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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9742302" data-attributes="member: 16069">Not KotSSession #014a: Screaming at the End.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.<s>#008 Save the Lowder’s and their farm from the Bloody Heck slavers. 250 XP reward.</s> COMPLETEIt starts to go wrong very early in the piece.Not badly wrong, but…[ATTACH=full]415750[/ATTACH]Here we are again, the three Bloody Heck hobgoblins have been sent to see what’s keeping the shift change, and then McGow, with a Stealth ‘1’ falls out of the doorway and spoils the surprise.Note, I made each of the PCs make a Stealth check with advantage and +5. McGow’s adjusted roll was a ‘5’. You do the maths.Shame, he was first in initiative with a ‘20’.It gets to fighting, although…[ATTACH=full]415751[/ATTACH]The nearest hobgoblin grunt is cut down in double quick time (by McGow & Travis)- the other grunt has already scarpered back down the stairs and in just about one second’s time the hobgoblin soldier here will be swiftly following after.The two hobgoblins fleeing below are, of course, screaming blue murder as they go.Just to note, I rolled some pretty high initiative for my guys, only McGow and Travis from the Inspectors have had a turn thus far.And so…[ATTACH=full]415752[/ATTACH]The chase is on. Snakebite, of course, catches up with the fleeing duo and starts on her chop-socky.There’s another hobgoblin grunt in the far chamber; he takes up the call.The bad guys are coming…[ATTACH=full]415753[/ATTACH]And when I say bad guys I mean tanks. Two more hobgoblin soldiers (AC 18 and tough) and the half-plate wearing hobgoblin war captain- Kerrang, who immediately takes charge of the situation.“Form a line- kill them or push them back!”As usual C-Fax and Mavis are translating anything significant that is getting said.Oh, and here are the bad guys-[spoiler= The Bad Guys]Enc#19 Kerrang of the Bloody Heck 1450 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).3 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 War Captain Kerrang (700xp) As per MM Hobgoblin Captain except armed with a Vicious Shortsword (+2d6 damage on a Crit) & better HP spread on Fantasy Grounds 6d5+30 (36-60 HP).Tactics- Hobgoblin Grunts- rush into action, obey Kerrang in all things; Hobgoblin Soldiers- get into melee- target enemies already engaged, obey Kerrang; Hobgoblin War Captain Kerrang- Use Leadership as soon as, kill or else capture the pesky adventurers Do not fail.[/spoiler]We go on…[ATTACH=full]415754[/ATTACH]The grunts are arriving, but the Inspectors have made short work of the pair they were chasing- a grunt and a soldier, both cut down.There are ragged cheers when the first soldier falls.They think they’re going to do it.Oh, and C-Fax is using his Blessing of Bahamut superpower (from his holy symbol of Bahamut, the magic one) it’s like a Bless spell only with +1d4 radiant on the damage (usable once/day). The paladin pretty much doesn’t miss in this fight.McGow on the other hand hasn’t rolled anything above a ‘5’ since the first turn.But then…[ATTACH=full]415755[/ATTACH]Snakebite drops, cut down by one of the lumbering hobgoblin soldiers, the half-orc monk has already used her Relentless Endurance and so, well…[ATTACH=full]415756[/ATTACH]The two hobgoblin soldiers lock shields and hold the line, #3 is standing on/over the body of the fallen Snakebite.McGow rolls… a ‘5’ to hit. It doesn’t.Note, now I’ve got a speaking part I’m making the most of it.Kerrang is quietly confident, conducting a shouted exchange (mostly with C-Fax and Mavis), this kind of thing-“Surrender now! Save yourself the agony of your death! The Bloody Heck cannot be defeated!”“Puny creatures, my hobgoblin soldiers will stomp upon your dead bodies! For giggles!”That kind of thing. Some of it for effect, some for laughs.[ATTACH=full]415757[/ATTACH]C-Fax (longsword), Travis (crossbow) and Mavis (Sacred Flames) conspire to take down a second hobgoblin soldier. The cheering is full on, the Inspectors take some time to throw a few taunts back at Kerrang, who you’ll note is keeping in cover atm. He’s got his Leadership up and running and so all the hobgoblins here have the equivalent of a Bless spell on them.McGow rolled a number less than ‘5’ on his attack die this last turn.He’s getting annoyed, although- the Inspectors seem to be winning.[ATTACH=full]415758[/ATTACH]The hobgoblin grunt rushes forward to fill the breech, but more importantly Snakebite’s first Death Save is a ‘1’- that counts as two failures.You could have heard a pin drop.And then after the silence…“NOT ME AGAIN!”, as Kenji (playing Snakebite, and Spek before) realises that his second PC is at death’s door.But then a most unexpected Crit.