Lost Mine of Phandelver Synopsis

Session 1
On the journey, the party comes across two dead horses blocking the road with thickets on one side and cliffs on the other. The saddle bags have been looted and nearby lies an empty map case. Suddenly, arrows begin whizzing past the party. Goblin ambush!!! --The party beats off the ambush and knocks one of the goblins unconscious for later questioning. -- The goblin tells the party he believes that Klarg (Bugbear), his leader, has captured Gundren Rockseeker and Sildar Hallwinter. He also tells you that King Grol (Bugbear) had requested that Klarg provide him with any items including a map that Rockseeker had on his person because someone known as The Black Spider was paying the Cragmaws to do so. -- Following a hidden trail and narrowly avoiding several traps, the party discovers the entrance to the Cragmaw Hideout. -- Infiltrating the cave, Rykar the Barbarian charges into a pit of wolves and is torn to pieces. He is saved by his companions and the party fights with goblins until their second in command, Yeemik, parlays for a truce. The party agrees to kill Klarg to free Sildar. -- Guy convinces Klarg’s guards to let him parlay with Klarg but the convo ends in combat.

Session 2
Klarg is mortally wounded in the fight and upon fleeing, stumbles and falls down a cavern shoot to his death. -- Upon searching Klarg’s lair, the party finds many crates marked with the image of a blue lion as well as an unmarked treasure chest containing 600 copper pieces, 110 silver pieces, 2 potions of healing and a jade statuette of a frog with tiny golden orbs for eyes (worth 40 gp) which Rykar takes all of and stuffs it into his pack. -- Guy’s knowledge of the area allows him to recognize the blue lion as the symbol of an influential trading company with a warehouse and trading post in Phandalin, called the Lionshield Coster. -- The party brings Yeemak Klarg’s head. Yeemak continues to try to barter Sildar Hallwinter’s life for Klarg’s treasure. Jendor castes a sleep spell on him and Guy ties him up and frees Sildar. -- Sildar tells the party that the three Rockseeker brothers (Gundren, Tharden and Nundro) recently located an entrance to the long-lost Wave Echo Cave, site of the mines of Phandelver’s Pact. Sildar is a member of the Lord’s Alliance and his contact, Iarno Albrecht, is a Wizard in Phandalin.

The party agrees to escort Sildar to Phandalin and they make their journey back through the forest to the caravan unmolested.

Upon approaching the caravan, the party is attacked by highway bandits. They easily fight the bandits off and move the horses blocking the road out of the way.

Session 3
The party infiltrates the Redbrand Hideout but does not get far inside. They encounter a Nothic for the first time. Guy attempts to use stealth but alerts several bugbears with the jangle and clatter of his armor. Guy is then trapped between two doors and is attacked from both sides. He goes down but is saved by the heroics of Rykar who slays the bugbears and leaps to protect Guy's fallen body. They end up having to retreat with Jhendor and Rykar carrying Guy's unconscious form back into the night.

Session 4
The party convinces the Nothic to divulge where its treasure lies and the party discovers a +1 longsword in a silver-chased scabbard. The sword is inscribed with the name “Talon,” and its hilt is worked in the shape of a bird of prey with outspread wings. It once belonged to a great knight named Aldith Tresendar, known as the Black Hawk. Sir Aldith died fighting off the orcs that attacked through the hidden caverns below his manor. Talon was lost here until the nothic found it.

Qelline Alderleaf tells the party to seek out a Druid named Reidoth in the town of Thundertree after dealing with the Redbrands.

The party travels to Thundertree and speaks with the Druid, Reidoth. They agree to drive off a Venomfang, a young green dragon that has recently nested in the area and he then leads them to its lair. -- The party tactically slays the dragon with Sildar losing his life in the process, the dragon's breath attack turning him to goo.

Party finds a +1 Axe called "Hew."

Session 4.5 - Cragmaw Castle Summary
Reidoth the Druid called out to the three receding figures. “You’ve done a great deed in slaying Venomfang. I shall keep my promise and escort you to Wave Echo Cave. I would say be careful – but it appears you can handle yourselves!” He chuckled to himself and stepped back into his home. Guy, Jhendor and Rykar crested a low hill and looked down on a dense forest of green. Somewhere inside was Cragmaw Castle, King Grol, it’s protector, and Gundren Rockseeker, his prisoner. The morning was cool, and the mist hung above the ground amongst the trees. Rykar scouted ahead in the mist. Around noon, the forest began to clear, and the stone outline of the fortress came into view. It was clearly not of goblin construction – it was old, but well built. The castle flaunted seven crumbling towers of different sizes and heights, but the upper stories seemed in varying states of collapse. A short flight of steps led up to a terrace in front of the main entryway. Past the wreckage of a pair of sundered doors lay a shadowed hall. Round towers loomed over the entranceway, with dark arrow slits looking down on the terrace.

