Round 1
Hearing a clanking from behind him that can only signal his brother's mighty charge and sensing a surge from Kul, Ami gets a big smile from under his scarf.
"Come, Yeen! We hunt!" Ami hisses to his cat. The cat responds by making a beeline to the nearest hyena (trying to leave charge room from Kul to the gnoll).
Ami looses a stone at a hyena, signalling the start of something bloody.
to hit;
damage.
Yeen moves in to bite a hyena.
to hit; (bite)
damage.
"Oh, well done, Messire Pent!" Mahdi grins as he sees the gnoll stand unnaturally stiff in the wake of Pent's spell. He reaches down to clap the gnome on the back (and makes a mental note to wash his hand later), then starts jogging forward to join the combat.
HP = 27/28. AC = 18 (T 12 F 16)
Weapon Equipped: Falchion
Conditions: Diseased
Round 1
Kul moves to the held Gnoll with Falchion in hand.
Assuming the Gnoll drops, Kul turns to fight the hyenas.
Kul skewers the helpless gnoll with an immensely powerful strike, while Yeenoghu is just able to take a chunk of flesh from one of the prone hyenas. Amiamble, however, misses with his slingshot.
Suddenly beset by foes, the half-sleeping hyenas quickly bound to their feet, leaving themselves open for attack in the process.
***
The two closest hyenas attack, while the other two circle around to employ a flanking tactic.
Both hyenas miss, although one clips a few hairs off Yeenoghu's fur.
***
Kul spins and brings his Falchion down on one of the circling hyenas:
He then turns and faces the remaining curs.
Round 2
Pent watches the bloodshed, and tries to sort out the animals from the animals. Hyenas only want a pack, some food, some protection. I can relate to that, Sarah, I really can. It's rather a shame that they are woken from a slumber, only to be put to sleep once more, in a more permanent fashion. They're only animals, so will kill to survive. And the poor hyenas met them.
He moves up steathily, and looks to and fro, hoping the quickness of attack brings no death knell noises.
He then turns and faces the remaining curs.
Round 2
Yeen's claw lashes out at the standing hyena.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
Ami and Yeen continue to clobber hyena, 5' stepping as necessary for flank or to continue full attack.
to hit;
damage.
Yeen moves in to bite a hyena and claw
to hit; (bite)
damage.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
Pot crit:
to hit; (bite)
damage.
Round 2
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 1/1 (+2 attack, +3 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 3/3 (1d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued)
Aldebert shoots one of the hyena quickly before dropping his crossbow.
(8 bolts remaining)
He then moves 20’ closer, drawing his guisarme as he does so.
Kul drops one hyena as it rises, while Amiamble and Yeenoghu combine forces to take out another, leaving only two still alive. Aldebert's bolt flies between all the combatants, causing no harm.
As far as Pent can tell, the combat has so far gone quietly and quickly enough that no unwarranted attention should come upon the area. Certainly noone seems to be coming to the rescue as yet.
***
***
"Maybe tussle over a piece of meat jerky. Or laugh like they do. But no. You're too busy huffing and puffing and knocking 'em down bloody to be thinking of jokes, so let me assist you."
"Why wouldn't the shrimp share his treasure?"
"Because he's a little shellfish."
"A halfling cannibal went for a walk and passed his brother."
Ami's slingstaff shoots out at a hyena, matching his cat's ferocity.
to hit;
damage.
Mahdi tears his gaze from the hyenas and the press of battle long enough to give Pent a look of mingled bemusement and incredulity. He shakes his head and fires his crossbow at one of the remaining hyenas.
Round 2
HP = 27/28. AC = 18 (T 12 F 16)
Weapon Equipped: Falchion
Conditions: Diseased
Kul seems focused on the fight. He swings at the next hyena:
Then he turns to Pent, "Wait, I don't get it about the Halfling."
The last two hyenas succumb to the combined attacks of Amiamble, Mahdi, and Kul, neither able to sound much more than a whine of warning before their demise. With the entire engagement over in a span of seconds, the next few moments make it clear that noone has noticed anything amiss.
Pent makes it the rest of the way, slowly, looking all about. When he gets to Kul, he pats him on the thigh. "That was very loose. Took 'em down, with no obstructions. Not constipated at all. Well, the gnoll was impacted, that's for sure. Down in my bowels, did I know that for true."
Pent looks about, for buildings that had not been investigated properly, but he seems to be thinking on more things to say.
Ami whips his head around to see if any of the hyena need more of Yeen's clawed justice. Seeing none, he jumps off Yeen to better scritch the cat's ears and praise him for the fight.
