[IC] Underdogs [a core dnd game]

[doghead]

ic - Underdogs

Round 21-25

Wormis, Washi and Kornah stare at Assaq, appalled at what they hear. Wormis begins to thrash around, screaming wordlessly as he struggles, fruitlessly, to free himself.

Kornah just stares at the four grell outside the area of the spell. Emotions scud across his simple face. He glances from face to face. "What are you going to do Assaq? You are going to help us, yes? ... Ershe, you can explain to them? ... Mogro? We are friends right? We used to play sticks."

Washi's face twists in a sneer. "Don't waste your breath Wormis. They are not going to do anything. They are just going to stand and watch. They have chosen the gnolls over us." She turns to the four companions. "Do you think the krell will take you back when they learn what you did? Do you think they will ever accept a shaman who stood by and watched his people being butchered, Ershe? Do you think any regiment will take someone like that, Mogro? You had better grab your gear and run Adokul. Run far away, for when word of this gets around, you will never find a bed in any krell in Hella. Or if you do, it will come with a knife across the throat." She glares at Assaq, then spits on the ground. "You will learn what the animals that you hunt feel like Assaq."

"You will all learn. You will be driven away with sticks, like unwanted dogs. If they don't kill you first. If they don't I will, later."

Kornah begins to cry. The big grell kicks and thrashes at the plants which hold him tight. The sight of it drives his brother into a frenzy of rage.

The gnoll warrior close the circle around the three entangled grell. Scar Face raises his shield and spear and holws. In response, about half of the gnoll warriors likewise how and slam their spears against their shields.

On the other side of the four companions, Urthe mutters a few words, and with a gesture to the spirits, touches one of her warrior companions. The arrow slowly works its way out of the wound and falls to the ground, but blood still drips from the wound. They talk in low growls between themselves.

[sblock=Round 21-25 Notes]
Urthe casts CureLightWounds,
* Tan Ji'Bar is now seriously wounded, -2 to rolls.[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

"What I hunt never has time to feel fear," Assaq snaps, stung by Washi's words despite himself. "And it's not the gnolls I choose over you, it's the krel. If we help you escape, there will be war. Other grell will die. Innocents, unlike you. I won't sacrifice Hussik or Merga or Jurhai or anyone else to save your worthless hide."

 

[Voda Vosa]

Adokul smiles "And who will tell this to anyone?"

 

[Autumn]

Ershe says nothing, his expression one of sad acceptance. Washi's words are barbed, but they do not penetrate him and he feels no need to respond. He is sure in the knowledge that he has not betrayed his people.

It is a sad fact that Washi is obviously equally sure of the same thing for herself. Ershe knows many in the krel will share her view, and that is unfortunate. There will be conflict, and discord.

All of this is unfornate, but for now the choice has been made. He has acted according to his conscience, and now the consequences must play out.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Mogro looks down at the three grel caught in the twisting vines and he shakes his head in anger after Washi finishes her little speech. "You came here looking to start a war... well you are now in one. Don't get mad at us because you were not skilled enough to win it."

He climbs down from Champion and takes a few steps at the capture grel and points at them. "You KNEW we were coming here on a mission of peace and discovery. Are you all really SO STUPID as to think we would suddenly change our minds and help you slaughter these gnolls just because you showed up?!? Huh?!? You can't really be THAT DUMB, can you?!? I am sorry... but the krel will not think we betrayed them by allowing you to to be killed... they will think that you and those that convinced you to come were too stupid and reckless to do your job correctly. And I will personally see to it that your names go down in our histories as the band of idiots who actually thought they could take down an entire gnoll encampment by themselves."

"When one goes to war, one must be prepared to face one's own death. So stand up and accept your death like true warriors. Stop your blubbering. You lost the war. Deal with it."

Mogro then returns to his horse and climbs back up onto it.

 

[doghead]

ic - Underdogs

Round 26 - 43

Kornah straightens up and wipes his snotty nose. "I am not stupid. I don't like you any more Mogro. You can't come to our fall any more." He stares at Mogro defiantly.

Washi twists around and begins to talk urgently to Wormis and Kornah. She pitches her voice low, low enough that the other two grell need to lean forwards to hear, too low for the four companions to catch what she is saying.

Scar Face continues to urge on the gnoll warriors. Every now and then he turns to sneer at the four companions. Occasionally he growls something. His warrior companions, who have drifted around to his side of the circle, snicker to themselves.

Ershe's spell disappears. For a moment, everything seems suspended in time.

Scar Face roars, slamming his shield and spear together. Urthe begins to quietly chant something from behind the four companions. Fog boils up from the ground, filling the centre of the circle of gnolls, obscuring the three grell from view. The gnoll warriors take a few faltering steps then come to an awkward halt, shields and spears up. A couple charge into the fog. Those that can see him turn to look to Scar Face. Scar Face roars commands.

Meanwhile, on the far side of the fog, Washi, Wormis and Kornah erupt from the fog, dragging tendrils of mist along in their wake. Washi dives between two gnolls. One gnoll turns to try, unsuccessfully, and stab Washi with his spear. Wormis slams into his side, knocking him back several feet. Kornah pounds along on Washi's heels. Seeing his brother brought to a halt, he begins to slow. Wormis yells for him to 'keep running'.

Shouts erupt form those gnolls that have seen the three condemned grell escaping. Scar Face roars more commands.

