Skeetch stands before the surprised gnolls announcing his authority over them. They all look to each other confused a moment, then turn back to the troll growling. In a wave of fur, spit, and growls... the remaining gnolls swarm over Skeetch in attempt to over power him with sheer numbers. All of them grab hold of his body and start climbing and grappling him, using knives and forks to stab into his body as they all envelope him like a swarm of bees. (15 Dmg. Skeetch Has -2 to all rolls till his limbs are freed. He can still move, just hindered by the number of gnolls on him.)

Hiel dodges, and leaps from the gnolls attacks. They do indeed chase him, but try to stay clear of the entangling grass as they do so. Using this, Hiel easily maneuvers them into his desired position where only one of them is close enough to attack him. He turns and slashes with his sabres. Frostbrand misses, but his other sabre strikes true and stabbs the gnoll in the chest. The gnoll holds his wounded chest for a moment before dropping lifeless to the ground at his feet.

Denora shifts into her swan form successfully.

With a single powerful squeeze, Tallican squashes the giant wasp between her limblike hands. Buckets of yellow gore drips from her arms to splash down below on a couple of the gnolls, and Kanda.

Kanda returns the favor, and constricts around the huge gnoll attacking him. The gnoll is indeed strong, and it takes an effort to accomplish wrapping his coils around the creature. The gnoll looks around almost frantic as it realizes its predicament, and its legs and one arm are pinned to its sides. (Axe arm is still free.) It groans in pain as Kanda tightens around its body.

The three gnolls throwing spears at Tallican all back away, and run to their leaders aid. Two surround the shaman to protect him, while the third kneels down to help him up. They slowly start to retreat down the hillside, opposite Hiel and the entangling grass side. The shaman pulls something from a pouch while leaning on his comrad gnoll. He puts something in his mouth chewing it up. Within a few moments he is moving down the hill easier and with less limping.

The huge gnoll fighting Kanda finds himself wrapped up in the giant snakes coils, leaving only his axe hand free. Instead of attacking he decides to test his own strength against the snakes and attempts to break free. His muscles bulge and a loud angry roar escapes his gnashing fangs as he physicaly tries to loosen Kandas grasp. (Kanda Str Check to hold onto Warrior Gnoll.)

A huge axe comes down over Avon again and clips him on the shoulder as he tries to dodge it. Drawing fresh blood from the bard, the huge gnoll snarls in pleasure promising more to come.

The remaining two warrior gnolls continue to cling to Tallicans side haking away at her wooden flesh. (5 Dmg) One however falls off to land on its back at her feet his axe skidding halfway down the hill. (Nat 1.)

The remaining gnoll chasing Hiel around the entangling grass decides to stop the chase as he watches the Sellini down another of his comrades. The gnoll pulls out a throwing dagger, and launches it at Hiel. It flies wide to the side, missing him completely.

The gnoll beastmaster fumbles around with the protruding arrow, and pulls it out of the trolls thick skin. He then tosses it far to the side, and the sphere of darkness follows. He looks up, now able to see again, and sees the battle isnt going to well. The shaman had fallen from his mount, and they were taking heavy losses. He readjusts himself on the back of the rock troll and points to the Ranger nearby. Shouting a few gutteral words, the troll rises again and begins to run at Hiel roaring. (Melee range next round.)

Skeetch went in swinging. Gnolls, and gnoll parts went flying every direction as he waded into them. Arms, legs, heads, and even torsos littered the ground, mixed in with slippery entrails and blood. The horde of gnolls still continued on... determined to defend their home to the last of them. They swarmed over the hulking brute of a troll, some biting his ears, gouging an eye, or stabbing a back. All determined to bring this creature down. (18 Dmg.) And Skeetch had only begun his slaughter, having not even gone through a quarter of their numbers yet. For a dozen more come running out of the right tunnel to join their mates in battle. The females look poorly armored, but all carry sharp daggers which they pull as they join the throng. Skeetch has to use all his strength just to keep standing as they entwine around his legs and waist, making it a virtual sea of squirming gnolls around, under, and over him. (1\4 movement. Make STR check -4, or treat as slow spell.)

Hiel activates his next darkness bead, and envelopes the area around him in a magical sphere of black. This easily envelopes the gnoll across the area of entanglement, causing it to slink down in defense and stay put for the moment. Hiel has to then silently sneak around the area of entanglement to reach the gnoll for attack next round. (Activate magical item and move around entangling area quietly to reach gnoll.)

Denora finds a clear spot in the center of a small copse of trees nearby. The clearing in the center is protected some by the winds, and the grass isnt as tall. There she can land, (Make DEX check -2.) and turn back to herself to gain access to her supplies. - Kanda tightens his coils about the Gnoll Warrior, and actually gains a better hold having easily overwhealmed it. Now both arms are pinned, and Kanda has the creature at his mercy... lost in strong tightening coils. (STR check -1) The sound of popping joints, and strained wimpers can barely be heard inside from the Gnoll Warrior, only his hand and axe acan be seen sticking out between some coils. - Tallicans huge fists came down on the prone Gnoll Warrior, both of them smashing down hard on him. There was a loud squishing sound as blood and gore gushed out from under Tallicans fists... smashing the creature to a gooey gorp.

