Going to the nearby river, Kheyji hauls over enough water to fill the barrels, let alone just dilute the intoxicating spirits. The heavy lifting is done, with or without some divine assistance, but now some finesse is needed.
Clerics of Sister Cinder tend the barrels and stand guard over them until the ceremony begins. Getting past those guardians and getting access to the casks is the next task.
Tharskh approaches the herdsmen - "Good evening. Grandfather Eiwa as asked us to make sure the herd is ready for departure as quickly as possible in the morrow" - he explains, not having much skill in the art of convincing others through words - "I need you to give me a hand. Come. We must do as he requested"
The shepherds look at one another, no one moving. Then, in her shrill but demanding voice, Imek calls out: "You heard the man. Grandfather has need of us! Let's move! Get the herd in, and make ready to move out!"
With that prompting the herdsmen scramble to their feet, and begin the motions of readying the herd, bringing in the rope fences that barricade in the herd, especially at night, and also readying the leads and ropes that bring the animals in line when the following is on the move.
Imek smiles broadly at Tharskh. "Sometimes they are as lazy as the beasts and just need a little motivation. You did good!" She gives you brief hug and goes to tend to the pair of tapirs, along with Shaggy Shemven.
Mirani will whisper to Kheyji, "Don't worry, I've got this." She will walk around toward the guards from a different direction and stride up in front of everybody. She'll call out, switching between the human tongue and her own native speech. "I have seen a great MrowRruk! It was a vision sent to me by the Rvashti Storm Spirits." She Looks up and great winds rush up into the sky. "Grandfather of the Winds is Hisshatha! Such great anger will must be assuaged! I beseech you to offer a him a token to avoid a catastrophe that will truly rrrwarth us all!" He looks them in the eyes. "For the sake of us all, will you spend a few moments to avoid his terrible wrath?!"
Miriani spouts a series of nonsense in a panicky voice and points outside the tent where the liqueurs are stored. Determined to not let anything happen to their sacred spirits, the priestess all rush out to see what the disturbance is, leaving Miriani and Kheyji alone with the potent baskets.
Imek smiles broadly at Tharskh. "Sometimes they are as lazy as the beasts and just need a little motivation. You did good!" She gives you brief hug and goes to tend to the pair of tapirs, along with Shaggy Shemven.
"Thank you Imek" - Tharskh nodded - "I am no good with these things" - then he joins Hurik.
"Since you have the attention of the cows, we should be able to lead the herd" - he offered, calmly ushering the rest of the beasts in the right direction.
Miriani will sniff at them and recommend the proportion she thinks will be best. But she waits to see if Kheyji agrees before pouring.
Using Hurik's sweetgrass to drive the lead animals, and following along behind with Imek, Shemven and the rest of the herders, Tharskh uses his knowledge of the ways of these beasts to keep them all moving and to get them into the holding pens for quick mobility when the time comes. With the beasts penned up, the herdsmen give them food and ready the harnesses used to keep them in line.
Imek says, "We made quick work of that. Tell Grandfather that heard will be ready to move within just a few minutes of the signal now, instead of taking an hour or more to bring together!'
The intoxicating consumables are sickeningly sweet smelling to Miriani's sensitive nose and she wrinkles it in distaste at the first aroma, but has Kheyji pours water from her jug into the mixture, the smell becomes less strong. Finally, Miriani thinks it is diluted enough to still taste like fermented alcohol but without the strong aftereffects that Eiwa was worried about.
Quickly the furtive pair get the lids back on the spirit jars, and disappear out of the tent just as the guardian priestess return. "No idea what that fool feline was going on about! I didn't see anything out of the ordinary!"
With only an hour or two left until darkness settles and the Night of the Green Moon ceremonies are set to begin, the team has completed half their tasks as directed by Grandfather Eiwa. Still two remain - clearing the trail ahead of the departure route of the following and scouting for any difficulties that might slow the Broken Tusks down as they leave the area, and cleaning up the camp, which is really gathering loose materials, organizing tools, and preparing tidy bundles. It's hardly glamorous work, but will speed up the departure process.
[]b"Come on Tharshk, let's get those legs moving!"[/b] she says as she heads off down the path.
Hurik returns to the camp where Kheyji awaits and together they look at the sprawling following campsite and wonder just where to begin. Organizing, packing, and readying all this for transport seems like it could take weeks, let alone the few hours remaining until dusk, when the ceremony must begin.
