The Long Road - Game Thread

Jorin yells back at Pascal, "You should eat one, ha!"

Quote from JcAndD >>

Ah right, yes.

Can I fireball? I’m gonna fireball.

(You didn't say where, but I'll assume you didn't drop it on your own party.) The six hobs on the west side of the road are caught in the blast, which is just outside the range of the horse nearest you.

• 4 regular hobs are toast (even if they made their saves).
• Devastator save: 14 (save), takes 11 damage
• Warlord save: 19 (save), takes 11 damage

The warlord taks 10 more damage from moving in Quillary's field of thorns, as he broad jumps onto the horse in the nearest wagon. (The horse doesn't like that.) It runs along the back of the horse.

Jorin gets his two regular magic battle-axe swings. He got Help from Hildigrim on his first roll, so his first attack (1 on the die) is replaced with this: 25 Still misses on first attack (vs. plate + shield), but his 2nd attack (26) hits, for a total of 20 damage (including radiant)

In return, the warlord makes 3 longsword swings.

• Attack1: 19 Damage: 10  (miss)
• Attack2: 19 Damage: 8  (miss)
• Attack3: 14 Damage: 9  (hit) rage reduced to 2 damage

The devastator takes 5 damage from Quillary's thorns, then climbs onto a branch of the nearest tree. It will follow Pascal's example, and drop a fireball on top of the party. Those wagon horses are now dead. (With his Army Arcana, he makes the Warlord immune to the damage of his spell. This ability is way better than the Wizard evocation ability.)

• Fire damage: 31, DEX save vs. DC 13 for half damage.

Next round... H8 will move 30' to melee attack Quillary with its long sword. H7 will move 30' to melee attack Pascal.  (If Quillary fails her save against the fireball, then she will be unconscious, and the attacks will shift to Hildigrim.)

• vs. Quillary - Attack: 21 Damage: 10  (hits)
• vs. Pascal - Attack: 12 Damage: 8  (miss)

Hobgoblins have an ability called Martial Advantage, which acts like rogue sneak damage. H5 and H6 move south, and shoot at Quillary and Pascal. If they hit, they will do another 2d6 damage, since they have an ally within 5' of their targets.

• vs. Quillary - Attack: 10 Damage: 18  (hits)
• vs. Pascal - Attack: 15 Damage: 11  (miss)

• The warlord has taken 41 damage. It is below half health (but has AC 20).
• The devastator has taken 16 damage, and is still very healthy.
• Hobs H5-H8 are unhurt. You know they only have 11 health, but can do sneak damage when they have allies around.

(Checking Drusk's fireball save, and then his concentration save: 11 , concentration vs. DC 16 15 )

When the party members post their actions this round, include a DEX save vs. DC 13 for last round's hobgoblin fireball. Remember to add 1d4 from Bless...  If you save, take 16 fire damage, fail 32 damage.

• I don't know if Volo is in the blast radius or not... If Volo makes the DEX save (not Blessed), then he is unhurt; if he fails, he is gone.
• If Quillary makes her fireball save, then the hobgoblin attacks reduce her to 0 hp. If she fails, then the hobgoblins attack Hildigrim and do 14 damage... Either way, she is unconscious, and that green field of thorns is gone. (My mistake, it shouldn't be on the map.)
• If anyone is unconscious after last round, assume that Drusk heals you. You are prone, but you are awake and can still go this round... Make a note about your current HP, so I know how to spread the healing.
• You still have Bless in effect. (Add 1d4 to your to-hit rolls.)
• As tough as the Warlord is, that Devastator-in-a-tree is getting ready to drop another Fireball on the party...

(Drusk HP... Took 32 fireball damage, so he is at 11 out of 45 HP.)

Everyone post their actions.

Quillary's Dex Save vs the Fireball: 7

Forgot to add 2 from Bless.

Dodge: 16

Meanwhile, Pascal will move from the Hobgoblin (go ahead and AoO)

He’ll then Twin Spell Hold Person against Devestator and Warlord! DC 14 Wis Save!

Actually, can I also maneuver next to Quillary? Move in a U around her Hobgoblin?

 Quillary is unconscious. Nighty night.

