Following your conversation with Bokken, you head out to finish your exploration of the surrounding area. As the sun begins to set you have covered as much ground as you think you can and begin searching for a location to set camp for the night.
Without too much difficultly, you find a small copse of low trees that will provide a bit of a wind break throughout the night. It is a cool but comfortable, clear night. You hear the occasional call of a wolf in the distance but otherwise the night is uneventful.
You awaken to another pleasant day, light breeze, just a few clouds in the sky. Breaking camp and mounting up, you head off to the east to explore the region beyond Bokken's Hut.
A pleasant day's ride is interrupted just shy of mid-day by a menacing howl coming from a nearby stretch of rocks.
"This is my territory! Leave now or be destroyed!" a beastial voice says as you see a large black furred wolf come out from behind the rocks.
[spoiler=Knowledge (Arcane) DC 17]This is a Worg. This unusually large wolf has an evil, almost intelligent light shining in its deep red eyes.
- Yes
Initiative Order
??? - Done
Ivo
Torsten
Tove
Theodore
Jacobus
Razarak
Torsten mutters the words to give Strauch stony hide then calls "Ho! How far does your territory extend, wolf? And do you rule, or pay respect to some other?"
You awaken to another pleasant day, light breeze, just a few clouds in the sky. Breaking camp and mounting up, you head off to the east to explore the region beyond Bokken's Hut.
A pleasant day's ride is interrupted just shy of mid-day by a menacing howl coming from a nearby stretch of rocks.
"This is my territory! Leave now or be destroyed!" a beastial voice says as you see a large black furred wolf come out from behind the rocks.
"That's no wolf, Torsten, that is a worg! turning to the worg, "We have a mission in these parts, let us pass with no trouble... Raz's hands flexing as he talks,
Tove takes her longbow and rests it in her lap, an arrow lying across the stave, notched up against the string. She is ready to draw and fire at the worg if diplomacy fails and it makes a move toward the party.
Ivo looks totally paralyzed with a combination of fascination and fear.
I look at the talking wolf and the to Rufus, "Can you talk too?" Rufus looks up at me and tilts his head to one side with a confused expression playing upon his face. I look around at the rest of the group and only Ivo seems to be fascinated by the talking wolf as well. I go to speak to it, when Raz says it is a Worg. "What is a Worg, a talking Wolf?" "We didn't mean to intrude upon your territory, as my friend mentioned we would like to know the size of your territory so that we can go around it. I would rather no one be destroyed this day."
The Worg sniffs the air. "My territory stretches out a day's journey from here."
Sniffing the air again he says, "Leave the goat as an offering, and I may let you pass."
"The goat goes with me," Torsten growls. He slides off his horse, not trusting it to stay put in a fight, and stomps his staff against the ground.
Upon hearing the expected response from Torsten I draw my sword and strap my shield to my arm. While I am doing this Rufus moves into a position where he can best protect those behind him and gets ready for the unavoidable fight.
Jacobus shook his head, "No, no one is leaving anything here. We are exploring this area."
He then added, "Under whose authority do you rule this land?"
As hostilities seem to be increasing, Razarak casts his shield spell, preparing for a fight.
Hearing Torsten's comment, the Worg coolly says, "So be it. You can stay and be devoured too."
"By the only right there is out here in the wilds boy, by right of might." the beast responds to Jacobus as he takes a step forward.
Initiative Order
Worg - Acted
Ivo
Torsten
Tove
Theodore
Jacobus
Razarak
"Erastil gives us the strength and courage to hunt and survive in the wilds of the world. You will not best us, beast!"
Tove cast's Bless on the party and herself.
Then she maneuvers Ros around the side of thicket of trees in front of her to gain a better view of the field of battle.
Torsten starts the soothing words of a long spell. Strauch glares around, ready to attack anything which approaches.
Raz will dismount and move up next to Theodore.
Jacobus quickly dismounted and brought his shield up in front of him.
"I think you're too hasty in your assessment of us. Neither the goat nor us are not here to be devoured."
He called out to the worg, "Come, let's see if you can back up your threat."
----------
stats: Hide
HP 22/22
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Conditions: fight defensively so -4 to hit and +2 to AC
Melee (heavy mace): +3 = +1(base) +2 (STR)
Melee Damage (heavy mace): 1d8+2, x2
1/1 judgment with surge, 6/6 agile feet, 3/3 1st level spells
Ivo lets go of the bridle for his pony and takes a shot with his bow, hoping to at least get something in before the worg is upon them.
Tove blesses the party while Razarak and Jacobus move toward the immense wolf.
While Torsten begins casting his spell, Ivo takes careful aim with his bow and fires an arrow deep into the worg's shoulder.
Rufus and I move forwards, our eyes remain fixed on the talking wolf. I raise my shield and get ready to brace myself against the forthcoming attack.
Theodore carefully moves forward, preparing for the worst, as the worg bolts toward the party, Jacobus in particular.
The worg viciously clamps its jaws around the inquisitor's leg, tearing at muscle and bone, and up ends Jacobus in the process.
(charge, power attack)
Torsten's spell completes, but does not seem to have any effect on the massive wolf.
Raz will use a swift action to drop into
Tove draws back her bow and fires into the combat, doing her best to hit the beast.
Ivo advances on the scuffle, firing again as he goes.
