DM Summaries

''These are some summaries the DM provided for some of the Gruma Group's earlier campaign adventuring. These logs cover much of the start of the game, before Spider is met and the Forge of Spells is uncovered in The Lost Mine of Phandelver.''

The Third day of the month of Sarengest
Esran, Gruma and Ottar meet after Gundren hires them to escort a wagon of supplies to Phandalin. Gundren has gone on ahead with a warrior escort, Sildar Hallwinter

The Fourth day of the month of Sarengest
The party travels to the crossroads where the High Road meets the Triboar Trail

The Fifth day of the month of Sarengest
Fifth Day - The party discovers two dead horses on the trail and are ambushed by Goblins. Following a path into the forest they find a cave mouth and venture in, fighting Goblins and wolves. Gruma slips while climbing. This, combined with a distant roar in the cave, is enough to convince the party to flee. They travel to Phandalin, where they learn that the town has been taken over by a militia 'constabulary' known as the Redbrands - led by a wizard named Glasstaff. The Redbrands have been shaking down businesses and making threats.

The party meet Elmar Barthen, the owner of Barthen's provisions and Toblin Stonehill, the owner of the Stonehill Inn. Esran encounters townmaster Harbin Wester and receives a quest to deal with orcs at Wyvern Tor. Gruma and Ottar meet Daran Edermath, who owns the orchard on the northwest of town. Daran says there have been reports of undead at Old Owl Well. The party retire for the night, playing a game of dice box in the inn.

LEVEL 2

The Sixth day of the month of Sarengest
The party meets a human called Craig who tells them he is looking for Cragmaw Castle but he, and many others, don't know its location.

The group meets the owner of the Lionshield Coster, Linene Greywind, who says that her shipments from Neverwinter have been disrupted. She offers the party a reward to deal with the problem.

The party venture back to the cave. 'Craig' reveals himself to be a Tiefling named Iamdai who is searching for books. Esran takes a goblin prisoner but Iamdai kills it, saying he must offer blood. The party finds a man imprisoned by goblins and attacks before they can kill him. The man is Sildar Hallwinter, a member of the Lords Alliance escorting Gundren. Sildar says that Gundren was questioned and taken to Cragmaw castle.

The party finds the source of the roaring that scared them off last time - a waterfall. The party defeats Klarg the bugbear leader of the hideout. Gruma finds a small jade statuette of a frog that pulses with magics. Iamdai offers more blood and attacks Gruma saying he 'wants to be his friend' but Gruma refuses. The party find the shipments due for the coster and they head back to Phandalin. Sildar says that he met Gundren in Neverwinter while on his own mission to find Lord Iarno Albrek, who disappeared after the alliance tasked him with forming a Phandalin constabulary.

Gundren found a map to Wave Echo Cave, the site of the Lost Mine of Phandelver. Ottar meets Kaladin 'Singebeard' an old dwarf smith who keeps his pet war goat in Barthen's stables. The goat has been abused by the Redbrands. The party heads to Alderleaf Farm and meet, Qelline Alderleaf, a halfling, and her son Carp. Carp dreams of being an adventurer and loves exploring. He says he found a tunnel under Tresendar Manor, the Redbrand HQ, but turned back on encountering an 'eye monster'. The party retires for the night and meet a man who asks them to gamble with him but he storms off part way through. Esran sneaks.

LEVEL 3

The Seventh day of the month of Sarengest
Iamdai is in a trance and the party set off without him. They come down to find 3 Redbrands threatening Toblin. They demand a share of the 'unlicensed gambling' taking place. Toblin says he can't afford it, nor can the party, and a fight breaks out. Two of the Redbrands are killed and the party spares the third, who says his name is Jassick Alvere. Esran speaks with him. The party hide the bodies in Iamdai's room.

