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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9716791" data-attributes="member: 16069">Not KotSSession #012a: Save the Lowders.The Inspectors.Chromium Malifax aka C-Fax (Rob), Male Silver Dragonborn (Noble) Paladin of Bahamut Level 2Mavis Golightly aka Mave (Sandy), Female Half-Elf (Acolyte) Cleric of Chauntea Level 2Arbuthnot McGow aka McGow (Al), Male Mountain Dwarf (Soldier) Fighter Level 2Snakebite (Kenji), Female Half-Orc (Outlander) Monk Level 2Travis Pickle (Yui), Male Lightfoot Halfling (Criminal) Rogue Level 2Dead PCsThe Inspector aka Spek (Kenji), Male Rock Gnome (Charlatan) Sorcerer Level 1- Killed in Session #2 by Eggnog the Kobold Dragon Priest.To-do list/Quests-#001 Save Dicky Bird aka The Fat Pidgin, and bring him home safely to Edna Gingster, although Dicky is on his way to the Narthex, which is in the Labyrinth, which is near the Seven Pillared Hall- which is in the Underdark- Bugger. Reward: 2000 XP & 1000gp each.<s>#002 Find and investigate the ancient dragon burial site Dicky was looking for, he might be there. Reward: 250 XP.</s> COMPLETE<s>#003 Destroy the kobold menace, including their leader- ‘Chopper.’ Reward: 250 XP & 75gp, with 1gp paid for every kobold tail handed in.</s> COMPLETE#004 Stop Orcus-worshipping Karl’s ritual to bring an undead army to Kirkgate. Basically, save the village, begs (eventually) Lord Crumble. Karl is in Kirkgate. 1000 XP & 500gp reward.#005 Find/Save Cheggers. That's it really, the PCs just need to find/save Cheggers (he’s with Karl, if he’s still alive), for Fionulla (the spy). Reward 100 XP.#006 Find and kill/capture the Bloody Heck- including any leaders. Recover any prisoners they have kidnapped. Reward: 400 XP & 100gp, with 1gp paid for every member of the Bloody Heck confirmed dead or captured.#007 Find all five symbols of Kurgan Kurgan’s office to open the way below Kirkgate. 1000 XP reward (and the PCs get to keep the items of course). One item found so far.#008 Save the Lowder’s and their farm from the Bloody Heck slavers. 250 XP reward.So, here’s Lowder Farm-[ATTACH=full]412675[/ATTACH]Note the Inspectors are hiding behind one of many dry-stone walls, with Burp pointing out what’s what and where’s where. The doors to a barn/store are open and there’s a tough looking leather armour wearing hobgoblin peering out into the yard.There’s sound and movement coming from a number of the buildings, but only glimpses of other hobgoblin intruders here.There’s a brief chat and then the recon squad head off- that’s the Inspectors new double act- Snakebite & Travis. Let’s see what they can see and hear.The next picture comes after the creeping around is concluded- and successfully, although Snakebite’s initial check was a ‘1’, she blew her IP to roll again and settled on something much closer to ‘20’, a ‘19’ plus bonuses from memory. Travis’ stealth was 20-something too.So, here’s the layout-[ATTACH=full]412676[/ATTACH]To the south, in the storeroom/barn are two hobgoblins, one of them a good half-a-foot taller and built like a tank, and wearing heavy armour, with shield and sword. This pair are holding prisoner Speek and little Nikki Lowder.Clockwise from there- another storeroom, within which is spotted another leather armour wearing hobgoblin who is clearly searching the place. This guy has a bow.In the farmhouse (to the west of Travis on the map) are three more hobgoblins- all in leathers, including another archer.And finally, in Parp’s stockroom (just to the north of Snakebite on the map) are three more hobgoblins, including another one of the heavily armoured soldiers, and… the hobgoblin wizard, or else a cloaked and robed hobgoblin with a metal shod hefty staff.The wizard. The Inspectors are certain.Snakebite gets close enough to hear what’s going on inside- Parp’s life is being threatened, or else his wife and child’s lives are.The sneaky duo head back to report- much better rolls and then- remarkably quickly a plan is hatched, and then… executed.And so, after a few more stealth checks we get to this.