Lost Mines of Phandelver 2014 rules

"By all means, come in. Might be a bit cramped but we shall manage."

Kost’s tent contains a comfortable traveling suite, including a cot, a chair, a writing desk, supplies, and a chest

"So you say you have already been conscripted to deal with those orcs? Wonderful. I can sweeten the deal I'm sure as it would also benefit me. I travel light, coming from afar as I have. However, I know a great deal and I know how to find out a great deal. If there are things you wish to know, I will tell you all I can feasibly find out upon your triumphant return"

Brand pauses and stares blankly at Kosh, "Upon your triumphant return? Are you not helping us with this task? With you and your zombies, we should be able to make quick work of the orcs."

“This definitely wasn’t what was agreed”. Ol grabs the shaft of his massive club.

Persuasion 

8

Kost stands up and moves back from Ol, pressing himself against the tent. 

"I don't believe we'd agreed anything yet. I've broken no agreement"

"Whoever will protect my tent and these ruins if we all go together? And however would I have time to investigate and collate whatever information you want me to try and dig up?”

“Brand, I think he’s right you know” says Ol as he turns to Kost. “Are you flapping because I grabbed this old thing? We were trying to help you just moments ago remember? Now if you are going to be investigating on our behalf, what can you provide in consideration for this agreement? We are, after all on the bloody end of this?”

Brand sighs. "Everyone wants us to do the work but don't want to get their hands dirty. It is what it is. Fine where are the orcs, how many are there, any special orcs with them and how are you going to be of use to us?"

Kost visibly relaxes.

"I have travelled around this area a fair bit while trying to find these ruins; the location I had was from a rather illegible note. Anyway, it has given me a reasonable amount of information about the area (and is also unfortunately how I came afoul of those orcs)."

"They have based themselves at Wyvern Tor. They are scouts of the Many Arrows tribe, often roaming into the more civilized areas of the North. They spy out human settlements, waylay travelers, and loot and plunder as opportunities present themselves. They tried to rob me, causing me to have to use up a failsafe charm to get away and one of their foragers spotted my tent last night"

"I couldn't say if any are special just by looking, but the leader of the war band is definitely a particularly big orc. Oh, and they have an ogre. Yes, mustn't forget that"

Brand groans and then huffs. "An ogre will be a pain in the ass to deal with....Do you know their numbers?"

Brand looks pleadingly at Kosh, "Having you with us for a fight with an ogre would be a big help. Is there any other help you can give us other than information?" 

Persuasion check  5

Brand props the flap that leads into the tent open to still be part of the conversation and then goes outside and uses the rest of his items to try to make more bombs while he listens. As Brand was inspired the last time he feels a bit more confident with bomb making and doesnt need to fogure it out.

1st Bomb -

 Dex check to attempt to build bomb - 15

2nd Bomb -

Dex check to attempt to build bomb - 4

3rd Bomb -

Dex check to attempt to build bomb - 20

2 bombs completed

"I have an idea. Your drow friend here has a touch of the arcane about him. I can temporarily reassign control of some of my thralls to him to assist you. I will also give you this."

He hands you a bead, black as midnight

"This contains a single use of a spell known as darkness. It will obscure you from your foes"

“numbers will matter in this fight brand. Knowing Orcs though we take out the big fella and they’ll likely start fighting among themselves”

Ol rolls his shoulders to loosen them.

Brand accepts the black bead and turns to Ol and Lucian, "Which of you would like to hold onto the black bead?"

Once a decision is made Brand then says, "Let's rest before heading to the Wyvern Tor."

“Oh I’ll be taking that my friend, but I’m buggered if I’m getting any rest with these creepy sods hanging about”

"Oh don't worry, they'll be inert unless someone approaches the camp."

After a rest, the party sets off for Wyvern Tor. After a couple hours walk, a large hill appears when they round a corner of peaks.

This crag is a prominent landmark in the rugged hills northeast of the Sword Mountains. You realise you saw glimpses of it to the south along the Triboar Trail in the vicinity of Coynberry.

Before you left, Kost told you the tor was formerly the home of a large and dangerous nest of wyverns, but a band of bold adventurers dealt with the monsters years ago. Though the wyverns never returned, other creatures lair here from time to time.

Wyvern Tor is a sizable hill, with miles of rugged terrain on its flanks and slopes. You will need to search for the orc camp (Perception or Survival)

Brand observes his surroundings.

9

Survival

17

After about an hour of scouting tracks on the hills, Ol picks up traces of orc movement and follows the tracks.

The faint smell of smoke hangs on the air as you ascend a rugged ridge on the lower slopes of the hill. Fifty yards away, a cave mouth opens up at the bottom of a ravine. Hunkered down by a boulder twenty yards outside the cave, keeping watch, is a single orc.