Urthe ceases her chanting long enough to say something in Trader before continuing with her chanting once again.

[sblock=Speak Trader]"If Ji'or win, there will not be peace between grell and gnoll."[/sblock]

[sblock=Round Notes 26 - 43]
Washi Tumble check 7.
* Gnoll AoO 9 vs 13 = miss.
Wormis Bull Rush 18 vs 9 = 10 feet push back.

Washi and Kornah have covered about 60-70 feet, putting them about 20 feet outside the gnoll circle. Wormis was slowed a little by his engagement with the gnoll (but not much actually, given the 10 feet push back) and is about 5 feet behind.

If the circle of gnolls is a clock, the four PC's are at about 6, about 10 feet back from the cirlce. Urthe and her warriors are further behind the PC's. Scar Face is at about 8 o'clock. Washi and Co have broken out at around 1 o'clock. The four PC's can see them, Scar Face probably can not.

Lets have new initiative rolls.[/sblock]

 

[Autumn]

Ershe may not understand the gnoll shaman's words, but her intent is clear enough. His heart gives a leap as he realises that the transgressing grell may still have a chance to escape their brutal fate.

He aims to add to Urthe's own work, invoking another fog bank to extend her own as soon as the hostile gnolls manage to get free of it.


OOC: Cast Fog Cloud, aiming to place its furthest extent right at the grell's heels so that they are obscured from view and any pursuit will have to go through the full extent of the fog bank.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Mogro watches as the other grell attempt their escape and the other gnolls try to take them down. He shakes his head as these two abstinate forces on both sides get ready to kill each other and then he sighs... waiting patiently for this whole sordid scene to finish up already.

He turns to Assaq and says to him "Tell the female gnoll that if we have no control over the other grell and if she has no control over the scarred gnoll and his men... then there's no point in either of us staying here. I came here expecting to take an active hand... not to wait for these no-named forces to decimate each other. Personally, I don't care which of the two sides win... because everything is out of my control. And I'm tired of watching this unfold."

 

[covaithe]

Assaq stares at the gnoll shaman in wordless consternation, for a moment, then abruptly turns to Mogro. "Mogro, you're right. No point in just watching."

With that, Assaq draws an arrow and lets it fly at the big scar-faced gnoll.

"I don't know what this crazy gnoll shaman is playing at, but Scarface is definitely an enemy."

[sblock=ooc]initiative 22[/sblock]

 

[doghead]

ic - Underdogs

Round 44

Urthe continues her low chanting.

Scar Face pauses, the listening to the shouting coming from the other side of the fog cloud. Realisation dawns. Suddenly he begins shouting. With the exception of a few that continue to give chase, the gnoll warriors slowly begin to turn their attention first to Ji'or, the Scar Faced warrior, then to Urthe, the small shaman.

Assak lets fly at Scar Face. The arrow rips through fur and leather, but fails to make any lasting impression.

Scar Face charges the grell ranger. Assaq evades the spear thrust and shrugs off the impact.

Half a dozen of the gnoll warriors follow the Scar Face into the fray.

Mogro wheels his mount out of the way of the charging gnoll warriors.

One warrior joins Scar Face in besetting Assaq. The ranger takes a spear shaft across the head, leaving his ears ringing somewhat.

Another falls upon Adokul. The grell neatly side steps the attack. Adokul's counter fails to find its mark.

Ershe is attacked before he can cast. The blow is weak, but the shaman loses his spell.

A second gnoll joins the attack on Adokul. Once again the grell slides around the attack.

A third gnoll comes at Assaq from the side. This time the gnoll draws a little blood.

The last gnoll cautiously approaches Mogro. He stabs at the mounted grell but is unable to do any harm.

Washi, Wormis and Kornah continue to flee. A couple of gnoll warriors follow.

The remaining handfull of gnoll warriors mill around uncertainly.

Around the fringes of the melee, several older gnolls grab the younger ones, pulling them away from danger. Other gnolls pull knives or grab rocks and branches from the the ground. A couple close in on Urthe, haranguing the small shaman. But her two companions keep the others at a safe distance.

[sblock=Round 44 Notes]
Assaq 18 vs Scar Face 18 = hit, 0 overkill.
* Dam 5 vs Soak 7 = 0 damage.
Scar Face 15 vs Asaq 13 = 2 overkill
* Damage 8 vs Soak 9 = 0 damage.
Gnoll Warrior A 18 vs Assaq 12 = 6 overkill
* Damage 12 vs Soak 9 = 3 wounds
* * Assaq is lightly wounded, no effect on rolls.
Gnoll B 9 vs Adokul 23 = Miss.
Adokul 9 vs 13 = miss.
Gnol C 13 vs Ershe 11 = 2 overkill
* damage 8 vs Soak 7 = 1 wound.
* * Ershe is lightly wounded, no penalty to rolls.
* * Ershe Concentration Check 11 vs DC 13.
Gnoll D 22 vs Adokul 24 = miss.
Gnoll E 18 vs Assaq 15 = 3 overkill.
* Damage 11 vs Soak 9 = 2 wounds, now 5 wounds.
* * Assaq is still lightly wounded.
Gnoll F 25 vs Mogro 23 = 2 overkill.
* Damage 10 vs Soak 10 = 0 wounds.[/sblock]