"I have one more question before we head out, Ash. Did the gale-forced winds happen before or after the release of these creatures?"
Could a Pygmy Jubjub bird be causing this phenomenon?
"It's a shame I can't afford a spell that might protect against this effect. Maybe I can develop one?" She slightly sighs in inward frustration. "I do miss my library..."
Pelipe's question seems to spark an epiphany for Asham.
"Oh! I hadn't thought of that!" she exclaims, beginning to think about the sequence of events.
"The winds began before the creatures escaped," she soon replies with a good amount of certainty. "I remember because Hexa was down at the lakeside, helping haul boats off the water to safety, when he was summoned to start rounding up the escaped beasts."
"It is possible that whatever set them free may have set the gales off, but it most likely then is that the beasts themselves are not the cause of these events, and that is good..." she voices with dread at the thought of a massive owlbear capable of creating gales. Now that all of her questions are exhausted, she settles into her saddle on her horse and moves next to what Ahto is traveling in/on.
On your way to the castle stables, you are intercepted by Althea.
"I took a walk along the parapet to have a look at your city-state," she states non-nonchalantly.
"It occurred to me that it would be rather unfair to make an assessment of your progress given the current...calamity. If nothing else, your stronghold is far more impressive than I expected. Certainly several steps up from that rickety trading post."
She surveys the horses snorting and chomping on oats in the stable.
"So, which steed will be mine?"
"Do you intend to lend your swordarm and come with us, Althea?" she asks with curiosity.
Great, the Chelaxian wants to come. Katrine represses a sigh as she saddles her horse. Oh well. At least Althea is a competent spellcaster who doesn't run from a fight.
"Do you intend to lend your swordarm and come with us, Althea?" she asks with curiosity.
"Of course," she replies as though confirming something that should be obvious. "I learned some details from your harried guards about the monsters plaguing your city-state. Quite the challenge, if I may say so. Having no less than a trained and accomplished Hellknight Signifer at your side would go a long way to securing victory."
She walks along the stable, assessing the horses. She abruptly stops at the stall of a lean, wiry pale horse.
"I like this one. I can see speed in its legs."
Pelipe would likely ask why Althea bothered to come if she was not going to chip in and help out, but since she is showing a degree of helpfulness, Pelipe is happy to have another mage on their side. Perhaps she can turn the battle for them (if indeed there is one).
She rides in the last known direction of the monster that Ahto wishes to tackle first.
A Hellknight? Then where's her armor? Even in the River Kingdoms, everyone knows that Hellknights wear heavy armor. Whatever. Not my problem. Katrine finishes saddling her horse, opting to leave her pack mule and the bulky supplies he was carrying behind. Hopefully this won't take long enough to need an overnight stay. "Let's be about it, then." She vaults into the saddle with the fluid ease of long practice, whistling to summon Storm.
"I don't suppose any among you have experience tracking such a peculiar creature?" Althea coyly asks as she deftly swings herself up into the saddle of her chosen horse.
Katrine and Storm join Ahto in attempting to track the pygmy jubjub bird. She's never seen one before (thank the gods for that), but even a pygmy jubjub is going to be quite large. So she's looking for a giant bird. The ranger looks up at Althea's comment. "No, but it's probably bigger than any of the birds we normally have in the River Kingdoms. So if we find signs of a giant bird, it's most likely the pygmy jubjub."
Without hesitation, Pelipe will give any information regarding the area they are heading into. She is skilled at knowing lowland bowls, swampy marshes, deep forests, and any other kind of geography from her youthful training. Some of her insights even delve into connections to astronomy, climate, and people in such locations. Really, her revelations can be pretty nerdy, but Ahto has never been anything other than willing to listen, so she holds nothing back.
Despite this greatness of mind and study, the more confident Althea is, the more nerdy Pelipe feels and the more her confidence falters. Then, at the sight of Althea sitting so queenly on her horse, being given the free right to belong, Pelipe is forced to think of the letters she received from her granduncle. A deeply troubled look passes over her countenance and she loses all thought of tracking the bird. Instead, she just follows where the others lead in a distracted manner.
