Rising Unrest [IC]

[ludomastro]

With the meeting concluded, the town council splits into smaller groups as each person goes about his or her own way.  Magdar nods over the choices that Tavish has made concerning traps.  The old man from the meetings offers to show Ryar'Bett where the last few attacks have been.

[Catela] "The name's Anthony, though most around here jus' call me Tony.  If you'd like, I can take y'all to the places where the gnolls have hit us previously."

[Catodon]

Brindlglib offers to help with traps and other defences. He figures he on free board, lodging, and sustained good will.

[Antilles]

James nods at Anthony's suggestion, and replies [Catela] "Yes, that seems like a good first step. Let's not dally overlong, the sooner we get to the bottom of this..."

[jameswllorimer]

Ryar'Bett gathers his pack  and weapons and shifts onto his back, steadying it between his shoulder blades for the best comfort. [Catela, at James and Anthony] "I agree, let us move swiftly, the more time we waste the harder it will be to track them."

[ludomastro]

The morning sun has hidden behind the clouds and taken its promises of warmth with it.  While the temperature is not cold, it is not pleasant.  The leaves in the trees sway gently with the breeze bringing the smell of rain mixed with earth.

Magdar places a few of his newest students under Tavish's care and instructs them to, [Catela] "listen to the military magi.  He knows a thing or two.  You'll get weapon training later and muscle training now."

Brindlglib and Tavish then set about chosing the most likely spots for either an ambush or trap placement or both.  The villagers then beging to improvise the various equipment needed.

Ryar'Bett and James follow Tony to the corner of the village where a shop keeper is still repairing the damage done to his home.  Tony carefully whispers how his wife and daughter are two of the missing.  Then he motions for them to follow him out of the village toward the farmland where he says there are signs of a camp and some tracks.

[Catodon]

As he does the rounds ensuring the villages defences are adequate, but not giving away any good designs, Brindlglib wonders about the shadowy figure. Is there any connection to this stranger and the attacks on the town? Who is he anyway? He keeps his ears open for any gossip. In the evening he chats with the inn staff beginning with innocuous questions about their life here, then tales of foolish guests or outlandish foreigners this leads inevitably to himself and other recent arrivals including the shadowy stranger.

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Investigate roll
Gossip (1d20+4=13)

[Antilles]

James has little talent in finding and reading tracks, so he walks behind Ryar'Bett, who seems rather skilled in such things, watching the surrounds for potential enemies while the Saurian follows the tracks.

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I've no pertinent skills or abilities to directly aid in this, so I'll try to stay adjacent to Ryar'Bett while he tracks, keeping an eye out for ambushes and such, and if he rolls a threat I'll use Discipline of the Spirit to spend an AD to activate it.

[jameswllorimer]

A short walk in the withering sunlight brings the small group to the shaded edge of the forest. The wind blows the trees about almost silently and there is a stillness pervading the area. Few noises seem to come from within the treeline.

Anthony shows Ryar'Bett the spot he believes was the feliform creatures made camp. The Effet signals for the other to hold in place and he moves quickly from place to place around the half-cleared scrape. He catches glimpses of prints, clues from disturbed twigs and remnants of a meal.

After a short while, he pipes up. [Catela] "This would seem the most likely direction."

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Tracking roll = 23. I put on a -4 modifier due to the trail being cold for two days

[ludomastro]

Brindlglib quickly discovers that most people don't know much about the shadowy figure.  He seems to have blown into town about two weeks ago looking for work and found it as a laborer in the coal mine.  He mostly keeps to himself and doesn't mix it up that often with the locals.  He seemed very jumpy when he arrived but as one old grandmother said, while balancing a basket of wild berries on her hip, [Catela] "Every man has the right to keep to himself.  Might be that he's running from something.  Aren't we all?"

It would also appear that certain items of value have gone missing.  Some have turned up in unlikely places.  One merchants coin purse was missing for two days and then turned up on one of his shelves a bit lighter than it had been.  "Or so he claimed," said one of the older girls while taking a break from her training.  "He's older and not exactly the best judge of reality anymore."

