[IC] Underdogs [a core dnd game]

[Autumn]

[sblock=OOC]Many thanks for keeping Ershe around! Sorry for any grief my absence caused. Consider me back to active status as of now. [/sblock]

Ershe can't help but curse himself throughout the negotiations for having never studied any languages aside from his native tongue. His training under Urdan had always seemed more important, but it strikes him forcibly now that if he ever wants to be instrumental in advancing the condition of his people then he'll certainly need to start by breaking away from their insular attitude. It's high time that he taught himself the Trader tongue, at the very least.

That's all assuming, of course, that he lives out the day. But in truth he is not as worried about their immediate prospects as his companions seem to be. If, after all, these gnolls were as savage and barbarous as others he's heard of, the bunch of them would already be sitting in a cage awaiting their turn on the roasting spit. He is reassured, too, by their wisewoman's gesture of respect to the spirits. There is common ground between these people and their own, Ershe is sure of that. It's just a matter of finding it, and respecting its boundaries.

"Agreed," he concurs with Assaq. "Honesty is the best start. But Mogro has a point. Ask her what her people have heard of the grell."

 

[doghead]

ic - Underdogs

Urshe nar-Bar growls softly as Assaq concludes his summary. She does not respond immediately.

[sblock=Speak Trader]"Worha'bor it is called among my people - finish the kill with claws and teeth. Like the wolf. Taste the blood. It is still hot. Betray the pack and we kill like this. Kill the cubs and we kill like this. For some warriors, the Bor nar-Hurj, it is a power. The hot blood makes them more strong, more tough.

"It is terrible you think. Killing is terrible. We do not hide from this truth. The strong kill the weak. The strong survive. My people are made stronger. Other people fear us. They stay out of our lands.

"They stayed out of our lands ..."[/sblock]

Urthe growls, a long slow angry snarl of a growl.

[sblock=Speak Trader]"Now we are weak. You are more strong. You can attack us. You kill us. You take what you want. This is our way. But you have different way. I know a little of you way. We make an agreement. We make rules. We make punishments. It is difficult for my people to understand. But they must learn because this is your land.

"Already we start to learn. We have had lesson in the strength of your way. We did not understand. It cost us our land. It was harsh lesson. Harsh lessons make fast learners."[/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

"At least she got some brains!" Adokil says, cheerful. "It is good they know how to evaluate their situation, and it is even best, when their situation puts us on advantage!"

 

[covaithe]

Assaq, brows wrinkled in concentration, attempts to translate. "I think she is saying that killing with teeth and claws is a punishment reserved for a few great crimes, but that some renegade warriors do it to cause fear." Assaq looks more carefully at Urthe's guards, who with their spears and leather armor, do not look like they would fight with teeth and claws by choice.

"She says that her people used to be left alone because they were feared, but... they had a lesson in the strength of our way, whatever that is, and it cost them their land. I think she means that their neighbors banded together out of fear and drove them out of the area. I'll see if I can clarify."

[sblock=trader]"You were driven from your old lands by those that feared you, is that what you are saying? And now you wish to live in peace with your neighbors so that no one will drive you away again? If that is so, why have you settled here? What stories have you heard of the grell, that you choose our lands?"[/sblock]

 

[DEFCON 1]

Mogro nods at Assaq's words. "It seems that 'live and let live' is not a statement that any culture uses as their hallmark. Saddening."

 

[doghead]

ic - Underdogs

Urthe considers Assaq's question for a moment.

[sblock=Speak Trader]"We know little of the grell. Their lands are not near our lands. They are brave warriors. Like us, they prefer actions to ...[/sblock]

The gnoll behind Urthe's left shoulder growls, interrupting Urthe. He begins to speak, rasing his arm as if to point. An arrow sprouts from his throat. He grunts in surprise. Blood sprays the ground in front of him. An second arrow flashes past.

