Rollohi-ep35-script

Monastery fight part 2

 Ingle uses the staff on himself, gaing minimal 2, he is on 9 of 14. 

 

During round 13 the party grapples with guilt at getting their level zeroes killed, and whether to go on is just to be chipped and nibbled to death. 

Eryn: I'd like to know why a raiding force of goblins is attacking this particular place, but I want to kite any others here so we can kill them 

Ingle: likewise. 

Jack: the goblins didn't even notice me in the elf gear, I'll scout forward 

Umbert: Kylie still has her web spell. I vote to advance. 

Pod and cied both shake their heads. Cied says, a bit shamefaced, there's no loot to be had here, the village won't thank you for getting killed.  

Kylie smiles and says, goblin ears can be salted until we get to lake town, they do pay there. And I think umbert is right. 

Xantu is piling gob corpses up at both exits and spares a bah no for the debate, but now it's a choice between kiting and waiting. 

Jack vaults over the low barricade and slips away, taking the debate out of the others' hands.. The others bandage as needed. 

 

Let's do a tally. The party has killed 16 of the 30 living monastery invader force. Somewhere around the cellar level there are 14 more.  

 

Jack moves silently down the stairwell as he scouts forward, thanks to the elven boots. He is also unlikely, 1 in 6, to be seen in the elf cloak. But he has to get near enough to goblins, to do the scouting. So as a ruling, I'm going to check number of goblins on watch and how alert they are, then make those  1 in 6 "see someone moving" rolls. 

Are the goblins on watch alert? No. So each goblin has to roll at disadvantage – in other words roll snake-eyes – on 2d6, in order to sound the alarm. 

Number of goblins in immediate range 8. 

Number of goblins armed with bows out of the 8? 5. 

Here are the snake-eye attempts: no, no, no, no no no 

 

Will Jack kite the goblins? Yes but using a sound rather than putting himself in direct line of fire. He slips back to the stairwell, hefts his shortsword, and clatters it clumsily, while screaming "Aayahhhh! Spirits save me!" And noisily runs back upstairs. 

 

 He retreats his full 120'. 

How close is the barricade upstairs? Number of rounds to when Jack reaches the barricade (d3) 2 rounds. 

 

Just to be clear I'm assuming that all eight goblins give chase leaving two trios of goblins actively trying to break into where the monks are holed up. There are 3 melee goblins and 5 archers initially. Do any archers change to melee weapon? No. 

 

Do "team break-in" also give chase? No.  

 

We can now jump forward to round 3, where Jack rushes to and hopefully over the barricade. By this time are the party members positioned? No. 

 

Kylie is ready for her web spell but not at the forefront.  Eryn is leaning forward, listening for Jack. [WIS] She makes a total fail nat 20 and is surprised as Jack vaults past her! Xantu is ready with crossbow. Umbert is simply resting, as much under cover as he can. Ingle is torchbearer, allowing CiedPod to see to use their bows. 

Jack's entire move gets him over the barricade, with an easy 50' to spare, after rolling 10% on climb surface! - so he tersely sums up: 

"Half a dozen or so goblins on my  tail, be ready!" 

 

Round 4 inits characters 5 goblins 6.  

The goblins, who began round 4 120' behind Jack, run the full extent of their move and are still 10' short of the barricade. There is a heap of goblins, dead, blocking their way ahead! 

ML check 5, the goblins keep acoming! % arrows: 1 rolls a 1, a nick on Eryn. 

 

Character turn Declarations:  

Eryn will pull back, so that Kylie can use her spell, and fight defensive, in case goblins get through and do leap the barricade. 

Xantu will use the crossbow, drop it and draw his hammer. 

CiedPod will both loose. 

Umbert will hold where he is, ready to flee. 

Ingle will attempt to use the statuary as cover while still providing light. 

Web comes after missiles.  

1 Xantu pins a goblin to a wall with crossbow bolt,  

2 Pod wounds one for 2dmg,  

3 cied crits, killing a differernt goblin, leaving 6 although 5 of those 6 are 20' further back. 

4 then Web covers the mass of goblins. Kylie has to pick close or far, and so I ask, will Kylie go for the greater number? Yes and... not worry if one wounded goblin is left out. I roll a d10 for coverage and get 8, so 4 of the 5 archers are caught completely. 

 

Round 5, inits even on 3 each. 

Warning Ingle not to toss the torch on, Xantu and Eryn will switch to the offensive and move in. Umbert now stands dagger drawn.  

Kylie has no target but will take the torch from Ingle and throw it next round. 

The goblins roll snake-eyes morale and go for the kill.  

The lead, wounded gob makes a "leap barricade" roll and makes it with a 6. But its attack bounces off.  

 CiedPod loose at the wounded goblin, Pod slays it. 

One archer can only attempt to break a friend free: rolls 02! Two archers are free at end of round.  

Ingle lights a 2nd torch.  

 

Round 6 inits characters 4 goblins 6. 

Two goblins have advantage to pull a 3rd clear of the web. 07 is not going to do it though.  

Kylie tosses the torch into the web, killing the trapped 3 goblins. The remaining two make SV on Paralysis to avoid any burns, at +2 as they are not trapped: the base is 05 so they need 07. They roll 08 and 09 and take 1d4 burn damage: 2dmg each. They flee next round. 