(includes -4 for firing into melee)
Muttering to his familiar, Torsten says "Too strong for my little spells, eh? Well, maybe wood and horn can do better. Strauch, circle 'round!"
He takes some care not to cross the surprisingly dangerous toymakers line of fire.
Jacobus was really not ready at all for such a charge. He brought his shield forth and called upon Abatar to pass judgement on the large wolf.
"Abatar will see me through!"
------------
HP 12/22
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Conditions: total defense, +4 to AC
Melee (heavy mace): +3 = +1(base) +2 (STR)
Melee Damage (heavy mace): 1d8+2, x2
0/1 judgment with surge, 6/6 agile feet, 3/3 1st level spells
Crawling
You can crawl 5 feet as a move action. Crawling incurs attacks of opportunity from any attackers who threaten you at any point of your crawl. A crawling character is considered prone and must take a move action to stand up, provoking an attack of opportunity.
Seeing the Worg charge into Jacobus rather than myself, I get Rufus quickly move around the Worg to its flank and we both strike at the creature.
The party's assault rocks the worg. Between Razarak's electrified fist, Ivo threading the needle with his arrow, and Theodore and Rufus's coordinated attack, the Worg begins to re-think his tactics as he withdraws from the combat.
Raz swings his fist out after the fleeing worg as it attempts to slip past him.
Razarak lands another solid blow to the fleeing worg, but the beast still stands.
Tired of being a wolf chew toy, the inquisitor stood up quickly, pulled out his crossbow, and shot at the fleeing beast.
-------------
HP 14/22
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Conditions: total defense, +4 to AC
Melee (heavy mace): +3 = +1(base) +2 (STR)
Melee Damage (heavy mace): 1d8+2, x2
0/1 judgment with surge, 6/6 agile feet, 3/3 1st level spells
I get Rufus to chase after the fleeing Worg and once I am in range I slash at it with my blade.
Jacobus gets to his feet and fires a bolt from his crossbow, catching the immense wolf in the side. Just after the inquisitor's shot, Theodore barrels after the worg astride Rufus. With a quick slash of the halfling's blade the worg falls to the ground motionless.
Ivo releases the tension on his bow and quickly recovers his durable arrows.
Jacobus pumps his fist and congratulates the wolf-riding halfling, "Good run Theo!"
He then quickly winces in pain as the bite from the worg sets in and his god's blessing leaves him.
Jacobus expends some divine energy on himself trying to get himself into fighting shape. His last attempt at being a turtle hadn't worked so well.
He then started looking around, trying to find the lair of the worg and see if there was anything to be found for their troubles.
--------------
HP 21/22
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18
Conditions: total defense, +4 to AC
Melee (heavy mace): +3 = +1(base) +2 (STR)
Melee Damage (heavy mace): 1d8+2, x2
0/1 judgment with surge, 6/6 agile feet, 2/3 1st level spells
Jacobus is able to find a set of tracks that look likely to be the worg's.
Tove heads over to the tracks Jacobus has found and tries to use what survival skills she's picked up so far to follow them back to the worg's lair.
Confident with his tracking ability, the inquisitor started to follow the tracks he had found.
They would hopefully lead him back to the lair, "Hey, this way. I think I can get to the worg lair and I don't want any more nasty surprises..."
-----------
For a final confirmation (& hopefully best two of three) Torsten tries his own luck. "Wolves cannot be harder to track than goats over hard rock. Lest there may be something you missed, my eyes will seek out this den of worgs."
Rufus goes over to the tracks and starts sniffing, following the tracks by its scent. "Your eyes may be good, but nothing can beat a wolfs nose."
As Rufus is tracking the worgs tracks I look to Jacobus, "You alright? That was quite the painful hit you took. At least that evil worg thing won't harm anyone else."
"So which way are we going, it seems everyone has a different idea on which way to go Raz walks back to his horse and follows theo, who seems most confident.
Rufus and Tove seem to be on the same trail, while Jacobus and Torsten initially head off in differing directions. After a brief conversation you settle on a path and attempt to track down the worg's lair.
After about an hour of searching the trail leads to a cave. Fortunately, the cave is not very deep as you look around the lair. It seems that the worg in question was a lone wolf. Just as you are about to give up the idea of finding anything of use in the cave you literally stumble upon what was a past meal of the worg.
Scattered human or half-elf bones and the tattered remains of a dark green robes and a moldy, leather pack. As you pick up the pack the bottom gives way and spews the contents across the cave floor.
Knowledge (Religion) DC 12:
X 10 = 80 sp
+ x 10 = 72 gp
pp
1st
common
Result: Endure Elements
1st
common
Result: Protection from Chaos
2nd
common
Result: Darkvision
0 CL 1
uncommon divine
Result: Resistance
2nd CL 3
uncommon divine
Result: Enthrall
I look around the cave, but not seeing much else I get to picking up the coins that have rolled onto the floor. I also pick up the vials and parchment, handing them to Torsten to sort out.
Tove bends down to help Theo collect the spilled contents of the pack, not noticing anything else.
"Eugh! People meat! That could've been one of us," says Ivo with a downcast expression. He idly pokes some of the corpse with a stick. "I feel really bad for this poor traveler."
"Hey, what's this wooden symbol? Is this some kind of nature god?" he adds as his poking turns up the holy symbol on the remains.