Since my last entry, misfortune has descended on our small group. Finn brought a strange looking human to me and Adorshea back at the inn. He appeared to have been beaten very badly, and confirmed my thoughts when he told us that he was jumped by a gang of Redbrands. Dnalor and Barnaby attempted to help him, but were apparently killed in the fray. Upon hearing this, Adorshea and I demanded he take us to where the fight happened, but our comrades bodies had been dragged off. I was able to follow the trail to Tresendar Manor, on the east side of town. Without knowing what faced us within the ruins of this once great house, we were forced to go back and further questions the Redbrands Adorshea and I had captured. Luckily, Chuffy had kept them in check, and surprisingly all alive. Here, the creature that Dnalor and Barnaby are missing because of finally showed his worth. I assumed by his fancy clothes and demeanor, he would be almost useful in talking with these thugs – but he seems to have a few tricks up his sleeve, terrifying the thugs into telling us that Tresendar Manor is the current base of operations for the Redbrands.

With this new information, we went to the town mayor, Harbin Wester. This man is weak and foolish, and undeserving to be the head of this town. He refused to acknowledge the threat of the Redbrands, and offered no support to remove them or find our friends. He seemed more concerned with asking us to deal with an infestation of orcs to the North, offering us 100 gold to force them from the area. With such a weak leader, it’s no wonder that this village is under assault from orcs and brigands alike, and they are lucky we have come here to help them. I can only hope after we secure this town, the people are smart enough to put someone capable of protecting them in charge. While at the town hall, we ran into Sildar Hallwinter. He is still looking for his Lords’ Alliance colleague, Iarno Albrek. He mentioned to us that Iarno had been assigned to investigate Tresendar Manor, and asked we look for him while looked for Dnalor and Barnaby. When asked why he could not come with us since it would serve his own interests, he mentioned he was working to eliminate the goblin threat based in Cragmaw Castle. He offered us 500 gold to assist with that, but we could not undertake such a mission without knowing the fate of the rest of our party. Luckily, we were already planning on following up on the goblins in search of Gundren Rockseeker.

Before returning to Tresendar Manor, we decided to stop by the Shrine of Luck in Phandalin. It was there that we met Sister Garaele, a member of the Harpers. She explained to us that the Harpers are a network of spies and adventurers dedicated to opposing those who abuse positions of power. I respect their objective, but spying feels like a weak profession to me. Those who need to be removed from power should be confronted, defeated, and shown how to truly use one’s power. Sister Garaele also was in need of assistance, in addition to goblins, orcs, and thugs – apparently this town has a problem with a Banshee. This banshee is in possession of a powerful spellbook, and Sister Garaele gave us a jeweled, silver comb to exchange for the book. I doubt I will be able to physically hurt a banshee if negotiations go poorly, so I will let Barnaby or our new companion Content Not Found: zaymos handle talking to the she-devil. Garaele has given us three healing potions as an advance payment, which I’m hoping we don’t need while dealing with the Redbrands.

After realizing Phandalin seems to be the most helpless town in existence, likely because of that idiot Harbin, we decided to begin our work. Zaymos, Adorshea, and I returned to Tresendor Manor to find Iarno and our friends. Adorshea was able to find a secret door leading to a small tomb in the ruins, and after dispatching a few skeletons we’ve taken a breather before pressing on. As always, I will update later – hopefully with better news than above.

- Kulthar

Phandalin is being taken advantage of by these Redbrand ruffians, and I will seek to defend the townsfolk in glorious, combat. I update my journal fresh off an exhilarating victory over those scum Redbrands that have taken over this small town. We’d heard from the local folk that sometimes members of the Redbrands would hang out a local tavern, and Adorshea and i decided to take a chance and see if they were there.

They were.

Upon entering the bar, one of the Redbrands felt it necessary to taunt me. Stupid Redbrands have not met Kulthar Stormrage, and did not know who they were speaking to. Once I showed them my lack of appreciation for how they were treating this town, they attacked Adorshea and I. Once again, they showed they have not met Kulthar Stormrage, otherwise they clearly would have not tried to fight us. Within a minute, all 4 of them were unconscious on the floor, ready to be restrained and questioned. I am lucky there were four of them to question. Even after they saw how mighty Adorshea and I were as a team, they continued to be rude, refusing to give us any information and even spitting on our face. We had to knock three of them out again before the 4th realized he should tell us what we wanted to hear.

-The Redbrands hideout is near the graveyard, and guarded by Skeletons.
-The Redbrands are lead by a mage named Glasstaff. It is an unfortunate name, as it is something that can easily be shattered.
-The Glass Staff reports to the Black Spider.

This Black Spider seems to have his web extending into everything we are encountering, and seems to be what is ailing many good folk. I believe I will have to crush this bug.

