Thanadros crouches down and waits, spear in hand concentrating on the earth around him. When he starts to hear the boar getting closer to them, he then sets his spear down and lifts his helm up, exposing his face. He then starts to take small mounds of the earth, and begins rubbing the earth in Shoanti patterns all over his face and body, inating himself. He then lowers his helm and readies his spear again, bracing for the boar's charge.
Bring it... Little pig...
As Vaclav crouches in the brush beside Albrecht, he begins a low chant. The chant extols the virtues of providing for the family through the hunters' keeness of eye, deftness of hand, and strength of arm. When done he nods to the other man, stands and begins to move forward.
...Little pig...
...Little pig...
Thanadros whispers tauntingly, getting excited over the hunt.
Perception checks from the beaters please ...
Aylmora holds still, barely breathing as she strains to hear or see any sign of the boar.
Thanking Vaclav with a quick grin and a nod, Albrecht turns to where the boar is and begins to focus and search for the boar and anything else that may be approaching
You both have amazingly acute senses in the wild!
Aylmora and Albrecht can see one another and the boar in the distance. You are in the ideal position to drive it toward the waiting spears.
A good 200 yards, and 100 from each other, but you have managed to spot one another through clearings in the trees - the forest here is not that dense above the ground cover.
Vaclav can't see anything. "When do we go? " he asks Albrecht.
When Albrecht gives the word, Vaclav will move out. He chants as he walks and shakes brush and branch with his spear butt as he moves.
Patiently waiting for prey...
Survival checks form both groups to see if you think the time is right to start 'beating' ...
Holding his breath, Albrecht tries to gauge whether or not he should start to beat the ground...
Yes, I know the feeling!
Seeing each other, the two groups of beaters exchange a signal and start to make a racket. The boar flees away from them, directly down the game trail toward the waiting spearmen.
Initiative:
And initiative from the spear-holders please ...
Initiative
Survival
Perception [
Thanadros makes sure his spear is ready to brace a charge when he hears the noise of the beaters.
Braced Spear /Damage
"I think I hear something..." Gornak's pulse beats a little bit faster still.
init
Following and flanking ALbrecht, Vaclav pushes forward through the underbrush. His spear sweeps the branches from his path and raps against trees, stones, and deadwood, while his chant provides a drone.
The boar comes crashing down the game trail, sees the spearmen blocking it's path and predictably, it charges.
Aldern sets his spear and the boar hammers into it. Thanadros' spear grazes the boar's flank but does not pierce it. Gornak to go before the boar.
Gornak raises his spear and focuses his psionic energy through it.
attack:
Round 2
Thanadros mutters a curse word in Shoanti and attempts to move into a flanking position with Gornak.
Acrobatics (if needed)
Melee spear /Damage
The Boar comes on like an express train, and straight onto the point of Gornak's spear, which stops it dead and thoroughly impaled.
Thanadros steps in and delivers the coup-de-grace, but it's hardly necessary.
"Oh well done chaps!" Arden enthuses, unseating his own spear. "She's a real beauty! Wait until Miss Ameiko sees this!"
Although it is only late morning, it takes a good hour to rig a way of carrying the 250lb boar back to Sandpoint, and progress is slow. It is not until mid-afternoon that you arrive with your prize outside the Rusty Dragon. Ameiko assures you that boar-on-the-spit will be the order of the evening (a free meal for all, including those not residents of the inn), and Arden - with a last few flowery words to Aylmora - goes to return the horses and spears to whence he hired them.
As he disappears a dishevelled and flustered woman rushes up to you. She's clutching a baby in one hand and a bawling young child by the shirt in the other.
"Hey you! - people - heroes - whatever!" she shouts on seeing you gathered outside the Rusty Dragon. "I - we - we need help! My husband!"
Gornak puffs up with pride for a moment. "Is that all there is to it? I expected something bigger; hardly seems like a challenge, Your Honor. Some day I should tell you about this one time I tangled with a bear down at the dump."
His confidence fails though, and he adds more humbly: "That's not what I meant to say, sir; I didn't mean to brag. I had a real good time today, Your Honor. Thank you kindly for inviting me on the hunt. I hope I did good."
-----
Upon encountering the troubled woman, Gornak gets a look of concern and says, "If we can help you ma'am, we will. Take a deep breath and tell us what's the matter. Where's your husband at?"
You and bear...Hmm...Be good fight. Like to see that... Thanadros says to gornak with a hard pat on the back.
Husband...? Lets go. Explain as we move. Thanadros says hearing the urgency in her voice.
"Our house - I'll show you," she starts back up the street, stuttering her story.
DC10 Knowledge (local) check for Gornak - you will know her by sight if not by name, and may know where she lives.
"I'm Amele Barett," she stumbles an introduction. "It started in the attack, when Aeren saw a goblin burn a cat alive. He had nightmares, every night he would scream there was a goblin in the closet, and the dog, Petal, would bark like mad. My husband - Alergast - he searched the closet and there was nothing, but Aeren still cried every night. Last night he told Aeren he'd have to sleep in the woodshed if he kept telling stories! We sent him to his room today after he told stories again, and the dog started barking and then there was horrible screaming! Alergast, he ran up and found the dog dead and a g-goblin trying to chew Aeren's arm off!"
She pulls up the boy's shirt sleeves to show raw bite-marks.
