Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Lazybones's Keep on the Shadowfell/Thunderspire Labyrinth
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 4565387" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 51</p><p></p><p></p><p>They came in two disciplined columns, shields raised and locked, their boots tramping in step on the smoothed stones of the floor. They were trying to be quiet, but hobgoblins weren’t creatures of subtlety. </p><p></p><p>Krul Durga had come to his decision quickly, after a brief but thorough interrogation of the goblin that had brought the latest intelligence of their foe. His orders had been to hold the second level against all intruders, but given the fact that their enemy was currently weakened and unprepared, the hobgoblin’s instinct was to attack. He would not leave the dungeon, but if their enemy was lurking on the upper level, a quick strike with overwhelming numbers should yield positive results. </p><p></p><p>And if the raid should also produce a few slaves that could be sold for a tidy profit to the Bloodreavers, all the better. </p><p></p><p>Durga wasn’t taking any chances. His front ranks were comprised of ten grunts, equipped with light armor, wooden shields, and large swords. The hobgoblin leader came immediately behind, directing his main force of six disciplined and elite soldiers, armored in steel and equipped with heavy shields and large flails. Those elites formed a phalanx that moved as one unit; in battle they would spread and form into a wedge, adjusting to the space available to protect their flanks and complement the defense of their neighbors. Durga himself would be the point of that wedge, driving forward to strike the strongest point of the enemy defenses. Probably that priest of the death goddess; Durga could not quite credit the claims of the goblins that a <em>woman</em> was the strongest fighter on the opposing side. </p><p></p><p>The third cohort in the rear of the cohort was the weakest, but it was far from an afterthought. Durga’s warcaster was there, along with a skilled archer, and the two goblins. The archer’s orders were to counter the elf wizard, which he was to neutralize on sight. The caster was a necessity but also a rival as the second-most powerful member of the band. The warchief was too canny not to realize the importance of friendly magic, but his preference was that the caster not be involved in the battle at all if at all possible. At the moment, he was a reserve. Likewise Durga would have preferred to have the goblins in the front rank, where they could absorb damage, but like as not they would manage to ruin his disciplined ranks, and get in the way of his assault. Plenty of time for them to fall victim to an “enemy counterattack” later, if necessary.</p><p></p><p>A small holding force had been left behind him, one of his sergeants with two soldiers and four grunts to watch the stairs and ensure that nothing got past them. And they had the spider as an extra surprise, if somehow their enemies tried to slip into the dungeon behind Durga’s strike team. </p><p></p><p>Krul Durga’s fist tightened on the haft of his spear, and a fearsome grin spread across his face in anticipation of the coming battle. The hobgoblin had been only ten when the humans and their elf, dwarf, and halfling allies had killed his elder brother. Krul had been too young to accompany the Great Raid, and he’d missed out on its glories. Now, however, he had a chance to gain some small measure of payback, which would be just the first installment to be paid against the “civilized” folk of the Nentir Vale.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 4565387, member: 143"] Chapter 51 They came in two disciplined columns, shields raised and locked, their boots tramping in step on the smoothed stones of the floor. They were trying to be quiet, but hobgoblins weren’t creatures of subtlety. Krul Durga had come to his decision quickly, after a brief but thorough interrogation of the goblin that had brought the latest intelligence of their foe. His orders had been to hold the second level against all intruders, but given the fact that their enemy was currently weakened and unprepared, the hobgoblin’s instinct was to attack. He would not leave the dungeon, but if their enemy was lurking on the upper level, a quick strike with overwhelming numbers should yield positive results. And if the raid should also produce a few slaves that could be sold for a tidy profit to the Bloodreavers, all the better. Durga wasn’t taking any chances. His front ranks were comprised of ten grunts, equipped with light armor, wooden shields, and large swords. The hobgoblin leader came immediately behind, directing his main force of six disciplined and elite soldiers, armored in steel and equipped with heavy shields and large flails. Those elites formed a phalanx that moved as one unit; in battle they would spread and form into a wedge, adjusting to the space available to protect their flanks and complement the defense of their neighbors. Durga himself would be the point of that wedge, driving forward to strike the strongest point of the enemy defenses. Probably that priest of the death goddess; Durga could not quite credit the claims of the goblins that a [i]woman[/i] was the strongest fighter on the opposing side. The third cohort in the rear of the cohort was the weakest, but it was far from an afterthought. Durga’s warcaster was there, along with a skilled archer, and the two goblins. The archer’s orders were to counter the elf wizard, which he was to neutralize on sight. The caster was a necessity but also a rival as the second-most powerful member of the band. The warchief was too canny not to realize the importance of friendly magic, but his preference was that the caster not be involved in the battle at all if at all possible. At the moment, he was a reserve. Likewise Durga would have preferred to have the goblins in the front rank, where they could absorb damage, but like as not they would manage to ruin his disciplined ranks, and get in the way of his assault. Plenty of time for them to fall victim to an “enemy counterattack” later, if necessary. A small holding force had been left behind him, one of his sergeants with two soldiers and four grunts to watch the stairs and ensure that nothing got past them. And they had the spider as an extra surprise, if somehow their enemies tried to slip into the dungeon behind Durga’s strike team. Krul Durga’s fist tightened on the haft of his spear, and a fearsome grin spread across his face in anticipation of the coming battle. The hobgoblin had been only ten when the humans and their elf, dwarf, and halfling allies had killed his elder brother. Krul had been too young to accompany the Great Raid, and he’d missed out on its glories. Now, however, he had a chance to gain some small measure of payback, which would be just the first installment to be paid against the “civilized” folk of the Nentir Vale. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Lazybones's Keep on the Shadowfell/Thunderspire Labyrinth
Top