Aboleth Group D&D Blog

The Forge of Spells – Detailed Working This is an attempt to document how the Forge of Spells seems to work. Note that despite the many and varied experiments done in using the Forge, there is still a level of randomness associated with its enchantments, and there can be no guarantees as to the outcome.  When the Forge was first discovered, by miners working the Wave Echo Cave silver lodes, it was simply an unusual green flame, rising through a crack in the rock floor. The flame seemed to be harmless to anyone caught in it, but it was discovered, rather by accident, that any weapon or armour item left in the flame for an amount of time seemed to gain a magic enchantment upon it.  The Pact of Phandelver was formed between the dwarvish miners, gnomish engineers and human and elvish clerics and wizards to help investigate and refine this wondrous find. The dwarves and gnomes fashioned a brazier to contain and focus the flame, and a gnomish ‘key’ was created to further c...

Nezznar, We grow a little impatient. As you know, you were hired, at considerable expense, to restart the Forge of Spells. We have heard very little from you for some time now. The time of the Second Cleansing is approaching, and we need the Forge to be working to provide the items to guarantee our success in ensuring the Giants do not interfere this time. Your work is not the only activity we are invested in. We need you to fulfil your promise, and quickly, to support our other efforts. Failure is not an option

7 th Feb 2020, 7:45 – 11:00am In-game timeline: Start of session, day 23 (1489DR Eleint 16). End of session, day 26 (1489DR Eleint 19). Our “Heroes” spend a bit of time back in Phandalin, levelling up to Level 4, practising their new skills, and talking to some of the locals. Esme repaired Mallorn’s statue of Oghma for him. Some businesses seem to be closing down as the town gets quieter and quieter. Grista has closed the Sleeping Giant Tap House, and Maude has even had to close her Milliners shop. Halia is standing for Townmaster, which has mixed support amongst the town, as well as amongst the party, but as no one else is standing against her, it seems she will win in the elections next week. Sildar is heading back to Neverwinter, to report on Iarno’s treachery as well as being needed to help in other causes in the lands to the north – something about a Giants’ uprising, or issues with their council, or some such long-distant problem. He did ask if they knew anythin...

24 th Jan 2020, 7:45 – 11:30am In-game timeline: Start of session, day 20 (1489DR Eleint 13). End of session, day 23 (1489DR Eleint 16). (Summary written by Mike) Barricaded in King Grol’s room, a tower in Cragmaw Castle. Gundren is unconscious and placed safely out of harm’s way. The group search the room. Esme finds 20g + health pot + map (showing detailed map of Phandalin, but not the location of the Forge) + letter explaining only Rockseekers (ROCKSEEKERS!) can use the map – Esme knows this is with a drop of Rockseeker blood. Mallorn drags the dead body of Glasstaff into the room. Mallorn conjures a tripwire. But unfortunately the glowing wire was spotted by the goblins Derrick and Pruni place Glasstaff’s body into a chair, facing the entrance to the room (reminding them of a ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’) The team hear footsteps - 2 arrows fly into the room and hit the already dead Glasstaff. Mallorn hears the command ‘FIRE!’ In Goblin and more arrows hit Der...

10 th Jan 2020, 7:45 – 12:00am In-game timeline: Start of session, day 17 (1489DR Eleint 10). End of session, day 20 (1489DR Eleint 13). We rejoin our “Heroes” basking in the glory of being returning heroes in Phandalin, now word has got around about their dealing with the Redbrand threat. There is some concern about bandits in surrounding areas finding a renewed interest in the town, now that it no longer has a resident ‘mini-mafia’ force, and Sildar is trying to round up some people to help become a neighbourhood-watch type group to counter the threat, though few people are willing or able to join. A new election is being proposed for Townmaster to replace Harbin. Derrick considers applying. After visiting Daran at his orchard, scrounging more apples from him and ignoring his tales of derring-do once they find out he does not speak Gnomish, they decide to head out into the woods to find Cragmaw Castle. After a fairly uneventful journey they arrived at the rough loca...

10 th Dec 2019, 7:45 – 11:00pm In-game timeline: Start of session, day 14. End of session, day 17. Our “Heroes” are surveying the scene of a ruined tower, a large, colourful tent, ground covered in bodies and webs, and a clean and tidy well that is crying out to be investigated. Derrick seems to have learnt a new word during the last battle - "carefully". He "carefully" walks over to one of the humanoid bodies on the group, and "carefully" investigates it. He sees that it appears to be a zombie, now dead (for the second, and possibly final) time. The other bodies lying around also appear to be zombie-like. Other than the 4 that the party killed, there are around 4 others that were already dead when the group arrived. Derrick "carefully" approaches the body that is lying in front of the tent entrance, which is another zombie. Now that Derrick understands what "carefully" means, he no longer bothers, and instead hoofs the de...

Mirtul 8, 1489 DR Arrived at the Well. No one has been here for decades! Should be a good place to find historical artefacts, and maybe learn about the place. Set up tent outside ruins of the tower. The team is working well together – this should be a good dig. Mirtul 12, 1489 DR Ready to start the dig within the tower. Fed up with getting fresh water from the stream – looks like the well itself still has fresh water, so I’ll put some of the team on to repairing the well head to save all our trips to the stream! Mirtul 15, 1489 DR First find in the dig – some notes written by a Wizard, obviously staying here en route to the old Forge of Spells. Implies this place had some sort of inn or resting house as part of, or alongside, the tower. The notes are very fragile. I’ll transcribe their contents later. Mirtul 20, 1489 DR Finished repairing the well head, so I can now get fresh water when I want it. That’ll save my energies for the dig. Found a few more coins, but not...