Cragmaw Castle
We part ways with the orcs in the morning. They head northwest off the trail, and we head southwest in an attempt to take a shortcut. We get lost in the woods for most of the day. Late in the evening we run into a pack of wolves. We killed them all, but then we discover a puppy, Ethor, who Grin adopts after a short animal-speaking conversation.
The next day, we eventually find the trail and make it into view of the castle. There are seven towers which are mostly decrepit. There are steps to a terraced entrance with overwatching arrowslits. We reconnoitered around the castle and see a dark canvas covered entry in back.
We sneak through back entrance and get a drop on a bugbear arguing with a female drow over a beaten and unconscious dwarf lying on the floor. We knock out the drow and it reverts to its doppelganger form. Find a pack under the bed containing 1020s, 3 potions of healing, and a map to Wave Echo Cave. We decide to clear the rest of the castle. I heal Gundrand Rockseeker and he remains behind to watch the bound captive. He says the map leads back to his brothers, who were still there when he left.
We surprise the next room and Zera blasts three hobgoblins. The adjoining room is barred from our side. We make our way through the hallway to the messhall full of goblins which we quickly dispatch. Zera headed to the entrance and Thayne circled back around. Zera found a pack of hobgoblins. I followed Thayne into the chapel, which appears to be human stonework hundreds of years old. There are statues of Oghma, God of Knowledge; Mystra, Goddess of Luck; Timora, Goddess of Magic; and Lathander, God of Dawn. In the chapel, we find a small statue in the brazier and in the back a censer, chalice, and knife (worth 120g, 150g, and 60g respectively). I give the knife to Zera. Find a suit of bloody chainmail, heavy crossbow, and sword with a flying eagle in an alcove, which Thayne carries. In the cleanly swept barracks holding weapons amongst which we find a highly stylized staff that Grin carries.
We check behind the barred door and find an owlbear in the library. On a second tier we find a chest containing 200g, a potion of healing, scroll of revivify, and a scroll of silence. Find a book in goblin, “Covered In Poo: A Goblin’s Guide To Camouflage.”
We hold up in the barracks, but are raided by a band of hobgoblins during the night.