Part 1 - A Party Forms
Beginnings
The Nameless Few first came together in the year 481 DR. although they were not known as such at this time. The reason for the group joining forces was one Gundren Rockseeker of the brothers three who had been seeking (unbeknownst to many had found) the Lost Mine of Phandelver. He had bought them together under the ruse (although his true border intent would never come to be known) of escorting supplies south to the town of Phandelin.
Gundren meets them at the bar in the company of Lord Sildar Hallwinter of the Lord’s alliance, as the two intend to travel ahead of the caravan the party is to escort. Little did any of them know, that the party formed would eb and flow in size continuously over the years to follow. After meeting, the next day, the supplied, born upon a horse and car arrived at the Inn.
It was to be a slow trip, as although they had a horse and cart, it could not carry all five at once, so the majority would find themselves walking alongside the supplies. It was in this manner that five souls set off south to Phandelin:
Torrible Te Good, a Stout Halfling Faith fighter, who joined the party on behalf of Sildar Halwinter of the Lord's alliance.
Kori Alderlead, a halfling of ill repute who had changed his name (from Alderleaf) at an attempt at anonymity was returning to his home town to check on his relatives.
Eldeth (Just Eldeth), a Mercenary of Mintarn Sergeant recently relieved of duties and choosing a path upon which he would not be forced to do evil at another’s bequest.
Johanne Bothryngton-Smyth, a Minor Lord deposed from his lands of Corlinn Hill. His drive to reclaim his rights as a Lord of renown.
Finally; Sandoral, a High Elf Mage of the temple of Oghma, is an academic in reality who, for his reasons (Something about aiding Sildeyuir) having previously aided Gundren with some research felt it was time he got in the field.
Two days into the trip, having turned east onto the Tribour trail, the party comes across two fine riding horses lying dead on the road before them, slain by Goblin arrows. As the party try to ascertain what had happened, and who had been attacked, they are ambushed by several goblins, and it is here that the year before them kicked into overdrive.
For brevity, I shall keep this story as abridged as possible, there is so much to tell yet so little time, for as I’ve said, the party would shape and morph, a core would survive, although intermittently, death would strike them many a time. The gory details of these events though will be cursory, as the detail to do them justice is not for the telling today.
The goblin ambush, thwarted by the party leads them into the Hideout of the Cragmaw gang. A satellite operation led by a bugbear known as Klarg, who in himself was simply a lieutenant to his more powerful master King Grol, who at this time was holding court at Cragmaw castle, hence the gang's name.
Anyways, the Party of Five, stow their horse and cart in the woods and storm the hideout, learning of their operations and terrorism of the Triboar trail, as well as rescuing Lord Hallwinter, who, with his friend Gundren had been waylaid similarly. The only problem was Gundren had been taken to Cragmaw castle.
Returning, to the carriage and escorting Lord Hallwinter the rest of the trip the party found themselves in Phandelver. With a myriad of challenges, having completed their task of escorting the supplies, Gundren was not available to pay them for their services, and second to that, there seemed to be some trouble in town with yet another gang of thugs known as the Redbrands.
The party, primarily due to the Redbrands being real Dicks decide to deal with that trouble first, tracking them back to their hideout beneath Tresendor Manor, a derelict building within Phandelin. Here, they have some encounters from the undead, to their first true monster encounter ‘Neville the Nothic’.
In addition to Neville, they encounter and fail to capture a fellow known as Larno Albrek, discerning that he has abandoned his duties as the lord’s alliance emissary to PHandalin and fell in with some character known as the Black Spider.
Once they’ve done with the Redbrands what they could the party of five then set off to find and Rescue Gundren, how though, go to Cragmaw, to they follow a lead provided by Kori’s Aunty Queline and head north to the Ruined town of Thundertree in search of a Druid known as Reidoth.
The Party Changes
Arriving in Thundertree from the south they Encounter Reidtoh quite early, who informs them, that his own little town has a bit of a problem. A Young Green Dragon ‘Venomfang’ has taken up residence in Thundertree, and to boot has been attracting a bit of a following with a loose band of dragon cultists taking up residence in town to the southeast as they plush up the courage to approach the Dragon.
It is with this insight the party starts to explore the town. Whilst dealing with (some would say committing murder) in the southeast, in a parlay gone wrong, three fellows come sprinting from the North screaming ‘Dragon!’. Before they know it Torrible Te Good is taken in the claws and carried high into the sky before being dropped to his death somewhere within the Neverwinter wood.
Now The Nameless Few is Seven, hiding right next door the the dragon's lair a breadth of decisions lay before them. Ultimately the decision is taken to return to Phandalin and move on to Wave Echo Rock, the actual lost mine of Phandelver. Setting off, they decide to take a short deviation into Cragmaw castle, successfully entering the castle and rescuing Gundren Rockseeker, revealed as the cousin of Eldeth.
