Phandalin, Day 2: Here, There Be Fighting

What a banner beginning! New friends, old rivalries, new quests.

Let us pick up where the last blog post left off. The QQs had decided to undertake the Gnomegarden quest and opted to rest for the evening back at the Stonewall Inn. Toblin, after all, had promised Kit Kat the finest rooms and she was keen to take him up on that. The stroll back to the Inn, though, provides an intriguing insight into the travel dilemma the group now faces.

But, first. Blog protocol dictates we recap the party members.

  • DM: Brent
  • Draeya: Half-Elf Ranger CG (Heather)
  • Brenna Badger: Forest Gnome Druid NG (Maddy)
  • Dallian Lorgo aka “Dealio”: Rock Gnome Rogue CN (Kurt)
  • Eldewyn: High Elf Fighter CN (Anderson)
  • Kit Kat: Half-Elf Bard NG (Jenny)

As three of the five party members are average height or above, a long overland journey will be no problem. But, for the two barely-four-feet-tall gnomes, the half-day trek to Gnomegarden will be a tiring feat. Draeya, the ranger, offers her horse up to the two gnomes…and suddenly it feels like the gnome peace accords are back to square one. Dallion is loathe to share a horse with Brenna and is vocal about his opinion regarding this, prompting the forest gnome to reply again with, “He’s very rude.” To which, the rock gnome says, “They smell.” (It is assumed he means forest gnomes.) At this, Draeya dryly comments, “You do seem rather Kurt.”

Brenna, perhaps in an effort to impress Dallion, enumerates her many recent accomplishments and job titles. This takes place as the group travels back to the inn to bunk down for the night. It is worth mentioning that Kit Kat has the nicest room in the whole Inn, Brenna has Goodberries, and Dallion has a shiny, new gold piece.

What do the ranger and fighter have? That knowledge, friends, will soon come to pass soon enough.

The night passes uneventfully. The dawn’s rays touch down upon the world and our brave party of adventurers are ready for the day. Kit Kat remembers Harbin’s words regarding a woman named Adabra Gwynn, who resides near Umbrage Hill, to the south. She is a capable midwife who also sells healing potions (those again!) and the entire town seems to think she would be safer if she stayed in town during these dragon attacks. The QQs are implored once more to persuade her to move to town for the time being. If one takes a moment to channel their inner Ruth Bader Ginsburg, they will discover there are many raised eyebrows that come with this town’s particular request. Alas, it it perhaps best to let them be for the time being…

Draeya wants to know more about the potential for combat, but the scribe’s notes seem to indicate that nobody else but her is thinking about this inherent danger. She inquires about the high elf’s gear, as he appears to be equipped as a fighter.

However, at some point, it is best to just, as they say, “get the show on the road.” The group begins their journey out of Phandalin, and once they reach the main road connecting the town to Umbrage Hill, Brenna casts Longstride on herself, which increases her speed. She is now able to keep up with the group, leaving the rock gnome to ride the horse by himself. Which is the most suitable for all parties, indeed.

It is not much longer until the party comes within several yards of a stone windmill atop a hill. Umbrage Hill. And it doesn’t take a sharpshooter to see that a large, spiky-tailed monster is currently wreaking havoc upon the windmill…clawing and beating his great tail and talons against the stone. This creature is NOT white, it is noted, and does not appear to be the White Menace talked about in Phandalin. No, no – this is a new devilry to be dealt with.

The ranger inquires to the DM if she could use her skill in Animal Handling and try to “ride” the spiky monster. To which the DM pauses and responds with, “You could try.” Draeya decides to table the decision for now. The DM confirms that the creature is roughly 75 feet away from them and is utterly unaware of them approaching.

And it, my trusty readers, is now time to rumble. The ranger, the fighter, and the rogue ready their ranged weapons, hoping for the surprise advantage. Initiative rolls determines the order as follows: Draeya, Eldewyn, Brenna, Kit Kat, and Dallion (this last one is a shock, but as Kurt OOC rolled a 1, these types of things will happen).

