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Hearing the menacing sounds from the mouth of the cave, but not seeing a target, Damen readies his bow.
Suddenly there is a streak of movement and 4 wolves run from the cave, snarling and snapping at the intruders.
One wold moves against Damen, but the warrior releases his readied arrow before the beast reaches him.
Damen Attack-ranged:
Damage:
Wolf melee attack on Damen:
Damage:
The arrow strikes the wolf, and knocks it just slightly off its choosen mark, missing the ranger by a hair's breath.
The second wolf charges Kent, and attempts to bite and trip the wizard.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
The wolf bites down hard on the wizard's arm, pulling the man to the ground.
The final wolf shoots out of the cave and attempts to latch onto Svetlana.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
It stumbles as it exits the cave mouth, giving the priestess time to dodge the attack.
The final wolf makes a straight line to Rangnar.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
It grabs the monk by his leg, inflicting a nasty bite, but also knocking him to the ground.
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Watching intently as the wolves dart from their shelter in the cave and attack your friends, Brigid suddenly hears a growling laugh coming from behind her.
Whirling about she spots the great bulk of a Warg.
"My master has told me I can eat you as long as I do not harm his property!", the creature growls as it launches itself at you
Attack-melee:
Damage:
Svetlana jumped back in surprise as the wolves darted out of the cave, and Calistria blessed her priestess by the act putting just enough room between her and a wolves' teeth. Stepping back a pace, Svetlana drew upon her goddess' power twice. With a quick incantation and spinning flourish, the priestess warped the mind of any attempting to attack her. For the second she simply tossed her hair in a dismissive fashion and springing to illusory life next to her was an exact double of the priestess.
Bölvaður úlfurinn, Brigid thought bitterly as the sudden appearance of the talking wolf took a bite out of her flank. It was strange hearing it talk, and had it not attacked immediately she might have marveled at the words it spoke or questioned what property it might have been talking about. But with her life in danger and that of her companions, she responds immediately.
Kent casts haste on himself and all the other PC's
I will begin giving my best advice on how to fight on your back, granting my teammates +2 to attacks and damage. I will also focus my ki into my reflexes increasing my potential to dodge. Lastly following my advice on how to best fight on my back I stand up.
To everyone, in a loud, somewhat strained voice. The best advice I was ever given on how to fight a standing opponent form the ground, was to stand up, or kick him in the bullocks.
With the wolves having closed the distance, Damen leapt back, dropping his bow, and called out "Zasha! Defend Kent!" A moment later he lunged forward, and in a single movement drew his morningstar and lashed out at the nearest wolf.
Zasha growls and lashes out at the wolf attacking Kent.
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The wolves seem to be normal, just very large and strong, an indication that this pack is doing very well!
The wolf Damen attacks goes down in a flurry of legs and teeth as Zasha pulls it to the ground. Wounded, it is still fighting.
The other wolves attack their designated fores.
Wolf on Kent:
Damage:
Wolf on Rangnar:
Damage:
Wolf on Svetlana:
Damage:
Wolf on Zasha:
Damage:
Up on the edge of the cleft, the giant warg rushes Brigid, biting and trying to knock her down.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
Seeing multiple party members hurt, Svetlana called forth the passions of her goddess to sooth their wounds, sending waves of emotion over all. Afterward, she back-peddled from the wolf attacking her, forcing it to allow attacks from others should it follow.
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Will save:
As for the trip rolls...it is not a roll, as long as the 'to hit' is high enough to beat their CMD then they are tripped.
Trip
You can attempt to trip your opponent in place of a melee attack. You can only trip an opponent who is no more than one size category larger than you. If you do not have the Improved Trip feat, or a similar ability, initiating a trip provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.
If your attack exceeds the target's CMD, the target is knocked prone. If your attack fails by 10 or more, you are knocked prone instead. If the target has more than two legs, add +2 to the DC of the combat maneuver attack roll for each additional leg it has. Some creatures—such as oozes, creatures without legs, and flying creatures—cannot be tripped.
