[IC] A "New to 5e" run of Lost Mines of Phandelver

[Cap'm Bubbles]

OOC Thread
Dice Thread
((Please use one of the above links when you want to roll.))

Our Current Cast:

Player	Character	Class	AC	PP	Init.
inexorabletruth	Carric Holimion	Ranger	16	14	3
scalyfreak	Riesa Olphander	Bard	13	13	2
Lizard Lord	Bimpnotten	Rogue	14	16	3
missmvicious	Wanderlust	Barbarian	14	12	2
spinningdice	Sevella Yrosh	Druic	11	12	0
Xeno929	Kaiden Vega	Wizard	13	10	+3
Aleister VII	Pain Emberstone	Monk	16	15	+3

Spoiler: Our Former Cast

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Player	Character	Class	AC	PP	Init.
inexorabletruth	Carric Holimion	Ranger	16	14	3
ZeroSpace9000	Ardis Black	Fighter	18	13	2
scalyfreak	Riesa Olphander	Bard	13	13	2
Squadfather42	Jergen Rohmner	Fighter	19M	13	1
Lizard Lord	Bimpnotten	Rogue	14	16	3
missmvicious	Wanderlust	Barbarian	14	12	2

In the city of Neverwinter, a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker asked you and others to bring a wagon loead of provisions to the rough-and-tumble settlement of PHandalin, a couple of days' travfel to the southeast. Gundren has two brothers, Tharden and Nundro. The dwarves pool their money together, but their skillset and background can be a little more varied, should your characters want other connections. Now, Gundren is no adventurer, but he's certainly a lively fellow that seeks his fortune and folly in equal measure. The trio is well-known to some of you, and to friends of the others.

Gundren was clearly excited and more than a little secretive about his reasons for the trip, saying only that he and his brothers had found "something big," and that he'd pay you each ten gold pieces for escorting his supplies safely to Barthen's Provisions, a trading post in Phandalin. He then set out ahead of you on horse, along with a warrior escort named Sildar Hallwinter, claiming he needed to arrive early to "take care of business."

You've spent the last few days following the High Road south from Neverwinter, and you've just recently veered east along the Triboar Trail. You've encountered no trouble so far, but this territory can be dangerous. Bandits and outlaws have been known to lurk along the trail.

Spoiler: The supplies

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The wagon is packed full of an assortment of mining supplies and food. This includes:
-a dozen sacks of flour,
-several casks of salted pork,
-two kegs of strong ale,-shovels, picks, and crowbars (about a dozen each),
-five lanterns with a small barrel of oil (about fifty flasks in volume).
The total value of the cargo is 100 gp.

Some, but not all of you, personally know Gundren or his brothers. Others are here on recommendation. Still more are just looking for a profitable venture outside of Neverwinter. Whatever your reasons for joining this enterprise, now would be a good time to introduce yourselves to each other. Especially now that you've turned onto the "less civilized" roads through wilderness, it would be good to be familiar with the people who will watch your back.

((OOC: Most of you have told me your connections to the story, but not necessarily your fellow players. Take a post or two to get into character and figure out your preferred marching order, and then I will proceed.))

[scalyfreak]

As she has done every day of the journey so far, Riesa is cheerfully strolling along, content to follow the wagon. Her belongings, packaged and maintained with an expertise gained from years on the road are stored safely in the backpack strapped snugly to her back, with a crossbow strapped to one side of the pack, and a plain lute case to the other.

She is humming. Occasionally the humming turns into quiet singing, and then back to humming. She tosses her flute from hand to hand occasionally, or spins it between her fingers like a baton. Every now and then she taps the flute against the palm of her other hand, to the beat of whatever it is she's humming. Assuming this day continues as any other day so far, the only way to stop that humming and singing is to feed her. While she's been friendly and chatty enough while setting up camp in the evenings, during travel, she seems single-mindedly focused on whatever she is humming and singing.

Someone inclined to pay close attention to specifically what Riesa is humming will discover that she has a rather eclectic repertoire. She hums elven songs, dwarven tunes, and vastly different types of melodies from several human cultures.

"So is anyone else curious why we're being paid to guard a bunch of pork and shovels?"

