DF Novices, Session 29 - Erizax's Log

    Here is another write-up from last night's session. This one is from the player of Erizax (and includes the previous session, which was the start of this particular foray).

Session Date:    Tuesday 9 May 2023

Party roster:

Agis Keylar, wood elf cleric, 132 points (PC)
Eleanor Bayley, human thief, 132 points (PC)

Erizax Ofaris, human wizard, 132 points (PC)

Renaud Aymon, human holy warrior, 86 points (PC)
Ben, half-ogre barbarian, 65 points (PC)
Randall, human warrior, 125 points (NPC)
Cynric the Wild, human berserker, 62 points (NPC)

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We went back to the old, haunted mine again today. Doran couldn't come with us, he  had some kind of business keeping him in town. I thought we were going to miss his axe and aggressive attitude, and we certainly did.

We moved through a lot of rooms we'd been in before and lots of winding corridors. I sometimes recognized places I've been before. Fought more goblins, hobgoblins, and zombies in small groups. Pushed into new territory, past the temple we destroyed. I wonder if that's bad luck, destroying temples, even evil ones.

The hall the big rat ran away into last time is a dead end, maybe. We didn't find any secret doors, but that doesn't mean they aren't there. There was a room at the end with black candles which give off blue light. Very creepy. The room had shields on the walls, a desk, a chest of drawers with clothing from various people, mix and match sizes and types. Ben took a really big shield off the wall over the bed. The shield has a painting of a stylized hawk on it in red and white. I wonder what important knight they killed to steal that. We found a small chest next to the bed, Eleanor said it's trapped. Lots of coins in there, many of those orcish "lead" coins with a couple hundred coppers.

We got attacked by goblin archers when we left the room, making our way back to the cross passage before the temple. How many of these guys are there? Cynric and Renaud attacked them, they backed off to the right and left us to their zombie buddies coming from the other direction. Agis, Ben, Cynric, and Renaud pushed into the cross  passage and there was the goblin leader who can turn into a man-rat. The big rat let us fight the zombies, with the goblins only shooting arrows or throwing handaxes at us while he watched. I put Missile Shield on Ben as he ran past me, and they mostly targeted him. That worked out well! Unfortunately, Cynric went berserk again, that usually ends with him down and out. Randall and I backed them up from the second rank. All the zombies went down and the front line turned to continue the fight with the goblins. We advanced down the corridor towards the leader. I heard a door opening beside me, another secret door we didn't find. Couldn't get distracted just then, I needed to light the goblin leader's armor on fire, plan A (it was not successful). Two goblins with swords came out from the secret door. One attacked me while I was distracted with spellcasting, fortunately it missed. The other went after Eleanor, also tried to hit her from behind, but missed. Her luck is holding, for now. Ben hit the leader rat really hard several times with his mace. Seemed to be hurting him a little each time, but his armor soaked almost all of the damage. Randall, Eleanor, and I dealt with the two from behind. Meanwhile, Ben kept after the leader while Renoud, Cynric, and Agis dealt with the remaining couple goblins.

Eleanor shot the leader in it's right eye, there was a patch where it's left used to be. It pulled the bolt out and threw it down. It still had an eye, oh no. Plan B failed. Time for plan C.

All the goblins were quickly put down, time to focus on the leader. All the front liners corner him, trading blows. Our attacks scratch him or are ignored completely. I took careful aim and shot a big Fireball at the rat, he dodged and it flew through the space where Eleanor just was. Good thing she's fast. Renaud is knocked out. Cynric goes down, that is really bad. Cynric was berserk for a long time, getting hit a lot without even seeming to notice they were chopping him to bits. 

So, plans A, B, and C all failed to put down the leader rat. 2 of our warriors are out of the fight, maybe dead. Things are getting desperate. Maybe we can scrape together another plan. 

I got my Second Wind and feel full of energy again. Time for plan D. Otherwise known as hit the rat ba$@#rd with everything you've got then run!

Eleanor, Agis, Ben, and Randall keep the thing busy. It is hurting Ben a lot. Randall gives Ben his battleaxe. I guess hoping it will hurt it more than Ben's mace. Now for an even more powerful Fireball and don't miss. This is more than I've ever held before, 3 seconds of max energy build, the biggest I can cast. Gotta be careful, dropping this now is certain death. Maybe, if it hits, it will get the rat. I still don't know if fire can harm it, it's armor burning happily along doesn't seem to be bothering it. It charges me and I barely dodge out of it's way. So much for taking my time and aiming. I throw the fireball at it, and it hits this time. 50/50, better get back to practicing throwing them.

The rat leader definitely is not immune to fire, that hurt him a lot. He didn't fall down but looks hurt. He charges towards me, guess he's mad also. He reaches to rake me with his huge claws and falls down unconscious. 

Agis tells us Cynric is dead, but Renaud will recover (his goddess must be watching over him). Ben chops off the leader's head to ensure it's dead. We take the goblin ears for the town council, and flee back to town to rest/recover. 

I'm gonna miss Cynric, he always had something amusing to say and fought like an unstoppable demon. If we ever get to Ospioc, I'll try to find his family.

I don't want to go back in there short handed ever again. Eleanor's luck and Renaud's goddess can only do so much.

- Erizax