Keep on the Borderlands - The Path of Evil - Session 29b

SESSION 29b: DAY 13 – CAVES OF CHAOS 

SURPRISE ROUND

·        One of the hobgoblins begins to speak “Vat youz…..”

·        Malandir draws down his bow and fires at the goblinoid. The arrow flies true and strikes the monster in the right shoulder. It’s a terrible wound, made all the worse for the additional Sneak Attack and Point Blank Shot damage. The hobgoblin takes 9pts of damage and is badly wounded. Malandir 5ft steps to the east, towards the entrance corridor. 

·        Lucien yells “We need to drop these quickly as we can to prevent them retreating and sounding an alarm in their home raising more.” He quickly retrieves a scroll and Cause Fear and casts it on the north eastern most hobgoblin. It’s a DC15 Will save against the hobgoblins Will save modifier of +1. The monster rolls a 11 and fails his save and is effected for 2 rounds. The hobgoblin whimpers in fear.

·        [DM’s note: So speedy was the action of Malandir and Lucien that they grabbed the initiative and were able to act in a Surprise Round. All other participants, ie the four hobgoblins, the four men at arms, Ragnar, Kord and Talmark are left Flat Footed and cannot participate in the round.]

ROUND 1A

Monster Initiative: R14 + 2 = 16     Party Initiative: R7 + 0 = 7

·        The hobgoblins are stunned but recover quickly. The hobgoblin affected by the fear spell immediately runs for the north western corner where he continues to cower in fear.

·        The wounded hobgoblin stabs at Kord with his longsword and just misses the cleric.

·        The hobgoblin behind him 5ft steps to the south east and attacks 1-3 Kord, 4-6 Malandir = roll 2 = Kord. He swings his long sword and but misses.

·        The remaining hobgoblin has enough distance to charge either Fremont or Talmark and so he charges 1-3 Fremont, 4-6 Talmark = roll 5 = Talmark. Bursting forth he swings his long sword at the human warrior but misses.

I have to date been a bit haphazard in deciding when the monsters will go for help. To codify it I’ve drafted House Rule #13, shown below. 

HOUSE RULE #13: Going for help. Intelligent monsters will sometimes go for help. Where it is not explicitly noted in the module that the monster will go for help they still may do so. When the monsters have taken 50% casualties, they will make an intelligence test every round and, if they roll their intelligence or less, one of the monsters will go for help and to warn the main tribe of the danger.

ROUND 1B

·        The north western hobgoblins fear token is reduced from 2 to 1.

·        Lucien yells instructions to the men at arms “Clovis, spear Ragnar if he makes any move to help the enemy. Barret and Per, follow Talmarks lead. Freemont, try to corner that hobgoblin in the north western corner and if he tries to run finish him!”

·        Kord 5ft steps to the south east and casts Burning Hands. It’s a DC12 Reflex Save for ½ damage and the hobgoblins have a Reflex Save modifier of +2. He catches three of the brutes under the flames of Asmodeus and they roll 2, 5 and 17 and take 2pts or 1pt of damage respectively.

·        Malandir 5ft steps back away from the monsters to the south east and fires an arrow at the badly wounded hobgoblin in the middle which he critically hits in the right thigh. With blood spurting from a terrible wound, which has opened an artery, the hobgoblin drops to the ground and bleeds out as it takes 13pts of damage.

·        Talmark swings Felldrac at the hobgoblin to his front but he fails to hit the beast.

·        Fremont 5ft steps to the west to start to corner the feared hobgoblin and to start to flank the wounded hobgoblin that Talmark had just attacked. He stabs at it with his spear but he also misses.

·        Barret 5ft steps to the north west and stabs at the hobgoblin to his front and hits it in the right leg for 6pts of damage.

·        Lucien 5ft steps to the south and casts Murderous Command on the southern most hobgoblin. It’s a DC15 Will Save against the hobgoblins Will Save modifier of +1. The hobgoblin rolls an 8 and fails. Next round it will advance upon and attack one of its own party members.

·        Clovis grows at Ragnar who cowers in fear.