[inexorabletruth]

Carric, skipping along the rocky sides of the trail while keeping his light brown eyes on the forest line, nearly stumbles after hearing the question.

"Because they want to keep it," he replies incredulously.

Possession was always a temporary condition to the eyes of the wood elf, and strength determined rights of ownership. Still, he had to silently agree that the mercenary contingency might be a bit of overkill for supplies that would mostly only be useful to miners. However, loot is loot. And he knew a few bandit types who might enjoy some delicious pork cutlets.

"Either way, it's nice to venture off the High Road. And I've enjoyed your humming heretofore," he says with a friendly smile.

[scalyfreak]

Riesa stops humming when the elf starts talking to her, then shakes her head in exasperation. "Keep it from who? Imagine trying to fence five casks of pork!" She grins, picturing the conversation between the thief and the fence in her mind, and finding it very amusing. The flute continues to twirl between her fingers, never slowing, never stopping.

"The humming's just practice, and practice is never done. Do you think they have a tavern in this trading post? Have you been there before?"

[missmvicious]

When she'd left home escorting supplies wasn't exactly what she'd been planning but ten gold sounded quite nice. Especially since she'd found herself broke in Neverwinter, she'd bought to many drinks or wasn't careful enough with her coin, she didnt really know or care to much which it had been. She was contented with the promise of gold and more traveling.

Wanderlust was friendly, especially if you had drinks to share, and so far she seemed pretty easy going despite her imposing look, that being said no one had managed to get on her bad side and there had been nothing to squash so far.

The giant woman clasped her fingers together behind her neck leaning her head back into her hands and looking out at the sky. "Honestly I hadn't thought about it all." She said simply. She glanced over to the half elf with a hint of mischief in her smile. "Reckon they got somethin' a little more valuable tucked away?"

[inexorabletruth]

The elf thought about Wanderlust's question with more than a little mischievous curiosity. I mean... a peek wouldn't hurt, when no one's looking...

"It's been a while. I tend to steer clear of the cities. They're too... confining," he says with a hint of an inside joke. "But I seem to remember a tavern there, run by a lovely old couple who always poured the ale frothy and tall for my clan and me. What was the name?" He mutters the question as he snaps his fingers.

"STONEHILL INN!" He blurts triumphantly. "Gods, it was on the tip of my tongue. I should pop in and say hello. I haven't been there in ages."

[Lizard Lord]

Bimnotten Struggleduck Scheppen walks among the group with her pet mouse Lil' Squeaks riding on her shoulder. She is also wearing a dirty brown cloak over her leather armor with covers her bow, short sword, and two daggers. Her brown scraggly hair looks like a dirty tangled mess as if she never bothered to keep it neat. At Reisa's questions Bimnotten (for short) raises on eyebrow. "There are plenty o' folks out there where starvation is something they gotta worry about every day, I used ta be one o' them. I have actually met folks that would kill fer five casks of pork, and not ta fence it either."

[inexorabletruth]

Carric nodded a somber agreement to Bimpnotten's claim. "You make a fair point. Still, the last few days have been fairly quiet. I'd imagine even raiding parties would want to take a day off under a sky this blue."

He takes in a deep breath of the fresh air and takes in the scenery with a pleasant smile.

"I'll tell you what. I can scout ahead, and into the tree line to look for threats or signs of their passage. Frankly, the slow plodding roll of our caravan is making my legs ache. I could go for a nice sprint."

[Squadfather42]

Jergen walks by the wagon listening to his fellow companions talk. They did bring up interesting points though.

"I don't think there's anything of real value here, except for the supplies themselves. I think this is just what it seems, a supply run that Gundren needed help with."

Jergen glances over at Carric and smiles.

"Indeed, on a day like this...you can't really think of anything happening. By all means, if you feel the need to take a quick stroll, then go for it. I wouldn't go to far though, it's best not to tempt luck to much."

[inexorabletruth]

With a wink, Carric scampers off ahead, sprinting down the trail, then breaking off to a brisk jog through the rocks and grass toward the tree line, roughly 70' away from the group.

(1d20+4)[19]

Covering his brow for shade, he peers into the forest line for broken branches, unnaturally swaying trees, or scattering birds... any typical sign of bandits getting into position.

