Seeing Sajan grapple the gnoll leader, Zeladiel ducks back around the corner into the cross tunnel , levels his bow and fires a focused shot at the bow-wielding gnoll being attacked by Linah's spiritual weapon.
+1 longbow, point blank
damage, point blank, focused shot
Zeladiel's shot is good, penetrating the gnoll's chainshirt to punch into its ribs and driving it back a step. The gnoll takes a quick glance behind itself.
Grappled and with its two companions down in a matter of seconds, the gnoll Sajan is holding does its best to free itself. Its strong but Sajan is stronger with a good grip on it and it fails to break the monk's firm grip.
Break Grapple fail
Seeing Grall turn toward it with no other enemies, it yells loudly in gnoll.
Slayerrs! Slayerrs in the Temple!
iu
First Contact
Round 3
Ordered Initiative
Khalid 21
Grall 13
Nuveril 11a
Linah 11b
Sajan 11c
Zeladiel 9
Gnolls w/chain shirts 7
??
Effects
- Mage Armour (Sajan, Zeladiel)
- Light (Linah, Khalid)
- Spiritual weapon (Linah)
Notes
- Excavated corridors are a bit over seven feet high, the other structures look higher.
- Note light rules. A light spell generates 20'of normal light and 20' of dim light (20% miss). Zeladiel doubles the later to 40'.
Over the sounds of the skirmish you can hear the roaring cut off abruptly. Slavering, growling noises take their place and whatever it is seems to approach rapidly up the western corridor, apparently pausing not far from the edge of Khalid's light (and Zeladiel's vision).
Khalid's bolt takes the gnoll in the stomache, adding to its injuries and drawing a yowl of pain. It clearly can't take much more punishment.
The gnoll launches another missile at Khalid that misses high. It seems reluctant to move further up the corridor.
Composite Longbow vs Khalid
"Sounds like something worth a fight on the other side of that half-dead gnoll," Nuveril smiles, as she charges.
I am sorry brother, but Grall the lightbringer has come. You sided with the Carrion King instead of our people so you must die so that our people may live on!
5' step to the grappled leader and attack...
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Sajan looks at Grall for a moment, covered in blood and gore, teeth stained with the flesh of other Gnolls. He sighs deeply.
I have failed you as a teacher, Grall. This is not how you scout.
Held fast in Sajan's grip, the gnoll can do little but try and throw its shield in the way of Grall's sword. Its desperate attempt is unsuccesful though, the falchion crashing into its side and ripping through its armour. Grall follows up with another bite, this time to its armour.
The gnoll sags in Sajan's hold, close to falling, its shouts weakening.
Finally able to come to grips with something, Nuveril doesn't waste her opportunity, smashing her hammer into the archer's knee and following up with a blow to the head as it falls, unconscious.
There is definately something in front of her, the rich, cloying scent of blood fills her nostrils.
Sajan tightens his grip and slams his free hand into the Gnoll's face, his brass knuckles utterly ruining the Gnoll.
CMB to maintain grapple
Damage
Zeladiel casts gravity bow and stands his ground, covering Nuveril.
Held fast in Sajan's grip, the gnoll can do little but try and throw its shield in the way of Grall's sword. Its desperate attempt is unsuccesful though, the falchion crashing into its side and ripping through its armour. Grall follows up with another bite, this time to its shoulder.
With the only remaining visible enemy seemingly under control and with no immediate medical emergencies, Linah delays, her flaming scimitar continuing to slice at the fallen archer. Without Linah's attention the spell seems to skew a bit though, coming close to Nuveril.
Spiritual weapon miss
The force of Sajan's punch blasts the gnoll's nose back into its brain. It twitches once, then dies but by then the monk is already moving back up the corridor.
Zeladiel casts his spell, his longbow shimmering briefly as the transmutation settles on it.
First Contact
Round 4
Ordered Initiative
Gnoll Beasts 22
Khalid 21
Grall 13
Nuveril 11a
Linah 11b
Sajan 11c
Zeladiel 9
Effects
- Mage Armour (Sajan, Zeladiel)
- Light (Linah, Khalid)
- Spiritual Weapon (Linah)
- Gravity Bow (Zeladiel)
Notes
- Excavated corridors are a bit over seven feet high, the other structures are higher.
- Note light rules. A light spell generates 20'of normal light and 20' of dim light (20% miss). Zeladiel doubles the later to 40'.
The apparent roarers make themselves known as a solid mass of bloated muscle and matted fur rushes into Khalid's light. A gnoll beast, similar to the one you fought in Kelmarane right down to the patch of scar tissue in the centre of its hairy forehead. Its dagger sized claws and large mouth are coated in what looks like fresh blood. Its smell is horrendous.
The creature has to more or less squat to get through the natural tunnel but rises to most of its ten or so feet of height as it gets to the worked section. Sniffling, it ignores the flaming scimitar, glancing once at the fallen gnoll before setting its gaze on Nuveril. It hoots in delight at the sight of the small warrior, rushing right up to her and lashing out very fast with its right claw. Nuveril sees the blow coming but can only move to minimise the damage and she takes a deep cut to the back. The beast hoots again in pleasure.
Claw vs Nuveril hit possible crit
Crit confirm confirmed
A second beast follows the first, hunched over in the natural corridor. However, with Nuveril blocking the first beast it has no way to get through. Stopping just behind its companion, it growls in anger and frustration.
