Taking the Story of Agatha and the silver comb to another level
Hello everyone, I’m running DnD for the first time and chose Lost Mine of Phandelver – The Shattered Obelisk for my group.
I felt that Sister Garaele’s quest was a bit too simple and flat: “Take the comb and bring it to the banshee.” So I expanded it, and I’d love to hear what you think of the idea:
First, the tragic backstory:
The story revolves around a deadly love triangle within the noble Tresendar family, who once lived in the manor in Phandalin. “Marius Tresendar” was having an affair with an elf named “Agatha” from Conyberry. Wanting to get rid of his troublesome lover, Marius acquired a “poisoned silver comb” as a supposed gift for her. But the plan failed horribly: his wife, “Angelique Tresendar,” uncovered the affair and discovered the hidden gift. In an act of spite — or perhaps ignorance — she wore the comb herself during an evening celebration to show her husband that she knew about his “little whore.” Angelique died from the poison in the comb.
Marius, consumed by guilt and unable to confess the truth, blamed Agatha and sent his knights to murder her. Agatha was slain in the woods near her cottage and returned as a hate-filled banshee.
How the players uncover the story:
The heroes can slowly piece together the plot while exploring Tresendar Manor:
1. In the crypt:
Inside Angelique’s sarcophagus, they find her remains together with the silver comb and a tender note from Marius — though, with what the players now know, the message carries a dark double meaning. Marius had secretly arranged a hidden room in the manor for his meetings with Agatha, and the note reads:
“My dearest, I have left a special comb and several other useful items for you in the room behind the NUMEROUS ANIMALS. I look forward to holding you in my arms again soon. — Marius”
Marius himself now lies as dust and bones in his own coffin, separated forever from the woman he indirectly murdered.
2. The hidden room:
The players searched for the manor’s secret room and eventually found it hidden behind a painting. (They had to solve a small puzzle from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything by counting animals in seven paintings and using the numbers to spell out the word PEGASUS.)
Inside the room, the players find an empty jewelry box for the comb on a bed, as well as Angelique’s final letter. In it, she confronts her husband about his betrayal and declares that she will wear the comb so he understands that she knows everything. There are also one or two simple magical artifacts hidden there.
3. Meeting Agatha in Conyberry:
When the party visits Agatha in her forest cottage, they first discover the corpses of three long-dead knights bearing the Tresendar crest. Once the players meet Agatha and hand over the comb and letters, she finally realizes the true extent of Marius’s betrayal. Agatha explains that the three knights had been sent by Marius to kill her. She was supposed to wear that horrible comb. She was supposed to rot and die from it!
Resolution and reward:
Agatha’s hatred begins to fade, and she becomes calmer, now understanding that Marius dragged not just one, but two women to their deaths. As thanks for uncovering the truth of her fate, she answers one or two important questions for the heroes — such as the location of Bowgentle’s spellbook or the secret entrance to Wave Echo Cave.