Motteditor's Ironfang Invasion PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Going to DMPC Barhador and Clover; sorry, should have done it earlier...
Neither Barhador nor Clover know what the skin is, but they back away.

"It's probably some sort of undead, considering what clearly happened here. If we want to investigate more, maybe we should see if there's anyone else who can help us," they note.

--

Far to the south, one of the hobgoblins snaps his head up as Dregg manages to step squarely on a twig during his approach, snapping it with a sound that seems to echo through the forest.

The other two also pull their weapons as they turn to your direction.

Arryn and Fulgun are up first.

As she steps back from the flayed skin Clover nervously says "We should leave. Right now."

How far away are the hobgoblins?

Let's say 60 ft. I'll try to get a combat map up later today.

Arryn moves thirty feet forwards, drawing his dagger as he moves, ending up behind a tree trunk. He reaches out at a fallen branch and the branch leaps from the ground and speeds at the closest hobgoblin.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 1 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 7

I think this is the first time Dregg has seen him in action.

GAH! That's why I try not to let myself look at these threads on my phone. I basically never post using it, and then I lose track of where I SHOULD be posting.

"Yeah, I knew we didn't want to go in the front door. I don't know what that might be, but I don't want to mess with it."

Dregg charges past Arryn, his broad shoulders plowing through branches and bracken alike as his thighs pump and his boots churn up dirt in his wake. As he closes in on the nearest of the hobgoblins, he leaps into the air, bringing his axe down in a whistling overhead chop as he lands with a gravel-filled rumble in his throat.

Greataxe: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16for: 1d12 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

rage + charge; if Arryn's telekinetic branch-spear doesn't kill his target, I'll target that one with my attack as well provided I'm able.

Taking Barhador's advice, Aramis follows he and Clover back and around.

Want to try another way into the town?

The elf scans the area, looking for another route into town, one hopefully less . . . disturbing.

Sorry, I must not have been clear. Gristledown was more a logging camp than actual town. What's described above is pretty much all that's left.

--

Arryn and Dregg rush foward, attacking the nearest hobgoblin -- nearly killing him before she gets the chance to react. He cries out in pain and slashes at Dregg with her ax before stepping back and letting the other two soldiers fall in as a protective wall in front of her.

They slash at the big half-orc, one blade getting through his guard and opening a long wound on the man's arm, the pain like a line of fire running across it.

Map is up

Dregg looks down at the wound on his arm, barely a scratch and slowly brings his eyes up to meet those of the hobgoblin that dealt the cut. "You aren't going to live long enough to regret that." He accentuates his point by bringing his axe around in a sudden arc, sweeping down for the figure's neck.

Greataxe: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26for: 1d12 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Move action: activate accurate stance
Standard: attack w/ power attack

Aramis curses. "Well... Since you two don't think we can take them, we might as well get out of here." She looks at Clover. "Lead the way to your place. Let's hope they didn't snatch up all your sheep."

Referencing information from this post.

”Your friends can’t protect you from what’s behind you!” Arryn calls after the he/she hobgoblin. A flick of his wrist summons a mossy rock from the forest floor.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7

Alas, the rock flies too high and misses its mark.

Dregg cuts down one of the two hobgoblins in front of him, but leaves himself open for the other one, who takes advantage, his blade slamming into Dregg's torso and poking out the other side. 10 hp

Behind them, the other hobgoblin steps further away as he pulls out a vial from his pouch and drinks it, the worst of his wounds healing.

Arryn flings another rock, but this one misses even worse than the last.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

Sorry, Dregg. Pesky dice roller isn’t cooperating.

Dregg grunts as the other hobgoblin rips his sword back out of him. He rises to his full height, frowning deeply. "My turn." The half-orc's axe whistles out in a wide arc before hewing in at a downward angle for his foe's neck. As the hobgoblin crumples, he looks up at the last one remaining. "You're next, so drink up, buttercup."

Greataxe: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 for: 1d12 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

Damn. Dregg's deadly!

Dregg chops the second down as easily as the first, powering through his attempt to block the strike as if he were a child.

The third hobgoblin looks alarmed and fumbles for another vial at her belt.

"This one's for you, actually, half-breed!" he grates out, throwing the bottle.

It slams into Dregg's chest as he's too slow to move in his rage, and liquid flame starts licking at the big warrior. 5 hp, on fire

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
1d6 ⇒ 5

Edited

If that was a touch attack, it'll hit full on; my touch AC is only 9 while raging!

