Expedition: Baxtaw - Seeking Scatha's Lair - 23 July 2021

[Marullus]

Clauson will begin a Holy Chant. Rowine, Crowgar, and Stantz will fire bows. Osana has one magic missile.

If you are springing a trap, I need PC actions.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Here we go!
As soon as the dragon is distracted by the hurled flask of oil, Bremen slips from his hiding place and attacks Scatha from behind.

Warhammer of Baudh (THACO 17): [1d20+2] = 14+2 = 16, [1d8+3] = 7+3 = 10 that does not include any bonuses from Holy Chant or a possible backstab, or penalties for darkness.
Initiative (modified for DEX) [1d6] = 3
Not modified for DEX because I don't think we get to do that on group initiative. Dram, do you want to reroll that?

[Zhym]

"YEAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Lug leaps to the attack!

Rhybek's Axe v. Winged or Flying (THAC0 17): [1d20+3] = 15+3 = 18 [1d8+3] = 8+3 = 11

[Marullus]

Who is throwing a flask? Throwing a flask can cause injury, but only causes light this round. Pouring out and lighting a flask would light for two rounds. Lighting a prepared fire doused in oil (like your clothing rack trick) lasts longer. Lighting a torch or lantern lasts the proper time. Any of those options takes up your full round.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Piers doesn't have Light. The best he can do is light an oil flask and toss it nearby... He can toss it, cast RF on himself and run into the fight. RF would be more useful on a frontline fighter though. Is anybody close enough to benefit now? Range = 30'.

Jernau had offered... It'll be exciting to see how he provides light, if he provides a light source.
As an aside, it would be great to drop something heavy on Scatha. Had we seen anything that would fit the bill that might be triggered quickly?

[Zhym]

It doesn't seem likely that burning oil is going to injure a red dragon, does it?

[Jernau35]

Piers has flint and steel, one oil flask and five torches. I figured lighting a torch would take too long and give us away. So I thought tossing the oil flask would at least give us a brief, instant burst of light to spring the ambush. I didn't think it would injure the dragon.

If lighting a torch takes as long as lighting the flask and gives sufficient illumination to start the attack, then that will be his action, to provide a longer period of illumination.

[Marullus]

IC:
Piers lights a torch.

...Baxtaw?

[Dram]

Baxtaw leaps out of the darkness right behind Bremen slicing his sword across the neck Scatha.

Dragon Tooth S. Sword vs dragons (Thaco17)[1d20+6] = 17+6 = 23, [1d6+6] = 4+6 = 10


There was mention of possible effects that this sword had that Baxtaw is unaware of. Because it is Scatha's own tooth the sword is made of.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Hey Dram, I rolled 3 for initiative. Did you want to chance rerolling that as party leader?

[Dram]

I will roll Initiative.

Initiative roll [1d6] = 5

[Marullus]

There is a guttural rumbling that coalesces into gravelly speech in the darkness, the sound of a massive form slithering passing the first alleyway and smelters. "Hmmmm... a game is it? I can smell you, morsels. You, and your overgrown stink of fear and vengeance..."

The dragon begins to round the corner, following the scent of dwarven blood. Piers begins sparking his flint, working to light his torch. The two goblins, frayed rope-ends hanging from their wrists, leap out of the metalworker shop just as the trap begins into motion. "Bul tuzak! saga tışkarı, küyüp turgan bir!" they shout in their own tongue, as they run at full speed into the darkness.

Translation:

It is a trap! Beyond you, fiery one!

At the same moment, Piers' torch blazes forth, illuminating the dragon's face... which is terrifyingly close and well within biting range for the poor, hapless cleric. Clouson, illuminated now by the torch, can see that he holds a slack rope, the other end shredded by metalworker shears in the darkness, and he stands by the dragon's left shoulder. The iron-willed cleric begins a sonorous chant, calling on the Might of Baudh to hinder this beast and guide everyone near him's blows. Osuna stands up within the first smeltery and fires a flash of swirling blue light which hits the dragon in the rump (-2).

