Lost Mines of Phandelver: 4 – The Sons Of Ignis

In this session, our heroes:

Viggo of Wandervil, the Human Druid,

Euphemia “Mia” Tosscobble, the Halfling Rogue,

Count Erspell, the Elvish Mage,

Dave, the Human Folk Hero Fighter,

& Eorlund Granitefella, the Dwarvish Cleric

After stocking up on new weapons, armour and provisions were all set to head off to Cragmaw Castle but decided they needed a bit of Dutch Courage to help them through. After one too many doses of ‘courage’ Kui-Kui headed up to his room and collapsed onto the bed. The bar-keep mentioned to the group that he was worried about an act he had booked to perform at the Inn but had yet to turn up. The group was the world-famous Heralds of Laughter, which at just the mere mention of their name, the group (drunkenly) offered to help find them.

Leaving Kui-Kui at the inn, the five set out to find the troupe, by seemingly pure luck, they came across a wagon, painted with the emblem of the Heralds of Laughter, which had been ransacked and with signs of a struggle leading into the woods, the group followed and soon, stood at the opening of a cave, which seemed like it was emitting a very unnatural heat.

A long narrow sloped hallway leads the party far into the cave. A short way in though, Dave noticed a trip wire stretched across the hall, easily disarming it, Erspell noted what would have happened if they tripped the trap, seeing a net full of rocks hanging above them.

At the top of the slope, Mia tried to see what was ahead but came was immediately spotted by two cultists in purple robes, who ended their card game and attacked. It didn’t take the group long to deal with the two guards, a few well-placed arrows and an angrily swung hammer made short work of them (whilst Count Erspell run of bad luck with his Ray of Frost spell continues)

The next room seemed to be a common room of sorts with beds, personal belongings chests and a dining table. One of the beds was occupied by a sleeping cultist and who, thanks to Mia, will sleep forever. The group looted all the chests, finding a strange array of instruments and handwritten notes, one stating that one cultist was having second thoughts about some of his life choices (GM: guess whose bed that note was next to).

To the north of the room, they found two makeshift prison cells, guarded by a pair of fire-wolves (GM: They are like wolves but on FIRE!) which Erspell quickly put to sleep. Creeping past the sleeping wolves, they opened the cell, and freed the two prisoners who were the Heralds of Laughter, they handed Erspell a ring and told him to take it to the smithy back in town and they would pay for the rescue.

Heading towards the centre of the cave, the group burst into a broad chamber with a raised altar. Chained to the altar was a small girl, standing behind it were 3 cultists, one in red robes holding a dagger above the girl. He tried to give a spiel about ultimate power and such but was interrupted by 2 arrows, a javelin, a hand axe and an owl, quickly ending his speech and his ritual. Having not completed his ritual the red cultist exploded in an intense fireball, thankfully the girl was not harmed too badly.

Freeing the girl, Khade Xie, asked the group to take her home Phandalin. At Khade house, her parents wanted to thank the group for rescuing their daughter, so as a reward handed them a bag of holding, which Eorlund and Mia started fighting over, until Viggo told the two pair, if they cannot play nicely, he would take it, which he did. At the smithy, Erspell was given 300 gold for the ring.

With the Heralds of Laughter saved, a bit more gold in their pockets and the knowledge an evil cult had been wiped out, the crew headed back to the inn to sleep off their hangovers, “We’ll try the castle tomorrow.”

Hopefully, Gundren is still OK…

This side quest used Sons Of Ignis a pay what you want one shot campaign

Artwork By Uncle Woodstock