Thanks; edited

Arryn flings another rock, growling as yet again he misses an unmoving, hulking target.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 1 = 12 Really???

Dregg steps through the fire, catching it squarely across his chest, and the thick-shouldered half-orc just smirks. He steps in, his axe now glinting in the new firelight. He whispers, low and gravelly, "That tickled," as he brings the broad blade up in a rising flash.

Greataxe: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 for: 1d12 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

Dregg doesn't give the last hobgoblin a chance to recover, as he surges forward, flames licking at his skin, and drives his blade through her in a burst of fiery death.

Combat over, through Dregg does take 1 more hp damage

1d6 ⇒ 1

Looking about him at the three hobgoblins lying in pieces on the ground, with his missed rocks still rolling in the leaves, Arryn nods thoughtfully. ”Not bad, for a beginner,” he says, then buries his flushed face in the task of searching the fallen for useful items.

As the third hobgoblin collapses at his feet, Dregg's grizzled, fierce demeanor vanishes a moment later as he hisses and gasps in pain, patting and stamping out the fires still on his chest and arms. "Ah. Tssss. Ah, ow! Hot!" With the flames finally extinguished, he shakes his head and looks up at Arryn, "Damn. That hurt."

He kicks the corpse of the hobgoblin that hit him with the flask as an afterthought, then adds, "So do you only throw rocks or do you happen to have any healing magic up your sleeve too?"

Clover starts leading Aramis and Barhador to her farm with relief.

"We came to warn the people here, but it's too late. Poking at whatever awfulness has taken the place instead can't help them or us. Right now I think it's important to choose our fights while keeping in mind the people from Phaendar who need us. I don't see a way of helping them by meddling here."

Arryn shakes his head. ”No healing magic, sorry, just rock throwing, but I do have medic training if you’d like me to have a look at those cuts and burns.”

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Oh sure, now I get decent rolls.

"Agreed. I don't know if we can take those things or not. But we have a lot of responsibilities that we'll be hard pressed to meet if we try to kill everything we see."

Barhador, Clover and Aramis leave the grave of Gristledown and head for the halfling's cottage. There, it looks like it's been ransacked and anything of any obvious value taken or smashed, but she's surprised to see that some of the sheep have managed to escape, and she's able to start herding them back toward the refugees' campsite.

In fact, Phaendar’s sheep and goat herds were scattered in the attack, and many were lost in the Fangwood. NPCs can recover a single goat or sheep with a successful DC 16 Handle Animal check. Captive animals can be maintained with a single successful Handle Animal check (DC = 10 + the number of animals) per day. Neglecting to maintain the herd or failing this check indicates one or more animals have wandered off. A captive animal generates 1 Provision Point every 3 days in the form of milk (and eventually cheese or butter), or can be butchered to immediately provide 2 Provision Points.

To the south, Arryn and Dregg find the lead hobgoblin has a single vial on him, padded armor, a composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, a handaxe, a mwk battleaxe, a backpack, a bedroll, a blanket, a mess kit, a small tent, and various foods (3 Provision Points worth), plus 3 gp.

The other two each have studded leather armor, a light steel shield, a longsword, a longbow with 20 arrows, 3 Provision Points each, and a total of 8 gp.

--

If you guys are happy with your actions for the day, you can all assume you make it back to the camp by nightfall; Dregg and Arryn, you could also alternatively go north and discover the grave of Gristledown, though you'll need to make Perception checks if you do to see if you notice what Barhador noticed in time to avoid any problems.

Do we need a check now to recover some of her sheep? Or does she get them without trouble?

And yes, Aramis is ready to head to the apple orchard where we're supposed to meet.

She can get them without trouble in this case.

Arryn and Dregg’s job was to scout south and they did that. They’ll head back to camp unless they come upon more signs of hobgoblins (and with Dregg so injured, they’ll try to avoid further patrols).

They load the captured gear up on Dregg’s back (with Arryn carrying what he can) and make their way back.

"Yeah, thanks." Dregg sheds his armor, revealing a torso as riddled with criss-crossing scars as his face, and lifts his arms up to allow the smaller man to wrap a bandage around his upper waist several times. As Arryn finishes, the half-orc lowers his arms slowly, testing the bandage gingerly before putting his armor back on.

"You think we've found enough here? I don't mind cutting up more hobgoblins, but I'd rather we take this haul back to the main group. How about you?"

I had mentioned 3 sheep earlier. How many of them are recovered?

