Episode 7 - Cauldron Caves (Easthaven Continued)

With the Duergar hiding out on the stricken Easthaven Ferry defeated, our band of heroes returned to the White Lady Inn for a long rest to recharge. Aldrick spent a couple of hours copying the remaining spells from Astrix's spell book into his own, Shayde went straight to sleep to recover her spent hit points before waking early to sharpen her blades. Grom meticulously cleaned and repacked all his various gear before settling down for a deep slumber, meanwhile Tor spent a couple of hours in deep meditation, casting her mind through which of her Druidic spells may come in useful for the day ahead. 

After convening for breakfast in the Inn's common room our adventurers headed out into the town. Their destination, the town hall to converse with Speaker Waylan and Captain Arlaggath about the missing fishers but also to find out about Dzaan's personal belongings. After an initial conversation with Speaker Waylan about the town and services available such as libraries or book shops Speaker Waylan informed them that what passed for the town's library was intact contained within the town hall. Speaker Waylan then lead the party through the town hall to a back office to Captain Arlaggath. A discussion about Dzaan's personal belongings allowed Captain Arlaggath to produce 3 items, A scroll case, a grey bag and a book of poetry. Taking the scroll case, Aldrick was able to decipher it was a spell scroll of fireball. A quick glance through the pages of the book and it did appear very much to be poetry but the captain allowed Aldrick to take it to study it further to see if it was in fact a coded text. A deal was struck that in return for searching for the missing fishers; or as Grom gruffly stated; their likely remains, that Dzaan's affects would be turned over to Aldrick. Furthermore the town would supply a boat for the search of Lac Dinneshere and the fishers potential hunting grounds. 

After making their way down to the docks Tor dragged a small fishing boat across the ice to the open waters wherefrom they would set out to search the lake. With Tor and Grom rowing and Shayde on the bow keeping watch of the water and the treacherous ice flows, Aldrick set Lookout off to scout ahead. After a few hours and a couple of close misses Lookout was able to report telepathically back to Aldrick that a small vessel could be seen dragged ashore in one of the small inlets up the coast. 

Steering the boat towards the cove the beached boat became visible. Our heroes towed up and dragged their own boat up onto the frozen shoreline nearby. The beached vessel contained 4 oars, fishing nets and a large number of empty bottles. Feint tracks could be discerned heading across the snow and ice inland towards the nearby cliff which contained a series of large caves. The southernmost cave appeared to contain a frozen river that flowed from the cave out to the lake. The other 3 caves were all situated some 20-30ft up the cliff. With plenty of hand/foot holds each cave was easily reachable for our group of explorers. The bitter wind howled through the caves as as our heroes approached the sound became more like a wailing moan. 

Before reaching the caves a cadre of Harpies flew into view from the top of the cliffs. Initiative was rolled as the hungry Harpies swooped down to attack. The closest harpy perching on a nearby rocky outcrop. With a quick prayer to Marthammor Duin Grom loaded a bolt into his crossbow and fired. NATURAL 20!!! Aldrick cast mage armour and withdrew back towards the cliff. Lookout swooped up to help by trying to district the harpy that Grom had struck near fatally with his crossbow bolt. 

The Harpies came nearer sing their luring magical melody. Aldrick, Shayde and Tor remained resolute but Grom succumbed and was charmed by one of them, dropping his crossbow and turning to follow the harpy. 

With Grom charmed and being lead towards the frozen frigid waters of the lake and the rest of the party immune to their luring songs the other harpies flew down to attack with claws and clubs. The harpy charming Grom attacked lookout, causing the Owl to disappear back to the Fey realm. Shayde sprinted across the ice in crampons to engage one of the harpies ending it's life.

2 more harpies swooped down to attack Aldrick but his mage armour managed to deflect 3 of the 4 attacks. Aldrick grabbed one with his shocking grasp cantrip. Tor bounded over to help Aldrick all the while Shayde sprinted back across the ice to drop down on the other using her cunning action dash. 

Grom failed his saving throw and proceeded to walk into the frigid waters of the lake in front of the awaiting harpy. The shock of the coldness ended the charm on Grom who suddenly realising what was happening reached for his great axe and swung a huge cleaving through it's lower body before quickly retreating from the water. 

