PotA Session 20

Wherein we see the effect of the right spell in the right situation.  Twice.

First, we had to deal with some map confusion.  Feathergale Spire stands on the edge of the Sighing Valley, through which flows the Lost River.  This river is not to be confused with the Dessarin River which flows through the Dessarin Valley, but it was.  So it took some time to work out that the party needed to go farther than just the other side of the canyon.  Eventually they decided to follow the Larch Trail up to the cross road, head east to the Stone Bridge and then down the river to the monastery.  So, the long way around, but they wouldn't run into any of the other keeps.

Looking for thematic encounters, I noticed that the Sighing Valley was home to blood hawks.  I figured I'd mix it up a little and have them attacked by a flock of small things.  What I failed to notice until I started was the LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE of two dozen small opponents.  Apparently I had blocked the memory of the giant tower battle, because otherwise, you'd think I would have learned something.

The blood hawk encounter lasted two rounds, and took up most of the session.  At least I didn't give them all separate initiatives.  They attacked, and the group got lots of practice with opportunity attacks as they flew past.  Then we got our first right spell in the right situation:  Lilliandra cast Sleep.  Which starts with the lowest hit points.  The wounded birds took 1d6 falling damage, which killed 3-4 outright and left another 3-4 injured.  Most of the fighters used readied actions to attack birds as they closed, and the spellcasters had plenty of ranged options.  So even though there were a lot of targets, the group made steady progress.  In the end, 20 blood hawks died and 4 escaped.

The hippogriff had been hit by three attacks and was down to 25% HP.  Freyja and Maendir had to do some tag-team animal wrangling to calm her down enough for Truth to provide healing.

I rolled for a benign encounter as well, so I had them meet a party of dwarves heading south, coming from a pilgrimage to the Stone Bridge.  Su'uvarax spoke dwarvish and rolled very well on his clan identification, so they had a jolly meeting, spoiled only by some heavy rain in the night, and the cart pony's discomfort with a lurking hippogriff.

I was reluctant to get into the next encounter so late, but we decided we might as well get started.  So the next day, they were attacked by a chimera.  Lots of ranged attacks as it closed, but the thing has a ton of hit points.  Most of the party scattered, but it was able to catch Silaqui and Miyamoto in its fire breath, and they both fell down.  Su'uvarax pulled them to shelter and stabilized Silaqui; Lilliandra cast Healing Word on Miyamoto.

Then came our second right spell for the right situation.  The group had rolled to see what they knew about chimera, and most of them were pretty knowledgeable.  Truth wanted to know if it was intelligent and territorial.  When the answers came back "no" and "yes," he cast Phantasmal Force to create an illusory chimera.  The real chimera was fooled and used its recovered flame breath on its "rival."

We ended the session after the second round of combat.  Next time, we finish that up and travel to the Stone Bridge.  Since they'll be hiking along the river after that, I need to prep some of the more watery foes.  I'm thinking a tag team of will-o-wisps and hag would be interesting.