Ruano Hallif's page

Heal check: insufficient to really get much more information from the wounds. However, they do seem to have been made by a combination of both weapons and perhaps claws.

Kn. (nature) check: If those are, in fact, claw marks, it was no natural beast that did this. The first two cows were killed almost instantly, with the third being killed before it could rise and flee.

Survival Check: Without the Track feat, you can't follow them, but it's clear from the markings on the ground here that a shod humanoid was here, and something else bipedal that wore no shoes but instead had clawed feet.

Clawed feet, but walking upright. That's not a beast that Ruano knows of. Gnolls, maybe? But there aren't any of those around here. And whatever it was, it had friends who wore shoes and bore weapons. Why did they leave? If they were seeking food, the wolverine wouldn't have driven away anything that could kill animals this large this quickly. But there's no reason to kill sleeping cattle for sport, either.

Whatever's going on here, Ruano knows he's out of his depth. He and Spot may be able to hunt for their dinner, or drive away the occasional wolf, but armed humanoids, plus whatever their clawed friend was, are not something they can deal with alone.

All he can do for now is let the farmer know what happened. Assuming that Ruano can find him, he'll tell the farmer that some sort of humanoid attacked his cattle, too keep an eye out for anything that comes back, and to get a bull to guard his cows.

Looks like I might get into town a bit sooner than expected. After talking to the farmer, Ruano will resume his journey to town, but at a hustle, rather than a walk. If humanoids are rustling (or just murdering) cattle, the Sandpoint garrison and militia should know about it.

Please make another Heal check, a Survival check, and a Knowledge (nature) check.

Just cows, by the way.

Heal Check: 1d20 + 7 = 3 + 7 = 10

Knowledge(Nature) Check: 1d20 + 7 = 8 + 7 = 15
Survival Check: 1d20 + 9 = 16 + 9 = 25

The wolverine definitely did not do this. Large gashes and raking wounds adorn all the cows. And they were all slaughtered where they sat. They seem to have had no time to react. An enormous quantity of blood has spilled onto the ground around here, and the flies have already massed, so the air is filled with a constant loud buzz.

Ruano thinks. Something much larger than the wolverine did this, and quickly. But whatever it was didn't seem to stick around long. Maybe the wolverine ran it off? They can do that, but something that could kill this quickly shouldn't have had any trouble. Maybe it just killed for sport?

Any way I could get a lead on what did do this? And were any of the cattle bulls and/or steers? Or just cows?

Ruano exhales deeply with relief. Animals, especially upset ones, don't always take well to having their minds influenced, even if it is for their own good. Looks like this one was stuffed full enough that he decided to go home, where it is less crowded. He swipes lightly at his armor, trying to wipe some of the blood off. The scent of blood always draws the wrong sort of attention in the wild. And he doesn't need Spot chewing on his armor all night, either.

The wolverine might have done this, but cows aren't competitors, so there's no reason for it to have attacked and killed all three. It'd have a hard enough time eating one. And why wouldn't the other two have at least run away while one was being mauled?

"What do you think, Spot? Did our new friend do this?"

Time to examine the bodies.

"Hold, girl," Ruano cautions Spot.

He looks the Wolverine in the eye as best he can, and begins to speak in soothing tones. "Calm down, there. Nobody's going to hurt you." He wonders what would make a wolverine attack three beef cattle. Knowledge (Nature) check = 1d20+7 = 5 + 7 = 12.

The soothing voice shifts to Druidic. <Let this beast of the land know that I mean it no harm.>
Casting charm animal at the obvious target.

Dice rolled at the d20Dicebag since I can't find my real dicebag.

Rolls:
Heal 1d20+7=19+7=26
Knowledge (nature) 1d20+7=19+7=26

That sound isn't right. Almost like something is still under (or inside?) the cow and eating its way out. Nothing natural does that. Nothing that large, anyway. "What do you think, Spot? Hey, where'd that human go? Sir? Sir!?"

Ruano sighs. It seems unlikely that he had been led into a trap, but the human had disappeared. Maybe he was just cowardly: a lot of humans seem that way. For now, his problem is dealing with whatever attacked the cattle.

I'm going to resume the 'poke it with a stick' plan.

Dice rolled at the d20Dicebag since I can't find my real dicebag.
Rolls:
Heal 1d20+7=19+7=26
Knowledge (nature) 1d20+7=19+7=26

That sound isn't right. Almost like something is still under (or inside?) the cow and eating its way out. Nothing natural does that. Nothing that large, anyway. "What do you think, Spot? Hey, where'd that human go? Sir? Sir!?"

Damn my curiosity!

Ruano peers into the shade. It's alive, but those sounds aren't right. Getting too much closer might be a bad idea, but it's dark over there.

Ruano retrieves that sling bullet, then pulls a green branch from another pocket, muttering in Druidic. <Light of the sun, embers of fire, empower this humble stone>.

Casting light on the bullet.

He tosses the now-glowing bullet underhand under the tree. It may be dim compared to the sun, but it might help him see.

Anything a Knowledge(Nature) or Survival check will tell me about the noises the cow is making, or a Heal check might tell me about those wounds?

"Looks like I'll have to go take a look. Might be whatever attacked them is still down there." Ruano dismounts, readying his gear. The sling is returned to his pocket, and the bullet to its pouch. His quarterstaff (all 4 feet of it) is unlimbered. "Spot, stay behind me.", he orders, then begins creeping toward the oak.

Ruano is going to walk down as quietly as he can (+2 move silently bonus, if it matters [+3 dex, +2 racial, -3 armor]. Spot has the same bonus, but probably isn't trying to be quiet). If nothing leaps out at him, and none of the cattle appear to be breathing, he's going to prod one of the bodies with his staff.

"I do not know what kind of beast did this," says the farmer, as he leads you a half mile across a nearby field. "I think one of the cows is sick or wounded. It was lying on its side, but still moving and making some kind of noise. And not a normal sound for a cow, neither."

I relax my grip on my sling. It doesn't sound like there's an immediate attack after all. What about the wounded cow? Wounded animals can make all kinds of noises, and if they were attacked, there would certainly be wounds.

Do I see the cattle yet?

I fish my sling out of my pocket and seat a bullet in it. "Show me. What kind of beast?"

Ruano will follow the man back to his farm. His sling is in his right hand, and his left is gripping the saddle horn. He's eager to help, but he's dubious that the man is merely having problems with wolves or some other natural consequence.

Ruano urges Spot into a faster trot to run up to the man. "Sir! What is the matter?"

My character sheet has been linkified.

Hrmm. *checks backstory* I was promoted to full druid at the solstice, so allowing some time to tramp around and find a bit a land to protect...Call it arriving in the general Sandpoint area a month ago. Figure on me having been to town once or twice to sell hides to the tanner and buy supplies. Perhaps I've also been aiding various farmers with their livestock, if I happened by at the right time.

I also think that I won't be arriving until the night before the festival, so I'll stay mum for now.

Patience, tallfolk. All things will come in time.

But I am a little worried at how many of us defined our combat tactics as "stays out of melee." If we all try to stay back and do ranged attacks, that's going to be a pretty sparse front-line. And, though I'd love to make some adjustments to help in that area, my character is unfortunately the one least likely to succeed in that role. ;-)

--Neil

Of course I stay back and use my sling: I'm a halfling! (Though my +1 melee attack is far from the worst in the party.)

My front line contribution consists of Spot and the ability to summon wolves.

Here's Ruano. Pretty much everything is worked out except for gear: I'm at work and using the SRD, so I don't know how much starting gold Druids get.

And I'm probably going to shift some skill ranks into Handle Animal. I just need to figure out from where.