Return to Phandelin

The Return to Phandalin and the Battle Against Old Gnaw Bones

The Return to Phandalin follows the adventurers’ departure from Skullport and Waterdeep after the highly publicized court case overseen by the Xanathar, which ultimately cleared Jember’s name. Wary of the fallout from the litigation, the party chose to retreat to Phandalin, where they hoped to lay low and recover. However, their respite would be short-lived, as they soon found themselves embroiled in yet another battle for the town’s survival.

A Town Changed

Upon their return, the adventurers found Phandalin changed. The town guard, once a scattered force, had been reorganized under Horus’s leadership, incorporating former Redbrands who had proven trustworthy. Meanwhile, Mera, the widow of the slain woodworker, had stepped into the role of mayor, striving to rebuild the town’s morale and infrastructure.

Each member of the party took advantage of this much-needed downtime:

Fjord and Olaf set about constructing a shrine to Selûne.
Zeromas sought to establish a new shop, enlisting the aid of Fjord as a shop assistant after striking a deal with the alchemist Tormack, who, now recovered from a recent experiment gone wrong, provided them with a shop on the condition that no dangerous experiments be conducted within its walls.
Jember confided in Olaf about a troubling vision—the moon vanishing, stars winking out one by one until only one remained. Olaf initially dismissed the concern, but later, during his prayers, he experienced a terrifying premonition: himself struggling to shut a door against shadowy skeletal figures clawing to enter. This foreboding vision left him questioning if Shar lurked behind these disturbing omens.

The Night of Fire and Blood

A few weeks later, as the adventurers enjoyed an evening of revelry at their usual haunt, a blood-curdling scream shattered the peace. Rushing outside, still in their small clothes, they witnessed a pack of kobolds chasing terrified townsfolk up the path. One unfortunate young man was caught, torn apart before their very eyes.

Without hesitation, the party sprang into action, quickly cutting down the reptilian attackers. As the last of the kobolds fell, Gregory ordered Primrose to escort the villagers to safety, while the party turned their gaze toward the town. Smoke rose from the horizon, and the sounds of battle carried through the air.

The Undead Dragon Returns

Descending into the town proper, they were greeted by chaos. The town guard battled waves of kobolds, but the true horror loomed above them—

Old Gnaw Bones had returned.

The rotting corpse of the once-mighty dragon, now twisted by undeath, spread its wings over Phandalin, unleashing a deafening roar that shook the earth. The battle was joined in earnest:

Fjord charged forward, his warpick crashing against the dragon’s decayed scales, splintering bone with every strike.
Olaf, wielding divine might, summoned celestial warriors to hinder the dragon’s movements.
Jember took to the rooftops, launching a barrage of fire-tipped arrows that seared into the undead flesh.
Zeromas, knowing the creature had to be weakened further, unleashed a devastating fireball, engulfing Old Gnaw Bones in a wave of flame.
Gregory, seeing an opportunity for a final blow, slid beneath the dragon’s massive form and, with a surge of eldritch energy, unleashed a cataclysmic blast of dark magic. The force of the attack ripped through the dragon’s chest, shattering its ribcage and obliterating its foul heart.

With a final, nightmarish shriek, Old Gnaw Bones crumbled, its undead form collapsing into dust and decay.

The Aftermath

With the dragon finally destroyed, the remaining kobolds were swiftly routed. The party managed to capture one survivor, who, under interrogation, revealed that the attack was orchestrated by the ‘Father of All Dragons’.

This revelation sent a chill through the adventurers—who, or what, was this ‘Father of All Dragons’? And what dark designs did he have for the world?

As the town of Phandalin smoldered in the aftermath of battle, the adventurers realized that their fight was far from over. A greater threat loomed beyond the horizon, and the answers they sought could very well decide the fate of everything they held dear.