·        Per advances to the north and then the west and gets into contact with the north eastern hobgoblin. He drops his torch along the way so that he can use his shield and spear and he stabs at the wounded monster but he misses it.  

ROUND 2A

·        The hobgoblins took their first casualty last round and must take a morale test. They roll 6 and easily pass.

·        The north western most hobgoblin continues to grovel in fear.

·        The southern most hobgoblin 5ft steps to the north and he cannot stay his hand as he obeys Luciens command and stabs at his fellow with his longsword. He’s Flanked his brother hobgoblin against Per and hits him in the back for 7pts of damage, killing him.

ROUND 2B

·        The last remaining fear token is removed from the hobgoblin in the north west corner. He is no longer cowered.

·        Malandir lowers his bow and fires at the hobgoblin in the middle of the room but misses it.

·        Lucien lowers his cross bow and fires at the same hobgoblin and hits it in the left leg for 3pts of damage.

·        Talmark 5ft steps to the west and swings Felldrac at the hobgoblin who had just murdered his fellow but he misses.

·        Fremont 5ft steps to the west and corners the north western hobgoblin. He stabs at it with his spear and hits it in the chest for 7pts of damage.

·        Kord moves 15ft to his west and then the north and swings his heavy mace at the Talmarks hobgoblin but despite having the hobgoblin flanked he misses.

·        Barret 5ft steps to the west and attacks the monster and also misses.

·        Per moves 10ft to the west and south and attacks Talmarks hobgoblin and just misses the brute.

·        Clovis once again growls at Ragnar who lets out a little “Eeep” in response.

ROUND 3A

·        The hobgoblins must take a morale check for having reached 50% casualties. They roll a 4 on 2d6 and will continue to fight. They need to roll an intelligence test to see if one of them will go for help. They roll a 10 on a d20 against an intelligence of 10 and one of them will go for help. It’s not immediately obvious which is the best candidate so 1-3 the northern most one, 4-6 the southern most one = roll 1 = the northern most hobgoblin.

·        The northern most hobgoblin makes a break to get help. To do so he’ll bypass Fremont and Per, both of which will get an attack of opportunity. Freemont attacks first and stabbing with his spear he hits the monster for 8pts of damage. It slumps to the ground dead before it can reach the door.

·        The last hobgoblin attacks 1=Per, 2=Barret, 3=Talmark, 4=Kord, roll 1 = Per. He swings his long sword at the man at arms and hits him in the left leg for 4pts of damage.

ROUND 3B

The party surround the last remaining goblin and attack it viscously with bow, crossbow, spear, heavy mace and two handed sword. It doesn’t survive the round.

The party search the bodies of the hobgoblins and recover 4 long swords 10gp and four sets of ears.

They peer through the secret door and see it leads into a long corridor to the west, at least 30ft, which is the extent of their torch light (I haven’t mapped this section yet). 

DEW

Keep on the Borderlands - The Path of Evil - Session 29

SESSION 29: DAY 13 – CAVES OF CHAOS  

As they move out of Ragnars room towards the rest of the tribe, Talmark turns to Lucien, “I believe Ragnar speaks of kobolds and gnolls and we know there are hobgoblins. But I wonder what he means by “other nasty monsters”? That we’ll need to know for sure.”

Lucien nods in acknowledgement. 

Ragnar points towards the north as he leads the party. 

Lucien responds “Talmark, we’ll question Ragnar more on the other denizens later, for now we must defeat what is immediate and in front of us.”

He turns to Kord and lowers his voice so that Ragnar cannot hear the plan “When we find the rest of the goblins you should go forth into a place of prominence either when we go to them or they come to us so that you can Channel Negative Energy. Take Talmark, Clovis and Per with you. I’ll hang back with the rest of the party, out of range, and I’ll lead them in to finish whatever is left.”

“I agree brother Lucien,” Kord states, “this will be a wonderful day for the power of Asmodeus.”

Lucien recovers his crossbow and bolts from Clovis so that the men at arms can use his spear and shield. 

As the they advance up the northern corridor they turn to the west, then north then west again. They can start to hear the noise of squabbling goblins and Ragnar points excitedly to an opening to a large room in the west “Zey downz here, zey downz here.”

