Special Tasks Unit

Leosin After taking a needed rest and healing the monk Leosin Erlanthar with the help of Sister Garaele, the STU spent some time the next day conversing with Leosin.  You learned that he was a monk of the Candlekeep Library, and had realized earlier than others that a Dragon Cult dedicated to Tiamat -- the evil Mother of Dragons --  was behind the raiding and pillaging that had been taking place across the Regency of Fronland (i.e., not druids).  He was able to track them and, reading their patterns, had deduced that their next raid would be in Phandalin.  Hoping to infiltrate the cult and gain more information about their plans and intentions, he joined the cultist forces as they moved out of Phandalin.  However, the leader of this group of cultists - who he described as a female black half-dragon named Rezmir - seemed to have been aware of him and he was caught relatively shortly thereafter. Leosin told you that Rezmir was using a cave in the raiders' camp to ...

Stragglers The STU surprised a group of straggling humans and kobolds who had stopped in what they thought was a secure area for a meal.  After dispatching most of them, you took on cultist captive and interrogated him, learning that standard practice after a raid like the one on Phandalin was to set up a rearguard in an area that formed an easy ambush site.  You then released him, after urging him to rethink his life choices. Rearguard Forewarned about the rearguard, you were able to sneak up on their position, in rock outcroppings overlooking the trail to the raiders' camp.  Successfully posing as a cult leader by wearing the purple robes taken from a fallen priestess in Phandalin and rolling a very high deception score, Melori badgered them into a lineup for a surprise review.  Once in a line, she cast lightning bolt on the lot of them, bringing them all down but one, who did not survive the follow up attack. Raiders' Camp You made your way to the cultists' camp....

Dragon! The STG arrived in Phandalin to find you were already too late: the town was being raided by an large assortment of bandits, comprised of Kobolds and humanoids, who were burning, pillaging, and -- above all -- looting.  The bandits, who wore nondescript clothing, seemed to be being aided by a huge, adult blue dragon, which was circling the manor house/keep under construction, strafing it periodically with its lightning breath and keeping the town militia in place.  Residents of the town were trying to flee to the relative safety of the manor house and its cellars. On your way to the manor, you were joined by a woman - an archer - who appeared out of a rift that seemed to open in the fabric of reality itself.  She aided you in a rescue of the halfling farmer Quelline Alderleaf (whom you had met in your first visits to the town), her child, and the small group she was with. You distracted and overcame a second group of attackers, allowing the civilians to reach the ...

Keeping Busy Over Winter      The STU spent the cold winter months learning new skills and engaging in various activities. Aledwyn spent time in the forest researching and developing a new spell of her own creation, Aledwyn's Blinding Fungi.  Seething with bitterness and anger over the execution of Reidoth and the increased persecution of druids, she also spent much time staking out and observing High Cleric Adelaide, discovering her residence and her routines. Aukan learned Gnomish and Elvish, and sowed rumors throughout Neverwinter that damaged the reputation of Malgitor, possible making it more difficult to find contracts. Melori became proficient in the art of deception, and - borrowing Micah's gauntlets of ogre strength - participated in several rounds of pit fighting (with mixed results). Micah learned Gnomish [and and additional skill TBD] and spent some time carousing, where she made some new allies: Craven, the one-armed goblin bartender of the Beggar's ...

As the northern autumn begged for mercy … and eventually fell … before winter’s implacable advance, news of Aukan’s and Micah’s heroism in the courtroom spread quickly through the city of Neverwinter, lifting the pall that had descended on the city in the wake of the attempted disruption of the execution of the Druid Reidoth, which had shaken the city’s confidence in its security and awakened long-dormant memories of the Druid Rebellions centuries past. Aukan, Micah, and Melori were feted by the upper crust of Neverwinter and presented by Lady Governess Dagult Neverember herself with the Order of Hotenow’s Wrath, a golden medal emblazoned with a sigil depicting an erupting Mt. Hotenow, the city’s highest mark of valor.   The mage Iarno, who had terrorized Phandalin as “Glasstaff” was released from prison after a mistrial was declared due to a lack of evidence, which had been stolen and never recovered when the Court Archivist was murdered several months prior.  Her curren...

Confrontation at the Inn In the wake of the botched rescue attempt, Flippy made it first to the Croaking Timber Inn, where a visibly upset Malgitor was castigating the manager of the locale for not clearing the room quickly enough.  Malgitor then attempted to dress down Flippy for the failure at Lurkwood Square, arguing that the STU had not continued their efforts long enough and had stopped just when everything was starting to work.  The wagon guards had not gotten far enough away from the wagon, he argued, for him to slip in unnoticed and free the druid. Flippy argued as good as he got, and was soon joined by Melori.  Malgitor let them know that he had been intrigued by the STU because larger things were brewing in Fronland, with the bandit attacks and dragon sightings, and he thought the STU was among the few capable of an adequate response.  He did not believe the Regency's claims that druids were behind it.  However, his faith in the group's capabilities ha...

On the 20th of Tenmonth, the STU got an early start and scouted out Lurkwood Square, where they had planned to stage their attempt to free the Druid Reidoth along the "parade route" between the Cathedral complex and the River Market, where the public execution was set to take place. Finalizing their plans and spreading themselves in tactical locations around the square, the STU waited for the arrival of the "parade" before springing into action to create a distraction significant enough for Malgitor to break the druid out of his cage.   While Melori failed at her attempt to set fire to the Temple of Tyr and got into a tussle with a suspicious monk of the temple, others had more success.  Aledwyn created a lightning storm above the square, with lightning striking down a few participants, causing the beginnings of a panic.  The panic was increased with Aukan running through the square screaming "Druid attack!" Micah added to the panic by making use of beasts...

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...