[ATTACH=full]412677[/ATTACH]It’s go time.The plan is… C-Fax will save Speek & Nikki Lowder while everyone else kills the hobgoblin wizard boss and his pals- the rest of the hobgoblins to be mopped up after the initial onslaught.The party line is the wizard needs to die quickly.Note, there’s also time for a recap here (from last session) for the uninitiated about the fact that hobgoblins hit hard, or else can do if they double team a PC (Martial Advantage, keep in mind Rob has DMed a lot of 5e, and Sandy has been playing for a long while too).[spoiler= The Bad Guys]Enc#16 Save the Lowders 1200 XP CR 7 Deadly.4 x Hobgoblin Grunt (75xp each) As per MM Hobgoblin except AC 14 (leather & shield); Martial Advantage only 1d6 extra damage; Armed with Longsword & Dagger only; Better HP spread on Fantasy Grounds 2d5+8 (10-18 HP each).2 x Hobgoblin Archer (150xp each) As per MM Hobgoblin except AC 13 (leather); Dex 14; Longbow +4 to hit & +2 damage; 3 HD & better HP spread on Fantasy Grounds 3d5+12 (15-27 HP each).2 x Hobgoblin Soldier (150xp each) As per MM Hobgoblin except AC 18 (chain mail & shield); Str 15; Longsword +4 to hit & +2 damage; 3 HD & better HP spread on Fantasy Grounds 3d5+12 (15-27 HP each).1 x Hobgoblin Warcaster (300xp) As per MM Hobgoblin except AC 11 (robes or AC 14 with Mage Armour); Con 14, Cha 15; 2nd Level Sorcerer (Charisma) Spell Saves DC 12, +4 to hit (cantrips- light, prestidigitation, ray of frost & shocking grasp; level one- burning hands, mage armour & thunderwave); 3 HD & better HP spread on Fantasy Grounds 3d5+15 (18-30 HP).Tactics- Hobgoblin Grunts- rush into action, obey orders; Hobgoblin Archers- get into action with bow- target enemies engaged, order grunts around- protect the Warcaster, flee if it all goes bad; Hobgoblin Soldiers- as per Archer, except get into melee asap; Hobgoblin Warcaster- get mage armour up and running and take control of the action, then- shock and blast, destroy (or capture and enslave) all enemies. Remember- more slaves are needed.[/spoiler]Here goes…[ATTACH=full]412678[/ATTACH]McGow rolls a ‘20’ on his Initiative (for the surprise turn) but misses his first attack with a ‘3’ and a ‘4’, the hobgoblin wizard- now screaming, flailing and trying to get anything in the way of the ferocious dwarf gets battered by McGow’s follow up attacks (IP & Action Surge).The screeching hobgoblin wizard is (for it is he) left bloodied and beyond.Then… then… well, it all goes like clockwork.Better than clockwork.[ATTACH=full]412679[/ATTACH]It’s a massacre, of sorts. Travis’ crossbow sings- the first bolt crits a hobgoblin grunt who briefly attempts to reach for the missile embedded in the middle of its back while making noises like a badly scalded dog, the poor bastard expires still unable to reach spot maybe ten seconds later, disco-dancing on the floor before the end.Travis’ second shot (IP) spins around a hobgoblin archer, leaves it yelling- and confused, the halfling rogue skitters back into the shadows (stealth ‘23’) disappearing from sight.C-Fax meantime charges from around the corner of the barn/storeroom, his longsword lances out and the hobgoblin grunt guarding the way is suddenly staggering back and coughing up blood, the dragonborn paladin’s second attack (IP) decapitates the enemy, both attacks are crits.The sturdy heavily armoured hobgoblin soldier within the barn/storeroom spins around and brings its longsword to bare just in time meet the paladin’s advance. C-Fax begins his Bahamut-related tirade and then over the course of what follows repeatedly orders the enemy to “avoid destruction” by surrendering “to the Might of Bahamut!”Meantime Snakebite spins into Parp’s stockroom. The half-orc demolishes the nearest hobgoblin grunt (with a crit, use of an IP and by spending a Ki point for an extra unarmed attack) she then rushes forward and gets in the face of the very badly wounded and flailing hobgoblin wizard.Which brings us to Mavis, last in initiative, the priestess of Chauntea appears briefly in the doorway of the stockroom, the hobgoblin wizard is still standing- she therefore fires a magic missile from her wand.The missile bores a tiny hole in the forehead of the robed and thunderous hobgoblin wizard; it gawps briefly and then drops dead. Two more magic missiles (both max damage on the rolls) seek out the yelping and wounded hobgoblin archer in the yard and… kill it.That was four crits in a turn, and keep in mind Mavis didn’t make an attack roll.The players, by the end of the above are cheering, and whooping.