Feeling lucky, Indus moves closer, hoping to draw the nearest pugwampy closer to the hanging net, and yells "Hey, dog-face! Over here!
As Diorio breaks away from the group to execute the plan, Seben looks behind her at the Sacred Ibis and can clearly see it has a developed a predatory look in its eye. Already it has begun to pace in the sand behind the water tanks.
“Don’t” she whispers.
The Sacred Ibis shakes its head.
“There’s no need," she tries. "These men have this well under control.”
Men, monkeys, frogs… turtles. It matters not. None of them are Sacred.
“Please,” she tries. But she might as well be speaking with the fence post. The Sacred Ibis has already decided for itself. It needs not her pathetic counsel.
It slowly stretches out its wings, a span of easily seven feet.
As it does so, it silently transforms. It takes on a stone-like hue. Its visage is no longer simply that of a bird, but of the actual ibis hieroglyphic—as though it were a symbol carved into a stone wall that had somehow come alive and torn itself free, impossibly stepping outside the mural itself.
Its eyes glow a dark red as it glares at Seben, an inferior who has failed to fulfill her pact with the gods. The great bird stands ready to take off whereupon it will enact the true justice of Thoth, God of Moon, God of Knowledge, God of the Sacred Texts.
Yes, at last the Sacred Ibis prepares to make itself known.
Oh crap, this is really happening!
Seben reaches back and touches the Sacred Ibis, now transformed.
”Hey,” she says in a sharp whisper, “give me some of that.”
”Sure wish I had one of those crossbow things…”
Seben pulls back her massive bow and let’s loose. The whispering shot is like a hurricane-in-a-box.
The Sacred Ibis scoffs at Seben’s failure. It gives her a look of total disdain as if to say:
“And how do you intend to slay a pharaoh when you can’t kill a demented puppy?”
The creature takes to the air, soaring impossibly fast, bending light, bending distance. Such things as physics meaning nothing to a creature of the gods.
Silently it lands behind the creature, letting the icy cold of its towering shadow fall upon the pugwampi until it is enshrouded in darkness.
Shooting from well outside the pugwampi's unluck aura, Seben's aim is true and while she may wish for a crossbow, her arrow strikes with much greater accuracy and force than Diorio's bolt.
The wooshing sound causes the pugwampi turn just in time to catch the inbound shaft squarely in the chest. Its natural damage resistance is the only thing that prevents it from being killed outright.
The hideous fey stands dumbfounded for a moment, as if trying to comprehend the long shaft sticking out of its body.
Then the Scared Ibis renders that a moot point as it lands and tears the gremlins head off.
In this case, I'll allow it with reference to the Rule of Cool. Also, the pug would likely have triggered an AoO, resulting in the same outcome.
Once battle is actually engaged, Lueck drops his net. Perhaps the way the pugs are hunched reminded him of the boggards of the Expanse. Whatever it was, the tiny grippli took his goddess's teachings to practice. He drew forth his bronze battleaxe in both hands and charged forward.
Then the Scared Ibis renders that a moot point as it lands and tears the gremlins head off.
*"You foolish fool, how easily I have destroyed you."
Seben watches the Sacred Ibis preen as though he has slain a tarrasque rather than an injured gremlin.
She shakes her head and knocks an arrow. Seben then scans the foliage, searching for signs of the pugwampi. There were at least four when they arrived. Two are missing.
Seeing as the pugwampy is next to some rope, Indus will take his readied action.
Indus makes a gesture with his hand that almost resembles tying a knot, then utters some arcane words, "Liga inimicum meum," and the coil of rope next to the gremlin starts moving almost like a constrictor snake and tries to ensnare the creature.
Most Perception checks are reactive, made in response to observable stimulus. Intentionally searching for stimulus is a move action.
The pugwampi lets out a surprised yelp and ducks, narrowly escaping the animated rope. It chitters angrily, but does not look pleased about the prospect of toe-to-toe combat with a wild-eye, axe-wielding frog-creature.
It takes a step back and fires its shortbow at Lueck.
