It would be a beacon to anything that is hunting out here.
Then we have campfire blindness. Looking out into the darkness with a fire going will deny us being able to see anything. If people here have light magic than that will provide the needed light. Bundle up and sleep together if you need body heat.
Hounds will take first watch after eating some jerky, his keen nose sniffing around the edges of camp.
Night in, night out.
Cold, damp and hungry hours in the dark fearing a predator that didn’t show up. Dawn brings some measure of relief. You eat and ready yourself to search.
This time, hollowing a particular strong smell in the region. On the banks of the Lake of Skye, he can tell by scent that larger prey frequently makes it way down to the water’s edge. The lair is a shallow cave right in the side of another spire of stone not dissimilar to the one that the Horn was created from. The entrance to the den is free of bones and dead things, and that’s one of reasons the lair wasn’t so easy to easy to smell from a distance.
The predator sleeps on a ledge in the back of the den that is littered with bones, fresh kills and surprisingly crude piles of fur and grass spread about its cave. It is almost as if the hunter has made a bed for itself! Amongst the bones are animal remains of every sort, at least three dead boggards, and half dozen skeletons of other sentient including humans, elves and dwarves. There is against the northern wall of the den, a jumbled pile of relatively ungnawed skulls. Carefully sorted, there are only humanoid skulls in this pile. This is the predator’s trophy pile.
Based on the impression, smell, tracks found in the place, Hound is also able to conclude that whatever they are hunting is a huge cat-like creature, a tiger maybe or a lion, given the color of the fur around.
Cecelia stays out of the fire discussion, partially grateful for the cold for keeping her alert during the night.
When they arrive at the cave she frowns, "Its not here. But surely it will have to arrive at some point. Do you think we could set up an ambush?"
Our scent is around the place so it will know that intruders are here. He scratches his chin. That skull pile, hmmm...That shows a degree of intelligence so this is no ordinary cat.
I can attempt to hide our presence as best as possible, I reccomend letting it get into the cave as far as possible before attacking.
We could tether it in the caverns, we do have the Slurks and Tazelwyrm in there already. I highly doubt it will be something we can take to the upper levels, the whole..aura is somethign that spooks animals.
"Keep it as a pet?" Cecelia ask, looking a little concerned, "I suppose if we can find good chains...However, for now lets focus on hiding out presence as much as possible.
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Hound nods and starts covering their tracks and using secret herbs and spices to mask their scent. Perhaps with any handfuls of fur that are found.
With Cecelia's help, Hound cover most of their tracks and sent, and then hide waiting to ambush the predator.
Hour passes with no sign of the owner returning to its lair, that's until a huge shadow creeps closer and closer to the entrance, making no noise whatsoever. It stops just shy of entering the place, and you can see it smelling something in the air.
Then, very slowing, it starts to enter again the cave. Clearly the huge tiger is aware something is off, although he might now know what.
Hound mutters to the others. So a tiger. Skin or tame?
Cecelia nods in agreement with Mysty, afraid to make a sound. She holds her shield and mace, ready to strike.
Very well, if any of you have magic that can aid this, please prepare it.
Hound will stalk up ahead with the others when the tiger gets further into the cave, his polearm in his hands.
Nodding, Cecelia casts a protective shield around Hound, before inching closer.
Despite their best attempt, inside its lair, the huge Tiger was more attentive than ever, being able to smell and hear the invaders as they planned what to do.
”REEVEEENGAAAAERRRR” a deafening howl which oddly sounds a lot like the word ‘Revenge’ and the huge tiger bolts towards the invaders.
Round 1-
Ordered Initiative-
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Narrative-
The huge tiger closes the game surprisingly fast given the shape of the terrain. It targets the biggest of the enemies, which on this case is Hound.
And even tho Hound is protected by Cecelia spell, it isn’t enough to avoid the damage from the bite and being grabbed.
Now that you see the tiger up close, you notice its fur is marked by several different scars and one of its eyes is gone, a ugly scar where the eye should have been.
HP 86/97 (98/109 when raging)
AC 18/12/18 (17/11/17 when raging) +2 AC vs Good
Saves F10/R5(7traps)/Will 5 (F12/R5(7traps)/W7 When raging add +3 against spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities. Cannot be a willing receiver of spells even from allies) +2 AC vs. Good
Base BaB +7/+2
Weapons in hand:Hammer
Rage 1/19
Current effects:DR 1/-,Grappled(-2 attack),Shield of Faith(+2 AC),Rage
Finding that once again a hammer isn't the best weapon in battle, Hound decides to match the tiger fury for fury and rages, claws sprouting from his hands.
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Wow look at that beast! It has been through some stuff for sure. And did it just yell something like revenge? Is it intelligent and can speak? Perhaps this is a shapechanger? Maybe someone similar to me?
