Critter Control
Log Info
- Title: Critter Control
- Emitter: Telamon
- Place: Outside Alexandria City
- Summary: A farmer outside of Alexandria is having a problem: one of the elk he hunted that is supposed to be dead is wriggling around after rumors of necromancy have been afoot in the area. Andelena, Dolan, Drue, Robert, and Zofija all go to investigate, discussing things with the farmer and his young daughter. They investigate the shed but are quickly beset upon by owlbears. Once the owlbears are dispatched, the group observes a strange creature emerge from the elk.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= At a glance around PrP Room: Four =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Andelena 6'0" 180 Lb Human Female Redhead with steel-grey eyes and powerful build. Dolan 5'10" 174 Lb Human Male Brown-haired human with scars down his face. Drue 6'2" 172 Lb Human Male 6'2", human male with brown hair, amber-hued eyes. Robert 6'3" 235 Lb Human Male A middle-aged Cerenzan with a friendly, fatherly vibe. Zofija 5'8" 225 Lb Hobgoblin Female A well-dressed Arvek-Nar with a big hammer. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As the GM -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Telamon 5'6" 140 Lb Half-Elf Male A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
- Outside Alexandria City, midday
Granaulg, despite his rather peculiar ideas on making money, is pretty well connected to his fellow farmers. So when one comes to him with tales of dark magic and something messing with the game he bagged, he knows JUST who to get in contact with.
Which is where you come in, of course. The rumors of necromancy usually draw an ecclesiastic response, and so you find yourselves walking up the road to the Ferchik farm, where a nervous looking man and his sprightly looking little daughter wait. As soon as you're close enough, he begins talking.
"I'm so sorry your lordships... er..." he pauses, looking at Andelena, before plunging onward. "But I don't know what else it can be! I took two elk the other day, dragged them back on my travois and hung them up to clean them... and now one's pulled itself free and it's twitchin' and comin' apart! And it's dead!"
The little girl looks like she wants to pipe up, but contents herself by holding her daddy's hand, squeezing gently.
"Don't worry, master," Dolan pipes up with a wide, cheeky grin at the father that lights up his human eye and crinkles what will move of the other side. "If you want to really upset Andie, you'll call her Your Ladyship. I think you're safe." He casts a glance at the woman beside him, clearly very comfortable with her.
That smile fades, though. "An elk that didn't stay dead? Sounds pretty nasty. We'll take care of it."
Andelena's familiar with Granaulg--more accurately, she's familiar with the incident that has robbed her enjoyment of bacon from her--which is why she's here with Dolan in tow this time. She has a look in her steel-grey eyes that suggests she's prepared to see /anything/ pop out of this new farm.
She looks like she's about to say something in response to Dolan's teasing, but then she looks down at the little girl. The copper-blonde Sunguard just rolls her eyes and kneels down to look the little girl in the eyes. "Okay, your daddy can't call me 'Your Ladyship'--but you can, if you want. I'll let you because you're cool, or you can just call me Andie. Did you see something, too?"
"Lordships? Hah! Lord Ilife was my father, just call me 'Bob.'" The friendly Cerenzan suggests, his sweaty head looking a bit undersized in the high-rimmed gorget bowl of his titan armor. There's a dome-shaped helmet on a hinge hanging open behind him.
There's nothing subtle about the man's advance as he moves with the group; the armor is heavy and loud and he has all manner of clockwork artifice gegaws bouncing around on his belt. The gears, pistons, tubes, and plates of his arms end in mechanical fists fit to hang from jotun arms and they make his reinforged legs look small in comparison.
The older man has already worked up a bit of a sweat and pauses priefly to raise a wateskin daintily and squeeze a geyser into his face and mouth before tucking it away into the hip-sack hanging across his rump.
"Anyone need a drink? Have to use the bathroom? Would not suggest going into battle on a full bladder!"
Drue arrives with the group but doesn't speak much. Instead, the monk listens to the conversation, looking from the father to his daughter as the story is heard. This day he isn't dressed like a lord or noble of any sort. Dressed in simple and comfortable clothing that's easy to move in. Smiling to the little girl he gives a nod to the group when it's said they'll help out.
