First time DMing here, starting off with LMoP, hoping to move into ToA if the interest holds, and currently in a pickle after first session.
The PCs, normally cautious players, have been rather gungho thus far (I think trying to get a feel for 5e after a decade of PF/3.5), and in their attempt to save Sildar, not trusting Yeemik, the old warrior died. The scene went something like this:
*Wizard sleeps half of Yeemik's crew*
Yeemik: Don't come any closer, or the human gets it!
Party: Why should we trust you?
Yeemik: Because I will kill him, but if you go kill Klarg, I'll let him go and we won't attack the roads anymore.
Wizard:*casts true strike*
Yeemik: Seriously, I will do it. Don't do that again
Barbarian:*Swings at an awake Goblin and misses*
Yeemik: *pulls blade to Sildar's throat* I will slit his throat, this is your last chance, I just want Klarg gone.
Wizard:*shoots Yeemik with truestike arrow, leaves Yeemik with 2 health*
Yeemik:*attacks Sildar for 1d6+2 and drops him for an additional 1d6 falling damage equaling 12 total on the nose and he dies out right* Well, I'll guess we'll settle this like the monsters you tall ones are!
The party the proceeds with a rather brutal wake up call to the rest of the goblins, and dispatch Yeemik. I could have said Sildar "had just 1 hp for you to try and save him" but, I kind of felt that would betray the lethality of the world and wanted this to be an alert that this might be a more harsh universe than they thought, and actions have consequences.
Following this, without Sildar to give any info on the cave, the did finally decide to leave one of the goblins that begged for his life alive, who told them who Klarg was and where, but they ceased the line of questioning there, and left him manacled to rock. Eventually, they made their way across the cave, and after a loud scrap with the goblins guarding the twin pools (with one escaping into Klargs room to warn him), they literally just walk into Klarg's room. Having held their actions, Klarg and the wolf charge the Barbarian who nearly explodes to a lucky crit from Klarg's mace, the party's Archer then goes down to three goblin arrows, however the Cleric and Wizard both manage to land decisive blows on his beloved Wolf.
At this point, with 2 pcs down and it being first session, I gave them a choice: I can play this the way I think a Bugbear with a 2-1 advantage, who fell their largest warrior in one blow, would act (basically press the attack and TPK) OR I can do this by the book("If the wolf is killed, Klarg attempts to escape down the Chimney into area 3 and flee the cave complex"). They assumed option 2 would be him flying into a rage or doing something insane, but being the noble champs they are, they went for option 2 anyhow, which means
"Klarg lets out a bellow of pain, his fighting partner and companion in a crumpled mass, Klarg scoops him up. He doesn't trust the goblins that have survived to be any help, and all he knows is a group of invaders has slaughtered all of his base and killed his wolf. There very well could be more that haven't even entered his room yet. Bugbears, if anything, loathe anything close to a fair fight, and he runs for the chimney. The goblins, seeing the large scary one that was keeping them there retreat, make there escape, taking the wolves in area 3 with them."
At this point, the two downed PCs were so close to death, and the cleric out of spells, the group just did their best and prayed for the dice to finally be on their side, and, as luck would have it, they were. Archer and Barbarian were stabilized, and a quick search of Klarg's room revealed the health potions.
TL/DR: Party attempts to call Yeemik's bluff with a lethal attack, he survives, follows through with said threat, and slices/drops Sildar for exact immediate lethal, and later on, the Bugbear and goblins escape leaving the party with very little information regarding Rockseeker and the various plots at hand.
Do I resurrect Sildar? Or maybe have them finding a journal, or letters detailing his plans? Do I have them just continue to Phandalin and see what pops up? Does someone in town mourn the loss?
I might bring Klarg back on a mission for revenge, perhaps with a mangy wolf headpiece/cloak, some teeth on his great mace replaced with fangs (I doubt he'd have the connections to have his wolf brought back as something more fierce). Would King Grol accept his story and give him another change in the castle, kill him for his failure, or does Klarg now strike off on his own, finding the NPCs later down the line, either having had time to plan and grow stronger, or being a stupid bugbear, attack now higher level players as a level 1 bugbear to comic goodness?
