The Unexpected in the Caves of Chaos.
Session #0011: The Scutbuttle Rescue.
PCs (in alphabetical order)
Krago of the Mountains (Pete) Male Mountain Dwarf Ranger (Folk Hero) Level 2.
Lappoy the Unexpected (Rob) Male High Elf Wizard (Sage) Level 3.
Mohag the Wanderer (Pete) Male Human Barbarian (Outlander) Level 2.
Sho-Rembo (Dave) Female Stout Halfling Druid (Hermit) Level 2.
Sir Glen (Dave) Male Human Paladin of Lathander (Noble) Level 2.
Sosspan (Dave) Male Dragonborn Wizard (Spy) Level 2.
Trebbelos (Pete) Male Tiefling Sorcerer (Charlatan) Level 2.
Yor (Pete) Male Dragonborn Fighter (Folk Hero) Level 2.
NPC's (employed by Lappoy)
Wormwood Male Human Guard.
Scrubs Male Human Guard.
Dead PCs (in alphabetical order)
Afton Barr (played Dave) Male Half-Elf Bard (Entertainer) Level 1.
Estra Zo (Pete) Female Wood Gnome Rogue (Urchin) Level 1.
Farned of the Leaf Lord (Dave) Male Wild Elf Cleric of Rillifane Rallithil (Acolyte) Level 1.
Tassit (played by Dave) Female Human Monk (Hermit) Level 1.
The Mystical One (played by Pete) Female Human Warlock (Outlander) Level 1.
Note, you can click on the pictures here to make them bigger (if you didn't know this already).
Day 17: Being the 17th Day of Mirtul, in the year 1493 by Dale Reckoning, known as the Year of the Purple Dragons, about 10-ish.
The Unexpected, all present, head out of the Keep and once again, miraculously undisturbed, they make their way back to the Caves of Chaos.
They're after the hobgoblins this time, and their chief Grelzenod the Render, they're going to take down the bastard and rescue Jarvis Scutbuttle and his wife Llona, and any other survivors of the merchant's caravan.
They're confident this session, up for it even, but just to note- this is a long session, I forced the issue, and once we got into combat/initiative- well, we just didn't stop. Although we ran out of time in the end.
I was trying to get the guys to play fewer, and longer, sessions... kinda backfired on me, but you'll see.
And so this is how it goes down, after observing the wooded area for a while the Unexpected sneak back in to the goblin cavern, after first cautiously checking that the place is deserted- it is, however the bodies of the fallen have all gone.
Onwards!
There's a plan.
The Unexpected creep all the way through the goblin's lair, heading west- they know there's a door into the hobgoblin lair up the stairs to the east, but they don't know how the hobgoblins entered the goblin lair from the west.
They're therefore keen to find out.
They're also wary of the door to the east, the thinking is- a door can be locked, or bolted, or trapped, and very well defended. Worse still, all four of these defences could be in place.
Note, there's also an external door into the hobgoblin lair, back out in the Caves of Chaos, but the Unexpected either forgot about this, or else, well... dismissed it.
So, here we are- back in the goblin's former lair.
The Unexpected creep, as quietly as they can, past the door that leads to the lair of the ogre, Bad Nog, they don't want to fight this guy... not yet.
But here's the thing that they don't know.
There was a goblin watching the way into the lair, a solitary (and forlorn) goblin. His name is Garby, and he spotted the Unexpected, and with a '19' on his stealth, well... he crept off to tell his friends.
Garby was the Unexpected's former prisoner too, he doesn't like them.
The Unexpected make it all the way through the abandoned goblin lair, into... a storeroom.
Over the far side of the storeroom is an open stone passage leading into... well, best guess, the hobgoblin's lair.
Hurrah!
Everything is going to plan.
But...
That's when it all goes to naughty word.
The hobgoblins have hired a new guard for the back door to their lair, and Garby has done a great job, the new guard is therefore hiding and waiting for the Unexpected.
Bad Nog, the ogre, charges out from behind a stack of crates and brains Krago of the Mountains with his greatclub, the dwarven ranger is suddenly fifteen hit points lighter.
Bad Nog is the hobgoblin's new door guard, and that's not ideal.
That hurt.
There is screaming, some of it directed at yours truly.
More remarkably Bad Nog rolled a '20' for his initiative (he also rolled a '19' for his stealth check), so... here he goes again.
Thank Moradin his next attack roll is a '2'.
Mohag rages and rushes to attack, the barbarian buries his greataxe in the ogre.
Sir Glen dashes in with a Cure Wounds for Krago, and then with an inspiration point the paladin fails in his attempt to slice Bad Nog.
An arrow shatters on the paladin's shield, and although he can't see it, Krago lets Glen know- there's a hobgoblin archer down the western hallway, and he wasn't there before, and sure enough while the pair peer into the gloom the hobgoblin artillery retreats back out of sight.
