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Message: <blockquote data-quote="THEMNGMNT" data-source="post: 7993997" data-attributes="member: 6809274">Running a heavily, heavily modified version of Dragon of Icespire Peak for 5 D&D noobs. This was our 11th session. The characters are 4th level.This session had a lot of big reveals for the overall plot. It took place in the abandoned dwarven stronghold of Axeholm, which is now occupied by orcs. The characters ended up there after spotting an orc ambush and quickly coming up with a harebrained scheme to fool the orcs. The half-orc paladin pretended that all the other characters were his prisoners. Except for the druid -- who, wildshaped into a bear, pretended to be his animal companion. The orcs fell for the bluff and suggested the half-orc follow them back to Axeholm. The half-orc agreed to it. So the players went from facing 6 orcs to facing 60 orcs.At Axeholm, it was revealed that the half-orc's father is the ruthless orc chieftan of the tribe, and the tribe's two champions are his half-brothers. The characters also learned that the orcs want a magical artifact from dragon's hoard in Icespire Peak -- the Bloodspear. With it, the chieftan can rally all the orc tribes in the region and raze Phandalin. The half-orc claimed he had received a vision from Gruumsh to recover the Bloodspear and return it to Axeholm.Additionally, the orcs are allied with a secret cult in Phandalin -- Abbathor, the dwarven god of greed. Revik Ironfist -- head of the Miner's Exchange and the most powerful dwarf in Phandalin -- is the cult's leader. He arrived at Axeholm with several dwarven warriors, expecting that tonight he would march with the orcs to Icespire Peak, slay the dragon, and claim the hoard. However, the orc chieftan pitted the dwarven cultists against the player characters. Whoever survived would be his ally.The characters were fighting with literally one hand tied behind their backs because two of them were posing as prisoners and could not fight without breaking the deception. The half-orc paladin defeated Revik Ironfist but was knocked out by the dwarven warriors. Fortunately the druid, wildshaped into a brown bear, was able to kill all four warriors.Next session they'll wrap up in Axeholm and return to Phandalin for a final confrontation against the cult of Abbathor.</blockquote>

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