Lord Ahto leads the procession through the castle gates and out of Horace. At first, the trail is easy to pick up: long sections of fence being repaired, upturned hunks of soil, uprooted trees, and avian footprints (nearly twice the width of a person's hand) in fresh mud. However, beyond the settled parts of Tamlyn, the trail becomes more indistinct.
This is when Katrine and Pelipe take charge.
Katrine takes note of the tracks of other, more mundane animals that seem to have been fleeing, en masse, from a predator. Using these clues to guide the party back on track, she is then able to coax Storm to follow the distinct, unfamiliar scent of the beast.
Following the trail back to the Narlmarches, Pelipe takes stock of the forest's condition. Unbeknownst to her, sections of the forest have become home to small populations of Tamlyn's First Citizens, and they have begun making changes to the forest to be more homely for them. Pelipe observes these distinct pockets of the forest and identifies the ones most likely to attract the jubjub bird.
After traveling westward, you track the bird's path now turning towards the northwest. The creature seems to be heading towards wither the old tatzlwyrm den or the marshy ruins where the boggard Garuum has made his tiny "kingdom."
For now, having traveled more than 16 miles in pursuit of the bird, after having ridden back to Horace, you find that night is fast falling upon the forest. Your horses are tired, as are you.
"Agreed." Katrine follows suit, tethering her horse to a sturdy tree with plenty of slack on the rope. "All right. I can improvise a shelter for us and hunt up some dinner. Would a couple of you be able to start a fire, find water, and gather wood?" It's been a tiring hunt, but it's refreshing to be in her element once more. Somewhere where she actually knows what she's doing.
"I can cook," she volunteers. The others have had her cooking before. It had swayed the town ravaged by the children of the Strouds. This would be far more rustic, but with her at the helm, it will most likely taste amazing.
"I was taught by our dwarven head chef from a young age. She said that young people should know how to butcher an animal, how to prepare it, and how to cook it. At first," she laughs melodiously, "I was mortified to go from sewing and reading to butchering what used to be a living animal. I almost didn't ever want to cook again, but then I tasted what I made. I saw how others enjoyed it. I began to have an appreciation for life around me that I never had before."
This is mostly stated for Ahto's benefit, so he can learn a bit more about her.
She will show her skill that night by taking mundane ingredients and making them shine. She knows how and when to apply seasonings. She understands the complexity of the meat gathered and how to cut it and stuff it for the best flavors. She understands whether to use brine or marination for the types of meat they gather.
The end flavor is probably not something people from the River Kingdoms are used to but will be familiar to local dishes they may like due to the similar herbs used. She uses her own spices on her person to make the meal come alive.
When she is not cooking, she helps set up camp and can help keep watch in the earlier morning hours.
|
"I will collect wood, and get the fire going," Ahto replies. He scans the immediate area of kindling and begins collecting it into a bundle, working ever outward as he goes. Once he is satisfied he has collected enough to last until morning, he sets himself to the task of building and lighting the fire.
The forest willingly lends its bounty to you, as though consciously offering assistance.
Katrine finds thick, nutritious roots close to the surface, berry bushes ripening early for the season, and a stag that walks calmly out of the deepening gloom, seemingly unaware of Katrine's presence right up until she brings it down with an arrow. Whilst stripping the body, she also observes that the stag had just walked out from a natural lean-to made from a trio of neighboring trees that have grown or collapsed together.
Likewise, Ahto finds an abundance of dry branches laying upon the ground.
Although you never see them, you suspect some of your First Citizens - the ones who are especially shy, or who have temporarily fled Horace to escape their more dangerous kin - may be nearby, providing aid in semi-secret.
It amazes her how well-versed her companions are at surviving in nature. Making camp seems like an orchestral event. All she does is cook, but they seek and find out things hidden in a realm unknown to them, and yet every time, come back with a bounty of goods.
