight at Cragmaw Castle:
While still resting the group was attacked by a returning warband of Hobgoblins, accompanied by the prisoners the party let go. 

Download full Battle Report with all rolls and maps 

The battle was not too demanding and Quillathe got to use her Hypnotic gaze for the first time. 
After the fight the party rested, with Brandr leveling up to level 3. Quillathe, having successfully restored the shrine received a divine charm as a reward that will enable her to cast the "Borrowed Knowledge"-Spell three times without using a spell slot. The party also set the Owlbear free that was locked up in one of the towers and managed to stay out of its way as it headed for freedom.
The group returned to Phandalin without any problems and were paid by Sildar Hallwinter for their heroic deeds. Gundren, being weakened by his captivity needed some more rest before heading on to the cave and since all of them have other goals for the moment they decided on the following: 
They'll take a trip Eastwards to Wyvern Tor to check out if there are any orcs there still and drive them off or kill them (for Sildar and the town), then continue to Old Owl Well, a tower that Daran Edermath pointed them towards because of possible undead activity there. After a visit to Conyberry to ask a banshee a question for Sister Garaele the party will head back Westwards, possibly through Neverwinter wood and head to Thundertree for Haunui who wants to try and free that forsaken town. After that they will return to Phandalin to check back in with Sildar and their other quest givers. 

After an uneventful journey the party arrived at Wyvern Tor but did not manage to creep up unnoticed on the Orcs. And here we take back the Narrative. 

Download full Battle report with all rolls and maps

Rushing out of the cave, alarmed by the scout out front there comes a group of Orcs, swinging large axes and accompanied by the hulking shape of an ogre. The fight is fierce, but the group has the benefit of distance so that they can finish off several of the orcs before they get to them. A well placed spell of Quillathe's puts the ogre out of action as it rolls on the floor, laughing hysterically for a while and after the Orcs' leader has been killed, the rest try to make a run for it but are quickly cut down. 

Each of the characters is awarded 250 XP for the fight as well as some perfume and coin that is divided equally amongst them. They spend a short rest here. 
Quillathe uses her Arcane Recovery to regain 2 1st-level spell slots, Harbek uses his Channel Divinity: Preserve Life to heal everyone back up to full HP.

The party then - it is still morning - uses a few hours to trek Northwards through the hills towards Old Owl Well, where they arrive in the afternoon. 

As you crest a low ridge, you spy the crumbling ruins of an old watchtower standing amid the rugged hills. The place is so old that the walls are only mounds of rubble enclosing a courtyard of sorts, adjacent to the broken stump of an old tower. A colorful tent has been set up in the middle of the courtyard, but no one is in sight.

As they come nearer, they smell the stench of dead and undead creatures start shambling out of the tower. But as they draw weapons a man in red robes exits the tent and inquires about their intentions. With no one serving any gods that strongly oppose undeath the group agrees to talk. The Necromancer introduces himself as Hamun Kost. He does not share much about his reasons to be here but when he finds out that the group has dispatched the Orcs to the South he tells them that he is doing research here and means no ill, as long as he is left alone. The group and he have no reason to fight each other and with the reason for the undead explained they leave Northwards in the direction of Conyberry.

40XP are awarded for each character. 

The group needs to camp out in the hills a few miles South of Conyberry when night falls. 

🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 16, no encounter
🎲Arcana Check Quillathe, +5 to see how much she knows about Banshee's (DC 14): 6 (nothing)

The following morning they travel to Conyberry.

🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 2, no encounter

At Conyberry, the party searches for a while until they find a trail leading them into Neverwinter Woods where, in a strange, woven domicile they encounter the Banshee Agatha. She is creepy and not very friendly, but with the silver comb that Sister Garaele has given them the party can easily win the Banshee over. She tells them what she knows about Bowgentle's spellbook before disappearing. There is no reason for this encounter to happen any differently than this. 

40 XP are awarded for each character again. 

After this somewhat anticlimactic day the group decides to head towards the ruins of Thundertree, traveling through the Neverwinter Wood. They head in a generally North-Western direction and camp for the night. 

🎲Encounter Check for the night, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 12, no encounter
🎲Encounter Check for the day, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 2, no encounter
🎲Encounter Check for the night, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 2, no encounter
🎲Encounter Check for the day, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 11, no encounter
🎲Encounter Check for the night, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 13, no encounter

Two days the group travels through the Neverwinter Wood, and for all the stories of its dangers, they are unimpeded by wandering monsters. It is the morning of the third day when they arrive at the outskirts of Thundertree.

The group is advancing on Thundertree from a generally South-Eastern direction. There are multiple possible entry points into the ruins of the village: 
🎲Entry point, 1d6 (1: North-East, 2: East, 3 or 4: South-East, 5: South, 6: South-West): 1 (North-East)

Having met the Neverwinter River and having camped there during the night the party follows the broad, green stream as it flows towards the West and after about an hour's travel they see the first shapes of building emerge from the underbrush. Before them lie the ruins of Thundertree. 

Gradually, the trail becomes an old, overgrown lane winding between dilapidated buildings choked in vines and brush. Ahead of you, in the middle of the settlement, rises a steep hill, upon which stands a stone tower with a partially collapsed roof and an adjoining cottage. A dirt road hugs the base of the hill and wends its way between old stone houses, many of which are roofless ruins with interiors open to the weather. Other buildings appear more or less intact. The whole place is eerily silent.

Rather close to the river stand the former barracks, the first building they encounter. 

The barracks appears to have weathered the years better than most buildings in town. Its rooftop features a simple battlement, and arrow-slit windows confirm that it was built to serve as a small keep in times of emergency.

Haunui has only faint memories of the place, but when they turn around the corner they find themselves on the former village square. 

On the east side of town, the lane opens up to form a small square. Several ruined buildings surround the south side of the square, but a larger, intact structure to the north looks like a barracks. One lane leads southeast, another heads southwest around the hill in the middle of the town, and a third way meanders north. In the middle of the square, leaning to one side ever so slightly, is a weathered wooden statue of a warrior clutching a spear and shield.

