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.
/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal
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1970 replies and 81 files omitted.
>>136782
The man appears dismissive at first until Aral reads it to him
"All goblins united? I've never heard of such-"
Then he grows pale
“Th-that could be thousands! Pelor save us! We can’t fight an army like that! What are we to do?”
The man appears dismissive at first until Aral reads it to him
"All goblins united? I've never heard of such-"
Then he grows pale
“Th-that could be thousands! Pelor save us! We can’t fight an army like that! What are we to do?”
>>136784
"Prepare. Evacuate any unable to fight. Spread the news to the surrounding settlements."
And just before he can respond to that, Aral proceeds to translate the note about the dwarf bridge, then point out the bottleneck at Skull Gorge. All very matter-of-factly, with little emotion.
"Prepare. Evacuate any unable to fight. Spread the news to the surrounding settlements."
And just before he can respond to that, Aral proceeds to translate the note about the dwarf bridge, then point out the bottleneck at Skull Gorge. All very matter-of-factly, with little emotion.
The middle aged man's expression is one of panic and indecision. The hobgoblins have never formed such a large army in the recorded history of Elsir Vale. Aral would know from his own experience that their warlike nature has always caused them to control their own populations in constant battle, but united, they could be unstoppable...
Okay. I need to go leave for dinner. I think it's been a productive session, despite the lack of active players.
Kudos to Aral, who's player has proven to be as sharp as his PC.
>>136785
At Aral's proposal, the middle aged human steps away and begins chattering with the council.
I'll post his response later tonight.
Kudos to Aral, who's player has proven to be as sharp as his PC.
>>136785
At Aral's proposal, the middle aged human steps away and begins chattering with the council.
I'll post his response later tonight.
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Y'all niggas is racist
Nigger
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I never did type speaker Wiston's response to Aral's proposal...
A passive sense motive check (not trying to hide it), suggests he probably agrees with the course of action, but isn't sure about the logistics.
I'll type his actual response some time before this weekend.
A passive sense motive check (not trying to hide it), suggests he probably agrees with the course of action, but isn't sure about the logistics.
I'll type his actual response some time before this weekend.
The game is tomorrow. I should be ready at about ~8:30 EST, and we'll start as soon as I can get the party together.
Speaker Wiston chatters with the city council for quite some time. Shouts of disbelief echo across the hall. The members of the council have various opinions.
Delora, the stables owner, appears grim. A seasoned ex-adventurer herself, having no illusions of how fighting or talking would pan out.
>“I’ve seen towns put to the sword before. Death or slavery await us if we remain here. We must gather the things we can and flee east, the sooner the better!”
Iormel, a wealthy merchant, seems sarcastic and snappish. He favors fighting, because he can’t bear the thought of abandoning his property or paying a hefty ransom.
>“We can’t let them take everything we’ve worked so hard for, just because we lack the nerve to stand up to this hobgoblin rabble!”
Kellin, the halfling who runs the inn, seems optimistic and even tempered. Kellin advocates sending emissaries to the hobgoblins and trying to buy them off with whatever it takes.
>“They want treasure, don’t they? Let’s give it
to them this time, but see to our defenses. If they come back next year and ask for more, we’ll be ready to fight then.”
Captain Sorana groans at that remark. She also appears grim. She does not make any remarks though, it being her job to exercise whatever decisions the city council makes. She does, however, say:
>“It’s not for me to say. I’ll try to do whatever you ask me to, but I don’t think I can stop an army of thousands...”
Wiston himself appears flustered and indecisive. The speaker doesn’t really know what to do. He naturally leans toward trying to talk to the hobgoblins, but he doesn’t expect that would work.
>“I guess I don’t see that it could hurt to at least ask them what they want... That elf seemed pretty serious though... Maybe we should tell folks to get their children and elderly in wagons heading east, while we still can. What do you think?”
And at that, the whole council looks towards the party again.
(This would be the kind of encounter to resolve through roleplay.)
Delora, the stables owner, appears grim. A seasoned ex-adventurer herself, having no illusions of how fighting or talking would pan out.
>“I’ve seen towns put to the sword before. Death or slavery await us if we remain here. We must gather the things we can and flee east, the sooner the better!”
