The Rowdy Roughboys : Scales of War

Game Master RyckyRych

Actually, i'll pick up the hammer.

OK, you have a warhammer. It is the source of the magic aura that was detected earlier. It is in fact a simple +1 warhammer.

Also, I didn't realize that ettercaps were at such a high challenge rating in 5e so I have removed one of the them for the encounter... and even that might be a little tough.

Go!

I'm going to be out of touch for today and part of tomorrow most likely. Don't want to hold anyone up.

Distracted by an Ettercap just vanishing before his eyes, Fizz wonders if he was seeing double vision as he fires off a Firebolt

FireBolt range 120ft
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 6

Fergus steps up and swings his longsword at "Two."

Longsword attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Fergus misses the enemy while in the near future Fizz also misses the mark!

1. Varis, Paul and Fergus
2. Ettercaps
3. Haldor and Fizz

Closing in with number two and doing my thing.

shortsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
shortsword: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

as bonus
fist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
fist: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Varis lands a strike with his first stab but the nimble ettercap manages to dodge the second!

Paul!

Paul moves to attack, hitting the ettercap solidly!

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

The ettercap in the corner of the room fires its web at Paul while the other attacks him!

Web: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 for Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 plus Poison: 1d8 ⇒ 6
Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 for Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 2 = 10

Paul avoids the web but steps into the bite and claws of the other, nearly going down to the onslaught!

Paul counters back, but misses!

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

DC 11 Con vs Poison: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Party up!

Varis -2
Paul -21
Fizz -2
Ettercap -14

We shall try this again. Hopefully with more success.

Longsword attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Fergus connects with the spider-like creature!

Haldor, Fizz and Varis!

Fizz will throw another firebolt at two

FireBolt range 120ft
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 2

Come get some foul beast!

sword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
sword: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

As bonus
fist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
fist: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Fizz singes the beast while Varis flails away without injuring the creature!

Haldor!

Haldor is getting braces today -- I believe -- and will be tied up much of the day so I will make an attack for him.

Haldor moves up next to Two (Please move him to the square just 5 feet west of Fergus, DM.) and swings his mighty Hammer + 1 at the baddie.

+1 Hammer: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

To be clear, the +1 for the magic weapon was added to both the attack and damage rolls.

The mighty hammer connects with the ettercap, however he continues to attack Paul despite of it!

Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 for Teeth: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 and Poison: 1d8 ⇒ 4
Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 for Teeth: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8

The ettercap misses with the bite but his claw takes down the fighter, who immediately dies from the blow! Removing Paul from play.

The other ettercap tries to entangle Haldor but he seems more excited about the death of the party's fighter!

Web: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Party up!

Fergus appears dismayed at the death of his companion. Fiend! Thou shalt pay with thy blood! Err... blood? Fergus tries to remember whether ettercaps "bleed." If not blood, then with thy goop! Fergus swings at Two.

Longsword attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

There! Now bleed to death! ... Or goop to death. One of those.

If two is still kicking, targeting him, if not, going for one.

FireBolt range 120ft
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 4

The party claims revenge as the combined efforts of Fergus and Fizzlebomb causes the ettercap to goop bleed out and die! The other ettercap does not look all too pleased!

Varis and Haldor!

Varis -2
Fizz -2

Come get some!

shortsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
shortsword: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

as bonus
fist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
fist: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Varis fails to strike the other ettercap!

Haldor!

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Swing at leftover guy.
Death comes on swift wings!

Haldor connects with his newly found hammer! The ettercap didn't like it nearly as much and decides to target the cleric!

Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 for Teeth: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 and Poison: 1d8 ⇒ 3
Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 for Talon: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 1) + 2 = 7

The cleric goes down in a heap under the barrage of attacks!

Haldor, I'll need a death save and a DC 11 Con Save for the Poisoned Condition.

Party up!

Fizz -2
Haldor -20, prone, unconscious, need Death Save and Con Save
Varis -2

Targeting Ettercap 1

Magic Missile range 120ft
3 darts (1 or multiple targets)
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Fizz does with the magic but the result is a bit underwhelming for his hopes. However, the missiles are effective!

All but Fizz!

Death Save: 1d20 ⇒ 13
Poison save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Who picked up the two potions of healing?

That wasn't decided. I would think Varis and Fergus would be the likely choices.

Fergus casts "Lay on Hands" on the cleric, granting him 1 point to bring him back up.

Arise, Haldor, faithful servant of a lesser deity than mine!

Having consumed my action, would it be a bonus action just to hand a healing potion to Haldor?

Let me think on that, either way his turn has passed so he can't do anything with it until after the ettercap acts.

Fergus gives the cleric some much needed aid! I think you have to give him HP in 5-point increments so he has 5, correct?

Varis!

