This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Markas
With the immediate threat seemingly eliminated by Javon, Markas mutters an incantation, invoking Hail of Thorns and quickly exchanges his sword for his bow. He joins the attack on Blue Nose letting loose a shot.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The arrow impacts the hobgoblin in the side and a rain of thorns sprout outward rapidly from the arrow, piercing Blue Nose and endangering those near him.
A horrible wailing sound is heard as the thorns scrape and pierce as they writhe around the large hobgoblin and lash out at the two females and child near him. When it is done all the adults are bloody and badly wounded. The child lays still on the ground with only the hint of movement.
The other hobgoblins shriek in rage as they witness this horrific scene. They scramble to gain footing for battle.
A horrible wailing sound is heard as the thorns scrape and pierce as they writhe around the large hobgoblin and lash out at the two females and child near him. When it is done all the adults are bloody and badly wounded. The child lays still on the ground with only the hint of movement.
The other hobgoblins shriek in rage as they witness this horrific scene. They scramble to gain footing for battle.
Good thing we aren't playing sanity, because that would call for a check. What have you done Markas? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.
A horrible wailing sound is heard as the thorns scrape and pierce as they writhe around the large hobgoblin and lash out at the two females and child near him. When it is done all the adults are bloody and badly wounded. The child lays still on the ground with only the hint of movement.
The other hobgoblins shriek in rage as they witness this horrific scene. They scramble to gain footing for battle.
Good thing we aren't playing sanity, because that would call for a check. What have you done Markas? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.
Personally, I'm a bit queasy about slaughtering the whole hobgoblin family. *Sigh* Real life can be crappy enough!
But anyway...
All I can think is that they were all celebrating one of the kids birthdays or something and having a grand old time and we busted down the door and started slaughtering everyone. My grandest hope is that behind the door on the far side of the room lies an abattoir and they were like some sick hillbilly family who captured and tortured creatures for fun and consumption. Or the rules of time and space do not apply here.
Just to ease your conscience about the hobgoblin situation, I thought I would offer some background and options.
So essentially, you've stumbled into the sleeping area for a hobgoblin lair. That's why there are women and children present. In the case of the hobgoblin young, you will get no XP for killing them as they are non-combatants.
Unfortunately one of the younglings has been taken down to zero hit points. This was not intentional, but collateral damage. The way I suggest to roleplay that is, Markas didn't know the power of his new spell--he only just obtained it when he gained a level. He'll know better next time that the spell affects the target and everything within 5 feet of the target.
Experience Points (XP)
Slaying monsters are not the only way to earn XP toward the next level. More generally you just need to defeat the creature or obstacle that is imposing risk to life and limb to you. In the case of creatures, this could mean killing them, knocking them out, capturing them, routing them, making them surrender, making them stop being hostile. An example of an obstacle would be something like passing through a trapped area (e.g. you see a golden idol on a pedestal, but you have to navigate a room full of pressure plates that release projectiles at you...)
0 Hit Points
Zero hit points usually means you are dead if you happen to be a stock monster (like these hobgoblins), but that is due to convenience more than anything on my part.
Technically a creature at 0 hit points is dying but not yet dead. This is good for you to know when one of you gets dropped to 0 HP. So ... when you're dying this is what happens:
Whenever you are dying, on the start of your turn you make a "death save." This is essentially a straight d20 roll vs. a DC of 10. If you roll a 10 or higher, you succeed. If you roll lower than 10 you fail. When you have three failures, then you're dead. When you have three successes, then your stable. When you're stable, you are still at 0 hit points and are unconscious, but you are no longer in danger of dying. If a creature's hit points are at least 1, then they are conscious and can move and take actions.
Additionally, another character can make a Medicine check (vs. DC 10) as their action to stabilize another creature. AND if you have a healer's kit you automatically stabilize someone. You can also just use healing magic and that works too.
So...Frankly. As a paladin, possessing the power of healing (and because it lines up with my own personal values), Brumdal would probably be willing to revive the hobgoblin child.
Not that that is going to do much good if we whack the rest of the clan. But. If it is a possibility, and that may turn the tide of the battle, Brumdal would be willing to do some healing magic on the kid.
There's that. I'm not sure how to roleplay any of this. I don't mind whacking a pretend goblin who is throwing spears at my head, but that's different, I guess.
In addition to your personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws each character has an alignment. And these are the same alignments from way back in 1st edition AD&D. You do want to make sure you are playing to your alignment.
With the exception of Markas, I made the characters and assigned an alignment, so you might not be aware of what your character's is. Here's the breakdown:
Amar is Neutral Brumdal is Lawful Good Javon is Lawful Good Markas is Neutral Good Pagan is Neutral Zerys is Chaotic Good
If you want to change your alignment, because you didn't know what it was, that's fine. (I would say Amar seems to be Neutral Good, based on the way he has been portrayed so far.)
