This week in Red Hand of Doom:

It’s only a few days until the party reaches the barricade to the north. No one knows what to expect. One thing is certain, the barricade must fall. The survival of many (including our heroes) depend on it.

Join us on Friday, December 11, 2009 for the year ending episode of  Red Hand of Doom. Check your local time for airdates:

5 am – PST
6 am – Arizona (MST)
8 am – Pennsylvania (EST)
2 pm – Denmark and Germany
9 pm – Philippines

Reminders

• No leveling up for players who have not yet answered the survey. Check your email.
• The game, as stated, is on Friday, not Thursday. Different day, same time. If you haven’t confirmed, please do.

I cannot believe I was roped into this pathetic band. Their leader, or so it seems, is too preoccupied with making a deal with the giants that have long since abandoned their home to see the urgency of action. Their wizard, the one that burned our forest was reluctant to perform a simply attonement and only went through with it after a lot of coaching from Ereb.

Ereb wants me to accompany these people? The horde is approaching swiftly. It is with a heavy heart that I agreed to this. I only hope that along the way I find some way of protecting my home from the brutality of the horde, though in my heart I know I will not make it back in time to do so.

9th Day of Richfest

On our way east, we happened upon a mother and her child. Unfortunately we also found a swarm or two of very hungry centipedes. Clearly, the people I’m forced to deal with have never hand to handle a swarm or anything before. I was able to keep the swarm at bay with my flaming sphere, but sadly the boy’s mother didn’t survive. The boy cries insessantly. How could a parent not explain the circle of life to him by now? City life is ignorance of life.

My confidence in this group is dwindling. What I believed to be a simple pack of goblins on worgs, turned out to be force to be reconned with. The battle was simply one bad decision after another. The one called Bloodmoon, hurled himself into the midst of the hobgoblin leaders and was severely beaten. In a vain attempt to assist, the brainless oaf Valthurne, wielder of Merthuvial, charged in to assist. The wizard moved in and left me to fend off a pair of worgs and their goblin riders, a pair of fire hounds, and the hobgoblin peppering me with arrows. Luckily, Smiley was at my side and while I was forced to use every ounce of healing, we survived.

I see it now that this group lack any sort of rational thought. They foolishly charge into situations they cannot handle with no concept of teamwork. Jorr and the one known only as Bam seem like the only intelligent ones in the whole group.

If things werent bad enough, an orc showed its face and presumably assisted us briefly towards the end of the battle. Odd that Jorr comes runing after it to warn us and yet he seems to know him.

10th Day of Richfest

I’m having mixed feeling about the orc. On the one hand, orcs are known for their mistreatment of nature, yet this one has not shown any such tendancies.

We came across some villagers fleeing Drellin’s Ferry. They were woefully under protected for such a jouney so I proposed giving them what items they could use from out encounter with the hobgoblins. I was relatively surprised by the generousity of the others when they agreed. Never before have I witnessed such concern of others well-being by the city-folk; unless they are getting something out of it.

We encountered a pitily group of bandits. These people clearly didn’t know what they were doing. If they did they would have known to pick their targets better. Six against four is not a fight you can ealisy win. Even though they laid an ambush, which can be a good tactic when faced with superior numbers, they failed to utilize their advantage well. They gave away their position well before they should have. They might have been successful if they had waited and launched their attack from both sides and all at once, catching us offguard. As is was we were tipped off by Smiley’s superior predatory instincts.

While defending ourselves, the Mustached man who seemed to be in charge was dealt a killing blow. The orc allowed one to escape but the other two were forced to surrender. The woman’s incessant blubbering quickly lead to the orc knocking her unconscious; and for that I’m thankful. I proposed a deal to the other captive. We would not turn him over to the authorities who would likely execute him, if he agreed to assist us. He barely had time to agree to my terms before the orc pummeled him as well – now that was just uncalled for. Now bound and stripped of their possessions, especially anything that could be used as a weapon, it is my belief that they pose no further threat to us at this time.

Now we continue on to the next town.

Note to self: I have given them fair warning and if they try anything I will not hesitate to kill them.

*Eligible to level up after resting 8 hours

Breakdown

In-Game XP

Diary Entries

6th Level Character – 300 XP
5th Level Character – 375 XP

Breakdown

In-Game XP

Diary Entries

6th Level Character – 300 XP
5th Level Character – 375 XP

As the winner of yesterday’s Puzzle Challenge, Sage  gets to pick one item from the list to appear on the hobgoblin cache. As runners up, Adrian, Irik and Martin also pick one, but only among the elixirs.