Trip (Ex) A creature with the trip special attack can attempt to trip its opponent as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity if it hits with the specified attack. If the attempt fails, the creature is not tripped in return.Format: trip (bite); Location: individual attacks.
Brigid fought off a surge of panic as the talking wolf deftly takes her off her feet with a bite that draws further blood. She clutches her bow tightly as she rolls back up, the action slowing down the number of arrows she could put into it. She draws and fires one shaft at point blank range.
Cast snowball on the most wounded wolf
dc 20 for save or be staggered
Continuing my constant stream of advice I will place a precise blow on the wolfs muzzle Followed by a vicious kick at its side.
stunning fist DC 16
I will then shift closer to the next closest wolf, staying in base contact with my current target.
Damen took a moment to glance over the battlefield. Zasha had one of the wolves well in... paw, and Rangnar seemed to have another under control, but there were others still in the fight. Bypassing the wolf Zasha was fighting, the ranger moved to strike at the wolf threatening Svetlana.
Zasha, meanwhile, continued her fight with the other wolf.
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The wolves surge forward, two of them overcoming Kent and Rangnar's defenses. The beasts tear and rip at the poor men; Rangnar is able to get an arm around his murderer and they both die entwined together. As for the beast that ravaged Kent, it and the wizard both went up in a ball of flame that burned strong for a few seconds, then withered to nothing more than a few flames on the skeletal remains of the two combatants.
The great warg battling Brigid gives a howl as he sees the tide turning for his pack and attempts to disengage from the adventurers, but not without a final parting blow from the party.
Brigid lets loose a fierce battle cry as she sees two of her companions fall. Her face is a mask of northern fury as she sends two arrows after the fleeing warg.
The ranger set aside for the moment the sight of his friends falling, focused entirely on making certain that another did not. "Die, damn you, die!" he yelled as he lashed out at the wolf.
Svetlana dodged the wolf's snapping jaws again as Damen crashed into the creature, but the priestess' focus bore costs. As she looked up again from the immediate threat, a wordless scream formed in her mouth as Rangnar and Kent were overwhelmed by their foes. Emotion overwhelmed thought as she realized her goddess' healing gifts would come to late.
Rage lit up in Svetlana's eyes in a way the her companions had not seen. Instead of dodging the wolf, she dove on it with a feral growl best expressing the vengeful hate she felt inside. Pummeling the wolf with her fists, she shot her emotions into the creature, seeking to overwhelm it with the anguish she herself felt at the time.
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As Damen and Svetlana wrestle with the two remaining wolves down below, above on the canyon's rim a howl of such pain and anger and loss can be heard. The wolves immediately back away for the adventurers, though one is bleeding heavily and the other seems dazed. Even Zasha stops her attacks and lifts her head, cocked to one side as if listening.
Above, Brigid sees her arrows drop the massive warg. She runs to where the great beast now lies, still thrashing weakly, trying to stand.
In a low, growling voice, she can hear the creature speak.
"You may have killed this body, but no one can stop the North Wind. Enjoy your reprieve, for my master still hunts you, and he will....."
A wave of pain cuts the monsters words off. With a final shudder, the beast lies still.
In the canyon, the two remaining wolves lay down, showing their necks in defeat. Zasha walks to each and nips them on the neck, and with a low growl sends them back into the caves where they came from.
Svetlana initially kept beating on the dazed wolf with her fists, a primal look in her eyes. The sound of the warg's dying words brought her head up sharply, giving the dazed wolf a chance to back away. The priestess then sprinted headlong towards the warg's body as the last of the creature's life left it. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, YOU PATHETHIC WRTECH!! FIGHT US NOW, NORTH WIND, IF YOU HAVE AN ONCE OF COURAGE LEFT IN YOUR MISERABLE SOUL! Svetlana's screams could be heard some distance off, and upon reaching the warg's body began kicking it repeatedly. The screaming continued, directed vaguely at the warg and its master, but degenerated into a litany of obscenities and epitaphs rather than coherent statements. Pure rage held her for almost a minute before fatigue took over and, breathing heavily, she simply stared icy daggers into the fallen beast.
