Chapter 8: Before the Walls

Rives guides Strider towards the stables and the other five horses follow the stallion closely. Turning to address the scrawny boy who addressed him as he passed through the gates, the young, wiry stable hand calls over "hell if I know, but doesn't look like we've got much choice but to fight."

With that Rives hurries the horses along. Hopefully, he thinks, everyone makes it in and they get the gates closed. Rives really didn't want to think of how things would go if they had to fight the gnolls one on one, though the thought made his arm begin to ache, remembering the pain of the axe blow from the other day.

The heroes bustle in through the gate, with the gnolls in hot pursuit. Nate and Giles start to lower the gate, and the gnolls break into a full sprint that can only be clearly seen by those atop the walls. "Look out!" someone calls desperately from above, before several things happen almost simultaneously.

First, there is a blur of movement from below the gate as a trio of gnolls throw themselves, rolling and prone, under the falling barrier; the unexpected assault catches Alelip, Nate, and Rufus off-guard, and they go tumbling to the ground as the gnolls roll into them. A fourth is a split-second too late, and his blood spatters the ground as the gate crushes his ribcage with a sickening smack-crack sound. Several others, reacting fast enough to save themselves from the crushing jaws but not to slow down entirely, run head-long into the gate, and the others on their heels pile into their brethren with pained thuds.

The last gnoll, limping along, gives up the chase, but the lone archer atop the wall fells him with an arrow to the chest.

Initiative: Men of the 7th (including PCs), Gnolls
Status: All three gnolls are prone, as are Alelip, Nate, and Rufus.

You have chosen character number 7 out of a possible 6

Leo doesn't hesitate, as he leaps amongst the fallen Gnolls, stabbing down at the one on his left with a flurry of strikes., watching his spear bite into the fallen creature

The goal is to get into position where he can reach all three Gnolls. If thats not possible, then 2 at least. (gotta make the best use of Combat Reflexes)

Leo is quick to put a spear point into two of the gnolls that have fallen within the gates, which only gives Caedmon more time to make a rush towards the ramparts. He makes a dash up the stairs skipping a step here and there to make it to the top as quick as possible.

From the top of the wall, Marin quickly switches objectives to one of the intruders. Narrowing her eyes she focuses in the safest gnoll, looking for an oportunity to shoot without harming Leo or Caedmon, or anyone basically.

Seeing an opening, Marin lets her arrow fly, growling in frustration when she fails her shot, and quickly readying another arrow, looking for another chance.

"C'mon.. give a chance" she whispers, looking furiosly at the fight underneath her

Atk:
Dice Roll: 1d20+4
d20 Results: 5 (Total = 9)

Rufus finds himself lying on the ground among friend and foe before he realizes what happened. The act of pure animal stupidity from the gnolls continued to surprise him. His longsword fell from his grip sometime in the tumble and he was left with little other options but to try and keep the vicious beasts pinned to the ground.

Unsure if they get normal AoO because they are prone, but then again... I'm prone, so I may not be able to do this.

Grapple, Melee Touch:
Dice Roll: 1d20+5
d20 Results: 9 (Total = 14)

oppose grapple check:
Dice Roll: 1d20+5
d20 Results: 8 (Total = 13)

Leo's spear moves like lightning, dispatching the first of the gnolls with practiced ease. Rufus dives at the one that had knocked him to the ground, grabbing one arm and wrestling it behind the hairy hyena head--not enough to immobilize the beast, but long enough that Nate can rush in and stab it through the chest. Ken, Giles, Kyle, and Drew join in the carnage, and the gnolls' insane fervor is rendered fruitless in the space of a few seconds.

Caedmon, Marin, and Butch race up the nearest tower to join the squad on the walls, just as the lone archer lets loose an arrow that misses narrowly. The seven gnolls outside have organized themselves and are grabbing at the bottom of the gate, which did not seat properly due to the dead gnoll crushed underneath. Ludicrous as it might seem, they are trying to raise the gate and continue their assault on the watchtower...

From the other side of the court, there is the sound of steel banging on wood as Lieutenant Wyndshof emerges from his quarters, armored and armed, and begins to stride toward the gate. "Iron Hearts, rally to the gate!" he bellows, his deep voice echoing through the stone-walled courtyard.

Status

Combat in the court is over for the moment. There are seven gnolls outside the gate that are trying to lift it and get inside. Alelip, Giles, Leo, Rufus, Nate, and three NPCs are within the gatehouse. Caedmon, Marin, Butch, and six NPCs are on the wall above the gate. Rives is in the stables with the six horses.

Once Caedmon reaches the top of the wall he takes in a deep breath as he peers over its edge and hastily pulls on his bow string to fire down upon the encroaching gnolls.

+5 BAB -2 for rapid shot, +1 for higher ground

attack1:
Dice Roll: 1d20+4
d20 Results: 20 (Total = 24)

attack2:
Dice Roll: 1d20+4
d20 Results: 7 (Total = 11)

dmg1:
Dice Roll: 1d8+2
d8 Results: 6 (Total = 8)

dmg2:
Dice Roll: 1d8+2
d8 Results: 1 (Total = 3)

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Crit:
Dice Roll: 1d20+4
d20 Results: 2 (Total = 6)

Critdmg:
Dice Roll: 1d8+2
d8 Results: 2 (Total = 4)

Alelip pulls himself together slowly, then begins to search around for his scimitar. Finding it, he hoists himself up onto two feet, and draws himself towards the gate, scimitar waiting for the chance to meet flesh once again.

"Here we won't see a damn thing" says Marin to anyone when she arrives at the top of the wall and sees the gnolls trying to open the gate. Snorting in disbelief, she moves a couple of feets before climbing at the top of the wall, between two crenelations and kneeling, placnig a knee and a foot firmly on the ground.

Using one of the sides of a crenelation as support for her back she faces the gnolls and sticking out her upper body from the outside of the wall she fires an arrow to the furthermost gnoll.

Atk:
Dice Roll: 1d20+4
d20 Results: 13 (Total = 17)

Dmg:
Dice Roll: 1d8+2
d8 Results: 5 (Total = 7)

I used the same damage roll as Caedmon shots, if I'm wrong please correct me