Watchfort Reclamation, Summer 668

[scarik]

Bofur attacks whatever spider is nearby.

was going to make attack macros but not really understanding why everyone else is rolling d6's for attacks?

Most checks roll 2d6 plus modifiers. Combat uses your hit dice.

When it’s time to throw down you pick up a number of d6s equal to your Hit Dice and you roll them all at once. Each one that beats the target number causes a Hit.

Bofur is Well-Armed so he hits the Huge Spiders (decently armed) with a 4 or better on each die.

[roobeastie]

Morwen

Macnav, seeing that there were still enemies about, took aim and let loose another javelin.

Macnav Javelin Hit [_2d6]=(2+1)=3 Wound [_2d6]=(1+6)=7

...welp

[scarik]

The melee is joined!

The adventurers hold their formation and inflict heavy blows on their foes and mostly hold their gnashing mandibles at bay, but Bofur is bitten!


I have rolled for Bofur and Dwalin this round. I apologize for their results.

Gurav Melee [_2d6]=(3+1)=4 Nadda
Kurev Melee [_2d6]=(3+4)=7 2 Hits
Borav Melee [_1d6]=(5)=5 1 Hit

Sengrim crossbow [_2d6]=(4+1)=5, [_2d6]=(6+6)=12 1 hit
Dramm Melee [_2d6]=(1+2)=3 Nadda

Bofur Melee [_3d6]=(1+1+2)=4 Nadda
Dwalin Melee [_2d6]=(1+1)=2 Nadda

I count 8 hits and 1 subdual.

Spider attacks 8HD total so each member of the front line gets their own HD worth.
Huge Spiders vs Ji-ho [_3d6]=(5+2+4)=11" Miss
Huge Spiders vs Bofur [_3d6]=(6+5+6)=17: 2 hits. Ouch!
Huge Spiders vs Gurav [_2d6]=(4+1)=5: Miss

6HD vs the second line. 2 HD toward each
Huge Spiders vs Rolton [_2d6]=(5+6)=11: 1 hit
Huge Spiders vs Verdugo [_2d6]=(5+1)=6: Miss
Huge Spiders vs Korev [_2d6]=(5+4)=9: Miss

Bofur needs to make a Save vs Poison (roll 2d6+3, his CON, being a dwarf and the spider's statblock each account for +1 of that)

Rolton Poison Save [2d6]=7 With +2 that's a 9 so he's ok.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

"Keep it up! Keep it up! They are losing!" Ji-ho shouted to encourage the fighters. He will help on the front line, but maintain his place.

Well armed need a 4+ to hit

First Line:
Ji-ho: 2 hits
Ji-ho Melee attacks: [1d6+1]=6+1=7 [1d6+1]=3+1=4 [1d6+1]=2+1=3

Second Line:
Rolton: 1 hit
2d6 NPC Melee attacks [_2d6]=(1+4)=5

Verdugo: 2 hits! Yay!
2d6 NPC Melee attacks [_2d6]=(6+6)=12

If there are still bugs on the ceiling (Si-Woo hit on 2+, Wound on 4+):

Si-woo: 1 hit, 1 subdual
Si-Woo/Drotik Missile attacks: [1d6+1]=2+1=3 [1d6+1]=4+1=5 Damage [1d6]=4 [1d6]=2

[scarik]

6 of the 7 spiders in the first attack are defeated and that has bad effects on their morale.

The Large spiders are not affected and will continue to advance. The Huge ones lose their nerve and spend this next round fleeing.

Due to the withdrawing Huge spiders the Large ones aren't charging. They are Lightly Armed vs your Well-Armed fighters.

The front line fights 8 Large spiders. You hit on 3+
Second line handles the 3 extras.

Berserkers vs Spiders [_4d6]=(5+5+5+2)=17 3 hits, killing 1 and wounding another
Spiders vs Berzerkers [_6d6]=(1+5+4+2+4+5)=21 2 hits killing 2.
The morale effect applies to these as well. The Berserkers pursue.

Spider Force Morale [2d6]=5 Withdraw!

There were 17 Huge Spiders
3 went north
3 went south and fought skeletons
4 hesitated
7 attacked the party

7 total were defeated, the rest withdraw.

21 Large spiders still advance in similar proportions
5 went north
5 go south and join vs the berserkers
11 attack the party

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Ji-ho hums lightly to himself as they carve up spiders.

