Storms of Change IC Part 4

[Someone]

"Again, I don´t know who´s that Dunathor you´re talking with" says Dunathar. "I agree with the plan" says later. "Trap those in the back with that web of yours, and we´ll hide in the flanks to finish those in the front ranks, but you spellslinging ones be sure you´re far enough so they don´t notice you."

"And if those filthy goblinoids are coming in this direction, maybe we can leave a very clear message for them" ends ferociously.

 

[Sado]

At the fortress, Goven reluctantly takes up one of the orcs' bows. "I've never been any good with these things," he tells Manzanita, "but if you think this is how I'll be most effective..."

He follows Pard along with the others to the chosen ambush site. He picks a spot as close to the where the ambush will take place as he can while remaining hidden. Keeping an arrow notched and bow loosely readied, he waits.

Just so I've got this straight, the plan is to catch the gnolls in a web and then pick them off with arrows while their helpless (Engaging in melee with any who avoid the web, of course)?

 

[doghead]

Lucan, human male pit fighter.

Lucan collects his crossbow if they pass by the horses. Otherwise he will take a bow and improvise. He checks that his weapons and potions are to hand.

Once at the ambush site, he finds himself a postion of the flank where he can move to cut off any who are not trapped by the web, or manage to break out of it.

To Govan he says, "I'm not much use at at a distance either. So perhaps we should split up the flanks between us. It anything gets through, or out, we can cover that end of things." He grins his gapped tooth grin at the scout. "Which do you want, the left or the right?"

ooc: * Hide +9. Not proficient with a bow, so he'll use shurikens if he needs to distract spellcasters. If things look tough, he'll sink a mage armour potion before getting into it.

 

[Sado]

Goven

Goven nods in agreement with Lucan's suggestion, and motions for him to take the left position. He pauses to set his axe on the ground beside him, where he will quickly pick it up and ready it, planning to drop the bow after his first shot, unless the situation dictates otherwise once the battle starts.

"Courage," he tells Lucan. "Soon they will be upon us."

OOC Hide and Move Silent +11

 

[Manzanita]

OOC: I think we're ready for action, Silentspace!

 

[silentspace]

As Pard promised, this section of forest is somewhat denser than the rest, with many large trees about. Scoping the terrain, each character finds a spot, taking cover behind a tree. The forest undergrowth here is light, allowing relatively good mobility. The forest birds and animals continue their constant distraction of twittering and rustling. Settling into position, you wait.

The wait goes on seemingly forever, but finally, through the foliage, you see gnolls appear. They are about 60 feet away on the forest trail. They are difficult to spot at first - they wear cloaks that seem to blend with the surroundings. These gnolls are no ordinary gnolls. They are big and thick, very heavily muscled. The first two gnolls are in studded leather and bucklers, and carry longbows, with battleaxes on their back. The next three don't have any armor visible (though there may be chain shirts under their cloaks), with a longbow in hand and a greatsword strapped on their back. The last gnoll is like the first two. Though spread out on the trail, Manzanita thinks she can catch all of them in a web.

The two gnolls in front drop to the ground and seem to check for tracks. The others scan the forest around them.

Remembering Pard's advice, the group slips fully behind the trees and undergrowth, becoming impossible to spot. Relying only on your hearing, the light sound of rustling leaves and soft footfalls tells you the gnolls have started moving again, and are now in the ambush spot.

Trees provide cover. Undergrowth halves movement and provide concealment. Tumble and Move Silently checks increased by 2.

 

[Someone]

Dunathar waits behind a fallen tree, holding his trusty crossbow in sweaty hands. Not daring to stand to watch the gnolls passing, he waits for the screams that will surely follow Manzanita´s spell to stand up and fire at the closest enemy.

 

[Manzanita]

Manzanita Sparrow

At first glimpse of the enemy, Manzanita shifts back to total concealment and breaths a sigh of relief. Whatever fear the coming fight inspires, it is much better than the endless waiting, and the anxiety about which enemy would come first. She concentrates and mumbles softly, conjuring a protective sheild to guard her from the almost certain attacks that will be directed her way.

Once the gnolls seem to be in position, she peers out and casts her web spell as accurately as possible, hoping to entrap as many gnolls as possible. She attempts to err on the side of entrapping the ones in back at the risk of not getting the ones in front. She worries more of escape than defeat. Once her spell is out, she plans on grabbing her readied long composite bow, and firing.

OOC: First cast shield, then web.

 

[Sado]

Goven

Goven crouches with his back against a tree, hidden but poised to leap up and strike when the time is right. He closes his eyes, barely breathing, concentrating and listening for the sound of the gnolls, hoping to judge their approximate position by the sound of their passing.

When he hears the spell (or rather the cries of the gnolls at its casting), he will come quickly to his feet, loosing an arrow at the nearest enemy. If any of the gnolls are still up and loose after that, he will discard the bow and take up his axe and shield-which he has placed beside him within easy reach-and advance (not charge).

 

[doghead]

Lucan, human male pit fighter.

Lucan slips behind a tree along with the others. He loads the crossbow (or bow if he couldn't get the crossbow) and waits. He's used to waiting. Before every fight in the pit one had to wait. It never really gets any easier. But one gets better at it.

At the first sign that the trap has been sprung, he rounds the tree and takes a shot. If any of the gnolls seem to be spell casters, he will shoot at those first. And if all has gone as planned and all the gnolls are caught, he will follow the plan. But if need be, he will abandon the crossbow and move in to melee, in order to prevent any from escaping, or to defend the spell casters amoung their own group. pulling the spiked chain as he goes. If it looks like it might get ugly, he will down his mage armour potion before moving in.

ooc: light crossbow +5 ranged