Introduction
ThisbookiswrittenfortheDungeonMaster.Itcontains
acompleteDungeons&Dragonsadventure,aswell
asdescriptionsforeverycreatureandmagicitemthat
appearsintheadventure.Italsointroducestheworldof
theForgottenRealms,oneofthegame’smostenduring
settings,anditteachesyouhowtorunaD&Dgame.
Thesmallerbookthataccompaniesthisone(hereafter
called“therulebook”)containstherulesyouneedto
adjudicatesituationsthatariseduringtheadventure.
RunningtheAdventure
LostMineofPhandelverisanadventureforfourtofive
charactersof1stlevel.Duringthecourseoftheadventure,
thecharacterswilladvanceto5thlevel.Theadventure
issetashortdistancefromthecityofNeverwinterinthe
SwordCoastregionoftheForgottenRealmssetting.The
SwordCoastispartoftheNorth—avastrealmoffree
settlementssurroundedbywildernessandadventure.
Youdon’tneedtobeaForgottenRealmsexperttorunthe
adventure;everythingyouneedtoknowaboutthesetting
iscontainedinthisbook.
IfthisisyourfirsttimerunningaD&Dadventure,read
“TheDungeonMaster”section;itwillhelpyoubetter
understandyourroleandresponsibilities.
The“Background”sectiontellsyoueverythingyouneed
toknowtosetuptheadventure.The“Overview section
describeshowtheadventureisexpectedtorunandgives
youabroadsenseofwhattheplayercharactersshouldbe
doingatanygiventime.The Dungeon Master
TheDungeonMaster(DM)hasaspecialroleinthe
Dungeons&Dragonsgame.
TheDMisareferee.Whenit’snotclearwhatoughtto
happennext,theDMdecideshowtoapplytherulesand
keepthestorygoing.
TheDMisanarrator.TheDMsetsthepaceofthestory
andpresentsthevariouschallengesandencountersthe
playersmustovercome.TheDMistheplayers’interface
totheD&Dworld,aswellastheonewhoreads(and
sometimesalsowrites)theadventureanddescribeswhat
happensinresponsetothecharacters’actions.
TheDMplaysmonsters.TheDMplaysthemonsters
andvillainstheadventurersbattleagainst,choosingtheir
actionsandrollingdicefortheirattacks.TheDMalso
playsthepartofalltheothercharacterstheplayersmeet
inthecourseoftheiradventures,liketheprisonerinthe
goblinlairortheinnkeeperintown.
WhoshouldbetheDMforyourgaminggroup?Whoever
wantstobe!Thepersonwhohasthemostdrivetopullagrouptogetherandstartupagameoftenendsupbeing
theDMbydefault,butthatdoesn’thavetobethecase.
AlthoughtheDMcontrolsthemonstersandvillainsin
theadventure,therelationshipbetweentheplayersand
theDMisn’tadversarial.TheDM’sjobistochallengethe
characterswithinterestingencountersandtests,keepthe
gamemoving,andapplytherulesfairly.
Themostimportantthingtorememberaboutbeing
agoodDMisthattherulesareatooltohelpyouhavea
goodtime.Therulesaren’tincharge.You’retheDM—
you’reinchargeofthegame.Guidetheplayexperience
andtheuseoftherulessothateverybodyhasfun.
ManyplayersofDungeons&Dragonsfindthatbeing
theDMisthebestpartofthegame.Withtheinformation
inthisadventure,you’llbepreparedtotakeonthatrole
foryourgroup.^ *
RulestoGameBy
AstheDungeonMaster,youarethefinalauthoritywhenit
comestorulesquestionsordisputesduringthegame.Hereare
someguidelinestohelpyouarbitrateissuesastheycomeup.
Whenindoubt,makeitup!It’sbettertokeepthe
gamemovingthantogetboggeddownintherules.
It’snotacompetition.TheDMisn’tcompetingagainstthe
playercharacters.You’retheretorunthemonsters,refereethe
rules,andkeepthestorymoving.
It'sasharedstory.It’sthegroup’sstory,solettheplayers
contributetotheoutcomethroughtheactionsoftheir
characters.Dungeons&Dragonsisaboutimaginationand
comingtogethertotellastoryasagroup.Lettheplayers
participateinthestorytelling.
Beconsistent.Ifyoudecidethataruleworksacertainwayin
onesession,makesureitworksthatwaythenexttimeitcomes
intoplay.
Makesureeveryoneisinvolved.Ensureeverycharacterhas
achancetoshine.Ifsomeplayersarereluctanttospeakup,
remembertoaskthemwhattheircharactersaredoing.
Befair.UseyourpowersasDungeonMasteronlyforgood.
Treattherulesandtheplayersinafairandimpartialmanner.
Payattention.Makesureyoulookaroundthetable
occasionallytoseeifthegameisgoingwell.Ifeveryoneseems
tobehavingfun,relaxandkeepgoing.Ifthefuniswaning,it
mightbetimeforabreak,oryoucantrytoliventhingsup.ImprovisingAbilityChecks
Theadventureoftentellsyouwhatabilitychecks
charactersmighttryinacertainsituationandthe
DifficultyClass(DC)ofthosechecks.Sometimes
adventurerstrythingsthattheadventurecan’tpossibly
anticipate.It’suptoyoutodecidewhethertheirattempts
aresuccessful.Ifitseemslikeanyoneshouldhavean
easytimedoingit,don’taskforanabilitycheck;justintroduction