In Search Of Pappy Peppy

[Jernau35]

Gyb

"Gyb can hear a few things", states Gyb, quite loudly. "Mostly shouting. Too much noise going on".

"They have bad plans for Rida and Keya. Some want to kill them. Maybe just enslave. But only a few for that".

"Some say maybe we could help them fight against the Unrelenting Dead. But most of them think that's a bad idea."

"But they don't want to kill us. Except for Rida and Keya".

[Hotgoblin]

Loyn- Dwarf Fighter

“Bugs how can you not know they’re Gnolls, they’re on the same page as Gnomes in the sacred tomes!”


He thinks for a bit,“Gyb, if you can understand them, can’t you tell them why we’re here? Trying to find Bugs’s Da, Peppy!”

[ravenn4544]

Haldric tries to follow the grunts and growls. Tipsy and tired, and now this... "Unrelenting dead? That doesn't sound good! Rida's and Keya's fate doesn't sound good either! Can we negotiate their release if we help with this undead?!?"

[Monsieur Rose]

Bugs

"Nuh uh. Nolls are next to Naga. Listen to yourself." Bugs smiles and then turns back to the problem at hand. "But Nolls, huh? And angry ones at that."

He seconds the request for Gyb. "We can help and trade for Rita and Keya, tell them about Peppy. OOh, we need to talk to Tarlac, I think that was him earlier."

[OGRE MAGE]

Where’s Peppy?
Attack First Attitude
Cloudy, Evening

Despite Gyb saying they don't want to kill all of you, the gnolls treat their new slaves quite poorly.

A few more torches are lit so the humans can see the odds they are up against. At least 15 well armed and armored gnolls are now surrounding the four upright team members. They poke and prod at you with their spears and swords, trying to keep everyone in as small a group as possible.

Their leader steps forward again, along with 2 others.

"Quiet!"

"Follow!"

They attempt to prod your group through the trees towards the south, picking up Rida and carrying he and Keya along with them.

Actions?

Bugs Donato: Gnome T2 AC3 16/16
Haldric Hammerhearts: Dwarf C AC3 9/12 CLWx3 Tipsy
Rida: Human F AC2 -2/10 Unconscious
Loyn Shortbeard: Dwarf F AC5 11/12
Gyb the Meager: Human M AC10 6/8 Lantern
Keya Redd: Half-Elf C/R AC5 -1/12 CLWx2 Unconscious

[Rex]

Rida

Out.

[Jernau35]

Gyb

Gyb had learned the language of gnolls a couple of years earlier. He'd been snowbound for a week in a village on the high moors. Not much else to do but talk to an old man at the inn, a former ranger who'd had plenty of run-ins with the giant dogmen.

Now Gyb scraped his memory for useful phrases. He risked a few words, keeping his eyes cast low. ""We quiet. We follow." Expecting a blow across his skull, he continued. "We look for gnome - father. Maybe help fight dead things?".

[Hotgoblin]

Loyn-Dwarf Fighter

Loyn will follow the commands of the gnolls, not wanting to provoke them more. He’s hopeful Gyb’s comments help their situation.

[ravenn4544]

Haldric is no fool - he remains quiet and follows along....

[Monsieur Rose]

Bugs

"Watch the head!" He mutters as the gnolls try to push him along. He goes without protest.

[OGRE MAGE]

Where’s Peppy?
Attack First Attitude
Cloudy, Evening

The gnoll leader spins around with a shocked expression after hearing Gyb barking out in their own language, as do most of his own friends. He growls loudly and the rest of his pack instantly quiets down. "You know our words? You are.....friend to gnolls? What you know about Unrelenting Dead?"

Along the way, they grab another human who was kneeling in the woods with his hands tied behind his back. Though none of you has met the man before, by the way he stinks of fish, this must be Peppy's missing fishing buddy. "It's about frickin time! Now......where's Peppy?" The man is smacked in the head for his insubordination, deciding maybe he better keep his questions to himself for a while.

He, Rida, and Keya are dragged along with the others making their way south through the trees. The smell and eventually the sight of a small campfire comes into view in a tight clearing in the trees. This area is obviously used as a base camp for this renegade group of gnolls, as there are also females and younglings present. The man and the unconscious pair are tossed to the ground in the clearing as the leader enters behind them with Gyb in tow.

There is a pile of clothing and other gear against one tree, while most of the non-combatant gnolls are standing around the trunk of another nearby. Suddenly a human woman leaps from the tree they are looking up at, just clearing the heads of those around the trunk who are brandishing lit torches at the woman. She appears to be an adventurer like yourselves, though she is currently not wearing any armor. She looks up at the approaching group and the gnolls who captured her earlier, unsure if she should freeze or flee.

