This site is an online accumulation of the Post Reports for my current ongoing D&D Campaign - for anyone who might be interested in reading them.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Meet 123, Adv 7, 10/8/16

The group is deep in the goblin warrens and I have some goblin priest's scrying on the group, watching their movements and capabilities. So when the group spends 10 minutes in one place, I hit them again. Admittedly it's with diminishing returns and lesser troops, but it's another hit and they are running out of spells, shields, and healing.

I had to send two of the priests to the 2nd level to snag one of the wizards down there and a handful of bugbears to bolster this attack, but it was enough to shock the group and sent them on the retreat.

Write-up follows:

Avidius slammed his sword out at the “sniper” goblin with the Windchaser, catching the veteran greenskin deep in the back, nicking his lung. He slumped forward, hitting the wall, but didn’t fall! Meanwhile the rest of the party was gathering around Steiner, supporting the priest from the ground and switching positions to bring the battle to the few axe and spear goblins remaining.

Meanwhile from the 2nd closed door the portal opened and a some of the goblin priests within dispelled the spike growth while the other one raised the two dead goblins, animating them as zombies. And two more dead goblins came from the room and headed for the party.

The two priests then left the room, shut the door, and headed down the corridor and into the gloom of the room with the steps going further down.

Avidius then heard other goblins down the hall screaming and some greenskins charged him while another crossbow twanged. So the thief used his “darkblade” for the 3rd and final time, portaling away FURTHER into the cave, behind the crossbow guy, and into the goblin rec room. Once here he moved as quietly and quickly as he could until he was able to hide behind one of the gaming tables, arranging the table skirt just in front of his form.

With the Sniper badly hurt and the tide of battle changing, the goblins in the barracks withdrew while the undead zombie-goblins approached the party. We made way, shield bearers to the front, and made sure that Steiner was close enough to turn the two closest ones. Sent back away, we only had to worry about the two new ones and we took them undead monsters down with little difficulty but with more precious hp being whittled away.

Meanwhile Avidius saw the retreating goblins, with the wounded Sniper, who met up with MORE goblins coming in along with Sisspak! A conversation ensued and the all turned to leave, with one of the goblins making his way to a secret door which he opened and was seen faintly through the portal with a spear. Meanwhile after everyone else left Sisspak remained in one spot, looking around as if he could sense Avidius for some reason, but didn’t see or find the thief so left.

The rest of the group was dispensing some healing and cleaning up while Avidius waited a minute to verify he was lone (except for the goblin in the secret room), then snuck out, over to the door, and with the sword of quickness – STAB – one dead goblin. He took the spear and shut the door, noting where it was and how to open it and headed back to the group.

We all rejoined one another and touched base, shared what we learned, and then discussed what to do next. The priest rooms were high on our list so we listened to the doors again – hearing faint noises but little else. We suspected they might be barred from within and were discussing how to open them when from down the hall there was a cry of “In Vas Electricus Arwe!” followed by a blast of sparks – and then an 80’ stroke of lightning coursed down the hall and struck the party. Half the party was hurt, shields were splintered, the group was stunned. And then we heard voices roaring and pounding feet.

Time to go.

We ran BACK into the barracks, crossed the room and filled the hall while Flimflam sent forth another spike growth spell which filled the room and the far hall – stopping a handful of bugbears (7’ tall, 300# shaggy furred goblinoids) who were them leaping about and backing up. The decision was made – don’t stay – run for the exit.

And when we formed up and ran on, hoping they couldn’t dispel the magic again, we turned the corner to the rec room and stopped – 9 goblins and Sisspak. Slingstones shot out and slammed into Caidius, Tranis, and Steiner who filled the front ranks while spearmen stepped up to hold us at bay. And Sisspak was hissing gleefully as he slithered forward.

Tranis had been holding a magic arrow which Marcus had treated with Gorgon poison long ago, and circled the wall, firing! And missed! The damned magic arrow missed!!! We were caught between two forces that were going to bottle us up, and Marcus managed to get close enough to fire off a sleep spell.

And all 9 goblins dropped to the ground. Sisspak was all alone. We charged at him and he managed to get a bite on Caidius, poisoning our fighter who tried to get an anti-venom going. Then the damned yuan-ti filled the area with a darkness spell and we were fucked.

Using his own magic sword, Steiner concentrated on it, sending a ball of light to flow out, banishing part of the darkness, and getting the group to harry the yuan-ti some more until he turned and fled again. The bugbears and other goblins (priests? Mages?) were clamoring back behind us and we pushed forward. Running for the exit – there were 5 goblin menials – with mops and brooms, cleaning the main entrance!

