Preparing for the fourth session as DM in Lost Mine of Phandelver

Preparing for session 4

Read the Redbrand hideout section

Yup! Its that reading thing again :)

This was the mostly likely scenario that our adventurers were about to embark on so getting super familiar withh this part of the adventure was important. Even if they chose not too then it was likely that other events would conspire to get them to go to the manor next.

I wanted to make most of the Redbrands themselves more like thugs doing it for money. So I decided that if questioned most of the Rebdrands would give up information about the hideout.

Challenge

I worried that the challenge of the hideout would be too much or too little. I was unsure how the players would deal with it. It seems that my group deal well with one off attacks, but a series of encounters are very difficult for them. I didn’t really know what to do because it would be difficult for them to take a rest in the manor. At least in a way that was inkeeping with the fact that they would be trying to take the manor. I assumed that at some point I may need to take it easier on my adventurers.

Practicing Iarno

I practiced my ‘Iarno voice’ a little, to create that smooth talking voice I wanted.

Other NPCs

Most other NPCs, if they are a from of Amphicea itself, are a form of Scottish or Welsh accent. This makes it easy for me to adlib NPCs. Just to do high and low versions of this accent depending on the situation.

Developing a character

I wanted to do a little character development with one of my players and also start hinting at a little high fantasy. I really liked the dream sequences that appear in Critical Roll and so wanted to do my own version of it. It would also alow me to do some plot development and hint at further adventures without having them trawl about town all the time. I decided to hint at the town of Thundertree adventure that through this dream sequence.

I chose my cleric to do this with as he has the strongest association with a Deity in my group. His god is Chauntea so I wanted to hint at this connection. When I looked up Chauntea, I felt like she might not like the use of killy necromantic magic as well as the use of magical fire. So decided to hint at this as well as the dragon at Thundertree. You can read the dream sequence I wrote in the Appendix below.

Again I hoped this would encourage engagement and mystery and exploration of my players character.

Appendix

Session recap and intro

When last we met … after arriving late in Phandalin our adventurers found themselves in a boisterous tavern. After getting to know some of the locals, some fairly successfully gambling, some less successful flirting and a fine performance on the bagpipes our adventurers managed to ingratiate themselves with the locals. Turns out, a group called the redbrand ruffians had been making trouble around town recently. A quick drinking contest later and Chase was in no fit state to sit on a roof and remember the old times. Also he’s 15 … how many old times can he have?

Waking in the morning, the group were in fine spirits, looking for adventure and ways to help the people of Phandalin, unless you are poor, in which case they toss you a gold and walk on. After meeting up with Sildar to learn more information in the search for Gundram and Wave Echo Cave, they set out to confront the redbrand ruffians in their local haunt. A swift brutal encounter and the remaining ruffian was promised his life if he talked … and in a recurring theme for the group … he was brutally murdered. After cleaning up the crime scene …

What would you like to do?

What are the ruffians doing?

It’ll take them about an hour to realise and report back to glasstaff … after which they will be on heightened alert and actively looking for the group. If they don’t head straight to the redbrand hideout

Phandalin

The Stonehill Inn Innkeeper: Toblen Stonehill Background: Generally pleasant and friendly to the adventurers

Barthen’s Provisions Generally pleasant and friendly to the adventurers

Edermath Orchard

Daran Edermath

Hello adventures … not much … time someone took stand against those redbrands if you ask me! Sure they’re around the Sleeping Giant … but what a lot don’t know is that their safe house … is under Tresendar Manor …

Also … He has heard rumours of undead goings on around Old Owl well … the magic round their is old and deep … from the time before Amphicea … if theres any dormant magic there … I shudder to think what would happen …

Lionshield Coster

No new information

Phandalin Miner’s Exchange

Lana the tiefling mine owner would also be here Guild leader: Halia Thornton

No new information

Alderleaf Farm

No new information

### Shrine of Luck Small shrine dedicated to the goddess of Luck, Tymora … It appears to be made of stones taken from other ruins.

Sister Garaele She still looks a little battered an bruised … if they ask how they can help then she will suggest …

My order asked me to undertake … a delicate mission … I need to persuade a banshee called Agather to answer a question about a spellbook … I sought agatha out … but she did not appear for me … I think I need … an intermediary to take Agatha this gift …

And she shows you a small jeweled silver comb, intricately carved, quite beautiful.

I think .. if you flatter he vanity you should be able to trade the comb for a question … and hopefully an answer …

You need to ask her the location of a spellbook of the legendary mage “bowgentle”…

I will give you a potion of healing each if you do this for me …

Townmaster’s Hall

Harbin Westor - No new information

Sildar;

No new information

The Sleeping Giant

After defeating the redbrand ruffians, there is a goblin barkeep called Bozz hiding in the cellar. He has a crossbow, will shoot on sight and is generally pissed off about the fact his bar is a mess. Concerned about his loss of income and how his bar will survive. Job offers in Phandalin

When the adventurers next long rest

If Hjulkyl uses his channel divinity then show him a vision:

That night, as you rest Hjulkyl, a dream comes to you … you find yourself in a wheat field, the ears wafting against you in a gentle breeze, the sky is a beautiful azure blue with one or two puffy white clouds. In the distance is a windmill and farm buildings. You can hear the gentle buzz of insects and smell very faintly, the smell of beer brewing.

As you take this in, you hear a child’s laughter behind you, as you turn around .. you see about 30 ft in front of you … a small human girl, maybe 6 or 7, dressed plainly with a daisy chain crown on her head, she lifts up her hand to you and says ‘come, follow me,’ … or you thought she said it … but you could swear her lips didn’t move … what would you like to do?

-> wake up

-> follow the girl

As you walk up and reach out to hold the girls hand, there’s a white light … and a series of images flash through your brain, initially these images are of your past … they’re of you and of moments on your journey to being a cleric … you look down at the girl and she’s smiling back at you and you suddenly feel filled with this warmth … the images continue … you see images of your recent encounters and again you feel the warmth that seems to convey a sense of a job well done.

Then, an image of the ruffian, and in slow motion you see the wounds you inflicted on them spreading across their body … the warmth disappears … instead … an emptiness … a disappointment … as the image fades … the girls face is in front of yours … tears silently running down her face.

Next, an image of ruined town from above … as if you are 200 ft high … and the emptiness is beginning to be filled with warmth again … and as you look at the town from above you hear a sound from behind you

‘Wooph, wooph, woooph” … the sound of wings … your viewpoint starts moving with great speed, barrel rolling, loops and a joy fills your heart as you soar through the air … you come to land on a tower in the ruined town and survey the town. You let out a roar and a great breath of green gas into the air…. Which falls onto some nearby vegetation and instantly, the plants appear and trees in the path of gas whither and die.

The image ends and the girl looks sick, poisoned … she falls, and then fades away … and as she fades … you wake up.

Job offers in Phandalin