Stories from the Steppes
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Plane Sailing
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While waiting in case a few extra guesses come in, I'll post the next installment that Guido's got ready for us.
Plane Sailing
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Dariol and Alavarielle have returned to the camp, only to discover that half of the party is still missing. They resolve to find them and head out in the group’s original tracks. A pigeon arrives to say that Vladimar and Mischa have found the other caravan to the North East and will stay with it overnight to join them in the morning.
Clint and Beyoncay have decided to stay behind and are settling down on the roof of a wagon when a hail of enormous arrows drops out of the sky into the camp. This is followed by a deafening gnollish battle cry and the camp fire erupting as a writhing red wormlike creature appears in it’s midst. Chaos prevails as the camp occupants scatter in all directions.. Beyoncay gazes out towards the source of the shout to see a gang of gnolls loping out of the gloom straight towards her. She rips out her rapier and prepares to put up a fight. Clint carefully sights into the darkness and at the edge of his vision sees an elderly gnoll, perhaps a leader. He fires an arrow which sinks deep into the creatures belly.
Alavarielle and Dariol stare at each other in disbelief as the gnoll shout echoes across the plain behind them, and as one they whirl their mounts to charge back to the camp. Further out, Katarn, Drucilla and Fareena also hear a distant shout off to their right, which Katarn identifies as a gnoll battle shout. With one mind they spur towards it.
The worm thing jumps out of the fire on it’s snakey tail and lays about with a spear, skewering and burning with abandon. With Vladimar and Mischa both away there is no co-ordination in the camp and the charging gnolls have a straight run at the barricades. Dariol and Alavarielle split left and right as they thunder back to the camp. Alavarielle summons up personal protection spells and readies her bow. Dariol flings an entangle spell into the deep grass around the barricade and several gnolls including their two leaders are pinioned helplessly in its grasp. Alavarielle plugs one with an arrow now she has some targets. Clint and Beyoncay’s make their stand atop the wagon as the gnolls are clambering up, launching sneak attacks against their climbing foes. The two of them cut at gnoll claws, keeping them momentarily at bay. Several gnolls have made it over the hurdles and hack their way into the camp gleefully. Dariol spies a wounded foe in the long grass just beyond the camp gesturing at him, and finds himself unable to move as magical energies freeze his limbs. – held dammit! Fang hovers at his heels guarding obediently.
Drucilla dismounts as she gets close, rolling under the side-boards of a wagon, dagger in hand. Fareena catches a glimpse of magical energy discharged on top of Annia and Stefan’s wagon and spurs her horse up to the ladder. Katarn charges up to a barricade and tumbles neatly from his saddle to land poised on the other side with rapier in hand. As Fareena climbs she sees a small movement, is there something down there by that wagon? She attempts to charm it, but the shadow darts away, a hissing humanoid face briefly visible at the edge of a cloak.
Clint and Beyoncay slash one of the gnolls down but another climbs over the Wagon top and hacks at them with feverish vigour. Alavarielle has the aim now and the helpless entangled gnolls are suffering grievous injuries from her arrows. Drucilla aims a spell at the Salamander, no effect! Katarn tumbles round the beast and lands a solid blow. Fareena clambers up on to the top of Annia’s wagon to see a small grey winged creature chewing at the girl’s neck. Annia is out cold, eyes frozen open. The creature looks up and flies at Fareena’s face. She flinches back, avoiding the wicked sprite and flames it with a spell. Below her, a retreating gnoll picks up a helpless young camp girl, clambers over the barricade and runs into the night.
Beyoncay and Clint are locked in a desperate battle on the wagon top as another gnoll clambers aboard, and the confined space is quickly slippery with the mingled blood of the combatants. Alavarielle’s arrows drop one of the entangled gnolls. Dariol stares helplessly into the dark expecting to be struck any moment and then realises his spell-casting foe must be trapped in the entangle – hah, no doubt it’s cursing the lack of remaining offensive magics or a missile weapon. We’ll see which spell runs out first he muses.
Drucilla flanks the salamander as Katarn tumbles about, striking but doing little damage. The Salamander wraps its tail around him and steps forward to pull him into its flames and Katarn screams in agony as the fire burns his flesh. He wriggles painfully but fails to escape...
