Adventures in DnD: Session 1 (Part 3)

Conclusion from Part 1 and Part 2.

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The air in the cave was damp and cold. A trickle of water poured down from the wall at the far end of the cave, splashing into the creek that wound its way out of the cave’s mouth. What little light entered the cave illuminated a circular expanse roughly forty feet in diameter. Various stalagmites and stalactites littered the cave opening. On the far wall, next to the trickle of water, ran a slight incline of stone heading off towards oppressive darkness. On the right-most wall, before the rising incline stood another small opening. A faint hint of orange light danced on the walls from wherever the small passageway led.

The small group studying the entrance of the cavern shifted uneasily. Theren, a slender elf of mid-stature advanced slowly towards the passageway on the right side of the cave. His elf eyes far better suited to seeing in the dark than either of his human compatriots. “Wolves,” he whispered, peering around the corner. “It looks like at least three, maybe four, wearing chains hammered into the stone floor. The passageway ends in another cavern but I can’t make out how big or what else might be there. A low burning torch is set into the wall but I can’t see anything else at this distance.”

Bentar turned to the cowering creature being led by a rope leash, its dark green head bowed in acquiescence. “Are these the wolves you mentioned, creature?” Bentar asked in the goblin’s own tongue.

The creature raised its head and replied happily. “Yes, yes. Klarg’s wolves. They eat his scraps and his enemies. Klarg keeps them in a room underneath his own.”

Bentar whispered the goblin’s reply to his companions. Easton mulled the information over in his head. “Elf,” he whispered. “Can you see if there is something akin to a fireplace, or something else that looks like it might run to the room above?”

“Like I said, it’s hard to see much from this distance,” replied Theren, irritation on the tip of his tongue. “But next to the torch is a small opening with lots of detritus spread out from it.”

“Good. That may be a way to surprise this Klarg without having to blindly walk and fumble our way through this entire cave.” Easton marched towards the cavern opening pulling the goblin along behind him. “Go on ahead Elf and advance carefully so as to not disturb the wolves.”

Theren threw Easton a look that could have melted steel, but if Easton was concerned at all with the hate emanating from Theren’s eyes, his face was a wall of stone.

The group slowly proceeded down the passageway, following Theren closely until enough light was provided by the torch for the group to see the room before them. Four large grey wolves mulled about on the floor of the cavern, chained by long rusted metal chains hammered into the floor. The pitons holding the chains looked insufficient to prevent any of the wolves from pulling their chains out from the floor if the creatures strained hard enough. The group would have to cross carefully. Across the room stood a burning torch, nearly down to its nub. The floor of the room was strewn with detritus and cracked and gnawed-on bones. Some were the size and shape of animals, while others appeared much more goblin in appearance. A look from the creature being led by Easton established that these were indeed the bones of goblins, most likely those who had fallen out of favor with Klarg. Next to the torch was an opening just large enough for a humanoid to enter on its kneel into. The bottom of the opening was covered in slop and other liquid that Lord Easton did not want to think about.

“We must get past these wolves and inspect that opening,” said Easton.

“I have an idea,” said Bentar. “I’m clearly better with animals than either of you.” Theren snorted and stifled a laugh. Bentar turned away and reached into his pack. From deep within the overloaded backpack he withdrew some hard salted travel jerky. Walking forward slowly, Bentar was careful not to disturb the wolves or draw their ire. As he proceeded across the room, one wolf turned its head towards him, bright piercing yellow eyes drilling directly into Bentar’s own. A low snarl left the wolf’s mouth as it crawled forward on its belly. Claws clicked on the hard stone floor. The wolf curled back its lips, exposing long sharp canines. “Shhhh,” whispered Bentar leading with a large piece of ration. “There, there. No harm, no foul,” he said. Bentar edged closer and dropped the dried piece of meat before stepping back, arms raised. The wolf crawled towards the food and sniffed it before quickly snatching the food off the floor. The wolf sidled towards the side of the room, greedily eating the proffered bribe. Bentar then pressed into the room with three more pieces of jerky in his hand.

A few minutes later all of the companions had crossed the room without issue. Bentar’s bribes and careful handling of the dangerous creatures spared the group from having to kill the chained animals. With light from the torch illuminating the opening, Easton bent and examined it. The opening was the end of a stone chute built into the wall running from a room above. Refuse and rotten food littered the bottom of the opening and a smell of decomposition hung heavily in the confined space. From above, he could hear the echo of raucous laughter and barked orders in a language he could not understand. “It appears to be a refuse chute from the room above for whatever,” he said nodding towards some of the goblin bones laying around the room “this Klarg no longer has use. It looks wide enough to climb, if you can scale the rough wall Smakserbotom.”