Scouting the path away from Rockloom is tasked to Miriani and Tharskh. Generally the road the following will take is not dangerous as they leave the sacred site, but with the Burning Mammoths close, who knows what trouble has been spun up along the road. Eiwa said scout and clear at least the first hour of the path, and that should be enough for the following to get a good start away.
"Come on Tharshk, let's get those legs moving!" she says as she heads off down the path.
Tharskh hops on along, and after his favorite feline.
"I say we satay out of sight, like shadows in the plain" - the half-orc suggested to his companion - "Move from one hiding place to the other, like wolf and mountain cat"
"From here we can spot, and not be spotted" - he whispered.
Miriani is quite impressed as Tharskh likes to disappear into the foliage along the path soon to be taken by the Broken Tusks. His skill in the wilderness seems to be nearly unparalleled.
As Tharskh stays off the path and out of sight, his keen eyes spy trouble ahead. In a stand of fallen trees right off the path, a mud and stick hive, perhaps a foot in diameter, sits. The hive would clearly be in the way and disturbed if a group as large as the following with its mammoth herd passed by.
Kheyji tries to quickly gather and bundle supplies and other flotsam from around the camp. Several of her bundles, however, quickly become untied again, and re-scatter across the campsite much to her frustration.
Hurik tries to copy Kheyji and how he has seen the following pack in the past. While his dragon ire is never far from the surface, packing and tying knots threatens to let it out in a non-productive way, but the dragon stays just under the surface for now, and Hurik is able to gather several usable packets together.
Miriani looks up at Tharshk. She has the look that she wants to take them out, but she will listen if Tharshk has another idea.
"Destroying it sounds good" - Tharskh whispers to Miriani - "Though it should be filled with bloodseekers, so we need to stay hidden. Otherwise they will attack us" - the half-orc added - "If they don't see us, they should disperse. Hopefully..."
Miriani sneaks into position about sixty feet away, but as she steps on a branch, she lets loose at the nest before they can swarm.
As Miriani approaches the nest, her footfall breaks a stick underfoot with a loud crack. From the nearby nest, a buzzing sound starts and as the cat-like sorceress watches, two creatures emerge. They are both about a foot long, with mottled, reddish-brown skin and a yellow underbelly. Four wings resemble bat wings hold the ugly creature aloft. Soon enough the bloodseekers zero in on the intruder near the nest, and they begin to fly in Miriani's direction.
Just as it looks like a real fight will break out, the torrent of magical water blasts through the scene, eviscerating the mud nest and sending the flying bloodseekers spiraling backwards head over heels.
As the dust clears, the battle is over before it really began, the nest is removed, and the path away from Rockloom is clear.
Hurik admits, "I am wishing I had nimbler hands." He ponders how to speed up the process, an idea comes to him. He turns it into a sprint to speed the process, bringing the items to a gather point where they can be worked on more easily.
Hurik rushes around trying to turn his physicality into something that helps with this detail-oriented task, and while the effort is supreme, the outcome is not really helpful. Instead he has gathered lots of items from lots of places, but they are disorganized, and not really prepared for travel.
Kheyji meanwhile takes what she knows of the following's habits and her experience moving with the group to think about how best to organize and prepare. Mainly though, in her time with the Broken Tusks, she has been acolyte to the priestess, and had a very rote daily schedule. Her attempt to gather and pack like a true nomad ends poorly, with things scattered on the ground, packs misshapen, and ropes unraveled and frayed. All in all, it is a very frustrating hour that she spends, not really accomplishing anything.
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The trumpets sound, signaling the start of the Night of the Green Moon ceremony is set to begin, just as Miriani and Tharskh wander back into the camp. A hearty meal of stewed meat and (diluted) spirits is served while Argakoa's singers take turns regaling the Broken Tusks with origin myths.
In Argakoa's version, she tells of the "first winter" which turned the whole world, including the moon above, an ashen white. When spring finally came, the moon was so happy she gave birth to a river of stars. This river, which many Hallit-speakers call the Moontail, is visible in the night sky from spring until autumn. Come winter, the moon protects her children by hiding them under a blanket of darkness. The Night of the Green Moon celebrates the beginning of spring, when the tundra thaws to reveal green grass and the moon uncovers her stellar children.
After the feast, the Broken Tusks proceed as a group to Rockloom, there everyone solemnly takes part in a series of sacred rites.