Iormel, a wealthy merchant, seems sarcastic and snappish. He favors fighting, because he can’t bear the thought of abandoning his property or paying a hefty ransom.
>“We can’t let them take everything we’ve worked so hard for, just because we lack the nerve to stand up to this hobgoblin rabble!”
Kellin, the halfling who runs the inn, seems optimistic and even tempered. Kellin advocates sending emissaries to the hobgoblins and trying to buy them off with whatever it takes.
>“They want treasure, don’t they? Let’s give it
to them this time, but see to our defenses. If they come back next year and ask for more, we’ll be ready to fight then.”
Captain Sorana groans at that remark. She also appears grim. She does not make any remarks though, it being her job to exercise whatever decisions the city council makes. She does, however, say:
>“It’s not for me to say. I’ll try to do whatever you ask me to, but I don’t think I can stop an army of thousands...”
Wiston himself appears flustered and indecisive. The speaker doesn’t really know what to do. He naturally leans toward trying to talk to the hobgoblins, but he doesn’t expect that would work.
>“I guess I don’t see that it could hurt to at least ask them what they want... That elf seemed pretty serious though... Maybe we should tell folks to get their children and elderly in wagons heading east, while we still can. What do you think?”
And at that, the whole council looks towards the party again.
(This would be the kind of encounter to resolve through roleplay.)
>>136997
>Evacuating the weak does not hurt them. Having them stay in a war zone does.
Aral turns to Sorana:
>What kind of defenses do you have?
>Evacuating the weak does not hurt them. Having them stay in a war zone does.
Aral turns to Sorana:
>What kind of defenses do you have?
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Map of Drellin's Ferry, in case anyone was interested.
>>136998
Iormel, the wealthiest land-owner in the city, snaps at that.
"But what about our land, our riches, our assets, our property?!" the tall old merchant shouts, squinting at Aral's unfamiliar face
"You're adventurers, are you not? We we're already paying you fifty pounds each to fix the problem, so finish the job! If it's more gold you want, I can pay generously to defend our homes from those savages."
The stubborn old merchant continues to ramble stuff I won't type out unless solicited. You get the picture.
I need to find my notes for Soranna's warband... I think it was less than a hundred men.
Iormel, the wealthiest land-owner in the city, snaps at that.
"But what about our land, our riches, our assets, our property?!" the tall old merchant shouts, squinting at Aral's unfamiliar face
"You're adventurers, are you not? We we're already paying you fifty pounds each to fix the problem, so finish the job! If it's more gold you want, I can pay generously to defend our homes from those savages."
The stubborn old merchant continues to ramble stuff I won't type out unless solicited. You get the picture.
I need to find my notes for Soranna's warband... I think it was less than a hundred men.
>>136998
The Fighter walks over to the elf, muttering quietly and flatly, as if not to make her opinion heard to the council.
"... My troops are trained to protect the town and surrounding roads from raiders and bandits, not entire armies. Most of them are just boys, voluntold to help quell the recent uptick in raids. If what you say is true, our defenses aren't nearly enough.."
"Oi! What's she saying over there?!" The Iormel pipes up
The Fighter walks over to the elf, muttering quietly and flatly, as if not to make her opinion heard to the council.
"... My troops are trained to protect the town and surrounding roads from raiders and bandits, not entire armies. Most of them are just boys, voluntold to help quell the recent uptick in raids. If what you say is true, our defenses aren't nearly enough.."
"Oi! What's she saying over there?!" The Iormel pipes up
Btw, I neglected to count that Brozal spent a while burying the skeleton of Lord Vraath, and that Aral needed to spend an hour to prepare Mount in his empty spell slot, so it should actually be 3-4 PM in-game.
Ffs, I need to get this campaign organized... This is the third week in a row where only one player showed up on time.
>>137008
"The nearest city is Brindol, to the east. They're much larger than us, and have stronger forces, but I doubt they'd march them all here to fight for us.." she says, solemnly
"The nearest city is Brindol, to the east. They're much larger than us, and have stronger forces, but I doubt they'd march them all here to fight for us.." she says, solemnly
>>137012
Okay, so, you guys found the treasure you first started your quest for in Vraath Keep.
You also found evidence that an army of thousands of goblinoids and other monsters is preparing to storm Drellin Ferry.
