Game Summary for Saturday (02/01/2020 Opening Scene: Day 3: May 3rd, 10:45 am The party is sitting in the Stonehill tavern, deciding on what course of action to take next, now that the Redbrand gang has been dealt with aside of not knowing where their leader Glasstaff, has ran off to. It is decided to take a trip up to the ruined village of Thundertree, where Mirna Dendrar, said a family heirloom is hidden. Her family fled the village when undead overran it. They had a herb and alchemy shop there and inside is a case containing an emerald necklace, hidden beneath storage shelves. They never dared to go back to retrieve it. The shop is in the south east part of Thundertree. The necklace is something she would give the party for saving her and Nilsa and Nars Dendrar. The party leaves Phandalin and turn west on the Triboar Trail and pass the spot where the pit trap was found in the road with the dead gnome priest. Upon seeing the pit it encourages Murtle to probe the ground in front of them with his trident as they continue to travel. They decide to continue onwards to the High Road and turn north onto it, heading for Neverwinter City. Once there they stay for a day before heading east to Thundertree. They arrive in Thundertree early in the morning, after 5 days total travel time. Village Description: Near the place where the Neverwinter River emerges from Neverwinter Wood stands the abandoned village of Thundertree. Once, this was a prosperous community on the outskirts of the forest, wealthy from the work of its woodcutters and trappers. Then thirty years ago, the eruption of Mount Hotenow to the north devastated Thundertree. In the wake of the natural disaster, a plague of strange zombies swept over the area, killing or driving off those who survived the eruption. Area Description: 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. A wooden sign is nailed to a post nearby. It reads: “DANGER! Plant monsters AND zombies! Turn back now!” Ravopraxd Elamash says, "That's a nice welcome" Roqar says, "So the town has a death curse, wonderful." Upon arriving at the first house on the south west edge of Thundertree, here is what they see: This small house appears to be in better condition than the ruined and dilapidated structures nearby. The doors are reinforced with heavy iron bands, and thick shutters protect the windows. Roqar, thumps on the door twice, "Anyone home?" The door creaks open, when they are greeted by Reidoth the druid, whom waves the party inside, while looking out beyond them for signs of trouble. Reidoth, asks the party what he could do for them and he is informed about looking for the old alchemy shop in the south east of the village. Reidoth, tells the party to beware of what is mentioned on the sign and that other folks wearing black masks and cloaks moved into the east side of town Reidoth warns of a green dragon named Venomfang residing in the tower, on the north side of Thundertree. Reidoth, explains, he visits Thundertree from time to time, to keep an eye on things. After their conversation with Reidoth, the party heads north east up the path then turns eastward. Area description: At an intersection near the middle of the village, a narrow lane winds up the steep hillside to the north. Directly to the south is a ruined building that might have been a store or workshop. Webs stretch across the lane, from the building to the trees on the north side of the road. Ravoprax Elmash, cast the Fire Bolt cantrip at the webbing, hoping to burn through it. It burns only slightly. So Kaiser, also cast the Fire Bolt cantrip and burns through a bit more of it. Finally, the webbing is burned through and the party proceeds down the east path when two giant 20 ft long Spiders come out of the ruined building to the south to attack the party! Initiative Rolls are made and Round #01 of Combat begins! Willie, fires an arrow with his long bow but missed Giant Spider #02! Ravoprax, tries to strike Giant Spider #01 with his rapier but missed! Kaiser, cast the Burning Hands spell, which has a 15 ft cone shape so it hits both Spiders for 14 hit points damage to Spider #02 and only 7 damage to spider #01 due to it making it's dexterity saving throw! Roqar, hits Giant Spider #01, with her short sword using a sneak attack for 5 + 5 more for the sneak! Giant Spider #01 attacks Murtle, trying to web him, but Murtle rolling a strength check was successfully able to break the webbing! [Opps, Giant Spider #02 should have attacked here but i forgot about the initiative rolls not going separately for each different monster token into the turn tracker. Instead it all goes into the 1st one rolled]. Murtle, using his versatile spear, missed hitting Giant Spider #02! Flint, hits Giant Spider #01 for 11 damage with his two-handed battle axe! Round #02 of Combat: Willie, hits Giant Spider #02 for 10 damage with his short sword, defeating the Giant Spider! Ravoprax, missed Giant Spider #01 with his rapier! Kaiser, cast a Fire Bolt Cantrip at Giant Spider #01, but missed! Roqar, hits Giant Spider #01 for 5 + 7 more damage from a sneak attack with her short sword, defeating the creature! End