Makin tumbles oungracefully and lands hard among the pews below, scratched, brusied and almost unconcious.
He manages to crawl to the northern wall and get cover behind the end of a pew, breathing heavily and clearly quite hurt and out-of-breath.
Numair and Faysal are suddenly aware of someone behind them. As they turn they see the familiar face of one of the camp mercenaries. "Sorry for giving you a start, Garavel wanted me to find out your status.", he says with a sly grin. "He said if you need more time to clear chapel then we will camp just out of sight range. He doesn't want to take a chance with Almah's safety. What should I tell him?"
Numair and Faysal are suddenly aware of someone behind them. As they turn they see the familiar face of one of the camp mercenaries. "Sorry for giving you a start, Garavel wanted me to find out your status.", he says with a sly grin. "He said if you need more time to clear chapel then we will camp just out of sight range. He doesn't want to take a chance with Almah's safety. What should I tell him?"
"Gods, man! We're a bit busy right now; either join us in hunting down the rest of these pests or wait outside, if you please!"
Numair moves forward into the chapel, and calls to Remos and Hald. "If you can pinpoint where the vermin are, tell me so that I can target them!"
Remos picks up his scimitar and sheathes it. "They are there," Remos yells back, pointing southeast. "Above you."
"I say we smoke them out. And if Garavel won't let us do that, then we can throw wood underneath the nests and pretend to start a fire. That should draw the little bastards out."
Haldo back down the ladder.
"I agree, if we are to have any success, it won't be through force of arms. I'll start gathering fire wood."
Makin stands up and walks over to his companions. Brushing dust off, and wincing at his various scratches and bruises.
'I'm not sure how well that went, or if using smoke or fire is a great idea. It's bound to get out into the sky, and on the deserts edge it will be visible for miles, which is dangerous even if there aren't gnolls in the area.'
'I can attest though, that those beams the nest is on are pretty weak,' he smiles, gesturing his to his battered appearance.
'We could try and knock the nest down, then Haldo and Remos here can make short work of those little rattin' pests once their open and exposed. What do you think?'
Remos heads on down the ladder and joins the rest of the party. "How we reach those beams?" he inquires of Makin.
'Damn good question, anyone have any knowledge of structures, so we don't bring the place down on ourselves before installing Hanim-Almah?'
Numair decides to try a different tactic. If these things love gnolls so much, they may understand that ...
He shouts up to the pugwampis, speaking in gnoll.
Gnoll
Suddenly quiet Makin whispers, 'What is he saying? What language is that? Sounds like he's trying to squeaz a rat and a dog together?'
Remos whispers back, "He doing magic," nodding assuredly.
"Wait, is he speaking the dog tongue? Who is this man?"
He eyes Numair with great suspicion.
Upon hearing what they think is a Gnoll addressing them the pugs erupt in glee, two of them stick their heads out of the nest to see Numair talking. They are clearly disappointed. "you not gnoll, what d'ou want?", they respond.
'What did it say? And frankly I'm shocked that worked!'
Faysal pauses in his wood gathering to watch the outcome of this gambit.
To Makin, Numair gives a slight sigh in irritation. "They asked what I wanted; I believe they assumed I was a gnoll at first and were disappointed to find I was not."
Turning back to the pugwampis, he says:
Gnoll
Numair:
The pugwampis continue to talk to Numair as the one finishes speaking they erupt into gleeful laughter again.
Numair turns to the others. "They don't seem to respond well to diplomacy. Perhaps we can try a bit more forceful means ... as I talk to them, would the rest of you mind brandishing your weapons, and just being as threatening as you can?"
Gnoll
Having rejoined Numair at the floor of the chapel, he bares his teeth and shakes his broadsword at the laughing pugwampi.
Remos joins in, offering his opinion on the matter. "You leave now!" he says, pointing to one the gremlins and raising his falchion over his head.
Intimidate: ,
Makin brandishes his rapier, flicking blood from the pugawampi he had slain.
He whispers to Numair, 'even if you can provoke them to come to attack us we can sort this situation out.'
Faysal starts lighting torches to throw in the nest....
Faysal starts lighting torches to throw in the nest....
There is no response from the hidden pugs.
'Well dammit, we can't actually start a fire.'
'What say we retreat and clear out and ascertain the rest of the monastery, hopefully the pugs will come after us, because if we catch them in the open we're playing a different game. What do you think? If they don't at least we'll know whats at our backs, Hells we might find a ladder or two.'
"Hmmm ... Remos, you look quite strong. Do you think you could throw one of those broken beams up there to start knocking nests down?"
"Anyone have a grappling hook? We can try tearing those nests down, or even the beams."
As you are discussing your options and brandishing your weapons you hear a surprised gasping squeal followed by a gleeful whooping. You turn to see two arrows impact into Faysal's chest as well as two pugwampis dancing in the hall.
'At least this is straight forward! I did say we were going to get attacked if we didn't explore the rest!' Makin shouts cheekily as he rushes forward with his rapier.
Faysal drops the fire wood and casts Sanctuary on himself.
"Stay close!!!"
Haldo grabs his sword and charges at the laughing pugwampi.
"Arrrgh! I'm going to *censored* you *censored* *censored*!"
"Yeah, I can knock down nests. Maybe my sword work better than broken beams," he suggests.
"Huh?" Remos turns to the direction of squealing. When he sees the halfling hit with the arrows, he screams "AAHHH! I KILL GREMLINS!" sprinting towards them.
"These things are like rats!" Numair fires a shot from his crossbow at one of the new pugs.
damage
Numair turns and says, "These things are like rats!" then fires a shot from his crossbow at one of the new pugs missing wide.
Haldo grabs his sword and charges at the laughing pugwampi. "Arrrgh! I'm going to *censored* you *censored* *censored*!"
'At least this is straight forward! I did say we were going to get attacked if we didn't explore the rest!' Makin shouts cheekily as he rushes forward with his rapier.
Both pugwampis squeal in fear as Haldo rushes them. They turn away and run into the door furthest down the hallway.
Faysal drops the fire wood and casts Sanctuary on himself. "Stay close!!!"
"Yeah, I can knock down nests. Maybe my sword work better than broken beams," Remos suggests. "Huh?" Remos turns to the direction of squealing. When he sees the halfling hit with the arrows, he screams "AAHHH! I KILL GREMLINS!" sprinting towards them.
Remos chases after the pugs into the room.
'After them!'
"Are they perhaps drawing us away from the nests?" Numair asks no one in particular. He sighs, but remains where he is for the moment. He keeps his eyes on the nests above, and calls to the others, "I'm watching them from this side. If you encounter more, yell!"
If he gets a shot at any in the nests, he'll take it.
damage
For stealth purposes, also better in case the desert sun gets at us.