Work was work, even when it was dealing potentially with undead beasts. It should be manageable, and so the cavalier joins the rest of the group atop the large griffon she was riding. She stops and looks over the others, adjusting her hat. "So, we're dealing with dead beasts moving when they shouldn't be? Sounds like nasty business, explains why you got so many people out here."
Farmer Ferchik -- Aron, to his friends and family -- nods a bit nervously. "Well... the folks around here are -particular- about necromancy, and, well... didn't want them thinking I was caught up in any kind of nasty business." The prospect of being tarred as such definitely unnerves the man.
Andie's appeal to the little girl bears some fruit, because the young girl -- probably eight summers judging from height -- smiles hugely. "I dunno," she says. "But I saw somethin' last night. I woke up and looked outside. There was a -kitty- outside, near the shed! He was pretty too! But he moved funny and when he went in th' shed he didn't come out."
Dolan's eyebrows go into his hairline at that. "A cat? It might still just be asleep in the hay." He snorts softly. "Still, worth a look. Where's this thing that's coming apart?" He relaxes a good bit. A cat being a cat is much less worrisome than necromancy. "He turns his head towards Robert, so that he can regard him with both eyes. "I'm ready when you are."
"A pretty kitty?" Andelena asks, a surprising amount of enthusiasm in her voice as she talks to the girl. "How big was he? Are we talking about a housecat or a lion? Was he as tall as I am?"
Probably an unfair question to ask, considering the Sunguard woman is six feet tall exactly--most things, save for jotun and tall sith-makar, don't exactly eclipse her.
Robert has managed to lag behind a little and is hunched over awkwardly trying to see the pot-bellied stove-like plating of his stomach. It's swung open to reveal a sweat-soaked gambeson beneath. He's grumbling under his breath as he looks for straps only to discover one's come off entirely.
"I hope the kitty is feline OK!" he does pause long enough to add to the conversation before obtaining a selection of rope. Standing tall, he sucks in his stomach as mightily as he might and then closes the armored plate, looping the rope and tying it off. Field repairs done, he hustles back over. "Sorry, wardrobe malfunction!"
Big ol' armored fists reach back and drop the overturned bowl of his helmet in place. His voice echoes inside when he reassures Ferchik. "These sorts of things crop up on farms sometimes. I don't think anyone is blaming you," there's a pause and then he adds "I'm smiling reassuringly inside my helmet."
Drue looks from father to daughter as more of the story is told. Frowning a bit in thought, he looks to the others in the group and asks, "Perhaps it was a familiar of magic-users? Necromancer? Or something shapeshifted?" Pausing he looks to the little girl then adds softly, "It moved weird? How? Like stiff or shuffling? Or something else?" Looking to the shed he motions in askance if they can explore.
"Well, good info still. Might be something worth knowing before we getting into this." The Arvek-nar grunts. "How it moved might be good info. As well as where the shed in question is? It's good to know where we need to cover after all."
The little girl shakes her head at Andie. "He was this big!" she says, holding her arms out... about two feet. Not exactly a lion. "But he was very pretty!" Of course, that's ALWAYS what little girls say about kittens.
Aron sighs. "Ana, let's... not delay them." He shakes his head. "I don't know if she saw a cat or not... how about I just show you to the shed and you can be the judge of it."
The farmer leads you onto the property itself, past a newly planted field. Ahead, you can see a three-walled shed, probably used for storing tools, and the plow sits just past the field. Beyond, you can see the treeline, the trees already putting forth green to welcome the spring.
As you approach, you hear something go 'thud' from the shed, and Aron immediately stops, letting you proceed onward.
Andelena draws her longsword and shield at the sound of the thud, her head whipping over to look at the shed. "/Yeah,/ looks like we got our shed all right," she says in regards to Zofija's comment. "I don't like the sound of that."
She looks over to Dolan, steel-grey eyes peering at him. "How are we proceeding? Should we get someone sneaky to go over to the shed and throw the doors open, or should I go in first?"
"Yeah." Dolan, too, goes for his blade, but he drops the harness holding the greatsword over his back to the ground, leaving it at the side of the shed. He seems completely comfortable on a farm, careful to keep the massive weapon away from the farmer and his little girl as he moves. "Andie, let me go first," he answers the cleric darkly and without a hint of humor.
