The Gaming Den

"Now is our chance to strike! Counter charge the beast, hew it's skull, and let it's last, terrified thought be our boots on its neck!"
.
Xaxus will attempt to hit the owlbear with a sling stone, from his sling. wow 5has would be as stupid as it was ineffectual. Xaxus next acton is to cast cure light wounds on the injured Atani, and admonishes everybody else in the party to attack with everything we've got.

[The owlbear is already out of sight and, at the rate it was moving, out of range.]

Guillermo will leave the crying sqonking gnome to the Paladin or some more charitable member of the party as at this point it's too pitiful to meet the honor of his horns (and/or rapier).

Guillermo will put himself between any injured members/squishy casters/thieves and the direction the owlbear came from.

If there's no danger after that, he'll checks for tracks to see how many owlbearsuits/gnomes/realowlbears there actually were. We can then tie up the gnome and inspect its whistle. And maybe get back to looking the ancient tomb of Angirus.

I'm expecting one of us is going to use their action catch that gnome and bind/KO it.

Atani slashes at the Owlbear as it retreats into the woods and out of their melee. Once it's gone I want to hobble back to the wagons, locking eyes wordlessly and sadly with the gnome while I bleed profusely from the chest and move my way back to my companions. At Xaxus' command I will stop and receive his healing magic gratefully.

Atani will then hop onto a wagon and set the aim of his bow towards the last location of the owlbear

"I think it's wise to assume he will be back, lets question our -infuriating- companion when and where we know we're safe"

(I thought the gnome was already bound? How can he prance around like that?)

Spastis watches Xaxus healing Atani and nods. He then ties up the gnome for good measure, takes his whistle, and loads him on a cart.

"Miss Betsy, can you try communicating with him again?"

He then addresses the group as a whole: "Does anyone have an inkling of what this whistle does? Summon the owlbear? Repel it?"

"Let me take a look," Tim says, approaching the whistle. He'd glanced through the Magical Item Compendium of Wotc the Diligent during his apprenticeship; perhaps he might recognize something from those pages.

Atani slashes at the Owlbear as it retreats into the woods and out of their melee.

If your slashes have any effect, the owlbear ignores them.

Xaxus next acton is to cast cure light wounds on the injured Atani, and admonishes everybody else in the party to attack with everything we've got.

Tapping in to the life force of the universe and stealing the breath from newborn babes, Xaxus pours the power into Atani's wounds, which slowly close, until not even a scar remains (Atani heals 6 HP), though the shirt is still bloody and shredded.

(I thought the gnome was already bound? How can he prance around like that?)

(Either the minotaur can't actually tie a knot for shit, or the gnome is sneakier than he looks.)

"Let me take a look," Tim says, approaching the whistle. He'd glanced through the Magical Item Compendium of Wotc the Diligent during his apprenticeship; perhaps he might recognize something from those pages.

The item does not appear to be magical, but tiny runes in Elvish and Common on the underside of the device clearly label it as "Thistledown's Owlbear Mating Caller, Patent Pending" and "Made in Elfland."

(Side note: Tim needs to fill out what languages he knows.)

The gnome starts to whine, and seems frantic to be anywhere else at the moment, quickly glancing back and forth between the forest and the crypt entrance.

"I know Sign Language. If you give me a moment, I might be able to communicate with this little fellow and give Miss Betsy a break. Personally, I'd like to see if that's the case." Gilles says, before signing "Do you understand me?" to the Gnome.

(It's a long shot, but I think it's worth trying.)

The gnome looks impossibly confused by the gestures, but a sudden crashing in the undergrowth seems to have finally made up his mind, as he sprints for the dungeon entrance.

When Sir Spastis takes the gnome, Betsy smiles. "Thank you, he was beginning to smell. But, sir, I must insist that you also call me Miss Pemberton-Tambling. As we are without a chaperon, it falls on my to perform that unpleasant task, and I must remain vigilant against lapses in decorum."

When the gnome bolts for the tomb, she looks up "Did he mean that the owlbear would return? He knows the creature's habits, but is not dead? I wonder."