Bizan looks surprised and considering.
As she see´s Hound getting grabbed and mauled though, she commits to action. Taking a firm stand and moving her hands through the air she conjures a whirlwind of fire around her as she gathers power.
Beast! Let go of my friend and submitt, then we won´t harm you! Else we have to finish that job someone began there and you´ll never get revenge on them. Instead we will be feasting on your well done flesh then!
Moving in closer, Cecelia sends a blast of healing energy towards Hound, before hoisting up her shield in a defensive position.
Flames cackles and gathers around Bizan, as she uses the opportunity to instill fear on the huge enemy, but it seems largely unaffected by her attempts;
Mysty chants arcanes words to make Hound bigger, while Cecelia moves in to support and heal Hound wounds. Hound gives up on any attempt to use weapons against the monster, raging and clawing.
Round 2-
Ordered Initiative-
One’Eye: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Bizan: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Cecelia: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Hound: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Mysty: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Narrative-
Still Holding the barbarian on it’s mouth, the tiger turns to Cecelia, which dared to approach.
”REEVEEENGAAAAERRRR” it howls again before attacking the woman next to him with his claws.
HP 75/97 (87/109 when raging)
AC 18/12/18 (17/11/17 when raging) +2 AC vs Good
Saves F10/R5(7traps)/Will 5 (F12/R5(7traps)/W7 When raging add +3 against spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities. Cannot be a willing receiver of spells even from allies) +2 AC vs. Good
Base BaB +7/+2
Weapons in hand:Hammer
Rage 1/19
Current effects:DR 1/-,Grappled(-2 attack),Shield of Faith(+2 AC),Rage
Hound keeps snarling and clawing.
Cecelia lets out an exclamation of pain as the tiger effortlessly lunges past her defenses and tears through skin. Almost instinctively, she send a course of healing energy towards the wounds.
Keeping her hand near the wound, she scowls at the creature. Directing magic and anger towards her palm, she feels the pain sucking out from the injury powering into dark ball of energy. Shifting a few steps closer to the tiger she pulls her hand away from her stomach and reaches violently for the creature's neck.
Mysty finish casting her spell, to make Hound bigger, and moves in melee, positioning herself contrary to Cecelia, hoping this would give her the advantage needed against the big predator.
The knot doesn’t let the tiger catch a breath, as fire, negative energy; claws and sword take their toll on the huge monster. It doesn’t relent tho, the tiger seems angrier than ever before.
Round 3-
Ordered Initiative-
One’Eye: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Bizan: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Cecelia: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Hound: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Mysty: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Active Effects-
Map-
Notes-
Narrative-
It still insists on the same strategy, keeping Hound at bay, while unleashing attacks at Cecelia.
HP 56/97 (68/109 when raging)
AC 18/12/18 (17/11/17 when raging) +2 AC vs Good (14/8/14 when grappled and englarged)
Saves F10/R5(7traps)/Will 5 (F12/R5(7traps)/W7 When raging add +3 against spells, spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities. Cannot be a willing receiver of spells even from allies) +2 AC vs. Good
Base BaB +7/+2
Weapons in hand:Hammer
Rage 1/19
Current effects:DR 1/-,Grappled(-2 attack),Shield of Faith(+2 AC),Rage.Enlarge
Hound keeps snarling and clawing
Cecelia once again receives severe wounds from the tiger. However, she continues to stare at the creature with grim determination. I cannot flee. Not until I have proven myself... Closing her eyes, she feels a familiar nausea rising as she forces out a burst of positive energy, healing herself and Hound.
Still injured, but feeling more mobile, she raising her mace and tries to bring it cracking down on the tiger's skull.
Fire, mace, rapier, claws and then it’s too much even for the biggest predator of the briar. It falls, burned and mangled not able to resist his attackers.
Cecelia leans down, examining the creature's wounds for a few moment and appying pressure to some of the more severe claw gauges. "You did want it alive, right?" Cecelia asks as she works.
Once she is satisfied the creature won't bleed out or die from his burn, she looks to her own injuries, as well as Hounds. "Arm." Cecelia demands of the barbarian, gesturing for him to show her the bite wounds he received.
This thing displayed intelligence enough to 'speak', and considering how much a threat it was to the boggards I say it would be far too uncontrollable to use to our benefit. Hound shows his wounds.
Cecelia shrugs, as she applies healing energy to Hound's injuries. "The fate of the creature matters little to me. I'd wager it would be a dangerous pet, ability to speak or not. It's really a matter of whether we have a way to control it or persuade it."
At a critical moment, Cecelia knows the life of the big predator is on her hands. She could end it just as easily she could keep the beast alive.
"Alright. Shall we drag this thing back to the horn then? Do we have any chains or restraints?"