DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games LMP: Lost Mines of Phandelver 3.2 Cragmaw Castle

(OOC - In the meantime, Gypsy, make a Perception check for Whisper.)

[OOC I have a very clever bird! Whisper Perception
Gypsy rolled 1d20+3 and got 21 ]

Whisper can hear the sounds of movement in the woods to the west. The sounds are approaching and are made by several creatures.

DM

Both combatants, King Grol and the Doppelganger, use a Dash action to move as far away from their pursuers as possible. Chandan gets an OA (a single attack roll) as does Kriv. King Grol manages (unless Chandan kills him) to enter the forest to the west and will be out of view from everyone when it is your turn.

Whisper hears the sounds of movement in the woods to the west, and lets Jaliera know. Jaliera recalls that King Grol said something about having a raiding party outside the castle that would be returning soon. Perhaps that was not a lie to try to get you to leave him alone after all?

Luminmorn heals Gundren of all his apparent damage (keep 5 of that Pande. He is a normal dwarven merchant w/10 hps.)

"I don't know" he answers the questions about his map. They took it from me when I was captured. "It must be around somewhere. They were looking for it so they must have it." He rises to his feet and starts frantically digging around the room, overturning tables and pulling open furniture.

Kriv

Not wanting to risk the enemy getting further away, Kriv put his back into it and gambled everything on a single massive hit.


Invoking Great Weapon Mastery, taking a -5 on the attack roll for +10 damage.

Kriv Great Weapon Mastery OA, GW damage
AJ rolled 1d20,1d6,1d6 and got 19, 3, 4

20 damage.

Ryssa


Seeing that Gundren seems to be completely healed, Ryssa got to her feet and started helping the dwarf search the room.

[[ OK ... so am I the only one confused about where we are in the initiative order? <g> ]]

[ooc: If the wind is coming from the west, can Davroar with a wolf's sense of smell have an idea as to what and how many could be coming from the west? ]

Jaliera

"Others coming!"

She calls to both Davroar and Chandan.

"We should run back to the others and regroup in a defensive position. Some of us are already hurt."

She sends Whisper to fly over the sounds she can hear to get a picture of who and how many, warning her to stay high and safe, as she turns to run back into the ruined castle calling to the others inside that there were more enemies coming.

DM

Kriv takes a strong two handed grip on his maul and swings as hard as he can, aiming dead center for the Doppelganger's chest. Unfortunately, the Doppelganger is running down stairs, and by the time Kriv's swing arrives its chest has dropped by a foot and a half. Fortunately for Kriv, that now puts the Doppelganger's head squarely in line with his maul, and with the squishing sound of a rotten melon its head is detached from its shoulders and goes rolling across the grass, its body collapsing on the bottom of the steps.

(OOC - as far as Initiative. we're in the OA phase of the enemies turn so we're only taking OAs right now. It is confusing because people are going out of turn. As soon as I get Chandan's OA attack it will be Chandan and Kriv's turns. I am currently letting Ryssa (who I moved into the room with Gundren) and Luminmorn talk to Gundren outside the initiative order as they are effectively out of the combat at this point. Bern is standing in the hallway, apparently undecided which way to go. He can move on his turn, i.e. after Kriv. Jaliera and Davroar cannot act until it is their turn. I will hold the posted actions for them until that time. I moved Jaliera back for now.

Dugan - When it is Davroar's turn he can make an active perception roll using the Wolf's bonuses.)

So, to summ up, I need an OA from Chandan and then it is Chandan and Kriv's turns. Kriv has the dead Doppelganger's body at his feet. Chandan might have a dead King Grol, or not (depending on his OA result). If not, the Bugbear will have disappeared into the woods to the west.

[Opportunity attack with spear hits for 6 damage]

Chandan

One last prod with the spearhead, to send King Grol on his way, then Chandan hears Jaliera behind him.

Grol had warned of a hobgoblin patrol's imminent return. Now might be a good time to leave, if Gundren is capable.

So the monk shuffles as quickly as he can back, wincing, hobbling, but otherwise fine. He has his companion's healing magic to thank for not feeling far worse (or nothing at all).

Once he's back within hearshot of the party, he warns them about the hobgoblin patrol and suggests:

"Do we have what we need? Can we go now, outrun them? Or do we prepare to fight?"

DM

Chandan gets a good poke into King Grol as he runs into the woods, then turns and asks a pertinent question. Do you stand and fight an unknown number of foes with your healers greatly reduced in their healing powers, or do you gather up what you can and flee?

Kriv stands over the body of the Doppelganger, but hasn't searched it yet. Gundren, with Ryssa is searching Grol's bedroom.