[ATTACH=full]412680[/ATTACH]A turn later- the hobgoblin soldiers are very hard to hit, AC 18 the PCs have calculated (correctly) but all of the PCs (save C-Fax) are in the stockroom here and making attacks, at the end of the turn the soldier is left staggering.C-Fax meantime is hacking away at the second hobgoblin soldier to the south, while two more hobgoblins spill out of the farmhouse- take in the dead bodies of their companions in the yard and then sprint towards the only PC in sight- that’s C-Fax.[ATTACH=full]412681[/ATTACH]A brief fight back, McGow gets sliced- but it’s only a nick, while the hobgoblin archer reinforcement spots the priestess of Chauntea waving her wand and so fires an arrow into Mavis, she’s bloodied in an instant.A turn or so later and…[ATTACH=full]412682[/ATTACH]The stockroom is clear, Parp- who is overjoyed to see the heroes, and yet terrified by the circumstances of their meeting (and the fact that his family are elsewhere) is dragged out of the doorway. McGow gruffly explains to the farmer that his family are safe- atm, but he needs to ‘shut up’ and ‘get down’ while the Inspectors conclude their business here. While the chatter goes on a very sweary and bloody Mavis (no mention of Chauntea in her chat) slams three magic missiles into the hobgoblin archer in the yard who just shot her in the back.The offending hobgoblin is screaming and looking to run, and pretty much broken.To the south meantime C-Fax is now fighting two hobgoblins- a grunt and a soldier, he is of course advising both to surrender “if you want to live!”[ATTACH=full]412683[/ATTACH]The hobgoblin grunt fails to listen, and so C-Fax is as good as his word- he rolls his third crit of the fight and keep in mind his magical holy symbol of Bahamut adds another 1d6 radiant damage to any crit he rolls. The grunt is decapitated.C-Fax continues to urge the last hobgoblin soldier to surrender.Meantime the other PCs, Snakebite and Mavis in the lead, are chasing after the badly wounded hobgoblin archer who is fleeing the scene.[ATTACH=full]412684[/ATTACH]McGow jogs over to help C-Fax out, he arrives just in time to see the hobgoblin soldier, now reduced to maybe three hit points by the paladin, throw down his longsword and surrender.AC 18 for the hobgoblin soldier- C-Fax never missed once.[ATTACH=full]412685[/ATTACH]The fleeing hobgoblin archer is shot in the back by a scurrying Travis; it does not survive the ordeal.The encounter is done, victory for the Inspectors- there really was a lot of cheering and chatter after this one.Then, after the Lowder’s are re-united, and after tying up Bignut (the surviving hobgoblin soldier), and after robbing the dead and clearing up the bodies, the Inspectors head for the farmhouse.The Lowders are- overjoyed to be alive still, surly and fractious (with Bignut), and generally delighted to have met (and been rescued by) the Inspectors.The heroes are superheroes to the Lowders.Then, it’s time for a chat with Bignut, keep in mind the Inspectors are enroute to Dragon Castle in the Norwood, they have a way to go yet to get there (minimum five hours travel), depending on their map-reading and associated survival checks to find the way again.