🎲History Check Haunui, +2, adv (born in this town)(DC15): 16 (success)

Almost intuitively Haunui's lips form the name "Palien" when he sees the weathered statue, then he walks over to the barracks.
"I don't know what awaits us in this town, but this here seems like a good place to start, it's sturdy and might serve well as a location for a base camp of sorts.", he suggests. But when he tries to open the door, it does not budge immediately. It is swollen with the moisture of many years and needs some convincing. 

🎲Strength Check Haunui +2 (DC 10): 7 (failure)

Somewhat ashamed Haunui steps back. "A little help here?" he asks, and tries again, backed up by Drusa: 

🎲Strength Check Drusa +3, adv (help from Haunui) (DC 10): 15 (success)

The door bursts open and for a moment Drusa and Haunui see only the darkness of the interior of the old barracks, then a shape on the floor stirs and rises up. 

"These are the undead!", shouts Haunui, drawing his Sword. "Be gone from my home, vile creatures!"
And he rushes inside to fight the zombies that shamble to their feet. 

Download full Battle Report including all rolls and maps

The undead resist the party's attempts to slay them for a while, but they are more an annoyance then a threat for my weathered adventurers. They emit strange bursts of ash when they enter combat that makes the eyes water, but it was not a big bother to anyone. 

The party searches the barracks but finds nothing of use. The building however seems to have weathered the erosion of time well enough. They collect the corpses of the ash zombies and, not wanting to leave them out in plain sight they take them to the next buildings that have largely collapsed where they stack them up. 

🎲1d10 / 2 to see who get's the wrong ruin first (1: Drusa, 2: Haunui, 3: Harbek, 4: Quillathe, 5: Brandr): 3 => Harbek
🎲Stealth Check +5: 5 => failure to surprise Harbek.  
🎲4x 1d100 (rounded up) to see how far away the others are: Drusa (50), Haunui (90), Quillathe (75), Brandr (85)

As Harbek throws down one of the destroyed zombies into the ruins of another house he suddenly hears rustling in the dried out bushes around him and calls out to his friends, just before he is jumped by many tiny creatures that look like they were made out of thin twigs and anger. 

Download Full Battle Report with all rolls and maps

It is a short battle in which the small blight scratch up Harbek rather badly before they are all quickly dispatched. The group returns to the barracks to decide what to do now. Haunui wants to explore more, knowing that Mirna's family's Herbalist shop is nearby and wanting to explore a bit more. 

🎲Stealth Check +1 (DC 14): 5 (failure)

As the group is talking they hear noise outside again and rush to a window just to see a man quickly rushing away Southwards in the direction where they just fought the blights. The group is suspicious and keeps an eye out but when the man does not return they leave it be for the moment, deciding to head to Mirna's shop where after a quick search they do indeed discover the necklace with a beautiful emerald pendant. Haunui pockets it for now, explaining that he intends to return it to her, since they have plenty of money as is. 

From the herbalist's shop the group can clearly see the tower as well as the huge spider-webs covering a part of the road below it. There also is a building to the South-West, a former smithy that looks largely intact as well as the building in the South-East where the man fled to, apparently an old farm-house. These are three possible locations they could explore next. 

🎲1d6 / 2 (1: Spiderwebs, 2: Smithy, 3: Farmhouse): 3 => Farmhouse
🎲Cure Wounds on self, Harbek, 1d8+6: 14 (back to full health)

The characters approach the house and knock on the door. Eventually the door is opened an inch,

reluctantly by a man in dark robes. He asks what the characters want and Haunui introduces himself as. He tells the man that he grew up in Thundertree and has now returned to free it from the zombies and make it suitable for human inhibition again. 
🎲Persuasion Check Haunui -1 (DC 15 for some success, DC 20 for total success): 12 (failure)
The man who has opened the door does not seem conviced and tells Haunui to shove off before slamming the door. The group, not having a reason to think these people anything else but rude settlers with some dark past leave it be for the moment. If Thundertree is freed they can still try and talk to these ruffians about how to continue now. 

The group heads to the old Smithy, that is the nearest building. The door is swollen and barred as well, so Drusa and Haunui try to force it open together. 

🎲Strength Check Drusa, +3, adv (assisted check)(DC 10): 21 (success)

The door splinters and falls inward. Two slumped shapes inside this abandoned smithy slowly rise to their feet and attack. 

Download full Battle Report (including all rolls and maps) here

The battle is short and within seconds the Zombies are destroyed. Harbek and Brandr, who breathed in the choking Ash that evaporated from the monsters' bodies are coughing for a while but manage to pull themselves together with no lasting harm done as it seems. The Smithy itself is intact, but there is nothing of use for our party here and they leave quickly. 

🎲NPC Stealth Check +1 (DC 14): 14 (success) => not noticed by the party

The group moves Northwards to investigate and if possible remove the large webs. 

🎲Monster Stealth Check +7: 24
🎲Perception Checks Haunui +3 (9) and Brandr +4 (13)

The group does not see any creature that might have left those webs behind and decide to investigate. There are multiple ways they can do this, ranging from stupid to smart. None of the characters is proficient in Nature. 

🎲Quillathe Intelligence Check to make a plan +3, adv (assisted check), (10 for some success, 15 for more success, 20 for complete success): 11 =>some success

As the group talks about how to go about removing these webs, they decide not to touch them directly since they might be sticky. Instead of that, they pick up large branches and try and poke apart the webs. 
As they do so, a skittering becomes audible and two monstrously large spiders emerge from inside the building, attacking the group. 

Download full Battle Report (including all rolls and maps) here

The to enormous beasts spit webbing at the party but Drusa stands in front of everyone, takes two venomous bites and slays one of them with a single blow of her axe while the rest of the group pelts the other creature with spells and projectiles until it tries to run and is brought down by Quillathe and her magic missiles. 

The group slowly and carefully cuts away the remaining webs and makes its way into the building. Here they find, entangled in more webs the dried out husk of the spider's last victim. The group lays the dead elf to rest and take the gold and potion he carried. 
After the burial the group reconvenes at the barracks and takes a short rest. 

