GM ShadowLord's Ironfang Invasion (Inactive)

Game Master The Rising Phoenix

Welcome back, Shadowlord! Glad you came through on the other side!

Looking at the corpse, Thael isn't sure how to proceed without his allies. He draws a wand and sends a burning hands spell at it from range, hoping to rule out that the creature may be undead before he approaches it.

Once he is satisfied it's safe, he investigates the body and retrieves the belt. He then flies back to report to his allies.

"At least one dead below," he offers.

Does the partially-submerged passageway look like it was new construction, or was it a cave-in?

Grenwold nods, "shall we explore down there, or continue on?"

"If the body is one o' the miners, we should haul it up and give it a decent burial. Kin may want ta pay their respects without flyin' down a shaft to see a body in the water."

"You pilfered his belt, huh?" Caspan says. "Didn't think you had it in you. Bet the ass-mars wouldn't be happy about it, but they probably don't need help keeping their pants on..."

"The allure of something magical is too much for me," Thael concedes to Caspan. "I can't imagine leaving it there, even if it belonged to someone."

Thael's spell explodes all over the corpse, drawing the same effect he had hoped to find -- nothing. Ruling the area relatively safe, he retrieves the belt and returns to the party. Upon further inspection, the belt turns out to be a belt of mighty constitution +2.

The passageway was constructed to be a drainage tunnel and is unaffected by the collapse.

Once everyone is across the pit and reunited, they onward to the south.
This fissure winds through the stone, large enough for an adult human to pass through. Bone fragments litter the ground and a pungent stench fills the air.

After only thirty feet of advancement, more horrors arrive. Another quarrygeist manifests, but you are quickly able to bring it down without much trouble. Enough of this cave, let's get out of here already...

Pressing south, you find long-dead lanterns that hang on the walls of this rectangular room, and a large wooden table occupies a corner. A thick layer of dust covers the floor and table, except in several places where objects seemingly once rested but are now absent. A bloodied hobgoblin corpse sits slumped against the wall in the southeast corner of the room, its face a rictus of horror. A natural stone fissure exits the room to the north, while the tunnels leading northeast and southwest have collapsed.

One of the quarrygeists cornered a hobgoblin soldier here and battered her to death. Among her equipment, the hobgoblin carried a banner depicting both the red shield of the Ironfang Legion and a labyrinthine axe symbol. A map of the Hollow Hills with Radya’s Hollow and a nearby camp marked on it lies beside her body.

The three carts in this chamber contain various chunks of quartz and gold-veined granite, mined prior to the collapse of the mine shaft. Each of the loaded carts weighs 650 pounds, and requires a minimum Strength score of 12 or more to push. Pushing these carts takes a full-round action, though a PC can stop to take other actions at any time as the carts simply stop moving. With a successful DC 18 Appraise check, a PC identifies the value of the material in the carts as 1,600 gp, 2,800 gp, and 2,900 gp respectively.

A magical candle of clean air rests on one tables here.

Finally, there are exhausted and malnourished creatures in the far side of the room. A human is crouched near a dwarf who's foot and leg are pinned beneath an overturned mine cart. At first they attempt to hide from you, but after it's clear you pose no threat they shout for help. "Help! HELP! He's trapped! Please!" DC 22 Strength check to shift the cart, though up to four characters can aid at once.

Caspan shrugs and looks around at the others. He could probably help. But seems odd that these two survived when the hobgoblin didn't.

"How come you're not pulling up dairies?" he asks, keeping a wary eye on them.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

Thael looks around for any concerning threats, but seeing none, says "Get up there, Caspan. We need to free him rom that cart, and you're the one strong enough to do it."

Father Emil is less suspicious of a couple of malnourished souls who don't seem to pose a threat. As he moves over to help, he nevertheless casts detect magic and looks the two over for signs of magic that might reveal they are not what they appear.

If he detects nothing odd, he'll put a shoulder to the cart and start trying to lift it enough to free dwarf's leg. Since he's not the strongest of man, he waits other stronger allies to join.

Strength, aid: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Wren gasps at seeing the pinned dwarf and the sickly human. ”Please help them! Quick! We’ve got to get the mine cart moved as quick as we can!”

Grenwold will rush over and help as well, along with Ringo.

strength check, bull focus, aid Caspan: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 = 23

Ringo leverages his own bulk to help the brawler as well.

strength check, bull focus, aid Caspan: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 = 9

But even though he is strong, he can't get purchase, as he is a deer!

