As Elra departs the throne room she hears the beginnings of the oddest conversation. The shield starts rambling about the same thought processes and Gundren chimes in, asking for Nundro and Tharden. The shield picks up on this, remarking "Nundro? Tharden? Is one of those my name? No, that's not right." By the time Elra is through the door Gundren is hugging the shield and both are mumbling away at each other, the shield especially confused.
Ethan and his helpers including the goblins and Fae's mage hand, the latter perfect for hanging ropes and providing just a bit of extra leverage in high, difficult positions, successfully relocate much of the rubble for the trap in less than 30 minutes, all the while knowing the hobgoblins could arrive a bit too early. They leave some of the largest stones behind but still manage to move a large bulk of stone to a location above the dining hall, the load supported by partial walls, wood beams and what is left of the second story floor, now serving as the roof to much of the castle where rainwater doesn't just pour through. Scrap wood planks barely hold the pile of stone back, and otherwise a pin that can be pulled with the mage hand is the final support. Anyone standing in the center of the dining hall is in for a nasty surprise, a calamity that would surely crush the average man. (8d6 bludgeoning & knocked prone, half on a DC16 DEX save)
The work is completed and the castle goes quiet, but no one comes for quite a while. More than an hour and a half Venomflang had departed the sound of an approaching party is finally heard, and soon a small band of hobgoblins are tying up their wargs just outside the castle walls.
(Short Rest achieved after rolling some dice to randomize the timing. Is there anything anyone would like to be doing during this time? If not I'll post again.)
(trap moved from red area to yellow area, although I'm happy to adjust the location)
Yeemik confirms that while the hobgoblins may drop some items in the NW or SW towers where some of them sleep upon arrival, they always make their way to the dining hall for some food after a day away plundering along the road. They are leery of the trap in it's original location and have little reason to head to the northern great room anyhow, so the dining room is a solid bet.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Zeke had slipped into a corner of the room, settling into a lotus position, losing himself in his breath, his blade held on his palms across his lap. Upon hearing Ethan speak his name, the barbarian snapped instantly alert, leaping straight in the air onto his feet and sheathing his blade in one fluid motion.
'I think our standard attack plan makes will work here Tarja and I will bottle them up, the rest of you pepper them from afar. Yeemik, no need for you and yours to get stuck in unless you have a grudge of some sort to settle.'
The tiefling takes a number of long measured strides around the perimeter of the room, his eyes sweeping the breadth and length of the room. 'Presumably, Tarja, Arvel and I will be in here waiting for their return. It's hard to know what's going to happen once the rubble falls, but hopefully, we can confine them here' he gestures towards the Western end of the room 'and you all can hide through there' gesturing towards the Eastern door.
Turning to the druid, he asks 'I don't suppose you can turn into a Bugbear or a Displacer can you?'
No, I can only turn into animals - the kind that belong in nature, not those sorts of horrid monstrosities. I could be a bug or a bear, but not a bugbear!
Though, I could be a pretty mean bear. That sounds like a good idea, actually. I'll start as a bear and hopefully we can get the jump on them. When they knock me out of bear form, I'll be able to switch to my spells.
Fae will listen quietly and stand where she's instructed. Though, when Zeke mentions the displacer beast, her eyes would glance down the hallway to it's room. When they were outside she was wondered about the creature and contemplated starting a discussion with Tarja about it. She didn't bring it up before because she figured it wasn't the time, and even now might not be... "Should Grol have his beloved pet with him?" Fae would finally break her silence. What she really wondered though, was, what did Grol's death mean to the Displacer Beast? Was it free now? Would it be best that we release it? Like with Ripper? Or is it a creature that relies on a master? Could it... should it be tamed? Will it be a prisoner here? Will the goblins be able to tend to it? She'd glance to Zeke, then to Tarja before looking at the ground. Funny she seems to have more remorse for beasts than the goblins back in the cave...
Otherwise, she was ready for the Bugbears to arrive.
Anyone peaking outside would see four hobgoblins tying up four warg pets and soon they are heard making their way through the main entrance to the castle. There's a bit of a clattering as they drop some gear in the front hall or their bedroll areas but soon a familiar hobgoblin enters the dining hall. He is adorned in fairly nice armor and is easily recognizable as the leader of the raiders that attacked the party at night along the main road to the west along with the soldiers from Leilon. Followed by three more hobgoblins in less fancy chain mail and carrying longswords at their wastes the leaders thrusts a heavy sack onto the first long table with a clatter, followed by a large shoulder load of animal pelts. Another of the hobgoblins hefts a small keg of liquid onto the table as well. "Not much worthwhile on the road since yesterday" remarks the leader with a deep, gruff voice. "But there's ale for King Grol."