With that out of the way the group debates whether to have a look at the tower or not. It is the highest vantage point they could get and probably a better base than the barracks. They head towards the tower, but as they start to climb the path up to the tower a grey squirrel emerges from the bushes and turns into the druid Reidoth. He warns them that a green dragon has taken over the tower, a fearsome beast that is not to be underestimated. 
Reidoth ushes the group along the road to the South-Western part of town where he informs them about the state of the town. There are ash-zombies locked up in the sturdier buildings that he has not yet dealt with and the overgrown ruins are infested with Twig Blights. He is overjoyed when he hears of Haunui's plans to return the town to its former state. Reidoth does not know what the people in the Eastern part of town plan but they have been lurking around the dragon's tower. Reidoth would very much like to see the town freed of the monster, but he doubts if the group will be able to slay her. 

Now this is a moment where some consideration is needed. Slaying a dragon at 3rd level is nearly impossible, and even reducing it to 1/2 health as the adventure states you should is a very unlikely situation. The group however might consider trying to do this if they have backup, so they will possibly talk with the dragon cultists or ask Reidoth to back them up. There is no statblock for him and the statblock for a standard druid offers neither offensive nor healing spells which is why I deem it rather useless here. Also, a green dragons breath will reduce each of our characters to 0 HP in an instant with no healing that will be the death blow. 

Reasoning from the characters point of view I also don't think they would think themselves capable of defeating a dragon, especially since Reidoth does describe its capabilities. Haunui is the one with the most motivation to clear out the town, but it is not necessarily something he needs to do today. He'd rather come back another day once he has become stronger and live instead of fighting now and dying before achieving his end-goal. 

The group returns to Reidoths house and talks about the situation. They decide on two things: They will clear out the zombies and blights today and then head to the people in the farmhouse and talk about the dragon, trying and gaging what their point of view is and if they would back them up. 

So from Reidoths house they head to the location he has described to clear out the pests that infest Thundertree. First, they leave his house to clear out the twig blights that infest the cottages North and East of it.

Blighted Cottages, Download full Battle Report here

The Brown Horse, Download full Battle Report here

Blighted Farmhouse, Download full Battle Report here

Clearing out the three location proves no challenge at all. The group is a bit scratched up but have easily managed to defeat over a dozen of the little plant monsters and four shambling ash zombies in the former inn. There is nothing of value for them so they decide to spend the night at the Barracks to rest up. They talk about their plans and eventually it is Brandr who takes a spell scroll from his backpack and starts to read it out loud. For a moment his eyes flash bright orange and then he turns to the group and says calmly: "I serve a god of war and combat, a god who wants me to use my powers for battle and heroism, to defeat the dark creatures that roam this world."
"So?", asks Harbek. 
"He says, we should not go and try to confront the dragon.", states Brandr, as the Augury-Scroll crumples in his hands. 

That settles it. The next morning the group packs their things, ask Reidoth to keep an eye out for both the dragons and the people in the farmhouse and leave, promising to return as soon as they can. Deciding that they do not want to let Gundren wait any longer, that they want to report about their finished quests and that Thundertree is save enough for the moment - if you don't count the dragon - they depart in a Southern direction along the edge of the Neverwinter Woods. 

🎲Encounter Check for the day, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 15 (no encounter)
🎲Encounter Check for the night, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 5 (no encounter)
🎲Encounter Check for the day, 1d20 (Encounter or 17 or higher): 5 (no encounter)

As the sun sets on the second day, after an eventless journey the group returns to Phandalin, where they have left Gundren, Sildar and - unbeknownst to everyone - a doppelganger. 

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. 

Download Full Battle Report, with all rolls and maps

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. 

Download full Battle Report, including all rolls and maps

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. 

Solo LMoP - 11. The Search for Cragmaw Castle

The next morning the party wakes up and gathers at breakfast in the Stonehill Tavern, where they discuss their agenda. After yesterday they would all agree that their priority should be to try and find Gundren. They have a general idea of where the castle is located since they questioned one of the goblins at the Cragmaw hideout. Chances are that they come upon a patrol of the tribe's goblins when they get near and that might help them pinpoint the exact location. 
Before they leave, Haunui heads to the Lionshield Coster to buy a shield and Harbek heads to Qelines house where he lays copper coins on Egarts eyes and says a prayer that will keep his body from decomposing for the foreseeable future. (Casting Gentle Repose as a ritual) This should give his aunt the time to set up a proper funeral and inquire about his mother. 

Then the party says their goodbyes to Sildar and heads North towards the Triboar Trail.
🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 4 => No encounter
🎲Weather (3x 1d20 for each condition): Temperature (7: normal), Wind (6: none), Rain (9: none)

It is a pleasant journey as the sun is warm and the travel goes along the road. The group travels about 15 miles along the road and then turns North and head into the hilly grassland that separates them from Neverwinter Wood. They camp not too far from the forests edge. 
🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 14 => No encounter

The group spends a quiet night of rest (Consuming a ration each) and in the morning they talk about what to do now. The description they had was that the Castle was in Neverwinter woods, roughly 20 miles East from the hideout, but the exact location is a riddle to them so far. But it cannot be very far in, so they will need to head in there and hope that they either find the castle or hit a patrol. 

🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 15 => No encounter
🎲Weather (3x 1d20 for each condition): Temperature (11: normal), Wind (12: none), Rain (5: none)
🎲Investigation Check Quillathe, +5 (DC 20): 20 (success)

The group heads into Neverwinter Woods, leaving behind the beaten trails and wandering between the ancient trees of this outstretched woodland. The sounds of birdsong from above and now and then the cracking of a branch under their feet surround them in this world of shadow and light. Soft leaves cover the ground under their feet. It is halfway through the day when Quillathe, who has kept her eyes to the ground points out a set of footprints at the edge of a murky pool. The size and form appear to be similar to goblin feet. They have found a trail. Haunui inspects the area and starts to lead the party in an attempt to follow the trail. 
🎲Survival Check Haunui +3 (DC 15, soft, natural floor but it's been dry and the tracks were made by small creatures): 12 (failure)

Haunui tries to follow the tracks but eventually loses them in an area with little moss. As the afternoon is nearing its end the party makes camp for the night. 

🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 7 => No encounter

The party sleeps somewhat uneasy with the strange sounds of the woods around them but awake the next morning rested. (Consuming a ration each)
🎲Direction they travelled, 1d6 (1: N, 2: NE, 3: SE, 4: S, 5: SW, 6: NW): 6 => Northwest
🎲Weather (3x 1d20 for each condition): Temperature (1: normal), Wind (3: none), Rain (17: light rainfall) 🎲Amount of rain, 1d6x4: 3 => 12 hours of light rain

A soft rain has started falling. In the early morning-hours the tree-tops keep most of it at bay, but as the day continues and the canopy becomes drenched more and more moisture drips down onto the adventurers, slowly soaking into their clothing. 

🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 10 => No encounter
🎲Investigation Check Quillathe +5 (DC 20): 18 (failure)
🎲Direction they travel in, 1d6 (1: N, 2: NE, 3: SE, 4: S, 5: SW, 6: NW): 4 => South East

Quillathe leads the group back, trying to find the trail they had lost yesterday but at the end of the day the only tracks they run into are their own. Frustrated and tired they bed down for the night.

🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 20 => 🎲Encounter table, 1d12: 6 (Hobgoblins) => 🎲Amount, 1d4+2: 6
🎲Who is on watch, 1d10/2 (1: Drusa, 2: Haunui, 3: Harbek, 4: Quillathe, 5: Brandr): 4 => Quillathe

🎲Stealth Check attackers, +1, disdavantage because of armor (DC 13): 12 (failure)

In the middle of the night Quillathe suddenly calls out as on her command the campfire burns brighter again: "Wake up, we're under attack!"

Download Battle Report, including all rolls and maps here

It only takes a few seconds. From the dark there are arrows shooting, released by red-skinned humanoids in heavy armour. The Hobgoblins quickly drop their bows and rush in, swinging longswords, but three of them are sent to sleep by Quillathe and the others are swiftly dealt with. The group leaves one of them alive and searches all of them, finding some coin and a very bad sketch of what apparently is supposed to represent Harbek's face with a note attached: 

25 gold pieces for this one

The party attempts to interrogate the surviving Hobgoblin but the creature keeps its teeth clenched together, only opening its mouth to insult them in Goblin and demand an honourable death. 

The party talks about how to deal with this and decides to purposefully tie her up in a way that she will be able to escape so that they can follow the footprints in the soggy ground in the morning. 
🎲Deception Check Drusa, +2: 12
🎲Insight Check Hobgoblin, +0: 11 (Drusa succeeds)

The party ties up the creature and tells her that they will decide her fate in the morning before going back to sleep, their weapons at the ready and keeping a guard up all night that does pretend to have a hard time staying awake. The party finishes a long rest and awakes in the morning to find the Hobgoblin gone. (One ration consumed by each of the partymembers)
🎲Direction they travelled, 1d6 (1: N, 2: NE, 3: SE, 4: S, 5: SW, 6: NW): 1 => North
🎲Weather (3x 1d20 for each condition): Temperature (1: normal), Wind (9: none), Rain (3: none)

The party gathers their belongings and decides to follow the tracks that are not too hard to see in the softened forest floor after a day of rain. 
🎲Survival Check Haunui +3 (DC 10): 18 (success)
🎲Encounter Check, 1d20 (Encounter on 17-20): 9 => no encounter

With Haunui in the lead the party follows the tracks Southwards for about two and a half hours until they see clear paths trampled through the underbrush by many armoured feet over a longer period of time. They are nearing the castle, and these must be the paths made by the patrolling groups of goblinoids. 

The party tries to find a quiet place to discuss what happens now. A stealthy approach would be preferable but three of them are wearing loud and noisy armour that will make it hard to get close undetected. They can either go in for a frontal assault or hope that nightfall makes it easier for them to approach undetected. Haunui offers to try and attempt to get closer, but not without the rest of his group waiting within earshot. Quillathe also informs the group that this castle is the location of a shrine to Oghma that she intends to cleanse. She understands that rescuing Gundren is the first priority, but if possible, she wants to try and clear out the Goblins. A peaceful solution will only work for her if the Cragmaws give up the castle, which she believes unlikely.

They advance slowly and carefully as they see crumpled stone walls emerge behind the trees. The castle is more of a ruin than a fortress. 

Given their travels the group advances from the North and slightly East. 

While his friends wait behind a few bushes Haunui tries to get closer as softly as he can. 

🎲Stealth Check Haunui +3 (DC 5, no one is paying attention on this side of the castle): 12 (success)
Haunui creeps closer to the North-Eastern tower and, hearing voices speaking what sounds like Common from inside he leans against the castle wall under one of the arrow slits and attempts to listen in. 
🎲Perception Check Haunui +3 (DC12 for some succes, DC 18 for total success): 10 (failure)
He hears at least two voices but cannot make out much of the conversation. 
🎲Direction Haunui goes from here, 1d6 (even=West, odd=South): 6 (West)
Making brief eye-contact with his compatriots Haunui skirts along the wall and around a big pile of rubble along the Northern side of the ruin. 
🎲Perception Check Haunui +3 (DC15): 5 (failure, he does not notice anything)

Haunui sneaks onward to the next tower, the third one along the Northern Side of Crawgmaw Castle. 
🎲Stealth Check Haunui +3 (DC9): 5 (failure)
As Haunui shirks around the next pile of rubble he dislodges one of the pieces of stone that tumbles down with a lot of noise. 
🎲Dexterity/Initiative Checks Goblins vs Haunui: Haunui +3 (11), Goblin +2 (8) => Haunui moves first. 

Haunui quickly looks around and then jumps behind a bush, kneeling and trying to hide himself from view. 
🎲Stealth Check Haunui +3: 6

🎲Perception Check Goblin, -1: 9 

Now, the goblins quickly climb up to one of the arrow-slits and spy Haunui shuffling away behind the bush. They would not directly attack, but instead raise the alarm. They'd back away from the arrow slit and rush to get help. They cannot go directly to their leader, since he is currently preoccupied and would not take kindly to them disturbing him, but instead they'd go and get help from their congeners in the hope to ambush the man outside. I'll treat this like initiative, with each round allowing a few things to happen. 

First, the goblins decide on what to do and spend one round to do so. 

Haunui in the meantime will try to figure out if he has been seen. 

🎲Stealth Check Goblin, +6: 9
🎲Peception Check Haunui +3: 4 (failure)

So Haunui does not know yet if he has been seen or not. He did not spy the goblin peering out, because it is much darker inside the ruin than outside. 

