Palien, the Neverwinter hero who defeated several Neverwinter Wood monsters around the time of Thundertree’s founding appears to be a historical figure created specifically for Lost Mine of Phandelver. There’s no mention of this hero in Realmslore prior to the adventure’s publication.

So when the characters come across the weathered, leaning wooden statue dedicated to Palien in Thundertree’s town square, it’s just kind of fluff. There’s nothing of note to work with, other than what I just stated in the paragraph above – which you’ll only get with a successful DC 15 History check. Wheeee!

Omitted from Thundertree’s canon in Lost Mine of Phandelver: according to Realmslore, the hamlet had a shrine dedicated to Waukeen.

So what would a shrine to Waukeen look like?

From the Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide:

Small shrines and private chapels, as distinct from full-fledged temples, are common throughout Faerûn, particularly in areas where a temple doesn’t exist. Shrines tend to be unstaffed, kept up by the locals and visitors who use the place for prayer. A shrine might be as modest as a roadside well, where traveling merchants can drop a coin to request good fortune from Waukeen, or as grand as a statue of Amaunator surrounded by braziers in a pavilion in the middle of a village.

The statue in the town square would be the perfect spot to place Waukeen’s shrine in the form of a statue. It’s a way to insert Faerûn’s pantheon into your game in an organic manner, and does more to faithfully materialize an aspect of the Forgotten Realms for the players at your table than simply giving a name to some weathered wooden statue.

The statue is described as leaning, and even comes with a DC 20 Strength check to knock it over because the game designers assume the players at your table are assholes.

But what if a DC 20 Strength check could also help to straighten the statue of Waukeen (rolled with advantage if additional characters work together in the attempt)? Perhaps that’s a chance to award inspiration to the characters! Or better yet, if the characters find themselves over-matched in their encounter with Venomfang, help un-looked for in the form of a giant eagle (a favored animal of Waukeen) arrives on the scene just as hopes dim – providing you with a “The eagles are coming!” Tolkeinesque moment in your game.

Now there’s a Religion check worth rolling after the battle, when the characters are trying to figure out why a giant eagle just came to their rescue.

With all due respect to Palien, Thundertree deserves better. Consider honoring Waukeen in your game instead, and use the moment to give one of Faerûn’s pantheon a moment to shine in the story.

If you’d like to support my work, please consider downloading my latest title on the Dungeon Master’s Guild, Between The High Road & The Long Road. All of my titles on Dungeon Master’s Guild are free/PWYW. Thanks for reading!