Strength: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 4 = 23 Includes 2 aids

Caspan grunts and groans as he lifts the wagon. "Come on, get out now!" he growls as he gets it up just enough.

Letting it crash back down afterward, he turns to the moose-herder.

"Thanks. You're stronger than you look!"

Grenwold looks bewildered, "you are welcome."

Emil will examine the two for various injuries, diseases, and other afflictions before touching either. He makes sure Pila is close enough to help if they turn out to be something evil or hungry in disguise.

Heal: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

As he looks them over, he says, "I'm a cleric. My name's Emil. We're no friends o' the hobgoblins, if that worries ya. I hope yer not either. Let me see what ails ya afore ya try ta stand. Ya can tell us yer names and how you ended up this way, while I'm examining ya."

The dwarf gasps in relief as the cart is removed from his foot. Emil can see the damage is not as bad as he feared, you should be able to repair it with simple curative magic.

While this is happening the human addresses Emil's request, "I'm Meslin Mordecai and this is my husband Voldan. The hobgoblins and, uh, morlocks I guess, showed up several weeks ago and started opening this old mine. We told them the place was haunted but they just killed a few of us and opened it anyway. Not sure how long we've been here now but the whole mine just up and collapsed again. I tried to make my way out to get help, but something beat the hell out of me in the next room. I can't see in the dark so I don't know what, it didn't chase me in here so I've been tapping on the mine rail to get help."

This seems to have tired Meslin out, and Voldan takes over. "The hobgoblins talked about taking over resources for Lieutenant Kosseruk's assault on Longshadow. Sounds like they were using the entire Hollow Hills to supply their troops with gold, metal, and loot."

Thael frowns while stroking his beard as he listens to the report.

"We had best determine what lies in the next room," he says, renewing his light spell on his black staff.

"Perhaps then we can determine what the hobgoblins wanted in this mine, and what they will do with it in Longshadow."

Wren uses her Green Mother granted ability to convert a 3rd level spell into healing for the dwarf. ”Hold still, and let me look at you. I think I can help you out just a bit,” she says as she squats and touches the wound.

Cure Serious Wounds 3d8 + 8 ⇒ (7, 7, 8) + 8 = 30

The only other tunnel out of here is collapsed, the fissure through which you entered is the only way in or out.

Voldan adds "Seemed to have some hard parts, some wood and maybe some metal. I've been in a fight a time or two in my life and I can tell you it felt like I was being attacked by mining picks and rocks. Did you see nothing as you passed through?"

There is a sudden shift in the mine and the earth beneath your feet shudders then settles. Dust floats down from overhead and you hear groaning and cracking from the fissure behind you.

Both miners look about with worry. "That wasn't natural. We should get out of here!"

Time is not on your side. There's a lot in this area, so take a look at what you are taking or leaving and notate it in your response.

Emil will grab the map and the candle before shepherding everyone out. "We'll have to leave that ore. Make haste."

If someone has a haste spell that can cover us all, it might help get us out faster.

Caspan grabs a cart and starts running with it to get out of the mine.

"Let's excavate out of here before the whole thing collapses!" he calls.

That action is assuming the miners can walk. If not, he'll see if there's an empty cart he can throw them in or just carry one of them. He'll suggest the cow carry the other one.

Wren offers to cast Haste on as many of the group she could. ”Let’s just go ahead and get out of here to be on the safe side,” Wren advises the others.

Grenwold turns down the spell, "we are quick enough."

Is there room for Ringo to be large-size? If so, Ringo can carry someone too.

Thael scans the room with a detect magic cantrip, loathe to leave anything magical behind.

"Yes--let's move," he says with some urgency.

In the spirit of moving on, we're going to move quickly through the collapsing mine to get on to something new.

As things begin to shame and rumble all around you, you quickly grab what you can (including Meslin and Voldan) and make haste out of the mine. On your way out, a couple more of those annoying quarrygeist manifest and cause traps to trigger, natural gas explosions and sulphuric acid to erupt around you. With a few fresh burns and wounds, you emerge out of the mine with your rescued miners and a couple of carts full of valuable resources.

I know it's been awhile, but you found maps and journals on a dead hobgoblin. The relevant information is here. The last entry notes that they are relocating to a ridgeline camp about 8 miles southeast of the mine.

Emil is not familiar with the value of treasure, generally, but he'll look things over an call attention to anything he notices if it will help.