Now ("second round") some of the Goblins rush through the castle to get help. The one that is remaining behind tries to get a look at Haunui without revealing himself.
🎲Stealth Check Goblin, +6: 7 
🎲Perception Check Haunui, +3: 19 (success)
So now Haunui knows he has been found out, or can at least assume he is. That will however be his action, so he'll move his entire speed away from the tower, trying to get distance between himself and whoever saw him. He stays visible for this moment but tries to give the impression of fleeing. 
🎲Deception Check Haunui -1: 5
🎲Insight Check Goblins -1: 18
Very unconvincingly uttering things like "Oh no, what ever shall I do" and "Good grief, I must flee to get away", Haunui backs into the trees.
Next, the goblin who had gone for backup arrives at his destination and needs to convince a bad tempered cook to spare him some of his assistants for defending the castle:
🎲Persuasion Goblin -1 (DC 10: Moderate success, DC 15: Full success): 16 => Full success
Several Goblins are sent with him to back him up. This does however take a total of two turns while Goblins run and get their weapons. 

In the meantime, Haunui tries to get out of the way and hide in the forest. 
🎲Stealth Haunui +3: 15
🎲Perception Goblins -1: 18

Despite Haunui's best attempts the Goblin observing him still manages to get at least the general direction of where he is traveling. Haunui returns to the group quickly, informing them that he has been seen. They need to think fast and decide what to do, since now the Goblins are probably coming after them. They do not know from where to expect them, so the entire group backs up to get some distance and try to keep quiet. 
🎲Group Stealth Check (DC 9): Haunui, +3 (17), Drusa -1, disadvantage (6), Harbek, -1, dis (14), Brandr +0, disadvantage (12), Quillathe +2 (3, natural 1) 
            => 3 successes, 3 failures (nat 1 counting double), even chances. Average is 10 (rounded down) 
            🎲 Goblin Perception -1 (DC 10): 11 (success)

The group has a head start of approximately 60 ft, backing up towards a small stream that flows close to the castle when a shouting group of Goblins catches up to them. 

Download full battle report, including all rolls and maps

The group of goblins advances as a closed formation, shouting, skreeching and notching 

arrows. But Quillathe releases a spell and the biggest part of the group collapses to the ground, fast asleep. The adventurers rush in and kill most of the creatures while Haunui and Drusa both manage to capture one. They put sharp objects on the creatures' throats and the goblins quickly spill all the beans they have. Apparently, the castle is ruled by a bugbear called King Groll who is the chief of the Cragmaw tooth. At the moment he is in a meeting with a 'dark elf woman' who has been sent by 'the Spider'. 
Drusa pricks the side the Goblins neck a little bit and tells him she'll cut his throat if he doesn't tell her anything interesting or important about his tribes castle.

🎲Intimidation Drusa +2 (DC 10): 16 (success)
The gibbering goblin tells Drusa that there is a hidden pit in the central hall and that the dark hall is guarded by "Lhupo's bitey pet monster". 

Drusa and Haunui tell the Goblins to get away from here as fast as they can or they won't live another day, before releasing them into the woods where they scramble to flee as far away as they can.  

The adventurers, aware that they are probably not going to get inside the castle unseen hope to make their entrance at least somewhat of a suprise and circle around to attack Cragmaw Castle from the front. 

Solo LMoP - 07. Redbrand Hideout

 After a night of rest at the Stonehill Tavern (5 silver for each) the party gets up early in the morning and heads to the farm of Qeline Alderleaf, led by Egart who follows the description he got from Carp to continue into the woods to the East. There they find a hidden cave entrance. It is dark, but there is a light shining from the end of it. Sneaking as well as they can, they make their way inside. 

🎲Stealth Checks: Egart, +7 (12), Harbek, -1 disadvantage (8), Drusa, -1, disadvantage (8), Haunui, +3 (12), Quillathe, +2 (17) (Group check successful) 

The group follows the passage for about 100ft before it funnels into a wider cavern.
A cold breeze fills this large natural cavern, carrying with it the faint scent of decaying flesh. A crevasse divides the cavern and is flanked by two rough stone columns that support the twenty-foot-high ceiling. Two arched wooden bridges span the chasm.

Having - as a group - rolled just high enough to beat the inhabitants passive perception the group notices a small, strange creature sitting at the edge of the chasm, its back spiked and a single, softly glowing green eye staring into the mists that fill it. 

🎲HP for the Nothic, 6d8+18: (39)
🎲Arcana-roll Quillathe to determine what they are seeing (DC12), +5: 8 (failure) 

None of the party members knows - through their background - what this creatures is. Now one of the most interesting questions that will definitely impact the game is whether or not Egart knows about this creature and what it does here. To determine that, the most honest thing is to roll a luck check (1-10: bad luck, 11-20: good luck). 

🎲Luck Check Egart: 20 (very good luck)

Egart turns to the rest of the party: "I know creatures like this, let me try something."
Quietly Egart moves forward to the ravine, inching up to the weird creature. "Hey, buddy.", he whispers and the green eye turns to him. A silent conversation is had. The party looks on as their rogue and the bizare creature stare at each other. 

🎲Persuasion Egart, +3 (DC 10): 9 (failure) - The Nothic will not help them for food alone

After that Egart opens his pack and takes out strips of dried meat that he pushes towards the Nothic. The creature grabs it and the staring continues while it slowly chews on a bit of jerky. (-2 rations)

🎲Persuasion Egart, +3 (DC 12): 18 (success)

After about a minute Egart returns to the group and they see the small creature climb into the crevasse where it disappears in the faint mist. Egart whispers to the party: "We might need to deal with him later, but he'll let us continue for now. The bosses' quarters are at the end of this cavern."
"What went on there?", asks Harbek, concern in his voice. "And how do you know all of that?"
"Just a conversation, don't worry about it. He told me where to go.", says the halfling as he marches onward towards the far end of the cavern. 

🎲Deception Check Egart +5: 16
🎲Insight Check Harbek +3: 16 (success for Egart, who rolls the active check)

For now Egart manages to convince Harbek of his story, though the dwarf has started to doubt his companion's motives and actions. Egart dealing with such a creature is useful, but he does not like at all that he is being kept in the dark about what transpired. 

Leading the party to the end of the cave Egart heads into the hallway on the left that ends after about 30ft at a blank wall with doors on both sides. Egart listens closely at both of them. 