Bentar knelt down in the muck and peered under the opening. “I think I can.” Bentar pulled back and peeled off his pack and weapons. He pulled a long length of rope from his travel pack and wrapped it over his shoulder then disappeared into the chute. Inside the small cramped space, Bentar stretched his hands above him. He grabbed a handhold and pressed his back into the wall lifting one foot to press into the side of the opposite wall. Slowly, one foot over the other, and with one hand and his back always pressing against the wall, Bentar climbed the chute. The heavy stench of decomposition inside the oppressive space nearly caused Bentar to lose his grip on more than one occasion. Bentar was sure the slime on the walls would never be cleaned out of his garments and he would have to live with the foul stench forever in his nose. After nearly three minutes of intense, and disgusting climbing, Bentar reached the top lip of the chute, his muscles burning from the effort. Carefully he pulled himself to the lip and peered into the room. He could hear the sounds of several creatures speaking in the high-pitched goblin whine, but his vision was blocked by a pile of stacked crates rising several feet off the ground.

Bentar slowly pulled himself out of the chute and dropped behind the crates, the sound of his landing muffled by the laughter and shouting taking place in front of him. Each of the crates was marked with a small lion insignia enclosed in a kite shield burned into the wood. Bentar had seen these symbols before back in Waterdeep. He thought that these might be the markings for the Lionshield merchant company, a new, but rapidly expanding merchant house without outposts in this area of the continent. Turning back to the chute, he quickly tied the rope around the top of the chute and tested it to make sure it would hold before he dropped it down to his companions. He then crept carefully towards the edge of the crates. Twenty feet beyond the crates sat a cooking pit with a small fire burning beneath a cauldron bubbling with a pungent soup. On the far side of the fire, with its back towards Bentar, stood a large muscled and hairy creature, slightly taller than Bentar himself but thinner in the shoulders. The creature stood facing several goblins, barking comments and orders for the coming days. This must be the goblins’ bugbear master Klarg, Bentar thought to himself. From his hidden position, Bentar overheard small snippets of conversation, but was sure that the bugbear had said the word “prisoner” several times. Bentar hoped that the horrid creature was referring to Gundren and not some other prisoner taken unawares by the goblins. Behind Bentar the rope grew taut against the stonework. About time, he thought. Hiding here alone was becoming a disquieting feeling.

Several nerve-biting minutes passed as Bentar’s companions, and more importantly his gear and weapons, were safe at the top of the chute. When everyone, including the captive goblin whose mouth was now bound in rags, had quietly knelt behind the crates, Bentar whispered his findings and explained the predicament the group now found themselves in.

“We must press on and find this prisoner,” said Easton.

“I agree. I will move in and engage the bugbear if you and the Elf can deal with the rest of the goblins and keep them off of me.” Replied Bentar.

Theren nodded. “We advance together, quickly and silently, and attack while their attention is diverted. Let’s go.”

Bentar and Theren drew their preferred weapons - Theren with his elf-crafted scimitar and Bentar with his heavy two-handed glaive – and moved around the crates. Theren moved slowly and silently along the crates, careful to not draw any attention from the group of creatures beyond the fire. Next to him Bentar braced himself for combat. With a quick three steps Bentar crossed into range of the bugbear and swung his heavy blade down towards the creature’s head. Whether the creature had a notion of foresight, or just plain dumb luck, Klarg rounded on one of the goblins in front of it taking a step to the left. The glaive slammed down to where it had just been standing slamming into the floor with a crack. Klarg spun around and immediately drew his own large heavy blade. The goblins behind him squealing and drawing their own rusty weapons.

Behind the crates Easton crouched and concentrated on a spell. While the goblins were turning to surround the elf rushing towards them, a single bolt of lightning crashed in amongst them, throwing two from their feet never to rise again. Stumbling dazed from the sound and blinding light of the sudden attack, the goblins’ rushed staggered. Then Theren was among them, a whirlwind of slashing attacks. Easton’s gaze moved from the elf who was cutting through the few goblins in front of him like a scythe through grass to Bentar. The human fighter was locked in a life and death struggle with Klarg. Blood ran from several cuts across both combatants, but the bugbear’s ferocious attacks were battering Bentar to his knees. Easton winced as another blow rocked Bentar back onto his heels. He closed his eyes and rushed the incantation for another spell. A long green arrow appeared from his hands and raced towards Klarg. But the tension and fear Easton felt for the other human while he was casting his spell pulled the incantation slightly off course. The arrow flew past Klarg, missing the bugbear’s head by an inch. Nonplussed, the bugbear brought his heavy weapon down upon Bentar’s shoulder, cutting through the armor and driving deep into the muscle and bone beneath. The blow drove Bentar into the floor and dropped him into unconsciousness.