Clint and Beyoncay have decided to stay behind and are settling down on the roof of a wagon when a hail of enormous arrows drops out of the sky into the camp. This is followed by a deafening gnollish battle cry and the camp fire erupting as a writhing red wormlike creature appears in it’s midst. Chaos prevails as the camp occupants scatter in all directions.. Beyoncay gazes out towards the source of the shout to see a gang of gnolls loping out of the gloom straight towards her. She rips out her rapier and prepares to put up a fight. Clint carefully sights into the darkness and at the edge of his vision sees an elderly gnoll, perhaps a leader. He fires an arrow which sinks deep into the creatures belly.
Alavarielle and Dariol stare at each other in disbelief as the gnoll shout echoes across the plain behind them, and as one they whirl their mounts to charge back to the camp. Further out, Katarn, Drucilla and Fareena also hear a distant shout off to their right, which Katarn identifies as a gnoll battle shout. With one mind they spur towards it.
The worm thing jumps out of the fire on it’s snakey tail and lays about with a spear, skewering and burning with abandon. With Vladimar and Mischa both away there is no co-ordination in the camp and the charging gnolls have a straight run at the barricades. Dariol and Alavarielle split left and right as they thunder back to the camp. Alavarielle summons up personal protection spells and readies her bow. Dariol flings an entangle spell into the deep grass around the barricade and several gnolls including their two leaders are pinioned helplessly in its grasp. Alavarielle plugs one with an arrow now she has some targets. Clint and Beyoncay’s make their stand atop the wagon as the gnolls are clambering up, launching sneak attacks against their climbing foes. The two of them cut at gnoll claws, keeping them momentarily at bay. Several gnolls have made it over the hurdles and hack their way into the camp gleefully. Dariol spies a wounded foe in the long grass just beyond the camp gesturing at him, and finds himself unable to move as magical energies freeze his limbs. – held dammit! Fang hovers at his heels guarding obediently.
Drucilla dismounts as she gets close, rolling under the side-boards of a wagon, dagger in hand. Fareena catches a glimpse of magical energy discharged on top of Annia and Stefan’s wagon and spurs her horse up to the ladder. Katarn charges up to a barricade and tumbles neatly from his saddle to land poised on the other side with rapier in hand. As Fareena climbs she sees a small movement, is there something down there by that wagon? She attempts to charm it, but the shadow darts away, a hissing humanoid face briefly visible at the edge of a cloak.
Clint and Beyoncay slash one of the gnolls down but another climbs over the Wagon top and hacks at them with feverish vigour. Alavarielle has the aim now and the helpless entangled gnolls are suffering grievous injuries from her arrows. Drucilla aims a spell at the Salamander, no effect! Katarn tumbles round the beast and lands a solid blow. Fareena clambers up on to the top of Annia’s wagon to see a small grey winged creature chewing at the girl’s neck. Annia is out cold, eyes frozen open. The creature looks up and flies at Fareena’s face. She flinches back, avoiding the wicked sprite and flames it with a spell. Below her, a retreating gnoll picks up a helpless young camp girl, clambers over the barricade and runs into the night.
Beyoncay and Clint are locked in a desperate battle on the wagon top as another gnoll clambers aboard, and the confined space is quickly slippery with the mingled blood of the combatants. Alavarielle’s arrows drop one of the entangled gnolls. Dariol stares helplessly into the dark expecting to be struck any moment and then realises his spell-casting foe must be trapped in the entangle – hah, no doubt it’s cursing the lack of remaining offensive magics or a missile weapon. We’ll see which spell runs out first he muses.
Drucilla flanks the salamander as Katarn tumbles about, striking but doing little damage. The Salamander wraps its tail around him and steps forward to pull him into its flames and Katarn screams in agony as the fire burns his flesh. He wriggles painfully but fails to escape...
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Fareena flames the grey creature again, while preparing to heft her iron frying pan. It bites at her and she feels the burning irritation of poison. Then a diminutive flame leaps out of her lantern and touches the creature, which instantly catches alight and it falls, crisped and curled at her feet. She checks Annia who is alive but paralysed, and stands again to inspect the scene below. Fire is flickering from the underside of the wagon where the shadowy shape fled.
Clint and Beyoncay fell one of the gnolls and round on the other. It bellows angrily, hacking in wide arcs, slicing deep into Beyoncay but a well-aimed sword blow from Clint tears through some vital place and the gnoll drops dead. Below, a mass of people bundle another gnoll to the ground and fists, feet and knives put and end to it. Alavarielle’s archery drops the last entangled one in the camp and the odds are improving by the second as Katarn wriggles free from a Salamander that is weaker now for a well aimed ray from Drucilla. Between them they slash the salamander to the ground in a shower of ashes and smoke. Beyoncay and Clint target their archery out into the gloom and the distant trapped gnoll stares helplessly as a fusillade of arrows pierces it through the body. Blood foams at its lips as it buckles at the knees and falls lifeless in the grass.