Ahto professionally gets the fire going for her and she thanks him in what could be described as a cute way. While she is a good cook, clearly she was impressed with his ability to get a lasting fire going.
Such a bounty of meat is before them, having a whole stag found and killed, she will need the fire going for a while to dry out some of the leftover meat as well. Each of them can eat to their bursting fill tonight and still not run out of meat after she's done. The smell of delicious food will fill the forest and Pelipe finishes by serving her companions on their mess kits or by sharing hers if they have not brought one.
You wake to find the morning uneasily still and quiet. No birdsong echoes among the trees, and even the wind seems too frightened to rustle the leaves upon the boughs overhead. Your unseen fey friends from the previous evening have apparently fled for safety, for there are no offerings or gifts left at your camp in the morning.
The time has come to resume the hunt, and you fear that even the forest itself knows that the beast is not far.
Katrine wakes at dawn, as is her habit, and spends some time meditating on nature. Fortunately there's still plenty of deer meat (seasoned and cooked much better than she can manage on her own!) for everyone, Storm included. She washes up as best she can in the winter cold, buckles on her breastplate, and joins Ahto in packing up the camp.
"Since the pygmy jubjub comes from the First World, it would be a good idea to get out the cold iron weapons." If only there was a spell that could give Storm's teeth the properties of cold iron! The best Katrine can do for him is magic fang.
Pelipe will discuss the spells she prepares that day in anticipation for better tactics. Such as, when the beast shows itself, grouping together for a casting of haste would be welcomed. Ahto waiting to charge in until she has a bull's strength spell on him wouldn't hurt. People being mindful of the creature's size and reach would not go amiss. In any case, when she is done, she will finish and put away her spellbook. As they have seen before, its appearance is a beautiful design reminiscent of northern style oceanic penguins, with dark black fur on its cover and a gorgeous yellow "beak" down the spine. Its pages inside are gold in color with black inked text. These pages shimmer in the morning light until put away.
---
As advised, she will have a good breakfast and shows Katrine she has her cold iron dagger ready. After that, she will set out on her horse as quietly as possible. She strains to hear the sounds of the beast and at the same time is mindful of what the others tell her to do.
As they get nearer, she will dismount and sneak closer. If they can see the beast from afar, she will put bull's strength on Ahto and Storm, and then will ensure she is protected by her armored magic.
On the morrow, you pick up the beast's trail anew with little difficulty. The best clues are the mangled remains of prey animals left in its wake. Almost invariably, the jubjub bird has left its prey decapitated. Lord Ahto recognizes that the trail is leading towards a set of stone ruins in a swampy part of the forest that is inhabited by Garuum, an exiled boggard with whom they maintained cordial relations upon the last visit.
"Who is Garuum? Friend of yours?" Katrine and Storm are both on high alert, constantly scanning the area for signs of a giant murder bird. The very last thing she wants is for the thing to turn the tables and start hunting them.
"Each of these bodies has had its head removed...," she states the obvious by the time they see the third dead beast decapitated. "...and I would guess premortem. That means it favors attacks in this fashion. If it favors decapitation as a method of attack, we'll have to use that to our advantage. If we know what it will aim for when it attacks, perhaps we can plan ahead to dodge such attacks . Just something to be mindful of..." she trails off. The statement may not help if the bird is violently fast enough to hit their heads regardless. It was caught somehow. Perhaps someone can calm it down first?
Upon hearing that this is the living area of someone, her thoughts turn a bit darker.
"I do hope Garuum is not decapitated!" she thinks to herself. She then looks at Ahto's armor and considers his protection from such an attack.
"Let's begin our approach and make sure we are downwind..."
She will oversee the area and point out to the others the best locations to approach based on the wind patterns they observe. She also wonders if she can find a location that will be ideal to lure it out.
"I could try to lure it to a location perfect for our attack with an injured deer call. How does that sound?"
