Why Can't Fighters Have Nice Hobgoblins? Ironfang Invasion

Game Master Stalwart

"We haven't seen any cavalry yet, just the horses pulling the wagon. Though if hobgoblins are like other military forces I expect they have some."
I wonder if we'll ever face a Fell Rider in this AP - the hobgoblin cavalier archetype?
"It's true, it could be from someone else. With that Molthuni spy we found, I wouldn't be surprised if Molthune was poking around to exploit our predicament.
If we move the group, which way should we go? The five of us can go on a bit ahead to deal with any significant dangers. Maybe with some of the warriors for support.
We could head for Gristledown. It's tiny, not much more than a logging camp. We'd be better off taking them into our band than staying there. But it's about 14 miles north of the bridge, so maybe two days travel from here. We'd have to travel one day, then take a couple of days to build up our supplies before moving on again.
Or, we could go deeper into the woods -- north, northeast, or east -- looking for those troglodyte caves."

Our camp is about halfway between where the road enters the woods and the ranger outpost (location B in the map on Slide 3; click on "Ranger Redoubt Map"). So just bit southeast of the Apple Orchard (location D), which we'll need swarm suits to explore. We do have a couple of commoners with Craft (clothing) who could make us such things.

i

Amélie studies the tracks as well. She thinks a bit, then asks, "'Ave you seen ze 'obgoblins use horses much? I wonder if zis was from someone else."

She shrugs, deciding to follow the lead of her rescuers. They certainly knew the land better and the nature of the threat.

This remark takes Jie off guard. "You're right. It very well might not be the hobgoblins. That's a good thought." She ponders Benedict's suggestions also. "The caves. Gristledown. We need to find a more permanent home." she says, eyeing the makeshift shelters they have. "Even If the swarmsuits are ready, I can't see the orchard providing shelter. The building's remains are just to small for our entire group and I think its too close to Phaendar to build anything bigger. Gristledown is a known settlement. To be honest I don't think we need to take any people there we need to warn them of their impending invasion. I bet they're next on the hobgoblin list. I think the best bet is the caves. They are obviously hard to find. Downside is that we would have to negotiate or otherwise deal with the inhabitants." She pauses and looks towards the forest. "I think that our refugees should stay here and hoard supplies and food, while we explore the southern reaches of Fangwood. If we can find the troglodyte caves or even some other terrain that would be conducive for a permanent shelter, then we can move the refugees there the next day."

Yeah, the orchard I wasn't thinking of as a place to stay, just to gather some more Provision Points.
"That sounds good, Jie, but I'm not comfortable leaving our refugees overnight. We can explore during the day as long as we can get back before dark. That limits our range, so we can move the camp when we want to explore further afield."
We could also have the NPCs trained at Survival use the Scout option instead of gathering food. They might let us know where points of interest are -- possibly even the caves.
1) Move the camp today. A whole day of gathering no food. We do have the reserves to do this once.
2) The party scouts up to four miles in one direction and doesn't forage. Almost break-even on food, probably.
3) NPCs scout in several directions while the party forages. They don't engage with any danger they see, just report back. Almost break-even on food, probably.
4) Everyone stays and forages. We build up our supplies.

Jie votes for option 2.
Jie repectfully asks Kining for some tools and goes to work on the lockbox, taking her time.
Taking 20 with Disable Device and tools would give her a 24
She is slightly disappointed in the chain shirts, since that breaks her druidic vows, but snags two of the alchemists fire.

Benedict will vote #2 also.
For future reference, GM, how much ground could Jie and Feng cover in a day? If we moved the camp 8 miles closer to Gristledown, Jie might then be able to get there and back in a day while the rest of us forage with the NPCs.
She could warn them, which was a major part of her concept as a post rider as I understand it.
We don't have enough horses yet for everyone to go, so if there was trouble she'd have to book it back to us.
From where we are now it is over 30 miles round-trip to scout Gristledown.

Option 2.

That's a majority for #2. We go exploring.
For the new NPCs, how about they use these skills in order of preference, depending on what they are trained in?
1) Survival to forage;
2) Stealth to use the Scout action to identify other local points of interest and dangers;
3) Handle Animal to round up more livestock.
The adepts can keep trying to identify any magic items we haven't identified so far, rolling rather than Taking 10.

Benedict will vote #2 also.

