"Ooh, that's good work Nedyr. We should make good use of what daylight we have left."
Sevrin whispers to Rilyeh, sending him skimming over the treetops ahead, alert for anything out of the ordinary.
"Uh Delia, what's that song about? It makes me feel weird."
Nedyr smiles at the compliments, "Thank you. And yes, though daylight can be a scarce thing in the forest even during high sun if the canopy gets thick enough."
Despite the brief diplomatic moment ago, Edvard didn't want to be a complete jerk to his friends. Picking a more...safe route, the youth had tried to start a legitimate conversation.
Hey about that fight earlier, you'd think that there'll be more of ém?
"A good question. I wish I knew the answer. Thanks to Sev, we aren't likely to fall for the same trick twice."
"Hmm. If I wanted to hurt us now, I'd use an illusion to hide something really dangerous. Doesn't seem like they were really trying to injure us though."
The animal trail winds its way through the depths of the Fangwood, the group following each twist and turn as it led them in the general direction of the Gray Lake. Before long, however, the light starts to fade. Shadows stretch across the forest floor, and the last vestiges of sunlight disappear from beyond the treetops. If the horizon was visible, the sun would surely be resting itself just on the cusp of disappearing from view. Unless you plan to continue onward in darkness, you're going to need to find a place to camp for the night.
With the advent of the evening, Ed couldn't help but to rejoice at the group's expense. Hopefully his quip would inspire them to act, or at the bare least have some fun.
Our familiar friend, the ever approaching evening is upon us friends. We must make ourselves chaste and seek shelter for we know not of what perrils lay in wait for us,,,
After this quip, Ed seemed to snap back to his usual self.
"You're an odd fellow, Edvard," but Nedyr smiles when he says it. "Yes, we need shelter or at least a good spot to set a camp up in. And... isn't it traditional to do 'watches' on these things? Everyone takes a turn watching the others or something like that?"
He tries to set up a camp if he finds a good location
Jumping a little bit at the noise, Sevrin once again eyes Ed dubiously.
"Um, yes. What he said. And yes we definitely should take turns on watch. I can go first, or last, or whatever."
"Uh, who knows how to set up a tent?"
Délia hangs a little back, letting Nedyr set up the camp. After all, he has always been more of an outdoors person than she is.
"I don't think we are all going to fit in that tent... Somebody will have to sleep on the ground."
Being mindful of the attack earlier in the day, Ed had unwillingly offered himself to sleep outside.
Tossing his bedroll and pack to the ground with a heave, Edvard looks to the group with crossed arms.
Shush, I get it. I'll be the exile and first watch. I'll take one for the team stated fiercely Ed.
Nedyr once again proves his expertise with the wilderness, finding a suitable site for a camp in little time.
Straying from the animal trail, there was a small clearing nearby. Calling it a clearing might be a little too generous, though. The ground was flat enough to lay down a few bedrolls around a fire, and maybe even fit a tent. But the grass was fairly high, except for a few patches of cleared dirt. Several bushes had taken root in the clearing, enjoying the relative distance from the trees. Still, a fallen tree laying at the edge of the area would provide plenty of tinder for the fire, and even work as a seat for the watchman. There were undoubtedly worse places to set up camp.
Edvard takes a seat, ready to play watchman, as the others bustle about setting up the campsite.
Nedyr begins to set up a small campfire, and looks to Edvard, "Ok. Edvard has volunteered to take first watch. I'll take second I guess. Who wants third?"
Sevrin roots around in his pack pulling out his blanket and some food, barely noticing the little lizard alighting on his shoulder. "I'll take third then." He says around a mouthful of hard tack.
"I'll take second with Nedyr. More eyes and someone to keep you awake are always a good thing."
Elaina gets her bedroll and blanket out before sitting on it and eating some supper herself.
"Thank you, Elaina. I'd like that," the druid smiles between bites of his own food.
Eventually, the group finishes their meals and head off to bed. The fire burns low, shedding the campsite with a dim but warm glow. Only Edvard stays awake on the first watch, perched atop the fallen log as he watches the shadows dance in the firelight.
Stealth
The first watch passes without incident, Ed yawning as he trades places with the midnight watch. Giving his sister a half-grin, half-yawn, Edvard gladly takes her place in his own bedroll. Eyes straining to make out shapes and shadows in the night, Nedyr and Elaina take a seat and wait.
