Session 05 – The Black Spider’s Shadow
Session 05 – The Black Spider’s Shadow
Date: 7/29/2022 DM: Lauren
Summary
Following their fiery retreat from Cragmaw Castle, the adventurers regrouped under stormy skies to rest and recover. The storm quenched the blaze they had left behind — divine intervention or sheer luck, no one could say. By morning, they returned to the smoldering ruins to finish what they started.
Fresh goblin reinforcements awaited them, but the party made short work of the newcomers before pressing deeper into the stronghold. At the heart of the castle, they burst into what turned out to be the **Big Boss’ chamber**, interrupting a tense meeting between a **bugbear** and a mysterious **drow agent**. Unconscious and bound nearby was Gundren Rockseeker.
Shade once again demonstrated her flair for deception, convincing the pair that she was sent to assassinate Gundren. The drow, impressed, encouraged her to proceed — and watched as she began sawing off Gundren’s ear to sell the illusion. Unfortunately, the dwarf stirred awake at precisely the wrong moment, ruining the ruse and triggering a furious battle.
The party triumphed after a brutal fight. In the aftermath, Gundren revealed the truth: the Wave Echo Cave is real, he found a map to it, and a powerful figure known as the **Black Spider** seeks to control it. Worse, this spider’s web seems to stretch across the entire region, with spies and mercenaries everywhere.
Notable Characters
- Shade – Master manipulator and occasional pyromaniac.
- Thurmin – Cleric of questionable restraint.
- Brudur – Reliable fighter, newly leveled and battle-hardened.
- Cosima – Rejoined the group with grim enthusiasm.
- Dick Smashington & Battle Brisket – The comic relief that may one day kill everyone accidentally.
- Therezal – Observant and skeptical as ever.
- Gundren Rockseeker – Rescued from captivity, missing part of his ear but alive.
- The Black Spider – Introduced as a looming offstage threat.
Factions Involved
- Cragmaw Tribe – Final confrontation at their stronghold
- The Black Spider – Introduced as major antagonist
Enemies Defeated
- King Grol – Hobgoblin chieftain and lord of Cragmaw Castle.
- Cragmaw Tribe reinforcements.
- Unnamed drow agent acting on behalf of the Black Spider.
Locations
- Cragmaw Castle – Scene of the final battle and Gundren’s rescue.
- Wave Echo Cave – Revealed as Gundren’s discovery and the next major destination.
Loot & Rewards
- Recovery of Gundren’s gear and surviving supplies.
- Map to Wave Echo Cave (currently in Gundren’s possession).
Experience
Cosima – 1054 Shade – 1287 Brudur – 1287 Thurmin – 1054 Dick Smashington – 575 Battle Brisket – 575 Therazall – 400
Previous Session
Session 04 – Fire and Faith at Cragmaw Castle