With the timely warning, Scatha roars his challenge and twists back on himself (blessedly away from Piers, rather than biting him in half), but the close quarters make it more difficult than it otherwise would be. Arrows fly from Rowine and Crowgar, flying by in the torchlight, but Stantz' shaft pierces the dragon directly (-6) in the back of the neck as it twists away. Bremen rushes forward, swinging his hammer, but it glances off the ancient wyrm's scales, his surprise attack ruined. Lug roars his own guttural battle cry, running out from the row behind, and swinging Rhybek's dwarven axe, cleaves deep into the dragon's hindquarters (-11). Baxtaw also rushes forward from his cover, leaping in the air and bringing down the fang-bladed sword fashioned from the dragon's own tooth onto the twisting dragon's shoulder Double damage on Scatha: -20).

Roaring at the insolence and indignity of your actions, Scatha's throat glows orange and he blows a wave of flame over his own hindquarters, bathing the two smelteries behind him and all of you in the way! Osuna ducks back within the protective cover of the first smeltery, but nonetheless screams and collapses as the flame pours over her (-7). Baxtaw (-7) and Bremen (-7) manage to dive sideways, deflecting the worst of the flame as well. Lug, however, has his axe deep in the dragon's posterior and takes the flame head-on. (-13) There is a Whoooph! of air from the smelteries behind you, the intense heat of the dragonfire re-lighting the furnaces beneath. The smelteries begin to glow brighter and brighter, the mechanical bellows churning as the hot air begins up the flue.

The dragon has now rotated, facing back towards Baxtaw, Bremen, Lug, and Osuna. Clauson and Piers are at its side and Rowine, Crowgar, and Stantz are all shooting its rear. Clauson remains chanting. The two goblins are running full-tilt down Metalworkers Row away from melee. As the massive body slithers past at such close proximity, Piers is able to see that there is a deep, festering lance wound in the dragon's side from its battle with Foxy O'Hare that remains only partially healed.

Actions?

Date: 4:30pm, 26 July 2021
Light: Lit furnaces; Piers' torch (until 5:30pm)
Effects: Resist Fire (Bremen); Holy Chant (+1 to hit, dam, save; -1 for Scatha)
Injuries: Dorbeck (Dead), Osuna (dying, bleeding, unconscious), Baxtaw (severely wounded), Lug (severely wounded), Bremen (moderately wounded), Stantz (minor wound), Clouson (minor wound)

initiative: them [1d6] = 2
Osana magic missile [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2
Rowine [1d20] = 14[1d8] = 4 Crowgar [1d20] = 11[1d8] = 3
Stantz [1d20] = 18[1d6] = 6
Saves: Bremen [1d20] = 16 Baxtaw [1d20] = 14 Osuna (+4 cover) [1d20+4] = 13+4 = 17 Lug [1d20] = 8

[Rusty Tincanne]

I just looked up red dragon stats in the book.
Bremen curses the goblins for their cowardice and treachery, which caused Brmen's attack to glance off the dragon hide. But he is undeterred, knowing that the hide will look better on him than the dragon. He swings again, ineffectually.
Warhammer of Baudh (THACO 17): [1d20+2] = 6+2 = 8, [1d8+3] = 3+3 = 6

[Zhym]

Soot-blackened, with lingering wisps of flame in his hair, Lug looks like something from the elemental plane of fire as he continues hacking at the dragon with Rhybek's axe. He tries to stay away from Scatha's massive jaws, but if he can't, he tries to put the blade of the axe in the roof of the dragon's mouth.

Rhybek's Axe v. Winged or Flying (THAC0 17): [1d20+3] = 14+3 = 17 [1d8+3] = 7+3 = 10

Initiative: [1d6] = 2
Not telling you what to do dram, but I'd re-roll that...

