Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

"Oh. Thank you Khessa", Katryl says, a bit taken-aback by her affectionate response. She quickly finds the armor, saying nothing about the grim initial appearance of Khessa's new armor. She's a bit relieved to see it cleaned up once she's done with her own armor.

At this point Katryl suggests, "I don't know how to get more gnolls to appear. So I guess we just keep headed forward."

'Nobody seems too concerned about Gracklstugh...' is a bit puzzled Khessa. 'Not even Ebzer or Buppido, who should care much more than I do about it. Maybe I'm getting too paranoid? I should probably trust what seems to make so sense to the rest of my companions... Well, lets keep going then!  After all, they are the real adventurers, properly trainer for this kind of life and challenges. Of course we are doing the right thing. I'm just a cabbage farmer's daughter that happened to be thrown into this mess and that is self-learning pretty much everything (and that still much has to learn). But still, my feminine instinct does seem to be convinced...'

If all are in agreement, Ebzer leads out along the path to the duergar city.

(Yes, lead the way, Khessa is ready to follow Ebzer)

Taking a breath from the last encounter and heading down through the tunnel a bit further, it bends to your left before starting a hairpin type turn back to the right. As you hit the curve there is a small passage in the wall, much like the ones you saw earlier in the tunnels.  The stench of blood and steel begins to fill the air though and as you round the bend, you see just down a short ways in the tunnel, no more than 30 feet from you, another pack of gnolls! Another group of 4 gnolls but this time with a stouter looking chief with them! Oddly enough though, they don't immediately attack, but in fact look genuinely surprised to see you all.

What do you do?

Khessa forces herself to smile and naturally greet the new group of gnolls, waving and keeping her blue eyes, shining with excitement, fixed on their leader's: "O fierce chosen ones of Yeenoghu, we have heard the good news: our great lord has come to us! We want to unite with him and participate in his glorious work of destruction! It is... do not disappoint us... is it true what we have heard? Is HE really among us? Have you seen HIM?"

The noble drow is quite skeptic to the chances that the gnolls would even speak undercommon, instead he readies his drow magic to hex their chief.
Insight to determine if they will  attack: 10

Quote from Oberon99 >>

The noble drow is quite skeptic to the chances that the gnolls would even speak undercommon, instead he readies his drow magic to hex their chief.
Insight to determine if they will  attack: 10

 Hard to tell. While they do have a threatening presence, they don't seem to be getting to attack at all either.

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The gnolls stop and look at each other as if trying to ascertain whether any of them had actually seen the demon lord they worship or not, then they turn back to you. "No? We hunt hook horror! Kill them and sacrifice for Yeenoghu!"

The noble drow gives the gnolls a brief incredulous look. Not only did they speak undercommon but they actually communicated peacefully instead of attacking ravenously, Yeenoghu would not be pleased he thought, briefly chuckling to himself, waiting to see if Khessa wanted to ask more questions before they let the gnolls continue with their hunt.

"Oh, I had heared HE was already among us..." pretends to be disappointed Khessa "but then maybe it is your sacrifice that will bring our lord Yeenoghu among us! Hurry, that way!" and she points the gnoll towards a wrong direction.

'If some fishmen, with their sacrifice, have been able to summon Demogorgon,' thinks the blonde arcane warrior 'I don't want to risk those gnolls be actually able to summon Yeenoghu!'

(Make a persuasion check)

Buppido tries to help Khessa convince the gnolls: "Yes, that way! That hooked monsters passed just a few moments ago... Get them and Yeenoghu be praised!"

Khessa's persuasion: 13

Katryl follows the others through the tunnel until they spot the gnolls and come to a halt. She listens in silence as Khessa tries to speak with them. (Not sure if she can understand or not - although I am assuming with no other indication it must be Common, not Undercommon.)  

While they are halted, she tries to spot any potential hiding spots she could use should this come to a fight. (Perception: 21)

(There is a small thru passage on your left to another tunnel, Katryl, just big enough for one person at a time to go through)

"You not gnoll! Yeenoghu will have your blood!!!!" The gnolls are unconvinced and choose to rush at you to attack!

The tunnel is narrow at this point, 10 ft. wide. The chief is in front with 2 pairs of regular gnolls behind him, in 5 ft. intervals (so 15 ft from front to back of their group, 10 ft. wide). You will have to stand by twos as well, or single file if you prefer. Same initiative order:

Traydark

Ebzer

Silas

Katryl

Khessa

Gnoll Chief

Gnolls E,F,G,H

Gnoll g  Gnoll h

Gnoll e  Gnoll f

       Chief

    (30 ft distance)

Your group

<= small passage

"Rot-brained fools! Don't you understand that I am a follower of Yeenoghu too!?" retorts an enraged Khessa (in a last-ditch attempt to pass herself off as a ferocious cultist of the hyena-demon) "I even indulged in wearing this stinking dud of armor, to match yours... but if that's not enough for you ... Yeenoghu will have your blood!!!!"

'Well, at least we got some information,'  the blonde arcane warrior consoles herself 'before moving on to mutual annihilation attempts… And, good news, at least Yeenoghu seems not to have already started walking the Underdark'.

In the meantime Buppido mutters, in a too low voice for the gnolls to hear: "Traydark before forces us to fight... Khessa now does the same... always to save some stupid Hook Horrors! But... what it is that these two find so charming, in those monsters? And note they call me crazy..."

The noble drow sighs and shakes his head at the madness of the gnolls, using his drow magic, placing his hex on the gnoll chief, then with the uttering of a word in drow engulfing the beasts in a violet light.
Place Hex on Gnoll Chief
Cast Faerie Fire on all gnolls, dex save 13 to avoid.

Sarith fires a bolt from his hand crossbow at the gnoll chief.
Hand Crossbow: 17 Piercing: 6 + Drow Poison !!

(Another attack roll for Sarith if the gnoll chief missed his dex save: 8 )

The gnoll boss is affected by Traydark's Faerie Fire?

If affected:

"Buppido, focus on gnoll boss!" Khessa exhorts the derro "If we take him down, maybe the others will lose heart".

"No 'if's Khessa!" snorts Buppido, aiming with his crossbow  "You want him down? I'll take him down! Look at this!" and he shots.

Crossbow shot: 24 Damage: 9

if not affected:

"Buppido, try using the net on the gnoll boss!" Khessa exhorts the derro.

"What do you mean, with 'try'?" snorts Buppido "I don't 'try', I 'succeed'! Look at this!" and he throws the net like he'd seen the Kuo-toa do.

Net attack: 16 Damage: restrained

The gnoll boss is affected by Traydark's Faerie Fire?

If affected:

With a short formula and a smooth hand wave, Khessa conjures a mote of fire out of nowhere that shoots towards the gnoll boss

Attack: 23 Damage: 3

if not affected:

Seeing the gnoll boss elude both Traydark's spell and Buppido's net, Khessa throws her own net as well, aware that if she manages to get hinder the fearsome opponent, everyone could hit him much easier - and perhaps even eliminate him.

 Net attack: 17 Damage: restrained