Session 7: Hobgoblins!

Just a quick update on session 7 (since the final session of the module is being played in a few hours and I've failed to post anything about the last session).

Session 7 found the group missing their Cleric and Paladin. Without their main healer and tank, the group was a bit more cautious as they proceeded down a flight of steps to the second level of the dungeon. They were immediately attacked by a small group of Hobgoblins. Things were going well as the party had a wonderful strategy, until the hobs succeeded in freeing their pet giant spider. The group had enganged the hobs and partially retreated up the staircase, creating a chokepoint in which only a few hobs could engage Shade and Lodi. From higher up the stairs, Lars was able to use his flaming sphere to harass and destroy any hobs who thought to try using missile weapons. Sadly, once the spider was free it was able to charge up the side of the wall over the flaming sphere and directly engage Shade. The spider's wickedly venomous bite made short work of Shade and he dropped, a mere hit point away from death. Luckily, the incompetent sage Valthrun chose that moment to return from whatever mental vacation he was taking and pull Shade to safety up the stairs. Lodi and Lars fought on, but the spider and the hobs were too much and Lodi dropped (or was it Lars?) Regardless of who it was, the remaining hero fought bravely and managed to finally drop the spider and the remaining hobgoblins. Seriously wounded and near death, the party retreated back up the steps to their safe bolthole to recuperate.

Following a very extended rest, the party proceeded back down the stairs with even more caution. The party expected an ambush, but found the few chambers that had been occupied by the hobgoblins to be deserted. The bodies of the dead hobs had been removed, however. Searching through the chambers, the party found a web-enshrouded figure in the room that had housed the spider. The figure was still moving, so the party cut the webs away. They were gratefully thanked by the biggest female Dragonborn they had ever seen. Her name was Vosh Glimmerscale and she turned out to be a Paladin of the Silver Flame. She agreed to help the party in their time of need in gratitude for her rescue from the spider.

The party, now fronted by Vosh with her enormous war pick, explored deeper into the dungeon. Shade spotted and disabled a portcullis trap and the party entered the chamber of the Hobgoblin Warchief. The battle was fierce, but Vosh held the line against the chief while Shade, Lodi, and Lars peppered the hobs with spells, arrows, and daggers. Things went well for the party as their tactics were once again solid and soon the warchief was a steaming corpse, bleeding out on the flagstones of his own bedchamber. Quite a bit of gold was found, as was a magic shortsword and plans to raid Winterhaven. The party also found an message from a group called the Bloodreavers, who have offered to purchase any prisoners from the Warchief to be sold as slaves.

The final encounter involved a series of traps. The first trap, a revolving statue with a wickedly large sword, nearly proved to be the end for Shade. The party managed to defeat the statue trap, however, and made short work of the remaining traps to win through to the chamber beyond, where we ended the game for the night.

Next up...END GAME!