[ATTACH=full]412686[/ATTACH]Here we all are.But here’s the thing- Bignut is not answering questions, and Parp’s suggestion- “Kick him in the nuts!” is not acted upon, much to McGow, Travis & Snakebite’s chagrin.To reiterate (this is a recurring subject) C-Fax and Mavis will not countenance torture, and the PCs initial rolls to persuade Bignut into disclosure are mostly low, also Bignut is a tough nut.A better plan is needed, more remarkably it’s Travis (with help from Snakebite) that eventually cracks Bignut, although only a little. The pair tell some of their story- convincing Bignut with their chatter that they know a lot about what’s going on here- more than Bignut does. The pair then move on to speculate about what (or else who) lies ahead- waiting for them at Dragon Castle, they are looking for Bignut to confirm (or else deny) some of the things that they are saying. In simple turns they’re trying to outsmart the hobgoblin soldier, the plan works- although, not a lot- but just about enough.At the end of the chatter Bignut has inadvertently revealed the following-The Bloody Heck moved into Dragon Castle the morning after the Inspectors departed the place. If the Inspectors had waited for daylight before attempting the journey back to Kirkgate they likely would have met the group.The Bloody Heck at Dragon Castle are led by a hobgoblin war captain. They group also have another (at least one more) hobgoblin wizard (warcaster) amongst the company.So, a little more info.Note, the PCs- after chatting amongst themselves, decide not to question Bignut about Dicky Bird- they’ve already been told where Dicky is at, also none of the PCs have made a connection with Bignut. The hobgoblin is a tight-lipped xenophobic bugger, instantly unlikeable.Bignut is loaded into the back of Parp Lowder’s cart, the entire Lowder family will be making the journey to Kirkgate with the hobgoblin soldier- whose bonds are tied and checked and checked and tied, till the PCs are certain he cannot escape.Bignut is heading for the cells, the Lowders have been advised to stay at the Church of Chauntea.Note, Bignut is still semi-surly, however the hobgoblin has also lost a lot of blood and is very much on his last legs, and then when C-Fax and Mavis are out of sight McGow clocks the hobgoblin bastard and knocks the humanoid out cold.Later, when C-Fax spots the ko’d Bignut he is advised- by Parp (with a sneaky wink to McGow) that the injured hobgoblin just went to sleep.Travis has further advised the Lowders that should Bignut fail to make it back to Kirkgate then… well, no-one is going to miss him.But one last event, before the Inspectors get off again- Parp reveals his treasure (which was what the hobgoblin wizard was looking for when the PCs arrived at the farm), hidden under the floorboards in the stockroom is a bag of gold coins and… a potion of healing. The money and the magical elixir are given gladly to the PCs, which- of course, causes a briefly heated debate/argument that lasts another ten or so minutes.Travis wants the potion. He used his up. He also wants his share of the money in the bag.C-Fax, of course, refuses the reward- and for a while he insists that he is speaking for all the Inspectors. Mavis backs him up.Travis, with a little chivvying from McGow too, sticks to his guns- he gottsta get paid.Eventually (after a bit more arguing) the Lowders get to keep their gold (20gp in total) but the healing potion goes to Travis.Note, for about 90% of the above argument none of the PCs knew (or else had looked) to see how much money was in the bag being handed over by the Lowders. They thought it would be considerably more than just 20gp, when the amount is finally revealed the argument just fizzles out.Then, to Dragon Castle in the Norwood, the Inspectors have a date with the Bloody Heck.Oh, but the Inspectors also attempt another collective prayer to Bahamut… three successes out of five, and… nothing doing.Nobody is happy with this result.240 XP each for encounter #16 with an additional dollop of XP for smart play along the way- Travis 60 XP; Snakebite, Mavis & C-Fax 40 XP each; and 30 XP for McGow.Plus 250 XP (shared) for the completion of Quest #8 up above.Next time.Cheers goonalan and the Tokyo Massive.</blockquote>

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