Hoard of the Dragon Queen Episode 1: Greenest in Flames

[Rilbur]

Erwin:

 

Erwin felt his face harden at the man's unintentional insult.  "Cuth, I'm not going to leave children behind just because they'll slow me down.  What kind of man do you think-  Nevermind.  And after this little fracas, I doubt you genuinely think your children will be better off without our protection.  Now, lets get moving."

 

Arjan:

 

Arjan held his head high and grinned widely.  "I am not a dragon," he told the child, "but I am born of their blood."

 

Pride warred for a moment with common sense, but a sharp glance from Perrin, with the slightest hint of a smile, tipped the balance.  "Oh very well," Arjan grumbled, picking the kid up.

[Zergrinch]

The boy giggles as the dragonborn picks him up.  He takes a moment to study Arjan's scaly hide, and makes "ooohs" and "ahhhs" which is almost certainly calculated to create envy in his younger siblings.  "Wow!  Can you have dragon blood?  Can you breathe fire?  Huh?  Can you?"

 

The woman is eventually knocked out of her temporary shock.  She goes to her husband and tries to support the side of his body that has the limp, and gives the fighter a weak smile.

 

Please describe how exactly you wish to make your way to the fort, including your marching order.  Take into account you have four civilians - the two parents, the caravanmaster, and the bartender.  You can certainly charge in like

or you can try to be stealthy, or somewhere in between the two extremes.

[Rilbur]

Erwin:

 

"Perrin, take the rear," Erwin orders firmly.  "Cuth, Linan, if you would do me the courtesy of staying directly behind me, one on either side, and trying to cover my flanks if we get into a fight.  Those with children, stay in the center of the formation."

 

"Our first priority is stealth.  Second priority is speed.  We want to get to the keep without encountering any further cultists if we can avoid it, as fast as we can manage.  We'll rescue any civilians we encounter, if we must, but that's it."

 

Arjan:

 

"Of course I have dragon blood," Arjan tells the child.  "As for breathing fire, I can only do it every so often.  I hope it won't be necessary today."

[Zergrinch]

Everyone falls into a hush as Erwin's plan is implemented.
 
While the party tries to maintain silence, sneaking around with such a large entourage (and clanking armor) was always going to be iffy at best.  After what seems like hours (but in actuality was only around 15 minutes), you stumble upon a group of looters once again.  Unlike the last, this group appears to be more heavily armed; what's more, you've almost certain you've seen the acolyte now directing the looters before, while on the road to Greenest!  (Group Stealth: 15; Enemy Perception: 16)
 
"What do we have here?" the man softly mutters as he looks you over carefully.  "Oh look, a cleric of Bahamut.  Fifty gold to whoever brings me his head.  And don't harm that dragonborn too much!"
 

Initiative: Arjan, Guard 1, Garanth, Guard 4, Erwin, Guard 2, Guard 3, Perrin, Morganor, Acolyte
 
House Rules for people carrying kids

• You have disadvantage on melee attacks, and grant advantage to all melee attacks against you.  
• You have disadvantage on dexterity saving throws.
• Except for the dwarf, your speed is reduced by 10 feet.  Morganor's speed is reduced by 5 feet.
• The kids help spot for you; you have advantage on ranged attacks (including magic using ranged attack rolls), and impose disadvantage to all ranged attacks (including magical ranged attack rolls) against you.
• As a reaction, you can make ranged attacks that would hit you instead hit the kid you are carrying (you horrible person you)

[Rilbur]

Arjan:

 

Arjan yawns noisily and large, throwing out a sleep spell.  {{ 18 HP, targeting a point that gets all four guards and the acolyte... for all the good that'll do with a mere 18 HP to sleep}}

 

Erwin:

 

{{ Note: I'm assuming the guards are going to step forward to engage; if they don't, Erwin will step forward a few feet to assert an area of control that blocks anyone from getting to the rear ranks without taking an opportunity attack }}

 

Erwin once again attacks, his shield leading the way to open up his opponent for his sword.

 

{{ Bonus: Shove, 14 + 5 vs 9 + ?, probable success }}

 

{{ Action:  Attack!  17 vs AC (17 with advantage), damage 8 }}

 

Perrin:

 

Perrin snaps off another light crossbow shot.

 

{{ Targeting priorities:  Worst injured guard, followed by closest guard as a tiebreaker. }}

 

{{ Action:  Attack, 8 vs AC (17 with advantage), damage 8 }}

[Jeikor]

Garanth fires the crossbow at the nearest clear target, drops it, then sets the girl down near her parents before drawing his sword and swinging his shield into place.

 

Morganor also fires his crossbow at the nearest clear target, drops it, then sits the boy down telling him to move away quickly. He readies himself for the coming attacks.(will use Warding Flare)

[Zergrinch]

As Arjan's spell takes effect, the acolyte falls asleep on his feet, and slumps to the ground.
 