🎲Perception Northern door, +0 (DC 15): 12 (failure)
🎲Perception Southern door, +0 (DC 10): 10 (success)

Hearing the sound of people playing a game of dice behind the Southern door and nothing behind the other, Egart opens the Northern door quietly and looks inside. He finds himself in a wizard's laboratory. The flavor text reads as follows: 

This room appears to be a wizard’s workshop. A rat scurries across the floor and takes refuge under a large worktable set up with alembics, retorts, distillation coils, and other alchemical devices, all of it stewing and bubbling away. Bookshelves are crowded with sheaves of parchment and strange-looking tomes.

Since the room is empty, Egart waves his compatriots to follow him as the rat quickly scurries off to find a save hiding spot. As they enter one by one, the more perceptive of them hear the sound of grinding stone and quick footsteps coming from behind a door in the North-Eastern corner of the room. Rushing after the sound, the party opens the door and finds themselves in a bedroom draped with scarlet cloth. 

Now, the book states clearly that characters entering have advantage to find the hidden exit, but searching the room does take time. I'll allow each character in turn to make a perception check with advantage, but each failed check gives the fleeing leader of the Redbrands another round to make his escape. 

🎲Perception Drusa, +3, adv (DC 15): 9 (fail)
🎲Perception Harbek, +3, adv (DC 15): 23 (success)

Harbek, seeing a secret door in the Eastern wall slightly ajar points it out and shouts: "After him...her...whomever!"

The party takes up pursuit. Haunui is the first through the door and, rushing into a storeroom that opens into the main crevasse he sees no other exit and runs along the Eastern embankment. The others follow closely while Egart rushes past the bearded warrior, blade drawn. He sprints into a corridor on the far South side, opposite the entrance the group came through originally. A soft cackling echoes through the cavern as the others run after him, armor clanging, blindly following his lead for now. 

Finally Egart comes through the corridor and sees himself face to face with a man in a red coat, wielding a staff that appears to be made of glass. The room they are in has a large cistern filling a big part of it and the man just got up and holds a dripping wet satchel in his hand that he apparently just retreived from the water. 

"You!", the man says as Egart enters, rushes past him and cuts off the way, just as Haunui enters the room through the corridor. 

Download full Battle and Chase Report, including all the rolls and maps

The wizard, that Egart has immediately recognized as Glasstaff, vanishes and reappears at the top of a banister on the East side of the room before turning his back and running into a hallway there. Egart rushes after him. Running up a set of stairs he finds himself in the open air, coming out of a dilapidated shed next to an even more dilapidated manor just as the wizard flees around the corner of the ruin. 

In the damp cellar a door smashes open and three ruffians enter, stirred by the sudden noise. They are quickly dealt with, even though Drusa takes a few serious blows before the last of the Redbrands here is dispatched. Egart's companions than take up the chase. 

Up top the red-robed wizard is in full flight, turning only once to send a few arcane missiles at Egart, that make the rogue stumble back and hide for a moment, giving Glasstaff a bit of a head start. 

However, he is fleeing down a road and through open terrain, avoiding the town. This gives Egart and Haunui the chance to fire their arrows at him. But, wielding his glass staff and using it to conjure up an arcane shield the fleeing man manages to deflect most of the projectiles. Egart sheathes his bow and continues the chase on foot. The two men rush over the open terrain and disappear into the hills to the North. Haunui sends a few more arrows after them, but then joins up with the rest of the party in the pursuit of their halfling companion. 

Egart follows the wizard over hills, jumps over a patch of razor-sharp brambles and draws his sword. "You're mine now, Glasstaff!", he shouts as he gains ground. But then his quarry stops and turns, red-faced and panting. 
"You always were far to quick to act, Egart!", he says as three more arcane missiles form in his hand and shoot towards his pursuer. A terrible blow to the chest and a purple light are the last thing Egart sees, before the void takes him. 

About half a minute later Quillathe arrives, followed closely by the others. She finds Egart lying face down in the grass that is still wet from the morning dew. They feel his breath, listen for a heartbeat. But it is useless. Egart is dead. 

Egart
Lightfoot Halfling Rogue, Level 2
Cause of Death: Magic Missile, cast by Glasstaff

Solo LMoP - 06. Redbrand Ruffians (Level 2)

Now up until this point all the personal imput I had into this party was roleplay and combat decisions. For most of our party this still stays the same, since they don't get any subclasses yet. But Quillathe does get to choose her Arcane Tradition. 

Drusa (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d10+2 (reroll 1): 4 => total of 16 HP
- new Feature: Action Surge

Haunui (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d10+2 (reroll 1): 7 => total of 19 HP
- new Feature: Action Surge

Egart (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d8+1 (reroll 1): 9 => total of 18 HP
- new Feature: Cunning Action

Harbek (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d8+3 (reroll 1): 11 => total of 22 HP
- new Feature: Channel Divinity: Turn Undead
- new Feature: Channel Divinity: Preserve Life

Quillathe (Lvl 2 Character Sheet)
🎲Hit Points, 1d6+2 (reroll 1): 5 => total of 14 HP

Nou Quillathe has had a few interesting moments that might impact her choice for a specific school of magic. Her first great success was the Sleep-spell that took out two goblins and made sure the party could enter the den without a problem. She did a Burning Hands- spell that took out two wolves and killed a goblin with ray of frost. But together with Harbek she did send Klargh running, saving the party a big fight with a downed healer. 

So, given her knack for manipulation, Quillathe will choose the School of Enchantment. 
- new Feature: Enchantment Savant
- new Feature: Hypnotic Gaze
🎆new Spells: Hideous Laughter and Thunderwave

The night brings rest and healing and the following morning our adventurer take their supplies and leave the cave behind, strolling back towards Phandalin. Traveling at a normal pace they arrive at the town in the afternoon and head straight to the Inn to see if Sildar has made any advancements. The knight tells them that he has been asking around but has not managed to find any news of Iarno Albrek. He does however pay them the promise 50 goldpieces he has managed to procure from the townmaster. 

The rest of the day our group of adventurers can each follow their own goals for a while. As far as they have any. 

