Day 29 Back to the Caves
Arden and Company are…
Arden (fighter)
Corwin (magician)
Martin (cleric)
Thane (dwarf)
and 8 men-at-arms
Martin the cleric, stops into the chapel in the early morning to buy some healing herbs. The curate is not there but one of the priests gives him 3 bunches of herbs for 10sp. Cheaper than the market.
After a hearty breakfast, the Company makes ready to depart once again for the Caves. Arden has purchased 1 week of rations for each man and oats for the horses. [Rations are 5sp per week = 60sp. Horse feed purchased yesterday.]
The skies look cloudy today and threaten rain. Arden’s skills include farming. He makes a weather check Result=8 It looks like heavy storms today and windy. The thought of traveling in the poor weather makes Arden want to stay in the warm and cozy Inn for the day. Tomorrow may provide better weather for traveling.
During the day, a jovial priest enters the Tavern and strikes up a conversation with Arden, Thane, and Corwin [rolled randomly to see which PCs are there]. Martin is not there at the time.
The priest speaks of his hatred of evil and his willingness to join the company on their next mission. Martin has kept his feelings about the priest to himself so far. The others do not know about him.
The jovial priest is named Daros Albert
Question-Does the priest impress the PCs?
Arden and Thane seem to buy his story and are in favor of him coming along. Corwin is not sure.
Question-do they wait to ask Martin?
d12 yes d8 no, result=yes. Arden thanks the priest for his offer and says that he will need to speak with Martin and think on it.
Does the evil priest attempt to bribe one of the men-at-arms?
d12 yes, d8 no, result=yes! Which one? During the evening at the tavern he watches to find one of the men-at-arms with the least moral character. He speaks with Goat Bently. Goat is a craven coward and susceptible to influence of the priest. Rolled a reaction to the priest, result=6. Goat listens to the priest and rebuffs his attempt to gain information. Perhaps the priest did not make his intention clear or offer enough coin.
The priest next speaks with Jacob Scoggins. It was Scoggins who was thinking of stealing from the company early on but didn’t have a good chance to do so.
Scoggins reaction to the priest’s offer=9. Scoggins will gladly listen to the priest and take a few silver pieces in exchange for information about the company’s plans. The problem is that Arden and Company are not forthright with information with the archers yet. Arden and Co. are starting to trust Catamont, Meklin, and Handsome due to their bravery in battle. Not so much the archers yet. The priest makes his inquiries quietly and away from the view of the PCs. He is planting the seeds of discord and will find the best time to take advantage of the group.
When Martin returns to the tavern later, Arden speaks to him about the priest. Martin tells him that he has a bad feeling about the man. Arden trusts Martin’s judgement and will leave things alone for now.
Day 30 Better Weather
[pay for 2 nights at Inn and food at Tavern, 48sp total]
After a hearty breakfast, Arden and Company ride out of the Keep to once again test themselves in the Caves of Chaos.
The weather is partly cloudy and windy, but no rain. The road is muddy but all are thankful for mounts and they make good time. [In the module, riding is 6 squares per hour, speed on the road is 12 squares for 1 hour with an hour rest after, or 8 squares per hour for 6 hours with a 2 hour rest.] Arden decides to travel for 6 hours and they are close to the Caves. Not wanting to picket the horses right near the Caves, they leave them in the woods on the east side of the road and walk for 2 hours towards the Caves.
Not wishing to leave the animals alone, Arden leaves Handsome Brune and Egg Barkley behind to tend to the horses. If they are attacked, they are to ride off.
Arden trusts Handsome but is not certain yet of Egg. Arden will attempt to return by nightfall. It is mid afternoon.
The others move through the woods towards the Keep.
They enter the first cave (D) on the map. As the Company sets watch outside the cave enterance. Arden and Martin keep an eye on any creatures in the trees. Corwin asks his familiar, Nicodemus, to scout the entrance to the cave.
The cat quietly slips into the entrance. Corwin can see through the cat’s eyes as he moves.
Question-does the cat move quietly? Result=4 No! Nicodemus gets about 60′ into the cave and a group of goblins spy him! 6 goblins. 2 try to catch the familiar. One has a 10! Nicodemus is caught! The familiar bites the goblins hand. [+1 to hit for this.] Nicodemus tries in vain to bit the goblin’s hand. He is shoved unceremoniously into a burlap sack for later.
Question-do the goblins think there are more raiders? d12 yes, d8 no, result=yes, they move out to the cave entrance.
Initiative 6, 6, simulateous.
As the goblins move out of the cave, they squint at the afternoon light…it is overcast but still hurts their eyes a little. [no penalties].
The windy conditions still present? Yes, -1 to missile attacks outside.
Goblins throw their javelins and the Company shoots their arrows.
Arden spends 1 luck to get a hit!
Corwin throws a dagger, spends 1 luck to hit!
Thane fires his crossbow, miss.
Martin misses with his sling.
Catamont fires an arrow, hit!
The 4 archers fire their arrows, all miss!
Three goblins are hit. The goblins are wearing leather armor and carrying shields. Each will have 1/+2 hp.
