Greetings. Welcome to the first session of /mlpol/'s first running of the classic third edition d&d campaign Red Hand Of Doom.
On this adventure, our heroes, currently three strong, will encounter dozens of trials that will test their strength, cunning, and friendship as they face an army of goblins.
If you'd like to join, there's still room for more in the party. Don't be shy to ask.
Our story begins in Elsir Vale, with our three heroes on the road to the town of Drellin’s Ferry. The three are seasoned adventurers, and exated heroes to boot. Having fought many battles together before, they are confident in their strength. Legend has it of a vast treasure in the Vault of Vraath Keep, hidden deep in the Witchwood; our heroes, have journeyed all this way to seize the vault for their own.
Despite that, they all have their own motivations to travel to Drellin's Ferry:
Sir Whiskers, a cunning and charismatic Tibbet Jester, is travelling to meet up with an old friend of his: Princess Princess Bagel Jennifurr Fluffykinz the fourth. He hasn't met his old friend since he was a kitten, and he's eager to meet with her again. She has arranged to meet up with him in Drellin's Ferry, and to accompany him on his adventure.
Sir Brozal, a mighty Orc Crusader of Pelor, has received a mission from a high-ranking Cleric of his order has received a powerful vision of war descending on Elsir Vale under the banner of a clawed red hand, and has sent Brolaz to the far reaches of Elsir Vale to avert impending disaster... Brozal isn't exactly sure if the vision was real, or if his master just wanted to get rid of him for the year, but he never turns down a good crusade.
Brother Chad, a wise and powerful Druid, has chosen to accompany his companions on their hunt for the lost treasure in the Witchwood. Sir Whiskers requested his aid because Chad is the most experienced woodsman he knows. Chad is wary of this region, for he's heard that it is ruled by a fierce and territorial Druid, but he embarks upon this jouney nonetheless, the secrets of the Witchwood too tempting to ignore.
...So tempting that he seems to have drifted off somewhere with his horse; probably fucking it again or something. Stupid hippie.
And so, let's begin:
>The afternoon sun beats down on you; the air is hot and still. The sparsely settled lands of Elsir Vale are starting to grow monotonous, with a seemingly endless line of dusty flyspecks of towns. The town of Drellin’s Ferry lies a few miles ahead of you. It’s a settlement hard on the borders of the Witchwood, and the best place from which to begin exploring the nearby forest.
This is the part where the players ask obvious questions that I thoughtlessly ignored in the first post, as well as implore about their surroundings.
1970 replies and 82 files omitted.
>>135357"...Stupid Orc...!" The woodsman grumbles, as he turns to his dogs and whistles some unintelligible commands.
You catch a slight smirk on his face as he turns away though, counting his arrows as he prepares for the upcoming fight.
"Bring it on then."
>>135358I was about to post that meme. Lol.
>>135354>>135357>>135358Whiskers' paw meets his forehead at hearing the rather dumbfoudning interaction.
"I'll stay in the backline, then," he announces. "No way I'm going to live if I'm spotted along with you."
Okay, I just heard from Whiskers.
Chad, are you still there?
You approach the ruined gatehouse, with Brozal marching out 60 feet in front of you, like a living lighthouse, his banded mail clanging...
[/i]rolls some dice[/i]
>>135354>>135362I'm still here, should i do a spot check?
The keep’s gatehouse has seen better days. The watchtowers to either side have partially collapsed, and several large boulders lie strewn about. The decayed remains of two sets of large wooden gates lie in a heap on the ground.
The conditions were low-light, until Brozal walked in there.
Pic related illustrates what parts of the keep you can see.
>>135363You can try.
Btw, are you just marching with the rest 60 ft behind Brozal?
>>135366You rolled splendidly, but your lack of darkvision or low-light vision means that you don't see anything within the keep itself, yet.
Sorry, something just came up. I'll be ready in like 5 mins.
As of now, I have everyone else 60 ft behind Brozal, because he said so and nobody objected, putting the rest of you outside the keep as he walks in.
If you would like to change tactics, say so immediately.
Oh, btw, there's a small shack in front of the keep, just to the left of the gatehouse.
Is anybody but Brozal doing anything?
Jorr seems dumbfounded, but waits in the back with his dogs.