For future reference, GM, how much ground could Jie and Feng cover in a day? If we moved the camp 8 miles closer to Gristledown, Jie might then be able to get there and back in a day while the rest of us forage with the NPCs.
She could warn them, which was a major part of her concept as a post rider as I understand it.
We don't have enough horses yet for everyone to go, so if there was trouble she'd have to book it back to us.
From where we are now it is over 30 miles round-trip to scout Gristledown.

Jie was just about to ask about that very point. She is very interested in trying to warn Gristledown, both her and Feng have the Endurance feat if that helps.

If there is danger at Gristledown we wouldn't be there to help, so it's a risk, but you are quite fast.
With Endurance you could cover more ground than I thought.

Jie could cover enough ground to make gristledown and back with some to spare, however, if she needs assistance, you will be far away. let me know which you decide, and I'll make the rolls and story telling happen.

Willing to change the day's plan.
Jie, can you use your Speak with Birds ability to bring a messenger bird with you, and send it back to us with a note if needed?

I think that would be to close in practice to the Animal Messenger spell which is a 2nd level Druid spell. If she can find a bird that has already made this area its home, however, and she bargains with it.
Jie looks around for a bird that has made its home in the area and is robust enough to carry a small message.
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
If its K/Nature then shes adding 6 instead of 4
If she finds one then she has Benedict offer it some seed or meat, depending on its preference and while she casts Speak with Animals (Birds).
She won't gain Animal Empathy until next level, but she can speak with it. Her offer is more seed or meat if the bird accompanies her. If something happens to her then the bird is to fly back to Benedict, at which point it will get more seed or meat. If it leads Benedict to where it last saw Jie, then it will get more seed or meat from Benedict. Or it can fly a small scroll back to Benedict and get seed or meat.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
That's probably not good enough, but if it is, then Jie will go warn Gristledown. Her strategy will be Do not engage, Avoid and Run. If she is pursued she will try to lead her pursuers deeper into the Forest and will not turn back to the refugee camp until she is fairly certain she lost them.

Benedict will try to be soothing and friendly to the bird to assist Jie's Diplomacy check.
Diplomacy Aid Another: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
If that isn't enough, we can try again tomorrow.

Any luck with the bird diplomacy?

Jie finds a black-capped chickadee easily, as it had been hopping nearby from branch to branch and singing its distinctive song.

As she approaches, it hops up on a higher branch and tilts its head.

Jie smiles and replies.

"Well then, Jie. Do you think you would want to try again tomorrow?
Today we can go scouting in the direction of Gristledown. We could explore northwest, for the first four miles of the route that you'll be taking.
Does that sound useful?"

"Zhat sounds good. My knowledge of zis country is limited, and I'm not sure where I am in relation to Phaendar."

I'm assuming that the group is somewhere between B and D on the regional map. Is that fairly correct?

Right. We moved about one mile east into the woods the first night after destroying the bridge, then five miles east another day.

The four-mile trek is uneventful, as the group pushes through the trackless terrain. After four hours of weaving through dense copses of trees, deadfalls, and tangles of undergrowth, they come to a wide swath of evergreen trees. The carpet of fallen pine needles softens footfalls and lends the entire place a air of peaceful quiet.

Plan 2 has been executed. What is your next plan?

As they travel, Jie inspects every deadfall, trying to determine if any would serve as a large enough shelter for the refugees. Upon arriving at the evergreens, she dismounts and feeds Feng an apple. "Well, this is beautiful." she remarks. She kneels next to one of the trees and does a quick druidic prayer of thanks and guidance. "This seems like a good place for lunch, and we can discuss what comes next."

”Food? Food is good. We stop!” Grum was hungry and this did seem like as good a place as any to eat.

"Yes! Let's eat.
We were looking to move the camp, after those hoofprints we saw yesterday. Maybe we could move the here tomorrow while you are scouting Gristledown? Then you wouldn't have to ride as far back afterwards. I know you and Feng can ride a long ways, but it's slow going in these woods and saving you four miles might be helpful.
This does seem a fairly good spot, though of course we'd like to find those caves eventually. I think the Pooka said they were near the swamp."