The damage the harpies had now taken was too much and realising this was not going to be an easy meal took to the air in retreat. Missed opportunity attacks allowed 2 harpies to flee from the melee while the one that had charmed Grom also fled along the lake. With only Shayde left to go she dashed out from the cliff face, pointed her hand at one of the harpies and unleashed her Vicious Mockery. The sudden psychic pain caused the harpy to tumble to the ground. 

With the harpies dead of fleeing it enable Tor to create a bonfire so that Grom could dry his wet clothes and get warm again. Aldrick used his arcane recovery and Tor healed those in need with her healing kit.

The first surprising encounter over our heroes made their way quickly across the ice to the caves. With four caves meant four potential encounters. The tracks from the fishers boat lead into the main southernmost cave along the frozen stream. Deciding this was potentially the most dangerous route the group split into two teams. Grom and Tor would take the northern most cave mouth while Aldrick and Shayde would take the one just along from the frozen stream. 

Grom and Tor easily traversed the rocky cliff face entering through a large cave openings into a dark tunnel approx 30ft high by 10ft wide. Grom lead with his darkvision, Tor following closely behind. The tunnel wound forward some 80ft to a fork. Taking a moment to stop, listen and smell in the darkness nothing was detected above the moaning sound of the wind. 

Feeling it was now safe, Tor light a torch illuminating the passageway Infront of them. The left fork opened up into a chamber decorated with stick figure relief carvings on the wall. Using his stonecunning Grom was able to determine that the carvings depicted Frost Giants wading up a river to shot spring where they would end their lives by drowning. A little confused and disturbed by this Grom and Tor followed the southward tunnel out of the chamber to where it joined up with another tunnel that lead back to another entrance in the cliff face.

Meanwhile Aldrick and Shayde had entered the Southern cave entrance above the frozen river. This was a short tunnel that opened up into a large cavern. Using her darkvision Shayde wax able to distinguish a number of shapes on the cavern floor, namely that of the bones and remains of an assortment of creatures including humanoids. Shayde told Aldrick to keep back while she ventured into the cavern ax stealthily as possible. The large cavern opened into a smaller cavern at it's rear where Shayde came face to face with a hungry Dire Wolf. 

With initiative rolled Shayde attacked. Her assassinate trait giving her advantage on her attack roll against any opponent that hasn't taken a turn and therefore allowing her to add sneaky attack damage. A big first first round attack! Aldrick threw up his mage armour. The Dire wolf lunged at Shayde managing to hit but failed to knock her prone. Shayde struck again. Aldrick fearing for his companion moved forward into the cavern before using his dash actions to bring him into melee with the dire wolf. The wolf lunged again at Shayde but missed. Now with Aldrick in a flanking position Shayde struck again with advantage bringing the wolf to its demise. A search of the wolf's lair yielded nothing of value and so Aldrick and Shayde made their way back out of the cave and up to the next entrance where they re-joined with their fellow adventurers. 

With our band of heroes now reunited, they made their way slowly and carefully along the central passage until they came to a bridge across the frozen river. Having not detected any further noises or smells Aldrick cast dancing lights to illuminated the now vast cavern. Our heroes all made it safely across the icy bridge thanks to their crampons which brought them into another small chamber containing the remains of an abandoned campsite. A search of the site lead to the finding of the remains of journal written in Dwarfish. The journal indicated that the caves where sacred to Frost Giants. The author also noted that the wailing winds where reminiscent of an old women and that they would often be mixed with the sound of singing followed by a shrill laughter. 

The abandoned campsite was another dead end. A search for hidden/secret doors or passages yielded nothing so our heroes headed back to the icy bridge, from where they were able to climb down to the frozen river below. Following the frozen river northwards into the cave complex our heroes came upon a large open chamber where the ceiling was pierced by shafts of light from the outside. Beneath the glassy surface of the frozen pool our heroes where able to distinguish the suspended remains of a number of deceased giants. 

The cavern had a number of exits. To the north, a sheer 20ft wall of ice. To the east a more accessible climb to a another passage. Taking the path of least resistance the party climbed the cavern wall to the Eastern passage which lead to a natural stone staircase. Shadows flickered across the stone surfaces of the tunnel walls. With the harrowing warning of the "White Lady" in her mind Shayde told the rest of the party to stand fast. Then Stayed pulled a potion from her pack, pulled the cork and downed it. Upon finishing Shayde vanished from site. 

