Hey, greetings form Argentina. I am running LMOP right now with my friends. For me Glasstaf is not only a boss, i read all his lore and watch all your videos and he become one fabulous NPC. I make that Iarno Albrek, Sildar Hallwinter and Daran Edermath were a party in their youth. Now they are friends and veterans retired. Iarno was sent to Phandalin to investigate the mysteries of the forgotten forge. That was the original version but then he discovered that the Black Spider knew more than the Lords of the Alliance, so he allied himself with him, and work with him. For that alliance he created the Redbrands and nicknamed Glasstaf. Clandestinely, under his new name, stopped sending reports to the LotA and starts sending reports to the BS. Thanks to this teamwork BS did not invade phandalin, and Glasstaf was able to protect his hometown. Everything changed when the party of adventurers arrived and began to inquire about the issues. He had to escape from the Redbrand Hideout thanks his familiar, and camping in the triboar trail with a few Redbrands who escaped. Glasstaf's true intentions are to protect phandalin and prevent BS from reaching the WEC and for that he could not depend on paperwork and legalities with the LotA. He also started cooperating with Reidoth for the green dragon issue. When the party arrived in Thundertree, Iarno introduces himself as his friend and together with Reidoth they offer to defeat the dragon. Finally, Iarno Albrek, also known as Glasstaf, sacrifices himself to kill the dragon and save the party from its fate. His life ends wanting to redeem himself for the sins committed. Reidoth will report this to neverwinter, while the party will tell Sildar on the way to Wave Echo Cave.

Impressive Iarno’s backstory, I felt myself into that lab room for a moment. Great video, thank you!

Well thought out. This is one of the most difficult characters to piece together.

Wow, great job with a story telling! Sounds like a professional audio book. My group just killed Glasstaff and looted his belongings. It was very lame, I think noone from the group remembered him. Maybe if I'd kept his motivation in my mind, the battle would be much more exciting and unique

Very good too. A person who has noble blood but is not recognized and while trying to grow in the Alliance he kept being dismissed or disrespected by his commoner status. Mixed with his desire to grow as an alchemist but having to do alliance work and no way to get the freedom he desires to follow his goals, he quits.

Awesome video - this whole series you've done has really helped flesh out the villains for my campaign. I'm taking a slightly different tack with Glasstaff that he got into debt with Jarlaxle (who is working with The Black Spider and may eventually lead the characters into Waterdeep: Dragon Heist in future). To pay off the debt, he's sent to Phandalin to help with the forge of spells. This makes Glasstaff more of a prisoner to the Redbrands, with 'Glasstaff' being more of a codename when they're moving him around. Thank you!

Please continue...

This is amazing. Thankyou for sharing. My group captured him then angered by arguing with him enough that he broke through his restraints and attacked the group.

Love the series, can’t wait to see what else you make!

Love these ideas!

This is crazy good. I already DM'd LMOP but I wish this video had been out before I had. Keep up the great work!

Well done. Great backstory.

Great video, you have a great unique style and are really good at storytelling, keep it up great work!

I'm going to run the Iarno encounter tomorrow. Last week, the party was spotted by his familiar and he fled his workshop right before our session end time. The last thing I wanted to do was run a boring chase scene and have him escape. Borrowing some of your ideas, I think he will go rally the Bugbears my party chose not to kill, use an invisibility potion on himself and instigate a fight instead. Why would he abandon everything he's worked for at the first sign of trouble as the Adventure text suggests? Your backstory ideas helped me find different motivations for him and hopefully this encounter will be much more memorable as a result. Thank you!

Thanks! Just about to DM this - I'll use the aging idea,

wow, great job man. really liked the story

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We awoke in the Stonehill inn; Walked around the streets looking for Redbrands, and made our way to the Sleeping Giant. Half orc throws a dead goblin (he's been carrying) at the two outside and hits the sign. The others come out, we burn all but one and ask him a few questions. (party let him go) Walk into the under-mansion, smash the guards, free prisoners, secret doors to Iarno, grab his arm, cover his mouth. break his ankle. take him back to Sildar and Town master. With the letter from black spider, and his familiar ran off.

Legit, that narrator voice is strikingly similar to David Vincent's voice.

Question: At 7.40 the video your video shows a really good map of the hideout. Is that an official product or self made?

Well, my players found quickly Iarno and disposed of him quickly... they in fact captured him and delivered him to Sildar Hallwinter. Now, the Rebrand Ruffians have captured some people in Phandalin (the Stonehills, mainly) under the order of the Black Spider. But I have plot a little twist: Harbin Wester is actually a Doppleganger in the service of the Black Spider. The real Harbin Wester is inside Tresendar manor, broken (physically and mentaly) and weak. When my players will find out, it will be too late. Iarno would have been cut down by the doppleganger (the Black Spider doesn't want to have lose ends). The doppleganger would then have fled and hurted pretty badly Sildar (notably with a drow poison, I will leave some evidence). But, if my players don't kill Doop the Goblin (he is a cells with the rest of the capture townfolks), they might find a quicker way to Cragmaw Castle.

Maybe change the title so it’s not a spoiler already in the title? People get these videos recommended you know. :)