Phandalin
Welcome to Phandalin
The frontier town of Phandalin is built on the ruins of a much older settlement. Hundreds of years ago, the old Phandalin was a thriving human town whose people were firmly allied with neighboring dwarves and gnomes. Then an orc horde swept through the area and laid waste to the settlement, and Phandalin was abandoned for centuries. In the last three or four years, settlers from the cities of Neverwinter and Waterdeep have begun the hard work of reclaiming the ruins of Phandalin. The new settlement is home now to farmers, woodcutters, fur traders, and prospectors drawn by stories of gold and platinum in the foothills of the Sword Mountains. The arrival of a white dragon threatens to destroy all that they’ve worked to rebuild. When you are ready for the adventure to get underway, show the poster map of Phandalin to the players and read the following boxed text aloud:Nestled in the rocky foothills of the snow-capped Sword Mountains is the mining town of Phandalin, which consists of forty or fifty simple log buildings. Crumbling stone ruins surround the newer houses and shops, showing how this must have been a much larger town in centuries past. Phandalin’s residents are quiet, hard-working folk who came from distant cities to eke out a life amid the harsh wilderness. They are farmers, stonecutters, blacksmiths, traders, prospectors, and children. The town has no walls and no garrison, but most of the adults keep weapons within easy reach in case the need for arms should arise. Visitors are welcome here, particularly if they have coin to spend or news to share. The Stonehill Inn at the center of town offers modest lodging and meals. A couple of doors down from the inn, posted outside the townmaster’s hall, is a job board for adventurers.
Exploring Phandalin
The characters might wish to explore key establishments within Phandalin. These locations are marked on the map of Phandalin and the corresponding poster map.Stonehill Inn
This modest, two-story roadhouse has six rooms for rent on the upper floor. A bed for the night costs 5 sp, while a meal costs 1 sp. The proprietor is a short, friendly male human named Toblen Stonehill. Toblen is a native of the town of Triboar to the east. He came to Phandalin to prospect, but soon realized that he knew a lot more about running an inn than he did about mining. If the characters talk to Toblen, he shares a brief tale told to him by one of his regular patrons. Roll a d6 and consult the Phandalin Tales table to determine which tale Toblen knows, or pick a tale the characters haven’t heard yet.Barthen’s Provisions
The shelves of this general store stock most ordinary goods and supplies, including backpacks, bedrolls, rope, and rations. Barthen’s doesn’t stock weapons or armor, but characters can purchase other adventuring gear here, with the exception of items that cost more than 25 gp. (For prices, see the rulebook.) Characters in need of weapons or armor are directed to the Lionshield Coster. Those looking to buy potions of healing are urged to visit Adabra Gwynn at Umbrage Hill (see the “Potions of Healing” sidebar). The proprietor, Elmar Barthen, is a lean and balding human man of fifty years. He employs a couple of young clerks (Ander and Thistle) who help load and unload wagons, and who wait on customers when Barthen isn’t around. Characters who engage Barthen, Ander, or Thistle in friendly conversation are told a tale. Roll a d6 and consult the Phandalin Tales table, or pick a tale the characters haven’t heard yet.Lionshield Coster
Hanging above the front door of this modest trading post is a sign shaped like a wooden shield with a blue lion painted on it.This building is owned by the Lionshields, a merchant company based in the city of Yartar over a hundred miles to the east. The company ships finished goods to Phandalin and other small settlements throughout the region. The master of the Phandalin post is a sharp-tongued human woman of thirty-five named Linene Graywind. Linene keeps a supply of armor and weapons, all of which are for sale to interested buyers. (For prices, see the rulebook.) Linene won’t sell weapons to anyone she thinks might be a threat to the town. If the characters talk to her, she recalls a tale told to her by one of her neighbors. Roll a d6 and consult the Phandalin Tales table, or pick a tale the characters haven’t heard yet.
