In 1488 DR, Nezznar had been tasked by his master to locate the Forge of Spells. He noted that his master displayed an uncharacteristic obsession with the ancient Forge whose ancient powers seemed somewhat irrelevant to their enterprise. Nevertheless, Nezznar had banked much of his future success on his relationship with his master, so he dutifully undertook the task.
Utilizing spies and goblin mercenaries in and around the Neverwinter area, Nezznar soon learned of the Rockseeker brothers whose own search for the Lost Mine of Phandelver near Phandalin seemed promising. They, too, sought the fabled Forge of Spells, but also a decent mining operation and the opportunity to restore some of the legacy of their ancestors. The Rockseeker brothers were apparently high-minded and enthusiastic, which made them ideal candidates for Nezznar’s plans.
Some time in Ches, Nezznar’s spies followed the Rockseekers to the mine and reported back to Nezznar, precipitating his relocation from Szithlin to the mine. Nezznar became intent upon controlling the mine and preparing it for his master’s inevitable arrival. At this time, an oafish man named Lord Albrek found out about the Black Spider’s search for the mine and established communications to broker a partnership with Nezznar. Having a lackey who was familiar with the inner workings of the Lords’ Alliance appealed to Nezznar, who was also aware the Iarno had been sent to Phandalin to set up a constabulary for the reviving town. The Rockseekers had already spread word of an impending discovery which would put Phandalin back on the map for traders and merchants alike, drawing increased attention to the settlement.
Nezznar wanted none of the attention the Rockseekers were stirring up. He directed the traitorous Iarno to set up a local gang in order to dissuade adventure-seekers and businessmen from moving to the area prematurely. Iarno found this task incredibly simple to accomplish, given the low income of the area and soon had a gang called the Redbrands at his disposal. Their main task was to keep adventurers away from Phandalin while also keeping the residents cowed. After directing a few thinly veiled threats toward the townmaster and murdering some well known faces in the settlement, they had collectively established the control they desired.
Nezznar’s goblin mercenaries all stemmed from the Cragmaw tribe, under the control of King Grol. Having moved to the area, Nezznar took steps to ensure King Grol understood it would be in the Cragmaw’s best interest to continue to work with the Black Spider. He also directed the goblin king to lend a few bugbears to Iarno to bolster his command over the town. Phandalin was mostly under their control, but one agent of the Zhentarim named Halia remained obstinately outside their control. Nezznar wanted to ensure she would not be tempted to employ the Black Guard to oust his position of power in the town, correctly predicting that Halia would happily ignore his incursion as long as she continued to earn profit and see opportunities for control.
Having moved to the mine with his doppleganger allies, Vyerith and Vhalark, Nezznar overwhelmed the hapless dwarves. Unfortunately, Nezznar immediately realized Gundren Rockseeker remained unaccounted for. He slew Thundren, but decided to take Nundro as a captive for interrogation. While exploring the mine, Nezznar discovered his search for the Forge would be more difficult than he had initially imagined. The cave wasoverrun by undead as well as a few powerful magic guardians summoned into service by the original occupants.
Nezznar decided to fortify his position in the mine and take a measured approach to preparing it for his master’s arrival. He dispatched Vyerith to keep communication with the Cragmaw tribe open and to hire several more bugbears to help with his efforts in the mines. While continuing to torture Nundro for information, Nezznar learned Gundren traveled to Neverwinter to procure more supplies. He sent Vyerith again to hire a warband of goblins to capture Gundren and ensure all loose ends were tied off.
A few tendays later, Nezznar received word that Gundren had been captured. However, the dwarf already hired a group of adventurers. The Black Spider warns Glasstaff that there is a group heading for Phandalin and instructs the goblin mercenaries to dissuade or kill anyone bringing supplies into the town. Again, he sends Vyerith to the Cragmaw tribe to learn who else Gundren told the location of Wave Echo Cave and then kill the dwarf.
