"I have no objection to him scouting, if he can keep his doll quiet." Gath says with some frustration. "Gnasher should remain in front otherwise though, he seems to be the toughest of us."
'Bahram has volunteered and Gath is a competent swordsman, but why wouldn't she send me... is she punishing me because I calling Gath our leader... she was using the toilet when these two approached... or does she believe the others need kept alive longer and Bahram and Gath are expendable... I trust Gath can keep himself alive, I will help him if I can, I like him, he makes me laugh with his morning dancing' In a very human-like expression Gnasher Scratches his head nodding as Pricilla gives direction.
As she walks by Gnasher and whispers, Gnasher lulls his tongue in his Gnoll smile, winking and nodding at the comment. 'yes if we castrate him now he will be to sore to even be used for cannon fodder'
Turning to Gath as he points out the obvious, Gnasher looks from Priscilla to Zagathoth, 'Curious, he is willing to test her leadership here in the desert, yet he remains silent in front of our employers, at least he is willing to question her to her face. I wonder if it will come to blows or if they will just talk and glare and talk more, like most humans deciding leadership. Abadar help us, please don't let there be a vote, talk about a horrible way to find a leader.' Finally he offers; "Gnasher will stay with soft ones, keep them alive or Gnasher go between Bahram and Gath, whichever better for pack."
"Redeemed is perfectly capable of protecting them for the very short time it would take us to get to them if something were to happen." Gath says looking to Redeemed for confirmation. "The scout is the only one who needs any separation, Gnasher and I can follow him at some distance and the rest of you can follow thirty feet behind us."
Pinocchio harumphs at being called Bahra's doll again. I'm going to have to kick him in the shins, aren't I...
Bahram, a little out of place as he is a new addition, nods to the gnoll and makes his way as stealthily as possible toward where the laughter was heard.
feeling a slightly better bond of trust with Pinocchio, Pinocchio, wait here, and watch my back, just in case.
The wodden man nods and conjures a ball of aid in his hand.
Gnasher watches as Priscilla weaves a political web, nodding as Braham heads toward the eerie silence, giving the 'scout' about 20 ft. he begins to follow, one hand carrying the flail, the other tucked in his pouch of chakrams.
"I will keep them safe."
While the other two men and the gnoll take the lead advancing into the ruins, Redeemed hangs back, staying near the woman and the boy in an attempt to shield them from any danger the monastery's depths may present.
When Gnasher starts to move only twenty feet from the puppeteer Gath begins to raise his hand to delay him, but quickly thinks better of it...
Gnasher trusts him to scout ahead even less than I do. That's probably for the best- I would feel guilty if he gets killed seconds after joining us.
...instead he merely moves alongside the Gnollish with his scimitar ready in hand.
More of the room comes into view as Bahram moves cautiously into the ruined chapel. A thin balcony stands above the chapel floor some twenty feet high. Two rows of tall-backed wooden choir chairs dominate the southern reach of the balcony, which hugs the chapel’s concave walls. The balcony falls away—collapsed for a span of perhaps fifteen feet—just on the other side of the choir area. To the east, rickety time-worn wooden rafters stretch across the whole chapel.
Suspended across some of the rafters, a portion of the chapel upper works have been papered over like a wasp’s nest in an interwoven mish-mash of soiled tapestries, tablecloths, altar runners, and other bits of salvaged cloth, creating a sort of hanging “tent” in the rafters above.
Despite Bahram's best efforts to be stealthy, the knotted rope suspending the gnoll-skull candelabra jerks and jumps as a runty dog-like creature dressed in crude furs scrambles from far above to gain a foothold on the swaying skulls. The abhorrent gremlin makes a lewd gesture towards the rogue with a squeaky laugh. Suddenly, half a dozen more of the creatures pop out of hiding places along the balcony, sporting diminutive bows.
