GM WhtKnt's Into the Borderlands, Table 2 (Inactive)

Game Master WhtKnt

1 bushel of sunflower seeds
1 bushel of coffee beans (molded)
1 bushel of avocados (rotted)
1 bushel of dried apples (molded)
1 bushel of dried berries (molded)
1 bushel of dried plums (molded)
1 bushel of mushrooms (rotted)
1 bushel of cherries (rotted)
1 barrel of salted alligator
1 barrel of dried beef
3 wheels of hard cheese (waxed)
2 barrels of beer (flat)
2 barrels of wine (surprisingly good)
3 barrels of water
1 barrel of treacle (molasses)
1 barrel of honey
1 box (4 bolts) of cotton cloth
1 box (4 bolts) of canvas
1 box (12 balls) of yarn
1 crate (4 cases) of nails
1 crate (4 dozen) of iron spikes

As you are about halfway through the inventory, a secret door in the west wall slides open and a hideous humanoid about 6 feet in height with yellowish-grey skin and beady eyes starts to walk through. It is followed by three others of the same appearance. They wear chain mail and carry shields and longswords. They are quite shocked to see you, but quickly recover and move into attack positions!

The creatures immediately move to attack! One each attack Kord and Rurik, both attacks missing. Quinrick is not so lucky, as two foes attack him, striking him twice! (Quinrick takes 5 points of damage!)

The party is up!

Kord calls on everyone to organize, "Back to the hall! Everyone, behind Rurick and me! Don't let them surround us!"

Dodge action, move 20 as on the map. That should provide a reaction attack to the one Rurik is engaged with (and the other one) so he can take a swing and move without worry.

Landau grabs and gets off a shot of his hand ballista against an aggressor before falling back behind the dwarves to reload.

Heavy Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 171d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Gimble pulls his shortbow out and begins to fire.

Shot: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

then moves behind the dwarves

"Owww! That hurts!" Quinrick winces as the enemies' longswords cut him. The creatures look scary enough, so the halfling takes up on Kord's offer to hide behind his back and runs to the dwarf.

Once there, he aims his bow at the one who hurt him the most, and shoots an arrow.

bonus action: disengage.

shortbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Kord reacts, drawing an attack from each creature as he moves. One of them manages to hit him pretty solidly. (Kord takes 9 points of damage! Landau puts a bolt into one of the creatures are he moves behind the dwarf. Gimble follows up with an arrow of his own, and the creatures drops to the ground. As he goes, Quinrick expresses his displeasure via an arrow that strikes one of the creatures square in the chest, but it remains standing (though it would appear only barely).

Rurik, you're up. I'll give you until tomorrow before I bot you.

So sorry. Forgot that Rurik hadn't responded.

Rurik swipes at one of the creatures as he moves to close ranks, but the hasty attack misses. The two that are still hale move to confront the dwarves, while the wounded one unlimbers a bow! Fortunately, the attacks all miss!

The party is up!

Landau targets one of the creatures facing the dwarves and looses a shot from his hand ballista. Then, he reloads again.

Heavy Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 201d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Fearing his wounds may be growing to numerous, Kord weaves a little magic to close them up as he strikes out with his hammer.

Action to attack, bonus action to cast healing word, no move.

healing word, wis+life cleric: 1d4 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 8

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The ring of the blows against his shield reminds Rurik of his youth, 'A blocked blow is worth a missed ax, a warriors best tool is his shield not his ax'

He shakes him self out of the memory, the old man would have hated that.

Warhammer+6: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

"Focus boy"

Gimble takes another shot

Shortbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Now in the proper place hiding behind the dwarf's back, Quinrick starts his peek-a-boo sniping.

couldn't get roll20 open to check the map... but if necessary, move action to move behind an ally, bonus action to hide

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Bow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Bow, advantage?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
damage, sneak: 1d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (6, 6) = 21
crit damage?: 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + (5, 6) = 17

The party makes short work of the remaining invaders, Landau and Kord teaming up to drop the nearest to Kord, Quinrick putting down Rurik's foe, and Gimble finishing off the last.

"Ok, that was over quick. Nice work!"

Quinrick move back into the room, clearly curious about the secret passage.

"Umm, does anyone know what those creature are? Well, were, in fact..."

Landau collects his hand ballista bolts and looks around for something interesting.

Jack of All Trades (to know something): 1d20 ⇒ 14

Did any of the hobgoblins look like the one they released?

Can we create a standard operating procedure for dungeoneering to create some momentum? 1) We randomly go to the next unexplored door. 2) Character's with thieves tools help each other check for traps, locks, and noise behind the door. 3) When the door is declared clear, an armored dwarf opens the door. Feel free to make our rolls for us. Good?

"I think we've had enough inventory for now. Let's go make sure the rest of this nest is cleared out."

I'll volunteer to open doors in our dungeoneering SOP. Good idea Landeau. And I don't mind a bit of you taking us where you want WhtKnt.

Gimble will retrieve his arrows and any daggers.

"yeah cause we don't need more of them skulking about after we cleared the place!" he says shaking his head

Quinrick carefully pulls one his arrows off the hobgoblin, and inspects the arrowhead's condition. He nods approvingly, wipes it clean of blood, and stores it in his quiver.

"Agreed. I do not want to be surprised that way again."

Good with the SOP. Quinrick can check for traps, and pick locks if Kord finds the door locked.

None of the hobgoblins are familiar. The group closes the secret door and works its way back to the door that they had spiked shut to find it still stuck fast.

