Getting Into D&D 5e Adventures

I forgot to mention in my last post, that it really meant a lot to me when I saw my project featured during the awards show on YouTube. My son was thrilled to see his game on TV. I sent the link to my son’s friend and his dad so they could see it too.

I mentioned in my last post that I haven’t been in the best mental state of mind to play or work on the game. Thankfully, my wife decided that she would schedule the game and tell me when everyone was coming over. That really helped get me motivated to prep and think about something fun.

I jumped in and finished the rest of the map for the game. Specifically the 3^rd floor of the tower and I painted some craft walls I had built.

I spent the day before the game getting my notes put together, printing out some handouts and setting up the table.  I decided to use the Side Kick rules in the book and created some generic Wizard, Cleric, Thief, Bard sheets in case the players wanted to add any additional help to their group.  My son decided he wanted to bring his squire along so I made a 1st level fighter/defender sidekick for him.

I also made a Side Kick character sheet for the Giant Crab the group comes across.  I was thinking that the younger players might like the idea having the crab join their group.  I ended up a Hobby Lobby and came across some cheap ocean creatures and there happened to be a crab and sharks in the bag.  It was only a few bucks so I picked it up.

The last few items I printed were letters that the adventurers could find in the Light House

I’ll include my notes for the adventure at the end of this post, but this is the basics of the adventure.

Everyone shared about their new level 3 abilities when we finally got together to play.  I reminded them that they were traveling to the Tower of Storms to find magical treasure in shipwrecks.  After getting back into the groove of playing, the adventurers decided on the route they’d take to the Tower of Storms.  They traveled along the Tribor Train toward the High Road.  In a later expansion to this campaign there is an Inn located at the crossroads.  I decided to add this to the adventure as a way to introduce it early to everyone.  Instead of an Inn, it is mostly an encampment with Tents that can be rented, food and drinks, and the beginnings of a stone foundation for the Inn that is available to visit in another campaign.

After a night of difficult rest the party approaches the coast as a storm begins to roll in.  They find a path down the cliff to an area that will allow them to approach the lighthouse.  They hear a thumping over the crashing waves and see the green glow in the lighthouse.

They all made their way down and met the Giant talking Crab that asked for their help to free his master, killed by the evil half-orc in the lighthouse.  They need to retrieve the magical focus stolen from his master so their soul can be at rest (they’re currently a banshee).  In return for accepting the quest, the Crab retrieved a magical item for the characters.  It was a magical rod usable by the Warlock.  I didn’t mention this earlier, but I made up some custom magical items for the players and drew some fun item cards for them.  I’ll try to get those pictures added later.

The party began making their way up to the lighthouse when they came under attack by a group of Harpies.  They had been warned that these creatures existed by the Giant Crab and easily scared them away from their roost.

They made it to the Light House and explored the lower level.  They discovered two letters, a potion of Water Breathing, and the Warlock gained a special ability.  In one of the rooms was an Altar to the evil god Talos.  Sitting on the altar was a letter and when the Warlock reached out to pick it up he was imbued with the temporary ability to cast lightening bolt due to a metal rod that would periodically charge the altar.

They began climbing the steps of the Light House tower.  At the first landing they exited to the open landing on the second floor.  They came across the Anchorite of Talos that had killed the master of the Giant Crab, holding the magical focus.  The druid wild shaped into a wolf, and all the characters attacked.  The Anchorite was able to strike the group with lightening and during the combat used Thunder Wave.  He was finally struck down and the adventurers continued up the stairs into the lighthouse.  The group searched the body, gathered some items, and noted that the Anchorite had a large hole in it’s chest, missing it’s heart.

As they approached the top of the light house they realized that the light being emitted was too bright to look at the light source.  They could hear the thumping sound, like a heart, and the knight decided to turn quickly and throw an axe at the light.  He turned, threw, struck the light, and was blinded.  The druid then threw his boomerang striking the light, making sure to not look at the light.  Those that could see were able to see that the light was a giant heart, slowly shrinking.  When the group removed their weapons the heart imploded and disappeared.

