Lost Mine of Phandelver: A Mini Campaign for Beginners
Begin your D&D journey in Lost Mine of Phandelver! A friendly, beginner-safe campaign with clear rules, teamwork, and heroic adventure.
$25.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Friday - 12:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 2.5–3 hours
Campaign Length / 7–10 Sessions
0 / 4 Seats Filled
Report Adventure
StartPlaying Money Back Guarantee
If your game doesn't happen, we guarantee a refund. Just reach out to StartPlaying Support. Refund Policy
About the adventure
Lost Mine of Phandelver is a complete Dungeons & Dragons 5e campaign that takes characters from level 1 to level 5 and is designed to be an easy, welcoming entry point into long-form play. The adventure begins in the frontier town of Phandalin, where a simple job quickly becomes a much larger mystery involving missing allies, dangerous factions, and a long-forgotten mine rumored to hold powerful secrets. Along the way, players will explore hostile hideouts, negotiate with NPCs, uncover hidden plots, and face a variety of tactical combat encounters. This campaign focuses on classic D&D play: exploration, meaningful choices, teamwork, and cinematic combat. You will have opportunities to approach problems in multiple ways—through roleplay, planning, creativity, or direct action. Your decisions will shape how events unfold and how the people of Phandalin respond to the party. This is a full, structured campaign run over about 7–8 sessions. The adventure follows the official storyline while still leaving room for character backstories, personal goals, and player-driven moments. The table is run in a supportive and relaxed environment. Rules are explained as they come up, questions are always welcome, and new players are never expected to already know how everything works. The goal is to provide a smooth, engaging campaign that feels exciting without being overwhelming. This game is a great fit if you are brand new to D&D and want to experience a full campaign, not just a one-shot, or if you have played a little before and want a comfortable, well-paced table. It is ideal for players who enjoy a balanced mix of roleplay, exploration, and combat, and who like working together as a group to solve problems and move the story forward. Veteran players are also welcome. Experienced players should expect a table that prioritizes group fun, teamwork, and smooth pacing over rules lawyering or competitive play. This game may not be the best fit if you are looking for heavy homebrew systems, experimental rules, a high-lethality survival experience, or a fully open sandbox with no central storyline. My focus as a DM is clear communication, fair rulings, comfortable pacing, and making sure every player has space to participate. We will use safety tools, take breaks as needed, and keep the table welcoming and respectful for everyone. If you are looking for a complete D&D campaign that is approachable, fun, and easy to jump into—while still offering meaningful story and exciting encounters—this is a great place to begin.
Game style
Combat Lite
Roleplay Lite
Rule of Cool (RoC)
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
3 years on StartPlaying
1 game hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
Greetings weary traveler! You're just a few clicks away from your next journey through the forgotten realms, or perhaps embarking on your first adventure. I am The Custodian. I've been given the task of making sure you find your proper spot among our ranks. It matters not where you come from, or how long you've been traveling. My only concern is that you have the heart to finish the jobs you start. So I ask you now.....Do you have what it takes? Or will you falter like so many before you?
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
This game uses Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition (2014 rules). Characters will begin at Level 1 and will be created using either the Standard Array or Point Buy. Rolling for ability scores is not used in this game. This game uses the original 2014 character creation rules. Optional rules and revised character options from later updates are not in use unless specifically stated in a future listing. All official 5e races, classes, and subclasses published under the 2014 ruleset are allowed. Unearthed Arcana, homebrew content, and third-party material are not permitted for this game. Characters should be created with teamwork and beginner play in mind. This campaign is designed for new and returning players, and character concepts that support cooperative play and shared spotlight are strongly encouraged. If you are brand new to D&D, you do not need to prepare a character in advance. I am happy to help you create your character during the session or provide a ready-to-play pre-generated character if you prefer. Characters will be created and played using Foundry VTT. Voice will be handled through Discord. No prior experience with either platform is required. Please do not optimize characters for extreme damage, rule exploitation, or disruptive mechanical builds. This game focuses on learning the system, collaborative storytelling, and a smooth introduction to core D&D play. If you have a character idea you are unsure about, feel free to message me before the session and I will happily help you make it fit the game.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Before the session, players will need to complete the following quick setup steps: 1. Discord Players must have Discord installed and join my private game server. All voice chat and table communication will take place through Discord. 2. D&D Beyond (free account) Players will need a free D&D Beyond account and should create their character there before the session. If you are brand new to D&D or unsure how to build a character, I am happy to help you create one during the session or provide a pre-generated character. 3. The Forge (free account for Foundry access) Players will need a free account on The Forge in order to access our Foundry VTT game. The Forge hosts the game and provides the login link to the virtual tabletop. No paid subscriptions are required for any of the above services. All necessary links (Discord server invite and Foundry game link) will be provided after you sign up. No prior experience with Discord, D&D Beyond, Foundry, or The Forge is required. A short walkthrough will be provided at the start of the session if needed, and I am happy to help troubleshoot any connection issues before we begin. If you have any questions or run into problems setting things up, feel free to message me ahead of time and I will help you get ready.
What Runes and Revelations brings to the table
I provide a fully hosted and guided online D&D experience using Foundry VTT through The Forge. This includes: A prepared virtual tabletop with maps, lighting, walls, and tokens All encounters, scenes, and handouts needed for the adventure Integrated character sheets and automation inside Foundry Music and ambient audio when appropriate Clear rules guidance and reminders during play A beginner-friendly table environment with patience for questions and learning I handle all technical setup for the game itself. Players only need a browser and the provided access links. As the DM, I focus on: smooth pacing clear explanations of rules and options fair and consistent rulings making sure every player has time in the spotlight I also provide: help with character creation before or during the session if needed pre-generated characters for players who prefer to jump straight in table safety tools and a respectful, welcoming play environment My goal is to make the game easy to join, easy to understand, and fun to play—whether this is your very first D&D session or you already have some experience.
Homebrew rules
This game uses a small number of light house rules intended to keep play fast, fun, and cinematic: Potions as a Bonus Action. Drinking a potion yourself may be done as a bonus action. Natural 1s and Natural 20s matter. A natural 1 represents a clear failure, and a natural 20 represents a clear success. These results are treated as especially meaningful in the moment and may carry additional narrative impact when appropriate. In general, I am flexible with rules when it improves pacing, supports the story, or creates a more enjoyable moment at the table. I may occasionally bend or simplify a rule if it clearly adds to the experience and does not take away from player agency, fairness, or fun. Any ruling made during play is always intended to be: fair to everyone at the table easy to understand and focused on keeping the game moving smoothly If a rules question comes up that would slow down the session, I may make a quick ruling and revisit it after the game if needed. The goal of these house rules is not to change how D&D works—but to keep the game flowing and make moments feel exciting and memorable.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Runes and Revelations creates a safe table
My goal is to create a fun, inclusive, and supportive environment for all players. Your comfort and enjoyment are a top priority at my table. I use the following safety tools to ensure a welcoming and respectful experience: -Lines & Veils to establish content boundaries before play -Green / Yellow / Red system during play to adjust tone and intensity in real time -Open Door policy (players may step away at any time for any reason) -Regular breaks during longer sessions -We will have a brief Session Zero / safety check-in at the start to set expectations and answer questions. I am always available after the session if you’d like to give feedback, discuss concerns, or talk about your experience.
Content warnings
Safety tools used