Bloodcurse: To Save A King

[hedgeknight]

Battle of the Fields - Finale!

While Darkstar frees his "cousins," Tarrin sets his sights on the revealed Gnoll priest...and calls forth his magic. And then things get crazy! Hoping to encircle the priest with an illusory wall of fire, the wild magic instead feels the familiar surge and a the priest is staggered by a charm spell!
Save vs. spell: Rolling 1d20 + 1 (6) + 1 = 7 Dammit!

As the priest suddenly looks upon the hill and spies his new "master," the big Gnoll is trying desperately to stay alive. But Greystone's blade flashes and takes the Gnoll's right arm off at the shoulder. (8 pts) The Gnoll screams and grabs the stump of his arm, blood spurting between its claws. It opens its mouth to scream again, jerks backward, and an arrowhead protrudes out of its mouth...courtesy of Darkstar! (7 pts - max damage on a "20")
The big Gnoll falls forward and dies...and the battle ends.

Wood hugs Cumber...and then she hugs Darkstar....still naked as the day she was born, but not caring at all. "The Lady sent you! Else we would be dead!" Wood says, her eyes flooded with tears that drip down onto the claw marks on her chest.
"Indeed...we owe you...our lives." Cumber manages to say through swollen lips, breathing hard, wincing in pain.
"Who are...your new...friends?"
Alright fellers > quick post, but effective. You have killed, charmed, or run off all the Gnolls (will add XP in a few), rescued Cumber and Wood, and teamed up with potentially new companions. Role-play it out! Oh, and Johsen and Oggle made their saves and are not entangled but will be a few rounds working their way through the vines and briars.

Stats:
Darkstar -
Greystone -
Nokrugh -
Oggle - down 9 hp
Tarrin -
Thurgrum - down 4 hp
Adain -
Cullen - down 8 hp
Johsen - down 7 hp
Steen -down 7 hp
Min -
Tohmal -
Cumber - down 15 hp
Wood - down 8 hp

G1, G2, G3, G4 - dead
G5 - down 6 and gone!
G6, G7, G8 - dead
G9 - full hp - charmed!
G10 - G20 - dead
H1, H2, H3, H4 - dead

[Hoondatha]

Tarrin waved the charmed gnoll cleric over to him and turned back to his comrades. "That was rather more gnolls than I was expecting, Tohmal. We're lucky that other group appeared. Still, all's well and all that. And don't worry about that last gnoll: he's a friend of mine now."

He knelt and quickly picked up the scattered gemstones. Things could have gone a lot worse, and if his magic hadn't always been exactly helpful, at least it hadn't blown up in their faces. He wasn't entirely certain what to do about the gnoll cleric, though. He didn't particularly care for keeping charmed slaves, and the creature would eventually break free. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a big bruiser to stand between him and danger. Even more so if he could cast spells.

When the gnoll finally arrived, he looked it up and down and then started firing off questions in the common tongue of goblinoids, "What is your name? How powerful a priest are you? Why were you here, and where were you going? How did you capture those elves?"

[Alethan]

Greystone quickly wipes his sword clean, sheaths it, then runs to his clanfolk. Seeing Wood is in capable hands, he turns to Cumber, kneeling down to tend his wounds as best he can. Conscious of his appearance, he avoids eye contact while he whispers, "Sorry I could not help sooner, brother. In truth, I did not know what I could do, besides die with you, until..." he looks around, at a party of elves (and a human?) and a party of dwarfs (and a half-orc?), all in the same clearing, "Until all of these..." He pauses, choking on the derogatory slangs they usually trade for "human", "dwarf", and "half-breed", before swallowing and carefully continuing, "... beings arrived."

After examining him, he calls out loudly, without looking up, "Is anyone among you a healer? Cumber needs more aid than I can provide..."

He continues to Cumber, this time in a normal tone, "Lay still. I must retrieve my bow." Again, without looking up, Greystone springs up and sprints back to where he left his bow. While retrieving it, he cannot suppress his survival instinct to loot the body of the dead gnoll he killed near the tree line.

Once that is done, he runs back down to the center of the clearing to check on Cumber and Wood again.

[hedgeknight]

When the gnoll finally arrived, he looked it up and down and then started firing off questions in the common tongue of goblinoids, "What is your name? How powerful a priest are you? Why were you here, and where were you going? How did you capture those elves?"

"I am called Ner'tog among my pack. I am a priest of Malar of the 2nd order. We were on patrol, searching for spoils to eat and sacrifice. The elves were alone and rutting when we caught them, it was pretty easy to catch them."
Ner'tog smiles, revealing white sharp teeth. "You pretty good with that bow? Maybe we hunt together some time, yes?"