There is no sign of the shadowy creature that Fareena saw, and the last of the gnolls is either dead or fleeing, yet the wagon burns more fiercely. The party gathers horrified as the boards of the wagon start to crack.
People gather helplessly round the wagon and it becomes clear that there simply isn’t enough water available to douse the flames. The valuable cargo must be saved, but the conflagration is too hot. This is Fareena’s moment. She spies a burly fellow in the desperate assembly and rushes to him. With urgent reassurances she waves her hands, reciting a childs charm and weaving unbeknownst to the subject, a protective spell. The fellow, compelled by her confidence, leaps into the blazing wreck with renewed courage and starts tossing smoking bundles of goods into the waiting crowd. The wagon is soon empty. Something rather odd in the back of it catches Fareena’s eye but she can’t be sure what it was and loses sight of it in the smoke.
The group slowly disperses, each to their own thoughts, and the rest of the night passes uneventfully. In the morning they rise early, and an early outrider arrives to announce the imminent arrival of the other caravan. They wait until mid morning when it finally heaves into distant view. Viewing the carnage of the night before Vladimar inspects the burnt out wagon in some distress. A day is spent re-stowing the goods, and Vladimar spends a lot of time around the wreck sorting through the smoking ruins with Mischa.
A quiet evening is spent girding loins for the next day, and though the new caravan has brought another Elven Bard along, the two are somehow unable to get their musical styles to work together. This foppish fellow seems to have travelled as far as Tradevitch to broaden his horizons but like so many others ended up wintering over, trapped by the lack of safe movement over the hills due to the snow. The fact that gnolls were allowed to wander almost uncontrolled in the streets of this rough frontier town at Spring tide had done nothing to improve his demeanour so the prospect of a caravan travelling across the plains was too good to miss.
The night is thankfully quiet and the next day’s travel is equally uneventful, although distant figures are sighted and Vladimar comments that the tribes appear to be moving North uncommonly early this year. Perhaps it is a symptom of the unusually long winter?
Heiroday also passes away without action as the miles roll away under the rumbling wagon wheels. That night Clint has a terrible nightmare that leaves him in some pain from the force of wrenching spasms of dream-fear. Somewhat alarmed he consults with Alavarielle who simply shrugs. Mischa is just as mystified and the exhausted and short-tempered Clint retires to the campfire to pass the night in wakeful alarm.
The following day while Clint finds sleepy oblivion on a wagon top, smoke is sighted on the horizon. It appears a day or so away and of no immediate alarm. Smoke is often seen in the distance, usually from cooking fires, but this seems a little more abundant. The watch is doubled as a precaution. Just as the camp is settling down for the night a flaming arrow plunges into the guarded area from the East. Heedless of the fires, Fareena picks it up and removes the leather patch tied upon it. She can't read, so after opening it passes the message in crude Batu and an ear complete with earring to others. Several attempts to read the hieroglyphs prove ineffective until Vladimar arrives to investigate the sudden commotion. His face pales as he reads the glyphs and inspects the ear. This is the ear of a competitor, one Nikita Teflikov. Nikita had left Vjelpamiri two days before Vladimar to some contemptuous cajoling from Vladimar’s own servants in the street. Now it appears from the message that he is a prisoner of a gang of gnolls who style themselves ‘Yell’s Fangs’.
Clint and Beyoncay fell one of the gnolls and round on the other. It bellows angrily, hacking in wide arcs, slicing deep into Beyoncay but a well-aimed sword blow from Clint tears through some vital place and the gnoll drops dead. Below, a mass of people bundle another gnoll to the ground and fists, feet and knives put and end to it. Alavarielle’s archery drops the last entangled one in the camp and the odds are improving by the second as Katarn wriggles free from a Salamander that is weaker now for a well aimed ray from Drucilla. Between them they slash the salamander to the ground in a shower of ashes and smoke. Beyoncay and Clint target their archery out into the gloom and the distant trapped gnoll stares helplessly as a fusillade of arrows pierces it through the body. Blood foams at its lips as it buckles at the knees and falls lifeless in the grass.
