Anya looked at the weapons some longer. "If we keep them, we need to alter them as soon as we can. That crest needs to come off, or they'll be a liability almost beyond words. Imagine what the people would say, if we walzed back into camp with his weapons and no sign of him."
With their path determined, the group packed up camp and headed deeper into the forest. Their trail took them past the area the Kobold had described as his lair, and the group took extra time to traverse this and not give away their position.
Another night of camping in hostile territory had them all on edge, but thankfully nothing came of it that evening. They could hear the noise of drums thoughut the evening though, as the Kobolds apparently held some form of ceremony.
A cold breakfast and a rapid repack had them out of the kobold demesne and into more wild woodloands. To Lev's relief, the fey hadn't bothered them at all since leaving Garess' gear at their previous camp. Whether this was a good sign or not was anyones guess.
Carefull scouting an mapping of the area they now found themsleves in proved effective. At midday, Arianna's keen eyes picked out ancient stonework from out of the surrounding forest. Great trees grew up in an almost dense ring around a small stone archway leaning over an ancient path. Ahead, the brambles and trees give way to a rough clearing, now mostly overgrown with weeds and wildfowers. Around the perimiter of this area, old stone pillars stand as mute guardians before a large pool of water.
Beyond the pool, an entrance has been carved into the stone of a small rocky rise, symbols of the elk and the bow still clearly visiible around the frame of the doorway. It would seem the group had found the temple of the elk.
As they near the area where the temple waits, Lev slows and turns his attention to the sounds of the forest as he watches the entrance, all senses alert for trouble.
With her bow out and an arrow knocked, Arianna will make her way around the side of the pool. Caustiously, with her eyes peeled and her ears pricked, she looks and listens for signs of trouble.
Perception check:
Lev stands alert, listening for signs of trouble in the forest around him. The clearing and old ruins hold their secrets tight though, and the big hunter cannot find anything at fault.
Arianna meanwhile, moved cautiously into the clearing ahead. As she skirted the outer rim of the long water pool, her noes wrinkled in distaste at the smell and appearence of the rancid water contained within. Her keen eyes also picked out paw prints scattered around the mud and scree of the clearing. She suspected they were bear prints, but without specific skill in such woodscraft she wasn't sure.
From this point, she could more clearly see the cave entrance ahead. A rough set of stairs lead up from ground level into the cavern beyond. No light penetrated the depths of that great hole, but for a moment the young rogue smelt a rancid odour waft through the air. On the stone steps themselves, the white gleam of old bone showed through a scattering of dead leaves.
Anya approached the mouth of the cave cautiously. "Does not look like any deadeye temple I ever saw. We best be careful, who knows what has defiled it." Her hair was on edge as she mentally recounted the tales of the Mother of Monsters and her battles against the gods decent folk worshipped.
She put her hand together to form the sign of the antlers for a moment - superstition, but best to be careful. "Lev, are we alone here? Last time, we had an unpleasant visit."
Lev moves up beside Anya, eyes shifting from place to place to take in the scene.
"All is quiet, for now. We have to expect that something has taken this place for a den, however." He speaks softly as he reaches over his shoulder and pulls his sword free from its baldric.
"The big bear we killed maybe? Can you tell from its tracks?" Alandra says coming up behind them.
Alannah scanned the area, bow in hand, Garess's sword strapped across her back.
Lev kneels to examine the ground near the opening of the shrine, looking for tracks to suggest what might be using the old temple as a den.
As Lev checks the tracks she had found to determine what type of animal had denned up here the young rogue will step back into the tree line, in a spot where she can keep an eye on both Lev and the opening to the cavern, and blend into the forest.
Stealth check:
As quiet as the whispered conversation had been, a rumbled response comes from the darkened cave ahead of the group. The sound was like distant thunder, echoing out from the cavern with increasing volume, and rolling across the clearing.
