This will be an ongoing journal of the events in the Monday nights D&D game.
The group arrived at the small travel station known as When Station. Named after the owner of the local trading post Joseph When. the party did not know each other and only came together after a local traveling merchant Gungren Rockseeker offered them work as guards for his caravan. This they accepted and left the following morning. During that day they found the lead party had been ambushed. The party fell under attack from the same group of Goblins. After a tense fight the Goblins were defeated. As the last one dies it tells them that they have no idea what they have stumbled into. This is unusual for a Goblin and the party started to wonder what was going on.
They tracked the beasts to a cave in the side of a mountain about 2 hours from the ambush site. Finding several Goblins in several rooms they fought several quick but deadly fights. They rescued a human fighter and one of Gungrens bodyguards. Sildar Hallwinter. He is grateful to the group and they have gained an ally. They also find some missing cargo and with some effort are able to return it to the town of Phandalin. The town was once a Central place for mining in the region but about 150 years back that changed. Today the town is nowhere near as strong or prosperous as it once was. They got places at the inn, handed in the supplies and got paid. They learned that a gang of bandits had recently moved into town and was terrorizing the populace. The Redbrands were a vicious bunch and the party decided to put them down. Which they did in a gunfight style outside the old tavern (The Sleeping Giant). After learning of the Drendars family being missing and then of Toblens son who saw something they decided to look into it. Toblen's Father took some convincing as he was worried for his sons safety. But they convinced him that they would protect him. He tells them of the old mansion on the hill where his son would sneak away for adventure. He saw several people being taken inside. The party decided to investigate.
The mansion was falling down by then and its days as a great place had long passed. They gained entry and found Humans and Hobgoblins as part of the Redbrands. They learned of a Mage Glasstaff and of the family history of the mansion. They became convinced from the Yuan-ti's investigation that somehow Glasstaff was the families son, even though he should have been dead by now. They also learned of a new Redbrand location Craghammer and found the Drendars. The women had been very mistreated and the father had been murdered. The party unleashed retribution and the bandits died. They learned of a second set of individuals. The Order of the Black Spider. The Redbrands worked for them as thugs.
Returning to town the family was taken away to be looked after and they decided to raise dead on the father. They went to the local shrine and found that they were very lucky that a powerful traveling Cleric was passing through and agreed to stay on to complete the ritual. They learned that they required a special diamond and that the ritual is difficult. They set off for Offbook to sell supplies and to find the required Gem.
They were met by Nifty a rogue of the town and part of the Aspi Consortium. Through him they learned that they were expected and the Mayor was waiting. The Cleric had informed the town via carrier pigeon of their search. Meeting with the mayor led to them finding out about the kidnappings in the town. The mayor wanted them stopped and the safe return of Kafar who was leader of the Aspi Consortium in town and of Cestie the shipbuilder. Offbook's economy was built around the docks and losing the Shipbuilder was going to hurt them. Return these men and a gold amulet that was missing and the diamond would be theirs. Luckily the last batch of kidnappings were seen and the party arrived at the Unlucky Sailor. A old deserted tavern. They busted in and found a Druid, Kafar, some survivors, Dire Rats and a Rat Swarm which was in some serious need of therapy. The party instead killed the lot (Except the survivors and Kafar) and the Druid died never learning the joke's punch line. From Kafar they learned that a second batch of prisoners had been taken to a gallery called the Prancing Prince.
With the help of the dock master and some logical ideas and superstitions they arrived to find that the adventure had thought of none of those things. What seemed a very cool situation of a missing crew with hammocks still warm, food half eaten and lamps still burning amounted to nothing. The crew is still missing (and I have no idea where the hell they went) and the party eventually found the captives in the lower deck along with four of the worst monks you could find. These underpowered muppets were utterly destroyed. They had learned of a second individual involved and found a map to a copper warehouse.
They found the warehouse deserted and made their way downstairs to a large room where they fought two more monks a wizard who had lived beyond his years (now the second person to have done that) and his undead minion. The battle was a little more tense this time around and finally they managed to defeat the villains and save the captives. Which included the missing monk and shipbuilder. They received gratitude from the thieves guild and the Mayor made true on her agreement to supply the diamond.
Session 4.
Never trust the dice