All the goblins fire their javelins and miss!
The Company moves to melee!
Arden strikes with his greatsword, miss.
Thane attacks with his axe, hit!
Martin misses. Corwin stabs with his dagger, miss. Meklin with his halberd, miss. Catamont with his handaxe, 12! Goblin dies.
The archers move to one side of the cave to fire at any more goblins coming out.
The goblins attack with daggers and handaxes. Arden and Thane both take 1 hit.
Arden kills a goblin. Martin hits one wounding it. Goblins all miss. 4 goblins remain.
Round 3 Arden is hit by a goblin, and then kills the goblin. All others miss. Three goblins flee into the tunnel and the four archers have a chance to fire at them. They miss.
The sounds of Bree Yark fill the tunnel.
Corwin lets the cat out of the bag.
Catamont lights the lantern, and Arden leads the archers into the tunnel.
The goblins in rm. 18 are now alerted. They will throw a sack of silver to the ogre in rm. 22 and he will come out to fight. He will be at the PCs location in 1d6+3 rounds. Result=8 rounds starting from now.
Round 1 Goblins move in from 17 and 18 to attack. 6 goblns from each side.
Arden and Meklin will meet one group on west side. Martin and Thane the east side.
The four archers will attack any stragglers. Corwin will be in reserve with his spells.
4 archers fire at east goblins.
1 arrow hits for 2pts damage!
Goblins on both sides stand and throw javelins. East side goblins miss! West side goblins. One goblin from west side gets a critical hit! Roll randomly to determine target. One of the archers is hit. Yardley Muggin’s bow take the hit! The bow cracks and is useless. Yardly pulls his handaxe and curses.
Round 2 3 archers shoot at east group. One hit! Another goblin takes 2pts.
The goblins close with daggers and clubs.
Arden, Thane, Meklin, and Martin attack…
Meklon hits a goblin on the west side for 2 points. Thane is hit by a goblin club for 1 point.
Round 3
Arden with a crit! Kills one goblin! All other PCs miss.
Goblins strike back…two goblins ganging up on Thane both hit! 2pts.
Round 4
Thane hits a goblin for 1 pt.
Arden and Thane are battered by goblin clubs, 1pt each.
Round 5
Arden hits one wounding it. Meklin fumbles and loses grip on his halberd -1dmg next time.
Martin wounds one.
Arden is hit twice! He spends a luck to keep one gob from getting a critical. Takes 2pts.
Martin and Thane are each hit once.
Round 6
Meklin hits a goblin but due to the crit, does only 1 pt.
Thane wounds a goblin.
Martin is hit by a goblin.
Round 7
Martin kills a goblin.
Thane, outnumbered, takes a hit.
Round 8
A loud roar comes from the west tunnel accompanied by the heavy footfalls of an ogre! The goblins flee to get away from the front line. Arden and Meklin take a strike at them but miss. The ogre rushes in to fill the gap. The goblins on the east side also fall back, retreating to room 17. Thane kills one as they flee.
The ogre attacks Meklin with his club. It strikes the ground near Meklin wth a heavy thud!
Round 9 The archers fire at the Ogre as Arden steps back to form a line with Martin and Meklin.
Three archers attack. One hits! 2pts damage. One misses! One gets a critical! Precise strike for double damage. It was Goat Bently! Goat does 6 points! Yowzah! The orge roars in pain!
The ogre lashes out in anger with his club at Meklin again! This time his club connects! The module gives the ogre extra strength so I add 1 point in addition to size. The club cracks Meklin hard for 4 points! He is lucky to have his chain mail. Meklin has 1 point left.
Round 10
Arden yells to Meklin to retreat. Thane moves up to take his place. Arden attacks…miss! Martin swings his mace…hit! 2dmg. Thane misses.
The ogre misses Martin.
Round 11
Martin hits for 2 pts. Thane gets a critical for 2pts of damage. The ogre’s hand has been cut badly. He will be at -1 dmg for the remainder of the battle.
The ogre attacks Martin…
Round 12 Thane strikes the ogre and adds 1 luck point to make it a critical! The weapon is sundered. I rule that he drops the club instead. Fearing his death for the first time, the ogre turns to flee. Arden cuts at the retreating figure…+2 to hit.
The dying ogre bellows in pain as he is cut down.
There is a lull in the battle as the goblins hear the creature die. Martin tends to the wounded. Arden commends Goat for the excellent shot.
Martin heals Meklin for 6 points. He is fully healed. Martin also heals Thane for 7 points! Thane is also fully healed. Martin is now out of spells.
Arden and Catamont search the ogre. The ogre has no items of value on him.
Thane gives Arden a belt of his dwarven brandy, He regains 1 hit point.
The company rests for 1 turn, having the archers stand guard.
Arden decides to go west, past the ogre.
Thane takes the lead.
I rolled morale for the east goblins and also for the west goblins. Neither of them are ready to attack just yet. The west goblins have sent a messenger to the chieftain in his room to the west.
More soon.
Damn Elf Press 