“It's a trap!” Krago yells, and lets the rest of the Unexpected know.
It is a trap, well done young Dwarf, and so here it goes...
Lappoy however is keen to make a stand, he finds cover and fires a pair of Scorching Rays into the snarling Bad Nog. Wormwood rushes over to guard his Master, and after an order from the High Magicker launches a spear into Bad Nog.
Bad Nog is bloodied, and he's not happy about it.
“We can do this!” Lappoy exhorts, he's trying for the popularity vote these days.
Sho-Rembo has a surprise in store, the halfling druid scurries around to the rear of Bad Nog, and...
Dire Wolf!
Sho-Rembo is a moon druid, remember.
Sho-D-Wolf savages Bad Nog a little, the ogre is now way beyond bloodied.
But then a pair of heavily armoured hobgoblins brandishing longswords come rushing down the passageway and straight into the melee.
Krago applies his Hunter's Mark to Bad Nog and then blats the ogre with his battleaxe, and a Crit, the ogre is broken- almost spent, swaying and looking for somewhere to fall.
The dwarven ranger therefore spends an inspiration point to try that again, and another hit, and Bad Nog concertinas.
The ogre is dead, and the Unexpected are kicking ass!
[Death to Bad Nog 450 XP]
Don't mess with Krago.
Yor rushes in and bathes the two armoured hobgoblins in his poisonous breath.
Mohag, with a raging reckless attack (and an inspiration point) smashes one of the armoured hobgoblins down.
Sir Glen, accounts for the second with his longsword.
This is going incredibly well, for the Unexpected.
They're dice are (semi) on fire.
The bastards.
Also my trap is falling apart because the PCs have got lots of high initiative rolls, and... they're rolling really high for their hits, and Crits.
Bastards.
I think I've said this already.
The hobgoblin archer keeps on firing, and keeps on missing.
Then Sho-D-Wolf rushes into action.
This could get messy.
Fingers-crossed.
Lappoy, and Krago, can hear a hobgoblin ahead giving (shouting) orders, a boss, if not the boss- is this Grelzenod the Render? Have they found the big bad villain already?
Maybe.
The hobgoblins start cutting up Sho-D-Wolf.
Mohag darts past the massive vulpine, but then fails to bury his greataxe in the hobgoblin archer, his enemy drops his bow, grabs out his longsword and stabs the barbarian, but its only a nick.
Lappoy follows Mohag in- he's really playing the hero, and Shocking Grasps the hobgoblin archer. Damn! It survives.
Sir Glen meanwhile Blesses himself, Sho-D-Wolf & Mohag.
Sho-D-Wolf bites and crushes a hobgoblin's head.
Dead.
But, yet another armoured hobgoblin steps in to the fray and slices the wildshaped druid.
Mohag finishes the hobgoblin archer off, but no-one is going anywhere as Sho-D-Wolf is being kept at bay by a solid line of longsword wielding hobgoblins.
Basically the fight is stuck in a ten foot wide corridor, and Sho-D-Wolf is the front line, and she's not rolling high.
[Death to the hobgoblin archer 100 XP]
Lappoy hits one of the front line hobgoblins with a Fire Bolt, and that's enough, it drops- Mohag dodges in and flattens yet another hobgoblin, opening a spot for Sir Glen to follow suit, although the paladin is way off target with his longsword swipe.
The Unexpected are surging!
But there are plenty more enemies ahead, a greataxe wielding hobgoblin steps in and Crits Sir Glen, and the paladin is down, seconds later another yet hobgoblin advances and slices Sho-D-Wolf, the wildshaped druid is already bloodied and beyond.
It's a bloody war.
Sho-Rembo returns to her halfling form, and then grabs and feeds a potion of healing into Sir Glen, the sprawled paladin having made, and passed, two death saves so far.
Note we spent a few rounds here, what with both front lines having high ACs, and with the Fire Bolt flingers struggling to get clear shots.
But then the bad thing happens, the Unexpected surge forward again, and Yor is suddenly through the knot of hobgoblins that block the passage, but what's this...
A slim platemail wearing and longsword wielding hobgoblin steps out of the chamber ahead, strides forward with purpose, and cuts the dragonborn down- dead.
As in dead, not unconscious- that was Crit with lots of martial advantage for... just short of 40 damage.
“The dragonborn is dead.”
The hobgoblin leader states, loud enough to be heard by the rest of the Unexpected- and in the common tongue, and then as calm as you like Grelzenod the Render, strides back the way he came.
Although, keep in mind the PCs are not certain that this Grelzenod, they think it is.
I'm saying nothing in game.
The Unexpected, or else the players, are really starting to fret.
Mohag keeps swinging and missing.