@ Greystone - Cumber nods wearily and manages to say, "Praise...the Lady...you came."
Picking up your bow, you pilfer the dead Gnoll and find some ratting clothing, worn out, rusty armor and weapons, and a small pouch with 5 silver and two small pieces of Malachite (worth 10 gp each).

[Computer +1]

Darkstar hugs Wood back before taking off his cloak and giving it to her. The Lady must favor you both, we tracked the gnolls but could not have overcome them without these others, strangers to us as well.

He turns to address Greystone Well met cousin, I am Darkstar.

To Min Tohmal and Tarrin I am glad you are all unharmed.

[Hoondatha]

"That does make things easier to catch," Tarrin said with a grin. "Like in deer mating season, when the males are so randy they'll attack trees while you pepper them with arrows. Oh yes, I think we can hunt together, Ner'tog. But you said you were on patrol. Do you have a base you would be returning to?"

[Alethan]

@ Greystone - Cumber nods wearily and manages to say, "Praise...the Lady...you came."
Picking up your bow, you pilfer the dead Gnoll and find some ratting clothing, worn out, rusty armor and weapons, and a small pouch with 5 silver and two small pieces of Malachite (worth 10 gp each).

(Aww... no use of my Appraising skill necessary? )

Greystone picks up the small pouch and transfers the contents into his own pouch before dropping the gnoll's on the ground. He leaves the rest and heads back to the center...

[Back in the center...]

Greystone eyes Darkstar closely. He was not present when the strangers were brought to the Lynx camp. He was busy being tortured by gnolls. But he knows about Winter's conversation with the strange elf and if Winter trusts them, then...

He nods his head at Darkstar, but has trouble making eye contact with him. Staring at his cloak pin, he says, "I missed Winter's rebirth. I was... occupied," he adds, with a slight twitch of an eye, then looks away completely for a moment. Finally, he turns back, looks Darkstar in the eyes, and says, "If Winter trusts you, then that is all I need know, Darkstar. Until two days ago, I was known as Quicksilver. That name no longer suits me. I am now Greystone." He nods again.

Hearing the human's conversation with the gnoll cleric, Greystone quickly scans the area, looking at all of the dead bodies to see if he can tell if all gnolls and hyenas have been accounted for...

OOC: Observation roll?

[hedgeknight]

But you said you were on patrol. Do you have a base you would be returning to?"

"Our den, yes, it is not too far from here. Deeper into the Crags."

Hearing the human's conversation with the gnoll cleric, Greystone quickly scans the area, looking at all of the dead bodies to see if he can tell if all gnolls and hyenas have been accounted for...

Greystone counts 18 dead Gnolls and four hyenas (that includes the ones near the treeline where Darkstar and the human came from). He also notes that it is getting dark...fast. And there is a lot of blood in the air...

[Hoondatha]

"A den, wonderful." Tarrin grinned. "Would you show me the way there tomorrow? I would like to go hunting with your people. How many others are there, did you say?"

[Alethan]

Stooping over the dead body of the largest gnoll, Greystone begins to search it for anything of value while saying, "It is getting dark. Fast. With all this bloodshed, more nighttime predators than any of us cares to think about will fulfill their tasks in completing the circle of life for these vile dogs. We must move soon. If you're so inclined, loot what you can, as long as it is quickly done."

Once he finishes searching the large gnoll, he goes back to Cumber to help prepare him for travel.

[Computer +1]

Darkstar moves quickly to gather his arrows. Want me to roll?
After gathering what he can he returns near to Tarrin, Tohmal and Min.
We should go with Cumber, Wood and Greystone back to the Lynx Clan. We can inform their elders of what occurred and gather the 'slipper.
He looks over at the assortment of other races,
I would be surprised if this group was not the ones Winter told me about, a stranger grouping arriving at just the right time they could not be.

[hedgeknight]

"A den, wonderful." Tarrin grinned. "Would you show me the way there tomorrow? I would like to go hunting with your people. How many others are there, did you say?"

"I can take you there tonight if you wish. It is not far. Our pack is large and growing with eight new pups born last month."
Tarrin:

Bringing this Gnoll into an elven camp may not go over too well...

Darkstar moves quickly to gather his arrows. Want me to roll?

Yes, go ahead. I meant to tell you to do so yesterday and just forgot.

Stooping over the dead body of the largest gnoll, Greystone begins to search it for anything of value...

The halberd is well-made, if a little rusty, but a knife at its belt is in great condition. Around the gnoll's neck is a leather strap which holds a very small pouch. Inside the pouch is a piece of onyx with strange runes carved into it. The gnoll also has a potion tucked into its belt, and another pouch holding 10 gold and 8 silver pieces.

Morning fellers! Wonder where our dwarves and half-orc are? Haven't seen hide nor beard in a day or two. Please be specific in what you are doing before you move out. Will hopefully check in later today.

[Hoondatha]

"Good to hear," Tarrin told the gnoll. "Wait here a moment, please."

