Phandelver and Below The Shattered Obelisk, DM Guide Chapter Two Walk-through

Main Ideas and DM Guidance

Chapter 2 Works Best as a Town Hub

Chapter 2 mainly describes Phandalin, its residents, and the places where characters can find quests. Many of those quests and their locations appear in Chapter 3, so the chapters are likely to overlap during play.

The DM should plan how and when to introduce quests. Rather than giving the party every available mission at once, offer a few leads at a time. This helps the campaign feel like a developing story instead of a list of side quests.

The narrator recommends beginning Chapter 2 with the party at level 2. The characters arrive in Phandalin in the evening, making the Stonehill Inn a natural place to stay and hear local news.

Connect the Campaign’s Two Halves

The later material shifts toward eldritch horror, while the early adventures focus on more conventional frontier dangers. The narrator suggests adding subtle hints of the strange events to come so the transition feels less abrupt.

One optional piece of backstory is that a mysterious force—not simply bandits—destroyed the old settlement. The DM could connect this to a black obelisk discovered in the mine, studied by wizards, and then exploded, scattering its pieces. This is a suggested alteration, not required campaign history.

Introduce Rumors Selectively

The Stonehill Inn’s common room offers several rumors and leads:

• Daran Edermath, the orchard keeper, was once an adventurer.
• The Redbrands harass local businesses but avoid the Miner’s Exchange, run by Halia Thornton.
• The townmaster wants help with marauders on the eastern end of the Triboar Trail. Goblins have reportedly been seen with them.
• Sister Garaele recently returned injured from an errand.
• Pip’s friend Carp discovered a secret tunnel in the woods but fled when Redbrands appeared.
• The Redbrands killed local woodcarver Thel Dendrar, and his wife and children have since disappeared.

The DM should avoid presenting every rumor at once. The narrator recommends initially emphasizing Sister Garaele’s lead and Halia Thornton’s connection to the Redbrands, then introducing other information when it becomes relevant.

A Recommended Quest Sequence

1. Settle the party in town. Use the Stonehill Inn and a small number of chosen rumors to orient the characters.
2. Introduce the town’s main contacts.
   • Sildar Hallwinter asks the party to find Cragmaw Castle and deal with the goblins there, offering 500 gp. He also asks for help locating the wizard Iarno.
   • Barthen’s Provisions pays the party 10 gp each for delivering supplies. The shop also sells adventuring gear costing 25 gp or less.
   • Halia Thornton, who runs the Miner’s Exchange, asks the party to deal with the Redbrands. The narrator describes her as a Zhentarim agent who wants to replace the Redbrands’ influence in town. A successful DC 15 Insight check can reveal her ulterior motives.
3. Send the party on Sister Garaele’s short mission. Garaele, an elf cleric and Harper, asks the characters to negotiate with the hag Agatha using a silver comb. The book’s reward is three healing potions; the narrator suggests also having Garaele reveal the location of Cragmaw Castle.
4. Intensify the Redbrand threat when the party returns. The townmaster, Harbin Wester, can tell the party that the Redbrands murdered Thel Dendrar and that his family has gone missing. This gives the characters a meaningful choice between pursuing the Redbrands and going after Gundren at Cragmaw Castle.
5. Give the party a way to find the Redbrand hideout. Possible leads include:
   • Redbrands confronting the party in the street, giving the characters a chance to capture and question one.
   • Hearing that the Redbrands frequent the Sleeping Giant tavern.
   • Pip telling them about Carp’s discovery of a secret tunnel near the Alderleaf farm. This route gives the party an advantage when entering the hideout.

The narrator’s preferred broad progression is a short early side mission, followed by the Redbrand hideout and then Cragmaw Castle, with other Chapter 3 side quests available afterward. The party’s priorities may change once both the missing family and Gundren’s situation are in play.

Phandalin’s Key Setting Details

• Phandalin is a small settlement built on and around the remains of an older town. Many newer buildings stand on old stone foundations.
• The Stonehill Inn, near the town green, is a natural gathering point. Its innkeeper, Toblen Stonehill, fears retaliation against his family if he openly opposes the Redbrands.
• Phandalin has little formal law enforcement. The elected townmaster, Harbin Wester, acts as a judge but is initially inclined to downplay the Redbrands’ abuses.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Speaker: Dad the Dungeon Master, the video’s sole narrator.
• Other speakers: No guest speakers or separately voiced sources appear. The narrator discusses the Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk adventure and its characters and quests.