The first Delving

[Darkmane]

Alysuil - Elven Adventurer - Post Battle Clean up

Well fought all! We should move through this area as quiet as possible. There could be more of these bands.

Alysuil wipes the blood from her spear with a scrap of rag and then disposes of it as if a bit disgusted.

[Dogma]

Otikas - Hu M-U, post battle #1

"Yes, yes...well done all," added Otikas as he moved out from behind the pack mules. "Well done all. The packs and mules are safe. Saw to it myself I did. Wouldn't do to have them run off or taken. Bad thing that would be indeed."

He looks over at the two gnoll archers lying in the grass. "I think someone should go over and dispatch those two that Ushnab put to sleep. Wouldn't do to have them waking up and coming after us. No, no, wouldn't do at all."

[HereticalOne]

Ushnab puts away his mostly clean scimitar in disgust. He had so wanted to hit one these beasts.

He takes a length of rope from Bessemer the mule and goes over to the sleeping archers; "I'm of a mind to truss these two up and to question them a bit, unless there are any objections." Ushnab holds out a knife in one hand and the rope in the other.

OOC: I'd like to know if these gnolls are part of a larger group. I'm also curious if we can learn anything potentially useful about what the gnolls are up to in these parts. Before we go rotting about in a dangerous hole in the ground, we might have a chance to loot the camp of these raiders who've done all the hard work up front for us. There's also a chance that we might be able to put these two to work for us, not that I'm the trusting type, but properly bound and given enough incentive, they can carry things into places we're leery of, or not sure about. Either way, they could be more useful alive than dead.

[Dogma]

"Umm, can any of us actually talk gnollish? Never learned it myself...dreadful language...full of barks and howls and other nasty sounds. Hard on the throat and the ears."

[Tomcat42]

Hrothgar the dwarf

"Only one language these uglies understand!" Hrothgar comments, wiping the blood off his axe "But as long as they're tied up good, I'm just fine with you trying to get some use out of 'em."

[HereticalOne]

Ushnab: "I'll ask them a few questions in whatever languages I know. If they can communicate, we can see where that leads. If we can't get anything out of them, I say we kill them now, as opposed to having them track us down later, or lead their friends to us. I just hate wasting an opportunity, if we could sneak-in and sack their camp, that might not only net us a quick bit of loot, it might drive off some of these raiders. The folks back in town might appreciate that. Especially the merchants. Speaking of which--did any of you hear about any sort of reward or bounty for gnolls back in town?"

Looks over the mangy archers. Tests one of the bows.

"Gnolls sometimes sell themselves out as mercenaries. They are also always warring on one another. These guys might have some rivals in the area we can use them to get close, maybe confuse them, get past their defenses or ambush them. Turn one enemy against another, so to speak. It's an idea. Might not be anything in it. This time out. but it never hurts to consider one's potential options."

[Distorted Humor]

The Bows are crude, cruel, and not noteworthy, handmade from bone and wood. (-1 on all to hit and damage rolls, but not cursed, perhaps of value to a collector)

The two remaining Gnolls are well bound, and your henchmen ask what to do with the 4 dead Gnolls, if anything.

After the sleep spell is over, the two well bound Gnolls wake up.

"Harlorkh, KAVH, KAVH, Harlorkh" "Harlorkh Dokch Vishk Vertk"


Struggling in their bindings, one snaps at you, and then look at you with stubborn faces.

"Harlorkh"

[HereticalOne]

Ushnab tries the trade language: "Where is your camp? Who is your leader?"

If it becomes obvious that they either can't or won't talk, Ushnab addresses the group: "So much for that bright idea. I say we hang them as thieves and raiders. Unless someone has a better suggestion."

[Distorted Humor]

Ushnab tries the trade language: "Where is your camp? Who is your leader?"

If it becomes obvious that they either can't or won't talk, Ushnab addresses the group: "So much for that bright idea. I say we hang them as thieves and raiders. Unless someone has a better suggestion."

They respond in a bad common, telling you to do something that is atomically impossible that cannot be posted on a mostly family friendly board. even Gnolls know a few cuss words.

[HereticalOne]

"Hang 'em then."

[Darkmane]

Otikas, you have a charm memorized, do you not? Would it coax these beasts to speak? If not, hang them if you must, or let them go.

Alysuil stretches her back a smile on her face, still amused by Otikas's solid protection for the mules.

[Dogma]

"Ahh, yes, my sweet elfish lass, I could use my mystical talents to beguile the wits of these creatures. I'm sure they would be quite hapless against my arcane powers," replied Otikas, settling into lecture mode, "but that doesn't negate the plain fact , even if charmed...or should we say, when charmed as I'm sure they won't be able to withstand my attack on their very wills,...the fact remains that even when charmed, we won't be able to communicate with them. The very basis of the spell requires a mode of communication between the charmer, being myself, and the charmed, being said gnolls. As a fellow practishioner of the arcane arts, you should be aware of this."

The wizard pauses a moment for dramatics, "And as I stated earlier...I...don't...speak...gnollish."

[Distorted Humor]

Before I forget I will give 100XP to everyone for the good RP so far. Mark it on your sheets.

your hirelings are happily looting the forgotten dead Gnolls.

[Darkmane]

My dear sweet Otikas, you know I'm quite aware of the limitations of that spell. However, elves have been battling gnolls and the like for centuries. Many of them can communicate in the common trade language in some fashion, I've even seen some can carry on a conversation beyond just cursing and vulgarity. From time to time they have served evil human masters. These may be pretending to only speak gnoll.

She walks a circle about the beasts and then shrugs, Do as you wish, I'd like to see what they were carrying.

Alysuil goes to help out collecting some loot from those that died.

[Dogma]

"Yes, well,...I'm sure that....I mean there is that possibility I guess," conceded the wizard, a bit flustered. "Still, it would be best if we could ascertain if these creatures can actually speak the trade tongue. Beyond a few foul words that is."

Otikas walks over to one of the bound gnolls and bending down low, speaks in a very loud voice, "HELLO! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THESE WORDS I AM SAYING? PLEASE RESPOND WITH A YES OR NO."

[Distorted Humor]

"Yes, well,...I'm sure that....I mean there is that possibility I guess," conceded the wizard, a bit flustered. "Still, it would be best if we could ascertain if these creatures can actually speak the trade tongue. Beyond a few foul words that is."

Otikas walks over to one of the bound gnolls and bending down low, speaks in a very loud voice, "HELLO! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THESE WORDS I AM SAYING? PLEASE RESPOND WITH A YES OR NO."

The Gnoll spits in your face, or tries to at least.

[Grognardsw]

Logan / fighter

"By the gods they'll understand the language of steel!" yells Logan as he puts a dagger to the bound gnoll's neck. The warrior has little patience with scum monsters who prey on the weak. "Speak plainly or join your brothers in death!"

Logan bristles in anger beneath his armour...

[Todd Spengo]

Theron steps out from behind nothing in particular and speaks to the gnolls in their native tongue, "if you wish to live, you'd better tell us everything we want to know about your camp and leader. Who knows, this might become an opportunity for one of you to become leaders of your own clans. Provided you live, of course."

[Blazeguard]

Wolf will tend to Hrothgar's wounds, bandaging and general first-aid (he won't 'waste' his CLW spell just yet).

[Dogma]

"I'll take that s a 'no',"Otikas said dryly, wiping the gnolls spittle from face,"A most uncivilized 'no' at that, I must say."

He is mildly surprised when Theron appears and begins speaking in a series of barks and growls. "Oh my, this changes everything. Now we may get somewhere with these creatures. Yes, now we may get somewhere indeed."