Myrl tipped the dwarf over with a toe. The dwarf groans and held out a map scroll and pleads with her to return to Phandalin and seek Elmar Barthen for help to rescue his brother Gundren. After Kavier healed and purged the drow poison from the young dwarf, they learned that this young dwarf, Nundro, is half-brother to Gundren. His other brother, Tharden, had bid him to hide with the map of Wave Echo Cave when they heard a group arriving at the entrance of the cave. Tharden had confronted the group. Nundro saw Gundren plead with the bugbears and drow not to kill Tharden but he was shot with an arrow. A fight broke out between the bugbears following King Grol and another group of bugbears that sided with the drow. In the confusion, Nundro had taken a chance to escape but not before being shot by an arrow. The arrow turned out to be poisoned — Nundro ran as far as he could before passing out in the middle of the mountain pass.
They decided to send Nundro back on a pack horse. Ixir bid him to seek help, preferably a cleric. Kavier handed over a tent for Nundro to pass to his servants at Stonehill Inn (passing him 1gp). Myrl passed him 1gp to buy 10 flasks of oil.
The Avengers find their way to the cave entrance. They found King Grol’s headless body and Tharden’s too. Myrl stripped Tharden of his Boots of Striding and Springing. A 20ft deep pit in the cavern had two tunnels, one northwest, another east.
After Oohye lowered his dire wolf down, the group followed the tunnel northwest. Following the natural tunnels (other tunnel openings appear to be mining tunnels),
they were surprised by two ochre jellies. One turned to gloop (Redspear discovers various skeletal remains as well as 6gp and 18sp) while another escaped through a small hole in the ceiling.
After Redspear sent his bat familiar to scout around the area, he found that there is a dark pool if they continued north. The tunnels the the east was mazelike. They decide to follow the path to the dark pool after Milo finds out from Oohye’s dire wolf that it smelled bugbears along that path. Passing the dark pool, Redspear notices a skeleton within the waters which he points out to the group. Myrl uses her mage hand to retrieve the bones. On its right hand, two school of evocation rings made of platinum was found. In its left hand, a wand of magic missiles remains in its grasp. A set of stairs led up to a corridor, including a door.
As the group explores the area, the door opens and a group of bugbears led by a hobgoblin with a golden medallion attacks. Fight:
- A gungho Redspears steps forward to open the door when the bugbears close it.
- Kavier casts spike growth which traps and causes constant damage to the enemy.
- Milo manages to shove the hobgoblin blocking the door back and rages at the enemy.
- Oohye runs in after Ixir casts sleep on the goblins. With the two melee fighters in close quarter combat, with the others backing them up, the goblins were no match for them.
They find 15cp, 13ep and a potion of vitality on the hobgoblin.
To be continued…