The Wilderness

Stella hears nothing through the door's crack, but she does see the flicker of torchlight on the other side. Given that the morning's sun is out in force, the door must lead to an indoor chamber or passage of some sort.

The owl familiar gives a small *hoot*, warning the young woman of clawed footsteps approaching from the other side of the door. There must be at least two or three gnolls coming this way!

The party darts to find cover amid the rubble about the dock; large slabs of fallen masonry, aged and broken crates, even a canoe that looks considerably newer than the rest of the surroundings. Stella's spell quiets their footsteps and breathing, and even when Aiwe scuffs her foot on a worn plank there is almost no noise.

Everyone has just found an appropriate hiding place when the door opens and two gnolls step out into the salty air. It's unnerving to see the monstrous humanoids at such close range and relative calm; misshapen limbs and cruel bestial expressions. Each one has its overly long arms wrapped about a large barrel, but an assortment of crude weapons hang from their belts.

"Fol'ghrazni," mutters one, and the other lets out a high-pitched snigger. "Le-chouk enhafm!"

The gnolls set their barrels down near a pair of fishing poles leaning against the wall and continue their conversation. Stella can't begin to understand their language, but she thinks they might be intending to stay here for a while. Sure enough, they take up the fishing poles and squat down on the dock, baiting their hooks (a half-glimpse assures her she doesn't really want to know what they're using for bait) and casting the lines out into the water.

They've only settled there for a moment when one of the gnolls twitches its snout and begins sniffing around the dock planks. Nearby, Imoen stiffens in fear. Stella, however, understands that it likely smells the soggy bodies of the two dead gnolls beneath the dock, rather than catching the scent of the party. The other gnoll takes the opportunity to smack its friend on the back of the head and grumble at it, and the two go back to their fishing. Apparently they smell dead things by the sea often enough that soggy corpses don't smell out of place.

The two gnolls have their backs to the party and the castle door.

Sheemish takes careful aim and unleashes two beams of crackling lightning into the second gnoll.

Following Dieter's lead, I step out and attack with my Morningstar and shield.

Round 1 Summary

With their approach magically concealed by Stella's spell the party leaps forward to finish the gnolls off quickly!

Unfortunately, things don't quite go as planned.

Dieter and Sheemish manage to land hits on the unsuspecting monsters, but the others fumble their attacks. As the startled gnolls drop the fishing poles and draw their weapons, Imoen takes aim at one. Just as she looses the arrow her eyes widen and she twitches; the shot goes far wide. "Oh snapple-"

Imoen's curse is cut off as Aiwe covers the area in complete magical silence. Just as well, for the gnolls are unable to call for help. Wounded and cornered, the two hyena-men frantically defend themselves.

Round 2 Player Phase!!

I again strike at the gnolls.

Sheemish had lowered his fists after the first attack, assuming nothing would be left of these guys. It registers too late that these creatures are indeed still standing. He jerks his arms up to fire again, aim wide, and his shots are so far off not even stitch can help salvage them.