Fayne shakes his head and frowns, but he finds himself quite infatuated with the beautiful elven girl. He takes a deep breath. "Very well," he says after several moments. "Storn, Tarvin, Merrick...with me, if you please? The rest of you...cover us."
With that, he grips his glaive tight in his hands and begins to walk slowly toward the clearing, making no threatening gestures as he approaches, but wary of whatever lies ahead.
__________________ -Rhun
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
So are you folks walking closer to the clearing together, or just some of you? Whoever is going with Fayne to get a closer look, say so. Also, Fayne and those going with him should state if they're trying to approach quietly (roll Move Silently or state your total for 'taking 10' if so).
Those going closer, roll another Spot check as well.
Abrielle smiled at the human lad and nodded. She let the men take to the front, and followed some ten feet behind them, bow at the ready. She tried not to make too much noise and looked around, wary of an ambush.
The heavy backpack on the girl's slender shoulders, however, made it impossible for her to avoid stepping on twigs and pebbles along the path. "Not the sneakiest of Bards... But at least I'm pretty." The girl would have giggled, were she not just chewed upon by an undead bat.
Spoiler:
Abby stays behind the melee characters, ready to back them up with spells/music/archery. If the situation calls for eloquence in stead, she will come forth and talk. Move Silently: 2-1=1Spot: 7+1=8
__________________ Things to know about Myth:
Myth is always online.
Myth always roleplays.
Myth is from Europe.
Myth likes you.
Selua frowns at the seeming foolishness of the current plan and whispers, mostly to Fayne, "Approach quietly, observe and if it is a gnoll, do not hesitate. Kill it."
She stands with her bow at the ready, watching the clearing.
Fayne moves forward cautiously and slowly, all too aware of the noise of his armor and weapons as he makes his way closer to the clearing. Of course, he could hear the elf lass following behind him...she was making even more noise than he was! The duskblade tries to spot the humanoid that Selua had mentioned as he gets closer, but the wind-rustled foliage seems to keep getting in his line of sight.
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
Merrick and Abrielle follow Fayne in approaching the clearing, but Tarven, Storn, Evanar, Selua, and Abde'ragman stay behind for now, weapons ready just in case. Merrick creeps along quietly, but is too focused on not breaking twigs or brushing against bushes, to where he doesn't notice the threat until the others do.
The trio approaching the clearing apparently make too much noise, as the patrolling gnoll perks up its ears on one pass around the clearing, snapping its head your way, and lets out a low howl as it charges through the brush towards you!
Merrick gasps, looking up from where he had been trying to sneak along, and raises his crossbow, but he pulls the trigger too soon and the bolt flies down into the brush a dozen feet away. Merrick looks back and calls out "Gnoll!"
ooc
Roll initiatives, everyone! And your 1st round actions, if you beat the gnoll's initiative of 6.
I rolled an 18 and 19 for the gnoll's Listen and Spot checks, so it noticed your approach from about 90 feet away. You can clearly see it as a gnoll now that it rushes towards you through the forest, and the gnoll gets a surprise round, moving 30 feet towards you with its partial action, leaving 60 feet between Fayne and the gnoll (65 feet between it and Merrick, 70 between it and Abrielle). It carries a battleaxe and a big wooden shield, wearing leather armor.
Rolled a 22 for Merrick's initiative, an 8 for his attack roll.
Rolled 4 for Tarven's initiative.
Rolled a 6 for Storn's initiative, and tiebreaker rolls leave him acting just barely after the gnoll.
Abrielle frowned at the charging beast. She felt like an idiot more than anything else. "Fayne, stand in front and be ready for the beast's approach, alongside Storn. Myself, Merrick and Tarven can fire on it with arrows and bolts. When it comes within your reach i will daze it with a spell so that it can't strike at you." She then readied an arrow and fired at the beast, but released it to soon, and the weak shot missed by a dozen feet or so.
Fayne stands his ground and readies his glaive to strike as soon as the gnoll comes near enough.
Combat Info
AC: 15, Hit Points 10/10
Ready Action to attack when the gnoll gets within reach, but it is likely a miss. Of course, depending on Ev's action, the gnoll may not even come close and I'll have to change things up next round.
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
A white hot rage overcomes Selua and she steps closer to the beast, letting an arrow fly. The memory of past pain proves too distracting as she misses.
