After resting for several hours our forward march finally returns to going smoothly. Several times we had monsters attack from the grass but luckily we easily dispatched the creatures until we finally hit the small hill we're hiding behind. In front of us stands two large gnolls as well as a thickly muscled four foot tall humanoid wearing jagged iron armor with a nasty looking hammer in his hand. Inspecting the gnolls I find that they're the same class of scavenger that we already found near our clearing except their levels are each sitting at nine. The other creatures stats though leave me confused with several questions.
(Hobgoblin Warscout Level 11)
Hobgoblin society is bound by strength and viciousness and their scouts are no exception. Although normal scouts are quick, nimble, and terrifyingly adept at quick efficient kills Warscouts are tiers above. These highly dangerous creatures have trained their bodies to the extreme allowing them to wield all weapons as well as retain their nimble movement in even plate armor. Warscouts fear nothing and unhesitatingly attack all enemies before it with an extreme lack of mercy or empathy for their victims.
I bring myself back down the hill and explain what we're up against watching Sheers reaction. As she hears about the Hob that's marching with the gnolls she grimaces before starting a long explanation.
"He was one of the prisoners that they captured and brought into that building. They sometimes keep some of the creatures and slaves they capture instead of selling them depending on their skills and strengths. I remember before he went in that he killed three of the gnolls elite warriors as well as a couple of their warbeasts before they could restrain him but once he came out he had the same slave mark as the others that went in and instead of the savage fighter he just kind of stood there. I thought they'd sell him but if they equipped him like that there's a huge chance we want to avoid this patrol since he could wipe all of us out without even trying." She starts to explain as I grimace before nodding and we quickly retreat in the opposite direction trying to find an easier way into the gnoll camp.
----------------------------------------------Meanwhile----------------------------------------------
'God Damned fucking mutts just wait until I break through this damn mark then I'll bathe in your blood while feasting on your rotted flesh!!!!!' An extremly heavily armored Hobgoblin screams mentally as his body is forced to continue its patrol around the gnoll camp. The two gnolls that accompany him keep a solid distance between themselves and the hob as they glance wearily at it from time to time. The hobs dead expression stares straight ahead but his ears move slowly as he hears a noise from the nearby hill. As he glances towards it he see's the face of a creature watching their patrol, its eyes flashing quickly before it grimaces and retreats down the hill. As the hobs body begins to turn a wave of anger flows through it's mind freezing the muscles in its body. The tattoo burned into the hobs shoulder flakes off a small piece barely the size of rice but as the flake dissipates into the air a bloodthirsty smile forms inside the hobs mind as it continues to walk on its patrol.
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-----------------------------------------Back to the Present------------------------------------------
After circling around the camp and backtracking in the opposite direction of the gnoll patrol we finally come upon another three man squad of scavengers, all three of the careless creatures yipping at each other as they lean about in small patch of barren trees. Scanning them I grin in delight seeing that their levels are all sitting at level 5 and with their extreme lack of attention they make an appetizing mark. I move back to the party and upon hearing the lack of preparedness of the scouts they all smile before i begin giving out orders.
"Okay Sheer I want you and Mog to go after the one on the left since he's us. He'll be the first to see Wug dispatching the one with its back to us so I want him taken out before an alarm can be made. Also try to let Mog get the kill if you can, he needs the levels so that he can catch up to the group and learn at least one offensive spell or at the very least learn to hit things with his stick..." I say the last part in a monotone voice as I stare at Mog watching the myconid wince before nodding and begin asking Sheer the best way to kill someone with his staff.
"Wug your jobs the same as always buddy you walk up behind the one with its back turned and do Wug things to it! Also try your best to be quiet big guy, I know its tough due to your size and all but this is a stealth mission right now so we can't let them alert anyone else." I say while patting Wug's wrist as he squints down at me before he begins practicing walking softly. Finally I look at Pearl as she walks over to me and lets me Crawl onto her back where the crossing of strips of tattered leather have been tied to secure the multitude of semi empty bags for loot.
"Okay Pearl the last one is ours. I know your light on your feet and this will be good practice for us to work together. Try to get close enough that i can hit him with the cane or the whip but still focus on stealth. We got this guys now everyone get prepared we strike these assholes in five minutes!" I whisper fiercely as everybody nods their heads before preparing themselves for combat. Mog now has a very crude spear made out of his staff, one of Sheer's nicer bone needles tied tightly to the end to allow the myconid to stay farther from actual combat while still letting him help during a fight. Pearl is sitting quietly, her eyes glancing towards me every few seconds to see if I'm ready to go yet while Wug ties several pelts to his feet making makeshift slippers that take a lot of the thud out of his weighted steps. When i glance towards Sheer I see her dipping all of her weapons into a bright green liquid that i recognize as the poison from the undead treant, wincing in sympathy as I realize anyone who gets touched with that goo is definitely going to have a horrific day. Once everyone's ready we all take our positions and move toward the unsuspecting lookouts, each one of us intent on ending them without them even realizing it.