"sounds good."
Squinitng into the fog, Ommka removes her goggles, and makes the smallest target of herself as possible by crouching low, one hand on the vehicle, the other on her strung Thunderbow.
As much as an inn might be socially problematic, some shelter would be nice - or at least the opportunity to unstring my bow and return it to its waterproof sheath…
'quarter gallop' obviously didn't have the same meaning here, thought Yatin as he tried to get comfortable in the back of the steam wagon. But the floor was hard and not molded like a proper war saddle. The promise of a Inn was a welcome one but roadside camping sounded much better.
He looked at ..., still not sure what he was looking at he merely asked, "Doing Ok, there Ommka. So you like camping, eh?"
It sounded like chit-chat to pass the time but, in truth, Yatin wanted intel to better adapt when it came time to survive. Ans there was no use talking to the other person who was soundly asleep.
"Whoap What the..?" Moegan yanks the wheel before Korbinian or any of the other passengers see the hazard. "All hands!"
In the dim far edge of the headlights' cones of light, you see an overturned wagon with its contents spilled and smashed into the road. Two awkward man-sized creatures tug at something pinned underneath.
They look like some lizardy bird aberration of nature... A third drags a torn-free horse leg through the debris.
Four clawed legs, bulbous lumpy body - sickly seafoam green in color, a long neck matching its tail, wyvern-like wings, a bird-like head and beak with one eye. It looks into Mariah's headlights, and screeches fiercely.
"Crab, attack!" Korbinian yells, and the crab golem stirs to life, climbind out the back of the vehicle and advancing towards the creatures.
Crab Golem moves to M14 (assuming it must exit out the back of the troop wagon)
Korbinian draws his rifle and takes a shot at the nearest of the monsters before taking cover dehind the dash.
Yatin almost hit his head as the vehicle turned abruptly; his curse caught in his throat as he heard Moegan from the cabin up front.
He peered trying to discern what the creatures up ahead were while he weighed the options of what to do next.
Ommka smiles at Yatin.
"Forest brother. Surely you of all these understand. I prefer the raw elements. Nature. Not the constructed world. Social graces." The botanical places its head to the side considering Yatin further. Then looks ahead to the road again.
Ommka starts suddenly as the stops, and peers at the reptilian/avian monstrosities.
Then she stands up, draws an arrow and pulls back on her equally monstrous bow before letting fly. Somewhat poorly.
ROUND 1
Standard Action: Fire at creature in N20.
Immediate Action: Wyrdsight.
[+2 BAB, +2 Dex, +1 wyrdsight]
[+3 Strength rated]
Then she looks at her companions as she draws a new arrow.
"Why are we instigating hostilities with these creatures?"
@Ommka: Well, he's got me going after the enemies but here goes anyway. :)
The entomancer's hand whipped back and a long javelin appeared. It was smooth brown but tipped with a chitinous, barbed point. He turned his body and launched the missile to the closest creature with a grunt.
, not sure if that hits but just in case...
He then brought his hands up but they soon twisted and changed. Fingers melded together and his forearms transformed into jagged claws more befitting a giant insect than a human. He smiled and anticipated the bloodshed.
As Korbinian fires, the nearest creature squawks again... its tongue swells and splits into a mass of writhing tentacles.
Bovis pops awake, and readies his rifle. Moegan glances back to check Captain Schultz has room to maneuver, then draws his pistol.
The near creature takes a few waddling and flapping steps, then labors into flight. It soars overhead the crab golem (at which point Moegan fires), before banking south. Now thirty feet up and thirty feet south, it then banks again toward you as Yatin's javelin just barely misses.
The other two (which appear to be leaner... slightly smaller) scramble forward, and spring into flight as well. They both slow to a hover just above and adjacent to Korbinian's golem, and bite at its quartz appendages.
Round 2
"Crab, GRAB!" Korbinian yells, and the grab reaches out a claw to grapple one of the flying monstrosities.
does not provoke AoO
Korbinian draws his rifle and takes a shot at the monster that flew the farthest before taking cover behind the dash.
Not wanting to waste another javelin, the entomancer flexed his claws and waited to see what the cowardly reptile-birds would do. He yelled taunts at the monsters and waited, "Come down here, son. Let's see you screech from my claws."
Ommka drops her bow into the wagon, then dropping off the vehicle and drawing the deadly fire-hardened leafblade pulses with energy. Ommka charges the beast trying to dismember Korbinian's mechanical pet, deadly spikes and sharp flanges appearing all over the botanical's form.
ROUND 2
Free Action: Drop thunderbow.
Manite Speed Boost* - +20' for one point of energy reserve..
Swift Action: Energy Surge: Release a burst of hardened shell, chitin, hide, bark or viscosity granting the wyldmeld a +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class until the beginning of his next turn.