Grall moves to BZ 217 tumbling the last 10'
and attacks the Gnoll-like beast
Nuveril exults, falling into her rage. It seems like a lifetime since she faced an gnoll in battle, not some strange flying creature or snake-thing skulking in the heat.
Khalid's tumble takes him in under the sweeping claws of the gnoll beast, Tempest glowing with the force of his channeled energy. The effect doesn't seem potent against the gnoll beast though and his strikes deflect off the creature's tough hide.
You don't really know much about the creature itself but the scarring on the forehead, physical size and general bloating suggests some variation on a dangerous magical ritual known as the Growing of the Third Eye.
Most often associated with the cult of Lamashtu, its essentially trepanation or cutting a hole into a creature’s brain, just between its eyes. This is said to grant a third eye, and when done properly with the appropriate rituals, humanoids who undergo the painful and grisly ritual (and live) seem to gain strange insights and potentially greatly increased physical strength at the cost of destruction of at least part of the mind.
However it was done, creating these creatures would have taken a lot of very specialised knowledge.
Grall too manages to get in close without injury, landing several solid hits while the first beast focuses on Nuveril.
Which doesn't help in keeping the halfling's hammer from it. Nuveril darts in low, striking decisively with both hands and managing several damaging blows with her hammer before sinking the spikes of her new shield deeply into the creature's groin.
The onslaught from gnoll and halfling has the creature badly wounded, although it shows no sign of slowing down.
Linah's scimitar finishes the unconscious archer while the priestess moves up behind Sajan (BW,221) and channels, healing Khalid, Nuveril and Grall's wounds.
Channel healed
Spiritual weapon
Sajan advances slowly, swiftly drawing and hurling two shuriken at the beast as he closes in. The first is a clear miss but the second strikes the beast in its head.
Zeladiel unleashes another arrow into the closest beast. This arrow buzzes with arcane energies from his previous spell.
The arrow dips slightly before striking its target and instead of sticking into the beast, the arrow punches through it with extraordinary force.
Hurled with great force, Sajan's shuriken buries deeply into the beast's neck presenting an excellent opportunity for Zeladiel who takes full advantage. The enhanced arrow hits the creature directly in the heart. It roars mightily, its lifeblood pouring onto Nuveril underneath but it does not yet fall.
First Contact
Round 5
Ordered Initiative
Gnoll Beasts 22
Khalid 21
Grall 13
Nuveril 11a
Linah 11b
Sajan 11c
Zeladiel 9
Effects
- Mage Armour (Sajan, Zeladiel)
- Light (Linah, Khalid)
- Spiritual Weapon (Linah)
- Gravity Bow (Zeladiel)
- Frenzy (First gnoll beast)
Notes
- Excavated corridors are a bit over seven feet high, the other structures are higher.
- Note light rules. A light spell generates 20'of normal light and 20' of dim light (20% miss). Zeladiel doubles the later to 40'.
The mortally wounded gnoll beast attacks with even greater vigor than before, determined to shred the annoying halfling almost directly beneath. It throws everything it has to the task, ripping and biting, but Nuveril manages to stay just one step ahead, running directly under and around its legs at one point. The small barbarian emerges, dripping with the gnoll beast's heart blood, but without further injury.
Claw vs Nuveril (frenzy) miss
Claw vs Nuveril (frenzy) miss
Bite vs Nuveril (frenzy) miss
The only thing the second gnoll beast can reach is Grall. The gnoll doesn't seem to be its preferred target, but it reaches around its dying companion quickly enough to get at him. A clumsy opening blow is easily evaded by the gnoll but the beast was just finding its range, and a follow-up smashes into his cheek. A few moments of grogginess is enough opportunity for the beast to lean forward and bite him in the arm.
Claw vs Grall
Claw vs Grall
Bite vs Grall
Grall turns his attention to the beast that just attacked him, he shifts over (BZ/216) and attacks the creature with everything he has:
Unfortunately, Grall trips over the first beasts foot and almost drops his Falchion in the process. He recovers but his attacks are off aim and ill timed....
Khalid moves in for a killing blow on the gnoll beast and he can feel his bane ability aligning with his target. The creature is not willing to be finished so easily though, a flurry of claws sends the inquisitor scrambling backward to avoid serious injury.
Even with his trip, Grall very nearly manages to plant his falchion in the second beast but can manage only glancing blows.
Grinning at the beast's failure to catch up to her in its frenzy, she tries to penetrate its defenses sufficiently to gain the honor of striking the killing blow.
Nuveril pounds the beast again and again in the right leg until it falls to its knees, head lolling forward. Down comes the hammer, smashing into the back of its skull. When the halfling retracts the weapon a large piece of brain comes with it. The beast spasm once, twice, then falls still.
Not done yet apparently, Nuveril steps toward the second beast, raking its side with her shield spikes. As with Grall, she comes close but does not quite damage it significantly.
Linah concentrates on her spiritual weapon bringing it up and around to slice at the remaining beast but it fails to penetrate the creature's hide. Unable to get closer to the wounded Grall without risking attack she waits where she is weapon ready.
Spiritual weapon miss
Zeladiel edges down the corridor a few steps towards the second beast, smoothly nocking and firing another buzzing arrow.