On one hand, I feel like without Sildar they could be missing a potential character to befriend and get hooked into, but at the same time I don't want it to feel like things end up the same no matter what they do.
I'm kind of excited with the opportunity to resurrect an NPC, but am afraid of changing the players view of the universe they're playing in.
They might development an attachment to for potential Death Curse shenanigans once the Soulmonger gets turned on. I really would love for it to be a reveal moment, a PC or beloved NPC is about to be raised from death, and...nothing happens. But that will be later down the line, and require some set ups/hints...and a player willing to reroll...
Any ideas/guidance from DMs that have had to adjust this jimjam?
I haven't actually run it yet but I'm pretty familiar with the adventure as I've been prepping it myself.
I absolutely think that you need to keep Sildar dead. The players need to learn that their actions have consequences, and they handled the hostage situation badly. It might also make them more cautious in Part 4 when a similar situation presents itself with quite a different outcome. That said, the problem becomes how to impart Sildar's information to the party. If they haven't left the hideout yet they could find a letter either from King Grol or the Black Spider telling Klarg to send Gundren and his possessions to Grol at Cragmaw Castle for interrogation (possibly in Goblinoid - even if none of the party can read it - see below). If they've already left maybe they can find it if they go back for the Lionshield supplies for Linene.
When they get to Phandalin, you could have them meet a Lords Alliance agent staying at the inn, who essentially takes Sildar's role for the rest of the adventure - looking for the missing mage Iarno Albrek etc. Basically use Sildar but give him a different name - the players need never know. Maybe he reads goblinoid and can translate the letter they found. Alternatively any of the NPCs in town could have heard of the Cragmaw Goblins and know that they have a base somewhere in Neverwinter wood.
I think Klarg has potential to be quite a fun nemesis to the party. He should definitely come back at some point. "The mighty Klarg will have his revenge!"
I haven't actually run it yet but I'm pretty familiar with the adventure as I've been prepping it myself.
I absolutely think that you need to keep Sildar dead. The players need to learn that their actions have consequences, and they handled the hostage situation badly. It might also make them more cautious in Part 4 when a similar situation presents itself with quite a different outcome. That said, the problem becomes how to impart Sildar's information to the party. If they haven't left the hideout yet they could find a letter either from King Grol or the Black Spider telling Klarg to send Gundren and his possessions to Grol at Cragmaw Castle for interrogation (possibly in Goblinoid - even if none of the party can read it - see below). If they've already left maybe they can find it if they go back for the Lionshield supplies for Linene.
When they get to Phandalin, you could have them meet a Lords Alliance agent staying at the inn, who essentially takes Sildar's role for the rest of the adventure - looking for the missing mage Iarno Albrek etc. Basically use Sildar but give him a different name - the players need never know. Maybe he reads goblinoid and can translate the letter they found. Alternatively any of the NPCs in town could have heard of the Cragmaw Goblins and know that they have a base somewhere in Neverwinter wood.
I think Klarg has potential to be quite a fun nemesis to the party. He should definitely come back at some point. "The mighty Klarg will have his revenge!"
That's a terrific idea, I was trying to find a way to play up the different alliances in town/region and that's a good alternative.
I'm running LMoP for the first time too as a brand new DM. My players made it to Klarg first rather than Yeemik but because of the initiative order his wolf ripper and few goblins went down first. I had Klarg decide to run and started climbing down the chimney. Our halfling shot with a crossbow bolt in the shoulder as he was climbing down and I had Klarg make an athletics check to hang on which he failed, Klarg then fell 20ft taking another 2D6 damage, and then was shot in the back of his thigh by the paladin on his way out. Klarg then one shotted the party wizard on his way out as he was trying to stop Klarg from getting away.