Elaina Perception
Stealth
A good hour passes before something finally breaks the monotony of staring at the darkness. A sudden rustling in the bush near Elaina's side of the camp catches her interest. The leaves are moving too loudly for it to simply be the breeze.
"What was that?"
Elaina grabs her glaive as her eyes try and pierce the darkness.
"You heard something?" Nedyr asks, and strains to listen himself.
Elaina turns towards the source of the noise, catching Nedyr's attention as she does so. The pair both find themselves faced with a pair of wolves emerging from the undergrowth, slowly making their way into the campsite. They look a little thin, and their hunger shows as they bare their teeth. While they didn't pounce at their prey, they began to circle around the campsite, sizing up the two humans.
After a moment, another two wolves emerge from the opposite side of the camp, trapping Elaina and Nedyr - and the others, still asleep - between the two groups.
"This is not good," the druid comments, "They're hungry, and while cautious, they don't fear us. Don't show fear, that will give them even more confidence. I'm going to try to figure out which one is pack leader, and see if I can convince it there is easier prey out there. You may want to wake the others, but do it quietly if you can."
Assuming he finds the one taking lead, he meets its gaze for a moment, and stands taller, then yawns, the last a 'calming signal' he knows often works on the village dogs.
It seems that the first of the wolves to approach is leading the pack, and even now he stands slightly closer than the others as they circle their prey. Only slightly larger than the others, all four of the wolves are rather gaunt - more than wolves you've seen in the past. The lean beasts pace, their eyes shifting between the two conscious members of the group as they wait for a sign of weakness.
Staring down the pack leader, Nedyr tries his best to convey his message to the animal. It looks almost as though it considers backing away, but a low growl and another step forward quickly suggest otherwise.
"I think we have a fight on our hands," Nedyr says, "Unless the party has some food they want to part with, and that might be a delaying tactic at best." He holds his ground, trying to delay this fight long enough for the others to get up and get ready
Delia
Sevrin
With all the movement, growling, rustling and talking, Sevrin rolls over, his eyes slowly opening and pushing away the drowsy veil of sleep. The noises are clearer now - growls, slow movement across the fallen leaves and other undergrowth. Rapidly blinking away the last of his half-asleep state, he opens his eyes to find a pack of wolves encircling the camp.
The wolves continue to eye Nedyr, apparently unaware that Sevrin has regained consciousness. The pack leader edges another few inches closer, as though testing the waters to see how the human would react. Teeth bared, saliva dripped from behind the canine's canines. The beasts were getting their courage up... it wouldn't be long before they lunged on their prey.
As Sevrin realizes what he sees before him he barely suppresses a yelp of fear.
Oh, geez. They said wolves wouldn't be a problem.
Moving as carefully as his nerves allow he tries to raise the other sleepers without provoking an attack.
"Wake up! He hisses, tugging at the sleeper's clothing. "Wolves. Hungry wolves."
Deep inside he feels his fear again curdle into malice. Stupid wolves, messing with armed folk is just going to get them hurt. These beasts are going to learn a lesson if they're not careful. A storm cloud of ill will breaks in Sevrins mind.
"Be sure to keep Edvard quiet, he'll have the whole pack on us if we're not careful."
Elaina keeps her eyes on the wolves on her end of the camp. Her voice is quiet and calm.
"So how do you scare off a hungry wolf?"
"Annoyed" would be a quite good word to describe Délia when woken up at the middle of the night. "What is it now?" She grumbles at Sevrin before noticing the cause of all the hassle.
She stands up, bares her teeth at the wolves and shouts: "Damn piles of flea-plauged fur! Get off my camp before I get angry!"
"If this doesn't work, we're in for a fight," Nedyr notes as Delia snarls at the wolves
"Would appearing meaner work? We have them outnumbered."
Elaina trains her glaive on the closer of the two wolves on her side of the camp.
"At this point, a show of strength maybe all we have, unless we have a deer haunch I don't know about to throw them."
"I wish we did. Even with what I brought, we don't have much to spare."
Taking a page from her brother's book, she bares her teeth in the most ferocious snarl she can manage before letting out a long, loud howl.