First Line:
Ji-ho: 3 Hits
Ji-ho Melee attacks: [1d6+1]=3+1=4 [1d6+1]=2+1=3 [1d6+1]=5+1=6

Second Line:
Rolton: 2 Hits
2d6 NPC Melee attacks [_2d6]=(3+6)=9

Verdugo: 1 Hit
2d6 NPC Melee attacks [_2d6]=(4+2)=6


If Si-woo can shoot: 1 hit
Si-Woo/Drotik Missile attacks: [1d6+1]=2+1=3 [1d6+1]=1+1=2 Damage [1d6]=6 [1d6]=6

[scarik]

The fight continues to go extremely poorly for the arachnids with ichor and chitin being cast in all directions and barely a bruise to show for it.

Still beyond sight the giant spiders that had so gleefully pushed their smaller kin forward sputter and hiss and then fall silent. When they do something resembling self-preservation takes hold of the others and they scatter in all directions.


If there are no objections I am going to call this encounter here. I will assume to run them down as best as you can. Ji-ho should make a Captain roll to see how well they accomplish this.

Gurav Melee [_2d6]=(1+1)=2 0
Korev Melee [_2d6]=(3+6)=9 2 hits
Bofur Melee [_3d6]=(1+1+5)=7 1 hit
Dwalin Melee [_2d6]=(6+5)=11 2 hits (1 is excess)

Large Spiders vs Ji-ho [_3d6]=(5+3+4)=12 None
Large Spiders vs Bofur [_3d6]=(3+2+3)=8 None
Large Spiders vs Bofur [_3d6]=(3+2+3)=8 None
Large Spiders vs Korev [_2d6]=(5+5)=10 None
Large Spiders vs Dwalin [_1d6]=(4)=4 None

[Leitz]

Ji-ho Captain
Pair dice roll [_2d6]=(4+5)=9

I'm okay with moving on.

[scarik]

With savage efficiency the adventurers surge forward and hack down many of their remaining enemies. Those that mistakenly entered the empty, northern room are surrounded and dispatched while those who went south are driven into Darfilla's belatedly set trap and burned to a crisp. The smallest of them are too narrow-minded to evade the pursuit while the larger ones behave like animals and several slip into dark crevasses where they may need to be be rooted out later on. A couple even emerge onto the hill above where the waiting soldiers set on them with élan under Morphin's command.

All that remains is how to proceed in pursuit of the giants.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Si-woo moved forward with his bow to cover the party from the biggest spiders. He looked at each of Cousin's henchpeople. "Everyone, regain your missiles if you can. Is anyone injured?"

Ji-ho grinned as he wiped his blade clean on one of the larger spiders. "Gurav, are you and your kin fit to continue? That is a joke, but I am not sure my command of the language is good enough. I know you are fit and ready, but let us rest a moment and prepare."

Rolton and Darfilla

Rolton looked around, and saw Darfilla's downcast eyes as she stared at the meager remains of her efforts. He finished cleaning his blade on a smaller spider body as he walked over to her. He spoke in a low voice as he moved close to her. "Should I assume that was your first encounter dealing with a horde of giant spiders while under the command of a foreigner you barely know?"

She nodded slightly as she whispered. "I barely did anything at all, and it was too late."

"The captain will speak to you about it later, right now he is focused on the next phase of the attack. When he does speak to you, it will probably be something like 'How can we learn from this for next time?'." Rolton turned to leave, but then turned back. "You did your best and you did not run. I do not know spiders, but if their venom has value then you can suggest harvesting it. Get Gar, have him help you. Or, show him how it's done if you want to continue moving forward. You are not in armor and you do not carry a blade. The captain knows this, but he does not know what all you can do. Show him your value."

At Ji-ho's command, Rolton went to get Drotik back to the inside party.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Taking a moment to step away as everyone recovered, Ji-ho sipped his water and sighed a quiet prayer to TGA. Not that he had ever had a reply, but it was always possible. All of his training was about leading soldiers into battle against other soldiers on a large field. Sometimes cities had to be taken, but there lay chaos and risk. Both of those labels barely covered what he had to deal with right now.

Still, he was the leader and it was time to lead. He took another sip of water, put his flask away, and began organizing. "If you are able and willing to continue, it is time to advance. We will use two formations since we do not know when the creatures will be found. The column formation will retain the same basic layout that we had in the corridor battle. If you noticed, we all lived though that. The second formation will be a simple line with Si-woo on the left flank and Drotik on the right. Blades are forward, support is in the second line. Gar, you will help pull anyone down back to Hemia, and the rest of us will close the gap."

