Why Can't Fighters Have Nice Hobgoblins? Ironfang Invasion

Game Master Stalwart

I'm fine with that. Aerel is moving at half-speed to avoid potential penalties to stealth and survival checks as he goes. He will move around the bramble, keeping it in sight on his right, but not staying right next to it unless other barriers force him to make a decision otherwise. He will periodically circle back to the rest of the party to touch base and check for updates or plan changes.

And Sir Kingston will do the same in the other direction

Aerel, scouting ahead and skirting the hazardous thorn patch, finally comes upon an area that's been cleared of brush for roughly thirty to sixty feet before a steep ravine drops out of sight. At the far end, a wooden watch tower stands at the edge, guarding the ravine's western edge. A set of wooden stairs leads down into the gully. A hobgoblin is in the tower but doesn't seem to see Aerel at the moment.

Map updated. Sir Kingston is still working his way around to the other side.

Aerel carefully retreats to share what he’s found.

"Hmmm... if the camp is in the ravine, then seizing the watchtower and the stairs would give us a very good defensive position. Narrow stairway and high ground. We do have one potion of Invisibility we could use, either for looking into the ravine or seizing the tower."

"Indeed. Taking that watchtower would be useful."

A little while after Aerel returned with news of the Ironfang camp, Grum gets a spike of nervousness from Sir Kingston. It seems as though the brave little hedgehog has found the eastern edge of the camp.

What's the plan?

Get Sir Kingston back here, then attack?
Grum drinks the potion of Invisibility, goes into the tower, and kills the guard?
I'm up for a Disguise/Bluff ploy but don't see the need for it with only one guard in the tower.

Feeling vicariously nervous, Grum growled ”We must move. Give me the potion so I can clear the tower.” He wasn’t used to feeling like this, and wanted it to stop. And the best way was by doing something!

"Go for it. I am sure Sir Kingston will come running when he feels you taking action."

Benedict takes his bow in hand and takes up a position ten yards beyond the tree-line.

Aerel follows Benedict’s lead, preparing to support Grum from range.

William says, "Hold on. I thought we were going to scout the camp and whittle them down. Not run headlong into a battle with the whole camp. How many of them are there? Where are they? Maybe we should look around more."

"Normally I'd agree, William, but we have lucked into an opportunity that might not come again.
We got this close without being noticed.
There is only one guard in the tower.
If we leave, they might be able to track us back to the caves.
If Grum can take out the guard in the tower before he can ring an alarm bell, we can take some time and survey the camp. I'll disguise myself as a hobgoblin before we start so I can pretend to be that guard. Might fool them from a distance."
Applying a mundane disguise so it lasts longer. Using the Disguise kit and the Inspired trait.
"And if they do notice us, we have a very good defensive position, with a wooden staircase. If they can only fit two abreast on the stairs, they can't bring their numbers to bear and we can hold them off for a long time while you and Aerel snipe from the tower. If it gets too bad we set the staircase on fire. Maybe we have Sir Kingston keep watch around the way we came to alert us if they wise up and circle around."

And from a metagame perspective I'd rather move this along quickly if we have a good opportunity to do so. Guerrilla warfare is highly effective IRL but can be kind of boring in a PbP game that is already slow by its nature. I'd do it if it were clearly the best option, but I think we have a good opportunity here.

I also got the vibe that we can’t see anything from here other than the guard, so scouting forward requires his removal, even if we didn’t opt to attack today. But I think the rest of Benedict’s reasoning is sound - the iron is hot, we should strike.

”A good point. Let’s take some time to hide our backtrail for some distance. If we fall back, we do so away from the route home.”

If that is agreeable to the party, Aerel will work backwards to hide our trail. Unsure how far is reasonable or how long it would take.

Survival: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Grum took the potion and downed it. The warrior was invisible! But not silent...

Stealth: 1d20 - 4 + 20 ⇒ (9) - 4 + 20 = 25

As quietly as he could he crept forward, ready to apply his sword to the hobgoblin.

Hit if he doesn’t notice: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Damage with Fire!: 2d4 + 1d4 + 13 ⇒ (2, 4) + (3) + 13 = 22

His latent magic now caused his blade to burst into flames went swung. If nothing else it would cauterize Wounds, making the corpses much less messy.