Ed had been previously engaged in a most epic fantasy.
battle against Frost Trolls in the outskirts of Kalsgard. His shield bore a different face - a series of intricate knotted emboss with a mighty sigil at its center. Everything was different about the lad - longer braided hair drapped across a full plate of armor. White vestments with a blue trim, a dancing pattern of skald prayers.
The troll, complete with a frost beard and piercing red eyes had snarled, revealing a maw of vicious teeth which to rip and tear Ed. Drawing about his axe and shield, he was took a position near Elaina and charged the fearsome creature
As if called to action, Ed woke from his alternate reality, as if posessed by something, he stands up without thinking - armor and weaponless.
But it didn't matter, he just bared his teeth and snarled widely, not even realizing the presence of the wolves.
Aroooo Arooo Huffff *snarls*
Ini
The wolves are visibly perplexed by both the sudden wakefulness and apparent ferocity of their prey. They snarl right back, but each of them starts to back away. Only the pack leader seems to hold his ground, but just barely. He looks to his pack, and (literally, it seems) barks orders to them. A sudden burst of malignant energy radiates outward from Severin, nearly invisible in the darkness. The wolf's fur stands on end as it passes through him, and it looks as though he might just flee...
Pack loyalties aside, the wolves may have been starving but they weren't rabid - they knew a fight they shouldn't get involved with. And a pack of humans, with a half-orc in tow, practically foaming at the mouth was not an appropriate meal. Two of the three wolves take off, disappearing into the woods as silently as they emerged.
The alpha wolf and the sole remaining wolf growl at the party, as if mentally weighing the advantages of running from this "prey". After another few tense moments, the pair lunge forward.
The leader jumps straight for the neck of the closest person, Nedyr. Fortunately, the druid had plenty of time to react to the wolf and easily kept himself safe.
The other wolf dashes around the side of the camp, lunging for the unarmored Sevrin. The force of the impact is itself enough to knock Sevrin to the ground, but the wolf hits his mark as well. Tearing straight through the pant leg, the wound begins to bleed quite badly as the warm blood pours from Sevrin's leg.
Attack
DMG
Trip
"Kill the leader first, and the others may break morale" Nedyr says it with a sort of sad firmness.
Then Sev gets hurt, "And someone help Sevrin, please!"
Elaina watches the wolves take off and waits a moment before seeing how the other side of the camp is doing. Grim determination lines her face as she swings her glaive in a wide arc. Unfortunately she misses the wolf on Sevrin.
"Ed! Help Nedyr with the pack leader!"
Sevrin lets out a yelp of terror as the wolfs sudden assault knocks him over.
Bad doggie! Oh gods help me I'm going to die!
"Stupid wolf, get off me!"
Sevrin unleashes his Misfortune hex at the wolf that attacked him.
Sevrin tries to stand up.
:
Throwing caution to the wind, Ed had decided to do his best and fight back.
"That did it! You'd had better ran when you still had the change!"
Délia takes her mace, steps next to the nearest wolf, which happened to be the one attacking Sevrin this time, and brings her weapon down towards the poor beast's head.
AoO
AoO Reroll
Elaina jumps into action, focusing her efforts towards the wolf attacking Sevrin. Her glaive's swing is too high, giving the wolf little more than a breeze as the razor-sharp blade flew past.
Sevrin mentally reaches out to the wolf pinning him to the ground, the same powers burning outward from deep within. He feels as though he holds the wolf's karmic balance in his hand - before snapping it like a twig. He shakes off the strange feeling and jumps to his feet, the wolf's bite narrowly missing his legs.
Delia comes charging to his aid - but perhaps she was not as awake as she believed she was. With only a half-grip on her mace, the downward swing turns into a forward throw. The heavy chunk of metal flies through the dim light and lands among the smouldering embers of the camp's fire pit.
Meanwhile, Nedyr was occupied with the pack's leader, chomping at his arms and legs as the fray continued. Edvard leaps from his bedroll, his own teeth gnashing at the wolf as he lunged. The wolf ran circles around both him and Nedyr, easily dodging both men's attempts to retaliate...
Round 2
...Before lunging at the unarmored Ed. As dexterous as the wolf he was fighting, Edvard rolled away from the pack leader's bite.
The other wolf was still unsatisfied with the chunk it had gotten out of Sevrin, making another attempt for the young man's leg. Having learned his lesson the first time, though, Sevrin backs away from the wolf and puts just enough distance between himself and wolf to keep his skin.
