Faerun's Heroes and The Lost Wave Echo Caves

Day 0

Prologue

Phandalin is a medium sized town of human civilisation in the north of Faerun, only 10 or so kilometres from the Sword Coast. Its main access is trails through the woods and mountains surrounding, with travellers predominantly using a horse and cart to navigate this region. It is known for its mining exchange, like many small towns in these parts, but habitants also engage in farming activities to sustain themselves and their families. Unless you have a specific intention or need to go to Phandalin, you probably would not want to venture there out of plain curiosity, for it is a rather plain and simple town - unless you were yourself a human, too, as there is plenty of human history; 500 years worth of civilisation history exists in the ruins of the Old Town (for humans, this is a significant period of time as they generally only live into their seventh or eighth decade - rarely even reaching only a century).

Despite this, during the second tenthday of the sixth month of the Harptos calendar, Elesias meaning high sun, three lonesome adventurers were heading on their way to this town of Phandalin. The cousin of Dain of Ironfist, dwarf, had requested a group of travellers or adventurers - whoever deemed themselves up for the journey and reward - to deliver some mining equipment on his behalf. His name was Gundren Rockseeker, who had a certain level of superiority amongst his clan where he was from. None of the adventurers who began his quest, knew or cared much for him - well, perhaps Dain for they were related after all. Little did they know of the tail and toil that faced their weeks ahead of them and how one little dwarf could be the route of so much danger.

Their forest path was vibrant with towering trees and hundreds of different plants and vegetation. Most of it was all overgrown, obstructing parts of the edges of the dirt cut road which weaved through the trees, around the biggest ones that could not have been cut down. If they listened carefully they would have heard all sorts of creatures in habitats nearby, or the sound of the wheels of their vehicle grinding against the larger dried up clumps of mud, making the mining materials clatter upon each jolt and bump.

Conversation was limited, for they were all stranger to one another. Probably, they were all there just for the desire of the gold reward which could be of use to their personal endeavours. Supposedly, Dain got dragged into it due to his relation to Gundren himself. Ella was a human amongst the group. She was from around these parts, and a lonesome adventurer, an outsider fighter, looking for purpose and things to do - keeping her away from her hardships. Erevan was a young-ish Elf, constantly on the search for new knowledge and a want for powerful spells - like any Wizard would. Three misfits from vastly different backgrounds, who knew only the physical appearance and the names of each other - what an unusual and seemingly helpless bunch of life.

Hours into their few days of travel they had already undertaken, an obstruction up ahead on their path caused them to pause and evaluate their situation. Dain of Ironfist and Erevan made the decision to move forwards for further inspection as Ella held back, suspecting nothing. Dain recognised the coat of arms on the saddles and equipment sprawled out in front of him. These two dead horses belonged to his cousin. As flies surrounded the open wounds in the animals' flesh, Erevan and Dain conversed that it was evident there had been some sort of attack here, and not too long ago, either. Why would dead horses of the person who sent them on that quest, be laying in front of them on their very trail? Obviously, they wanted to know what happened - but more importantly, if this meant there was any danger to themselves. 

Heavy footsteps and snapping twigs grabbed the attention of Erevan as he immediately directed his blue eyes to the thick forest beyond his position. He noticed shadowed figures shuffling.

'We're not alone,' he announced, as four Goblins emerged from the treeline.

Mean-faced, saliva dripping from preceding teeth, wonkily hanging from their growling mouths, these Goblins had greeny-brown skin, partially covered by light armour, swinging around their bows in a snarly manner.  Their nails, long and dirty, like their ears on their hairy head. Their breath thick with stench added to their gross ugliness, all fit into a small posture.

One attempted to jump down the high banks towards Dain. Without hesitation, he swung his warhammer, but missed just slightly due to the element of surprise from the enemy. Meanwhile, Ella fired her bow from behind, arrows ranged through the air in attempt to get involved in defending from these ugly creatures. She charged forward to join the combat hands on, helping her fellow quest mates. Erevan launched spells, causing substantial damage, although not enough to avoid some injury of his own. He pulled out an arrow from his arm, as the other creatures surrounding him began to cower away in pain. 

The Goblin by Dain got up to attack again, but with his high strength, Dain pushed him back to the ground, to then swing his weapon down on one of the creature's legs. It cried out, and a slimy blood oozed from its mashed up knee. With impressive precision, Ella's skills with her longbow enabled her to fire an arrow so that it collided into a goblins head, right in between its aghast eyes. Achieving a one-shot-kill, it struck down to the floor with force. Now using her sword, to slash up another, Ella was engaged and alight with an adrenaline energy. Dain finished off the one by his feet, stern-faced carrying his heavy chain mail armour and weapon like it was no effort to swing and kill at all. 

Eventually, the group succeeded at defeating the four unwelcome imposters to their journey. Although, leaving a rather unflattering scene for whatever other travellers may come to pass. Blood, slime, disjointed and disconnected goblin body parts and armour sprawled across the pathway. Taking a few moments to catch their breath, the three exchanged concerned glances to one another, prompting a decision to investigate further.

Dain of Ironfist nicked what was vaguely sellable or useful from the dead goblins and horses as Ella scouted the area for further clues. She spotted a flattened down path, a small trail through the embankment and off behind the trees, deeper into the forest. Tying up their equipment, hiding it with some cover from leafy branches while they would be gone, the three gave in to their instinctual adventuring curiosity to head down the pathway in search for something. Anything that would start to answer questions... or be of personal use. They may find some loot which would give them more gold to expend later on their personal endeavours after this whole quest comes to an end. Dain wanted to find his cousin and make sure that he was alright, or to just at least find out his fate.

Onwards.