Special Tasks Unit

A Reward The group checked on Falthrax Loderr at his home to make sure all was OK, whereupon he presented you with a large emerald worth 2000 gp as a reward for rescuing him.  You met his wife Loriss - a human - who had indirectly sent you on the mission by contacting her friend, D.I. Dianys Thistlehand.  She promised to let Thistlehand know of your success. A Funeral The STU, minus Adelwyn, attended the funeral for Gundren's brother Tharden.  There you met his other brother Nundren, who had been reincarnated by clerics at the Cathedral.  In his reincarnated form, Nundro has become a half-elf (half-human), which is still taking him some getting used to.  Gundren informed you that the Lost Mine of Phandelver was swinging into operation, and the town of Phandalin was already growing rapidly, with people attracted by the lure of wealth and employment. Some Planning The group ventured to the Croaking Timber Inn - a downscale tavern, inn, and equal-opportunity brothe...

 A Battle The STU, after making short work of Morganna and Saeth (with the assistance of Malgitor and Elodia) and being joined by Kang Li, entered the tower.  Proceeding room by room and level by level, they discovered the studio where the sisters painted cursed portraits of their victims, as well as two more victims - a frail, weak human, and an ancient dwarf, who turned out to be Falthrax Loderr, the person they sought.  The group defeated a gargoyle and then climbed up to the top level, where - after being doused by acid due to an undetected glyph of warding - they faced the sister known as Greensong, as well as her mastiff, which turned out to be a Hell Hound.  Despite her toughness, Greensong and her hound were in the end no match for such a large group, even after being joined by the second gargoyle.   A Betrayal and a Favor Called In Following the death of Greensong (who turned out to be a hideous creature similar to Morganna), the third sister - Azi...

 An Offer During dinner, the group (who had been joined by a recovered Aledwyn) was approached by Azirssa, who said she realized that the group were no mere commoners, but seemed to have powers and skills.  She told them that the derelict building to the north of the facility housed some kind of vile creature that preyed on guests who ignored the sisters' warnings to stay away from it.  She said she feared that such a fate had also befallen the dwarf Falthrax that the STU was looking for.  She implored the group to rid the Moonstone Mask of the monster, and promised a hefty reward.  The group said they would consider it. A Mystery Solved? The group sent Melori and Micah to talk with Ilmar, the Drow masseur and secret Harper agent, and agreed that he would create a distraction at around 11pm to allow the STU to leave the main building unobserved so they could investigate the tower and the derelict building to the north.  After withdrawing to their respective...

On the morning of 18 Tenmonth, Micah sent Justine Marleaux, who had spent the night with her, away after breakfast, somewhat unceremoniously.  Justine appeared somewhat hurt as she left.  The STU decided to take up the missing person's case brought to them by Neverwinter Detective Inspector Dianys Thistlehand, and used Gundren's status to gain admission to the Moonstone Mask retreat, to search for Falthrax Loderr, an older Dwarven merchant who was believed to have gone there three or so days ago. Reconnaissance Before heading there, Flippy investigated the "parade route" leading from the Cathedral complex to the River Market, where the execution of the Druid Reidoth is scheduled to take place.  He believed he discovered the two best locations along the route for an ambush, if the group decides to try to free the Druid en route to his execution. Separate Ways At the Moonstone Mask, the STU -- missing Aledwyn, who was still unwell and remained back at the Rockseeker com...

The evening of 16 Tenmonth and day of 17 Tenmonth provided the STU with some new leads, some new cash, and some new friends.  Aledwyn, who had apparently caught whatever Melori had, spent the time in her quarters. Micah's Biggest Fan Around dinner time on the 16th (after the group's reconnaissance of the Cathedral complex and prison), Micah was visited by a clearly starstruck and infatuated Justine Marleaux - the prison receptionist - who asked Micah if she would be interested in "catching up" sometime.  Afterwards, Micah sent her a note proposing they meet the following evening (i.e., the 17th) at the Beggar's Nest in the Chasm District (the run-down, seedy tavern where Flippy had met with Malgitor several weeks ago).  The two of them did meet that evening, Micah started to get a bit of intel on the operation of the prison, and Justine ended up accompanying Micah back to her quarters at the Rockseeker compound.  Breakfast on the 18th should be interesting for eve...

The Special Tasks Unit exited the Wave Echo Cave to find that winter had arrived in the northwest, with several inches of snow on the ground.  Carrying Gundren's dead brothers Tharded and Nundro, you made a brief stop in Phandalin to procure a horse and wagon (Gundren paid), and Gundren arranged with Daran Edermath, the ex-Guardian, to take a few good men to Wave Echo Cave to guard it until Gundren could arrange for a security contingent.  You then proceeded to Neverwinter, to the Rockseeker compound.  Gundren expressed an intention to go to the Cathedral to see about the resurrection of his brothers (though this has not yet happened).  Melori took ill and was indisposed during the journey north, and was taken to her room in the Rockseeker Compound to recover.  News of the World:  Reading the Neverwinter News, you discovered that Reidoth - the druid you had encountered in Thundertree - had been arrested and was scheduled to be publicly executed in five day...

A motley group of adventurers known as the Special Tasks Unit , in the employ of Gundren Rockseeker, owner and operator of Rockseeker Enterprises, based in the northwest metropolis of Neverwinter, set off toward the end of summer in 1027 post Adelia to bring a load of supplies to Barthen's Provisions in the town of Phandalin, and to meet up with Gundren, who had gone ahead with a companion - Sildar Hallwinter.  Gundren had told you that something big was afoot. Ambush Before reaching Phandalin, you discovered the dead horses of Gundren and Sildar's, who had apparently fallen victim to an ambush.  Shortly thereafter you yourselves were ambushed by a group of goblins.  You defeated the goblins, capturing one, who told you he was part of the Cragmaw clan, that they were working for Klarg, and that they had been told to kidnap Gundren and turn him over to agents of "the Black Spider." He also confessed that their hideout was in a cave a mile away.  You strung him up...