Yeen, for his part, has no interest in the praise but is keenly interested in snapping the necks of the hyenas and tearing out the neck of the gnoll. Yeen take a hyena in his mouth and ragdoll whips it around playfully.
"Good boy, Yeenoghu! Good boy!" Ami coos while his fingers search the gnoll for interesting bits.
Ami focuses his attention on his brother.
"We gave him the whatfor!" Ami smashes his tiny fist into his tiny hand to demonstrate what the 'whatfor' means. "What now, brother?"
Mahdi brushes his hands off, and reslings his crossbow over his shoulder.
"That was well-handled," he says. "I admit it, Messire Pent, I had my doubts. But your prayers carried the day."
Mahdi can, at times, praise other people. He's very gracious like that.
He moves to the window where the gnoll had stood, glancing out to get an idea of the view that this watchtower affords.
Pent beams for two. "You are kind to compliment. Sarah's beautiful like that. My prayers, Her power. I've found I can't be too greedy in asking for Her attentions, what, with all Her followers clamoring for Her love." Pent moves to Mahdi's side, and takes a long look at the tube.
Pent stops looking, and takes the tube in hand. "Hey, Aldi!! Like you said, on our terms!!" Pent gets ready to blow, licking his lips, and taking in a rather deep lungful.
Amiamble's search of the gnoll reveals only that it wears leather armor, while a heavy wooden shield and a battleaxe lie on the ground nearby, and a longbow with a quiver of 20 arrows are stacked up against the nearest wall. None of the items are in particularly fine condition.
***
From where the gnoll stood, Mahdi is awarded a fine view of the last stretch of the road leading up the hill, as well as of the buildings in the lower village. Of particular interest is a band of six gnolls coming out of one of these buildings, beginning to make their way back up the hill.
Mahdi turns slowly at Pent's words, and places a hand on the gnome's shoulder.
"Do. Not. Unless you wish to test. How 'Sarah' will shield you from flame."
Movement catches his eye and he darts a glance back outside.
"Gnolls!"
Pent looks up at Mahdi, and hears the rather convincing punctuation in his speech. His cheeks don't even get to inflate, as he wipes his lips on his sleeves. "Ah, come on, now. Where's the fun in that? We would have known what it woulda been like to have been the blowers, not the blown!" Pent is relieved when the firebrand's eyes move elsewhere.
He perks up, loads his crossbow, and waits for the others to decide on more bloodshed. "I can't ask to hold 'em again, so don't ask."
Pent sets his loaded crossbow down, and picks up the dead gnoll's body, looking for a way to prop it up for the gnolls to see and rest assured their lookout is still looking out.
Ami, hearing Mahdi's warning, springs onto Yeenoghu's back...
Ride vs. DC 15 Quick Mount
...majestically, looking around to make sure everyone saw his perfect leap and well-heeled kitty.
Ami and Yeen twirl in place thrice with excitement, so anxious as they to deliver the whatfor to the 6 gnolls.
Ami looks anxiously at Aldebert for the battle plans.
Pent stops looking, and takes the tube in hand. "Hey, Aldi!! Like you said, on our terms!!" Pent gets ready to blow, licking his lips, and taking in a rather deep lungful.
"You'll get us all killed! Stealth is what has gotten us this far, stealth, planning, and a little bit of luck."
Aldebert looks at the gnolls making their way up the hill. "Let's take the fight to them - as far down the hill as we can to avoid others overhearing above. This will be a tough fight, everyone watch your back!"
If the group is in agreement, he quickly gathers his crossbow, and then simply charges soundlessly down the hill with his guisarme out.
Surely we can take six gnolls - right? By the grace of Abadar I hope so!
Mahdi bursts into another round of swearing in Ignan when he sees Aldebert tear into action.
Teeth gritted, Mahdi strides after. "This is foolishness, any who look out from the great dome will see us clashing with the gnolls. With one breath you say the need for stealth, and in the next you propose we throw it away," he snarls in Common... but split up they have no hope at all, so he follows with his face drawn in a thunderous scowl.
On Mahdi's words, Aldebert delays, "What would you do then? We have a chance to kill these six and maybe, with luck, do it quickly and quietly enough to then escape the town. We could let them join the others and we'd have to face even more then I suspect. I don't know."
"But I don't mean to rush us. If you have a better plan, lay it out and I'll follow it in a heartbeat. Otherwise let's hope they don't look." Aldebert grins supportively at Mahdi.
Ami loads his slingstaff, looking from Mahdi to Alde to Kul to Pent, then back to Aldebert, waiting for a quick plan to be hatched and trying to reign in the anxious Yeen.
Let's go give them the whatfor!
