<div class="floatleft">(https://db4sgowjqfwig.cloudfront.net/images/3755972/478b285f2245bb4b2302f17f2558e2d3.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 24pt;"><strong><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;">Sildar Hallwinter</span></strong></span><br/>Human Paladin 1<br/><hr/><br/>Re: Phandelin<br/><br/>"Phandelin is a frontier town, and it's built on the ruins of a much older settlement," Sildar said.   "An orc horde sacked it some centuries past, and it's been dormant ever since.  About four years back, some settlers from Neverwinter and Waterdeep decided to reclaim the ruins of old Phandalin, and I'm proud to say that it's now a bustling frontier town.  There's farmers, woodcutters, fur traders, and prospectors there now.<br/><br/>"Unfortunately, for the past couple of months, I am told Phandelvin has been dealing with some issues with banditry," Sildar said.   "There is no local constabulary or local lord there to fend off the bandits.  I was hoping that I might help establish a militia there."<br/><br/>Re: Gundren<br/><br/>"Aye," Sildar began.   "Gundren and his two remaining brothers, Tharden and Nundro, recently located an entrance to the long-lost Wave Echo Cave, site of the mines of Phandelver's Pact.  Have you ever heard of the Pact?  Well, pass me a drink and I'll tell you all about it.<br/><br/>"More than five centuries ago, clans of dwarves and gnomes made an agreement known as the Phandelver's Pact., by which they would share a rich mine in a wondrous cavern known as Wave Echo Cave.  In addition to its mineral wealth, the mine contained great magical power.  Human spellcasters allied themselves with the dwarves and gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge.  They called it the Forge of Spells.  It's a place where magical items could be crafted.  Times were good, and Phandelin, then a human town, prospered.  But the orcs laid waste to the town and the mines.<br/><br/>"These orcs, they were reinforced by evil mercenary wizards, and they attacked the cave to seize its riches and magic treasures.  Human wizards fought alongside their dwarf and gnome allies to defend the Forge of Spells, and the ensuing spell battle destroyed much of the cavern.  Few survived the cave-ins and tremors, and the location of Wave Echo Cave was lost.<br/><br/>"Now, Gundren had a map to the Wave Echo Cave, but it was seized when we were captured."