Neshim coughs and spits as the acid burns. "Not my traveling hat! It was a gift from a grateful prince! Now you will pay!"
Samar focuses on the creature's movements and keeps up her assault, swinging her hatchet at the bug three times!
The creature is struck again and again, and does not get to strike any longer. It collapses sideways onto the desert sand.
A search of the creature’s nest reveals a desiccated, half-eaten adventurer’s body. The body still grips a battered backpack containing two minor healing potions, a set of expert-quality thieves’ tools, and 300 sp.
Barely two miles since entering the foothills, a crystal-clear river rushes down the gentle slope of the land. On the river’s far side, three ratty tents constructed of leather and sticks stand near the river’s bank. A couple of crude fishing rods are propped up along the river, and the logs and ashes of a large bonfire rest near the tents.
"I think each of you should take a healing potion and we can put the rest of it into storage... At another time I'd try to see if we could make use of the body but best to leave it to the scavengers." Scipio does his best to patch up and treat the acid burns he has suffered.
After the battle Samar pulls out her own healing kit and takes ten minutes to heal everyone a bit.
She pockets one of the healing potions then shoulders her pack. "Well, lets get cracking."
---
At the sight of the river, Samar holds up a hand for silence. She scans the campsite for signs of their current inhabitants...
Scipio holds position while Samar checks ahead ready to push forward and help her at the sound of combat.
Samar realises a few things, having good ears and knowledge of gnolls.
The camp consists of three huts on the far side of a 20ft wide river, and is that of gnolls. Visible are two very bored, nervous, and distracted gnolls, who appear to have taken up fishing while waiting for "the others to return".
The gnolls all have a white streak dyed in their hair and wear necklaces or other adornments made of scorpion carapaces.
These as hallmarks of the Al’Chorhaiv tribe, a group of nomads known to travel with scorpions and other poisonous creatures.
It is clear that the party could avoid the camp entirely. It would add at least two hours to the journey, assuming they weren't spotted.
The encampment is on a slope, and the river passing directly to the west of the camp flows southward rapidly. The group sneak up, and can take advantage of the distracted gnolls.
Samar
Neshim
Scipio
Gnoll Elites
Unknown
Scipio moves twenty foot west after loading his crossbow and fires the bolt at a gnoll which sails over it's head... clearly his strategy is a little too focused on stealth.
Knowing they're far away, Samar would have had her bow out before moving in.
When the ambush starts she moves a little closer , then fires two arrows at the nearest gnoll.
Neshim moves, hums, and shoots!
The gnolls escape harm from the trio's volley, and decide to return one of their own, yipping in excitement at the prospect.
The gnolls yipping must hold some meaning to their pet - a huge scorpion that is clearly trained. It begins to move with increasing speed towards a river crossing. It powers across - to strike at Samar with its pincers!
Initiative
Samar
Neshim -9 hp
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2
Giant Scorpion
Scipio moves beside Neshim and tends to his injuries quickly.
Samar watches the scorpion carefully, tracking its movements. Then she...
...Attacks the scorpion with a twin takedown, and a strike!
...Moves closer and attacks with a twin takedown!
Neshim moves to Scipio, still humming, and still firing - with significant success in all these endeavours!
One gnoll makes it across easily, the other falters, but still reaches the shore. Waraxe drawn, it steps up to Samar, breathing heavily with bloodlust.
The scorpion has much greater success, it stings Samar with a venomous tip, then seizes and squeezes her with pincers!
Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d4 poison and enfeebled
1 (1 round); Stage 2 1d4 poison and enfeebled 2 (1 round).
Requirements The monster’s last action was a success with an
attack that lists Grab in its damage entry, or it has a creature
grabbed using this action.
Effect The monster automatically Grabs the target until the end of
the monster’s next turn. The creature is grabbed by whichever
body part the monster attacked with, and that body part can’t
be used to Strike creatures until the grab is ended.
Using Grab extends the duration of the monster’s Grab
until the end of its next turn for all creatures grabbed by it.
The grabbed creature can Escape using Acrobatics or
Break the Grapple with Athletics, and the Grab ends if the
monster moves away.
Constrict: 5 damage.
Initiative
Samar -26 total
Neshim Healed
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2
Giant Scorpion -26
Scipio moves down to Samar, tending to her wounds before trying to hit the gigantic scorpion.
Samar spits and curses at the scorpion! Then she takes a step forward and swings her hatchets at it repeatedly.
Healed, Neshim continues to fire upon the enemy!
The first gnoll to reach Samar hacks away wildly with its axe, and its companion rushes forward to do likewise.
Samar manages to break free of the scorpion's grasp before it cuts further and shrug off the effects of its venom! It continues attacking in return.
Initiative
Samar -53
Neshim
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2
Giant Scorpion -32
Samar shakes off the scorpions venom again, then...
Then she attacks the scorpion with a flurry of hatchet swings.
Scipio did his best to keep Samar on her feet before swinging his scimitar down hard onto the carapace of the oversized scorpion.
Under the many blows, the scorpion finally falls. Neshim shoots and shoots!
The gnolls are a little less confident with their pet dead, but no less bloodthirsty.
[spoiler=Getting Knocked Out & Dying]
When you’re reduced to 0 Hit Points, you get knocked out.
When this happens, you are subject to the following effects:
• You fall unconscious (gaining the unconscious condition).
• You immediately move your initiative position to directly
before the creature or effect that reduced you to 0 HP.
• If the attack was lethal, you gain the dying 1 condition. If you
already had the dying condition, instead increase your dying
condition by 1. If the attack was a critical hit, you gain the
dying 2 condition (or increase your dying condition by 2).
