Okie dokie here we go.
Background: A large city located on the coastline has been beset wiht heavy rainfall causing the sewers ro overflow into the streets. On top of the rampant disease this is spreading tribes of Grindylows normally kept in check by regular sweeps of the sewers ahve grown bolder and begun raiding the city above them taking captives and loot into the depths below. Your group has been tasked with finding and eliminating as many of the tentacled bastards as you can. This encounter represents your first meeting with a group of the creatures and their pets in the sewers.
Going in
Go ahead and make any necessary adjustments your character would have made before beginning the sewer search in earnest up to and including buffs. For time keeping's sake you have explored the sewer for up to an hour now before this encounter. Keep in mind with your prepped spells that there will be two other consecutive encounters after this of harder difficulty both having completely different scenarios so keep this in mind. You can make appropriate knowledge checks in your first post to learn what you need to about the monsters you are after.
The environment:
The sewers here are pitchblack (need a lightsource if human or have low light) and the water, normally only being about ankle height at best is now roughly waist height on a medium character. This means small characters have to swim or else have an alternate means of getting around. Medium characters treat the water as difficult terrain.
So characters can go ahead and make their first posts to make any necessary preparations then we'll get things started.
Damn It! Thunar thought to himself. I shouldn't be here mucking around in the ...Muck. But a bet is a bet and he had lost. The terms were he would come down and try to rescue Pharin's sister. He played his light around the water and tried to remember what he could about Grindylaws.
It wasn't much, they were squid faced goblins who could probably swim through this stuff without thinking. The idea that one could be sneaking up him right now was causing his back to itch. He nods to the Elf who came down here with him.
"Well, I for one have no idea where to start. Any idea as to where the little buggers might be hiding?'
"All right, fellas! Here's a bottle of liquid healing for everyone; if you get hurt, drink that and don't come to cry for a cure spell. Because I don't have any to spare."
"But Delia. I didn't get you anything." Thunar says laughing as he takes the potion. He stands for a few moments, lost in thought as if wrestling with some inner demon and then says. "Actually, I have three Cure Lights I picked up just in case if anyone needs one.
Boris accepts the potion with a grunt, and stuffs it away in one of his many belt pockets. "I'm with the short guy. On with it." He trudges forward through the muck.
While trudging, he tried to recall anything he might have heard about grindylows. Apart from the fact that they were obviously a bunch of slimy buggers.
Basil can tell you that the sewers are typically inhabited by any number of strange creatures. Given that the city has been destroyed numerous times there are parts of the old ruins that simply meld into the sewers becoming homes to things such as Otyughs, chuuls, skum, and other horrros. Most of these are satisfied vying with each other over territory particularly the rather prolific grindylow and sewer squid population below.
Thunarr knows a fair amount about GRinylows but of particular interest is their writhing tentacles which while not particularly deadly can entangle and trip up people who stand next to them making them a particular hazard in this environment.
Splashing around in the water your brilliant bullseye lantern makes stealth difficult and before long you do not find the grindylows so much as they and there meat eating turtle pets find you.
As they leap out of the water at your group you barely have a chance to throw your weapons up in defense before they are upon you.
SURPRISE ROUND! Thunarr is the only one who beat their lowest stealth check so he gets to act.
In fact Thunarr goes first before them.
Once surprise round is done initiative will be rolled for round 1
With a roar and a curse, Boris twisted his body into an awkward angle in order to draw his greatsword in the cramped quarters.
He rapidly raised the sword over his head, and brought it down on the creature appearing from a side tunnel, handling the claymore like it was a mere childs toy.
Thunar holds the latern high, trying to pierce through the murky water, convinced the grindylows will try and stealthily swim. Sure enough, he spots a fleeting shape headed towards him and too late realizes what it is. "Turtles!" he yells and tries the thump one of the beasts on the snout as hard as he can to discourage it.
Not quite getting why Thunarr would scream "Turtles" nor understanding the danger they represent several small snapping forms bob out of the water along wiht the Grindylows and bite, or stab with terrible glee.
"NO TOUCH TURTLE! WE LOVE TURTLE! WE EAT YOU!" One Grindylow proclaims as it stabs Thunarr in the torso the smell of blood attracts the turtle who moves into his square (provoking an AoO) to nibble on his flesh. The rest of the turtles pick a favored target and swim in to bite and gnash at your waists and legs while you try and fend off the threat of the grindylows. Two manage to flank boris and give him a nasty stab as well.
As the combined swarm of horrific goblin squids and man eating turtles descends upon you battle becomes truly joined.
Boris
Thunarr
Delia
Bjorn
Basil
Goodguys:
Bad guys win.
Boris manages to evade the Grindylows assaults but not their tentacles as they knock him from his stance and he goes face first into the water. Boris disappears save the glint of a large blade flying out of the water like a steel shark fin and decapitating one of the Grindylows.
Thunarr is not so lucky taking another spear to the chest that opens more blood into the water.
The turtles themselves are mere distractions compared to their larger masters.
REST OF GROUP IS UP!
"Woa!" Thunar says as the grindylow raises from the deep beside him. "God, you're hideous, kinda remind me of an old girlfriend tha.." His conversation is cut short by the spear thrust. Suddenly he looks serious.
"There's your goddam turtle! And I'm gonna eat your goddam turtle! And I think I'm wanting some squid on the side."
As he talks he smashes his fist into the side of the grindylow's face, followed by a head butt straight into the mass of writhing tentacles.
Délia mutters something to herserself about Norgorber being way cool, then splits into two identical Délias that both stab at the grindylow nearest to her!