Bahram draws his rapier in one hand and a dagger in the otehr. and tries to take cover among the pews (to avoid arrows hitting him)
Seeing the pugwampi drop to the floor and the others pop up around the balcony Gnasher calls out "აფეთქებული მავნე"" Then calling out to the team, "Watch out more pugwampis with bows!"
Pinocchio runs for the cover of the entry way and tosses a bit of conjured acid at the pests while he goes, but their blasted aura causes his shot to go awry.
'need to get up that ladder quickly Gnasher moves to the ladder as quickly as possible and begins to climb it, keeping an eye out for traps.
ROUND 1
Redeemed moves to the top of the stairs to shield the wooden boy from arrows, ready to defend against any pugwampi foolish enough to get within reach.
Gath briefly contemplates a bold running jump to the rafters but quickly decides not to tempt fate knowing that the gremlins twist luck against their enemies. Instead he follows closely after Gnasher.
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Priscilla sighs as Gnasher's curse rings through the temple.
More of those dreadful anklebiters. Wonderful. Why are these places filled with such terrible monsters...
She begins to head in the direction of her comrades, the heel of her boots padding across the stone floor. As she takes her time walking towards her companions, a small trickle of blood falls from her mouth to her chin as she bites her bottom lip. Almost instantly, her features begin to shift dramatically. Her ears began to steeple into a point, lengthening greatly as her nose upturns and flattens Into a semi-diamond shape. Small lengths of fur begin to accent her body while her eyes fill into dark pools. The most obvious change comes from the couple of inches in height she achieves and then summarily loses as her back hunches slightly. The fingers begin tapping the side of her cane begin to lengthen and sharpen to a frightening length new lean muscles fill out her form. With a quick stretch she reveals in her newfound dexterity and explosion of senses. Sucking on the tips of her incisors, she gives a quick shudder from the relief of being to let loose. The sensation is indescribable, like scratching an unreachable itch.
"Coming darlings!"
The pugwampis respond with a fusillade of barbs fired from their crude bows. Most clatter harmlessly against the walls or pews used as cover, but one grazes Bahram. A thin trickle of blood flows down from a gash on his right arm.
When Bahram begins climbing the ladder, the pugwampis on the balcony above shriek and scamper onto the rafters. The rotting wooden “booths” on the balconies are inscribed with religious symbols, but the whole apparatus is in terrible shape and crumbling from dry rot.
When Bahram and Gnasher both beat him to the ladder, and he notices the rot on the balcony, Gath decides his bow may be his best option. Stepping back from the ladder he sheathes his scimitar and draws his shortbow.
Navigating the treacherous rafters, but still keeping to the edge of somewhat sturdier timbers, Bahram, draws a dagger, and tries to gin a clean throw.
as he is about to throw, he almost looses his balance and the dagger goes backwards instead and impales the wall behind him.
looking about what? the little bugger tried to sneak up behind me.
Redeemed maintains his position, unsure of what the bat creature is or where it came from, but still dutifully protecting the little wooden boy.
Gnasher finishes climbing the ladder then moving across the back of the balcony he lifts his heavy flail and strikes at the rafter in front of him, attempting to bring down the whole network of rafters.
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Priscïlla gives a short off huff as she rounds the corner and sees the majority of her comrades ascending the stairs to the rafters above. Considering the detrimental effects of ugly dog creatures, they would no doubt cause her to make a fool of herself.
I don't particullarly feel like being the butt of jokes today. Especially in front of our new companions.
Priscïlla taps into the monstrous presence hidden within her bloodline and her form begins to contort once more. Summoning forth the more bestial edge from deep within, her body compresses and realigns into the shape of a bat within a matter of seconds. Her sharp cry of pain over the process climbs in register into a harsh call as her newly formed wings take over, carrying her past 60ft through the air closer to Gnasher.
MUCH better.
Pinocchio conjures another blob of acid and hurls it.