There is no sign of the shadowy creature that Fareena saw, and the last of the gnolls is either dead or fleeing, yet the wagon burns more fiercely. The party gathers horrified as the boards of the wagon start to crack.
People gather helplessly round the wagon and it becomes clear that there simply isn’t enough water available to douse the flames. The valuable cargo must be saved, but the conflagration is too hot. This is Fareena’s moment. She spies a burly fellow in the desperate assembly and rushes to him. With urgent reassurances she waves her hands, reciting a childs charm and weaving unbeknownst to the subject, a protective spell. The fellow, compelled by her confidence, leaps into the blazing wreck with renewed courage and starts tossing smoking bundles of goods into the waiting crowd. The wagon is soon empty. Something rather odd in the back of it catches Fareena’s eye but she can’t be sure what it was and loses sight of it in the smoke.
The group slowly disperses, each to their own thoughts, and the rest of the night passes uneventfully. In the morning they rise early, and an early outrider arrives to announce the imminent arrival of the other caravan. They wait until mid morning when it finally heaves into distant view. Viewing the carnage of the night before Vladimar inspects the burnt out wagon in some distress. A day is spent re-stowing the goods, and Vladimar spends a lot of time around the wreck sorting through the smoking ruins with Mischa.
A quiet evening is spent girding loins for the next day, and though the new caravan has brought another Elven Bard along, the two are somehow unable to get their musical styles to work together. This foppish fellow seems to have travelled as far as Tradevitch to broaden his horizons but like so many others ended up wintering over, trapped by the lack of safe movement over the hills due to the snow. The fact that gnolls were allowed to wander almost uncontrolled in the streets of this rough frontier town at Spring tide had done nothing to improve his demeanour so the prospect of a caravan travelling across the plains was too good to miss.
The night is thankfully quiet and the next day’s travel is equally uneventful, although distant figures are sighted and Vladimar comments that the tribes appear to be moving North uncommonly early this year. Perhaps it is a symptom of the unusually long winter?
Heiroday also passes away without action as the miles roll away under the rumbling wagon wheels. That night Clint has a terrible nightmare that leaves him in some pain from the force of wrenching spasms of dream-fear. Somewhat alarmed he consults with Alavarielle who simply shrugs. Mischa is just as mystified and the exhausted and short-tempered Clint retires to the campfire to pass the night in wakeful alarm.
The following day while Clint finds sleepy oblivion on a wagon top, smoke is sighted on the horizon. It appears a day or so away and of no immediate alarm. Smoke is often seen in the distance, usually from cooking fires, but this seems a little more abundant. The watch is doubled as a precaution. Just as the camp is settling down for the night a flaming arrow plunges into the guarded area from the East. Heedless of the fires, Fareena picks it up and removes the leather patch tied upon it. She can't read, so after opening it passes the message in crude Batu and an ear complete with earring to others. Several attempts to read the hieroglyphs prove ineffective until Vladimar arrives to investigate the sudden commotion. His face pales as he reads the glyphs and inspects the ear. This is the ear of a competitor, one Nikita Teflikov. Nikita had left Vjelpamiri two days before Vladimar to some contemptuous cajoling from Vladimar’s own servants in the street. Now it appears from the message that he is a prisoner of a gang of gnolls who style themselves ‘Yell’s Fangs’.
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They are demanding 500 in gold for the return of Nikita, clearly having been convinced by Nikita himself that it would be better to barter for than slaughter him. No doubt the attraction of gold instead of heavy trade goods is compelling to them, hence the scrawled batu message.
Vladimar consults the assembled adventurers. It seems that the risk might be worth the venture. If Vladimar rescues Nikita, he will own him and his business. That could expand Vladimar’s trading claim in the town by a considerable margin. However, the gnolls have stipulated that no more than six may come forth with the money. It could be a trap, it could be a way of luring six strong fellows away from the caravan. Vladimar is keen to go as long as it’s done soon. If they can reach the location quickly they may be able to surprise the gnolls and upset any traps. He needs a party, and Troy (the new Bard), Clint, Dariol, Fareena and Alavarielle volunteer.
Vladimar passes out a range of high quality equipment and magical items to help in the mission, and they set off in rapid horseback pursuit following the track of the gnoll archer. He is nowhere to be seen and has clearly hidden from their approach in the night as they reach a decline a mile or two away from the still visible smoke column at dawns early light.
