A tiring journey through Neverwinter Wood

The forest was a source of frustration and fatigue
Image by Marc Simonetti

[9 min read]

THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR DRAGON OF ICESPIRE PEAK!

Being one man down for our regular session, we dropped back into the world of Frontier Forays, following Alucard and Wiggity's antics as they head north to find and resupply Tibor Wester.

The townmaster's brother had not been heard from in some time, nor had any lumber arrived to Phandalin from his logger's camp, so our two heroes are sent into Neverwinter Wood escorting a wagon full of supplies and accompanied by two men-at-arms. 

The trip is slow going, not only due to the plodding pace of the ox and cart, but since the frontier is now overrun with orc patrols, more care is needed every step of the way. Knowing these parts like the back of his hand, Wiggity takes on the role of the guide, expertly steering them up the road to Butterskull Ranch before cutting north into the woods to hide themselves away from prying eyes. 

Random setbacks

Neverwinter Wood is an ancient and dense forest, requiring both the heroes and the guards to take on roles as they navigate the wagon through the trees. Alucard's keen senses are called upon as scout, the overconfident and appropriately named guard John Glorybuff is constantly searching for game to supplement their rations, and the more disciplined female guard Harley Drake sits on the cart with her eyes peeled as Wiggity guides them.

The first obstacle is a water-logged stretch of marsh that Wiggity overcomes with some creative use of the Control Water cantrip, drying a path through for the heavy wheels, but tiring him out in the process.

Next, their rest was disturbed by a patrol of hobgoblins from the Cragmaw tribe heading off to the nearby castle. Their eyes widening at the amount of supplies on offer, drawn swords were soon sheathed as Alucard emerged from the shadows looking like a hobgoblin commander, and expertly intimidating them to back away into the night.

An auspicious omen for Wiggity in the middle of the forest

The next day, Wiggity has an almost religious experience when, after getting a little lost, he stumbles into a clearing where a family of brown bears are playing. Thankfully Wiggity's own pet, Bear, helps him calm the otherwise protective mother, who then leads the pack away from any humanoid threat, displacing other wildlife as they go (more on that later).  

After another few grueling hours in the brush, an out hunting John Glorybuff manages to stumble into a sleeping pack of wolves, who resent the intrusion and threathen the party. Wiggity transforms into a giant dire wolf and faces them down as the alpha pack leader, sending them whimpering off to sleep somewhere else. Wiggity is truly in his element in the forest, and it is not long before he successfully leads the group to the Logger's Camp to rest, several of the group collapsing into sleep after being exhausted from all the travails along the way. 

[DM note - I adapted the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying 5e rules for Journeys, incorporating roles, skill checks and random encounters along the way, and calling for Constitution saving throws at key milestones to avoid levels of exhaustion. The group seemed to enjoy it, adding an extra layer of risk and roleplay in getting around the frontier, and allowing some rarely used skills and abilities to shine]

Relentless Endurance

We cut back to Terach, who, after returning from Gnomengarde and handing over the blueprints, is urged to take off north and join the rest of the party. Having criss-crossed the Triboar Trail over the last two months, Terach uses his knowledge of the area to expertly avoid orc patrols and makes great pace directly north into Neverwinter Wood. 

Not knowing how far ahead the rest of the party is, Terach calls upon his Path of the Totem Warrior powers to communicate with a nearby crow. He learns two important things - (1) that crows respond very well to flattery and offers of jerky, and (2) that many animals including bears and wolves were displaced by a group of humanoids and a smelly ox east of his location and heading north, deeper into the forest.

Without resting, Terach calls upon the relentless endurance of his orcish heritage to catch up to the party just outside their destination, having traversed fifty miles through open scree and dense thicket unscathed. 

Logger's Camp

The camp is eerily quiet, with signs of a recent scuffle
Image by DetailedDungeons

The group investigate the seemingly deserted camp, scouring the sandy earth for signs of Tibor Wester or his lumberjacks. While signs of recent human activity are definitely present, the group also notices the imprints of boar hooves passing from one side of the camp to the other - could this be the half-orc shapechanger that Alucard encountered while out scouting in the forest?

Not long into the search of the torn tents, hideous monstrosities erupt from the earth, burrowing up to spit acid and snap at the heroes with their dripping mandibles. Ankhegs!

Looking for lumberjacks? Maybe these acid-spitting ankhegs know their whereabouts...
Image by Wizards of the Coast

After dispatching the creatures handily, the mystery of the lumberjacks is solved. Being burned by acid (or something) is almost as bad as suffocating in the sandy earth after being dragged below from your beds. 