Aral, the Elven Ranger/Wizard PC who finished off the bugbear and found the battle map, had proposed evacuating the town.
Speaker Wiston, the one who first commissioned you, seems to agree somewhat, but he's having a hard time convincing the city council, particularly some of the wealthier land owners in the city who do not wish to abandon their property. He is also unsure how quickly he can get the entire city mobilized.
Okay, so, you guys found the treasure you first started your quest for in Vraath Keep.
You also found evidence that an army of thousands of goblinoids and other monsters is preparing to storm Drellin Ferry.
Aral, the Elven Ranger/Wizard PC who finished off the bugbear and found the battle map, had proposed evacuating the town.
Speaker Wiston, the one who first commissioned you, seems to agree somewhat, but he's having a hard time convincing the city council, particularly some of the wealthier land owners in the city who do not wish to abandon their property. He is also unsure how quickly he can get the entire city mobilized.
>>137013
Whiskers, who simply had been sleeping on Chad's horse for a while now (Typical cat stuff), jolts awake at such predicament. So that wasn't a dream, he thought to himself as he stretched his body quickly.
With that little ritual done, he turns to the other members in the room. "Are you sure there's no other forces that may hear our plight?" he asked in cat form.
Whiskers, who simply had been sleeping on Chad's horse for a while now (Typical cat stuff), jolts awake at such predicament. So that wasn't a dream, he thought to himself as he stretched his body quickly.
With that little ritual done, he turns to the other members in the room. "Are you sure there's no other forces that may hear our plight?" he asked in cat form.
>>137015
Whiskers turned to the the elf, flickering his whiskers slightly as he lightly scrunched up. "Yes?" he replied.
Whiskers turned to the the elf, flickering his whiskers slightly as he lightly scrunched up. "Yes?" he replied.
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>>137015
>>137014
>>137010
The army hails from the north.
The nearest city is Brindol, some ways east. Only a couple small farming settlements lay in between. Should all refugees flee the town, Brindol would be the only city large enough to accommodate them.
Brindol is twice as far East as Skull Gorge is North. Even if all of Brindol's forces were to come, there's no promise that they'd even arrive before the goblins.
This information is revealed partially revealed by captain Soranna, and partly by a passive geography check I auto-rolled for Aral.
>>137014
>>137010
The army hails from the north.
The nearest city is Brindol, some ways east. Only a couple small farming settlements lay in between. Should all refugees flee the town, Brindol would be the only city large enough to accommodate them.
Brindol is twice as far East as Skull Gorge is North. Even if all of Brindol's forces were to come, there's no promise that they'd even arrive before the goblins.
This information is revealed partially revealed by captain Soranna, and partly by a passive geography check I auto-rolled for Aral.
>>137018
Aral switches to who-the-fuck-cares mode. He does this in social situations quite a lot, either when in a predicament that would prompt him to lose his temper, or when he's confronted with social stuff he doesn't know how to handle, or maybe even doesn't care to handle.
This one so far encompasses all of the above.
>Well, Cat, what is your take on our current situation?
And noticing that the cat just talked, and every seemed to just go with it as if this was normal, he continues:
>Want to help convince these two-legged folk to prepare for the goblins properly?
Aral switches to who-the-fuck-cares mode. He does this in social situations quite a lot, either when in a predicament that would prompt him to lose his temper, or when he's confronted with social stuff he doesn't know how to handle, or maybe even doesn't care to handle.
This one so far encompasses all of the above.
>Well, Cat, what is your take on our current situation?
And noticing that the cat just talked, and every seemed to just go with it as if this was normal, he continues:
>Want to help convince these two-legged folk to prepare for the goblins properly?
>>137020
The most of the city council have seen the cat talk before. A few confused murmurs resonate across the folks who gathered around.
The most of the city council have seen the cat talk before. A few confused murmurs resonate across the folks who gathered around.
>>137022
"I could send riders out to Brindol, but even that would take days... Perhaps it would be better to evacuate the town sooner than later.." Wiston says.
"If only there were some way to slow those savages down.." The middle-aged human ponders
"I could send riders out to Brindol, but even that would take days... Perhaps it would be better to evacuate the town sooner than later.." Wiston says.
