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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe
Australia
189 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Jan 2014 : 17:54:57
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This small conflict is an elaboration, theorisation of a skirmish takeing place at Cold Springs during the City of the Spiderqueen Module on the 2nd Day of Uktar. Though i have long considered the Drow would simply win single handedly - one of my players Stressed the importance of defending cold springs... to which end, pulling some strings men ended up stationed there. While i could simply rule that the town is sacked and pillaged - i want to give the people of the dale a fighting chance... so i want to pose this for you all to think about.
The Lead up:
6 Days ago, Lord Randal morn sent a group of adventurers into a Crypt rumored to harbor tunnels leading into the underdark.
Now, on the second of Uktar, under the cover the night - the Drow of Szith Morcane have attacked the small community of cold springs, a village of less than 100 people at the head of the Tethyamar River.
They have struck twice before. one at cold springs 14 days ago, killing 20 odd people - then again, 9 days at some steads outside Tethyamar side, slaughtering whoever they found in the countryside, some 16 more people.
One of the Adventurers, a trusted friend of Randal Morn named Throlian Ruadeth forsaw that terrible carnage would befall Cold springs were its defences not bolstered. He Implored captain Mestin of the Daggerguard to send down more men.
Mestin was Reluctant at best, given the Orcs of the Deserts mouth mountains were becoming more bold in their raids, with suspicions high of Zhentarim Backing from a Secret Enclave somewhere out in the backlands. There was alot of territory to defend and not enough men.
Though stubborn, such was the horror of the first raid that many in Cold Springs fled for the stronger walls of Tethyamar Side to the north. Though a dozen families chose to stay and defend their homes from further raids.
Conceeding to the forsight of his friend, Lord Randal Ordered captain Mestin to retask a Squad of Riders and Two squads of Daggerguard infantry to serve as a deterent while his Hired Adventurers struck at the heart of the Drow menace in the Crypts.
The 2nd of Uktar:
A Light snow fell this night. The first snows of the season according to Dandellos Almanac. Selune, when she was visible between the clouds, hung full and bright in the sky amidst her ring of tears.
Cold Springs had endured for many generations beyond a Strong Pallisade and surrounding Ditch. The town itself was not large, though beyond its walls, no further than a bow shot, could be found Potato Farms and livestock pens.
The Defenders however, while expecting the drow to attack at night, were leery of the cold and huddled around Braziers of warm coals.
The Boots stationed here consited of 30 or so Fighters and warriors, roughly roughly half their number clad in chainmail, with strong wooden shields, Spears, throwing axes or broadswords and the like with which to do battle. The rest, wore Studded leathers - forged in Daggerfalls by Dulwar the leatherworker - and wielded longbows and short blades for close quaters fighting. (Most having only 1 or 2 levels, with a smattering of level 3's)
The Men were trained to fight in Pairs, Assigned a Buddy of roughly the same height, build and Gender to carry the friend to Safety if they were felled in battle.
Attached to the Unit was Dawncaller Delmorn (cleric of Lathander 5), a Calm, but untested young outlander who had come to daggerdale to help at the Temple of Lathanders Light, Acompanied by Lady Merideth of Dree, a Knight of the Aster (Paladin of Lathander 6).
Signal Fires could be used to Alert a Rapid Response force of Riders from Tethyamar Side within the Hour to lend assistance. This force would consist of 15 Men on Light Dale Warhorses (Fighters of 2nd and 3rd level) armed with Chainmail, Lances, Broadswords and other cavalry men's weapons. Roughly 50% are skilled horse arches, specialising with light Crossbows. This force would be lead by Luitenant Jeldryn Aegrist, A competant veteran of many conflicts (5th Fighter).
(references: Small Human Kingdom Army model in Heroes of Battle. Wandering Dwarf's Daggerdales Project)
Raiders from Szith Morcane
Intent on sewing Terror and Slaughter to please their Godess, Kiarensalee, Dorina Tsarran orders forth a Raiding party to strike at Cold Springs.
