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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tortoise" data-source="post: 1370783" data-attributes="member: 146">While the hints were there it was definitely a gamble. As a player I was thinking something like this " Phil likes to keep us guessing, but he likewise likes to give us character growth opportunities. How we handle these determines how his NPC's act, therefore this could be a boon or a boondoggle. I also clearly saw this as a chance for Rowan to shine/grow. "The trip to and from Oar made it obvious that these gnolls operated differently from their northern kin, but that didn't make them instant nice guys, just more cautious, better prepared, and judging by the sharply formed lines and the leashed war wolves, capable of deadly organization.I figured we were far too outnumbered for this to be planned as a fight unless we got stupid. If we let them come to us they would set all the terms for what was coming. If we took some initiative it might break up the routine and give us a chance to find the "out" we perceived was needed.Some in-character thoughts:"Either they've been called to help the other gnolls or they're here to fight the other gnolls. I really hope the latter.""Maybe if we show them we're willing to go down fighting and show them we've already handed the other gnolls a bloody defeat they'll hesitate and reconsider, not knowing just how much fight we have left in us. I hope I can pull off this bluff or we're done.""Wait ... that symbol on his armor ... it's a slight variation on one of Corelian's marks ... gnolls worshipping the light? What're the chances of that?"One thing lead to another and the discussion went from "Is Skilorn dead?" to "We have seen you, walker in the forests, do we have your promise that the others will do no harm ... ?" to "We will send a wolf to the ridgeline to howl three times if we agree to your plan for the other caravan.You may take your horses and return to your companions." Ah, the visual of Rowan leading the horses back to camp from amid an army of gnolls, unharmed.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> The wolf came, and the rest is history. Poor Ned, I hope he soiled his breeches when these gnolls and their big bad wolves harrassed his theiving brigands all the way to the river staying just out of harms reach the whole time.   <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> Oh how bigotry falls aside in the face of unexpected realities.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />As a player I'm now looking for a chance for Rowan to go south and study with these gnolls a bit and then convince them to send help further north to help with *spoiler*.Can you tell I had a blast with that session as a player? Awesome stuff. Old One can really weave character developement into the campaign very well. I'm OK as a roleplayer (not great, just OK), but I have been able to throw myself into this role deep at times. That session was one of those golden moments.</blockquote>

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