Survival

Game Master J4RH34D

Lamb smiles at Jester, saying, "Imagine all the little creatures of the forest. Little bugs, birds, rats and mice, squirrels and rabbits, badgers and foxes." She takes a breath to continue her tale, but Wolf cuts her off.

Wolf turns his head back towards Jester, and explains it short and quick. "When there is few prey, that means something bigger scared them off."

"Someone ate all of them?" Jester wonders. "That leaves nothing for us to eat."

Jester jumps around a few bushes to check if there really is nothing hiding somewhere that could make food.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

"Just hunt further." Wolf growls. "Hunger is no fun. Chasing is!"
He moves into the forest at a slight trot.

"So we are going to hunt and eat the big thing?" Jester inquires sceptically.

Lamb answers Jester's question cryptically: "I do not think it's their time yet, little one."

"But I'm not going to eat leaves!" Jester protests. He nibs one off a bush anyway, but spits it out after one bite. "Bah! definitely not eating leaves."

Perhaps it is not their time yet, perhaps it is. Time will tell when it is time for one's time to come.

As you move further a burst of sound and movement in the undergrowth just off the path startles you slightly. A pair of rabbits bolt away from you further into the wilderness.

Init Jester: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Init Lamb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Init Wolf: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Init Beast: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Beast
Party <-

The monstrous beast from before lunges out from behind a tree, under a pile of leaves. You quickly notice that there is blood matting it's fur and a horrifyingly wild look in it's eyes.
Who: 1d3 ⇒ 3
A blood soaked claw streaks towards Wolf.
Claw: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 201d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Jester steps in to help Wolf to fend off that thing.
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 211d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 151d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 241d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

One of Jester's claws and his teeth pierce the beasts hide, inflicting some damage.
Beast -11
Party <-

Wolf lets out a happy bark, smelling blood, before trying to sink his teeth into the wounded creature.
attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Wolf grazes the creature, but fails to get a good grip on its flesh with his teeth.

The other half of the Kin nocks an arrow on her bow, takes aim, and lets fly
Longbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The arrow gets stopped mostly by the creature's fur, but manages to penetrate a bit of his flesh.

"Come now, beast. You are hurt. Allow us to grant you peace."

The beast howls an absolutely terrifying scream as it runs to a tree and begins to climb.
DC 15 Will save or shaken for 1d4 rounds
Also one AoO each as it flees, after the roar

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Bite AoO: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 161d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Jester isn't impressed with the howl and bites at the creature again.

Will save: 1d20 ⇒ 1 Turns: 1d4 ⇒ 4
AoO: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Wolf shakes his head, trying to recover from the scream, and because of that action is too late to bite the fleeing creature's hamstring.

Jester misses the beast as it turns to change positions as does wolf.
Party is up, the beast is 30 foot up a tree

Jester looks at Wolf, then at Lamb. "It doesn't want peace. Can you chase it up the tree?" he asks Wolf.

Wolf shakes his mane, causing it to twist into little whisps that flow around him and dissolve and reform in his fur. He growls low at the fleeing creature, ready to resume the chase.

Intimidate to demoralize: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
"Don't run, frightened creature. Embrace the end that has come for you. Don't give us a reason to chase.", the pale little girl with the bow says before launching another arrow.
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1
The trees' branches obviously get in the way though, as the shot is remarkably wide.

The arrow does indeed fly wide as the beast leaps from the tree in a long arc, directly at Lamb.

Claw: 1d20 + 13 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 13 - 2 - 1 = 12
Claw: 1d20 + 13 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 13 - 2 - 1 = 13
Bite: 1d20 + 13 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 13 - 2 - 1 = 271d8 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Due to twisting awkwardly in the air the beat cannot bring it's claws to bare properly, but it's powerful jaw crushes bone in Lambs shoulder.

Beast -18

Jester attacks the ape? again as it comes at Lamb.
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 61d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 181d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 131d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

One of Jester's claws rakes the back of the creature, causing it to rear slightly in pain.

Wolf Lunges at the creature, leaving a smokey trail in his wake.
Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Hp: 14

Shaken duration: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Lamb cries out in pain, and dodges out of the way of the creature's swiping claws. She focuses on dodging his next blows for the moment as she backs away.
Total Defense

HP: 7

The apelike beast turns on Jester, snarling, blood and saliva flying from it's gaping maw as it roars before lunging to attack.

Claw: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 2 = 251d6 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Claw: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 10 - 2 = 261d6 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Bite: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 161d8 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Its claws rip large clumps of scales and flesh from Jester's back as it's jaws close around his neck.

A look of panic flashes across Jester's eyes. Jester is at -10HP The ape drops Jester from it's jaws turning back towards Lamb. Jester lies among the leaves, his body broken.

