The Knights of Ignatius

## We Hardly Knew Ye

In the city of Neverwinter, a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker asked a group of adventurers (**Jaime Mountainlion**, **Ignatius Warmonger,** **Aerin Seasong**, and **Aastrid Willowblaze**) to bring a wagonload of provisions to the rough-and-tumble settlement of Phandalin, a couple of days’ travel southeast of the city. Gundren was clearly excited and more than a little secretive about his reasons for the trip, saying only that he and his brothers had found “something big,” and that he’d pay them ten gold pieces each for escorting his supplies safely to Barthen’s Provisions, a trading post in Phandalin. He then sent out ahead of them on horse, along with a warrior escort named Bruenor, claiming he needed to arrive early to “take care of business.”

The group was ambushed on the triboar trail by a gang of goblins, who quickly killed Ignatius, a formerly enslaved half-orc who escaped from the drow of the Underdark only to meet an ignoble end. The rest of the group--calm druid Aerin, flamboyant bard (and heir to the monopolisitc Mountainlion leather trade) Jaime, and rebellious, free-spirited sorcerer Aastrid--fought back, tracking the escaping goblins to a cave.

### Memorable Quotes

**Jaime:** To bury a lifelong friend/Who met unjust, untimely end/Will nary spare a troubled tear/Though Ignatius’ spirit with us stays near/Ignatius, Ignatius, O Ignatius/An orc who lived his life so well/Ignatius, Ignatius, O ‘Natius/You light our way, through dark, through Hell!

**Jaime:** Out from the vales and the thistle wood/Sprung goblins, to terrorize our heroic troop/We fought valiantly and defended our keep/Though for Aerin’s wound did I cry and weep/Twas Aastrid’s magic that spared our friend/To take us to this happy end.

## The Cragmaw Cave

The group captured and interrogated some goblins outside the cave and learned that they served at the pleasure of a bugbear named Klarg. They infiltrated the cave and discovered **Bruenor Stormbringer**, Gundren's bodyguard, who had already been captured.

Bruenor explained that Klarg had orders to capture Gundren at the request of someone called the Black Spider. He believed Gundren and a map with the coordinates to a place called Wave Echo Cave were taken to the Cragmaw clan's chief bugbear at a place called Cragmaw Castle. Bruenor had a contact in the town of Phandalin named Iarno Albrek, a mercenary wizard. He suggested getting out of the cave, getting to Phandalin, speaking to Iarno for information about Cragmaw Castle, and saving Gundren.

After some madcap escapades (including using goblins as surfboards, dunking and drowning giant spiders in the river, playing music to lull goblin-trained wolves to sleep, and disguising themselves as goblins), the group escaped with Bruenor intact. They avoided confronting Klarg, the bugbear boss.

### Memorable Quotes

**A Cragmaw Goblin**: I’m not sure if I’m overstepping my boundaries, but do I get a vote? [After nearly being beheaded by Bruenor.]

**Jaime (disguised as a goblin):** The wizard’s coming for us! Save yourselves, save your families!

* **Jaime (disguised as a goblin):** I’m...ah...Speckles, the Goblin!
* **A Cragmaw Goblin:** Why do you keep calling yourself ‘the goblin’?”
* **Jaime (disguised as a goblin):** Just had some goblin coffee!”
* **A Cragmaw Goblin:** We just call it ‘coffee.’

* **Goblin to Jamie:** We’ve had enough of your filthy human lies!
* **Bruenor:** They just call them lies!

**Jamie:** Are you ready to do something fucking crazy? [Grabs the bound Spindlelegs the First, jumps off the precipice into the river below, and attempts to rides him like a surfboard. Spindlelegs drowns instantly.]

* **Jamie:** Alright, guys, I think we need to come up with a plan. Bruenor should--
* **Aastrid:** Wait, which Bruenor? Me, or Bruenor?
* **Bruenor:** We’re in a huddle! There is only one Bruenor here!
* **Aastrid:** We’ve been over this. Your name is now Smallhands Littlefoot McGee.

## The Town of Phandalin

The group journeyed to the nearby mining village of Phandalin on Bruenor's request, where they attempted to find information about Iarno Albrek, who could help them find the missing Gundren Rockseeker by giving information about Cragmaw Castle. They met Toblen Stonehill, barkeep and owner of the Stonehill Inn, whose bar was under attack by some local toughs named the Redbrands, After fighting off the Redbrands in the town square and gaining Toblen's admiration, they were permitted to stay the night.

The party asked after Iarno's whereabouts throughout the city, encountering a retired adventurer named Daran Edermath (who owned a small orchard; Aastrid bonded with him and took several of his apples), a trading post owner named Elmar Barthen (who disliked Jaime Mountainlion for his family's leather monopoly), and Halia Thornton (a plainspoken and powerful guildmaster of the mining exchange; Bruenor got frustrated at her implacable demeanor). Finally, they spoke to Sister Garaele (an eccentric elf cleric of the luck goddess). The cleric informed them that Iarno was found dead outside the town.

