Motteditor's Ironfang Invasion PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Arryn delays to be with Clover and the two of them run for the other set of usher.

P.S. Anyone rooting for the Patriots on Sunday can level up after this encounter!

What about the rest of us? Especially those who don't much care for or against either team? <evil grin>

Trying to stick to the plan, Barhador delays, holding his right hand out behind him to hopefully keep everyone waiting until the enemy comes off of the bridge, his left still holding the bow, the index finger curled over a nocked arrow just waiting for him to draw.

Clover has followed along in the group of survivors, her stomach aching and her head elsewhere. She perseverates on her missing friend, who's fate is unknown.

Once near the bridge, Clover allows the others to plan what's next. She's never had a head for complicated plans or mechanical devices. It takes Arryn grabbing her by the hand and pulling her out with him to snap her back into the moment. After a few more she realizes they are bait while the rest sneak around behind.

Clover is okay with this, whatever it takes to get the people with them safely out of town. She does wonder though, does he realize that until today I've only ever used this spear as a walking stick? Whatever comes next is really going to be up to him. She hopes he knows and follows him closely, doing whatever he does, and going where he goes.

I'm going to let Arryn drive things since he seems to know what he wants to do. Clover will follow and help him. I've made some rolls below to use if they come up.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Damage: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

AoO (Bodyguard): 1d20 ⇒ 9

AoO (Bodyguard): 1d20 ⇒ 17

Let's see what happens if you survive, Barhador. :)

Arrny and Clover retreat toward the other bushes, the hobgoblin and wolf immediately charging after them, even as the hobgoblin continues to scream "UP!" The plan seems like it's going to work at first, as the hjobgoblin is weighed down by her armor, but the wolf has no such encumbrance and it closes the gap with stunning speed. It's teeth sink into her leg, ripping and tearing and with a slight cry, she's pulled to the ground! 6 hp, plus tripped

"No!" Elrik yells, his mind flashing back to another bridge long ago and the seemingly endless death there.

He charges forward, from the cover, his sword swinging in a heavy arc -- that just misses the wolf!

Entire party is up. I tweaked the bridge crew's position slightly, as I thought they'd have edged closer in that direction before everything started.

Arryn reaches out towards a fist-sized rock on the ground, and flings it at the wolf.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 8

Scooting closer to the targets (30' NW), Barhador looses an arrow at the hobgoblin.

Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Aramis curses softly. Turning to Oreld, Lirosa and Taidel Aramis says.

"We need to make this work. Keep along the bank and we'll move onto the bridge. Taidel, Lirosa and I will open fire on the hobgoblin whiles Oreld gets to work. Ready?"

Then Aramis scurries off, leading the way along the riverbank to the bridge. As she moves she waves one of her wands at the hobgoblin, causing a white, glowing bolt of energy to fly right at the hobgoblin and striking it in the chest.

Magic missile wand at the hobgoblin.

Force Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Clover rapidly crawls away, climbing to her feet as Arryn fires a rock at the wolf, which lets out a whimper of pain as it's hit in the head. T

Barhador, Elrik and Aramis focus their attention on the hobgoblin, Aramis blasting it with magic as she sends the others onto the bridge to begin working. Barhador barely manages to find an unprotected spot at the shoulder of her armor, and his arrow slams into the target, snapping with the impact. Despite the wound, she turns to Elrik, but he's able to desperately fend off her attack, even as the wolf spins to snap at him.

Party is up.

Arryn flings another rock at the wolf, catching it in the throat.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 1 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 11

There are bright white spots dancing in front of Clover eyes due to the pain from her leg, wolf bites hurt like the dickens. But, Clover is relieved to find she can still walk, at least in this kind of extreme emergency.

She's relieved to see Elrik on the scene, he good at protecting people, and she's pretty good at protecting him while he does it, at least that what she hopes.

Clover circles well around the wolf to the opposite side of Elrik from it, and helps him with the Hobgoblin.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Damage: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7

AoO Bodyguard: 1d20 ⇒ 9

AoO Bodyguard: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Aramis moves forward a bit more (three more spaces up on the map) and fires another blast of magic from the wand at the hobgoblin.

Force Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Moving closer to the targets (diagonally up and left 30', or 4 squares), Barhador shifts back to the striped fur and loses another arrow.