The lead gnoll shouts out at their newest slave, clearly attempting to escape the camp. "STOP!" A few crossbows are quickly leveled at the woman, just in case she decides to ignore the command.

Actions?

Bugs Donato: Gnome T2 AC3 16/16
Haldric Hammerhearts: Dwarf C AC3 9/12 CLWx3 Tipsy
Rida: Human F AC2 -2/10 Unconscious
Loyn Shortbeard: Dwarf F AC5 11/12
Gyb the Meager: Human M AC10 6/8 Lantern
Keya Redd: Half-Elf C/R AC5 -1/12 CLWx2 Unconscious

[Rex]

Rida

Out.

[ateno]

Keya

Out

[qtkat]

Cloudia...

know what those gnolls will do if the recapture her.

Distance to the crossbowgnolls?

She takes off east into the woods zigzagging for cover as best she can.

[Jernau35]

Gyb

"Yes, Gyb knows some of Gnoll words. A few. Not all. Gyb travels the land. Gnolls travel the land. Gyb is a friend to travellers."

"My friends are good people. We look for the father-gnome. Not to fight you." Gyb points at Keya and Rida. "They are not bad people. But drinking too much". He mimes taking a big swig from a bottle.

"Gyb has heard of Dead-that-Walk. They are the Unrelenting Dead? Dead that do not die are a problem to all. This is a thing we could help you with."

Gyb gestures to Rida and Keya. "Even they. Without the drink they are brave warriors."

[Hotgoblin]

Loyn-Dwarf Fighter

Loyn follows along with the other captives into the camp, glancing at the pile of clothing and wonders where all the owner’s of the clothing are? This camp is close to the Keep, too close, allowing the gnolls to kidnap those that come up on their game trail and fishing area. Enslaving these folks and quite possibly making them fight against the Undead, which seems to be a concern of the leader. He’s also puzzled as to who this human female is and why she was up a tree, hopefully she saw our plight and decided to stay and help us.

[ravenn4544]

Haldric sees the new girl now entering the fray, "It's turning into quite the event, how, eh?"

[Monsieur Rose]

Bugs

"Huh. I didn't expect that." He looks up in the trees for more raining women. "I don't think she'll make it, but remind me to tease these two if she does."

Bugs turns to who he assumes is Tarlac. "Hey, Tarlac. We're here to rescue you."

To Loyn: "Didn't the others say something about a skeleton cave?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Where’s Peppy?
Attack First Attitude
Cloudy, Evening

As the unarmored human female leaps from the tree, Rida and Keya are dumped on the ground next to a grumpy looking older man who Bugs assumes must be Tarlac. The human fellow looks over the face of Bugs carefully before nodding his recognition. "And you're doing a bang up job of it too, aren't you, young Donato?"

Two crossbows are fired in the direction of the fleeing tree climber, but both missiles simply whizz past into the darkness. However, one quick thinking gnoll in the clearing unfurls his net and swings it in her direction, ensnaring her within it before rushing over to claim his prize. The woman kicks and grunts, trying to escape the net as she too is dragged back into the camp and tossed on the ground next to the others. Loyn wonders where this woman hails from, assuming she must have been captured earlier by these gnolls before his group arrived to save her.

The gnoll leader tries to prevent anyone else from either running away or trying to fight their way out, still listening to every word Gyb says. He holds his hands out wide to calm his kin before addressing Gyb again.

"We have advantage. But we are not so bloodthirsty as you may think. We have watched your stone castle for a while now, and we think we understand you better. Tell your people we would rather accept your help destroying the dead monsters who invaded our cave than to kill or enslave you. I know humans don't trust gnolls, but we need help more than we need peons to do dirty work for us. We want to reclaim our ancestral home, but we cant do it alone, so we are willing to enlist help from others to accomplish this task."

The uncomfortable situation isn't aided by the fact that only one member of the party understands what is really happening out here. Gyb continues to grunt and growl with the gnoll leader, trying to drop in translations where he can along the way to his confused comrades.

Actions?

Bugs Donato: Gnome T2 AC3 16/16
Haldric Hammerhearts: Dwarf C AC3 9/12 CLWx3 Tipsy
Rida: Human F AC2 -2/10 Unconscious
Loyn Shortbeard: Dwarf F AC5 11/12
Gyb the Meager: Human M AC10 6/8 Lantern
Keya Redd: Half-Elf C/R AC5 -1/12 CLWx2 Unconscious

Cloudia Birthmire T1 AC6 6/6 Ensnared

[Rex]

Rida

Out.