  1. Draeya fires an arrow for 7 pts of damage.
  2. Eldewyn’s Fire Bolt deals a scorching 6 pts of damage (nice rolling by the OOC player, Anderson)
  3. Brenna wedges herself in behind the half-elf and high elf and prepares her Thorn Whip spell.
  4. Kit Kat casts Bardic Inspiration on Eldewyn, which will allow him to increase his die roll on attacks, etc., at a time when he chooses to use it.
  5. Dallion aims and fires his shortbow. However, the arrow goes astray and glances off the tower. The rock gnome then hides behind the tall people.

The creature is now very aware that a group of unfriendlies are trying to kill him. Thus, he turns his attention to the small party several feet down the hillside. Thank goodness it’s a hulk of a beast, because the heroes use another round to deal some damage while the creature struggles to push itself away from the windmill and wheel itself towards the interlopers.

  1. Draeya deals 7 more pts of damage.
  2. The high elf’s firebolt does a searing 9 pts of damage right in the creature’s face.
  3. Brenna rolls a Nature check in the effort to search for nearby birds, and a lone robin answers the druid’s call for assistance. The forest gnome impels the bird to go and “bother the creature”. The DM indicates that the robin seems to be in agreement to this plan and flies off.
  4. Somewhere in here, the DM lets slip that the creature is, in fact, a manticore. This party is stout, though, and not about to be daunted by a stinking manticore.
  5. Kit Kat casts Bardic Inspiration on Draeya. A feeling of warm invincibility rushes through the ranger’s veins.
  6. Dallion readies another crossbow bolt, takes aim, and does 9 pts of damage.

The manticore is visibly bleeding now, but manages to have the strength to dive and swoop at the group. No damage is dealt by the creature, though at this time.

  1. Draeya does another bunch of arrow damage.
  2. Eldewyn casts Fire Bolt again, critically fumbles, and sends a wobbly missile past the Ranger. The fighter then mumbles, “That was meant for the beast.” Obvs.
  3. The manticore is now within range for Brenna to cast her Thorn Whip, and in pulling the beast to the ground, deals 5 pts of damage.
  4. Kit Kat chucks her dagger at the manticore and does 7 pts of damage.
  5. Dallion declares, “I stand up.” To which there is the general response of “Oh, were you sitting?” along with the sounds of stifled giggles. Dallion doesn’t take the bait and instead answers with a solid 11 pts of damage.

The manticore crashes to the ground, and the victory is rather short-lived as it’s discovered that the robin was crushed in the chaos. However, all is well after Brenna offers the robin a Goodberry, and actually, the bird now has far more health than s/he knows what to do with.

The woman that the group had initially seen at the window of the windmill at the beginning of the encounter now appears again as they come closer. She is grateful as she thanks them profusely. Kit Kat asks her name, to which the woman replies with “Adabra Gwynn.” So…this is the woman the party is supposed to convince to come into town! Given that the woman just narrowly escaped a manticore attack, it seems like she would be easily persuaded to move into Phandalin for her own safety. Aha…hahahaha.

  • Dallion: Why would a manticore attack you?
  • Adabra: They are a natural enemy to the white dragon, so perhaps they are here to combat with that species?
  • Despite the laying out of all pertinent facts and reasons, Adabra is reluctant to leave her home, prompting Eldewyn to attempt Intimidate on her. However, a low roll means she is now more fearful than before.
  • Kit Kat once again steps in to right the wrongs. Speaking with a great deal of kindness, she brings the woman back around to a rational conversation.
  • Still, Adabra does not concede to coming into the town at this time, but Kit Kat’s words of “I can’t wait to see you again” certainly leave the woman in a positive frame of mind as the adventurers depart for Gnomengarden.
  • In fact, Adabra’s feeling such goodwill towards the party that she gives each adventurer a healing potion! Hurrah! Healing potions!

The group has now been playing for about two and a half hours, and decide it is a good time to call it a night. The DM states it is close to lunchtime, so with a rest and repast, this brave crew will no doubt be ready for the trials at Gnomengarden.

Cheers,

Your Scribe, Heather