It is Kriv's turn, followed by Bern. Jaliera has sent Whisper to try to see how many are approaching. Davroar can smell Hobgbolins, Goblins, and wolves.

I will post the results of scouting/searching when your turn arrives.

Kriv

He picked up the body, angling the neck away at least until the heart gave out, and brought it inside. It needed searching, but better that they come together first.

DM

With the neck still pulsing blood, in regular, though diminishing volume, Kriv carries the Doppelganger back inside, leaving a distinct red trail as he goes.

Bern and Luminmorn can go. Davroar and Ryssa can make Active Perception rolls and can also move. Jaliera can move and concentrate on observing thru Whisper's eyes.

Once Bern and Luminmorn act and Davroar and Ryssa make their rolls I'll provide updates.

<Bern>

Seeing Kriv returning with ... a 'trophy'? ... he moves to help him. "You saving 'it' for dinner", he asked with a wicked grin on his face.

But there were more urgent problems. "Everyone has wandered off again", he said with a sigh. "And apparently there is a group of hostiles approaching, we need to re-group and decide where to make our stand ... or which way to run."

Luminmorn

He is sure the bugbear got away with the map, but he will help Gundren look.

Didn't add anything for active perception, but I doubt it will matter with a 3.
Pandemonium rolled 1d20 and got 3

Ryssa


Ryssa stayed with Gundren and continued helping him search the room.


Active Perception Check: 1d20+6 = 14
Passive Perception Check = 15

Davroar

He lets out a loud bark and snarl of frustration as King Groll disappears into the forest. It's not as if he couldn't still chase after him, but knowing that there is an incoming group it would probably not be the safest thing to do right now. Instead, he will wait for a few seconds to walk back beside Chandan in case he needs a body to lean on.

Also having smelled other wolves, Davroar will pause for a moment to relieve himself at the north entrance by some of the loose stones. If these are normal wolves his scent as a dire wolf might cause them some hesitation on entering.


Davroar Active perception roll
Dugan rolled 1d20+3 and got 12 +4 for Wisdom = 16

DM

Kriv reaches Bern, carrying the body of the Doppelganger, while the others pull back and/or search.

In the bedroom, between Gundren's frantic searching and Luminmorn and Ryssa's more methodical process, you discover a sack containing:

220 sp
160 ep
3 Potion Bottles

Davroar has already determined, by his enhanced Wolf senses, the types of creatures approaching. Whisper, flying overhead, with Jaliera peering thru it's eyes, gets a better idea of numbers.

Whisper can pick out at least a dozen, and perhaps 2 dozen creatures moving thru the woods. They are spreading out to the north and south of the castle.

(Gypsy - make another Perception check for Whisper.)

We will maintain the initiative order, but as we are not currently in combat, everyone can post an action and make a move on the map.

Jaliera

"Could be as many as 20, north & south. I think we need to find a defensive position."

Her eyes stare sightlessly as she watches through Whisper's eyes.

Whisper Perception
Gypsy rolled 1d20+3 and got 15

DM

Flying overhead, Whisper is able to spot King Grol. The Bugbear is larger than the Hobgoblins and therefore is easier to make out. Turning a circle overhead, she can see the wounded Grol speaking with an unusually large Hobgoblin who stands with several Goblins. A moment later the Hobgoblin takes the Longsword it is holding and buries it into Grol's abdomen.

Grol collapses to the ground, unmoving. The Hobgoblin kicks the body and raising it's hands over it's head gives a loud roaring shout of triumph. Bending down it takes the battered crown Grol was wearing and places it on it's own head.

At the shout the others in the woods pause. The Hobgoblin turns to the Goblins and says something and they scurry off into the woods where Whisper looses sight of them.

Jaliera

She blinks.

"The bugbear is dead, killed by a big hobgoblin who is now wearing that crown. Change of leadership I guess. The goblins have scattered. Not sure where to but I think we need to get somewhere safer. I'll keep watching."

(OOC - Just waiting for a round of movement and any actions, searching bodies, etc. before proceeding.)

Kriv

The noble scion regarded Bern with a mix of disgust and disdain apparent even on his scaly features, replying,

“How thoroughly uncivilised. Is that some barbaric human custom? Here, search the body. It wore Gundren’s face, it may have some of his belongings. If we’re going to be under attack soon then our best bet is to regroup here and use these fortifications, seal the gates and have our eyes in the air see if the enemy are heading for a sally port we are unaware of.”

Luminmorn


If the change of leadership bothered him, he made no sign of it. "I agree with the defensive position unless we choose to depart. We haven't had time to search the ruin, but we are low on healing, and a few of us are wounded. Should we take an ancient custom and flee to fight another day?"

He makes sure Gundren hears this, as they discuss. After all, they come to rescue him, so he should be a part of the fight or flight decision.