• Pearl of Power 2nd Level
• Necklace of Fireballs Type III
• Pipes of the Sewers
• Dust of Illusion
• Periapt of Wisdom +2

Elixirs

• Elixir of Sneaking
• Elixir of Fire Breath
• Elixir of Love
• Elixir of Vision
• Elixir of Truth
• Elixir of Swimming

Re-Enactment

Since the Lightning Bolt that killed Bam was shown to be illegal, I will allow a re-roll of all the events of the last round of combat (round 16). But before that, Bam will still get his turn at the end of round 15. Quantum physics and the multiverse theory require us to re-evaluate events that that have emerged from changed root causes.

We will begin next session on Bam’s turn, then proceed to round 16.

Rules for Re-Enactment

• No basing off prior knowledge: Nobody knows a Lightning Bolt is waiting as none have been fired. This means no switching to bows! Valthurne only did so after seeing Bam fried extra crispy.  But in this re-enactment, that hasn’t happened (yet).
• No healing:  At this point you were all very confident that the battle was practically won. Those near the caster would especially not have spent one action to heal instead of attacking.
• If this extends beyond round 16, and it becomes clear that its advisable to switch to bows, then (and only then)  is this  allowed. Same goes for healing.

Bloodmoon jumped down 30 feet into a dell crawling with hobgoblins. He fell prone after the jump and was instantly surrounded. On his attempt to get up, 3 hobgoblins attacked simultaneously, knocking him unconscious. No party member was able to reach him before his barbarian rage ended, resulting in his death.

Bam’s last moments occurred when a hobgoblin caster, on his turn, made his will save and broke free of the Iroel’s Hold Person. The hobgoblin then cast Lightning Bolt which burned a hole into Bam’s chest, quickly ended Bam’s life.

Adrian however noticed a small error in the way the rules were handled. This got me thinking if I missed another thing. Interestingly I did. Here is a summary of what happened. (Please correct me if i got something wrong) Note that I did not include Bloodmoon’s actions as he is busy being dead at this point.

Round 14

Iroel – Bleeds out more life…
Hobgoblin Caster (Blinded, Entangled, Mirror Image – 1 remaining) – Readies a Lightning Bolt to the first person that attacks him in melee
Jorr – Shoots an arrow at something
Val (prone) – Administers a potion to Iroel beside him.
Laucian – Does something
Fleshraker – Does something
Bam – Attacks the Hobgoblin caster. Rolls percentile and hits the right one (not the Mirror Image). The attack deals damage and triggers the readied Lightning Bolt. However, Caster fails concentration check due do damage from Bam’s attack. Lightning Bolt fizzles

Round 15

Iroel (prone)- Gets up. Knows which Mirror Image is real due to Bam’s last attack. Casts Hold Person on Hobgoblin Caster; caster fails save; caster is paralyzed
Hobgoblin Caster (Blinded, Entangled, Mirror Image – 1 remaining, Paralyzed) – On his turn, makes a new save against the Hold Person. He is successful and breaks free. Casts Lightning Bolt in Bam’s direction. He knows where Bam is standing based on the last attack. Caster makes successful concentration checks against being entangled (DC 18), and for casting defensively (DC 18). Bam fails save; Lightning Bolt pulverizes Bam. Bam is dead. Caster moves away, shuffling back into his Mirror Image.
Jorr - Does something
Val (prone) – gets up and moves towards the caster
Laucian – In a fumble, fires an arrow into his own eye. He drops.
Fleshraker - Runs back to his master
Bam (DEAD)

Round 16

Iroel – Casts Acid Splash, but misses
Hobgoblin Caster (Blinded and Entangled) – Readies another Lightning Bolt.
Jorr – Administers Cure Moderate Wounds Potion on Laucian. Laucian is awake.
Val – Drops sword and shield, quickdraws a bow and fires and arrow at the Hobgoblin Caster; misses
Laucian (prone) – Gets up, fires an arrow at Hobgoblin Caster, but hits a Mirror Image (the last one). Mirror Image disappears.
Fleshraker – Charges. Full round attack. Hits the caster with 1 claw and 1 rake attack. Caster drops.
Bam (DEAD)

Adrian noticed that the Hobgoblin Caster should have changed his initiative due to taking a readied action, triggered by Bam’s action. However, this alone would not change the outcome. The caster would still have acted (right before) before Bam. The results would be the same. But there is another error I made that might save Bam’s life if handled correctly.

Consider this a puzzle. A bonus will be given to the first person who spots the mistake that can save Bam’s life.  Bonus will be a small gift from me and whatever Bam adds to the pot (XP or items from Bam). It is his life after all that is on the line, so Bam might want to increase the incentive. Offer valid only till Thursday.

P.S. I can offer a Bloodmoon’s Death puzzle also if Sage is interested in keeping Bloodmoon alive.

“It’s the Philippines,” she says. “I’ll bet. If there’s someone else on Mars, it’s got to be the Philippines. All those stories about them building a rocket.”

