Eschewing his usually flash and flourish, Vik stands with Djbelle, and as she charges the great bear, he joins her.
Attack:
Damage:
Rendyl's eyes widened at the sight of the enormous bear guardian of the dilapidated shrine. His gaze then moved to the brave priestess who had stepped forth to issue her challenge to the imposing creature, and Vik who had stepped forward to join her. He gulped, pushing away his worry for their safety, instead focusing on his job in this matter...and that was inflicting as much punishment as he could on this oversized beast. Drawing back his bowstring, he pulled back as far as he could for maximum penetration, then let fly.
Having discussed with the group, the best possible action he could take, Damiel points at Rendyl, and says "fast", as expends a spell point to make it stick for two rounds.
Bracing themselves against the big monster attack, the charter and their allies in a line to intercept the monster charge. Meanwhile, Rendyl and Cassia keep shooting arrows from afar.
Altho Cassia misses her arrow, Rendyl hit two of the attacks. The big monster however seems unfazed by the arrows shot at him, as he charges towards the party. The ground tremble as the big brute starts to run with incredible speed and force.
The bear gets blasted by Tegan’s magic attack, but it seems to have no effect whatsoever in stopping the monster’s charge, and once it’s close enough, Viklop, Djebelle and Thordrak all step forward at the same time, attacking the monster.
Thordrak yells in rage as his big axe cuts a path towards the bear, does not hit the big monster.
Djebelle being the only one able to hit the monster with her flaming sword, is then singled out as the enemy by the monster.
The huge mouth bites hard on her shoulder, bypassing magic enchantment, armor and shield. The bear bites down and hard, his powerful teeth piercing and slashing the young woman’s tender flesh, but that’s not the end of it. Still pinning the cleric in his mouth, the bear shakes his head violently tossing Djebelle away from him.
Round 2-
Ordered Initiative-
Damiel: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Djbelle: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Hylaen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Rendyl: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Tegan: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Viklop: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Dwarf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Silent Lady: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Jhod: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Enemies: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Active Effects-
Rendyl: Haste 2/2
Viklop: Haste 1/2
Map-
Notes-
Action-
I hope this is not our end thinks Damiel as he springs into action. "Jhod, help Djebelle" he shouts as he moves up to be within twenty feet of Vik, and expends a spell point to give the warrior a few moments of hasted attacks.
”Erastil’s mercy!” Jhod yells surprised at the ferocity of the monster attacking the party and the damage caused to Djebelle. He moves closer nodding at Damiel's request, holding his holy symbol, chanting works and praying for his god.
Knowing any 'fancy' attack will be lost on the beast, Vik instead goes for raw power as he slashes at the beast in a two-handed overhead chop.
Attack:
Damage:
Vik feels the world around him slow down as the spell takes effect, he recovers from his chop and swings the sword around in a slashing arc.
Attack:
Damage:
Rendyl stifled a gasp as the huge bear bit deeply into the priestess and tossed her aside like a rag doll. He noted that the Erastilan's moved quickly to her side, and if was as capable a healer as Djebelle was she'd probably be ok. The priority was to bring the beast down before it really started to tear the group apart. To that end, Rendyl loosed more arrows, feeling the preternatural quickness Damiel has bestowed upon him.
With a loud clatter of armour and shield, Djebelle lands heavily in a crumpled heap; it's some moments before she moves. Having the breath knocked right out of you will do that. She gives Jhod a grateful nod and smile, before slowly standing up and moving to engage the bear once more - more warily, this time.
Tegan flinches at the sight of Djebelle being thrown like a ragdoll. Tegan wasn't sure what she'd been expecting but it hadn't been a bear of this size.
Tegan closes her eyes and focuses on the element around her - both the cold she emanates and the cold that surrounds her. I'm not going to let this beast end us. Frosty wind swirls around Tegan's body and a few snowflakes are captured in her eyelashes. Snow dusts the fringes of Tegan's hair as the frigid wind thickens around her. She lets the wind churn and condense into exuberant frost.
Tegan allows the frosty wind to grow as turbulent until she can't hold it any longer. Tegan releases the pent up element, sending a frost blast swirling towards the grizzly.
