DMless battle for the forest campaign..

I'm running some characters through to work on DMing mechanics.  

Campaign rolls are setup.   Campaign setup done.  Characters added.

On to prep work for the ecnounter rolls.  I'll work on this as I get time.  This campaign will most likely be very slow paced as I work on it when I get time while focusing one other campaign I'm running in as a player.  I'm also DMing a LMoP campaign I'm preping that will start shortly once I have completed a Battle for the Forest run by another.

I started working with a map program and image location site to add some flavor to the posts hopefully.

Party member info:

Callon - AC 17, HP 46, Passive Perception 15: Investigation 15: Insight 15:

Priphira - AC 17, HP 38, Passive Perception 17: Investigation 12: Insight 12:

Ruaccek - AC 16, HP 42, Passive Perception 17: Investigation 15: Insight 17:

Beast Companion Dire Wolf Luna: AC 17, HP 37, Passive Perception 13: Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

 Edit notes. I think I'm going to modify the monster for 2 of the 3 Flesh Golems to put some variety into the campaign.  It will help change the Party/Monster interactions and DM mechanics a bit.  Different ways of dealing with different types of monsters.  Swapped to Troll and a Hill Giant both still CR5.

Using DDB's Beta encounter builder I've set up 5 of the 6 encounters as the first encounter is a trip wire trap.  The others all have monsters and by some random factor 3 of the 5 are the same.  5 and 6 or the toughest too.  I just need to set up some battle maps with tokens and tie them to each encounter as they are run to post them here in the thread as each encounter is played out.  Hopefully I can find some good artwork to use that matches the random locations that were rolled.  I put everything in a word document for each encounter and all the rolls for loot.  Based on the loot rolls each item is listed in the document for later to reference.

One of the characters has a Beast Companion.  Since I'm using the encounter builder I was trying to figure out a way to add the beast as a character rather than a monster....I'll try and work on that one...For now it's on the monster side of the encounter builder so it add xp to the encounter.  I want to try and figure a way to make it a character thats added to the encounter as part of the party group instead.  Work in progress.

After traveling on the road and settling at one of the inns at Dolsela.  You enjoy some nice Elven wine and Honey mead thinking of the travel here.  Fraught with adventure and wild beast with a challenging terrain occasionally.  You all make your own introductions and find after a week of downtime and store shopping that you are ready for another adventure.  The forest here are filled with dangers and they have asked for volunteers to help tame them.  

 After stocking up it's time to head out.

The trio set out first light in the morning.  Their introductions already completed at the inn.

Ruaccek takes fligh and stays under the canopy of the forest until it clears to provide some ariel advantages with scouting.  He swoops down to join the party.

Ruaccek says in his avian accented common, "Stop my friends. Just ahead."  He points to the wire.

Trip wire

You remove the trip wire and disable the pit it was connected to so no one else can be harmed.  Ruaccek flies up again about 50 ft up and keep pace with you.  You travel further on into the forest for about 65 minutes.

You are venturing through the wood when you come upon a cave mouth opening up from a granite cliff. It seems to be a round stone tunnel, carved into the surface of the cliff and sloping downwards. It seems far too smooth to be natural...

You make your way to the mouth of the cave and enter gradually to allow your eyes to adjust.  You see something to the north of you as you entered the cave about 30 ft north of you.  Roll Insight.

https://www.photobucket.com/u/cwreando/p/3619f2da-1ff0-43fa-bf24-34e04db99f45

Roll initiative.

OOC if the photo doesn't show up i'll edit and post the link.

Callon

Callon Insight:  18

Callon Initiative:  10

Priphira

Priphira Insight:  20

Priphira Initiative:  19

Ruaccek

Ruaccek Insight:  24

Ruaccek Initiative:  18

You all see a large humanoid shape and as your eye start adjusting to the light levels you can make out a hideous Flesh golem.  Probably left by an evil creature trained in the arcane arts to protect this cave.

Here is the link to the combat tracker.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/combat-tracker/b418b8c5-e282-4903-8da2-fb5f557980b0

Initiatives list:  I auto rolled Luna and the Golems in the encouter setup.  Looks like it already new Luna and Callon's Dex for init ties.