Deep within, a great shadowy form stirred, lifting up from teh shadows like some great beast from the depths of the Northern Lakes. The rumble quickly grew to a roar, shaking the very stone of the arched entrance way as it was amplified by the cave itself.
Bursting forth into the dappled light was another great bear. Lev stood from staring at the tracks, realsing that he no longer needed to tell teh group what he knew, for they could see the creature tehmselves. This one stood half again as tall as the previous one, though it seemed dazzled momentarily by the light. The fur on its body seemed mangy and hung in strips around the shoulders, as if the creature had only half completed some form of strange moulting process.
The stench that assailed the group was almost overpowering, more akin to that of the foetid homless humans comon in Restov at the moment, rather than the must scent of some wild creature. Bloodshot eyes turned to reguard the group that had invaded the clearing, and again the creature roared, great ropes of saliva flying from the edges of its mout in its anger.
Initiative:
Arianna tries to blend further with the surrounding forest,
Stealth check:
Waiting for the creature to get within range.
Attack (short bow):
Lev looks up at the bear and sighs. "Another mighty beast that must be slain."
He reaches for his bow and slides an arrow into place, quickly aiming and loosing in a single smooth motion.
As the creature roars the sond coming from Alannah is almost a growl as her face takes on an intense focus, her body whipping into action to send an arrow streaking towards the beast.
Her face is resolute yet seemingly absent a bit of its color, her eyes searching the beast for weaknesses.
Initiative
Alandra riases her holy symbol again.
"Tremble at the power of Pharasma you big bear!" she shrieks.
Anya ducked low as she could, and darted forward, not wishing to shoot any arrows at the mangy beast. The last confrontation with such a beast had left a sting of shame in her, and she was determined to pull it out this time, with all the more competence. "We'll pincer it. Lev, do you think you can try and lure it to the center? We don't have any good polearms, so we need to hit its vitals."
Bowstrings hum as the group unleashes an initial salvo at the great beast. Both Lev and Alannah score hits, their arrows sinking through the hide of the animal and bringing about a cascade of blood down its front shoulders.
In response, the creature roars in pain, its eyes narrowing in a strangely human way as its great claws gouge into the moss covered rocks below its feet. The enraged creature is clearly ready to rush forwards an attack.
Alannah buries another arrow in the bear, her focus on the animal's movements, taking in its surroundings and the obstacles it would have to navigate to get to her.
Alannah's bow again hums a deadly tune as it lets forth another arrow. The bear roars in pain, rushing down and around the stairs to close with its tormentors as quickly as possible. Huge feet scrabble at the ground as its claws struggle to grip on the moss and loose scree. However, the ground doesn't prove difficult enough to stop the beast, and Lev finds himself looking up into the angry eyes and snarling mouth of an enraged bear for the second time in two days.
Arianna will fire her bow once more before scurrying behind the rock at S-32, placing the comforting bulk of the huge stone between herself and the bear.
Attack roll:
Damage (if applicable):
Alandra raises her holy symbol again and screeches.
Lev quickly drops his bow and reaches back to draw his greatsword from his baldric, completing the motion with a downward swing at the bear's side.
Unable to see past the bear's tremendous form, Lev simply raises his voice in a shout. "It's where you wanted it, Anya! Hurry with your plan!" He takes a small step back.
Arianna's bowshot again flies wide, skipping from the column near the bear as it rushes down the steps. The young rogue curses her luck, even as she watches the bear get closer with some nervousness.
Lev tries to hit the creature as well, but pressure of the close range and his desperation to switch out weapons means his sword blow sails past the cretures abdomen as it rears up to attack.
Meanwhile, Alandra chants to her goddess, finally screaming out a placitude which brings forth some comfort and skill to her companions.
Attack:
Confirm:
Damage:
Critical Damage (if confirmed):
Anya dashed behind the bear, using its savage assault and the resident distraction to sink her larger blade into the back of the beast, intent on injuring its spine. The beast was howling in pain, though she knew she had missed the absolutely vital spot. She yanked back the blade brutally, and brought back some distance.