Having defeated the largest foe in the room, Klarg let out a triumphant guttural growl and turned to face the elf defiantly fending off the last of the goblins. The ground around the elf littered with small green bodies. Klarg advanced on Theren calling a snarled name over his shoulder as he bore down on the smaller elf. A snarl came from around another pile of crates. Theren turned to see a huge grey wolf, nearly twice the size of those in the room below, leaping straight for him. Theren raised his blade to catch the wolf’s lunge, but the weight of the wolf bore him to the ground. The wolf bit into Theren’s arm. He cursed and grabbed the wolf’s muzzle, trying to roll the large creature off his torso before the bugbear could reach him and skewer him on its large blade. Theren rolled, pulling the wolf off him and pushed himself to his feet as the wolf turned towards his back. He grabbed his scimitar and raised it just in time to block Klarg’s heavy swing. A loud clang echoed from the crashing weapons. Theren’s blade was ripped from his hands and scattered across the floor, a startled cry escaping from his lips.

Drawing on what little arcane energy that he had access too, Theren again called for a powerful thunder wave. Words of power spilled from his mouth as arcane energy was pulled into his body, static electricity causing the hair on his body to rise slightly. With the power coursing through his body, Theren slammed his arm into the floor pushing the gathered energy into the ground. Ripples of magical energy and rushed from Theren’s fist. Invisible waves of power slammed into the vile creatures surrounding him. The bodies of the goblins were flung far into the cavern’s walls, pulping the slight creatures. Behind Theren the huge wolf was caught fully in the blast, its body lifted off the floor and thrown lifeless into a stack of crates, breaking them open and scattering the packaged goods across the floor. Klarg braced himself as the magical energy rushed towards him. He pushed himself through the wave, feeling the pressure of the elf’s attack crack his ribs. Still he pressed onwards despite the pain. A flash of blue light preceded a skeletal hand appearing in front of the bugbear, but as the hand dove toward’ Klarg’s face it was rebuffed by the cut of his sword. The momentary distraction of Easton’s magical cantrip gave Theren time to pick his sword up off the ground. The bugbear, distracted by skeletal hands swiping at it from many directions, blindly turned towards the elf. Utilizing the sudden distraction Theren rammed the sword into Klarg’s stomach turning the blade a quarter turn and opening the bugbear’s belly. Klarg’s stomach contents exploded from wound and Klarg slumped next to Bentar’s body, bile and blood leaking onto the floor.

A moment of quiet fell upon the cavern. On the floor, Bentar’s unconscious form was bleeding from a broken clavicle. Easton rushed to the other noble’s side and began to apply pressure to the wound in an attempt to staunch the bleeding and keep Bentar from slipping further away. Unfortunately, the wizard had spent little of his time at university learning the healing arts. Theren was likewise unable to magically heal his companion, his recent spell having completely drained him from accessing the arcane energies. Easton glanced around the room for something to help Bentar, not wanting to have to explain the noble’s demise upon reaching Phandalin. This job, if it could be called that, was not going as planned thought Easton. Beneath the wolf’s corpse Easton noticed several glass bottles containing a bright red fluid peeking out from the broken crate. “Healing potions,” he pointed. “Hurry Elf, hand me one of those before we lose him. I’ve done all I can and you look like you couldn’t cast a simple light spell at this point.”

Theren grumbled, but acquiesced, grabbing the healing potions. Easton poured one of the viscous potions down Bentar’s throat while Theren drank one for himself. As the magically imbued liquid rushed through Bentar’s body, he convulsed and drew a deep breath. His eyes flicked open and he coughed. Slowly, very slowly Bentar lurched up from the ground. His left arm painfully re-knit itself and a little bit of the color returned to his cheeks, though his breathing was still long and shallow. He looked towards Easton and saw the empty vial in the youth’s hand. “Thank you,” he sputtered, before leaning on his glaive to catch his breath.

