Back in Phandalin, the party loads up on healing potions and supplies readying themselves to head back to Cragmaw Castle. Beef wanders into the Stonehill Inn and notices some new arrivals in Phandalin. He alerts the rest of the group and tells Farraine that his father is in there. When they enter, Urstul Floxin and his band of Zhentarim followers are speaking in hushed tones with Halia Thornton, proprietor of The Miners Exchange. The one business in town that had been left alone by the Redbrands thugs. Coincidence? Farraine, upon hearing that his father was there stormed in looking for a confrontation and in his words "To slap him!". Urstul's deadly-looking retinue quickly dispelled any notion of that happening. They moved into battle readiness with Beef, sensing the danger, and seeing at least two spellcasters among them, ushered Farraine out the door. Finn decides to take a seat at a nearby table to eavesdrop but is recognised by the sharp-eyed Elf who tells him to move along. Finn slinks off and around the outside of the building, positioning himself under a window on the other side of the Zhents. Unfortunately he doesn't hear anything of value as the wind picks up and all he hears is muffled laughter. Beef and Lucian approach Sildar to ask him about the newcomers. Sildar first questions why they brought back an unknown Elf and not his friend, to which they reply that they almost died during the attempt and that the Elf is in their debt and has vowed to help them find Gundren. Sildar mutters an apology and they discuss the Zhents. They arrived last night and have kept to themselves, meeting only with Halia. He agrees to keep an eye on them.
With Farraine calmed, the group decides to head off for Cragmaw once more. The journey is uneventful and as they approach the forlorn ruin, it appears quiet and deserted just as it did before. They cautiously make their way inside. Beef quizzes Lucian on his motivation for coming here. Lucian is vague but convincing and Beef is satisfied with his reply. They return to King Grol's room where Lucian was held captive whereupon Beef spots a stiched leather satchel in the burnt out ruins of the bed. It contains a considerable amount of coin as well as potions. Most importantly of all, Gundren's map to Wave Echo Cave. Lucian conducts his own surreptitious investigation but finds no trace of the object that he's seeking. With the room cleared, they head to the south tower whereupon Droop the Goblin emerges from under a filthy bed and greets Beef. Beef asks Droop about the monster in the room beyond the barred door. Droop can only tell them that it's a bear, but not a bear. Farraine moves to open the barred door, but realising that he's probably not going to manage it quietly, employs Beef to do it, which he does with stealth and panache, gently removing and laying aside the heavy beam. They realise that one of their number is missing at this point. Where is Finn? Beef finds him sitting at the entrance to Cragmaw Castle and with a little Bardic charm, convinces him to join them. Finn reluctantly agrees after admitting that his recent brush with death has left him fearful. The group concludes that it's an Owlbear, a creature with a fearsome reputation. A debate ensues as to the wisdom of opening the door. Eventually, Farraine's bravado wins out and they decide to go in, the lure of hidden treasure overriding the fear of being torn to pieces.
Finn and Beef decide to flank the room and find a side entrance, only to be thwarted by high piles of rubble and boarded up walls. Farraine opens the door and creeps inside. And then he sees it - a hulking beast asleep on the floor, part bear, part owl... soon to be dead. He raises his blade, reversing his grip to bring it down on the creature's skull when unexpectedly it twitches in it's slumber and his blade strikes the stone floor where moments before its head had been. Sparks from steel striking stone shocks everyone into action. The beast rears up preparing to disembowel the attackers with its dagger-like claws. Farraine recovers quickly, his blade deflecting the claws and his next strike biting deep into the creature's side. Blocking a vicious bite, he drops to one knee, simultaneously driving his blade upwards piercing its vital organs. Byron strikes next but both of his blows are swept aside. Finn, fighting the terror in his gut unleashes a crossbow bolt that pierces the creature's eye bringing it crashing to the ground where it spasms violently before becoming still.