Still, her reckless assault had had some result, which was some consiliation for her humiliatinly bad performance during the last battle.
Anya dashes in and strikes a solid blow at the bear, drawing more blood in the heavily wounded creature. As good as her attack was, she couldn't quite press through to the vitals on the thing. She was momentarily dazzled as Elsbeth released anotehr of her force bolts at teh creture, the magical bolt sizzling into its flesh and causing it roar in pain yet again. The creature was bleeding frrly from many wounds now, yet still stood ready to maul those who would tresspass upon its domain.
Ok, Group 1 to post agian - Alannah and Arianna. Remember its in combat now, though given its size and Anya's position I'm going to drop the penalty for shooting into combat down to -2 instead of -4. Cheers[/ooc]
Round #2
Arianna will tumble up to the beast (Square T-34) and pull her short swords and attack.
Acrobatics check:
Attack #1:
Damage:
Sneak Attack damage:
Attack #2:
As the bear roars in blind rage,Alannah times her next shot, releasing the bowstring in between breaths as she watches the arrow find its home.
Confirmation
Arriana's blade bit deeply into the side of the bear as she used Anya's distracting presence to full effect. The creature roared, raising its head to do so, which left Alannah with a clear shot into its throat. The thump of the arrrow was followed by a spray of crimson blood as the shot severed both artery and wind pipe in a gory mess.
Eyes bulging, the bear lost all energy in its lower legs, buckling before the group and thudding heavily into the ground in a wet spray of blood and water covered moss. The front paws grasped at its throat in an almost human way, and before their eyes, the bear began to transform.
Great gouts of steam rose from the body, as if the heat of decay was being released all at once. Skin furrowed then sloughed off, great hunks of it striking the ground only to rot and writhe away to nothing but gases as it did so. Fur and teeth fell from the face of the creature until only the form of an ancient human male lay sprawled on the ground. Then he too began to rot, the eyes sinking into the skull and the abodomen swelling to rupture before all the meat fell from the bones. They too were not spared the process however, their red gore drying and flaking away, the bones whitening with age in mere seconds before crumbling to a fine white powder on the ground.
As the last process of decay occurred, a whispered sigh of relief seemed to drift across the clearing. With a startled cry, both Alandra and Elsbeth who were standing next to the pond, shifted away in surprise as the murky and fouled waters suddenly cleared. All of the group seem to hear a long note, as if a hunting horn had been sounded, and for the briefest moment the carvings on the wall lintle seem to shift, taking on a less aggressive stance and becomeing a scene from some long ago hunt.
It would seem that by destroying the bear, the place had been reconsecrated.
Anya made the sign of the antlers as she noticed the clearing of the water, and as the single horn-call sounded, she bowed down. This miracle, unnerving as it might have been, brought home the presence and proximity of the gods more than any sermon could have. Old Deadeye was watching them, and whatever this man had done to be punished by turning into a bear, he had paid that price now, as his last moments had been human.
She looked towards their priestess, Alandra, for some appropriate words to say at such an occasion, because for once, she felt at a loss for any that were really appropriate to the event.
Startled at the sudden transformation in the bear and the region, Lev lowers his blade and lets out a long breath.
"Well done, friends," he says at last. "I was fully expecting to be drawn into the creature's arms."
Putting away his greatsword, Lev steps forward and picks up his bow as well before kneeling where the creature had fallen into dust, searching the area for any other clue as to who or what he had been.
Lev's quick search reveals nothing about the cursed man. Whatever he had done in his life before being a bear, the answers would not be found here.
Around the group, the sounds of the woodlands began to become more alive, with birdlife returning to full volume and the sounds of small mammals and reptiles moving through the underbrush
Arianna will cautiously enter the cavern part of the temple and look around.
Stealth check:
Perception check:
Alannah strides over to the dessicated corpse, retrieving the arrow that struck the finishing blow. Reverently she walks over to the newly fresh pool, dipping the arrowhead into the water before lifting it to her lips in an almost sacred kiss then touching it to her forehead, a silent "thank you" and salute to Erastil.