"It's missing a wall. We don't need to break down any doors. So if we're going there, it's best to block the entrance." Zofi grunts, resettling into the saddle of her mount. Then we can deal with whatever is inside before they get loose."
"This particular construction does not excel at stealth maneuvers," Bob admits, looking down at the others from his helmet's eyeslits. As if to verify that fact, something whistles quietly for two heartbeats before a mechanical cough is issued and brackish smoke puffs out left arti-fist. That makes the tinkerer lift up the fist and inspect one side and then the other. There's a quiet sloshing of liquid within. "...huh."
Plates clatter and clank, gears whirring when he shrugs. "Well, whoever feels like shedding light on the subject..." big fists open and the gigantic hands rest on his hips in an idlepose. "I believe in you one-hundred and ten percent."
Drue moves with the group as they're led to the shed. Looking at the others as they all get ready to look for the cat, he says, "I can lead the way or head back. Whatever is best. We could see if the cat is there and then flush it out to the group waiting here." Spreading his arms as he looks towards the shed he adds, "Whatever we think is best, I'm ready for whatever."
Peering around the corner of the shed, several things spring out.
The lintel of the opened side of the shed is inscribed with runes, fairly well done. But what really stands out is what's inside. It looks like a workshop, with a heavy table built into the far wall. Next to it, hanging off a hook, is an elk carcass, half trimmed as though it was started and then stopped.
North of that is another hook hanging from the ceiling, but the carcass is lying on the ground. It's been skinned and hided, but it's shaking bizarrely, twitching back and forth as if it's trying to find its feet...
<OOC> Telamon says, "Perception checks." GAME: Andelena rolls Perception: (17)+6: 23 GAME: Robert rolls Perception: (15)+7: 22 GAME: Dolan rolls perception: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Drue rolls perception: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Zofija rolls perception: (9)+3: 12 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+4: (2)+4: 6 <OOC> Telamon says, "Oh yeah. And you can all -smell- the 'butcher's scent' coming out of the shed." <OOC> Robert says, "Kn.Arcana or Spellcraft apply here, Tel? Or would we be looking at Kn.Religion for the undead?" <OOC> Telamon says, "Know/Religion for undead. Spellcraft or Arcana for the runes if you want." GAME: Andelena rolls Knowledge/Religion: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Dolan rolls spellcraft: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Robert rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Drue rolls knowledge/religion: (5)+6: 11
Dolan's attention is immediately caught by the runes inscribed on the inside of the wall, his attention entirely arrested as he attempts to puzzle out what they might be or how they might have gotten there. So absorbed is he in this study that he just about misses the twitching entirely.
"That's /fucking/ weird," Andelena hisses quietly as she looks at the twitching carcass. "Shouldn't fucking be doing that. Nothing about that's natural. But if there's a necromancer trying to animate that thing, it's the saddest fuckin' necromancer there ever was."
She looks between the shed and the carcass, biting her lip for a moment. "Fuck it. Anyone wanna shoot that thing or something from afar to make sure it's not gonna jump at us?"
"Well, that isn't right. No way a deer should still be moving this long after being killed." Zofi grumbles, pulling her hammer out just in case as she waited by the entrance to the shed. "And if that cat exists, it's way too big to be a farm cat, unless the girl was making it sound bigger than it actually was. So be on your guard, it might still be out here, and if it is, who knows what it is. But what should we do about the deer? Can't just leave it like this."
"Muse bless me I am rusty," Robert's voice echoes from inside his helmet. There's a tickity-tack, tickity-tack as he drums fingers in thought on the pot-bellied stove portion of his armor. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess there might be some kind of infestation in the corpse..."
With low, reverberating, and thoughtful "hmmmm," the artifice-swaddled retiree disengaged a rather complex looking box of gizmos and gears. He flips a latch and presses a button, causing the whole thing to come alive with steam and electricity, sparking and dancing until it looks like an awkward, blocky thunderbelcher with various glass tubes along its barrel.
"I can try to glue it down; turn a lousy situation into a sticky one?"
<OOC> Telamon checks something. GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+13: (9)+13: 22 <OOC> Telamon says, "Continue :)"
Drue nods in agreement with Andelena's assessment of the undeadish animal. Looking to the others he nods again as he agrees with all that's said. Looking between each of the other members of the party he says softly, "I don't have anything to shoot it with. I'll defer to the rest of the group. "Glue might be a good option."
