"Can we get around them? Eight is quite a formidable number."
As the light left the forward groups back Balan and Aukan could see light emerge from the doorway to the left then it winks out. As Victrix and Throrgar return in hushed voices they tell you about a threat.
Another roar comes from the North East, ahead of Aukan and Balan.
The group easily hears movement and pulling of weapons from sheathes. Then chains begin to clatter... growling can be heard. A howl goes up as well.
Hearing loud noises after news of gnolls so close, Balan responded quietly, "Let's back down the way we came a few yards, prevent ourselves from being flanked."
Balan and Aukan move back a few yards,
Likely with nods from the group Victrix will move forward. Throrgar pulls out his wand and casts shield upon himself and then stores the wand again. Balan takes a defensive stance, Aukan has his sword cross in front of him to take a defensive stance as well.
Surprise Round
"We have a chokepoint, so let's use it." Sendi said. "Everyone, get to either side of the door. When the gnolls chase her in, we attack!"
As Victrix quickly comes back to the group you can hear movement to the South and the West. After you get into positions you see that a massive gnoll slams into the wall about 20 feet away from Aukan. At the same time movement forward from the South can be heard as chains hit the stone floor. Victrix jumps out at them and soon they give chase. Sendi and Balan both get AoO.
Sendi close lines the figure that was going after Victrix and drops to the ground, not moving anymore.
Carrion Guards: Gnolls 19 hp
Slaves hp 11
Slaves (5)
CR 1
5
Male human warrior 2
LN Medium humanoid
Init +0; Senses Listen +1, Spot +1
DEFENSE
AC 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
hp 11 each (2d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +0, Will –1
OFFENSE
Spd 30 ft.
Melee club +3 (1d6+1)
TACTICS
Before Combat The slaves try to remain concealed and split as
soon as they sense trouble coming.
During Combat The slaves fight defensively, seeking the
opportunity to escape and usher a warning to their brethren below; though not if doing so would jeopardize the secrecy of their lair.
Morale These ex-slaves value freedom above all else; if given the opportunity to take it, they do so. If badly injured, they flee, unless it means leaving one of their own behind to be enslaved. Tough as nails, they remain determined never to be broken
or captured again, and when escape isn’t an option, they always fight to the death. If subdued or captured, they become belligerent, even suicidal, and if possible fling themselves off the ruins to their deaths, along with their captors.
STATISTICS
Str12,Dex11,Con13,Int10,Wis9,Cha8
Base Atk +2; Grp +3
Feats Alertness, Endurance
Skills Climb +6, Handle Animal +4, Jump +6, Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages Common, Osiriani
Gear club
Carrion Guards (2)
Male gnoll ranger 1
CE Medium humanoid
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +4, Spot +4 DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14
(+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 natural) hp 19 each (3d8+6)
Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +1 OFFENSE
CR 2
stingchuck +4 (1d4 plus nausea)
Special Attacks favored enemy (humans +2)
TACTICS
During Combat A Carrion Guard always opens combat by hurling
his stingchuck if he can, then follows up with shots from his longbow, moving between shots as necessary to maintain ranged advantage. When mounted on a hyaenodon, a Carrion Guard usually takes 1 or 2 rounds to attack at range before riding into melee to continue the fight with scimitar and to allow his mount a chance to bite at foes.
Morale Carrion Guards are fiercely loyal to their king and fight to the death.
STATISTICS
Str18,Dex15,Con15,Int8,Wis12,Cha6
Base Atk +2; Grp +6
Feats Mounted Combat, Track, Weapon Focus (longbow)
Skills Listen +4, Ride +4, Spot +4, Survival +3
Languages Gnoll
SQ wild empathy –1
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear +1 studded
leather armor, masterwork scimitar, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str) with 20 arrows (poisoned with Huge scorpion venom; DC 18 Fort Save, 1d6/1d6 Con damage), stingchuck
20 Sendi
20 slaves
19 Auso
15 Aukan
10 Victrix
14 Throrgar
10 gnolls
9 Balan
The figures follow Victrix up to Balan and Sendi...
Balan takes down his figure as well. Chains hit the floor...
Round 1
I charge forward at the creature I see.
Round 1
Sendi and Balan hit and take down the coming threats. The two collared and chained figures appear to be dirty humans each with a club in hand. Aukan charges down the hallway into the darkness. Victrix moves in and calls to inspire the group. Throrgar takes a five foot step forward and brings his bardiche down upon the gnoll dropping it as well. You can hear the fight that is beginning down the hall where Aukan went.
Round 2
Round 2
With the ambush having been successful, and with Aukan easily holding down the flank, Sendi rushed forward to encircle the enemies. "Forward!" She said to her comrades as she rushed in.
Round 2
He continues his attack on the monster beast before him and cleaves through the other slaves as well. Only by the inspiration of Victrix's words allows him to hit his foe cutting a massive wound in its chest and yet some how it still fails to fall to the ground.