[Cap'm Bubbles]

You've been on the Triboar Trail for about half day when Carric makes his offer to scout. The woods press close to the trail here, with a steep embankment and dense thickets on either side.

As you come around a bend, you spot two dead horses sprawled about fifty feet ahead of you, blocking the path. Each has several black-feathered arrows sticking out of it.

Carric, eager for anything to break the monotony of travel, is particularly observant today. There is a rustle in some of the thickets on either side of the trail around the horses' position...and maybe more beyond, though at that distance (~80 feet), it could be from the wind you feel ahead of you as the winds of the coast blow east. It is almost certain that whomever killed the horses is still here, lying in wait for the next sorry traveler.

You may want to hurry back...80 feet is in range of the bows that killed those horses.

[inexorabletruth]

Carric snaps to attention at the sight of the dead horses and drops to a crouch, pulling his bow in the process. Keeping his head low, he picks a less carefree route back to the caravan.

"Highwaymen... be at the ready! They have archers!" he calls out as soon as he is within earshot.

[missmvicious]

Wanderlust jerks her head to look towards the approaching elf "Highwaymen?" she echoed, her tone was a bit surprised but not terribly concerned. With the lazy pace they were moving and the uneventful trip so far Wamderlust was already thinking this was going to be the easiest gold she'd ever earned. That may not be the case now.

[Lizard Lord]

With news of trouble up ahead Bimpnotten notches an arrow from her quiver and silently slinks into the thickets hoping to set a sort of ambusher of her own for these highwaymen.

[Squadfather42]

With the exclamation of Highway men ahead, Jergen draws his sword and gently rests his blade on his shoulder.

Checking to make sure that his shield is secured properly on his arm, Jergen nods to his companions that he's ready.

[Cap'm Bubbles]

The trail is about 10 feet wide past the bend in the road. The steep embankments on either side are a good 5 feet above the road, and thickets top them about 3 feet in height. The thickets count as difficult terrain (half-movement speed through them), and are of sufficient height that small creatures can hide in them.

The horse carcasses block the path 50 feet ahead, and the thickets on each side of the road at that distance are the suspicious rustling sites. 30 feet further along the road (80 total), also in the thickets, were the second set of suspicious movements.

((For future reference, double-parentheses indicates my GM or mechanical responses, rather than descriptive text. Your party has won initiative, and goes first. There is no surprise. You all start 50 feet away from the horses on the road. Bimpnotten starts 50 feet away as well, but in the thickets. Post your turn in any order, and once all players have gone, the other side will go.))

[missmvicious]

Wanderlust readies her heavy war hammer ready to break some bandit bones. She takes a deep breath, excitement growing, bloodlust growing in anticipation of the battle. She has both hands on the hammer striding towards the front of the caravan, but not leaving it all together.

Spoiler

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drew my weapon, moved 30ft closer to the horses and entered a rage

[inexorabletruth]

Carric, whips around once it's clear that his team got the message, steadies himself, draws his bow and takes a deep breath.

"It's time to come out of the bushes! We don't want to kill you, and this wagon isn't carrying anything worth your trouble! Step out nice and easy--hands high!"

Spoiler: What my character is doing.

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Carric readies an action to shoot his longbow at the first hostile exiting the bush, and attempts to persuade them to give up this silliness. If they come out nice and easy like he demands, then he will lessen the tension on his bow and not attack.

Persuasion Check: (1d20+1)[14]
Readied Attack: (1d20+5)[19]
Readied Damage: (1d8+3)[8]

[scalyfreak]

In a blink, Riesa's flute has been tucked away and secured into a holster-like thing on her hip, and her crossbow is in her hands. "I'm just going to hide over here..." she mumbles to no one in particular, and slips into the shadows behind the wagon.

A quick glance confirms that while all the big fighter-types are advancing on the highwaymen, the gnome seems to have disappeared. Riesa decides this seems like an excellent idea, but closer inspection reveals a complete lack of vegetation large enough to hide a half-elf. Wagon for cover it is then... she crouches down on one knee for balance, then removes the flute from its case and places it between her teeth. As ready as can be, the last thing she does is lifting the cocked and loaded crossbow, her attention on the road up ahead. As much of it as she can see, hiding and her view blocked by her allies, as it were.

