Cragmaw Castle

The Cragmaw Castle in the Neverwinter Wood was recently occupied by the Cragmaw Tribe.

Campaign Recap

Cragmaw Castle is where Gundren Rockseeker was taken after he was captured by the Cragmaw Tribe goblins on the Triboar Trail on 15 Tarsakh. The specific location of Cragmaw Castle was revealed to the players by Agatha.

On Day 11 of the campaign (24 Tarsakh), Collateral Damage arrived at the castle, hoping to rescue Gundren and recover Sildar Hallwinter's lost items.

• After they arrived, they discovered Mosk asleep and sitting at a table in the foyer (they previously encountered Mosk at the Redbrand Hideout in Phandalin). Herb Stoner cast charm person on Mosk (again, just like at the Redbrand Hideout), and Mosk told the group he returned to Cragmaw Castle after injuring himself escaping the Redbrand Hideout. He was given a desk job by King Grol and was drawing crude portraits of the four of them, plus Jory Undammuth, Bory Undammuth and Sildar. He completed the portraits of all except Rayphlárd and Shinzon Greenshadow. The group convinced him to leave the castle and head north to Thundertree while he was still under Herb's charm spell.
• The group battled - and killed - several hobgoblins and goblins as they made their way through the castle. They also encountered and killed a grick (which they called it a "snoctopus") in a dark center hall.
• In a storeroom, the group found Sildar's gear that was brought to the castle after he was captured on the Triboar Trail. Conor McGregor picked up Sildar's warhammer and used it in battle immediately. Shinzon picked up Sildar's ring. They also discovered Sildar's plate armor, his heavy crossbow, and his longsword with the emblem of the Lords' Alliance worked into its hilt. In the same room the group also found a cask of dwarven whiskey in the storeroom, and Shinzon tried some. After one sip he gained 1 HP, but after another sip he started feeling ill (he became poisoned for one hour).
• As they traveled deeper into the castle, they came upon many empty rooms. They eventually opened a door and discovered a hallway and back room with a large group goblins and hobgoblins waiting and planning an ambush. After they made it through that group, they encountered King Grol, who was holding Gundren hostage. Rather than lay down their weapons, the party kept attacking, and Grol killed Gundren. Shortly after, a female drow appeared out of a side room, took something from underneath a bed mattress, and escaped out of the castle. Grol ordered his remaining forces to chase after the drow, but the party kept attacking Grol, with Rayphlárd eventually landing the killing blow.
• After Grol died and the female drow escaped, the party searched the areas of the castle they hadn't been to yet. In one area, Rayphlard found an augury statuette and handed it to Herb. Herb used the item that day and learned that magical knowledge was available in the southeast tower of the castle. After learning that information, the party defeated the owlbear held captive in that part of the castle and found two magic scrolls, among other valuable items. After the party killed the owlbear, Shinzon immediately cut it open and began preparing its meat for a meal.

Architecture

The castle consists of seven crumbling towers of different sizes and heights. The upper levels collapsed to ruins, and only the ground floor is still sound enough to be habitable. The Cragmaw Tribe strengthened the weakest areas beneath the fallen towers, that seems to have only been a temporary fix.

The center of the castle features a high, narrow hall that looks like it may have been a chapel at one time. Angelic figures are sculpted along the room's upper reaches, looking down on the floor below. The hall is connected to a small chamber to the north that includes a stone alter, the sides of which are engraved with the same angelic figures in the chapel.

Architectural Details

• Ceilings are 15 feet tall in most rooms. The ceilings in the banquet hall are 25 feet tall.
• Interior doors are made of wood reinforced by iron bands. They have neither locks nor keyholes.
• Floors are cracked and uneven stones conceal a dirt floor underneath.
• Natural light filters through arrow slits that surround the castle.
• Exterior walls and load-bearing interior walls are made of stone.
• Arrow slits are 10 feet above the outside ground level, 4 feet above the interior floor level, 8 inches wide and 4 feet high.

History

The dark center hall and connected chamber to the north appear to have been used as a chapel and shrine, respectively. Both areas prominently feature engravings of Oghma (god of knowledge), Mystra (goddess of magic), Lathander (god of dawn) and Tymora (goddess of luck), indicating that humans used this area at one time.

Type

Castle

Parent Location

Neverwinter Wood