Trox shakes his head at the poor creature and whispers.
"Killing things that are no threat is less then pleasurable."
AC: 31/16/26
AC: 31/16/26
Reynard shreds a dog to bits, while Trox cuts another in half. Skarn stands in stunned silence.
The hurt cat leaps onto the back of the last dog, and it takes off running.
"What the hell was that about?"
"I guess big'n'ugly was a really big dog person? Tried ta warn him y'all are brutal in a fight. Guess he was too dumb ta take heed. Any hoo, not that our cat-seeing detour is done, on ta th' keep?"
As the dog takes off, the cat circles back and watches you, quietly sitting.
"Well that turned out well, didn't it?" Druamin approaches the cat with a friendly manner. [b]"So, little cat. Lost your master, huh? Well, do you want to join us?"
Druamin holds out a hand and tries to entice the cat to come closer to him. While he watches the cat he speaks to the others. "Anyone want a pet? I think that this animal is going to want to follow us."
He also acknowledges René. "Yeah, we should get going to the fort. I just want to make sure that this guy is taken care of."
The cat reacts well to Druamin, and rubs up against his leg. And then the cat starts to try to lead you in the direction that the dog ran.
"Whoa! Hold on there boy. We're going the other way. Come on now."
Duramin starts to move in the direction back towards the bridge but he glances to see if the cat is following.
You sense the cat is trying to lead you somewhere, but it is impossible to tell motive unless you have a way to speak with it. It does seem anxious for you to follow, though.
Druamin stops walking away. "Hey guys. This cat is trying to show us something. I'm not sure what it is but I think it's important. We should follow it. I'm sure that the fort can wait another few minutes."
Who am I to argue with a cat? Cordwin says with a chuckle. Let's see where the cat wants to show us!
"I'm in."
Faywen nods. "May as well."
You notice that the ratty old blanket that the ogrekin carried includes a lot of roughly sewn patches - including 5 that you recognize as Black Arrow crests. Some of them are blood stained.
The cat takes off, a little ahead of you, then sits until you almost catch up. You occasionally see it sniffing the air, but for the most part, Druamin seems to think the cat knows where it is going.
After about a half-mile, you see a farmhouse in the distance.
As we do a quick search of the body before following the cat, Cordwin holds up the ogrekin's blanket. Hey! This blanket has some Black Arrow crests sown into it - and some of them are blood-stained!
Trox shakes his head at this situation.
Gods give some powers, why not a cat guide I guess.
"Huh, so most likely, big'n'ugly either killed some Black Arrows or looted them after they ran inta some other trouble. If it's some bigger trouble, mebbe why they went all in-com-mune-a-cado like."
"Think this cat is the companion of one of the Black Arrows?"
"Think this cat is the companion of one of the Black Arrows?"
Druamin shakes his head. "No way. This cat is too nice. He wouldn't possibly be associated with any of the Black Arrows."
Seeing the small farmhouse ahead, Druamin pauses. "That looks like the place he's leading us. I'm guessing that his companion lives there. Hopefully he's just injured and not something worse. We should be cautious when approaching."
I'm not stealthy, but I might be able to talk my way out of something! Cordwin offers.
Skarn shrugs and casts invisibility on himself, before trying to sneak in...
You approach the sickly farm in a clearing in the forest. The woods around this land are decorated with several hanging cornhusk-and-leather humanoid shaped fetishes - likely meant to ward off intruders. A quick investigation of any of these fetishes reveals they're stuffed with what appears to be a mix of dirt and human hair. A tangled field of corn and other diseased plants grows in the eastern section of their land, while
to the north slump two sagging buildings: a barn and a farmhouse. Both have had their windows boarded over, and moss and fungus grow heavy on the shaded sides of the decrepit structures.
The farmhouse is on the left, and a barn on the right. They seem a little large for standard humans. You also think you might hear banjo music in the back of your head.
Skarn spots an an 8-foot-tall ogre-kin whose grotesquely deformed head resembles a giant pumpkin on the right side-a huge puffy mass of tumors and overgrown bone giving his head a lopsided look. The ogrekin stalks the perimeter of the farmstead, and appears to be on the lookout for intruders and working to scare crows and other animals away from his cornfield.
What do I know about this ogre kin? Anything special? Or just a big bag of hit points?
+3 to identify creature abilities and weaknesses
24
Skarn will clench a little and move to get a closer look at the barn area first.
You also think you might hear banjo music in the back of your head
You also think you might hear banjo music in the back of your head
Trox is very satisfied when Skarn moves ahead invisibly and quietly. He hangs back sword and shield in hand ready to charge under the assumption that it will go bad. It always goes bad.
Faywen waits with the others in anticipation of Skarn's return.
@GM - What about this barn then?
The barn houses several mounds of molding hay, grain stores, and even a large but crude still. Two catwalks rise up along the walls, leading to
doors near the ceiling in the east wall. Lower, a pair of massive doors, boarded over with thick timbers, allows ground access to the room beyond. Several dingy kennels are built into the walls under the catwalks.
The dog you were chasing is hiding here, curled up and licking its wounds.
Three younger ogre-kins are here, drinking and chatting away. From their talking, you are able to gather that Hograth is the eldest ofthe three, a hulking brute with a vestigial arm growing from his left elbow and a no-necked, dented head. Jeppo Graul is a big, handsome boy towering over his brothers. His eyes are huge and milky white, and his skin pale as the full moon. Sugar is the shortest of the Grauls, standing barely more than 5 feet tall, with crooked stumpy legs and constantly twitching skin.
They have not yet noticed you.
Seems like this is a sometimes whispered about family of ogrekins called Graul. They are fierce and brave, and usually quite stealthy - especially to find they live so close to civilization unnoticed.
They are chaotic and evil, enjoying to torture and eat others of any race. Their deformities often give them unique abilities that are hard to guess. They are strong and stout, but not so bright, and do classify as "giant" for game purposes.
Is there an entrance to the barn, that is unobserved from the house, so we can go there in secret from any onlookers?
Skarn will return to the group and report all that he has discovered, as well as the nature of these Grauls.
[b]"I haven't checked out the house, probably more of the same. I saw we go and clear out the barn first.
Reynard pulls out assorted flasks from various bandolier pouches. ”I plan on actually being ready this time.”
No and unless you are all invisible you have pumpkin head to de@l with first.
"Clearing out the barn first sounds like a good idea. So there is the pumpkin head guy out here and then three in the barn?"
"Let's make it a quick assault then."
Relying on the fact that for now at least they were fairly close, René patted Trox on the back. "Go get 'im, buddy. Try ta finish him off afore I get there, so as not ta expose me poor, innocent lil eyes, yeah? Heh."
Still being invisible, Skarn will take an attack in the surprise round please, with his weapon Bane, and Divine Favor, and Power Attack, oh and he's a giant...
vs Flatfooted AC
x4, P
Skarn attacks, giving you the signal to go. It's a solid hit, and the ogrekin howls in pain.
Faywen darts forward, hurling a blast of water at the giant before he has time to react.
Faywen blasts Mr. Pumpkinhead, catching him flatfooted.
It blasts him off his feet, and he falls dead in his cornfield.
Skarn waves the group on towards the barn...
He never knew what hit him! Cordwin says as he runs to where Skarn is.