Surprised by the brief brutality of the encounter, the group looks around amazed that no one has been injured. Just then, Beef spots something glinting in the rafters of the collapsed second floor. A chest. Finn throws a rope over a beam and climbs up with ease. Rather than open the chest, he heaves it over the edge without warning whereupon it shatters, spilling its contents over the floor. Coins scatter and scrolls tumble onto the stone slabs, but everyone's eyes are transfixed on the potion vial as it's flung from the chest... and somehow lands safely in the rubble. Beef curses Finn as he scoops it up and stashes it in group treasure. The party decides to leave, but not before Byron decides to confront the pathetic Goblin named Droop who has crowned himself King Droop of Cragmaw (since there's no one else left). Byron calls out to Droop and attempts to intimidate him expecting the Goblin to capitulate immediately. Unfortunately, Byron mumbles a half-hearted threat and the triumphant Goblin rewards him with a shower of Goblin piss, sending him running for cover, much to the amusement of all present and the fading cries of "Hail King Droop!" echoing in the empty halls of the castle.
The group leaves Cragmaw Castle and Finn instructs Binky to search for the Drow's tracks. Binky's sharp eyes pick up the trail and they follow them west and then south until they reach the ancient stone circle where they find the Druid Reidoth from Thundertree. Reidoth tells them that he witnessed the summoning of the Dragon at Thundertree by cultists and that he was forced to flee when the Dragon sensed his presence. They also question him about the Drow to which he replies that he saw her leading a Dwarf with his hands bound and heading south east until the Triboar Trail whereby they turned north and he stopped tracking them. It is at this point the group engages in a heated debate as to whether they need to find the the Dwarf at all since they have his map to Wave Echo Cave. The debate ebbs backs and forth, Farraine arguing vehemently in favour of rescuing Gundren and being honour-bound. Eventually albeit reluctantly, they come around to his way of thinking and head north. Another day passes uneventfully, when they spot a cow a few hundred metres off the trail. Cows are not unusual, but what is it doing this far out in the wilderness? Farraine scans the horizon and spots smoke rising in the distance.. something on fire perhaps? A few miles down the trail, they see three unsaddled riding horses grazing at the side of the road. Byron approaches one and it whickers nervously but allows him to approach. He sees that it bears a brand of 'BAK' on its hindquarters which Beef recalls is the brand of a farmer who lives near Conyberry - Big Alfonse Kalazorn, the retired Sheriff of Triboar.
Continuing down the road, they discover the source of the smoke - burning farm buildings. The farmhouse appears intact, but something isn't right. Several bodies lie scattered around it, mostly human but a couple of dead Orcs too. There's something else, a hulking humanoid brute squatting in front of the farmhouse gnawing on the bones of a pig. It looks like a giant, although having never seen a giant, they can't be sure. Whatever it is, it isn't friendly. Skirting around the farmhouse, they formulate a plan. Binky will check the windows and report back. Finn, through Binky's eyes, reports the presence of several large Goblinoids inside all of whom are feasting and drinking the unfortunate owner's supplies. Following a brief discussion, it is decided that Lucian will unleash fiery destruction through the window. Farraine and Byron will engage the 'giant' at the front. Lucian hurls a ball of flame through one of the windows and all hell breaks loose. Ground floor windows explode outwards and guttural screams can be heard from inside the farmhouse. The 'giant' turns to face Byron and Farraine. It moves with frightening speed and swings its club two-handed at Farraine, who instinctively rolls to avoid the blow as it smashes into the ground where he had been moments before. Byron seeing an opening, circles wide and strikes the creature at the base of its skull with his quarterstaff. The beast falters.. stunned and unable to move. At the other side of the building, the Goblinoids rush to attack, some launching javelins at Beef and Lucian, both of whom throw themselves prone to avoid the missiles. Beef, rolling and rising to his feet whispers an incantation and a second door appears just as a Goblinoid tries to open the real door. The creature stands there dumbfounded a moment, but his confusion is short-lived as a burst of flame launched by Lucian incinerates both him and his companion behind.
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