Seconds later Yeemik and a chubby goblin emerge from the eastern side of the dining hall with a plate of scorched meats of some kind and a few roasted potatoes on a dirty and somewhat rusted silver platter. "some supper for you, Targor"announces the chubby goblin. The party notices that he places the platter on the eastern most of the two large dining tables but to its western side, tempting any hungry hobgoblins to move to the center of the room.
(OOC Not yet, they are left of the first table. I wanted to clarify if there was anyone other than Arvel NOT hiding, and give "King Grol" a chance to say something if he'd like. They may or may not move into the trap area given a few more seconds.)
Grol slumps in his seat at the table, clearly upset and simmering with anger. He dunks a mug into the keg of ale and slams it back, smashing the mug on the ground at Yeemik'sfeet.
"Targor. Call them all in. We must speak about the...*spits*...Spider."
Targor and the other three hobgoblins approach the table further into the room at Grol's command. They might otherwise stay spread out enough for one or two to remain at the edge of the estimated trap area, but there is a moment as they push past one another to grab a haunch of meat that all four are clustered close together exactly where the party would like them...
(Targor failed his Disadvantage Insight check vs your Deception, just so you know that your skill checks and rolls do matter behind the scenes here.)
Assuming you pull the pin to trigger the cascade of stone, someone might as well have the pleasure of rolling the trap damage. Might I suggest either Ethan or whoever pulls the pin, which I believe would be Fae, but it doesn't really matter to me. Enjoy!)
(8d6 bludgeoning & knocked prone, half on a DC16 DEX save)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ethan and Fae are watching from their hiding place at the east door.
Ethan watches and judges the best time and when he sees that all the targets look to be inside the area of the trap, he gives Fae the tap.
Fae's ghostly mage hand, almost invisible in the dark corner of the ceiling, pulls the rope, setting of a chain reaction of little wedges of wood popping out of their homes, letting the larger payload above them come crashing down upon the unsuspecting hobgoblins.
Ceiling Trap: On a failed DC16DEX save, targets take 19 (8d6) bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. On a successful save targets take half damage and are not knocked prone.
With a roar the mass of rubble comes tumbling down. In only a second or two, three of the hobgoblins are crushed amidst a cloud of dust and do not move again. A surprised Targor, his red armor now covered in tan dust, groans and tries to lift himself up off of the floor as chunks of stone tumble off of his back. Blood drips from his skull and mouth. "Grolllll!!!!" he screams.
(Targor isn't looking great, and is Prone. Being surprised, he will not take an action in round 1. Go nuts gang.)
As the rocks come crashing down on the Hobgoblins, Zeke freezes for a moment. An image flashes. A landslide. Broken bodies. Swift short stabbing wounds. His failure. It all flashes in a moment, leaving the barbarian standing when he had hoped to be crashing down on their foes like a hammer of vengeance.
You guys know I love when the rolls tell the story. I had assumed Zeke would be first through the door, but given his initiative roll thought it needed some exposition.
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As Elra departs the throne room she hears the beginnings of the oddest conversation. The shield starts rambling about the same thought processes and Gundren chimes in, asking for Nundro and Tharden. The shield picks up on this, remarking "Nundro? Tharden? Is one of those my name? No, that's not right." By the time Elra is through the door Gundren is hugging the shield and both are mumbling away at each other, the shield especially confused.
Ethan and his helpers including the goblins and Fae's mage hand, the latter perfect for hanging ropes and providing just a bit of extra leverage in high, difficult positions, successfully relocate much of the rubble for the trap in less than 30 minutes, all the while knowing the hobgoblins could arrive a bit too early. They leave some of the largest stones behind but still manage to move a large bulk of stone to a location above the dining hall, the load supported by partial walls, wood beams and what is left of the second story floor, now serving as the roof to much of the castle where rainwater doesn't just pour through. Scrap wood planks barely hold the pile of stone back, and otherwise a pin that can be pulled with the mage hand is the final support. Anyone standing in the center of the dining hall is in for a nasty surprise, a calamity that would surely crush the average man. (8d6 bludgeoning & knocked prone, half on a DC16 DEX save)
The work is completed and the castle goes quiet, but no one comes for quite a while. More than an hour and a half Venomflang had departed the sound of an approaching party is finally heard, and soon a small band of hobgoblins are tying up their wargs just outside the castle walls.
