Getting Into D&D 5e Adventures

It’s been a while since I posted an update for the Dragon of Icespire Peak campaign.  I’m a few sessions behind with my posts.

I took it a little easier when I prepped for this game.  Instead of creating large battle maps, I focused on one key building and using maps to highlight where the players were on a large farm property.
For the map, I found a nice image online for the adventure.  It had a hand drawn look.  I added some color to sections of the property with markers.

I didn’t take any in progress pictures of the building I made, but I used my tried and true methods to create it.

The focus of the adventure takes place in the Farm House.  I started by drawing out the levels on 1 inch grid wrapping paper and then gluing it to scrap cardboard.  I also made a roof using the same process that went into the windmill (the first adventure in the campaign).

I prepped the table for the game that morning.

The adventurers we’re on a quest to help deal with Orcs that have attacked and taken over Butterskull Ranch (the rancher uses a skull mold to make his butter)

We used the included map from the box set to show the overland travel to Butterskull Ranch.  They stopped in a ruined town call Conyberry and came across a cow and ox with brands BAK (initials of the Ranch owner).  The party decided to take them along to the Ranch.

I laid out the Ranch map with markers to indicate areas of exploration and a token to represent the party’s movement.  The party had a rough estimate of the number of Orcs that attacked the Ranch, shared by a lone survivor that rode for help.

They worked there way around the ranch as the sun began to set.  Coming across Orcs chasing loose animals, bodies of slain ranch hands, and they even ambushed an Orc using the outhouse.  I would set aside Orc minis to denote how many the party had come across and killed during their exploration.  After exploring most of the ranch, they focused on the Farmhouse.

The party approached the Farmhouse and used the druids spider form to do some scouting.  They were able to see an Orc cutting up a pig on the ground floor.

The party moved in and were able to surprise the Orc and kill it without drawing the attention of any other Orcs in the building.

The party moved upstairs.

The adventurers attempted to search the upstairs and ended up drawing the attention of the Orcs when the opened a bedroom door.  The party moved back as Orcs began pouring into the hallway.

Sissal the Warlock had previously been gifted the ability to use lightening 3 times during the Tower of Storms adventure.  He hadn’t used it yet, but thought this was the perfect opportunity.  Casting Lightening Bolt down the hallway, he was able to kill and seriously maim the Orcs.  The rest of the party swiftly mopped up the rest.

he party found the cellar doors after clearing the house.  They found Big Al, the ranch owner, tied to a chair, the walls lined with Butterskulls.

He was most concerned about his prized dairy cow, Petunia, and was thankful the adventurers had saved her.

He went with the adventurers to seek revenge on the last of the Orcs on the farm.  He gifted the adventurers a suit of Mithral Chain Mail for their help.  Big Al decided to travel back to Phandalin with the party for safety until the trouble in the area was solved (the dragon had pushed the orcs out of their area into the Phandalin region).

After returning to Phandalin, the party regrouped and took a look at the two quests on the Job Board.  Mountain’s Toe Gold Mine or the Logger’s Camp.

They decided to do the Logger’s Camp quest and I started prepping for the next adventure