Longbow w/ tiger aspect into melee: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 - 4 = 5
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Rushing closer to battle, Aramis and Barhador again target the hobgoblin, but Barhador's arrow goes wide as he catches movement from inside the shack: a hobgoblin emerging to join the fight! It closes in on Elrik and Clover, and he can see another in the shed scrambling to grab its gear.

A second later, the rock crushes the wolf's head and it falls to the ground, not even a whimper escaping its throat.

Elrik and the hobgoblin trade blows, each parrying the others' attacks, but the human fighter seems to take the slightly better of it, the hobgoblin stepping back at the end of the clash. On the bridge, the two elves pepper the area with arrows, but can't find their mark, while Oreld works furiously to try to get his stump remover set.

Arryn targets the new hobgoblin with another rock.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 9

Arryn moves out from behind the bushes to give the hobgoblins another target (5-foot step southeast) and draws his dagger.

Aramis fires another magical blast of energy from her wand at nearest hobgoblin.

Force Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Skirting to his right to get a clearer shot at the hobgoblin in the back, the striped hunter looses yet again, starting to worry about his supply of arrows.

I figure anything 20' to 25' to his right should be clear enough.

Bowshot w/ Tiger aspect: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Clover?

Barhador moves to line up a shot, just finding a hole again in the hobgoblin's armor, the arrow slamming into her, followed by another blast from Aramis' wand.

Arryn's rock bounces off the second hobgoblin, but it distracts the thing long enough for Elrik to engage it, the halfling stabbing it viciously in the thigh as arrows from the two elven hunters rain down around the battle. The hobgoblin fighter manages to recover enough to bat aside Elrik's sword, but isn't ready for him to use his shield as a weapon and takes a vicious blow to the head. Wounded, he slashes futilely at Elrik as Clover tries to keep him at bay, but then retreats a step at a barked command from the group's apparent leader.

She steps back again and pulls a vial from her belt and throws it at Elrik. It shatters on the fighter's breastplate and he's suddenly wreathed in flame, his screams cutting across the other sounds of battle as the hideous stench of burned flesh fills Clover's nose, far more painful than the slight burn she also receives. 5 hp to Elrik; 1 hp to Clover

Meanwhile, a third hobgoblin emerges from the shed and fires an arrow from his longboat at Aramis. He rushes the shot, however, and the arrow sails past her, back into the battle-stricken village.

Meanwhile, Oreld shouts from the bridge, "I'm almost done! Should I finish now? We'll only have a little time to cross!"

Entire party is up again. One of you can use a move action to order the villagers with you to start rushing across the bridge. It's a free action for someone to tell Oreld to finish now or hold off until you're ready.

Arryn moves up 30 feet (with the move from last round, that should put him 10 feet south of the two hobgoblins-I can’t move the token from my phone if someone could move him for me). He reaches out for another rock and flings it at the same target as before.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 = 13

Again the rock bounces off.

”Wait as long as you can!”

"Go! Get to the rendezvous point! We'll hold them here till you're away!" The striped elf waves at the refugees, trying to get them to move, before letting another shaft fly.

He changes targets, however, trying to keep their archer from shooting at the fleeing civilians.

Bow W/ Tiger: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

His arrow striking solidly into the shed's wall.

Sorry, Arryn. I moved you now.

Except now he’s ten feet south of the hobgoblin pair.

Although she's badly wounded now and nearing exhaustion, Clover doggedly sticks with Elrik. They've come this far together. With so many hobgoblins around, Clover begins to realize that she will probably not survive. They will need to blow the bridge up soon, and there's no opening for them to run without bringing the hobgoblins right along with them.

At least it looks like the people they've collected along the way seem set to cross over safely. Just to make more sure of it,Clover yells at Elrik, in case his mind is rattled by his burns, to follow her closely. She runs around the two mercenaries they had been engaged with, placing herself between them and the bridge.

As Clover sets her spear against their expected attack, she isn't afraid. Instead she finds herself worrying about the goats. She hopes they will be clever enough to find a way out of their pen without anyone to open it for them. She doesn't have to worry about the bees, although she loves them more.

Attack (Readied): 1d20 ⇒ 3

Damage: 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

AoO Bodyguard: 1d20 ⇒ 8

AoO Bodyguard: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Clover should be able to move to 10' to the right side of the two hobgoblins circuitously enough to avoid AoO's on the trip.

Aramis fires another blast from her wand at the nearest hobgoblin.

Force Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Lirosa, Taidel, get across, and cover the villagers!"

