With the two Redbrand prisoners secured, the party discusses what to do next. Interrogating the prisoners appears to be top of the agenda and the captured bandits are only too willing to divulge that their leader is a human Wizard named who goes by the name of "Glasstaff" and recruited them some two months prior when they took control over the town of Phandalin, intimidating the locals and extorting protection money from the local businesses.
Glasstaff and the Redbrands were hired by someone known only as the Black Spider to control Phandalin in order to frighten off adventurers and intimidate the locals which corroborates what was said in a letter found in the Redbrand hideout.
During questioning, one of the prisoners realises where he is and becomes frantic with fear upon seeing that he's in the cavern where the 'Eye Monster' lives down in the crevasse, - "A creature that feeds on human flesh and knows your inner thoughts and secrets". While the group is pondering this unnerving revelation, they hear the sound of soft footsteps in the southern tunnel leading out of the cavern. Finn goes to investigate but finds nothing but a tunnel with a draft of fresh air. Another way out perhaps?
The prisoner being questioned is sparked out once more and the party crosses the bridge to explore the rest of the complex. Beef enters the first room on the left and finds himself in a barracks where he discovers a Goblin chained to one of the bunks. The Goblin prisoner, upon on seeing the heavily armed adventurers passes out and involuntarily urinates, adding to the fetid stench of the room. Meanwhile, Farraine and Byron explore the room opposite and pocket the proceeds of an interrupted gambling table. More rooms are explored, a Wizard's laboratory and sleeping quarters where they discover a letter instructing someone called Lord Albrek to capture or kill strangers in Phandalin and to recover any maps. Signed with a black spider symbol.
The Bard takes pity on the wretched Goblin and revives him. The Goblin is extremely grateful to his 'new master' and isn't able to offer up much more information since he's also a prisoner, but he does mention that there are other people being held here before they can be sold into slavery.
The Wizard's sleeping quarters are looted and the party discovers a small treasure trove in a chest at the foot of his bed including a set of Mithral horseshoes inscribed with Elvish runes. Two of the party duly inform me that they can read fucking Elvish and I wish I'd thought about what the inscriptions said. I mutter something about swiftness and we... swiftly move along.
Having explored the rest of the complex and returning to the cavern, the party finds the two Redbrand prisoners gone. Only pools of blood remain, their corpses having been dragged into the crevasse. Seems like the 'Eye Monster' was watching and waiting. There's a brief discussion about going into the crevasse to retrieve Farraine's rope which was used to secure the prisoners. The general consensus is to let the 'Eye-Monster' keep it.
The group then heads to the south tunnel where footsteps were heard and they see a red-haired Halfling child running away as he bolts out from behind a boulder in the tunnel. Byron decides to lasso the fleeing youngster and realises that he hasn't actually tied a knot and throws the rope anyway. After 100 yards or so, the group emerges in the woods south of Tresendar Manor and east of the town.
They follow the trail back to the Alderleaf farm where they are met by Qelline Alderleaf who is surprised to see them but welcoming nevertheless. One of the group mentions that they saw the young Halfling lad in the Redbrand hideout just as he appears behind her back and gesticulates not to say anything. Too late. He flees to the barn as a result. Finn is still clumsily attempting to seduce Qelline and Beef physically removes him from further embarrassment. Beef then goes to the barn to speak with the boy who it turns out discovered the tunnel accidentally whilst out with his friend. After a brief discussion, the Bard's kind words and a gold coin in hand, send the young lad on his way home to face the consequences from his mother.
The party then returns to their room at the Stonehill Inn for a night's rest to recuperate in preparation for the journey to Thundertree Ruins. Dawn breaks and they travel north on foot except Byron who rides on his chariot with Otto. The journey passes uneventfully and they arrive near the place where the Neverwinter River emerges from Neverwinter Wood on the outskirts of the abandoned village of Thundertree.
Gradually, the trail becomes an old, overgrown lane winding between dilapidated buildings choked in vines and brush. Ahead of the group 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 winds 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! Monsters AND zombies! Turn back now!" It's around the same time that they notice that Farraine's magical sword, Wyrmsight is glowing softly red. The sign that a Dragon is nearby.
Dismissing the warnings, the party presses forward, exploring the first intact building, finding the only inhabitant to be a squirrel before moving on.
Finn sends Binky, his familiar up ahead as they follow the path into the heart of the village. Fine strands of cobweb float through the air, wispy at first becoming thicker as they proceed down the path. Suddenly Binky is down. Trapped and unable to move. There's movement. Two large shapes emerge from the buildings to the south. Giant spiders - grotesque, bloated and horrifying. Ambushed and unable to move, the companions can only watch in horror as Finn is caught in stream of incapacitating cobweb. Farraine is quick to react and dives to avoid a similar fate, his sword hissing from its scabbard as he rises and turns to face the giant spiders.
After a frantic battle the monstrous creatures are reduced to disgusting piles of seeping milky-yellow ichor and curled spider legs. Breathing hard, your party regroups and thanks the gods for this victory.
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