The plan is for as many as possible to stay hidden while Vladimar and Troy walk in to the gnoll camp bearing the gold in a saddle bag. They loose-tether the horses, and start out towards the smoke. Gnolls hate elves so Clint helps disguise Troy’s smell and appearance quite convincingly, although Troy is justifiably suspicious about the use of horse-urine in the process. Clint fades quickly into the long grass ahead of the party as Dariol commences a hide-from-animals spell to protect everyone else but Vladimar. Dariol’s nature sense has also placed them downwind from the gnolls to avoid detection from inquisitive noses.
Clint has approached closely enough to see three wagons in a burnt out hollow of grass. Two of the wagons are badly damaged by fire and smoking heavily, but the third is mostly intact. A pile of bodies still burns in the clearing, which is scattered with trashed trade goods. A human figure, clearly tortured into unconsciousness hangs from the wagon side, nailed through the palms and feet. A small group of gnolls sits waiting in the middle of the clearing. Clint is sure that the two damaged wagons contain gnolls, and resolves to report back to the party.
The rest of the party approach as carefully as possible until they can see the tops of the wagons in the distance. Vladimar and Troy stand up and walk towards the camp while Dariol sweeps silently through the grass to their right. Fareena and Alavarielle hunker down in the grass to await events. Dariol calls a cat from his bag, and sends it off to scout for him.
Vladimar and Troy are quickly joined by hyenas in the long grass, all of which, unable to detect the Elf focus on Vladimar. A burly female gnoll in thick furs approaches them and in it’s own tongue, orders them brusquely into the camp. The gnoll seems to have sway over the hyenas dancing around its heels as they walk towards the wagons.
Clint sneaks back towards the camp again, watching his two companions carefully. Reaching the back of one of the wagons undetected he is able to lock the main gate to one of them surreptitiously. Then he sneaks under the wagon to await events.
Vladimar and Troy are in the clearing, and Troy moves across to inspect Nikita. The fellow is in a bad way, and Troy also notices a gnoll hidden in the wagon behind the poor man, presumably ready to stab him if things go awry. His attempt to use a potion on Nikita is spoiled as an angry gnoll knocks it from his hand. Cross words are exchanged between Vladimar and another larger gnoll who is clearly the leader. This breaks out into a tussle and the big gnoll bellows an order to attack!
Vladimar consults the assembled adventurers. It seems that the risk might be worth the venture. If Vladimar rescues Nikita, he will own him and his business. That could expand Vladimar’s trading claim in the town by a considerable margin. However, the gnolls have stipulated that no more than six may come forth with the money. It could be a trap, it could be a way of luring six strong fellows away from the caravan. Vladimar is keen to go as long as it’s done soon. If they can reach the location quickly they may be able to surprise the gnolls and upset any traps. He needs a party, and Troy (the new Bard), Clint, Dariol, Fareena and Alavarielle volunteer.
Vladimar passes out a range of high quality equipment and magical items to help in the mission, and they set off in rapid horseback pursuit following the track of the gnoll archer. He is nowhere to be seen and has clearly hidden from their approach in the night as they reach a decline a mile or two away from the still visible smoke column at dawns early light.
The plan is for as many as possible to stay hidden while Vladimar and Troy walk in to the gnoll camp bearing the gold in a saddle bag. They loose-tether the horses, and start out towards the smoke. Gnolls hate elves so Clint helps disguise Troy’s smell and appearance quite convincingly, although Troy is justifiably suspicious about the use of horse-urine in the process. Clint fades quickly into the long grass ahead of the party as Dariol commences a hide-from-animals spell to protect everyone else but Vladimar. Dariol’s nature sense has also placed them downwind from the gnolls to avoid detection from inquisitive noses.
Clint has approached closely enough to see three wagons in a burnt out hollow of grass. Two of the wagons are badly damaged by fire and smoking heavily, but the third is mostly intact. A pile of bodies still burns in the clearing, which is scattered with trashed trade goods. A human figure, clearly tortured into unconsciousness hangs from the wagon side, nailed through the palms and feet. A small group of gnolls sits waiting in the middle of the clearing. Clint is sure that the two damaged wagons contain gnolls, and resolves to report back to the party.
The rest of the party approach as carefully as possible until they can see the tops of the wagons in the distance. Vladimar and Troy stand up and walk towards the camp while Dariol sweeps silently through the grass to their right. Fareena and Alavarielle hunker down in the grass to await events. Dariol calls a cat from his bag, and sends it off to scout for him.