(Short Rest achieved after rolling some dice to randomize the timing. Is there anything anyone would like to be doing during this time? If not I'll post again.)
(trap moved from red area to yellow area, although I'm happy to adjust the location)
As the team finishes the trap Ethan looks at their handwork with a smile,
"Great work everyone!"
Ethan goes and talks to his friends, Arvel in particular,
"Ok so we have the trap ready in the dining hall, so you can get them all together in there, maybe giving a speech or whatever."
Ethan turns to indicates Fae,
"Then Fae can use her mage hand spell to trigger the trap, and we can attack from there."
Ethan turns to Zeke,
"Zeke, you're the most combat experienced, I think, any suggestions for how we should prepare, positioning and the like?"
"Hmm maybe we should find out from the goblins the most likely entrance and route through the castles the targets are likely to take?"
"We don't want them to see the rest of us until we spring the trap..."
Ethan tries to think of a good place to hide from the rooms he has seen.
David Gearlock | Human | Artificer | Revenge Heist
Knox | Warforged | Cleric | Shadowthorn's Out of the Abyss
"Speech? SPEECH?! Grol does not give SPEECHES! GROL COMMANDS!"
DCI: 3319125026
Yeemik confirms that while the hobgoblins may drop some items in the NW or SW towers where some of them sleep upon arrival, they always make their way to the dining hall for some food after a day away plundering along the road. They are leery of the trap in it's original location and have little reason to head to the northern great room anyhow, so the dining room is a solid bet.
Zeke had slipped into a corner of the room, settling into a lotus position, losing himself in his breath, his blade held on his palms across his lap. Upon hearing Ethan speak his name, the barbarian snapped instantly alert, leaping straight in the air onto his feet and sheathing his blade in one fluid motion.
'I think our standard attack plan makes will work here Tarja and I will bottle them up, the rest of you pepper them from afar. Yeemik, no need for you and yours to get stuck in unless you have a grudge of some sort to settle.'
The tiefling takes a number of long measured strides around the perimeter of the room, his eyes sweeping the breadth and length of the room. 'Presumably, Tarja, Arvel and I will be in here waiting for their return. It's hard to know what's going to happen once the rubble falls, but hopefully, we can confine them here' he gestures towards the Western end of the room 'and you all can hide through there' gesturing towards the Eastern door.
Turning to the druid, he asks 'I don't suppose you can turn into a Bugbear or a Displacer can you?'
Hit dice for Short Rest 32
No, I can only turn into animals - the kind that belong in nature, not those sorts of horrid monstrosities. I could be a bug or a bear, but not a bugbear!
Though, I could be a pretty mean bear. That sounds like a good idea, actually. I'll start as a bear and hopefully we can get the jump on them. When they knock me out of bear form, I'll be able to switch to my spells.
"Anything I can help with?" Elra asks, worried about Gundren even though he and the shield seemed to be getting along.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
Fae will listen quietly and stand where she's instructed. Though, when Zeke mentions the displacer beast, her eyes would glance down the hallway to it's room. When they were outside she was wondered about the creature and contemplated starting a discussion with Tarja about it. She didn't bring it up before because she figured it wasn't the time, and even now might not be... "Should Grol have his beloved pet with him?" Fae would finally break her silence. What she really wondered though, was, what did Grol's death mean to the Displacer Beast? Was it free now? Would it be best that we release it? Like with Ripper? Or is it a creature that relies on a master? Could it... should it be tamed? Will it be a prisoner here? Will the goblins be able to tend to it? She'd glance to Zeke, then to Tarja before looking at the ground. Funny she seems to have more remorse for beasts than the goblins back in the cave...
Otherwise, she was ready for the Bugbears to arrive.
just an unstable unicorn.
Anyone peaking outside would see four hobgoblins tying up four warg pets and soon they are heard making their way through the main entrance to the castle. There's a bit of a clattering as they drop some gear in the front hall or their bedroll areas but soon a familiar hobgoblin enters the dining hall. He is adorned in fairly nice armor and is easily recognizable as the leader of the raiders that attacked the party at night along the main road to the west along with the soldiers from Leilon. Followed by three more hobgoblins in less fancy chain mail and carrying longswords at their wastes the leaders thrusts a heavy sack onto the first long table with a clatter, followed by a large shoulder load of animal pelts. Another of the hobgoblins hefts a small keg of liquid onto the table as well. "Not much worthwhile on the road since yesterday" remarks the leader with a deep, gruff voice. "But there's ale for King Grol."