After another minute, sadness and defeat written in bold across her face, Svetlana trudged over to Rangnar's body and Kent's charred bones. For several moments she said nothing, but the regret and pain were palpable. Finally she burst into wailing, tearful sobs as she fell to her knees and put her head down on Rangnar's chest. I failed you...I...failed you...I'm...I'm...so...sorry! The words were barely audible between the sobs. After some time, the sobbing stopped and Svetlana lifted herself back up to her knees, a glazed look in her deep blue eyes. Now red-rimmed and swollen, these same eyes glanced at Brigid and Damen. Will...will you help me bury them? We did not know Rangnar long, and Kent was a right sh!t at times, but they deserved more than this.
By the mouth of the cave, a long abandoned shovel with a broken handle sat unused, likely left long ago by some unnamed mining prospector. Svetlana slowly rose to grab it, now with a numbed expression. But her countenance quickly filled with purpose; the priestess shoveled tirelessly to dig two graves for her fallen companions, working with the ranger and archer if they were so inclined. After the remains were interred, Svetlana proceeded into an elaborate, extemporaneous burial ceremony in the Calistrian fashion. Svetlana's prior lack of interest in such an action following other deaths the group had seen did not seem to phase her in the slightest. The words she spoke were of the dedication and passion for life the two had possessed, as well as more than a few declarations of vengeance against the North Wind.
Once the burial ritual was complete, Svetlana recovered her horse and gear; a grim, focused look evident about her. Addressing her remaining companions, she stated [b]I believe we need to return to Olegston and reconstitute. At present we lack the numbers and skill sets needed to bring proper retribution to this North Wind. She nearly spat the last words in a snarl. Shall we ride or is there other business to attend to first?
Brigid lets out one last, final anguished scream at the dead warg. She steps back to let Svetlana vent her own rage and watches silently. Her face is strained with grief and fury as she moves slowly, drunkenly, to where Kent and Rangnar lay.
She wordlessly helps in the digging of the graves for their two fallen companions. She makes sure they are deep enough that scavengers will not be able to reach their bodies, and when she is not digging herself she scours the valley for stones to lay over the mounds.
When Kent Unsaid and Rangnar Blowsard are laid to rest, she begins singing a mournful dirge in her Issian tongue.
His normally-expressive face a mask, Damen nods at Svetlana's request. He helps dig, Zasha alertly stalking the perimeter. He had little to say, remaining silent during the burial and the impromptu rites and Brigid's dirge.
He only breaks his silence at Svetlana's final question, looking darkly at the fresh graves. "No," he said simply. "Nothing."
Brigid stands over the graves for a while longer. She draws the dagger with the heatless flame that Kent had given her when they made amends. She had half expected it to be out, its flame extinguished along with the wizard's life. But it burned on, casting a ruddy glow on her face while she studied it.
Then she extends her arm and draws the blade across her palm. She lets several drops of blood fall upon the cairn, then sheathes the dagger.
Brigid returns to her horse and prepared to leave with Damen and Svetlana. "Ve ride," she agrees.
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The return to Olegston is a mocking reversal of your trip to this place. The weather warms and the clouds that had plagues the party most of their way down here, scuttle away, letting in the warm sunlight. In what seems to be only a fraction of the time it should have taken to get back, you crest a hill and see the settlement laid out before you. A warm sun shines down on the people of Olegston. A wooden palisade can be seen starting on the eastern side of the village, as well as a few new buildings in the town proper. While only a few weeks has gone by since you left, it seems to you as if the town has visibility grown.
Weary from your long ride, you head back to your quarters at the old trader's fort, now used as a garrison barracks. Slowly riding through the town you realize that you do not recognize even half the faces that look up at you. It is not until you get to the old fort that a familiar face greets you.
