Dungeons & Flagons

A tiefling rogue, halfling druid farmer, half-orc barbarian, dwarven bard, and half-elf sorcerer make up a motley crew, adventuring in the lands of Olam.

7 minute read

As midnight approaches, the village of Wayside is prepared for the goblin horde headed its way. Well, as preprared as they can be with only a few hours notice and no support from the Hand of the Wand. They’re relying on the skill—and luck—of their local heroes, The Low Elves, and a few other travelers.

Fortunately, those travelers have made quite an impression and impact on the village folk. Calling themselves Chimera’s Bane, they’re a group of adventurers who are traveling the Ha-derech. On their way through Wayside they happened to befriend some of the townsfolk and perform a few acts of heroism, somewhat to the chagrin of Cindel, the Low Elves leader. First, they helped Ben Dabbler with his chimera problem—which is how they got their nickname. Then they rescued Preva’s husband and daughter, Elar and Vera, from a local goblin clan and hill giant—which is how they got themselves and the town into the current predicament.

The goblin horde is approaching from the North, where there’s 250 feet of open fields between the treeline and the buildings of Wayside. The Low Elves, without Cindel, are stationed at Scribbles & Nibs and Preva’s Flowers.

Top view of Wayside's layout

At the Buzzin Bee, Cindel and Dolor are on the second floor, peering out of the windows, ready for their first opportunity to use their bows. Gven has placed several barrels and other smallish obstacles behind the Buzzin Bee and is crouched behind one, keeping both eyes on the treeline and the torches illuminating the trees. Grindlefoot has snuck into the forest and climbed a tree, quietly waiting for goblins to unwittingly run below him, allowing him to give them a little surprise. Unfortunately, Xantic is still out cold and in the basement at Bargain Ben’s with the townsfolk. He can be a last line of defense, if the others fail to stop the mob of goblins.

Then it’s quiet….

While waiting in the tree, Grindlefoot has a conversation with himself about what he should wild shape into for the coming battle. “A giant rat? Darkvision and a good sense of smell, but not very helpful with attacks. Another giant goat? No darkvision…and too exposed anyway. Giant snake again? Hmm, that’s an option, but they’re kind of slow. Oh, how about a…hmmm, yes, that could be perfect.”

Grindlefoot is so busy deciding what creature to become, that he fails to notice the first wave of the goblin horde until they’re underneath him and running past the tree he’s sitting in. Luckily, they’re in a frenzied state and don’t bother to look up and see the halfling suddenly shift into a giant spider.

Meanwhile, at the Buzzin Bee, Gven is waiting impatiently, not paying particularly close attention from her position behind a barrel close to the fire pit. From a second floor window, Dolor is transfixed on another part of the treeline, when Cindel quietly says “look alive, they’re here.”

Fight choreography

Round 1

  • 10 goblins come out from the treeline and reveal themselves, 250 feet from the Buzzin Bee.
  • Cindel takes a shot with her longbow and misses, but the arrow sticks into the tree where Grindlefoot is hiding, now as a giant spider.
  • 4 of the 10 goblins stop at the treeline to fire off arrows at the three defenders, Dolor, Gven and Cindel, with one lucky shot hitting Cindel for 4 piercing damage.
  • 6 of the 10 goblins dash ahead 60 feet into the field.
  • Dolor fires an arrow from his shortbow and misses.
  • Gven readies one of her javelins for when the closest goblins come into range.

Round 2

  • Cindel fires an arrow with her longbow and misses.
  • 3 of the 6 goblins closest to the buildings fire at the three defenders, all missing.
  • The other 3 goblins (of the 6 closest to the buildings) move forward 30 feet.
  • Gven throws her javelin at the 3 closest goblins and hits one for 8 damage, killing it instantly.
  • The 4 goblins furthest from the buildings, close to the treeline, dash forward 60 feet.
  • Grindlefoot, as a giant spider, slings his web at the goblins closest to him and hits one, restraining it. Then he drops down from his perch in the tree and moves 30 feet closer to the group of goblins closest to him.
  • Gven gathers up her intimidation and yells up to Cindel, perched in a second floor window, “focus on the goblins and ignore the spider!”
  • Dolor fires another arrow from his shortbow and misses.
  • Gven invokes her barbarian rage and then skewers another goblin with a javelin.

