Gnollbashing

The Vast

Upon returning back from the summoning site the intrepid heroes find their temporary bas, the old windmill, to be under siege. A sizable band of gnolls bus themselves with trying to bash the door down.

Inside, Legolars pours a steady stream of arrows onto the man-beasts, slaying many gnoll warriors. Said first throws the cage with the captive Mane into the throng. As the demon is bashed to a pulp by the gnolls it dissolves in a puff of acidic mist causing it's slayers to sustain injuries. When this does not deter the attackers, Said proceeds by man-handling the heavy iron stove out through a loading hatch crushing and burning a further band of gnolls.

Meanwhile, from afar, Rob has begun plying his heavy crossbow in support as Rista and Gates set off in a cumbersome, heavily armoured trot towards the battle. After hesitating briefly, Jaden follows the two priests and soon overtakes them, being lightly armoured.

The gnolls now notice the arriving reinforcements and almost a dozen archers rain arrows on Rista and Gates who are fortunately protected by their heavy armour.

A hulking gnoll warrior, apparently their chief and his body guards separate from the throng of lesser warriors and prepare for battle. Jaden, having reached the enemy before the priests charges but misses! The war-chiefs counter attack sends the bold duskblade reeling and only the timely arrival of Rista and Gates with their healing prayers prevent Jaden from suffering a gory death.

As a general melee ensues Rob keeps sniping at the enemy from afar, felling several foes.

Legolars finds himself under pressure as three more of the gnoll chief's guards begin to climb the wall, attempting to reach the hatch from which Legolars is shooting. Several arrows later two of the gnolls have died and a third has fallen down and refrains from scaling the wall again.

Said is now in somewhat dire straits as the door finally gives way and gnolls surge into the windmill. He battles them with blade in hand and using every clever tactic there is, including a potion of invisibility.

Outside, Rista finds herself surrounded by almost adozen gnolls who proceed to pound her savagely. her sturdy armour protects her. Thus she battles on, steadily being hammered deeper down into the mud but still mostly unhurt.

Gates locks horns with one of the body guards and suffers for his boldness and only a generous helping of healing magics and Sonic burst sees him through the day, catching some of Rista's opponents in the sonic attack as well.

Jaden fuels his anger through the magic of Blade of Blood and succeeds in slaying the gnoll chieftain and proceeds to plow into the remainder of Rista's enemies. Short work is made of them as well as most of the gnolls remaining outside.

Legolars has moved down stairs and fires into the fray as Said defends himself (and his possessions) and finally the other adventurers arrive to slay the remaining gnolls. One of them, however, manage to lock himself inside a store room and proves unwilling to surrender.

As the sounds of battle die down, Rob eventually jogs over to the windmill.

Having grown fed up with the recalcitrant gnoll the others decide to hack the door down. As they do, Jaden hears the sound of an axe being worked on the other side of the door as well. Apparently the gnoll is making an exit for itself through thew wooden wall!

Jaden hurries out and lurks in order to ambush the gnoll as it attempts to flee.

As the door gives way Said rushes in and only manages barely to grab the gnoll by the legs as it attempts to wiggle it's way out through the make-shift escape route. Jaden on his side grabs it by the head and attempts to pull it out!

As the situation grows more confused (Gates, Legolars and Rista hade given up and gone about the untidy business of gathering the dead as well as loot them) Rob arrives and decides to "help". He tackles Said and the gnoll. Rob's huge frame and weight easily propels them through the tiny hole. Jaden, the gnoll and Said end up in a heap outside the windmill. Rob considers his help a great success.

Together, the bruised and rather muddy Said and Jaden subdue the gnoll and quiz it for further information. It appears the gnoll tribe's witch doctor worships a different demon prince than the demonolators the heroes have fought so far and the gnolls mistook the adventurers for allies of the demonologist (or a disposable solution to their own problem). Apparently the demonologists have a secret base "Up by the lake of mists, near the human village".

After having sent the captive gnoll on his way back to his tribe with a stern warning to his people never to mess with the heroes again the latter ponder their new information.

According to Jaden, Gates and Rista there is indeed a small village to the north east. They are not sure exactly where the lake is but as far as they know the villagers are not demon-worshipers.

This obviously needs further investigating!

Thus ends this episode.