(LMoP-2) The New Guys in Town

You can't spell slaughter without laughter...

And so, having investigated the Cragmaw Hideout and rescued Sildar Hallwinter, our intrepid adventurers set out to make their way to Phandalin to begin the task of rescuing Gundren Rockseeker - and teach the Black Spider a lesson!

Starring:

Gronn, a dwarven druid, played by Brett

Wolf, a young human fighter, played by Lorne

Ellenross, a human rogue, played by Hilton

and introducing:

Gryff, a halfling fighter, played by Jason

DM comments: The party, excluding Gryff, levelled at the end of part one.

While Gron, Wolf and El fought for their lives in Cragmaw Hideout, Gryff wandered, carefree, along the Triboar Trail. He'd left Phandalin a short while ago to make something of himself. He'd joined the Neverwinter Guard and quickly rose to prominence, before the rules and regulations (as well as some barely-veiled anti-halfling sentiment) drove him out and he decided to head back home. He hoped he'd be welcome back - after all, he had left under a bit of a cloud. When the Redbrands had started out, it was just a bunch of teenagers having a laugh - the worst thing they ever did was steal an apple. I guess it all starts somewhere... but anyway, this was not a day to worry. The sun was shining, his tummy full from elevenses, or was it late brunch, he'd lost track. But still, he figured he could take a break, just sit under a tree and, maybe close his eyes for a moment... The joys of bringing a new character in!

Meanwhile, the deadly trio, after helping Sildar Hallwinter back to the wagon, made their way to Phandalin as fast as an ox could drag a wagon laden with equipment and bloodthirsty adventurers. They talked little and wondered what dangers they might meet, when they passed around a bend in the road and saw a strange site. Up ahead, half a dozen figures cavorted around a tree, as if dancing. How odd!

El ran into the woods. Gronn and Wolf continued their slow and steady pace until they saw what it really was, a pack of goblins taunting a sleepy-looking halfling. As the wagon approached, the goblins saw an opportunity for loot ("look, a wagon with a human and their child on it!") and split their forces, two goblins remaining to carve Gryff a new feeding hole and four heading for the wagon. 

The two facing Gryff were down to one almost instantly as El felled one with an arrow, then Gryff leapt forward and skewered the other. Those at the wagon fared no better as Gronn leapt from the seat of the wagon, changing in mid-air and landing on the ground as a massive brown bear! Not to be outdone, Wolf cartwheeled off the wagon and acrobatically posed at the side of an ox, who wasn't impressed (the disgust and jealousy on Lorne's face was classic).

The battle was short and bloody, ending with the bear ineffectually trying to scrape goblin brains from its tongue. An attempt to scratch it behind the ear proved to be unwelcome and Wolf decided that curiosity might kill the kill the human, and left well alone. The bear changed back and Gronn continued to clean out his mouth. The taste stayed for days.

Pleasantries, and thanks, were swapped between them all, before Gryff offered to show the party the quickest way to town - he was a native, after all. When they finally made it to Phandalin, Gryff confirmed their inn (The Stonehill) and said he'd be back to thank them with booze later, he needed to head home. 

While the party got rooms and then handed in Gundren's kit at Barthen's Provisions, Gryff went to visit his auntie Quelline Alderleaf, who has a farm on the edge of town. He met his cousin, Carp, aged 10, who cryptically warned him not to mention his aunt's face - which turned out to be horribly bruised (from a local thug "teaching her a lesson for not sharing Gryff's whereabouts"). Gryff was enraged, but kept his cool. He decided to seek out his new friends - they might be able to help. Carp told him all about the secret entrance underneath Tresendar Manor after following the thugs who'd thumped his mum. He returned to town, after meal of course, and met up with the others to talk about the threat of the Redbrands.

The party met a number of the locals, including Toblen Stonehill, the innkeeper, who was friendly and helpful (but diddled them on the price of a room!), and told them about some orc threat on the Triboar Trail, as well as confirmed the horror of the Redbrands. His wife, Trilena, who told the horrifying story of the local woodcarver who stood up to the Redbrands - and was murdered, before his entire family was kidnapped. El was particularly horrified. Daran Edermath, an old half-elf ex-adventurer who was "getting too old for this shit" but gave some tips about the area, including a lead about an abandoned tower nearby. Elsa, the busty barmaid, who kept Wolf enrapt, but rebuffed his clumsy attempts at charm (his charm attempts automatically failed because of the creepy way he looked at my chest!). They met Sister Garaele, who'd gotten a few knocks trying to convince a local banshee to give up her knowledge of a magical book. They visited Halia Thornton, the only person untroubled by the Redbrands...turns out she wasn't in cahoots (as she offered them a reward for killing them and bring her their papers), she was just hard as nails and somewhat grumpy. They found Sildar Hallwinter at the Town Hall, arguing with a fat, useless turd of a townmaster, Harbin Wester, who insisted the Redbrands were just harmless youths and warned the group not to cause trouble.

Finally, they met a recuperating Sildar Hallwinter, who'd been arguing with Harbin Wester. He offered them a substantial reward to locate Cragmaw Castle, and a slightly lesser one for bringing down the Redbrands and capturing their leader, Glasstaff.