Using a move action to ensure they get across as well.

You continue to battle as your commands spur the civilians to rush across the bridge, their cries of excitement and fear rising above the din. Jet and Phaistea help Aubrin, who continues to be in shock, moving more slowly than everyone else.

Aramis blasts the hobgoblin commander, who reels back slightly, her wounds seeming to start to take their toll.

With Barhador, Clover and Arryn struggling, Elrik, burning, closes in on the attackers, yelling at you: "GO! GET ACROSS THE BRIDGE!"

"There's a reason I survived the Span," he calls. "My friends gave me life then, and if I have to give it now to get all of you across ... that's what I'll do!"

His flesh blistering from the flaming liquid, he attacks furiously with sword and shield, but the hobgoblins are able to protect themselves and a moment later step back again, Elrik being hit with another flaming vial. He lets out a long scream before finally falling, weapons dropping out of his hands as blackness claims him and gives him some respite from the pain.

The lead hobgoblin smiles at his fall -- despite everyone fleeing across the bridge -- and sheathes her sword, starting to pull at another vial from her belt and her crossbow.

Just FYI, I prefer to move characters on the map myself, as it helps me keep track of things. If I miss moving you, just yell at me. Everyone should now be in the right spot as of this round. Clover, I gave you that move, but I didn't see how you did it in just 20 ft., so I'm ignoring the readied attack (which would have missed anyway).

Well, crap. Aramis can't let him burn to death.

"Protect the villagers!" Aramis orders Clover. "They need you."

Aramis fires a blast from her wand at the hobgoblin between her and Elrik.

Force Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Then she skirts around the hobgoblin to Elrik's side.

"Hang on, soldier. I'll get you out of here if I have to drag you..."

If Aramis moves down one space, diagonally down and left one space, left two, and diagonally up and left one that should use her whole move action, get her one space below Elrik, and not provoke for her movement.

Arryn pulls his own flask of alchemist’s fire out and with a look, it flies from his open palm towards the hobgoblin leader, smashing into its laughing face.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 1 = 23
Danage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 7 + 1d6 ⇒ 1 fire

Wide-eyed, Clover turns and runs for the bridge. The smell of burnt flesh is horrible.

As she passes Aramis, she snatches and tugs at the woman's clothing before moving on.

"There's nothing we can do! Honor his wish! Run!"

Double move to the square immediately northeast of Oreld.

Aramis, if you want to change your actions, you can... If not, that's fine too.

Is he dead or unconscious? If he's unconscious she's not changing her action.

Problem is the judge is trying to create a marvelous story point to remove the abandoned character from the game . . ..

The furred elf moves towards the bridge before loosing another arrow at the archer hobgoblin. I figure he should be just above the anchor post on the bottom on the left edge.

Bow w/ Tiger aspect: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Yeah, I know, sorry. But Aramis is a 'no one gets left behind' kind of girl. If he's clearly dead she'll cut her losses and change her action, but otherwise she'll drag him as far as she can until he is dead.

True, but if you want to try to save Elrik, you can. :)

Barhador's arrow skips across the face of the other hobgoblin archer, who looses another arrow back toward him, also taking just a scratch. 1 hp

Aramis rushes forward to stand by Arryn as the former bar boy fires a vial into the half-orc's face. She looks startled for a moment, her fingers clasping at the own vial on her belt, and then her eyes roll up into her head and she collapses bonelessly to the ground, her fine crossbow falling harmlessly next to her body.

The remaining hobgoblin looks at her and growls, grunting at the impact of Aramis' magic and then ignoring his own wounds to rush forward to attack the elven woman, his sword cutting deep into her side. 8 hp

Clover retreats to Oreld's side, where he's watching, waiting to finish his own work on the bridge.

Arryn steps back and flings a rock from the ground at the hobgoblin standing over Aramis.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 4 + 1 = 11

”Not yet, Oreld.”

The solid blow cuts deep into Aramis' side and she falls to the ground in a heap bloody heap.

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 1 = 19 Stable at -1 hp.

"Gah! Two down!" The elf takes another shot at the hobgoblin archer.

Bow w/ Tiger aspect: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

<sigh>

Aramis' attempt to save Elrik goes as badly as Clover feared it would. It makes her sick, but there are too many lives at stake to be anything other than practical. The bridge must be taken down, the people they had gathered would need help to survive.