Tegan's eyes widen as she realizes she waited too long to release her blast. She watches it whoosh past the giant grizzly and hit a distant tree, violently shaking the branches.
She moves 20 feet to stand next to Rendyl, who is furthest from the bear. "R-Rendyl, Hylean, Damiel - hurry!" Or it'll rip us apart like Djebelle. In the chaos of battle, Tegan's attention has been focused on the bear.
Enhanced by Damiel’s magic, Viklop and Rendyl continue to attack the bear. Vik’s impressive swordplay leaving deep cuts in the monster skin, while Rendyl pierces it yet again with more arrows.
Tegan also tries to help, but she loses the momentum, the attack going astray.
The barbarian continues to swing his big axe cutting deeply into the bear flesh.
And Cassia also shoots more arrows.
The bear however roars in rage in pain, attacking everyone around him.
Huge and deep claws dig into the dwarf flesh, as the blood pours out of his wounds, the dwarf altho hurt, seem to be even more enraged than before.
Then the bear bite down hard on Viklop, not unlike it did with Djebelle, tossing him away violently.
Round 3-
Ordered Initiative-
Damiel: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Djbelle: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Hylaen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Rendyl: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Tegan: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Viklop: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Dwarf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Silent Lady: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Jhod: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Enemies: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Active Effects-
Rendyl: Haste Ended
Viklop: Haste 2/2
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Hylaen watches as the gory scene unfolds in front of him. With a fast movement, his agile hands take hold of his chemicals, preparing something explosive. The alchemist knew that it wasn't the best weapon against a foe in combat with allies, but he was sure his aim was good enough.
Tegan moves to stand on Daniel's left.
Traces of her previous spells linger on her body and the battlefield. Keeping herself steady with her longspear, Tegan focuses on her energy again. (It's difficult for a person standing at 5" to walk with a two-handed weapon while casting.) With each step, the base of her weapon scrapes the ground. Frost accumulates on the disturbed dirt, where her feet and weapon touch.
With each step, the frosty wind whipping around Tegan thickens. Loose strands of her hair sway from the air's movement and more frost coats Tegan's petite frame. When she feels like she's about to lose control again, she releases the chilling blast towards the grizzly.
With each combat round, Tegan feels her resolve crack a little bit more. Like water poured on ice, the bear's ferocity is weakening Tegan's confidence. Gods, that bear's bite alone can kill me! Tegan feels a flash of regret as she send the frost blast flying towards the bear.
Acrobatics:
Being tossed aside by the bear, Vik lands heavily, but with his magical speed is up and back at the bear.
Attack:
Damage:
As Tegan nervously implored the ranged party members to hurry, Rendyl couldn't help but feel anxious himself as the bear landed heavy hits on a couple more members of the group. Surely those front three couldn't absorb too many more hits like that, and then the bear would be free to come after the next rank of folks.
Compounding that was the sudden sluggishness he felt as Damiel's sorcery wore off, causing the ranger's pace to slow back to his normal clip. Still, he kept at it, determined to do as much damage to the massive beast as he could to try to prevent any more injuries.
Djebelle steps to flank with one of her companions, but this isn't a fight: it's more like trying to fend off an avalanche of teeth and fur and claws. Swordsmanship and technique don't really come into it - this is a test of courage, nerve and sheer force of will.
A test she really hopes to pass. Her sword flails at the beast once more.
Damiel moves up a few steps, right behind the dwarf, as to include all in his effective area, and begins to concentrate on providing some serendipitous luck to the group in their attacks on the bear.
Viklop and Djebelle try their best to hurt the beast, but even with Damiel luck, they are unable to hurt the big creature. Rendyl however has more success on his attack, with a very well placed arrow.
Thodrak swings his axe again at the bear, attacking the crazy ferocity:
Cassia continues to shot her arrows, and maybe inspired by Rendyl success, she also hits a good one.
Jhod moves closer to Thodrak, chanting his prayers and healing some of his wounds.
The bear hit by attacks and ice blast from Tegan, now looking in bad shape continues his onslaught on the dwarf and Djebelle.
He bites violently Djebelle again throwing her once more, but this time, her mangled body hits the ground with a sickening sound of splashing blood and broken bones.