[Lizard Lord]

Though she doesn't realize it pretty much all her allies can see Bimpnotten Struggleduck Scheppen (seriously, I don't think I beat any of your passive perception scores), though hopefully their foes don't. If these highwaymen can hide in the thicket then they are likely somewhere closer to the gnome's height than her allies. A band of halfling and/or gnome bandits doesn't seem likely, so best bets would be on goblins or kobolds.

B.S.S pulls back her bow string and aims he bow towards the suspicious movement in the thickets (that isn't her own) in the (in her opinion) likely chance that these guys don't want to take Carriic up on his offer. She squints to try and see through the thicket towards where the suspicious movements are to see if she can glimpse these highwaymen and is prepared to fire should they attack.

Spoiler

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Readying an action to shoot the first enemy to attack. and making a perception check to see if I can even tell what we are up against.

[inexorabletruth]

Carric considers his situation for a moment, clicks his tongue in frustration at his own stupidity. It could be halflings or gnomes, but more likely...

"Togaakaar ac o duuc'd rhaan mel'daal!" he shrieks in an angry, squeaking voice.

Spoiler: Translating Goblin to Common

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"Surrender and you won't be killed!"
I'm using Screwy Truth's Common to Goblin Translator. If you have a specific translator you'd like me to use, please let me know.

[Squadfather42]

Raising his shield into a casual, yet defensive position Jergen slowly moves towards the horses.

Darting his eyes back and forth at the rustling grass, prepared for anything.

[Cap'm Bubbles]

A bit of chatter gives way just before four goblins pop up in the thickets, taking aim at the visible party (yes, you actually did stealth past these guys).

The the two closest goblins take a shot at Carric and Wanderlust. The one aiming for Carric aims too short; Carric does not, as his own arrow sails true, piercing the goblins neck and dropping it for good.
The other arrow scratches Wanderlust, but such a topical wound is no match for her hardy constitution. It doesn't even draw blood.

The two further back, recognizing the danger their closer comrades are in, try to buy them time by attacking the larger, closer foes. Each take a shot, one again at Wanderlust, and one at Jergen.

The second arrow breaks against the mighty Goliath, again failing to do any damage.
The final arrow sail dangerously close to Jergen's skull. Were it not for Jergen's defensive stance, the arrow could have taken an eye. Instead, he is able to bring his shielded arm up in time to protect his head, though not to deflect the arrow entirely. It lodges into his heavy armor, which takes the brunt of the damage (6-3. Jergen takes three piercing damage after HAM).

Each goblin (using their racial bonus action) attempts to hide back in the thickets. The closer goblin is successful in evading all eyes...except Bimpnotten, also in the thickets. Of the two further back, one is able to partially obscure himself in the thickets, but the other is caught on the brambles, still exposed.

((One goblin is dead. The closer survivor is 20 feet away from Wanderlust and Jergen, in the thickets. The other two are about 50 feet away from those same people, and at most 80 feet from the rest of the group. Only Jergen has been injured, taking 3 hitpoints of damage. Both Reisa and Bimpnotten have successfully hid themselves, which would grant them advantage against a foe that cannot see them which they can see. All players, it's your turns, and good start.))

[inexorabletruth]

"Idiots," he mutters, thinking about the goblins. He trains his arrow in the direction of the voice.

"A'gh huuc duun shuuc duun daan. Shuulkaan or, or daan'kaan huuc duun... mor o! Ac A ghaac rharthec. Ar an kaal'dec huuc duun mor!"

Spoiler: Translating Goblin to Common

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I'm going to count to three. Come out, or we're going to... hurt you! And I mean badly. It is really going to hurt!

Spoiler: Skill Checks

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Perception: (1d20+4)[5]
To train my arrow on the speaking goblin.

Intimidate/Deception?: (1d20+1)[8]
To get at least one of them to come out of hiding.

[Lizard Lord]

Bimpnotten fires her arrow from the thickets into the closer goblin that managed to hide from everyone but her. She wasn't going to let them try hit and run, or hit and hide in this case, tactics on her coworkers.

