Kaia was surprised by the speed of the boar, which caused her to overshoot it. This time, she drew, exhaled, and fired again.
As planned, Coronus charged the Legendary Boar to Lysander's side (Mateo on the other side). Hooves and steel as he rocks into the mythic pig. Then, he backslashes as he creates some space to defend the shield wall.
This time, Aristeides tried to aim anticipating the boar's movement, not really an easy thing but he's certainly done more difficult trigonometry tricks.
Held attack from last round, and Group one attack for Round 2.
Lysander braces his shield as the monster approaches, jutting out through the cut-out with his dory.
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Lysander maneuvers to keep Coronus and Mateo as close as he can and behind his shield while jabbing at it with the dory.
Round 1 Continued...
Lysander>>: Lysander's eyes widen for a bit at the sheer size and ferocity of the beast, but he stands steadfast behind his trusty spear, and thrusts out at the beast as it tosses the unfortunate huntsman aside.
Coronus: Coronus seeing the beast among them, charges forth, swinging his sword at the creature scoring its tough hide with his blade, then spinning in place as he calls upon his god scoring another slice making a bleeding X on the scarred flesh.
ROUND 2
Kaia>>: Kaia says a few words that she learned on the streets at her miscalculation on the first shot, but then calms, zones in, and arches an arrow, which seems to appear out of nowhere, piercing the beast between the shoulders. With a smile and nod, she draws forth and nocks another arrow.
Novyn>>: Novyn holding around the branch she perches on with her strong legs, peaks out from behind the bole of the massive tree, and looses another bolt at the creature, striking it just below the spine and near the rear, as it turns in confusion.
Lysander>>: Lysander closes with the beast, shield up and trying to stay with his comrades, reaches out again with his Dory, but the beast twists at the last minute, keeping the weapon from penetrating his hide.
Aristiedes>>: Taking more time as the creature slows from exhaustion, and blood loss, is able to correctly guess the beasts next movement, and a jet of flame launches out catching the beast along it's flank, and drawing forth a great blistering wound. The smell of charred flesh fills the air.
Great Boar: The beast turns and snaps at the air falling to it's front knees, but then somewhere draws forth enough energy to attempt to take someone with him. His breath comes in heaving gasps, and the blood flows almost making him appear more red than white, as he turns to attempt to defend himself.
(1-3 Lysander, 4-6 Coronus, 7-9 Mateo, 10 Novyn's tree)
The beast turns and in it's confusion, sees the tree that keeps throwing thorny darts at it as the greatest threat. It turns and charges the tree.
Bang into tree.
Damage to tree.
Critical damage
The massive beast hits the tree head on causing it to crack and begin to fall.
Novyn Make a DC 12 Acrobatics (Half damage if successful) check to reduce the damage from falling and being impaled by tree branches. Falling damage. Also, a DC10 wisdom save as the beast bellows in rage.
Attacks of opportunity for Lysander, Coronus, and Mateo as the beast leaves your threatened area.
"Don't you run, boar!"
Lysander reaches out again, hoping his dory will find its mark.
The massive beast takes down one of the hunters before setting its tusks upon the other unfortunate huntsman. Its strength was prodigious and terrifying as it tossed the lifeless bodies away with little to no issue. Mateo swallowed hard as he kept his blade up, looking for an opportunity to drive it into the monster's flesh> The chance came when Novyn's arrow struck it, drawing the ire of the monster. As it turned away to go and charge the tree, Mateo lashed out at its leg with his blade, hoping to cripple it before it could do more damage.
The blade finds purchase in the beasts flesh and he quickly turns the strike from not just merely stabbing into its leg but slicing up to pierce its more vulnerable underbelly. Before Death can claim its prize, the monster strikes the tree and sends Novyn tumbling out of it. She manuevers as best as she can in the air but still lands with a hard sound. She doesn't move.
"Novyn!" Mateo yells out, gritting his teeth hard and narrowing his eyes at the beast. He couldn't let compassion get in the way of what needed to be done; the best way to save her was to ensure that the boar was dead.
Coronus slashes the flank of the massive boar as it tears off toward the archer. His blade draws another bloody line increasing the blood trail as it tears off.
Finally! After this glorious feat, Aristeides can officially say he contributed in hunting the boar. Well, they still need to hunt it, of course... and that's something he takes a mental note of when he witnesses how the boar takes down the tree in one blow.
Invoking his magic again, he held another bolt of flame.