They returned the magical focus to the giant crab and it’s banshee/ghost master.  The spirit was free.  The group then asked the crab if it would join them on their search of the shipwrecks for treasure and it agreed to help.

The group went out into the water, aware of sharks nearby.  The Giant Crab joined the team.  The crab investigated each of the adventurers and mentioned how the sharks would be more included to attack some of them due to unhealed wounds.  The group decided to heal and picked the Druid to take the potion of water breathing since he is small (a Halfling) and could maneuver around the wreckage.  During the dives they were attacked by three Hunter Sharks, with some of the group being wounded, exciting the sharks before they were all killed by the adventurers.  The other two players received custom magical items I made for them.

After they finished exploring the wreckage they asked the Giant Crab it’s name.  It shared that it never had one and the group decided to call it Captain Pinchy.  They did end up asking Captain Pinchy to join their group and he happily joined them.

The group traveled back to Phandalin, passing through the “inn” and giving the patrons and update of their adventure.  They sold goods in Phandalin and decided their next adventure would be Butterskull Ranch.  They need to travel to a Ranch that has been attacked by a group of Orcs.

These are some of the notes I typed up in preparation for the game.

Leaving Phandelver: Do they want to do anything before they travel. Perhaps Horses and a cart?

• Town is beginning to become more busy with travelers seeking adventure and a new life. You hear about a few travelers in town that might be interested in joining you
• Rumors that the Dragon was Spotted near the High Road near Leilon
• Uneventful Travel to the Inn
  • You see a sign reading Wayside Inn at the cross roads of the Triboar Trail and High Road. As you round a bend in the trail/crest a hill you can see a small wooden building that must have been hastily built along with a number of walled tents, and an open fire with a large pot nearby. You also see an area of cleared ground and the beginings of a stone foundation being built.
  • Martisha Vinetalker, owner and striking half-elf, pleasing features and a tough demeanor. Cold, calculating, charismatic, and knows hot to run a business for profit.
  • Backes Dunfield, bartender, human with a scarred face and crooked smile, recently joined up with Marisha. He is a former privateer
  • Coorah Struckt, cook, a half orc that has been a close friend to Marisha for many years. Food is incredibly good, well spiced, stews and meat pies.
• Rumors:
  • A group calling themselves the Stone Cold Reavers, led by a female elf, Syleen Wintermoon came through a night ago.
    • They mentioned something about Phandalin not being worth their time and full of weak people that needed taught a lesson.
    • They said jobs in the area aren’t much and involve helping people. They did have a great time terrorizing some Gnomes and getting magic items from them.
    • Headed Leilon to investigate a rumor White Dragon being spotted in the area.
    • They heard word from another traveler coming from Neverwinter that a red demon was spotted by loggers up river at the Logging Camp.
    • The Lighthouse
      • A few people have ventured near the coast close enough to see an erie green light from the lighthouse.
      • Most people hear a thumping coming from the area…loud enough to hear over the crashing waves.
      • Ships have gone missing near the lighthouse over the past 6 months
• Durning the night, you sleep poorly as the wind wips your tent walls, In the morning you see a storm approaching from the sea coast.

Tower of Storms

• Read entry on arrival:
• You arrive at a cliff face about mid-day, the sky has begun to darken and you see rain and lightning in the distance. Waves crash around a path of stone leading to a 30ft tall pillar with a cave entrace. You also see, what appears to be a giant crab…waving to you?

Meeting the Giant Crab

• Find a plath down, approached by a giant crab, read through section.

Haunted Cave

• Miraal, the sea elf, read descritioption, Giant Crab translates the situation as the banshee howls it’s torments at them.

Plateau: Harpys attack with song

Harpy’s Aerie, find a potion of water breathing

Moesko the Anchorite: Clad in armor made of giant octopus hide, holding an opalescent conch