Thodrak doesn’t come out unharmed as well, as the bear claws dig deep into his chest, and he looks almost worse for the wear.
Round 4-
Ordered Initiative-
Damiel: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Djbelle: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Hylaen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Rendyl: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Tegan: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Viklop: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Dwarf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Silent Lady: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Jhod: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Enemies: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Active Effects-
Rendyl: Haste Ended
Viklop: Haste Ended
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Again shaken as the priestess is flung across the clearing like a rag doll, the ranger tried to focus on his duty to inflict as much damage as he could upon the raging beast, trusting in Jhod to do whatever he could for the wounded woman.
Vik continues to strike at the enraged bear.
Attack:
Damage:
Tegan steps forward 10 feet to be within blasting range of the giant bear.
As she approaches, cold air manifests and swirls around her petite form. Icy frost condenses in the air as it encircles Tegan, faster and faster. Tegan wipes her face with the back of her hand and a clump of snow falls to the ground.
There's just enough time to register the pain of the bite and the seriousness of the wound, before there's no time left at all: everything goes black.
With a loud clatter of armour and shield, Djebelle lands heavily in a crumpled heap; unlike the last time, however, she doesn't move.
At the edge of her peripheral vision, Tegan sees Djebelle falter and stop moving. Tegan drops her longspear and rushes to aid Djebelle. "Djebelle?
Tegan drops to her knees and applies pressure to Djebelle's wounds. Tegan places herself in a precarious position as she aids her companion. Emotional, Tegan calls out: "Jhod, what are you doing?! Help her!" Tegan sits helplessly next to Djebelle's unconscious form, applying pressure to the worst of Djebelle's wounds.
An alchemist's hands never really rest. As the first explosion went off, before Hylaen could even confirm the success of his throw, the second volatile mixture was already being prepared. Years of training turned that task menial for Hylaen, so he kept his eyes glued to the Bear. He witnessed when the beast mangled Djebelle as if the brave human was a rag doll.
As he glanced at the bloodied unmoving form on the ground, the thought that came to mind, repeating itself like the echoes from a forge, was we should have brought more spears.
Teagan was faster to go and help their fallen companion, so Hylaen focused all his attention on the bear. The best help he could provide, deal with that beast before more injuried allies.
Damiel points at Vik, and yells one simple word to the dwarf in front of him, "flank" as he maintains his concentration to providing some serendipitous luck to the group in their attacks on the bear.
Explosive, swords, axe, magic and arrow, and it is finally enough to bring down the beast in front of you.
The huge bear howls beings to change. It shrinks becoming smaller and smaller until the only thing that’s left is a ragged disheveled old man. He’s hurt all over, bleeding profusely with several cuts and arrows in his body.
He looks at you and you don’t see anger or madness, just despair and fear.
”No… No…” he cries desperately trying to drag himself back to the shrine, ”You don’t know what’ve done, you don’t know what I do for you…” but he doesn’t have much time, as nauseous black blood starts to pour out of his wounds and eyes and nose and mouth.
And that’s how the guardian met his end, being consumed in a pool of black blood, while trying to drag himself back to the shrine.
Jhod however wasn’t paying attention to any of this, as he moves to Djebelle, praying the woman is still alive.
”Aye, ta beast is done.” the dwarf slumps to the ground, his bulging muscles deflating and blood pouring out of every claw mark on his body. The dwarf seems exhausted, his axe lying besides him as he grins out to you.
”Well done lads. Ye did well.” then he remembers Djebelle and asks ”How’s ta lass?”
The ranger frowned in consternation as the colossal bear turned into just a man, but he missed the words as he rushed over to where Tegan and Jhod were huddled over Djebelle. Rendyl was worried, but remained a couple of feet back to allow the two to work to see what could be done for the priestess.
Vik wanders over to the remains of the man-bear. He looks the fellow over and shakes his head before joining the others by Djebelle.
Seeing that Djebelle is being taken care of by Jhod, Tegan approaches the tattered man who was once the 'guardian.' Tegan frowns and snowflakes angrily dance around her form. "How are you man and bear?" Tegan crouches to examine his body, which has already started to change.
