"Tell me, Perlivash, what kind of biggins do you think we are?" Treshiell asks in her eerily neutral tone. "The encounters we've had when entering this forest, was that your doing? Where they tricks or tests? Or both?"
"There are some bad that way," Tyg-Titter-Tut replies, pointing toward the east, "but they've never told us their names. We tried asking a few times too!"
Perlivash looks as Treshiell for a moment. "You seem to be good biggins. Oh, and some of the tricks might have been us -- but we did wake you up when the owlbear came too close! We were just having a contest to see who could make the other laugh the most, though we think bad bigginses get much madder at tricks than good bigginses did."
"Your tricks were quite clever, to be sure. These traps you mentioned...does the one who set them come back to check on them? That is the way some big folk hunt. But if they're hurting people, it might be something for us to take care of."
"Thank you!" the two fey preen for a moment at your compliment about the traps, though the grig keeps turning her attention back to Edrukk, perhaps waiting for a story or song. "No, the biggin doesn't come back for his traps anymore. They're very dangerous, though, so be careful if you go there."
Edrukk will wait for the others to finish up their questions, and then share one of his lighter stories for the wee folk.
"We wonder what that makes you", Treshiell says and looks at Jhod with a mysterious smile. "Maybe Erasil can protect you. What kind of bigginses are to the east? Like us or... hairier?"
"I too am interested in these bad bigginses to the east as well. What can you tell us of them?" Orin will then consult with Agnar "I agree, anyone who deliberately leaves his traps unmarked so that others can be hurt must be dealt with before more people get injured or maimed. Perhaps we should deal with this wayward trapper first"
Turning to the two fey Orin nods his head "Thank you for this information, it is greatly appreciated. I hope that in the future we can grow to be good friends and if ever you should need my help, don't hesitate to come find me."
"No," Perlivash replies, shaking his head back and forth. "They don't have any hair and don't look like you all at all. They look like frogs, but much bigger."
"You're welcome," Tyg-Titter-Tut tells Orin, "and maybe we can help you too if you need it!" She turns back to the dwarf, her little eyebrows raised as she waits for a story, and then cheers as he begins and ends his tale while the others finish packing.
Jhod rolls his eyes a bit at the reaction to Edrukk's story, but doesn't say anything. As you prepare to leave, he wishes you well. "Erastil look over you as you explore. I plan to go back to the fort and see if Vandar will be willing to come out here. He seemed eager to learn more of Erastil, so I'm hopeful he will be of some help. If you have any need of me, you will know where to find me."
"This area of traps is a concern, but we did come out here with the intent of taking down Tuskgutter. I say we take him. A great boar that's tasted human flesh is a menace worth eliminating. Then we can deal with other things. Best follow the trail one is prepared to take."
"It appears that the traps are known about, and it sounds like the trapper long gone, so little would be gained by rushing there immediately. I would say swing around to the south to deal with this Tuskgutter, than circle west on our way back north to deal with the traps. Dealing with immediate or unclear threats or problems seems like a prudent plan of action, although I suppose we could try to use the traps to deal with Tuskgutter. How familiar/comfortable are you with such things, Rupert?" Edrukk comments as he wraps up his story, and everyone is ready to leave. "May you be a bit more successful in your endeavor than your predecessor, Jhod. I don't feel like coming back and fighting another bearpriest."
"Bein' completely honest," Rupert solemnly removes his hat and places it over his chest, "Traps o'any sort scare the willies outta me. Ah' could try my hand at them, but I'm by no means comfortable with the prospect o'doin' so. Ah' say we go after that prize on the evil boar's head, or maybe or pay those bad bigginses to the west a visit."
"Well Rupert, it seems that we get to know you better and better each passing day", Treshiell says with a wry smile. "So we are going south to settle the crippled hunter's quarrels?"
The group, agreed to continue their hunt for the boar, takes their leave of Jhod and the two mischievous fey as they continue south.
A day of searching and exploring the woods doesn't reveal the beast, but does uncover a fallen pine tree creating a natural shelter, which is littered with bones. Treshiell, Agnar and Orin all think it's likely the lair is the den of a large boar.
Edrukk looks around for a good spot to set up an ambush near the lair.
Treshill looks intrigued by the large collection of bones littering the area. "We wonder if we can find Vekkel's missing leg here", she says as she dismounts. "Do the hunters have their spears ready?"
Orin will take the time to setup a blind for the others to hide behind, while he searches the area to determine the freshest set of tracks and which direction they go.
Survival check #1:
Survival check #2:
He will then follow the tracks out from the lair for about 30', then hunker down and wait.
Agnar will follow Orin's lead, assisting where necessary.
Survival assist roll:
Second Survival assist roll:
Orin and Agnar are able to set up a blind a short distance away from the den before finding the most recent tracks, which were likely left several hours earlier.
Edrukk will set himself up in the blind if there is room, crossbow ready. If there isn't room, he will try to find a good spot to hide himself somewhere up a tree.
Treshiell seems more interested in the varios bones that lie scattered across the area than preparing to catch the beast. If asked to do something she will first study whomever came with the request for a moment then comply without a word.
