Seeing that Rokova is not defending himself, Aldebert rides up and pulls his brother aside,
It is clear he's having trouble with the situation, and isn't sure how to proceed.
After a little while he turns to the group, "I think Rokova here has done all he can - he bought us a few days of relative rest, but that's as far as it goes. Now we're going to have to fight his fight for him and put him on the throne - or kill every gnoll here."
"I must admit I don't see any other path open to us unless we were to try and sneak away the same way we came in. But that just leaves the nest intact and close enough to raid the town which I do not like. What do you folks think?"
The raw voice of Rokova is heard near, but the source is not seen.
"You needn't even fight. Share what you've found as we agreed. The axe may be more than enough, but I cannot control the hoard if I cannot speak truth to them. Truth may mean little to you. But for me it is the only way I can sway the rabble."
Ami fails to register why Yeen seemingly let the gnoll go so quickly and easily.
"Lies, gnoll...you cannot control the beasts...you are nothing," Ami hisses back. "That are you so craven with us proves your lack of mettle with your kin."
Ami looks back his brother, annoyed.
"He wants the armor...but if the axe is not good enough to sate those outside, then this is all a ruse and his word is all lies. He should be kilt...and killing the rest of his kin would be fine by me. I think he thinks he has the advantage here. We would gladly slay all of his kin...yet he does not seem to notice or care."
"Rokora's no simple gnoll, though we already know. With all the glow about the two of them, I didn't have much clue until he flew." Pent tries to sweep the vicinity with his detection.
"The beast seeks to use the truth to its own advantage, but speaks it so abstractly, it lies by omission. Its mission is abstract." The gnome addresses the invisible gnoll.
"We've been fighting from the start, Roll-Over. We only started with words, not weapons. We can't see you with our eyes, but we can feel you with our hearts. There are gnolls still about, so you've already lied about leading them off. You've kept them about, because you can use them to rout us, I don't doubt." Pent shivers, as his frustration mounts.
"If you need the truth, then here it is- Your dogs returned from the hunt, and laid down a mighty ax at your feet out at your command. Pick up the damn ax, and sway the horde you were supposed to lead away, and leave us be. We are done with you, there is no trust here. You are not defenseless here. I fear that you are far from it, and only feign your feeble. If you need to fight us to find your truth, then let's..."
"I've spoken nothing but truth to you, gnoll, and you seem to deny it. I've even extended you every politeness, until my brother here got a little out of hand with your delays."
"I've even offered to trade you things we didn't find down here to try and give you more to show off, as that seems to be what you're after. Something shiny for your compatriots."
"But you continue to demand more. Now it sounds like you want the ax, an item of greater value, as your share. I had hoped we could come to some accord, but that seems impossible - for you, not for us who continue to try to deal."
"Fine. Keep the gold,' he drops the sack on the ground, "it's yours for the few days you did keep your kin off our backs. But it sounds like you'll have the ax or nothing. So be it."
He turns to the others in the party, "I think we're going to have to fight our way out."
He is clearly not happy about it...
Mahdi blinks when Ami spurs his cat to attack, but that is nothing compared to the gnoll becoming unseen. His eyes narrow, and his fingers twitch a little.
"Your tribe is your problem. We can retreat back down these stairs-- these highly defensible stairs-- and hold ourselves quite well for many days, for there is water below, and we can fend well for ourselves while you send your tribe to die on our steel. How long would that go for, do you think, until they did indeed rebel and cut you down as you would like us to think will happen?
"Anyway, you clearly do not believe us when we say we've shared what we found. What, exactly, is it that you think we're holding back?"
There is nothing but silence and the stench of the decomposing corpses. Moments later there is the sound of gnolls fighting. Surprisingly, the sound does not come closer.
"I can't see the auras... wait! Another aura... but I still can't locate the gnoll..."
The gnome shares what he can tell of the disappearing auras. He also perks up to listen to gnoll fighting, and looks at his companions to understand where their minds are.
"So... we wait a little while, see how much work they'll do for us before we enter the fray?"
"I agree Pent. No sense in exposing ourselves to more danger than is needed. Let them thin themselves out a bit and we'll finish off what's left - or scatter them to the winds for the desert to do the same."
He pulls his hammer and moves up by the first set of double doors and listens to hear what can be heard.
He leans back, "Remember all, we fall back to the stairwell if we need to retreat. We can hold them there in waves."
