Phandalin

The frontier town at the center of the campaign, living in the shadow of the white dragon threat.

Known locations:

• The quest board & Quest Master — where the work comes from.
• Harbin Wester’s house — the townmaster pays out here, behind many locks.
• The inn — limited gnome intel, and at least one Zhentarim watcher among the patrons.
• The Miner’s Exchange — run by Guildmaster Holia Thornton, who is more than she appears. There is a trap door in the floor behind her desk that closes flush into the boards, with no visible seam or handle. Thom and Bean watched her and her guards descend to what she calls their recon point, then found the catch and opened the hatch themselves.
• The Lionshield Coster — arms and armor. Locked at night, open the next morning for Barnaby’s bow, Dax’s shield and Hamish’s whip. Shield decoration was offered but not commissioned (Session 9).
• Barthen’s Provisions — general supplies. Barthen discounted Thom’s scroll supplies and component pouch in exchange for recommendations, then bought the small gems and great emerald for 500 gp altogether (Session 9).
• The burned houses — several buildings still standing open to the weather from a raid the town has not repaired. One of them makes a serviceable hiding place.

Regional concerns: rising orc activity (Adabra’s warning, the tracks and encampment near the excavation), and the white dragon, which stopped being a rumor when it destroyed Umbrage Hill — taking with it the windmill Phandalin’s entire supply of healing potions depended on.

Who runs the town is now in question. Harbin Wester is the townmaster and the banker both. Guildmaster Thornton intends to have the office, has told her own people so, and said the adventurers had brought her everything she needed. How their information would secure the office remains unclear.

In Session 9 Thom and Bean returned from below the Exchange and told the whole party about the traps, occupied hall, Thornton’s office and second escape hatch. Their readings of her wider plans remained interpretations. Three hooded figures searched the inn; the innkeeper kept the alibi Thom had paid 3 gp for. The party slept undisturbed.

Harbin learned the tunnels were still used and paid 300 gp for the intelligence and entrance information. After shopping and selling the gems, the party left with Don-Jon Raskin for Mountain’s Toe Gold Mine. The logging delivery and reported attack at Butterskull Ranch remain future work.