Her Neice, Velina (cleric of Kiaransalee 11th), personally leads the raid. Clad in Delicate Elven chainmail she wields into battle a Wand of Hold Person (40 charges) and a myriad of deadly spells, namely silence, dispel, flame strike, slay living and spiderform.
Her second in command, a purple and black tabbarded Arcane Guard. A Grim male drow (Fighter 2 / Wizard 5) clad in a shirt of mithril, proficient with both magic and spiked chain alike. His primary tactic to Fly and throw lightening bolts.
Finally, a Cadre of 10 Szith Morcane Warriors (Drow Warrior 1). With fine Chainmail and bucklers, Ornate light crossbows and Rapiers, and drow sleep poison. In a fair fight, each could prove the match of a daler in battle - but the drow do not fight fair.
Most Frightening however are the two Quth Maren (CR 7 undead), Skinless Ghoul elves, their wet dripping musculatur exposed, the ichor like blood droplets hissing and burning where they patter in the snow. Long tongues licking sharp teeth. Eyes, hollow white orbs filled with malice. These powerful, terrible undead answered to Velina. Each Capable of Sewing paralyzing fear and chaos with their Gaze alone.
The Battle
How do you imagine this battle would go?
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'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup' |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4694 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jan 2014 : 19:17:25
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Hmm, interesting. Fighting in the dark the Gaze might nit work well, though fire or torch light certainly could be a factor.
The defending Cleric is out classed by the attacking Cleric, the defending Cleric light would go down either to spell or sleep in first few rounds. The Paladin likely soon to drop as well.
30 fighters might be able to kill or wound maybe 5 Drow Warriors before being killed or sleeping.
Unless there is a retreat or the locals who would add to defense, even as inadvertent human shields, I see a total kill of defenders in maybe 10 rounds. Of course items like defensive positions, tactics, magic items and even spells employed clearly can make a difference. A Sunbrust clearly could give defenders a bit of an edge. Lots of holy water might be useful as well.
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"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe
Australia
189 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 03:45:26
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Might be worth noteing, upon consulting all the stats involved - the absense of Fireball and Web Spells... actually there are no major AOE spells besides flame strike.
I found this anomylus. But i enjoy your breakdown of this Kentinal! :) I invite more people to imagine what would happen.
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'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup' |
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 05:33:42
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I would understand a lack of aoe spells on the drow's part... they're not expecting much resistance. Hence the small strike force (12 drow and the 2 quth-maren, right?) and only one priestess. She is a force to be reckoned with, though. I agree with Kentinal that things are going to go badly for the Daggerdale forces. The 30 Daggerdale men will definitely be down before the Rapid Response riders arrive, even if someone manages to light the signal fire. The final outcome depends on the PCs.
I think if I were playing the drow, the plan would be to work their way across the village in the dead of night. Three males quietly enter a hut/house and put the occupants into a deeper sleep. Nine warriors can deal with 3 houses at once. They drag the slumbering humans into the common room and move to another house; the quth-maren and the remaining warrior then drag the bodies out to the center of the village where the priestess waits alertly for any sign of trouble. Once everyone is outside, the fun begins. And by fun we mean waking them up one by one and skinning them alive. If there weren't 30 defenders in the village, this could be accomplished in a delightful night-long orgy.
Finding alert human warriors will change the plan. Combat is noisy, and will wake the villagers, which potentially means more combatants but that's not really of any concern... humans are pitiful. The big disappointment for the priestess will be that most of the villagers will probably die before she can skin them. So she'll order her males to focus on the armored humans, immobilizing without killing whenever possible. The lesser villagers can be rounded up after the fighting is concluded.
The humans need torchlight to see, and the light makes them very visible targets. The drow would of course strike from the shadows, outside the torchlight, and they have the luxury of simply standing there and picking off the defenders with poisoned crossbow bolts... all the humans can do is hide behind overturned tables or inside a building... affording the drow the ability to approach unopposed and extinguish the torches, and then shoot another volley of bolts before closing to melee in the dark.
