Banewarrens d20 (Angelsboi's party)

[diaglo]

Before I go further

Let me explain a little of the metagame happenings.

The session you are about to read had one 32 round combat plus a little sidetrek plus another 3 rounds of combat sprinkled over a rest period. our DM, Olgar Shiverstone, rolled 6 critical hits, 2 of which he rolled crits on the confirmation of the threat, yes we use a variant for crits, but luckily for us not the instant kill one. We got a little confused with some of the rules during the session, but in the end we worked it out to our satisfaction. And it didn't slow us down hardly at all.

We game from 1200 til 1800hrs. one player couldn't arrive until 1630hrs and another couldn't make it. You will see them inserted quite well.

 

[Angelsboi]

Umm Bartol, i think we should change the Story Hour thread now. And folks, the other player is my fiance' Randy who plays Alrission Mo'brith.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Well, it probably would have been less than 32 rounds if not for my little error with the Obscuring Mist (teach me not to look a spell up myself ...), but the body count was rather high on the enemy side. We spent 3 1/2 hours on the combat -- not too bad of a round/hour rate.

Though I can't shake the feeling that I was being rather nice to the PC's ... must be time for another potion of Rat Bastard! (tm).

Page four. Whoo hoo!

 

[Angelsboi]

No, no. I believe killing my familiar was Rat Bastard](tm) enough thank you.

 

[diaglo]

From bad to worse...

Twang, Twang, Thump Thump. Two arrows fired from the sly struck Erik. One a rather nasty shot took him in the neck. The other just grazed him. The fighter nearly fell from his saddle. Thane noticed 2 arrow slits, a little higher than Erik was on horseback, on the far wall. Before the next series of arrows could be launched he spurred forward and pulled Erik and horse to some cover. Thane shouted out the location of the arrow slits.

Bartol fired an arrow at one of the slits. He couldn’t see the other one. His arrow struck the edge of the slit, but didn’t enter. Bernedette dismounted and ducked behind the barbarian. The hobgoblins, or at least what the party could see and guess of their attackers, fired another volley. One arrow struck Bartol. The other went errant near Thane. Although with the cover, the archer wasn’t very likely to hit Thane or Erik. Erik took a potion from Thane’s pack and drank it.

Thane tended Erik’s wounds and added some healing magic to help. Bartol fired again striking just to the side of the slit. He quickly moved around the corner to see if he could see the other archer. Bernedette now felt exposed. She moved toward Thane and Erik. She fired a bolt from her crossbow. It struck the wall. Both archers fired at Bernedette. She took an arrow in the side. The other arrow passed thru her clothes but didn’t draw blood. Unfortunately for Bartol he ran into the range of 2 more archers. Both were lousy shots. Erik reached into Thane’s pouches and grabbed a flask of oil.

Thane summoned more magic. This spell caused a fog to quickly obscure all things around the druid. The only visible party member was Bartol. He fired another arrow at the newly revealed archers. Lucky for them they had cover. Bartol worried that all his best shots would still never penetrate. So he fled back into the mist. Bernedette moved closer to the wall and half scurried/ half crouched her way further into the clan hold. She eventually left the mist. But she didn’t expose herself to any of the arrow slits. Amy leapt off her shoulders and scouted ahead. The original two archers blindly fired into the mist. Erik felt his way around and tried to light his flask. He moved closer to the wall to try and located the slit.

Thane pulled and flask out also and lit it. He too felt for the arrow slit. Bartol charged out of the mist and past Bernedette. She reached out but failed to stop the barbarian. He continued running. Soon he had entered new room. The sound of the closing door from early could only have been from here. A large set of stone doors with metal reinforced bars slightly recessed in an alcove barred the way. The room interior was also more detailed. Obviously dwarves had carved this chamber. Bartol ran right up to the door. He turned around to scan the room. Bernedette and Amy followed. Bernedette tried the door. It wasn’t locked but it also didn’t budge.

The hobgoblins missed their opportunity to get a free shot at the party. They also missed Erik and Thane in the mist. A loud click was heard at the stone doors. The last lock and bar was thrown into place.

 

[diaglo]

Third times a charm

Erik launched his burning oil at the wall. It splashed down the side. His horse moved them clear of the mess. Thane was luckier. His flask sailed thru the arrow slit and into the interior of the guard post. Screams could be heard. Bartol stepped away from the door and peered back into the carved chamber. An arrow stuck out from the opposite side of his vantage point. He followed it back to an arrow slit. He drew a bead on the opening and waited for movement. Bernedette tried the door one more time. She gave up and wandered over to Bartol. Amy found another arrow slit and informed her master. The hobgoblins were quiet. They were up to something.