 

Round 7 init: characters 6 goblins 3. Pod and Cied both lands hits, killing the two goblins! 

 

Round 8 Jack finishes his report:  

 

"Those goblins were besieging survivirs" he gasps out as Ingle tends him. "Then we have no time to waste" Ingle responds, clambering over a wall of dead goblins and gesturing the party on. 

 

Party order: Kylie readies her shield and sword again  but this time is right behind the lead ranks of missile users xantu CiedPod and Jack who has retrieved Eryn's bow. Eryn is rearguard. Kylie's job will be the bulwark as the front 4 fall back and get melee gear ready. 

 

"Just down round the corner" Jack narrates quietly. The lead 4 manage good stealth rolls and get the drop on the 6 siege goblins which are occupied using hammers, chisels, and levers to pry open an iron-banded cellar door. 

Surprise goblins are surprised. 

Missile round: xantu maxes off, jack kills a goblin, Pod kills another but cied merely nicks one. Four goblins left, one wounded. 

Round 1: inits characters 4 goblins 1. 

Kylie and Eryn press forward but defensive, the four that just used missiles take up melee weapons. 

The goblins ML check is 9, parley if possible, but they have nowhere to go. They grab melee weapons and charge onto the defenders. None are able to penetrate the defenses. 

Round 2: characters 1 goblins 3. Goblin flailing desperately but only one even comes close to getting past 

"We are ready, give ground nice and slow and we'll have them" is the call. Kulie and Eryn step back carefully. The goblins respond, giving each a wound of 2. Then it's the waiting Jack Xantu CiedPod 's turn and four goblins are immediately killed. 

 

Victory! although they donot know that, and ingle heals both Kylie and Eryn (both return to full 13 and 12 respectively) 

 

And Jack umbert and xantu assure the monks there is no immediate danger. 

Epilogue: the old ways after all

Let's meet the monastics that survived the attack. 

Did the abbot survive yes 

Abbot Stellan Reeve, male in prime. 

He has less than a dozen monks left  and all lay brothers laid down their lives. 

And four villagers died too, he learns. 

Stellan is far from angry. Indeed he is grateful.  

"What do you suppose they wanted?" Kylie asks, with very uncharacteristic curiosity.  

"They hate Law and goodness" Stellan responds automatically and defensively.  

"Oh I think there's more" Ingle encourages. 

"This abbey guards an entrance... to something from ancient times." 

"The old ways i dreamed of! It was here!" Kylie exclaims. 

"Er, father... any chance ye cld pay out on goblin ears?"  

"Absolutely not!" 

"I spose you ave salt though, or lots a vinegar?" Pod follows up. 

"Those are needed for preserving real food, for the community " the purser says severely. 

 

"Stop! We're getting off track here. Father Abbott we were on our way south but this appears to be a matter we can't overlook. Please allow us to rest, join in the mourning and funerals, then explore this entrance." 

Stellan Reeve nods gravely. 

 

****** 

When the attack fell on the monastery, it was night of the first day of waxing gibbous. Now, they sleep the rest of the night, have their mounts brought in on day 1 and are fully healed and attending the funerals day 2. 

****** 

 

 

Recruitment 

Do any villagers have any lust for glory? No and can't be bought. 

Espree D'roi is keen to redeem himself. He was burned out from his sprint to sound the alarm, but felt he ought to have been with the heroes. 

Level 1 Cleric (NPC) 

Armour Class 6-1 (simple reinforced leather, shield) 

Hit Points 4 

Attacks 1 × war hammer (1d6) 

THAC0 19 [0] 

Movement Rate 60' (20') 

Saves D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 

Alignment Lawful 

STR 7 INT 10 WIS 10 

DEX 18 CON 13 CHA 15 

Items None 

  

Now, equipped with decent quality gear, he joins the party. 

Do any other monks? No but they will try to keep the party supplied. 

********* 

"We wanted to celebrate the solstice in lake town so let's not take any risks. This is scouting in force" Ingle reminds the party 

"Oi Ingle ya just raised a death flag" Umbert grumbles  

"Nah saying summat like "let's all raise a glass tog" Pod begins but Jack claps a hand over his mouth. 

********* 

What is the dungeon entrance like? It is a massive silver mirror, set in a bronze wall. 

"This monastery contemplates the illusion of self. But some oldest writings speak of the mirror being a gateway."  

Arcane check from Umbert. The phrase "old ways" used by Kylie is some help. 

Does the mirror require charging with gems as well as magic? Yes but only the once. 

Value? 3 – gems worth 50 gold coin each 

Number? 17 – the clue Umbert discovers is a lone gem hidden by tarnish. 

"This requires all of our gems. How about you? Is this something you want to invest in?" 

"It's not something the monastery can afford, but if you wish, I can write to my superior." 

"Not as long as you agree we keep everything we find, and have the right to remove our gems" 

"I can't agree to that!" 

"How about this: you supply us and put us up free of charge, we have the right to return any time, and you get 10% of trove" 

"That will be fine!" 

850 gold coin worth of gems later, Umbert empowers the mirror by pushing his magical energy into the frame.  

 

 

"Empowering the mirror with a ritual ought to be enough." 

 

Having set up a ritual pentangle, Umbert pushes his Charm Person power into the frame.  

The mirror becomes translucent, revealing a ridiculously fancy hall glittering with strange panels.