Suddenly, the carcass -stops- moving. Just goes utterly still. No twitch, nothing -- like something was snuffed -- or stopped.
"Insects," Dolan shakes his head. "I'm no magic expert, though." He turns away from the runes to stare at the creature, just as he abruptly stops moving. "Yeah, glue'd be good. Or fire. Or both." He stares hard at the carcass, bad thoughts running through his mind at yet another event outside of his wheelhouse. "Something ain't right."
"I really don't want to get too close to that thing, not in the slightest. Specially if it's filled up with things." Zofi grumbles. "I've still got a few bottles of alchemist's fire on me, light that thing up from a distance and burn out whatever the hell it is. Only problem is that risks setting the shed on fire."
<OOC> Robert says, "I'll blast the corpse with a tanglefoot shot from my death ray, Tel. Move to 10,13 so I'm not shooting through the Andenator." GAME: Robert spends ONE use of CHARGE POOL. <OOC> Telamon says, "OK, make an attack roll." GAME: Robert rolls Ranged-2: (13)+4+-2: 15 <OOC> Robert says, "Second range increment but against Touch AC." <OOC> Robert says, "(hence the -2)" <OOC> Robert says, "Ref DC15. It has the potential to be better (scales with level/INT) but that happens to match the regular tanglefoot bag DC at the moment. :)" GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20-5: (18)+-5: 13
"I kind of like that plan," Andelena says with a somewhat smirk to Zofija. "Burn the whole damn thing down--but, well, farmer probably wouldn't be happy. Tools an' shit are in there, probably."
She looks back to the shed and sighs. "Well, I'll be the happy one to march in there. All in favor?"
The titan of artifice stomps forward, moving around Andelena as he carefully cradles the curious cannon. There's a handle running perpendicular to the barrel he takes hold of, cranking it a quarter turn. The blue gem in a glass vial slides away, quieting its humming and sparking only to be replaced by a writhing bit of vegetation in another tube.
"I'll see if I can stick it down. I've got fire, too." Robert turns back to make sure folks are ready and then does a nod that becomes a bow due to the rigidity of his armor. He looks back and then there's a little hum followed by a *THOOMP!* A ball of dark green tumbles through the air in a low arc, landing to splatter all over the corpse and the floor.
"Alright, it's stuck," he decides. The cannon is folded up and returned to the locking port on his back.
"Yeah, They need this place for prepping their food most likely. If it's an undead problem though, place will probably need to be burnt down anyways, but we don't know for certain yet. And if it isn't to do with undead, well, that deer was living at some point. If it's something else, we shouldn't be sticking our living bodies close to it, either. Hell, I already saw what those maggots did to that deer the other day, and I don't want that being me or screech." Zofi warns. "So I'll keep some fire at the ready."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Telamon has dropped a TIMESTOP! -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The glue oozes all over the skinned elk corpse. Oddly, it's no longer moving, but as Andelena approaches, she can hear a funny sound coming from it. Kind of like a growl, a grumpy sound.
And then there's this horrendous SCREAM. Like Maugrim realizing he's got both gout AND piles, coming from the north, as a pair of hulking bearlike creatures shoulder through the trees. Huge owl faces dominate their heads, though, and they scream again, in rage and fury, a voice that says:
"I am going to hurt you and enjoy doing it because I CAN!"
<OOC> Andelena says, "I'm gonna cast Bless on the party, first off." GAME: Andelena casts Bless. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 <OOC> Andelena says, "I am gonna then head to 9,6 and take point on these fellas. That's my turn."
Andelena whips right around as she looks at these incredibly angry owlbears. She growls right in response to their ferocious scream. "Not today, fuckers. Daeus, light on us!" she shouts, raising her longsword high into the air.
And He answers her call. Her allies are bathed in the blessing of the Knight. And the Sunguard marches forth with a rallying scream.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+13: (10)+13: 23 <OOC> Robert says, "Move to 9,7. Hit Andie with the embiggener." GAME: Robert casts Enlarge Person. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15 <OOC> Telamon says, "Doesn't Enlarge Person take a full round action? Or is that houseruled to a standard?" <OOC> Robert says, "!!! would you look at that." <OOC> Robert says, "Put me to 9,12 then (I'll just 5') and start casting."
