After saving the Westvaler’s we only rested for a short while before continuing, continuing to Finley farm, to release the pressure from the poor gnomes, trying to make sure that as many as possible farmers survived.. or Soro wouldn’t.
We tried to play it tactfully. Starting to shoot at the mutant gnolls from afar. We didn’t take into account the strange powers these gnolls had however. A gnoll, grown to the resemblance of a fire demon towering among its comrades good teleport, taking an ally with it. Furthermore some of the gnolls had developed some strange kind of camouflage, making them nigh invisible as the came towards us through some tall grass..
Some hits were exchanged but then some of the hammers were overtaken by their battle lust and moved from our vantage point, towards them. They couldn’t be left alone, so we moved forward as a group. Towards the Finley home.
When we were only a street away from the Finley home, things started getting dire. Ricardo had already gone done twice, Redemption was out of smites, and I only got an ounce of healing left in me.
It was at the last possible point that some of us got into the Finley home. A chain of healing enabled the last of us to get inside while Romero teleported inside.
Even then we were not save, an demon gnoll teleported inside and we still had to fight it off before we finally had a moment of respite.
Garritas had barely seen some danger, so while the rest of rested he went to scout out what was happening. And boy did he find something.
The mutant gnolls were rounding up all the normal gnolls and throwing in a big barn, which they were planning to burn any moment.
He brilliantly decided to use his illusion magic to re-create the voice of Esk, commanding the mutated gnolls a couple of times to leave, WHICH WORKED. Only 6 mutated gnolls were left over to be dealt with.
As soon as he came back we decided we couldn’t stand by as dozens of gnolls were casually murdered. Luckily Ka’Tau arrived exactly at that time giving us some much needed fire power. I convinced some of the gnomes to come help us free the gnolls. They must have really gotten to know each other as 20 of the gnomes followed us into danger.
Again we tried some rudimentary tactics. First pelting the gnolls with arrows and other ranged attacks, and as soon as they would come closer the gnomes attack them with slings from inside buildings they were hiding in.
These gnolls were did not approach us immediately, no it called for its friends, which included a demon gnoll, which teleported the gnolls right into us, while the camouflaging gnolls moved through buildings to approach us from cover (not that we had any firepower to target multiple targets at the same time anyway.
Ka’Tau was clutch, throwing down spirit guardians that demolished any monster gnome that came near us. The gnoll bull horn went down first, exploding all over us. At that point half of the gnomes switched sides and started attacking us. The next gnoll that went down, one with beholder eyes, exploded in the midst of these gnomes, killing all but 2 of them, to our dismay.
The last 3 gnolls, already halfway dead, went all together. Ka’tau hurt them all in a big spell, which made them explode one by one. Leaving us, once again at the brink of death.
But there was only one gnoll left over, and seeing itself outnumbered it flew off. Ours thoughts of victory were short lived however. Esk must have been nearby, as she yelled for her new minions to rise, and rise they did. 14 ghasts, and 2 vampire spawns rose from the ground leaving us hopelessly outnumbered.
We had no choice but to run.
We had no change to run.
Garritas jumped out of a window, and went invisible making a mistake. Redemption and Ka’tau were able to get into an alleyway, leaving Redemption unconscious in the process.
I stood in the middle of the street, ready to take off on Phantapheus when the vampire spawn looked at me and spoke:
“dominate”.
My mind went numb, I could still see, hear, but no my movement was taken over completely, I had no choice but to act just as the spawn wanted me to. Phantapheus was quickly taken down by the ghasts that had not gone running after the gnomes that had fled.
From the corner of my eye I could still see into the alleyway. Ka’Tau was standing over Redemption, flanked from 2 sides by a vampire spawn and a ghasts. With a small movement of his lips I could see Redemption shiver, regaining consciousness. Redemption her hand went slowly into her backpack, getting out the rod of lordly might and with a push of the button the tables were turned. The undead creatures took a step back in horror, frightened by the magic of this mighty rod.
I wish I could have said to them to run, and leave me. I was lost. Luckily they had the same thought and fled as quickly as they could.
The vampire spawn approached me, a smirk on her face. “do you carry any valuables?” she asked. I answered listing everything I had on me worth more than a gold. “hand it over to me”. My backpack went in front of her first, then my belt with my last healing potion. And then I had to start undress before this creature, which was taken way to much enjoyment from the absolute power she was exerting over me. The raping of my mind, adding insult on insult by having me undress in front of my enemies. Esk had sunken low, to low.
In the distance I could hear something, desperate to get away from what I was experiencing I focused my ears. Grunts, cries of pain, the sound of more strength coming from a small Halfling than anyone would ever expect, and the thudding of a wooden beam hitting the ground. The sound of the normal gnolls running from the already burning barn, followed by the voice of Redemption calling them focus, and re-arm, in order to either flee, or end this.
A small hope returned to me, while staring with slack eyes into the eyes of my torturer, who still looked at me with that predatory smile.
Please let this end quickly, by whatever means.