Walking out of the main gate Father Jhod smiles at the group and seems on the verge of saying something, when he notices there are only 3 of you. His smile turns into a sad grimace as he waits for you to dismount.
"Kent and Rangnar.....are they....?"
He cannot seem to bring himself to finish the sentence as he watches the parties reactions.
Svetlana began the trip back to Olegston in the grim, dark mood that she held as the trio finished the burial ceremonies. Over the trip though, her demeanor slowly brightened with the weather. Whether this was aided by the lack of discussion regarding Kent or Rangnar, or perhaps especially North Wind, was anyone's guess. The rising temperatures and abundant sunshine brought out her flirtatious, teasing side, as she shed unnecessary clothing and in turns made jokes and conversation about past adventurers and lands they passed. By the time the group rode into Olegston, the priestess seemed her usual self.
In her revealing, gauzy yellow dress with Calistrian whip by her side, Svetlana caught a number of interesting glances from the men she passed by, a number she returned with a wink. Leaning over to Brigid she giggled, did you see THAT one? Oh my, it does appear we've been gone too long. I just must get to know a few of these fine specimens, yes?
As the three rode up to Father Jhod's position, Svetlana acknowledged their companions deaths. Greetings to you, Jhod. Sadly yes, both Kent and Rangnar perished attempting to tame this land. We have mourned their passing, felt the pain of the loss and will move ahead. Some foul being calling itself the "North Wind" is to blame, and we will see that it is unmercifully crushed. Svetlana started speaking in her typical light, sultry tone, but this changed to one with substantially greater determination and angry undertones as she discussed North Wind. We have returned here to re-provision, and perhaps also see if this growing community has within it any able-bodied people willing to join our endeavor. Have you possibly heard of any such individuals?
Brigid rides stoically, silently. She would mourn for the ride back, then celebrate his life and glorious death in battle.
When they reached Olegston, she remained straight-backed in the saddle and did not turn to look at the men Svetlana kept pointing out. However, she pulled the stag's helm from her head and pulled out her thick braid, letting her brilliant red hair free in the wind.
She let Svetlana speak to Jhod as she dismounted and led Zelter off to the stables. She left her horse in Alice the stable girl's care, and returned to find Oleg and 'Lana, assuming they have heard the news by now. "I vish to have a dauða hátíð for Kent and Rangnar. Ve should feast, drink, and tell stories of their battles."
She asks for a roaring fire to be built and copious amount of roasted meat and ale provided. Throughout the night all who knew the fallen are invited to eat, drink and tell stories of their deeds, singing songs to accompany their spirits as they meet the Patient Lady.
Damen was torn at Brigid's suggestion of the strange festival, when he heard of it. For the Medvyed, at least, funerals were somber things. No smiling. No rejoicing. No feasting. They would endure the weight. They would overcome. They would prosper. But they would not celebrate hardship and loss. As a child of irrepressible wanderlust and energy, it had been a burden on him to even pretend to feel that way. As an adult, as someone whose friends were those lying dead, he better grasped why such an affair would rightly be a black one.
He looked at his wolf companion, who returned the look. She knew of loss, too, in whatever way wolves dealt with it. Did she mourn? Did she miss her pack, her cubs? He shook his head, and his gaze fell on Svetlana. She mourned, in her tempestuous Calistrian way. The same as she did everything. The ranger could not help but wonder if all Orlovskys shared that trait.
At last his eyes turned to Brigid. What was her family name? He couldn't remember. She was just "Brigid", a force of nature. A glacier, maybe. He couldn't tell if she did anything but mourn, somewhere deep in her heart. So it was odd to hear her, of all people, propose revelry.
His instinct was to turn away and nurse the hurt and be somber and endure. Alone, if necessary. But what if she died tomorrow? What if Svetlana did? It seemed important to be with them. And more important to be with the people of the town, which had grown such that he no longer knew everyone by sight.
When next he saw the archeress, he nodded. "A nice idea, your festival," he said curtly.