Erik rode out of the mist and up to the door. He urged his horse to give the door a shove. Thane moved to the next arrow slit by feel. He tried to toss another flask inside. He succeeded in dousing the wall with oil. Bartol became frustrated. His anger took control. He slung his bow and threw himself at the stone doors. Even with the horse’s help the doors would not give even an inch.

“Where in the Nine Hells is Timmay when you need him,” Bartol fumed. “He would’ve handled these pesky archers with one spell.”

“He’s researching a different form of the Mount spell with Eliar,” Bernedette whispered.

“Only in your dreams,” Erik added.

Bernedette moved near one of the arrow slits to try and take a peek. An arrow flew over her head. She could see at least 1 hobgoblin inside. Erik urged his horse to aid Bartol with the door. Thane hurled a flask of oil thru the second arrow slit. He moved further closer to the rest of the party. And briefly Bernedette could see that the room beyond. The fog soon shrouded everything including Bernedette. Bartol again tried to breakdown the door.

Bernedette began a summoning. None of the party could see her features. But if they had they would have noticed a very sinister aspect. The veins in her neck turned a deep purple, almost black, and her eyes grew red. She was not a nice girl, anymore. The hobgoblin fired another arrow out of the slit. The mist saved Bernedette. However, an answering shot was fired from the other side of the chamber. This one did strike the young caller. Erik and his horse continued to aid Bartol.

“Burn, burn, damn you,” Thane screamed as he tossed more oil into the room beyond.

CRACKKKKKKK, The doors gave and the bar broke with a heroic effort Bartol had done it. Into the room the barbarian went.

 

[diaglo]

The great new expanse

This new room was even more trouble. Before the fog obscured his vision, Bartol saw he had a 10’ ledge followed by a large chasm approximately 30’ across and who knew how deep. A 3-rope bridge spanned the chasm. On the far side 4 hobgoblin archers and a shaman looking female looked Bartol’s way. On the near side 2 hobgoblin guards were near a door. The door was slightly ajar. If not for the fact it was open Bartol may not have noticed it. When closed the door fit too precisely with the wall. He had to stop them from closing the door. He drew his long sword and shield. The mist soon obscured everything.

Bernedette’s summoned friend attacked the hobgoblin archer. Bernedette and Amy fled the chamber and followed Bartol into the new room. She made it as far as the door before having doubts.

“Bartol, where are you?” She asked. “What do you see?”

“Watch your step,” he replied. “Don’t go further then 10’ into the room or you may fall a very long way. There are more of the hobgoblins 30’ beyond the ledge.”

The hobgoblins hadn’t quite figured out what to do. The 2 on the party’s side of the chasm pulled weapons and turned. The archers held their fire. Erik on his horse had seen the same things as Bartol. He rode into the room and attacked the guards. His sword sliced thru one and continued on to the other. But the second guard had more of the mist to cover him. Thane dismounted and strode to the now open doorway. His horse bolted back to the entrance.

Bartol launched an attack at the last guard. The mist saved it again. Bernedette’s little fiend continued to attack the hobgoblin archer. Bernedette did a quick calculation based on what Bartol had said. She called to Dawg. The hobgoblin spell caster/ shaman/ witch doctor/ whatever likewise did a calculation. Erik and his horse fell over blissfully asleep. The archers fired into the mist in the general area of the combat sounds.

Thane moved to wake Erik. Bartol struck exactly where he thought he should. Unfortunately, the mist saved his target. Dawg appeared on the far side of the chasm. He bit into one of the hobgoblins. Bernedette’s other creature, a fiendish bladeling, attacked one more time. Bernedette and Amy found another door on their side of the ledge. It opened and out tumbled a hobgoblin.

“Get away from me,” Bernedette screamed like a little girl and swung her staff.

Bartol’s opponent also missed in the mist so did Bernedette’s. The spell caster tried a different tactic. She reached into the deep recesses of the party’s conscious and brought forth their greatest fears. It didn’t work. The archers on her side of the chasm attacked Dawg. Dawg was banished. Erik rose and killed the guard. That left only the one near Bernedette. Thane bashed him senseless.

 

[diaglo]

Now we see who's boss.

Bartol strode to the door. Inside 3 more figures gathered. They had the size, shape, and smell of more hobgoblins. Bartol struck one down. Bernedette and Amy moved closer to the new door. The spell caster tried one last time. Erik didn’t fall asleep this time. And the 2 figures in the door also shook off the effects of the spell. One of the figures tried to tumble passed Bartol. He miscalculated. Bartol landed a vicious blow. The figure grunted but survived. He repositioned himself. The other missed Bartol in the mist.

“I see we meet again,” the figure said in Common.

“Grekk!!!,” Bartol roared. “I will kill you this time.”

Erik’s horse rose and wandered out of the combat. Erik moved passed the door guard and landed a blow on Grekk.