Totally forgot, thanks! Edited it.

Perceptions: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Perceptions: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Invisibly, Grum climbs the watchtower and realizes that there were actually two guards stationed there! One was sleepy and barely alert, while the other might have figured out Grum's presence in time.

Unfortunately for that hobgoblin, Grum didn't give him any time. He cuts him down with a single swing of his falchion.

Initiative, enemy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Initiative, Grum: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Benedict: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
William: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Amkarang: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Aerel: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Anyone with bows may get a single shot in the surprise round against the second hobgoblin. Then William gets to act ahead of the hobgoblin in the first round. If he's not taken out:

The other hobgoblin cries out, waking up fully in surprise and drawing a pair of axes. He swings the larger one at Grum.

Battleaxe: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

You're up, Grum!

Hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Damage: 2d4 + 1d4 + 13 ⇒ (4, 4) + (3) + 13 = 24

Resisting the urge to scream a battlecry, Grum swung his flaming falchion. The blade hit the hobgoblin on the shoulder and cut all the way down into the chest. The soldier’s death was quick, but the body almost pulled the blade from Grum’s hands. With a grunt he ripped it free, and then waved to the party with a toothy grin on his face.

When Grumm appears he fires at the second hobgoblin.

Mwk. Comp. Longbow (+2 Str): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

He then fires off two more arrows hoping to end him before he can make a sound.

Mwk. Comp. Longbow (+2 Str) RS 1: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 - 2 = 15 Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Mwk. Comp. Longbow (+2 Str) RS 2: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 = 21 Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Benedict takes a shot against the second hobgoblin in the surprise round.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 Against flat-footed?
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Waiting to see if you all have killed it already. Seems quite possible that you did.

Sooo close! Aerel might be able to do it, though! Waiting on him.

Longbow attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

As soon as Grum appears and cuts down one guard, the rest of the Phaendarans let their arrows fly. Two find their mark, but Benedict's arrow is just wide because he didn't want to risk hitting Grum. Just before the hobgoblin can call an alarm, however, William sends two more arrows that strike true, ending the guard's life.

What next? The alarm does not seem to be raised yet. Actually, I'm not going to be able to populate the map until this evening. But you can plan your next move.

Benedict will suggest that he, with a mundane disguise of an Ironfang soldier in place, will be visible in the tower and keeping lookout. If anybody in the camp looks up, they'll think he is the guard who is supposed to be there. But he is only one guard, not two, so they might get suspicious after a while of the other 'napping'.

I think the GM rolls secretly; I am at +8 with +2 for the kit and -2 for different race. Using Inspired to roll twice and take the better. With distance penalties it should not be a problem.

The rest of the party can be hidden behind the tower or lying down in the tower, unless someone else wants to try Disguise. Benedict will watch for a while and see what is going on in the camp. How many hobgoblins there are, if there are any leaders, and so on.

Raining death from above and holding the top of the staircase is not a bad plan if the numbers are manageable (like if we see some leave on patrol). But we'll have to see what we see.

Map is updated and populated.

Grum, from his vantage point on the watchtower, can view the Ironfang camp. Three main tents dominate the ravine, while a large cookfire is close to the center. Several goblinoids mill around the fire, which appear to be the only ones visible. A wooden palisade of sharpened sticks guards the eastern border. The one roundish tent is covered with oddly shaped skins with curious designs. There also seems to be an animal paddock with a pair of wolves and what might be a child or a goblin wallowing around with the canines.

The idea of taking point in the tower and luring the hobs to us sounds good to me.

Could someone lay on their belly where the brambles end at the edge of the drop and get a view into the camp, just to get a different perspective on what's going on below? I would totally get some branches and such from the trees to break up my profile so it wasn't obvious that there was a head and shoulders peeking over the edge, so a skill check would apply, but I'm wondering if the different angle would be of value. The stairs would be well within range when it came time to start harrying anyone trying to climb out.

”Benedict, see if you can lure another here. The more we can take down now, the easier the coming battle will be.” Grum said as he cleaned the blood from his blade.