Lamb and wolf, both transfixed on the collapse of their companion, see little other than a blur as the apelike beast is dragged upwards into the sky by a pair of leathery, black wings. The wet crunch of bones, as the ape is knocked off it's feet reverberates through them, sickening them.

In a moment the forest is quiet once again.
The only evidence the ape was ever there, the blood soaked leaves and Jester, lying at an impossible angle.

Lamb quickly moves over to Jester and places her hands upon the fallen creature.
"Little Jester, it is not yet your time."
Her hands glow in a yellowish light, and wounds start to knit and flesh to reform.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Scales start to reform over mending flesh
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
And Jester's pulse becomes strong and healthy once again.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

She tilts her head to one side. "Good to see you listened to me."

Jester lies there twisted, his tongue hanging out as he opens his eyes again looking at Lamb. But he doesn't feel like getting up. He groans in pain. That's what it feels like being chewed and spit out. he thinks.

As Lamb speaks he looks puzzled. "Listened to what?"

Lamb smiles at Jester as she says. "I told you it was not yet your time."

Wolf walks up to his other half and Jester, his form unstable and shifting.

"That hurt, Lamb." Wolf says. "I'm not used to hurt."

Jester draws his tongue in. "You need to tell that to these other creatures that see me only as a snack."

He sorts his limbs an gets up. On shaky legs he moves over to the tree and carefully watches the sky if that even larger thing comes back.

The skies are clear of horrid monsters, however it seems that Jester is not the only one wary of... whatever it was. The sounds of life, only now, slowly returning.

"Where are we going now?" Jester asks still reluctant to leave the shadow of the tree.

"I am not sure." Lamb says, looking around.

"Something is amiss. We are not the hunters we are supposed to be." For the first time, she looks a bit lost.

Jester distracts himself from this harsh reality by daydreaming of becoming a great wyrm at the top of the food chain.

Wolf moves up to Jester, smokey whisps slowly taking their place in his overall shape again as his mood calms down a bit. He nuzzles the dragon, checking to see if the dragon is doing okay after suffering such horrifying wounds.

"I was not running." Jester tells with pretended pride.

"You are a brave Dragon and a worthy companion of the Kin." Wolf says, being surprisingly eloquent.

Jester looks at Lamb with a puzzled look. Then he smiles.

"Perhaps we should continue our way through this verdant forest... but with caution." Lamb suggest. "Or would you wish to return to our current place of rest?"

"The way back leads over open plains." Jester objects while mustering the sky. But the thought of not seeing his box again hurts him.

Lamb cocks her head, and stays still for a while. The silence stretches, until seemingly out of nowhere, she says "I think the creature's hunger has probably been sated for a while."

As you stand in the woods debating on which direction to follow the path, the skies begin to darken, and rain begins to fall in thick sheets, heavy enough that even among the thick trees you are getting drenched.
The change of weather is very sudden leaving you looking up at a blue sky at one moment, and a black rolling cloud the next. Lightning arks across the clouds, but the expected peel of thunder doesn't come.

"Shall we head back, little Jester, or press on?" Lamb inquires.

"Move on?" Jester replies vaguely waiting for Wolf or Lamb to take the lead.

Still not clear where to. GM?

Lamb takes Jester's queue and continues down through the forest, though her footsteps fall heavier now, not as happy-go lucky as before, while Wolf tails her through the undergrowth.

You guys had your own reasons for heading the way you did initially. Your motivation may have changed. This was a bit of an awkward situation as there is little in the way of things I could drop into this situation to push you one way or another, because you are in the middle of a forest. Now that you are moving, at all, I can give you something to interact with.

As you walk the trail winds through the forest and eventually winds to the edge of a cliff. A sheer drop into the cold surf on one side, and the dark green of the woods on the other.
The sea here is whipped into a frenzy by the storm going on overhead. spray from the waves crashing into the rocks below, carried on strong winds up the cliff face, stings your eyes and the salt burns your nose.

A ship is visible in the distance. Tossed about, as if a toy, on monstrous waves.
The ship is sailing directly towards the jagged rocks lining the edge of the island.
As the ship nears you note that there are no crew on deck bar two men fighting at the helm, and a woman watching. The name Jenivere is painted on the ships prow.
The rain, thunder and wind are quiet compared to the tearing of wood as the ship is impaled on the rocks.
There is nothing you could do to help. You can do naught but stand and watch as the ship cracks and splinters, water flowing through massive tears into the lower decks.

The force of the collision separates the men on deck.
The man now visible as the captain diving overboard with the woman, and the second man, clutching his side, moves to lower a small dingy into the calming waves.

"Hey look! New friends!" Jester exclaims.

Lamb cocks her head to one side. "It would seem so, little Jester. Let's see if they make it safely to shore."