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Our story begins on the 7th of Gozran, 4721, in the small town of Phaendar, along the Marideth River and the old stone bridge which serves as the reason the town exists. After a couple days of Market Festival time, while everyone has brought in the lumber, foodstuffs, livestock, and the like to trade and all the business of the day has concluded, our party settles in for some entertainment and libations at The Root, or Taproot Inn as outsiders might call it.
Joining the local celebrity Aubrin the Green and the proprietress Jet are our heroes:
Jolly Jollison a dwarf cleric of Torag and farmhand/rancher. Relatively dour and stern, he nonetheless cares for the community and takes his duties as a protector and provider very seriously. A Phaendar local.
Thog an orc fighter and a person who exemplifies "Big Dumb Fighter." Raised from a cub by Jolly on the farm, he has been learning how to fight and work like a dwarf, despite being nearly 7 feet tall and 350 pounds and a teenager.
Karnot Pell, a halfling sorcerer and entertainer. Extremely well groomed and dressed, he speaks about 6 or 7 languages and enjoys sprinkling his magic into his comedy routines.
Khajit a catfolk rogue and the long-term traveling companion and friend of Karnot. Grey and black tabby marked, he loves to travel around Nirmathas and see what new and exciting places and people the pair can find, and thoroughly enjoys coming back to Phaendar for the Market Festivals every season, mostly to tease Jolly and drink his ale.
As the evening wears on and everyone is getting into their cups, the door to the Root is violently breached as a pair of hobgoblin soldiers kick their way in. Unluckily, Aubrin catches a broomstick thick ballista bolt through the guts which takes her out of the fight immediately. Luckily (for the heroes), the hobgoblins don't roll great on initiative. Thog moves to engage at the door, grabbing and holding onto the hobgoblin, while Khajit moves along the wall to get into a flank. That was when we found out just how deadly a rogue with a rapier can be.
Rolling a Nat-20 for his first attack of the game, Khajit then rolled max damage on the rapier, which, when combined with the deadly critical trait and sneak attack, pushed the "off button" for the first hobgoblin through the door. Karnot used a cantrip to hurt the second one while Jolly used a stabilize cantrip and then some healing magic to patch up Aubrin. The invaders didn't manage to get much done beyond minor damage to Thog before he grabbed the second one like the first and bashed its head against the doorjamb.
With that excitement over, the team checked for injuries or damage, finding Aubrin now able to move, if barely, and conversed about how best to flee the newly occupied town. A quick plan to get the locals out while trying to secure more resources and people was hashed out, and the team set forth for the trading depot post haste.
Along the way, the team witnessed the various horrors and damages caused by the invaders, seeing their small town and the citizenry fall, all grew angry, but Thog the most so. Adamant that they get some revenge against the army but restrained by his friends in his desire to charge the whole squads running around, they happened across a lone scout, out looking for slaves or loot to acquire. At the end of a short alley, Khajit managed to sneak up close by, but failed to surprise the archer. Once again, the hobgoblin did horribly on initiative, which allowed the team to gang up on her. A bit tougher than the Recruits, Thog got a bit slashed up but still managed to tank and provide more than enough flanking for Khajit and Karnot to take her down. Some quick healing later, and the group was approaching the Trade Depot/Smithy.
On their approach, Thog had the bright idea to make sure as many NPCs had ranged weapons as possible (pretty smart for the guy, I must admit), and the plan was the same as before: Khajit scouts ahead, sneaks up, then the others move up and get violent. One critical success on stealth later, and Khajit managed to get right up next to one of the Recruits milling about the trading yard. He shanked that one right in the brain while the team moved up to assist. A very brief scuffle ensued, and before anyone inside the burning smithy could even get a loud yell out, it was over. Three more dead hobgoblins added their bows and gear to the NPC roster, while the group moved to deal with the burning smithy roof.
Rather than use the conveniently provided buckets and waste all that time, Jolly (Str 16) and Thog (Str 18) worked together after dropping their heavier gear, dumping the entire animal watering trough on the roof. With a big whoosh of steam and smoke, the roof was extinguished and the civilians saved. From there, the team looted the depot thoroughly, despite the protestations from Kining Blondebeard before moving to the smithy itself. Once there, Karnot managed to talk down the angry elemental with some smooth conversational moves, and even convinced the two half-elven hunter siblings Lirosa and Taidel to abort their futile attack against the legion and join the newly growing NPC horde.
From the trade depot, the team decided to head towards Oreld's Fine Shop, figuring the shrine could look after itself (and figuring the town alchemist/doctor would be a good resource to protect). They once again snuck up to the building, seeing Oreld with his gutwound and the hobgoblin Bomber pawing through the goods. The heroes stacked up at the door and made entry, getting up close and personal before the Bomber could do much at all. A few minor blows from Khajit and Karnot wounded him, before Jolly moved up and Nat-20 critted with his warhammer. The poor bomber never even got a chance to act, having his ticket punched by a heavy blow to the top of his bald goblin skull. Jolly then tried to aid Oreld via use of medicine, critically failing his check and nearly killing the poor man.
We wrapped up the night at that point, with the team having secured Oreld's Fine Shop, the Trade Depot/Smithy, and the Taproot Inn.
The following NPCs were rescued/healed.
Aubrin the Green (wounded, sickened)
Jet
Kining Blondebeard
Lirosa
Taidel
Oreld (wounded)
Adepts: 1
Aristocrats: 1
Commoners: 7
Experts: 1
Warriors: 4
Treasure Acquired:
6x Ironfang Recruit Gear (leather armor, longsword, wooden shield, shortbow, 10 arrows)
Ironfang Scout Gear (composite longbow, 20 arrows, mwk battleaxe, hatchet, padded armor, alchemist fire (2), potion of minor cure (2))
Grenadier Trainee Gear (leather armor, daggers (3), heavy mace, hooded lantern, potion of minor cure (2), potion of invisibility, alchemist fire (3), antitoxin, healer's kit, oil (5), smokestick (2), tanglefoot bag (2), thunderstone (2)
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Additional rewards & provisions gathered:
58 provision points total
Mundane Stuff:
Masterwork Backpack
Heavy Crossbow w/ 20 bolts & 10 masterwork bolts
marble mortar & pestle (5gp)
wrist sheath w/ masterwork dagger
longsword
2x battleaxes
alchemical silver rapier
masterwork light steel shield
masterwork backpack
climber's kit
8x waterskin
keys from smithy
darkwood buckler
3gp
Alchemical Stuff:
3x antiplague
5x bloodblock
fire ward gel
2x defoliant
portable alchemist's lab
alchemical ingredients (TBD)
stump remover ingredients
4x greenblood oil poison
Magical Stuff:
4x potions of guidance
wand of magic missile
scroll with calm animals, CLW, magic stone
dust of illusion
dust of tracelessness
potion of hide from animals
everburning torch
ring of jumping
wand of grease
2x elixir of tumbling
2x human aristocrats (Farrow and Clidon)
Experience Gained: 930
Hobgoblin x5 :200
Story Reward- Aubrin: 200
Story Reward- Water Barrel: 100
Story Reward- Traders: 50
Ironfang Scout: 60
Grenadier Trainee: 60
Elemental: 60
Alchemist Trap: 50
Story Reward- Stump Remover: 50
Story Reward- Hunters: 100