DM, when you have time and the ability to edit the Campaign Info, we'll need to update the Provision Points with the windfall from the supply train and today's foraging and animal handling, minus today's consumption. The PCs all are still on their trail rations I think, having each started with either 5 or 7 days' worth. There are 24 militia members (the 23 on the Campaign Info tab plus Aubrin), not counting the PCs or any new arrivals with Amélie. The rescued horses from the supply train might also need some Provision Points if we are moving the camp and they can't graze.
It is now Day 5. Trying to lay this out - I am sure Shisumo had a spreadsheet for it.
Day 1: Invasion. Started with 71 Provision Points by my count.
Day 2: Exploration, Wasps in orchard, Edran the Molthuni Spy, Witchcrow. Gained 16 Provision Points and 9 animals; Consumed 24 PP. New total: 63.
Day 3: Moving the camp east, Pooka, River Drake. Gained 0 PP and animals, Consumed 24 PP. New total: 39.
Day 4: Scouting the ranger redoubt, Ettercap, Supply Wagon. Gained 18 PP and 5 animals. Plus 40 PP from supply wagon. Consumed 24 PP New total: 73 PP, and 14 animals. Shisumo's math had us at 36 PP and 14 herd animals before the supply train raid, which suggests 1/day more for days 2-4; either Aubrin isn't eating, or she is foraging just enough to get 1/day, or somehow else we are gaining an extra 1/day.
Day 5: Exploring northwest. Foraging rolls and animal gathering not yet rolled. Will consume at least 24 PP, maybe more if there are new arrivals.
Not sure if the herd animal Provision Points come in increments based on when we acquired them, or just 1/3 of the herd size each day.

Amkarang smiles at Grum's enthusiasm, "Let's eat here and enjoy the quiet a bit. This seems as good a place to move camp to as any. The isolation could provide some safety, make it harder for the hobs to get to us."

Before putting her opinion on whether this is a good place to camp, Jie checks to make sure there is a stream nearby for water and that the camping place isn't a hollow that will fill up with water and melt, ie. it has good drainage.
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Assuming she doesn't find any problems
"Well, the pine needles will provide excellent insulation for sleeping on the ground. My only concern is it's in the open. I'm willing to try tomorrow to make the journey. Does that mean that I camp here overnight while you go collect the others and bring them here tomorrow?"

Jie's assessment of this pine grove is that it is not prone to flooding, having a very gentle slope and not being very close to a body of water of the size that could threaten a flash flood if it were to suddenly rain. It's a pleasant, old growth area of the Fangwood. It's main drawback is that the carpet of pine needles has choked off most of the undergrowth, so a fire made here could be seen from the edge of the grove. Futhermore, a camp could be encircled by enemies in the night and attacked from any direction.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Amélie looks around. "Zis is a good place to stop, but not to camp. Too exposed.

"Okay, so let's not move the camp here. We'll keep looking for those caves.
It makes for a longer ride tomorrow, Jie, but I think you should come back to the camp with us tonight. Safety in numbers."
Benedict takes a look around the grove for any tracks, scat, or other marks.
Survival: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
"Maybe if we're lucky we can bring home some elk or something for our group."

"I agree." Jie says to Benedict and Amélie's suggestion to not stay here. As they eat she brushes Feng down and let's him wander. "It's not for certain that I'll be able to convince a bird to accompany me. But if I do go and am able to make contact, is there anything we might want to purchase or acquire from Gristledown?"
She takes Benedict's suggestion about hunting as a challenge, and as she remounts Feng she will be riding with bow in hand, ready to do some hunting on the way back.

Benedict doesn't find any tracks of elk to his disappointment, but he finds fresh tracks of what he believes to be a feral sow and her piglets. He estimates that the pigs trotted through this grove earlier this morning.

"Well, does anyone feel like bacon?" Jie asks.

Benedict thinks a minute.
"No, I suppose we have enough food for now. Let's head on back."
I am not sure, but I think IRL hunters generally don't go after mothers with young -- that it is frowned upon, for reasons of keeping the population viable. That's why hunting season is generally in the fall, I think.
I imagine Benedict would tend to follow a similar practice, since many other Nirmathi could also depend on the game in these woods for sustenance.

That seems reasonable.

Yup. Grum will approve

Amélie looks around at the rest of the party once the midday meal is finished and the hunters decide to leave the sow and her piglets be. "So we are headed back to ze ozhers?" She shrugs and shoulders her bow while pulling out her glaive. Setting its haft into the ground to use as a makeshift walking stick, she smiles brightly. "Very well. Let us go, zhen."

Assuming you're headed back to the rest of the refugees...