• If the attack was nonlethal, you do not gain the dying condition
or increase your dying condition, and you return to 1 Hit Point
(though you remain unconscious).
If your dying condition reaches 4 or greater, you die.
[/dice]
Initiative
Neshim
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1 -7
Samar -66, Dying 1
Gnoll Elite 2
Giant Scorpion
Scipio does his best to keep Samar alive and fend off the scorpion.
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"Some spells and abilities can’t affect a creature more than once in a day. If an effect says a creature becomes bolstered, repeated applications of that effect don’t do anything to the creature. For example, the blindness spell says, “The target is bolstered against all castings of blindness.” Casting blindness on that creature again would have no effect. Unless otherwise stated, a creature remains bolstered for 24 hours against only that specific ability used by that specific creature. Blindness has an exception, bolstering the target against the spell no matter who casts it. Being bolstered doesn’t prevent ongoing effects of the source of the condition. For instance, if an ability makes you frightened and bolsters you against it, you don’t cease to be frightened due to becoming bolstered—you just don’t become frightened again if the same creature targets you with that ability later that day."
Samar makes a Heroic Recovery! Despite her wounds her eyes pop open and she lets out a loud groan. She stands up, pulls out a minor healing potion, an drinks it.
Neshim hails the risen Samar by running forward and tapping her on the back - with surprising effect!
Faced with a new threat, one gnoll turns to face Scipio while the second continues striking at Samar.
Initiative
Samar -64
Neshim
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1 -16
Gnoll Elite 2
Giant Scorpion
Scipio flails about ineffectually....
Deciding she'd rather go down fighting than mess around with more healing potions Samar swings at the most wounded gnoll!
One of the gnolls looks like it will get in another strike, but Samar's blades have proven too much for it and it keels over.
Heartened by this display of martial prowess, Neshim maintains his volley.
The last gnoll refuses to back down or flee. It continues slashing wildly at Samar, determined to slay its tribesmate's slayer.
Initiative
Samar 0 hp, dying 1
Neshim
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2
Giant Scorpion
Scipio does his best to fight on and take the gnoll out of the fight.
Neshim expends more magic in order to keep Samar going!
The last gnoll slashes at Scipio, determined to bring all of the combatants down.
Initiative
Samar 10 hp
Neshim
Scipio
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2 -7
Giant Scorpion
Finding herself bleeding on the ground with a gnoll above her -- again -- Samar cusses. She groans, grabs her hatchets, rolls to her feet, and backs away from the enemy.
Scipio proves once more that his place is not on the front line.
Neshim tries to encourage his companions by shooting the gnoll.
The gnoll grins wickedly, and presses its attack against Scipio.
Initiative
Samar -54
Neshim
Scipio -7
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2 -7
Giant Scorpion
With too many full hands Samar tosses one of her hatchets at the gnoll's face!
Then, with her newly free hand, she pulls out and drinks a healing potion.
Scipio does better but still doesn't hit the gnoll...
Neshim cheers the others on:
"Nearly there!"
At the last second, Scipio finds a weakness in the gnoll's defenses, before its blows come in return.
Scipio has earned the ire of this last gnoll.
Initiative
Samar -48
Neshim
Scipio -26
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2 -28
Giant Scorpion
Scipio circles around to the opposite side of the gnoll to Samar before hacking while hoping it's enough to put an end to the gnoll. [ooc]It should be flanked so -2 to it's AC
Samar focuses on her enemy, strides up to the gnoll, and attacks with her hatchet.
Neshim continues shooting - poorly.
The gnoll, sensing its death near, will not stop lashing out.
Initiative
Samar -58
Neshim
Scipio -26
Gnoll Elite 1
Gnoll Elite 2 -38
Giant Scorpion
Scipio keeps trying to keep the gnoll on the defensive hacking and slashing before attempting to trip it up.
Samar growls as she's hurt -- again -- pulls out a second hatchet and attacks with it. Then she attacks some more in a flurry of swings, and adopts a defensive stance, ready to parry the enemy attacks.
Neshim cheers as Scipio and Samar manage between them to fell the last gnoll!
Between them, the gnolls had:
2 battle axes, 2 now-damaged leather armour, 2 shortbows, 38 arrows, assorted filthy "rations"
A search of the tents reveals a discarded sack containing three healing potions.
The distance from the gnoll camp to the hidden entrance to the tomb is through 4 miles of difficult terrain, including treacherous cliffs and steep inclines that must be climbed.
"Maybe we should rest before pressing too far ahead... but given more are likely to show up I think we have to for a while at least." He calls upon Saranrae to heal them.
Scipio makes sure they take the potions of healing.
Neshim does not argue...too much. He peers at the mountain, as does Samar.
Neither can agree on a good route upwards.
Samar collects her hatchet and the gear then pulls out her healing supplies. "Hold up, I still feel like sh**."
But she is too flustered and no one feels any better afterwards. With a grumble and some cussing Samar drinks two of the healing potions they just found.
And the last one.
Grumpy and sore -- which is generally how she always feels -- Samar leads the way up the mountain, choosing to ignore Neshim's poor advice. Unfortunately, her own advice isn't much better this time...
Scipio looks about, and spots an easy pathway that alternates between short cliffs (usually 15 to 20 feet tall each), shallow inclines that go on for 30 to 45 feet at a time, and walkable flatter sections. The alternative routes are difficult pathways consisting of steeper ledges with taller cliffs (25 to 40 feet tall) and fewer walkable portions.