Clover is more thrilled to find some of her sheep alive and well then she is sad to see her house looted. She didn't have much of value anyway, and as long as the house still stands it can be put right again someday.

Ready to regroup.

”We need to get what little we learned back to the group. And we can’t afford to lose you for our cause.”

Dregg laughs as the pair set out, himself shouldering the bulk of their spoils. "Oh? Was that an audition then?" He laughs as he talks, his tone jovial and bemused.

Arryn shakes his head. ”No, this was exactly what it seemed—scouting the enemy. I’m just glad you’re on our side.”

You all make your way back toward the orchard, where you'd arranged to rendezvous with the other refugees. When you get there, you discover, however, they've made camp several hundred yards away.

All that remains of an abandoned farm is a tumbledown chimney and an overgrown stand of apple trees, but apparently an aggressive swarm of wasps has made a nest in the orchard. Taidel even know is covered with impressive welts, covered in some sort of paste to reduce swelling.

Aubrin is waiting to use any of her healing until sunset, to make sure they don't need it for later and that she can help any and all who've suffered injuries during the day.

Arryn hefts his last vial of alchemist’s fire. ”We should be able to take care of some wasps, at least.”

"Hang on Arryn, let me take a look. Wasps aren't bees, but they're not completely different."

Is it possible to take 20 on this?

Profession: Beekeeper: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Clover is looking for nests and whether they could be moved, along with figuring out if smoke could be applied to force them out.

Dregg works his jaw, gingerly rising to his feet so as to not upset his wounds or cause his bandages to shift. "Any of you lay eyes on the hive itself? They'll be no end to the pointy-assed pests until we deal with that. That's even presuming you want to deal with it."

Knowledge Nature on Wasps and Wasp Swarms: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"A couple of things to remember. We can't afford to make a big smoke cloud and attract attention. Wasps will generally leave you alone if you leave them alone. Hornets, on the other hand . . .. I would expect Taidel to know this, though, so the multiple stings worry me. Before we make any plans we should find out how he provoked them."

Going to the injured elf, Barhador kneels before him. "I think you know enough to avoid antagonizing wasps. What happened? Why did they attack so?"

Sorry for the delay; hope everyone enjoyed any holiday they celebrate(d).

Knowing the insects are there, Clover's able to see enough to let her know that this is an aggressive colony that likely won't let anything come close enough to move its nest, or harvest apples from the trees.

Taidel explains the same -- they weren't expecting such an aggressive response from the little buggers, which attacked even though no one disturbed the nest. It was all he could do -- along with some help from Aubrin and his sister, of course -- to make sure none of the less hardy refugees suffered any fatal stings.

You can however use smoke to treat the swarm as exhausted if you have some means of producing it quickly (like a smoke stick, for example, or if you want to carry smoky torches, which will work in a 5-ft. radius around the torch bearers).

"Shoot," Aramis mutters. "We really needed those apples..."

She thinks for a moment, but doesn't seem to have any clever ideas for calming the swarm.

Aramis has a pair of alchemist's fire to try to fight the wasps, but otherwise has nothing helpful.

To make things go faster, if you want to kill the swarms, just roll damage for the splash weapons so you know how many you need to use. I don't think it's worth rolling out the combat, as Aubrin will be able to heal you immediately afterward if you get hurt. The wasp swarm has 31 hp.

Also, Arryn’s telekinetic blast does full Damage to swarms, so just let him fling sticks and pebbles at the swarm until it dissipates.

Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 7
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 7
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 8

Or, use the FREE answer.

As people begin to gather splash weapons, Arryn has an instinctual thought. He walks by himself towards the orchard, stops 100 feet from the trees, and begins to gather power. Pebbles, dust, and sticks begin to swirl around him in a cloud. He flings his arms out and wave after wave of debris fly at the wasps. Half of them are dead before they arrive, if they even know where to target their revenge. Two more waves fly out of the cloud, and the remaining wasps scatter. Arryn returns, grinning through his forming welts.

Dregg watches stoically as Arryn strides back to the group after his one man assault upon the hive. "Huh. You couldn't have thrown your sticks and rocks like that when there were three hobgoblins trying to cut me half?" He stares flatly at the man for a few long beats, the tension rising, before Dregg suddenly breaks into a wide grin and deep, gravelly laugh.

Aramis smirks. "Looks like you're good for something, after all," she jokes. "Well done."

Then Aramis heads into the orchard to harvest all the food she can for their group of survivors.