If the black liquid oozing from his orifices gets too close, Tegan quickly stands and takes a step back. She wrinkles her pretty nose. Gross. It's just like before.
Damiel goes over to the man / bear with Vik and checks him over as well as searching the body, letting Jhod cure Djebelle.
Djebelle coughs weakly and sits up, her hand scrabbling for her scimitar - before realising that the threat is over. Anyway, combat is out of the question: even standing up is far too much effort right now. She nods her thanks at Jhod, who has doubtless saved her life, and at Tegan, whose hands are covered in blood from trying to save her. She's too weak for words right now.
She coughs again, to hide her embarrassment at being the one to fall. But really, there's nothing in the Sarenite sword-manuals about how to fight a bear...
The man-bear has no visible possession, the gory and smelly search didn’t reveal anything about the bear that was once a man, then bear, a man, and now a puddle of black nauseous blood.
Unfortunately, there’s no one to answer’s Tegan’s question about the man’s past and why he turned into that monstrous bear.
”Glad ta see ye alive an’ kicking lass.” the dwarf walks closed to Djebelle tapping (punching) her lightly (hurts like hell) in the shoulder. Thought ye had bitten ta big one back there.
After that, Jhod also tries his best to heal the wounds of everyone:
And you would think the man would be finally happy, having accomplished his quest, but he looks distracted.
"Hnnnnngg!" Djebelle bites her lip, preventing her from saying anything unfortunate as the pain tears through her as a result of the dwarf's friendly gesture. Jhod's magic does its work, but she's glumly aware that she'll probably be carrying a scar for the rest of her life. Reaching a hand carefully under her armour, she probes her shoulder, wincing occasionally. She'll check properly later, once she has some privacy.
In the meantime, she can see Jhod looks preoccupied. "Is there something wrong?"
Rendyl assessed the priestess' shoulder from a distance, certain that the pauldron on the bitten side needed extensive work to get back into shape. He clapped Jhod on the back, smiling at the cleric. "Well done, man! You were quite a valuable team member to have on board."
As Djebelle asked the Erastilan if anything was the matter, the ranger's brow furrowed as he too noted the distracted look on the man's face. They had just defeated the guardian and more or less reclaimed this shrine, hadn't they? Why would he be less than ecstatic about how things had turned out?
Tegan rejoins the party after examining the corpse and catches the tailend of Rendyl's compliment. "I couldn't learn anything from the body." She looks at Jhod, "Yes, thank you Jhod. You were great. I hope you decide to stay at Oleg's Trading Post for a while."
In the meantime, she can see Jhod looks preoccupied. "Is there something wrong?"
In response to Djebelle's words, Tegan adds: "I thought you'd be happier, Jhod. What's wrong?"
The shrine, when you inspect it, it’s formed by several standing stones in circle. The big stone circle outside, the smaller inner circle stone, and lastly the stones at the center of the shrine. It should have been something pretty and magnificent once, but now it’s partially destroyed and corroded by time. In the middle of the stone circle, in a run down and partially destroyed altar, you find there someone familiar.
Blood slowly drips from April, staining the altar in bright red color. From this distance, you don’t know if she is dead or alive, but at least you found her. As you approach, you notice that her wounds aren’t any less than any of her companions, she’s bitten and clawed, you also see arrow piercing her body.
The man thinks for some time before finally answering ”I don’ know, I thought that I would feel something, but I feel nothing. Clearly, that’s what we were supposed to do, but there’s only emptiness now. I feel lost.” the man confess.
Tegan’s heart stops when she sees her sister’s form, bitten and clawed. Tegan turns frantically to look for the priest. Tegan sits next to her sister’s body and grasps her hand. She doesn’t try to remove the arrow.
Shocked and grieved, Tegan assumes her sister is dead. Her eyes fill with tears until the liquid overflows, rolling down her cheeks. Tegan’s long sooty lashes flutter closed, ”I don’t know why she would sacrifice herself.”
Tegan clenches her little fists. ”No, you stop! It was my idea first.” To illustrate her determination, Tegan plucks another dandelion and adds it to the bunch in her hand. The two bicker over who’d idea it was until they both have hands full of flowers and weeds alike.