Merthig, the Firekeeper, lights a large bonfire in the middle of the standing stones, around which are placed the urns of ceremonial water you gathered at Gornok River earlier. "This fire is good!" he proclaims loudly. Everyone cheers. "By the Grace of Sister Cinder's gift --fire -- we know right from wrong. We choose right!" More cheers erupt from the revelers. Merthig goes on to explain the role of the ceremonial water, which represents life. When combined, the fire and water can produce good food, like stew. Though they aren't always conducive to one another -- placing too much importance on a single life or on the lives of a group can stifle the greater good -- fire and water are integral to the Broken Tusk's way, and they allow the following to survive the harsh realities of the Realm of the Mammoth Lords.
After the preliminary rites, it's time for announcements and celebrations. The standing stones of Rockloom rise from the plain, each animal sculpture glowing orange in the last flush of the setting sun. Grandfather Eiwa beams at the assemblage, his wrinkled face a bit more youthful with the addition of colored paints.
He stays silent for a moment. Then, like thunder, he releases a guttural shout. Ah!" he booms. The rest of the following shouts back in unison, then turns quiet again. The old man smiles, "It is a good night," he pronounces. "The Green Moon has graced us with good weather. The Gornok River has blessed us with water. And our scouts have honored us with good food."
"Tonight, we mark the moment winter turns to spring. We also mark the transition from friend to follower." Th elder takes a handful of small tokens from the Mammoth Lord Merthig. "Together let us honor or newest Tusks." The crowd whoops and cheers, as he motions towards your group, and other new members of the following.
Eiwa asks you, Pakano, Shaggy Shemven, and other individuals grown to adulthood or new to the following, to state their names. The Mammoth Lords present Pakano and each member of the group with an ivory Broken Tusk pendant carved into the shape of their house animal.
Because tradition dictates that Broken Tusk followers take ivory only from already-dead animals, Broken Tusk pendants are especially rare; if
an individual loses their pendant, it might be years before they acquire the materials necessary to fashion a replacement. Broken Tusk pendants bear no magical powers if they are made for oneself; only gifted pendants have true magical properties.
You wear a Broken Tusk pendant like jewelry or tie it to your clothing. A Broken Tusk pendant grants you a +1 item bonus to Nature checks; this bonus increases to +2 when you Command an Animal of the specific kind depicted by the pendant.
Activate [reaction] Interact; Frequency once per hour; Trigger An animal targets you with a melee attack, and you can see the animal; Effect You gain a +1 item bonus to AC against the triggering attack, or a +2 item bonus if the animal is the specific kind depicted by the pendant.
Grandfather Eiwa hardly disguises his pride for the party. He offers a particularly heartfelt congratulations to each of you in turn. Pakano, meanwhile, receives no more special treatment from Eiwa than Shaggy Shemven, who in place of a pendant, receives a small but beautiful black-and-blue hawk's-eye gemstone. Tears of joy stream down Shemven's hairy face.
With that bequeathal, Grandfather Eiwa steps back into the following, having completed his part of the ceremony. However, one Broken Tusk isn't quite ready for the pronouncements to be over.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Pakano asks suddenly. All eyes turn toward the young man, who has stood up and is glaring at Eiwa. "It is time, Grandfather," he says the last with disdain, his face flush. "Time to announce your successor. Who will become leader of Falcon House?"
Broken Tusks gasp and whisper at the boy's insolence, but Eiwa's face doesn't crack. "You are headstrong, Pakano," the elder says soberly. "And hasty. Tonight is not for you, but for all Broken Tusks."
"If not now, then when?" Pakano cries. "And if not me, then who? Don't tell me you're actually mistaking these fools for true members of the Broken Tusk?"
Eiwa offers no response, only a stern glare. Pakano whips his face toward the other pendant recipients, and scowls, his eyes full of hate. "You'll be sorry," he growls. Then to everyone, he begin to launch into a tearful tirade. "You'll all be sorry --"
But before Pakano can finish his rant, a loud, oscillating cry interrupts him. In the darkness beyond the standing stones, a torch flame appears, then another, and then several more. Everyone, including Pakano, looks around in confusion. Murmurs rustle throughout the following. Someone begins yelling. Monstrous faces covered in blood-red markings emerge from the fiery darkness. From that moment, everything else is a blur!