Another nail in the humans' coffins is that wand of hold person. It has enough charges to hit all of the defenders, with extra charges left over for those who make their initial saves. Not that the proud priestess would resort to cherry-picking with a wand, but she has the option. I'm guessing she'll start aiming for the PCs once they make themselves known, leaving the lesser defenders to be cut down by her males. Anyone who gets paralyzed will get hit with a few poisoned bolts the next round, necessitating more saving throws.
The quth-maren are going to ensure that the drow win. Even if the Dalesfolk charge the drow en masse, the quth-maren would slaughter the 30 humans before the humans could do any serious damage. The Daggerdale defenders have likely never dealt with a creature like this before, and they will be terrified upon getting a good look at the quth-maren, even without the gaze attack.
With their 10 HD and fast healing, the quth-maren will probably be the main attack force if the Dalesfolk think to fight in any kind of formation. The male drow could follow stand 10 feet back, using their crossbows for ranged attacks until a Dalesman moves to melee with a drow or tries to flank the quth-maren (thus avoiding the fear gaze). Getting into position to attack the quth-maren should expose the Dalesman to melee attacks from one or two drow warriors, and ranged attacks from other nearby drow, and that will quickly prove to be a fatal tactic.
Sucks to be in Cold Springs that night. But maybe the PCs have an ace up their sleeves?
Yikes, I got a little carried away. Good luck to those pitiful humans! |
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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe
Australia
189 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 13:25:41
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I love the idea of Velina wanting to take as many as she could alive to skin them.
Lady Merideth of Dree has an ace up her sleeve however. She has in her posession a Quaals feather token - Bird. Along with a potion of Darkvision and a potion of haste (just stock standard from heroes of battle).
This could change the game somewhat...
Thus a picture is begining to emerge on the Battle of Coldsprings.....
The Drow raiding party lead by Velina Tsarran emerges from the Dordrien Crypts and makes for Coldsprings.
The Drow make short work of a 4 man Sentry patrol on the outskirts. Sneaking into position they notice the Town is more heavily defended than they anticipated.
The Quth marens stealthily make their way to the Gate, which The Arcane guard then blasts appart with lightening. As the Quth Marens rampage into Cold Springs the Drow Males open up with their Crossbows at the defenders on the Walls. The Battle Is joined.
Lady Merideth of Dree Activates her Quaal Feather token to Alert Luitenant Aegrists riders. The Bird will take roughly 30 minutes to reach Aegrist. by this time, Lady merideth will be long dead.
2 in 20 Dalers who come face to face with a Quth maren are killed where they stand. Of the remaining variables, 1 Runs for his life (and is chased down and killed) and 1 Stands and Fights (and is either killed by the Quth marens acid blood, or the Quth maren itself). Though the Quth Marens are easy to hit, they heal quickly and most who strike them are killed or discouraged - thus both Quth Maren survive the battle.
Roughly 3 Drow Warriors are killed as After the Fighting moves inside the walls - they storm in through the Gate with Velina striding imperiously along behind them. The First spell she casts is Cause fear.
The Arcane guard invisibly watches the battle from the Air to identify who is lynchpinning the defenders.
Dawnmaster Delmorn and Lady Merideth Stick together in the fight. By now, the Defenders are being Slaughtered - Together they attempt to draw the attention of the two Quth Maren however between Velina, The Quth maren and the lurking Arcane Guard Lady Merideth is beaten down - and Dawnmaster Delmorn taken alive.
The Drow gather then embark on an Orgy of violence against the villagers.
An hour and 20 minutes later Luitenant Aegrist and the Cavlary arrive to find the Drow leisurly skinning victims and hanging them from the Walls. My reasoning for this is it takes time to skin someone alive, and the drow have all night to do so. As far as they are aware help has not been sent for - as no signal flames were lit and in their Arrogance (humans are pitiful) they are not partcularily wary.
Cavlary however are not the Quietest or most subtle of Forces. But Aegrist's previous experiance with battle (a trait of his) would tell me he would stop to asess the situation before moving into the town. The Conclusion i will come too, upon seeing the drow hanging skinned Dalers from the Pallisades would be Rage. he would lead the charge.
