I don't think this is how hunting is supposed to go! Karlan called as he continued to flail about ineffectually at the boars.
Maybe. Possibly.
Seeing one of the other wild pigs damn near gut Harry, Kanyk pulls his spear free yet again and jams it back into the still struggling boar.
Leaving his spear jutting from the still twitching corpse of the brutish animal Kanyk steps over it, pulling his Earthbreaker off his back as he moves in beside Harry.
"Mr. Kanyk! Mr. Harry! Are you hurt!?"
Nieve rushes towards the half-orcs, though he is unable to reach them in time before the boars assault once more.
After Nieve uses his healing magic to help Kanyk, Ser Karlan misses again (AC 14), but it was nearly a hit...at least...
With a last gasp the lead boar tumbles and then breaks down, as Kanyk brings his spear in another time, several deep wounds are all over its body.
The two not sleeping beasts turn to flight in terror!
Two other animals now still lie sleeping to your feet.
@ Gerlick:
Naffer laughs coarsely
Yeah, I'll never understand why people pray to evil gods...take Rovagug for example, Father Abstalar told me, he would try to destroy whole Golarion if set free...what a great expectation for a worshipper, heh.
"Well that was brief and bloody." Commented Karlan. "So should we leave the nappers or do we really need more meat? Doesn't seem right to kill them like that."
Aldern arrives from the other side, totally out of breath
Right, that wouldn't be a hunt, let's just make some noise, I bet they will flee then.
Mr. Kanyk I'm impressed, I totally underestimated how dangerous animals boars are. Hunting is definitely not my kind of sport. Can anyone carry the dead boar to our horses?
"P...please don't. I only used the spell in case of emergency, I... I did not come here to watch merciless slaughter."
He glances at the boars in their reverie, and then at the wounds Harry suffered when Aldern arrives, luckily unhurt.
"They will only remain sleeping for another thirty seconds. If...if you want to fight them awake, I won't complain, but don't..."
He fumbles a bit with his words. All this... blood...
Calm down... Calm down.
Nieve turns away and places two fingers on his nose, drawing deep breaths. He attempts to regain his composure. He turns around, almost forcing a smile.
"I...I'm sorry, Mr. Harry, I can't treat your wounds, nor Thumper's. At...at least not here."
"Thank you for your healing Mr. Nieve, I'm unsure I would have been able to walk out of the forest with my leg in the state it was."
He bends down and with a slight grunt hoists the dead boar onto his shoulder, ignoring the blood dripping down his back. He glances down at the two sleeping pigs and then shakes his head.
"We leave the sleeping boar. We've no need of more meat and it means more to hunt if we return. Be wary if they awake before we are gone though, they're just as likely to attack as to flee. We'll get a ways away from the sleepers and then we can bandage Mr. Harry and Thumper's wounds."
With all that said Kanyk turns and begins the walk back to the horses, moving slowly under the weight of the pig.
Gerlicks barks out a short laugh. "It takes all kinds Naffer."
@ Gerlick: Naffer nods and continues to clean the tombstone in front of him after about five minutes he asks
What about your new companions? The people that arrived at Sandpoint during Swallowtail Festival. I heard quite alot of stories about them, even though they have only been here for some days.
@ The Hunters
Leaving the snoring boars behind you reach your horses. This whole hunt became much more dangerous than all of you had thought, yet you escaped more or less OK.
While mounting his horse Aldern comments
This was far more excitement than I had expected! Good job Mr. Kanyk and the others...but especially Harry's fighting skills were overly impressive.
Pausing for a moment, Gerlick looks around for more things to clean while speaking. "Honestly? I don't know much about them myself. They seem friendly enough but I don't want to cause them trouble. They will have trouble of their own being deputies." Gerlick glances over at Naffer. "What did you want to know exactly?"
Naffer raises his hand in a defensive gesture
Oh, not so important, I just wondered how fast your friends became deputies and all that, I heard Shayliss Vinder was even interested in this Harry guy?!
Naffer looks to the obscured sky and adds
I bet it will drizzle pretty soon. Wanna join me in my shed for today Gerlick?
"I wouldn't mind. As to how they became deputies, we all got the same offer really. I just am smart enough to realize that a monster like me as a deputy is likely to get the sherrif lynched. He offered it to us to help deal with the goblin threat." Gerlick follows Naffer when he leaves.
"Harry is a good man, a bit rough around the edges he seems, but I cannot find any falsehood. Certainly a better man then most!"
"I'm just glad you're alive, Mr. Kanyk, Mr. Harry. You were... mighty impressive slaying that boar."
He tries to hide the faint hint of embarrassment in his voice.
@ Gerlick:
Thn you should warn him, Ven Vinder, Shayliss' father is a man you best not tangle with, seriously...
The ride back to Sandpoint is accompanied by a light drizzle, which isn't too unpleasant because of the still high temperatures.
