Post by Coronoides » Sat Sep 29, 2018 1:08 am

(It’s been a while since I had time for this. This session was also a massive battle and took a lot longer than I had expected. Towards the end my note-taking became a bit brief. I may come back and flesh it out a bit later, or not)Alara soon arrives with the other guards and the travelling monk joins them. I call to them across the river. “We are bloodied and tired. There are goblins, worgs, and possibly Ex-Zhent bandits in the woods. You fellow villagers will be safe in the caves by now with the other guards. We should rest. In the morning we will repair the bridge enough for the horses to cross. I will stay on this bank but take this coin to the store and bring back a rope and barrel.” I toss them 3gp. After they return and toss me the rope I haul across the barrel. After they leave to find shelter in the temple, I strip, use the barrel as a pail to draw water to wash my sturdy but fine clothes and the spare clothes in my wet pack up to dry on the tree too. I eat a day’s rations and retire to my bedroll under the tree.The next day we are all at work on the repairing the bridge when a band of orcs staggers over the ridge. The monk who volunteered herself to keep an eye out from the watch-tower lets out a call. I turn and see the grey humanoids. There are over 20 orcs armed to the teeth rushing toward the half-completed jury-rigged bridge. “Hold the bridge from the towers” I command and turn to face the orcs. “Spyd, Blood!” I cry.Combat.InitiativeThe Monk 21.*Guard D 19*Guard C 17Eye of Gruumsh 16, damage taken 28, 49War Chief 14/damage taken 16, 31, 56, 58*Spyd 13*Alara 8Orc Soldiers 7Torem 6Gymir 2After shouting her warning the monk pulls a hand crossbow out of the folds of her clothes and crouches behind the basttlements (hold action when orcs come within range of 24 squares fire)Guard D looks up from her work ( is the bridge crossable yet? EGSA sez yes, can the drawbridge be raised? Yes.) “Quick Raise the bridge!” she calls and runs for the entrance of one of the two towers. Inside she waits for the other tower’s mechanism to be staffed.(held action)Guard C Runs to the other tower’s mechanism (Double move)A huge orc with Wearing a horned helm sprints forward (Eye of Gruumsh)A second large orc clad in heavy chain rushes forward but the brutes have no weapon that can reach us.Roused by my call Spyd who was resting in the shade of the tree leaps and flying low to the ground, speeds towards the lead orcs.Alara retreats to the gate between the two watch towers spear ready, guarding the entrance until the bridge is raised. Her winged cat startled by her sudden haste flees.Shouting warcries the bulk of the orc soldiers rush forward on the heals of their two leaders.Torem moves to stand be Alara spear ready.I pull a rock out of my bag a hurl it at one of the lead orcs (randomly determine I aim for the war chief, long range attack with disadvantage 16, for 16 damage, unknown to me the orc is wounded and already down to 60. ) The rock smashes against the orcs side before coming to rest on the soft earth. I then march around infront of the tree so it can’t block my view as the orcs come closer.ROUND 2The monk waits on the tower roof.Guard D hauls on the wheel of the mechanism.And joined by guard C in the other Tower the bridge begins to rise. (as per the adventure this takes 3 rounds so will be completed round 4).The spear wielding orc leader nearly runs passed Spyd but then turns and jabs upward with his spear but misses.The chain clad orc leader charges in to flank the griffon and swings his axe slashing the beast (18 damage).Spyd retaliates (beak critical! 15 damage) taking a bloody bite then flies up.The tow orcs swing at the retreating griffon an axe hits (9 damage) and a spear (12 damage) but then the griffon is soon 165ft above the ground.Alara guards the gate.As the bulk of the orcs rush passed their leaders flinging javelins at Spyd above or the giant ahead. (10 attacks against each all with disadvantage 2 hit Spyd for 4 and 5 damage) Two javelin strike home on spyd who though badly wounded remains airborne. Three javelin strike me but I can handle the puny puncture wounds (21 damage)Torem remains steady at the gate.I hurl a boulder at one of the orcs at the front of the pack (hit for 33 damage) who is instantly crushed dead by the rock. I then move back hoping to thin the brutes numbers before they get within melee.ROUND 3The monk crossbow ready waits.Guards D & C raise the bridge a little more.The spear wielding lead orc rushes forward now I can see the scarred face and missing eye. (do I know what this means? Running through the 3 modified questions I get DC25, I roll 13)The axe-wielding leader scoops up a javelin from the ground, stows his axe then charges forward.Above the battle Spyd wheels around to fly back towards his master gaining altitude as he does so until he is out of javelin range.Alara guards the gate.The orcs rush forwards triggering a ranged attack from the monk, but the crossbow misses.Torem steps back to get more protection from the towers but keeps his spear ready.I hurl a boulder at the nearest of the two orc leaders (17! Hits 28 damage) smashing the orcs ribs but the one eyed orc does not go down. I retreat back another 80 feet taking me away from those I hope to protect. “raise the bridge!” I yell.End round 3ROUND 4Adjusted initiative orderThe Monk 21.*Guard D 19*Guard C 17DEAD Eye of Gruumsh 16, damage taken 28, 49DEAD War Chief 14/damage taken 16, 31, 56, 58*Spyd 13Elf scouts=10*Alara 8Orc Soldiers 7Torem 6Gymir 2On the tower the monk fires her crossbow and hits (4 damage).With a boom the drawbridge shuts. I am alone on the ground with the orc hoard.Again the one-eyed orc rushes ahead of the pack but this time he is chanting and making sweeping motions with his spear. A red glowing spear of magical energy appears beside me and stabs but draws no blood ( spiritual weapon 4 damage). A war-shaman of some kind no doubt.The second leader rushes from behind to among his soldiers calling the name ‘Gruumsh!’ as a battle cry to rally his cruel people then hurls the javelin ( special battle cry ability of the war chief. 10 of the orcs have advantage on next attack) the javelin strikes me (8 damage) for a bloody puncture wound.Gravely injured, Spyd circles high above watching with concern. Then he spies something to the north.Eight elves armed with bows crest over the ridge. Seeing the orcs they rush forward with a battle cry unleashing arrows. (just out of short range attacks with disadvantage 8 hit regular orcs.the elves show up if the PCs are going to be overwhelmed. The elves were the reason the orc war chief starts injured.)Alara rushes into a tower and up the stairs to the battlements.Attacked from the rear by their traditional foes, and perhaps reluctant to go toe to toe with a giant the orcs turn to rush the elves hoping to get within axe reach before the bows of the elves cut them down.Torem races into a tower and up the stairs.“Memnor’s luck be praised!” I cry seeing the elves. Then I hurl a rock at the one-eyed orc but I miss. I then call upon the magic inherent in my people and disapate into mist only to reappear behind the cover of the tree. I hope that here the spears of my companions might also strike my foes. (Misty Step racial spell is a bonus action).End of round 4 Elves to the rescueROUND 5The monk watches as the orcs run out of range of her tiny crossbow.Guards C&D rush up to join their fellows on the battlements.The one-eyed orc moves to beside the tree his magic weapon also hovering slowly toward me.The other orc leader rushes in and swing his axe cutting a gash in my leg ( 10 damage )Spyd circles high above.The elf scouts let arrows fly aiming for wounded orcs. ( 6 hits one a critical. ). Tow orcs fall dead and others are seriously wounded. The elves then fall back to prolong the time before the orcs close.Alara watches from the battlements the orc leaders are just out of spear range.The orc soldiers rush forward. Some grab javelins off the ground and stow their axes as they run.Torem hurls his spear at the one-eyed orc but misses.I draw Frostclaw and bring the ivory blade down on the orc leader. ( 22 to hit for 25 damage!) delivering a terrible gash from ear to hip but still the huge orc does not die. Then I use my magic to teleport to closer to the wall and my friends.ROUND 6The monk fires her crossbow and misses.Guard C hurls a spear at the orc leader and misses, but guard D hits (despite disadvantage 2 damage)The magic spear of energy slowly hovers forwards. The one-eyed orc closes against stabbing with his spear and hits me ( only 4 damage).Mad with rage and bloodlust the half-dead war-chief rushes in brandishing his axe 9 advantage for flank, 12 damage) delivering a terrible slash.Spyd hovers above.Alara throws her spear but misses.The elf scouts let fly aiming at maimed foes. 7 arrows find their mark and 4 orcs go down.Two orc soldiers let javlins fly and one pierces elf flesh 5 damage . Other orcs charge some closing to melee range but not yet delivering blows.Spear spent Torem can’t do much but watch.I target the half-dead orc leader with by ivory sword (20 damage!) cutting the brute across the waist into two halves.ROUND 7The monk fires her toy crossbow and misses.The guard watch helplessly as the battle unfolds.The one-eyed shaman stabs and misses. His slow moving spear of magical energy arrives and stabs at me but also misses.Spyd and Alrara watch with concern.At the other end of the battlefield two elves fire bows and an orc goes down freeing a third elf to use archery. She fells the orc closing on one of her companions enabling a 4th elf to fire his bow but he misses. The remaining elves drop their bows and draw their swords. Another orc falls to lightning fast stabs and other are wounded.The orcs that are not within melee reach charge in and then all orcs attack 3 hit ( one critical ) and an elf is killed.“Enough” I yell and bring down Frostclaw 21 damage cleaving the shaman from crown to groin. Exhilarated I begin to stride toward the distant battle ( Second wind 11 hits healed)ROUND 8The elves deftly attack the orcs with their slim swords ( 8 hits one critical) and an orc lies dead.The orcs enraged fight back 4 hits and two elves do down.I move forward and toss my last boulder at an orc without a standing foe. 20 damage Splat.ROUND 9Elves 5 hits one crit only 5 orcs leftTwo orcs hit two elves killed.I run forward scooping up a rockROUND 10Elves 3 hits two orcs die.Orcs all missI toss the rock but miss.ROUND 11Elves 3 hits, one orc diesOrcs both hitI run forward and scoop up another rockROUND 12Elves 2 hits last two orcs die.3 elf survivors.With my NPC helpers ensconced in the tower and my griffon out of the fight so early when the orcs closed I really suffered from the ‘action economy’ (20 orcs have a lot more attacks per round than me). That said I think that if I had made more use of my race abilities, which remember are 10 of my class levels, then I think I could have kept my distance and defeated them without the elves showing up. If myself and two guards had the Fly spell on us we could have rained death from above out of reach of their weapons. I have to think like a multi class wizard/fighterThe use of a higher level character is not EGSA only method of adjusting a single PC to play in a game designed for a party but I still think it works IF the player is very familiar with the PCs powers and gets good use out of them. I didn’t do this this time. When facing large numbers of monsters it is important for a solo player to keep a distance and use ranged attacks and/or guerrilla tactics