Doug Sundseth Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 (edited) For hobgoblins defending a fortress, let's assume a guard force of 40, 4 squads of 6 privates, 2 corporals, and one sergeant, a captain and his lieutenant, a sorcerer, and some sort of medic/cleric. I'd have one squad on watch and one as a rapid reaction squad. The on-watch squad would have a corporal and 2 privates on watch at the main gate, a private at the sally port, a corporal and 3 privates on the wall watching the (well-cleared) approaches to the fort, and the sergeant wandering about looking for slackers or doing paperwork. The rapid-reaction force would be stationed in the gatehouse between the outer and inner bailey, in armor with weapons nearby, and probably working on gear maintenance or other chores. Of the remaining two squads, one would be asleep and the other off duty but awake. At any given time, probably 3 of the officers/casters would be awake on a similar duty cycle. If a significant force is seen approaching, the rapid reaction squad would be brought forward to the point of greatest thread, and the off-duty squads would be alerted to don their armor and be ready to fight. They would take over the defense of the inner bailey while the rapid-reaction squad aided the defense of the outer bailey. There would likely be minor alarms and possibly traps in the cleared area outside the walls. The sally port would be heavily alarmed and probably trapped in addition to the on-watch private. The main gate would be closed and the portcullis down unless the garrison was expecting someone. In the latter case, the garrison would probably be on alert (and grumbling about long duty, of course.) I would expect wall guards to have some combination of light ballistae and bows or crossbows while on watch in addition to their melee weapons. And there might well be heavier siege equipment in the inner bailey, available to respond to besiegers. Edited November 20, 2017 by Doug Sundseth 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaganMegan Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 On 11/18/2017 at 6:25 PM, TheAuldGrump said: I have to add a few things to the Sam version of Beyond the Borderlands.... It apparently suffers from a lack of cranky black dragons with Scottish accents and good natured medusas that sculpt.... Sam apparently told her parents all about the cranky dragon. The Auld Grump She told me all about the cranky dragon. She thinks that going in and talking to him anyway is doing a good thing. He is lonely and doesn't know it. 18 hours ago, Doug Sundseth said: For hobgoblins defending a fortress, let's assume a guard force of 40, 4 squads of 6 privates, 2 corporals, and one sergeant, a captain and his lieutenant, a sorcerer, and some sort of medic/cleric. I'd have one squad on watch and one as a rapid reaction squad. The on-watch squad would have a corporal and 2 privates on watch at the main gate, a private at the sally port, a corporal and 3 privates on the wall watching the (well-cleared) approaches to the fort, and the sergeant wandering about looking for slackers or doing paperwork. The rapid-reaction force would be stationed in the gatehouse between the outer and inner bailey, in armor with weapons nearby, and probably working on gear maintenance or other chores. Of the remaining two squads, one would be asleep and the other off duty but awake. At any given time, probably 3 of the officers/casters would be awake on a similar duty cycle. If a significant force is seen approaching, the rapid reaction squad would be brought forward to the point of greatest thread, and the off-duty squads would be alerted to don their armor and be ready to fight. They would take over the defense of the inner bailey while the rapid-reaction squad aided the defense of the outer bailey. There would likely be minor alarms and possibly traps in the cleared area outside the walls. The sally port would be heavily alarmed and probably trapped in addition to the on-watch private. The main gate would be closed and the portcullis down unless the garrison was expecting someone. In the latter case, the garrison would probably be on alert (and grumbling about long duty, of course.) I would expect wall guards to have some combination of light ballistae and bows or crossbows while on watch in addition to their melee weapons. And there might well be heavier siege equipment in the inner bailey, available to respond to besiegers. Or a smaller force, in a tighter pass. A small fortification to hold the pass and extort "tolls" from the people going through. Using a cave or a mine as a living area, not giving the PCs any idea of how many hobblegobbles there are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted November 21, 2017 Share Posted November 21, 2017 5 hours ago, PaganMegan said: She told me all about the cranky dragon. She thinks that going in and talking to him anyway is doing a good thing. He is lonely and doesn't know it. Are you saying that I am running an ABC Afterschool Special? Gah... thinking about it, yes, yes I have.... The Auld Grump 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 We have officially sailed off course, and abandoned the main Adventure Path in the kids game - too many adult plot points, and, really, the kids are pretty much making up their own plots now. Skull & Shackles is a fine adventure path - and I recommend it - but maybe not for nine year old players. (The first two books went fine.) The Auld Grump - I need to name the cranky dragon - who, even in my own notes, is only called 'The Cranky Dragon'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 I love image hunting for games.... Now add a creepy doll.... The Auld Grump 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingTornado Posted November 23, 2017 Share Posted November 23, 2017 I'm not gonna quote em all because holy crap that's gonna clutter everything, but thanks to all who answered my Hobgoblin question! Maybe I should've given more background though. It's not their stronghold, rather it's a castle on a mountain they've been hired to serve as guards on. (why should hobgoblins always be warbands anyway?) Namely this castle I posted before. https://imgur.com/a/8gyX8 I'm mainly trying to figure out how a standard "shift" might be based on the bunks and the arrow slits and the ramparts and the space.... They're probably not expecting a standing army since the current occupiers took it from its abandoned state (the players should become the rightful owners once they return Blackrazor to the king). I got four ranks of military hobgoblins (plus a caster), the standard one, the sergeant, the captain and the warlord... 