"The goblin ran to the closet and ducked in a hidden hole in the floor and Aldergast went mad, tearing the closet apart. But he doesn't have a weapon ..."
"More goblins! Where the heck are they coming from!? Show us the way, ma'am, and we'll take care of the goblin."
Heading back to Aldern with Vaclav and Alymora, Albrecht says to the two of them "Well, beating isn't terribly exciting. Guess I'll need to go upfront next time, try all angles of it."
________________
Back in town...
Hearing Amele's problems with the goblin, Albrecht loosens his blade in its sheath, and begins to hurry, following the desperate woman and Gornak, a look of grim determination on his face.
Thanadros shakes his head while he runs. ...Like rats... He mutters when Amele mentions the goblin attacking her son.
Gornak recognises the house as soon as you rush up to it, a small single-story affair, and there are sounds inside like a fight.
At the hunt: Vaclav appreciates the skill shown in such a clean kill and murmurs congratulations.
***
Back in town on the way to the woman's house:
Vaclav asks whether the woman has other children and if they're safe.
Gornak ducks through the doorway and whirls his huge head from left to right, wondering where the noise is coming from.
As they approach the house, Thanadros casts vigor on himself.
Thanadros then readies his bow as he enters the house aiming to shoot the first goblin or obvious monster that he sees (he makes damn sure that it is not the husband or any other civilians before he shoots).
Close Ranged Longbow | Damage | Crit: 20/x3 }Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Amele assures Vaclev she has no other children but is sick with worry for her husband.
Gornak doesn't need a Perception check to identify the sounds come from the smallest bedrooms as a man starts screaming. Barging in with Thanadros behind him, he can see the man's lower torso and legs projecting out from a corner closet built against an inside wall. The man is thrashing, clearly trying to get out but unable to.
(Will resolve Thanadros' action as soon as Gornak has acted)
Gornak rushes forward and grabs the man's feet, trying to pull him free from the closet.
"He's in here! Father Vaclav, I think he needs healing!"
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Truer words were never spoken. Gornak's great strength pops the man right out of the hole, and reveals his face and hands are bloody and wounded, his throat is lacerated and he's gargling on his own blood.
From the enlarged hole an enraged, emaciated goblin comes shrieking out of the hole like a missile, straight at Gornak. He never reaches the half-giant: Thanadros' arrow skewers him through the throat and pins him to the back wall where he shudders, kicks and becomes still.
Thanadros enters the room, allowing more space for the others to enter and to assist with the husband. He walks to the closest and takes a look into the hole, arrow ready in case there is more than one goblin.
Perception
The hole is a small crawl-space under the floor, and looks like a goblin has been lying in there for days. There is a puddle of dirty water, and nothing else. Near the hole lies the family dog, Petal, with it's throat cut and a small improvised knife wedge in it's neck. From the smell you would guess the goblin crawled in there to hide after the attack and was trapped in effect by the people in the house.
Gornak rushes forward and grabs the man's feet, trying to pull him free from the closet.
"He's in here! Father Vaclav, I think he needs healing!"
Hearing Gornak, Vaclav runs forward to aid the man. Calling on Erastil he lays his hands on the man's head and throat.
[ooc] Nice shot Thanadros. I too seldom roll well in combat. I know how awesome those crits feel when you get them.
Amele screams with horror at the sight of her husband, but when Vaclav lays his hands on him he draws a shuddering breath. He is injured and will be scarred, but is alive. Both stumble their thanks for your intervention, clearly very shaken.
I'm going to call this time to level up all round, I think, as we've had some excellent play from everybody and things are about to warm up a little ...
Vaclav says, "I'm glad we were nearby and able to help."
Poor dog. Goblin don't like dogs. Maybe provoke goblin to attack...
Thanadros checks the dog's pulse, in the possibility that the dog is still alive.
Heal
The doggy is dead, sadly, but was loyal to the end. The family, while shaken are alive and Vaclav finds himself involved in pastoral care for the next few hours.
Dinner is on the house at the Rusty Dragon, thanks to the boar.
Gornak hangs back a bit so that his freakish face isn't the first thing Alergast sees when he comes to his senses.
"Mister Alergast -- are you okay? We got that goblin that was hurting you. He won't bother you ever again."
Vaclav is happy to remain with the Barett's after their ordeal. After making sure thy're settled, he'll dash off a little sermon on the value of family in Erastil's philosophy and the god's favor on those who take family seriously.
Tale 10 on diplomacy --> 19.
If it will help, he'll spread around a little calming touch domain ability.
...Good dog... You protect well... Family safe... Rest now... Thanadros says quietly as he pats the lifeless dogs head firmly. He then stands up and faces the family. Glad you all safe... Dog did not make it... Good thing you get us fast, could have been worst... It trapped down there like rat in hole, probably desperate and hungry, so attacked.
Meeting back up with the group at the Rusty Dragon, Albrecht sheepishly approaches his friends. "Sorry for not helping with the Barrett's; I thought I knew where they lived, which is why I ran ahead, but it turns out that I was mistaken. Were you able to stop anyone from being hurt?"
Thanadros eats a huge helping of the Boar, and then sticks around eating, drinking, and chatting with those around the rusty dragon inn.
[after making sure the Barretts are all right...]
Gornak's appetite easily keeps up with Thanadros's, which is no surprise considering his monstrous stature.