Barty's "Lost Mine of Phandelver"

Nemean looks over the map with Finna and points to the Star with his claws, “That is an alter room, it is where we defeated and apprehended the Black Spider. Once we had Nezznar in chains we stopped exploring and took him back to town. Those are doors to the south and east of the alter room which we have yet to explore. But we should be cautious as we proceed further north. We know at least two Bugbears were skulking around those parts yesterday...”

"There is also that staircase to the east. Hard to say what is worse to leave behind - closed doors in already explored ares or an open staircase to the unknown. I am game with any decision."

OOC: Ready to advance once a decision is made.

Correct, Finna has one more use of Wild Shape until taking a short rest.

(OOC: Let's go to that staircase just to the east. Can do the southeast corner of the map later, or work our way over there...)

With a new spring in his step, Thulgrim is eager to get his axeblade wet, so with a determined grunt he leads the way toward the east staircase.

 At the bottom of the staircase Finna stopped Thulgrim - determination is a perfect trait but here it's better to combine with cation. "Let me check it firs, just in case". The ritual was repeated - backpack left, signs drown, transformation into spider complete. Finna entertained the idea to put some bright - white or colourful - band on spiders leg to avoid potential confusion, but out-ruled it as an unnecessary complication.

Another round of search upstairs - very carefully, listening, watching, preferably sticking to the ceiling. 

Nemean goes with Thulgrim to the base of the stairwell, and grips his scimitars ready to charge into the unexplored upper level of the mine, but his impulsiveness is kept in check as Finna offers to scout the area first. Nemean agrees and waits patiently with the others as he watches her transform into a small spider and scurry up the stairs.

For Finna:

OOC: I assume it took less than 2 hours?

Finna returned still in the spider form - approaching group slowly and periodically waving front leg to show it's her and not a cave spider. When she was sure group understood it's really her, she went straight to the signs, indicating space she covered and all forms of potential monsters she could think of, and tapped first sign "big room" and then 7 times the sign "undead".

Would be easier to transform back, of course, but the question was - whether the group wanted to fight right now, or explore a different direction. While they were thinking, Finna tried to scratch on the floor the shape of the room ahead.

Ach! A fight at last! wheezes Thulgrim, trying his best to contain his voice below a roar. There be five o' us and seven o' them, and I can 'andle two or three meself, if'n they ain't too nasty. Else we'd be wiser takin' 'em on th' stairs where'n they cannae reach us all at once.

Then turning to Spider-Finna he asks: Can ye tell us if'n they be small'uns like skeletons, or if'n they be worse?

Tochi, hearing the news, looks at his staff: "Well, I suppose this thing would have to come in handy sooner or later, but I was hoping for later...er. Should we attack? Or should we indeed try for some tactic where their numbers are neutralized?"

Nemean at first is excited by Thulgrims bloodlust, but then turns to look at Finna and ponders their situation a bit more.

”We’ll get to these fiends soon enough, but for now we should take advantage of our arachnid friend and scout out more of this place while she can still pass by unseen. Let’s proceed further to the east until her wildshape expires.”

OOC: Forget my previous post, please :) Did Finna succeeded in map drawing? And as much as I'd love to play a word game (no sarcasm!) there are not so many undead out there, so, I think we would come pretty quickly to "ghouls" by combining their names listed by Thulgrim and Finna's front leg gestures (vertical - yes and shaking for "no").

Scouting a bit more was a good idea and after everything was clear about that room, Finna returned to the ceiling to cover more ... well, ground, mapping the tunnels. She continued to try to be as quiet and attentive as only spiders can.

Thulgrim lowers his eyes and his axe, and looks like a child who's been told they can't eat cake when it's right in front of them. However he respects the wisdom of the Tabaxi and waits for SpiderFinna to look around some more. Maybe she'll find a room full of goblins that Thulgrim can play with all by himself.

OOC: I'm assuming Finna is scouting further to the east, as Nemean suggested.

DM Screen:

For Finna:

Before Finna returns, Tochi begins to meditate. It's of no particular use, of course, but does help in calming the nerves and relaxes the Aaracokra quite a bit. If anyone asks, Tochi will offer to teach them some basic meditation techniques.

OOC: Yes, she goes east, but continue her search in possible directions. I think we need some timer here. Finna is used to transformation and has to feel when it's time to some back to the group. How much ground can she cover in one hour- one-and-half hour to be able to return? And would it be possible to add it to the map? :)   (Just in case - there is a perfect free program for image editing: https://www.gimp.org/  )

Also, it might be a good question - how long others can wait? Finna can return now and then so they could say "enough".

Finna:

Another discovery was reported in the same way - tapping signs "room" and "no monsters" with an attempt to extend the map on the floor, indicating new passages.

(OOC: Probably hasn't been 2 hours yet. Might be able to scout the whole south-east corner in that time. Up to DM I guess. Only limitation on Thulgrim is that he'd kill for a drink ... literally)

Seeing Finna indicate there were no foes ahead, Nemean strode to the East so he could more carefully investigate the room she had just cleared, while she scouts ahead. 

Investigate: 13

OOC: I'll reveal more of the map once the whole party has seen the room. We're playing it pretty fast and loose with a spider's communication skills.

We'll move room by room going south/southeast, and if we get close to the hour mark, I'll let you know.

DM Screen:

For Finna:

For Nemean:

OOC: But can Finna scratch the map on the floor? Or it's above spiders ability?

This time when Finna returned and made another waggle dance, she was hesitating - there was no proper sign on the floor to explain what is wrong with the cave she found. But one thing Finna made clear - there is a cave and they should not step there, DANGER!

If party was still able to wait patiently, Finna returned to exploring without attempt to cross that cave (meaning - she is going sough, right?). As usual, with every possible precaution.