Vladimar and Troy are quickly joined by hyenas in the long grass, all of which, unable to detect the Elf focus on Vladimar. A burly female gnoll in thick furs approaches them and in it’s own tongue, orders them brusquely into the camp. The gnoll seems to have sway over the hyenas dancing around its heels as they walk towards the wagons.
Clint sneaks back towards the camp again, watching his two companions carefully. Reaching the back of one of the wagons undetected he is able to lock the main gate to one of them surreptitiously. Then he sneaks under the wagon to await events.
Vladimar and Troy are in the clearing, and Troy moves across to inspect Nikita. The fellow is in a bad way, and Troy also notices a gnoll hidden in the wagon behind the poor man, presumably ready to stab him if things go awry. His attempt to use a potion on Nikita is spoiled as an angry gnoll knocks it from his hand. Cross words are exchanged between Vladimar and another larger gnoll who is clearly the leader. This breaks out into a tussle and the big gnoll bellows an order to attack!
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At extreme range Fareena concentrates and gestures and the pile of burning bodies explodes in a massive shower of blinding fireworks. Gnolls and party members alike stagger about, and wildly swung weapons slash the air in all directions. Clint seizes his moment, targeting the gnoll leader carefully. Two arrows smash into the creature, piercing deep into its vitals. Unaffected by the spell the mortally injured foe charges the shadow that launched these vicious barbs, axe in hand.
Dariol runs towards the scene, a gabbled spell softening the soil around the gnoll leader. More gnolls burst forth from the ruined wagons, those in the one above Clint scrabbling at the exit frustratedly. The others land in the softened soil and sink up to their ankles as the loam saps their movement. Alavarielle, bow in hand lunges towards the battle but has a long way to go to reach her companions.
Vladimar, blinded by the spell, drops to the floor and rolls under the nearest wagon dragging a shortsword from a hidden scabbard for use in the confined space. Troy, also blinded, tumbles reflexively trying to hear the gnolls around him as they hack at his form half seen through stinging eyes. He draws the fine longsword loaned to him by Vladimar and prepares to make the best of it.
Two of the blinded gnolls swing out at one another, confused by their blindness.
Fareena pelts after Alavarielle, seeking to close the range now the fight has been joined. The leader bears down on Clint who backs off under the wagon, and shoots him again in the legs, finally bringing the creature down. Troy weaves about, completely throwing the flailing gnolls who hack at every shadow. The one inside the wagon clambers out to join his companions, only he isn’t blinded. Dariol sees Troy’s predicament and conjures a glowing ball of fire that rolls into one of the gnolls, burning it severely. The crazed creature spins away in blind confusion.
Alavarielle conjures an enhancing spell for the group and unlimbers her bow. Meanwhile, a line of fire streaks forward from Fareena’s running form, laying a trail that leads to Yebli, the Female gnoll. She is locked in mutually blind combat with the hapless Vladimar, pinned now between two flailing gnolls on the other side of the wagon he had rolled under. Yebli has landed a severe blow on Vladimar when the fire streak reaches her, throwing her stroke.
Dariol is concentrating on keeping the gnolls around Troy occupied, steering his ball of fire around carefully. Fang, who has been hanging back, is suddenly attacked by a threesome of hyenas. Momentarily distracted, Dariol calms the hyenas with a spell, subduing two and bending another to his will.
Alavarielle starts arching into the still blinded gnolls in the distance, finding a mark. Clint meanwhile has emerged from under the wagon and can hear gnolls approaching from both sides as those in the wagon finally scramble over the sides into the fight.
Incredibly, Troy is still unhurt, and when his vision starts to clear, takes relish in lining up a vicious blow on a nearby still blind opponent. It goes horribly wrong as he loses his grip on Vladimar’s fine longsword which flies out of sight over his shoulder to land point down and nearly hilt deep in the soft soil behind him.
Alavarielle’s opponent also recovers from the blindness and charges directly at her, a hyena in tow, while another gnoll pounds after it intent on cutting down Fareena. Clint shoots one of Troy’s opponents in the back and moves for a better angle while Dariol’s flame sphere scorches another. Yebli meanwhile, floors Vladimar and takes a mighty cut at the little flame creature hovering at her heels, nearly destroying it instantly. Candle fades safely back into the surrounding flames.
Things are looking bad for Vladimar but everyone else suddenly has worries of their own. Clint is engaged head-on, while Troy manfully draws his rapier and thrusts at one if his opponents. Clearly something is still wrong as the weapon misses by miles and very nearly skewers the unconscious Nikita. Dariol cannot believe what he is seeing but trusts that their luck must surely change as his Flame sphere crisps one of the gnolls terminally before winking out.