Urthe snarls something in her native tongue. A bolt sprouts from the leg of the other gnoll, followed shortly by an arrow which clips his shoulder.

From the forest behind Adokul, Assaq, Ershe and Mogro emerge four grell bearing bows and a crossbow - Washi, Kornah, Wormis and Borthi. They are from Horak krel. They are all part of Urshak's circle of supporters. Washi is one of Urshak's lieutenants. She is not a front line fighter, she prefers to put the blade in the back. Wormis is a big hulking grell. He can both dish out and take fair amounts of damage. His younger brother Kornah is of a similar mould, only not quite so massive. Borthi is more a hunter, favouring the bow. He has something of a talent for laying down a barrage of arrows, although at the expense of accuracy.

Three of them run forwards, drawing melee weapons as they move. Washi moves forward more slowly, reaching for another arrow as he goes.

"Adokul! Grab the witch!" bellows Washi.

[sblock=ooc]Gnoll 1 is critically wounded, -4 to rolls, std action only.
Gnoll 2 is severely wounded -2 to rolls, acts normally.

The four new arrivals are about 80-90 feet from where the characters are currently sitting. At full move, they will spend one turn (round 1) closing the gap. The will be with charging range in the next turn (round 2).

For the sake of simplicity, anyone may grab cover (a tree, a log - you can choose what) by spending a move action. Once in cover, the character doesn't need to spend a move action to keep it, unless the character actually moves.

The four new arrivals are all fairly capable. Perhaps not quite the level of your characters, but on a good day, with a little luck ...

Some Notes on Combat
You post, then I post the round summary. I will aim for a 48 hour turn around. It may take a bit longer if I can't post the same day I check the thread.

If a stated action become impossible as a result of events, and you have indicated your character's intentions, I will adjust your character's actions accordingly. If I don't know your character's intentions, I won't.

You can make your own rolls. Use invisible castle. Note any bonus or penalties included other than the normal ones listed on your sheet (bab, str or dex, weapon bonuses). Include one Defence roll per round.

As always, make sure each post to this thread has some IC content.

That's about it I think. Initiative please.[/sblock]

[sblock=Adokul Only]Before leaving the fall, Urshak said to Adokul, "Stay alert Adokul. Be ready act. Opportunity can come at any time. You must be ready to grab it. Don't let me down."

Urshak never mentioned anything about sending some of his supporters to follow the party. But this is undoubtedly what he had in mind, even if he could not know exactly how it would play out. Obviously, Urshak will be execting Adokul to support his play.[/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

"You idiots! You have spoiled everything! Stop you chatic display of stupidity, before you get us all killed!!!" Adokul shouted, his eyes inyected in blood. The grell was choleric.

 

[covaithe]

Assaq's mind races, trying to catch up with the sudden change of situation. Who are these fools? What are they doing here? Can the Elders have changed their minds and sent another party? No, surely we would have been contacted, either by magic or by these grell as the first arrows flew. They must be here against the council's wishes. Still... It might really be the best thing for our village if we wipe out these gnolls and have done with the whole mess. Just because I was starting to like this leader of theirs doesn't mean they wouldn't turn on us in a few years. Killing them all would be the safe path. But the elders sent us specifically to look for a peaceful solution... Surely they never meant their words to lead to fighting between grell. But these fools will not stop without bloodshed. And it's no use protesting our innocence and standing aside; whichever side wins, no one will believe we weren't involved.

After a split second of indecision, what finally decides Assaq is the memory of the gnoll leader's face when explaining that only murderers of children and betrayers of the tribe are to be torn apart by tooth and claw.

Betrayers of the tribe. So be it.

[sblock=trader]"These grell do not act for our tribe! They are traitors! We will protect you if we can!"[/sblock]

Assaq moves to stand in front of the gnoll leader, shielding her with his body as well as he can, while unslinging his bow with one hand. With the other, he gestures at the advancing grell, while muttering a few quiet syllables.

