The Forbidden Hills

[Gorgondantess]

Jack chuckles at the gnoll's feeble attempts, stepping back and launching a hail of arrows its direction, smirking all the while.

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rapid shot full attack action.
(1d20+11)[29]
(1d20+11)[17]
(1d20+6)[12]
(1d8+4)[12]
(1d8+4)[11]
(1d8+4)[7]

[UserClone]

The arrows pepper the gnoll corpse's head, exploding its brains within its very skull. The end result is a gelatinous mass of putrid flesh that was once its head. Messy, but effective. The creature stirs no more, and you're reasonably sure that it's dead for good.

[Gorgondantess]

Jack makes a disgusted look, and checks to see if any of the brains got on him. He then retrieves any still good arrows, cleans them and puts them away, then goes to get the spent handaxe. With it, he dismembers the gnoll corpse, just in case it rises again... and then does the same to the other corpses. Afterwards, he cleans the axe and sticks it in his belt. He then runs off back the way he came, and lets out a loud whistle, calling his wolf. He then looks around the area for any more equipment or other items, then more importantly, for signs of how this all happened.

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Let's just use the track roll I had earlier. Back to business once all the other threats are neutralized.

[UserClone]

Although your armor gets a bit messy, it's a simple matter to wipe it clean with a bit of clothing from one of the corpses.
Arrows - (1d3)[1](1) arrow is still good enough to shoot, and you collect it. You find no usable equipment beyond the one handaxe. You begin to suspect that the handaxe was left in the gnoll's face as either some sort of honor for the fallen creature or as a warning, because by the tracks, it is clear that there was a struggle between some humanoid creatures, four of them wearing soft animal skin shoes and the rest bearing short claws on their feet. With the gnoll corpse resting here, it's not a great logical leap to assume that gnoll bandits of some kind were behind this attack, and apparently were very effective, as the Bear tribe is not known for weak warriors by any stretch of the imagination. The gnolls' tracks continue on North through the woods. The ground is not terribly hard, and so tracking them down for answers (or revenge) shouldn't be a problem for you.

[Gorgondantess]

Making sure his faithful wolf is at his side, and wiping himself clean of every last bit of brain matter, Jack sprints off on the trail.

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Do I need to make another track check? And if going fast would give any difficulties, I'll slow it down a bit.

[UserClone]

As you come around the hill, which was apparently blocking the smoke, you see a few wisps coming out of a crack in the side of a smaller mountain to the Northwest. However, the tracks you are following lead almost due North. What do you do?

[Gorgondantess]

Jakc keeps on after the tracks, keeping an eye out for any potential predators.

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spot:(1d20+11)[30]
listen:(1d20+11)[13]

[UserClone]

You find just a few sets of sinister-looking eyes that turn out to be hunting cats as you walk stoically along the forest floor. They turn and hide as you approach, apparently wanting nothing to do with either that wolf or that sword.

Following the tracks through the wooded landscape, you see a clearing up ahead. At the heart of the clearing rises a rocky dome covered in dead vines and brush. Toppled statues line a walkway to a wide set of stairs. The steps narrow as they approach a set of double doors guarded by two gnolls in leather, each bearing a battleaxe and a heavy steel shield.

[Gorgondantess]

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Are gnolls always chaotic evil, widely known as evil bandits and raiders who like kicking puppies and generally being nasty, and as such they would attack on sight just because they're that bad? Do I not know much about gnolls? Or are they just hyena men, maybe with a cruel streak? If the 1st, I'll cast guidance and pick one off from a distance with the bow. If one of the latter, my actions will be rather different.

[UserClone]

Gnolls are usually chaotic evil, but there are those that disagree with the majority, as there are in any society. You have no idea which these are, but there is a very, very likely chance that these are nasties. In any case, this is Bear territory and they don't belong. Being an ally of the Bear tribe, it is (technically) your duty to do what you can to drive them out.