Among the rows of plants, you can see short bursts of rapid movement and occasional yips, but none of the pugwampi show themselves.
"Drats!"
Indus abandons his attempt at binding the creature and moves to a better positions, firing a crossbow bolt over the head of Lueck.
Indus' crossbow bolt is even more accurate and effective than Seben's arrow, dispite Lueck's close proximity.
The grippli battle priest feels a woosh over his left shoulder and sees the pugwampi crumble to the ground with Indus' bolt sticking out between its eyes.
He can almost feel the dissapointment of his warrior goddess through his axe as the prospect of his first kill is stolen from him.
Seben watches Indus ice a pugwampi with an incredible shot between the eyes.
“Great shot, Turtle!”
Gotta see if that guy can give me some tips!
She carefully advances, her bow drawn, doing her best to be ready to release the arrow if any pugwampi heads should pop up. There's a slight shake as she does so though, she either lacks the strength or the courage to truly hold her over-sized weapon steady.
The Sacred Ibis sails over the farm, wings outstretched, daring those who must tremble before it to make themselves known.
Indus smiles at Seben. "I just got lucky, I guess."
Perception
"Come out and fight you miserable cowards!" Lueck squeaks.
With his axe in both hands, he swings his head back and forth looking for any sign of the creatures.
The good guys maneuver carefully around the farmyard, keenly aware that the fight is not won yet.
Diorio will move into the house, rapier ready for total defense, to make sure there are no wumps inside seeking to ambush us.
Moving carefully, Diorio enters the farmhouse. His caution is warranted, because another pugwampi jups at him and slashes with a dagger as soon as he opens the door.
The trained fencer has no trouble deflecting the feeble attempt and the pugwampi quickly flees towards an open door in the south of the building, which seems to lead to a storage shed.
In the yard, Seben and Sobekhotep move carefully along the irrigation pipe, keeping a sharp lookout for the pugwampi hiding among the planted rows.
They freeze as one of the hidious gremlins pops out of the greenery and fires off a hasty shot that sails wide. Seben returns fire but also misses.
Before the pugwampi can retreat, the Scared Ibis swoops down from its overwatch flight, landing right besides it. Shrieking in terror, the tiny creature ties to bolt, but in doing so leaves itself open. A quick snatch of a magically enhanced beek, and another gremlin head rolls in the sand.
Further along the rows, the other hidden pugwampi pops out and takes a potshot at Lueck. This arrow also sails wide, hitting the wooden storage shed instead of Lueck
Ready to react, the feisty gripply warpriest moves straight for the shooter, but at the last moment, he spots a thin piece of wire strung out between the irrigation pipe and the nearby net rack, narrowly avoiding being tripped by it.
Seeing its packmates slaughtered left and right and faced with an angry axe-wielding from-man, the pugwampi also opts to retreat, moving towards the open fields.
Sobekhotep once again casts Guidance on Seben.
Remembering his maestro's lessons for fighting in tight quarters, Diorio shortens his stance and enters the house on the balls of his feet, blade held in primo position ready for a low thrust from any direction.
There it is!
"Haha, not nice you little spud!
Whew!
"Come back here and play some more!
Not wanting to tempt another sneak attack, Diorio will follow his prey, but only to within lunge distance of the next doorway. He will ready himself to skewer the nasty bugger if it comes back his way. It is either cornered, or will leave the house through another route, or try to go through him.
Indus sees the retreating pugwampi, steps a mite closer while fitting another bolt to his crossbow and fires, this time muttering a single arcane word that gives the bolt the faintest glow.
Unfortunately, he misjudges the height of his target and hits a palm tree about three feet above the gremlin's head.
Lueck clears the trip wire with a deft hop and closes on the pugwampi that shot at him. He croaks in rage as he gets close and swings on the little creature!
To hit (using guidance from Sebek), damage .
In his eagerness to please his godess, Lueck misjudges the distance to the pugwampi.
Terrified, both surviving gremlins run as fast as they can.
