Nestled in the northern region of the Sword Coast lies the frontier town of Phandalin, a rough-and-tumble settlement of hardy folk. This hot spot for adventurers, located just south of Neverwinter, was abandoned for centuries following its destruction at the hands of a horde of monsters but has recently been resettled.

Phandalin has been a hub for exploration in previous adventures and returns in Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk. The book updates and expands the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure into a full-fledged campaign, where the party will contend with forces seeking to turn the town into the capital of an evil empire.

Keep reading for a guide on how to run this beloved town as a Dungeon Master and to learn what you can expect from this new adventure!

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

This article is meant for Dungeon Masters and contains spoilers and behind-the-scenes information not intended for players.

•  A Brief History of Phandalin
• Why Is the Party Going to Phandalin?
• Tips For Running Phandalin in Your Games
• Helpful DM Resources for Running Phandalin

A Brief History of Phandalin

Artist: Antonio José Manzanedo

Over five centuries ago, the Phandelver Pact was forged between dwarves, gnomes, and humans. This alliance revolved around the magical Wave Echo Cave, which brought prosperity to Phandalin. However, a coalition of dark forces sought to claim the cave's riches, leading to the cave and town's destruction. Only recently have settlers from cities like Neverwinter and Waterdeep begun to rebuild Phandalin. Yet, without a ruling authority, the town has become a haven for a group of bandits, known as the Redbrands.

Dive Deeper Into Phandalin’s Lore

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk goes into great detail about Phandalin’s history. If you're planning on running this adventure, it's advised to read through these details to understand what's happening behind the scenes of the story the player's are experiencing.

Why Is the Party Going to Phandalin?

Artist: Kent Davis

Before you take your party to Phandalin, try to figure out what this town will achieve. When discussing your player's character's backstories, either in session 0 or during the adventure's introduction, this will allow you to tailor your adventure hooks to appeal to the character's motivations. 

Below are some examples of basic goals that Phandalin is well-equipped to accomplish. You can also prepare your players for what to expect by providing them with the latest issue of the Phandalin Post, which is a free downloadable handout available on D&D Beyond. 

Establish the Party as Heroes

There’s no better place to get your party comfortable with the aspect of heroism than an isolated town facing strife. In Phandalin’s case, they have the Redbrands causing issues, marauders ambushing caravans, monsters threatening the townsfolk’s safety, and no city watch or militia strong enough to contest these problems.

When the party is put into a position where they can make a difference for the better, they’ll begin to realize the true weight of responsibility and the impact of their choices. Stepping up to defend Phandalin not only tests their skills and mettle but also shapes their character and moral compass.

Get the Party Invested With the Common Folk

Your party might be just beginning their adventures, but someday soon they’ll be tasked with saving the world, the Material Plane, or even the multiverse. When they start their adventures taking on tasks for the common folk, they’ll always have a grounded sense of, “This is what we’re fighting for.”

This can also be a useful tool to raise the stakes later on in your campaign. After your party has spent time with the people of Phandalin, they’ll start to develop attachments. Maybe a retired adventure has become a party member’s mentor, or perhaps a character has developed feelings for a farmhand.

There’s no better tool to create an emotional reaction than putting the town and townsfolk your party loves in danger.

Secure Land and a Hub Location

For long-term campaigns, it could be beneficial for the party to have a place they can come back to so they can rest, restock, and plan. Maybe after they save the day in Phandalin, they become the town’s ruling body, or perhaps they’re given Tresendar Manor as a base of operations.

If you're playing Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, the players can acquire a base of operations near Phandalin in Chapter 6 by completing the Pip's Adventure sidequest. 

Tips For Running Phandalin in Your Games

Artist: MIKE SCHLEY

Nestled in the rocky foothills of the snow-capped Sword Mountains is the mining town of Phandalin, which consists of forty or fifty simple log buildings. Crumbling stone ruins surround the newer houses and shops, showing how this must have been a much larger town in centuries past.

Phandalin’s residents are quiet, hard-working folk who came from distant cities to eke out a life amid the harsh wilderness. They are farmers, stonecutters, blacksmiths, traders, prospectors, and children. The town has no walls and no garrison, but most of the adults keep weapons within easy reach in case the need for arms should arise.

Source: Dragon of Icespire Peak

Arrival in Phandalin

Phandalin is a quaint town where hardy folk have gone in search of a home and happy life. Unfortunately for the people of Phandalin, the wilds of the Forgotten Realms is a dangerous place, full of bandits, monsters, and more menacing evils.

