"Fine, fine, I'll take a shift!"
A pale moon struggles to peek through the heavy clouds that have gathered over the jagged peaks that hem the secluded valley. As the temperatures quickly begin to drop, the vestiges of the ancient mountain trail become nearly impossible to identify in the darkness.
Khari and Ondek are having a spirited conversation on dwarven ale when they hear someone call to them.
(+2 vs spells or SLA)
"Hey Khari, did you just hear something? I swear someone was just calling out over yonder..."
Turning towards the sounds, Khari shakes her head. "I did, but whatever it is, it seems to want us to leave the safety of our camp to check it out." Standing up and straightening out her vestments, she picks up her pickaxe. "Should we go out to meet it?"
"I'd suggest we not go off into the night on our own. If we need to go investigate, the whole group seems like a better idea."
Sitting back down, Khari sighs. "So, do we just ignore it then? Or just let the next shift be aware of it?"
"I mean, we should let them know, but unless someone is coming for us we might as well sit tight. No sense wandering around in the dark, looking to get jumped like some fools."
"Snore"
The voice continues to call softly. Help Me! Help Me!
Perception while asleep
Kurag doesn’t even hear Rask snoring a few feet away. He simply turns over and continues dreaming of slaying orcs and giants.
"Ugh, if they're going to ask for help, I wouldn't feel right just ignoring the request. We should wake up the lads and check it out. "
Letting out a heavy sigh, Khari raises from her seat again. Nudging the three snoring dwarven men awake, she offers the darkness a surly expression. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya." she says in response to the change in tactic.
Looking at the three, she sighs heavily. "There's something trying to get our attention. Ondek and I are going to check it out. You in?"
"Uh.. My turn for watch already?" Rask asks, then hearing Khari question, "what? Let me get in my armor, and I'll join you."
Rask stands up, stretches and begins to put on his armor.
Seeing the two dwarfs start to wake the others, two large animals bound into camp!
One creature attacks Khari and the other attacks Ondek!
Seeing the creatures bound into the camp, Rask takes a step so he is next to the one attack Khari and swings Agrimmosh. He yells to Khari, "flank it!"
AC is a whopping 10 without magics.
"Ow! Bad kitty!"
Kiln moves to the nearest creature and attacks...
19-20/x3, S
Letting out a hiss of pain, Khari looks at the strange amalgamation of animal before her. Gritting her teeth, she swings with her pickaxe "Damn badger-things. I'll show you what happens when you try to play with our emotions." As the pickaxe digs into the creature's shoulder she drags it out, before her second swing goes wide.
Kurag hears the shouts and awakens to see a melee has started already without him. Grabbing his bow he fires off an arrow at the creature just south of him by Ondek.
Point blank precise deadly aim for
Whistling to Lucky Kurag calls the valiant horse to his side.
Kurag fires an arrow at the southern-most leucrotta and wounds it.
Ondek tries to figure out what the heck these things are!
Five feet tall at the shoulder, its tawny fur often coated with dried and clotted filth, the leucrotta is a powerful beast weighing over 800 pounds. The sharp bone ridges that line its oversized jaws instead of teeth are incredibly durable and, combined with massive jaw muscles, allow its bite to shear through bone and even steel. Leucrottas consume their prey gear and all; they vomit up what they cannot digest and pick through the debris in search of valuable items that might help them lure in prey.
Leucrottas sometimes lead packs of gnolls, or even of their bestial cousins the crocottas. They refuse to let themselves be used as beasts of burden, but sometimes allow favored gnoll companions to ride them into battle as steeds. The leucrotta in a gnoll pack generally thinks of itself as the leader of that group, and treats any established gnoll chieftain poorly in an attempt to goad that gnoll into attacking it. Those leucrottas that succeed in slaying a gnoll leader typically find it much easier to assume the role of tribal leader.
Rask and Khari hit with their first attacks but miss with their second.
Kiln wounds the one next to Ondek.
The Leucrottas will attack those who hurt them so.
Rask takes a five foot step to his left , shouts to Khari, "step right!" and swings Agrimmosh at it twice.