As the beast fails with its attack, Aukan swings his great blade up and cuts the head from the beast. He and the hallways is covered in blood. He yells in pain as the claws and teeth cut his flesh!
At the end he smiles at the other beast and calls, "I need some healing NOW!"
Round 3
He aims to cleave the large beast first and cut into the ranged attacking gnoll as well. Cutting the two gnolls in half splashing Sendi with its blood and possibly Throrgar too!
Round 2
Sendi moves forward! Throrgar follows Sendi into the darkness, . As you follow them you can see two slaves who are tied up on the Southern wall, to the North you see more slaves attacking Aukan, and a gnoll shooting him with a bow and arrows.
The gnoll attacks Aukan with a bite and two claws in a frenzy. Aukan cuts into it, leaving a massive wound. Somehow the monster continues to attack! As another monster beast of a gnoll comes charging down the hallway. Lucky for Aukan that they can't both reach him. As the beast claws into Aukan it opens itself to an AoO!
poison: Fort DC 18 1d6/1d6 Con damage
Round 3
The new giant gnoll goes after Aukan as it roars. It is unable to get through Aukan's defenses. As Aukan cleaves the two gnolls in half as his blade critically hits the large beast.
The unconscious slaves that were hit after charging after Victrix may yet still be alive. The slaves hit by Aukan are dead with the gnolls. The last two slaves are tied to the wall by their hands via rope and have fresh cuts on them. Their mouths are gagged. They appear to be human, upon closer inspection you might find them to be another near race such as half-elf, or even possibly elf. They are lanky but that could just be malnourishment as most slaves are.
Soraya Hezami comes forward and prays to Sarenrae, "Sarenrae, please bless us with your healing light!" With a flash of light healing courses over Aukan as his flesh mends and he stops bleeding. Then she does it several more times.
He was having trouble with such great wounds and now with all the threats dealt with he leans against the bloody wall. Once he is healed he offers his praise, "Thank you Sarenrae and Soraya. Though I could still use more healing if you or anyone else has some for me. I could use my belt but I would prefer to wait until it is really needed in the heat of battle or the end of the day."
"That was amazing Aukan!" Sendi said. "You didn't just hold them off, but you dealt with almost all of them yourself!" She wiped the blood off of her hands. "I don't have any way to heal you, but then again, I have no way to heal myself either. We are lucky to have had you here. If not, then this certainly would have been much more difficult."
He smiles and chuckles at the praise from Sendi, he confidently states, "It is what I do best, I split things!" Concurring with her more, he offers, "Yes those big ugly beasts of gnolls could have been much worse!"
He nods to Victrix as she states what she has to offer and gladly takes them saying, "Thank you Victrix". Opening one and taking the potion he sees how he is doing before taking the other one.
Realizing he is almost up to snuff, he returns the full potion vial and empty one to Victrix.
Now he holds his greatsword with the point touching the ground. Then he begins to loot the bodies, letting the others deal with the living. He absently begins talking about curing items, "You know, I should have more of these belts made. Every one of you would benefit from one of them! In case it is what is left the key word to my belt is, 'Heal my heel'."
Once done looting he pulls out one of his wands and keeps it handy.
The two slaves try to say something but it just comes out as noise. They appear to be human and speak in common, they gasp and say "Yes! Please help, there is more slaves in the area that could help you. We just want to be free. Water and food would be great, cut us free first!"
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear +1 studded
leather armor, masterwork scimitar, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str) with 20 arrows (poisoned with Huge scorpion venom; DC 18 Fort Save, 1d6/1d6 Con damage),
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds; Other Gear +1 studded
leather armor, masterwork scimitar, masterwork composite longbow (+4 Str) with 20 arrows (poisoned with Huge scorpion venom; DC 18 Fort Save, 1d6/1d6 Con damage),
6 clubs
6 silver trade bars (10 gp each)
1 emerald (200 gp)
120 sp
50 gp
silver and gold brooch (80 gp)
bottle stopper cork embossed with gold leaf and set with amethsts (300 gp)
2 gold dragon comb set with red garnets as eyes (120 gp)
8 stale rations
2 empty waterskins
1 half drunk wine skin
a bit of moldy cheese
2 potions of cure light
As you get close enough to see the large gnoll clearly you see a hulking monstrosity. It has large canine jaws. Its matted, speckled hide and hyena-like cackle hint at its animalistic nature, yet it walks like a man, even though its grotesque proportions seem wholly unnatural. A circular patch of thickened, gray scar tissue nestles in the filthy fur in the center of its forehead. The large gnolls stood between 10 and 12 feet tall. Masses of bloated muscle and matted fur. They are voracious predators, which one might infer by their thick, arrowhead-shaped teeth.
He would slowly take the items he finds and places them into his pack. He would ask, "Would anyone like a new weapon or could use some extra arrows?"
