📬 A New Ally Arrives
- Word of Poppy’s rise to mayorship spread quickly, drawing her friend Illydrill to Phandalin.
- Poppy asked Illydrill to aid the party in uncovering who had taken Gundren Rockseeker and what forces now sought Wave Echo Cave.
- With introductions made, Illydrill joined Gamsey, Fenn, and Willow in preparing for the next leg of the journey.
✉️ Warnings from the Wilds
- Reidoth the druid, hearing troubling rumors near Cragmaw Castle, sent a warning letter to Qelline Alderleaf in Phandalin.
- The message cautioned that anyone approaching the ruins should expect hostile forces still lurking there.
- Taking the warning seriously, the party outfitted themselves carefully for travel.
🐎 Investments in Independence
- The group acquired three horses and a cart, arranging to keep them stabled in Phandalin.
- The exchange was structured to support women-run trade in town, helping create new, independent sources of income for the community.
- Final preparations included gathering rope, tarps, and travel supplies before setting out.
🏰 The Ruins of Cragmaw Castle
- The party reached Cragmaw Castle without incident and surveyed the crumbling structure.
- Entering through a collapsed northern wall, they soon overheard a tense negotiation.
- Inside, they found the bugbear known as King Grol speaking with a drow named Veyrith, discussing the sale of Gundren’s map.
- Gundren Rockseeker lay nearby, unconscious but alive.
✨ A Swift Reckoning
- When combat broke out, King Grol and his dire wolf were swiftly overwhelmed in a burst of glittering.
- The party allowed Veyrith to depart, convinced the drow had sought the map purely for personal gain rather than allegiance to darker forces.
- With Gundren rescued and the map to Wave Echo Cave secured, the party left the ruined castle behind.
🏡 Homeward Bound
- The group returned safely to Phandalin, eager to regroup.
- Gundren was reunited with Sildar Hallwinter, setting the stage for long-overdue answers.
- With the map finally in their possession, the path to Wave Echo Cave now lay open - and far more dangerous than ever before