From the corner of you eye, you see Wipa, your mentor, drop to her knees, the shock of the attack, causing her to go into labor. Nakta the Healer comes to aid her.
There is a moment of shock on Miriani's face. A few tears come down and then her fur begins to stand on end, tiny sparks shooting through it. She howls a battle cry, "Defenders, stand strong! Protect the tribe!"
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Kheyji is walking towards Pakano, hoping to pull him aside and spare Grandfather Eiwa further embarrassment. To herself, she whispers, "no one is beyond redemption. No one is beyond redemption..."
When the marauders appear, her eyes alight with flames brighter than even the bonfire at the center of the ceremony. She draws from Sister Cinder's strength, preparing to repel these invaders.
Hurik makes a mental note that speed does not equal efficiency in all things. A young man, his pride is stung but he tries to be dignified even in his failure. Besides, there are more important things to do.
Some of them, a great honor in fact.
The Fire is Good! The Green Moon has blessed them with Good Weather! The Gornak River given water! And the scouts, have found good food! And, he and his friends are formally made into proper tusks!
When he introduces himself, he declares as he puts on the pendant, "I am Hurik Frozenheart; I hunt for the Broken Tusk, I fight for the Broken Tusk!" And as each of his friends also makes their statement, the cheers fill him with pride.
But of course, there will always be those who demand more than the honor of acceptance.
"If not now, then when?" Pakano cries. "And if not me, then who? Don't tell me you're actually mistaking these fools for true members of the Broken Tusk?"
Hurik's eyes grow... frosty. He has endured enough from this whelp. He has put up with enough of Pakano's snideness, his false sense of superiority, and the abuse. As Pakano starts his childish tirade about how they'll all be sorry, Hurik has already started to draw his maul out, ready to make good on a challenge of his own.
But before he can, War appears to have come to them!There is a moment of shock on Miriani's face. A few tears come down and then her fur begins to stand on end, tiny sparks shooting through it. She howls a battle cry, "Defenders, stand strong! Protect the tribe!"
Maul drawn now for a different target, Hurik nods at Miriani's quick reaction, "A circle around Wipa or a wall is best. She has gone into labor." He looks to his mother and youngest sister, "Withdraw to safety if you can." Yennet, he knows, will and can take care of herself so he curbs his urge to tell her what to do beyond "Yennet, we are the warriors of our family, make sure mother and Yalka are safe if you would. I will try to shield our tribe's future as you take care of our present."
As the dust clears, the battle is over before it really began, the nest is removed, and the path away from Rockloom is clear.
"That was impressive" - Tharskh nodded at Miriani with respect.
----
At Rockloom, he felt elated at finally being proclaimed a member of the Broken Tusks in front of all - it brought a smile to his face, something rare indeed... And immediately wiped away by Pakano's words.
Hurik's eyes grow... frosty. He has endured enough from this whelp. He has put up with enough of Pakano's snideness, his false sense of superiority, and the abuse. As Pakano starts his childish tirade about how they'll all be sorry, Hurik has already started to draw his maul out, ready to make good on a challenge of his own.
But before he can, War appears to have come to them!
The half-orc had already a hand on his companion's shoulder as he noticed the maul being drawn - he was not sure his intention was to calm Hurik down or encourage him, but then the point became moot, as all hell broke loose.
With a snarl, he moved to stand right next to Wipa, bow drawn and ready.
The first enemies to meet you in the chaos of the surprise melee, are 3 Burning Mammoth burnbearers. The are unarmored, carrying a wooden club and burning torch. As the others you have seen, they have extensive scarring on their heads and chests from burning oil rituals.
While the scene around you has erupted in a sea of scrambling, screaming and melee, the only thing you are focused on now are these three interlopers.
Surprise Attack - Round 1
22 Hurik
19 Tharskh
16 Kheyji
15 Red Burnbearer
13 Green Burnbearer
9 Blue Burnbearer
4 Miriani
Natka the Healer helps Wipa to her feet, and together they hobble away from the melee. "Hold them off so she can flee!" Natka screams over her shoulder. The torch-wielding and wildly scarred invaders approach to within 40' or so of the party of scouts who are determined to hold their ground.
At the order to buy time, Hurik nods, and moves forward, his long legs pumping forward into a flat run, and then weaving to meet the northern most Burnbearer "You desecrate our sacred rites? You will regret this." Damn uncivilzed heathen he thinks as he tries to spill the brains of this intruder onto the grass to teach proper manners.