Priphira: 19

Ruaccek: 18

Callon:  10 (Dex 18)

Luna: 10 (Dex 15)

Flesh Golem: 2

Priphira your up first.

Priphira advances 25 ft and attacks with her two longswords dual wielding - Dual Wielder feat.

Longsword+1 Attack: 16! Damage: 7

No damage bonus for second attack.

Moon touch Longsword Attack: 25! Damage: 3

Priphira gets both weapons to cut into the Flesh golem for 15 pts of damage.  The moon touched longsword provides some additional light in the area as well.

Ruaccek is up.

Action: Range Attack up to 400ft Light Crossbow +1:  30! Damage: 12  Plus: 2  If below max hp

Bonus Action:  Cast Shield of Faith on Priphira +2 AC 10 Min

Ruaccek loosed an +1 Bolt that sunk straight into the Flesh golems head severely wounding the creature with a lucky strike.

Callon is up and Luna just after.

Callon advances and cast green blade on his magical shortsword then uses his moon touched short sword to make a second attack while sneaking to get a sneak attack.  Having Priphira within 5ft he doesn't need advantage.

Short sword +1 Attack: 19! Damage: 9  Plus: 1  :Sneak Damage  Plus:  4  Fire Damage

Moon touch short sword Attack: [9! Damage: 4

Luna  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack:  to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10  piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Ruaccek gives Luna the command : Attack.   Luna advances and attempts to bite the Golem and knock it prone.  Since Luna has allies next to the Golem she has advantage to her attack roll.

Luna’s attack with advantage:  16! Damage: 13   :Roll DC 13 or be knocked prone

Golems save roll:  19  Needs 13 or better or go prone.

The team have mangled the golem with Callon slicing it up badly and Luna taking chuncks out of the flesh golem.  The skin is barely hanging on in places.  Callon's green flame damage spooks the golem and has disadvantage.

Re-roll prone save with disadvantage 21   13 or less and the golem is prone.

Flesh golem is up.  roll 1d6 and on a 6 the golem goes berserk while it's prone.

6 was rolled so my edit would change that.   on a 6  he's berserked.

Prone save roll here

10

The Golem is knocked down by Luna.  The damage Luna did to the golem is just superficial since her attacks are not magical.

The golem spends it's action to get back up.

Phiphira is up

Longsword+1 Attack: 11! Damage: 11

Moon touch Longsword Attack: 15! Damage: 4

Ruaccek is up.

Range Attack up to 400ft Light Crossbow +1:  12! Damage: 13  Plus: 2  If below max hp

The bolt is lost with the fumble on the shot.

Callon is up.  Same attacks.

Short sword +1 Attack: 13! Damage: 6  Plus: 2  :Sneak Damage  Plus:  8  Fire Damage

Moon touch short sword Attack: [8! Damage: 2

Luna keeps up the attack also although mainly to knock prone.

Luna’s attack with advantage:  25! Damage: 21   :Roll DC 13 or be knocked prone

With Callon's next attack the golem falls to pieces on the cave floor.

The cave just has empty containers in it most dilapidated or completely disintegrated.  The trio sheath their weapons and move out. 

You travel for another 65 min and before you know it. 

You are surrounded by fluorescent, glowing mushrooms. Occasional trees reach into the sky, fruits dotting their surface. Mist swirls far overhead, and what appear to be small humanoid figures flit around in the sky.  50 ft ahead of you is a humanoid but the mist is making it difficult to determine what it is.  Roll investigation or insight and initiative.

https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-on-dark-forest-road-night-2196967023

None of you are surprised.

Ruaccek decides to come down to Doerth and spread out from the others a bit 20 ft to the side staying parallel to the others.

Ruaccek Insight:  9

Callon Insight:  7

Priphira Insight:  9

OOC - Technically this is probably an insight roll so I just had them roll their insight.  I suppose as DM you can allow for interpretation.

Priphira says, "Hold...Who are you and may we pass."

She sings a little tune and gives Callon and Ruaccek a Bardic inspiration dice.

Callon and Ruaccek can roll insight again and can add a d8 to their rolls.

Callon Insight:  18 Plus:  1

Ruaccek Insight:  26 Plus:  2