Hildigrim's DEX save DC13: 21 + bless: 4

Volo's DEX save DC13: 17

HP: 38-16 (uncanny dodge doesn't work against fireball) = 22

Hildigrim disengages from the hobgoblins (bonus action), draws his bow (free action), runs 15 feet north, 5 feet northeast, attempts to skewer the devastator with an arrow using Volo's flyby as a distraction, and then moves another 5 feet north with the hopes that the wagon might give him some cover.

+1 shortbow attack: 22 + bless: 4; damage: 10 piercing damage

Sneak attack if appropriate (if you allow Volo to grant it): 9

Quote from Mingofaust >>

 Quillary is unconscious. Nighty night.

(Quillary is getting a heal from Drusk, so she can act this round. That was the 3rd bullet point. I knew Drusk was going to do this, but I wanted to see the fireball results first.)

Damage doesn't interrupt Hold Person, so that goes off after Quillary is healed and awake... Pascal gets 2 AoO (H7, H8) against him.

• Attack: 8 Damage: 4
• Attack: 5 Damage: 5  (both miss!)
• Warlord WIS save 11  , Devastator WIS save: 21

 The warlord is still active, but the devastator becomes still as a board (Paralyzed).

The Devastator is AC 13 so the arrow hits (with Bless). Volo pecking at the paralyzed spell caster  gives Hlidigrim the Sneak damage.

(Jorin and Quillary are up, then I'll mention what sort of healing spells Drusk used.)

Jorin Dex save: 15 + 2

Jorin gets wholloped by the fireball and staggers.  He takes a deep breath, regaining his composure, and sends two axe blows at the warlord.

• Bonus Action: Second Wind 6
• Action: Battleaxe Attacks!
  • Attack: 21 Damage: 10 + 3 from bless
  • Attack: 24 Damage: 15 + 1 from bless
  • + 2 radiant damage

Quillary tries to resist the blast of fire, screams and stumbles, but manages to keep her feet, only to be cut down by the hobgoblins rushing up behind her.

As Drusk incants a healing word in her direction, she staggers to her feet. In the real world, her spores explode around her body on its cot.

In the dream world, Quillary-acolyte stands and roars, and seems to slam her cudgel into her forehead, spinning around the hobgoblin behind her to face it.

Action: Wild Shape to start her Symbiotic Entity for 24 temp hp and lots of other stuff.

Move: South and East to end up below Hobgoblin H8.

Bonus Action: cast Shillelagh on her club

Reaction: Halo of spores reaches out to H8 for a Con Save vs DC 15 or take 9 necrotic damage

(I was worried there would be more save failures, so I was panicking for nothing.)

Before anyone else went, Drusk used his Action for Channel Divinity - Preserve Life to cure Jorin for 2 points, Quillary for 19, and 9 points for himself. He then uses his bonus action to do a Healing Word on Quillary, curing her for 9 and himself for 3 (got the Blessed Healer ability at level 6).

(If I've done the math right, Jorin is at 35 after his Second Wind, Quillary at 28, and Drusk at 23 HP.)

Jorin thought that his first strike would hit the warlord (20 to-hit vs. AC 20). However, it uses its Reaction to Parry, temporarily making it AC 23... Frustrated, there is no stopping Jorin's second swing (32 to-hit), for 17+5 = 22 damage.

Will the hobgoblin spell caster break the Hold spell at the end of its round?  Save: 14  Nope, the devastator is still rigid on that tree branch, with Volo pecking at its skull.

The warlord is also down. (It was the 5 radiant on top of the max battle-axe damage that finished it off.)

H8 Con save vs. Q-spores: 12

The other 4 hobs realize they are in trouble... Their only chance is to get their devastator back into the action. They want to attack Pascal, but he moved north (risking the attacks of opportunity).  H5 can reach Pascal, and H6 shoots an arrow (getting Martial Advantage). H7 & H8 will attack Quillary (also have M.A.)

