The Restenford Journals #6 (8 APRIL 2024)

         Another rousing session in adventure land awaits fine readers.

    Anyway after fearing I may only have a pair of PCs this week it turned out I had three which is fine enough for me, but two can be touch and go honestly. A few bad rolls and a TPK is almost assured. So we started on time and previously decided to switch back over to Restenford and pick up in the Xerbal Mountains. I quickly noticed after a few minutes that ROll20 had gobbled up or lost files and handouts so I was kind of irritated as well as tired. Not sleeping much and feeling lethargic. MeH, enough of that about the hijinks.

    We picked up in the Stone House of the Orc Bandits they encountered outside of Restenford on the Mountain Road. Up in the Xerbal Mountains and I allowed this to be counted a Safe Spot for Rest thus allowing CON Bonus and accumulation of XP from monetary Treasure. It being Real Estate as well this is highly prized by the PCs and it is nestled in the Mountains away from prying eyes. I rule that the Mountain Road from this vantage point is but a day away down goat paths and that it is three days from Bald Hill by the trails and route they took but only counting as two days journey from Restenford for their travel to the mountain villages and Thorpe being plagued by the other bandits.

     I roll for Wandering Monsters and it comes up a high roll so no worries. This becomes the trend for he evening so most of the Wandering Monster Checks are 5 or 6 resulting in nada for encounters. This does not mean they see nothing of course there are regular animals afoot and plenty of mountain type creatures can be seen in the distance as they travel. Never be afraid to just plop something in your traveling party's path. I also allow the Ranger Tushuab to forage as they travel and he supplements the PCs packs.

    A small Thorpe is found after a day of travel and the PCs try to purchase a Shovel from the mountaineer and he explains he is no merchant and has not shovel to sell. Davon tosses coinage his way and the comforts of his barn are offered to these rich travelers heading up into the Xerbal Range. The next four days of travel and the nights with them result in no Wandering Monster rolls so easy sailing and they discover a beat up mountain village. This is much larger than the Thorpe they previously visited and they do note several well traveled paths leaving the Mountain Road that lead up to isolated Cabins and collections of several buildings viewable from the road but do not deviate from their task at hand. 

    After approaching the locals they inquire about the bandits and the folk are very cautious & suspicious of the party not believing they are really adventurers but just richly disguised bandits. Eventually they believe the PCs are sent by the Baron as their are only three of them and that is totally something that miserly copper pinching Grellus would do. The information given is that the Bandits are really rough and hateful lot have dispatched most of the little villages men and only the elderly and younger men are left with allot of widows and others unable and unwilling to fight he bandits. An old road leads up to the ruins of Falcon's Reach and is about two days up into the rougher country and if they head on along the Mountain Road it will also have a one day of travel road forking from it in a day or two. The PCs attempt to recruit villagers and none are brave; or foolhardy enough, to join them. There is obvious fear of reprisal in the eyes of the few villagers willing to talk to the PCs. They also inform the PCs of Hobgoblin Deserters from Kroten who practice banditry with the humans.

    "Only Three against so many" is heard whispered by the villagers as they set off on their quest. I roll the standard no encounter Wandering Monster Checks and on the second day they do indeed have an encounter. This is where I discover missing hand outs and creature sheets, que irritation but press on after bitching about it for a hot minute. It is a group of Bandits from Falcon's Peak and I allow the Ranger to roll to detect their presence and he rolls a 6 so I roll for Surprise! I in retrospect usually allow the Elf types in party to roll as well but forgot. I'll chalk it up to irritation about the missing sheets which I am going to remedy after finishing this recap. Arrows rain down on the party with the Ranger Tushuab; who was obviously distracted because he was foraging, takes a mighty hit and everyone else is missed. They are addressed by the bandit leader with his pointy black villain beard to drop all their weapons' and loot while the more unsavory types leer at the Elf Eldrin. I ask for actions and the party chooses violence with simulcast of Fireball by Davon; whose been itching to cast it forever, and Sleep by Eldrin at the archers while Tushuab draws his bow and prepares to whittle away at the opposing archers. They WIN Initiative and the bandit ambush is quickly eliminated. A quick search of the bandits finds gold and silver coin and they tie up three and begin to basically torture them.

