Defeating the Gordian

Summary

In Session 5 of the campaign, the party executed a coordinated final assault on the hostile Gordian creature that had been guarding a pumpkin field. The battle reached its climax when Cat fired an arrow that pinned the creature to the ground, immobilizing it completely. Vasso, enraged and having abandoned his shield earlier in the maze, charged the immobilized Gordian and delivered a devastating two-handed sword attack that dealt 12 total damage (9 base plus 3 from his Exterminatus class move against evil creatures), killing the creature. Sucks, despite being smashed by a pumpkin-wielding attack that dealt 5 damage and left him covered in pumpkin guts, contributed to the finishing touches by spraying expired neon silly string into the corpse's mouth and setting it ablaze.

Details

The encounter began with Cat taking position atop the cart to gain a clear vantage point. Cat's arrow arced through the sky and struck true, piercing through the side of the Gordian's pumpkin body and into the dirt beneath it, effectively pinning the creature in place. As Cat called out, "Guys. I hit it in the button. Do whatever you need to do."

Sucks attempted to aid the assault by spraying expired neon silly string on the creature to make it more visible, but failed the roll. The Gordian retaliated by wielding a pumpkin like a meteor hammer, smashing Sucks on the head for 5 damage. The pumpkin exploded on impact, covering Sucks in pumpkin matter. Despite this setback, the creature stood drooling and unable to move, held fast by Cat's arrow.

Vasso seized the opportunity, charging the immobilized creature in a state of rage. Having lost his shield earlier in the maze, Vasso gripped his sword two-handed and launched into a furious combination attack: "I come at it and strike down to the right and slash into it. And then I lift it up and I slash it again." He followed with a jumping stomp, driving both feet onto the creature while plunging his sword deep into its stalk: "And then I jump on it, both feet and then stab it right down in the stalk and press my sword, right. And like I basically sword and the stoned this thing because my so deep inside I'm like wildly enraged at this thing."

The attack dealt 12 total damage—9 base damage plus an additional 3 from Vasso's Exterminatus ability, which grants bonus damage against evil creatures. The Gordian's vines writhed and wiggled for a few moments before going still.

With the creature dead, Sucks walked over to the corpse, sprayed silly string into its mouth, and lit it on fire, declaring: "Team effort."

Participants

• Cat — Provided critical battlefield control by firing the arrow that pinned the Gordian to the ground, immobilizing it for the killing blow
• Vasso — Delivered the killing blows with a devastating two-handed sword combination attack while enraged, dealing 12 total damage
• Sucks — Attempted to mark the target with silly string but failed the roll and took 5 damage from a pumpkin strike; provided the finishing touch by setting the corpse on fire
• Gordian — The hostile creature defeated in this encounter

Consequences

• The Gordian was killed, ending the threat it posed to the pumpkin field
• Sucks took 5 damage and was covered in exploded pumpkin matter
• Vasso had already lost his shield earlier in the maze and fought the final encounter wielding his sword two-handed
• The party was left injured and covered in pumpkin guts but victorious
• The silly string was expended in the battle's aftermath