"Brother! He is gone! Yeen can no longer find him!" Ami alerts his brother and returning his attention to Yeen.
"Hunt, Yeen! HUNT!" Ami says, asking the cat to scent around for the gnoll.
Ami and Yeen pace back and forth, trying to find the gnoll.
"Brother, this way! That gnoll went this way, I think!" Ami says, pointing at the north doors.
"However, it might be that we take this moment to return back the way we came. We can attack them from behind if they think we are still down here."
Aldebert is unsure what to do. Truly, his brothers plan is a good one. But what if they are overwhelmed? It will be harder to retreat to safety at that point. Still, the time it takes them to reach the surface will surely give their opponents time to slaughter each other... at least a bit.
He hesitates a moment while he thinks.
Then, he suggests to the group, "It is a good plan, and we can still retreat down here fairly safely if we must. Let's follow Ami's plan. He's a good gnoll hunter. Let's trust his instinct."
If the others readily agree, he waits for them to catch up, then opens the doors leading to the north - the way they came in.
The gnome bunches up his pants, taking in the surrounding walls and colors, and allows his Sleeves to take on something nondescript that will let him not be so noticeable as they start moving from room to room.
"Lead on, Halfs-Who-Make-Whole-Lotta-Wotta. I'm ready to be done with the House, one way or another, waiting in place or setting to race." Pent watches the brothers set course of action.
Ami and Yeen follow Aldebert out the door and back the way they came.
"Sniff, Yeen, Sniff! Is he still around here?" Ami encourages Yeen's scenting.
Aldebert follows his brother closely, looking for gnollsign.
Pent observes the halflings headed at the right stairwell, the one headed up and into the scorched webbing, and hopes their path is still clear as they begin to follow mental breadcrumbs back and out of the House. His ears twitch, trying to keep up with all the cross-referencing sounds of battle, retreat, weeping, bowel gurgles, and heavy breathing in anticipation.
Mahdi grimaces when it becomes apparent that Rokova is... seemingly no longer present. If this is not some sort of trick...
"Lead on," he agrees. "Any gnolls that cross our path will taste fire."
"Something about this entire mess stinks like ripe goat milk," he observes as they hurry through the chambers. "My gut tells me we haven't heard or seen the last of Rokova."
The room is familiar, the dead king will clearly no longer be using the bed chambers. It looks as if the gnolls quickly searched the room before moving to the stairway, where they hastily left the door agape.
"Keep it going!! I can barely hear the gnolls climbing the steps!! If you're after them, you best move quickly!" Pent takes his own cue, and asks Sarah for a lift to his step.
He keeps out of the way of Ami and Aldi, waiting for them to move up the stairs.
Clearly frustrated with the situation, the dwarf gets lost for a time in his own thoughts. The gnoll knows. He wants to see it. Just let him see the damn thing and show his true colors. No? Can't blame them, he is being a shifty bastard. If we did just lay everything out, he probably would snatch and run? Ah, now the gnoll is gone... Hey where are they going?
Otah jogs behind the party until they stop.
"Think they'll kill each other, or they're just luring us into a false sense of security?"
If it's closed, Otah prods the next door open with his horsechopper at reach.
"They're gnolls, Odie. No false sense about them, they're true to their natures, at least most of them. Not that Rokova, I'll tell you. That mutt is frustrating."
Pent encourages Otah to keep knocking down doors, expecting to see a pair of frightened gnoll eyes staring up at them.
Aldebert nudges Gretiem and charges through the open door and up the stairs. He does his best to keep his wits about him, and hammer at the ready.
Once atop the steps, he looks around.
Ami turns to look at the dwarf, a brief look of fervor in his eyes.
"As long as the gnolls above die, by my teeth or theirs, it will be a good day. But my guess is that they wait to ambush us," Ami hisses, following his brother up the stairs.
"Go brother! We can catch them while the sun still shines this day!"
The sounds of running feet is only slightly muffled by the web remaining from the slain spider.
Pent thrills to his increased foot speed, bolting up the stairs, and keeping to the side to allow the animals to gain on the dismounted gnolls. His feet seem to ignore any difficult terrain, should any flooring prove difficult enough to traverse.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry..." He taps on his crossbow, sure that it will come in handy very shortly.
Aldebert rushes forward, climbing the last few stairs and rushing down the hall in search of targets.
Ami follows after Aldebert and Get'him, anxious to find gnolls to slay under the sun.
