Session 8: Blood and Battle
Maethordan had heard enough – he took careful aim, lining the arrow, peering down the shaft, assuring it was on target, before releasing his hold on the arrow, as he flew straight and true, striking the orc, who howled in furious pain. The orc collapsed to one knee, howling something in his native tongue, to which the ruffian leader quickly reached on the floor and grabbed his club.
Lodin let fly his arrow, just as the orc was beginning to stand again, striking the orc in the neck. The orc howled again, though this time, his screams were gurgling in blood, before he began running towards the direction of the arrow – and collapsing to the ground, the last essence of his life, bleeding crimson on the muddy forest floor.
The ruffian leader shouted, “It must be them! The girl and her friends! Attack them!”
Immediately, one of the ruffians, leapt over the campfire, dashing in the direction of the last arrow that had struck the orc. Hobart seeing the ruffian heading for Lodin, released his arrow and struck the ruffian, who yelped in pain, clasping his shoulder.
The jackal, seeing movement and action, and under the charmed voice of Fay, sprung forward biting the Ruffian leader’s hand as he saw it lunge. The ruffian leader peered into the darkness, looking for the attackers – clearly the jackal had not unleashed the arrows that took down the orc.
“Find them!” the ruffian leader shouted. “Kill them!” Before yet another arrow flew through the night, from Fay this time, striking the ruffian leader in the leg. The ruffian leader howled in fury and snapped the arrow. “Kill them!”
Fay seeing the furious Ruffian Leader glance down at the closest target – the very jackal in which she had charmed – feared for the animal’s life, and lined up a shot with her bow, striking the leader with a critical strike to his chest. Blood poured from his grievous wounds as he shouted, “A reward for the one who brings me their heads!” He turned his attention to the jackal hounding him and brought his great club with a sickening thud, snapping the jackal’s neck with one foul strike. His eyes peered into the shadow. “Find them! Kill them!” The Ruffian Leader, though bleeding profusely, lunges forward seeing Maethordan and brings his club down, striking the Ranger of the North, and dealing massive damage. Maethordan stumbles backwards, blood pouring from the wound to the side of his head, his ears ringing wildly. Without saying a word, Maethordan brought his longsword down, cleaving the enraged Ruffian Leader across the chest, who them crumbles to the ground.
One of the ruffians, who had charged towards Hobart and Lodi, unleashed his anger for having been struck, and blindly misses, so desperate to take down the one who had struck him so deeply. Lodin, seeing the enraged ruffian, quickly drops his bow and strikes him down before he can do any damage to Hobart.
“You have my thanks,” Hobart whispered. “I am going to go see how Fay is doing.”
As Hobart nears Fay she whispers, “The Ruffian leader! He hit Maethordan as he was drawing his sword! I saw the Ranger - I fear he’s very wounded. I need to be able to get to him!”
Hobart fires an arrow, striking one of the ruffians near the campfire.
One of the ruffians near the campfire ran south, to take cover near the wagon, while the other took cover behind the wall.
"That's three down,” Lodin shouted, “If you want to live, surrender now!"
The two ruffians near the campfire, seeing their leader fall to the Ranger of the North, quickly decide that to flee and fight another day would be the better route and immediately dash into the darkness.
Fay:
Initiative: 20*
- Critical hit on Ruffian Leader
Ruffian 03:
Initiative: 20*
- Uses Reckless Hate
- Killed by Lodin
Ruffian Leader:
Initiative: 19
- Hit by Fay’s arrow (Critical)
- Used Yell of Triumph
- First attack against Jackal, kills it
- Moves to Maeth, and hits him
Maethordan:
Initiative: 9
- Kills the Ruffian Leader
Lodin:
Initiative: 8
- Attacks and kills Ruffian_03
- Intimidation fails
Ruffian 02:
Initiative: 7
- Dashing – effectively 60’ from their current position, under cover of the heavy forest
Hobart:
Initiative: 6
- Hit Ruffian Leader with arrow
Jackal:
- Killed by Ruffian Leader
Ruffian 01:
Initiative: 3
- Dashing – effectively 60’ from their current position, under cover of the heavy forest
Big Yellow Circle = Dashing (Technically off the map). The Ruffians have full cover of the woods.
Big Black Circle = Dead
Big Red Circle = Bloodied (which means half their health or more down)
Cover Rules from D&D -
Cover
Walls, trees, creatures, and other obstacles can provide cover during combat, making a target more difficult to harm. A target can benefit from cover only when an attack or other effect originates on the opposite side of the cover.
There are three degrees of cover. If a target is behind multiple sources of cover, only the most protective degree of cover applies; the degrees aren’t added together. For example, if a target is behind a creature that gives half cover and a tree trunk that gives three-quarters cover, the target has three-quarters cover.
Half Cover
A target with half cover has a +2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws. A target has half cover if an obstacle blocks at least half of its body. The obstacle might be a low wall, a large piece of furniture, a narrow tree trunk, or a creature, whether that creature is an enemy or a friend.
Three-Quarters Cover
A target with three-quarters cover has a +5 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws. A target has three-quarters cover if about three-quarters of it is covered by an obstacle. The obstacle might be a portcullis, an arrow slit, or a thick tree trunk.
Total Cover
A target with total cover can’t be targeted directly by an attack or a spell, although some spells can reach such a target by including it in an area of effect. A target has total cover if it is completely concealed by an obstacle.
While they can't be attacked, while fleeing into the woods because of having total cover - the party could, should they want to, attempt to try and track them. There is the wagon here, to also deal with. And also, getting to Weathertop, which from here is relatively close.
