Aster's Ledger

Summary

Session Zero establishing character backstories and connections to Gundren Rockseeker. The party traveled south from Neverwinter on the Triboar Trail, found Gundren and Sildar's abandoned horses, and were ambushed by goblins. After defeating four goblins, they captured and interrogated a young goblin named Corby, who revealed Klarg and "the Spider" ordered Gundren's capture. Corby guided the party past traps to the Cragmaw hideout. John Robertson approached the hideout as a distraction, gambling with the goblin guards and winning passage to see Klarg. The party poised to enter the hideout.

Key Events

Session Zero — Character Introductions & Campaign Setup

• Party connections — All characters connected through Gundren Rockseeker, a dwarf who hired them to escort supplies from Neverwinter to Phandalin for 10 gold each.
• John Robertson (Jonas) — A traveling musician fallen on hard times. Previously wealthy, he paid Gundren for information and artifacts. Seeks a saloon position in Phandalin. Carries a guitar and a pistol.
• Glomblax (Arthur) — Former muscle for a syndicate (Golcuus's organization). A degenerate gambler who skimmed from his employers, lost it all, and fled to Gundren claiming to be a distant relative. Connected to Beatrix through the syndicate.
• Harish / "Chippo" (Harish) — A gemologist and appraiser with a gem shop. Gundren's ex-partner in business and marriage, scammed out of money. Tagging along uninvited to confront Gundren. Wields a musket.
• Beatrix Marsh (Sam) — A paleontologist/archaeologist/naturalist. The party previously joined her on a disastrous expedition to Chult (seeking prehistoric remains) that lost people, supplies, and funding.
• Campaign expectations — Levels 1–12, body horror elements later (cosmetic changes, special abilities — players opted for psychological effects over physical mutation). First half is dungeon-dive heavy. Characters can be killed or changed. No racism/sexism analogs; morally complex goblins acceptable.

The Triboar Trail

• Abandoned horses — The party found two wandering horses (Gundren's and Sildar's) surrounded by scattered arrows and ransacked gear. Riders missing.
• Goblin ambush — As Beatrix ritual-cast Speak with Animals near the horses, four goblin archers attacked from concealed positions and a steep embankment. The party was surprised (disadvantage on initiative).
  • Glomblax climbed the embankment, took scimitar and arrow hits (4 slashing + 7 piercing damage).
  • John cast Vicious Mockery and Command (failed), retreated into fog cloud, fired pistol (missed).
  • Beatrix cast Fog Cloud and Dissonant Whispers.
  • Harish/Chippo rose from the wagon "like a vampire from a coffin" and killed a goblin in one shot (16 damage — "blew a grapefruit-sized hole in a three-foot-tall creature").
  • All four goblins defeated. Goblins fought poorly — most attacks missed.

Interrogation of Corby

• Corby the goblin — The last survivor surrendered: "I was hoping maybe you might spare my life." John held him at gunpoint, hogtied him (survival: 13), and interrogated him. Corby is a 16-year-old goblin, essentially a child soldier press-ganged after his parents died.
• Intel obtained:
  • Orders came from King Klarg (a bugbear), who received orders from someone called "the Spider."
  • They were specifically tasked with capturing Gundren Rockseeker, who "has something important."
  • Sildar Hallwinter is alive inside the hideout — Corby has heard him screaming.
  • The hideout has goblins, wolves, and a dangerous waterfall.
  • Klarg doesn't care whether goblins live or die (insight 10 — sincere).
• Bargain — Corby offered to guide the party past traps in exchange for his life. John agreed with the threat: "don't fuck us over and maybe we can talk."
• Party hid the horses, oxen, and wagon in the brush.

Journey to the Cragmaw Hideout

• The trail — Five miles downhill along a narrow trail. Corby navigated safely around a snare trap and a pit trap. Sound of rushing water grew louder.
• Conversation along the trail:
  • Corby asked about Phandalin; John told him to mind his business. Corby: "I'm basically a child soldier."
  • John asked about a falling beacon/meteor. Corby hadn't seen one but mentioned explosions from "wizards practicing fireballs."
  • Corby referenced "times from before" — deeper lore predating his gang.
  • Corby revealed he'd tried prospecting before being forced into the gang.
• Arrival — Trail opened into a clearing at the base of a cliff. A cave mouth streaming water — the Cragmaw hideout.

Cragmaw Hideout — Distraction & Scouting

• Plan — Split party. John approaches openly as a distraction. Beatrix/Glomblax hide in bushes. Harish scouts upriver.
• John's distraction — Approached the two goblin guards as a traveling musician seeking an audience with "King Klarg." Played a blues solo (guards unimpressed — called it a "B-side" warm-up). The goblins mentioned they were expecting only one visitor today — Sildar.
• Dice game — John challenged the goblin boss Geek to a game of dice, wagering a bottle of wine against being taken to see Klarg. He won handily. Geek reluctantly agreed to escort him inside.
• Harish scouts — Waded up the river, noticed a light to the east, climbed a 10-foot ledge. Heard panting and saw three sets of glowing eyes (wolves). Retreated to report.
• Session ends — John poised to enter the hideout with Geek. Inspiration awarded to Jonas for the creative dice-game distraction.

Unresolved Threads

• Gundren and Sildar's fate inside the Cragmaw hideout
• "The Spider" — who ordered Gundren's capture and what does he want?
• What does Gundren "have" that's important?
• Corby's fate (tied to horses, promised safe passage)
• Three Southern-accented characters (John, Chippo, Beatrix) alongside Glomblax's "hard fantasy" voice