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"Seriously, with the fire? You're bringing fire? Here?!" Kheyji's voice rises with each word until it becomes a scream. "SISTER! SHOW THEM FIRE!"
for potentially fire damage.
A line of flame erupts from Kheyji's outstretched palm, streaking towards the oncoming foe.
She makes another gesture towards Tharksh and yells, "Tharksh! Show these idiots how the Broken Tusk defends our people!"
With a snarl and a nod, Tharskh focuses on the closest attacker , and lets two arrows fly in quick succession.
Surprise Attack - Round 1 - continued
Literally sprinting across the sacred site turned battlefield, Hurik lets all of the frustration towards Pakano and his restless dragon nature out in one fell blow at the invading Burning Mammoth tribesman. The barbarian's mighty maul crushes the skull of the burnbearer, smashing it into shards as the man dies instantly from the blow.
Invoking her goddess' power, Kheyji sends a ray of fire across the intervening space. The fire looks like it will be offline, but at the last moment arcs right at Green. While the fire looks impressive, its actual effect on the invading Kellid is fairly small, scorching his furs in a few places. After the fire erupts, Kheyji uses more divine power to inspire and guide Tharskh as he readies his bow.
Absorbing the guidance from Kheyji, Tharksh casts his own spell making his arrows magically heavier to deal more damage. On top of that, he takes a beat to study his prey, determining that a shot in just the right place would be most effective. When he releases the shots, he knows they are both true and admires his own handiwork. The first arrow bursts into the belly of the invader, fatally wounding him, while the second finishes off the job by piercing the cartilage of the throat. Another foe dies almost immediately.
While both his cohorts have been killed with seconds, the last attacker doesn't seem fazed and continues his attack, leaping across the grass of Rockloom at Hurik, swinging his club and torch both at the dragonblood. Hurik avoids the fire of the torch and his armor absorbs the impact of the club wihtout damage.
Miriani steps forward, swirling the winds around her as she goes. "You have chosen the wrong day to try and kill my family." She releases the winds at him, letting her fury power the spell.
Surprise Attack - Round 1 - concluded
Miriani is angry and the wind swirls around her as her ire grows. Finally she unleashes a torrent of air that blasts into the remaining attacker. The air actually picks the foe up, spins them around and lands them facedown in the grass, their neck broken by the impact.
End of Combat
Miriana will cock her head to listen for the sounds of other combats.
The first wave invaders fell quickly, but you can see dozens more causing chaos around the following. Torch wielding raiders hack and bludgeon people who were celebrating just minutes before. The leaders of the four Broken Tusk houses shout for their followers to flee towards the Gornok River. Distant archers, obscured by the darkness, spray volleys of arrows into the fleeing crowd. The full moon casts a pale and sickly light on the faces of the pitiless raiders as they hurl sack of burning pitch onto the encampment. One burnbearer has manage to get to the herd, which is penned up for quick departure, and manages to light the mammoth aflame, getting trampled to death in the process.
From the far end of the standing stones, you can see a vanguard of Burning Mammoths led by a burly shield-bearer who gloats over a fallen Broken Tusk. This individual seems to be the attacking force's commander and is protected by a small force of other Burning Mammoths.
"Thank you for your blessings Kheyji" - the ranger nodded at his companion, with a deferential nod.
Hurik accepts the blessing of Sister Cinder with a bowed head, then rises to do battle
While there is brief respite in the savage fighting, Kheyji gathers her allies around and shares the blessing of Sister Cinder, giving each of them a little more prowess in the coming fight. She also summons a magical shield to help protect at least for a little bit.
The others receive the blessing and steel themselves for the fight against the leader of the Burning Mammoth attack and his entourage. One of the foes seems to carry club and torch, similar to those you just downed, while two others carry spear and leather armor, very much like the first group of hunters you encountered near the tapir grove.
As the foes slip through the standing stones, the combat begins.
Second Wave - Round 1
Bless in effect +1 to attacks
26 Green Hunter
24 Kheyji
23 Tharskh
23 Burning Mammoth Longshield
22 Blue Burnbearer
8 Orange Hunter
7 Hurik
4 Miriani
Green Hunter rushes across the cluttered and chaotic space towards the scouts. He stops about 45' away and tosses a slingstone at Hurik. The stone flies fairly true, but when it hits the barbarian it merely glances off his hide armor harmlessly.