He left the gnoll and pulled Darkstar, Min, and Tohmal out of its earshot. "I managed to charm the gnoll priest, and he's been quite forthcoming. There's a large nest not far from here with, according to him, 'lots' of gnolls. We can't do anything final about it tonight, but he'd be happy to show us the way. Except I don't know anything about these forests, and even if I go with him, chances are I won't find it again. Will you come with me on a scouting mission? Then tomorrow we can assemble everyone we can find and deal with them."

[Alethan]

Stooping over the dead body of the largest gnoll, Greystone begins to search it for anything of value...

The halberd is well-made, if a little rusty, but a knife at its belt is in great condition. Around the gnoll's neck is a leather strap which holds a very small pouch. Inside the pouch is a piece of onyx with strange runes carved into it. The gnoll also has a potion tucked into its belt, and another pouch holding 10 gold and 8 silver pieces.

Greystone pulls out the knife and cuts the belt near the scabbard so he can easily slip it off. Then he grabs the pouch with the onyx in it and cuts it free with the knife before sheathing it and slipping it into his belt. Finally, he grabs the potion and the coin pouch. He tucks the coins, along with the 5sp from the other gnoll, into his pack via a side opening, then holds the potion bottle up to the fading light to peer through it and see what the color and clarity of it is.

[hedgeknight]

then holds the potion bottle up to the fading light to peer through it and see what the color and clarity of it is.

The contents of the vial look to be thick and silvery...

[AQuebman]

Praise you Bahamut for granting us victory on this day! Oggle exclaims as he grasps at his torso. I think I have broken bones perhaps a few ribs that need mend...*cough* ing Oggle spits up blood on the ground and drops to his knees as he finally frees himself from the brambles the priest had summoned.

Upon regaining some of his composure he moves to check on his men though his breathing is labored and painful. Riders, you have performed valiantly and it appears we all still stand thanks to the platinum dragon.

Oggle stumbles over to the unknown elves and one by one reaches out a hand. I'm Oggle Steambottle, I hold no clan or kinship to any dwarven gathering so I hope we can bypass the usual hatred amongst our races. Through his grimacing in pain Oggle pushes out the best smile he can bare.


Thank you hedge for NPC'ing me over the weekend it was nuts and unfortunately it can be hard over the weekends to get online. I will attempt to do better moving forward.

[Alethan]

then holds the potion bottle up to the fading light to peer through it and see what the color and clarity of it is.

The contents of the vial look to be thick and silvery...

Greystone eyes the potion carefully, then looks around thoughtfully. Noting the human conversing with the three elves after having left the gnoll shaman standing off by itself, he stands and approaches the group.

"You have the dog shaman on a magical leash? Ask it if it knows of the potion and the bauble their leader carried. If so, find out what the totem guarded him against and what the effects of the potion are."

[Hoondatha]

Tarrin raised an eyebrow at the strange elf. "And hail and well met to you as well," he said. "It is usually customary to introduce yourself before you starting demanding favors and information."

[Alethan]

Tarrin raised an eyebrow at the strange elf. "And hail and well met to you as well," he said. "It is usually customary to introduce yourself before you starting demanding favors and information."

Greystone takes a deep breath and holds it for a brief moment as he studies the human with an appraising eye. Then he closes his eyes and lets it out with a hint of impatience.

"Very well," he begins, turning to the elves and addressing them in Elvish, "Many thanks for your assistance, Minneset and Tohmal, and for yours, as well, Darkstar, son of Falling Leaves. Once again, you have brought aid to our clan when it was in need and for that I thank you. Our debts will be paid in full," he ends, lowering his head a few inches and closing his eyes.

Then, opening his eyes and turning back to the human, he continues in the common tongue, "Greetings, human-who-travels-with-Owls. My apologies to you; I do not spend much time in the presence of..." again, he pauses to consider his words, "... humans. Their customs sometimes elude me." He stops, takes another deep breath, lets it out, and lifts his chin, "I am Greystone. The two elves down there, Cumber and Wood, are of my clan. Forgive me my haste, but Cumber has been beaten, almost to death, and I fear for his life. I seek any information that may aid him. If this," he holds up the silvery potion, "is a healing salve, then I will put it to good use on my cousin. If it is not, then I shall have to secure his wounds for travel as best I can. And as quickly as I can, for there are worse things than gnolls in these woods. Some of them feast on the remains of such battles as this. If we do not move from this field soon, we should all fear for our lives."

He abruptly ends, then forces a smile, asking, "And how should I address you, friend-of-Owls?"

[Hoondatha]

"I am Tarrin Woodsmith, of the High Dale. A great ways to the east, south of the forest of Cormanthor." He smiled slightly. "And if you had begun with hello, we could avoided this circumlocution." He strode back to the gnoll and asked him Greystone's questions.