• H5 vs. Pascal - Attack: 8 Damage: 9
• H6 vs. Pascal - Attack: 19 Damage: 16  (hit)
• H7 vs. Quillary - Attack: 9 Damage: 13
• H8 vs. Quillary - Attack: 10 Damage: 8

Were they able to break Pascal's spell concentration? CON vs. DC 10: 11  (nope, spell is still strong)

• Pascal took 17 damage (down to 17 HP ?), but his Hold Person spell is still freezing the devastator.
• After Jorin chopped down the warlord, he would have moved either north or south... Since he took the full force of the Fireball, I'm guessing he closed on the spell caster.
• The devastator has suffered 33 damage so far. If Jorin hits, melee attacks against a paralyzed foe are automatic criticals.
• The H8 hob took 9 from Quillary's cloud, and is about to keel over.

Party is up.

Wait, I forgot my concentration check from the fireball: 16 vs DC 10. Phew.

Meanwhile, Pascal claps his hands together and flames spread across them. He spreads his stance wide, “Always wanted to do this...” He pulls his hands together behind his hips as a small orb of fire, “Never had enough floorspace though!” He thrusts his hands forward as a KameHame-Flamethrower erupts forward at 1st level.

H5 and 6 need to make a DC 14 Dex save against 15 fire damage (or half)!

Hildigrim tells Volo to keep helping Jorin as he turns to shoot an arrow at H5.

+1 shortbow attack: 25; damage: 7 piercing damage

Sneak attack if appropriate: 12

He'll then help Pascal attack H5 if it's still on its feet, else H6.

(Pascal's Hold Person was cast after the Fireball, so a concentration check wasn't needed.)

DEX saves for H5: 6  and H6: 10

Under his cool reptilian exterior, Pascal might be a little upset that these guys are targeting him. His flamethrower sweeps over H5 and H6, turning them  into ashes.

Hildigrim hides his reaction to what he just saw. With his target gone, he spins around and shoots at H7. With sneak damage, the arrow goes through its heart, killing it.

(Only the badly wounded H8 and the paralyzed devastator are left. Jorin, Quillary, and Drusk to go.)

Oh right. On the bright side, I tried to do the right thing! Haha

OOC > Just re-read and saw H7 is dead... so, both attacks on H8 I guess. Don’t want to edit for fear of the dice manipulation banner!

Quillary smiles ferally at the two hobgoblins facing her. Between the healing and her spores, she stands tall. “This is what your death looks like,” she says with an evil tone. Then she strikes at the healthy hobgoblin while sending her spores to swirl around the other one.

Action: Attack H7 with magical, spore enhance club. 16 to hit, for 8 magical bludgeoning, plus 2 poison dmg

Reaction: Halo of Spores on H8 for 3 necrotic dmg, or nothing with a Con Save vs DC 15.

OoC - You are totally right, Jorin would have made straight for the Destroyer.  The destroyer is held right?  That's advantage and auto crits!

Jorin roars his fury at the Hobgoblin spell caster and unleashes all his rage at the sorcerous creature!

• Move: To melee range of the destroyer
• Action: Battleaxe attacks!
  • First To hit: 25 for 15
  • First To hit: 26 for 14
• Bonus Action: Moonblade attack! To hit: 22 for 22
• + 4 radiant damage of the first hit
• If the Destroyer falls to the Jorin blender, he would use whatever movement is left to go after the nearest bad guy

Drusk realizes that they are supposed to role-play being savage acolytes in this dream memory, but when he sees the carnage of this last round (and serious overkill by Quillary and Jorin), he just shakes his head and smiles.

The area around you blurs slightly, then you realize there has been a time-skip. The fighting is over. There were many wounded, but the hobgoblins have been defeated. A dozen of them are captured, including a few spell casters (who are gagged). Once they are lined up, Jacobson orders all captured hobgoblins to be executed and any spell casters are to be burned alive... Ravia turns to Pascal. "Earlier, you looked uncomfortable, even frightened. I was planning on having you burn one of these spell casters, to see if you had lost your nerve. But from a distance, I saw that marvelous wave of fire you used at the end of your fight. Glorious, just glorious..." She gives Pascal a friendly pat on the back, then turns around a torches the last living spell caster (with a look of glee on her face).

Jacobson addresses the caravan to tell them that they did a fine job protecting the gift they’re transporting, what wonderful servants they are of Imix, blah blah blah.

After the cleanup is completed, Jacobson looks noticeably disturbed, but stays quiet. (OOC: If someone wants to talk to him about his concerns, I will allow Jorin (his bodyguard) and one other to roll for Persuasion, depending on what you say to him.)