This phase took over half of the session, but it was great fun!

As the four heroes left the Townmaster's Hall to think about their plans, they bumped into a group of thugs. As the wind blew across the street and the local ran for cover, only the occasional small child peeking over the top of a barrel, the two groups eyed each other up and swapped a few insults (mainly about Gryff and Gronn's heights, plus something about El's girly tights) before one of them admitting socking Auntie Quelline in the face and Gryff went apeshit. After a massive barney, all four Redbrands lay dead, and the party decided to take care of the redbrand threat first. They thought about peeling El off the floor, but he climbed to his feet of his own accord (he rolled a 20 on his death save!). Off they set to find Carp and his secret entrance.

Following a long, winding tunnel through the bedrock, the heroes soon found themselves in a long cavern, dominated by a crevasse with two bridges across it. As soon as they walked into the room, they were met by a voice in their heads, telling sharing with all of them, things they not only thought were secret, but might also not want the others to know! The voice, a rasping, insinuating hiss, begged them for food, "Fresh flesh, the wetter, the better" and offered secrets in return, perhaps even the whereabouts of Glasstaff! It also warned them not to use the bridges....Wolf, walked up to the edge with El and peered into the darkness.....was a huge eye he saw, eight inches across? Surely not. His mind was playing tricks on him....

They ducked into a hallway and burst through a door, from behind which they could hear harsh laughter and cruel taunts. Three bugbears were taunting a poor goblin who danced and capered in the middle of the room for them. The party leapt to the attack as the goblin fainted at the sight of Wolf's sword. Gronn and El quickly disabled their foe with precise strikes, while Wolf swapped mighty blows before crippling his opponent with a strike through the chest. Gryff seemingly tauned his bugbear with a series of rapier like strikes with his shortsword before the massive beast lined up his morningstar and slapped Gryff through the chest, sending him flying through the air, before he hit the top of the wall some ten feet away, before sliding down to the ground into a small heap on the floor, lifeless. Horrified, his new friends rushed in and slaughtered the bugbear before turning back to their dead companion.......but no! Gryff clambered unsteadily to his feet in front of their unbelieving eyes, brushed some dust off his tunic and suggested they stop for a snack (he rolled a 20 on his death save too - haha!).

They questioned the goblin, who was as thick as a whale steak, and got precious little information - but at least El didn't kill him this time. The party considered an offering to the crevasse-beast... and, while they considered their options, we paused the session...

(LMoP-1) And so it begins...

In a warehouse in Neverwinter:

It was a cool late summer's morning when they first met in Gundren Rockseeker's warehouse, near the docks in Neverwinter. Every adventure starts somewhere - and this one started there.

Starring:

Gronn, a grizzled dwarven druid (1st level), played by Brett

Wolf, a young human fighter (1st level), played by Lorne

Ellenross, a slick human rogue (1st level), played by Hilton

DM Comments: This was our first ever 5e session and it went really well - offering role-playing and combat in perfectly acceptable quantities.

Firstly, there was Gronn the dwarf, short of stature, but brimming with wisdom and experience from 70 years of living in the wilderness. Gundren Rockseeker was a clan-mate, his cousin to be precise, and had asked for his help transporting a wagonload of goods to the nearby frontier town of Phandalin. Gronn was more used to the wild woods than the wild streets and he was keen to leave. If he could leave Neverwinter and help a family-member, then it was a win-win situation for him.

Wolf was a tall, powerful young human, flush with excitement, his nerves were almost too much for him to contain. Only 18 years old, he wore an old chainmail hauberk which had seen better days. There were gaps in his armour, but he wore it with great pride. On his back was a huge greatsword, almost a foot longer than Gronn, the youngster wielded it effortlessly and it was in immaculate condition.

The third, and last to arrive, was Ellenross, or El, a lithe, clean-cut human who looked bored from the moment he stalked through the door. He was dressed like any number of ruffians you might see on the streets of Neverwinter, but there was something about him that made it feel like it wasn't natural. He played the part well though, and there was a brooding menace about him.

Gundren introduced his cousin to the two humans. Wolf was introduced as the son of an employee who had tangled with a pirate captain and needed to get some space between him and the city, while El was only introduced as an acquaintance, as someone who was no stranger to trouble and also needed to lie low in the styx for a while.

Gundren left almost immediately, accompanied by the veteran warrior, Sildar Hallwinter. The pair trotted off, eager to make it to Phandalin. 

As he left, he shouted his final instructions over his shoulder, "I'll meet you there, boys! Drop off my good at Barthen's Provisions, collect your payment and wait for me to make contact! I'm gonna.....we're gonna be rich!"

Wolf, overcome by the excitement of the moment, approached Gronn and warmly shook his hand. "Any good with a cock?", he blurted, immediately going red in the face. "I mean cookpot!", he quickly corrected himself and stood, head hung low, cheeks bright red in embarassment. Gronn grunted in amusement and climbed up to the driver's seat of the wagon (funniest moment of the game by quite some distance) Wolf sat next to him, and El sat at the back, watching the world he knew fade away behind them.