    Now, this was supposed to be the Good Group of PCs seeking righteous causes but Davon is Lawful Neutral and has a mandate to eliminate the bandits from the local Baron so is quite energetic about "stomping on scrotum with his staff". The Neutral Good Elf conflicted but after they interrogate the bandits discover they are filled with murderers and rapists so dispatches them and disposes of the bodies away from the road adding the charred remains and other slain to the bushes among the pines and rough looking trees. They fall back down the road to rest.

    Falling back I fear  they have the 5 room dungeon disability but are overly concerned with the wounds on the Ranger. He is level 1 so yet to level but the turn of events in Restenford have gotten them forced into the wilderness. There is however a fifth level Magic-User which will definitely tilt smaller and larger encounters. They are being cautious with their diminished numbers this evening which is a positive as well.

    Wandering Monster Checks have turned on the PCs and near dawn they get visitors while the Elf Eldrin and Davon the Magic-User are memorizing their spells. I roll Monster Reaction Checks and they are very high and as the PCs take no aggressive actions I cascade that roll with a +2 Bonus. The normally aggressive Albino Apes are more curious than violent and literally shoo the PCs away whom upon advice from the Ranger Tushuab comply. After so many avoided Wandering Monster Checks they had two in one evening, the Dice turn on your quickly in #ttrpgs folks.

    Spells rememorized they return to the scene of the previous day and notice scavenger birds have begun to circle and descend upon the corpses but no one has come to investigate the area. Turning he bend they spy upon a Keep nd not Ruin in the distance. This must be Falcon's Peak ! It sits upon a rocky hill with the main gate facing North. They observe from a distance and seek cover in the limited flora available. I allow the Elf to use his superior to human vision and determine that the guards only seem to be observing approach from the North, East and South while leaving he Western approach unobserved. Closer inspection of the slop shows signs of it being cleared by axe. There is a large cave mouth on the slope and a copse of Trees 100 yards away from it downslope. 

    There is some discussion on how to approach the cave as they an see from this forward position in the copse of trees. There are hobgoblins sitting atop boulders which appear to have been positioned there. They occasionally point towards the copse of trees where the PCs have secreted themselves, or so they believe. Waiting for Twilight the Elf in the party Eldrin creeps forward slowly utilizing his Hide in Shadows ability and the magical Elfin Boots he wears to approach unseen. I only force a single Hide in Shadows Roll and he accesses the cave mouth after taking his time creeping up the slope. Finding a few Hobgoblin one guard totaling three and hearing only the sound of snoring and minor sounds of movement he casts Sleep. The active guards fall into a slumber, the sounds of movement stop and the snores become less. waving up to the others he enters the cave and begins dispatching the slumbering Hobgoblin deserters. It was a decent plan and it succeeded well.

    Upon the rest of PCs arriving they light a lantern and this light attracts the attention of something else in the darkness of the rear of the cave. Higher pitched Hobgoblin voices can be heard and groups of eyes can be seen in the edge of the lantern's illumination. Another Sleep spell is cast, this time by Davon and Tushuab moves forward while Eldrin lurks behind the party. The rest of the Hobgoblin females are cowering while holding young but a larger Hobgoblin steps from around the corner as he appeared to be waiting in ambush and leaps to the attack ! Unfortunately for him the dice are hot for the PCs and they have not lost Initiative this evening and he is quickly dropped in a single round while the females' and young flee out of the cave. Despite their best efforts several run across he slope and evade the constant arrow fire but no attention is drawn from above as the sun sets in the West.

   Searching the Large Hobgoblin Captain they find an iron key and in his section of cavern a stout chest. It is filled with coin and some captured gear. A large boulder blocks the rear of the cavern placed there by the Hobgoblins, there are five sleeping female hobgoblins whom I do not recall if the PCs said they were going to kill but I'll address that next session as we are picking up on this next Monday. So we end this session with them in a cavern under Falcon's Peak resting before they continue beyond the large boulder hoping to find a way to take the Keep from Below ! A good plan so let us see how this works out next week.