Grabbing the whistle from Tim, Betsy makes a beeline for the nearest tree and begins to climb. "If it shows up again, I think this will distract it! Ready yourselves for a fight!"

The crashing in the forest increases, and you can plainly see the maddened owlbear, blood splattering some of the feathers on its back, charging through the trees. He will be on you in just a few moments.

Atani begins loosing bolts into the monster, filling the air with arrow after whizzing arrow.

(3 shots at Thaco 14, each hitting on 9+, dealing 1d8+6 apiece)

Once she is a safe distance up the tree, Betsy will use the whistle to try to distract the owlbear, hopefully without attracting more owlbears.

"Fire!" Gilles calls as he follows Atani's example, drawing his bow and firing two arrows from it. If he has the chance for any other actions he will back away from the owlbear and await further development, firing away or casting spells as necessary.

(2 shots at THAC0 17, or 16 if bless is still up. Assuming Dean's math is correct, that means I hit on either 12+ or 11+, again depending on whether or not bless is up. Damage is 1d8 per arrow.)

Xaxus slings a stone at the beast: Speed 6, Thac0 19, 1d4 damage.

Guillermo will charge at the owlbear with his rapier, saving one attack action to parry.

Spastis will flank the owlbear, attacking with his longsword at right angles with Guillermo.

From up in the treetop, Betsy puts her lips to the owlbear call and blows, releasing a wailing squawk. The effect on the owlbear is immediate, as it shifts direction and picks up speed, aiming straight for the tree she is in.

Arrows and stones fly, some hitting the bulk of the animal with a solid thump and others missing their target entirely, but the beast does not turn or slow down until the minotaur steps into his path, brandishing his rapier, which he thrusts through the owlbear's body. In response, the massive mammalbird stands on its two legs, its cruel claws pulling the minotaur into a crushing hug as its beak rips through Guillermo's eye and into his brain, ending his life.

(Guillermo is dead.)

Sir Spastis rushes to his comrade's aid, slashing at the owlbear's undefended flank, but the blows do nothing to stop the wizardborn nightmare's assault.

"Noooooo! You shall be avenged, friend!"

Sir Spastis attacks the owlbear with renewed vigor.

"Your death will not be in vain, Minotaur," Gilles mutters as he opens fire on the owlbear once more (2 shots, same speed and THAC0 as before.)

"CLIMB!" Atani shouts, seeing Betsy's plan working all too well.

Atani will continue firing if the creature moves away from Sir Spastis, if it climbs the tree he will circle around to keep his firing lane unobstructed by the trunk.

"Oh dear." Betsy says, followed by a rather undignified string of halfling profanities. She climbs up as high as she safely can, then blows the owlbear call again.

Xaxus will hang back and continue to sling stones at the owlbear until someone is damaged without being killed; in the very next round the damage occours, Xaxus will rush up next to the damaged character and use his heal proficiency, attempting to restore 1d3 hp.

Hicks wrote:Xaxus will hang back and continue to sling stones at the owlbear until someone is damaged without being killed; in the very next round the damage occours, Xaxus will rush up next to the damaged character and use his heal proficiency, attempting to restore 1d3 hp.

Basically, Gilles will do this, only with his shortbow instead of a sling, and he'll use cure light wounds the first time someone needs heals.

Climbing higher, Betsy once again lets out a keening squonk; the aroused and excited owlbear answers the cry and turns once more toward her tree - only to be struck by Sir Spastis' blade. Enraged, the owlbear swipes at the knight; the knight's armor and shield save his life - however barely - from the first blow, but the second blow catches his unarmored neck (CRIT!), and Sir Spastis' life ends as his head goes flying from his shoulders.

(Sir Spastis the Virtuous is dead.)

Moving once again toward the tree with single-minded dedication, the owlbear once more presents itself as an easy target, and arrows and sling stones thud into its great feathered hide. The wounded beast now leaves a trail of blood and feathers behind it, but it reaches the base of Betsy's tree.