The Gnoll Warrior facing Avon lunges at him, fresh blood still soaking his neck from the bards latest attack. The huge axe comes down hard, and it looks as if Avon stepped back in time to avoid the attack... but was forced back from the blow he had just recieved. He looked down to see his leather armor split wide diagonally across his chest, his tunic, shirt, and even bare chest were similarly split. Blood immediatly began to pour from the critical wound, as Avon coughed up blood and dropped to one knee... his sword clanging down to the ground beside him.

The Gnoll Warrior caught within Kandas grasp tried to break free again, but couldnt gain any correct position... and his breath was running out. He could no longer breath in, so constricted were the mighty anacondas coils. His brethren still clinging to the thrashing Tallican treant, could only hold on for this round. Tallican had bent over fiercly to smash his comrad, which would have bucked him off if he hadnt held on tightly.

The remaining gnoll down near Hiel crouched low in the darkness, sniffing around and confused a moment. The raging troll outside was not however, and barreled right into the sphere. It stepped on the crouching gnoll, crushing the life out of it. Its outstretched arms clothsline Hiel, and knock him into the entanglement area. ( 6 Dmg. Save vs Spell or be entangeled.) The huge rock troll continues barrelling through even the entanglement area, stepping on a couple more entrapped gnolls, and exiting out the other side still charging.

At the base of the hill, the Shaman, and three spearmen disappear into the swaying tall grass. Moving quickly, their movement through the grass is quickly covered by the storm.

Location: Grassy hills west of the High Forest (Elmshade; caravan route to north)

~ ~ ~ Hi'el spun about away from the Entangle area as the marauding Rock Troll rampaged through it clipping him with its out-stretched arm as it passed. The Shadoweir was less than pleased by the ease with which the Beast charged through the Entangle area, but since it had done him the favor of crushing under foot the last Gnoll free of the plants clutches and was still charging away from him. The Silenni glares at the backs of the great Brute and its Master, and softly chants in prayer "Mielikki, ka'u Akua Wahine, kâu mana lima ikaika ua pâkeupali kôkua iâ kâua i loko kâ kâua Kaua, a me ka'awili ka kai iâ kâ kâua hana lokomaika'i. 'O au ha'aha'a nonoi kâ 'Oe, ka'u Akua Wahine, hâ'awi â hiki i ia'u kâu mana lima ikaika hana mekala 'ena'ena lehuli'u kçlâ au paha ho'opilikia ka hapa nui hoa paio pçlâ mamao maka iâ 'oia Kaua. Hô'olu, Nui Akua Wahine, lohe ka'u pule." The Servant of Mielikki focuses his full attention on the Rock Troll and the Gnoll, letting the Goddess' Power flow through him to begin super-heating the chains, manacles and collar which should make controlling the Brute most difficult for the Beast Master. ~ ~ ~

Hi'el Troiye

Translation: "Mielikki, my Goddess, your power has greatly aided us in our battle, and turned the tide in our favor. I humbly beg of You, my Goddess, grant unto me your power to make metal glow white hot that I may disable the greatest foe so far faced in this battle. Please, Great Goddess, hear my prayer." Current HPs: 51 / 76 [-6 Rock Troll]; THAC0 = 17; Ability Check / Saving Throw: Successful vs. Spells [d20 = 14, Score = 14]; Initiative: => Rd 11 = 8 (Heat Metal) [d10 = 6, bonus = -3 dex, penalties = +5 casting time, DM Call]; Actions/Attacks: => Heat Metal [target Rock Troll and Beast Master]; Results/Damage: => See Spell Info Below; Spells Used: 1 / 5 1st level [Entangle]; 3 / 5 2nd level [Soften Earth & Rock, Bat Sense, Heat Metal]; 0 / 2 3rd level; On hand = 1 Healing [3d8+3]; 1 Neutralize Poison; 1 Health Elixer (Heals up to 50 HP each); 1 Insect Repellant (10 uses each); 1 Water Breathing; 6 branches; 25/35 raspberries, Aphrodisiac, Freesia, Lily of the Valley, Roses, Vitex, Evening Primrose, Basil and Plantain]. XP = 12,450 [Druid 5th level, Ranger 4th level]

* On the final round of searing, the afflicted creature must roll a successful saving throw vs. spell or suffer one of the following disabilities: hand or foot--becomes unusable for 2d4 days; body--becomes disabled for 1d4 days; head--fall unconscious for 1d4 turns. This effect can be completely removed by the 6th-level priest spell heal spell or by normal rest. Note also that materials such as wood, leather, or flammable cloth smolder and burn if exposed to searing hot metal. Such materials cause searing damage to exposed flesh on the next round. Fire resistance (spell, potion, or ring) or a protection from fire spell totally negates the effects of a heat metal spell, as does immersion in water or snow, or exposure to a cold or ice storm spell. This version of the spell does not function under water. For every two experience levels of the caster, the metal of one man-sized creature can be affected (i.e., arms and armor, or a single mass of metal equal to 50 pounds of weight). Thus, a 3rd-level caster would affect one such creature, a 4th- or 5th-level caster two, etc.