A soldier’s knowledge of Phandalin and its hinterlands would likely be sourced from veteran gossip, historical accounts of military campaigns, and cautionary tales passed down through the ranks over generations.
Intelligence (History) – Soldier Background (Phandalin Lore)
| DC | Difficulty | What the Soldier Might Recall |
| 10 | Easy | Phandalin is situated near an old merchant route known as the Triboar Trail, seen by many as a dangerous shortcut across the Sword Coast between the High Road and the Long Road. It’s said the town was resettled only recently, and that surrounding lands are untamed and dangerous. |
| 15 | Medium | You’ve heard a thing or two about the “Redbrands,” a disreputable sellsword company operating out of Phandalin. Due to the lack of a functioning militia or constabulary, the frontier town has embraced the unsavory mercenaries. Though, if the stories that caravan guards tell can be believed, these Redbrands are little better than the truculent goblin tribes that burn homesteads and attack travelers along the Triboar Trail. |
| 20 | Hard | Though Phandalin is a backwater town of no significant strategic importance, orc hordes have overrun the town and its hinterlands several times throughout the centuries. It’s said there are several ruined towers, castles, and strongholds in the shadow of the Sword Mountains, the remnants of past kingdoms stretching across the lands between the High Road and the Long Road. However, tales of those who once inhabited these sites have passed into time immemorial. |
| 25 | Very Hard | You once heard a performance by an Elven bard who sang a melancholy song he called “The Forgotten Kingdom,” which told the tale Phalorm, a kingdom which fell into ruin nearly a millennium ago. The song was written for the bard’s grandsire, who marched to war with Phalorm, only to perish in the cataclysmic event that created the Mere of Deadmen, destroying the Phalorm’s army. According to the bard, Phandalin was located near the former kingdom’s northernmost border. |
Let’s be mutuals over on Bluesky! If you’re interested, I’m @ticklecorn.bsky.social. I always follow back.
If you’d like to support my work, please consider checking out my supplements for Lost Mine of Phandelver and Dragon of Icespire Peak over on Dungeon Master’s Guild! All of my titles are Free/PWYW offerings.
Leave a Reply