I would say killing indiscriminately or unnecessarily would not suit good-aligned characters.
Oh and knowing everyone's alignment would be player knowledge as opposed to character knowledge. (In other words, thinkingmage knows that Javon is Lawful Good, but Pagan doesn't. Javon's deeds will have to persuade Pagan.)
So...Frankly. As a paladin, possessing the power of healing (and because it lines up with my own personal values), Brumdal would probably be willing to revive the hobgoblin child.
Not that that is going to do much good if we whack the rest of the clan. But. If it is a possibility, and that may turn the tide of the battle, Brumdal would be willing to do some healing magic on the kid.
There's that. I'm not sure how to roleplay any of this. I don't mind whacking a pretend goblin who is throwing spears at my head, but that's different, I guess.
You have some options here, especially since you will get to act before the hobgoblins do.
You could dole out 1 hit point with your Lay Hands feature. (You have a pool of 10 points you can use to heal or cure poisons and stuff like that.)
You could try to stabilizing the youngling with a Medicine check.
All of these options require you to touch the hobgoblin youngling; you can't do it at range.
Another option would be diplomacy--although you guys did just barge in and start shooting so that might be a hard sell.
From a game mechanics perspective, to try and make a hostile creature indifferent, you would make a Persuasion check. Given the situation I would say you would do it at disadvantage though, unless you come up with a creative way to do it or channel Jean Luc Picard somehow.
With that said, Brumdal's Persuasion skill is +6 AND he's proficient, so he'll get better at it as he levels up. He is the best at Persuasion in the party, followed by Amar (+5).
Brumdal's personality (although you may not know it yet) would be to try to heal the child and then persuade the crap out of the hobgoblins. Then - if I go through all of that, and they take a swing at me, then so be it.
I think that's the path I would like to take. I know that there is some movement involved - so it may take another round, at which point the situation may be less fluid.
Brumdal could yell for a halt to combat, state his intentions to heal the downed youngling, and cautiously approach.
The rest of the party could cover him--Markas and Javon are pretty deadly with their +8 attack rolls.
Brumdal would have time to heal the youngling before the rest of the hobgoblins can attack, because you surprised them, and they go last in initiative. (Basically all of you get to go twice before they can do anything.)
Brumdal's personality (although you may not know it yet) would be to try to heal the child and then persuade the crap out of the hobgoblins. Then - if I go through all of that, and they take a swing at me, then so be it.
I think that's the path I would like to take. I know that there is some movement involved - so it may take another round, at which point the situation may be less fluid.
That's my two cents.
Okay. Let's go for that ... And if all else fails, you are wearing A LOT of armor....
Amar and others could try some smooth talking as well.
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Markas
Markas's Attack Roll (1d20+8): 12 vs. AC 18
Damage from the Arrow (1d8+4): 11
Dexterity Saving Throws vs. DC 10:
Blue Nose: 6
Unarmored Hobgoblin 2: 10
Unarmored Hobgoblin 3: 20
Hobgoblin Child 3: 12
Blue Nose succeeds on his saving throw--the others do not.
Damage from the Hail of Thorns:
Blue Nose: 1
Unarmored Hobgoblin 2: 10
Unarmored Hobgoblin 3: 2
Hobgoblin Child 3: 10
@Markas, you done pissed them off...
Zerys
Attack Roll with Produce Flame vs. the nearest unarmored hobgoblin who was struck by Markas's magical thorns (1d20+6): 12 vs. AC 11
@Brumdal, it is your turn.
You have no action (because you busted down the door), unless you have bonus actions you can take (like from your spells).
You can move, if you so choose.
Good thing we aren't playing sanity, because that would call for a check. What have you done Markas? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.
If you really want a Sanity score there are optional rules for it: https://www.dndbeyond.com/compendium/rules/dmg/dungeon-masters-workshop#AbilityOptions
;)
Personally, I'm a bit queasy about slaughtering the whole hobgoblin family. *Sigh* Real life can be crappy enough!
But anyway...
Brumdal will use his movement to get the inside the door (closest to biggest, baddest hobgoblin), and clear the path for everybody else.
I believe that is all that I can do right now.
All I can think is that they were all celebrating one of the kids birthdays or something and having a grand old time and we busted down the door and started slaughtering everyone. My grandest hope is that behind the door on the far side of the room lies an abattoir and they were like some sick hillbilly family who captured and tortured creatures for fun and consumption. Or the rules of time and space do not apply here.
Moral Crisis for the Characters
"There are alternatives to fighting." --Obi Wan
Just to ease your conscience about the hobgoblin situation, I thought I would offer some background and options.
