The Seventh Adventure

[mushgnome]

Beppo bundles up for the cold and trudges north, down the hill. He hears voices to his right (the east) so he heads in that direction.

At the intersection of the roads, 10 human boys are having a snowball fight! Beppo isn't good at guessing human ages (because they have a shorter lifespan and grow at a different rate than hobbets) but these boys appear to be going through that awkward, pubescent phase. They've split into two teams of five and are casually lobbing snowballs across the street at each other, with no real ferocity in their throws. If anything they seem a little bored (as is often typical for kids in January, after the excitement of the holidays). Beppo can easily overhear their conversation; the boys are using their high-pitched 'outdoor voices.' They are discussing the important topic of girls!

Tall Sarah, or Sarah with the freckles? Tall Sarah. Oh, she's pretty! Tall Sarah went ice skating with Jimmy, but then Jimmy gave an apple to Megan, and now Alice is angry at Paul, because Paul told Susie that Kate told Maria that Alex likes Julie. But Kate only said that to get back at Carla because... HOBBET!!!

And with that, they fire a poorly-aimed volley of 10 snowballs in Beppo's direction!

Does Beppo dodge the snowballs, or does he allow himself to be pelted? Does he fire back with a snowball of his own?

[mushgnome]

Frederick says to Noh, "Anyway, just to finish catching you up. Things have been quiet with the humans. They have their own holiday feasts and rituals. The whole Adventure Club took a couple weeks off around Solstice-time, so you didn't miss much. The other druid Potty has been keeping to himself and making potions. Back to the subject at hand: What do you think of this new guy, Beppo? He doesn't know the Password, he comes in through the window--I'm on the fence about his membership, what about you? Can you think of a good way to Test him?"

[Scottenkainen]

Beppo was infuriated at first, as he dove for cover. The nerve of these human children! Then it occurred to them that they might have mistook him for one of them, as bundled up as he was, and his hairy feet covered in snow.

Well, he would teach them, he thought with a grin as he started making a snowball. He would show them how true the aim of a hobbet was!

((Do hobbets still get a bonus to hit with missile weapons in this game?))

[mushgnome]

((Do hobbets still get a bonus to hit with missile weapons in this game?))

Great question!

In Delving Deeper v4, Hobbets get +3 to hit with hurled missiles.

However, in Delving Deeper v5, the rules change a bit: Hobbets get a 3:2 rate of fire, and can fire a sling to a range of 15".

So far we have been using the new v5 rules. They've been working out well enough, I think. I am always open to feedback from players, if the v4 rules were more fun.

In terms of how that translates to snowballs, here is my ruling: Beppo can pack snowballs at 150% the firing rate of a human, and throw them up to 2x the range.

[mushgnome]

Incoming!!

Beppo watches the incoming snowballs and calculates their speed and trajectory. But he miscalculates his dive for cover, and goes left when he should have gone right! The human children are actually slightly better shots than Beppo originally gave them credit for. He manages to dodge half of the snowballs, but he gets nailed by the other five! The impact is painless, and Beppo suffers absolutely no damage (except, perhaps to his ego).

Beppo takes temporary cover behind a snowbank, but he hears the children moving around and knows it won't be long until they fire at him from a different angle.

Beppo packs the pristine New England snow into a perfect snowball, pops up from his hiding place, and prepares to fire back at the young villagers!

Does Beppo target one of the boys who hit him, or one of the boys who missed him? Or shall the DM determine a random target?

Instead of individual attack rolls for the boys, let's make it an area effect, like a dragon's breath. Ordinarily, Beppo would save for half "damage," but due to the extreme mismatch in fighting ability, I rule instead that Beppo takes no damage on a successful save, and half damage on a failed save.

Beppo rolls 1d20 = 3, fails his save vs. breath weapon, and takes half "damage" meaning 5 harmless snowballs.

[rredmond]

Frederick says to Noh, "He doesn't know the Password, he comes in through the window--I'm on the fence about his membership, what about you? Can you think of a good way to Test him?"
Noh slows his chewing for a moment, "did he not ask for the johnnycakes? I've got to pay more attention when I'm in civilization," he finishes, shaking the cobwebs out of his head. "Is there any test worse than the," he gulps loudly without thinking, "the dry stack?"

[mushgnome]

Fredrick visibly blanches. "The dry stack goes against everything I stand for as a flapjack auteur! But, heh heh, it would be fun to watch him squirm. (If the humans haven't tarred and feathered him by now.) Say, I can't remember if I ever showed you my axe trick?"

[rredmond]

His bushy eyebrows go up like his favorite ritual of oak and mistletoe, Noh looks at Frederick to respond, remembering his civialities ”no, please show me.”

[mushgnome]

Frederick stands on a step-stool and reaches down the antique axe Chopper from its display case. "Put your hands down on the counter, like this. Out of all your ten fingers, which would you say you are least attached to?"

[rredmond]

Noh's eyebrows go up even further. "Well," he says slowly, "as they are attached to me, I'm quite attached to them. But if I had to choose it'd be the 11th one." Noh lowers his mistletoe brows and nods at Frederick splaying his fingers upon the counter, "but I trust you, as I hope you trust me."