Returning to Cragmaw castle, Vyerith discovered that Gundren had a map to the cave in his possession which King Grol had hidden somewhere in his keep. Unwilling to jeopardize ties with the Cragmaw tribe, but also unable to complete her mission until she had eliminated all evidence of the cave, Vyerith entered into the distasteful task of convincing King Grol to cooperate. While engaged in this task, Vyerith fell prey to Gundren’s mercenaries, along with King Grol himself.
By this time, Nezznar had begun to receive word of Gundren’s mercenaries stirring up trouble around the town. Iarno himself had come crawling back to the Black Spider, seeking more assistance when his entire gang of Redbrands was somehow ousted by their new enemies. These mercenaries were a headache Nezznar didn’t need, so he directed Iarno to travel to Cragmaw castle and set up the goblins to take the fall for all that had happened in and around Phandalin. Losing control of the settlement was a large setback, but if Nezznar could keep the location of the mine a secret then he knew he could still salvage the situation to his master’s satisfaction. It was absolutely crucial that they eliminate Gundren before any sensitive information about the cave could make it to the trouble-making mercenaries’ ears.
Flanked by his most loyal (and only surviving) Redbrand, Curtis Truesilver, Iarno made haste to meet Vyerith at Cragmaw castle. Alas, before he could even reach the castle, he had the misfortune of encountering Gundren’s allies, who had Gundren alongside them no less. Desperate to make good on his promises to Nezznar, Iarno directed Curtis and the warband of hobgoblins they traveled with to attack and kill the party.
It was not meant to be.
Valiant and skillful though he was, Curtis Truesilver fell before the mighty blades of the mercenaries. The Hobgoblins, also, bumbled ineffectively before the might of their foes. Iarno himself was dominated by their dastardly mage and forced to watch, helpless, as his allies fell to Gundren’s sellswords. Iarno had little choice but to take the first available opportunity to flee.
Having failed entirely and knowing that the mercenaries would doubtless strike Nezznar’s operations in the mine next, Iarno had an uncomfortable choice to make. He could flee entirely, now bereft of position and title since the meddling mercenaries had informed the Lords’ Alliance of his treachery, and live life on the run with the hope that Nezznar would either die or never find him again, or he could return to Nezznar, admit his failings and hope the Black Spider would be lenient enough to continue working with him. Iarno hated the thought of looking over his shoulder in anticipation of impending doom. He had thrown in with Nezznar for the sake of increased profit and a better life. He might still be able to achieve those goals. At the very least, he would know whether Nezznar or the mercenaries prevailed in the mines, so that he would have a better idea of who to watch out for while on the run.
Nezznar was furious upon the return of Iarno. He immediately set up a rotating watch at the cave’s entrance, ready to capture the meddlesome troublemakers Gundren had brought into the mix. However, days passed and there was no sign of the group. The undead continued to harass his encampments, so Nezznar consolidated his remaining forces deeper into the mine where he had discovered an ancient shrine of Dumathoin. The Cragmaw clan was spent and the Redbrands had all been slain, leaving Nezznar to those who remained loyal to him at the cave and his own clever devices.
Even so, Nezznar had a responsibility to clear a path to the Forge of Spells as quickly as possible and definitely before his master’s arrival. Magmar Philiom, Nezznar’s master, was known neither for his patience nor his forgiving demeanor. However, the undead in the cave continued to prove exceptionally difficult to overcome and Nezznar’s forward advance through the ruin had been halted near the great bellows. The flaming skull which guarded that area had already deprived him of several useful troops from his rapidly dwindling army.
Alas, Nezznar’s desperate condition was even worse than he had guessed. While continuing to strategize his next maneuver, Gundren’s mercenaries happened upon the drow’s encampment and summarily made short work of both he and Iarno Albrek. Whether Magmar would continue his pursuit of the Forge of Spells in the absence of his apprentice, or even realize the fate of his follower remained unclear. Whatever the fate of the master, the apprentice was no more, falling prey to the machinations of the very dwarves he sought to manipulate.