Lev follows lightly after Arianna, keeping a careful watch on the area around him, his bow at the ready for more trouble.
Anya left the temple, still breathing a little more freely and deeply than usual. The manifest miracle she had witnessed had somehow restored her flagging confidence and good spirits. "We should head back to Oleg's. Maybe visit the kobolds first, but not tarry overlong. The priest is anxiously waiting for our success, after all - and I'm not sure that leaving the empty space Captain Garess left unfilled for long is a wise idea - particularly if he's not dead in the flesh, merely wounded and shamed."
Alandra watched the transformation of the bear's corpse in horrific fascination, muttering quiet prayers to her Lady.
"He is with her now." she said quietly when it was over.
"And now it seems like Erastil is pleased."
Then Alandra followed Anya out of the shrine. "Yea, he will be glad to hear that we found it, and of what happened here I think."
She regretted even more her previous selfish envy of the man and silently promised to help him if needed. "Erastil is a good god." she said to no one in particular.
The party made their way around the shrine, some moving about the outer courtyard while others moved into the cavern itself.
Within the underground complex, the air smelt of musty fur and rancid meat. More bones, both animal and humanoid, were scattered about the inner sanctum. Most of them were splintered from the bears feeding, obvious signs of the fate any who stumbled across this region while the cursed man was present.
The cavern itself had a number of deeper alcoves carvevd into the rock walls, areas that were most likely dedicated to quarters or private prayer rooms for both clerics and devotees to Erastil. Now they lay empty, though one chamber contained the mouldering remains of a bunk. The tattered remnants of a leather curtain also showed how the rooms had been kept private from the main congregational area.
Arianna's search of the inncer chamber reveals a heavily damaged book, bound in ref leather and locked by an old brass mechanism. It looked to be a journal or diary of some type, and the young rogue could vaguely make out the horned sign of Erastil inscribed into the leather of the book.
Otside, the surrounds of the shrine continued to change, though it was more subtle and toks ome time for the group to notice. Weeds that had choked the flagstones earlier now withered and died. Shrubs and overhead branches that had encroached beyond the bounds of the outer pillars had seeming been pruned back, though no sign of fresh cutting nor fallen leaf could be found. This site was truly marked by the god of the hunt.
"Seeing to the kobolds while the blessing of the hunt is still on us might not be a bad idea." Alannah said thoughtfully, sharp eyes continuing to take in the changes around them all.
Lev nods in agreement with Alannah. "I'd as soon see that the kobolds are dealt with. We do not want to give them an opportunity to gather their strength or seed the ground with more traps."
Ayna looked over her brother and "bodyguard", and nodded. "Alright, why not. But we shouldn't take too much time for this." Her good mood wasn't going to evaporate about this relatively minor disagreement. Besides, therwe was some truth to Lev's argument. Kobolds were nasty, and tenacious. If they found out the temple was no longer occupied, they would all too likely include it into their domain - probably claiming their grand-parents already used it in whatever fashion.
Kobolds were not to be trusted, not even remotely.
Having secured the temple and made their obeisance, the group prepared to engage the kobolds again the next morning.
That night they spent sleeping in what was probably the most secure nights rest they'd had outside Oleg's encampment. All of them arose refreshed and healthy, and even the horses seemed in better shape than they had in a long time.
With the group packed, Lev led them out into the forest again, retracing their steps until the point where they had veered from the path to the kobold lair. Here, the trail was better marked. The signs of regular passage from the little dragonmen were easy to pick up, even for the most inexperienced tracker. Unlike many of the other creatures that plagued the civilised lands, kobolds were not destructive of their surrounds. Rather they nurtured that which they believed they owned, and protected it fiercly both through open combat and subtle traps.
If the kobolds were not open to peaceful negotiations, then this would be one of teh toughest challenges they'd faced to date.