Phandalin Miner’s Exchange
Miners come here to have their valuable finds weighed, measured, and paid out. The exchange also serves as an unofficial records office, registering claims to various streams and excavations around the area. Enough wealth is hidden in the nearby streams and valleys to support a good number of independent prospectors. The exchange is a great place to meet people who spend a lot of time out and about in the countryside surrounding Phandalin. The guildmaster is a calculating human woman named Halia Thornton. She is also an agent of the Zhentarim, a shadowy organization that seeks to exert secret control over the North through wealth and influence. Halia is working slowly to bring Phandalin under her control, and she can become a valuable patron to adventurers who don’t cross her. If the characters get on her good side, Halia tells them a tale. Roll a d6 and consult the Phandalin Tales table, or pick a tale the characters haven’t heard yet.Shrine of Luck
Phandalin’s only temple is a shrine made of stones taken from the nearby ruins. It is dedicated to Tymora (goddess of luck and good fortune) and is normally in the care of a zealous elf acolyte named Sister Garaele. However, she is out of town for the duration of this adventure. Sister Garaele is a member of the Harpers, a scattered network of adventurers and spies who advocate equality and covertly oppose the abuse of power. The Harpers gather information throughout the land to thwart tyrants. They aid the weak, the poor, and the oppressed. Sister Garaele regularly reports to her superiors on events in and around Phandalin, and is currently in Neverwinter doing exactly that. In her absence, the shrine is left untended.Townmaster’s Hall
The townmaster’s hall has sturdy stone walls, a pitched wooden roof, and a bell tower at the back. The job board next to the front door features a sparse number of notices, all written in Common and in the same hand.If the characters inspect the notices on the job board, proceed to the “Phandalin Quests” section.
POTIONS OF HEALING No place in Phandalin sells potions of healing. However, characters who wish to purchase one or more such potions can do so at the Umbrage Hill windmill, located a few miles south of Phandalin. The windmill is home to a midwife and acolyte of Chauntea (goddess of agriculture) named Adabra Gwynn. For more information on this location, see “Umbrage Hill”.
Phandalin Quests
The job board outside the townmaster’s hall is where adventurers can learn about quests. Each quest is printed on a card, which you can give to the players when that quest becomes available (see “Starting Quests” and “Follow-Up Quests” below). Let the players choose which quest to complete first, second, third, and so on. If the players don’t like a particular quest, they are under no obligation to complete it. However, completing quests helps the characters become more powerful (see “Leveling Up”).Harbin Wester, Quest Giver
All the notices on the job board are written by Harbin Wester, Phandalin’s duly appointed townmaster. Harbin is a pompous, middle-aged banker who lives in a house east of the townmaster’s hall. Reports of a white dragon in the area have turned him into a veritable shut-in, and he rarely goes outside except to get food and post new notices calling for adventurers. Characters who knock on Harbin’s door hear his voice on the other side say, “If you’re a dragon, know that I’m far too thin and bony to make a good meal!” No matter what the adventurers do to allay his fears, Harbin refuses to open the door, preferring to talk through it. Other residents who trouble Harbin with complaints receive similar treatment. If the characters ask him about a quest, Harbin sets them on the right track, offering payment upon their return. When the time comes to pay up, he slips the payment under the door one gold coin at a time.Starting Quests
When the characters first visit the job board, there are three quests posted. Give the players the cards for these quests so that they can choose which to pursue.Dwarven Excavation Quest
“Dwarf prospectors found ancient dwarven ruins in the mountains southwest of here, and have been working an archaeological dig seeking treasure and relics. They need to be warned that a white dragon has moved into the area. Take the warning to them, then return to Townmaster Harbin Wester to collect a reward of 50 gp.”Gnomengarde Quest