Appriase, Aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Emil has no ranks in this skill, so I don't think he can reveal what's under the spoiler, but it may help if someone else gets close.

He will spend more time checking people's wounds and keeping an eye out for trouble.

Appraise with one aid 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 2 = 21

Huffing and puffing from their narrow escape, Wren couldn’t help but sneak a peek at the full carts. I’m not sure how we get all this out of here, but that is worth a lot of gold. I’d guess somewhere around 7500 gold or so. That’ll help buy a lot of supplies.”

She plops down on a comfy spot of grass. ”Is everyone okay? Things could have went really bad back there, you know…”

Appraise: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

"I don't know, short stuff," Caspan disagrees. "I don't think it's worth that much. It's good to be perspirational, but I wouldn't get my hopes up that much."

He scratches his head.

"There's a city around here, right? Maybe we bring this all there, then I guess we can go connoiter that hob camp..."

Grenwold spends substantial time ensuring those they have rescued are well-tended to. He frowns slightly. ”I believe we should endeavor to deal with the foes at that nearby camp. The more of these roving army bands are free to maneuver nearby, the less safe the common folk will be.”

Almost as an aside, he nods at Wren, ”we are fine. Nothing more than a few scratches.”

Thael takes measure of what they have found with a studied eye.

"Valuable materials," he says in consultation with Emil and Wren. "If we could find anywhere to sell it, of course."

When Grenwold mentions taking the fight to the enemies at the nearby camp, he nods.

"The biggest dangers we have faced is when the foe encounters us where we are not expecting. The safest course, counter-intuitively, is often straight into the maw."

appraise: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

"We've attacked a hobgob base before and prevailed. I say we deal with 'em afore we try to profit off our mining excursion. We kin hide this lot an come back ta git it when we can get it to a friendly city."

It looks like everyone's hp levels are topped off, but let me know if any healing is required. Emil's still got most of his prepared spells available, so he's good to go without restig.

Sounds like we've got consensus.

Caspan grumbles as everyone ignores what he wants, again. Bunch of ingots, they all are!

Once everyone has caught their breath, loaded the gear and taken a short rest, they all agree to move towards this camp.

It doesn't take too long to make the trek and before long you take note of two tall towers that flank a collection of drab tents along the uppermost ridge of a steep hill. Red banners flutter in the prairie winds, and the smell of animals and rotting meat tinge the air.

Creeping along the ridgeline, you approach as close as you deem safe before giving yourself up, you take note of the two watchtowers in the distance. Though they have not spotted you yet, you know that the sentries inside are likely to spot you before you can close the distance.
The sentries also to appear to have some winged animal with them as well, perhaps an owl or something similar.

The map isn't big enough, so I put you at the edge. We'll assume you are quite a bit further away than 40' because they clearly would see you there. I put you approaching from the north side.

”If anyone has a clever plan, remember that I can make a few people invisible, if they’d like to go scout ahead, or try to quietly take out the towers. Combine that with my haste spell and a couple of us could try to take them out quickly.”

Thael can't help but think of Selde as they survey the avenues of approach. She could sneak past a beholder.

When Wren mentions invisibility and haste, he offers some spells he might cast by way of support: Black tentacles, slow, glitterdust, stinking cloud.

"Any of these could debilitate a number of defenders."

"So could these,"[/b] Caspan says, hoping up his fists, knuckles bloody as usual. "Can't Father Emil looks through the eyes of some aviators or something? I think he did that once or twice, didn't he?"

I think someone used some birds to scout before, no?

"I prayed for spells that could smite our enemies and so I can attack them from here for a few spells. I can draw down the wrath of Erastil that will only hurt evil creatures Holy Smite. I can cast it from here and hit everything within 20 feet up there. It has a chance ta blind those it hurts, fer a short time. I got a holy javelin and a few other magic attacks, which I could cast from here. That could provide ya some cover while you move in. Haste would mean we could all be up there right quick."

Emil also has some buffs he can cast before the battle: Weapon of Awe which he could cast on Caspan's fists (+2 sacred bonus to damage and crits automatically cause the target to be shaken, no save), barkskin (+3 to natural armor), Shield of faith (+3 deflection bonus).

Okay, let me know which buffs you are putting up and how you are going in. If you haven't yet, check the map to understand the layout.

For purposes of tactical planning, how far away are we from the nearest watchtower? We need to know for spell range purposes and to know how many rounds it will take to move to where the hobgoblins are.

