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I've joined a few other games to fill the gap left by this game's inactivity So I think I'll be retiring from this game, unless it revives later when I have some openings on my PBP dance card. It's been a pleasure doing dungeons with you all. If you're looking for a game to join, I've just joined two games that are using the Level Up Advanced D&D 5th Edition variation. If you're interested in 5E with some additional options (much as Pathfinder gave additional options for D&D 3.5), I think there are still slots to be filled. Bodacious presents: Red Hand of Doom (A5E) This game has what sounds like a similar plot to the Ironfang Invasion; at least, it has a hobgobin invasion of a human area.
No posts from our GM here or in Discord for over a month. Anyone know what is happening?
Emil whispers to the group after the attempts at diplomacy. "These buzzards are evil an' likely to honor any deal only as long as they feel it's ta their advantage. We should take 'em down as soon as our allies'r safe."
Have fun. Stay safe.
Emil retreats from their view, tugging on Wren's cloak to encourage her to follow. Then, he calls out, "Harpies can enchant you with the cry, so stop up your ears or protect yourself with magic!" He gestures for others to come close. "Gather round. I'll cast a spell to protect you somewhat from the charm of their song." When everyone gets close, he casts communal Protection from Evil.
Emil tries to remember any lore about Harpies in case it comes to a fight.
Father Emil watches in case he needs to cast a spell to finish off the hobgoblin, noting and remembering the name he uttered.
Emil keeps an eye on how Pila is doing, but then sends more magic at the leader's mount. "Madadh-allaidh gèilleadh dhomh!" After uttering these words, he locks eyes on the wolf, a faint light traveling between them for a moment.
If the spell succeeds, Emil orders the animal to buck his rider of his back. Pila's Attacks: Assuming it may get a full action as more hobgoblins emerge from tents.
Before any alies can close, Emil points accusingly at the hobgoblin on the wolf and utters magic words to loose a spell, "Buail Erastil na h-aingidh!" A light appears above the pair and then creates a wide beam that covers an area with a 20 foot radius. It looks harmless but any evil or neutral foes in the area begin to suffer internal injuries. to any evil or neutral in a 20 foot radius centered on the wolf (but missing Grenwold).
He keeps Pila at his side until enemies emerge from tents.
Pila's charge attack rolls: Pila uses the pounce ability to charge and make a full attack, including rake attacks.
With the initial assault going better than he expected, Emil begins to run toward the camp as fast as he can.
Pila, still invisible, stealthily approaches the tents.
Sorry for the delay. It was a rough week.
As soon as he sees the flames of the alchemist's fire, Emil holds his palm up toward the lookout. He spits out an ominous phrase, "A losgadh nan droch chridhe," and light surges from his palm, lancing at the enemy.
After doing this, Emil begins to hustle up the ridge path to get closer to the fight.
I've been slammed with taxes and work. I'll try to get a post up soon.
Emil gives Wren a nod of thanks as she bestows the magical protection on his beloved companion. While his speak with animals ability is active, he explains the situation to Pila before she stalks off. Then he watches and waits nervously for the confrontation to begin, absently rubbing his holy symbol while mentally requesting Erastil's blessing on the endeavor.
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: Double Move: 50 ft.
If Caspan agrees, Emil will cast Weapon of Awe on Caspan's fists.
He casts barkskin on Pila. He casts Shield of Fatih on Caspan. Emil casts divine favor on himself. Emil proposes the following plan:
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.
"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 . 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).
"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."
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.
He will spend more time checking people's wounds and keeping an eye out for trouble.
Good to hear you're feeling better.
Emil will grab the map and the candle before shepherding everyone out. "We'll have to leave that ore. Make haste."
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.
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."
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.
Glad you're back and the game continues.
"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."
Hope all is well with our faithful GM. I'm going to be extra busy this week, but if things get rolling again, I'll try to squeeze in a post to keep current. 'Bot as needed, however.
Emil admires the jump across the chasm by Ringo and Grenwold. He looks at Pila and knows she won't make the jump so easily. Nor can she walk the rope bridge. He could carry her when he goes over on the ropes (by having her cling to his pack). "Thael, would ya be able ta carry Pila across? She's not very heavy and I kin explain ta her what ta do."
Once the creatures crawl up and threaten people, Emil gives Pila the signal to attack them. His summoned wasp and spiritual weapon continue their attacks. He goes after the solifugid east of Grenwold with his scythe. Attack Rolls:
Extra attack from haste
If either bite hits:
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 18;
Dexterity Damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2 Emil Defense:
Pila sits at the edge of the drop off, hunched and ready to extend a paw should one of the creatures get close enough.
Emil calls forth Erastil's Spiritual Weapon and sets it firing at the vermin, starting with whichever one is injured the most.
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 18;
Wasp Defense:
I can't get the Roll 20 site map to load for some reason. Neither Emil nor Pila are going to try to get down to fight the creatures down below so it doesn't matter much. Emil will cast Spiritual Weapon next round to add attacks to the mix.