Thane poured a flask of oil over the entryway to the other door. Bartol finished the other hobgoblin. And closed the door hoping to trap Grekk inside with him and Erik. Bernedette opened the other door a little more. Amy ran ahead. Her bladeling also returned home. From the rope bridge two figures emerged on the ledge. Grekk fled. It wasn’t hard to figure out that he had gone back to the guard post with the arrow slits. Erik followed.

“Ohhhh ,” Erik yelled. “Runnnnnn.”

Grekk had ducked around a corner and 2 more guards stepped up to help him fight Erik. Erik took a swing at Grekk. There was another presence in the room, a very large and imposing one.

“Ummm,” a deep voice growled probably in hobgoblin, “Tyasodfo iooih aodihra.” An ogre with the glint in his eyes of more than a little brains was the speaker. He wielded an axe in each hand and wore a chain shirt.

 

[diaglo]

Out on a limb

Thane turned to the new figures. He tossed a vial of alchemist’s fire at one of them. It sailed to the side. Bartol opened the door and prepared to flee only to find the area ahead of him on fire. He instead chopped one of the figures. Bernedette and Amy ducked inside the hidden guardroom. Bernedette recovered 2 quivers of arrows. No more guards were inside. The figure between Bartol and Thane leaped free of the fire and ran to safety. He was headed back to the entrance. The same direction the party wanted to go. Grekk and his crew attacked Erik. Grekk placed one blow under Erik’s ribs. The other blows didn’t penetrate the heavy plate of the walking tank. The chief just laughed. Erik fled. He shoved the door closed behind himself.

A few moments passed. The fire went out. The party gathered around and tried to figure out what to do. None of the hobgoblins or the ogre tried the door.

“They are waiting us out,” Bartol said. “When the mist vanishes the archers on the other side will pepper us. And I’m sure they have the arrow slits covered again, if we try and flee, they will do the same. We need Timmay.”

“I hope he gets here soon,” Thane replied. “I’ve used all my healing magic.”

“I’ve got a few spells,” Bernedette offered. “But nothing that will get us clear.”

The time gave Bartol the rest he needed to restore his strength. He felt his way to the rope bridge. He tossed his grapnel to the far side. Erik noticed his movement.

“Bartol, what are you doing?” he asked. “Where are you going?”

“TO ME,” Bartol roared. He made his way across the rope bridge using his own rope as a belay, just in case.

Twang, twang, twang, twang.

As Bartol edged along the rope bridge, he eventually left the mist. The hobgoblin archers let fly a volley of arrows. Two penetrated the barbarian’s armor. He made the far side. He dropped his rope and drew his sword. The archers did not concern him. The spell caster on the other hand was bothersome. He charged passed the guards and plunged his sword into her lung before she could finish her casting.

The mist vanished. Three of the four hobgoblins had cover behind a stone pillar. Thane tossed a vial of fire across the chasm. Bernedette began to see the benefits of a crossbow. She fired a bolt. And Erik used his bow. One more hobgoblin down, the remaining three fired at Bartol. Bartol gained another scar. He cornered two of the archers and finished one of them. Thane struck another with a ball of magical fire. Bernedette just missed Bartol. Erik’s arrow struck the pillar. As the cornered hobgoblin dropped his bow and reached for his sword, Bartol beheaded him. The last one fired again. Bartol quickly dispatched the pest.

 

[diaglo]

Down goes Bartol

“Yeah, team,” Bernedette cheered with glee.

Bartol shook his head. He sheathed his weapon and began searching the bodies, four guards and a spell caster. The spell caster was halfway up a set of stairs that led to the only way out, another double door. Bartol hoped these weren’t locked. He didn’t think he could repeat his earlier effort.

BOOOMMM.

On his side of the chasm, Bartol had forgot to take into account reinforcements. He looked up to see the Ogre Chief striding thru the doorway, two hobgoblin guards right behind him. Another figure stood back in the door. As Bartol looked back to the others, the doorway Erik had been guarding also swung open. Grekk tumbled into view. He also had 3 guards.

“So much for that,” Thane mumbled. He tossed a vial of alchemist’s fire at the Ogre. It fell short just missing Bartol. Erik was too slow to get at Grekk, but he did kill one of the guards. Bernedette began a summoning. The Ogre strode forth avoiding the fire, but luckily missed Bartol with one of his axes. Grekk kept tumbling. He ended up next to Bernedette. His attack was wide. Bernedette screamed again anyway. Bartol ran for the bridge. The Ogre reached out and clipped him as he exposed his back. Bartol stumbled and slipped on his own blood. He did a face plant and slid out over the lip. He fell into the chasm.

“NooooooOOOOOOooooooo,” the party screamed in unison.