"Alrighty, young lady. If you're going to be up there let's give the Embiggener a go," Robert's voice bounces around his bowl helmet before echoing out of the eyeholes across the battlefield. He stomps a few steps forward and snatches a clockwork ball from his belt. A pin is pulled and he pinches a glistening ribbon, jerking it loose. The top portion of the orb opens and spins, the aethercite crystal inside glowing blue and humming and swirls of light bridge the distance between Andelena and the Cerenzan.
"You're getting soooooo big!" announces the gadget, cold and robotic as energies coalesce. <kulthian>
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+12: (14)+12: 26 <OOC> Telamon says, "Andi, #1 will try to tear into you..." <OOC> Telamon says, "5' step, claw/claw/bite..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13 (miss) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15 (miss) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27 (hits) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7
One of the bulky owlbears skirts around Andelena, glaring at the other adventurers, but stalking towards the workshop, its red-rimmed eyes rolling in its sockets as it casts its head back and forth hungrily.
The other charges Andi, lashing out with claws and beak as it screeches again, fury in its eyes. Andi's shield takes the brunt of the clawing, but the beak punches through to strike her.
<OOC> Zofija says, "I'll move to 11,10 and 12 11 and hit owlbear #2" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6+1: 13 (miss) <OOC> Zofija says, "Screech attacks" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16 (hits) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d6+2: (3)+2: 5
"Oh gods damn it, we've got even more to deal with now." The Arvek-nar grumbles. "Owlbears incoming! And don't let that carcass out of your sight!"
The cavalier charges the owlbear closest, steering out of the way of the person in front of it just in time to avoid them as she swings at the beast, only to bounce off some of the feathers. Screech charged a bit closer, and plunges it's beak into the flank of the beast, pulling away to show who the superior half bird, half apex predator was.
Drue watches as the group moves and the owlbears come onto the scene. Watching how the group spreads out he sprints towards the shed, closing in and putting himself in position to flank the owlbears and assist once he closes in. Reaching back he draws his siangham, prepping the weapon in one hand.
<OOC> Dolan says, "Swift action for Judgment of Protection, move to 8,6, and take a smack at the owlbear, trying to draw its attention. Power attack." <OOC> Dolan says, "Judgment of Protection grants +1 to AC." GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1-1: (5)+5+1+-1: 10 (miss)
Any and all thoughts of anything related to wriggling elf carcasses flies out of Dolan's head as blood flies from entirely too close to Andelena! "Andie, get out of there!" he shouts, his voice suddenly rising in worry. He takes off at a dead run, the harness holding his blade discarded near the edge of the shed. "Holy knight, defend me that I may defend her!" he shouts as he takes off, and a pale golden glow forms around him in response. Avoiding all the obstacles leaves him to stumble, throwing him just enough off-balance that his sword slash goes well wide.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (4): 4
Aron snatches up Ana, before she can even scream, and immediately flees southward. Probably a wise decision, all things considered.
Meanwhile, the glued down, skinned elk carcass is... twitching again. Rocking slightly. There's that funny growling again, although nobody can probably hear it what with the angry shrieks of the owlbears.
<OOC> Robert says, "Alright. PA, no flank." GAME: Robert activates his Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Str GAME: Robert rolls weapon9-1: (14)+8+-1: 21 (hits) GAME: Robert rolls 1d8+5+2: (3)+5+2: 10
The energy finishes transfering from the trinket to Andelena, the woman growing to prodigious size even as the little orb sparks, smokes, and falls apart in the massive arti-fist.
That done, Robert leans forward and pounds across the soft earth of the farm, his armor crashing and flanking and whirring. There's also heavy breathing coming from within the bowl helmet as the older human starts panting with exertion. "Muse help me... if this... doesn't... work!" Something pops audibly and steam vents from the back and arms of the titan armor. Plates are rattling as a humming carries through the whole thing. Up comes a back fist, dropping it down to offer the closest owlbear a meaty slam 'hello.'
"Owl not allow you to hurt these nice young kids!"