Mateo, Coronus, and Lysander all strike out at the beast as it charges the tree that Novyn had been perched in, their blades severing an artery, and inflicting a fatal wound on the boar. It hits the tree a might blow, then turns to face the others... then drops to it's knees, and rolls over blood and bile flowing from it.
The boar falls beside the broken body of Novyn, tusk broken, and red eyes staring at nothing. Suddenly the eyes focus on the approaching party for a moment, and everyone hears a booming voice in their head.
“Know this, mortals. Your sins cannot be atoned. An ancient power sleeps in the heart of Thylea, and when it awakens, the age of Mytros will come to an end. Just as my broken body falls to ruin and decay, so too all mortal things will come to death and darkness. No prophecy will save you.”
The eyes just roll back in the head then, and the beast breathes no more.
@ Coronus>> I'm assuming your attack was the AOO for the round, which would be enough to send the Boar to zero... even without the additional d6 (From charge?) So you still have your action this round... however we are now out of combat. Boar is dead.
The boar finally collapses, its body broken from blades, arrows, and scorches of arcane might. Releasing a breath that he had not known he was holding, Mateo cautiously approaches the downed beast. He jumps only slightly as the voice booms inside of his mind. It spoke of the end of all things, that their sins would finally come and claim them all. They were doomed. The thought made his knuckles tighten around his xiphos, Mateo's brows furrowing as the creature finally expired.
"Not if I can help it..." He thinks to himself, letting his eyes move from the dead beast to their fallen comrade beside the tree. "Novyn..." He murmurs to himself, rushing over towards the woman who laid upon the ground. There was much blood spilling from her head, her eyes closed and her breathing shallow. He crouched down beside her, placing his hands on the open wound to try and stem the flow of red that stole her life away.
"A healer! Are any of you a healer?" Mateo shouted, looking between his comrades. He had treated a wound here and there but not with the skill of a trained medic or blessed with the magic that could save the lives of others. "Please, we still have time. The sacrifice can wait till after."
Coronus charges after the boar ready to continue the fight until the boar drops. Then, he listens intently to the divine voice believing that it is Sydon himself. Mateo's shouted questions shake him from his reflection.
"I might can help." He slowly approaches the archer and kneels on the ground. He lays his sword next to her to have free hand. Left arm still readies his shield with the the emblem of the lidless eye with the tail of a comet. He grabs his amulet that hangs from his neck and says, "By Chiron's tail." Then, he touch's Novyn with a blue-glowing hand.
Kaia cries out 'all things die, creature, even gods."
She then stows her bow and climbs down.
Aristeides is hiding behind the boulder, ready to show his head out again and try another magic ray, when he hears the mental message. "Was that the boar?" He comes out of his hiding spot and watches the beast defeated at the same time Marco cries for help. As Coronus helps Novyn, Aristeides approaches the two huntsmen and checks if there's anything that can be done for them. After all, they were brave enough to guide the group here, and faced their destiny with courage.
After Novyn awakes, Coronus leans back and grabs his sword from the ground. He stands up on his hooves and gives the angry girl more space. "She'll live, whether she wants to or not."
With his shield hand, he pulls a rag from his pack and wipes the blood from his bronze blade. Then, he sheaths his sword and stows the rag again. The actions look like he has done them many, many times.
Looking to the Heroes, he says, "the meat of this boar could feed dozens. Want to offer it to the farmers? We can sacrifice the head and other inedible bits to the gods."
"A wise plan,"Lysander agrees as he studies the dead beast. "By my estimation, it was the Novyn's tree that dealt the killing blow. So ultimately, the decision should be hers." He gives a good-natured laugh. That was always the fallback after the battle rose in his centurions- get them laughing. It forges those bonds tighter.
Prophecies again. And now something would hold mortals accountable for worshiping the five? Ah. The Peace. That explains it. Other than Aristeides, we are all warriors. And when peace ends, there will be war.
Lysander lets out a sigh that he hides behind his mirth, but with a grave look, he turns towards Aristeides as he hoists his shield to his broad back. "Scholar! What of the hunters?"
Kyrah approaches applauding your efforts. "Splendid! Splendid! I could not have written a better ending to the battle in my wildest dreams. The beast who ended the lives of so many trees... and people... dies from attacking one too many trees. And you were all so heroic... You have proven yourselves to the oracle".
She then goes to the tree, and plucks forth a leaf. "I shall keep this as a reminder of your saga".
