Lost Mines of Gelwood

Session 2: Snare and Snap


Campaign Lost Mines of Gelwood
DM Jax

Players

 Gabe, Sean, Kristina, Jordyn
Location Jax's Folks Place
Date August 26, 2025

In the second session, the party continued their adventure in Gelwood, taking time to gather information and supplies before heading back out on the road. They interacted with a dwarven shopkeeper, an overly enthusiastic town master, and a local smith, learning more about the history and key locations in the area. The party's artificer, Jen, arranged to rent the smithy to craft her own tools.

Returning to the site of the previous ambush, the adventurers followed a hidden trail to the mouth of a cave. They were immediately caught in a rope snare trap that hoisted two of the party members into the air. After a brief but tense rescue, they were ambushed by goblins who had the home-field advantage. The combat was challenging, with the goblin boss employing a clever tactic of teleporting behind his allies to avoid being hit. In the end, the party persevered, taking down the goblins and clearing the way to enter the mine.

The session concluded with the party taking a much-needed short rest to heal and prepare for what lies ahead in the goblin-infested cave.

The Party

Key Events

The Town of Gelwood

After a much-needed long rest, the party woke up refreshed and ready to explore the town. They first visited **Barthan's Provisions**, where the dwarven shopkeeper expressed her gratitude for their delivery of supplies. The party was unable to find any potions or medical supplies in the shop, but they did learn some local history about a former adventuring party, the "Ruby Hand," and a missing alchemist.

Next, the adventurers met the town master, a perpetually drunk but well-meaning man, who rattled off a list of quests rather than rumors. The party also stopped by the smithy, where one of the characters, **Jen**, arranged to rent the forge to craft jeweler's tools for a personal project. Finally, they visited the town's shrine, a place where many deities are worshipped, where a player was told their deity had no dedicated shrine.

Return to the Trail

The party decided to return to the location of the previous ambush to find the goblins' hideout. A successful survival check led them to a hidden trail behind a thicket. Shortly after, the trail revealed a trap: a rope snare that hoisted **Wren** and **Gabe** 20 feet into the air. With some quick thinking, their companions were able to cut them down, though one of the characters took a minor fall.

The Goblin Cave

Following the trail further, the party arrived at a cave entrance screened by thick briars and a stream. A character scouting ahead discovered a goblin lookout post. A tense combat ensued, with the goblins getting the jump on the party. The adventurers struggled against a tactical goblin boss who kept swapping places with his allies, making it difficult to land a hit. During the battle, **Wren** was knocked unconscious and incurred a level of exhaustion, but the party eventually rallied and took down the remaining foes. They were able to take a short rest and successfully healed their wounds, preparing to venture into the depths of the cave.

The session ended with the players expressing their excitement for what lies ahead. One player hopes to find a special artifact, another wants to find what's in the cave, and a third hopes to get a new weapon. It looks like the next session will take the party deeper into the goblin stronghold.

Stars & Wishes

Kristina

Gabe

Jordyn

Sean


Act One - Arrival at the Revived Town

Act One - Arrival at the Revived Town

Session 1: Ronceval Road Ambush

DM's Note: The "Triboar Trail" has been renamed to Chemin de Ronceval (Ronceval Road) to better fit the feel of the setting.

Campaign Lost Mines of Gelwood
DM Jax

Players

 Gabe, Sean, Kristina, Jordyn
Location Jax's Folks Place
Date August 5, 2025

The first session of the campaign introduced the adventuring party, who were hired to escort a wagon of supplies to the small town of Gelwood. What began as a simple trip quickly turned into a fight for survival when the party was ambushed by a surprisingly organized group of goblins. The session was defined by a chaotic and incredibly close battle that nearly resulted in a Total Party Kill (TPK) before the party limped into Gelwood to deliver their cargo and receive a new quest.

The Party

Key Events

The Goblin Ambush

The session kicked off with some classic D&D action. While traveling down the Ronceval Road, the party discovered the scene of a recent attack. Sea Nathan, spotting goblins hiding in the thicket, alerted the party. Instead of walking into the trap, they decided to turn the tables, pretending to investigate the scene to lure the goblins into a false sense of security.

The Battle of Wild Swings

The combat that followed was both intense and comical. It began with a bang when Sea Nathan scored a natural 20 on his opening attack, instantly taking down one of the ambushers. However, this early success was followed by a long and brutal series of missed attacks from nearly everyone involved. The dice were cold, and for a while, it seemed like the adventurers and goblins were just trading blows with the air.

A Near TPK

The tide turned when more goblins, including a spellcaster, joined the fight. The encounter quickly became a desperate struggle.

The Bag of Holding Incident

In a bizarre and memorable moment, one of the goblins began stuffing the unconscious Sea Nathan into its Bag of Holding, presumably to take him as a prisoner or a snack for later.

Ren's Clutch Victory

With her friends down and one being abducted, Ren became the party's only hope. She repositioned herself and unleashed a perfectly aimed Magic Missile spell, taking out the last two goblins and saving the party from a certain wipe.

Arrival in Gelwood

The battered but whole party finally arrived in Gelwood. There, they met the brother of their employer, Ruden Rockseeker. He was distraught to learn that Ruden had been captured by the goblins. He explained that his brother carried vital and secret information about the location of the long-lost mine rumored to hold immense riches and powerful magic. He pleaded with the party to track the goblins back to their hideout, rescue his brother, and recover the map.

The Miraculous Revival

After the battle, Ren stabilized Sea Nathan. Believing Zephrael and Jen to be dead, the survivors began burying their fallen comrades. In a shocking twist, both Zephrael and Jen returned to life, clawing their way out of their own shallow graves, leaving the party stunned and the reason for their revival a mystery.

Arrival in Gelwood

The battered but whole party finally arrived in Gelwood. There, they met the brother of their employer, Tharden Rockseeker. He was distraught to learn that Ruden had been captured by the goblins. He explained that his brother carried vital and secret information about the location of the long-lost Mine, a mine rumored to hold immense riches and powerful magic. He pleaded with the party to track the goblins back to their hideout, rescue his brother, and recover the map.