They head to the house of woodcutter Thel Dendrar, the man who asked them to gamble the previous night, who is hungover. The party learns that his wife, son and daughter were taken by the Redbrands after his son Norbin picked a fight with them. Esran's mage hand catches his sick. A fight breaks out in the street because Gruma is a bad liar.

The party clear the Redbrands in town, who use the ruined Sleeping Giant taphouse as a base. Iamdai catches up with the party after waking and finding bodies in his room. Exploring the taphouse the party meet a beautiful woman with raven black hair called Halia Thornton. Halia offers to pay the party a considerable sum if they remove the wizard leading the Redbrands but keep the ruffians alive, saying they can be better used by another employer.

The party agrees and heads under the manor the through the tunnel revealed by Carp. A voice penetrates the minds of the party, whispering their secrets and fears to them. Iamdai and Gruma split off and get into a fight with bugbears. The party faces the voice in the darkness - a nothic - who wants magic items or secrets.

Gruma comes close to bargaining but Iamdai attacks, leading to the creatures death. The party locks four drunk Redbrands in the mess hall. Ottar finds a book on alchemy and ingredients. Esran catches a rat that disappears in his hands. In the next room the party meet Glasstaff, an arrogant young wizard leading the ruffians. He says that he sent a group to invite the party to talk with him but they 'got the wrong message'.

He proposes that the party work for him. He denies kidnapping Thel's family but says Norbin attacked his men so there must be consequences. He adds that businesses need to pay for the protection he is granting or worse enemies will attack the town. Glasstaff is guarded by two Redbrands, one of them Jassick. Glasstaff signals for a trap to be sprung but the drunk Redbrands don't respond and are now locked in the mess.

A fight breaks out and a bugbear who had been turned invisible appears. Glasstaff flees. Jassick and the other Redbrand assist the party. The party fight through the manor cellar encountering more Redbrands and skeletons in a crypt. Ottar finds dwarfish writing in the crypt. Esran finds Thel's wife and daughter, Mirna and Nilsa, in the cells - along with Toblin. The innkeeper says he was captured and a creature would come to study him and learn his mannerisms, a doppelganger.

Ottar presses ahead and finds Jassick and Glasstaff at the tunnel entrance. Ottar jumps the crevasse but falls in. Glasstaff approaches to cast a spell but Jassick stabs him in the shoulder, giving Ottar the chance to throw his grappling hook around the wizard and pull him into the crevasse, where he hears whispers and dark shapes far below. Taking the wizard's staff Gruma and Esran find a book hidden in a secret compartment of Glasstaff's desk. The book won't open and there is no lock for it.

The cover is written in Abyssal, Celestial and Infernal (languages Gruma and Iamdai know). Iamdai is damaged by the book. Gruma finds a note addressed to Lord Albrek from The Black Spider, along with a cryptic note to 'Kith'. Esran also takes a diary. Gruma is given a mace and the party takes Glasstaff's bag of holding. Gathering the prisoners and surrendered Redbrands the party leaves for town, after Iamdai gets slapped for lewd comments to the Dendrars.

In town, the party are welcomed as heroes. Townmaster Wester is imprisoned for his alleged ties to the Redbrands. Halia says his lack of action showed complicity. Glasstaff, now revealed as Lord Iarno, is also imprisoned. Sildar says he must face justice in Neverwinter. Iamdai heads to the shrine of luck for his own holy symbol but learns that the priest, Sister Garaele, has been out of town on an errand for some days.

He speaks with her acolyte, Ferris, who gives him a wooden coin to the God of Trickery and Luck. Iamdai makes a sizeable donation to the shrine, which will have consequences. The party celebrate their victory over the Redbrands with a drinking contest, but things turn sour when they find body parts in their rooms, left by Iamdai, and they spend the night apart.

LEVEL 4

The Eigth Day of the month of Sarengest
Ottar wakes in the stables to find a Redbrand, dubbed Planks by the party. Planks says he was enjoying the animal and roughing up the town until the party ruined his fun. A fight breaks out. Planks drinks a potion that increases his size and he chases Ottar and the goat through town. After dispatching Planks the party collect their reward from Halia.