Sir Glen gets to his feet, sinks another potion of healing, and then while singing a prayer to the Morning Lord (and with an inspiration point) he steps back into the fray and cuts yet another hobgoblin down.
Lappoy hits another with a Fire Bolt, and then Trebbelos fills the corridor ahead with a Colour Spray, and blinds all three of the hobgoblins blocking the Unexpected's path.
Good result.
But still the adventurers don't have things go all their own way, even the blind hobgoblins are swinging and hitting Mohag, but the barbarian is soaking up the damage, and still raging (but only just, he has just two turns left).
Krago smashes down one of the blind hobgoblins.
Sosspan rushes to the side of his fallen brother, and unleashes a Thunderwave that decimates the hobgoblin front line, and then for good measure (with an inspiration point) exhales his poisonous breath weapon leaving the last two hobgoblins in the passage badly wounded and retching, and gagging.
Get 'em.
And very suddenly Grelzenod the Render has to make tracks, the platemail wearing hobgoblin retreats further into the complex, the hobgoblin front line has fallen apart, he needs reinforcements fast.
I'm trying to play the hobgoblins as being tactically astute here, but always looking to go forward. In truth Garby the goblin, remember him, well his task is to go and get the rest of the hobgoblin lair roused and ready for the fight.
So, the hobgoblins are trying to slow the Unexpected, or else bottle-neck them, for a variety or reasons- narrow corridors etc. but also because a bunch of hobgoblins, in the furthest part of the lair, well their job is to pass through the goblin lair and attack the Unexpected from the rear.
So, while the fighting here is going on- Garby is rushing through the lair, rousing the troops- sending them to the front line etc.
Mohag smashes yet another hobgoblin down, and then urges his comrades on, there's only one enemy still in sight.
And then there isn't.
Lappoy, of course, and with another Crit, Fire Bolts the last armoured hobgoblin defender dead.
The Unexpected are through the bottle-neck.
The Unexpected enter the hobgoblin chief's rooms (they figure)- but they're deserted, and they very quickly figure out that Grelzenod (they think) is getting away- also, there are no prisoners here.
The decision is... keep on going, press on deeper into the lair, the Unexpected are winning after all.
Sosspan however isn't stopping at all, the dragonborn wants Grelzenod dead (“he killed my brother! I'll make him PAY!”), and so he spends his last inspiration point to move again, and... here he is!
Sosspan's revenge? Or is he about to join his brother?
Keep in mind Sosspan is a dragonborn wizard, with an AC of maybe 14 with his Mage Armour, although Dave is RPing the heck out of him atm.
Grelzenod is however happy to fight the newly revealed dragonborn, and with a miss followed by a Crit, Sosspan is very bloodied, but still ranting.
The hobgoblin chief ignores the dragonborn's threats, and his flailing stave, and continues to retreat, screaming for his hobgoblin warriors to come and join him in the fight.
And so for a brief while it's a foot race through the lair, but here's the thing- the Unexpected start hearing the echo of other hobgoblin voices answering the call, they figure they're going to be back to fighting again very soon.
Trebbelos catches up with the action, courtesy of an inspiration point, but he's off target with his Ray of Frost.
Sho-Rembo wildshapes into a giant goat, and the druid is also off in hot pursuit.
Note Sho-G-Goat doesn't make much of a mark on the action, and once again we're soon in narrow corridors here; Sho-G-Goat like Sho-D-Wolf just takes up too much room.
Sosspan, still making threats, fires a trio of Magic Missiles into Grelzenod.
But that's not enough, the hobgoblin chief returns the favour and cuts down the demented Sosspan, and then for good measure stabs him again (one, or was it two, auto death save failure/s).
Sosspan is about to bleed out, maybe...
Mohag (no-longer raging) gets to the dragonborn wizard and feeds him a potion of healing, and then turns back to the fight and starts his second, and last, rage...
Sir Glen makes it to the spot and forms a wall with the barbarian, and there are more hobgoblins now rushing to the fight.
Round two- DING DING!
Just to note, we're still in initiative here, even for the chase.
Lappoy arrives and fires three more Magic Missiles into Grelzenod, the Unexpected are very keen to put this bastard down.
Trebbelos fires a Ray of Frost into the hobgoblin chief, and its a Crit.
Moments later Sosspan staggers to his feet and fires yet another trio of Magic Missiles into Grelzenod, his last spell, the hobgoblin boss is critically wounded, but still it's not enough.
The hobgoblin chief staggers around the corner- still shouting for reinforcements, and he's back out of sight.
Grelzenod's still going.
Lappoy Fire Bolts yet another hobgoblin dead.
But the hobgoblins keep on coming and the passage is blocked again and we're back to fighting- toe-to-toe.
Two more hobgoblins fall in quick(-ish) order, but then Krago gets badly sliced, and Sir Glen stabbed again.
