Ears piqued by the shrill squeals that carry through the night, Katherson recognizes the cries of barrow-mawgs... likely a small pack of the ferocious wee bastards. The squeals are still a ways off... but they're drawing closer...
Looking over the rest of the area you don't get any indication it's anything but what it appears on the face of it - a couple of poor wee bairn's who got snagged by a falling tree.
"Blood in the air, they'll be here soon. Anywho, we have a few short minutes. I'll try to patch 'em up, someone maybe gather stuff ta make two litters. They're both yet livin, but they aint walkin nowheres."
Eoghann unrolls his apothecary's kit, tearing some bark off nearby trees and grinding it as fast as he can with mortar and pestle, mixing it with a small amount of the cleanest mud he can find, and slathering it on the wounds before tying up bandages using spare cloth and hide from the lads' apparel. He slathers the salve on liberally and bandages up what he can, trying to stop the most severe bleeding first.
Havar turned to the nearest tree and eyed up two long, mostly straight branches, as thick as his wrist and as long as his axe handle. He stepped forward, setting his feet firmly before swinging with all of his might.
He sheared through the branches with one quick swing a piece, before dropping them on the ground, by the log. "Once the fighting is done we'll fashion something. They should help!"
"Thanks. Ever'one else should prepare for when they come burstin through the trees, and protect these wee ones."
As the group plan, Óengus grabs his canteen and takes a swig;
"Fine kriel eiske..! Just the thing tae loosen the tonsils!"
The thick necked scrapper hands the container and its precious cargo to Eoghann;
"Gie the whelp a nip... Will help tak the edge aff his pain..."
Óengus then turns toward the sounds and grips his heavy mace with a scowl.
Nae time tae feck aboot. Bairns need healing and I need a proper drinking session...
Milo stands just shy of 6' and has a slim build. He moves with a dancer's grace, but has a weariness about him. His cloths look to be good quality, but seem to fit him poorly. You feel that even if they were brand new, and tailored they would still look a little shabby and worn on this man. His dark hair is parted down the middle and slicked back with some sort of pomade that smells faintly like oranges. His thick, dark mustache is waxed at the tips, to give him a walrus-like appearance. It is in his dark grey eyes that some of his true nature can be seen, and there is no doubt in your mind that this man has taken lives in the defense of his master.
Eoghann's swift move to provide assistance proves to be vital, as with gut thread and steady though bloodied hands sew up the worst of the injuries. The mewling of the bairn still awake softens to harsh shallow breathing and the lad nods thanks as he sups and coughs at the Fell Caller's potent brew. The bone grinder is able to stabilize both of the boys for the short to medium term... but the log needs to come off and they needs be back at the kriel to be cared for proper like. Eamon proves a competent enough nurse for the gut-merchant also, holding the torch where he needs for the first aiding to be done.
Milo nudges his master and nods towards the tinker packing his stall.
"Seems Pytre is leaving early. Never know him to leave while money was still on the table. Maybe he knows something we don't. Should we maybe talk to him, lord?"
The stout trollkin looks at the log as the squeals draw closer;
"Need tae get this aff them lads... afore our company arrives eh?"
Óengus moves to a prime spot to attempt a lift, but is looking for support...
Eoghann has done a fine job stabilizing the boys, so he wagers that they're comfortable for the span of minutes it'll take for the mawgs to arrive and be dispatched... but they're stationary targets where they sit at the moment.
Katherson remains hidden and waiting for a shot.
Can't save them if we're dead.
Sebastian considers the unusual sight and agrees with Milo, "Yes, I wonder if he has heard some kind of gossip that is getting him to leave early?"
Bastian walks up to the stall and speaks to the packing tinker "Pytre! Are you leaving so soon? Is it some kind of emergency? If so, perhaps we could be of help?"
While his employer speaks to the merchant, Milo keeps a watch on the rest of the market.
"They're fine now if we keep tha mawgs off. If yer worried about us handlin the mawgs, these bairns are dead anyway."
Eoghann, when done with treating the bairns, rolls his kit up and draws his greatsword, heaving it up to his shoulder, leaving a hand free for callin' up the spirits.
The scrapper grins and nods as his labour is no longer required;
"Nae bother. Let's get crackin' then lads!"
He hefts his mace and readies himself for the beasties...
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Katherson, lying on the ground with his eye down the scope, grins.
"Try not to stand between me and them, or if you do tuck it in."
