D&D Starter Set DM Prep Part 2: Phandalin
Alright, we've made it to Phandalin and part 2 of the Lost Mines of Phandelver. Phandalin is giving us a solid dose of the social pillar of play and our main task to prepare for running this part is to get to know our NPCs. Hopefully we've already done this to get some of them linked to our player characters backstories, but now we have to be ready to embody these people. Don't worry about giving an Oscar worthy performance, just have fun with it. If you know what the story and motivation is for these characters you will be able to adapt on the fly. One solid trick to make this easier, especially with a list of ten NPCs, is to cast each role in your mind. Use actors, actresses, characters from other things, even people you know in real life. If you do a bad impression it doesn't matter, that's just how this character talks.
If you have the time in prep it is also worth skimming through the locations in Part 3 that are not Cragmaw Castle. Maybe even go watch that video in this playlist. We are planting those seeds now and if you decide you really want to run, or don't want to run, a particular quest this is when we get to lean into or cut it. Also, if you are considering adding your own adventure elements you can add or swap it in for one of the options and hook your players here. Alternatively you can keep it all available and see what the players gravitate towards.
We also want to be prepared to run the Redbrand Hideout, and we'll go over all that, but there is a chance we might have a whole session being social in Phandalin before we get there. Some of your players may love all of the role play, while others might be itching to roll dice and get back to combat. The Redbrand confrontation is there for you are losing the table and need to move the needle, but it is only natural if some of your players enjoy some aspects of D&D more than others.
Now, one great way to start a session is by recapping the last one. An even better way is to get the players to recap the last session and actively listen to them. This will show you what they remember, and give you a chance to remind them if they forgot anything important. It will also give you a general sense of what they think is important and interesting. If they have a cool theory that isn't in the book, at least consider it. This is your world, this is your game, change all of the things as much as you want. If they suspect Sildar is working for the Black Spider, you can definitely correct them, but it might be way more fun to make that true. What would that mean for your story? There are also Dopplegangers running around in this adventure and they are definitely underutilized in my opinion: maybe Sildar has been replaced! The real Sildar is a prisoner in Cragmaw Castle and the person they are riding into town with is a shape shifting spy. That sounds pretty cool to me. And the players will think that was your plan the entire time. Some of your favorite parts of this adventure will be the ones you made your own, especially if you worked together with your players to create them.
Shopping and Resting in Town
To open this part I'd narrate the players coming into town, getting a good look at the new log buildings surrounded by old stone ruins, with the sun setting over the ruined manor on the hill. Take them right to Barthen's to drop off the supplies, get paid, and maybe do a little shopping. I'd open the included rules to page 18 and put the menu on the table for them. Someone is bound to ask about weapons and armors, and they'll get pointed to Lionshield Costers, where you can flat out tell them they recognize the symbol from the crates in Klargs room. If they try to use the little jade frog statue to pay at either place, I'd send them to the Miner's Exchange to turn it into gold first, pointing them at one of our faction linked, quest giver NPCs Halia Thornton. I'd have here taking a 10% cut, only giving the players 36 gold for the statue with 40, and when they complain or negotiate Halia tells them taking out Glasstaff will get them full price for any gems they bring in plus her 100 gold bounty.
Shopping is often a priority when we first hit town, and plopping the characters in a store where they are getting paid is a great way to teach that. Having night falling as we reach Phandalin also gives the players a classic, minor issue to resolve: where are they going to spend the night? If Sildar made it he suggests the local inn, and any PC who thinks about will probably reach the same conclusion. If it makes sense you can also remind the players about the Folk Hero's Rustic Hospitality or the Acolyte's Shelter of the Faithful if they don't make their way to the Inn or they don't want to spend money, as this will connect them to some important NPCs. Alternatively, asking a random person on the street, (remember to have your list of random names ready or insert important NPC here,) will probably point them to the Stonehill Inn as well.