Somewhat healed and now no longer in combat the group finally took in the entirety of Klarg’s room. The space the bugbear was living in was massive for such a small cave system. The walls were clearly carved out over a significant period of time a long time ago. The ceiling was nearly twenty feet high and the room itself was at least large enough to hold nearly thirty creatures comfortably, but only single half-wrecked bed stood off to one corner. Klarg obviously did not approve of sharing his space with any of his charges. Around the room stood sacks and crates of looted provisions and goods taken form transport wagons headed for the various towns along the dirt road running through the forest. Most of the crates were stamped with the same Lionshield symbol Bentar had noticed earlier. Easton inspected the crates. Within one of the smaller crates was a shipping manifest listing the contents of the various crates for delivery to an outpost in Phandalin. What luck, thought Easton. Easton called Bentar over and the two surmised that there might be a reward in delivering these goods to Phandalin along with the mining equipment they were already delivering. Bentar, still woozy and groggy from the battle and loss of blood despite and not quite completely healed despite the healing potion, agreed to transport the goods down the chute and to the wagon with the goblin’s help. With his master dead, Glik was now more than ready to serve his new, stronger masters. Easton and Theren, meanwhile, would try and search the rest of the cave for the prisoner that Klarg had mentioned.

With Bentar and the goods secured, Lord Easton and Theren moved further into the cavern. Quietly, they moved towards the door into Klarg’s room. The door led to a small corridor running down from the room and into another open cavern. From the cavern came the sounds of running water. The two adventurers slowly and carefully crept down the corridor to the edge of the cavern. From here, the cavern led off into pitch darkness, the few torches at Klarg’s door offering little light at this distance. Lord Easton, sensing more than seeing any trouble among the shadows and darkness of the cavern, picked up a rock and with a whispered word of power caused the rock to emanate a powerful light. He lobbed the rock far into the room. The rock landed amongst a series of rock formations and stalactites protruding from the floor. The light of the rock showed three goblins loitering against the rocks, staring off in the direction the water was flowing, completely oblivious to the death of their leader due to the sounds of water rushing by.

The three goblins, surprised and slightly blinded by the sudden blaring light appearing in their midst turned in circles until they spotted the two heroes entering the cavern from the direction of their master’s chambers. The trio grabbed their weapons and rushed forward, rusty spear points held menacingly. One fell dead to the ground before it had taken two steps as a blue-tinged skeletal hand reached into the goblin’s chest and crushed its heart from within. The other two charged into the adventurers. A high sword thrust hit Easton squarely in the shoulder drawing blood and nearly felling the frail human as the goblin’s pock-marked blade was wrenched from the wound. A low swing at Theren bypassed the elf’s guard and raked across his stomach. The goblin’s rusty weapon drawing a deep line of red. Theren cried out as he swung his own scimitar in a downward stroke hitting the foul creature in the neck and nearly cleaving the goblin’s snarled head from its shoulders. The goblin dropped to the ground instantly.

Lord Easton grasped his wounded shoulder with his right hand. A look of rage crossed over the young man’s face. From his mouth came a series of foul curses, spittle flicking off his flying tongue. The words seemed directly aimed at the goblin in front of Easton. The goblin dropped his spear and grabbed his face, the green flesh melting and necrotizing in moments. The goblin shrieked in unfathomable pain as its entire body shriveled into desiccation. The goblin’s life-force flowing into Easton through strands of black energy. The wound in Easton’s shoulder stitched itself together and closed over without so much as the hint of white scar. Easton turned to see Theren finishing off another of the found healing potions, ready to continue their search through the cave for the missing Gundren.

The duo followed the running water hoping they were moving back towards the cave entrance. Further into the cave and well away from Klarg’s chamber the two began to hear the sounds of chanting. Heading quietly toward the sounds Easton could hear the repeated whine of goblins ahead. He sat down and crossed his legs. His left hand reached into the folds of his black robe and from a hidden pocket he pulled forth a book wrapped in black leather and silver metal edges. Easton thumbed open his spell book flicking through the few hand-written pages until he found one with a series of arcane glyphs and the picture of a speaking mouth. “Watch me for a minute, Elf.” Easton then put his finger to the top of the page and began to read in a low chant. A minute passed with nothing but the sounds of high-pitched goblin chanting and the low hum-like words coming from Easton’s mouth. Slowly, Easton’s chant stopped and he closed the spell book reverently. He replaced the book in its hidden pocket at stood. “Okay, we can now proceed.”

“What did you do?” asked Theren. “What spell was that? I saw no effect and can discern no change in us or the cave.”

“I want to know what the goblins are chanting,” Easton replied matter-of-factly. “And neither of us can speak the creature’s tongue without the help of magic now that Smakserbotom has gone back to the wagon. Let’s go.”