Although Katrine and Pelipe are relative newcomers to this stretch of the Narlmarches, they quickly acclimate and lend their insight to expedite the party's cautious advance.
Here, east of the Skunk River, the forest ground slumps away into a soggy mire, fed by small creeks branching off from the river. Trees have been uprooted from the sodden soil by a mighty beast that came stampeding through here within the past day or two, leaving behind large avian tracks in the soft ground.
Through these wide gaps in the trees and undergrowth, you can espy a pair of stone ruins jutting out of the damp ground, standing amid a wide puddle of stagnant water. The passage of time, along with a cloak of moss and creepers, makes it difficult to identify the architectural style of the ruins from afar.
An immense bipedal bird, easily larger in mass than the biggest of oxen, struts around the ruins, occasionally ruffling its vibrant blue feathers and letting bits of moisture run down its leathery hide. It stabs at the damp soil with its sharp beak, searching for small prey to tide it over. When it raises its head, you find that it stands about 12 feet tall, the plumes atop its scalp standing taller than the ruined stone walls.
Such a bizarre creature could only be your quarry, the jubjub bird. Thankfully, it has not noticed your approach from a distance, but from here there is no obvious sign of Garuum the boggard.
At this point, she will cast her desired spells upon Ahto and Storm as they are not far. If they get closer, it will hear her casting. She then will cast a ghost sound in the middle of a distant pile of bushes to draw the pygmy jubjub out of the ruins. Hopefully, out into the open if that seems like what the party wishes her to do. Seeing the size of the bird, a deer just won't do. She goes for something larger in sound, like an auroch or water buffalo being injured. To her, the Jubjub bird just looks mean. By making this sound, she will no doubt cause the violent-minded bird to come to check out its potential food/prey or to size up against any other potential hostile carnivores killing it. After all, if it is territorial, a carnivore intruding on its newly claimed territory should cause it to come quite quickly. If it is hungry as it seems to be, then it may come regardless. Then, when Ahto is ready to strike from hiding, she will enlarge him and haste the party. This flurry of spells begins the process of tiring her out, as the exhaustive actions tax her internally.
+5 attack (3 str + 1 Size + 1 haste)
+4 damage (+3 str + 1 size)
+30ft Movement/Jump Speed
+1 dodge AC
+1 Reflex
+1 Extra Full Attack action
+4 attack (3 str+1 haste)
+3 damage
+30ft Movement/Jump Speed
+1 dodge AC
+1 Reflex
+1 Extra Full Attack action
Katrine smiles in satisfaction as she spots their quarry. It's big, downright massive for a bird, but not as big as she feared. They might be able to pull this off.
She pulls back to hide behind a tree as Pelipe begins casting her spells, including one on Storm. "Thanks, Pelipe," she whispers. Time to start casting her own spells, small as they are. Katrine quietly murmurs the ancient words of power, resting a sharp-nailed hand on Storm's head. The familiar green shimmer briefly appears around his muzzle. Next the ranger draws her longbow to cast the next spell. The weapon shines green for a moment as her magic takes effect.
Pelipe, unfortunately, cannot recall any weaknesses about this First World bird and its kin. Rather, she can only remember some of the infamous aspects that make it dangerous.
Besides possessing a very sharp beak, particularly adept at lopping the heads off prey, the jubjub bird can also unleash an ear-piercing shriek capable of leaving even the toughest warriors stunned. Additionally, the creature is supposedly able to adapt to different types of energy, becoming suddenly resistant to fire, cold, electricity, and even sonic attacks.
Pelipe recognizes that the jubjub bird, despite being from the First World, is a magical beast.
The creature's head shoots up as Pelipe's spell begins parroting the sounds of a wounded animal in the underbrush along the edge of the trees crowding around the ruins. The bird begins to creep along the outside of the ruins, tramping counterclockwise, as it begins to stalk this perceived prey.
Pelipe will give a nod to Katrine and give Storm a caring pat on the head. She wants to see the dog effective and to come out of this.