"What's wrong with the boss?"
 
"Magic.  Dragonborn's a spellcaster looks like."
 
"Then we gotta take him out."
 
"Langdedrosa'll have our hides if we accidentally kill him."
 
"Sigh."
 
"I'll go wake up the boss."
 
====
 
The first guard steps forward, takes one look at the bleeding Fighter, and laughs.  "Hah!  You don't look so good, sonny.  Why don't you sit this one out, eh?"  The spear tip makes its way past the fighter's shield and defensive stance, and pierces his thigh (4 damage).
 
Garanth, aided by the girl he was carrying, looses a crossbow bolt against the guard.  The projectile strikes the man's unprotected throat, and he slumps to the ground in his death throes (Critical hit!  16 damage, target killed)
 
The elf lets the girl down, instructing her to take cover with her parents, before he draws his shield (Note: you can't draw BOTH sword and shield in one turn) just in time to deflect the fourth guard's thrown spear.  Meanwhile, his already-bent crossbow strikes the hard stone ground, and breaks into two pieces.
 
Fresh out of targets, Erwin, now bleeding like a stuck pig, steps forward and, since he is out of melee range, throws a javelin at the fourth guard.  The man easily swats the weapon aside - the fighter has been noticeably slowed.  

 

Taking advantage of Erwin's momentary distraction, the second guard squeezes himself past some crates, and finds himself facing the cleric. "FOR TIAMAT!" he roars, as he jabs at the dwarf with a spear.  Morganor, burdened as he is by the child, is unable to dodge in time.  Just as the spear is about to pierce his side, a bright light bursts from his holy symbol and blinds the looter, causing him to miss. 
 
Perrin fires at the closest enemy and misses, but Morganor takes advantage of the distraction to shoot the man in the face at point blank range.  The bolt merely grazes the man's cheek (3 damage).
 
While the man rears from the pain, the cleric hurriedly releases the young boy, urging him to take cover beside his parents.  He drops his crossbow, which impacts the ground at an awkward angle, and equips his shield.
 
The remaining looter runs over to their fallen leader and slaps him awake.  "Wha... where..." the acolyte says groggily, before his eyes snap back to focus.  A wicked grin curls his face as he points his finger at Erwin.  "FLEE!" he screeches in Command.
 
Confusion temporarily clouds the fighter's mind as every muscle of his body wants to obey. However, the young man's stubborn will proves more resilient. (Curses, you barely made the save!)

 

It is now your turn!

 
Initiative: Arjan (carrying a kid), Guard 1 (dead), Garanth, Guard 4, Erwin (bloodied), Guard 2, Guard 3, Perrin, Morganor, Acolyte (prone)

[Rilbur]

Arjan:

 

Arjan raises his crossbow and snaps off a shot at the guard attacking Morganor.

 

{{ Action:  Attack, 12 vs AC, 3 damage }}

 

Erwin:

 

Erwin steps forward and launches his favorite sword&board attack.

 

{{ Bonus Action: Shove: Fail }}

 

{{ Action:  Attack, 6 vs ac, damage 4 }}

 

Perrin:

 

Perrin fires off a crossbow bolt of his own.

 

{{ Action: Attack, 20 vs ac, 11 damage }}

[Jeikor]

Garanth draws his sword and slashed at the nearest guard.

 

Morganor hoping to discourage the others by taking out their leader unleashes Sacred Flame at the prone acolyte.

[Zergrinch]

"Hey mister dragon, he's not looking at his left side!"  A moment later, the boy lets out a whoop as Arjan's crossbow bolt sticks out of the man's shoulder, and blood starts sprouting from the wound.  (Advantage from carrying a kid; 17 hits vs partial cover, 3 damage.  Guard 2 bloodied)

 

The man cries out in shock, giving Garanth the opportunity to cleave him in two.  Not a sound exits his lips as both halves fall to the ground, Arjan doing his best to shield the boy's eyes from such bloody carnage.  (Critical hit again, you lucky elf!  11 damage, Guard 2 dies.)

 

"No!" croaked one of the looters as he watches the bloodthirsty elf singlehandedly drop his little brother.  "You'll pay for that!" he screams as he runs past Erwin's reach with outstretched spear ready to impale the elf fighter.  Unfortunately for him, rage clouded his accuracy, and Garanth easily dodges the sudden attack.

 

Stepping forward to get a better shot, Perrin takes aim at the vengeful guard.  The distraught man fails to see the incoming crossbow bolt, and promptly expires after the half-elf pierces his jugular with a well-placed shot.

 

Erwin steps forward, blood trailing in his wake.  He exchanges blows with the guardsman, but both men could not penetrate each other's defenses.

