Soul Matters and a new Journey Begins
Our party joined the Rockseer Brothers and a Talhund of Dumathoin early in the morning for the resurrection ritual of Tharden Rockseer.
The Talhund expected the brothers to provide the 1000ct diamond required for the ritual, and they expected him to. After some back and forth, it was discovered that Halia Thornton would sell a 1500ct diamond for 2000gp. She was willing to trade it for becoming an equal partner in the Rockseer's mining venture.
Preferring not to give up 25% of all future profits to Halia Thornton, the Rockseers agreed instead to put the mining claim up as collateral for a loan from the Phandalin Trust and Loan company run by Harbin Wester.
2nd of Uktar, 1491
The Phandalin Trust and Loan do hereby grant Nundro and Tharden Rockseer a loan of 2,000 gold coins for the 10% interest over the next 22 months.
The Rockseer brothers hereby offer up Neverwinter Mining Stake #4357 as collateral.
The Rockseer brothers hereby commit to paying back 100 gold per month.
// The usual stuff about failure to comply and its consequences including the confiscation + sale of the collateral.
This contract is signed by:
Harbin Wester on behalf of Phandalin Trust and Loan
Nundro Rockseer
Gundren Rockseer
Witnessed by The Heroes of Phandalin
Gold in hand, the brothers and party bought Halia's Gemstone and met the Talhund at Tharden's Grave.
The ritual began with the Talhund beseeching Dumathoin's guidance and protection as they sought Tharden's departed soul. A fog rolled in around the group and a vision of Dumathoin descended, coming to rest over Tharden's corpse in the middle of the circle.
Thorrfig was the first to speak. He pleaded with Tharden to return to his brothers and finish the work he had started with them. Tharden's spirit began to glow around the mangled corpse freshly exhumed.
Stuu spoke next, promising Tharden that at the end of all this he'd live a normal life unaffected by his demise. Both the avatar and Tharden's soul seemed to become more tangible as they came closer to converging with this plane.
The brothers spoke last. They beseeched Dumathoin to release their brother's soul back to them. Explaining that he was taken from them by Drow trickery while attempting to bring the secret powers of the Forge of Spells back from their resting place. They explained that Tharden was the smartest of the three of them and the whole venture was his plan from the beginning. They are lost without his help.
Dumathoin's avatar spoke.
Children of the Mountains Nundro and Gundren Rockseer, sons of Nudwo Rockseer, Harken to me.
I will release Tharden's soul back to you for the cause you have before you is a good one.
I watched the things they did to you both. My vision is far flung, but my reach is small. More will suffer because I have not the ability to aid them. To that end, I have a question for you Nundro son of Nudwo. Will you pin Tharden's Soul to this body? Will you pledge your arms to my will and your courage to my calling?
Become Talhund and I will ensure your brothers live a good life for each year of service you give me. Death comes for all, when you pass on to my halls, it will be you that escorts them to that sacred place.
Nundro agreed and became a Gravewarden of Dumathoin. Tharden arose and the Rockseers were reunited once more. The first thing the three agreed upon was to make the Heroes of Phandalin an equal partner in the Mine's operations, the least they could do after all they had done to help the brothers.
Nundro couldn't stand the idea of returning to the place of his torture, and so joined the Heroes on their adventuring. The Talhund of Dumathoin agreed to accompany the brothers to the lost mines and reestablish the temple to his lord there. The group of dwarves arranged to leave by the end of the week to finally begin the work to clear out and reestablish the mines.
With their business in Phandalin done, the party made ready to set off towards Gnomengarde, gathering supplies for the journey and making the cart ready to leave. One of the sending stones was left in the townmaster's hall in the care of Edermath. The party agreed to make a stop at the dungeon they found marked in Mormesk's library. Setting off on the Triboar Trail, the party made good time due eastward along the trail.
On the journey they saw:
- Work on Phagmaw has begun. Large quantities of Timber and Stone had begun piling up ready to be used to construct the outpost. Sildar and Rovarg are leading the operations there.
- Several ranches and homesteads scattered around the foothills.
- The remains of a merchant caravan almost definitely raided by Orcs.
- A ruined fortress south of Conyberry's ruins with smoke rising from within it.
- Conyberry's ruins lying dormant. The woods have reclaimed much of what was once the town.
- A caravan moving west through the hills to the south of Conyberry, moving through the hills themselves.
After six days of travel, the party arrived at the general area they knew the dungeon they sought to be in. A single rocky mountain stands above the surrounding hills, sparse shrubbery dotting its sides. A look around the mountain revealed no dungeon entrance, but the party did stumble upon a grisly scene of some attack's aftermath.
Something fairly large with wings and talons flew off with a kill from the small clearing. In addition, a fair number of small humanoid tracks were found going to and from the scene. The party followed the tracks up the mountainside, stealthily. As they were sneaking up the hillside, Hada's foot found a bear trap. Once extracated from the trap, an ominous rustling came from some shrubs nearby and a wasp's nest was flung in the middle of the party.
A swarm of wasps emerged and Rovu jumped into action trying to contain them, getting stung in the process. Stuu bolted back down the mountain and in the process was grabbed by a different bear trap. Rovu used the spider staff to capture the waps and then Hada burned them with a torch. Once Stuu was out of the bear trap, the party sat down and debated what to do in the failing light. It was decided that they would hunker down here and attempt to wait till morning to advance up the mountain.