<OOC> Andelena says, "Carving into Owlbear Uno with longsword. Power Attack, +1 from Bless, the works." GAME: Andelena rolls weapon5+1-2: (10)+6+1+-2: 15 (hits) GAME: Andelena rolls 2d6+2+4+1: (10): 17
The woman taller than most is /even taller/.
The Sunguard cackles as she towers on the field, magic longsword in hand and shield in the other. "I think I'm feeling just /fuckin'/ fine, Bry, but thanks for asking!" she says, and she slams her longsword into the owlbear in front of it, dealing a massive blow to the creature--almost as massive as her frame.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d2: (2): 2 <OOC> Telamon says, "Owlbear 2 goes for Bob..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27 (hits) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (10)+8: 18 (hits) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls 2d6+8: (5)+8: 13 <OOC> Telamon says, "And he tries to grab you." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+14: (15)+14: 29 (success) <OOC> Telamon says, "You are now being unpleasantly cuddled by the Owlbear." <OOC> Telamon says, "Owlbear 1..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d2: (2): 2 <OOC> Telamon says, "Goes for Andi." <OOC> Andelena says, "Try me." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 (hits) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16 (miss) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15 (miss) GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10 <OOC> Telamon says, "He tries to grab..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+14: (4)+14: 18 (success) <OOC> Telamon says, "OK, the owlbear is latched onto Andi."
The owlbears, of course, take offense to these actions. One lashes out at Robert, savaging him with its claws, grabbing on and trying to drag him into a lethal embrace. Meanwhile, the other owlbear seems undaunted by the fact that Andi is now just as big as it, and slashes at her with its claws as well, hooking them in and trying to drag her down.
<OOC> Zofija says, "Okay, since Andelena is grappled, I'll step to the northeast so I can attack" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12 (hits) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+4: (2)+4: 6 (miss) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20-1: (3)+-1: 2 (miss) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20-1: (5)+-1: 4 (miss) GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+4: (7)+4: 11
Hey, you're forgetting someone here!" The cavalier shouts, bringing down their hammer with a solid blow to the best's side. Screech attempts to attack as well, but has less luck, as the fur and feathers make it hard to find a spot to cause any actual damage with their claws.
GAME: Drue rolls weapon3+2+1: (2)+6+2+1: 11 (miss) GAME: Drue rolls weapon3+2+1: (17)+6+2+1: 26 (hit) GAME: Drue rolls 1d6+0: (1)+0: 1
Drue moves into the fray, trying to assist with the nearest owlbear. Flanking he attacks with his bladed weapon, a flash of stabs that hits it in the side.
<OOC> Dolan says, "All right, let's try attacking again, I'll keep the same judgment." <OOC> Dolan says, "Against with PA." GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1-1: (1)+5+1+-1: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
Caught in a messy situation, Dolan can feel the panic rising as the creature grabs Andelena, and unfortunately for him, he doesn't have a good handle on it. "ANDIE!" he shouts, flailing ineffectually at fur and feathers but finding not even his target, hlet alone purchase.
<OOC> Robert says, "Alright. Gonna risk it all and go full attack. -2 from grappled, +2 from flank, +1 from bless." GAME: Robert rolls weapon9-2+2+1: (2)+8+-2+2+1: 11 (miss) GAME: Robert rolls weapon10-2+2+1: (9)+8+-2+2+1: 18 (hits) GAME: Robert rolls 1d8+5+2: (8)+5+2: 15
There's a cry of pained alarm from inside the helmet completely obscuring Robert's face. A grinding noise followed by the hissing escape of steam as the armored torso is compressed. The first arti-fist can't quite find a good angle to batter the owlbear but the second pistons in to crack the oversized bird right in the face.
"Gonna... stuff my pillow with your... down!" The Cerenzan challenges through gritted teeth. Something inside the armor breaks and little bits of cog and bent springs start tumbling down to the ground.
<OOC> Andelena says, "Alright. I'm going to attempt to escape the grapple (CMB+1)." GAME: Andelena rolls CMB+1: (3)+5+1: 9 (fails) GAME: Andelena rolls CMB+1: (7)+5+1: 13 (free reroll, fails)
Andelena wrestles with the owlbear, growling as she tries to break free of its gnashing claws. There's not an ounce of fear in her face nor in her voice, just sheer rage. "Get the /fuck/ off me, you piece of--"
Just more growling.