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
Selua nocks an arrow to her bow and quickly fires off a shot, but misses the gnoll in her haste.
Abrielle also raises her bow and launches an arrow at the gnoll, but her shot is clumsy and falls short.
Abde'ragman prepares his crossbow, looking for a clear shot.
Evanar rushes over to Fayne, trying to join in the fight before anyone can be cut down by the gnoll.
The gnoll bounds quickly through the foliage to reach Fayne, howling as it goes, but has to pull up short and hop back as Fayne swings his polearm at the approaching beastie. The gnoll snarls like a dog and springs closer while the polearm swishes past, raising his well-worn battleaxe and baring fangs at Fayne.
Storn hustles over towards the battle scene, but his stumpy dwarven legs don't carry him very far yet.
Tarven raises his crossbow and fires off a bolt, then dashes forward, dropping the crossbow and unsheathing his longsword.
Abde'ragman retrieves his crossbow and loads a bolt.
Evanar moves closer to the forward scouts.
The gnoll closes in on Fayne. Fayne swings his polearm but misses.
Storn moves closer like Evanar.
Tarven fires a shot, drops his crossbow, and moves 30 feet closer while drawing his sword. Rolled a 7 for his attack roll, miss.
Merrick drops his crossbow and draws his sword, dashing around Fayne and the gnoll to get behind the beastie. However, he sees it about to strike Fayne, so he moves in a little early to take a swipe at it, coming up short as the gnoll jukes left to dodge.
Those closest to the gnoll sentry can hear movement from the clearing up ahead, but aren't sure what it is yet.
Merrick drops crossbow as a free action, moves 30 feet around while drawing longsword, and attacks for 8 to hit, missing. Yeesh.
Everyone, please post your actions for round 2. The gnoll will act just before Fayne (his readied action occured at roughly the end of its movement, so he'll act just barely after it now, like Storn). I'll post the gnoll's, Storn's, and Tarven's actions after seeing the rest of the group's actions.
The terrain does not slow you enough to matter in combat, but it is rough enough that you cannot charge or run through the light undergrowth.
The map, after Merrick's action.....
* X X * X X X X X X * X X X * X X X X * X X * X X X X * C
X * X X X X X * X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X X * X X C
X X X X * X X S * X X s X M * X X X X X * X X X X X X X C
m X A X X X * X X a X F 1 X X X X * X X X X X * X X X * C
X * X X * X X X * X X T E * X X * X X * X * X X X X X X C
X X X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X C
* X X * X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X * X X * X X X * C
X X * X X X * X X * X X X X * X * X X X X * X X X * X * C
A = Abde'ragman, a = Abrielle, E = Evanar, F = Fayne, M = Merrick, m = mule, S = Selua, s = Storn, T = Tarven, 1 = gnoll, C = empty 5-foot space of grassy clearing, X = empty 5-foot space of light undergrowth, * = tree (half cover, effectively heavy undergrowth for moving through the space)
Last edited by Arkhandus; 10th May 2009 at 09:09 AM..
Reason: Added map
The wizard springs to a better place, moving diagonally up and to the right (Under the "af" of after Merrick...) He takes aim and let lose a bolt! That flyies and stucks deep into... the bark of a nearby bush.
7 for 7
__________________ English is NOT my native language!
Mri'Thas: "Useless primates... " Sheng Zim: "Your existence brings the world out of balance. The chaos I bring shall revert it; unfortunately, your soul will be destroyed in the process."
-------------------------------------- Tuk Heavy Hands Apeldan: "Trolls are afraid to cats. Good to know" (Yttermayn's "Saga of the Dragon Cult") Cnosos: "I bet there's plenty of wonderful devices in that ship. Let's scavenge them at once!" (Blackrat's "After Earth") Metliz: Sounds like fun! (Arkandus's "The First") Thok: "Thok eats a lot, Thok big. Thok not good at first impressions." (MnL's "Valley of the Dead")
The gnoll hestitates with its axe held up, blinking, its tongue lolling, and it looks confused or distracted.
Abde'ragman moves closer and off to the side, taking a shot with his crossbow, and missing.
ooc
Rolled an 8 for its Will save, so the gnoll is dazed for 1 round. For future reference though, please include your spell's save DC whenever you cast a spell (this is for any of the group's spellcasters).
"I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death." -Robert Fulghum
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