When meeting Sildar Hallwinter for the first time, he’s full of clues for the adventurers to chase down (if they care to chase them down). But there’s little with regard to a narrative of the fateful event that led to his capture (and the capture of Gundren Rockseeker), setting the Black Spider’s plan into motion.

I thought it would be fun to give an account of the ambush that led to the capture of Gundren Rockseeker and Sildar Hallwinter:

“I blame myself for letting this happen. It’s a fool’s errand to travel any road in the North without an escort, let alone a lightly traveled one such as the Triboar Trail. But Gundren’s matter was urgent, and I failed to convince my old friend otherwise. Nor could I let him ride on alone.

Those dwarven eyes, so keen in the dark, were no match for the hidden ambush we walked into after sundown on the second day of our journey. Arrows rained down upon us from the nearby woods. Gundren’s mount fell beneath him after the first volley. Before I could draw my sword and find the nearest archer to ride down, another hail of arrows killed my own mount. I’ll never forget their repulsive laughter from the safety of the darkened trees as my horse laid upon the road screaming.

With Gundren’s leg pinned beneath his fallen mount, the cowards emerged from their hiding place in the wood, swords drawn and emboldened. The first goblin paid for his arrogance with his life, but I fear there were too many of them, and I am not so young as I once was.

And now they’ve taken my dear friend to gods know where. It shames me, and I shall not rest until I have seen to his return”

-Sildar Hallwinter, on how the Cragmaw goblins waylaid his traveling party.

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