<OOC> Telamon says, "Owlbear 2 attempts to put Robert down for the count. It will maintain the grapple..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+14: (4)+14: 18 <OOC> Telamon says, "...Or not." <OOC> Telamon says, "It's surrounded, so that's its turn. Owlbear 1 will try to do the same to Andi..." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+14: (15)+14: 29 (success) <OOC> Telamon says, "It will bite her." GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6+4: (2)+4: 6
The owlbears try to drag down and crush their prey, but with mixed results.
The one grasping at Robert somehow loses its grip on him -- possibly due to the absolutely brutal shot it just took to the dome from Robert's piston-driven fist. It staggers, blood oozing from its beak and eyesockets, looking dazed.
The other sinks its beak into Andelena's shoulder, trying to hook its claws in and tear this annoying upstart to pieces. Her armor creaks alarmingly!
<OOC> Telamon says, "You have flank, and the owlbear looks pretty bad off." <OOC> Zofija says, "I'll try to hit the owlbear, yeah" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+6+3: (14)+6+3: 23 (hits) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+4+2: (6)+4+2: 12 (miss) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20-1+2: (3)+-1+2: 4 (miss) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20-1+2: (19)+-1+2: 20 (hits) GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d4+2: (3)+2: 5
"What part of pay attention did you not get through your thick skull?" The arvek-nar growls before she shoves her hammer back while the griffon pins the owlbear's neck down. She raises the massive hunk of metal up into the air, and brings it down with a low crunching of bone. "Old man, you alright there?" She asks the artificer before turning to the other beast.
GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1-1: (20)+5+1+-1: 25 (THREAT) GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+1-1: (19)+5+1+-1: 24 (THREAT) GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+4+2+2d6+4+2: (10)+4+2+(10)+4+2: 32
And then, Andelena's armor creaks alarmingly, and something snaps in Dolan. It's now or never, and the panic isn't helping him. Whether it's a moment of quiet inspiration, or confidence, or sheer divine guidance, he suddenly takes a deep breath and one step to the side, reverse the blade, and *rams* it without a word point-first up into the creature's ribcage.
Steel slides through fur and feathers, past muscle and bone, carving apart unspeakably weird organs and unerringly seeking the creature's hearth. It freezes in shock, lets out an unearthly cry of agony, and crashes to the earth at the edge of the field, its blood pouring out to give life to the spring's new crops.
For a moment, there's silence. Blessed silence. The owlbears lay in tattered, crumpled heaps, testament to bravery, skill, and perhaps a healthy dollop of luck.
Then behind you, from the shed, there's a funny sound. Like a -belch-.
You turn to look inside. The tanglefoot glue has peeled away, and the carcass of the elk has been pushed apart as well. Now that you have a moment to look, it looks... chewed on? Like something was eating it.
The culprit sits on top of the carcass, grooming a paw. It does... kinda... look like a cat. Or perhaps a weasel. Even smudged with bits of elk, it's gorgeous, though, its fur a brilliant golden color, with silvery stripes. Instead of four legs, though, it has eight, and its face is somewhere between feline and mustelid. It also looks... more than a little pudgy, as it yawns.
Andelena groans as she begins to recover from her experience at the claws and teeth of the owlbears. She gently pats her hand onto herself and begins to heal herself, murmuring a prayer to Daeus's light.
She looks over to Dolan and looks like she's about to say something until she looks at the cat-weasel... thing.
"What the /fuck/ is that?" she asks, squinting, before coughing.
The sound of the belch prompts Dolan to instinctively whirl on its source, bringing up the bloodied blade into a ready pose and placing himself bodily between Andelena and whatever this new threat is. "What the fuck are you?" he breathes at it, barely daring to look back at Andie to make sure she's okay.
GAME: Andelena casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d8+3: (7)+3: 10 (heals self)
There's a crash when Zofija puts the first owlbear down, Robert tumbling inside his armor and falling with the weight of the slain creature. Something internal ruptures and copious fluids spill out, splashing down out of the shadow to reveal the rainbow slick of semi-transparent grease. "Ow," Bob answers the Arvek Nar.
