The Lost Mine of Phandelver:Main Page

Player Characters

Baria Stormtouched, NG Female Half-Elf Sorceress (played by Unka Josh)

Jhila Greymantle, LN Female Human Fighter (played by MarianH)

Kethra the Rogue, N Female Human Rogue (played by ChariotDriver)

Perla Danver, LG Female Human Paladin (played by squidheadjax)

Skyr, LN Male Human Monk (played by E_MacLeod)

Tedrek Ironfist, NG Male Dwarf Cleric (played by Kii)

Summary

As one player has said: dungeons, dragons, bright swords, the chiming of mail hauberks, and the hewing of Orcs. These are the things D&D is made of.

For me, these are also elements: Brown ink on parchment pages, cloth maps and pewter charms, iron rations and gathered reagents for spell components. Hirelings and sages; rumors over mulled wine and thick brown ale with hard cheese and sausage on a wooden trencher. Foggy forests dripping with tree rain and yellow-gold leaves and pine needles trod into the rich soil. A cause worth fighting for, hearts to be wooed and won, the chance to make your mark on the world; the opportunity to amass a fortune, whether it be by guile and wit or skill, sword, and luck.

Lost Mine of Phandelver is an introductory adventure written for the D&D 5th Edition Starter Set. It is widely considered the better of WotC's published adventures for 5e (the other being Hoard of the Dragon Queen), utilizing something of a sandbox approach while still incorporating elements of WotC's "Tyranny of Dragons" organized play event. While doing a bit of reading up in my old FR books, I was surprised to discover that the entire adventure has its basis in old 2nd Edition supplements. It is an adventure designed to take 4-5 characters of 1st level up to 5th level by its completion.

Nominally set in the Forgotten Realms, I've decided to place Lost Mine in 1357 DR, the timeframe of the Forgotten Realms 1st Edition "Grey Box." It's the edition of the setting to which I have the most nostalgic attachment, as well as feeling as though it's fleshed out just enough to allow DMs wiggle room. If it's in the Grey Box, it's probably canon as far as this game goes. Bear in mind, I'm not a FR superfan; I haven't read any of the novels and I can't tell you where Drizzt or Elminster were when such-and-such an event happened, but I really liked the presentation of the Grey Box when it first came out, and I've enjoyed the computer games set in the Realms (most notably Baldur's Gate I and II). I reserve the DM's usual right to edit or chuck things out, though. There will be certain things I'm changing, but you'll just have to find out which things as you go (if it helps, you can think of conventional FR lore being the popular rumors on such matters; the truth may vary).

That also pertains to the module itself. I've made tweaks and adjustments here and there, both to suit my tastes and to adopt clever ideas that others have suggested on OSR blogs. For example, I've fleshed out the town of Phandalin a bit beyond what detail is given in the booklet. I've created a timetable of the module's events. As it was originally written, certain things will have come to pass by the time the PCs arrive on the scene, and some events are effectively "on hold," to be triggered by the PCs' arrival. The way I'll be running it, things are set in motion from the start, and certain events will happen by certain points in time - unless the PCs intervene. If you get involved before said event is scheduled to happen, you'll be able to alter the outcome. I'm looking at this both with an eye toward creating a living, breathing world going on around your characters, and toward running an adventure where your decisions matter, for good or for ill. Decisions will be up to you; different NPCs will want you to do things, but ultimately the adventure is about what your PCs want to do. I assume that if you're joining this game, you're interested in playing the adventure (as opposed to a 100% sandbox "Screw Phandalin, let's become salt merchants!" game), but I'll do my best to keep from laying any railroad tracks.

I'm still fairly new to D&D 5e, and this will be my first time DMing it. Judging by my experiences in D&D Adventurers League, I would say that 5th Edition has a bit of an old school feel when it comes to character mortality; it's pretty easy for a 1st-level character to die, so I advise caution. Some of this is mitigated by Inspiration, which you can earn by acting in accordance with your character's Personality Traits, Ideals, Bonds and Flaws. I encourage you to do so, and if you think one of your fellow players played to their traits with particular aplomb or dramatic appropriateness in a particular scene, or played to their Flaws in a way that wasn't necessarily in the character's best interests, nominate them for Inspiration! The life you save may be your own. ;)

The Lost Mine of Phandelver begins with your Player Characters being contacted by a Dwarf merchant named Gundren Rockseeker. He may be an old friend of the family, or a professional patron, or perhaps he was there for you when you hit rock bottom and gave you a hand up. No matter how you know the man, he found you in the city of Neverwinter and invited you to join him at the Moonstone Mask, his favorite inn and festhall. There the old rascal showed his shining face; despite his braided beard and Dwarven wrinkles, when he flashed that winning smile of his you remembered just how young he actually was (in Dwarf-years, anyway). He was always remarkably free of the melancholy that seemed to afflict his fellows, approaching life with a boundless optimism, and seeing possibility and profit where others only saw misery and misfortune. In his company was a tall Human man with dark brown hair going silvery-grey at the temples and a long, dropping mustache, clad in understated midnight blue doublet with silver piping. Judging by his build and bearing, the man was an old warrior, no stranger to the battlefield or the halls of lords. This man Gundren introduced to you as Sildar Hallwinter, an old friend with influential connections in the courts of Neverwinter. Between toasts to old times and old friends, and some of the best roast mutton and quality companionship the city has to offer, Gundren hinted at his plot with eyes glinting, inviting you to partake in what he promised would keep you all in thick beer and rich clothing for the rest of your days.

"I've a wagon headed out to Phandalin, about a day east of the High Road and south of the Triboar Trail, in the foothills of the Sword Mountains. Not much more than a mining camp these days, but t'were a thrivin' town when I was a lad. An' it will be again, once our work be done!" He flashed his winning smile and winked at a passing barmaid before draining another flagon and wiping the foam from his beard with the back of his hand. "Come an' work for me, this one last time. I'll pay ye a more-than-generous wage to guard me wagon to Phandalin, an' we can discuss things like 'investment' and 'percentages of profits' once the wheels really start turnin' on this." He held up his hand to allay any further questions, and unrolled a detailed contract scribed in rigid Dethek glyphs and the curlier, more organic letters of the common trade tongue. "I've already spoken too freely. There'll be time for explanations when there are fewer claim-jumpers within earshot. Just sign along the dotted line and take joy in your evening here; I've paid for all of ye, as a gesture of good faith. Just don't run up my tab too dearly, friends." Once everyone's signatures were collected at the bottom of the contract, he rolled it up, thrust it into his jerkin, and clambered off of his stool. "Meet my men out by the stable at dawn; the wagon should be packed and the oxen watered. As the contract said: ten gold dragons upon safe delivery of goods to Barthen's Provisions, in Phandalin. I look forward to seein' ye there. Sildar and I are wasting no time; there's matters what need attendin' to afore any o' this can get underway, so I'll be leavin' ahead of ye. By the time ye arrive, all should be in order. Axe high, friends - I go!"

How you spent your evening at the Moonstone Mask will likely live on in your memories for quite some time to come, but by dawn you had mustered from bed and began to make your preparations for travel; by noon you had passed between the great gates of Neverwinter and were beginning your journey upon the hard High Road, bound for the south - and adventure!