As was their way, the adventurers decided against negotiation and stealth and instead stormed the ramparts. A half dozen goblins fell to their onslaught as they took the barracks and pressed on. Inside, among the supplies, Jhendor discovered a bloody suit of chainmail, a heavy crossbow, and an unsheathed longsword with the emblem of Neverwinter worked into its hilt. It was the equipment of their fallen companion Sildar. The image of Sildar melting away in green liquid fire made him shudder. It was too like his friends being torn apart by the Peryton. He said a brief prayer for the dead and moved on. They fought their way through the Banquet Hall although greatly outnumbered. At the final sword blow from Guy, the toll of the battle became clear. Eight goblins and four hobgoblins littered the floor. Each of the warriors tended to various wounds and Rykar paced the room taking deep calming breaths to release his terrible rage. Further on they discovered a shrine to Maglubiyet, one of the despicable goblin gods. Amongst the shrine they found a statuette that was clearly out of place – a golden figure of a sun elf. Jhendor searched for a magical presence and found one: a hint of divination magic. “Perhaps augury?” he thought to himself.

Not long after, Guy, Jhendor and Rykar discovered a guard room leading to the “King’s Quarters.” Guy shook his head in disgust. “The title of “King” was a farce. Hobgoblins are no better than animals.” He thought. The party listened through the large reinforced wooden door. There was an argument playing out in the next room. As was his way, Rykar shouted and kicked the door open. Through the door the party could see that the chamber was set up as a crude living space. A round table with several chairs stood to the south near the door. On the floor, was an unconscious dwarf who looked badly beaten. King Grol backed toward the body of Gundren Rockseeker, weapon drawn, his large pet wolf snarling in the corner. The combat was swift. Bright balls of energy shot from Jhendor’s figure and blasted King Grol in the face and groin. In a moment, Rykar and Guy had their target between them. Rykar’s axe, Hew, cut deep into King Grol’s back and Guy struck with his sword Talon and buried it in the hobgoblin’s chest all the way to the hilt.

As this deadly combat progressed a stranger scene played out before Jhendor. His wild magic surged as he cast Magic Missile and soon the wolf was above him, flying around the upper reaches of the room. Wolves, cannot fly by nature of course and soon made for an easier target. Soon, the animal was dead and grounded, and the party moved to check on Gundren’s status. He was alive, but unconscious. Guy retrieved a healing kit and revived him. Gundren, thanked them and asked for yet another favor. “Please find my brothers. I fear for their safety.” With that Gundren left for Phandalin to rest and recover. The journey back to Thundertree, to the druid Reidoth’s home, was easy enough. Guy, Jhendor and Rykar each thought to themselves. “A dragon and a ‘king’… perhaps these two strangers are more useful than I thought.”

Session 5
The party decides to travel directly to Wave Echo Cave. On the way they fight a pair of owlbears. Rykar is forced (by Druid Reidoth) to destroy them as a new member of the Emerald Enclave.

The party travels through the cave system and passes through poisoned mushrooms where Guy is poisoned. They encounter Mormesk the Wraith and agree to destroy the Spectator. They convince the Spectator that the mine is no longer in operation and this causes the Spectator to take its leave as its duties have ended. They locate the Forge of Spells and find Lightbringer a +1 mace and are able to enchant some of their items temporarily. Mormesk travels to the Forge and accidentally destroys himself. The party continues to the source of the wave echoes and encounter a Marid, a nautical genie who grants them a wish and gives them "power over the greatest force on earth," the Decanter of Endless Water.

Session 6
In the final session of Phandelver the party encounters a Flameskull, a 5th level spellcaster and Jhendor is blasted by a massive fireball and burnt to a crisp. He is somehow revived by Guy and they flee toward the Objective Room where they encounter the Black Spider. They quickly and easily dispatch the wizard and rescue the final Rockseeker brother. They leave the mines with a sense of relief, knowing that their linear adventure is at an end.