The party then had the choice of letting Klarg escape or stabilising the wizard. They chose to stabilise the wizard who barely made it after 2 failed death saving throws. Klarg limped off into the night swearing bloody vengeance against the halfing who had caused him so much damage and broken bones.
4th session in (the last one we did) the party had become very friendly and acquainted with the Alderleaf halfling family in Phandalin (I had the Qelline offer the players a resting place after seeing how they had stood up to the Redbrands). After the players had eventually cleared out the Redbrand hideout I had the townsfolk celebrate with the players and laud them as heroes in the Sleeping Giant Tavern that night. Then out of nowhere I had Klarg and a hobgoblin warband attack Alderleaf farm, burning it and several other buildings to the ground. A wounded man stumbled into the Sleeping Giant during the celebrations and quickly blurted out a warning before falling flat dead in the tavern with arrows sticking out of him. The party rushed to the scene to find Qelline begging for mercy, and Sildar with a few poorly trained townsfolk trying to stall the hobgoblins. Klarg held her son Carp in his hands demanding for the "little cretin in the orange coat" (the halfing player). The party didn't really parley with Klarg and Klarg threw Carp into the burning farm and attacked with his hobgoblins. It was an epic encounter, I had the players, Sildar, some local town militia Sildar was training up vs Klarg, hobgoblins and further hobgoblins turn up in round 3. It was one hell of a battle, our halfling player almost died twice from Klarg and a few of the local guards also died.
The players defeated Klarg and the other hobgoblins organised retreat. Our halfling skinned Klarg and made clothes out of him for the Alderleafs, and paid for their welfare since their farm was burnt to the ground. Klargs head was taken and hung above the hearth in the Sleeping Giant Inn. Now Phandalin sees the players as true heroes, defeating the Redbrands and defending Phandalin.
So yes, keep Klarg and bring him back for revenge!
Oh holy crap, that's the exact kind of ridiculous dramatic turn I love to use. That sounds pitch perfect. I love anything that tugs the players heartstrings. I'm going to definitely use something like that.
First time DMing here, starting off with LMoP, hoping to move into ToA if the interest holds, and currently in a pickle after first session.
The PCs, normally cautious players, have been rather gungho thus far (I think trying to get a feel for 5e after a decade of PF/3.5), and in their attempt to save Sildar, not trusting Yeemik, the old warrior died. The scene went something like this:
*Wizard sleeps half of Yeemik's crew*
Yeemik: Don't come any closer, or the human gets it!
Party: Why should we trust you?
Yeemik: Because I will kill him, but if you go kill Klarg, I'll let him go and we won't attack the roads anymore.
Wizard:*casts true strike*
Yeemik: Seriously, I will do it. Don't do that again
Barbarian:*Swings at an awake Goblin and misses*
Yeemik: *pulls blade to Sildar's throat* I will slit his throat, this is your last chance, I just want Klarg gone.
Wizard:*shoots Yeemik with truestike arrow, leaves Yeemik with 2 health*
Yeemik:*attacks Sildar for 1d6+2 and drops him for an additional 1d6 falling damage equaling 12 total on the nose and he dies out right* Well, I'll guess we'll settle this like the monsters you tall ones are!
The party the proceeds with a rather brutal wake up call to the rest of the goblins, and dispatch Yeemik. I could have said Sildar "had just 1 hp for you to try and save him" but, I kind of felt that would betray the lethality of the world and wanted this to be an alert that this might be a more harsh universe than they thought, and actions have consequences.
Following this, without Sildar to give any info on the cave, the did finally decide to leave one of the goblins that begged for his life alive, who told them who Klarg was and where, but they ceased the line of questioning there, and left him manacled to rock. Eventually, they made their way across the cave, and after a loud scrap with the goblins guarding the twin pools (with one escaping into Klargs room to warn him), they literally just walk into Klarg's room. Having held their actions, Klarg and the wolf charge the Barbarian who nearly explodes to a lucky crit from Klarg's mace, the party's Archer then goes down to three goblin arrows, however the Cleric and Wizard both manage to land decisive blows on his beloved Wolf.