Returning to Phandalin, the hope of a bit of well-earned R&R the party, with Gundren on the cusp of completing their task, getting paid for the escorting of the caravan south. Having organised to meet Gundren and Sildar the party settles into the local Inn, only to learn shortly after that Carp, Son of Auntie Alderleath, cousin of Kori has gone missing. Abducted.
Investigation reveals that a fellow matching the description of one Larno Albrek, aka glass staff and consort of the black spider had abducted the boy for some reason, taking him east on the Triboar trail, towards Wyvern Tor and old well. Immediately the party sets off in pursuit of the missing boy.
Over the next several days the party deals with Orc’s, Undead and encounters a Red Mage of Thay at the Old Owl Well, finding beneath them some catacombs filled with even more serious undead than the zombies above. Ultimately they are successful and the party grows in size again, with the boy Carp, a young Halfing Ranger joining the crew.
At the behest of Sandoral, and the desire to follow up on clues relating to the ‘Blackspider’ the party returned to Cragmaw cast, this time, the second time found under the command of Targor Bloodsword The successor to King Grol whom they had killed on their previous visit. Again after some serious fighting, they leave Cragmaw Victorious, hoping once and for all they’ve put the Cragmaw Gang behind them.
Returning to Phandalin, the party somewhat exhausted seeks some respite at the Stonehill Inn. The next day they arise and head into the Townhall to meet with Lord Hallwinter and Gundren Rockseeker. The discussion of the issues touches on the demise of the Redbrands, and the confirmation that Larno, now a fugitive of the Lord's alliance is in cahoots with the Blackspider.
And that the Blackspider, appears not only to have been involved with the Redbrands, but the Orcs of Wyvern Tor, and the Cragmaw gang. The association of the Red Mage Hamun Kost seems a Red Herring, although it does confirm that Larno has established contact with the Mages of Thay.
Post dissecting all things to date, and not having any real idea of who or where the blackspider may be, Gundren propositions the party, offering them a 10% share in Rockseeker Mining Pty. Ltd. if The Nameless few will assist him in clearing out Wave Echo Cave, also known as the Lost mine of Phandelver.
He informs them that his two brothers Tharden and Nundro have cracked the long sealed cave and have set up camp within the first cavern awaiting their brother, and the assistance he had gone to Neverwinter to recruit. The Ruse revealed the party agreed to the terms, and with Gundren leading the way set of to Wave Echo Cave.
The Lost Mine
Arriving at the cave they find Tharden dead, Nundro nowhere to be seen. Gundren, somewhat distraught, and realising the dire state of things implores the party to go ahead and explore the mine, whilst he returns to Phandalin to report on the happenings at the cave and seek assistance from the Lords’ alliance.
The party pushes on, delving into the cave, finding that the naturally formed caverns and chasms eventually give way to the tailored halls of a Dwarven Mine. As they traverse first to the northwest they encounter all numbers of creatures from an Ochre Jelly, to stirges, blood-sucking bat mosquito-like creatures, and all manner of undead.
The undead, in fact, is a big feature including Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls and ultimately a floating skull encircled in green flame that can terrorise the group for an extended period. Eventually destroying this creature they continue on, only to encounter more undead in the form of Murmansk the Wraith, a dead mage, wanting and seeking access to the Forge of Spells.
Mormosk implores the party to explore the room to the north where the party come upon an Abberation, an alien entity from another plane. A floating bulbous head with a large central eye, broad maw with shark-like teeth and long spear-shaped tongue. Most abhorrent are the four additional eyes the creature has protruding from its head on stalks.
If I recall, correctly, I am not sure if they succeeded here, as Moby was quite peeved that they were forced to leave behind a Dragonguard breastplate, something that would’ve provided him more protection in the battles going forward, for he had a taste of battling a dragon and felt the breastplate would be quite handy for such an undertaking. Yet they moved on.
Heading west from the Forge of Spells the party came across some differing creatures, familiar beings, and bugbears before entering a temple to the Dwarven God Dumathoin. It is here that the Black Spider was unmasked as a Dark Elf, a Drow. A battle ensued in which the black spider and his minion of giant spiders, bugbears and doppelgangers were banished.
Victorious, the evil denizens of Wave Echo Cave are banished, the Blackspiders plot to claim the mine and its forge of spells as his own Thwarted and The Nameless Few begin their journey back to Phandalin. As they travel, they decide to push on, travelling at night, something never if ever done before, with the clouds coming over, lightning and rain falling the White Dragon of Icespire peak, flying a patrol spies them, and dives towards them, near killing them all, freezing them where the fall.
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