"The eye of Deneith sees everywhere, scum!"
My right hand slips from the grip of the crossbow, pulling the punching dagger free of its quick sheath, and slipping sideways to maximize the advantage, slip it home.
Attack roll: 19 + 4 + 2 (Flanking) + 1 (HF) = 26
Damage: 3 + 3 = 6
Sneak Attack: 2
Trose's dagger slams through the links of the reeling gnoll's chain shirt and between its ribs. It grunts and then its knees give way.
Runzyl's battle frenzy continues as he steps quickly away from Rodergo and back into the fray, launching a flurry of attacks at the nearby gnolls.
Runzyl's first two attacks pull the gnoll attacked by Bool and Ceshto out of position, the final blow dispatches it was a groin to throat rip.
The axe just ahead of him has Ezreal's full and undivided attention. It had cut through his arcane protection with ease, tore through the torso of his long sleeved black jacket as he tried to dodge back away from the blade and- as his heart froze with fear- he was sure it continued on trailing an arc of his blood in the air behind it. Miraculously- the blade finished it's circuit still clean. Before that hyena faced b-astard had a chance to finish the job, Ezreal was backpedaling to get a little space between them. He fired off the wand reflexively in his retreat, but the bolt of electricity flew wildly off target...
Ceshto interposes himself between Ezreal and his assailant. However, the gnoll doges out of the way from his blow. Drim continues to haemmorage from her smashed pelvis.
Rodergo moves to mercenary D with his healing wand out, .
.
Drim stops bleeding, her wounds heal over and her bones begin to knit back in place. Her eyes flutter open and she gazes at Rodergo in some surprise.
Lightbringer swings his blade in an upward arc, splitting the gnoll he faces from groin to neck, then spins to assess the situation as it falls. Janosz, Trose and Arek are making short work of the remaining gnolls left on this side of the field, so Lightbringer turns and races back to attack the gnoll that is threatening Ezreal, desperate to take it down before it can do significant damage to the mage.
The gnoll sways as Lightbringer's blow crashes into its side, but it somehow stays standing.
The gnolls look somewhat resigned but press their attack. One attacks Ceshto, and connects a hefty blow, but the half-orc fights on unfazed. The other swipes at Lightbringer but misses by a wide margin.
Janosz hurtles down the yard, greatclub raised. He blindsides the nearest gnoll and gives it a mighty whack in the ribs. It exhales explosively, but remains standing.
Arek looks curiously at Trose. "Why you keep yell 'Deneith'?" We is Tharashk, no?" He turns to the melee across the yard and leans on his axe. "They die soon - blood and glory."
"Let the 'all seeing eye' deal with any fallout from this," I say waving my hand around.
"Com'on," I say turning towards the inner buildings and away from the fight against the gnolls. I start looking for any buildings that might be particularly important, especially ones without windows, or with chained doors.
I move 30' towards the most likely candidate building.
Lightbringer rushes into the battle, blocking Runzyl's intended path, but the battle frenzy sends him into the gnoll before him with blades whirling. As the gnoll before him falls beneath the whirlwind of blades, Runzyl hops forward, not losing momentum, and carries out the rest of his vicious dance on the gnoll behind the first one.
(har har...hardy har har)
Runzyl steps up and gives the gnolls the final blows. They collapse in gory heaps.
The party takes the time to view the rest of the yard.
As Runzyl completes the final strike, he quickly snaps his head to both sides, looking for any active threats. Once the field is clear, Runzyl nearly collapses to his knees and breathes heavily. Slowly and with great effort, he returns his blood-soaked blade to it's sheath.
The gore-splattered elf raises his head wearily to smile at his companions. A shred of cloth has been wrapped around his head as a makeshift bandage, the bright red blood slowly turning towards deeper shades of red beneath as it cools. His fingers are weak, his breathing labored, and he coughs with every breath as the ogre's blow had almost certainly cracked a rib.
"Well fought..." he croaks. "The ancestors would be proud." The elf takes a moment to gather himself... and lets out a small chuckle as he surveys the carnage.
Janosz wanders over to the gnoll he shot twice and yanks the arrows out of its head before picking up Lightbringer's bow. "Well fought, gentlemen", he says while critically examining the used bolts. Finding them to be in working order, he slides them back into his quiver. The ones sticking out of the ogre, however, are not salvageable. He gives the dead giant's head an annoyed kick before turning back to his compatriots. "Now, where could the kidnapped priest be? We might want to be kinda quick in searching the place - even a neighbourhood this crappy might have a police service. Why don't you start with the unlocked sheds, while I look underneath the wooden slats in the yard?"
“You fought well my friend,” states Lightbringer to Runzyl. “In fact, we have all fought well this day. But it is not over yet, Janosz says it truly, we must search this place.”
He kneels down by Runzyl. “The power of the Flame should allow me to heal you, if you are in desperate need. However, the Flamebearer’s wand may be more effective.”
"Is anyone else injured? I've healed Runzyl, our mercenary (D), and Janosz. Runzyl,...please I implore you be more careful; we do so enjoy your company here and you have eternity to boast and drink in the hero halls of the ancestors." Rodergo gives the elf a knowing wink and a smile.
"If at all possible, brave gallant, do save your touch for me; if only to keep me about to heal the rest. You're the only one in our small cadre that can heal me if I'm laid low."
“Yes, good thinking Flamebearer, I will do so. I am unsure whether I can use the wand we have purchased, so I will reserve my healing ability, praying, of course, that it is not required.”
"Now where is that crossbow I've dropped? Aah...there it is. Janosz, that's a splendid idea. Lightbringer, can you sense any wickedness about these buildings?"
"Heh heh. I'll take your advice to heart, Flamebearer. Shouldn't be too hard to keep in mind - after all, I prefer to go through all my fights unscathed." Janosz turns towards the guard dogs. "Speaking of unhurt - these guys aren't currently itching for a fight, but that might change, especially with the smell of blood this heavy in the air. Believe me, we don't want them to suddenly regain their bravery while we're not paying attention. My suggestion is to just open the gate and let them run away to join a pack of feral dogs somewhere in this city. Can't possibly be any worse than being owned and trained by gnolls."
"I'm scared they may kill a hapless urchin somewhere. If we can, we should trap them in a building or put the fell things down. Janosz, can you look at the scramblings in the dirt, perhaps tell exactly which of these ramshackle huts from whence these hyena headed knaves and their gruesome squadleader emerged? Or Runzyl, did you see it from your perch?"
“If someone more proficient with a rope can bind this one,” Lightbringer indicates the unconscious gnoll, “we can possibly get some information out of him. Either way, we can deposit him with the Watch once we are done here.”
Lightbringer heads to the large sheds to the west, and begins trying to detect evil from within them.
"Or Runzyl, did you see it from your perch?"
The elf nods, seeming to have finally caught his breath. "Yes, they came from over there," he pointed at the shed that abutts the cliff, it's doors still hanging open. "The ogre came from within as well."
He smiles in response to Lightbringer's request to tie up the gnoll. "Certainly. If anyone has brought rope, I am passably skilled with it."
"Aye, we should bind him fast. And search these fallen for gear and coin. Shall we split up into two groups and search these sheds?"
"Trose should see to that lock I'll warrant."
Janosz nods at Rodergo. "Two good ideas. I'll get right to it."
“I do not have any rope, although we do have some manacles. If the guards came from that tunnel, then it is likely that the prisoners would be held down there as well – unless, perhaps, they are kept in this padlocked shed?
“But perhaps we should make haste down the tunnel, it will not be long before any defenders left within realise that the guards out here have been defeated.”