With the avian fleeing, Daumari turns toward the gnolls that have joined the fight. He vaults over and across the twisting undergrowth, bringing his hammer to bear against one of the humanoids.
Turning his attention to the gnolls to provide more than just insults, Daumari vaults through the heavy growth to make his way next to one of the entangled but alert gnolls. With a quick swing of his hammers, he strikes the gnoll and knocks him out cold. Meanwhile, Bahir watches as the avian beast gains altitude and suddenly turn west instead of heading north.
Being unsuccessful with his whip, Paellat moves in close to the only remaining active gnoll and strikes with his rapier, dealing 6 points of damage. Hazreem moves down closer and releases another burst of fire from his hands at the same gnoll, striking it and dealing 6 points of fire damage. The foul creature cries out in pain before collapsing at Paellat's feet.
Mah'ysa, watching the avian escape, takes a shot at it with her Sling Glove. She strikes the creature but it doesn't seem to have any effect.
** spoiler omitted **...
Hazreem walks over to the nearest gnoll and slits its throat with his dagger.
"Is anyone injured? We should probably move quickly, those... creatures will have friends."
The trait bonus from Gnoll Killer actually increases to +2 if you're a ranger with gnolls as a favored enemy.
Looking in Player's Guide... Ah, yes. It does state that. Thanks.
Efreat plunges his blade into the other gnolls. "I agree we should move on."
Mah'ysa herds her teammates together, then prays over her ankh holy symbol. It blazes forth a wave of positive energy.
Channel Positive Energy: points healing.
Bahir yells out, "Can any of you hit it from here?". But his query appears to fall on deaf ears and the majority of the party is too busy making pin-cushions out of the gnolls to ensure that they are dead dead. Meanwhile, Mah'ysa makes her way around the group to determine the state of everyone's injuries.
As the bird creature flies away and goes out of visual range due to the building to the immediate west, Bahir continues to stare off in that direction as if in internal contemplation. Others begin indicating their desire to move on before the friends of these carrion show up. But first, Mah'ysa herds everyone together, holds up her holy symbol, and prays to Sarenrae. You feel a wave of healing wash over you as you are brought back to full health.
As you stand among the ruined buildings of Kelmarane during the wee hours of the morning with the moon light creating strange shadows, the silence around you becomes oppressive. But the silence is soon broken as you are able to faintly hear someone or something cry out off in the distance. You think it came from west of your position.
The ranger shakes his head in response to Bahir's question. "That creature was in the mill, and noticed my approach; I didn't have the opportunity to explore the area before it attacked."
Daumari pauses as he hears the cry in the distance before continuing. "I did overhear a patrol of the beast men, discussing a recent fight involving a female human. Apparently she defeated her opponent with ease. Now, they are likely to begin searching for us; might I recommend we find a location to wait out our pursuers. Or, perhaps, prepare an ambush instead?" It's obvious to all that the ranger prefers the latter course of action.
"Who was that who cried out? We should see if they need help!"
"I may be mistaken, but aren't we out here to scout and not rescue people."
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"I may be mistaken, but aren't we out here to scout and not rescue people."
"We are scouting with the purpose of trying to rescue Felliped my friend." Looking around at everyone, "Seeing as we are all feeling well, I see no reason why we shouldn't continue our search. Sure, they are alerted to our presence but as long as we don't stay in one place they will have trouble finding us. Felliped may need immediate assistance."
"Standing around dithering will only get us all killed. Let us proceed to find out who was screaming; perhaps we may lend a hand there."
Damn paladins," Hazreem mutters as he trots off after his companions.
After much discussion on what to do next, your party heads out to scout out more of the town and hopefully find out who it was that was screaming and to see if they could help them. Heading up and around the bend, you can make six fairly intact buildings. It is hard to make out much detail in this dim light, but you have seen these buildings in the daylight over the past few days where you were observing from a distance.
1. It appears as if fire claimed much of this building ages ago, leaving behind only a partially collapsed shell. An old ruined sign bearing the legend "AVE MARKET" hangs above the gaping entrance on the north side of the building. The sign appears off-center to the right as if there is something missing at the beginning of the name.
2. This building appears to have once served as an inn of Kelmarane. The building appears largely intact and undamaged.
3. These stables are connected by a short hallway to the inn. They are also largely intact and undamaged.
4. This large intact three story mansion appears to have large windows overlooking the docks and the buildings across the river.
5. This is the mill that Daumari scouted out earlier and was attacked by the avian beast. From this distance, you can make out several large holes in the side walls. The water wheel on the mill is currently turning with the flow of the river.
6. A fairly non-descript building lies adjacent to the mill on the other side of the river and across from the docks. This building appears to be in fairly good shape.
Behind the buildings to the west is a steep cliff about as high as the mansion that would be fairly difficult to climb. To the left of the buildings is a path that leads upward at a slight incline. This path leads to the other building that you witnessed about a half dozen gnolls armed with swords and crossbows bringing large hunks of meat to about three times a day. You believe you were able to make out a large beast inside the building, but it was difficult to tell from the distance and shadows within the building. From previously observations, you know that the wall of this building is missing on the western side.
Link to map please
So no better idea from which direction the scream came from?
You heard it off in the distance from the west. It most likely it came from behind these buildings up above on the cliff. To get there, you would either need to climb the cliff or take the path to the left which works its way around to get up there.