They advance into the room and as the light of their torches breaks the darkness they see a throng of goblins who stare back with a mixture of fear and aggression in their eyes.

Talmark pushes Ragnar forward and Ragnar beings to speak (roll 8 on d20). “We are now party of the BURN…..”

He doesn’t get to finish before Kord, grinning from ear to ear, Channels Negative Energy.

He rolls 4 for damage and the goblins will need to roll a 16 to save. Many fail and in the surprise round both the young, many of the females and about ½ the males (ie the ones that are already wounded) are instantly killed. 

The party wins initiative and Kord Channels Negative Energy again, rolling a 5 for damage, and all the remaining goblins are slaughtered.

Kord is exhausted. He has Channeled Negative Energy six times today and can do it no more. Ragnar is dumbfounded. His tribe is destroyed and he is heavily wounded in the attack, with only 4hp left.

Lucien brings up the rest of the party and they set about the grisly business of looting the bodies, removing the ears of the dead combatant goblins and searching the room. 

The room is full of bales, boxes, crates, barrels and sacks which are stacked and heaped in the large chamber. They contain cloth, food, beer and wine. None appear to be of any special value. It appears that the goblins have been raiding the caravans in the pass and storing their booty here. They find another 4gp between the dead goblins and collect another 4 small short bows and 10 small short swords from the dead male goblin warriors. 

Suddenly a secret door in the western wall opens. Four hobgoblins emerged. They are as surprised as the party. 

Rolling on the Monster Reaction Table an 8 is rolled, -2 as the characters have invaded the space of the hobgoblins and -2 as there have been past hostilities between the groups = 4 = Hostile But No Immediate Attack. 

Stunned the hobgoblins draw their weapons and stare back at the party.

DEW

Keep on the Borderlands - The Path of Evil - Session 28

SESSION 28: DAY 13 – CAVES OF CHAOS  

Lucien wants tugs Talmark on the sleeve and asks the warrior to come with him to talk to Ragnar.

“Ragnar, you see my friend here?  His sword is called Felldrac and it sings to him.  It sings a song of hunger for blood.  Do you see how red it is from your tribe?  You saw the terrible things it did, over and over.  Look at it.  It hungers still.  But I can spare you.  I can save you from this hungry sword if you tell them you made a deal with us. That they are now part of the BURNED MOON tribe, and they will not need weapons for the plans we have to kill the orcs and the rest of the tribes and take it over, all together!"

"The sword Ragnar... look at it. Can you hear it sing, too?"

Talmark leers at Ragnar and growls deeply, holding Felldrac in a way that allows the copious amount of blood to drip from its tip. "Deal, Ragnar. Or feel Felldrac's bite.”

Ragnar cringes in the corner. Roll 9 on D20. “Yez, yez I’ll tellz zem. I’ll tellz zee tribe vat ve’re now partz of zee Burned Moon tribe.”

Malandir watches the action carefully with one eye and his bow aimed at Ragnar and the other keeping a watch on anything that might be sneaking up on them from the northern corridor. 

Kord is struggling to contain himself. He just wants to find the rest of the goblin skum and send them all to Asmodeus by Channelling Negative Energy just a few more times. But he contains himself, sensing that Lucien is probably leading Ragnar into a ruse to get the goblin leader to simply disarm the tribe so that they can be more easily killed. 

Talmark growls at Ragnar, “What else lives around the caves?”

“But don’t youz already knowz? Don’tz ze evil klerics knowz everyzink?”

Talmark clips Ragnar on the side of his head with the pommel of Felldrac. Roll a 3 on D20. 

“Vellz vere is ze orkz to ze north, ze little dog men to ze north east, ze big dog men to ze vest and ze nasty really big goblinz who hide in the dark and hunt little goblinz, zere’re somevere in the north. Zere are other nasty monsterz too but I dunno vere zey all are.”

Talmark grabs Ragnar by the elbow and starts to drag him out of the room. “Show us to your tribe, they ran out of that northern passage” Talmark points out where the rest of the tribe ran. Roll a 5 on D20. 

With his head hung low, Ragnar dutifully starts to lead the party towards the rest of the tribe. 

DEW