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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Arkhandus" data-source="post: 4792348" data-attributes="member: 13966">Gnolls! Round 4 BeginsAbde'ragman moves closer and incants a spell.Evanar looks back towards the mule and considers going back to move it, but changes his mind and moves in to try helping against the gnolls.Two more gnolls burst into the woods from the clearing, sniffing around, tongues lolling, and searching for intruders.  They see one of their group attacking the closest human and another just reaching a second human, so one moves in closer to that second human (Tarven) and the other moves a bit further into the woods, looking for other victims or perhaps a way around to Tarven's rear.  Both notice Selua behind Tarven.Fayne does something.......Storn hustles closer to the new battle, but his short dwarven legs don't carry him very far, so he lags behind Evanar in approaching Merrick's and Tarven's foes.  "Agh, don't wait fer me!  Kill them bassards!" the dwarf huffs out.Tarven slashes at the first gnoll to reach him, but is too hasty and it easily evades, having just gotten close while he was swinging.  Glancing behind and seeing the elf maiden behind, with no melee weapon in hand, he decides to stand his ground rather than shift position.  "Back, you!" he grits out, baring his teeth at the gnolls with their much-more-fearsome-looking fangs and jaws.[sblock=Round 3 Ends]Round 3 Initiatives:22 Merrick (8 damage)18 Gnoll 217 Selua15 Abrielle14 Gnoll 315 Abde'ragman13 Gnoll 412 Gnoll 511 Evanar6 Gnoll Sentry (DEAD)6 Fayne6 Storn4 Tarven*note: misplaced gnolls 4 and 5 in the initiative order, given their initiative rolls, now fixedAbde'ragman I moved northeast, since northwest would move him away from the battle and put more trees in his way.  If you don't want that, say so.  However, you might want to change your mind about casting True Strike this round; you still need to reload your crossbow and move into a position where you could actually stand a chance of hitting something other than a tree.Well, as it is, your new position is enough to give gnoll #3 half-cover against you (assuming you take a 5-foot step forward before shooting, otherwise you'll have 2 trees in the way), which isn't too bad, but since it's also in melee with Tarven you'd take a -4 on the attack roll in addition to the gnoll getting an AC bonus for half-cover.  For a decent hit chance, you'll want to move a bit closer to a spot where you have a clear shot and only suffer the -4 for shooting into melee (one more move-action heading southeast would do it).  So if you'd rather just double-move this round, then load and cast next round (or move and load this round, move and cast next round), just say so before your next turn comes up.Gnoll #4 enters the woods and moves in on gnoll #3's target, Tarven.Gnoll #5 enters the woods, further south of Tarven, and looks for targets.Storn double-moves closer to Evanar and Merrick.Tarven attacks gnoll #3, rolls a 9 to hit, missing.  Durnit.The map, at the end of Round 3 excluding Fayne's action..... Up is NORTH.* X X X X * X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X * X X X X * X 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 * A X X * X X X X * X X * X X X X * C CX * X X X X X * X X X X * X X X X * X s X X E X M * X X C CX X X X * X X X * X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X X 2 X X C Cm X X X X X * X X X F X X X X a X * X X S T 3 * X X X * C CX * X X * X X X * X X X X * X X * X X * X * 4 X X X X X C CX X X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X C C* X X * X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X * 5 X * X X X * C CX X * X X X * X X * X X X X * X * X X X X * X X X * X * C C* X X X X * X * X X X X * X X X X X X * X X X * X X X X * XA = Abde'ragman, a = Abrielle, E = Evanar, F = Fayne, M = Merrick, m = mule, S = Selua, s = Storn, T = Tarven, 1-5 = gnolls, C = empty 5-foot space of grassy clearing, X = empty 5-foot space of light undergrowth, * = tree (half cover, effectively light undergrowth for moving through the space)[/sblock]Merrick tries to hack at the gnoll that just maimed him, but his fresh wound makes it hard to swing and his sword just chops a branch off of a bush, then he swings his sap at the gnoll but it easily steps back from the leather club filled with weights.  Merrick curses in Chondathan and staggers around the tree, putting it between him and the thrice-damned-lucky gnoll.The gnoll, however, proves just how lucky it really is, following his movement by rushing back around the tree and bringing its axe around in a high, horizontal arc......smacking into Merrick's head and splitting his skull, sending the young guardsman toppling over into the bushes, blood gushing forth from his head-wound......it doesn't look like he's ever getting back up without immediate medical attention.Tarven hears the strike and sees his fellow guard topple over backwards, blood gushing from his head, and cries out "NOOO!" in surprise and terror.  The gnoll just grins and cackles in glee at its easy victory over the puny human.[sblock=Round 4 Begins]Waiting on Rhun's action for Fayne in round 3, and for Abrielle's, Selua's, and Abde'ragman's actions in round 4, before I'll post actions for the other gnolls.Round 4 Initiatives:22 Merrick (19 damage, unconscious, dying)18 Gnoll 217 Selua15 Abrielle14 Gnoll 315 Abde'ragman13 Gnoll 412 Gnoll 511 Evanar6 Gnoll Sentry (DEAD)6 Fayne6 Storn4 TarvenMerrick attacks gnoll #2 with longsword and sap, rolling a natural 1 for the sword and a total of 7 for the sap.  What the heck's up with my d20?!?!  Merrick takes a 5-foot step around the tree.Gnoll #2 pursues, but puts the tree between it and Evanar.  Attacks Merrick with battleaxe, rolled a total of 20 to hit, for 11 damage.  WTF?!?!  Merrick falls unconscious and is near death.  Dangit.  He's the more combat-capable of the two guards.The map, after gnoll #2..... Up is NORTH.* X X X X * X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X * X X X X * X 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 * A X X * X X X X * X X * X X M X * C CX * X X X X X * X X X X * X X X X * X s X X E X X * 2 X C CX X X X * X X X * X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X X X X X C Cm X X X X X * X X X F X X X X a X * X X S T 3 * X X X * C CX * X X * X X X * X X X X * X X * X X * X * 4 X X X X X C CX X X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X * X X X X X * X X X C C* X X * X X X X * X X X X * X X X X X X * 5 X * X X X * C CX X * X X X * X X * X X X X * X * X X X X * X X X * X * C C* X X X X * X * X X X X * X X X X X X * X X X * X X X X * XA = Abde'ragman, a = Abrielle, E = Evanar, F = Fayne, M = Merrick, m = mule, S = Selua, s = Storn, T = Tarven, 1-5 = gnolls, C = empty 5-foot space of grassy clearing, X = empty 5-foot space of light undergrowth, * = tree (half cover, effectively light undergrowth for moving through the space)[/sblock]</blockquote>

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