Tarak tries again, tossing yet another arc of lightning the gnoll’s way.
Urah moves up behind Gnasher and using the big gnoll as cover fling s snowball at the other gnoll.
Tarak finally lands his little electrical arc, though the gnoll basically smirks at the damage, But soon after, the gnoll takes a hard smack from the snowball and collapses - smirk gone.
Combat over
You find the following items on the lieutenant
potions of cure light wounds (2), oil of magic weapon (2), alchemist’s fire (3); Other Gear ultraweave armor, buckler, +1 scorpion whip, masterwork pepperbox rifle with 20 metal cartridges (range increment of 80) , cloak of resistance +1, 15 gp
Malgrim is the first to hear the sounds of whimpering coming from beyond the bend in the canyon.
Urah rifles through the belongings of the recently deceased gnoll and uses a simple cantrip to attempt discovery of magical items. He finds himself well rewards for that. He gets to work to identifying them.
Impressed with the many barreled fire stick, Gnasher hefts it's weight. Hearing whimpering coming from beyond the bend, he laid the pepperbox down, putting a finger over his muzzle he points to the bend in the canyon.
Lifting his bardiche high, he moves quickly and quietly around the bend looking for the cause of the whimpering.
You find a human, probably a merchant, a few guards, and a goblin taskmaster who was tasked with keeping the captives silent. Unfortunately, with the gnolls not around to supervise, her actions have become more along the lines of torture (involving a rather large spider).
Not that you know all of that. You just know that a leering goblin is leaning over a cowering merchant all tied up and a large spider is crawling over his face.
The group follows Gnasher as he tracks down the sound and Malgrim blurts out a threat. Though it sounds empty and hollow, the goblin knows better or they would have arrived in chains.
Tarak shifts back into his human form as the last gnoll drops, then follows the group after looking over the loot with some interest and a detect magic cantrip.
Seeing the human and the goblin, he fans out a bit, ready to launch combat magic if needed.
He grunts at Malgrim’s comments, ”A goblin servant? Seems more trouble than that’d be worth.”
Looking from the goblin towards Malgrim then Tarak, Gnasher thought the goblin could help Jank keep the mansion in order. "Does goblin speak common or gnoll? Maybe Gnasher will look after it."
He then moved towards the humans, helping untie them, telling them, "Do not be afraid, Tribe from Kelmarane, Princess Almah send tribe here. Who are you?"
In common the goblin responds.
"This goblin is Stink-eye, slave-master for the Carrion King! Of course Stink-eye know common! How else tell slaves what to do?"
the goblin says this as he or she pokes the merchant and the spider climbs up the arm and perches on the goblin's shoulder.
You notice that one of its eyes has an old injury and weeps puss. Without getting closer you cannot determine if the moniker is accurate.
Hearing the goblin was an important part of the Carrion Kings retinue, Gnasher roars, as he turns, lifting his bardiche and chops at the goblin. "Gnasher hate 'Carrion King!"
Fearing it is too late Malgrim calls out, "He is bluffing!"
Gnasher slaughters the goblin with a well placed swipe before Malgrim can stop him, the very words 'Carrion King' producing a knee jerk response in him, and the spider runs for cover. The merchant sags with relief. One of the guards speaks up.
"So you are our new captors."
His voice is dead and accepting.
Correction to loot list from gnoll leader:
potions of cure light wounds (2), potion of cure moderate wounds, alchemist’s fire (3), thunderstones (2), mwk splint mail, mwk light steel shield, +1 scorpion whip, mwk javelin, cloak of resistance +1.
Though I am going to leave in the rifle for fun.
"No, you are free. We are here opposing those who attacked you." Malgrim will move to free the merchant and his guards. "Where were you heading to?"
Having killed the goblin, Gnasher returns to freeing the prisoners, waiting for them to answer his earlier question. He also looks around to see if they were carrying merchant goods or anything that would indicate what the gnolls were doing.
The guards look to the merchant, who dusts himself off and plasters on a smile.
"I am an exotic hide merchant. Though these gnolls are dangerous, they have dealt with me fairly in the past. I always knew I was taking a risk, but I always was a gambler. One of the reasons I got in this mess."
He points over at a pile of hides, including wyvern and some white fur.
"Those are mine, though I have no idea how I am going to get them out of here without the pack horses. Damn things are heavy and that..."
He points up
"Is a long way to carry them. I think I may be ruined."
Urah upon hearing that that goblin works for the carrion king, lobs a a tiny ball of acid towards the goblin and changes his aim last minute to target the spider......
"Another one of his servants..."
"Where was your destination before your deal with these gnolls turned sour and why did it turn out so?" the ifrit asks.
"Well, The tribe was located south of here and I was captured even further south. The tribe I dealt with was not the same as these fellows and they thought it great fun to rob both me and the other gnolls."
"Could you mark on our map where these other tribe of gnolls is?" Urah asks thinking it might not be a good idea for Gnasher to visit the gnoll tribe....
Turning gnasher looked towards the pile of exotic furs. He knew some human merchants would do business with the gnolls, that is how he knew Bahram. But he didn't care if this merchant was ruined or not. Sometimes that was the price of business with the gnolls. The merchant should feel lucky that the tribe had saved him from a short life of slavery or worse. Not recognizing the white fur, Gnasher turned to the merchant and asks. "Merchant buying or selling furs?" He points towards the white one. "What that?"