Pent tries to keep a guffaw back, and mostly succeeds, getting a little spittle in the corner of his mouth. "I wasn't gonna blow the horn, silly halfling."
Pent would totally have blown the horn, except for Mahdi speaking up.
"Stealthy stealthy stealthy. You can say the words, while you don't do the words. Words are to be said, describing actions to be done. The demon roared before, and no one came to its rescue. Watchdog like that is hard to come by, is my bet." Pent continues to struggle leaning the dead gnoll into a life-like posture.
"If the gnolls get met up here, where hyenas are known to squabble, you have your perfect ambush point right where we stand. Wait until they come around the buildings right here, catch them climbing up hill, and Yaki has two of them down before you can piddle the halflings' names in the dust."
Pent looks a little disappointed as he looks back at the tube. "Looks like the only thing you want to have plugged is that noise maker. If even one of them gets to it, we're blown."
Mahdi's irritation (and ego) is somewhat assuaged by Aldebert's words; his scowl eases slightly.
"I have no issue with killing them, Messire Aldebert. But I must agree with Pent..." (and Mahdi's face briefly contorts with a grimace at saying that) "...they appear to be coming to us. If we race down the road to meet them, any gnoll in all of those buildings lining the road may see us, or any watchers in the great dome either. It will be difficult to take them 'quickly and quietly' as you say, if we must run downhill to them, and give them many chances to see our approach.
"They may be coming here to this very building, in which case we need only wait and spring our trap, like a hyena's jaws. Or perhaps they intend to proceed into the dome. I would have us wait here in the shelter of the guardhouse until they are closer, and only rush out to attack them if they are clearly headed elsewhere.
"Those of us skilled at moving unseen might take cover in those lesser buildings, and wait until the gnolls have passed by, then leap out to cut off their retreat and spring the trap."
"And yes, Pent, we should sabotage the trumpet now, regardless of what else we do. I doubt they routinely check it to see that it functions, which means, if we can plug it now, we buy ourselves precious silence from a future sentry."
Aldebert, not much the runner on a good day anyway, happily waits for the gnolls to come to us.
He readies his weapon in the hut and prepares to charge when the time is right.
"Yes, let them come to us.", Kul says as he watches the approaching gnolls.
Pent gives up on the gnoll propping, and turns to the tube instead. He reaches down into his pants, and starts tugging. Hard. In no time at all, he's holding a dirty piece of underwear.
"My previous employers were always so intent on seeing how high they could lift me with just my underdrawers. I always felt it was a small victory, them not ripping all the way through." Pent turns maudlin for a millisecond, then the look is gone.
He takes out a single crossbow bolt, and wads the underwear around the tip, like newly spun sugar candy one can get at local carnivals. He moves to the tube, and starts tucking the cloth down the tube as far as it can go, before removing the bolt, and tucking the bolt in the gnoll carcass, for easy access.
"There we go. If they try and blow now, they'll pop their ears, and catch a smell, all at the same time." Pent picks up his crossbow, and positions to unleash on the gnolls when the signal is given.
Ami and Yeen, sensing another ambush, crouch and hide, waiting for the gnolls and the signal to charge.
Stealth (Ami)
Stealth (Yeenoghu) (+4 more if undergrowth)
Amiamble, without specific instructions as when to charge, will attack as soon as the gnolls get within 20' feet.
While the group hides within the barracks to either side of the road (and the gnoll's watchpost), the band of gnolls make their merry way up the hill. As they approach closer, they notice the lack of watchgnoll and accompanying hyenas, leading to a stop as the front gnoll shouts out to a spout of laughter from his companions.
"Hey, Fishbreath! Where ya at? We could have snuck right up on through, ya know! Whaddaya say we go and squeak to Kardswann, eh!"
***
Mahdi watches Pent's sabotage with one lip raised in a not-quite 'ew'. It's... effective, yes, but-- but-- it's not dignified.
Gnomes. Just.... gnomes. Gah.
"Yes. Well. That shall do."
He settles in to wait, smiling at the gnolls' approach and the words they call out to their presumed colleague.
"Now!" he hisses, and takes his chance with a first strike.
Round: Surprise, Location: G8 -> F6
Weapon Equipped = Crossbow
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 1/1 (+2 attack, +3 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 3/3 (1d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued)
Aldebert rushes into the lane and takes up a combat stance to protect those behind him casting spells and the like (move to F6). He smiles at the lead gnoll and gestures him forward.
Round o' Surprise
Ami casts Divine Favor, channeling the divine energies through him and to Yeenoghu.
Yeenoghu moves to F5, carrying Ami with him, and lays challenge to the gnolls, standing right next to his Aldebert.
