The adventures set off early the next morning and make their way to Deadwood on the cart carrying the provisions for Bart Stonehill hoping not to meet any Cragmaw Hideout Goblins or other dangers along the way.
15 miles from Deadwood the heroes find the remains of 2 dead horses that belonged to Gundren and Sildar and as they approached, they are ambushed by some hidden Cragmaw Hideout Goblins. The Cragmaw Hideout Goblins are all dispatched and the party find tracks of Cragmaw Hideout Goblins and follow them back from the ambush location.
The party then come across a cave entrance flanked by dense briar thickets and what they believe to be a hidden guarded area. Astrid and Lofty swim up the steam, which runs into the cave, underwater using a straw to breath and surprise the 2 Cragmaw Hideout Goblins on guard and killing them instantly.
The party then move into the cave and realise that it is in complete darkness. Galdor moves in first and in the first cave off the main tunnel to the right he hears the noise of several Wolves and on closer investigations sees that they are all chained to the walls and that the cave narrowed to a steep fissure at the far end. Galdor retreats and the party decide to move down the tunnel.
Light is used by the party so that the 2 Halflings can see.
They come across another tunnel heading off to the left and which was choked with rubble and has steep escarpments going up to another level. Continuing down the tunnel the party then made out a rickety bridge of wood and rope crossing over the passage above them.
The party continue and then hear the sound of rushing water and they all attempt to avoid the oncoming wave, set-off by the Cragmaw Hideout Goblins who had been alerted to the party by the Cragmaw Hideout Goblins Guard on the bridge as he had spotted the light. Astrid and Galdor climb up the wall to the right hand side of the rickety bridge and Lofty runs back and around to the main entrance, avoiding the wave.
While waiting Lofty feels a little light headed.
2 Cragmaw Hideout Goblins then attack from the right hand side of the bridge, where Astrid and Galdor had climb to, and they are killed by the 2 heroes. As Lofty rushes back, Astrid and Galdor move off to a large cavern where they fight with 3 more Cragmaw Hideout Goblins. In this chamber they see the origins of the noise, a roaring waterfall making it hard to hear clearly, 2 large pools of water, both dammed and ready used as a weapon to flush unwelcome visitors out the front door.
Beyond the cavern, to the bottom right, are a set of stairs leading up to another cavern entrance. The adventures are unsure if they should advance any further and elect to head back to the bridge.
The party cross the bridge, to the left of the main tunnel, and Astrid sneaks up the tunnel alone. Beyond Astrid finds a tunnel head off and down to the main tunnel, possibly to the choked with rubble area as it also has steep escarpments, and down to another large cavern.
The cavern is split into 2 areas, the first is lower and looks like the living area for the 7 Cragmaw Hideout Goblins and to the South, a 12’ foot higher level that had a Goblin and a chained Sildar Hallwinter.
The party sabotage the bridge and Astrid runs back and taunts the Cragmaw Hideout Goblins out in order to have then fall from the bridge. This is successful and 2 Cragmaw Hideout Goblins hang as they fall in between the bridge slats. 2 other Goblins are also killed.
The party then go back and finish off the remaining Cragmaw Hideout Goblins, but not before Sildar is killed by Yeemik who fails to persuade Astrid into killing the Bugbear leader Klarg for Sildar’s life and Yeemik kills the old soldier.
Sildar is revived and he tells the party the following.
- The three Rockseeker brothers (Gundren, Tharden, and Nundro) recently located an entrance to the long-lost Wave Echo Cave, site of the mines of the Phandelver’s Pact. (See background of the place)
- Klarg, the Bugbear who leads this Goblin band, had orders to waylay Gundren. Sildar heard from the Goblins that the Black Spider sent word that the Dwarf was to be brought to him. Sildar doesn’t know who or what the Black Spider is.
- Gundren had a map showing the secret location of Wave Echo Cave, but the Goblins took it when they captured him. Sildar believes that Klarg sent the Map and the Dwarf to the chief of the Cragmaws at a place called Cragmaw Castle. Sildar doesn’t know where that might be, but he suggests someone in Deadwood might know.
- Sildar’s contact in Deadwood is a human Wizard named Iarno Albrek. The Wizard travelled to the town 2 months ago to establish order there. After the Lords’ Alliance received no word from Iarno, Sildar decided to investigate.
Sildar is badly wounded but follows the party and tries to help as much help as he can, giving the party his hidden ‘Potion of Healing‘.
The party decide to head back to the fist cave and Galdor moves in and attempts to calm the 3 Wolves inside. He doses such a good job that the animals eat from his hands and then follow the Cleric through the Cargmaw Hideout.
The party decide to split-up, with Galdor, his Wolves and Sildar heading back to the Pool area to provide Arrow Cover and or a distraction for the siblings to be able to execute their plan. Astrid and Lofty would climb-up the fissure, at the back of the Wolf Kennel, sneak and ambush the Bugbear and his allies.
Astrid and Lofty find that there are 3 Goblins, a Large Wolf and a Bugbear (Klarg) all waiting for someone to walk in through the main entrance to the cavern.
Klarg is tall and hulking humanoid distantly related to, but larger and stronger than, Goblins and Hobgoblins. Orange fur and despite their intimidating builds, Bugbears move with surprising stealth. They are fond of setting ambushes and flee when outmatched.
Astrid and Lofty struggle to kill Klarg, Lofty is trapped by his large frame as Astrid moves away. Galdor and Sildar confront the 3 Goblin, hidden behind creates and the Glador’s 3 Wolves attack Klarg’s Wolf called Ripper. Astrid aids in attacking the Goblins next. while the Wolves make easy work of dispatching Ripper.
Lofty attempts to flee back down the fissure, landing acrobatically, but is closely followed by the now enraged Klarg. The Goblins are all dispatched and help arrives in time to aid Lucky Lofty.
Captured stores which were return to the Lionshield Coster in Deadwood. A reward of 50 gp and the friendship of Linene and her trading post company. In addition to the stolen provisions, Klarg has a treasure chest that contains 600 cp, 110 sp, 2 Potions of healing, and a Jade Statuette of a Frog with Tiny Golden Orbs for eyes (40 gp). The frog statuette is small enough to fit in a pocket or pouch.
The party take everything of value and take the carte onto Deadwood.
Sildar tells the party of the History of Wave Echo Cave:
More than five hundred years ago, clans of Dwarves and Gnomes made an agreement known as the Phandelver’s Pact, by which they would share a rich mine in a wondrous cavern known as Wave Echo Cave. In addition to its mineral wealth, the mine contained great Magical Power. Human spellcasters allied themselves with the Dwarves and Gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge (called the Forge of Spells), where Magic items could be crafted. Times were good, and the nearby human town of Deadwood) prospered as well. But then disaster struck when orcs swept through the North and laid waste to all in their path.
A powerful force of Orcs reinforced by Evil Mercenary Wizards attacked Wave Echo Cave to seize its riches and magic treasures. Human Wizards fought alongside their Dwarf and Gnome allies to defend the Forge of Spells, and the ensuing spell battle destroyed much of the cavern. Few survived the cave-ins and tremors, and the location of Wave Echo Cave was lost.
For centuries, rumours of buried riches have attracted treasure seekers and opportunists to the area around Deadwood, but no one has ever succeeded in locating the lost mine. In recent years, people have resettled the area. Deadwood is now a rough-and-tumble frontier town. More important, the Rockseeker brothers, a trio of Dwarves (Tharden Rockseeker, Nundro Rockseeker and Gundren Rockseeker), have discovered the entrance to Wave Echo Cave, and they intend to reopen the mines.