So essentially, you've stumbled into the sleeping area for a hobgoblin lair. That's why there are women and children present. In the case of the hobgoblin young, you will get no XP for killing them as they are non-combatants.
Unfortunately one of the younglings has been taken down to zero hit points. This was not intentional, but collateral damage. The way I suggest to roleplay that is, Markas didn't know the power of his new spell--he only just obtained it when he gained a level. He'll know better next time that the spell affects the target and everything within 5 feet of the target.
Experience Points (XP)
Slaying monsters are not the only way to earn XP toward the next level. More generally you just need to defeat the creature or obstacle that is imposing risk to life and limb to you. In the case of creatures, this could mean killing them, knocking them out, capturing them, routing them, making them surrender, making them stop being hostile. An example of an obstacle would be something like passing through a trapped area (e.g. you see a golden idol on a pedestal, but you have to navigate a room full of pressure plates that release projectiles at you...)
0 Hit Points
Zero hit points usually means you are dead if you happen to be a stock monster (like these hobgoblins), but that is due to convenience more than anything on my part.
Technically a creature at 0 hit points is dying but not yet dead. This is good for you to know when one of you gets dropped to 0 HP. So ... when you're dying this is what happens:
Whenever you are dying, on the start of your turn you make a "death save." This is essentially a straight d20 roll vs. a DC of 10. If you roll a 10 or higher, you succeed. If you roll lower than 10 you fail. When you have three failures, then you're dead. When you have three successes, then your stable. When you're stable, you are still at 0 hit points and are unconscious, but you are no longer in danger of dying. If a creature's hit points are at least 1, then they are conscious and can move and take actions.
Additionally, another character can make a Medicine check (vs. DC 10) as their action to stabilize another creature. AND if you have a healer's kit you automatically stabilize someone. You can also just use healing magic and that works too.
For more on this see Dropping to 0 Hit Points.
So ... in the case of Glieb, the unlucky hobgoblin youngling, he's not dead, but he needs medical attention or some healing magic or he will be.
So...Frankly. As a paladin, possessing the power of healing (and because it lines up with my own personal values), Brumdal would probably be willing to revive the hobgoblin child.
Not that that is going to do much good if we whack the rest of the clan. But. If it is a possibility, and that may turn the tide of the battle, Brumdal would be willing to do some healing magic on the kid.
There's that. I'm not sure how to roleplay any of this. I don't mind whacking a pretend goblin who is throwing spears at my head, but that's different, I guess.
More metagaming stuff.
In addition to your personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws each character has an alignment. And these are the same alignments from way back in 1st edition AD&D. You do want to make sure you are playing to your alignment.
With the exception of Markas, I made the characters and assigned an alignment, so you might not be aware of what your character's is. Here's the breakdown:
Amar is Neutral
Brumdal is Lawful Good
Javon is Lawful Good
Markas is Neutral Good
Pagan is Neutral
Zerys is Chaotic Good
If you want to change your alignment, because you didn't know what it was, that's fine. (I would say Amar seems to be Neutral Good, based on the way he has been portrayed so far.)
I would say killing indiscriminately or unnecessarily would not suit good-aligned characters.
Oh and knowing everyone's alignment would be player knowledge as opposed to character knowledge. (In other words, thinkingmage knows that Javon is Lawful Good, but Pagan doesn't. Javon's deeds will have to persuade Pagan.)
You have some options here, especially since you will get to act before the hobgoblins do.
All of these options require you to touch the hobgoblin youngling; you can't do it at range.
Another option would be diplomacy--although you guys did just barge in and start shooting so that might be a hard sell.
From a game mechanics perspective, to try and make a hostile creature indifferent, you would make a Persuasion check. Given the situation I would say you would do it at disadvantage though, unless you come up with a creative way to do it or channel Jean Luc Picard somehow.
With that said, Brumdal's Persuasion skill is +6 AND he's proficient, so he'll get better at it as he levels up. He is the best at Persuasion in the party, followed by Amar (+5).
Brumdal's personality (although you may not know it yet) would be to try to heal the child and then persuade the crap out of the hobgoblins. Then - if I go through all of that, and they take a swing at me, then so be it.
I think that's the path I would like to take. I know that there is some movement involved - so it may take another round, at which point the situation may be less fluid.
That's my two cents.
Here's a suggestion:
Brumdal could yell for a halt to combat, state his intentions to heal the downed youngling, and cautiously approach.
The rest of the party could cover him--Markas and Javon are pretty deadly with their +8 attack rolls.
Brumdal would have time to heal the youngling before the rest of the hobgoblins can attack, because you surprised them, and they go last in initiative. (Basically all of you get to go twice before they can do anything.)
Okay. Let's go for that ... And if all else fails, you are wearing A LOT of armor....
Amar and others could try some smooth talking as well.