Goblins in my mind are not morons. They had faced the party a few times in places here and there, they've heard the stories of the group and their abilities, and they are on the bottom of the pecking order. Their leader, Smallpox, doesn't want to see his people chopped up, so after all this time, he has taken pains to have them be ready for the group's tactics.
Mice. Mice in their pockets. Each goblin carries 2 mice, and it reduces the effectiveness of the group's sleep spells by 2/3rd.
As for the Spinner, MANY years ago I was lucky enough to have a Warhammer Battle with a group of Night Goblins against my Brettonians and the player I was competing against dropped a platoon of Fanatics on the table. Made an impression on me then so much that every so often, I return the favor to my players.
Follows:
THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY ONE
(I/C)
"I’ll give you that, Kovid,” Lannis whispered, getting his fingers limbered up for a spell. “It’s been a few hours since we killed anything, I'm getting shaky."
Nocking an arrow, Wyn nodded to the party, “Iffin dat gob wit de teleport gauntlets is in dere, aim fer him. Maybe try to take off his arm so he can’t port out, oui?”
“Magic people first,” Lyra agreed, Abraxas grunting in reply, twisting the shaft of the Scythe.
Lifting the hammer and brushing an imaginary speck of dust from its surface, Kovid muttered gleefully, “It’s clobbering time... again.”
"When is it not clobbering time?” The Magic User asked. “It seems like you take breaks from it, not the other way around.”
The dwarf chuckled. “Thor’s Balls, you got that right.”
“There ain't no party like a hammer party cuz the hammer party just don't stop, or something like that?"
“Pick your targets,” Brendon said. “And let’s get in there quick. No loitering in the hall.”
Gripping the knob, Kovid counted down quietly from three…and then shoved the door open. Which gave a loud ringing sound as the bell on the other side of it sounded on its opening. (Surprise check -1, Red/Black 3 – no)
The room was fairly sizeable, and there were goblins in here. Lots of goblins. Over a dozen, they were surprisingly armed with a variety of weapons and given that they were seemingly doing laundry, they were also wearing leather jerkins and cuiriboulli pants. A large cauldron on a fire was in the far corner, and the back end of the room seemed to open up to another chamber. At the fastest glance, none of them screamed out ‘wizard’ or ‘artificer’.
But there was a door on the east wall, and there were 3 goblins there. “Hobgoblin room, people,” Kovid said. “That’s my guess.”
“Don’t see him!” Abraxas noted.
(Initiative Party Steel 3 vs Goblins Red/Black 2)
“Fuck it, middle of the room. ZU!” Lannis let his fingers fly and the smell of rose petals blossomed about as his spell shot off and struck a goblin already getting to its feet, her hands gripping a rusty mace and snarling. (4d4 hd: 2+1+1+2 = 6 hds)
And she fell over unconscious, followed a moment later by another goblin with a pair of wooden stakes driven through her ears.
“Um…That was…lame.”
“In!” Abraxas charged past Lannis, moving up as far as he could into the room, eyes scanning for harpies, or humans, or panthers, or anything, but instead the room was pretty filled with converging goblins so he cursed, “Malo! Saving de extra attack. You!” he spun the Morrigaan weapon up and around (>+8 to hit, Blue 18), knocking the goblin’s crude spear aside and then letting the weapon dance around his head, slashed it hard (1d8+4 Damage, Blue 3+4=7 and killed!!), tearing the goblin’s chest wide open.
“I’m on the door!” Lyra said as the three goblins there made to open it, scrabbling for the knob. She barreled into them, knocking one aside in her efforts but her flail (<+4 to hit, White 6) got tangled up in one of their clubs and she couldn’t finish the swing to brain one of them. “Ugh! Don’t let them open it!”
Meanwhile Kovid had entered and quickly engaged the closest knot of them, hammer leading the way (>+6 to hit, Yellow 14), where it cracked into a greenskin’s jaw with punishing force (1d8+3 Damage, Yellow 5+3=8 Damage and killed!!), snapping its neck and driving it to the ground. “Tag! You’re it!”
Pushing Wyn and Lannis ahead of him, Brendon dragged the door closed, muting the noise from getting to the hall and then took aim, “Hang on, Lass. I’ve got him.” He fired (>+6 to hit, Red 20 – Critical, Max damage – 6 Damage!), striking the goblin in the face. “Aiiii!!” it howled, letting go of the door handle as it hopped about screaming its head off. “Huh,” he mused, “This is the part where the usually fall down.”