19 beds in the barracks, two three-story guard towers at the gate, one large central tower with arrow slits at the back, couple more towers around the bridge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 Got an e-mail from Sam's parents - they noticed a trend in the names of NPCs... Hedgewega - a Hedgewitch. Hearthwega - also a Hedgewitch, halfling in this case. Hernewega - a witch. Hernewega - a druid (not the same person as above) Urdwega - an Annis hag. Nachtwega - a night hag. Hardwega - a witch. Wega is the local dialect's term for 'witch' - but is typically given, rather than claimed. So a hag, druid, or sorcerer is also quite likely to be called Wega as well. Many last names are earned, not inherited. On the other hand, one lawful evil bandit king is called The Kind - last year was a hard winter - and the evil bandit... rounded up all the people, herded them into his castle, and redistributed their food in such a way that no one starved to death in the long cold winter. And the peasants remember this. The Auld Grump - many people in the setting are outlaws - people that have fled the civilized lands, to survive outside of the law. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingTornado Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Am I alone in designing encounter areas trying to fit as much variety as I can? I dunno, like when I designed a quest for vengeance against a white dragon I not only had the white dragon, but also the kobolds he coerced into servitude. And their pet raptors. And the gnolls he hired. And the lone drow warrior he hired. And the warrior from this dragon-helping clique. And the allosaurus. And the helmed horror he got to guard a bridge. And then there's the local green hag he allied himself with. And the assorted awakened tree and ugly critters she controlled. And the white guard drake he gifted to her. And the giant spiders, giant scorpions, bullette and ankhegs that were just part of the local wildlife. I once had a quick crawl through a wizard's tower that was just "how many abberations can I fit in this thing?". Right now the keep I'm populating has hobgoblins, goblins, an ogre cook, some gargoyles, a yuan-ti pureblood, a female warrior, a hag, some vampire spawn (the hag's "children"), a witch working for the hag, some lycantrope carpenters, some evil dwarf smiths, a bear, some wargs... and I'm not even done with the first two levels. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokemeister Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 2 hours ago, BlazingTornado said: Am I alone in designing encounter areas trying to fit as much variety as I can? I love that. I'm a massive fan of cramming variety into the experience rather than having to face the same enemy again and again. In my opinion, all you need is a fairly flimsy excuse to get away with it too (this group were hired by the others etc). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) Humble Bundle is hosting a 5e D&D Bundle right now - but at the $1 level is The Mother of All Encounter Tables, which is pretty much system agnostic (well, edition agnostic, at any rate). So, I'm in for a buck. *EDIT* There is one thing that both the really good RPG sessions and the really bad RPG sessions have in common - they are both exhausting. Fortunately, the good sessions are worth it. (We had a good session in the kids game last night - but I am pooped!) The Auld Grump Edited December 6, 2017 by TheAuldGrump 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 And sending Sam's parents the current PDF for Beyond the Borderlands - if they are happy with the illos, then it is done. (It took a bit longer than planned - minor changes from the last pass.) And then I found out that Sam hadn't told them about the Charm Person/Cure Light Wounds incident - which I still consider a crowning moment of awesome. (Not just my opinion - pretty much everyone I have told about it feels the same.) Levels 3-9 (or 10). Three maps, which funnel the PCs along, with the one closest to The Keep on the Borderlands being the lowest levels. Some encounters based on the illos, some based on what minis the parents have in Bones, and the Cranky Dragon - who will also be a Christmas present for her. (Ebonwrath - unpainted, but if she wants me to paint it then the parents are willing to hire me. But given how she has been enjoying painting minis herself, I am not expecting to paint it. ) They are asking about a ruined city adventure... but at this point, I have nothing but a blank space in my mind, in that regard. The best Ruined City adventures that I can think of were Pavis and Big Rubble for Runequest, and Hollowfaust in The Scarred Lands for 3.X. Big Rubble - where the monsters do understand the word 'surrender' and also the word 'ransom'. And are willing to both surrender and pay ransom, as well as letting PCs surrender, then holding them for ransom. Hollowfaust, where the armies of the undead march forth every year, leaving a trail of construction in their wake. The necromancers of Hollowfaust do understand the meaning of the term 'good public relations'.... But from the history of the area... we would be looking at Druagr and/or Fire Giant ruins. The Auld Grump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingTornado Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 New player, before joining my game: "What does the party need?" "Another frontliner is good, and the party's tactics often leave em short on heals, so a paladin is probably best." "Eh, I'll make an eldritch knight." First session with new player: "Maybe I should have made a paladin." "That IS what I recommended." Second session: "I REALLY should have made a paladin." 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaganMegan Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 18 hours ago, BlazingTornado said: New player, before joining my game: "What does the party need?" "Another frontliner is good, and the party's tactics often leave em short on heals, so a paladin is probably best." "Eh, I'll make an eldritch knight." First session with new player: "Maybe I should have made a paladin." "That IS what I recommended." Second session: "I REALLY should have made a paladin." Never let Grump play a paladin. You will either get The Wrath of the Gods or Don Quixote. I wouldn' t want to play a paladin at all. An Eldritch Knight sounds cool though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlazingTornado Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Eldritch Knight are quarter-casters. Basically Fighters who get four levels of spells in place of some martial options. The name makes em sound cooler than they are. Paladins are better. I just wish people would get over themselves with their edgy deconstructions of the archetype. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAuldGrump Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 18 minutes ago, PaganMegan said: Never let Grump play a paladin. You will either get The Wrath of the Gods or Don Quixote. I wouldn' t want to play a paladin at all. An Eldritch Knight sounds cool though. Hey! I also do Lancelot! C'est moi! C'est moi! I am forced to admit! 'Tis I, I humbly reply! That mortal who, These marvels can do! C'est moi! C'est moi! Tis I! Or maybe - Fie On Goodness Fie by YeAuldGrump, on Flickr (The answer to the question on the poster is All of Them - taken from a now defunct webcomic titled Five Star.) The Auld Grump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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