Gruma notices a small crack in his holy symbol and the party opt to investigate the undead at Old Owl Well. Kaladin asks Ottar to take his goat saying that he is tool old to ride the animal, which was meant to be free and not kept in a stables. The party leave Phandalin and set up camp along the Triboar Trail, where they talk about their lives before the call to adventure. Ottar tells of his brother's death at the hands of Drow and that he is trying to track the culprits down. Esran says he had an opportunity to leave the city. Iamdai says his life has been in the Nine Hells and he is looking for knowledge.

The Ninth day of the month of Sarengest
Continuing along the trail the party finds two sacked caravans with the bodies of an elf and a human. Their left hands have been severed and the elf has had an eye removed. Reaching the foothills leading to their destination the party makes camp and sets a watch.

They are disturbed by a loud noise in the night and investigate, encountering an Ogre. Iamdai tries to persuade the creature that the party are its friends and that Orcs are food. The Ogre smells Gruma and thinks he is a snack and attacks but the party quickly handles the threat.

The Tenth day of the month of Sarengest
The party heads to Old Owl Well and find zombies digging in the ruins of an old tower. Esran alerts the zombies after tripping into a tent and the zombies attack. A mage interrupts the fight, saying that the undead are his servants/property and he has a permit to prospect at the well. The permit is stamped with the Phandalin townmaster's seal and grants Hamun Khost the right to dig. Iamdai offers Hamun 'replacement' servants but this conflicts with Gruma's faith. The mage says he has come so close and misty steps away, emerging as a black-scaled dragonborn and the battle resumes.

The mage flees and the zombies are dispatched. Gruma decides to go down the well to cast detect magic. The rope unties and he begins falling down the well but Ottar catches it. Esran sends his owl familiar down the well, which reports seeing a dark water-like substance and a structure off in the distance. Gruma hears whispers in the dark, similar to the ones Ottar heard in the crevasse under Tresendar Manor. The party rescues a human merchant named Frederick Pentecost, who says his merchant caravan was attacked by orcs on the trail. The necromancer imprisoned him in a cage saying he was needed to fulfil a purpose. After a lengthy discussion to explore the well, even including a zombie raft, the party decides to seal up the entrance and they head for Wyvern Tor.

Exploring the tor the party finds the entrance to a cave guarded by an orc, which Esran dispatches in style. Venturing inside the party alert the orcs and combat occurs. An ogre tries to force its way through a narrow opening but gets stuck, splitting the orcs off. Gruma triggers his orc blood ability and hears a deep laughter in his mind. The party kills an orc shaman who briefly rises from death to tell Gruma that Yurtrus - the orc God of death and disease - is watching.

Having completed both quests the party returns to Phandalin, opting to not rest en route. As they pull into the stables they are greeted by eagles screeching - Griffons. The three beasts are being [?] by Sebastian Malik, a steward to Lord Hallwinter of the Griffon Cavalry, who says Sildar is awaiting their arrival in the townmaster's hall. There they meet Sildar, who now has a partially regrown hand, and Avinia, a life domain cleric. Sildar says that Iarno had refused to talk as he believed the spider would liberate him. But after a few days in the cell with no sign of escape the lord yielded the location of Cragmaw Castle, which is led by a bugbear named King Grol.

Grol requested the mysterious book but Iarno kept hold it, wanting to try and unlock its secrets. Esran recalls a break in at the House of Knowledge in Neverwinter but is unaware of what was taken. Sildar says that Halia has proved useful in administering the town in Harbin's absence, extending trade deals and maintaining law through Jassick's leadership of the former Redbrands.

