"Should we cross now or make a camp and cross in the morning when we are fresh?"
Bandle sits on a rock examining the bottom of his foot, donkeywhistle clenched in his teeth. He briefly tries to speak but it comes out as unintelligible grunts "Mwowf" sounds and every other syllable comes out as a wheezing toot on the whistle.
He finally takes it down noting a lack of reaction from his comrades and says "My foot still hurts abit, I could do with a rest before we go into" his eyes narrow and he looks back and forth dramatically for effect "enemy territory!"
You also notice for the first time that he has one of the foul smelling gnoll headbands on rife with feathers and odd bone carvings as well as the token of Lammashtu around his neck.
"I say we sleep here for the night. I need to get over this poison."
"I say we sleep here for the night. I need to get over this poison."
"Camping here is fine with me. If the Gnolls are on the other side of the river then I say camp on this side and cross in the morning."
Tallis, who is proving very useful outside of combat, spots a handful of gnolls on a knoll across the river. They are lazing about trying to hide but too bored to put any real effort into it. Two of them are sleeping. One is picking fleas out of his fur and flicking them at the sleepers. A fourth is giggling so loudly that Tallis can hear him over the babbling of the brook.
"Four gnolls across the river. Attack them now, or hope they don't see us tonight?"
"Four gnolls across the river. Attack them now, or hope they don't see us tonight?"
If you do decide to be stealthy at any point, you know that I'll need rolls.
Gnolls on a knoll.
"Four gnolls across the river. Attack them now, or hope they don't see us tonight?"
"I say we take them out now. I don't want a Gnoll blade in my back in the middle of the night."
"Maybe we should wait till they are asleep and then cross very quietly in the dark..."
"... maybe with ropes tying us together in case one slips..."
"Maybe we should wait till they are asleep and then cross very quietly in the dark..."
"... maybe with ropes tying us together in case one slips..."
"Maybe we should wait till they are asleep and then cross very quietly in the dark..."
"... maybe with ropes tying us together in case one slips..."
"No rope. If one of us slips, we'd all go down." With that, Tallis leaves to go across the river.
"My foot still hurts." says Bandle almost too plainly.
He then gets a wild look in his eye.
"Wait!" he sizes them up squinting down his outstretched thumb
"You won't get pulled in if Jakie or myself slips...why not have one of us sneak over with the rope and secure it thus making it easier for all to cross? Or should I summon a donkey to carry us with this whistle?"
You notice the whistle is clenched in the side of his mouth. "Besides I'm in disguise!" he lifts the Lamashtu token vaguely. "They'll think I'm one of them! Beastmen aren't known for there large brains you know. Who's got rope?"
1d20+9=22, 1d20+13=23 acrobatics, stealth
I'll wait for the other checks before responding.
Stealth: (1d20+13=19)
Acrobatics: (1d20+12=22)
Gingerly I splash into the water, wondering why we aren't making camp and waiting for dark.
Acrobatics: (1d20+12=22)Gingerly I splash into the water, wondering why we aren't making camp and waiting for dark.
The party waits for nightfall. Come twilight, they begin to fear they've squandered any advantage the sleeping gnolls offer. The gnolls begin to rouse as it gets dark and start yapping and sniffing. Soon though, three of the gnolls head off in different directions.
You can practically hear the stomach growling of the one who stays behind. Eventually, he cautiously makes his way half way across the river and begins swiping at something in the water. After twelve attempts, he comes up with a fish on his claws and begins to eat.
The missing gnolls return as twilight turns into night. They eat, yap, squabble, and, eventually, sleep about an hour before dawn.
One gnoll is a good time to go.
"Let's get this over with."
I move towards the water and begin to attempt stealthily wading across.
Tallis, LJ, and Bandle skip across from wet rock to rock across the stream, under the nose of the ravenous gnoll who is busily slurping at fish bones. Only Lord Flash has yet to cross.
Stealth Check. (1d20+3=12)
Lord watches the others cross, waiting until they're all over before making his attempt. His dislike of large bodies of water clearly shows as he makes his way across, not being overly subtle about his crossing.
The gnoll, just 10' downwind from the stealthy monks, looks up from his still-twitching fish with a surprised growl as a less stealthy monk nearly slips in the water.
Realizing that Flash has alerted the gnoll, I leap quickly from my hiding place and rush towards the gnoll...
"NOI..."
Then I remember that I am supposed to be quiet.
Clamping my mouth shut in the middle of a flying kick throws my aim off a little, but only a little.
Tallis dashes forward as the gnoll begins to gasp, launching a green flask at it.
I love IC, I hate IC. Really, my opinion just goes in cycles.
Tallis hits the gnoll with a vial of acid causing it to scratch and scape at its own flesh. LJ takes advantage of the gnoll's distraction to kick it, furthering its agony.
Lord curses to himself under his breath as he looks up and spots the Gnoll looking straight at him. Tallis and jackie weigh in to a quick battle in an attempt to finish the Gnoll off before it's companions are alerted.
Drawing a Kama as he goes, he races out of the water and launches a swing at it's head.
Attack Gnoll with Masterwork Kama. (1d20+6=20)
Damage. (1d6=5)
The gnoll falls to the ground dead without having let out much more than a few 'yips' in the way of warning. Unless there is another gnoll in the immediate environment, you are safe for now. Lord Flash's lack of stealth has not brought the whole pack down on you.
Lord Flash's lack of stealth has not brought the whole pack down on you.
"Let's, uh, get rid of this body? Maybe in the river, weighted down with rocks?"
There are plenty of rocks around that can be stuffed within the gnoll's clothes and pouches. Carrying him 20' downriver gives you plenty of places to drop him in.
Less than 100' away, low, rolling hills begin. Beyond that, the hills give way to sharp peaks.
Perception Check: (1d20+9=12)
Bandle, whilst easily and silently creeping across the rocks towards the gnoll is distracted by something shiny off in the distance before he can ever get anywhere near the combat.
Tallis and Bandle also see the sun glint off something at the foot of the hills. They also see hints of a trail leading up into the hills.
"Shiny."
"Do you guys see that? Maybe something in armor perhaps."
I squint to try and see better.
"In the meantime, do we want to hide and ambush the gnolls when they return or,... just try and sneak our way to someplace..."
Lord looks at the object Jackie is motioning towards but can't make out much about it.
"I can't make out what it is. If it is somone in armour thay have most likely seen us by now though."
"I would be happy to slaughter the bestial creatures upon their return, although waiting around could be more time than we can spare at this juncture. I will be happy with whatever course you all decide."
"So, might as well find out what it is." Tallis begins walking down towards the shiny object.
"So, might as well find out what it is." Tallis begins walking down towards the shiny object.
Tallis, walking towards the hills can soon make out a small tent behind a crude barricade. While the tent itself is fairly well camoflauged, the head of a battleaxe glints in the sun, giving away the encampment. Nothing stirs.
"I think we should be careful. It looks too easy."