At this point, with 2 pcs down and it being first session, I gave them a choice: I can play this the way I think a Bugbear with a 2-1 advantage, who fell their largest warrior in one blow, would act (basically press the attack and TPK) OR I can do this by the book("If the wolf is killed, Klarg attempts to escape down the Chimney into area 3 and flee the cave complex"). They assumed option 2 would be him flying into a rage or doing something insane, but being the noble champs they are, they went for option 2 anyhow, which means
"Klarg lets out a bellow of pain, his fighting partner and companion in a crumpled mass, Klarg scoops him up. He doesn't trust the goblins that have survived to be any help, and all he knows is a group of invaders has slaughtered all of his base and killed his wolf. There very well could be more that haven't even entered his room yet. Bugbears, if anything, loathe anything close to a fair fight, and he runs for the chimney. The goblins, seeing the large scary one that was keeping them there retreat, make there escape, taking the wolves in area 3 with them."
At this point, the two downed PCs were so close to death, and the cleric out of spells, the group just did their best and prayed for the dice to finally be on their side, and, as luck would have it, they were. Archer and Barbarian were stabilized, and a quick search of Klarg's room revealed the health potions.
TL/DR: Party attempts to call Yeemik's bluff with a lethal attack, he survives, follows through with said threat, and slices/drops Sildar for exact immediate lethal, and later on, the Bugbear and goblins escape leaving the party with very little information regarding Rockseeker and the various plots at hand.
Do I resurrect Sildar? Or maybe have them finding a journal, or letters detailing his plans? Do I have them just continue to Phandalin and see what pops up? Does someone in town mourn the loss?
I might bring Klarg back on a mission for revenge, perhaps with a mangy wolf headpiece/cloak, some teeth on his great mace replaced with fangs (I doubt he'd have the connections to have his wolf brought back as something more fierce). Would King Grol accept his story and give him another change in the castle, kill him for his failure, or does Klarg now strike off on his own, finding the NPCs later down the line, either having had time to plan and grow stronger, or being a stupid bugbear, attack now higher level players as a level 1 bugbear to comic goodness?
On one hand, I feel like without Sildar they could be missing a potential character to befriend and get hooked into, but at the same time I don't want it to feel like things end up the same no matter what they do.
I'm kind of excited with the opportunity to resurrect an NPC, but am afraid of changing the players view of the universe they're playing in.
They might development an attachment to for potential Death Curse shenanigans once the Soulmonger gets turned on. I really would love for it to be a reveal moment, a PC or beloved NPC is about to be raised from death, and...nothing happens. But that will be later down the line, and require some set ups/hints...and a player willing to reroll...
Any ideas/guidance from DMs that have had to adjust this jimjam?
I haven't actually run it yet but I'm pretty familiar with the adventure as I've been prepping it myself.
I absolutely think that you need to keep Sildar dead. The players need to learn that their actions have consequences, and they handled the hostage situation badly. It might also make them more cautious in Part 4 when a similar situation presents itself with quite a different outcome. That said, the problem becomes how to impart Sildar's information to the party. If they haven't left the hideout yet they could find a letter either from King Grol or the Black Spider telling Klarg to send Gundren and his possessions to Grol at Cragmaw Castle for interrogation (possibly in Goblinoid - even if none of the party can read it - see below). If they've already left maybe they can find it if they go back for the Lionshield supplies for Linene.
When they get to Phandalin, you could have them meet a Lords Alliance agent staying at the inn, who essentially takes Sildar's role for the rest of the adventure - looking for the missing mage Iarno Albrek etc. Basically use Sildar but give him a different name - the players need never know. Maybe he reads goblinoid and can translate the letter they found. Alternatively any of the NPCs in town could have heard of the Cragmaw Goblins and know that they have a base somewhere in Neverwinter wood.
I think Klarg has potential to be quite a fun nemesis to the party. He should definitely come back at some point. "The mighty Klarg will have his revenge!"