The explorers retrace their steps for the most part, but range about slightly to cover some areas that had been bypassed earlier. The travel is slightly easier, being slightly downhill and the familiarity of passing through the same areas in the morning helps greatly.

The sun has started its descent into the western horizon turning the sky into a rich indigo when the travelers return to the refugee camp.

When they return, they learn some good news and some tragic news. The good news is that the refugees manage to forage and hunt to almost replenish the food stores that they consumed that day, and managed to find three more herd animals lost in the woods.

The tragic news is that one of the party that decided to scout out a small tangle of dense brush ended up slain by a carnivorous plant. Shillein, who along with Ednu and Rori, had discovered some plump, nutritious berries in the brush. However, Ednu and Rori report that while they were gathering baskets of the fruit, a bramle came alive and started slapping at them with thorny vines. Shillein got the worst of it, and bled out from the large gashes the plant caused.

Grum takes this all in stoically. It was to be expected, though he had the good sense to not say so. Still, these struck him as the type which would throw a fit if someone like him moved in. He wasn’t one of them, and couldn’t bring himself to care too much. And besides...they were warriors. They weren’t survivors. It was best not to get too attached.

Benedict expresses his sympathy to those who knew Shillein. He asks Rhyna to look after Ednu and Rori, who are no doubt shaken by the experience.
Then he quietly addresses the two survivors.
"I am sorry for your experience. These woods have all manner of dangers. Can you tell me how far away this bramble is? It's probably best that we get rid of it. And if you dropped the berries, I wouldn't fault you, but I could try to retrieve those."
If it's too far, we could go tomorrow and just work on temporary shelters now. If it's nearby we could deal with the plant tonight.

Jie also tries to comfort the survivors.
I agree that we need to take out the plant if possible.

Ednu definitely appreciates the comfort, though it is plain to see that he is quite rattled. Rori is taking it only a little better. "Aubrin told us not to go far, so we didn't -- we barely went a mile into the woods that way. Everything seemed fine; there was a good crop of gooseberries and all we had to do was watch out for the thorns. But then a patch of brambles started swiping at us! Shillein got hit bad on her leg, and it wouldn't stop bleeding. We tried to staunch it, but the bramble was still there. By the time we got her away, she had bled to death." He shakes his head.

The two are able to give decent directions to a spot they estimate to be about three-fourths of a mile from 'Fort Grum.'

"Close enough to get there, deal with it, and be back to build shelters. Let's go."

Jie gets Feng ready.
k/Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
"Most animate plants are fairly slow, but extremely dangerous up close. We might just want to kill it with archery."

Amélie strings her bow with a practiced motion. "Zhat works for many tings, I've found," she says with a smile. "Let's go find zis bush."

She follows the rest of the group as they set out in the direction given by Rori and Ednu.

Jie recalls several types of carnivorous plants, but is unsure of this particular type with such a vague description. However, everyone can surmise that the plant can cause bleed damage from its attacks based on what befell Shillein.

After a short while of walking, the party comes to a short ridgeline that overlooks a small creekbed. The trio of refugees were likely stationed there as a lookout for the encampment, because it affords a good view of the area.

The bright red berries draw everyone's attention to a dense tangle of vines and bushes about a hundred feet away. Worse, however, is the dark patches on the earth marking the spot where Shillein bled out.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Amélie casts her eyes about, arrow nocked. "I see no creature," she whispers.

You can keep your roll and move forward until you spot it (reducing the DC by one for every 10 feet you move toward the patch). However, Amélie would practically be on top of it before she spots it if she moves that close, and being an archer, she's not going that close. Make your rolls and announce how close you're moving up toward the patch; that will tell you how far away you are when you notice it (if at all).

Survival: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Benedict moves forward, but does not see the plant creature.
He stops about 30' from the patch.
"I can try to take a more defensive form and lure it out, unless one of you can spot it."
Alter Self into a Small form will give him AC 22, although only 19 flat-footed.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Before fluff does that work?

@Grum: you won't spot it unless you move closer.

Grum confidentially walks forward, before calling out for the party to halt.

”Look, over there.” He points to the dark red splotches on the leaves of one particularly dense tangle. ”Recently dried blood not berries. You can see it, the trunk is there. Those are the branches. That’s what killed Shellein.”

Yay nat 20

Amélie moves up to stand next to Grum, her bow at the ready. Peering to where he points, she shakes her head.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

"I cannot make it out from here."