[sblock=ooc]It's been a while since we did a combat; let's see what I remember of GnG rules.

initiative 1d20+2=17
defense 1d20+6=19

Move action to help provide cover to the gnoll leader, drawing bow as part of that move action. Standard action to cast entangle, save DC 13, to catch as many of the advancing grell as possible without entangling any allies. Entangle is my only prepared spell.
[/sblock]

 

[Autumn]

Ershe catches on to the situation immediately. As shocking as this is, it's not by any means unexpected for him. He had known all along that his father was by no means above such crude means of getting his way.

The main thing in the way of his acting immediately is Adokul. The newcomers know him, as expected since they're fellow lackeys of Urshak. But he surprises Ershe by not immediately jumping to their aid. It could, of course, be a ploy - the others aren't yet near enough to lend him support, so perhaps he is playing for time out of cowardice.

A tough decision, but it has to be made fast. Ershe goes with his gut feeling - Adokul sounded sincere. For now, he'll have the benefit of the doubt.

"Back off, you fools!" he yells out to the newcomers. "You're going against the word of the elders and the good of the krel. You're outnumbered and outmatched. Run away."

Even as he shouts, the young shaman is reaching for his belt and unhitching a long, gnarled twig of oak from its fastening there. He looks to see who is most gravely wounded among his allies, and moves to heal them with the wand.


[sblock=OOC]Initiative 1d20+0 = 1

Defense 1d20+6 = 12

Use a charge of my Wand of Cure Light Wounds on whoever is in worst shape (but still alive) among the gnolls and friendly grell. 2 life pips healed.[/sblock]

 

[doghead]

Round 1

Borthi, another arrow fitted, raises his bow but does not shoot.

Washi, Wormis and Kornah rush forwards. Washi leaps and dodges around the forest clutter. Kornah and Wormis tend to just crash through it.

Assaq declares the parties good intentions and moves to cover Urthe. He has made but a step in the direction of Urthe before her two companions react - stepping up to intercept the grell hunter. Only a barked command by Urthe prevents them from engaging. Urthe growls something else and the two gnolls form a protective wall between her danger. Assaq has to settle for standing some ten feet in front of Urthe. Swinging around he casts his spell.

Behind assaq the gnolls begin to howl. From the direction of the camp, and the surrounding forest, come numerous responses.

"Don't do it Assaq!" shouts Borthi, bringing his bow around to target Assaq. He releases. Assaq receives a bruising blow to the shoulder. But he holds his concentration and casts successfully. The plants around and underneath the three charging grell begin to reach out and wrap themselves around Washi, Wormis and Kornah. Washi leaps and bounds out of range of the spell, but Wormis and Kornah are both caught inside the spell area. Wormis is wrapped up in the long strong branches of a tree vine. Kornah, for the moment, manages to remain un-entangled.

"You fools! They will kill us all for sure if we don't have the witch as hostage!" screams Washi.

Mogro stares at the approaching grell with a look of confusion on his face. No one said anything about another group of grell. What is going on?

Adokul rages against the grell from Horak-krel, for a moment losing himself in his emotion.

Ershe's approach to the gnolls, like Assaq's before him, is pointedly rebuffed. It is clear that the two gnoll warriors will cut Ershe down if he steps within range. Urthe shakes her head, and motions for Ershe to keep his distance. Ershe also gets the feeling that Urthe has something readied, a spell more than likely.

[sblock=Round 1 Notes]
Borthi readied action.
Borthi attack 24 vs Assaq defence 19 = 5 overkill.
* Dam 8 - Soak 9 = 0 wounds.
* Con check 19+3 vs DC10.
Assaq (entangle, 400 ft + 40 ft radius)
* Washi Refl 25 vs DC 13 - evades, escapes spell area.
* Wormis Refl 8 vs DC 13 - entangled.
* Kornah Refl 18 vs DC 13 - evades, still in spell area.
Urthe readied action.[/sblock]