I don't think the rule requires 5-point increments unless the points are being used to cure a disease (which requires 5 points). Here was the interpretation I found: Reddit interpretation: "You can heal for 5 hp times paladin level per day. You can split this into 5 point bursts or use any portion of it you like in a single action."

But you're the boss, and I'll happily go along with however you would prefer to proceed. We're a little healing-light in our party so I have tried to use only 1 point at a time just to keep people non-dead, but the Reddit post makes a correct point that Lay on Hands can be a little overpowered in that sense. Just let me know.

No, I'm sure I was thinking of the disease thing. One point it is! I read the description in the PH as being any amount.

shortsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
shortsword: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

as bonus:
fist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
fist: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Varis manages to strike the creature with his fist! The ettercap turns its ire to the monk!

Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Varis manages to evade the deadly attacks!

Party up!

Fizz -2
Haldor @ 1 HP, prone, with healing potion in hand
Varis -2

Death cometh for thee, foul denizen.

Fergus feints a downward slash and instead reverses his grip and stabs at the beast.

Longsword attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Fergus suspects he may not have struck the monster a true blow, feels sheepish at his bold pronouncement and hopes that he at least has distracted the creature so that another may deliver the death he promised.

FireBolt range 120ft
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
damage: 1d10 ⇒ 4

While not his best attack by technique Fergus manages to score a hit on a sore spot on the beast's already injured body! Fizz manages to singe the creature even further, bringing it to the brink of death!

Varis and Haldor!

Fizz -2
Haldor @ 1 HP, prone, with healing potion in hand
Varis -2
Ettercap -40

Gulp the potion down.

"Jump on my sword, while you can evil.I would not be as gentle!"

shortsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

as bonus
fist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Haldor, next time roll for the potion's healing as well.

Potion: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4) + 2 = 9

Haldor gulps down the potion, the magic elixir heals some of his wounds. Meanwhile the monk manages to finish off the last enemy!

After the battle the party takes a quick head count and realizes they have lost one of their number in the battle as Paul's lifeless body lies on the sticky ground. As they move to examine him closer, the fighter's body and all of his possessions vanish as if he had never existed!

Taking a closer look around, the room is sticky from the webbing that the ettercaps and other spiders have weaved over a lengthy period of time. Several corners of the room are obscured by the webs while mundane items and debris can be found scattered in the sticky substance. A set of double doors are in the north wall while to the west a stairway leads up.

What would you like to do now?

Should we look in the obscured corners to see if any of the captives were ensnared by such as these? If not, which way, dwarf?

Up them stairs, then to the left through a door. That'll be the way. The dwarf then looks at all of you and says, You fellas gonna be alright? That last fight took one of ya and almost killed another. You've a brave lot but if you get killed we all get killed.

As you decide to search the webbing that cover the floors and walls of this room, Varis discovers something large that has been wrapped and attached to the wall in the southeast corner. As you work it free, the old crone gasps, It's Kartenix! Oh, dear! This is terrible! The corpse is webbed to the wall, his face a rictus of pain and his eyes bulging in fear.

1d12 ⇒ 8

Also in the corner, you find what appears to be a sack filled with assorted coins worth about 180 gold pieces and a gem worth about 100 gold pieces more.

Good Dwarf, you are correct. We might be able to return to the tombs of the last room and see if we can rest to recover our strength. I fear, though, the longer we wait, the more of your citizens might perish. Do you believe that it might be possible to bar the doors to the north in the past room, so that we might get some rest without being disturbed?

The fiends shall pay in kind, whether it beith blood or goop, for their murder of poof Kartenix. This I swear!

To my knowledge, poor Kartenix wasn't a poof, he even has a son that is still unfound in this terrible place! The dwarf considers what Fizz has suggested and says, I didn't build this place, how should I know? I'm just an alchemist. You're the hero!

Your adventurer instincts tell you that in order to gain a full rest, you'd have to retreat back to town as you don't feel you could do it here safely. You could try to short rest. Nothing says you couldn't escort the corpse, the dwarf and the witch back to town and come back rested. You only have one more step left in the dwarf's directions however. A true short rest is likely doable if you want to try and you do have another potion of healing IIRC.

A search of the remainder of the room turns up very little of any interest.

So, to the stairs? To town? The double doors?

I'll try for a short rest, I don't know if that helps any others, but I don't wish to go back to town.

I say we try and get a quick breather, then onward up the stairs. According to the directions from our good friend here, somewhere near the top of the stairs will be a dusty room. Be wary.

1d20 ⇒ 3

The party decides that they need to recover from their latest ordeal, both physically and mentally. After around an hour of time you feel more prepared for the trials ahead. Short Rest granted!

Any last preperations? Healing? I know Haldor is down a bit.

Cleric, can you help yourself, or should we press on up the stairs?

I will ask Jake to spend some healing surges or whatever they're called once he's out of school.