A clan of reclusive rock gnomes resides in a small network of caves in the mountains to the southeast. The gnomes of Gnomengarde are known for their magical inventions, and they might have something with which to defeat the dragon. Get whatever you can from them. If you bring back something useful and don’t want to keep it for yourselves, Townmaster Harbin Wester will pay you 50 gp for it.Umbrage Hill Quest
The local midwife — an acolyte of Chauntea named Adabra Gwynn — lives by herself in a stone windmill on the side of a hill a few miles south of Phandalin. With dragon sightings becoming more common, it’s not safe for her to be alone. Urge Adabra to return to Phandalin. Once she’s safe, visit Townmaster Harbin Wester to claim a reward of 25 gp.”Follow-Up Quests
After the characters complete two starting quests, the following three quests are added to the job board:Butterskull Ranch Quest
Orcs have attacked Butterskull Ranch, five miles east of Conyberry along the Triboar Trail! Travel there with haste, assess the damage, and help any way you can. Ranch owner Alfonse “Big Al” Kalazorn is a retired sheriff who can reward you for your efforts. If he’s dead, return to Townmaster Harbin Wester with proof of Kalazorn’s demise to receive a reward of 100 gp.Loggers’ Camp Quest
Deep in Neverwinter Wood, along the river that flows west toward Neverwinter, is a logging camp. Every two months, Phandalin delivers fresh supplies to the camp, which is run by the half-brother of Phandalin’s townmaster, Harbin Wester. Barthen, the local provisioner, has prepared a new delivery. He needs someone to bear the supplies safely to the camp. Return to Harbin Wester with a notice of delivery signed by his half-brother, Tibor Wester, to claim your reward of 100 gp.Mountain’s Toe Quest
The Mountain’s Toe Gold Mine lies fifteen miles northeast of Phandalin. The new overseer, Don-Jon Raskin, just made the trip from Neverwinter to Phandalin and needs to be escorted to the mine. There’s no telling what dangers lie between here and there. Once you deliver Raskin safe and sound, return to Townmaster Harbin Wester to collect a reward of 100 gp.Follow-Up Quests - 2
Axeholm Quest
Within a mountain fifteen miles south of Phandalin stands the ancient dwarven fortress of Axeholm, which has been sealed for years. If a dragon attack is imminent, the people of Phandalin might need to evacuate and take refuge in Axeholm. To that end, someone needs to open the fortress and make it safe for habitation. Once you accomplish these tasks, return to Townmaster Wester to collect a reward of 250 gpDragon Barrow Quest
The dragon that besets us is not the first to threaten this region. Between here and Neverwinter lies the barrow mound of a warrior whose magical dragon-slaying sword helped fell a green dragon terrorizing the High Road a century ago. Rumor has it the dragon slayer sword is buried there too. Retrieve it, and let the sword be its own reward!Woodland Manse Quest
The orcs have fallen under the sway of evil spellcasters in Neverwinter Wood, and have been sighted in growing numbers near Falcon’s Hunting Lodge. The spellcasters dwell in a ruined manse. Falcon needs someone to make a preemptive strike against it. Destroy the evil in the manse, then expect him to reward you.” If the characters undertake this quest, run “Falcon’s Hunting Lodge” followed by “Woodland Manse.”Where’s the White Dragon?
Cryovain the young white dragon is a roaming threat that can be encountered almost anywhere. Each time the characters arrive at a location tagged on the map of The Sword Coast or prepare to leave that location, roll a d20 and consult the Dragon’s Location table to determine Cryovain’s current whereabouts. Make your first roll on the table when the adventurers leave Phandalin for the first time. When the dragon visits a location that is not its lair, it surveys the location from the sky, beyond the reach of ranged weapon attacks. If it spots nothing it can eat, it flies off after circling the location for a minute or two. If it spots something tasty, such as a mule, a horse, or a character, the dragon swoops down and attacks it. Once the dragon kills something, it grabs the carcass and flies off with it. Whatever it takes is then eaten within the hour. If Cryovain loses more than 10 hit points in battle, the dragon disengages from combat and retreats to its lair at Icespire Hold, remaining there until it finishes a long rest and regains all its hit points. Only at Icespire Hold does the dragon fight to the death.
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