The two approached the chanting and appeared at the top of a sloping cavern. The lip of a wall allowed the two to per down the slope and into the room below. At the bottom of the room stood a tall goblin speaking to five others who were sitting around a cooking fire. The tall goblin was clad in well-worn leather armor and was lifting, with great difficulty, a sword that was far too large and well-kept to be the goblin’s normal weapon. “Yeemik is best. Yeemik will lead,” shouted the goblin. A chorus of agreement came from the small group of goblins. “Yeemik is best. Yeemik will lead,” repeated the large goblin basking in the admiration of its fellows. Behind the goblin on the cavern wall was chained a half-naked human, battered and beaten. The old man had long grey hair and a short grey beard currently flecked with dried blood. His lips were cracked and bruised, the lower lip unnaturally puffy.

Listening to Yeemik’s continued chanting gave Lord Easton an idea. A brave, but equally foolish idea. Easton searched his mind for the incantation to a powerful spell and with the words etched in the forefront of his mind he sprung to his feet giving the elf to his side no warning. He pointed at the goblin leader and a rush of arcane energy filled his body. “Wrong foolish weakling,” Easton shouted in the goblin tongue. “Lord Easton Greymane is in charge here.” As the wizard finished his declaration a blast of green eldritch energy leapt from his outstretched finger and slammed into the goblin. Yeemik was thrown off his feet and into the far wall. A pall of sickness covered his body, and the goblin’s skin erupted into blisters of disease. A shriek escaped the dying goblin’s lips before its mouth split and its head slumped down, the body falling to the floor. Lord Easton, thankful that his spell worked, turned to face the other goblins and yelled, standing tall in all his confidence and ferocity, “Run fools! Or I will take your lives.” The goblins, surprised by the sudden turn of events and clearly intimidated by the spectacle of the wizard killing the largest among them in seconds, took off running towards the cave mouth, leaving the adventures alone with the human.

Theren climbed down the slope and force fed the chained human the last of the healing potions they had found. The human coughed as the viscous liquid burned through his body, but after several seconds he was able to speak, the magical potion bringing the human back to consciousness. After a moment of clarity, the clearly beaten and tortured human managed to utter a few small words. “Tha-thank you. I was sure I was going to die in here. The goblins were not kind to me once they hauled my friend away.” Theren nodded while Easton walked over with a key to the chains he had found on the dead Yeemik.

“We have come looking for our employer, a dwarf named Gundren Rockseer. Have you seen anyone else in these caves or heard anything about a Dwarf?” Lord Easton questioned.

“Gundren? You search for Gundren? But of course,” said the old man realization setting in. “You were the ones he hired to deliver the mining equipment to Phanadlin. Yes, he was here, but have taken him from this place. Taken where I do not know.” A look of sadness appeared on the older man. “I am Sildar Hallwinter, a friend and compatriot to Gundren. I was travelling with him when we were ambushed by these creatures however long ago and taken to this cave. Please, you must help me get to Phandalin and then find him. I have friends in t-t-town that will reward you for your efforts. I am afraid that I cannot make the journey by myself.” Sildar tried to stand on his own feet once the chains were removed but fell to the side. Theren quickly grabbed the human and lifted one arm over his shoulder, letting the beaten man put his weight on him.

“Of course we will help you, Sir. I am Lord Easton Greymane of the Waterdeep Greymanes. And this is Elf, a wood elf from the forests surrounding Neverwinter. We will take you to Phandalin with us. It would be our pleasure.” Easton bowed to the older man. “I take it this is your sword,” Easton pointed towards the large blade the goblin had been wielding.

“Yes, and my other gear is scatter in the corner,” replied Sildar.

Easton walked over to gather Sildar’s equipment and weapon. “Come then, and let us make haste. We have a wagon a short journey’s distance from here.” Lord Easton led the way along the creek to the entrance of the cave with Theren helping the wounded Sildar along. At the entrance Easton glanced about but saw no other goblins or creatures barring the way. The intrepid group then headed out into the waning daylight towards the wagon and then onward to Phandalin.

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This concludes the story from our group's first session of Dungeons and Dragons using the Lost Mines of Phandelver story line which is included in the 5th Edition starter box. After this session, all three characters (Easton, Bentar, and Theren) had earned enough experience and completed enough story milestones to reach Level 2! I am still working on catching up the narrative story with the other sessions that we have played. So far, the group (which has since expanded from three player characters to six!) has completed six full gaming sessions. I plan on getting another story out every week or week and half until the blog is completely caught up to the game story. This was a longer session than our normal ones so several of the more recent sessions should be single post stories so that will help with catching up to current game time. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading our adventure.