1 Nightal 1490

Session 3 (Jan 3, 2025) - Level 1 -> 2

• We finish up in Cragmaw Hideout and head to Phandalin to collect our reward.
• The Fearsome Five is born

Session 3 Recap:

After decimating the bugbear Yeemik during our last session, we start session 3 in Cragmaw Hideout with our estimate of 7 Goblins and 1 Bugbear (Klarg) remaining. We chat with Sildar who decides to exit the cave and wait for us outside.

We exit cavern one through the upper tunnel and find the goblin on the bridge has left their post. We sneak across the bridge and into cavern 2 which opens up into a cavern with the a waterfall pouring from the cave wall into two holding pools that were constructed in such a way that they would flood the caves if taken down. Probably a bit of a security feature. We see 2 goblins snoozing against some rocks and a third looking at the pools of water thinking about what he was gonna do on days off. Get an 8 ball of coke with the boys, a fresh new haircut then go find some bitches. Or maybe just a Wendy’s frosty.

The party strategically sneaks up on them and kill them all easily without alerting anyone else. We estimate 4 goblins and Klarg should be remaining. We botch our sneak coming down the stairs into the next cavern alerting Klarg, 2 Goblins and a wolf 🐺.
Sir Chetwynd quickly places hunters mark on Klarg then misses his shot, Greg runs to the left goblin killing it in one blow then rushes Klarg (what a baller!) Adar easily takes care of the goblin to the right. Haesten uses shillelagh and one shot kills the wolf then tries to trick Klarg into eating a goodberry that was actually a whitethistle shit berry, it doesn’t work. Adar uses toll the dead, Metallica plays off in the distance and he deals 8 damage to Klarg. A few more rounds, some minor damage to the party a day some misses (cant remember but i think Greg did some damage) then Haesten rushes Clarg, crits and kills him by stabbing his blunt staff through Clargs neck then reaching up his ass and pulling his heart out of his ass mortal combat style. He didn’t think it through and ended up with a ring of shit on his arm.

Loot is 1 box of provisions with an emblem of a blue lion emblazoned on a wooden shield and the words “LionShield Costers“ and 1 treasure chest that we are unable to open.
We recognize the emblem on the provisions to be for a mercantile company that we know to have a warehouse in Phandalin. Perhaps a reward awaits the safe return of the box.
We take the treasure chest and boxes with us, drag them back to the wagon and travel the remaining 2 hours north to Phandalin.

• For those keeping track, Cragmaw Castle was 20 miles north of Cragmaw Hideout so if we use 3mph for a normal walking speed so 2 hours of travel north at a normal pace would be 6 miles so Cragmaw Castle should be about 14 miles north of Phandalin or about a 4.5 hour walk at a normal pace or 7 hours at a cautions slow pace, give or take (Mack can decide if he wants to correct this assumption or not).

We enter Phandalin, and see 40 to 50 log buildings that look to be recently constructed but can visibly see they use ancient foundations and there are signs a much older and larger settlement once existed here. We do spot one stone Manor house that appears to be an original structure. We follow Sildar to the Stone Hill Inn where he leaves us for some rest.
We decide to go to LionShield Costers to deliver the provisions first. We struggle to get directions, threaten a few street kids, then open our big dumb eyes and see it is like right across the street.

The party meets Linny Greywind, the proprietor of LionShield Costers in Phandalin. They return the supplies, after some minor bartering and receive a reward of 50 gold and 1 set of thieves tools (normally 25 gold). A few of them also proceed to buy some thieves tools just in case. Adar holds 10 gold for Greg for later since his pockets are in the shop for repair or something like that.

Linny mentions The group should stay clear of the Redbrand Ruffians who came to town a few months ago and may be stealing from local businesses (mostly petty crimes and intimidation it seams). They hang out at the Sleeping Giant Tavern. Linny lets them know that a man referred to as “The Master“ and that he is the closest thing to local law enforcement in Phandalin. Lastly, she says they should come visit her soon as she has some odd jobs we could do for coin.

They use the thieves tools to open the chest finding **500 fucking gold! **We each get 100 gold and Adar again holds onto Greg’s gold for now. Haesten reaches in and finds an ominous black iron rod with a button on it’s side, after some careful experimentation, they find when the button is pushes it holds position no matter what, defying gravity in some cases. The group of adventurers have found their first magical item, the “Immovable Rod“.

• Maybe a little meta gaming so Mack interject if you want to treat it differently but here is what the book says.
  “Utilize an action to push the button, will not move until the button is pushed again.
  Can hold 8,000 Ibs before deactivating and falling to the ground.
  DC 30 strength check to move it up to 10 feet.”

Haesten puts the rod in his inventory for now, might be handed over to someone else later if deemed a better fit.

The group heads to Barthen’s Provisions and meet the proprietor Elmer Barthen who is a short balding man (Nolan’s dad). They return the cart to complete their quest. They meet Elmer Barthen who is a short balding man who is the proprietor of the store. He gives us each 20 gold and asks us who we are. Adar reveals that, “we are The Fearsome Five“!
Barthen reveals that Nundro Rockseeker and Tharden Rockseeker are currently camped out of town (Not sure what direction).

After finishing up for the day, the party heads back to Stonehill Inn where they meet Toblin Stonehill, the young, short and friendly (albeit a little spicy) proprietor of the inn. They order some drinks from the barmaid Elsa and attempt some flirting with zero success, although she does reveal some minor gossip that Daran Edermath, the local orchard keeper used to be an Inn Keeper. It probably doesn’t help that Haesten Dumnorix still has blood and shit on his arm from when he murdered Klarg. They get their drinks and take a look around and the other patrons.

• Adar Thelion talks to an old man who says his name is Narth and that he is the only farmer in Phandalin. Narth says that he saw Sister Grail who oversees the Shrine of Luck head out of town and then came back some time later looking quite roughed up.
• Haesten decides to talk to an old women weaving baskets by herself. She says her name is Freda and that she is the local basket weaver in Phandalin. We complain about the Ruffians in town and how the world just isn’t what it used to be. She says that the Redbrands never go to the Phandalin Mining Exchange.
• There was a miner the group wanted to talk to but when they got around to it, they noticed he had left for the night

Haesten Dumnorix tries his luck with Elsa but doesn’t realize his offer to share psychedelic mushroom tea could be perceived as drugging her against her will and after some social correction, pivots his approach and decides to help her clean up at the end of the night. He gets no more gossip out of her and does not succeed in hitting on her. He goes to be alone long after the rest of The Fearsome Five had gone to bed

Everyone levels up to level 2