When she hears the others discussing the sacrifice she interjects.
"The dying boar should be offered as a sacrifice to the gods. This is the way of things in Thylea, and it will be a great offense to both the gods and the people of Mytros if the beast does not die as a proper offering. Whichever god receives this sacrifice will grow in power as a result. I know if I were a god I'd be pretty pissed if you only offered me the pitiful remains of the beast instead of a proper sacrifice".
"We should burn the bodies of these brave heros, after placing the necessary gold piece on each eye to pay the ferryman. I wonder if there are any other survivors or victims inside the cave".
The elf turns his head while checking one of the hunters. "They seem dead! Very dead! But let me check!" Sadly, the only hope he still has, after seeing what the beast did with the tree, is to give a merciful death in case they're still suffering.
The elf turns his head while checking one of the hunters. "They seem dead! Very dead! But let me check!" Sadly, the only hope he still has, after seeing what the beast did with the tree, is to give a merciful death in case they're still suffering.
They are both very dead...
After confirming the bad news, Aristeides gives his opinion on the sacrifice, even if no one has asked for it, like a true brother-in-law.
"I guess the Titans are not quite pleased with us, I wouldn't risk offending also the Gods."
@Coronus>>
The heroes should collect wood to construct a sacrificial bier around the beast. Then, they must decide which god will receive the sacrifice. Kyrah will remind the heroes that the Order of Sydon demanded that the boar be sacrificed to the Lord of Storms. She strongly recommends not making the offering to either Sydon or Lutheria, as such an act will only strengthen their dominion over the lands of Thylea.
"I'm sure it's no surprise that I would recommend Pythor or Mytros, but I am biased, I suppose."
"Mmmmh... I guess collecting the timber from the fallen tree seems fitting, or?" Aristeides proposes.
”We should collect wood to construct a sacrificial bier around the beast. Then, we must decide which god will receive the sacrifice.” Coronus suggests.
”My divine patron is Chiron. The first centaur. Since His power healed one of us, I recommend that He should receive the sacrifice.”
Kaia ignores the talk of gods and sacrifices and instead walks towards the cave, sheathing her bow and drawing her swords as she walks.
Religion DC 20 (Except for Coronus)
You have heard of this Chrion, but don't even know if he's real, or just a story. He's probably a false god, as you've never met anyone who worshiped him.
The party is standing around helping Novyn gather her things... and wits, as Kaia climbs down, and stalks off towards the cave that the beast laird in.
Kaia
You approach the cave, and from a distance nothing moves. You can see the deeply rutted trail that the beast wore in the earth in front of the cave, but only darkness peers forth. As you get within about 60' of the entrance the smell first appears. When you get within 30' the odor becomes almost a tangible force, and you have to swallow a few times to keep from gagging. Do you proceed?
Aristeides tried to think a way to say it without being offensive.
"Eeehh... Quiron's all fine and that, but... I would say the Goods that demand the sacrifice are others." Before Coronus can complain, he adds "It was stipulated beforehand."
Kaia staggers back from the entrance of the cave then covers her mouth and forces her way inside.
Mateo watched with a careful gaze and for a moment, his knuckles tightened as the centaur laid his hands upon the wounded woman. Yet the divine magic seemed to run through him into her and the wound healed upon her head. She woke with a shout, yelling about a terrible curse that could afflict them as well. The thought of another sharing a curse brought a chuckle to Mateo's lips, even as the centaur departed.
"Maybe...I was wrong." Mateo thought to himself as he watched Coronus before his attention returned back towards Novyn.
"A curse you say? Well, do not fear Novyn, for I am also cursed by the darkest of omens. I do not fear your curse." Mateo would respect the woman's request to not be touched, reluctantly not offering his hand out to them. There was much talking between them all about who should the sacrifice go to.
Mateo swore he had heard one of the priests by the temples mentioning the gods and goddesses of the natives; minor things that could just be different versions of the Titans themselves.
"I do recognize that Coronus's magic helped save Novyn...but...I do not know this Chiron. Until today, I have never even heard of them I think..." Mateo thinks on it for a moment, rubbing his chin before he speaks again. "Vallus. I believe we should give this boar to Vallus. Wisdom saves us all and...if we are these destined heroes...we will need all the wisdom we can get...especially with Lysander here." Mateo would then notice the warrior woman approaching the cave of the dead monster, holding her mouth as she began to enter.