[Jernau35]

Seeing the effects of the dragon's fire upon his comrades, Piers drops his pack and moves swiftly towards those still on their feet and fighting, intending to use his healing spells once he gets to them.

[Dram]

Baxtaw moves around with Lug trying to dodge the mouth of the dragon.

Dragon Tooth S. Sword vs dragons (Thaco17)[1d20+6] = 15+6 = 21, [1d6+6] = 2+6 = 8


Initiative roll [1d6] = 1

My roll was worse

[Zhym]

...oh dear.

[Marullus]

The dragon's fiery breath abates, its body still in motion to invert itself and head back toward the grand hallway. The massive lizard is not as fast as the warriors before it, however. Rowine and Stantz's arrows fly harmlessly overhead. Lug brings down the battle axe of Rhybek in a fierce blow, cleaving open the dragon's jaw (-10). Baxtaw raises the dragonfang blade one more time, plunging it deep into the beast's back - it splits the dragon open and visibly bisects the monster's heart. (-16) The dragon collapses, its reign of terror ended, just as Crowgar's arrow shaft embeds in its rump. With the dragon slain, Clauson ends his chanting. Piers runs up and lays hands on Lug, who feels remarkably better (+7). The now-lit forges churn behind you, their flames lighting the area, Osana's prostrate form still lying in the entryway.


Date: 4:30pm, 26 July 2021
Light: Lit furnaces; Piers' torch (until 5:30pm)
Effects: Resist Fire (Bremen);
Injuries: Dorbeck (Dead), Osuna (dying, bleeding, unconscious), Baxtaw (severely wounded), Bremen (moderately wounded), Lug (moderately wounded), Stantz (minor wound), Clouson (minor wound)

initiative: them [1d6] = 1
CLW [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7
Rowine [1d20] = 2 [1d8] = 7 Crowgar [1d20] = 19 [1d8] = 6
Stantz [1d20] = 7[1d8] = 8

[Zhym]

"DRAGON SLAYERS!" calls out Lug triumphantly. He cuts out a piece of dragon flesh and bites into it. "Who's dragon food now, huh?"

Then he realizes that Osuna is still technically alive and rushes to help her. As he does, a thought suddenly occurs to him. "Quick, we gotta figure out where his hoard is before the stinkin' goblins all realize it's unguarded and try to take it themselves."

Am I right that that came down to Scatha also rolling a 1 for initiative and us having better dexterity? Oh, MAN.

Also, I think using Rhybek's axe made the difference between a hit and a miss both rounds. Daaaamn.

Edit: Osuna is a her, not a him.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Dang. I just lost my post!

IIRC, Bremen had left the goblins get free but hobbled, so they wouldn't have gotten far. If they are within sight, Bremen would chase them down, kill one and bring the other back to lead the party to the horde. If not:

Bremen sips at a healing potion (+5HP), while clapping the others on the back. We did it! Great work, everyone! And thank Baudh for letting us mete out Justice on this dwarf and would-be maiden slayer. Eyeing Lug he adds, Err. You might want to cook that first. We don't know if wyrms have worms. Or worse. Maybe the dragon pox?

Bremen and Stantz quickly get to work skinning the hide, knocking teeth and claws loose, and harvesting the heart and anything else that might be sold or used as a trophies back at the White Tower, loading the loot into sacks. Let's tend to the mystic, then find the horde-proper. We'll load up on gemstones, jewelry, platinum and gold. And magic items, too... The dwarfs will need to come back and clean out the goblins themselves, I think. We don't have the numbers. Then he wonders aloud if he should fetch the rest of the Knights of Baudhil that are waiting above, as they might prove useful against the goblin hordes.

He remarks on the power of Baxtaw's weapon. That badger-priest had good insight to grab the dragon's tooth like that. We ought to thank him if we get the chance.

Before leaving, he retrieves Dorbeck's shield.

I'm just remembering that the dwarfs have that rod of resurrection. We probably should have kept Dorbeck's body...