A few months back my son said he wanted to play a campaign of D&D with the family, but he didn’t want to be the dungeon master. I volunteered to DM despite having no experience even playing D&D before. I buried myself in books and websites and learned some tricks of the trade. We started playing a few weeks ago, and I started to take notes, so I’m going to keep our session notes here from now on, as the textblock in dndbeyond.com was getting full. Enjoy!

---

Chapter 1: The Beached Leviathan

The Beached Leviathan bar in Neverwinter was once a pirate ship, until one fateful trip it ran aground and was never able to get free. Seeing the profit in everything Harrag, the captain, became the owner of a tavern with a nautical theme.

The weathered exterior of this retired sailing vessel conceals a magnificent interior decorated in fine oak and cherry woodwork, albeit well scarred from years of bar fights and drunken vandals. Old nautical lanterns and fishing nets decorate the walls amid the remains of sahuagin skulls and the carapaces of giant crabs.

An encoded system of bell chimes direct the waitstaff in their duties, as a platform, suspended by block and tackle, transports food and drink between the three floors of the tavern through a central shaft.

On the deck of the ship, amid the more expensive private seating, a group performs sea shanties with citterns and hand drums, but the sound of their music resonates throughout the tavern.

A human woman with eyes like the ocean and long purple wavy hair walks in and, looking around, finds the only table with an open seat and asks to join the rather young looking human male with hair black as night and pale skin and his companion, a precocious female wood elf with equally pale skin, white hair, and light eyes strumming a lute quietly. “Please join us, beautiful” the wood elf says in her best sultry voice, “I’m Elivania, you can call me El, and this sullen young boy is Isaac”

“I’m not sullen, whatever that means, I’m a great fighter I will show everyone and they will know the name Isaac Solaris in every town” Isaac says emphatically.

“Pleased to meet you both, my name is Amethyst Wren, a cleric by trade, I’m new to town and looking for some adventure” looking more to the wood elf than the human and asks “Have you been on many adventures around here?”

“I’m new here too, and Isaac is fresh out of squiring for a local knight, just got himself some fancy chainmail and a sword so he’s looking to prove himself” Elivania explains with a smirk.

They order a few rounds of ale, and become more familiar with each other for a while before Amethyst looks towards the door and sees a stout dwarf with a bushy red beard walk in, recognizing him she beckons the dwarf over to the table. “Hey Gundren, been a while, these are my new friends Elivania and Isaac, this is Gundren Rockseeker, I knew him during the war, he’s a great fighter.”

“Haha, yer too kind, lass, those were diff’rent times. Well met, my friends. You can pour out that watery swill you’re drinking. A round of proper dwarven stout for the table! I’m declaring this a celebration” the dwarf exclaims with a toothy grin.

“What are you celebrating, Gundren?” asks Isaac.

“I found the… Ha! You almost got me, but I’m not going to talk about it here. Too many ears about, if you catch my meaning. Suffice to say, if this business down in Phandalin sorts out, there’ll be so much gold to go around that you’ll be wetting your short clothes.” Gundren explains, catching himself before spilling too much of his secret.

Gundren leans in close and whispers “Listen up, Me and Sildar here, we’re leaving for Phandalin in the morning. We’ve got some business down there that’s a mite urgent. An associate of mine is putting together a cartload of supplies that we’ll be needing, but the cart won’t be ready until the day after tomorrow. What do you say to bringing it down to Phandalin for us? I’ll make it worth your while, ten gold for each of you.”

“Anything to get out of this town, mister” Isaac says

“I’ll help you out” says Amethyst

“This place is getting pretty dull, I’m in” explains Elivania

Gundren beams “Great! In two days head over to the Seven Suns Coster market and ask for Milo Goodbarrel, he’s preparing my cart and he’ll be expecting you. Head straight down the High Road to the Triboar Trail and then on to Phandalin, where you will bring the cart and its contents to Elmar Barthen, the owner of Barthen’s Provisions; he will pay you upon delivery. It shouldn’t take you more than a few days travel and I’ll no doubt have a lot more, and better paying, work for you once you are there. I think we should turn in, Sildar, we have an early start in the morning. Good night to you, and good luck on your journey.”

• Family
• Table Top