Session 77 - Elven Sorceress Beatdowns - Day 841 11/16/2022

 Session 77 - Elven Sorceress Beatdowns - Day 841 11/16/2022

The Stormbringers Track Down "Some Bandits"

The City of Aeravir once again threw some big coin at the Stormbringers to track down and crush bandits. The players are fully confident they can overwhelm the bandits and set off right away. This time they bring the freshly trained monk Jeremy, run by a player who hasn't been able to get this PC into big action for time. It's rumored that the bandits have a high level magic user in tow. The players form a rough plan to get the monk into grappling range and put the hurt on that spell slinger.

I note that the bandits are approximate 120 strong, with the usual high level fighter _and_ the high level magic-user. The players don't know this, but the NPC generation reveals a 10th level MU CE elf and she's female. This gets my imagination going. To me it's clear that she's a narcissist having a good time with her new found man-toy. They are taking advantage of the lull in the recent unpleasantness to rob and loot.

The players have outlined their plan of travel. I see that within a mile or so, as per the DMG, I should roll surprise, and if the die roll indicates surprise, it means that "fortress" is aware and has sent a welcoming party. Indeed, the die shows a "1", where the player's roll is not a 1 or a 2. (This roll was made "behind the screen.")

So the bandits are aware and have sent forward a scouting group of all the mounted men. Once they get a good look at the Stormbringers they retreat right away. The Stormbringers have well over 200 men, and lots of ranged units. 

After a few minutes of deploying into a formation, the Stormbringers press on. They soon realize the bandits have built up a fortification across the road, backed up by some archers. Behind all that are several mounted groups. The players want to know where the enemy magic user is! 

We have some discussion about how many ways we've interpreted AoE in AD&D. Yes, outdoors the range is always "inches = yards", and yes, spells AoE is "inches = feet", but we also know that there is an exception and that is when you are using 1:0 scaling, which we are at this moment. Jeremy's player objects - surely this means you need 10 mages to use AoE of "inches = yards". That's not how I saw it, so I use my fascist DM fiat to throw out this heresy.

(I am still not sure if the player was wrong, but we will debate that later.)

In any case the players tie up the forward units with a mass assault, while their ranged units have middling results due to the forest cover. Mounted Stormbringers swing wide around the flanks, Jeremy on foot with ridiculous movement rates on foot! Finally the enemy MU reveals herself by launching a Summon Monster III, but that thing wont show up for (as I rolled for it) 4 rounds!

Elven Mean Girl, Hala, Princess and Sorcerer

The players close the distance and it's a fight between the enemy bandit leader (10th level Fighter) and the PCs. The high level fighter can't make use of his extra attacks as there are other higher level fighters in the same melee. THE PLAYERS RUIN MY FUN ALL THE TIME. Jeremy handily grappled the elf sorceress and proceeds to pummel and strangle her into unconsciousness,

The bandit leader doesn't want to leave this choice lass behind, but ultimately fails to retrieve her and high tails it out on horseback. 

The players are satisfied with their take - many gems and a the personal effects of the sorceress, including her spell books! It turns out she's royalty, too. She has an interesting magic potion, some sort of love charm, perhaps? The players sell the spell books to Master Huldor of Olbemay Tower for another huge gain of money. They ransom the lady to the City, and she's the City's problem now.