There's more whirring, clacking, and a bit of squeaking and then the titan falls onto his back, the bowl helmet popping open to reveal a head completely covered in dripping sweat. "I think I took a blow to the head... that cat has too many legs and it's giving me paws."
The fists bounce around, snatching out a (comparatively) weensy cylinder. He raises that up and pushes it against his neck, rolling a tiny wheel on the outside until it goes *PSSSH* and the glow of positive energy dances out over his neck and down into the body obscured by armor below.
"Oh... sweet Muse that hits the spot."
GAME: Robert casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15 GAME: Robert rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8 (heals self)
"Look, I don't know that thing is safe to eat." Zofi grunts as she steers the griffon away before it tries to peck at the body of the Owlbear more. "Glad you're alright, but uh, shit, that's not a normal cat, I was right. Least it's not maggots. Should we try to catch it or just kill it?"
The creature -- Ana's 'kitty', judging from its appearance, pads off the half-eaten carcass, and starts to amble carefully around the battered adventurers. It does, however, pause to pee on one of the owlbear corpses.
Dolan continues to keep himself between the cat and Andelena, but makes no threatening moves, instead maintaining his guard pose. "I don't think it's aggressive," he hazards warily, "but that farmer had better put a door here before he hangs his meat here again." Watch, very carefully.
Andelena walks up closer to Dolan and squints at the cat-thing. Still covered in blood, mind you, but she at least looks better for wear. "... Is it some kind of nature spirit thing?" she asks. "I know shit-all about this sort of thing."
"ps-ps-ps-ps," Robert tries, his head straining up where he seems to be stuck on his back like some retired artifice metal turtle. The Cerenzan looks from the cat to his gauntlet, his eyebrows dancing as he chews on his lips. *whrrr* it goes, then *click-clack* and, finally, *thunk* and the fingers flop open. The artificer pulls loose his pale, sweaty hand and drums his fingers on the earthen ground. "Here puss, puss, puss. Who's a pretty kitty?"
"So, leave it be? Alright, Probably for the best. Don't want someone getting mangled by a cat in our current state." The arvek-nar sighs. "Well, We can leave it be, and tell them what was going on. Maybe make a report and see what the deal is with it, as some more knowledgeable folks before we do anything."
The 'cat', for its part, seems content to waddle back into the woods on its eight legs, another weird belch coming from it as it vanishes, a gleam of gold among the green.
Leaving nothing behind but a half-eaten elk carcass, and some -very- distinct paw prints. For a creature of such a relatively small size, it must weigh quite a bit to leave such clear prints in the earth.
The owlbears, of course, will need to be carted off as well. At least no one was seriously injured or killed by them!
OOC
<OOC> Telamon says, "Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=md7ot7g6s1s"
<OOC> Telamon says, "Scythe is Aron, flower is Ana. One eyed face is Dolan, hammer is Zofija, spacesuit is Robert, fist is Drue, ankh is Andelena."
When the owlbears charge out:
<OOC> Dolan says, "Owlbears."
<OOC> Zofija says, "Are they actually talking?"
<OOC> Telamon says, "No. They're just screaming. Angrily."
<OOC> Robert says, "Their hands are dirty and they need a moist owlette."
When Dolan successfully crits on his attack while Andelena's 2 HP away from going down:
<OOC> Robert says, "oooooh"
<OOC> Robert says, "oooooh"
<OOC> Telamon says, "OH SHIT SON."
<OOC> Andelena says, "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
<OOC> Andelena says, "HE'S ANGRY"
<OOC> Dolan says, "Apology accepted, dice."
<OOC> Andelena says, "DOLAN COMING IN WITH THE STEEL CHAIR"
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 ===================== ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes-------------------------------------------- 24 Andelena 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 17 Robert 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 14 Owlbear 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 Owlbear 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13 Zofija 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10 Drue 5 Flat-footed (0 rnds active) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9 Dolan 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ============================================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Name | CHP (T) | HP | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ | Andelena......| 25 | 25 | | Dolan.........| 22 | 22 | | Drue..........| 23 | 23 | | Robert........| 19 | 19 | | Zofija........| 21 | 21 | | (C) Screech...| 22 | 22 | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~