I thought it was kinda cool and flattering for the writers to make a leap of imagination like that. I have never encountered any fictional work that referenced the Philippines as part of a space program.  The Philippines was mentioned as a place to earn money by gambling on drinking games [Heroes, Season 3 Episode 21], or a place where doctors are less than reputable [Desperate Housewives].  So this reference was rather refreshing.

I wanted to search the internet for other people who may have seen this. I started my search by googling Philippines Doctor Who.

After typing in as far as “Philippines Doctor…”, google auto-complete suggested “Philippines doctor scandal” which then directed me to articles about the scandal that involved  a Philippine celebrity doctor, a sexy actress, and video on the internet. A scandal which according to a couple of  articles gripped the Philippines and engrossed the country.

Sands, who used to play Avaris in our weekly D&D game, actually mentioned that this scandal to me when it was brought before the Philippine senate.

Breakdown

In-Game XP

Diary Entries

6th Level Character – 300 XP
5th Level Character – 375 XP

The party leaves Drellin’s Ferry to deal with the hobgoblin blockade to the north. Along the way, they rescue a young boy from a swarm of flesh eating centipedes.

Decisions

The Twist-Tusk Treaty

The party decides (3-2) that there is no time to head back into the Witchwood. They decided to head over to the blockade to the north immediately.

Valthurne then  makes arrangements for two druids to  head over to old Warklegnaw‘s home in the Witchwood to deliver the message that the residents of Drellin’s Ferry is willing to enter into a peace treaty with the Twist-Tusk tribe.  The original plan was to send an animal messenger, but Laucian pointed out the unlikelihood that a 30 foot tall forest giant will notice a rabbit with a scroll tied to its neck.

Parting

Before leaving, Iroel advises the locals to burn their crops (again with the burning)  in order to prevent the horde from using their crops to supply the army as it marches west.

DM Note: The following section was added ex post facto.

Soranna gives an almost teary goodbye to Bam. Town Speaker Wiston thanks the party profusely for their help and calls on Brother Derny, the local cleric of Pelor to bless the party for their dangerous journey ahead.  Wiston is also able to get some of the merchants to give the party some gifts to thank them for their help, and to aid in the success of their mission in the days to come:

• 1 scroll of summon monster II (div)
• 1 scroll of lesser restoration
• 1 scroll of protection from  arrows
• 1 oil of darkness
• 1 potion of lesser restoration
• 1 potion of heroism

Likewise, the Keepers of Eth donates

• 1 potion of bear’s endurance
• 1 potion of endure elements
• 1 potion of magic fang
• 1 potion of spider climb

The Swarm

The party rides towards the blockade at full gallop, stopping every now and then to assist some of the refugees they pass along the way.  It is sometime  noon when they hear the screams of a woman and a child. A mother and her 8 year old boy were traveling by wagon to the west when they stumbled upon the nest of a centipede swarm.

Jorr on horseback rushes to the mother and child to try to get them on the horse to carry them to safety. However, thousands upon thousands of the creepy crawlies enveloped Jorr and the pair within seconds. Jorr is only able to get away with the boy.

Bloodmoon rushes to the mother and picks her up on his muscular shoulders, and tries to carry her off to safely as he himself becomes covered in the crawling things.

Laucian creates a flaming sphere which is very effective in burning away large chunks of the swarm. Iroel and Bam threw vials of acid into the swarm, dissolving hundreds of centipedes into a green paste. When the acid supply is depleted, Bam, Valthurne and Bloodmoon start thrusting burning torches at the swarm until it dissipates.

DM Note: Big mistake on my part. The centipede swarm does  NOT take double damage from fire and takes only 50% damage from area attacks such as thrown acid. So you got away easy on this one. I’m sorry of depriving you the chance of almost dying.  Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you next time.

With the last of the centepeedes scurrying off into the underbrush, Laucian checks on the mother and comes to the sad realization that the mother is already dead, killed within moments of sustaining hundreds of insect bites earlier.

Mo’ Encounters, Mo’ Problems

Iroel conducts a burial ritual for the mother while Valthurne tries to comfort the poor boy a short distance ahead. However, Iroel’s ritual is interrupted as he spots several pairs of eyes watching him beyond the line of trees…worg riders!

This week in Red Hand of Doom:

Will Iroel finally unlock the powers of Banrhialorg? Will Valthurne keep his oath to old Warklegnaw? Will Bloodmoon’s axes taste more blood? Will Laucian regret joining the party?  Will Bam show up?

Find out on Thursday, November 19, 2009 for the ongoing saga of Red Hand of Doom. Check your local time for airdates:

5 am – PST
6 am – Arizona (MST)
8 am – Pennsylvania (EST)
2 pm – Denmark and Germany
9 pm – Philippines