Clint Takes down one foe and runs towards the last known position of Vladimar. He’s keen to protect the man with the money but is met by another gnoll running round from behind the wagon. Alavarielle steps back from her opponents to cast a spell, while Dariol neatly (and luckily) targets an entangle spell with pinpoint precision at exactly the right moment to stop them following up. Fareena is missed by her gnoll, and roasts it badly with fingers of flame. Another lucky moment and a second firey spell floors the foe, while Alavarielle plays out an archery duel with her former, now immobile opponent.
Yebli sees her chance and fighting her instincts to behead the hated human, orders everyone to stop or she’ll kill Vladimar...
to be continued...
Dariol runs towards the scene, a gabbled spell softening the soil around the gnoll leader. More gnolls burst forth from the ruined wagons, those in the one above Clint scrabbling at the exit frustratedly. The others land in the softened soil and sink up to their ankles as the loam saps their movement. Alavarielle, bow in hand lunges towards the battle but has a long way to go to reach her companions.
Vladimar, blinded by the spell, drops to the floor and rolls under the nearest wagon dragging a shortsword from a hidden scabbard for use in the confined space. Troy, also blinded, tumbles reflexively trying to hear the gnolls around him as they hack at his form half seen through stinging eyes. He draws the fine longsword loaned to him by Vladimar and prepares to make the best of it.
Two of the blinded gnolls swing out at one another, confused by their blindness.
Fareena pelts after Alavarielle, seeking to close the range now the fight has been joined. The leader bears down on Clint who backs off under the wagon, and shoots him again in the legs, finally bringing the creature down. Troy weaves about, completely throwing the flailing gnolls who hack at every shadow. The one inside the wagon clambers out to join his companions, only he isn’t blinded. Dariol sees Troy’s predicament and conjures a glowing ball of fire that rolls into one of the gnolls, burning it severely. The crazed creature spins away in blind confusion.
Alavarielle conjures an enhancing spell for the group and unlimbers her bow. Meanwhile, a line of fire streaks forward from Fareena’s running form, laying a trail that leads to Yebli, the Female gnoll. She is locked in mutually blind combat with the hapless Vladimar, pinned now between two flailing gnolls on the other side of the wagon he had rolled under. Yebli has landed a severe blow on Vladimar when the fire streak reaches her, throwing her stroke.
Dariol is concentrating on keeping the gnolls around Troy occupied, steering his ball of fire around carefully. Fang, who has been hanging back, is suddenly attacked by a threesome of hyenas. Momentarily distracted, Dariol calms the hyenas with a spell, subduing two and bending another to his will.
Alavarielle starts arching into the still blinded gnolls in the distance, finding a mark. Clint meanwhile has emerged from under the wagon and can hear gnolls approaching from both sides as those in the wagon finally scramble over the sides into the fight.
Incredibly, Troy is still unhurt, and when his vision starts to clear, takes relish in lining up a vicious blow on a nearby still blind opponent. It goes horribly wrong as he loses his grip on Vladimar’s fine longsword which flies out of sight over his shoulder to land point down and nearly hilt deep in the soft soil behind him.
Alavarielle’s opponent also recovers from the blindness and charges directly at her, a hyena in tow, while another gnoll pounds after it intent on cutting down Fareena. Clint shoots one of Troy’s opponents in the back and moves for a better angle while Dariol’s flame sphere scorches another. Yebli meanwhile, floors Vladimar and takes a mighty cut at the little flame creature hovering at her heels, nearly destroying it instantly. Candle fades safely back into the surrounding flames.
Things are looking bad for Vladimar but everyone else suddenly has worries of their own. Clint is engaged head-on, while Troy manfully draws his rapier and thrusts at one if his opponents. Clearly something is still wrong as the weapon misses by miles and very nearly skewers the unconscious Nikita. Dariol cannot believe what he is seeing but trusts that their luck must surely change as his Flame sphere crisps one of the gnolls terminally before winking out.
Clint Takes down one foe and runs towards the last known position of Vladimar. He’s keen to protect the man with the money but is met by another gnoll running round from behind the wagon. Alavarielle steps back from her opponents to cast a spell, while Dariol neatly (and luckily) targets an entangle spell with pinpoint precision at exactly the right moment to stop them following up. Fareena is missed by her gnoll, and roasts it badly with fingers of flame. Another lucky moment and a second firey spell floors the foe, while Alavarielle plays out an archery duel with her former, now immobile opponent.