Egart would visit his aunt, Qelline Alderleaf, who works a farm at the edge of town. He'd give her all his silver and copper as he is used to share with her. They would chat a bit and Egart would play a game of cards with his young cousin Carp, Qelline's 10 year old son. He'd learn couple of things: Carp has seen a couple of Redbrands meet with "Big, Ugly Bandits" in the woods near a hidden tunnel he discovered. Egart would warn him about both the Redbrands and the tunnel and tell him to stay away from it - which Qelline echoes. When telling about the map to Wave Echo Cave that they found Qeline would advice Egart to seek out her old friend Reidoth, a druid that currently lives near the ruins of the town Thundertree - a name that Egart would recognize from having overheard Haunui talk about it. Reidoth knows a lot about the land and might be the right person to ask about the mines. 

Meanwhile Harbek would have asked around for Daran Edermath and be directed towards a tidy little cottage beside an apple orchard. Daran Edermath, a retired half-elf adventurer well over a hundred years of age would be rejoiced to welcome the dwarf. He'd tell him more about the Redbrands and their misdeeds in the town. This gang of thugs and their leader need to be taken down a notch. He can't pay the party to do so, but he is glad that Harbek agrees with him on the subject.

Quillathe heads to find the local priestess of Tymora. Sister Garaele however cannot offer any aid to her. By now Quillathe is the one who has knowledge about the Cragmaw clan and the castle. Garaele is very distraught with the activity of the Redbrands, who keep the town under their thumb and wishes there were someone who'd go against them. It's a short visit. Quillathe is not impressed by the other elf woman but has nothing against helping rid the town of some ruffians. 

Haunui heads to the Lionshield Coster that draws his attention due to the blue Lion above the entrance. The Lionshields are a merchant company from Yartar and this outpost is run by a woman called Linene Graywind. She is overjoyed by the news about her stolen wares and says that she will send someone to pick them up. Once she has them safely at the Coster (in a few days), she'll gladly compensate Haunui and his friends for them. 

Drusa would accompany Sildar to the townmasters hall where they would be introduced to the fat, pompous Harbin Wester, a former banker who seems to know little about anything. Instead of answering questions about Iarno Albrek he treats the three visitors as mercenaries, asking if they are willing to kill some orcs for him. Although he offers to help, there is little the group can do here at the moment that is worth their time. Sildar is angry and simply informs Wester that he will take over local government. 

Drusa, who has ambitions of her own of course wants to prove her worth gladly heads out into Phandalin to investigate about those Redbrands, meeting up with Haunui, Harbek and Quillathe in the town square that now seems strangely deserted. Four armed ruffians come strolling towards them. All of them are humans wearing grimy red cloaks, their hands on their weapons as they watch you.

One of the ruffians spits on the ground. “Time for you to move on, strangers. Give us your stuff, and be on your way.”

Harbek grins as he fastens his shield to his arm: "Nah, I don't think we'll do that."

Download Full Battle Report including all rolls and maps

The four ruffians draw their blades and rush in, cutting down Harbek within seconds, just before two of them fall themselves, injured by heavy blows from Drusa and Haunui and finished of by tiny magic missiles fired from Quillathes fingers. Rushing around the corner comes the small frame of Egart who joins the fight from a distance. Quickly only one of the Redbrands is left alive and turns to flee. Harbek, shaking out of his unconsciousness stands up, grasping the holy symbol of Marthammor Duin. He extends his hands and shouts: "Come here!" Commanded by the divine magic, the Redbrand turns and starts walking towards the dwarf, his eyes wide. But at that moment an arrow hits him in the temple, piercing deep into his brain and he drops dead. Egart lowers his bow, shaking and sweating. 

Harbek turns to him and curses. "Why did you do that?", he asks. "We could have interrogated him, find out more about them and their hideout."
"I know about their hideout already. And they would only have lied!", says Egart. 

🎲Deception Egart, +5: 24
🎲Insight Harbek, +3: 5

🎲Individual treasure Redbrand Ruffians, 4x 1d100: 98, 52, 9 and 49
    => 🎲1d6 platinum (3), 8d6 silver (27) and 5d6 copper (16)

Haunui also takes a set of Studded Leather Armor from one of the thugs. Since they all are human, none of their armor would fit Egart.

Now that the fight has ended, Harbek leans heavily against the stone wall that surrounds the small shrine of Tymora on the village square. Commoners come rushing up, checking if the adventurers are alright. Many look grateful but from the window of the townmaster's hall one can see the scared and angry face of Harbin Wester. It is clear that not everyone is glad about this fight. The corpses of the Redbrands however are quickly brought into an empty shed as the group reconvenes in the Stonehill tavern for some rest and food.

(3 silver each)

✔ 400 XP awarded

🍗 Short Rest is had, Action Surges and Second Wind regained, Quillathe uses her Arcane Recovery to regain 1 1st-lvl spellslot
    🎲Hit Dice Harbek 2 x 1d8+2: 5, 8 => 14/22 HP
    🎲Hit Dice Haunui: 1d10+2: 12 => full HP

While talking, the group informs each other about what they have learned in the course of the day. The are transparent, except for Egart, who keeps his previous involvement with the Redbrands a secret. He does however tell that he has heard that the guildmaster of the local Miner's exchange might have some intel on the Redbrands. As the day nears its end the party sticks together to make this last visit. Halia Thornton is very pleased to see them. She seemingly already knows that they have dealt with a few of the thugs and tells them plainly that the Redbrands need to be dealt with. She offers 100 gold coins if the adventurers manage to eliminate Glasstaff, the Redbrand leader. She also confirms that the base for their operation is under the ruin of the old Tresendar manor on the East side of town. 

A bit wiser for the day the party turns in for the night, deciding to try their luck against the Redbrands tomorrow. 

🛌Long Rest is had. 

Solo LMoP - 05. Return to the hideout

 Wounded as our adventurers are they still have at about 7 or 8 hours to travel, but now they at least have Sildar with them who - injured and tired but still strong-willed and very much annoyed by what overcame him - confirms the story the captive goblin has told them. He and Gundren have indeed been taken captive by the goblins and he hasn't seen the dwarf since then. He does however know that the map that Gundren had was a map that held the secret location of a place called the "Wave Echo Cave", where the mines of the Phandelver Pact must be. He hopes to find help for the group in Phandalin. A fellow agent of the Lords Alliance, a wizard named Iarno Albrek is located there and might have some information or aid for them. 