Portraying this to your players when they first arrive is important to immerse them in the atmosphere and narrative of the town. As the DM, you'll want to paint a picture that captures the charm of the town, but also alludes to the underlying challenges it faces:

Visual Description. Describe the town's layout, from the muddy streets lined with cart tracks to the rustic wooden buildings, some of which show signs of recent repair. The boxed text above serves as a fantastic base that can be reworked for your purposes.

Sounds and Smells. Now that you’ve described what the player characters see, set the hook by describing the distant clang of a blacksmith's hammer, children's laughter echoing from a nearby home, and the inviting aroma of freshly baked bread wafting from a local inn.

Townsfolk. Describe the people of Phandalin going about their daily routines. Farmers leading their livestock to market, traders haggling over prices, and children playing with wooden swords, pretending to be heroes of legend. When interacted with, the townsfolk should be a little rough around the edges, but altogether friendly, welcoming, and helpful.

Underlying Tension. While the town seems peaceful at first glance, take opportunities to hint at the challenges it faces. Perhaps there's a hushed conversation between two townsfolk about the Redbrands, or a notice board with requests for help against monster attacks.

Exploring the Town

Once your players have been introduced to the town, it’s time to let it come to life! Here are some tips when the players decide to have a look around:

The Redbrands

After strolling around the town for a short while, the players should have their first run-in with the Redbrands. This confrontation is a great set piece for new adventurers—if you’re using the Redbrands in your adventure.

These bandits have gotten so used to running the town unchecked that it can give your party an excellent opportunity to deliver some well-needed humility to the ruffians. The Redbrands will likely view your party as low-hanging fruit that is ripe for a shakedown, which will give the party the moral high ground in the subsequent encounter.

This can also serve as the perfect opportunity for the townsfolk to see the party as possible saviors from their troubles, which should make them even more amiable and accommodating to the party.

Lastly, it also gives your players an idea of what to do next. After this encounter, they should come to the realization, “The townsfolk here are too occupied with these ruffians to worry about what we need. We’ll need to deal with these bandits first.”

Rumors Are Your Friend

The townsfolk of Phandalin are used to swapping stories with merchants and other passersby. Maybe they’ll tell your party about their farmer friend who’s having an issue with their crops due to a strange blight.

If your party is starting to wonder, “What’s next?” point them toward the Stonehill Inn, where they can overhear the townsfolk discuss recent events. If they’re not one for pleasantries, you can point them toward a job board filled with quests, like the one featured in Dragon of Icespire Peak.

Key NPCs and Locations

While far from a thriving metropolis, Phandalin has everything a band of burgeoning adventurers needs for questing. Here's a quick overview of locations and NPCs that will be useful to your party during their adventures:

There are also plenty of rumors, townsfolk in need of assistance, and brigands that need dealing with around the town, making it an ideal location for heroes who are just starting out on their heroic careers.

Helpful DM Resources for Running Phandalin

There have been a variety of official materials that use Phandalin as a set piece. Whether you’re looking for an introduction to Dungeons & Dragons, a classic D&D adventure with a quintessential dungeon crawl, or some good old monster-hunting action, there’s something for everyone:

Lost Mine of Phandelver. The first appearance of the frontier town was in fifth edition’s first Starter Set, which included Lost Mine of Phandelver. This adventure serves as an introduction to the game, taking players from 1st to 5th level while teaching them the basics of playing D&D. New groups can combine this adventure with premade characters to gain a foundational understanding of how the game works while they play through this short story.

Dragon of Icespire Peak. Included in the Essentials Kit, Dragon of Icespire Peak is another starter adventure that uses Phandalin as a hub for episodic adventures in the surrounding countryside. This is a great choice for parties that want a bit more autonomy and can even lead into the full-length campaign, Storm King’s Thunder, or the series of expansion adventures, Storm Lord’s Wrath, Sleeping Dragon’s Wake, and Divine Contention.

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk. D&D’s latest adventure reimagines and expands Lost Mine of Phandelver into a full-length campaign that runs from 1st to 12th level. In it, you’ll unearth secrets about the mysterious obelisks that have cropped up in so many fifth edition adventures and that expose Phandalin to its greatest threat yet!

Artist: ALEXANDRE HONORÉ

Adventure Awaits in Phandalin!

So there you have it, adventurers. With this information, you should be set to use Phandalin in your campaigns.

While this welcoming town has a rich history and is full of tough, hard-working folk, be warned. Danger—and therefore adventure—lurks around every corner! Are you and your party ready to take up the challenge and save the town in Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk?

Mike Bernier (@arcane_eye) is the founder of Arcane Eye, a site focused on providing useful tips and tricks to all those involved in the world of D&D. Outside of writing for Arcane Eye, Mike spends most of his time playing games, hiking with his girlfriend, and tending the veritable jungle of houseplants that have invaded his house.