Nothing left but one grindy low and the turtle on basil.
Norgorber is displeased that you mutter anything about him in the company of other. Ever.
And that's that. All enemies down in a round.
"Well, glad to see I chose my company wisely."
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Okie dokie go ahead and get your heals around and mark off consumables.
NExt fight will be in a completely different scenario and I will include the NPC sorcerer. Unlike the last fight which could be a potential ambush either way you have a chance to turn the tables (or have them turned on you). I'll also work out a way to test some skills here and there.
Oh and a hostage will be involved.
Boris surfaces from the muck with a grimace. He takes a moment to wipe his eyes clean, and then flexes his torso, testing out the wound in his side. "This could use patching."
Building next encounter now so we'll be ready again once you get the heals spread out.
Thunar collects the two turtles he killed and wraps them in a sack that he puts back into his backpack. He then makes his way to Björn. "Little bastard stabbed me twice so I'll take some of your healing if you're offering.
"Many thanks, and I know these wands cost money. Here's some to defray the cost, consider it a donation to your order." and he hands 3 platinum coins to the dwarf.
Thunar pockets the money, although being in someone's debt obviously bothers him. Eventually, he smiles after the halfling and hurries to get back in front with the latern.
Boris doesn't sheathe his sword this time. Those filthy buggers won't get the drop on him again!
Your npc sorcerer mate has a problem. A couple of weeks ago he took the task of clearing out a local tomb of some zombies. This task proved far too difficult for him to manage alone. So he decided to approach a group of hobgoblin mercenaries to do the job for him. He figured he could take the eward, take the credit, and brush off the hobgoblins who wouldn't be let in town from the start.
Unfortunately Hobgoblins tend ot take the breaking of one's word personally. Thus, in lieu of taking money they took his sister instead. In the ransom note (written in the sister's terrified shaky hand) the hobgoblins propse that he pays three times the amount promised, or present himself in exchange of his sister, or whatever torments they reserved for him will be inflicted on his sister tenfold before they deliver the shattered remains to his kin with a bloody note detailing what happened to her and especially why.
So, the sorcerer has sold all that he has that is valuable to gather the funds necessary and a little extra so he could hire you.
What he would prefer is that you killed all the hobgoblins and split the gold between you (you being half to him and half to you). He has a reputation now and he'd like to preserve it. Having a bunch of hobgoblins running around spreading lies about his heroic work just does not suit at all.
However he is okay with just exchanging the money and having you there as insurance against attack. The date and place of the exchange is set. The messenger insisted that the girl is unharmed...for now.
"So... Charge in and stab them all? Sounds simple enough. Unless you want to do it the boring way, that is."
Well this is a moral dilemma. thinks Thanar. He broke his word and his arrangement with the hobgoblins so I've got to side with the hobgoblins in this case. A man's word is not only his reputation, it goes beyond that. Laws will come and go but if people keep their promises, civilization will do just fine. On the other hand we'll get paid more if we just go in and kill them. Although that is dependent on a man whose word can no longer be trusted. After wrestling with his conscious he decides in favor of the hobgoblins.
"Well mate, that's quite a quandary you find yourself in. You do realize that we're probably going to have to let the hobgoblins have the money for no other reason if we kill them all, recent history suggests you may have a similar betrayal in store for us. Now don't get mad at my accusation, that's the problem with not keeping to your agreements, your future ones become suspect. And I'm going to insist we get paid up fornt. He watches the sorcerer closely to see if the thought of betrayal had crossed his mind.
Thunar continues. "Now tell us everything about this mercenary group. How many does it consist of and any casters?"
Thunar discusses with Björn. "If your plan involves sneaking, I'm not very good at it. I'd best be with the stalking horses."
"I say you pay up. I'm not getting involved in a plan that hinges on our collective ability to get to her before the guard sees us. Chances are, someone sounds the alarm ans they slit her throat before attacking us in force." His deep bass voice had an aggressive ring to it.
Boris was disappointed in his friend. He'd expected better of him than to go back on his promises.
"Well then, let's do it the cowardly non-stabbing way," Délia huffs. "I'll just let my No- Shelyn-given talent at stabbing things rust into nothingness and focus on looking scary so the gobhoblings don't double-cross us. Like a walking racial stereotype."
Thunarr senses no deception but he is rather non-plussed at the idea of actually paying the kidnappers. He does tell you when and where the exchange will take place so any shenanigans you can perform by arriving early can happen.
Basil shares what he knows, but makes no preparations besides showing up early.
+1 for traps.
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So Basil and Bjorn are arriving early to scout a bit.
Last chance to make any preparations before the time. I'll probably get the map up and the encounter started tomorrow evening.
Ehhhhh given the nature of this playtest I'm not allowing buying anymore items until the next stage.
In a normal game that would be a good idea and I'd totally allow it but we're not really testing your ability to be good at thinking ahead with your money but the classes ability to switch gears midday. I was more thinking about planning your approach and whether or not you were going to remain hidden or be out in the open to greet the hobgoblins.
In any case I'll have a map so you can pick out positioning before I go to bed tonight.
The hobgoblins are going to meet you in this clearing. It is unknown what direction they'l be coming from. Small boulders can serve as low cover but otherwise have to be jumped over.
Big boulder is about 10 foot high and climbable with a DC17 climb check.
Please give me coordinates on where you want to be when the hobgoblins arrive along with any stealth checks if you plan on hiding.
Boris doesn't hide. He stands next to his sorcerer friend, with a scowl on his face, and a hand on his sword-hilt.
Basil sets up at E32.
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