Trollkin Mob:
Setting themselves up for the oncoming chittering storm the trollkin take stock. Katherson is the first to spot them looming through the shadowy flickering at the extent of the light offered by the meager torchlight held by the bairn.
Oengus:
Eoghann:
Havar:
Mawgs 1:
Mawgs 2:
Action Tracker (Round 1): Katherson, Havar, Mawgs, Oengus, Eoghann
A knot of the filthy looking buggers leers red eyed and toothy through the dim light as they breach the clearing. You're between them and the bairns, so you've a fair reckoning that they'll come at you if you wait for it... plus that'll put them coming into your light rather than you chasing away from your own.
Round Surprise
Katherson takes full advantage of his position and fires on the mawgs.
Round 1
The pyg grins as he sends 4 quick shots into the mawgs.
"Yer up boys."
Quick Action: Marked for Death on a mawg (see spoiler) preferably an undamaged mawg.
Quick Action: Spirit Lash (see spoiler) on the same Mawg i targeted
Spirit Lash:
COST 2, RNG 10, AOE -, POW 10, UP NO, OFF YES.
A character damaged by Spirit Lash cannot run, charge, or be placed for one round.
Marked for Death:
COST 2, RNG 8, AOE -, POW -, UP YES, OFF YES.
Target enemy suffers –2 DEF, loses incorporeal and stealth, and cannot gain those abilities while affected by Marked for Death. Friendly characters ignore LOS when targeting an affected character.
Movement: move to best spot i can reckon, to protect bairns (allowing me to AoO any mawgs approaching)
vs DC 12
Havar stepped forward, putting him closer to the creatures and set himself, preparing to take the attacks he knew were coming. He set himself so that he would have as much reach as he possibly could and threaten as much of an area as he could.
:
Distracted by their pyg ally's sharp shooting Óengus only focusses on the task at hand when the mawg's arrive en-masse;
"Ho-Ho! Wee man cracks aff mair shots than a Llaelish rake in a knockin' shoppe!"
The sharp-eyed pyg in waiting is the first to spot the accumulated barrow-critters, squeezing off a fusillade of shots in quick succession that blast through their packed numbers. While he hears a faint disapproving frowning echo at perhaps his profligacy with black powder... one can hardly question his effectiveness.
Havar repositions himself at the fore of the group, and the mawgs don't disappoint his expectations - swarming forward to engage both himself and the other trollkin of the clearing.
Like a filthy tide they swarm across the ground with teeth exposed....
Mawg Bite @ Havar: for damage
Mawg Bite @ Havar: for damage
Mawg Bite @ Oengus: for damage
Mawg Bite @ Eoghann: for damage
...all of the trollkin suffering bites ranging from scratches to deep gouges as they do so...
Action Tracker (Round 1): Katherson, Havar, Mawgs, Oengus, Eoghann
Action Tracker (Round 2): ???
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The first Mawg scratched harmlessly off of the large Trollkins armour and he grinned down at it viciously, before the second attacked, scratching him slightly across the back of the hand.
"AH! F!$~ yah. That hurt ya wee bollox!"
Round 1
The Mawg attacking the blocky scrapper manages to penetrate his armour with its needle teeth, sinking them into his thick neck;
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: :
Round 1 Redacted
The Mawg attacking the blocky scrapper manages to penetrate his armour with its needle teeth, sinking them into his thick neck;
As the creatures gnawing draws blood aplenty, the fell-scrapper roars in anger and pain, before bringing his mace to bear on the hungry pest;
"ARGGGGH! YA DURTY WEE BAW BAG! BITE THIS YE SCURVY SH1TE!"
:
:
Oengus lashes out with his bludgeon and does a fair effort of liquefying the skull of one of the bitey buggers.
Eoghann calls upon the gifts he bears and both marks a mawg for retribution, then follows through with a searing incantation that bursts through the beast's defenses and leaves it out of the fight. He staggers slightly at the exertion though as fatigue washes over his form.
With only four mawgs left in the clearing a sense of ease begins to descend... before it is lifted as a second group of the chittering horrors arrives upon the clearing's flank - nearer to where the bairns lie at rest. Yips fill the air as the situation is flung back into a balance.
Action Tracker (Round 2): Flank Mawgs (4), Katherson, Havar, Fore Mawgs (4), Oengus, Eoghann
Havar belows a loud challenge, before laying about him with his Greataxe, lashing out at the Mawg that damaged him first.
As his axe slams in to the Mawg, he grins viciously, before using the momentum of his swing, and sending the wicked, razor sharp edge, flying towards the other enemy.
