The Lost Mines of Phandelver (IC)

[dojango]

In the city of Neverwinter, a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker asked you to bring a wagonload of provisions to the rough-and-tumble settlement of Phandalin, a couple of day's travel southeast of the city. 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 ten gold pieces each for escorting the 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 Sildan Hallwinter, claiming that he needed to arrive early to "take care of business".

The four of you have 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.

Over the past few days you've found the time to get to know each other and form the bonds of loose camaraderie common to casual adventuring parties. You also have time to establish a marching order and scouting plan as you head into more dangerous territory along the Triboar trail. As the morning grows warmer, who is scouting ahead along the trail, and who is driving the cart? Where are you in the procession?

[Gorgon_Heap]

Jereni Aspenbough


Another week, another job.
Jereni sighs as she strolls along, taking in a lungful of crisp air and tasting it for anything that shouldn’t be there. She’d just taken lunch with the others, so her nose was still redolent of spicy turkey jerky and the thin wine she’d used – unsuccessfully – to soften it. I’ll find the right vintage someday.

She wondered far ahead of the cart, and off to the sides and sometimes circled around, in her haphazard route, but she was the tracker, and what Gundren always hired her for. She knew she shouldn’t be bitter about the boredom of the oft-repeated task, because at least she had regular work and could support herself while otherwise lonely in the vast wilds. At each meal she returned to the cart and chatted amiably, saying and asking whatever she’d thought of in the previous hours but carefully regulated to avoid getting too personal. No need to upset anyone who might break your skull in your sleep and leave you to die, that’s what mother always said.

So what has she shared with these strangers in the last days? Well, her name, sure. Her love/hate relationship with turkey jerky. Probably the seasonal particulars of the most well-known game trails; which one gets dangerously muddy when, which is too close to orc keeps when it thaws late, that sort of thing. Also probably a fair number of useful aphorisms for living off the lands of The North – though she relays them all in Illuskan and they may not translate well.

She pauses, using a knife to scrape some mud from her boot, and listens for the voices of her traveling companions. Hearing them and the creaking wheels of the cart some thirty yards away, she decides to perform another loop…

Spoiler: Rolls

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Stealth (Disadvantage)
(1d20+4)[13]
(1d20+4)[22]

[Lentrax]

Vivianne sits on the bench of the wagon, reins in hand. Leaning against the bench next to the blonde woman is a massive sword, which she calls her zweihänder. She isn't wearing armor, and her arms are tattooed around a set of scars denoting a military rank. Her eyes are dulled, but any who knows her knows that it is not drink that has caused the gleam to disappear, but is instead a lack of purpose in life.

When they have stopped, Vivianne didn't really talk unless she is spoken to, but as the journey continued, you got her to open up enough that she will speak first, though never a lot. And even then, you often get better responses from her if you ask her opinion or advice.

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban Leguma

The tall, gaunt tiefling was slouched in the backside of the wagon, occasionally searching for a more comfortable position. He had been visibly tense at the beginning of the journey, constantly looking over his shoulder. His cowl pulled tight over his rigid horns, navy blue hair, and distinguishing white lips and tongue. He even insisted on performing the night's watch, since the others likely didn't have darkvision.

As the days passed he learned to trust his companions. First concurring with Jereni's desire for a proper meal. Then he provided some detail about the markets in Mirabar and why he chose not to join his employer when they relocated to Luskan.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Deception if anyone doubts his stories about his past (1d20+5)[11]

[dojango]

You've been following the Triboar trail for about half a day. The trail has entered some dense woods, and has narrowed down to single path, just wide enough for the wagon. On each side of the path are steep embankments, making it difficult to scout to the sides; Jereni finds herself walking along the dense thickets atop the crest. As you come around a bend, you spot two dead horses sprawled about fifty feet in front of you, blocking the path. Each has several black-feathered arrows sticking out of it. With some horror, you recognize the coal-black pony that you had seen Gundren riding on when you last saw him in Neverwinter.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Jereni Aspenbough


Jereni pauses and frowns. I guess as far as traps go, it's a classic for a reason. But I don't see that dwarf lying dead with his pony, and the cheap bastard would drag it back to town and sell it for glue before throwing away good coin.

She stills, carefully frees her shortbow, and sends a quiet, lazily-lobbed warning arrow down into the road some twenty paces ahead of the slow-moving oxen. Glaive at the ready, she she draws another arrow and grips it with the bow in her left hand, and waits...