Full Round Action: Charge to L13 to attack beast in L14
(+2 BAB, +2 Str, -1 PA, +2 charge, +1 wyrdsight]
[+3 THF Str, +3 PA]
Korbinian's golem tags one lizard-bird as it coasts into position. The bobs in the air it makes to maintain its hover foil Ommka's planned strike. The larger creature bleats angrily as it's struck by Korbinian's rifle shot.
Captain Schultz opens the hatch of his tank. "Why are we stopping to bother with these creatures?"
Moegan stays put behind the wheel. He plucks another round from clutter on the dashboard, loads, and fires on the hovering lizard-birds in his headlights.
Bovis growls "Ill omen t'be woken so rrrudely by mad flying bagpipes!", then puts his eye to the sights of his rifle as the beast begins to dive. The beast is arcs toward Bovis, and slams hard into the side-panel... ignoring the threat Yatin's readiness poses. It whips its long neck - the beak end swings at the dour veteran, and buries into his chest below the sternum. Bovis is too much in shock to speak or scream.
The smaller hovering pair adjust to fight both the crab golem and Oomka.
Ommka avoids one as its wad of tentacles spring from its mouth and wriggle hungrily. The stench of alcohol and blood is on its hot breath.
The other pecks and slashes at Korbinian's golem in a violent tantrum of movement.
Smiling as the large reptile bird came within reach, Yatin's mantis claws dug into the beast. The hard chitin ripped into the side and the claws were soon bloodied.
Yatin took advantage of the monster's carelessness as it attacked Bovis. He ripped his claw into its flank.
Ommka redoubles efforts to end the creature that seems to be munching the crabgolem.
ROUND 3
Swift Action: Energy Surge: Release a burst of hardened shell, chitin, hide, bark or viscosity granting the wyldmeld a +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class until the beginning of his next turn. (1 energy point)
Move Action: Energy Surge: +4 to attack (1 energy point)
Standard Action: Attack beast in L14
Immediate Action: Wyrdsight on attack. (1 energy point)
[+2 BAB, +2 Str, -1 PA, +4 energy surge, +1 wyrdsight]
[+3 THF Str, +3 PA]
The beast with Bovis's blood on its beak is torn apart by Yatin's claws. It falls dead with a thud in the wagon. Bovis puts pressure against his wound, but blood continues to cascade over his fumbling hands.
Ommka's leafblade carves a gash into the flanked creature's side... it looks to be having difficulty maintaining flight.
Moegan fires another shot "You alright Ommka? I'm gonna get on Bovis's wound... looks bad."
Ommka blinks rapidly, shaking blood out of her eyes and quickly comprehending Moegan's call.
"Seem to be! If only I can work out some moves with my metal friend!!!"
Round 3
"Crab, GRAB!" Korbinian yells, and the grab reaches out a claw to grapple the flying monstrosity in L14.
does not provoke AoO
Korbinian draws his rifle and takes a shot at the monster in M15.
Korbinian's golem grips the injured beast at the base of the neck, and squeezes it lifeless.
The shot from his rifle finds its way past his golem, and wings the remaining creature. It lets out a warbling howl, and pumps its wings to push itself away from the fight.
After buzzing over the wagon wreckage, it banks north toward the deeper woods.
Parting Shot
As the first creature drops and the other turns tail and flees Ommka races after it.
ROUND 4
Full Move Action: Charge remaining beastie.
Immediate Action: Wyrdsight on attack. (1 energy point)
[+2 BAB, +2 Str, -1 PA, +2 charge, +1 wyrdsight]
[+3 THF Str, +3 PA]
With combat over, the entomancer didn't bother with the fleeing creature except to see that it was gone for good and would not return.
He sheathed his claws and turned to Bovis, "You alright?"
Yatin then jumped down from the steamwagon and happily stretched his legs. He neared the fallen wagon and wreckage to see if there were any survivors.
He gave the golem crab a wide berth while making sure he was visible to Korbinian lest the construct decide to attack him. He yelled back, "Hey, you got your pet under control right?"
The entomancer nodded to Ommka, "Good job. Were you hurt? What were those things?"
"Crab, drop it! Crab, return!" Korbinian yells, waving his manite wand first at the crab and then pointing to the bed of the truck. The golem dutifully returns, climbing into the bed and remaining still.
Korbinian then looks at poor Bovis's wounds and does what he can to stop the bleeding and administer first aid.
The fleeing creature leaves the sight of everyone at the vehicles. Ommka launches after for another strike.
Korbinian stops Bovis's bleeding, but he is unconscious.
Moegan checks his breathing, and pulse. "Best thing for him is rest now... lets get to our first stop." He hops from the wagon to head for the pilot's seat... looks to Korbinian. "Nice bandaging... Keep an eye on him?"