As Urah produces athe map, Gnasher moves closer, watching, hoping the merchant would be able to locate where these gnolls were from.
"THAT is a snow bear fur. Pound for pound it is the most valuable item in my inventory. I should be able to carry that out of here and start over I guess."
He points at a location about 5 miles in from the southern edge of the mountains when Gnasher asks him where the tribe is.
Hearing the merchant had traded for the great bear fur, Gnasher realized the man must be a slave trader. While he had no judgement for the man, seeing how he had done worse himself, he did not blurt the fact out to his tribe. Instead, he mentally marked the spot on the map. Then pointed towards the south east. " Kelmarane, that way." He gestured at the wyvern hide, "How much for wyvern hide?"
Tarak stands a bit apart from the group staring up at the sky while the group converses with the merchant and goblin about things that didn’t really interest him.
Urah raises his eyebrows.
"We're an awefully far away from anywhere with winter. Where did this snow bear fur come from." Without waiting for an answer, he calls for Tarak and Malgrim.
"hey. Is this a snow bear fur?"
"Wyvern hide? Depends on where you sell it, really. Out here a couple of hundred gold a hide."
In a very human like fashion, Gnasher raised an eyebrow, "Two hundred gold? Maybe Gnasher just wait and see if still here when tribe return to Kelmarane" He nods to the merchant and his guard. "Be safe, it dangerous out here."
Turning to Tarak, he asks, "Chief ready to go, Tribe need to find good spot to climb."
Tarak starts out of his wools gathering. ”Aye, we best keep moving. I’ve only got one shift yet today, and one spell that can help. Let’s get to it”
Nodding at Tarak's comment Gnasher leaves the merchant and his guard to their own devices. Moving along the cliff face, aiding Tarak in finding a good stop to climb.
It takes you half of the day dealing with all the climbing and sorting out the situation, but you are careful and have no issues. After another half days travel you find a nice place to camp and rest throughout the day peacefully, leaving the merchant to sort out his own issues.
You travel another 6 days before your travels are disturbed , this time in broad daylight as Tarak is doing his scouting in eagle form. He sees, coming from afar, a thing that looks like a flying lion with the head of a ram. And it seems headed right for the other three trudging along by foot.
Seeing the flying beast, and divining it’s projected path, Tarak wheels and tucks his wings in a high speed dive back towards the group, shifting back to human form as he flares his wings in landing.
”Flying lion with a head of a ram, heading this way. No idea what is is, but tis not natural. Heads up”
With that info, you can roll knowledge arcana if you got skill. To get more than the basic info in the spoiler, however, you will have to wait for it to come within view.
Hearing Tarak's description of the flying creature, Gnasher looks at the chief for a second. Having never come across such a beast, he looks to the sky, shading his eyes with his paw. "Is it big like lion? Should tribe take cover?" Peering off into the distance to see if he could see the beast taht Tarak was speaking off.
"It's flying over. Maybe it's someone's pet. Flying Lion with Head of Ram. So not a flying lion then? Flying ram with body of lion? so A Raon?" Urah rambles.
With the trees in the way, you have several rounds before it will come into view. You can try to hide or cast buffs or both if you want. Though that pack mule (I think you decided on a mule) will be tough to hide all that well. Still, there ARE lots of trees. Go ahead and place your icons on the map linked at the top.
Scratching his head for a moment, Gnasher pointed at the most open spot. "Pet or not, Gnasher not want eaten. Put mule in open as bait. Tribe hide under trees." He gives a toothy smile. "IF pet pounce on mule tribe kill it." He then moved to east, ducking under one of the low hanging trees.
"Lets try and just get under cover and hope it continues on it's way. Tempting it with the mule seems unnecessary." Malgrim will motion them towards a clump of trees and try to hide.
The odd creature flies in closer and makes to land by the mule.
Tarak digs a scroll out of the case and casts it quickly, then hunkers down in the vegetation near Gnasher, fading into the greenery as he stills.
Tarak is pretty unnoticeable. Like invisible kind of unnoticeable.
"We need the mule. It costs gold!" Urah protests as he urges the Mule into the trees.
He follows after as well.
Finding a nice tall shrub almost the same color he is, Gnasher hisses quietly at Urah as the thing approaches overhead. "Forget mule, Gnasher give Firestarter gold."
He then looks up towards the lion-ram-eagle conglomeration, holding his bardiche at the ready.
Landing on a nearby boulder with a thump, the creatures eyes bear down on the mule.
"Come out little snacks. I know you are in there. I will give you a choice - fill my stomach or fill my purse. What will it be?"
Obviously the thing seems to think it has the advantage here. At the moment it does not seem like he can see any of you; unfortunately, the mule haunch is hard to hide.
Tarak is pretty unnoticeable. Like invisible kind of unnoticeable.
How do you all respond to its challenge? Wait in hiding for it to attack the mule?
Malgrim motions that they should attack and waits to get some nods before launching an assault.
Tarak nods, not that anyone can see him, and prepares to call lightning.