Seconds later Yeemik and a chubby goblin emerge from the eastern side of the dining hall with a plate of scorched meats of some kind and a few roasted potatoes on a dirty and somewhat rusted silver platter. "some supper for you, Targor" announces the chubby goblin. The party notices that he places the platter on the eastern most of the two large dining tables but to its western side, tempting any hungry hobgoblins to move to the center of the room.
(OOC)
Are all of the hobgoblins gathered at the table?
DCI: 3319125026
(OOC Not yet, they are left of the first table. I wanted to clarify if there was anyone other than Arvel NOT hiding, and give "King Grol" a chance to say something if he'd like. They may or may not move into the trap area given a few more seconds.)
Ethan is hiding with those planning to go through the east door, waiting for the ambush to be sprung.
David Gearlock | Human | Artificer | Revenge Heist
Knox | Warforged | Cleric | Shadowthorn's Out of the Abyss
Same here.
Grol slumps in his seat at the table, clearly upset and simmering with anger. He dunks a mug into the keg of ale and slams it back, smashing the mug on the ground at Yeemik's feet.
"Targor. Call them all in. We must speak about the...*spits*...Spider."
Deception: 15
DCI: 3319125026
Targor and the other three hobgoblins approach the table further into the room at Grol's command. They might otherwise stay spread out enough for one or two to remain at the edge of the estimated trap area, but there is a moment as they push past one another to grab a haunch of meat that all four are clustered close together exactly where the party would like them...
(Targor failed his Disadvantage Insight check vs your Deception, just so you know that your skill checks and rolls do matter behind the scenes here.)
Assuming you pull the pin to trigger the cascade of stone, someone might as well have the pleasure of rolling the trap damage. Might I suggest either Ethan or whoever pulls the pin, which I believe would be Fae, but it doesn't really matter to me. Enjoy!)
(8d6 bludgeoning & knocked prone, half on a DC16 DEX save)
Ethan and Fae are watching from their hiding place at the east door.
Ethan watches and judges the best time and when he sees that all the targets look to be inside the area of the trap, he gives Fae the tap.
Fae's ghostly mage hand, almost invisible in the dark corner of the ceiling, pulls the rope, setting of a chain reaction of little wedges of wood popping out of their homes, letting the larger payload above them come crashing down upon the unsuspecting hobgoblins.
Ceiling Trap: On a failed DC16 DEX save, targets take 19 (8d6) bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. On a successful save targets take half damage and are not knocked prone.
David Gearlock | Human | Artificer | Revenge Heist
Knox | Warforged | Cleric | Shadowthorn's Out of the Abyss
Elra waits with Ethan and Fae, wincing as the trap is activated and the hobgoblins are at least partially hit with the rocks.
Elra Skylash - Human Cleric | Vanzaren Tanidoni - Half Elf Wizard
Mindartis Liadon - Eladrin Barbarian | Naivara Siannodel - Half Elf Ranger
Arrila Evenwood - Half Elf Paladin | Callaphe of Setessa - Human Rogue
Katernin Nemetsk - Aasimar Cleric | Melody - Tiefling Bard
With a roar the mass of rubble comes tumbling down. In only a second or two, three of the hobgoblins are crushed amidst a cloud of dust and do not move again. A surprised Targor, his red armor now covered in tan dust, groans and tries to lift himself up off of the floor as chunks of stone tumble off of his back. Blood drips from his skull and mouth. "Grolllll!!!!" he screams.
(Targor isn't looking great, and is Prone. Being surprised, he will not take an action in round 1. Go nuts gang.)
Intiative:
Grol laughs.
"Oh, poor Targor. You think Grol is intelligent enough to create a trap such as...
...
...this? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Deception: 21
DCI: 3319125026
As the rocks come crashing down on the Hobgoblins, Zeke freezes for a moment. An image flashes. A landslide. Broken bodies. Swift short stabbing wounds. His failure. It all flashes in a moment, leaving the barbarian standing when he had hoped to be crashing down on their foes like a hammer of vengeance.
You guys know I love when the rolls tell the story. I had assumed Zeke would be first through the door, but given his initiative roll thought it needed some exposition.