OOC:
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This is the first round of the combat encounter that ends the skill challenge, "The Road to Safeton", which currently has 5 Successes and 1 Failure. The PCs have the opportunity to earn additional Successes or Failures during the course of the combat.
I have decided against rolling everything here for future posts. It just clutters things up.
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[sblock=Initiative Order]
PCs
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
Enemies
27 - Goblin Bowmen x12
25 - Ettins* x2
17 - Dergrenche (Unique)
10 - Ettins*
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers x4
* Ettins roll 2 different Initiatives and act fully on each!
Combined
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]
[sblock=The Situation at Start]The heroes have decided to strike at what they consider to be the heart of the enemy: the leaders across the pond. The combat starts when Grimgal and Jordi are about halfway across the pond, Keldok and Zindra are sneaking up the ridge, and Billy is following somewhat behind the sneaking heroes (he's not very stealthy, but he doesn't plan on getting very close). The enemies our heroes face are DERGRENCHE, a half-orc leading the bandits, a pair of ETTINS serving as his bodyguards, four GOBLIN SKULLCRUSHERS, and 12 GOBLIN BOWMEN. Note that there are other enemies around, but they have been dispatched to try to surround the camp (they will not be part of this encounter until later, if at all). The Goblin Bowmen are spread around the trees and bushes atop the ridge. The Goblin Skullcrushers are deployed at the edge of the ridge and are looking for the heroes' approach. The Ettin Bodyguards are somewhat behind the Skullcrushers and Dergrenche is behind the Ettins.[/sblock]
"Are you sure this is the wisest course of action?" Billy Silvertongue asked as he followed Keldok and Zindra as quietly as he could.
"I could stay with the halfling and his nephew."
"Be quiet, gnome," the half-orc replied.
"We are trying to be sneaky about this."
Zindra nodded in agreement.
The trio arrived at the base of the ridge, to the west side of the pond. They stopped and Zindra waved across to where her companions, Jordi Tonbarrel and Grimgal Ironhearted, awaited a signal. Seeing the elf's signal, the human and dwarf began sloshing across the open pond.
Keldok winced.
"Well, I guess we wanted Jordi and Keldok to draw the bandits' attention."
As the arrows flew, most plinked off Jordi's and Grimgal's shield, but two struck the dwarf between his magical armor.
"Perhaps this wasn't the best plan!" Grimgal said as he surged forward in the pond water.
"I have no doubt our sneaky friends will dispatch the archers or otherwise draw the attention away from us soon," Jordi replied.
Otop the ridge, the self-appointed leader of the bandits, DERGRENCHE, a half-orc who slew the bandits' prior leader, threw his battle horn to the ground and drew his longsword.
"It won't be long now, my friends," he said to the pair of two-headed giants serving as his personal bodyguard.
"You hear the twing of those bowstrings? Our goblin friends have found the quarry. Those sharpshooters should cut down the foolish adventurers before we even see them fall to the ground!"
The ettins, knowing that these were
goblins Dergrenche was talking about, simply looked at one another and shrugged.
Through the evening darkness, Zindra Sleekmoon could spy several goblins emerging from the treeline atop the ridge. She drew two arrows to her bowstring and let loose, killing two of the goblin archers.
Keldok took the opportunity and cover of darkness to advance upon the group of archers unaware of the half-orc's presence. Keldok knew he was too far away to get an immediate attack on any of them, but he found a spot behind a large shrub, giving him cover against whatever enemies were to the east and from where he would strike against the goblin archers as soon as they got a little closer.
Jordi and Grimgal continued through the pond. The water line was neck-high on the dwarf and waist-high on Jordi.
Jordi tried to quicken his pace.
"We'd best get out of this pond and quick."
"I thought you said Keldok and Zindra would take care of the archers," Grimgal replied.
"Yes, well... We don't know how many archers there are. Or what else might be up there!"
The gnome illusionist had followed closely behind Zindra and Keldok and was now just behind the elf.
"I'd better keep some of those archers busy," he said, brandishing his magical lavender orb. The thing glowed with arcane power and Billy harnessed this power into a spell. Billy created an illusory maze to confuse a group of the goblins.
"That should do the trick, for now."
Dergrenche, seeing the use of magic against his archers, winced.
"It is possible, however unlikely it sounds, that I may have underestimated our foes. I did not expect them to have a spellcaster among their number."
The ettins readied their weapons, but the half-orc did not deploy them.
"No, my friends," Dergrenche said to the ettins.
"Goblins! Find that spellcaster!"
Four goblins wielding battleaxes had stayed back and now pounced into battle. They ran westward across the ridge, towards the direction of the archers. They could see no spellcaster, but one of the goblins spotted an elf, and so charged her, battleaxe held high. Zindra, in response, sidestepped the goblin's violent attack.
"Keldok!" she yelled.
"More goblins!"
[sblock=Round One]
Goblin Bowmen (12): All 12 of the Bowmen move at least 4 squares to take advantage of their
Great Position trait (+1d6 damage to ranged attacks). All shoot arrows at Grimgal and Jordi (they cannot see Keldok and Zindra and Billy is behind cover). 6 shots at each hero. 2 hits against Grimgal for a total of 15 damage. None hit Jordi.
Ettins (2): The Ettins have no reasonable targets and do not wish to move. They delay.
Dergrenche: Dergrenche is in the same boat as the Ettins. He delays.
Zindra: Currently
hidden from all enemies. She attacks the two nearest Bowmen (with Combat Advantage) using
Twin Strike. She kills 2 Bowmen and is no longer
hidden.
Keldok: Currently
hidden from all enemies. He moves 6 squares and ends this movement behind
cover from all enemies except some of the Bowmen. Keldok attempts a Stealth check to remain hidden from Dergrenche, the Ettins, and the Goblin Skullcleavers. He gets a 21 (with the penalty for moving more than 2 squares) and beats the passive Insight for all of the enemies named above. He takes no further action.
Grimgal: Effectively
slowed while in the water. Double moves through the pond, moving 4 squares.
Ettins: Still delaying.
Billy: Moves 3 squares up the ridge. He uses
Maze of Mirrors on a square that targets 5 Bowmen in its area burst. He hits 4 of the 5. Those Bowmen hit are
immobilized and take a -4 penalty to attack rolls until the end of Billy's next turn. The Bowman that Billy missed is
slowed until the end of Billy's next turn. Billy has combat advantage against all of the Bowmen he hit until the end of his next turn.
Jordi: Effectively
slowed while in the water. Double moves through the pond, moving 4 squares.
Goblin Skullcleavers: The Skullcleavers move 6 squares in the direction of where they see Zindra and Billy attacking the Bowmen (they cannot see Keldok because he is
hidden). Only one is close enough to attack, so one of the Bowmen charges Zindra and uses a melee basic attack against her. The Skullcleaver misses badly. The other Skullcleavers take move actions to get behind cover.[/sblock]