Yumiko crouches down amongst the underbrush and tries to line up a shot at the leech, but she waits to see what her companions do before firing. Her sister grasps her longspear and prepares herself to attack anything that might draw near to threaten her sister.
Xargin nocks an arrow to his bow and lets an arrow fly at the oversized leech, but the shot is wide, and the arrow splashes harmlessly into the water.
Marc grasps his Lucerne hammer in both hands and strides to the water’s edge, waiting to attack the giant bloodsucker if it comes within reach.
Grendel flings a stone from his sling at the leech – it is a good shot, but the surface tension of the water breaks the momentum of the stone, and it sinks down harmlessly beside the leech. A moment after Grendel lets fly there is a deep, loud ~boom~ as Yumiko fires her blunderbuss. Birds fly up in fear from the surrounding trees, ears are left ringing, and a small cloud of smoke surrounds Yumiko – but the shot misses the leech.
Yumiko: 22 (musket shot 8 to hit ranged touch, 9 damage)
Haelynn: 18
Xargin: 16+ (will take a shot when possible, 9 to hit)
Marc: 16 (will move to K9 and ready an attack)
Grendel: 13
Jasminder: 12
Tannithil: 11
Leech: 8
Xargin readies another shot, but holds his fire, waiting til the leech is out of cover so he has a clear shot.
Jasminder scowls as the log gives way and she falls into the water, but graciously accepts help getting out, and the offer of getting herself clean.
She follows the others down the trail, alert after the footprints for signs of being followed.
Too busy looking behind, she does not notice the thing in the water until it is pointed out to her by Grendel. Sighing at the prospect of once more needing to get wet, she waits for the others to let loose their ranged weapons before she starts forward to engage the creature.
Jasminder waits to see if Tannithil will fire his bow, then leaps gracefully across to the first rock and reaches down to try to slash at the leech under the surface of the water with her sharp claws - one claw comes within scant inches, but just misses.
Tannithil aims carefully, his shot designed more to drive the leech onto the bank where Marc is standing in a better attempt to engage it in melee before letting loose a single arrow;
He then notches another arrow and moves to N8.
Tannithil’s arrow is deflected by the surface of the water, and barely misses.
The leech rears up out of the murky water beside Jasminder, its circular maw opening to reveal a spiral of teeth. It lunges towards the vishkanya woman.
Yumiko hurriedly reloads her weapon, tearing the paper cartridge with her teeth and tasting bitter saltpetre. "Quit thy wrigglity, thy sponge-head! Hold real stillsome!. She squints over the sights of the musket, holds her breath against the sharp CRACK of the discharge and the stinging gunsmoke which shrouds the battlefield.
The giant leech launches itself out of the water and bounces off Jasminder's armour. Growling at the creature, her eyes narrow and she renews her assault on the abberant monstrosity, claws slashing at the beast, and anger now marring her usually serene features.
Yumiko fires her noisy weapon again, but it is near impossible shot to hit the leech past Marc and Jasminder … and she’s not quite prepared to risk hitting them. Thus, the shot is wide.
Grendel lets fly with another stone, but curses as it fly's wide.
Marc looks for a way to get at the leech as it rears out of the water and attacks Jasminder.
Fearing for Jasminder, Haelynn moves beside Marc and attacks the giant leech with her longspear.
If I've taken to many full round actions here to prevent attacking, all good! Based on my position on the map it's probable I'll be slowed by the mud as well in reaching the leech.
Tannithil returns his notched arrow to his quiver and advances upon the beast as it's vile form assails Jasminder.
Drawing his katana in a smooth action he attacks;
Haelynn steps forward into the deep mud by the river’s edge to try to thrust at the leech with her longspear – however, not only does she stab the weapon awkwardly into the mud, she has far over-estimated the reach of her spear.
Xargin strings an arrow to his bow and holds his position, waiting for a clear shot – but even with the leech above the surface of the water, he finds it difficult to find a clear shot past Haelynn, Marc and Jasminder. His arm begins to shake as he tries to hold his bow steady in anticipation of a shot.
Marc steps forward into the murky water and plunges in surprisingly deep, up to his chest. His clothing and gear are soaked and he can feel mud inside his boots. He thrusts his Lucerne hammer awkwardly at the leech, but his footing is poor and his weapon does not connect.
Grendel lets fly with another stone, but curses as it flies wide.
Jasminder slashes at the leech with her clawed hands. She manages to score a hit, her claws slashing deeply into the leech’s soft, bloated flesh. It writhes in pain.
Tannithil fires another arrow from his short bow;
Tannithil’s arrow just misses the leech.
The leech lunges forward again at Jasminder, determined to get a meal.
.
As the leech rears up again to bite at Jasminder, Yumiko lines up another shot and fires. Jasminder feels a rush of wind against her leg as the cartridge misses her by a fraction of an inch. It smashes into the leech’s tooth filled maw and explodes out the back of the vermin’s head in an explosion of black flesh and red gore. The leech thrashes violently, but seems to be too stupid to realise it should be dead …
"Good shot Yumiko!" Marc exclaims, before steadying himself in the muddy water and lunging in for another attack.
Grendel lets fly with another stone
Laughing as the creature misses her and then has half it's head blown away by Yumiko, Jasminder slashes at the floundering leech once more.
Marc and Grendel both miss their attacks on the leech, but Jasminder, laughing, makes mincemeat of the creature with her claws. Broken and dying, it sinks back down beneath the surface of the water, where it will trouble no one anymore.
As the leech sinks below the surface, a visible change comes over Jasminder. It's almost as if she deflates, as her shoulders slump and she leans against her legs for support. The manic look is gone from her face, as her usual neutral expression once more comes over her features.
Marc places his Lucerne Hammer on the relatively solid bank behind him and offers Haelynn a hand out of the muddy water before climbing back up onto the embankment himself.
"Well fought," he says to Jasminder and Yumiko, looking somewhat sheepish at his lack of real contribution to the fight. "You are not hurt are you Jasminder?"
Grendel nods appreciatively at Yumiko. "Nice shooting." He frowns as he looks at his sling, replacing it at his side. He then moves to bound across the stepping stones.
Xargin lowers his bow, placing the arrow back in his quiver, then slings the bow into place over his back again.
"We trust no one is hurt? Our apologies for not being of further assistance... we are afraid combat is not our forte."
He crosses the stepping stones, then glances around on the other side of the riverbank, looking for any further danger or useful details of the area.
Xargin jumps safely across the stepping stones, making it to the far bank of this branch of the Soggy River.
Yumiko makes a disgust-face at the leech entrails spread over the riverbank (and Jasminder). "Tha have got some on thy face. No ... highersome ... lowerwise ... wait. Nay, we thinks that was there afore the leechyguts."
She ignores the fact her own face is smudged with black gunpowder grit and her hair is a haven for twigs after hiding in the bushes. She carefully steps across the stones.
As the others start to cross the river, Marc mounts up on Taletheus and leads his warhorse into the water again, gently coaxing his mount to swim across.
Once on the other side he scans the path ahead for any sign of danger.
Once across, Grendel starts to search for the trail as the others take their time crossing