"If only there were some way to slow those savages down.." The middle-aged human ponders
>>137024
"Don't we have any damaging spells that damage on proximity?" Whiskers asked as he stopped his licking. "We could litter them on their path to slow them down."
"Don't we have any damaging spells that damage on proximity?" Whiskers asked as he stopped his licking. "We could litter them on their path to slow them down."
>>137022
>That would require abandoning the town, a much easier defended position than just somewhere along the road. I'd rather hold until Brindol's troops get here, and so would some others.
Aral nods towards Iormel.
>I just need help convincing this people to start preparing for an evacuation and setting up defenses.
>>137024
Turning to the human:
>The first choke point in their movements appears to be the Skull Gorge Bridge, but we may not get there in time. There is also a note about the dwarf bridge,...
[Aral translates the remark about that, again]
>...and lastly, this very town. It is very possible that it might fall to these savages, make no mistake. But mounting a defense might slow them down for the sake of the rest of the Vale, and for those evacuating on the road.
>That would require abandoning the town, a much easier defended position than just somewhere along the road. I'd rather hold until Brindol's troops get here, and so would some others.
Aral nods towards Iormel.
>I just need help convincing this people to start preparing for an evacuation and setting up defenses.
>>137024
Turning to the human:
>The first choke point in their movements appears to be the Skull Gorge Bridge, but we may not get there in time. There is also a note about the dwarf bridge,...
[Aral translates the remark about that, again]
>...and lastly, this very town. It is very possible that it might fall to these savages, make no mistake. But mounting a defense might slow them down for the sake of the rest of the Vale, and for those evacuating on the road.
>>137025
Wiston seems confused
"You think a few spells will slow down an army of thousands?" he looks unconvinced
"... Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt if you tried."
Wiston seems confused
"You think a few spells will slow down an army of thousands?" he looks unconvinced
"... Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt if you tried."
>>137026
Wiston looks at the map.
"This bridge... Is very important to the Vale. There's no trade along the north road without it..." he says, wincing
"..But, if it were compromised, any army would have trouble crossing the gorge. That would at least mean we'd have time it get a head start without those bastards on our tails..."
Wiston looks at the map.
"This bridge... Is very important to the Vale. There's no trade along the north road without it..." he says, wincing
"..But, if it were compromised, any army would have trouble crossing the gorge. That would at least mean we'd have time it get a head start without those bastards on our tails..."
>>137029
"Well, if you think it would help, the city council would be glad to reward you for your efforts." He says.
>>137030
"Well, you're the one who pointed it out..." Wiston says, scratching his head.
"The bridge is sturdy and reliable, made of dwarven-cut stone. It's wide enough for multiple horses and carts to cross with ease." He continues
"But it's still just a bridge. With enough power, maybe a spell of sorts, it could be broken or smashed, and all the stones would tumble into the Gorge.."
"Well, if you think it would help, the city council would be glad to reward you for your efforts." He says.
>>137030
"Well, you're the one who pointed it out..." Wiston says, scratching his head.
"The bridge is sturdy and reliable, made of dwarven-cut stone. It's wide enough for multiple horses and carts to cross with ease." He continues
"But it's still just a bridge. With enough power, maybe a spell of sorts, it could be broken or smashed, and all the stones would tumble into the Gorge.."
>>137031
To Soranna:
>Can you spare men? Even if we fail to compromise its integrity, that bridge is still out best chance to set up an ambush.
To Soranna:
>Can you spare men? Even if we fail to compromise its integrity, that bridge is still out best chance to set up an ambush.
>>137034
"I'm not sure what my men can do, but I'll see if I can spare any to assist you." She replies.
"I'm not sure what my men can do, but I'll see if I can spare any to assist you." She replies.
>>137034
Wiston speaks up.
"I can probably convince the town to evacuate, eventually. It's better that the lot of you rest for now; I need to talk to the other town elders. I’ll ask you to come speak to us, probably later tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.” He says, glancing at Brozal in particular, who still has half a dozen arrows sticking out of him.
Wiston speaks up.
"I can probably convince the town to evacuate, eventually. It's better that the lot of you rest for now; I need to talk to the other town elders. I’ll ask you to come speak to us, probably later tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.” He says, glancing at Brozal in particular, who still has half a dozen arrows sticking out of him.
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