"That is my choice. Take it as you wish." Mateo said, jogging over to the cave entrance. The horrendous smell made his stomach roil and he choked on the stench, tasting it." "I-is there anyone left alive in there?"
"Vallus seems a wise choice to me" Aristeides agrees.
Conorus listened to the scholar and warrior. Typical invaders. Take. Take. Take. Despite receiving the blessings of Chiron, delivered by a centaur, they wanted more. They would offer the sacrifice to another god. A god who had not even helped them.
The centaur held his tongue. He would NOT suggest that the next time that they needed similar help, the blessings of Chiron may not work for them. He waited for the words of Lysander and Kyrah. Perhaps they would sway these invaders to the just course.
Kaia takes a breath and enters the cave. It opens a bit past the entrance, but is not deep, and the light from the open mouth of the cavern reveals the source of the foul stench. The boar’s cave is only 50 ft. deep, and it’s full of stinking water, gore, and boar dung. Against the back wall of the cave, you see two shredded corpses.
Just then you sense movement at the mouth of the cave, and Mateo enters gagging and holding his mouth against the odor.
Lysander shrugs. "I'd offer to Pythor if only to celebrate the spoils of battle. But I would accept any of your choices. I know nothing of Chiron, but perhaps the five have other names to other people. Vallus is a..." he stifles a smile at this "wise choice as well."
He eyes Aristeides for a moment. "Novyn agreed to Chiron. This was her kill. But we spread the wealth to the other gods from here on out. If we turn from any, it will cost us in their ire. Ask Kyrah, she knows all the tales, I imagine. In fact.." The big man calls out to the bard. " Kyrah, what could you tell us of Chiron. How does he? She? relate to the five and is there wisdom in this choice?"
”Chiron is a god of war. Son of Sydon who took the form of a horse and laid with the nymph Philyra. He is the first centaur who sired my race. He celebrates victory in battle. His symbol is the comet of Sydon’s lidless eye shooting away from his father. ” Coronus replies to Lysander showing his shield.
Kaia points at one of the two bodies, then moves to the other one and starts dragging it out.
Back in the Academy, some teachers had a method they called Empiricism. Aristeides decides it's a good time to apply it.
"So, if we value our votes depending on our contribution during the battle, then of course mine could be just discarded. Even if we don't, you can totally skip it." He doesn't appear bitter, just... tired. "I told you what I think is the wisest. Now, it's up to you to do what you want and see what's the result. I don't have a way to make you do what I want, not is that what I would do even if I had one."
His teacher usually started by giving advice, but letting the students use this advice or not to reach whichever conclusions were that day's target. This helped the students develop their own ideas and made them aware of how these ideas affected their environment, learning to accept the consequences.
"I will join you in the sacrifices or not, depending on what you finally decide, but I won't try to blackmail or manipulate you." He doesn't believe in these schemes, as the priest is trying to do; that would go totally opposed to Philosophy's aims.
"What blackmail or manipulation, scholar?" The centaur spits on the ground and his right front hoof starts to repetitively strike the ground in agitation.
"Do you accuse me? What have I said or done to deserve such accusations? Say what you mean plainly, by Chiron's tail!" His last words cause harmless tremors in the ground for one minute.
Aristeides respond calmly. "I didn't even mention you, Coronus." Not wanting to fall on the same tricks he despises, he adds "I don't agree with the way you're capitalising from the facts, but that's your way. My way is not confronting you, is presenting an alternative." He pauses for a moment, shrugging. "Everyone is free to choose which god they want to sacrifice to, and in the end we'll have to reach an agreement." He picks some wood from the fallen tree and piles it with the rest, for the sacrifice. "And save your menacing for cantina thugs and drunken sailors."
The smell of old blood, rotting flesh, and boar s~*~ trapped within the cave led to an abhorrent stench that would feel perfect upon an old but still bloodied battlefield. Taking a sip from his waterskin to clear the taste off of his tongue, Mateo would nod to Kaia and move to the other body. While the smell was horrendous, it was not his first time moving the discarded dead.
"Will I be such a body? Staring with empty eyes and so stiff of frame?" Mateo thought to himself as he dragged the body back to the entrance of the cave. These poor people deserved a burial as well, not just being left there to rot away forgotten. As he was getting closer to the cave though, the ground would begin to shake. It seemed the centaur had grown upset about something; what it was, he did not know. He had seen him heal Novyn of her wounds but that did not mean that he was on their side, not with that symbol of Sydon upon his shield.