Chapter 3: Ship people meet woods people

"Even when you're looking for a fight, it's not smart to pick two fights at once. You pick one, and try to overwhelm them quickly before you take on the other." Annika pauses. "Sending a message to the camp is a good idea if we can, but if we can't, they should be alright for now. Let's just try not to get killed."

Phann shakily raises his hand I... I would go back to the camp. Maybe I can even organize some reinforcements

And ya gonna get ya'self killed if ya go alone. I'm going with ya! Rada adds, brushing off pieces of wood with her hands.
Saddle up! We're leaving! And don' expect me to carry ya we ass. We'll march at fast pace and won't pause. she adds.
Both pack their few belongings and march off.
The scout the Krenmuth adressed turns to him Greetings Wavewarden. I am Gildas. We spotted the gnolls about half a days travel from here. If they continue at their pace they are here shortly after sunset. I guess they will attack from the northwest.

Carric addresses the group. We are very grateful that you are willing to help us. Let's prepare our defenses. If we show determined resistance we may be able to deter them with little to no bloodshed

Gildas shows you the area outside the grove where the gnolls will probably pass through

Tharadin spends a few minutes sitting in a corner on his knees, silently speaking to himself. After he finishes his meditations he looks to fell a tree that while block off part of the route into the grove.

Melianne looks like she is about to protest, but holds herself back and only silently watches Phann and Rada leave. It is clear that staying here does not sit well with her at all, and the dancer keeps sneaking glances back to the tree, worry evident in her expression. But the weight of authority of her companions is beyond what she feels able to resist, and Melianne tries to stifle her anxiety for now; she can only hope that her fears are unfounded.

Trying to distract herself from it, Firebird spends the time until sunset alternating between chatting with the locals and trailing after Tharadin and trying to help him in at least some capacity. She has no knowledge of tactical warfare and simply leaves important decisions to others, her only initiative being an offer to scatter her magical lights around the grove to see the opponents' approach.

When she gets a moment, Melianne also asks around for a druid who specializes in herbalism, intending to show them the herb pouch she retrieved after the earlier fight back at camp. It is supposedly used for altering terrain, so even though she doubts it will be good in this fight, she wants to use the occassion of being among druids to learn more about it.

"Half a day? Ah, I believed the matter to be more... immediate.." Aravel lowers his bow. Clearly communications were left wanting. He instead pondered the situation at hand. He wasn't a man of battle beyond what any elf was thought, but he could see the merit in blocking the approaches. Thankfully, he had just the tool at hand, a shovel!
"I will make a simple spike trap, over yonder." He indicated the north approach. That would occupy his foes long enough for him to plant a few arrows, or so he hoped. Just in case he plotted an escape route too..

Annika has never dug a hole or felled a tree in her life, so instead she spends the time walking the paths, planning out the most likely routes an attacking force would take, and helping the others plan out the best places to put the obstacles accordingly.

Krenmuth is more experienced in ship-to-ship or ship-to-shore fighting than land battles, so he follows the lead of the others. He blocks a path by placing a log (or logs) at AV50.

He has one suggestion, "I can cast a cloud of fog to hide our group or some clan archers in one of the tree copses on the hill, such as the one on the northwest. If the gnolls make it to the top of the hill, we can surprise them from behind. I will stand with those hidden in the cloud and bless them when it's time to attack."

Annika shows the others a rough map she's made of the area. "I believe this," she says while pointing to the yellow line, "is the most likely approach for an attacking force. It's the clearest path, and the fastest route."

"If they have sufficient numbers for a two-pronged assault, then this," she points to the red line, "seems the best for a flank attack. It maintains good cover from anyone on the hill. During the climb, where they would be most vulnerable, any defenders on the hill would be fully exposed to covering fire from below."

"But why would they climb the hill at all?.." Melianne leans over Annika's shoulder, peering cluelessly at her plan. "Can't they just go around it? I thought we were going to defend from the hill - higher ground is good for warfare, right? I think I read it somewhere." She sighs, pulling back and twisting her silk scarf. "This is why I am not a general. All these tactics are too confusing."

As the sun sets and you finish your preparations Carric and Drusilia join you on top of the hill. They seem to be calm but still tense. We very much appreciate your help. I... Drusilia starts but suddenly an owl swoops down and lands on her shoulder. It nibbles on her ear and then flies off again
I just received the message that the druids of the Green Triskels are near. Our rangers were able to distract a part of their gnolls and so they won't be able to bring their full force to the battle. They still seem to have about 15 gnolls left. Lead be 2 druids. You better get into position they'll be here shortly. she moves to Carric and both seem to do some kind of meditation.