As you follow the last curve of the Lost Coast Road which leads directly through Sandpoint, you can't help yourself but silently confirm that this little town is really beautiful: The well kept white limestone houses, the impressive new rose, smooth as glass, cathedral, the sturdy little castle and the impressive manors to the south...Sandpoint is really something special.
Together with Aldern you return to the Rusty Dragon, where Bethana seems to have awaited you
Mr. Kanyk! Are you beginning to bring your own meat to our establishment?
/ooc. Good reading, should be back online probably tomorrow night
Kanyk shrugs the shoulder not encumbered with a few hundred pounds of dead pig, not quite sure if Bethana's words are said in jest or not. He thinks for a second or two before speaking.
"Well I had thought I could go out the back and clean him up a bit and then you could serve him up to your fine patrons. Look on it as a small gift for your having let us stay in your inn free of charge for a week"
Lowering the bristly corpse from his shoulder and massaging the strained muscles with his other hand Kanyk looks down at the boar so as to avoid the woman's eyes as he waits for her reply.
Bethana smiles and says
Splendid Idea Mr. Kanyk, but be careful not to spill too much blood on the floor! Ameiko will love it and I have so many herbs I always wanted to use with boar.
Nieve is reflecting upon the beauty of Sandpoint as he has gone back to his room to prepare for supper. He regrets not having his hair braided for the trip, glancing at the dirt it managed to accumulate as it dangles near his ankles. I wonder if I ought to shorten it...
He watches Elyn climbing about on the shelf and the window frame, as he takes to cleaning the end of his hair before he sets to braiding it. I... did my coming along with the hunting party ... matter?
Quietly, he braids the length all the way through until it hangs, thicker than rope, behind his back. After adorning the end of the coil with a red and white ribbon, he stretches his shoulders and rubs his chin. His beard is getting uneven.
He sighs and glances out the open shutters. I hope Mr. Gerlick is okay.
"Excellent, I'll have my friend here skinned and ready for you in no time. Karlan, want to see how to put some of that talk from yesterday into practice?"
Kanyk heaves the pig back onto his shoulder and carries it through to the kitchen, picking a spot next to the door so as to be able to easily rinse away any spilled blood. He strings the animal's hind legs to the rafters and lays a large tub he finds leant against a wall under the carcass to catch the majority of the blood and internal organs. Pulling his skinning knife from his belt and borrowing a cleaver from the kitchen to cut through the tougher joints and sinews Kanyk sets to work, quickly and efficiently cleaning the boar.
Karlan seems as cheerufl as ever on the ride back and takes delight in helping KAnyk skin and clean the boar.
Bethana seems really impressed by your skills
Mr. Kany, Mr. Kanyk, I have to say you're an undiscovered genius of a butcher! We will have a great fest tonight and tomorrow as well!
You all spend the rest of the afternoon in the backyard garden together with Ameiko and Bethana, who eagerly ask questions about your latest adventure. All the while Aldern emphasizes Harry's prowess and skills...and the boar turns on its spit like a suckling.
Gerlick looks at Naffer. "What do you mean I should warn Harry? Just what kind of danger is he in do you think?"
When Nieve comes down from his room, he has the braid dangling down close to his knees; his clothes are the same, however. Elyn is nestled on his right shoulder. He throws a glance at the spitroasting boar. "That does look like a good meal..."
He looks around; Mr. Gerlick is nowhere. He glances at Harry and Kanyk, and the Ser Karlan. "Should...shouldn't we invite Mr. Gerlick?"
Naffer laught heartily
Shayliss is an easy girl and everyone knows it besides her father...he still believes she was kind of holy virgin, heh. Should he ever find out what she is doing with whom, her boyfriend should be able to run pretty fast, heh.
"well if it all the same to you good gentlemen I think I will stick to hunting two legged pigs, those ones seem a bit tricky for my liking, indeed twice as clever as the types I normally have to go looking for"
Despite his injuries, Harry remains upbeat about the affair.
"Very kind of Mr Aldern to take us"
Together you enjoy the boar roast, the wonderful red wine from Korvosa and the mild weather of a waning summer. The clouds have dispersed and like a gigantic orb of pruple and orange the sun bathes Sandpoint in a romantic light.
As you go to bed this evening, you feel exhausted, but still very good, the hunt was exciting and ended with a triumph, in short, a perfect day.
The next two days, everything remains calm in Sandpoint and on the morning of the 9th of Rova Harry finds a letter adressed to him at his door
Dear Harry,
I had to leave Sandpoint to take care of certain businesses in Magnimar. I really enjoyed the time with you and hope we'll meet again in the future.
Your friend Aldern
As Harry walks down into the taproom he meets the other deputies sitting at the bar and having breakfast. A blonde, very attractive young woman is sitting alone at a table and drinking a cup of chocolate. As she notices you, she beckons you to come over to her table.