If nobody tells her what to do she will eventually walk up to the blind and ask "Are we hiding?". As everyone is ready Treshiell begins to chant a brief rhyme as a intangible force seems to rise from the ground and surround her
Rupert says with admiration "That's a handy-lookin' hidin' spot you fellas whipped up." If there's room behind the blind for him, he'll camp out with bow drawn and arrow notched. If there's not room, he'll be able to make do in a different part of the clearing, already being used to stealthy ambushes.
Orin will move a little ways up the trail and settle down in the undergrowth, sticking a pair of arrows in the dirt close to hand and wait for the boar to return, hoping to trap it between himself and the others waiting in ambush.
Stealth check:
After an hour of waiting, sounds of a large creature approaching breaks the noise of animals readying for the end of the day.
The creature -- a massive specimen, almost as long as two men lying head to toe, and taller at the shoulder than any of the members of the group -- suddenly stops, sniffing around, as it nears Orin's hiding spot.
Initiatives
Agnar stands firm near the archers, knowing that if the creature survives the first volley, it will likely charge the blind. He prepares to spear it when it comes in for the attack.
"Should we call for it, or is Orin bait?" Treshiell asks as it starts sniffing around and moving towards Orin's hiding spot.
Edrukk waits, watching the boar sniff around, ready to fire at the first sign of combat from someone else in the party, not particularly eager to face that thing in melee.
"Fire. I'll draw his attention," Agnar murmurs, tightening the grip on his spear.
Rupert leaps up from behind the blind at Agnar's word, and fires an arrow at the giant boar.
Attack
Damage
Treshiell presents a twig she collected while the others where preparing the ambush. The witch graps the small branch with both hands and holds it in plain view. As the boar draws closer she snaps the wood with a quick and decisive flick of the wrists. The sounds of the twig snapping echoes three times, the last echo sounding as if it comes directly beside the charging boar
Cursing as the boar catches his scent, Orin emerges from his hiding spot a split second after Rupert andd lets fly with an arrow.
Attack roll:
Damage:
Round 1
As the mighty beast gets close, Rupert leaps from the blind and fires, his arrow slamming into the massive boar's shoulder, drawing an outraged squeal of pain, which is repeated as a moment later Orin's arrow hits Tuskgutter.
Agnar hollers at the creature, trying to draw its attention, and sets his spear as the creature charges him. The weapon slams into the charging boar, penetrating deep into its flesh, but it seems to ignore the shaft now jutting out of it as it completes its charge and gores the priest on its tusks. Agnar falls limp to the ground as the spear is pulled from his hands, still lodged in the boar.
With the creature now right in their face, Treshiell casts her hex on it and Edrukk -- his hopes of not facing it up close dashed -- swings, but his hammer seems to merely bounce off its tough hide.
Accepting his fate, Edrukk grits his teeth, and stepping over Agnar's limp body to protect the down cleric, takes another swing.
Round 2, initiative 14
Treshiell takes a few steps back and locks her gaze on the boar while moving her arms in an hypnotic pattern. The witch hisses and spits in a strange tounge at the beast.
[ooc]Cast Evil eye hex (DC15) in hopes of giving him a -2 to attack rolls.
Orin will drop his bow, pull his greatsword and charge the creature, bellowing in anger, in an attempt to draw it's attention away from Agnar.
Attack roll:
Damage:
Round 2
Rupert steps toward the creature, now bleeding from multiple wounds, and slashes it with his sword, hoping to draw its attention from Agnar while also hoping to avoid the priest's fate.
Orin charges in, nearly severing the boar's spine with a swing of his massive sword.
The boar, bleeding badly now, still seems to have enough strength to spin around, thrusting its head -- massive tusks covered in Agnar's blood -- toward Orin. However, it appears to be weakened enough that the ranger is able to easily parry the blow, avoiding any injury.
As Treshiell puts an evil eye on the beast, Edrukk steps up and lands it one more blow. It staggers a few steps, and finally collapses to the ground, no longer moving.
Rupert slowly approaches the boar's body, poking at it with the tip of his dueling sword. "Is it dead?" As he inspects the massive corpse, "Ah' imagine there's enough meat here t'feed everyone at the Fort for a week!"
Treshiell steps over to Agnar as Erdukk blow lays the beast low and kneels beside the unconscious cleric. The witch moves her hands over the wound Tuskgutter's charge left and a trail of thin crimson mist forms around the wound and floats up towards her hands .
Treshiell pokes around in the small pile of crimson dust that's formed in her palm as if looking for something before she blows at it lightly and scatters the powder to the winds.
Edrukk can't help but comment to Agnar as he comes to, "For a priest of Erastil, natural creatures sure have a thing against you. Are you sure you're in the right line of work?" He proceeds to put his weapon away and start scavenging for any useful items or materials.
Agnar gives a groan as he gingerly props himself up on one elbow.
"Things might have gone differently had I not yelled at it while waving a spear, right after the rest of you peppered it with arrows. Still, I don't think I'm much cut out to be a boar hunter, or maybe next time I'll try again with something a little smaller."
"What are we hunting next?" Treshiell asks as she examines Agnar with her gaze. Finally she prods his now closed wound with her finger. "You have stopped bleeding, but you look tired. Maybe you should rest?"
Thaal seems to taste the air around the cleric from his position on the witch's shoulder.