M Aasimar Fighter 9/Chevalier 3| HP 112/112 | AC 31 (33 vs goblins), T 14, FF 28, CMD 30 | Init +5 | Perception +25 (Darkvision) | F/R/W +14/+11/+9 (+4 vs mind-affecting, immune fear/poison) | Move 30' | Tactician 1/1 | BB 1/1 | Alter Self 1/1 | Active: None
"No, help Grum!"
@GM - that is, if Benedict thinks the enemy archers have anything less than "improved cover" from the tower. Amakarang didn't get any cover bonus against the wyvern so I am thinking the tower is not that enclosed.
"I'm coming!" Grum yelled out. Having gotten his footing, he laid into the hobgoblin archers, as he sought to cut his way out of the tower and to Benedict.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
"As you wish!"
Round 2, targeting the archer that Grum is not swinging at currently.
Fighter 11 | 121 HP | AC 24 (25 in fortress mode, 28 w/ full attack), T 14, F 20, CMD 27| F 9 R 8 W 8 | Init +3 | Perc +11
Amkarang leaps to his feet, hoping his defenses will protect him against the minotaur. With blinding speed swings his meteor hammer twice at the minotaur.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
"Grum will easily finish that one in the tower, William. Have any tricks up your sleeve for the army deploying from those tents?"
Male Human Fighter 12| AC 28 T 16 FF 23 | HP 124/124| F +11 R +10 W +6; +3 vs Fear | Init +5 | Perc +17
William smiles largely and says "Well I can cause a bit of damage to a few of them but not all of them." He then pulls out his wand of fireball and aims it at the three hobs in the back.
Half-Orc Dragonheir Scion (12) Wounds (0) HP (122) Saves (16/10/11, +4 vs spells and SLAs) Init (+1) AC (30/11/29, +2 vs goblinoids) Fire Resist (10) CMD (26) BB (2/5) Buffs (Ability Mastery +2 Str)
Grum saw the minotaurs and smiled, for he had a plan. He walked down to the door, sword in one hand and wand in the other. He had teleported there. That meant that he was, by all accounts, a powerful mage. Taking the wand he pointed it at the minotaurs, and with smug assurance willed the wand to work!
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Against the feinted wolf, which loses it's Dexterity bonus to AC against Aerel's shots
Aerel will 5' step if necessary to get a clearer shot. If he drops the feinted wolf, he will move to the second.
Fighter 11 | 121 HP | AC 24 (25 in fortress mode, 28 w/ full attack), T 14, F 20, CMD 27| F 9 R 8 W 8 | Init +3 | Perc +11
Amkarang dodges all the minotaur's attacks and grins. His luck in protecting himself, however, seems to have meant his offensive actions are far less lucky.
Grum's wand is ineffective and the minotaurs snort in contempt. The each step forward and start chopping at the struts of the tower.
Damage:3d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4) + 6 = 17
Damage:3d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 1, 6) + 6 = 18
Their large axes hew into the legs of the tower, shaking it. The structure remains standing for now.
Amkarang smacks the large minotaur once but his follow-up attacks all miss.
Warhammer:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32 Damage:2d6 + 5 ⇒ (1, 5) + 5 = 11
It replies with a heavy strike of its own.
Aerel drops the wounded wolf and severely injures the other. It stays on Benedict, snapping at the aasimar.
Bite:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Damage:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Male Human Fighter 12| AC 28 T 16 FF 23 | HP 124/124| F +11 R +10 W +6; +3 vs Fear | Init +5 | Perc +17
William winces as one of the arrows barely finds a way past his defenses. He then smiles and shakes his head at the hobgoblins. He points the wand at them again.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Aerel will send some support Amkarang’s way so he’s free sooner to deal with the would-be lumber-cows. Attacking the big minotaur fighting the Unsinkable.
Fighter 11 | 121 HP | AC 24 (25 in fortress mode, 28 w/ full attack), T 14, F 20, CMD 27| F 9 R 8 W 8 | Init +3 | Perc +11
Amkarang gives the big minotaur a kick as it falls before turning his attention to the cow-person just south of him. He lashes out with his meteor hammer, trying to trip it but can't get a good grip on it's ankle.
Deciding that magic was for people who wore dresses and/of glasses, Grum gripped his sword in both hands and charged out of the tower. Given the way that it shook, he figured that it wouldn’t survive for much longer, and dying in a crumbling tower would not be a proper way to go.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
In Minatan, ”Glad you softened that one up for me, Amkarang!”
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Grum's distracted, there's a new baby in their life. My vote is a "vertical charge" where Grum steps out of the tower and lands on a minotaur.
Grum dives out of the tower, cleaving a smoking gash into the minotaur as he falls. He his the ground hard, though, and ends up prone at the feet of the injured but still alive minotaur.
Falling:2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9
The minotaur Amkarang failed to trip turns his axe on the Unsinkable.