April pushes Tegan with her arm, causing Tegan to stumble. ”Stop it!” Tegan whines, ”I’m telling Momma.”
”Well, I’ll tell her you lied,” April retorts back.
The two return to a quiet home. Tegan rushes into the house before her sister, calling excitedly ”Momma!” Silence greets the sisters so they start exploring the house and the yard outside. The kitchen is clean and dinner isn’t on the table - which is odd.
Tegan places her flowers in a pile on the table while April fills a kettle with water. Not knowing what to do, the two sit at the dinner table, sipping tea and honey until it grows dark outside. ”Where’s Momma?” Tegan asks. ”How would I know?” April responds, playing with a stirring spoon.
The front door slams open, waking Tegan, who’d fallen asleep at the table. April is already rushing to the door before Tegan and side off her chair. The two hear words they’ve never heard before off their father’s lips.
Ryker stumbles into the living room, throwing an empty bottle into the fireplace. The glass bottle shatters and scatters over the hearth. ”Daddy?” The girls ask in unison. Their father sinks into his chair by the fire and leans forward, covering his face in his hands. April places a hand on their father’s shoulder, ”Daddy?” Ryker pushes his eldest daughter away, rejecting her affection. ”Go to bed,” he says gruffly.
”Daddy, I’m hungry,” Tegan complains.
”Bed! ” Ryker’s rough voice seems to echo through the small house and both girls can’t help but flinch. Tegan starts to cry and runs into her room. April picks up her bundle of flowers and throws them at their father.
Rendyl placed a hand on Jhod's shoulder. "Maybe reclaiming this shrine was only part of your quest. Perhaps you have more work to do around here." The ranger smiled, then hurried over to see what Tegan had yelled about.
The lanky man blanched at the sight of April on the altar, her wounds grievous and from the looks of it all too deadly. So it looked as though maybe the group's characterization of the woman had been more pessimistic than needed. The ranger looked back at Jhod and Djebelle, waving them forward. "Come on...it looks bad..."
Vik wanders the crumbling ruin. The battle with the bear was...ok? His feelings of late have seemed to be almost subdued. Sometimes he felt almost outside himself....a ghost watching himself go through the movements of a life he no longer truly understood. He once had a clear understanding of what he wished to be..but now, after coming so close to dying and being scolded for his foolishness of rushing into a fight..well now he did not know who or what he was to be.
Hearing Tegan's scream for help jolted the swordsman out of his funk, and he rushed over to see what he might do to help...but in the back of his mind, he knew that there was nothing he could do...he took life, he did not save it.
Finding nothing but a pool of blood at the bear, Damiel hears Tegan cry for help and runs over to her. Quickly inspecting the woman, he yells for Jhod, "she is alive, but barely. John, we need you over here quickly!"
"Alive?" Tegan looks up at Damiel, "We need to heal her!" Tegan looks to see where Jhod is. "Hurry, Jhod!"
When Jhod says he does not have any cures left, Damiel, using the little bit of healing skill that he has, tries to stabilize April, so at least she isn't dying anymore. As he successfully staunches the bleeding, he turns to Tegan, "I managed to stop the bleeding, so I think she will make it now."
”No...” Jhod face is getting whiter by each passing second. ”I can’t... It...” he doesn’t finish, as he drops to his despair on his face.
With both of the healers out of their best self, there’s no one else to take care of April, and there’s no way the group can travel back. The only option being set camp, and wait until they recover and are prepared to move things. The shrine seems peaceful and maybe even the wild animals knows that the guardian was here, so it’s unusually peaceful, even the sounds of wild life fades in this area.
Djebelle hurries up hastily at the cry, and gapes at the sight of April laid out like a sacrifice. It's a second or two before Damiel's reassurance that she's still alive registers with her. "Oh!"
Holding up her holy symbol, she channels her Goddess' healing power.
As the young woman begins to wake, Damiel face softens and the scowl that usually adorns it is gone, for the moment. He speaks to her, ensuring that Tegan hears his words at the same time. "April, you should recover now. I am just glad that we came as quickly as we did. Do you remember what happened to you?" he gently asks.
He thinks to himself, no one died, perhaps this group has what it takes to survive the wilds, unlike some of my past companions.