 

Once again, Morganor calls upon the radiance of Bahamut, and is rewarded by draconic flames descending from the heavens and singeing the purple-cloaked man (save fails, 4 damage).  Far from being discouraged, the man is non-plussed, and appears to even enjoy the fire.  "Pitiful cleric of Bahamut.  Your god is weak.  Know that the flame of Tiamat burns infinitely hotter!"  He reciprocates with a Sacred Flame of his own, dealing grievous damage to the cleric (save fails, 8 damage, bloodied).

 

Initiative: Arjan (carrying a kid), Garanth, Erwin (bloodied), Guard 3, Perrin, Morganor (bloodied), Acolyte

[Jeikor]

Garanth is too far away from either guard 3 or the acolyte for a sword strike so he sheaths his sword and readies his bow for a shot at the acolyte (if possible he aims and shoots at the acolyte).

 

Morganor steadies himself with a deep breath after being bathed in fire and sends another Sacred Flame at the acolyte praying furiously.

[Rilbur]

Arjan:

 

Arjan targets the remaining guard and looses another bolt.

 

{{ Attack: 16 vs AC, 20 with advantage, damage 7 }}

 

Erwin:

 

Erwin slashes out with his sword & board at the guard.  {{ Note: if guard is dead, Erwin won't shove acolyte, but will move into melee range. }}

 

{{ Shove, Fail }}

 

{{ Attack: 20 vs AC, 11 damage }}

 

Perrin:

 

{{ I'm assuming the guard is dead; otherwise, Perrin will be taking a crossbow shot at him }}

 

Perrin steps forward so he can see the alcolyte and grins as he cocks his head sideways.  "You are as weak and powerless as your so-called god, oh 'champion' of pee-on-a-mat," he sneers magically.

 

{{ Action: Vicious mockery! }}

[Zergrinch]

With the young boy's worryingly-bloodthirsty instructions, the dragonborn continues shoot at and hit his foes.  He catches the remaining guard in the abdomen with a crossbow bolt, causing the boy to whoop once again.

 

Garanth drops both sword and shield, and takes out his longbow for a snap shot at the purple-cloaked acolyte.  The arrow sails through the air and hits the man on his side.  Blood gushes from the wound, but the fanatic continues to sing praises to Tiamat (4 damage, seriously wounded).

 

Erwin's drunken shove fails to drop the guard, but his sword does break through his defenses and runs him through.  The looter unceremoniously crumples to the ground, dead.

 

Perrin's verbal jab fails to gain much purchase, although the man glares at him next.  That was the last thing he did - Morganor once again summons Bahamut's fury, and a divine flame scours the acolyte from where he stands.  As he perishes in the flame, his laughter continues to ring out as he welcomes Tiamat's embrace.

 

Victory!  You have each gained 125 experience points (from the last 3 encounters).

 

"You don't look so good," the bartender speaks up.  "I was saving this, but I think you need this more than I do!"  He hands Erwin a potion of healing, urging him to drink it.

[Rilbur]

Erwin:

 

"Thanks for the potion, but keep it," Erwin tells the bartender.  "You might just need it yet."

 

"Lets keep moving, we need to get to the keep."

[Jeikor]

Garanth puts his weapons away and checks the guards for a crossbow ( if he finds one he picks it up and loads it) then he looks meaningfully at Morganor then to the two kids they had been carrying.

 

Morganor tries to grin but it is more of a grimace then says, "I think I can manage the girl this time. You take the boy. Now they can each say they rode an elf and a dwarf." Looking over at Arjan he continues, "I don't think those two will want to trade." Then he hoists the girl onto his shoulders.

 

Garanth does the same with the boy. "We're ready."

[Zergrinch]

With the keep in sight, you abandon all pretense at stealth and rush towards it at full speed.  Your actions do not go unnoticed - shouts ring as more and more raiders give chase.  Fortunately, you are close enough that the keep defenders are able cover your approach with a fusillade of arrows.  Despite this, the line of raiders encircling the keep continues to grow thicker.  Apparently deciding that nobody else could have gotten past the cordon, the keep gates are closed and barred immediately after you enter.  You and your party are literally the last ones to make it through.

 

A shout of warning rings out, and the defenders quickly urge you to make your way inside the inner building, as the dragon you see earlier swoops down from the sky, apparently ready to discharge its breath weapon!

 

P.S. It is now 9:00 PM.

[Rilbur]

Erwin:

 

"Lets go ahead and take cover," Erwin lets the defenders push him into cover.  "Once the dragon has buzzed past, ready missile weapons to catch it on it's next pass!"

[Jeikor]

Garanth puts away the crossbow in favor of his longbow which has greater range. "I'm ready, sir."

 

Morganor readies his crossbow muttering, "It'll have to be coming awful low to have much of a chance with this thing."