The pugwampis on the rafters begin to laugh hysterically with Bahram's poor throw. One of them even pantomimes the motion to the others, looking around with exaggerated shock when his imaginary dagger travels directly backwards. This exuberance is cut short when Gnasher smashes his flail into the soft wood. The entire network of rafters vibrates and groans with the damage, causing the pugwampis to shriek with alarm. Another blow like that could bring it down.
Some of the pugwampis continue to fire arrows, but none find their mark.
Gath decides that being below the second floor structure is not wise and heads for the stairs. Once there he looses his arrow at whichever pugwampi seems the clearest shot.
Pinocchio launches another glob of green goo at the pests.
'Need to keep them from flitting about, this should keep them in one place' Gnasher snarls a little more and lifting the flail over his head yelling, "Keep out from under nest" brings the flail crashing down on the rafter a second time.
ROUND 3
Redeemed stares at Gnasher as he swings wildly at the rafters, the strange bat-creature, now much smaller, flying about the gnoll like a moth around a flame...
Moths burn. They must be full of sin. But they seek out the flame.
Redeemed doesn't even notice as the wooden boy launches another acidic orb past him and into the chapel, so completely taken in is he by the strange dance of gnoll and bat.
Moths must be very repentant. Is the bat is repentant as well?
Bahram turns to retrieve his mis-thrown dagger. trying not to let the taunting bother him.
then he get the hint about the rafters, glancing below he looks for anyone that may be in danger form the falling rafters.
The rafter splinters under Gnasher's flail, sending shudders throughout the network. The pugwampis hang on, shrieking in dismay... but nothing happens. The gremlin taunting Bahram stands up, looks around, and begins to cackle.
Then the rafters collapse.
A deluge of wood, stone, and canvas collapses onto the floor. The gnoll skull chandelier shatters on a stone pew, spraying bits of bone across the chapel. When the dust clears, two of the three pugwampis on the rafters are still on their feet, although lightly wounded. There is no sign of the third, crushed under a pile of wood.
The remaining pugwampis continue to fire their arrows, although the balconies supported by the rafters begin to lurch dangerously. Redeemed and Zagathoth are both hit by their tiny arrows.
Gnasher, seeing the rafters collapse, unable to control himself, begins to giggle wildly. he quickly moves over to the ladder, calling to Bahram "Bahram, must leave, before balcony collapses!" quickly moving down the ladder.
ROUND 4
Redeemed seems not even to notice the arrow that sails across the chapel to stick in his arm, though it has obviously pierced his armor. When the rafters collapse, he slowly lopes forward down the stairs into the thin cloud of dust, picking his way through the debris towards the pugwampis struggling to their feet.
Gnasher has brought them to the ground. Gnasher is clever. Now I may burn them away.
Before everyone gets into meleeing each other, pinocchio sends in one last bit of acid.
Gath targets one of the pugwampis still launching arrows from the balcony and looses an arrow of his own back at it...
Bahram tries to keep his balance as the rafters fall. looking back as the gnoll makes for the ladder. he nods, understanding the situation all to well.
Bahram makes for the ladder to descend as fast as he can.
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ROUND 4, cont'd
Redeemed curiously studies the nearest pugwampi, all too aware how unsettling its presence seems to be to him. It shakes itself all over in a bestial fashion as it stands, briefly creating an aura of dust and mold about itself. Noting Redeemed's interest, it snarls and yips at him as it raises its tiny hand in a strange gesture - an upturned fist with a single finger extended.
Is this a greeting? Or some ward against judgment?
Redeemed extends his right arm towards the tiny creature and with his blackened hand he mimics the gesture.
"You are full of sin. I shall free you from it."
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Priscilla had never thought about whether a bat could laugh but seeing Redeemed give the ugly little dogthing the finger as the poor creature mirrors his gesture, made her nearly tumble from the sky in an effective guffaw of surprise.
Redeemed surprises and delights once more.
Pivoting her tiny body and angling her wings turned the free fall into an aggressive attack run on the nearest pugwampi in an attempt to aid the armored fire warrior.