Black Spider

The elusive "The Black Spider" was a Drow Mage, who had been pulling the strings across the Phandalin Region in search of the Wave Echo Caves.

When the adventurers rescued Sildar from Klarg's cave he said he overheard some of his goblin captors mention taking Gundren to the "black spider."

Klarg told the group that his leader, King Groll, is in service to this Black Spider and that Gundren was taken to it at Cragmaw Castle to the east of his cave.

The bugbears beneath Tresendor Manor said they were sent to help the Redbrands by the Black Spider. Glasstaff, leader of the Redbrands, is also said to be in league with the Black Spider. Grek the bugbear says that Cragmaw Castle is straight north of Phandalin in Neverwinter Forest. He also says that there are spiders "bigger than he is" at the castle.

In Iarno's lair, there was some paperwork mentioning how the bugbears were sent from help the Redbrands and that the Black Spider is looking for the Forge of Spells on behalf of his god, Vhaeraun. Among the paperwork was a letter.

The Black Spider had a vast web of thugs and contacts, includiong but not limited to:


 * Iarno Albrek and the RedBrands
 * King Grol and the Goblinoids of Cragmaw Castle
 * Dopplegangers
 * Griselda, The own of the Sleeping Giant in Phandalin
 * Favrick & The Dragon Cultists in Thundertree (Atleast were exchanging prisoners, and sheletered Iarno, if not co-conspirators)

Black Spider's Letter
"Lord Albrek,

My spies in Neverwinter tell me that strangers are due to arrive in Phandalin. They could be working for the Rockseekers. Capture them if you can, kill them if you must, but don’t allow them to upset our plans. See that any dwarven maps in their possession are delivered to me with haste. I’m counting on you Iarno. Do not disappoint me."