Seeing his nemesis within range, Diorio lunges for effect to try and skewer the sneaky bugger.
Diorio's thrust connects without difficulty, but glances off the gremlin's hide.
Flying through the rows of melons like an arrow, the Sacred Ibis barrels down on the pugwampi. It lands behind him while the croaking frog slashes away demanding the creature’s attention.
And careens into a bush of melons instead! Whereupon six--no seven--large round pieces of fruit all detach and bonk him on the head like he's a looney tunes character.
SQUAAAK!!!*
Her arms still trembling from the strain of her bow, Seben rushes towards the cacophony of squawks and croaks. Spinning around the edge of the melon bush she peers down the ordered row and sees the melee in the distance: Luek and the Sacred Ibis battling the strange bouncing gremlin.
“Here goes nothing…”
Seben narrowly misses hitting the Sacred Ibis, her arrow instead lodging itself in one of the melons next to his head.
Indus readies to fire his crossbow again, but then lowers it, satisfied that they have frightened off the little critters.
"Is anyone hurt? ... besides bruised prides," he adds in a low voice.
"I'm okay!" Seben calls out in answer, happy to hear the reassuring voice of Indus.
I'm actually okay!?
Slowly she begins to release her bow, her muscles aching from the constant pull.
"Is anyone else... wait! Has anyone seen Diorio?"
She snaps her bow back taut again.
The Sacred Ibis slowly turns his head as though examining the arrow lodged in the melon next to him.
Then he turns back to glare at Seben. If there's such a thing as an avian scowl, he has it.
The remaining pugwampi scatter in all direction. They swiftly dissapear into the fields, making any attempt to find and neutralize them hopeless given their high stealth and unluck aura.
They are bound to make more trouble for the surrounding farmers, but the pack has been effectively broken up and they are more likely to be a nuisance than an actual threat.
After everything calms down, you carefully search the entire compound to ensure there are no stragglers lurking. You find and disable a few more crude boobytraps like the tripwire, a weakened section of roof and a rigged irrigation pipe.
The interior of the farmhouse is a total mess, but nothing a few hours of cleanup and some minor repairs won't fix. A couple of prestidigitation castings might help with the smell.
The wheel from the cart is still laying close by the heavily laden vehicle. It can be fixed with a DC 15 Profession (Wainwright) check (or use of mending, which is probably a more likely option for you).
In ancient Osirion, it was common to use crude effigies or wall murals of Bes to ward off misfortune and bless a household or farm. You may want to suggest to Rashid and his neighbors to resume this practice, as it could likely reduce the likelihood of another pugwampi infestation.
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Sobekhotep breathes a ragged sigh of relief when the last of the infernal gremlins flee.
When his wandering eyes alight upon the damaged cart, the light up.
Now this is something I can help with...
Pulling out a strange holy symbol that appears to be a staff-like fusion of three other symbols, he kisses it, and then intones:
"May Ptah, the Lord of Eternity, watch over this vehicle."
He then concentrates upon Mending the damage.
Whilst he is concentrating, a thought occurs to him.
"In times long past, when the eyes of the Old Gods were ever upon this land, it was common to use simple effigies or wall murals of Bes, the Guardian Fool, to ward off misfortune and bless a household or farm. It might be worth recommending that Rashid and his neighbors resume this practice, as it could likely reduce the likelihood of another pugwampi infestation."
"Is anyone else... wait! Has anyone seen Diorio?"
She snaps her bow back taut again.
Diorio emerges from the house after seeing the enemy flee out of reach for good, feeling a strange mix of frustration, relief, the familiar ebb and flow of adrenaline that blade work brings, and a growing sense of belonging as he hears one of his new comrades call out his name in concern.
"I'm here! The critter I flushed out of the house left quite a foul mess in the place, but at least it is gone. I'm going to see what I can do to straighten things as best as possible.
With a little help to hold the wheel steady during the spellcasting, Sobekhotep soon has the cart fully repaired. All of the crops seem intact and ready to sell at the market. Pulling the cart back to town should not slow you down much once you return.