You Don’t Have To Leave Wolfy Behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' Your Companions Level Up With You!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sword of Spirit" data-source="post: 6445321" data-attributes="member: 6677017">I'd go with jamesmanhattan's recommendation myself.Whatever you do, don't send them to Thundertree until they are at least 4th level, unless you want a serious risk of a TPK.I'm having characters just come out of Cragmaw Castle. They've talked to the druid in Thundertree for directions ((they had rough directions to the castle from interrogated goblins, but they insisted on asking everyone until they got precise directions; that's my fault for not making it clear that their directions were good enough, and the worst thing likely to happen is that they'd lose a day trying to find the place), but wisely decided to pass on the dragon (at least for now). My challenge will be to get them to do some of the sidequests before heading into Wave Echo Mine.Here's what I'm planning. Gundren will lead them straight back to the mine, but the campsite will have been removed and the evidence of its former presence hidden. The opening to the mine will be hidden with brush and/or boulders. Tracks on the ground will be obscured, numerous, and difficult to follow. If they do follow tracks they will take a winding path to the Triboar Trail, where they will become untrackable (it's a road). Gundren will tell the party that his brothers wouldn't have been stupid enough to go in the mine by themselves (that's why they hired the adventurers to accompany them in the first place!) and he won't be interested in going in either. Since the identity of the Black Spider is unknown to them and they don't have any leads, Gundren will be taking a trip to Neverwinter to ask around and perhaps use some divination magic. In the meantime, he'll tell the characters to report to Sildar, who as already established, wants them to assist in civilizing the area.This gives them at least a tenday or so with nothing they are expected to do except for pursue side quests cleaning up the neighborhood. (They went straight from Redbrands to Cragmaw Castle, as they didn't want to leave their friend Gundren to die if he wasn't dead already). Of course, they might decide to do anything. Maybe they'll ignore Gundren's advice and plow into Wave Echo Cave on their own. Maybe they'll decide to accompany him to Neverwinter so the noble in the group can buy a horse like she's wanted to. Maybe they'll head back to Thundertree, etc.But at least I've made going straight to Wave Echo Cave not the obviously most compelling option, which, as written in the adventure, it really is.</blockquote>

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