Keep on the Borderlands - The Path of Evil - Session 53l

SESSION 53l: DAY 23 – THE CAVES OF CHAOS 

Mandalir says under his breath, “Let the killings commence!”

With an evil grin on his face Per agrees, “Absolutely! It's clobberin' time!”

Kord says, "May I suggest that we use the power of Asmodeus to weaken them. I haven't Channeled Negative Energy yet today and I can do so up to six times a day. With a small party accompanying me, three in total for that's all that I can protect, we can weaken them using channeling and then fall back to the rest of the party or call them forward as reinforcements when we need too. If we're lucky, we might be able to defeat them quite quickly."

“Lucien is ready,” confirms the unholy cleric. He begins to rummage through his pack looking for the scrolls he’ll use. He readies a Shield of Faith and Murderous Command. He’ll probably use Murderous Command on the strongest looking male if one is obvious. He also readies Cause Fear to cast on another strong male or female when the time comes. 

Malandir says, “I’m keen to accompany the initial assault. Hopefully I’ll drop a female in the first round then make way for another fighter to step into the fray”.

Talmark agrees, "Perhaps we open the door but Per and I keep inside the corridor a little, so as not to have any survivors of Asmodius' wrath team up on us, with Kord and Maladir at our backs. Malandir can shoot through, and we can shield you two from physical attack. If we are getting the best of them then we can all flow into the room for clean-up. Do you think this will work?”

“It’ll work fine,” responds Kord. “Let’s go before we lose the element of surprise. Sooner or later they’ll be wondering what happened to that other female”

As they leave Malandir turns to Fremont and says “Get one of the men to pick up my caltrops for me will you. I’ll get them from you later.”

And then they head off. 

Lucien coordinates the men at arms. He positions them to be just outside of the burst radius of Kord’s Channel Negative Energy, but also in a position so that one of the men at arms can keep watch down the western corridor. “It would be terrible,” he thinks to himself,” if we were to be flanked now.”

 

There is no handle on the door. Per gives it the lightest of nudges and it’s apparent that it’s not stuck or locked. 

He pushes the door open. The light spell upon Kord’s shield together with the fire pit fully light the room. There are piles of bedding and old garments in the eastern end of the room. In the south west three females tend to the fire as they cook a meal whilst in the main room another three females, three males and three female infants play. 

SURPRISE ROUND

·        Kord immediately Channels Negative Energy for 3pts of damage. It’s a DC 14 Will save and the bugbears have a Will save modifier of +1 and hence will need to roll a 13 or better to save. All are in range except one of the infants. Rolling for the males first, then females, then infants from left to right and top down we get the following 20, 3, 17, 4, 16, 17, 8, 9, 11, 15 and 16. The monsters take 3 and 1 point of damage accordingly. Whilst it’s not a devastating attack, Kord consoles himself that he’s certainly caused a lot of damage across the group.

·         With his glaive, Per can reach three of the females from the door. He immediately stabs at the flatfooted female to the south east hoping to kill her and then cleave another but in his haste he misses. (5/11)

·        Talmark could move into the room and get into a position to cleave but he decides it would be better to stay in formation for the moment. He attacks the flat footed female to his south east and catching her off guard he rips her asunder ending her life as he delivers 12pts of damage. (9/15)

·        Malandir fires his bow at one of the big females. He chooses the one directly to the east of Talmark as it’ll be an unimpeded shot but the arrow flies wide in all the confusion. (3/8)

ROUND 1A

Party initiative roll = 20 + 0 = 20

Bugbear initiative roll = 15 + 1 = 16

·        Kord immediately Channels Negative Energy again this time dealing 2pts of damage. Saving throws as follows 17, 3, 18, 4, 18, 8, 11, 18, 15, 12. The monsters take 2 or 1 point of damage respectively.

·        Per can still attack 2 females from his position. He strikes at one who still looks like she is off guard and with a nimble step he bypasses his her defences as he delivers a gruesome, conclusive shank and 15pts of damage. He immediately Cleaves at the remaining female in range and his vicious stab connects with almost poetic grace as he delivers 12pts of damage, killing the second female. (11/17)  (15/21)

·        Talmark decides that they are winning the battle and he’ll charge into the fray to keep the momentum. He runs over the body of one of the fallen females giving himself the chance to attack a male and potentially Cleave a female. He swings Felldrac at the male and with a casual twist of his wrist he carves into the monster as he delivers 14pts of damage. Already weakened by Channel Negative Energy, the male cannot sustain the damage and falls to the ground dead. Talmark cleaves at the female and his foe now looks disfigured as she shreds a thick layer of anatomy from her. As he watches it fall to the ground so does the female with 18pts of damage being delivered. (14/22) (18/26)

·        With a clear shot, Malandir fires at one of the remaining flat footed females and his arrow strikes true. The sudden disappearance of the arrow into her body is disquieting until it passes all the way through and free. Delivering 7pts of damage he almost drops her on the spot. (15/20)

·        Kord calls for Lucien and the reinforcements to come. He is aware that Talmark is now in a very vulnerable position as his cleave and charge action have left him off balanced (and -4 to his AC).

·        Lucien instantly double moves with the men at arms 40ft towards the fray.  

DEW