Murder Hobo Squad: A Lost Mine of Phandelver/Dragon of Icespire Peak & Beyond D&D 5E record (Beware Spoilers!)

A dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker visiting Neverwinter has contacted some old friends and put out the call for swords for hire to escort some wagons of supplies to the town of Phandalin 3 days travel to the south. He promises more work once everyone gets there, but refuses to explain further. He does seem excited about whatever he is keeping secret though. While meeting the potential party he is often accompanied by an older gentleman dressed in a cloak with a Griffon symbol on the back, names Sildar Hallwinter. Sildar is just past his prime, but his attitude and bearing say he’s not letting this slow him down yet.

Gundren insists that he and Sildar need to head right away, but the supplies wont be ready for another couple of days.  The wagons will be waiting at the Southern Gatehouse on 15th Mirtul 1491 around 9am (Early spring).  They will be paid 10GP each for their time, and are promised more earnings and excitement to come.

DM Note: On our first session no one actually introduced themselves, they just got on the carts and headed out.  Between the first two sessions they went back and some of them wrote a brief intro in hopes of generating some dialogue over Discord.  Chat hasn’t happened yet, but here we find their text, slightly tweaked by me for viewpoints/tense etc.

An elf approaches the lone stable hand standing over the carts by the gatehouse. He seems uncomfortable in his surroundings, but introduces himself as Thorvir, a member of the Gundren party here for the wagons.  Thorovir Holimion, Male human fighter)

When he gets to the caravan he almost misses seeing an aging half-elf sitting on the barrels in one wagon minding his own business. His hair is dark with a few silver strands with dark brown eyes that seem to appraise your worth, two short swords sitting near him looking like they have been well used, you immediately feel like checking your purse just to be sure it’s still there. (Araloth, Male half-elf Rogue)

A young-looking man with white-grey hair quietly approaches the carts but something about him seems at odds. His clothes have definitely seen better days – under the dirt on his surcoat an emblem can be made out that, if you squint, resembles a sunrise. As he turns to return a passing greeting to a beaming man in rags, you see on his back a well-worn shield with a similar design. He walks towards the cart slightly nervously – he’s not really used to approaching groups of strangers, it seems. He glances over the carts as he introduces himself, Devere, formerly from a church of Lathander. Every now & again his eyes seem to glow which is… unsettling (Devere, Male Aasimar Cleric)

As 9 am approaches a tall elf with silver braided hair and blue eyes is sitting in green patch of land near the wagons, seemingly meditating. The elf is wearing blue and white robes with silvered trim and a simple looking bed pack with a quiver of bolts and a cross bow and a boomerang piled up near by. At 9 am the elf deftly leaps up and gathers there belongings up and leaps on to the leading cart. (Melandrach presreal, Elven Monk)

After feeling like someone was watching the group for a while you become aware that a halfling has appeared from the surroundings. She has long brown hair, brown eyes, and has a short sword and two daggers on her belt. After introducing herself as Bilba Blackcube she climbs up on the wagon, puts her pack down and begins absentmindedly shuffling a deck of cards. (Bilba Blackcube, Female Halfling Rogue)

A male human joins the caravan a few moments before it is due to depart. He is well built and sturdy looking with very ordinary brown hair and eyes. His clothes are worn but well maintained, mostly in reds and browns, while his wargear is exceptionally well cared for. He is comfortable with the business of the caravan, giving the impression he has done this many times before. In the evenings he is quick to shrug off his chain and settle round the fire, talking with an accent from the dalelands. (Ramond, Male Human Paladin)

The stable hand says that he was expecting two more, but if they want to avoid spending an extra night out in the wilderness they really need to be heading out.  He will hang around and send along anyone else who turns up.

As the carts begins to pull off, a young female half elf runs up to the cart. She has wild auburn hair which is barely contained by a simple leather strap and her eyes are of different colours. Her right eye is hazel and the other is a bright gleaming topaz. She is dressed in coarse spun tunic and trousers, and has a set of leather armour and a crossbow bundled in her arms, along with an ornate intricately carved staff. The staff looks oddly out of place to the rest of her attire. She jumps on to the back of the first cart, loudly apologising for being so late, but she needed to pick up some supplies first. Turning to Bilba, she asks her to hold Mr. Squeaks, who is a small piebald rat, whilst she puts on her armour. Once fully attired she takes the rat back, and puts him in a pocket of her backpack with some crumbled crackers. She turns to the rest of you, with a look of relief, before introducing herself as Talindra. (Talindra Tybalt, Female Half Elf Warlock)

As the wagon trundles through the gates of the city of Neverwinter, a ranger ambles up from the nearby trees, offers a grunt of greeting, and says that he’s Karson Orangorn and has been hired on by Rockseeker as part of the party guarding the wagons. He has dark hair and grey eyes. His travellers clothes look well worn, but his bow and sword look lovingly maintained. You think maybe you remember seeing him sitting in the Tavern where you initially met Rockseeker, drinking an ale and quietly studying all that was going on. He grumbles something about getting on with this and starts to walk, moving to be a distance ahead of the wagon and off of the road to one side. (Karson Orangorn, Male Human Ranger)

The two wagons and their disinterested Oxen depart the city and head south on this pleasant spring morning.