of Combat! The party receives 400 experience points for defeating the giant spiders. The bodies of the spiders are search but nothing is found upon them, though Ravoprax, cuts them open, looking at stomach contents and to remove the venom glands. Nothing but food was in the stomach and venom glands were found but the party does not know the extent of the venom's potency due, thanksfully, for not being bit by them. Roqar, decides to go have a look inside the ruin building the giant spiders came from, entering where a doorway once previously stood. Inside the east half, nothing was to be found. Upon entering the west half, Roqar spots something encased in webbing. Approaching to have a closer look, it appears to be a humanoid body, of which Roqar proceeds to cut free to see if still alive. The humanoid turned out to be the now dead body of a male elf, now shriveled up and sucked dry, wearing studded leather armor, and has a short sword sized scabbard with hilt visible at it's hip. There is also a belt pouch. Roqar, removes the pouch and finds 23 gold coins and 35 silver ones inside, along with a small vial. The liquid inside of the vial has a spicy scent. Roqar, also removes the scabbard and draws out the short sword to see it has fancy elven floral and leaf work upon the hilt and blade. Ravoprax, exits trough a doorway on the south wall of the west room and this brings forth four Twig Blight creatures from the brush and foliage just to the south, which proceed to attack! Ravoprax wonders if they are intelligent creatures. Initiative Rolls are made and Round #01 of Combat begins: Roqar, missed hitting Twig Blight #02 with her short sword! Ravoprax, cast the Fire Bolt cantrip at Twig Blight #03, hitting for 10 damage, defeating the creature! Murtle, cast the Toll the Dead spell at Twig Blight #02, whom is surrouded by the sound of a dolorous bell filling the air at 120 decibels around it, but it makes it's Wisdom save so no damage! Kaiser, cast the Fire Bolt cantrip at Twig Blight #04, but missed! Twig Blight #01, missed Roqar with his claws! The other Twig blights missed their targets. Flint, hits Twig Blight #01 for 4 damage, with his two-handed battle axe, defeating him! Willie, fires an arrow with his long bow at Twig Blight #04 for 6 damage, defeating him! Round #02 of Combat: Roqar, hits Twig Blight #02 with her short sword for 3 + 4 sneak attack damage, defeating him! End of Combat! Party receives 25 XP for each defeated Twig Blight! Nothing of value found upon them. The party proceeds to a path that runs north/south along the east side of the building that the spiders lived in and head south then turn east and head down the path which comes to another ruined building. They enter the building and proceed out a doorway in it's north east wall. Area Description: A wide chimney and rotted piles of firewood jumbled outside the walls of this sagging building suggest that it was a smithy in its day. ok just a ruined building overgrown with foliage. You see nothing unusual here. They move straight across the path to a door and a building that is still standing intact. Area Description: This small farmhouse appears to be just another empty home at first glance. However, all the doors are shut and windows shuttered. Roqar, attempts to quietly open the door but it does not budge, so it might be locked from inside. Ravoprax, rolls a strength check to smash through the door and is successful! Inside, he is greeted by two men in black masks and cloaks, with weapons drawn and in a defensive stance. Cultist #01 says, "HALT! Who dares breaks into our house?!" Roqar says, "What's with the masks and cloaks?" but gets no answer. Murtle says, "We don't have to fight ya' know." Ravoprax says, "Cut the tough guy act." Roqar says, "People that don't like masks and cloaks." Cultist #01 says, "We are not looking for a fight. But will defend ourselves." Ravoprax says, "Alright, we dont' want trouble either", "Are you working for the dragon?" Cultist #01 says, "No, but we are in fact trying to forge an alliance with the dragon." Roqar says, "If you are not working for him, then who do you work for?" At this point, the south door into the room opens revealing the cult leader Favric. Cultist #01 says "We work for Favric. We belong to the Cult of the Dragon." pointing to him in the doorway. Favric says, "We have come here to treat with the green dragon in the tower." Ravoprax says, "We seem to have stumbled into your base. We have some business here, that needs to be taken care of. I was hoping that we can agree to stay out of each other's way?" Favric says, "You stay out of the way of the Cult of the Dragon, we will not interfere with your dealings here in Thundertree." Kaiser says, "Fair enough to me." Ravoprax says, "Any other bases to avoid?" Favric says, "Just try to avoid the twig blights and ash zombies around the village." Ravoprax, tries to think if he knows anything about the cult but really it is the first time he's ever heard of, The Cult of the Dragon, or seen what their followers look like. The party bids their farewell to the cultist and then proceed north along the path.