Ami looks at his brother and his eyes twinkle with holy vengeance.
You and I, brother! We shall give these gnolls the whatfor!
Round: Surprise, Location: G3 -> E5
HP = 27/28. AC = 18 (T 12 F 16)
Weapon Equipped: Falchion
Conditions: Diseased
Kul steps out and moves past Aldebert and Amiamble in order to help plug the hole and allow the gnolls to move into position around him.
If any provoke:
Surprise Round
AC = 13
HP = 27/27
Weapon Equipped = Light crossbow, well oiled, slightly neglected
Condition(s) = Breezy
Pent swivels at the hips, in a combined anxiousness from the imminent conflict outside and liberation of his nethers below.
He reaches over Kul's hands, and touches his blade. Immediately, his falchion is bathed in fire.
One of the lead gnolls crosses its eyes in dazed confusion as Mahdi's spell clouds its judgment.
***
Current Initiative order:
30 - Mahdi
20 - Kul
6 - Amiamble (with Yeenoghu)
5 - Aldebert
2 - Pent
1 - Gnolls
***
The gnolls, taken completely by surprise, are exceedingly slow to react, thus awarding the gnoll-slayers several more precious seconds to press the attack.
***
Round 1, Init 30
Mahdi grins a dazzlingly white smile as they get the drop on their foes. He strides forward from the cover of the building, speaking hissing words in Ignan as he moves, his hands already sketching a fluid shape in the air. A rainbow of scintillating light erupts from his fingertips, washing over the gathered gnolls.
Pent watches the explosion of color Mahdi brings forward, stopping his thought process to admire the spectacle.
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuooooooooooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
He keeps watching, almost letting his crossbow fall from his hands to clap. At the very last moment, before the gnolls potentially stir, Pent raises his crossbow and fires at any gnoll still willing to abandon his brothers. The light in the gnome's eyes, reflecting brightly in the newly filled tears of joy, causes Pent to fire the bolt into the air in celebration.
***
Three gnolls sag to the ground unconscious following the dazzlingly bright lights flung from Mahdi's hands, leaving only three still standing.
***
Round 1, Init 20:
Weapon Equipped: Falchion
Conditions: Diseased
Kul laughs at the sight of the gnolls hitting the ground and runs past Mahdi to strike down the closest unaffected Gnoll.
Round: 1, Initiative: 5, Location: F6->E5
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 1/1 (+2 attack, +3 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 3/3 (1d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued)
Aldebert takes a moment to appreciate the brightly colored rainbow that erupts from Mahdi and admire Kuls swordplay, then moves into action. He steps up 5’ (to E5 subconsciously protecting his brother) and then swings on Gnoll 1.
Round 1, Init 6
Ami shoots his slingstaff at G1.
to hit;
damage.
Seeing his brother cross in front of him, Ami gives his brother a look as he and Yeen ride to D7.
He forgets that Yeen loves to pounce.
Yeen's claw lashes out at the G1.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
Kul's single falchion strike drops one gnoll, while Yeenoghu and the two brothers drop another, leaving only a single gnoll still standing.
The gnoll screams in fear at its imminent slaughter, then goes for a defiant, desperate attempt at the trumpet. It draws a full lung's worth of breath, then blows as hard as it can. Unfortunately for the gnoll, Pent's blocking underwear serves its purpose, and the gnoll has nothing to show for its efforts but a "Pffffftttt" and its face turning blue.
***
Round: 1 AoO, Initiative: 5, Location: E5
Weapon Equipped = Guisarme
Conditions = Endure Elements
Smite Evil = 1/1 (+2 attack, +3 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands = 3/3 (1d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued)
Aldebert takes his Attack of Opportunity with relish, and he laughs out loud despite himself when the gnoll puckers up.
Round 1, AoO
Ami swings....
to hit;
damage.
...as Yeen bites the gnome-underwear-sucking gnoll.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
Aldebert and Amiamble cut the gnoll down mid-blow, and Mahdi's handiwork makes the job of mopping up the remaining gnolls an easy one.
With once again barely a sound escaping the battleground, it's unlikely that anyone within the Battle Market would have noticed anything.
***
"You're welcome," Mahdi says airily to the others, examining his fingernails... even as he lets them do the dirty work of actually slitting throats. Soul of modesty here.
"Let's drag their stinking carcasses into the guardhouse to see if they've anything of worth."
He takes the chance to spit in the face of one of the dead gnolls. "For my mother and father, dog-man," he mutters. He proceeds to roll the fresh corpse, checking it over for valuables. Bolts, weapons... well, his crossbow has no chance of running out, then. He takes a quiver of bolts, but leaves the rest.