15 Horsemen with lances coming in through the front gate would definantly result in some impact kills. Lances (in the form of Cavlary spears) dealing x4 Damage on the charge - Or even their skill at fireing crossbows from horseback should ensure some pain.
Do you think this would be enough to drive the drow out of Coldsprings? Assumeing the battle of Coldsprings took 20 Rounds to complete (And we can assume that Velina only had to leisurly use her magics). What Odds would Aegrists Cavlary stand?
Alternativly however, It is very much the style of the Drow to make Lightening Raids and dissapear just as quickly. After all, What good is Victory if you alow your opponents a chance to strike back?
Say she doesnt skin the locals. They simply slaughter them.
But she has the Quth Maren Skin Dawncaller Delmorn Alive, and Lady Merideth (who was killed) also skinned.
When Aegrist arrives, he finds them nailed to the town hall. the streets littered with evicerated corpses.
I would assume, perhaps less than a handful of survivors hideing in basments / in the nearby farms would survive to tell the story of the battle.
The players Meanwhile May be no where near the fighting... If they are they can stop this Attrocity. But it is highly likely on the 2nd of Uktar they will be either in Daggerfalls, Up at White Chalk hollow - or camping out in the Daggerhills (as they have stayed in Dordrien once. and it was not a pleasant experiance)
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'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup' |
Edited by - Fendrikor on 25 Jan 2014 14:52:18 |
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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe
Australia
189 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 14:55:24
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| Alternativly again, dumping the bodies in the River would be very cinematic... sewing terror downstream. |
'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup' |
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Demzer
Senior Scribe
879 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 15:47:58
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Alrigh, i'm gonna play devil's advocate in favour of Cold Springs here.
Some assumptions first:
- The Dalesfolk know that they will be attacked by drows during one night;
- The Dalesfolk know that drows use sleep poison;
- The Dalesfolk know that standing on the walls just makes them easy pickings for the drows that are able to see well in obscurity;
- The Dalesfolk (civillians) that remained in Cold Springs are ready to battle;
With those in mind some preparation occurs:
- Nightly Curfew: as soon as the sun sets no one is allowed to leave his house, the gates get locked, the doors and low windows barred. After all, people expects a nightly raid sooner or later;
- No outside patrols until other problems arise: people living outside the palissade are forced to spend the night inside the city. This is because if the Dalesfolk know their opponents will be drow then anyone without darkvision outside the palissade is as good as dead;
- Soldiers are stationed in the highest buildings, the ones with hatches to get on the roofs or with windowed attics, civillians are handed thrown and ranged weapons they can use;
- The paladin, cleric and the best (those 3rd level) soldiers stand inside a central building, exiting which they can get everywhere in town in 1-3 rounds;
- Standing orders are to stay inside the buildings and pepper enemies with anything the soldiers and civillians have to throw at them, as soon as the various groups of soldiers stationed high in the buildings notice people moving down the streets (civic illuminations like torches on the walls and lanterns are left lit) or as soon as torches start to get snuffed they warn the civillians in the same building and start showering any target they can see. This applies to any drow that tries to set a building on fire with torches, any such individual is a priority target for everyone.
- As soon as battle starts the paladin sends the bird to the riders, the cleric enchants pebbles and stones with light and the whole "elite" squad (paladin, cleric, 3rd level soldiers) chug anti-toxin (the alchemical item in the 3e PHB that gives +5 to TST against poisons, don't know if there is something similar in other editions).
- The moment the "elite" squad has ended its preparations the paladin leads them out charging towards the enemy (by this time, 3 or 4 rounds in after the drows got in town and got sighted by the first soldiers, it's abundantly clear to everyone where the battle is): the elite squad sticks together as much as possible with the cleric throwing his lighted pebbles and stones to light the streets and spot the drows; any soldier still inside buildings will hear the battle cries of the charging elite squad and leave his/her post to join the battle;
This is the best i could think of for the defending team, and it's not enough, even with all this the undeads are too much for the soldiers and the drow casters can probably win by themselves, but with such a preparation and if everyone respects its orders the drow will loose a good number of fighters (and maybe even one of the undead if the "elite" squad can focus its efforts on one) making the fight for the riders very different.