[SCARY WIZARD]

Silenna kept her companions entertained with tales dating from the 14th Century Dalereckoning and before, and her ocarina melodies when it was convenient. The half-elf was an affable sort, and good-natured. The wildest thing about her, was that she claimed to have been born in the earlier years of the 14th Century, and caught in some sort of stasis or the other during the Spellplague. Whether this is a tall-tale is anyone's guess, but therre's a sincerity to her expressions that makes this seem otherwise...

As far as her place in the party, Silenna stayed with the wagon for now.

Silenna - Half-Elven Bard

Spoiler: Out of Character

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Waiting.

[Lentrax]

Vivianne sees the arrow fall and clicks her tongue as she pulls on the reins, halting the wagon.

She then rests a hand on the hilt of her sword, waiting to see what came next.

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban Lleguma

Lorban bolts upright as the wagon suddenly halts. He rolls out of the back and begins skulking along the side, readying his shortbow.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Acrobatics: (1d20+3)[14]
Stealth: (1d20+5)[18]

[dojango]

Spoiler: Meant to post this in the OOC thread, sorry

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Since the goblins had such an aces stealth roll, they get an attack off first. One attack per person.
Against Jereni: (1d20+4)[19], dmg (1d6+2)[7]
Against Lorban: (1d20+4)[13], dmg (1d6+2)[3]
Against Vivianne: (1d20+4)[12], dmg (1d6+2)[7]
Against Silenna: (1d20+4)[5], dmg (1d6+2)[7]

Initiative:
Lorban Lleguma 23
Vivianne 14
Goblins 10
Jereni Aspenbough 7

Silenna, please roll initiative and try to beat a 10 if you want to go before the goblins.

[dojango]

While Jereni is intently focused on the poor fallen horses, a goblin suddenly bursts out of the thicket and slashes at her with his scimitar, delivering a solid hit that scrapes along her mail. 7 damage. From the top of the escarpment another goblin bursts out, waving his scimitar with enthusiasm, but not much skill, and tries hard to slash at Vivianne, but misses. Meanwhile, two more remain above; one looses an arrow at Lorban and another at Silenna, both missing.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can all post your actions when you can and we'll resolve them in initiative order, which is in the previous post.

[SCARY WIZARD]

An arrow. Silenna sighs. "Oh, hrast..." Well, she did sign up for this sort of thing, time to earn her keep. The bard keeps her eyes out for any sign of who, or what, fired the arrows... and she keeps a spell on her tongue for when she sees them.

Silenna - Half-Elven Bard

Spoiler: Out of Character

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Readying vicious mockery for the first goblin to poke their head out.

Vicious Mockery: (1d4)[1]

[Gorgon_Heap]

Jereni Aspenbough


Having spent her entire life under threat of men and orcs, she was unused to tiny enemies using surprise tactics. Stupid! She leaned away from the goblin blade, though not enough to avoid it entirely. Her armor served its purpose.

Releasing the bow and arrow, unable to engage easily when they were already within reach, she slashes at them...

Spoiler: Actions

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She first attacks the goblin that struck her until it is down, then the next.

Attack (1d20+5)[16] for (1d10+3)[7]

Attack (Bonus) (1d20+5)[6] for (1d4+3)[6]

Attack (Reaction) (1d20+5)[18] for (1d10+3)[5]

[Lentrax]

The scimitar flashes in the sun. Images run in and out of Vivianne's mind. Flashes of lives now gone.

And then she is moving. One hand pulls the blade up from where it was resting, the other coming across to steady the weapon as it flies through the air.

Spoiler

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A: (1d6+4)[6] D: (2d6+2)[9]

[dojango]

Lorban manages to puts an arrow in the side of goblin while it is trying to attack Vivianne. He then runs up the hill towards the goblin archers. The goblin winces in pain, and falls back to avoid Vivianne's wild swing, before it jumps in with its sword and slashes at her over-extended arm. 3 damage. One of the archers looses an arrow at Lorban, hitting him in the shoulder. 5 damage. Silenna shouts vicious insults at the other archer. She can't tell if it understands her, but its ears seem to droop and it sends an arrow at her which passes harmlessly to her side.

Jereni brings down her glaive on the goblin, and it crumples in the mud with a grievous wound on its neck. She looks down at the wagon about 20 feet away where Vivianne is struggling with a goblin by the wagon. About 30 feet away on the other embankment, two goblins are lurking in the bushes, while Lorban is moving up the hill towards them.

[SCARY WIZARD]

Silenna leaps from the wagon, short sword flashing from its sheath as she does, and attempts to bring it down on the goblin attacking Vivianne.

