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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dornen" data-source="post: 3073530" data-attributes="member: 45110">RHoD Campaign, Eberron StyleHello all,Thought I'd share a bit of my RHoD campaign.  Mark, thanks for pointing me here!As a bit of set up, my campaign is set in the Hobgoblin lands around Darguun, in Eberron. My players arrived in Eberron after pursuing a hobgoblin priest of Gond, and a hobgoblin sorcerer through a gate deep in the valley home of a powerful mage near Tethyr, in the Realms.  I adapted the RHoD campaign so that the invading army is actually the Dhakaani hobgoblins, finally come out of their mountain strongholds after thousands of years in isolation.  Their intent is to re-establish the Dhakaani Empire of old by first conquering Darghuun, and bringing together all of the various clans.  The players almost literally fell into the lap of Lhesh Haruuc, the current major power in Darguun, and were quickly recruited/impressed/bullied into his service as outside agents against his enemies.  They were on another mission for the Lhesh (I was using information from Heroes of Battle for some first time battelfield fun), when they came upon Drellin's Ferry.The following is an account of the players exploits following a victory at Vraath Keep.After picking up the pieces following a near defeat by Wyrmlord Koth at Vraath Keep, the party explored the remainder of the small enclave.  The keep's treasure vault was located, along with the last Lord Vraath, slain by forest giants some time in the past.  Several powerful items were found and taken, including a Frost Brand, magical gauntlets, and a partially depleted healing staff.  In addition, the party found the deed to the Keep, which may offer an opportunity in future should they decide to settle down.  A war room was found with a large cache of information. This information included scouting reports, detailed battle maps, and timetables regarding the Dhakaani Hobgoblin plans to invade Darguun.  It quickly became apparent that the region was on the verge of an overwhelming invasion by the Dhakaani.  A choice was made to quickly return to Jorr's cabin to heal the party's wounds, and decipher all of the notes in a relatively safe environment.  Once at Jorr's cabin, Adrielle (the wizard/rogue) began to decipher the documents, Rilm (cleric) used the awesome powers of the Staff to bring Tzarrik (hobgoblin sorcerer NPC traveling with party) back from the grave (the party was forced to kill him after the Wyrmlord charmed him and he interfered in the fight against them.  They were actually bringing him back to interrogate him, thinking he had betrayed them to the hobgoblin Wyrmlord...), and the remainder of the party rested, and healed their wounds. Once recovered, Tzarrik apologized for his behavior during the fight at Vraath Keep, and explained that he had be ensorceled by Wyrmlord Koth.  He understood the party's decision to take immediate, and lethal action to stop him.  He thanked the party for bringing him back, and after much debate and divination he was allowed to assist by deciphering the documents the party had found. Adrielle and Tzarrik determined from the notes and the map that the bridge at Skull Gorge was a natural choke point for the horde of hobgoblins set to invade the region.  If the bridge could be destroyed, the horde might be delayed by several days, providing the folk of Drellin's Ferry an opportunity to flee.  It was decided to send the ranger, Jorr, to Drellin's Ferry to try to persuade the town's leaders to order an immediate evacuation, while the party journeyed north to Skull Gorge to destroy the bridge.  Tzarrik was asked to try to get a message to the Lhesh to warn him of the impending invasion. Fully recovered, the party set out to try and destroy the bridge before the hobgoblins could advance.  On the road north, a path was found leading west from the main trail with some sign that it may lead to forest giant territory.  Thorbin (fighter/dwarven paragon) suggested trying to return the necklace and spiked gauntlet found in Vraath Keep to the forest giants to try and enlist their aid against the coming invasion.  It was decided to return to the path after destroying the bridge. Under cover of the woods, the party briefly scouted the area surrounding the bridge.  At a suggestion from Tzarrik, the party wisely decided to spend a bit of magic, and time, for a more thorough reconnoiter before blundering into something they couldn't handle.  The full extent of the defense was revealed by Adrielle's magic.  Along with archers in each of the four bridge towers, an occupied camp was set up on the far side of the gorge, and large hellish dogs patrolled each end of the bridge.  In addition, unseen at first, a wary green dragon perched on the Northwest tower, scrutinizing the surrounding area.  Lastly, and most importantly, Adrielle was able to discover that over time, erosion and stress had caused a weak point in the bridge's supports on the near side.  A plan was devised to draw out and divert the defenders while Adrielle and Rilm used divine magic to weaken the bridge at the far side, away from the weak point.  