"Leucrottas! They're a magical beast with a fiendish intellect and cruelty. They'll ignore poison or diseases, but blades and arrows should work if you can hit well enough."
Ondek tries to make himself small and non-threatening, pulsing out a purple wave of energy over the enemies.
Kiln attacks the beast with all his might...
19-20/x3, S
19-20/x3, S
Kurag continues to unleash upon the creature attacking Ondek hoping to bring it down before any further damage could be done to their arcane specialist.
Point blank improved precise rapid deadly aim for
Rapid for
Iterative for
His concern for his ally though shook him to his core as he had trouble concentrating on holding his arrows steady.
Kurag misses with all his shots.
Rask brings down one of the leucrottas as Kiln brings down the other!
"Khari, we could use some of Dranngvit blessings, if you have any left for the day that is" Rask asks Khari, but continues "I can also do some minor healing, from my Torag Paladin abilities if you are not able."
Kiln pokes at the fallen foes, "you think they have a lair in the area, where they keep their illgotten gains?"
"Its entirely possible. They possess a keen and cruel intellect, leucrottas sometimes take over entire gnoll tribes in order to better acquire prey and sport. I would guess their lair might be quite well hidden, though. If Kurag is able to track their progress here, though, that might give us the location."
"It's worth a try!"
Hearing that the group wants to go exploring instead of heading back to bed Kurag grumbles his agreement and starts looking for tracks. Should he find any he does his best to follow them while staying silent in the shadows. Occasionally he pops out to let the others know where he is and which direction to go.
Perception
Stealth
survival
Kurag has no problem tracking back to the leucrotta's lair.
Among the undigested remains of their prey that the leucrottas have vomited up inside the shallow cave they call home are:
a +1 giant-bane heavy crossbow,
a wand of crushing despair (32 charges),
two opals (worth 600 gp each),
a green sapphire (worth 900 gp),
40 pp,
and 210 gp.
Finding the crossbow he tosses it to Ondek. Anything magical about this? If so perhaps either yourself or Khari should use it. With the rest of the gems and jewels and coins Kurag shares with the others before heading back to camp to get back to sleep.
Kiln's eyes boggle at the pile of gems and coins.
Jogging to catch up with the others, Khari says a quick prayer to her goddess to patch up the wounded. Upon seeing her own wound still linger, Khari releases another channel to patch up everyone as soon as they are within range.
Healed up by the channels from Khari, Ondek looks over the crossbow with a keen, magically enhanced eye.
"Thanks, Khari. Those things came out of nowhere, and would have been the end of me. You lads are more than capable with those blades, and I'm glad once more for that!"
"Magical, yes, I am not entirely sure of the enchantment, however. I'll have to study it more closely in the morning. "
The rest of the night passes without incident.
The next morning, you continue on.
The dusty path eases down a gentle slope littered with small boulders. Jagged gray mountains rise on all sides, their peaks resembling the broken jaw of a fallen god. On the surrounding slopes, small copses of fir trees cling desperately to patches of rocky soil, their exposed roots tenaciously grasping the earth in knotted tangles.
About midday, Kurag is out scouting ahead when he hears sounds coming from up on the trail.
My Fault? No! It is your fault! My side has the brains and brawn and your side has...I don't know what your side has!
Kurag hears the disturbance and slinks back to warm the others of a possible threat. Not sure what it is but I heard growling and what sounding like talking between two people. I don’t know what was said though.
Perception +4 giant
Stealth
Kiln smiles at the prospect of another fight.
Rask stands next to Kiln, "ready brother" as he waits for giants to approach.
Hearing the commotion from up ahead, Khari takes a deep breath before twirling her pickaxe in her hand. "It seemed like it was too much to ask for a peaceful walk through the mountains."
A few moments later an Ettin and a Cave Bear lumber into view.
The Ettin and the Cave Bear will both charge!
Drat! I wish I were faster to react here, but this will help!"
Ondek casts haste on the party.
Rask takes a step up so he is able to full attack the cave bear and he smacks it all three times. "For Torag!" he yells.
Kiln will likewise take a 5' step and help Rask with taking down the bear first...
19-20/x3, S
19-20/x3, S
19-20/x3, S