And finally, after a lot of rolls and not many hits, Sir Glen cuts the last of the hobgoblins down, and we've been in combat for 25 turns now, and what's that just around the corner- yet another wall of fresh hobgoblins.
The Unexpected are not giving up, nor are they taking a breather- they rush on.
This is hard work.
Then, all is chaos- it goes back and forth, and there's lots more rolling and missing going on.
Mohag gets shot, the barbarian is about to fall.
Lappoy fires three Scorching Blasts (he's been saving it- and all three hits) into the hobgoblin wall of steel, one of the bastards falls, while a second is left critically wounded, the wizard scurries forward and with his last inspiration point forces a potion of healing into the staggering Mohag.
But then...
Wormwood, one of Lappoy's guards, gets cut down- dead.
But I'll be honest, no-one bats an eye-lid about poor dumb Wormwood.
Lappoy's not giving up, the high elf wizard Shocking Grasps yet another hobgoblin dead, and then dodges back to safety.
Trebbelos dances forward and fills the corridor ahead with flame, alas two of the three hobgoblins there survive the spell.
Then spotted just around the corner, there's a new tough looking hefty hobgoblin bugger, armed with a longsword and whip. This fellow is also giving orders.
Which one is Grelzenod?
The platemail hobgoblin or the fellow with the whip and sword?
Trebbloe uses his Sorcery Points to instantly get a spell slot back, and then spends his last inspiration point (the last inspiration point for the party) to spam the Burning Hands button again.
Alas both enemies survive the second conflagration.
This is going to the wire.
The hobgoblin boss with the whip and sword slashes Krago, and the dwarf is very suddenly down to just one hit point, but that's his concern as the Unexpected are intent on pressing forward.
Thankfully, moments later, Sosspan gets to Krago with a healing potion.
The Unexpected are working very well together.
Mohag slashes hard with his greataxe and puts the whip and sword wielding hobgoblin boss down, hurrah!
But ahead- there's the platemail wearing hobgoblin boss the Unexpected have been chasing, and yet another whip and longsword armed hobgoblin.
Note, at this point the Unexpected figure for certain (they think) that the hobgoblin they have been chasing the longest- the nasty fellow that slew Yor, he's Grelzenod- he's the one that's going to pay!
And they're right, of course.
This is the end...
The barbarian runs screaming at the chief...
And is intercepted by the second whip and sword wielding hobgoblin, who Crits Mohag with his blade.
Mohag staggers back, he's very poorly.
Sir Glen dodges through the fight, ever the hero, and pumps all of his Lay on Hands into the barbarian.
Lappoy dodges in...
And unleashes his very last spell, a Thunderwave.
Both boss hobgoblins make their saves, and the High Magicker rolls a total of '4' Thunder damage, so that's just two points of damage each- there is screaming.
Not good screaming, mainly Dave and Pete screaming at Rob (Lappoy).
Oh naughty word!
Then...
Sho-Rembo, back in halfling form- she didn't land a single hit as Sho-G-Goat, dodges through the crowd of bodies in the corridor until she stands before Grelzenod, and then with her Shillelagh, and a natural '20', she ends the bastard.
But here's the thing...
More hobgoblins come rushing towards the fight.
Now in the book it says when Grelzenod gets dead then the hobgoblins get deterred, well... I'm not having that, I have a boss hobgoblin in play- the guy with the whip and sword, and so we're going on...
Remember I was telling you about Garby the goblin's job, he was going room to room all the way through the hobgoblin lair- sounding the alarm. Also, the hobgoblins in the furthest chamber from where the PCs entered the lair, well- as stated previously they've circled around to attack the PCs from the rear.
And here they are- at last.
So, an Unexpected sandwich...
We're going on- it has taken me an age to get the last of my hobgoblins in position, I'm not giving up yet.
Back to the action...
Sho-Rembo, same deal- Shillelagh, followed by a natural '20', only this time the whip and sword wielding sub-chief doesn't fall.
More hobgoblins arriving.
But that, can you believe it, is where we have to leave it.
[Lots of Hobgoblins 1100 XP]
Just to let you know, we were in on FGU at 9 AM for this session, although we didn't get playing until maybe 9.30. We got done playing at just short of 2 PM, but there were plenty of breaks in there, and we're not known for our speedy play.
I think at the end we were on the 36th turn on the combat tracker, although a number of these involved the Unexpected charging forwards while Grelzenod retreated, until the hobgoblin reinforcements caught up with their chief.
So, it wasn't all fighting- just 90% of it.
Also note there's a chunk more XP coming the PCs way when this fight gets finished, lastly a bunch of the PCs have earned inspiration points in this session- so, they're going to get some advantage from these.
Bastards.
I may have mentioned this fact before.
The pot is up to £54.
Stay safe and well you lovely people.
Toodles for a bit.
Cheers the Unexpected and goonalan.