A note from Iarno to Harbin was found in Harbin's office. Avinia identifies some magical items the party has but the spell rebounds of Gruma's frog statue. Sildar says they will leave in the morning. Gruma, Ottar and Iamdai talk to Darran about the well. Darran rewards them with cider and says he will investigate. Esran speaks with Frederick.

The Eleventh day of the month Sarengest
The party rises early to meet the griffon riders as they escort Iarno out of town. Iarno had requested items, vials of a mysterious black vapour. The griffon riders fly to Neverwinter.

The party heads to the mage tower south of town, a stone and metal windmill with metal sails, and meet a goblin claiming to be the wizard Einocho - Master of the Storm Mill. After a few jests, including Iamdai's Eldritch Blast rebounding off the tower and damaging him, the goblin says he is Geebob - servant to Einocho. Geebob says his master is not of sound body and mind and doesn't leave the tower. Ottar trades items for a gem that crackles with blue energy. Geebob also gives the party 'message' earrings

. The party returns to town where Mirna asks if there are any leads on her missing son. Ottar speaks with Linene, who suggests helping Kaladin at the forge and offers sparring sessions. Ottar speaks with Kaladin who attaches the gem to his warhammer, making it deal lightning damage. The party passes a small gathering outside the shrine. Ferris thanks Iamdai for his generous donation, which will help expand the shrine. Iamdai requests to speak with Ferris alone. The party leaves for Cragmaw Castle, leaving their wagon at the forests edge. At the castle Esran's familiar scouts the ruins, finding it well guarded. Gruma suggests that Iamdai disguises as Glasstaff and he and Esran dress as Redbrands. Ottar will be their prisoner.

They enter the castle and Gruma gets crushed by rubble. Gruma and Ottar are taken to'the aviary' and Ottar is thrown in. Fortunately his hobgoblin guard forgets to disarm him, and Ottar makes quick work of the chicken-like creatures inside. Gruma fails to bluff and is attacked by three hobgoblins. Iamdai and Esran meet a goblin called 'B' who wants to kill Grol but needs help. He says Grol has gone mad and locked himself in his quarters. He says a shrine to the Goblin god Maglubiyet, built on a former altar, has been corrupted and must be destroyed.

At the shrine the body of a young human male is suspended by a spike shoved through his forehead. The spike, similar to Iamdai's horn, is attached to a crude statue with one eye. The party defeats the goblinoids at the shrine. Gruma learns the altar was to the war god, Bost, with smaller shrines to Machina and Histatae, the goddess of nature. Gruma destroys the crude idol on top of the shrine. The party head to Grol's chambers and find the bugbear chief in a state of mania. B says that the fire in the room must be extinguished before he can assist. Sat at the table with Grol is Gundren. Grol says the words and the whispers of the scroll were true and that the acolyte of the returner has come. Gundren warns the party to not provoke Grol or they will be heading for trouble, a smile crossing his face. Grol says the Black Spider instructed him to keep Gundren prisoner until he yielded the location of the lost mine. Gundren refused to talk and he was tortured but he eventually yielded, saying the key to the map was in his head. Grol asks where the Drow went saying they like the dark. The bugbear then repeats that the key was in Gundren's head, so he took it off to look inside.

Grol lifts off the top of Gundren's head like a saucepan lid and looks inside before placing Gundren's scalp back. Grol says that the human was weak but allowed one to come through, but perhaps the blood of a stronger human and a cleric may be more potent - and he attacks. The party fight Grol while Gundren begins vomiting blood and scaring Iamdai. B reveals his true nature and transforms into a large canine. A female drow emerges from a side room and attacks B calling him a Barghest. B kills his attacker and the body withers into a grey-skinned form with clear eyes. Grol is knocked unconscious. A translucent jellyfish looking entity them leaves Gundren's body, floats over to Grol and kills him before resurrecting the body and the party fights the bugbear again. The creature possessing Grol frightens Ottar, forcing him to drop his weapon and flee.