Leader Atk
Other Atk
Other Atk Misfortune
Elaina, in complete contrast to her brother, keeps her calm and moves to where she can get another strike with her glaive, carefully picking her place so that neither wolf could get under the reach of the blade. Her swing isn't the best, nor was the blow delivered very powerful, but it was better than what happened to Delia.
"Delia, I've got a knife if you need it."
Sevrin reaches into his pocket while muttering darkly and produces a pinch of sand, which he tosses in the direction of the attacking wolf.
Defensive Casting DC 17
"Oops."
Feeling the weapon slip out of her grasp, Délia feels a little worried for a moment. When Elaina offers her a spare dagger, she quickly accepts the offer, continuing on the offence as fast as she can.
Nedyr takes another swing with the sickle, "I have a spell of fire that might hurt more than one of them, but I don't want to set anything besides wolves ablaze, which might include one of you if I position it poorly."
Slowly coming out of his trance, Ed had needed something larger - and more deadlier. His muscles ached to collide with the enemies, as in his head - he was the chosen one.
"Oooooahhhh!!!!" screamed the youth he made his move. Finding his hands around the great axe he bought on his birthday, its great weight had reminded Ed of its power. Honing on the nearest wolf, he saw no different than the ogrekin in his dream.
Elaina grabs her dagger and tosses it to Delia almost before waiting for a response. The bard grabs the blade mid-flight, and readies her new weapon for battle. The two women take off in different directions, Elaina positioning herself in the middle of the fray, but far enough from the wolves that they could not dive beneath her blade's arc. Lashing out with the polearm, she catches the pack leader on his hindquarters, tearing through the fur to the flesh beneath. Despite the injury, the wolf gave no indication that it had any intention to flee the battlefield.
Not one to be one-upped, Edvard reaches for his greataxe. The mighty weapon made his sister's blade of choice look like a toothpick. A very long toothpick, perhaps, but a toothpick nevertheless. The first of his blows with the massive weapon is slow and cumbersome, and the wounded wolf - not wanting to suffer another injury - dodges away from the strike.
Sevrin, caught in a melee with one of the wolves and with no strong desire to lose any more blood, reaches into his pocket and prays he finds the right spell components to get him out of this mess. He grabs a small pinch of sand between his fingers, and throws it out at the wolf, right as it lunged again - and as the final words of his incantation finished, a burst of nearly imperceptible light signaled the spell's success. The wolf slows, its eyelids heavy, before it collapses into a slumber at Sevein's feet. Still, though, the pack leader fought on - undeterred by any mortal's magic.
Alpha Will
The pack leader, despite his injuries, was still more than capable of fighting, as it ran sideways along the group. Delia, armed with her new knife, and Nedyr, with his trusty sickle, swung out at the wolf as it passed. The canine, however, was too quick for their slow blows and dodged them with ease.
Round 3
The pack leader dashes around the edges of the campsite, before rushing forward once again - this time nipping for Delia's legs. Yet the wolf's injuries are taking their toll. As the beast charged forward, its hind leg failed to clear a fallen branch. Caught on the obstacle, the wolf tumbled forward, landing on its belly at Delia's feet.
Nedyr admires the animal's ability to literally run rings about them, "Magnificent, isn't it?" But even as he says that, he moves up on it and slashes at its flank with his sickle again.
Sevrin stares at the sleeping wolf in disbelief. Whatever he just did, it worked!
He turns his attention back to the pack leader. This is all that creatures fault, may it's teeth dull and snap!
It is almost like a dance. Elaina moves to flank the wolf letting instinct guide her feet. Her eyes stay trained on the bleeding and prone animal as her glaive flows in graceful arcs, it's blade twinkling in the waning lights of the embers before it comes down. Hard.
Seeing that the pack leader was well within the group's handle, Ed had positioned himself near Elaina, and assumed a strong pose. Hair whipping in the night's breeze, the Tirel Twins were a spectacle to see.
Bringing his arms in an arc, Ed had prepared his great axe should the wolf stir.
"Hell'll find no other direction stronger than the hewing of my blade" mumbled Ed as he looked menacingly. Brow furrowing, and a glare that could best even a gorgon's gaze - Edvard Tirel.