If Caspan agrees, Emil will cast Weapon of Awe on Caspan's fists.
This grants a +2 sacred bonus on damage rolls, and if the weapon scores a critical hit, the target of that critical hit becomes shaken for 1 round with no saving throw. Duration 8 minutes.

He casts barkskin on Pila. +3 enhancement bonus to Natural Armor for 80 minutes.

He casts Shield of Fatih on Caspan. +3 deflection bonus to AC for 8 minutes.

Emil casts divine favor on himself. Grants +2 luck bonus on attacks and damage for 1 minute.

Emil proposes the following plan:
Emil summons a dire bat (converts 3rd level spell, life shield, into summon nature's ally III spell. Duration 8 rounds.

If anyone else can summon anything useful, do that at this point.

Emil uses speak with animals to instruct the bat to take two flasks of alchemist's fire and fly over to the nearest watch tower and drop one flask on it and then continue to the other to drop the other flask. After it has dropped both flasks, it should attack any hobgoblins it can. While Emil is giving the bat instructions, Wren casts haste.

Once the first flask is dropped (or the sentry spots the bat and sounds the alarm, whichever comes first), we cast any spells that can reach and attack the nearest sentry while others advance to get as close as they need to to engage the enemy.

Those casting long range spell close after they have cast their spells.

If anyone plans on sprinting ahead for any reason, Invisibiltiy would be an important buff for them. And Guardian of Faith is a groovy spell for anyone planning to close in melee. Both those last 8 minutes from Wren.

I will be running with the assumption that all hour per level buffs remain up. Gren would also like to do zephyr’s swiftness before the ambush, which I don’t believe stacks with haste but will continue to help for a full 8 minutes. Grenwold and Ringo, obviously, intend on charging ahead and drawing fire - to some degree at least.

Thael prepares a few spells to help the group.

He starts with fickle winds to spare them from ranged attacks on their advance.

He also casts fly on himself. Previously in the day, as was his practice, he had cast mage armor and unseen servant. To the invisible servant he gave a potion, with instructions to administer it to any of his companions that should fall.

He pulls a scroll of black tentacles from his scroll case.

"I believe I'm ready," he says.

Caspan will also plan to charge ahead. I'll pick a couple feats to grab, but those may depend on other tactics so I'll post that with my first action.

"I guess just rushing in can't go wrong, right? A lot easier than trying to reconnect the place more first..."

[ spoiler=Status]
HP 83/83
AC 22, touch 16, flat-footed 19, CMD 28 (+1 vs. grapple; +2 vs. dirty trick; +4 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (11 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 0/7; knockout (DC 18) 0/1
Effects: weapon of awe (+2 damage, shaken on a crit hit), shield of faith (+3 AC), haste
[/spoiler]

Buffs - 1st - heightened awareness for Grenwold, shield on Ringo. 2nd - Bone fists on everyone, versatile weapon on Grenwold scimitar. 3rd - zephyr's fleetness for Ringo, Caspan, Pila, and Wren.

I will assume Grenwold also starts with haste, as well. Please let me know if there are any other buffs. He will also give Ringo turtle and bull focus to start, and on the first round, activate the same for himself.

Ringo is Ready! Stats updated.

The deer stamps its feet in anticipation of the coming fight.

For purposes of tactical planning, how far away are we from the nearest watchtower? We need to know for spell range purposes and to know how many rounds it will take to move to where the hobgoblins are.

Let's say you are over the ridgeline about 100' away. You could attempt to close on that distance if you wish, but we'd need some stealth rolls from those that are interested in moving closer. Let me know if anyone wants to close the gap or go in from that distance.

Once the group is ready, wren casts Invisibility on Grenwold, Ringo and Caspan. She will cast Guardian of Faith on the three and haste as the group is ready to begin.

You can probably skip guardian of faith on Caspan, since I already have shield of faith.

Caspan creeps closer under the veil of invisibility. He looks back, wondering what their signal will be for him to actually attack.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 20 = 29

Emil never mastered the art of stealth, which meant he never was such a good hunter. He rationalized that it was a kindness to the animals he might hunt, to give Erastil a chance to help them escape if it was his will.

So Emil opts to stay back until the conflict is joined. Pila, however, is a stealth master, particularly if the way up the ridge has any underbrush to creep through.

Pila: Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22 Double Move: 50 ft.
Add +4 if there is underbrush.
Summoned Dire Bat: Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 Double Move (flying): 40 feet

Wren will cast Guardian of faith on Pila then, rather than Caspan.