Melee:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 Damage:3d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 4, 1) + 8 = 18
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Aerel moves forward with Benedict, aiming to be within 30' of any foes their leader feints. (Which will limit the elven archer to a single shot; if Benedict is not threatening a foe at this point, Aerel will target the minotaur standing over Grum)
M Aasimar Fighter 9/Chevalier 3| HP 112/112 | AC 31 (33 vs goblins), T 14, FF 28, CMD 30 | Init +5 | Perception +25 (Darkvision) | F/R/W +14/+11/+9 (+4 vs mind-affecting, immune fear/poison) | Move 30' | Tactician 1/1 | BB 1/1 | Alter Self 1/1 | Active: None
Benedict started the fight 75' from the tower (what Aerel said was the closest distance of safe approach), and he moved up 30' last round. So he should be 45' from the tower.
That means a Charge attack to get to one of the minotaurs (provoking an AOO, but Benedict takes no AC penalty when charging). So no feint this round.
Going for Grum's foe if it is still up, or Amkarang's foe otherwise.
Fighter 11 | 121 HP | AC 24 (25 in fortress mode, 28 w/ full attack), T 14, F 20, CMD 27| F 9 R 8 W 8 | Init +3 | Perc +11
Amkarang grins as he steps in, "Pushover!"
He tries to let out a flurry of attacks but messes up the spin of the two ends of his hammer. Once he's built enough momentum again, his attacks are ineffective at best.
Aerel sends another amazing shot at the minotaur standing over Grum, this arrow blowing through its chest and killing it before it has a chance to swing at Grum as he stands.
Amkarang hits twice they don't have great AC
Damage:1d8 + 7 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 4 + 2 = 17
Damage:1d8 + 7 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 4 + 2 = 16
Benedict charges in and stabs it, but risks an attack of his own.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Wow - I don't think I have had as many longbow criticals in my life as I have had in this combat. Not going to lie, I like it!
Aerel continues running in, but doesn't waste an arrow on the remaining minotaur. Instead, he is focused on the retreating hobgoblins, watching for tricks - or traps.
Move toward the base of the tower, pausing to post up with a readied arrow for anyone coming out of the cave.
Then he will hang his flail at his belt (move action), to free up a hand for perhaps a potion or something next.
It looks on the map like there is some sort of gate or stockade across the cave entrance. Is that the case? And what are in the stockade 'cages' east of the big cave?
Two more fireballs finish off the hobgoblin rangers.
The cages east of the cave mouth are rough-hewn wooden structures holding a variety of local wildlife: wolves, hounds, owls and hawks.
The cave mouth is barred by a 12-foot tall fence of thick logs, but spaced far enough apart a medium-sized creature can slip through. It is sturdy enough, however, to keep all sorts of larger beasts inside.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Aerel moves up to the bars and peers in with his darkvision, curious what the hobgoblins had planned for the once-unsuspecting town.
He stays back 15’ until he has had time to study and make sure there wasn’t something dangerous waiting to pull him in. If he feels safe, he will approach closer, but stays outside for now.
The big minotaur (warmaze master) has three potions amongst its gear, along with several other flasks of alchemical concoctions. The two sharpshooters also have several potions (four each) on them.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
Aerel looks around for a spent arrow and retrieves it. ”Doesn’t need to fly well, just fly.”
Walking up to the cave entrance, but remaining outside, he casts light on the used arrow and fires it into the cave, carefully avoiding any of the moving shapes, just to put some light on the subject.
I have 60’ darkvision, so I presume they must be quite a ways in if I cannot see them from the mouth of the cave. A light arrow should alleviate that.
Taking two potions, Grum downed them in quick succession. With his latent sorcerous powers he willed the potions to be more effective, so by the time he was done drinking all was well.
Benedict figures out that the potions are more potent than others he's tasted. cure serious wounds
Aerel's arrow illuminates the cave somewhat, but also throws shadows from the big gate. While he can't identify the creatures beyond, he can tell they're big and animal-like.
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
OK, we're not supposed to be able to see them. Got it.
Aerel waits by the big gate, watching the vague movement within and wondering what manner of beasts these might be.
Oh, I didn't see where you had moved your token up that close to the mouth. You'd be able to see inside from that close. But that's going to initiate combat and Benedict and Grum have several rounds of actions already spoken for. You still going up there alone?
Male Elf Fighter (archer)/rogue* 12 | AC 24 (26 with buckler), T 18, F 18 (20), CMD 31 (25) | F 11 R 12 W 10 | hp 88/88 | Init +6 | Perc +32, +38 vs traps, darkvision 60', see invisibility/ethereal | Effects:
I’ve described at least three rounds’ worth of actions as I cautiously investigate. If I thought there was a threat - as opposed to mindless beasts milling about in the darkness of the cave - I was staying at least 15’ back, as originally posted.
The group begins its push into the cave. As they approach, the big animal forms resolve themselves into a pair of metallic bulls and a giant snake attended by a pair of hobgoblins. The bulls stomp and snort while the massive snake eyes the heroes with its reptilian stare.
Knowledge (nature) DC 18:
These are gorgons, dangerous magical beasts. Higher results on the check will reveal more information about their dangerous abilities.
One hobgoblin wears priestly robes and an unholy symbol prominently.
With a cry of ”Gorum!” Grum charged in, unheeding of the danger. The fact that he had only recently danced with death didn’t seem to faze him in the slightest.