Moegan looks north into the woods about to holler after Ommka, and shakes his head. He glances at Yatin "Dunno what they were", then looks over the wagon wreckage. "Ale and liquor delivery here... couple dead looks like."
Korbinian focuses on monitoring Bovis's condition, glancing at the gauges when the wagon begins moving once more, checking them periodically while focusing on Bovis.
The entomancer nodded at Moegan, "It seems you're right but let me take a closer look nonetheless."
He then moved the wagon aside and looked for any survivors as well as any that could be salvaged.
Singularly focused on the task before her - fleeing foe - Ommka leaps into the air slicing with her leaf blade. Ommka smiles grimly as the blade slices through muscle, sinew and bone.
ROUND 5
Standard Action: Attack remaining beastie.
Swift/Move Action: Energy Jump! (1 energy point)
Immediate Action: Wyrdsight on attack. (1 energy point)
[+2 BAB, +2 Str, -1 PA, +1 wyrdsight]
[+3 THF Str, +3 PA]
As Ommka lands the botanical seems visibly reduced - as if the vital energies sustaining it have drained away.
Ommka drops the fleeing creature with her aerial assault. Its lifeless body thumps on the fog-wisped ground of the woods as she lands from her jump.
Another twenty feet ahead - where a crooked larch and a mossy outcropping of rock lean against each other, a half-dozen tiny beastly chicks feast on the majority of a dead and broken humanoid body. One of the dead must have already been delivered to the nest. They do not react whatsoever to Ommka's presence or the slaying of their "elder".
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
The smell of alcohol is dizzying, but Yatin finds several unbroken kegs of ale and a few gallon jugs of liquor... Nine tenths of the cargo is destroyed. No survivors. The two dead here are modestly equipped, and have slim coin purses.
2 daggers
sickle
sword
broken light crossbow
18 bolts (standard)
"Smult dogs" masterwork smelter's boots - treat as armored for hazards such as caltrops.
28 gold
accounts ledger and inkpen
Ommka approaches the chicks and frowns.
"Poor babies. You're folks were merely hungry."
With precise strokes and not a hint of disgust or moral quandary Ommka slices some of the remains into bite size chunks. Making sure each chick gets a good few gobbles, Ommka scoops them all up into Ommka's satchel. Then picks off a few bits of moss and larch and adds some of its own botanic matter to make a comfy nest.
Orpahns settled, Ommka stalks off to inspect the wreck, finding the sickle interesting.
Yatin did scavenge the useful items. If not useful to the entomancer, they could be good for trade and everyone liked liquor.
With task finished, he went back to the steam wagon and turned to Moegan, "With the aid of leech, I can offer some healing for Bovis; what do you want to do?"
Moegan looks back at Bovis, and shrugs to Yatin..."Whatever you think's best."
He then calls out to Ommka after she returns and claims the sickle from the debris. "You ready? Let's get movin."
He eyes the space between the overturned cart, and nearest trees before heading out.
With the bug-mage attending Bovis for the time being, Korbinian saw to his golem's repair. To begin repairs, anyway. The damage was extensive.
Ommka merely nods assent to Moegan.
The botanical looks over Korbinian's shoulder and nods.
"A worthy companion. In time I hope it can work better. Or me. We should have flanked it."
Then Ommka paces over to look at Bovis.
"Nice work too, Yat. How's Bovis?"
Moegan looks back at Bovis, and shrugs to Yatin..."Whatever you think's best."
Yatin was confused, "What do you mean 'whatever I think it's best'? Aren't you leading this? Isn't Bovis critical to our mission? if so, do you have other means of healing him?"
The entomancer wasn't reassured by the lack of command. His military training just told him that there was something wrong here, that his life was at danger.
He put his hand on Moegan's arm and looked him in the eye, "Are you in charge here?"
Moegan pulls his arm free from Yatin's hand."Yeah I'm in charge and I told you to do what you think's best...."
He drives wordlessly for several moments before speaking... with resolution, "The mission is still a go. We'll get him patched up when we stop."
The head lights catch a sign on the roadside which reads "Wynn Squattly's Tavern and Cabins. He pulls in, and you see a building lit by lanterns at the corners and stoop - stone on the first floor, wattle and daub second floor.
A man seated on the stoop trots over to the steamwagon. "Cabin?" (Moegan nods) the man continues "Out late, eh? Pull around back... Green Wolf cabin is vacant if you want a good view of the ravine. Yellow Dog's open too, if you want somethin closer to the tavern."
Ommka votes for the Green Wolf cabin for peace, quiet and vista enabled reflection. Regardless of the cabin chosen Ommka will retire to meditate and restore energy. And feed the beasties.
Ommka asks Moegan and other companions if they know what the beasties are.