A roll is not required to hear the ruckus beyond the door and the thudding of bodies against it. The door is not locked and does not appear to be trapped. In fact, from all appearances, it will come open the moment that you remove your spike from it.

The party makes ready and the spike is removed (there is no way to do it quietly). As predicted, the door swings outward as soon as it is opened. Beyond is a nest of goblins; four guards, three females, and a larger goblin that must be the chief!

A soon as the door is opened, two of the guards rush forward to intercept the intruders. Rurik is missed, but the goblin connects with Kord with a staggering blow! (Kord takes 10 points of damage!)

The party is up!

Rurik does a quick Riposte of the goblin that opens itself with the poor swing.

Riposte: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 1d8 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (4) = 12

Not what I was looking for, he goes for the back swing.

Warhammer+6: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Ha, better. he looks at the full room and steels himself.

Landau targets the chief with his hand ballista. Then, he reloads.

Heavy Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 211d10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Quinrick keeps hiding behind his companions, and sniping the goblins with his bow.

bonus action to hide
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Shortbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Shortbow, advantage: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
damage, sneak: 1d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (6, 2) = 15

Kords says some words of mending before striking at the creature before him.

Bonus action healing word, action to attack, move to curse the dice for landing all the crits on him.

HW: 1d4 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 8

attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Advantage: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Sneak: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8

Rurik's slams his foe hard, but the goblin stubbornly refuses to fall. Landau's bolt slams into the chief, but he too does not go down! Quinrick drops one of the guards in the backline as Kord hits his target with a glancing blow. Gimble likewise takes down one of the guards in the back.

The goblin females tightly surround the chief, drawing daggers. They interpose themselves between any further ranged attacks against him. The two remaining guards continue their assault on the front line. Each manages to get past the warriors' armor. (Rurik takes 7 damage, Kord takes 5 damage!)

Landau targets a wounded one in the front row with his hand ballista. Then, he reloads.

Heavy Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 121d10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

The party is up! I noticed that I forgot to say that.

The guards seem to be hitting hard, so Quinrick is very glad to a dwarf between him and them. And there,in the relative safety, he keeps shooting the goblins.

bonus action to hide
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Shortbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Shortbow, advantage: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
damage, sneak: 1d6 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (6, 5) = 19

Rurik kicks one of the goblins in the shin and attempts to direct him with his shield as he swings his hammer at the man.

Warhammer+6: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Crit Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2 10 Dam

Feeling that he is slowing down to much, Kord decides to petition Berronar for help. He drops his hammer to grasp his two slivered rings on his necklace as a burst of holy energy issues from him. The light coalesces around Ruruik and Kord before dissipating. The two dwarves feels a little more refreshed after the light show.

Action to use Preserve Life. 15 hp split between myself and Rurik up to half HP. If my math is correct, we both get 5 or 6 hp depending on rounding. Object interaction to pick my hammer back up.

Gimble sneaks forward and fires a shot at the nearest goblin.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Bow Shot: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Sneak: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Landau fires his crossbow, dropping one of the two remaining guards. Quinrick fires and one of the females falls. Rurik drops the remaining guard with a swift blow, while Kord restores health to himself and his teammate (Kord has 15 hp, and Rurik has 16 hp). Gimble looses a shot, but misses his intended target.

The three remaining goblins (the chief and two females) immediately throw their hands up in surrender. He squawks something in the goblin tongue:

"They are surrendering their lives for the treasure"

In goblin, Landau replies while training his hand ballista on the chief, "We accept your surrender. Let the two females bring your treasure out here, while you (chief) stay with us. And tell us what else lives in these hills."
Persuasion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

The chief nods his ascent and bids the two females to bring the treasure forth. They dig beneath the bed and present the party with a slightly dented silver goblet. Opening a low bench near the bed, they open a secret compartment and pull forth a beautiful tapestry woven with gold and silver thread. They also hand you a pewter bowl containing many copper and silver pieces.

The chief sighs heavily. "Hobgoblins live near here, and orcs across the way. You have already killed the ogre. On the other side of the canyon are the bugbears and gnolls. All are servants under the high priest Samodel that leads the Temple of Asmodeus."

In goblin, Landau replies while training his hand ballista on the chief, "What can you tell us of this high priest? Where is the temple? Which caves lead to the temple? Are you his servant, too?"

Unsure of the conversation, Kord keeps his shield raised but is weapon lowered.

Landau translates the goblin conversation with the band and asks for recommendation.

"Send them on their way, we need to honor their surrender. I'd feel better to remove this Temple"

"Indeed, I've no desire no kill beings that have surrendered. Let's cut out this Samodel and deal with whatever aftermath there may be."

"I'm going to let them go. Want to let them take their coins? The goblet and tapestry are probably someone's at the keep." Landau suggests.

In goblin, Landau replies while training his hand ballista on the chief, "Take the coins, and leave the area. Go toward the rising sun, and settle in the mountains."

When they leave, he suggests, "let's long rest to get to full strength before we assault that temple. Maybe bring this goblet and tapestry back to the keep."

The goblins do as they are instructed, taking the coins and leaving the area.

Are you returning to the Keep to regroup, or are you pressing forward after a long rest? If you spike the door shut, this should be a secure place to rest.

I was going to suggest a rest as well. If we can spike the door shut we should do so. Do we have anything left outside? Mounts or wagons?

Resting here is fine. Do we need a long rest, or would a short rest be enough?

Short or long? This area is fairly secure (one way in or out and you have it spiked), so I would assume a long rest is in order.

I vote long. Im almost out of spell slots.