- Kulthar

I…don’t know what’s happening to me…I seem to be fading in and out of existence…I can’t seem to remember what happened for the last few days, but today is burned in my memory…at least part of it…

When I awoke from whatever haze I was in, my companions were charging up a trash chute. With little to no knowledge of what had occurred in the interim of my memory, I charged forward assuming my companions were working towards our mutual benefit. I skipped up the trash chute and found us surrounded by a phalanx of goblins. Not long after I arose from the depths, a bugbear joined their side and…then my memory trails off again…

When I awoke the second time, we had been captured, but were left to our own devices in the deep, foul smelling keep. Apparently they thought so little of our party that they didn’t mind allowing us some space. Well this time they were mistaken. I lit up one of them with a blast of fire and with the light that provided, along with some lightning, we were able to dispatch our few captors. Now, with some luck, my memory will hold out and we will pursue…wait – what are we here for? I’ll have to check in with one of my companions and see…if only that toothless wench were still here…I long for that moist embrace…

Dnalor

Oh, this path I stride, all to gain distance from my carceral fate. I fear, however, that I merely supplanted one prison for another. Misters Rockseeker and Hallwinter needed a silver tongue and a gilded name, yet the irony presented by the weight of their purse does not escape me. Delivering “goods, provisions” the identity of which I am not yet privy to, and escorting a caravan – oh how the Barrington name has been tarnished!

Further indignities were suffered in my task to recruit an apparent adventuring party of nudists. Though their garb may be lacking, I can of course discern the formidable look about them. My pride was stripped bare once again when Mister Rockseeker provided no additional compensation for my enlistment efforts, and compounded insult further by riding with Mister Halwinter onward to Phandalin without me. Their instruction was at least more clear than their intent: take the caravan to Phandalin and deliver the goods to Barthen’s. At the very least, I have been liberated from the stench of cheap Dwarven ale.

Of course, without my expert assistance, their lives may be forfeit. We happened upon the corpses of fallen equine beasts on the road, and before I was able to conduct a proper investigation, we were set upon by the lowliest of goblins. My lessons with the blade were well received, and I was able to impart their tutelage with great effect.

I delegated the task of removing the impeding horse flesh to the side of the road (road – I use the term loosely) to my now-clothed companion, and a path was discovered leading away from the grizzly scene of my afternoon seminar. A maven-like application of deductive reasoning lead us to the following conclusions: 1) Our employer was dragged by goblins into the forest, and 2) the most prudent course of action would be to follow the path – and abandon our caravan.

Sincerely Yours,

Barnaby Barrington

It has been sometime since I last wrote on these pages. Since my last entry, it’s impossible to determine exactly how much time has passed, and how much I have changed. Our travels through the woods have finally yielded results, but at an interesting cost. Time. My travelling companions, actually my friends, and I at this point decided to clear our minds of anything but the thoughts of nature, and have been rewarded by interacting with the last Tree Herder in Alduria, and likely the entire world. A direct descendant of Obad-Hai, this is likely the closest any of us will ever be to an actual god.

Despite our personal breakthroughs, we unfortunately did not come across much further information regarding the man who fell from the sky, only that we should do further research on Lhûg Golodh, the Serpent Sage, to learn more. Our time in the woods is over now, and we will begin to venture out. I spoke of the cost of time before, it will truly be interesting to see what has changed since we have been gone. I feel our time here has changed all of us, an evolution of sorts. Adorshea seems to have outgrown her Elvish traits and gained those of a dragon, and has forgotten most of her magical prowess in favor of combat. I have grown in size, and seemed to have lost any orcish features I once had. Dnalor has also taken a more draconic form. I feel as though Finn is the only one who remained fairly unchanged by our time. A new viewpoint and world await us outside these woods, I know we entered them in the middle of the third age of our time, and my best guess would indicate that once we leave, the world will have just begun it’s fifth age. It will be a new experience.

- Kulthar

Nature will always impress me with it’s raw power.

I am Kulthar Stormrage, a great warrior and I was defeated by the minions of the woods today. The bears came out of the brush, catching me off guard. Travelling with the others must have dulled my senses. I was able to quickly kill the first bear with a few blows of my mighty club, but the other was on me before I could do anything. I distinctly remember it’s claws ripping through my flesh before everything went dark. Luckily, with the bears focused on me, the others were able to group up and must have scared the other bear off.

I am slowly regaining my strength, soon we will press on in this dark forest. But before we continue, I must work with the human woman Finn with her bow. I haven’t asked anyone else, but I swear I saw her shoot Dnalor with an arrow when she was aiming for a bear. If the mighty Kulthar is to continue to protect the others, I’d rather not be shot in the back from her good intentions. Dnalor seems capable enough, but I’m not sure how much I trust him with our lives on the line. The elf woman, Adorshea, seems to have use of magic. I don’t understand how it works, but I count her an ally because of it.

I will write more once we find this Serpent Sage.

Kulthar

My eyes open. The beauty is gone and all that is left is an infernal Hell. My face blisters from the heat. I am dying. I look left and see the building wreathed in flame. The fires grow, creeping closer to me, hungry to taste my flesh and burn my bones. I struggle to move away, the gash in my side spilling my lifeblood on the ground. Each inch brings relief as the heat lessens and lessens. Hell recedes behind me. I crawl for my life. The heat fades. My eyes shut.