As we were running and the menials were yelling, Tranis shot two of them in a fit of pique, felling the goblins with a single arrow each before following the rest of the party up the stairs, the slope, into the woods, into the valley, and up the southern hill, jogging to the safety of the trees in that valley to check behind us for any chase (there wasn’t any) and a chance to catch our breath and assess our hit points, direction, and plan.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Meet 122, Adv 7, 10/1/16

The fight through the goblin ambush was touch and go the first 2 rounds as the group had what was described as a fumble train running across the board. We couldn't hit anything, and when we did swing or try to save or do anything, it was to the clattering tunes of "1's" rolling across the table. Plus the failure to get Initiative more than 1 time the entire battle didn't help the party.

We did prevail and about halfway through - the Flaming Sphere across the battle front and getting AWAY from Sisspak were key to consolidating the fight.

They are now facing the remains of those who escaped the first fight, plus the cadre of goblin priests who have been waiting for their opportunity to shine. A shovel in the door though has slowed them down for 1 round of combat and the spike growth on the dungeon floor stopped them from being "pincered" between the goblin ranks which might be enough for the group to snatch another victory.

Write up follows:

As the group was gathering together on the SW section of the room, a plug on the floor lifted and a spindly goblin wielding a Kris bladed sickle leaned out and tried to hamstring Marcus, slicing the wizard-lord’s boots but not actually cutting the skin. Before we could react though he grabbed the plug and yanked it back down, sealing himself once more into his spider hole.

The barrier full of goblins drew closer and sling bullets started flashing into the party. From the opposite side we heard the ape roaring and the thumping of stones into flesh then the mighty summoned animal died. Marcus was aimed at and Geld took as many of the blows as possible. The goblins behind the barrier were able to stab their spears without concern, driving the party further and further south.

We tried to gather everyone down the hall while Caidius and Ben fought with the goblin axe-men, making no headway and in many instances, our struggle with the goblins on now three fronts was fraught with shifting position, poor support, and a deadly amount of fumbles. Sisspak and his crazed goblin managed to charge at the group, the manacle wearing goblin scoring a blow on Flimflam and then a second that wrapped around the gnome’s throat. Meanwhile the yuan-ti closed to striking distance and swords were slashed, the druid taking a number of shots and cuts.

Crossbow bolts flashed and we found ourselves staggering, while Brutus and Princess charged into the fight to help Flimflam and Steiner who were holding the south corridor. Geld took another round of stabs, throwing herself in front of Marcus’ body at one point as shields started to splinter and the battle was growing untamable. The wizard-lord was calling out arcanic words as he was hit again and again, keeping his concentration in place long enough to summon a 6’ ball of rolling fire.

Flimflam managed to yank enough of the chains off his neck to finish his own spell and a dire bat and a dire badger appeared, worrying the crazed goblin just as Sisspak went to bite Whosea. The druid lurched the animal down and took the bite instead, suffering from the poisonous bite that would have wounded or maybe killed his animal. He hastily drew out an anti-venom while Steiner called to Apollo and healed the gnome…seriously.

There were more twangs and Steiner was hit, knocked on his ass at the same time the Brutus and Princess were peppered…and then there was a sound like Zeus himself spat thunder, and Brutus fell over dead, killed from the darkness of the southern corridor.

The goblins pressed hard at the party while others emerged from the NE corridor, slinging bullets at the group and hitting the animals AGAIN! While 4 more goblin spear wielders tried to hit the group. Marcus snarled while pulling Geld back and with a single gesture, flipped the flaming sphere down the entire front of the goblin barrier just after oil had been rained down on them from Tranis who shattered some flasks on the ceiling – setting all 4 of the goblins on fire and killing three of them in the process. The goblin front line suddenly seemed to have disappeared.

Viridia was doing the same as Tranis, sending flasks of oil over the heads of Ben and Caidius to rain on the back of the axe-men there, dropping splash damage and burning oil on the greenskins. Marcus’ flaming sphere grew too close to the chandelier and there was an explosion of flame spreading out almost 15’ in diameter before burning oil formed a pyre in the center of the room that began to spread as the oil flowed across the floor. We had to move. Another blast shot from the dark and another shield was splintered as Steiner, Flimflam, Whosea, and Princess broke free from Sisspak and the crazed goblin and arrived at the south corridor.