Yebli sees her chance and fighting her instincts to behead the hated human, orders everyone to stop or she’ll kill Vladimar...
to be continued...
Plane Sailing
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Clint snarls at the gnoll to his front, but is laughed at for his efforts while Dariol and Troy finish the remaining gnolls in the clearing. There is a moment of silence that seems to drag forever while they wait for someone to speak. The only voice heard is Fareena’s in the distance as she breathlessly calls forth eye-blinding smoke from the fires at Yebli’s feet. The gnoll disappears in the gloom and a sickening crunch from within tells them that a hard and angry blow has been landed. Does Vladimar still live? Alavarielle fells her opponent and runs round the still trapped hyena, seeking to close the range on the smoke cloud. Everyone is heading in the same direction when Yebli emerges from the roiling choke, running full pelt for the horizon, a dripping axe in her hands.
Alavarielle stretches her fingers desperately, hurling a holding spell at the loping gnoll. The creature seems unaffected and it’s long legs take it quickly out of range as the party race to determine the fate of the hapless Vladimar. The smoke clears quickly, and Vladimar can be seen propped senseless against the wagon, a mighty cut clearly visible barely an inch above his head in the side of the wagon. Close call.
Clint shrugs and moves off to search the leader gnoll, while Troy lifts Nikita down gently and plies him with a potion. Alavarielle summons a celestial hyena to kill it’s entangled counterpart while Dariol muses over the fact that he appears to have a rather friendly one at his heels. Vladimar is restored to the conscious world while Fareena consults on her tactics. Was that pyrotechnics alright everyone? Anyone upset by the sudden blindness ? Sorry, too far away to give a meaningful warning, perhaps a code-word next time? Alavarielle detects several points of magic, including the contents of a hard to find secret panel in one of the wagons.
Clint takes an attractive black tooth necklace and a fine shortsword from the leader while Nikita helps explain the contents of the compartment. A scroll, a matching pair of rings a book, a pair of gloves and two potions are recovered. At first sight some 5000gold in trade goods appears to be salvageable. Not much from a wagon train with over 80,000gold worth on it. Nikita is mortified by the loss, but though he is now virtually owned by Vladimar, he is clearly happier to be alive, the sole survivor from his party. He kicks the inert form of the gnoll leader to vent his anger.
Vladimar is keen to pack up and leave, so he drinks one of his potions, lifts skyward and flies off to the main caravan. Outriders reinforce the group before noon, and by nightfall the caravan is leaguered several miles further on. More goods are recovered than was immediately assessed, and overall Vladimar seems quite happy, though a little humbled.
Alavarielle stretches her fingers desperately, hurling a holding spell at the loping gnoll. The creature seems unaffected and it’s long legs take it quickly out of range as the party race to determine the fate of the hapless Vladimar. The smoke clears quickly, and Vladimar can be seen propped senseless against the wagon, a mighty cut clearly visible barely an inch above his head in the side of the wagon. Close call.
Clint shrugs and moves off to search the leader gnoll, while Troy lifts Nikita down gently and plies him with a potion. Alavarielle summons a celestial hyena to kill it’s entangled counterpart while Dariol muses over the fact that he appears to have a rather friendly one at his heels. Vladimar is restored to the conscious world while Fareena consults on her tactics. Was that pyrotechnics alright everyone? Anyone upset by the sudden blindness ? Sorry, too far away to give a meaningful warning, perhaps a code-word next time? Alavarielle detects several points of magic, including the contents of a hard to find secret panel in one of the wagons.
Clint takes an attractive black tooth necklace and a fine shortsword from the leader while Nikita helps explain the contents of the compartment. A scroll, a matching pair of rings a book, a pair of gloves and two potions are recovered. At first sight some 5000gold in trade goods appears to be salvageable. Not much from a wagon train with over 80,000gold worth on it. Nikita is mortified by the loss, but though he is now virtually owned by Vladimar, he is clearly happier to be alive, the sole survivor from his party. He kicks the inert form of the gnoll leader to vent his anger.
Vladimar is keen to pack up and leave, so he drinks one of his potions, lifts skyward and flies off to the main caravan. Outriders reinforce the group before noon, and by nightfall the caravan is leaguered several miles further on. More goods are recovered than was immediately assessed, and overall Vladimar seems quite happy, though a little humbled.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
So, anyone want to change their guesses 
