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

After a good night’s rest at the inn the party headed north through the rain and camped on the outskirts of Neverwinter Wood, and the next morning headed in to the woods.  About five miles in the woods thinned out in to a clearing 30-40 feet around a ruined castle, comprised of seven towers, which had all collapsed down,.  Talindra had her owl familiar fly around to inspect the castle closer, given no one could see any patrols.  The front doors were knocked in and lying on the floor, but there were some stairs around the southern side he couldn’t see where they lead.  To the north he noticed a section of wall and rubble that seemed to billow in the wind.  From on high he could see that the building mostly appeared to be a single story structure now, with no holes he could see through.

The party concluded the open front door would likely be the most dangerous and opted to go for the billowing section.  The gathered in the woods opposite and ran across in pairs, Melandrach and Ramond first.  The pegged it across the open space, pulled back the painted canvas and showed those behind them an opening and then ducked inside.  The others followed immediately without incident.  The light inside was poor (Talindra cast light on a pebble and handed it to Ramond), but they found themselves in an old storeroom, filled with decaying crates and barrels that crumbled when touched.  Given a curtained doorway to the south and a door to the east, Karson listened at the door before opening it in to a short empty corridor section.  There was another door in front of him, and another curtain to the south.  As they advanced in, Melandrach thanked Araoth for not messing with the crates he was investigating while the group moving on.  Araloth went to investigate the curtain while Karson listened at the new door and checked for traps.  When Araloth reached out to pull the curtain aside, a hand from the other side was doing the same thing and they touched.  Araloth flinched his hand back and ducked down low, tapping Melandrach behind him as a warning.

The curtain was pulled back to reveal a pair of Hobgoblins in a bed chamber.  Not aware what had just happened, Karson opened his door in to a room with 3 bugbears (one wearing a rusted iron crown), a Drow, and a resting armoured bear.  In the corner was the tied up, tortured and beaten body of Gundren Rockseeker. (DM: That’s right.  They just bypassed the whole dungeon and strolled in to the boss encounter) They were taken by surprise, and karson ran in and attacked King Groll.  Araloth stabbed at the hobgoblin in front of him and then retreated in to the king’s chamber.  Thorovir put an arrow in to the king, and Bilba stepped in to the doorway and did the same, before advancing deep in to the room, behind Karson and near Gundren.  Holding back, Talindra cast Sacred Flame at the King, singing his fur.  The hobgoblins stepped up and one hit Melandrach with his sword, and the other shot an arrow at him, but missed.  Devere blasted Groll with a Guiding Bolt.  Ramond ran in, throwing the Light stone towards the Drow, called out, “Tempest thanks you”, and swung his greatsword at King Groll, smiting him in the process and channelling divinity in to some bonus HP.  Melandrach made short work of the hobgoblin in front of him and attacked the archer behind him.

Karson took two swings at the king, missing both times.  King Groll drew his greatsword, Shouting, “Get the intruders!” and make two failed attacks against Ramond.  Araloth attacked the nearby guard and Thorovir fired two seeking arrows in to King Groll, leaving him bloody, but still standing.  Securing her reputation as the kill stealer of the group, Bilba popped out from behind Karson and bounced a shot in to Groll off the nearby brazier.  As he fell, they could see the flights had caught fire and the arrow was slowly burning down towards his chest.  Talindra moved to the doorway and Eldritch blasted the drow, who then ran over to the bed in the corner and extracted a leather pouch from under the mattress and moved towards Gundren with her weapon readied.  The remaining hobgoblin dropped his bow and slashed at Melandrach with his longsword.  Seeing his master drop, the bear got up with a loud roar and charged Ramond, biting him on the shoulder.  One guard attacked Ramond, and the other downed Bilba in two hits, celebrating with a Sandperson cheer with his weapon raised over his head.  Devere summoned a Spiritual weapon to attack the Drow, and then channelled divinity in to a blinding Radiance, damaging every enemy in sight (all of them), and killing the last hobgoblin.  Ramond thrust his greatsword at the bear, burning his inspiration token to ensure success, but just grazed its leather armour instead, while calling out, “Protect Gundren!”  With the hobgoblins dead, Melandrach ran in to the room and stood between the two guards and attacked the Drow, landing three solid hits.