Karlan will work in the blacksmith's shop before going back to the temple to help father Abstalar and go to bed.
Harry tucks away the letter, happy that the young Lord enjoyed his adventures on the wild side.
Upon noting the woman beckoning to him, Harry swaggers over...confident and handsome, grinning his usual roguish smile.
Nieve has just finished braiding the incessantly long hair of his, and has descended down to the first floor of the tavern; he knocks on the doorway leading into the kitchen. "Bethana? Ameiko?"
The day after Gerlick and Naffer spent working on the cemetary (the day after the hunt), Gerlick will go up to Naffer and simply say "So, is Chopper's Island still uninhabited? I am thinking it might be a good place for me to put down roots. I am not afraid of anything that might have happened. Who would I need to talk to, to claim it?"
@ Harry:
The girl smiles a seductive smile, she's obviously beyond the level of a smalltown beauty...
You must be Harry then? I heard quite alot about you...and only good things. I wandered if you would like to take a walk with me, I could show you some sights of the city not many people know...
@ Nieve:
Bethana scurries out of the kitchen and nearly bumps right into you
What can I do for you, dear?
@ Gerlick:
Naffer ponders about the question, then replies slowly
I...I think mayor Deverin was the right one to ask. Surely she will have no objections, the place is said to be haunted, you know.
Gerlick laughs. "There are worst things in life then ghosts Naffer. Besides, if I can tame it then that should be worth something aye? Can you show me where it is?" Gerlick smiles at the friendly cemetary keeper, hoping his plan will work.
If I can put down roots here, maybe open a healing service, people will become less afraid of me and I can prove that I am not so terrible!, Gerlick things to himself.
The mayor or the island? I bet you mean the latter one, eh?
Gerlick nods. "The island, yes. I can find the mayor I am sure, but I want to see this place first, assuming its no trouble for you."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Bethana, I'm in the way... I was wondering if I could possibly buy some breakfast? Me and Elyn are starving..."
He regrets not having had supper last night, and the moan from his stomach does nothing but reinforce this. Elyn skitters about on his shoulders, clearly antsy to dig his fangs into something. Or someone.
Well, surely not more than cleaning tombstones, heh. Follow me, pal.
Together with Naffer you wander to the rocky bluff that marks Sandpoints northern border. The waves crush loudly against the limestone cliff and the beach about 15m below you. Only now you notice that the beach here is full of garbage and trash (SM 6).
As Naffer notices your astonishment, he comments
Oh yeah, the dump, I know, the sight's not that great...just ignore it.
The beach extends to the small isle north of Sandpoint. Chopper's Isle is surrounded by a small line of sand and consists mostly of overgrown rocks.
Nothing left of his house, they burnt it down until only the cellar remained, but I think they sealed the entrance somehow. Right where we now stand once began a bridge that crossed the beach, so that Jervis was able to walk from Sandpoint directly onto the Isle.
Gerlick stares, the island seeming to call to him. Its perfect. That could be...home. I would need money somehow to actually build there.... Gerlick then gets a sudden idea.
"Naffer, thank you for showing me this! I need to go visit the mayor now and see if I can claim the land somehow...and then find a way to get some money. I had an idea! Would you be willing to show me where I can find the mayor by chance? I don't want to impose my friend."
Naffer nods and answers while still staring at the isle
You sure, you wanna call that place home?
Whatever, the mayor is at the town hall, just opposite the garrison. Shall I accompany you?
Gerlick pats Naffer on the shoulder. "Not just home Naffer, but something else. I had...well lets just say I had an idea. If I can make this unwanted place into something great, wouldn't that be a good thing?" Gerlick begins to walk, and then turns to look at Naffer. "If you think you can help me convince the Mayor to give me this land, then please come along! I would not begrudge the company. Oh, and you mentioned there were tunnels in the island?"
@ Nieve: Bethana looks past you to your empty table
Oh dear, I completely forgot about you! I made hazelnut waffles and and still have some blueberry jam and cream, interested?
"That sounds lovely, Bethana."
He smiles and looks for his usual table.
Sense Motive - Hunch
Perception - is she armed or anything notable?
Harry looks at the fine young woman appraisingly, his face remaining as though he is simply admiring her beauty, however his mind is running like a rattlesnake... she is too good looking and too refined a lass for all this to be above board, she no farm girl, tavern wench, or Riddleport Quickwife, so then this is either a nice girl of breeding looking for 'A little bit of rough' or its the Scarni wannabes sending him a honey trap to get him out and alone to take revenge on day one.. so who is she?
Harry being Harry gets to the end of the calcuation, smiles warmly, "Why certainly, I would love to see the finer points of this fair town by guidance from an expert hand, Miss...?"
He whistles to Thumper to join him.