Sling bullets were sent careening around the chamber but the spreading oil actually stopped some of the goblins from joining the fight, which meant we were able to force our attention to the SW corridor and goblin axe men there. The Flaming sphere roared across the room again, hitting a number of the slingers and killing some more goblins.

Caidius and Ben redoubled their efforts but took the back rank as Tranis dispatched Ringer and Waldo to the front to worry the axe men there. The guard dog and lynx hit and bit and scratched and tore but were having some difficulty opening the line. So the newest member of the party drew “Havoc” the battle hammer which attracted the attention of all the local axe men goblins who proceeded to sling axes and scream insults at the fighter/thief. He was hit and battered, but stayed upright and when the situation opened up, they managed to poke a hole in the goblin line and the party lurched further down the hall wading into the goblin line.

The slinking spider-hole dwelling goblin meanwhile popped up out of another section of the floor, this time trying to cut the tendons of Steiner, our cleric. He scraped his knife on the man’s boots but did not cut through. Acting quickly, Steiner kicked his foot out and jammed it under the lid as the goblin tried to jam the spider hole cover back down.

Avidius cut the air in front of him and portaled to the back of the battle, sliding down the corridor quietly and away from the fight; looking for some clues, or another way to join the battle on the other side of the axe man front. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the open portal, Marcus rolled the flaming sphere back across the room and dropped it down the spider hole just as Steiner dragged his foot away, setting the goblin below ablaze and ending that issue. A few of the goblins were now looking to make some escape or at least regrouping, ending the fight as they made it down other side corridors.

The front with the axe men collapsed and the last 3 tried to run, one getting torn apart and the other 2 escaping into the gloom and then seemingly turning to the right. We gathered as one and made our way away from the burning room, heading into the same hall the fleeing goblins had run to. The corridor split here, to the left it opened to a chamber with some cruddy buckets, the scent of shit, and a set of stairs going down; the right went into the gloom and there were two indistinct doors on opposite sides of the corridor.

We stationed a few guards while some fast healing was dispensed. A number of us were pretty hurt and we had lost Brutus during the fight, and almost Princess, Flimflam, Geld, and Caidius. Meanwhile, Avidius had followed the corridor quietly, discovered a lounge (empty), and a barracks (also empty) before coming back around to another corridor that headed east once more. He did hear two goblins that had knocked incessantly at a door and spoke with another inside that proceeded to let them in. Some chanting followed. He also was coming upon the party, seeing their light ahead, when he heard faint moving under the ground, and suspected another spider goblin in the area. He marked the wall and then rejoined the group.

We did not want to go down the steps yet and hearing Avidius’ discovery, wanted to go after the spider goblin first and then the door where the others had gone to. We had a quick plan where Avidius hid around the back side of the “lid” and Steiner stepped in front of the lid making lots of noise. The spider hole goblin popped up and Avidius’ sword of quickness plunged out and back, killing the goblin in a single backstabbing blow.

We looked down the hole – 7’ down, handholds to climb, a 2’ tall crawl space that went to the east and west, and enough baffles and holes to hear anyone above. We turned the lid sideways and dropped it down.

As for the chanting room we heard calls to Hades and those who can speak goblin were able to tell we were being scryed on. And then we heard goblins coming down BOTH corridors and we were trapped…again.

Flimflam called out a quick spike growth spell, covering the entire floor behind us back the way we came with invisible caltrops, and Marcus called forth another Flaming Sphere as we circled to corner heading back towards the barracks.

We could see through the flames almost a dozen goblins: spearmen, axe men, slingers, 1 crossbow, and a confident figure with a 4’ metal club-like tube. And they were situated in one place and waiting for us. We gave the battle hammer to Steiner and pushed the ball into the room a bit. Then it was sling bullets, flasks of oil, a crossbow bolt to Steiner which knocked him on his ass and some axe and spearmen came up to kill the prone priest. Bullets were flying and a the goblin with the “Windchaser” fired. Fucking frightening! Splintering shields and the “priests” in the closed room scrying on us tried to come out and flank us – but we had jammed a shovel in the handle of the door and it barred them from getting it open!

Then the other goblins hit the spike growth area and slowed to a stop as two of them were shredded from the magical spikes dying with pitiful screams and the other two stopped but were terrified on which way to go next.

The combat was still going on as we tried to support Steiner from the ground and just as it was about the end, Avidius used his portaling broadsword again – this time appearing on the back of the battle right next to the “Windchaser” sniping goblin!