We'll see if Aerel sees anything different by peeking over the edge, but otherwise that's a good plan.
Pretend to be the watchtower guard and call up one or two from the camp to investigate some motion by the tree-line. Kill them, and then take on the rest. There don't seem to be too many for us to handle, especially if the stairs limit them to only 1 or 2 at a time able to engage us.

Aerel can see three more figures inside the wide tent that contains bedding for the soldiers of the camp. He can also see that the round tent's designs are actually faces that have apparently been cured and stitched to the fabric in a grisly display.

Aerel draws back from the edge to report his observations, but returns to the same position, thinking that more eyes on the camp can only help.

As the group begins its surveillance of the camp from their two vantage points, they see little real activity. The goblinoids poke around at the bonfire, cooking and eating, and periodically switching places with those in the barracks tent.

After a while of observation, one of the shaggy-haired figures at the bonfire looks back at the watchtower and tilts his head in curiosity.

Benedict will signal to the ones in the camp to come up and check out something. He'll point to the camp, hold up two fingers, and point to the tree-line.

"Get into position."

Aerel and William on the floor of the tower with bows ready, Amkarang and Grum behind the tower ready to come out and cut down the hobgoblins, and Benedict maintaining the ruse for now but ready to join the melee with his buckler, flag, and warhammer.

One of them is looking at the tower suspiciously - it's likely too late to get two non-hobgoblins up into the tower (I'm picturing an open tower, where the only cover is at the top for the watchers to crouch behind and the legs and stairs up are open.

FWIW, I think William and Aerel could do just fine against goblins on the stairs from where Aerel is perched. Actually, us opening fire on hobgoblins on the stairs might maintain the ruse a bit longer as we fire and the melee guys wait, Benedict raises the alarm to play his role, and we keep firing until they reach the top of the stairs where Amkarang and Grum can meet them.

Grum nodded as he waited out of sight, ready to strike.

Amkarang stands behind the tower next to Grum, ready for the plan to commence.

Sorry for the delay; I closed on a house Friday and am in the process of moving. Please bear with me in the next couple weeks.

The bugbear elbows a hobgoblin and points up to the watch tower which appears as Aerel described it. The two of them start moving toward the stairs out of the ravine.

Aerel signals William to get ready, there are targets on the move.

Unless Benedict and the others start the ball rolling sooner, Aerel’s intention is to wait until the two are just below the top of the stairs and open fire on them. That either forces them to run into our fire farther on the stairs to escape descending, jump, or charge up into the waiting weapons of our heavy hitters. He has only had time to share this plan with William as the others are already situated at the tower when it comes to him.

Benedict draws his bow and keeps it pointed at the tree-line.

Grum was getting impatient as he waited. "Hurry up and die." He muttered as his fingers gripped his blade.

The bugbear and the hobgoblin reach the base of the stairs.

Stealth: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (20) - 4 = 16

As quietly as possible, Grum snuck up to the bugbear and hobgoblin, quickly deciding which one looked to be the tougher of the two. Then...

Hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Damage: 2d4 + 1d4 + 10 ⇒ (2, 4) + (3) + 10 = 19

Confirm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Crit: 2d4 + 1d4 + 10 ⇒ (1, 1) + (3) + 10 = 15

...brought his sword down at the creature’s head.

Amkarang swings his meteor hammer at the one that Grum didn’t obliterate.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Attack 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage 1: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Damage 2: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Uh, you guys are waiting until they reach the top of the stairs to do that, right?

I had that very question. The two goblinoids have reached the bottom of the stairs. Grum, there's no way to stealth at this point, and based on their position, you're entirely out of their line of sight (and they yours), unless you're at the top of the watchtower.

The two look like they're about to climb the steps. Are you attacking them now, or going to wait to see what they do?

Sorry jumped the gun. Wait until they have reached a point where he can realistically strike. And the 20 on Stealth will just be to hide until then

When the goblinoids are in the last five feet of the stairs, just before their heads are above the tower's ground level, Aerel will fire at them. Hopefully, William will follow suit. That should get their attention while Grum and Amkarang approach.

Benedict keeps looking out towards the treeline.
He fires an arrow into the woods and curses in Goblin.