Ryar'Bett is quickly able to see there are at least three (possibly as many as four) sets of distinct prints in the dirt.  There is no evidence of a fire at the "camp" site.  However, as he follows the tracks away from the village and through the edge of the forest along the treeline, he spots more tracks (at least six) and the remains of a cooking fire.  The fire would be blocked by the trees while allowing a view toward the road leading out of the village.  The "camp" site would provide uninhibited views of the village square while keeping the viewer hidden.

The tracks continue along the treeline.

[jameswllorimer]

The tracks were easy to follow and there seemed to be no effort to disguise once within the tree line. These creatures have no desire to hide themselves, they skulk in this forest instead. Ryar'Bett moved around the hidden camp site, and started to move deeper into the forest, however a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

He turned towards James, who held him in place.

Ryar'Bett spoke. [Catela] "Do not worry, this place holds not fear for me. I will stay here and keep hidden and watch, whilst you go and gather the others. If the beasts return I will make my retreat and rejoin you in the village."

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Ryar'Bett will remain in the forest, and if James returns, will take 20 on notice checks  (for a total of 29) to keep watch for the gnolls return.

[Antilles]

James simply nods and responds with [Catela] "Stay safe." before turning around and running as fast as he can back to the village and the others. To avoid alarming the villagers, he slows down to a fast walk when he gets near the populated areas. When he has reached town, he goes to each of the others who pledged themselves willing to aid the town, and inform them that Ryar'Bett had found their trail, and that we should go in force to face the gnolls.

[ludomastro]

At James' mention those who opted to defend the town step up and follow him back toward the woods.  All except Magdar who nods to his students.  They begin to break into groups of twos and threes and begin talking to the townsfolk.  Shutters begin to close and the town begins to shut down.  Then the groups return and start taking up positions around the town.

Ryar'Bett continues through the underbrush and into a clearing.  Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a gnoll leaning against a tree.  From, his relaxed posture, it is obvious that the gnoll has no idea Ryar'Bett is there.

[jameswllorimer]

The effet eyes his adversary for a while longer trying to ascertain his intent, but the gnoll stays in his relaxed state against the tree. With the surrounding forest seemingly still Ryar'Bett decides it is the time to strike.

Keeping his body close to the ground Ryar'Bett edges forward until he is close enough to strike, unleashing a flurry of tail strikes and maw snaps to confound his opponent.

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Sneak check (if required) = 23 to get into melee range with the gnoll
Upon combat being joined, either as a surprise round or not, Ryar'Bett will Pummel his opponent
To hit = 12 (might be a hit if he's flat-footed!)
Damage = 16 subdual

[Catodon]

Brindlglib can't be found. He's shadowing the stranger. [dida]Will the stranger pitch into the town's defence or get up to something while everyone is distracted wonders the gnome.

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1d20+4=24
Hey, that's not too bad, but wait I'm untrained so that's 15.

[ludomastro]

Ryar'Bett doesn't make a sound as he crosses the intervening space despite the twigs and small branches scattered in the area.  Unfortunately, the wind shifts and the gnoll begins to sniff the air.  His eyes widen moments before the Ryar'Bett can reach him.  Nonetheless, he is too slow to bring his weapon to bear before the saurian begins to pummel him into submission.  While dealing with a flurry of bites and feints, the gnoll never sees the tail slap that knocks from his feet and headfirst into the tree he had been leaning against.  He slumps down without even a whimper.  A quick check reveals that he is still breathing.

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He doesn't hear you ...
but he does smell you!

Initiative:
Ryar'Bett gets an 18.
The gnoll gets a 10.

Attack = 12 > 11 = Defense 12 - 1 (ACP); it's a hit!

16 - 2 (DR) = 14
10 + 14/2 =17
The gnoll resists with a measly 9.
Down he goes.