Mahdi runs, trying to keep up with the fleet lizard and cat, and wrenching his feet free of the sticky webs.
Initiative
(with Yeenoghu)
The heavy breathing of the gnolls can be heard nearby as they run on.
Round Two : Aldebert, Mahdi, and Pent now acting.
Round: 2, Initiative: 21
Weapon Equipped: None
Conditions: Barkskin (1/??m)
Summon Mount: 1/1 (full round)
Smite Evil: 2/2 (+2 attack, +6 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands: 5/5 (2d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued or diseased)
Guisarme Attack BAB +5, Str +2, MW +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -2)
Guisarme Damage Str +2, Two handed +1, (Power Attack +6)
Hammer Attack BAB +5, Str +2, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -2)
Hammer Damage Str +2, Magic +1, (Power Attack +4)
Spells (caster level 3, concentration +5)
1) Hero’s Defiance,
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 48/48 AC: 22 (F20/T12) (+4 mage armor included)
Fort: 7 Reflex: 7 Will: 4 BAB: +3 CMB: 6 CMD: 18
Conditions: Mage Armor (1/60m)
Tricks: Aid, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heal, Hunt, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +3, Str +3 Damage Str +4 (1.5x)
”Ami! Ahead!”
Aldebert, seeing gnolls ahead, charges with Gretiem into the fray!
(charge)
(charge)
Round 2, Init 13
AC = 13
HP = 41/41
Weapon Equipped = MW Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = Longstrider(6 hours)
4 Oth Level-Create Water, Guidance, Resistance, Stabilize
1st Level-Bless(x2), Shield of Faith(x2)
2nd Level-Aid, Hold Person, Sound Burst, CMW[D]
3rd Level-Prayer, Searing Light, Summon Monster III, Fly[D]
Pent moves up in a quick burst, and spots the gnolls fleeing for their lives, likely. He summons the Sarahtar to dissuade them from further flea-ing.
Round 2, Init 6
Ami and Yeen double move to protect and help Aldebert.
Round Two: Ami (w/ Yeen) , Otah
The rearmost gnoll steps carefully away from the summoned creature before continuing its retreat
Round Two: Ami (w/ Yeen) and Otah .
The rearmost gnoll steps carefully away from the summoned creature before continuing its retreat
Round 2, Initiative: 5
Slower than the rest of the party, Otah scrambles forward.
The other gnoll continues to run away.
Round 3: Aldebert, Mahdi, and Pent now acting.
Round 3, Init 13
AC = 13
HP = 41/41
Weapon Equipped = MW Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = Longstrider (6 hours)
Oth Level-Create Water, Guidance, Resistance, Stabilize
1st Level-Bless(x2), Shield of Faith(x2)
2nd Level-Aid, Hold Person, Sound Burst, CMW[D]
3rd Level-Prayer, Searing Light, Summon Monster III, Fly[D]
Pent strides forward briskly, eyeballing the distant gnoll, and bids the Sarahtar fly straight and true in its strike.
Suddenly worried about the gnolls announcing their presence in their retreat, Pent tries to lock up the distant gnoll's legs, bringing it to a halt.
Round: 3, Initiative: 21
Weapon Equipped: None
Conditions: Barkskin (1/??m)
Summon Mount: 1/1 (full round)
Smite Evil: 2/2 (+2 attack, +6 damage, +2 AC)
Lay on Hands: 5/5 (2d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued or diseased)
Guisarme Attack BAB +5, Str +2, MW +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -2)
Guisarme Damage Str +2, Two handed +1, (Power Attack +6)
Hammer Attack BAB +5, Str +2, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -2)
Hammer Damage Str +2, Magic +1, (Power Attack +4)
Spells (caster level 3, concentration +5)
1) Hero’s Defiance,
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 48/48 AC: 22 (F20/T12) (+4 mage armor included)
Fort: 7 Reflex: 7 Will: 4 BAB: +3 CMB: 6 CMD: 18
Conditions: Mage Armor (1/60m)
Tricks: Aid, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heal, Hunt, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +3, Str +3 Damage Str +4 (1.5x)
Aldebert pushes Gretiem along and they amble quickly around the corner and after the gnolls. They can’t quite catch up though and he ends his move outside of combat range (double move).
The fantom like weapon hits the gnoll and then suddenly it is motionless where it stands, mid lurch - clearly hoping to run further.
Round 3: Mahdi now acting.