The group went to the town hall and met the town's cowardly leader, Harbin Wester. Harbin told them that the Redbrands had taken up residence in the manor on the outskirts of town. He also informed them about the Redbrand's leader, a wizard called Glasstaff--an alleged shapechanger who uses his magic to pretend to be people he isn't and spy on unsuspecting town-goers. Between the Redbrand's physical threat and Glasstaff's magical one, the town felt helpless.

### Memorable Quotes

* **Halia:** What's power, little man?
* **Bruenor:** Whatever swings my axe!

## The Redbrands

The party learned more about the Redbrands, who had captured innocent members of the town and their children. They decided to track the ruffians to their base, passing by a bar called the Sleeping Giant on the way. When they did, they encountered Glasstaff in the guise of a young boy. Giving chase into the bar, they provoked a barfight, capturing and interrogating a suspected Redbrand spy. They learned that Glasstaff manipulated the town into voting for the current townmaster because he was too weak to mount a proper defense.

Worried about Glasstaff's machinations, the party attempted to ambush his servants in their manor. They found an aberration--a nothic--in its basement, but slayed it and caught Glasstaff in his room. The mage, abandoning his servants, used magic to escape. The party, frustrated, killed the other ruffians, saved the captives, and returned their loot to the people of Phandalin. Aastrid found a letter addressed from a mysterious benefactor called the Black Spider warning the mage about the party's possible interference. She also attuned to a magical longsword named Talon--a blade that belonged to Aldeth Tresendar, known as the Great Hawk.

The group freed a goblin called Droop from a pair of bugbears working alongside the Redbrands. They learned Droop was brought from Cragmaw Castle to serve this Black Spider. Aastrid and Jaime adopted Droop into the group. While Iarno, the original contact, was dead, Droop could take them to the Cragmaw Castle. They could find Gundren Rockseeker and thwart the Black Spider (and Glasstaff's plans).

## Interlude

The party returned to Phandalin's town square, the Redbrands vanquished and Droop in tow. Jaime overpaid Barthen for armor and attempted to better understand why the small business owner was upset about monopolies, helping to salvage his family's reputation.

They spoke with Daran, who mentioned he knew the deceased Iarno--a member of a heroic group called the Order of Gauntlet. He suspected that Glasstaff killed Iarno. The group, researching Glasstaff's movements, believed that he was likely a halfling named Gowrick Gladstone. Halia Thornton gave them crucial intelligence about the wizard.

Droop, grateful to be rescued, took a shine to the party. He carved pictures of them into a bedframe at the Stonehill Inn.

Before following Glasstaff, the party agreed to help around the town. Sister Garaele asked them to ask an old banshee for information about a vanished magical book of binding. They complied. The banshee, Agatha, playfully provoked Aastrid (who was developing feelings of Jaime) by demanding Jaime's kisses in response for information. The party learned that the book of binding was traded to a dusk elf named **Rahadin** decades ago for his master. Agatha, despite her powers, couldn't scry on Rahadin to see where he took it.

On the way back from Agatha's, the party encountered and dispatched hobgoblins. Aastrid began to summon chaos magic (the Arms of Hadar) in her frustration to end the fight. Bruenor, warming up to Aastrid, helped the pair resolve their feelings (as he develops some feelings for Aerin, who has been brutal in battle as a bear wildshape and peaceful outside as an octopus wildshape).

The group, working out their difficulties, decided to handle a tribe of violent orcs around the town. They handled the problem (at great personal risk) and found an owlbear--a monstrosity born of magical experimentation. Aastrid, sympathetic, fed and tried to befriend it--to no avail. They ran away instead of killing it.

Returning to the town, the group found that Droop was pretending to be a halfling called Mr. Thunderfeet. Aastrid asked Halia Thornton for advice on killing an owlbear; Bruenor, swallowing his pride, backed her up. Halia took an interest in what the group wanted and their views on power.

Aastrid, maturing in her realization that she may have to put down the owlbear to spare it further suffering, resolved to gain more magical power. The group, led by Droop, went to the Cragmaw Castle.

### Memorable Quotes

**Jaime:** Dearest darlingest mama and papa, your boy is doing you proud out here in the country. I have been made the supreme leader of my group of daring adventurers. I have gotten a taste of what it feels like to be a man of the people. The people here adore me, mama, just like you knew they would from the moment I sprung from you womb. And something I have noticed is that many people do not have what we have. So I ask you kindly and humbly to send as much gold as you can to help these poor people who spend 20 gold per gallon of milk. Your baby boy and future hero, Jamie.

**Droop (doing an impression of a halfling)**: Is that mine?

## The Cragmaw Castle

The party stormed Cragmaw Castle with Droop. They slew another aberration (called a grick). Aastrid, who had begun to use more chaos magic, took its blood to study its chaotic properties. The party sent Droop on a reconnaissance mission as they messily butchered more of his kinsmen.