[Squadfather42]

Jergen feels the impact of the bolt as it hits and gets through the armor. Putting the pain at the back of his mind, he stays in the fight.

Spotting the lone goblin, Jergen dashes towards it closing the distance between the pair.

Spoiler: Action

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Jergen will make charge action towards the solo goblin.

[inexorabletruth]

Carric smirks as the goblins interrupt his taunt. "Fair enough," he concedes, as his arrow finds its way into his target's throat. I probably would've shot them whether they surrendered or not, he thinks to himself.

Seeing the goblin struggling in the brambles, he raises his bow a little higher to arch into the lower back of his new quarry. "And another one down," he whispers to himself.

Spoiler: Dice Rolls

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Attack (Longbow): (1d20+5)[22]
Damage (Favored Enemy): (1d8+5)[7]
If he misses,
Stealth (Hide): (1d20+5)[19]

(Assuming that hits)
"Yessss!" He hisses to himself as he pumps his arm triumphantly. Clearly he has little regard for goblin life.

(If the goblin dies)
Allowing confidence to wash over him, he trots out into the open, moving closer to the nearest goblin he knows exists. (Still going to keep about a 35 ft. distance from the nearest goblin he is aware of. He's cocky, not stupid.)

[Cap'm Bubbles]

Bimpnotten's arrow catches the hiding goblin off guard, piercing its spine. The little bandit heels over forward in the thickets, dead.

Carric's second arrow sails true at the struggling goblin. He looks up from his caught foot at the sound of plucked bow string, catching the arrow instead in his chest. A cough of blood is all that escapes him before he, too, dies.

The last goblin, seeing their fortunes turns so suddenly, is ready to bail. The hulking Jergen, however, barrels right up to him in the thickets, standing over him at twice the goblin's height. Rather than try to run for the rest of his days away from someone he barely hurt (he was the one that managed to hit Jergen), he drops his bow and shield.

He yipes "Bree-yark," the goblin word (and common knowledge phrase) for "we surrender."

Spoiler: Combat is Over, EXP

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This adventure module award XP a little differently before level 2, and bases it on story milestones rather thin kills and shared XP. I also remind you that a captured enemy is the same as a killed enemy for purposes of XP.

Each member of the party has earned 75 XP for this encounter. Level 2 is gained at 300 XP.

With the last of the goblins cleared, it is now safe to inspect the horse carcasses and surrounding area. It is sad that the horses, on closer look, are familiar; the patchy brown and white coats tell you that these were the same beasts that Gundren and his guard Sildar had ridden off with when last you saw them, before embarking on your delivery.

The horses' saddlebags have been looted clean. Nearby, there is an empty map case; though, neither he nor your group needed a map to get from Neverwinter to Phandelin, as the roads are well known.

On the northern side of the trail, just past the thickets, a trail to the Northwest has been well-worn. The goblins here have probably been setting up ambushes here for some time. For reference, Phandelin is primarily to the west of here, with a single turn to the south for about 5 miles as the final leg of your journey. It would be no trouble to steer the wagon off the road and tie the oxen up for the time to investigate this further.

Spoiler: Survival Check DC 10, tracks

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The path is well worn, and judging by the additional crushing of grass, thickets, and prints in the dirt, a fair guess would be that there have been a dozen goblins using this trail. There is also evidence of two medium-size persons being dragged away from here on the trail.

[Lizard Lord]

With the battle over Bimpnotten puts her bow away, strokes Lil' Squeaks head with her finger, and steps out of the thicket looking rather proud of her earlier aim. The smug smile vanishes, however, when she sees the horses. The gnome draws her short sword and marches right in front of their goblin prisoner. "Who was on those horses earlier? What did they look like and where are they now? I swear goblin if you killed them..."

[Squadfather42]

As the fight is over, Jergen steps back from the terrified goblin. Reaching up he snaps the arrow shaft off and looks over at the slain horses.

It feels like another bolt slams into his chest as he recognizes the animals. Raising his sword and whirling back towards the goblin he sees that Bimpnotten has beaten him to the punch.

"Answer her goblin! Where are the owners of those animals. So help me, if you had a hand in that, I'll make your last days a true nightmare."

Spoiler: OOC

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Who can help Jergen with his wound.