You carefully enter and explore the three-story mansion. Without adequate light coming in from the darkness outside, you cast light on several objects that you are carrying in order to see better. You find that the interior of this building has been left basically untouched. Going from room to room, you realize that this used to be the home of a rather wealthy person and his family, along with several servants or slaves. The place is well furnished, but most of the valuables that could of been easily carried away appear to have already been taken. With a little cleaning up, this would be a really nice place for those that like that sorta of thing. Based on some of the personal items still remaining, you are able to learn that this was the home of Kelmarane's former Wharfmaster. Apparently, the Wharfmaster did pretty well for himself.
Due to the size of this place and the careful pace you take, it takes you about an hour to search all of the rooms and to ensure that you are alone here. Up on the third floor, you find an office with a large window overlooking the docks. From here you can see everything that goes on along the river. As you look out, you witness that avian creature you fought earlier fly overhead and then drop down on top of the mill. It disappears where it should have landed on a roof. Looking off to the left , you notice another building across the river where some faint flicking light is showing up against some of the brush along the back side of the building.
Those in other parts of the building notice, while looking out some of the windows, that four gnolls are walking cautiously down the path and heading towards your position. They probably came down from the upper portions of Kelmarane. These gnolls are carrying crossbows in addition to spears and are looking all around, pointing their crossbows in the direction they are looking. They don't appear to realize that your group is inside the mansion. As the gnolls approach, those watching the gnolls catch quick but brief movement down below in the stables. But by the time you turn your attention to the stables, you can no longer make out anything but darkness.
"Well my companions, befor those gnolls arrive we have decisions to make, and I humbly crave your opinions.
"My heart would dearly like to rush to the aid of whoever screamed, but my head belives that may not be wise. If we are trapped with enemies on all sides we might all be killed or worss; and not help anyone.
"Would it be better to carefully clear the outermost regions of the town first and work our way inward? We would have a clear line of retreat that way. And clearing the buildings across the river would give a nice barrier as well if we control the crossings. What do you all think?"
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Bahir nods, "Running around blindly in the darkness will serve no-one." Glancing Daumari's way, "I suspect you wish to deal with these gnolls while they are out in the open. I would agree with this. Then we can see if that movement in the stables is possibly the person we seek. After which I would very much like to finish off that demon before it recovers."
Daumari nods in agreement with Bahir's words. "If we strike them quickly, we can move against the creature that attacked earlier, before the patrol's absence is noticed. Let us catch our prey by surprise."
Can we see any locations along the gnolls' apparent path that might lend themselves naturally to an ambush?
By the time you discuss this and get everyone down to the first floor, the gnolls will begin walking in front of the building you are in. Unless they notice your presence, you should be able to get a surprise round off. You wouldn't have time to prepare more of an ambush unless you let them go past and hope to catch them on a return trip. From what you've seen from outside, the stables appear to have many large openings against the street that would serve well for those hiding in the darkness. There is also a lot of rubble across the street you could hide in. This mansion just has a wide front door, which you probably left open, and a bunch of closed windows.
Once Daumari witnesses the gnoll's position he moves to strike them immediately, readying his hammer as he moves within melee range of his foes.
Stepping out of the building Efreat chants, "Flear'zish"
Hazreem wields his sling ready to attack the outermost gnoll.
Initative Order:
- Paellat
- Efreat
- Bahir
- Gnolls
- Mah'ysa
- Daumari
- Hazreem
After a brief discussion, it was decided that you'd quickly take out the gnolls. Heading downstairs to the main entrance, you hide in the darkness on both sides of the open door. As the gnolls walk about about 20 feet from the door, Pae steps out and lashes at the first gnoll with his scorpion whip which slaps loudly against the gnoll's armor but doesn't to hurt him.
Efreat, seeing the gnolls are not currently in range for his spell, moves through the door to find a better position. Bahir steps into the doorway, begins weaving his scimitar in a spectacular display, and demands that they surrender now. This display appears to freak out all four gnolls. Mah'ysa uses her sling glove and shoots at the first gnoll between Pae and Bahir standing in the doorway striking the creature for 6 points of damage.
Daumari runs directly out to engage the gnolls in melee and begins swinging his meteor hammers threateningly. Hazreem stays back in the doorway besides Mah'ysa and takes a shot with his sling but the shot goes wide.
Pae moves up and out of the way of his comrades and takes another strike with his whip on the already injured gnoll lashing the gnoll for 4 points of damage. Efreat, now in a good position, yells "Flear'zish" and sends a cone of vivid colors from his hand. Two of the gnolls suddenly cover their eyes and then fall to the ground while the other two seem unaffected.
Attacks Gnoll #6 with the sling glove.
Attack:
Damage:
Noting the attacks of Bahir and Mah'ysa on the first of the two still-standing gnolls, Daumari shifts his hammers and brings both around in a strike on the other.
Bahir quickly moves into flanking position on one of the two standing gnolls and slashes him for 4 points of damage. The two gnolls, seeing their comrades fall and witnessing this sudden attack and the holy warrior's dazzling display, step away from the approaching attack and fire their crossbows that they had at the ready at their nearest targets. The first fires a Bahir and the second fires a Paellat, but both miss. Bahir takes his attack of opportunity by slashing at the gnoll that just tried to attack him at point blank range, but just missed.
Mah'ysa takes another shot with her sling glove, but the gnoll turned just as she fired and her shot just misses as well.
As a side-note they should be shaken, not frightened. I realize you could just be flowery in your description but thought I would clarify just in case.
It was long day yesterday, I meant shaken. Don't know why I was thinking frightened.
Hazreem moves to get a clear shot at the far gnoll at the rear gnoll.
Attack , damage