Karsons sword turned in to a hawk and flew out to attack the Drow, and provide flanking for Araloth, reducing her to near death.  Thorovir put a shot in to the bear from outside of the room while Talindra Blasted the last breath out of the Drow, who slumped to the floor where her appearance changed.  Her elven appearance faded and she became something of a blank slate, devoid of any defining features.  Talindra then cast a minor heal on to Bilba, causing her to snap awake.  The not-drow rolled a natural 20 on her death saves and woke up and got to her feet.  The bear slashed and bit at Ramond, removing all his temporary hit points and then some.  Devere entered the room and Guiding Bolted the guard attacking Araloth, but missed.  His spiritual weapon was equally ineffective.  Ramond lashed out at the bear with a mighty blow.  The guards battered Araloth and Melandrach, but both held strong.  Melandrach attacked his guard twice and the ex-Drow once, but missed the Drow.

Karson changed target and critted the bear, killing it (DM: There was a brief chat about knocking it out to interrogate it later.  It might be the mastermind).  King Grol then natural 20’d his death saves (DM: WTF??  Twice?), stood up and swung at Karson, hurting him.  Araloth knocked out the ex-Drow.  Thorovir slung his bow over his shoulder, drew his rapier and entered the room.  He stabbed at King Groll, but he easily deflected the blow.  Bilba stabbed the guard that had hurt her.  Talindra empowered her staff with Eldritch Might and hit Araloth’s guard.  Devere healed Ramond for 3hp, and then Melandrach for 4hp.  Ramond then turned towards King Groll, said, “You again?” and knocked him out (DM: Successfully kill stealing back Bilbas kill steal).  Araloths guard battered both Araloth and Melandrach, and left them both dying on the floor.  The other guard attacked Devere, but missed.

Karson hit the nearby guard, as did Thorovir.  Bilba struck her guard with her offhand dagger, missing with her shortsword.  Talindra swung at but missed Araloth’s guard and healed Araloth (DM: Who had rolled a natural 1 on his death save).  Devere Spared the Dying on Melandrach so he could not die, while his Spiritual Weapon killed Araloth’s guard.  Ramond stabbed the last bugbear (DM: And I added the damage to Ramond not the bugbear.  Oops!  Confused everyone).  The guard continued attacking Devere, hitting with the first swing, but missing with the second, before Karson could deal the killing blow.

With the room now cleared Ramond tied up King Groll, and picked up his particularly shiny greatsword.  Karson fed Melandrach and Gundren a goodberry each.  Talindra searched the room while Araloth searched the doppelganger, claiming the bag she had taken from under the mattress (Money, 3 heal potions and Gundrens map).  Thorovir went black to check the hobgoblins room, but found nothing of interest.  Ramond proceeded to tie up the doppelganger.  Talindra cast detect magic (the sword showed up) and Identify (see below) They have gathered back in the kings chamber and stacked the bodies against the door while they take a short rest.

DM: They have forgotten the other two bodies outside the room.  Will they be discovered?  Next week we talk to Gundren, interrogate the prisoners and see if they explore the rest of the keep, or return to town.

Sword of Command

+1 Greatsword

The blade of this greatsword is engraved with pictures of a band of heroes charging in to battle together, heading towards its point.  As the blade moves the image shifts between two images in different layers of the metal, giving the impression of movement.

Once per day, this sword grants its wielder the ability to use their words and actions to inspire an ally (not self) within 60 feet, granting them advantage on their next roll.  This can also be used as a reaction to an ally making a saving throw, a skill or ability check, or an attack roll.  The player is encouraged to say something inspiring when using this power.