Searching the rest of the camp yields a strange omen - thirteen tiny, androgynous figures made from sticks and hair, dipped in pig’s blood, and inscribed with tiny lightning bolt symbols are hidden around the stone floor of an old cottage. They seem to be arranged in two circles of six, and the position of the thirteenth on its own suggests another target, perhaps in the wooden storage room to the west of the camp?

The party make short work of a final ankheg that erupts from the sandy floor of the storage room, and Tibor Wester emerges from hiding in his office to thank the party for his rescue. With the manual labour to run the camp no longer available, Tibor has no choice but to abandon it. But not before the party spends some hours gathering the last of the lumber to send down the river and hopefully back to Phandalin for the town's defenses. 

An impromptu visit

The heroes relax as the raft used to ferry the logs from the small lake to the swift moving river glides back to the shore of the camp, Terach not even breaking a sweat as he poles the craft. But then an ominous, rhythmic beating can be heard, preceding a large shadow that falls over the lake, the trees surrounding it shaking violently.

Cryovain dropped in to test the heroes' mettle, and found them surprisingly capable
Image by Dragon-Studio

Cryovain's white scales glisten in the sun as he alights on a small rise just south of the wooden storage building, seemingly unconcerned by the figures running to shelter. "So" the deep, inhuman voice enquires, "these are the famous heroes of Phandalin my pets have told me about? Scurry if you must little ants, but hide not, today I only wish to talk".

Terach, last to leave the lake, approaches the magnificant adult dragon and engages it in conversation, flattering it even as he closes the distance. Alucard and Wiggity take his lead, while the guards and Tibor remain indoors. 

Cryovain's disdain is obvious, but he has enough respect for the party's track record to offer them a role in the conflict to come. "Your pathetic attempt to civilise this area is doomed, for I am the apex of creation and I have claimed this region for my own. Since my servants are so numerous, I could use some lieutenants to help corral them".

The baleful glare of an adult dragon when the heroes resist its offer
Image by Lauuw-w

Terach is now close enough to see the unusual pink eyes of the dragon, and smell traces of ozone as the beast speaks. Hearing enough of the dragon's arrogant assertions, the half-orc flies into a rage, drawing twin blades and urging the group to attack!

"Foolish mortals, you think to harm me? You won't even be able to approach my magnificence". A powerful fear emanates from Cryovain, preventing Alucard and Wiggity from coming closer, and sending the guards cowering behind the cabin's walls. 

But the urging of Terach, now within range of the dragon and whose blades are able to find some purchase, inspires the group to fight. Crossbow bolts and flaming spells fly wide, but a small summoned bear tenaciously manages to bite deep into the giant front legs even as the half-orc's longswords plunge into the hind. Wing and tail, claw and fang, bite deep into both brave assailants, sending the summon back to its original plane and the barbarian to the brink of collapse.

"You deign to cause me, Cryovain, some minor wounds? I laugh at your feeble attempts. But this intrigues me, perhaps some worthier opponents will make the impending battle for Phandalin more interesting. Go, flee back to that paltry town and ready yourselves for my orcs. A few less of them is a miniscule price to pay for the additional challenge. But first, feel the fury of my breath!"

With that, Cryovain, some minor wounds criss-crossing his gleaming scales, takes to the air and strafes both Terach and Wiggity (in beast form) with a huge exhalation of lightning! The raging barbarian calls upon the totem of the bear and manages to resist the bolt of electricity and stay (barely) standing. But the damage is too great for Wiggity, and he transforms back into his diminutive gnome-like form, dying on the scorched earth. Alucard hurls bolts of flame at the dragon as Cryovain wheels off to the south east and the Sword Mountains far from the camp.

What's next?

Having survived an encounter with an adult (albino) blue dragon, the party tends their wounds and counts their blessings. Tibor and the guards look upon our heroes with newfound respect, each passing a bottle between them to regain their courage and nodding in admiration as Terach, Wiggity and Alucard dust themselves off and pick up their packs.

We leave the party and their allies as they load the supplies and themselves onto rafts, poling slowly down the lake to the river that will bear them to Neverwinter, and the fast road back to Phandalin, with fresh knowledge about their ultimate adversary.

Join in next time as the heroes plan their move to defend the town, in Phandalin's Finest, the Hammer of the Lord's Alliance, Friends to Goblins, Fellers of Flowers, Surfers of Sharks, Nemesis of Nezznar, Liberators of Lost Mines, Bane to Barrels and Foolhardy Facers of Fearsome Dragons...

And for those of my players reading all the way through - you can go ahead and level up to 5th now, you've earned it!