Ji-ho understood the politics of perceptions, as well. He and Rolton would flank Gurav, not only supporting their financier but reinforcing that they served him. Rolton's knighthood was not too far away, and being seen as a warlike companion by the Dwarf kind would not hurt Rolton's plans at all. Verdugo was an asset to the team, he was solid and skilled. Keeping him in the second line gave them a good anchor point. With Si-woo and Drotik in the rear, their chances of success went up greatly.

"I know this seems too basic to do since the spiders are elsewhere, but please, bear with me a moment." Ji-ho stood in the corridor where they had fought off the first crush of spiders. "We will form up here, scan the ceiling, and enter the room as we deploy to a line. Then, and only then, will we cross the room, collapse back into a column, and proceed through the passage. In the next room we will do exactly the same. Normally a unit has days or weeks to practice these things and discover the opportunities and limitations of a formation change. We have moments, so pay attention as if our lives depend on it."

With that said, he nocked an arrow in his bow and nodded for everyone to form up before they moved forward.

Ji-ho monitored their movements and made sure no one got too extended forward or out on the flank. With two huge spiders, their ferocity and poison put everyone at high risk.

[scarik]

Gurav Graka listens and nods along, "These beasties have two routes to take. They may not have taken down the first door yet but they could. Should we split up and take both ways in force or do we leave a blocking force to hold the way out?

No one knows how smart the giants are but they certainly seemed to have cunning beyond mere beasts in the last encounter. Whether they will behave like animals or men remains to be seen. Will they flush out of their lairs, will they meet their enemies in battle or will they take a middle path? None here can say.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Ji-ho listened to Gurav's question, and nodded a little, then shook his head. "We have numbers on our side; if they try to flank us it makes our lives easier. If we split up and they do not, we lose a major advantage. Their best bet would be to return to their lair, where our numbers are partly negated and they have the terrain advantage. I think their losses may direct them there."

Ji-ho looked around, and then at Morwen. "Still, being aware would be wise. Friend Morwen, can you and yours keep an eye on whichever passage we do not take? Do not get too far from us, though, and fall back into the group if there is a threat. Bofur, and you and your group be the rear guard anchor?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Bofur nods his head "Aye! Sounds like a good idea. No splittin up an we'll guard tha rear."

[roobeastie]

Morwen

Listening to Jing Jo-ho and considering the situation overall, Morwen gave a nod of acquiescence. "I'll do what I can." Once she finished speaking, she glanced over at Macnav, trusting that he knew how to handle what was being asked of them.

[Leitz]

Jing Ji-ho

Ji-ho smiled, nodded at Morwen and Bofur, and then moved forward again, heading carefully for the eastern most door they were aware of.

[scarik]

There's no real danger to you using this method and you aren't under time pressure so if there are no objections I am going to skip forward to you facing the giant spiders in their lair.

[scarik]

No objections so I will get this going.

[scarik]

By fire and blade the party pushes on into the deepest parts of the fort. They enter a long, winding corridor where they are able to move three abreast in tight formation or two side by side while staying in close order. The tunnel winds and once its pointed out its obvious that this space is mainly for ventilation and collecting water while allowing the bulk of the hill to remain un-excavated so that it can bear weight atop it. There are many small shafts, still heavily clogged, that allow the smoke to slowly escape a bare taste of fresh air to be pulled in.

They are also used by some more of the large spiders as they are displaced to escape to the surface where the soldiers await and dispatch them with ease. They move with care and cross the floor strewn with burned webs and press on.

After a few slow minutes they reach the next chamber Room 7 which was likely once a larder or other storage chamber. The next chamber is connected by a a sharp turn and would have had a pair of portcullises able to cut it off but they are both long lost. The next chamber was once an auxiliary bedchamber and where a defender could retreat to make a last stand in the heart of the structure. The southern wall features a great fireplace (long since filled in with earth) and a basin to collect the ever present humidity. It is currently overflowed with damp muck.

Then comes the last bend and the entrance to the final chamber. Its stout door lies on the floor in two large shards and across the room is the partly broken door they first tried to cut through when they encountered the giant spiders.

This chamber was once quite well appointed and has the most impressive stonework in its arches and buttresses. It is approximately 30 feet wide and 70feet long, the same as Room 3.

For the moment, it is eeriely calm and there is no sign in of the giant spiders that must lurk within in the light of their lamps.

Watchfort (41-19) Full Map.jpg (129.47 KiB) Viewed 86 times

[/ooc]

[scarik]

Surprise [1d6]=5

The spiders don’t surprise you, but they have the initiative and decide when to charge.

Roll Captain for Ji-ho. Success means no need for a morale check and you hold the line to negate the charge.