After Grol dies a second time, the entity leaves and stings Iamdai, reducing his health. The party eventually kills the creature, which collapses on itself.

Esran's familiar spots a hobgoblin patrol returning to the castle and the party flees, Iamdai and Esran doubling back to find a map and a scroll wrapped in a golden chain ending in a tentacle sucker. The party leave to free Ottar's goat, which has been guarded outside the castle by a hobgoblin. The party run into the woods chased by hobgoblins and goblins and dispatch them with ease. They fight their way back into the castle. As Gruma enters the kitchen he is hit by pots and pans. Seeing that their last ditch assault has not worked, the four surviving goblins surrender. [see: Yeggar Pruuf]

The Twelfth Day of the month Sarengest
The party return to where they left their horse and cart on the edge of the wood, but they have gone. Carrying the bodies of Gundren and Norbin, who is in the bag of holding, back to town the party arrives to find their horse and cart at Barthen's. Barthen says that Sister Gareale [see: Sister Garaele] has returned in a bruised state, accompanied by a dwarf name Brosh Stonetounge.

Barthen also says that Ferris was found dead in his house the day before. Ottar speaks with Brosh, who says that he found the Sister walking alone down the Triboar Trail. She told him she had been attacked by orcs but managed to escape. They came across the wagon and headed to Phandalin. Brosh asks Ottar how his mission is going and tells him that he is on his own secret mission. Near the shrine Esran and Ottar exchange dead bodies.

Esran heads to the Dendrar household with Norbin's body, while Gruma and Ottar head to the shrine Iamdai disappears to drink cider Esran takes Norbin's body to the Dendrars and they mourn together Gruma and Ottar meet Sister Gareale. She tells them she was attacked by orcs but managed to escape and later encountered Brosh, who brought her back to town. She was bruised and bloodied and then learned of Ferris' death. Gruma and Ottar ask if Gareale will help bury Gundren. She says that as Gruma follows the God of the Grave, he can perform the necessary duties as she is not up to the task.

They lay Gundren's body under some stones to the west of the town square as the sun begins to set Esran sneaks Jassick meets Gruma and Ottar on their way back to the tavern. He asks if they know anything about Ferris' death as he was last seen in a joyous mood. Jassick wants to speak with Iamdai as he was one of the last people to see him alive Some shopping is done Iamdai returns to the inn drunk and the party rests for the night

The Thirteenth day of the month Sarengest
The party gathers supplies and ventures for the Lost Mine of Phandelver. Arriving at the point on the map after travelling through a ravine, the party finds the body of a dwarf with similar features and clothing to Gundren. They investigate and find Boots of Springing and Striding and that the dwarf appears to have been poisoned.

A drop leads to the mining tunnels. Iamdai's rope breaks and he falls. Esran stunts down, Ottar rides the goat and Gruma has success with a rope for once. In the mine the party is attacked by creatures resembling bat mosquitos. Esran casts Sleep and the party quickly dispatches the creatures.

The party finds an old guard room full of rusted weapons and skeletons of dwarfs and orcs. The skeletons animate and attack Ottar. Gruma invokes the divinity of Machina and destroys undead, and the party quickly deals with the remaining skeletons. Across the hall, which collapsed at the southern end, is an assayer's office.

Esran unlocks a chest containing money. The party ventures further into the mine and find a door. Iamdai opens it and is greeted by emaciated, pale creatures gnawing on the bones of long dead dwarfs and orcs. One of the creatures turns and a long tongue protrudes from its mouth as it snarls and prepares to attack.

The party defeats the undead in the room. Esran explores the caverns with Huginin but his progress is impeded when a crossbow bolt pierces the spirit owl. Enraged, Esran heads into the dark to find what killed his familiar -and is hit by a bolt. Poisoned, Esran returns to the party and brings a Drow scout squad with him. Three of the four dark elves fall, but a fourth escapes. The party rests for an hour before moving into strike positions against the undead in the large cavern ahead