Whether by inspiration or luck, Adrielle decided independently to deviate from the agreed upon plan, and attack the bridge's weak point first, instead of trying to cause a failure in two spots starting with the far side. After allowing Adrielle fifteen minutes to get into position under the bridge using a flying potion, and a potion of invisibility, with Rilm tucked safely into a bag of holding, Tzarrik began the engagement with a spectacular fireball aimed at the watchful dragon.  After partially dodging the fireball, the dragon immediately flew towards the party hidden in the woods.  Once the dragon had flown by overhead, and the defenders on the near side were occupied with the rest of the party in the forest, Rilm popped up out of the Bag of Holding and began his series of Stone Shape spells.  He used the spell to create a thin seam in the bridge deck, but unknown to him, he was not on the far side as planned, but directly on the weakened section.  Thorbin, Valar (human fighter), and Tzarrik were left to confront the now enraged dragon.   While Rilm and Adrielle started to shape the stone of the bridge, Tzarrik continued the battle by using a web to entangle the dragon as it made its initial pass.  The web brought the dragon down, but while Tzarrik and Valar were able to dodge away, Thorbin was struck and injured by the falling dragon.  The hellhound from the near side of the bridge had joined the battle and arrows from the archers in the near towers began to rain down on the party.  The dragon let loose with a horrid cone of corrosive gas, melting away the webbing, and damaging several party members, as well as the hound.  After freeing itself, the dragon stepped back and leapt into the air, hovered briefly assessing the party, and headed for its former perch on the far tower. Meanwhile, Adrielle and Rilm managed to complete their task.  With a resounding crack, the stonework gave way, and the bridge deck began to fall into the gorge.  The second hellhound, dashing madly towards them, was caught unaware, and plunged headlong into the gorge, howling its way past Adrielle and Rilm, who were now making their escape to rendezvous with the rest of the party. The party lost sight of the dragon, who disappeared in midair on it's way back to engage the party.  A decision was quickly made to use the woods for cover during a fighting retreat.  Having accomplished their main task swiftly, it now became apparent that they would have to defeat the remaining defenders on this side of the gorge in order to make their escape.  The party moved into the woods while the other, helpless defenders watched from the far side of the gorge.   The dragon soon made it's presence known by an attack from invisibility against Tzarrik, who had injured it previously.  Tzarrik suffered horrible burns from its corrosive breath, but Rilm damaged the dragon with a searing blaze of light.  The party continued to retreat into the woods while the dragon harried them, making diving flyby attacks, though it was unable to target more than one person at a time with its awful breath.  On its next pass, mighty Rilm shouted out a powerful blast of pure sound, stunning the dragon, and driving it to the ground.  Valar and Thorbin heroically charged the dragon while Tzarrik once again called forth webbing to hold it in place.  Thorbin and Valar, however, seemed unsettled by the dragons strength and prowess.  Fumbling and flailing away to no effect.  However, Rilm let loose with another mighty shout, once again stunning the young dragon.  Faces red with embarrassment, Thorbin and Valar finally found their stride and struck terrible blows with sword and hammer.  Adrielle pelted the beast with magical force, and suddenly, the forest was quiet, the dragon laid low.  In the stunned silence, everyone smiled, realizing that they had done it!  They had destroyed the bridge!  They had survived! All was not over, however.  Having failed to accomplish their task of defending the bridge, the remaining two hobgoblins attacked with wild abandon.  Their target...Rilm the Mighty.  Out of cover, they struck.  Rilm was grievously wounded.  Rising to the occasion, Thorbin the Unstoppable, and Valar the Absent rushed to his aid.  Rilm bravely ran away.  Adrielle snuck into position, and the three companions quickly slew the last of the bridges defenders. Injured, but victorious, the party searched the remains.  The dragon was not without its own treasure, and the party quickly divided the spoils.  Magic bracers were given to Tzarrik, an magical Amulet was taken, and several valuable pearls were pried loose from the scales of the steaming carcass. Victory, at least temporarily.   Will the party investigate the path to the West?  Will it try to enlist the aid of the forest giants against the oncoming horde?  Will they rush to Drellin's Ferry to check on the progress of the evacuation?  Is there an evacuation?  Did the townsfolk believe the ranger, Jorr?  Will the townsfolk know wisdom when they hear it?  What then?  According to the notes found, there are three more Wyrmlords, as well as the High Wyrmlord to defeat....I've been using an overhead projector to project maps onto a grid for mini play.  So far the players are loving the high tech experience, and I'm loving giving it to them.  The maps on this page will help immensely, and I intend to post several maps I've developed using Dundjinni.Hope you enjoyed the brief tale...Dornen</blockquote>

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