The trio left straight away, swapping small-talk and stories on the wagon and around the campfire. It soon became apparent that all three were skilled in different ways, and they found their company never grated. The chore became a worthwhile journey among friends. Until the third morning.

Not long into the day, they rounded a corner where the road was on one side a small escarpment, and on the other, a short slope leading up to a heavily wooded area. Ahead were two large mounds in the middle of the road. Eagle eyes realised it was a pony and a horse, slain in the road and left..as a sign, perhaps? Or a trap? 

The three warily moved forward and stopped when they realised these were the mounts belonging to Gundren and Sildar! Just as Gronn was about to rush forward and investigate, from the trees on the right dashed forward two skinny green goblins, yip-yip-yipping their warcries and waving their scimitars over their heads. An arrow followed and brushed past Wolf's head! Gronn was almost overcome in a moment of surprise, but both Wolf and El rushed forward to defend their companion, the former slicing one in half, the latter sliding his rapier through the eyeball of the other. 

El and Gronn dived into the woods and quickly found the other, who found himself on the receiving end of Gronn magical club, a shillelagh. With one wicked blow, the green-skinned menace was crushed. Before returning to Wolf, who was guarding the wagon, the pair realised they were being watched by a fourth goblin! They tried to sneak up on him, but were spotted and set off in pursuit! El caught the goblin after he tripped on a tree root (crit fail in an opposed athletics check!) and, despite his size and strength advantage, was dismayed to find his grip on the slippery goblin wasn't strong enough (crit success by the goblin on an opposed Strength check!). The goblin squirmed from his grasp, booted him in the plums from behind and scampered from the clearing while El clutched at his groin in agony. Gronn shook his head wearily when he came across El clambering to his feet, in obvious pain.

They hid their wagon in the woods and set off on a trail they found of what appeared to be a dozen goblins, at times dragging two bodies through the woods. El carefully lead the group through the woods, easily noticing a snare trap, and then deftly avoiding falling into a pit on the pathway! Not long after, El caught sight of the same goblin, once again observing from the trees! The pursuit this time was not going to be in such doubt. El pinned the goblin to the floor with his rapier, and the trio tied him up for questioning. 

Some time later, after a frustrating time spent interrogating the goblin, they realised that up ahead was Cragmaw Hideout, and Gundren and Sildar had been taken there. El dropped their captive in the pit trap and was dismayed to hear a loud snap when the goblin hit the floor. "Perhaps that wasn't the best option," he muttered under his breath.

Approaching the Hideout, the heroes were surprised by two goblins ambushing them from the trees to one side...(it's not like that happened before) but they were quickly dispatched. 

They entered the cave and found themselves in a kennel of sorts. Two large wolves reared up at them, stretching their chains to the limit. Gronn quickly offered them some tidbits and before long they were like old friends, allowing the companions to pass unheeded, where they found a rough natural chimney leading up into the darkness. 

They quickly climbed it (uneventfully) and found themselves watching a huge creature (a bugbear) with a wolf pet, warming himself by the fire - pausing only to verbally abuse a cowardly goblin who came to tell him of the dead sentries. As the goblin left, the party prepared to ambush the massive beast, but El stumbled, dragging his arrowhead across a rock, alerting Klarg (the bugbear!) to their position. He leapt to the attack! "I'll make a throne from your bones!" he cried. "It will be a small throne" screamed Gronn as he charged forward.

Gronn swept his club up into Klarg's ribs, just as El sent an arrow into his shoulder. Wolf faced off against the wolf and could only watch helplessly as Klarg left Gronn unconscious with one mighty blow from his morningstar. Before Klarg could crush the dwarf, El dived forward and thrust his rapier through Klarg's heart, killing him (he maxxed his damage and brought the bugbear to zero exactly!). Klarg died, face to face with a snoring dwarf. Wolf quickly finished the wolf. The party found some treasure and continued their search of the cave system.

The three stout adventurers moved from one room to another, dispatching a small number of green morons on the way, before they walked into what they were later to find out was Yeemik's HQ - the chief Goblin. As the party squared off against nearly half a dozen goblins, Yeemik played his trump card... standing above the party on a ledge ten foot up, Yeemik held a knife to the throat of a battered and bruised Sildar Hallwinter. Even from here, the heroes could see that Sildar was in a bad way; near naked, cut scores of times, missing fingers, teeth and an ear, he had even been hamstrung. The parley did not last long before rage (and a sneaky goblin shoving his shiv into El's back!) drove the trio forward into a brief and bloody battle - and despite Sildar dropping from the cliff and almost bleeding to death - Yeemik and his crew soon lay dead.

They roused Sildar. He told them how Gundren had been taken the Cragmaw Castle, how someone called the Black Spider was responsible for it all and that Gundren and his two brothers had found the legendary Wave Echo Cave, high in the mountains - and that the goblins had taken his map as well. Their resolve set, the party agreed to escort Sildar to Phandalin and plan their next step: to recover the map, save Gundren and teach the Black Spider to mind his own business!