Silenna - Half-Elven Bard

Spoiler: Out of Character

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Moving up to and swinging at Viv's Goblin.

Short Sword Attack (Goblin): (1d20+4)[16]
Short Sword Damage (Goblin): (1d6+2)[5]

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban Lleguma

Lorban continues up the hill, closing the gap between himself and the archer which Silenna had demoralized. He drops his bow to produce his rapier. He thrusts at the goblin's ribs.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Attack: (1d20+5)[19]
Damage: (1d8+3)[5]

[Lentrax]

Injury brings the blood to boiling inside Vivianne. The goblin in front of her falls, but not to her blade.

She looks for a new target, and leaps from the wagon bench to rush toward it.

Spoiler

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A: (1d20+4)[6] D: (2d6+2)[6]

[dojango]

Lorban reaches the goblin archer and skewers it with the rapier. It tries to stab him back with its scimitar, but Lorban evades it in the nick of time. Back by the wagon, Silenna hops down and runs the goblin through. It falls dead at her feet. Vivianne then runs up the hill to Lorban's side, and launches a wild swing at the other goblin, missing. It tries to stab her back with its curved sword, but also misses badly.

OOC: Jereni is up.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Jereni Aspenbough



Jereni presses the attack to defend her companions, clearing her own field and re-engaging with her bow...

Spoiler: Actions

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DM - did you count my hit on the second goblin? - I assume these are RaW gobs and still has 2 hp?

If gob is still alive - attack with glaive and finish it. Pick up my bow and ready an attack against the next gob in sight.
(1d20+5)[9] for (1d10+3)[7] and (1d20+5)[21] for (1d4+3)[6]

If gob is dead, pick up bow and attack next gob in sight.
(1d20+4)[6] for (1d6+2)[4]

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban Lleguma

Lorban counters the assailant's swing with another poke from his rapier.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Attack: (1d20+5)[20]
Damage: (1d8+3)[4]

If the goblin falls, Lorban will move up to Vivianne and the remaining goblin.

[dojango]

Jereni shoots an arrow towards the goblins in melee with Lorban and Vivianne, but misses. Lorban, however, does not, and finishes off the wounded goblin. The last goblin, seeing its comrades killed with nothing to show for it, disengages from combat and starts running to the northwest, away from the group.

Spoiler: OOC

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These are Phandalver goblins and they have 7 HP. The goblin is fleeing; you can choose what to do next without needing to roll; if you want to kill it, capture it, follow it or let it go.

[Gorgon_Heap]

Jereni Aspenbough


Sliding down the hill and meeting the others on the road, Jereni sees all limbs in tact and ignores and thought of injuries. She watched the final goblin scramble away thoughtfully. "I think we should follow it. There've got be more an they've got to know where where to find our dwarf. Right?" Barring interruption or another plan, she walks off briskly, trailing the goblin.

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban Lleguma

Lorban scowls as the last goblin flees before he could engage. "Nine Hells, are they quick!"

He retrieves his bow and turns back to the road, "What about the oxen?" Dashing to catch up with Jereni, "Five coppers say we're walking into a trap."

[Gorgon_Heap]

Jereni Aspenbough


She snorts. "Save your money, city-slicker. I've seen your scams. We walk into a goblin camp and you say, 'See! They were waiting for us, so pay up.'" She shakes her head and keeps after the lone goblin survivor.

[SCARY WIZARD]

Silenna regroups with her companions. "Not the worst idea..." She flicks the blood off of her blade, conscious of that on her companions... coming from their own bodies. "You're hurt. I've healing magics for those." She seems the most concerned about Jereni and Lorban.

Silenna - Half-Elven Bard

Spoiler: Out of Character

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Accompaniment.

[Lentrax]

Vivianne runs after her companions.

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban places a hand over the puncture wound on his shoulder, and looks back to Silenna. "Yes, I could do with some healing."

[dojango]

The four of you run after the goblin, carefully trying not to catch up with it. You run through the woods, scrambling down another slope, and find yourselves on a narrow trail leading away from the road. After about 10 minutes of this, Lorban sees the goblin jump strangely over part of the trail, and sees a patch of discolored and suspiciously sunken dirt just ahead of the pursuers...

[Ophiuchus]

Lorban Lleguma

Lorban motions for his companions to pause and directs their eyes to the irregular patch along the path. "Do you see that? It's some sort of trap, I'm sure. The question is: do we just avoid it, or trigger it ourselves, luring the bandits to us?"