AD&D Session 9.5: Stonehenge Showdown

In the last... ish session, the party chased after the anticleric Corby, following his trail to the edge of the Roaming Forest. After making a pact with the wicked spirit of the forest, they delved into that strange otherworld, discovered a diabolic guardian and a portal to a castle suspended above Hell. Making yet more pacts, they received guidance on defeating Corby and rushed, injured and exhausted to meet him. Now standing across from the villain and his protectors, what will they do? Shall they turn tail and run? Shall they fight? Shall they win, or die? Join this week's journey to find out...

The Party

Agatha, human paladin with a smiling-masked samurai helm, played by Anne

Ingvar Duram, human cleric with an extravagant tricorn hat, played by Jackson

Nachman, human mage with an open-faced plain helm, played by Ali

    Sidonius of Willow Creek, very buff fighter

Dany Mossé, human ranger with a spike-and-plumed helm, played by Finn

Sir Hulodrin, and Sir Vertoful, knights of Chamrousse, played by Cao Linh

Casualties

None!

Loot

Map to the Tormentor

Helm of Opposite Alignment (sealed by the church)

The Joyhammer+2

Plate+1

The Game

28 High Summer 1113 (Team Holy)

• The party stood just feet away from Corby and his gnoll minions amid the shadows of the henge. Seeing their enemy right across from them, words did not delay action. 
• The gnolls sprang into action, launching javelins and closing with polearms, but failed to land more than a scratch on the party. Corby prepared a spell, but Dany and Agatha broke past the gnolls and reached him, injuring the anticleric and canceling his spell. 
• Corby retaliated with his magical dancing hammer and healed himself with a potion, but the rest of the party likewise managed to reach him. Nachman smote him with lightning, and even under the gnolls' continued assault, Corby was downed, reaching exactly 0 hit points and knocked out!
• Seeing their leader incapacitated and realizing their enemies were still combat-ready, the gnolls retreated into the woods. 
• The party swiftly trussed Corby up, crushed the oak leaf and returned to the threshold of the Roaming Forest. 

3 Reaping 1113

• They sent a messenger pigeon to Chamrousse, and within three days, and extremely bedraggled church delegation arrived. By that time, Corby was still firmly incapacitated, and with the aid of the prelate, the helm of opposite alignment was removed from his head and secured in a sigil-carven chest. 

Finally!

• Corby, returning to his old self after ten years of evil deeds, was both joyful and distraught. He told them many things about the inner workings of Hell, the various plots of evil, the new hiding place of the Grayl of Good and Bad Destiny, and the plot to awaken the great demon known as the Tormentor... but that must wait for another day...
• The Cascabel campaign is briefly on hold, but during this time I am playtesting the House of Pestilence with my regular group! Expect an update soon. Until then, have an excellent week!

Takeaways

You know, I really thought I had them this time. 

For a while now, I've persistently underestimated what sort of combats are sufficient to challenge my players. I think this is at least in part because two characters have very high exceptional strength, and thus punch well above normal expectations in combat. I figured increased numebrs would do the trick, but the gnolls kept missing! 

I suppose I have to update my expectations and include large numbers of foes, each of which is more powerful individually. This needs some mulling over. 

It's also rather cathartic to have this plot thread from several years ago at least partly resolved. The story of Corby the Joyous now has a happy ending!