[ATTACH=full]415759[/ATTACH]Kerrang yells a few insults, steps out and let’s fly with his javelin. A Crit, and that’s a lot of D6s.McGow is down and dying.Can you see where this is going yet.There’s a lot of silence around the VTT, most times there’s pretty much always two people trying to talk at the same time, but not now…[ATTACH=full]415760[/ATTACH]The last hobgoblin soldier stomps over the fallen and to Mavis, meantime the grunt in the frontline hits C-Fax.It’s a Crit.The paladin is down to maybe 10 hit points, maybe one or two fewer.But still…[ATTACH=full]415761[/ATTACH]The hits keep on coming, the hobgoblin soldier slices his longsword back and right and cuts C-Fax down. This after the paladin cut down the hobgoblin grunt before him, with a lot of help from Travis and his amazing crossbow.Note, Travis throughout all of this is hovering around the stairs back up (and to freedom), and with his triple move- he’s ready to run. He’s saying nothing though, absolutely nothing. He keeps on firing his crossbow and most turns he hits. So, Travis is doing his part but keeping his powder dry.But there is a plan…[ATTACH=full]415762[/ATTACH]Preserve Life, the priestess of Chauntea sings a song of life and love and her three boon companions open their eyes.Keep in mind that’s only ten hit points shared out between the three fallen- C-Fax, McGow & Snakebite.[ATTACH=full]415763[/ATTACH]McGow staggers back to his feet, does maybe two minutes of ultra-swearing and then rolls, I think it was a ‘5’.He is not happy.C-Fax uses his last spell to heal himself.Note between McGow’s last roll of ‘5’ and C-Fax deciding to heal himself spans the sum total of thirty real world minutes.It’s at this point- just after McGow’s last ‘5’, that the players call a halt to the game- or else they beg the DM to call a break so that they can talk about how they are going to try and get out of this mess.I’m a nice guy, and I always need to pee (I’m at that age) or make tea, so knock yourself out- have a chat about things.They do; from the kitchen I heard shouting (at times).The players also have a few questions for me about the plot- how does it work story-wise if we all go down trying here, that kind of thing- but my answer is- as it always and forever is- for all DMs everywhere- ‘I’ll/we’ll make something up to fit the story.’Eventually, we get back to the game. C-Fax uses his last spell slot to heal himself; he has the best chance of hitting (and killing) stuff thanks to his Bahamut Bless.As if to prove a point the next thing the paladin does is slice the hobgoblin grunt- it’s down to just one hit point.The cheering is back.It’s relentless…[ATTACH=full]415764[/ATTACH]Snakebite leaps to her feet, smashes her staff into the staggering grunt- dead, and then rushes Kerrang and thumps her foot into the middle of his chest.DONG!Kerrang growls, unimpressed.[ATTACH=full]415765[/ATTACH]And then cuts down Snakebite.Some people screamed at this point.Not all of them.We’ll get to that.But for now, there is hope…[ATTACH=full]415766[/ATTACH]Mavis gets Kerrang with her Sacred Flames- as does C-Fax again with his longsword, while Travis shoots the hobgoblin soldier.Kerrang is looking very beat up.The cheering is back.They can do this.So, they keep saying.Kerrang is blowing hard and mostly shouting encouragement to his last trooper, the hobgoblin soldier.[ATTACH=full]415767[/ATTACH]Then Kerrang cuts down McGow.McGow is not happy. Al, who plays McGow, goes afk for five minutes to get a (proper) drink.One person screamed, I remember it sounded like a terrifying hiccup (thanks Sandy).[ATTACH=full]415768[/ATTACH]And then the hobgoblin soldier slices a chunk out of C-Fax, the paladin is down to one hit point.Then…[ATTACH=full]415769[/ATTACH]Mavis hits Kerrang with a Sacred Flames and- it’s enough. Kerrang splutters, flails and drops.The last hobgoblin soldier attempts to slice C-Fax and then- when it misses- it dashes towards the stairs, and…[ATTACH=full]415770[/ATTACH]Is hit (a Crit) by C-Fax.It dies.And it’s at this point that all the players started screaming.[ATTACH=full]415771[/ATTACH]McGow fails his first Death Save, he rolled a ‘5’. Mavis gets to the dwarf with a Spare the Dying cantrip, while Snakebite makes her fourth Death Save and rolls her third success- she’s stable.Kenji’s laughter sounded like tears, or vice-versa.It was a cracker.Although Al (playing McGow) hated it, he hit twice in his first turn and then never again- his highest roll for the rest of the evening for anything involving a D20 was a ‘5’. He rolled a lot of ‘5’s, at least five of them.Not happy.And that was approx. ten turns of action.290 XP each for encounter #19.Next time, a little bit of après the encounter, note- C-Fax, Snakebite & McGow are broken, Mavis has taken a ding, while Travis hasn’t got a scratch on him.Cheers goonalan and the Tokyo Massive.</blockquote>

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