With the potion of invisibility coursing through her Shayde stalked into the cavern at the top of the stairs. Keeping to the walls Shayde was able to discern the ugly figure of a humanoid female alongside the glowing essence of a "Will O' Wisp" and the horrific sights of a stone table covered in the butchered remains of various humanoids l. Having managed to successfully avoid being detected Shayde stalked around behind the old hag and attacked! With surprise on her side Shayde's Assassinate ability the attack was an instant critical hit. With initiative rolled the first full round of combat erupted and Shayde struck again with the highest score piling on more damage with her multiple attacks. The rest of the party advanced into the chamber. 

Managing to avoid the Sea Hags frightful appearance with a successful wisdom save the damage inflicted forced the Sea Hag to offer a deal in return for sparing her life! She would surrender her magical "Cauldron of Plenty" along with a treasure retrieved from the bottom of the lake in return for her life. The party would have to remain in the cave until midnight, before making their way North along the frozen shore. Taking a moment to think, the deal was struck and the Hag's life was spared. 

Allowing the Hag and her companion to leave and retrieve the treasure our party took a moment to assess their surroundings which bought with it a somewhat intoxicating stench. Investigating the cauldron bought out heroes face to face with the remains of the missing fishers. Using all of her strength Tor emptied the cauldron of it's vile strew. With nothing else of value to be found out intrepid adventurers made their way out of the cave back towards the entrance. The adjacent chamber though housed a Frost Giant Skeleton partially encased in ice! As our heroes passed, the skeletal remains appeared to awaken and the animated corpse meant death to all it could see.

With initiative rolled it was time for battle once more! Shayde struck first with her Assassin skill to deal a heavy strike before using her cunning action to disengage and move out of the giant's reach. Grom knowing that a frost giant, even in skeletal form would be a particularly difficult opponent invoked his Orc Stone to summon the spirit of an Orc war chief warrior to stand guard and prevent the frost giant skeleton from being able to move. Everyone moved out of range of the Frost Giants large axe. Tor put down the cauldron and cast heat metal on the axe causing fire damage. Aldrick unleashed a barrage of fiery scorching rays before retreating further into the tunnel. 

The Skeletal Giant swung it's great axe landing blows against the Orc War chief. The Orc War chief roared out it's war cry giving advantage to everyone for the second round of attacks. The combination of attacks had the Frost Giant Skeleton reduced to where Tor was able to move in close and with her staff to land a final blow with bludgeoning damage and defeat the giant.  Our party of heroes were able to continue onwards out of the cave complex. Arriving at the frozen river, the party had to climb down a frozen waterfall which they all managed successfully apart from Aldrick who rolled a natural 1. Aldricks clumsiness in his decent meant that the frozen waterfall was damaged releasing the elemental spirit of a "Water Weird". 

Shayde attacked first with her short sword. Although she struck well the amount of damage inflicted didn't measure up to the power of her action. As a bonus action she disengaged and moved away from the water spirit to see what happened in the following turns. Aldrick, prone from his fall, got up disengaged and also moved away from this strange creature to get a better vantage point. Grom swung with his axe, again landing a keen hit but the damage seemed to dissipate as the axe cleaved straight through the watery mass.

The water weird lashed out at Grom. Hitting and grappling him to try and pull the dwarf ranger into the icy water. Tor unleashed her inner bear and transformed into her wild shape, making two attacks against the elemental water monster. The Orc War Chief also hit back but the same result. Despite the hits landing the damage was halved. Whilst Grom struggled with the watery tentacles pulling him into the icy water he managed to break free. Seeing an opening Tor lurched forward to pull the water weird out of the water and in doing so destroyed the bond that held it and it almost instantly vanished, the water remains splashing across the surface of the frozen river.

And so our heroes ventured forth from the caves, north along the cliffs at midnight as the Hag had instructed to where they were met with a wooden chest. Untrusting of most people Shayde inspected the chest and it's lock to make sure it wasn't trapped before trying the lock which disintegrated at her touch. The chest was full to the brim with gold coins and on the top a beautiful amulet. Grom reached in to finger the gold and make sure what he was seeing was real when all of a sudden 10 animated severed hands escaped from with the hoard and started to claw at all of those nearby. Not wasting anytime our heroes set about stamping and crushing these "Crawling Claws" until they were all motionless. 

And here ended the most epic of sessions with no less than 6 encounters for which our band of adventurers will have earned 4600xp to share between them and a 1000gp.

Our heroes will now be heading back to Easthaven, cauldron of plenty in hand, for a well deserved long rest and to make plans for the next step in this adventure. 

To be continued...............