The party found a golden statuette of an elf in the goblins' hoards. When each figure touched it, they gained magical, hallucinatory insight. Jaime learned Glasstaff was hiding in the Wave Echo Cave. Aastrid confirmed Glasstaff's true name.

The party found King Grol, the bugbear leader of the goblin Clan Cragmaw, accompanied by an enslaved owlbear (to Aastrid's chagrin), a drow, and a captured Gundren Rockseeker. With Droop's help (and uncharacteristic bravery), they killed the king, vanquished the drow (which also revealed itself as an aberration called a doppelganger), put down the owlbear, got a map to the Wave Echo Cave, and learned about Gundren's brothers (Nundro and Tharden). The family had found a magical forge in the cave called the **Forge of Spells.**

The party came clean to Droop about the wholesale slaughter of the Cragmaws, some of whom were not willingly serving King Grol. Droop, deeply saddened by this but still indebted to the heroes for freeing him and showing him kindness, left the group.

### Memorable Quotes

* **Gundren** (captured and confused): So...are you going to kill me, or?
* **Aerin:** I dunno. I'll think about it. Just kidding!

**Droop (shaking Jaime's hand before leaving)**: Is that mine?

## Wave Echo Cave

The party followed Gundren's directions to Wave Echo Cave, where they expected to find Glasstaff, discover the Black Spider's plans, and find the Forge of Spells. Bruenor was worried about keeping the group alive. Jaime and Aastrid confessed their feelings for each other.

They delved into the cave, discovering Tharden's corpse. As they continued, they encountered more aberrations and bugbears. They finally found a room with four monstrous spiders and a tied-up dwarf (who they thought to be Nundro Rockseeker). The spiders surrounded Jaime and stung him to death. Aastrid despaired.

Bruenor freed Nundro, who claimed the real Black Spider was in the next door. Aastrid, vengeful, barges into the room and sees a sleeping drow. She uses chaos magic to immediately murder him. In his death, his true form is revealed: the actual Nundro. The fake Nundro, Glasstaff, escapes into the cave.

The surviving trio was joined by **Zikra Lagiwar**, a cleric of the forge. Zikra worked for Halia Thornton and reveals Halia's true affiliation: the Zhentarim, a secretive mercenary organization. She arrived to support them and make sure Halia could claim the Forge of Spells.

As they continued, they banished more aberrations and undead in the depths of the mine, including a spectator, wraith, and flameskull. When they're ambushed by undead ghouls, they realize Glasstaff has disguised himself as one of the undead. They survived his surprise fireball. Glasstaff used his shape-shifting to try to trick the party into healing him, but they were not convinced.

Aastrid, consumed by vengeance, fought recklessly--and was caught off-guard by Glasstaff, who killed her. The shapeshifter was finally slain by Zikra. They found no trace of the Black Spider in the mines.

### Memorable Quotes

**Bruenor:** I have no interest in gold. My currency is revenge, now.

## Aftermath and Implications

Zikra, who recovered the Forge of Spells, was promoted within the Zhentarim. Halia Thornton took the forge for her own plans. The Forge remained under Zhentarim control--until, one day, the Black Spider stole it away. Halia was asked to gather a team, track the Black Spider down, and reclaim it.

Bruenor buried Aastrid and Jaime together. He took up residence in Phandalin to ruminate on his failure. His heroic deeds, however, preceded him. Soon, he would be look to as a leader--and eventually, a king.

Aerin, saddened by the loss of her friends, left the town.

Jaime, Aastrid, and, eventually, Droop the goblin were reunited in death on the peaceful plane of Elysium. They enjoyed a time of togetherness and bliss--until the events of the **The Scions of Strahd.**

### Memorable Quotes

**Jaime and Aastrid's Epitaph:**

* His golden hair did glisten, as the sun/His rakish smile, a beacon in the night/And as he’s laid to rest, his work is done/For dark misdeeds are bare, exposed to light.
* So, Jaime Mountainlion, hear our praise/For you have brought our small township much joy/Your name shall bring the sons of sin malaise/But in Phandelver, you’re our leather-boy.
* And you are joined in your resting place/With Aastrid, who gives all you need to thrive/And through eternity, you shall embrace/In golden memories, you’re both alive.

## New NPCs

1. Spindlelegs the First, goblin
2. Elsa, a barmaid
3. Gowrick "Glasstaff" Gladstone, wizard operative of the Black Spider
4. Toblen Stonehill, the barkeep
5. Elmar Barthen, trading post owner
6. Daran Edermath, member of the Order of the Gauntlet
7. Halia Thornton, member of the Zhentarim
8. Sister Garaele, elf cleric of Tymora
9. Harbin Wester, Townmaster of Phandalin
10. Kevork, Harbir's young assistant
11. Agatha, a wraith
12. King Grol, bugbear leader
13. Gundren Rockseeker, dwarf