It's up to you if the Dalesfolk are smart enough to make plans such as this one, but all things considered the most the defenders of Cold Springs can get is to score some more kills before going down.
EDIT: almost forgot, for the aftermath i would expect a priestess of Kiaransalee to animate some of the butchered civillians as zombies and leave them as guards inside the raided settlement (probably dismissing her control over the undeads after retreating below the surface). |
Edited by - Demzer on 25 Jan 2014 15:50:07 |
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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe
Australia
189 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 16:33:07
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:) I Do love a take from the other side!
Even with the best defence plan.. Cold springs is surely doomed.
This defence plan would change the Situation as follows -
There are no sentrys to be found outside the walls. Velina has no idea what the defenders have in store - but is perturbed by the lack of Sentrys or visible targets.. Despite this, She is arrogant, young and eager to earn some glory for herself.
The instead of a frontal assault the drow sneak into town over the walls and - as you said - begin to snuff torches.
As per Xayruudh's tactics - the Drow intend to sneak 3 males in 3 teams into homes and sleep the residents before dragging them out.
Wtihin a few minutes - Chaos breaks out and the Alarm is raised as they encounter prepared and defencive dales milita and soliders in the home. Fights break out in two homes, The Quth Marens run rampant butchering anyone they can get to. Soldiers appear on the rooves and fire down - they hit the Quth marens easily enough, but their fast healing keeps them from dieing. I can assume the sheer presence of the Quth Marens atleast will render any who see them Shaken bar perhaps the Veteran soldiers.
The Arcane Guard uses his fly to land on a roof top, coming out from invisibility he begins butchering the men and women on the roof tops with his spiked chain and Lightening spells. The Militia very quickly lose their nerve against his magics. However i will assume some of the Archers on the roof tops manage to wound him with an arrow. He then becomes distracted hunting down the one who injured him - when he finds him - then takeing sick pleasure in killing him slowly.
The Veterans, Delmorn and Lady Merideth finish their power up suit and charge out engaging a Quth Maren - Lady Merideths Aura of Courage Bolsters their resolve against its 'Fear effect' Gaze and as such, of the 3 level 3 Soldiers only 1 of them is left paralyzed with fear. The soldiers have the hit points to survive a full round of being pummeled (22 each) and the presence of Dawncaller Delmorn alows them to heal. In a Battle with Both Quth Marens, they kill one but things begin to unravel when Dawncaller Delmorn is killed off by Velina - via Slay Living.
With Delmorn Dead and the battle going Poorly Lady Merideth Orders a Retreat shortly before she and her companions are torn appart by the remaining Quth Maren.
The Men lose their nerve and retreat turns into Route.
8 of the 10 Drow warriors are killed during the last stand.
Velina, enraged by the 'Pathetic humans' Trap. Burns Down the Village.
She does not have Create Undead Set, nor does she have any Onyx on hand - I would have to think of something humiliating and cruel for Velina to do to them.
A mix of 20-26 Soldiers and Civilians survive the horror - meeting Aegrist on the Road.
Velina considers the raid to be a failure , despite her sucess. Her next attack will be far - Far more vicious.
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'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup' |
Edited by - Fendrikor on 25 Jan 2014 16:58:17 |
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Fendrikor
Learned Scribe
Australia
189 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jan 2014 : 16:55:30
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As the DM though, i could just have Animate dead Set instead of Spider form (which is a very lolthy spell for a cleric of Kiaransalee....)
In which case, when Lieutenant Aegrist arrives - there will be 22 Skeletons for him to Contend with (She chose Skeletons as it warms her icy heart to watch the flesh slew off the animating bones). |
'Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup' |
Edited by - Fendrikor on 25 Jan 2014 16:56:05 |
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To Battle! A Skirmish at Coldsprings...
