Where the Magi Went to Die | Lost mines of Phandelver
Your simple escort job becomes a hunt for a lost mine—and the ancient secret that someone has spent centuries keeping hidden.
$10.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Thursday - 4:00 PM UTC
Session Duration / 4–5 hours
0 / 5 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
The frontier town of Phandalin calls for brave souls. A simple escort job to deliver supplies turns treacherous when your dwarf patron is kidnapped and goblins swarm the road. Now you must navigate a web of bandit raids, uneasy alliances, and a mystery buried deeper than any mine shaft—the legendary Forge of Spells, lost for centuries beneath the ruins of Wave Echo Cave. But you are not the only ones searching. Rival adventurers, ruthless brigands, and darker forces all have their eyes on Phandalin. The town itself is a tinderbox—dwarves trying to reclaim their heritage, humans seeking fortune, and a shadowy organization pulling strings from the shadows. Every ally you make could be a lifeline. Every enemy you create could be your end. This game is for players who love roleplay over combat. Social encounters drive the story—negotiating with factions, earning trust, uncovering secrets. Combat is rare, dangerous, and avoidable. Your choices echo—allies made or betrayed, lives saved or lost. Your backstory matters. Your growth is the narrative. You start as nobodies. Who you become is written in the choices you make. The world does not care if you live or die. But the story you build together—that might just change everything.
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Roleplay Heavy
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(6)
2 years on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Storytelling, Sets the Mood, Creativity
Average response time: Under 1 hour
Response rate: 100%
About me
I’ve been a GM for 13 years, running everything from fantasy like The Witcher to the grim dark future of Warhammer 40k. I’ve ran many systems, but my heart lives in worlds that don’t care if you live or die. My games are not for the faint of heart—expect bleak choices, rare but brutal combat, and a focus on social encounters. I will never just throw you into the dark. In and out of game, I’ll help you build your character, navigate the world, and find your place in it so you can push your limits without breaking. You will be challenged. You will not be abandoned.
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
We'll handle everything during Session 0—no pressure to arrive with a finished character. Stats will be generated using heroic rolls (4d6, drop the lowest, assign as you like), so expect characters who feel capable but not invincible. Starting level is 1, as the module recommends. We'll build characters together on Roll20, where we'll also be playing. I'm open to official published content—core books, Xanathar's, Tasha's, etc.—but please avoid homebrew or unearthed arcana without checking with me first. I'm happy to work with you on backstory integration; the more you give me, the more I'll weave into the plot. If you have questions before Session 0, reach out anytime. I'm here to help.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
We will play on roll20 so an account for that is necessary, we will communicate via google meets (cameras are appreciated but not necessary) and we will use Watch2Gather for music and ambiance
What Cray brings to the table
Combat is intense, tactical, and unforgiving. Enemies fight smart—they flank, they exploit weaknesses, they do not pull punches. But I am always on your side. I'll offer tactical advice when asked and ensure you have the information needed to make informed choices. I want you to win—but I want you to earn it. I bring the world to life. Every NPC gets a voice, every scene has thematic music, every location breathes with atmosphere. I work closely with you on backstory integration—your past isn't decoration, it's the foundation of the plot. Lost family, old debts, buried trauma—I will weave it all into the narrative. I embrace the Rules as Written for consistency and fairness, except when the story demands otherwise. The Rule of Cool has its place—but only when it serves the moment, not when it breaks the world. This is a game where choices echo. Your growth is the narrative. And when you sit around that campfire, sharing your struggles—that's where the real magic lives.
Homebrew rules
I don't have many hard homebrew rules and all of those i use we always have to all agree to them. The caveat being if you can do it so can the enemies, so if you the barbarian wants to carry the parties gnome wizard in the backpack to let the wizard fire magic missiles in safety, we all agree to it but don't be surprised if the enemies get their own "pocket archers" soon enough.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Cray creates a safe table
On session 0 we will talk about topics we would rather avoid or things that should not be mentioned or even hinted at under no circumstance. Outside of that at the end of every session i take feedback on what went well and what didn't land as well as it could have. My DMs are always open if anyone is uncomfortable with what is happening right now and i do not mind taking a break and moving on from the scene.
Content warnings
Safety tools used