Round 2
The pyg swings his rifle around to the new threat, looking to get a few shots in before his burly companions block his fire.
Katherson lets off a couple more blasts towards the newer knot of mawgs and manages to score one through the eye... unfortunately his second shot is less successful, burying itself in the turf immediately in front of his target.
Havar has similar luck as well, his axe bisecting one unlucky mawg before his second target flattens against the ground and has the axe pass but inches above it's filthy hide.
With ear-piercing squeal and susurrant chitter the three mawgs already engaged in combat continue their biting assault, splitting out against the presented foes...
Mawg Bite @ Havar: for
Mawg Bite @ Oengus: for
Mawg Bite @ Eoghann: for
Action Tracker (Round 2): Flank Mawgs (3), Katherson, Havar, Fore Mawgs (3), Oengus, Eoghann
Action Tracker (Round 2): Flank Mawgs (3)
Maintenance
Lose Fatigue = ARC (fatigue now 0 of 4)
Control
Pay 1 fatigue to upkeep spell: Marked for Death
Activation
Attack Action
Quick Action
Cast Spirit Lash on a Mawg. If the one on me is alive, I'd like to Lash him in place and step back with a move action.
Spirit Lash:
COST 2, RNG 10, AOE -, POW 10, UP NO, OFF YES.
A character damaged by Spirit Lash cannot run, charge, or be placed for one round.
Marked for Death:
COST 2, RNG 8, AOE -, POW -, UP YES, OFF YES.
Target enemy suffers –2 DEF, loses incorporeal and stealth, and cannot gain those abilities while affected by Marked for Death. Friendly characters ignore LOS when targeting an affected character.
Round 2
Óengus again is gnashed by one of the brazen vermin, its teeth finding a vein as he bleeds more profusely;
"Arrrghhh! Mither Gairm's son is tougher than that ye wee vermin!"
The trollkin rallies and with renewed vigour he lashes out at the bloody toothled beastie;
:
:
Oengus crushes another of the wee beasties as his kinsman Eoghann unlimbers his own weapon with effect. The bone grinder's follow up magical assault is less successful though - leaving a single remaining foe of those that first emerged.
However the mawgs on the flank surge forward towards the wee bairn holding the torch and set upon him with soon bloodied teeth. The small one puts up a decent defense with swinging torch... but goes down under the assault. He's bloody and breathing... but unless the wee beasts are ended he might not keep breath much longer. The dropped torch sputters and flares alternately in the grass covering the clearing.
Action Tracker (Round 3): Flank Mawgs (3), Katherson, Havar, Fore Mawgs (1), Oengus, Eoghann
Round 3
Katherson's grin becomes a grimace as the torch holder is gutted, then takes aim by the guttering light at the gruesomely gory gibbering mawg.
Havar recoils from the Mawg and spits down at the creature, before howling and turning, moving away from the beast, exposing his back to the little wretches assault.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, feeling a fresh, hot cascade of blood, covering his heels and flowing in to his boot for a moment, Havar stumbles forward, in to reach of two of the Mawgs assaulting the bairn.
He grits his teeth as he swings his weapon hard, aiming to cut the beast in half, and use his momentum to smash the next.
Katherson measures the targets on the field and realizes that if he but a bullet through the last mawg from the first group, he'd be capable of freeing Havar to aid the bairns. He does just that clinically with his first shot, before managing a lucky shot on the second group of hairy beasts. A ricochet that keeps enough of it's power to plough through the target's underbelly.
Havar takes advantage of his freedom to move over and summarily end the last of the chittering beasts with a single heavy crossswing of his blade. The field grows quiet, with just the hacking bloody coughs of the mawg-savaged lad sounding out.
Katherson blows the black powder smoke from the air as he stands and cautiously advances to the clearing.
"Should've spotted that flanking group, might have cost us a little one."
With a huff, Eoghann sets to fixing up the fresh wounds on the bairn.
As Eoghann moves over he finds that Eamon has sat himself up, grimacing and looking slightly embarrassed at being taken down by a few mawgs... yet the resilience of trollkin proving that he while he'll have a few scars to show off to the girls... he's not permanently injured. The other two wee ones trapped under the log have been ignorant of the carnage, and still sleep with shallow drawn breath.
Havar listened to the night around them as it quieted, listening for the sound of any approaching danger.
"Best we move this log and get back. I wouldn't mind staying out here for the night but the wee bairn should be abed!"
Havar waited till Oengus or Eoghan began to lift, before putting his back in to it, heaving with all of his might.