"Oreld, how long will it take for the bridge to fall after you finish with the stump remover? The bridge must be blown before any hobgoblin makes it to the bridge posts! You have to blow it up before then no matter what! Do you understand?!"

Clover runs to the elf at the foot of the bridge and tugs at him. "There is no more time, we have to go now!" Clover is firm and determined with him.

She yells out to Arryn. "Run! You have to run!

Move to the square immediately to Barhador's northeast.

”There’s just one more. We’re not leaving them!”

There are 3 on the map. Did I miss something?

There are 3 on the map. Did I miss something?

The leader went down and given that last hit from Arryn, one of the others is too, leaving just one of them and three of us.

Arryn is correct; sorry I didn't delete the one icon. I'm going to change Clover's actions based on the misunderstanding.

Barhador and the other archer again exchange bowfire, this time the elf taking the worst of it, an arrow hitting his side and, he thinks, just missing a vital organ and throwing off his own aim. 6 hp

Arryn has more luck, though, the rock slamming into the other hobgoblin's head and crushing its skull, dropping him in a heap to the ground, where he labors to even breathe.

"It'll take about half a minute once I do this last step," Oreld nervously tells Clover as she reverses course, realizing her companions aren't going to leave anyone behind. You can still take a standard action from this round, Clover. I wasn't sure if you had any spells left, so didn't DMPC that.

Fortunately, as far as she can tell, other than the one remaining hobgoblin here, no one seems to be aware of the crowd of civilians still rushing across the bridge into the woods beyond.

Arryn reaches out towards the flask of alchemist’s fire the hobgoblin l after had pulled from her belt and flings it at the remaining enemy.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 4 + 1 + (5) = 12

@motteditor: Okay sounds good. Clover will cast Guidance on Barhador instead, which should become active in the next round? Clover had used up her 1st level spells by the end of the first encounter at the inn. She will keep the same movement as before.

Damn it! No risk, no reward never hurt this bad before. Gods, help that thing miss me this time . . ..

With an arrow in him, and bleeding cuts where others have sliced him, the elf lets another fly at the last target before retreating back into the cover that he started this fight hiding behind.

Bow w/ Tiger & Guidance: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Can't take another hit . . ..

As he finished his move into the cover, he tries to keep from being targeted again, immediately, anyway.

I figure the right side of the concealment is within a move distance.

Stealth w/ Tiger & AC: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 - 1 = 9

The dice bot really doesn't like this character for some reason.

I got curious, so I went and looked. 39 D20 rolls for a total of 400. The average is a little low, but really, really close to the statistical norm. I also don't see where I've used either of my 1st level spells for the day. I thought I had expended them both . . ..

Yeah, it seems to generally be against you guys, Bar. Definitely feels like harder fights than in some of my games, though I guess everyone is still first level.

Arryn hits the hobgoblin once, dodges an arrow from him and then hits him again with another rock, knocking him unconscious. I think this one's gone on long enough -- combat over.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 1 = 17

Arryn moves to try to stop Aramis’ bleeding, but sees that she’s already stabilized. He barks at a couple of the fleeing villagers to stop and grab her.

He then goes to check on Elrik.

As soon as the fight appears to be over, Barhador moves toward Elrik, casting Stabilize as soon as he's in range. Then, seeing Arryn seems satisfied with Aramis' condition for now, he continues on to Elrik to try to see how bad he is . . ..

Heal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Despite your fears, Elrik continues to breathe shallowly. His skin is blistered over seemingly every exposed inch from flames and he's clearly in desperate need of healing, but if nothing else causes him harm, he should survive. At least as long as any of you survive.

Clover helps move Aramis across the bridge.

STR: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Sigh. Moral support?

IIRC, we've got 2 characters down. Interesting note, I've got 2 1st level spells available, and there may be another channel or so available once we get everyone together again.

The elf mutters a few words as he draws magic from the environment and pushes life back into Elrik's form.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

I'll stop there because I don't know if that's enough to get Elrik awake . . .. And if it isn't I have to decide whether to get him up or to see if I can get Aramis up.

The worst of Elrik's wounds abate -- the blackened skin fading to blistered and red -- but he doesn't waken.

I think you guys may have some potions? EDITED: Looking back, you looted two from a hobgoblin in the shrine but used those already, last time Elrik and Aramis were rendered unconscious. That said, since Elrik's now an NPC, I think you should wake up Aramis. (Also, I moved Elrik's loot onto the treasure sheet.)