No, only one of you can swing the sword in a round. It is not pinned enough to tie up (it would get one claw attack if you went in for melee). While I am impressed by your good fortune, you'll have to choose a course of action to find out what happens next IC.
Irving, seeing a chance to flee (totally didn't catch that there was one previously), urges his companions to make for the horses as quickly as possible. "Those things can fly! We need to get as much distance as we can before that one gets free!"
Marullus, is the gargoyle pinned enough that an attacker would get a bonus to attack? Olaf wants the uppity stone thing dead and is willing to hack on it for two to three rounds to try to make that happen—if Irving will loan him his sword.
Sure, you have a +2 bonus to hit it, and a bonus that it can't reach you with one arm or teeth. It will swing at you with its free claw if you get close enough to threaten it. Irving, of course, would need to give you the sword.
Irving is fleeing, Bandy's off on the pony, Olaf is trying to convince Irving. Other actions? (Anyone grabbing Kellstrom?) Once you flee a safe distance, then what?
Dandelion - female half-orc beautyqueen in training (The Lone City in the Wildlands) OSRIC Halfpint - female halfling badgirl wannabe (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL Mark'd - charismatic human fighter (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL
Captain Bremen
It only takes the Captain a moment to realize that Baudh has offered them a gift. His feet race around the trapped gargoyle to the others. We need to leave Kellstrom. Baudh has sacrificed his cleric so we will live and fulfill his quest. Don't squander this. Olaf... There will be more gargoyles in the city we are going to. The Captain will only pause a moment to reason with Olaf and Markd. After that he sets off after Bandy, trying to make sure the halfling is heading back toward Vaul.
Apologies to Stirling, but there isn't a way to save Kellstrom. He needs to be stabilized (a few minutes at least), then transported (losing HP as we move). The remaining gargoyle will be free soon and he is likely to come after us either way. Even if we manage to kill this thing, the other might return with friends.
As to direction, if the gargoyle flew to the city there might be more there. Or worse. Since we are heading that way eventually, we need to go back to Vaul and find a source of magical weapons (the Temple?). A new cleric and a wizard wouldn't hurt, either.
"Yeah! You better fly away, ye cracked shale!" yells Olaf after the fleeing gargoyle. Without turning, he calls out to Irving, "Lend me that sword o' yers and I'll kill the other one before it can get free!"
"Irving?"
"IRVING!" The dwarf looks behind him to see Irving fleeing. "Ach! Ye perfumed, beard-shaving, tunnel worm!" he curses. He turns to the trapped gargoyle, seriously considering swinging his pick at it out of sheer stubborn principle. Maybe he just didn't hit it hard enough the first time. Rocks is like that sometimes. But he settles on spitting at the gargoyle and running back to Pony.
He grabs the mule's reins and heads back the way they came, toward Gaul, uttering a solid stream of dwarvish curses as he goes.
We need everyone and maybe more. Baudh granted us another chance. We must protect each other.
He will do his best to move Kellstrom away from the area, hoping the others will assist to make it quicker.
While doing so, he will try to convince them of his plan.
Let us get him to a safer place. If they come looking for him, I agree we cannot defend, sorry to say. Tomorrow, if he is at all able to walk, we move toward the city.
Dandelion - female half-orc beautyqueen in training (The Lone City in the Wildlands) OSRIC Halfpint - female halfling badgirl wannabe (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL Mark'd - charismatic human fighter (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL
"Funny how Baudh's only involved when we stop getting our stones grounded," grumbles Olaf before he resumes his dwarvish curses.
"You want to save Kellstrom? Give me that damn sword and let me fight while the rest of ye knobbers get him to safety. Unless yer sword be more dear to ye than Kellstrom's life?"
Out of earshot of the conversation, Bandy doesn't take part in it. Finally having his pony ready to ride, he spies that the gargoyles are currently occupied and cries, "Fie! Quit the chatter, leave the dead, and save yourselves!"
That's all the time he spares the others, urging his pony back down the way they came. He will continue to do so until he is at a safe distance - at least as far as the barrow they previously explored, if not farther.
Irving gives Olaf an anguished look. "I am not eager to risk my life, and yours, and my uncle's sword, for the sake of one likely already dead who brought this evil curse on his own head!"
"Leave my life out o' it," retorts Olaf. "If you don't got the gems to risk losing yer shiny sword to save a man's life, that's between ye and yer god. But yer life is not in danger and mine is for me to risk as I choose."
OOC: @ Rusty Tincan No, Bandy's sword isn't magical. It's just his uncle's sword, spoils from some damned fool adventure. But maybe it will become magical in the future...
Captain Bremen
A military man, the Captain was quick to triage a fallen soldier, and Kellstrom was definitely on the "not worth a second look" list. Markd, on the other hand... Irving, make sure that halfling doesn't run off with my backpack or treasure! He grabbed one of the cleric's arms and draped it around his shoulder. You're as much of a fool as this one. If that beast catches us, he'll make my face as charming as yours. He hoped Markd was as fast a runner as he was.
Dandelion - female half-orc beautyqueen in training (The Lone City in the Wildlands) OSRIC Halfpint - female halfling badgirl wannabe (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL Mark'd - charismatic human fighter (Lab Lord- The North Marches) LL
Bandy is off down the hill on his pony. Irving is running shortly after. With no magic sword, Olaf grouses but then follows after, pulling the reins of both his mule and Kellstrom's. Bremen starts away, but then doubles back to help Markd with Kellstrom.
After thirty minutes, Bandy reigns up near their former campsite, presuming it is a safe distance. Irving, Olaf, and the mules are right behind. There is no sign of pursuit this far.
Markd and Bremen come with Kellstrom slung between them. It was a hard run and they stumbled and fell several times trying to flee down the hill. You all made it, but it appears too much for Kellstrom - new bruises blossom on his side and his head, too much, too hard for him. He didn't survive the transit. Kellstrom is gone.
Time: 11 May 2021, 7:45 am
Light source: Sun
Weather: 46 F, wind 9-14 SSW
Injuries: None