It is late in the evening when the group finally arrives at Phandalin. The flavor text in the book reads as follows: 

The rutted track emerges from a wooded hillside, and you catch your first glimpse of Phandalin. The town consists of forty or fifty simple log buildings, some built on old fieldstone foundations. More old ruins—crumbling stone walls covered in ivy and briars—surround the newer houses and shops, showing how this must have been a much larger town in centuries past. Most of the newer buildings are set on the sides of the cart track, which widens into a muddy main street of sorts as it climbs toward a ruined manor house on a hillside at the east side of town.
Sildar seems much more at ease.
“My friends,” he says, “let us secure lodgings. I’m told the local inn is very quaint.”

Without much argument, being tired and beaten the group brings the oxen up to the inn and procures food and lodging for the night. (for 8 silver each) They receive rooms and after a quick meal they all head to bed, sleeping for the night and finishing a long rest in that way. 

🌙Spells prepared Harbek: Command, Healing Word, Guiding Bolt, Sanctuary
🌙Spells prepared Quillathe: Burning Hands, Magic Missile, Shield, Sleep

The following morning the party and Silder reconvene in the common room of the Stonehill Tavern, where they have spent the night. Toblen Stonehill, the innkeep tends to their needs with a hardy breakfast and Silder repeats his request for the group to go and clear out the cave entirely. He will pay them 50 gold if they do so and will spend the day trying to find Iarno Albrek and - if possible - Gundrens brothers. 
It is not hard to convince the party to do as Sildar has requested. Especially Quillathe is very eager to diminish the Cragmaw-clan since they are responsible for desecrating the shrine of Oghma. Harbek wants revenge for the pain that has been inflicted on his cousin. Haunui and Drusa agree that to clear out the cave would be the right thing to do and Egart gladly joins, hoping for more loot to be had. 

They bring the wagon and the oxen to the local store where they are paid 10 gold each and also hear about Tharden and Nundro, Gundrens brothers who must be camping near the town according to Elmar Barthen, the proprietor of Barthen's Provisions. Since we are here anyway, let's check out Elmar's inventory and stock up for our party. 

💰Egart: 1 bag of caltrops, 1 bag of ball bearings and 8 rations
💰Quillathe: 1 healers kit and 10 rations
💰Drusa: 10 rations, 50 ft of hempen rope
💰Harbek: 6 rations
💰Haunui: Healer's kit and 4 rations

Sadly Elmar does not sell any healing potions, but with the healer's kits at least the group won't have a hard time stabilizing fallen comrades anymore. 

There are more locations they would want to visit but there is a bit of urgency for them to rush and deal with the Cragmaw-threat before the goblins receive reïnforcements so those visitis will need to be put on hold for now. 

Traveling back to the hideout, they would actually make it there quicker on foot, traveling at a fast pace they'd make it in under 5 hours. 

Now to do some math: By now the dead goblins would have been detected and there would have been some rearranging in the cave. Klarg would have dispatched a runner to King Groll but not have received any as off yet. He would however have taken care to put another sentry out, probably with the wolves as backup. So that would leave a single Goblin on the lookout near the kennel. But that resentful sentry would not do their utmost best, to keep an eye out, especially as she is being distracted by the hungry wolves. She prefers staying out of sight as much as possible, either loitering around the entrance area or sticking to the back of the kennel cave where she is out of reach from the beasts.

🎲1d2, 1=sentry in the tunnel, 2=sentry in the back: 2

So when our party of adventurers arrive at the cragmaw-hideout they don't see anyone and decide to enter stealthily, Quillathe leading the way and Harbek closing the ranks with a Light-pebble in his hand. 

🎲Stealth (DC 9), Quillathe +2: 1x

Already as the wizard is trying to enter the sound alerts the sentry in the kennels, she whistles loudly to warn the others, runs over and sets loose the wolves.  

Download full Battle Report (including all rolls and maps)

Rushing in quickly the party dispatches of the Sentry and most of the wolves, combining well-aimed arrows with a Burning Hands - spell cast by Quillathe. The last remaining wolf is seriously injured and poses no threat anymore. However, as the adventurers advance through the tunnel a tidal wave of water surprises them and washes most of them out into the clearing. Seeing a goblin spy on them from the bridge, Harbek quickly ushers his comrades up the steep slope that leads to the goblin den. 

The den is still reeking of death and no sign of life comes from there so the group carefully advances through the tunnel until they reach the bridge that spans the passage below. Crossing it they see another tidal wave wash past without doing any harm and quickly advancing they find the remainder of the goblins. Harbek, who has been taking the lead keeps himself up with his healing spells and together they manage to drive the last goblins into a final cave where they hear a booming voice usher commands. 

Here Harbek halts and, magically amplifying his voice he calls out: “Flee, Klarg! Flee now! We have come to collect your bones!”
Quillathe, taking her cue from that rushes up beside him and fills the air with the sound of soft, ominous music. 

A large wolf suddenly jumps out of the darkness ahead and grabs the dwarf by his throat. The beast quickly dies, Egarts arrow lodged in its eye and Haunui rushes forward to quickly stop the bleeding and stabilize Harbek. As Drusa en Egart step forward to face the leader of the goblins, all they hear is scrambling as a large, hairy shape followed by the last two Goblins climbs down a narrow chimney to the kennel and flees from the cave. Klarg and the Cragmaw Goblins here are defeated. 

As the book states I award each character 275XP, which means that they will level up whenever they finish another long rest. 

In Klargs cave the party finds a lot of stolen goods marked with the image of a blue lion, the symbol of the Lionshield coster, a merchant company that also has a trading post in Phandalin.

Klarg has left his treasure chest behind, in which the party find: 
600 copper, 110 silver, two potions of healing and a jade statuette of a frog with tiny golden orbs for eyes (worth 40 gold). The potions go to Quillathe and Egart, since they do not possess any way of healing themselves and Harbek, who has a love of stonework, takes the frog. 

🎲Inidividual loot on the three killed goblins, 3 x 1d100: 17, 29 and 86
🎲3d6 gold and 10d6 copper: 14 gold and 35 copper

Klargs Cave offers some shelter and since Harbek is unconscious for the next (🎲1d4) 2 hours, they get rid of the Goblin corpses, throw them in the den and make camp for the night.