[Zergrinch]

Everyone makes a mad scrabble for the relative safety of the keep as the exhaled dragon breath is ejected like a bolt of lightning.  It impacts the ground with a thunderous roar.  Temporarily deafened from the sound, you can smell the scent of ozone in the air -- even if you were at full health, you realize that none of you can hope survive this attack should you be targeted.

 

Apparently spent, the massive creature flaps its wings and quickly gains altitude.  It quickly disappears in the distance.

 

Your hearing comes back gradually - first, an incessant tinnitus assaults your ears, accompanied with muffled unintelligible sound in the background.  The sound becomes less and less muted, until you can finally hear clearly again.

 

The woman and her husband thank you profusely for your help, with the boy Arjan carried giving him an enthusiastic high five before scampering off with his family.  The caravanmaster mutters about needing to check if anyone else from your group made it to safety, and promptly leaves as well.  

 

The bartender hands Erwin the potion he declined earlier.  In fact, he was somewhat insistent, and presses it into the fighter's hands before taking his leave.

 

"Sirs," one of the defenders approach you. "I understand you have only recently come into town.  I am sorry that your experience with Greenest must begin like this.  You look injured; please, let me guide you to one of our spare barracks to recuperate."

 

Note: At this point, you have the option to take a short rest which will cost you one hour, or seek out anyone you may want to talk to.  NPCs include the family you saved, the caravanmaster, the master of the keep, and the governor of Greenest.

[Rilbur]

Erwin:

 

"Very well, if you insist," Erwin nods his head graciously to the bartender.  "I thank you.  I will put this to good use."

 

After the guard offers an opportunity to rest, Erwin nods.  "We'll take the offer," he orders.  "Thank you, we need the rest."  He looks back at everyone.  "And that's an order," he adds with a small smile.

 

{{ On rest, roll 1 hit die, regain 9 + 3 = 12 HP.  Full disclosure: first attempt at this roll had me regain a couple million HP, so I discarded it as damaged }}

[Zergrinch]

Erwin quaffs the potion, and just about forces the dwarf cleric to ease up and take a quick breather.  Both of you are refreshed after the passage of one hour, although Morganor does not look like his body can take that much more punishment (no hit die left).

 

What is the source of your 1d6 healing, Erwin?  A potion does 2d4+2, so basically you healed up by

9+5=14, bringing you to full.

 

There is a timid knock on the barracks door, and it opens to reveal the woman, Linan Swift, whose family you rescued.

 

"Sirs," she begins, "I am sorry to disturb you.  I know you have already done so much for us, but a large number of the townsfolk remain missing.  Governor Nighthill is asking for your assistance, if you would give it."

[Rilbur]

9+5=14, bringing you to full.

What is the source of your 1d6 healing, Erwin?  A potion does 2d4+2, so basically you healed up by

No potion, just bardic song of rest.  I'm pocketing the potion.

 

Erwin:

 

Erwin rises to his feet.  "Of course we'll help, however we can."

[Jeikor]

Garanth and Morganor gather behind Erwin in support of his assertion of help.

[Zergrinch]

Linan leads you to the parapet of the keep, where you see an ageing man restlessly pacing back and forth while avoiding a scorched area on the roof.  The right side of his face and head are bandaged, his right hand hangs in a sling, and his light blue tunic is stained with his own blood.  Linan calls out to him with a "Sir," and he acknowledges your presence with a nod.

 

"Strangers.  I am Tarbaw Nighthill, the elected governor of this town.  Linan tells me you acquitted yourselves well against these... these savages.  I know we are imposing on you, but I honestly don't see much choice in the matter.  The Guard is trapped here, encircled by the raiders and kept at bay by that accursed dragon.  But, I don't think they intend to attack us here - they seem more interested in looting everything that isn't nailed down."

 

Gingerly stroking his beard with his good hand, the governor continues.  "I am more concerned about the people who didn't make it here before they completely cut us off.  We need to find a way to get them here somehow, without them noticing.  I'd also give anything to know what we're up against, and why.  For that, we need prisoners.  A commander, even a low-ranking one, is best."

 

The governor motions towards the edge of the parapet, and points out a woman dressed in a flared regal-purple cloak, with chain mail underneath it.  Her hand bears a halberd, and immediately to her right was a blue dragonborn.  No, this was no mere dragonborn - he looked much larger than Arjan, and bears more similarity to a dragon than a human.

 

"We think she's leading the looters," Nighthill tells you.  "As you can see, she is heavily defended.  Stay away from her and her coterie - any lower-level officer can answer the questions we have."

 

"So," Nighthill fixes his gaze on you all, "Are you willing to help us, even if I don't even know your names?"

 

[Rilbur]

Erwin:

 

"Of course we'll help," Erwin nods.  Turning his head slightly, he spoke to the rest of the party as much to the man in front of him.  "If nothing else, it's in our own best interest.  These attacks are as much a threat to us as they are to you."