Round 3

  • Cindel takes careful aim at the goblin restrained by Grindlefoot’s web and places the arrow in its head, killing it.
  • The only goblin remaining of the three closest to the buildings fires an arrow at Gven and misses.
  • 3 of the 4 goblins furthest away, dash forward 60 feet and fire arrows at the defenders. One of them just barely puts their arrow through the window to hit Cindel, causing 4 piercing damage. Gven feels more than sees one of the arrows go ‘thwack!’ into the barrel, right next to her head.
  • Grindelfoot hears more shouts of “filgit” coming from the depths of the forest behind him.
    • He slings his web at one of the goblins, missing wide—it’s tough to aim with eight different perspectives from eye different eyes.
    • He climbs back up into a nearby tree to wait.
  • Dolor fires an arrow from his shortbow and hits one of the goblins for 6 piercing damage. The goblin wavers on its feet, looking very unstable and about to go down.
  • Gven throws another of her javelins, but it goes wide and sticks into the dirt.

Round 4

  • Cindel is particularly irritated at being the only one who’s been injured and with a fierce look on her face, she sends an arrow straight between the eyes of an approaching goblin, where it falls to its face in death.
  • The 6 remaining goblins move ahead 30 feet closer to the buildings and the defenders.
  • Grindlefoot, still in giant spider form, remains in the tree hiding from the new group of goblins he can hear—but not yet see—headed towards him.
  • Dolor shoots an arrow and misses. Seeing that the goblins are reaching melee range and not wanting to leave them all for Gven, he jumps out of the second story window to the ground. Unfortunately, he’s not his usual graceful self and lands with a big ‘ooof’ as he loses his balance and rolls to the side, taking 1 damage.
  • Gven lets another javelin fly, hitting a goblin square in the chest, lifting its whole body up off the ground to land on its back, eyes still open in deathly surprise.

Round 5

  • 5 of the original goblins are still alive.
  • Cindel, still reeling in anger at being injured, swiftly fires off two arrows in a row, killing 2 more of the goblins.
  • 1 goblin moves forward another 30 feet and fires an arrow at Dolor, missing wide.
  • The 2 other goblins close to melee distance and attack Gven, but she easily dodges their crude attacks.
  • Grindlefoot can hear the new group of goblins that are deeper in the trees to the North, coming towards him and Wayside. He stealthily moves in their direction, moving from tree to tree in the upper branches. He finally catches a glimpse of 15 goblins, wildly screaming and running recklessly through the forest, directly at him and his friends, who are unaware that more are on their way. He does his best impression of a large scary leaf, hoping they don’t notice him as they get closer.
  • Dolor throws his weight behind Gleaming Blade, his recently acquired shortsword, cleanly pushing the blade all the way through the goblin closest to him, killing it. He slashes at the other goblin with his dagger, but misses.
  • Gven swings her greatsword at the goblin within distance, but it goes wide as the creature jerks itself backwards in fright.

Round 6

  • 2 of the original goblins are still alive, 1 in melee range and the other 30 feet from the Buzzin Bee.
  • Cindel fires at the farther goblin, knocking it backwards several feet and killing it.
  • The last goblin knows it’s alone now and swings wildly at Gven, primarily because she’s the biggest target and the only thing it can see in front of it. It misses.
  • Grindelfoot now clearly sees the group of 15 goblins running towards the tree he’s sitting in. Patiently, he allows the group to continue their frenzied run towards Wayside. When the last one passes below him, Grindlefoot, as a giant spider, drops to the ground and bites the straggler for 11 damage. Killing it instantly, the spider instincts take over and Grindlefoot inadvertently drains all of the blood from the goblin. “Eeewww, yuck! Pffft, uggh, eeewww!” He climbs back into the tree, telling himself to never do that again.
  • Dolor steps forward and cleanly removes the goblin’s head with Gleaming Blade, ending the first wave of the goblin’s attack.

Once Grindlefoot is back in the tree, he climbs to the higher branches, where he hopes that Gven or Dolor can see him, and begins frantically waving several of his spider legs as a signal…more are coming!