Seeing that the Jubjub bird decides to go the opposite way in stalking its prey rather than rushing in head-on, Pelipe moves her ghost sound to a spot between a large boulder in the shallow waters and some reeds that line the edge of it. The cover of the rocks should mean that in order to get a visual, the Jubjub will have to skirt the inside of the treeline near the group, placing them in a prime spot to attack. However, this is the last time she can possibly cast without being found out, as the deadly bird nears them.
She will keep an ear out to track his movements. She wants to make sure they are not surprised by it potentially trampling over and into them. If it seems like it's about to, she will call attention to it. Otherwise, she hopes all goes to plan. A perfect result would be if the beast could get within 5ft of Ahto and not know it.
Her eyes scan to Althea to see if she is getting ready to fight. Such a cunning warrior surely will either join in the fray or will be in the back casting spells. Either way, she is glad for the change of heart and for her coming along, even if it is for her own self interest of presenting a worthy image to Ahto.
Katrine gestures for Storm to stay put, then quietly makes her way around to the south of Pelipe's wounded animal call. The ranger hides behind a tree, mithril breastplate covered by her bearskin poncho. Her companion watches her intently, ears pricked for the signal to attack.
Standing at the party's rear, Althea has been no slouch making preparations. She, too, has been making use of her magic. First, Althea embarks upon a complex summoning spell, eventually conjuring a giant yellow spider. She then draws a wand to guard herself with a magic Shield whilst ushering her summoned spider to lie in wait among some bushes near the new location of the illusory sounds.
The large predatory bird follows a path quite close to Pelipe's prediction.
It scans around, looking for the source of the animal sounds. It then finds the enlarged Ahto stepping out from the trees and squawks in anger, ruffing its feathers in preparation for a fight with the lord, just about matching its own height.
Katrine steps out of her hiding place and runs to her right, positioning herself so that she can see past Giant Ahto. She whistles to Storm and gestures with her free hand. The wolfdog barks and races through the underbrush, bursting out behind the jubjub bird. He lunges at the backs of its enormous legs.
Meanwhile, Storm's ranger was carefully taking aim at her quarry, a cold iron arrow nocked to her string. She lets fly as her companion attacks.
Pelipe watches with supremacy and courage at the strength of Ahto as he tears at the Jubjub's hard flesh. Instead, Pelipe focuses on its mind. She sends up a cloud of irritatingly beautiful lights. This wave spreads and washes over the Jubjub. Whether it is affected or not is to be seen.
Ahto steps up and delivers a mighty blow upon the beast with Burden, cleaving into his leathery hide just beneath its long neck.
Katrine's arrow nearly takes out the creature's eye, and Storm delivers a wound to its scaly leg that begins to bleed profusely.
Althea invokes a spell and raises her palms, each one firing a scorching ray at the jubjub bird. Only one strikes its target, searing the bird until its hide begins to toughen in response, becoming heat proof. The spider summoned by Althea skitters across the mud and launches webbing at the bird but fails to ensnare it.
Pelipe is able to focus and pierce the creature's natural resistance to magic, and the bird is unable to shake off the dazzling shower of colors. The bird is stunned, giving the party another crucial opening.
Katrine grins and shoots again, and again, and a third time. Under the influence of Pelipe's spell, the world looks like it's moving in slow motion. Meanwhile, Storm is savaging the bird's enormous leg like the deadly predator he is.
"There! Strike it now. The wave of light has stunned him."
If she has noticed its resistance, she will kindly warn those around her to not use fire against it until its resistance fades (however long that is).
Pelipe correctly identifies how the jubjub bird's feathers and hide magically adapt to protect it from flames. However, her tactical insight - along with either her own or Althea's magic - proves superfluous.
Ahto with Burden, Katrine with her bow, and Storm with his teeth unleash an absolute onslaught upon the magical beast. The jubjub bird never gets to escape from the magical stun laid upon it by Pelipe's spell, for it collapses to the sodden ground with a wet splash and lies there, bleeding the last of its life away.