Urmon’s Journal: An Accounting of Phandalin
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Urmon’s Journal: An Accounting of Phandalin

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The journal of an adventurer who found a copy of The Wonders of Phandalin and copied down some of the information from it.

Vala Silverton modified the text and covertly left the journal with Sildar Hallwinter in the hopes that if she does not survive, the possibility of a safe haven he is trying to build here may survive. See post below. 

Basic information Present:

10th Century

  • Phandalin was a farming community of human mages and enchanters.
  • The nearby Dwarven/Gnomish mine Wave Echo Cave was rich in an ore that made for strong enchanted weapons, most famously the mace Lightbringer, which was created for the chosen of Lathander.
  • The humans of Phandalin and the Dwarves and Gnomes of Wave Echo Cave created Phandelver's Pact, which split the profits of Wave Echo Cave and defend one another. 
  • After the alliance, the area became a boomtown and was so well off that it was a rival to Neverwinter.

Early 11th Century

  • Orcs raided the region.
  • All parties of the pact fought together, but were severely outmanned, and were eventually overthrown.
  • Phandalin was razed
  • The Cave was destroyed and lost to History. 

Vala's Additions to Urmons Journal

V R
27 Tarsakh, 1471 DR

While Urmon’s Journal is in her possession, Vala Silverton has an inspiring talk with Sildar  about his hopes for the town: to make the place a true safe haven beyond the grasp of lords. 

a0ba9387-afb5-40c2-9f9f-b0c964d64f14.jpgThat evening after a terrible nightmare (afraid of death and moreso that all of her knowledge could die with her) she sits down and crams every bit of history she can into the margins. Every disasterous city state she can recall from her extensive studies, every blueprint for success she has from her days advising kings. Diagrams. Annotations. Precedents pulled from long-dead border alliances. Trade incentives. Succession gaps. Cultural fracture points. What happens when power consolidates too quickly. Details most scholars ignore because they are inconvenient but fascinate her in their humanity.

Her main focus is what was between the lines of her studies. The quiet ways people stayed safe by staying unnoticed. The kinds of things Lords would not notice or be bored by. She understands now, thanks to Sildar that's the simplest path to safety. 

She circles back repeatedly to the Pact, to unconsolidated power and tries to give every possible example of how to achieve it. In case they don’t come back and Gundren is lost, in the hope that the town may yet survive.

January 9th, 2026 January 23rd, 2026