Whenever we get to town the inn is always a great place to gain information. We have enough names already, so I would take the rumors on page 15 and give them all to Toblen Stonehill. Don't overlook the one about how the Redbrands killed a guy, and now his wife and children are missing. That might be enough right there to get the PCs climbing the hill to the manor. Toblin will also know a little about everyone in town the PCs might ask after, and can even point the way to them. If the characters are nice to him and spend some money, I'll say he explains all of the town highlights and give them the map on page 17, labels and all. This will open up all of their options, and maybe jog some memories of plot hooks. Send them to bed, fade to black, and set them lose in Phandalin in the morning.
Let the Players Drive the Bus
Up until now the players have made decisions, sure, but they haven't been faced with so many options yet. Maybe describe a couple key locations they saw coming into town last night if you haven't given them the map, then let them discuss and debate where they want to go. You've been driving this bus so far so it might feel like you have to take control and hit the gas, but letting the players figure out what their characters are doing is fine, they're playing D&D. You can encourage them to think about what they're character would want instead of what the players who know it's a game might want, and let them talk it out. We put the work in early so that every player has a hook pointing at a different NPC and a location here. If the halfling wants to visit their Auntie Q or the cleric wants to seek out Sister Garaele, awesome, let them. There's a chance they may even split the party. That is alright, we'll get through it if they do and even use that to our advantage.
There are so many potential paths that we're not going to worry about precisely plotting out what happens when in town. If you really want them in contact with a particular NPC because you want to tie in that story or aim at that quest, you can have people approaching the party too. Give the players agency to show you what they are actually interested in pursuing, but if they are stuck or you think they've forgotten something, remember Phandalin is a small town and word will get around about the new adventurers. Wherever they go, whoever they speak to, we're going to make sure they hear about the Redbrands. Don't worry about overloading the players with faction info yet, unless they really go digging, just try to get the quests on the table and stress the Redbrand problem.
This point is a little tricky because the players are hopefully focused on finding Gundren Rockseeker, but we'd like them to go to Tresendar Manor first. If they plow ahead to Cragmaw Castle it is not the end of the world, let them. But odds are they don't know where that is yet and they'll have to ask around. A few people will say to ask Reidoth the Druid, who is not in town but is presumed to be in Thundertree, or wherever else you'd like to send the players. They'll also be told there's a rumor the Redbrands have a goblin among them.
Sildar is super useful here if he's around, he wants to find Iarno and believes that if located Iarno might know where the castle is. He might even suggest the PCs take a day or two to handle any other business they may have in Phandalin as he gathers information, encouraging the players to explore and talk to other NPCs. Sildar can come back with info that Iarno was last seen headed for the manor, and thinks these ruffians everyone's complaining about might have captured him or worse.
If all else fails, or if we've had a rich, full, roleplay-heavy town session but game night is winding down, we can run the Redbrand Ruffian encounter and have the action come to them. Win or lose this combat should get them pointed at the manor. Especially if the party loses; have them wake up in the street or in the care of a friendly NPC with all of their gold stolen and they will be chomping at the bit for revenge. An L is especially likely if the party split up earlier. “Don't split the party” is an old D&D adage and your players get to learn why. The other reason is it makes it harder for the Dungeon Master, juggling two simultaneous story lines. But don't worry, if it happens just shift focus back and forth between the groups, aiming to cut at dramatic moments like right before or after a big beat. Have the Redbrands attack one group while the other characters are unaware and chatting up some NPC, flip back and forth, maybe on initiative counts or between rounds of combat.
Together or separated, have these Redbrands really trash talk the party before the fight breaks out. We want them to hate these guys enough to drop everything and go after them. Again, if the party goes towards Cragmaw Castle, or in search of somebody who knows the way, that is fine as well. When they get back to town next maybe the Redbrands have taken more prisoners, or all the shops are closed, or the Stonehill has been burned down. Part of the fun of being the Dungeon Master is playing the bad guys and having things escalate if the players don't intervene.
Whether the party is trying to find Iarno, gather info that leads to Gundren, or get revenge from the bullies who stole their lunch money, the party is probably heading to the manor. Do you see how many hooks pull the party that way? And I left out a few: money, justice, adventure. This is a great lesson in adventure design: different players are going to respond to different incentives and it is always good to have multiple reasons for the PCs to go where we want them. If they go somewhere else, no big deal, skip ahead and circle back, but I think you'll be running the Redbrand Hideout next. So that's what we'll be going over in the next part of this series.
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