[Gorgondantess]

Feeling rather bloodthirsty, and having a less than caring view on the humaoid life other than his own, Jack concentrates for a few seconds... and draws an arrow.

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Keeping at 245 feet (range of composite longbow+far shot+flight arrows), firing a full attack, one on each, after casting guidance
attack 1:(1d20+13)[14]
attack 2:(1d20+7)[25]
Damage: (1d8+3)[4]
(1d8+3)[7]

[UserClone]

The first arrow strikes the door directly between the gnolls; hitting hard, it sticks in, quivering, for the briefest of moments, before the second arrow pelts the rightmost gnoll in the meat of the shoulder.

Panicked, they rush inside the double doors, and you hear the loud slam of the door being barred.

[UserClone]

*ba-bump*...

[Gorgondantess]

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Ish. Sorry. Going on...

Jack sighs, and shakes his head as the gnolls run off. Nothing more here. He goes back, retracing his steps, and heads off after the smoke trail.

[UserClone]

You manage to find the wisps of smoke again, rolling up from a small crack in the side of a rocky hill. Coming around to the front, you manage to find the entrance to a dark, cool cave. The small fire pit and refuse within tell of recent visitors. The cave extends farther into a room beyond your vision.

[Gorgondantess]

Jack peers inside, then trudges over to the room in the back, motioning for his wolf to stay at the entrance.

[UserClone]

The wolf lets out a low growl as it peers inside the cave, and almost follows you in, but aquiesces, lying down at the cave entrance with a quiet, but piercing whine. As you enter, you see that this cave goes pretty deep, at least 20 feet, until it hits what is either a wall, or a steep curve. It's impossible to tell from here. It takes a steady, careful step to avoid trodding upon the many bits of furs, bones, skin, cloth, burned wood, and other, less savory leavings of what you assume must be the gnolls.

[Gorgondantess]

Jack keeps going into the cave, looking for any distinguishing signs.

[UserClone]

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Roll me a spot check or a listen, your choice.

[Gorgondantess]

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listen:(1d20+11)[24]

[UserClone]

You detect a shadow moving among the cracks and grooves in the natural low-hanging cavern ceiling. As your preternatural vision adjusts to the dimness, you can make out as clear as day, mosquitoes as big as birds, several of them, buzzing their wings and crawling upside-down over each other on the ceiling, not twenty feet further into the cave.

[Gorgondantess]

Jack, seeing all the mosquito things, is momentarily stunned... then he backs slowly, ever so slowly, away, back to his wolf, trying not to spook any of them, and thinking... has he seen these before?

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Ok. So...
Animal empathy, trying not to spook:(1d20+3)[5]
and knowledge- what the heck are these? Are they natural beings?
nature:(1d20+8)[15]
Do these things belong in caves? What might have brought them here? Are they aberrations? dungeoneering:(1d20+4)[18]
are these native to the area? geography:(1d20+4)[11]

[UserClone]

You are aware that these are stirges, large mosquito-like creatures the size of a squirrel or small cat, and they eat blood, just like their ordinary-sized cousins. They frequently carry bloodborne diseases, and the place where they pierce your skin becomes a large, angry welt for days, itching and burning like fire. However, the wolf lets out a bark, spooking the stirges, and the four of them simultaneously drop down from the ceiling of the cave and swoop towards him, out for blood.

[Gorgondantess]

****.
Jack stands, puts two fingers in his mouth, and whistles for his wolf. Then, backpedaling, he pulls out an arrow and moves over to the cave mouth. His wolf stands in front of him, ready to attack the 1st stirge to come by, and once one comes within 30' he lets an arrow fly.

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Eesh. Coulda sword I posted. Sorry for taking so long.
Anyhow, attack roll!
(1d20+11)[23]
(1d8+4)[8]
aaaand.... that's a kill. Probably. 4 more though.
EDIT: even if it's not, my favored enemy is magical beast, so that should help- but are stirges magical beasts? No, I'm not going to look them up on the SRD, that would be cheating.