If not he would pull out a sack and swaddle the blades in some rags before putting them in the sack and then his pack. He is sure someone can use the arrows. The bows easily go into his pack without a second thought, unless someone would claim one of them?
He would leave the clubs and food.
Claiming the 4 potions of cure light, and asking, "I found more potions on the gnolls, does anyone not have any healing?" Offering the potions to those who do not have healing.
He would put the treasure into his pack and if anyone noticed he would say, "Keeping it safe until we get home, unless you see something magical?" As he takes the gold and silver items.
Two +1 studded leather armor
6 silver trade bars (10 gp each)
1 emerald (200 gp)
120 sp
50 gp
silver and gold brooch (80 gp)
bottle stopper cork embossed with gold leaf and set with amethsts (300 gp)
2 gold dragon comb set with red garnets as eyes (120 gp)
Nothing is magical on the slaves.
Loot from the slaves: 6 clubs, 6 sets of rags, 2 sets of 20 foot length of chain, and 6 collars.
After they are done eating and drinking the waterskin twice over they relay, "There was many of us. Most of us have been slaves for years, most of us merchants who were preyed upon by the gnolls. An ogre slave got free and some of them were lucky enough to get away with him. To the East. More gnolls and their hyena mounts are to the South. I am surprised they aren't here yet."
"I don't know but I don't like it. It almost seemed disportionate as well possibly diseased" He offers after Victrix talks about the large gnolls.
"Throrgar head to the East and scout it out for us, I will head South. First sign of trouble I will head back. The rest of you be ready to follow." He commands and begins to move to the South after hearing the slaves.
Urgently he whispers, "It's like the slaves said there are gnolls with bows on mounts waiting for us. I also need to retrieve my eternal torch. I will wait around this corner should they move up, I will yell and engage. Go help Throrgar!"
Throrgar nods and moves to the East slowly in Stealth as he listens for anything walking in the darkness with his 60 feet of darkvision and his bardiche in one hand and a javelin in the other.
Aukan makes noise and comes back after at most a minute. As Throrgar is still gone.
Sendi nodded and hurried after Thorgar. She felt confident in leaving the freed slaves with Aukan. The goliath could handle armies by himself, she was sure. Even if there was a dragon in the caves she thought that he could turn it’s bones into toothpicks without undue hassle. But mobile gnolls with bows? They could easily harass and kill those who had escaped, so this scouting mission was important. Her own time as a slave had taught how how horrific the practice was, but to be captured by gnolls? She shuddered at the thought.
Balan hadn't responded to Aukan, since he felt his fists were enough, but the sight of the giant gnoll had shaken him. As Aukan gives commands to continue the fight, Balan seems to come out of a stupor. "Yes, Aukan, good luck in your misison." He heads out after Throrgar, keeping as silent as he can manage in the unfamiliar terrain.
Balan stumbles in the dark following the others.
With Sendi following close behind Throrgar you go down the hallways into other rooms, the first door you find to the North is magically locked and Throrgar decides to leave it alone after trying to open it with pure strength.
Entering into the next room as you don't hear anything, you find a recently repaired hole in the eastern wall of this otherwise empty room stands partially blocked by three boulders cemented together with dried clay.
He is able to see the trap and disarm it, cutting the string and letting the blade fall onto the rocks below. It’s easy enough for anyone to clamber over the 2-foot-high rocks. Then he steps over it and begins his searching again. Listening for any movement or signs of threats.
Pale blue ceramic censers dangle from copper chains mounted
into the ceiling along the edges of this room, filling the
chamber with a faint, flickering light. To the west, a mound of
rocks has been stacked to form a crude throne. A collection of
mismatched boxes and clay urns lines the northern wall, while
to the south, numerous rocks have been stacked in front of a
pair of doors. Upon the throne is a hulking, deformed hybrid, likely the ogre that the other slaves were talking about. He looks up and smiles at them after you open the door and orders, "Kill them!" Then looks back at the golden statue in hand. The four other slaves are without chains or collars, but they have the clubs.
Balan
Sendi
Auso
Victrix
Throrgar
slaves
ogre
Victrix Aukan had put the studded leathers and most of the loot in his bag, though he did offer them to the group first.
Balan moves forward with renewed confidence. "You'll find its easier to give that command than achieve it."
"Exactly! We are your best bet at freedom. Join us!"
The four slaves were picking up their clubs and had the intention of using them. As they came forward they stopped, got on their knees and said, "please help us."
That is when the big brute saw what they were doing and picked up his . Ready to fight!
Round 2
Go!
The monk swiftly closes the gap between himself and the brute, keen on striking down the foul creature.
Balan is able to get within 15 feet of the throne.
The brute finishes moving the distance between himself and Balan. Balan hits him pretty good snapping the ogres head to the side. His face comes back with a bit of blood but also a smile, "Oh we are going to see who is the strongest?!"
With that said he swings his club.