>>135369>>135370>>135371Yeah, I'm too worried about being snuck-attacked to really do anything.
>>135371I'm waiting for bro to be impaled or something to happen
>>135374I suppose. As sneakily as possible.
Just a moment, figuring out which NPCs to move first...
Sorry, I thought I had this written down. My computer is giving me grief.
Fuck it. No point in stalling. I'll just improvise.
Brozal boldly walks past the gatehouse and into the keep, while everyone else waits outside.
This courtyard of hard-packed earth has an eerie air of desolation. Jagged boulders embedded in the ground seem to have been dropped here, or thrown from a great distance; many of the walls bear large dents and cracks where these boulders might have once struck. Two massive skeletons lie at opposite ends of the courtyard, one propped up by the watchtower and the other sprawled at the far end by a building that could be a stable. To the south, where a section of the keep’s outer wall has collapsed, a third giant skeleton lies partially buried in the rubble.
Oh yeah, and it seems to be occupied.
"Gobbo gobbo gobbo gobbo!"
Four hobgoblins Shoot you from both sides with longbows, all connecting, dealing a total of 36 damage.
Meanwhile, two arrows fly out of the darkness from the woods and hit Chad, dealing 7 damage.
I need everyone to roll initiative.
Sorry about that. I had some trouble figuring out how many NPCs would be stationed here.
I drew Crusader’s Strike, Mountain Hammer, and Vanguard Strike for my readied maneuvers.
>>135380[1d20-1 = 0] (initiative)
Should i do a ride check?
Assume I'm in the Martial Spirit stance
Okay, looks like it's going to be:
>Brozal>Jorr>Hobgobbo firing squad>Whiskers>Bagel>Archers from the woodsI'll put Chad last, because it'll take a while.
Brozal, your turn. The goblins shot at you from four corners of the room. Each is a bit less than 20 ft away.
What do you do?
>>135386Nah. You're fine.
>>135388That's perfect because I have exactly 20ft move speed. I will move towards one of the archer's and use crusader's strike with my trident. Brozal charges at the first archer and slashes at him in an attempt to gore the hobgoblin's chest. "I shall not falter as long as the light of Pelor graces me!"
>>135390The room is pretty big. Which way are you moving?
It's not actually a room though, it's a courtyard surrounded by crumbling walls.
Rolled 30 and 16 respectively. Healed 9 HP on the first strike. Dealt 18 damage to the archer if both hit, 9 if one hit.
>>135391To any archers on the left.
>>135393You need to specify which direction you're moving in.
>>135395I didn't see any archers on the battlemap, but I'm going left/west.
>>135393*I forgot to add my str mod. That's actually 25 damage to the archer if both hit, and 13 if only one hit.
Gobbling sounds
>>135396Got it.
You can only attack once after moving though.
Your first attack roll was a crit, but you failed to confirm it.
The seasoned hobgoblin is wounded, but doesn't drop.
“We are the Red Hand! We do not know defeat!” He roars
Jorr shoots into the forest, yelping sounds resound from where he shot (some 200 ft away).
"It's the blasted worg riders! Lookout!"
If possible, I'd like to leave one hobgoblin alive so that it can try to talk the rest into surrendering and leaving without a fight. What does everyone think of this?
>>135398I cast plant growth on the encroaching riders.
*gobbling sounds echo throughout the keep as the alarm is raised.
Three hobgoblins fire at Brozal, all missing like total idiots.
The goblins in front of Brozal rapidly draws his katana with, the ki-charged blade flashing in the dim light. He strikes.
What's your AC?
Whiskers, it'll be your turn right after this goblin's attack resolves.
>>135400They're on opposite sides of you.
>>135404Alright. Be sure to signal me the field around Whiskers.
I'm really liking crusader a lot. I think it's class features lend itself to the fluff a lot.
>>135403Then you are hit.
The glowing sword leaves a ghastly gash in your torso. You take 8 slashing damage, and 9 additional electricity damage as the goblin strikes through you.
>>135404How far away is the keep from me?
>>135405What do you mean?
You are 60 feet from where Brozal was at the beginning of the encounter. Brozal has charged out of sight. You hear snarling from the woods on either side of you.