Emil summons one of nature's allies to help deal with the problem. "Let's fight vermin with vermin," he says as a giant wasp appears flying next to the creatures attacking the elemental. After casting, Emil uses his ability to speak with animals to give the wasp instructions to attack the albino cave vermin but not the elemental. He also tells it to attack the ones already wounded if it can.
Wasp Offense stats:
Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good) Melee sting +6 (1d8+6 plus poison) Space 10 ft., Reach 5 ft.
Poison (Ex):
Sting—injury; save Fort DC 18;
frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dexterity damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus.
After Wren identifies the creatures, Emil adds, "Aye, Solifugids they're called--mindless hunters, so just attack 'em an' beat 'em down. Don't try spells that affect the mind."
Never one to shirk honest labor, Emil helps where he can.
Father Emil channels positive energy throughout the region, to heal those who were injured and perhaps to affect the haunt.
"Let's check what's behind this door afore we move on."
Leopard: DC 15
Amid more rocks falling, the leopard moves away from the rock pile and next to Grenwold, attacking the undead entity. Leopard attack rolls:
Melee bite +6 (1d6+3 plus grab), 2 claws +6 (1d3+3)
Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +6, 1d3+3) Base Atk +2; CMB +5 (+9 grapple); CMD 19 (23 vs. trip
If bite hit, then it gets a grab attempt.
Emil and Pila advance on the other 'geist to see if they can gang up on it before it does any more harm. Emil and Pila's attack rolls:
Hasted ACs:
The leopard jumps back in time to avoid the tumbling rocks, giving off an angry snarl at the strange enemies.
Emil shrugs after staring at the pile of rocks. He draws some spiritual energy into his holy symbol and makes a soft purring sound deep in his throat. Six seconds later, he summons a leopard into the space between everyone and the rocks. Pila arches her back slightly, but she settles back as she understands that Emil summoned the cat. Emil immediately begins communicating with the newcomer using his ability to speak with animals. The cat looks at the rocks with great intensity and begins to pad closer. "The nice kitty'll see if those rocks are rollin' or what."
"With the gobbo's cleared out, we might be able to sneak in an' rescue any survivors. Let's go."
Father Emil nods as the others read the clues left at the scene of the fight. "Morlocks are evil. They may be aiding the hobgobs exploit mining resources. Perhaps the wooden weapons are those of a druid or some religion what doesn't like to use metal." He casts a light spell on his hat and checks his weapons. He picks up the manacles and stuffs them in his pack along with the other valuables to be divided later. Then he heads toward the entrance to the mine.
While walking over the area tracking north, Emil stops and points to a particularly large set of hoof-like prints. ""Looks like they've got a minotaur in their group. I tracked one years ago, an' the shape o' the print an' the large stride length makes it pretty obvious."
Emil says a private prayer of thanks to Erastil and then checks on his comrades, ready to heal anyone injured in the brief fight. "An army that can do this ought to be easy to track. We should circle the village and try to see if the enemy army went toward any other villages in the area or went back the way they came."
Emil keeps casting, touching his holy symbol and hollering in the holy language of Erastil, "Biodh a h-uile càil a tha naomh gad bhualadh!" He extends an arm and points to a spot near Grenwold and on that spot shines down a beam of light from the heavens that bathes Grenwold, two of the undead suits of armor, and the trench mist in holy light. Faint choirs can be heard for a moment. The light appears to burn the evil enemies, but leave Grenwold and Ringo unharmed.
Meanwhile the Spiritual Weapon keeps firing force arrows at the trench mist.
In the future, I'd recommend giving the players a map that shows where the previous battle took place and give it a scale and a position near the edge for the PCS. Give the distance on the map that can be covered in one minute and ask the players where they pause to buff. The GM can know where the monsters are and if the players stop too close to where the monsters are, then there's a surprise round before any battle for casting spells. That way players can decide how cautious to be and there's no issues. If there's time to buff, then the amount of time that passes before combat can also be determined to see how much duration is left.
I would think we would know when we were within a minute of movement to the stricken area and could choose to cast spells before we were under attack. We weren't given any options as to when or where to cast buffs, but I'd have said take the time before we're in danger and take the chance that a minute or two might go by before we encounter unfriendlies. Since that was a big part of our plan to buff up with fickle winds and other spells prior to battle, I'd hope we can get a ret-con on this. Emil could prepare Communal Resist Energy, but that too would require casting in advance of combat.
Emil can cast communal resist energy, but if everyone is protected by the Fickle Winds, I would think that would protect each PC from the acid, since gaseous creatures cannot pass through the wind.
Everyone: note the spells Emil cast before combat, including communal protection for evil. Assuming these enemies are evil (seems a safe bet), everyone gets +2 deflection bonus to AC and +2 Resistance bonus to Saves. I think the fickle winds spell ought to protect against the mist, but waiting for the GM to rule on that.
We appreciate your fine efforts and hope things improve soon. |