Immersive Ink

"Jiggerund urrg rijjig BRRUG!" extorts a loud and angry Goblin-voice from the passage ahead, followed by the thumping of heavy feet approaching.

the ref dices to determine what manner of monster has appeared.

For this labyrinth, I have a bespoke monster table. 2d6 → 8, okay.

Given that a noisy battle has just occurred, the ref rules that the monsters will not be surprised. In fact, they have been attracted to the noise.

Will the players be surprised? 1d6 → 2, so no. Possibly averting some serious hurt right there.

The ref dices secretly for the encounter distance...

Okay, what now?

"What's a Dwarf gotta do to catch his breath around here?" Zem picks himself up, shield and axe ready to meet the new goblin threat.

I updated my stat line to 4/6 Hp

Dopey holds forth his torch to peers out into the darkness.

Should a large angry goblin emerge from the labyrinth, the hobbet plans to hurl his axe, drop his torch so that he may see, then pull forth his sword and shield to do battle.

Leudigar whispers to the others,"Stand to the sides. Let... whatever it is... come into the room where we can all fight."

Then he moves into a position where he is in the middle of the room, facing that hallway with activity and taunts, "Come on, goblin filth! My sword awaits..." in an attempt to taunt the creature into barreling into the room to be surrounded.

Freid, moves to the side of the entrance to the corridor. He grips his sword and raises his shield as he awaits whatever monsters come into the room. Freid hopes to get a side attack against whatever comes into the room.

Arian snatches up her spear and beats a retreat to the entrance to the path leading to the surface where she lingers, spear ready to cast.

"Perhaps this would be a good time to run away?"

heartless wrote:After the battle Kianna lowers her shield and sword and says to Faengol, "Nice spell, I like the growing into a giant touch. We should swap spells once get out of here."

"That may be possible," postulates Faengol, "except that our survival is still in doubt. We have no idea how many goblins await our company's blades."

Fried, Faengol, Arian, and Kianna follow Leudigar's instruction and get themselves briskly out of sight, leaving Dopey the Hobbet, Zem the Ogre-Dwarf, and the tracker in sight, standing over a field of slain goblins when another giant, hairy goblin appears, leaning around the corner and the end of the short passage leading out of the wall-room. "Wha' da?" he snarls when his eyes fall upon the Ogre-Dwarf (and side-kicks), and his slain kinsmen lying all around.

Dopey hurls his Hobbet-ax, but the giant goblin retreats behind the wall in the nick of time, and his missile only clatters against the stone work.

There is goblin-yelling heard form around the corner; it's apparent the big goblin is withdrawing and issuing orders...

The ref presumes that Faengol, Arian, and Kianna also follow Leudigar's plan, and get themselves briskly out of sight.

The first Combat Turn follows:
Missile Segment
Dopey hurls his ax: 1 # d20 + 1 → [7], but doesn't connect.

There is no melee segment, so it's the end of the first combat turn.

What now?

Leudigar quickly moves forward, peers around the wall and, if possible, fires a bolt at the fleeing creature with his crossbow.

"Don't like this at all, another wave of attackers will be hard to hold off. Should we retreat to the find the others?"Zem stands with Axe and Shield ready.