“Un moment, Monsieur,” Wyn offered, taking aim at the same goblin that was making the terrible racket and shot it (>+8 to hit, Orange 18) right in the chest (1d6 Damage, Orange 1 and killed!), ending its screams with a gurgle and gasp. “Gotta hit dem 2 times sometimes.”
The last goblin was fighting with the Cleric to open the door, the two of them shoving one another in an effort to control the knob (Combative Str check: Lyra White 14 (over 5) vs Goblin Black 1 (under 8), with the Cleric quickly losing the fight as the goblin bit her on the hand, stomped on her foot, and then grabbed her by the hair and physically dragged her away long enough for it to turn the knob and shove the door open, yelling, “Here! Here!” in its language.
And hobgoblin voices from the other replied, “Shut up you little fuckers or we’ll pop your necks.” The sounds of sparring faded and then we heard. “Hey, Smallpox! Shut the damned door!”
And one of the nondescript goblins from the back of the room near the cauldron yelled out. “It’s the infidels you fucking morons!” It’s voice rising over the din of the combat. “You! Keep that door open!” it ordered the one that had shoved the portal open as he and another goblin next to him started to wave their hands quickly.
Crap.
Kovid had 2 of the goblins on him and the dwarf (<+0 to hit, Green 8..<+0 to hit, Green 17) weathered their attacks with little worry, his enchanted platemail ringing as they struck him.
Meanwhile at the laundry cauldron, two of the goblins each grabbed a pail of soapy water and flung the contents at Abraxas, soaking the fighter’s legs and the ground around him in sudsy, slippery water. The other two though, each dipped two smaller 1 gallon pails into the hot steaming cauldron, drew out some burning water, and hurled it also at the fighter. (Save vs Death Ray: >Purple 15..>Blue 11) Abraxas ducked his head on one of them, the hot water sluicing across his helm and across his back, singing him but not burning (no damage) and the second one was more on target, but it mostly struck him in the chest. Although it was hot and soaked his gambeson beneath, the majority of it had splashed to the floor (again, no damage).
“Get the spinner!” Smallpox called behind him, getting a grunt in response. “And loose the dogs!” getting another grunt.
Feet twisting on the floor in an effort to not slip on the suds, Abraxas looked up just in time to see the two magic using goblins finish their spells with a flourish, “IN BET GRAV POR!!” and each fired a glittering 3 foot long magic missile.
At him.
They streaked across and hit the Fighter through his armor, gyrations, and even sheer will (1d6+1 Damage each. White 6, Red 3. Take 6+1 and 3+1 Damage – Take 11 – ouch!!), slamming into him with a spray of spark and a clank like a hammer blow. “Madre de dios!” (Cannot Damage deflect it) One goblin drew its short sword and moved to close, while Smallpox remained back for now, hands still free.
As the spell ended a goblin was coming around the corner, holding a 4’ length of chain with a heavy metal ball at the end. He was giggling and laughing as he spun around faster and faster. “Go! Go! Go! Spinner!!” the goblins in the room cheered as the goblin was moving at a ridiculous clip, bounding his way forward and slammed the heavy metal ball at the Fighter (>+4 to hit, Teal 17). It sounded like a cannon shot as it impacted (1d8+1 damage, Red/Black 3+1=4 Damage!) at even just a glancing blow. It did drive Abraxas back a step (Dex check, slippery. <Blue 3) but he kept to his feet and brought his weapon around, looking for an opening to strike the crazed spinning greenskin.
Two wolves ran into the room, snarling and barking. One drove up and leapt at Lyra, the Cleric (<+3 to hit, White 10) just able to block its claws and teeth with her shield, while the second ran past and tried to take out the elf (<+3 to hit, White 11), who managed to kick it aside and its teeth caught air instead of flesh.
(Initiative Party Steel 4 vs Enemy Red/Black 3)
And through the open door, we could here hobgoblins coming. (Will be here at the start of their part of THIS coming round)
Time now is Day 9, 7:52 AM
(OOC)
Sleep seemed less effective for some reason. Hobgoblin door is open, don’t know how many. 2 gobs sleeping, 2 killed. 1 gob shot his only spell, Smallpox has not drawn a weapon yet, fyi. Lyra, Gob is blocking the door and wrestling with you and you have a wolf chewing on your other side. Abraxas, you can move from that spot, you will need to make a Dex check or less or fall. If you wait 2 rounds (this and next), no check will be needed as enough soapy water would have soaked up/drained away through cracks in the floor. Top of the round – once more: 2 gobs on Kovid, 1 @ door with Lyra, 1 (spinner) on Abraxas, 4 at cauldron, 2 at back one with a sword the other is Smallpox (they all look alike), wolf on Wyn, wolf on Lyra.
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