The Hunters of Woodhaven
AK510-35 Cool Summer Start Week 3
[Charon Guiding, Shale Resting, Cycles Watching]
John Appleby, Jo of Kell and Bob Charmer ranged further and further from the lumbering wagons until they decided that it would be a good idea to ditch the wagons and head to Woodhaven.
Appleby and Charmer both notice that a mated pair of Slevakor are stalking them through the trees. Appleby walks over to them and after invoking Naduir's power he speaks to them. They are initially hostile but he wins them over gradually and gains their trust. He convinces them to seek prey elsewhere as the are outmatched. Once they realise that the human's are not a source of food, they trot casually off into the tree to seek some Baphen calves.
On arriving home they discovered that Arkthuus men had been regularly visiting the village and taking supplies. There were constant hostilities between the Steel Clan and the Dark Keep's forces (History repeating itself). Arkthuus Poten has taken to calling himself Count Darkkeep and is styling himself as the overlord of the region. Most urgently though, Helen Trainer asks the druid and the ranger to investigate claims by settlers in nearby farms that there is a flying beast terrorising the countryside and carrying off livestock! They set off at once and using their intimate knowledge of the area they soon find evidence of a large flying creature killing prey and carrying it off. They spot large spikes buried in the ground and deep into wooden posts around the farm. Appleby suspects that they are dealing with a Manticore.
After a day of laborious circling around looking for clues, Charmer eventually finds a blood trail of a recently killed meal and tracks it to the Manticore's feeding lair. It is away when they arrive but Charmer deduces from the carnage in the lair that the creature should be returning from the hunt in a matter of hours. They prepare an ambush. The Swarm is sent aloft along the creatures most probably approach vector to provide an early warning of it's arrival.
Finally when it appears, the druid calls upon the power of the Applewood Staff and hardens his skin with Applewood bark. As the creature lands it spies the pair of would be ambushers. With a lightening quick lash of it's tail it sends a volley of large deadly spikes to impale Charmer. Spikes pierce his legs and puncture his lungs and Charmer teeters on the brink of death. In response Appleby charges in to attack. He smashes the staff into the creatures face and it bellow in pain. Then the bees swarm around it and sting it ferociously. It's thick hide and stout heart are not enough to fend off the effects of the poison and it beings to slow. Then Charmer calls on the power of Naduir to entangle the creature. Trees, bushes and tall grasses writhe towards the Manticore but it dances nimbly away from their grasp. Charmer staggers deeper into the safety of the trees. The beast lashes at John Appleby with massive claws and lands a powerful blow, but the strength of the bark protects him from harm. It's mighty jaws snap at him and take a chunk out of his arm but Appleby is made of sterner stuff and shrugs off the flesh wound. In response to the attack he smashes the creature with a double strike from the Applewood Staff and the creature reels under the onslaught. The bees continue to swarm and sting. The ranger creeps carefully forward and looses another arrow at the beast catching it in the chest. The damage is taking it's toll and it is heavy on it's feet. The plants again attempt to entangle it and again it dances away. It leaps into the air to escape the druid. As it climbs into the air is flicks it's tail frantically back at the druid and sends another volley of deadly spikes back at him. Expecting this tactic Appleby manages to avoid the worst of this and the Applewood bark deflects some of the spikes. Charmer tracks the climbing creature with a notched arrow. He fires. The shaft flies wide. Unfazed, he notches another and releases it in a fluid motion. The shaft sails true and pierces the back of the creatures neck, severing it's spinal cord. It dies instantly. The body falls gracelessly from the sky and crashes into the rocky ground with bone breaking speed. Appleby calls upon the power of Naduir to heal the worst of the rangers wounds. The two woodsmen then efficiently butcher their quarry. They find several valuable items on the body of a merchant and his body guard and this is returned to the village. The Longsword and Plate mail will be welcomed by the town guard.
The following day is spent healing and by using all his druidic skill and the power of Naduir, Appleby manages to restore Charmer to full health.
Then they set off to hunt Baphen to replenish the village's dwindling food supplies. The track down a Baphen herd and manage to separate a trio of aging Baphen from the rest. Appleby and Charmer cast their spells and enter the fray. The druid attacks with his staff as the bees swarm around a panicking Baphen. He summons a Hippogriff which soars into attack one of the fleeing Baphen. His claws are sharp and rend the fleeing Baphen's flesh. The ranger send a pair of shaft's into it's flanks and it begins to slow. One of the Baphen is enraged and it gores Appleby with her great horns, but the druid sidesteps the worst of the damage. Another couple of blows and the enraged Baphen is down. Another pair of arrows and the fleeing Baphen is slain. Appleby summons another Hippogriff and sends them both to hunt down the last survivor. It's speed is no match for the chasing Hippogriff's and the rangers arrows and within moments, all three Baphen are dead. The villagers arrive with their wagons and the food is butchered, loaded and carted home.
All in a days work.
[Charon Guiding, Shale Resting, Cycles Watching]
John Appleby, Jo of Kell and Bob Charmer ranged further and further from the lumbering wagons until they decided that it would be a good idea to ditch the wagons and head to Woodhaven.
Appleby and Charmer both notice that a mated pair of Slevakor are stalking them through the trees. Appleby walks over to them and after invoking Naduir's power he speaks to them. They are initially hostile but he wins them over gradually and gains their trust. He convinces them to seek prey elsewhere as the are outmatched. Once they realise that the human's are not a source of food, they trot casually off into the tree to seek some Baphen calves.
On arriving home they discovered that Arkthuus men had been regularly visiting the village and taking supplies. There were constant hostilities between the Steel Clan and the Dark Keep's forces (History repeating itself). Arkthuus Poten has taken to calling himself Count Darkkeep and is styling himself as the overlord of the region. Most urgently though, Helen Trainer asks the druid and the ranger to investigate claims by settlers in nearby farms that there is a flying beast terrorising the countryside and carrying off livestock! They set off at once and using their intimate knowledge of the area they soon find evidence of a large flying creature killing prey and carrying it off. They spot large spikes buried in the ground and deep into wooden posts around the farm. Appleby suspects that they are dealing with a Manticore.
After a day of laborious circling around looking for clues, Charmer eventually finds a blood trail of a recently killed meal and tracks it to the Manticore's feeding lair. It is away when they arrive but Charmer deduces from the carnage in the lair that the creature should be returning from the hunt in a matter of hours. They prepare an ambush. The Swarm is sent aloft along the creatures most probably approach vector to provide an early warning of it's arrival.
Finally when it appears, the druid calls upon the power of the Applewood Staff and hardens his skin with Applewood bark. As the creature lands it spies the pair of would be ambushers. With a lightening quick lash of it's tail it sends a volley of large deadly spikes to impale Charmer. Spikes pierce his legs and puncture his lungs and Charmer teeters on the brink of death. In response Appleby charges in to attack. He smashes the staff into the creatures face and it bellow in pain. Then the bees swarm around it and sting it ferociously. It's thick hide and stout heart are not enough to fend off the effects of the poison and it beings to slow. Then Charmer calls on the power of Naduir to entangle the creature. Trees, bushes and tall grasses writhe towards the Manticore but it dances nimbly away from their grasp. Charmer staggers deeper into the safety of the trees. The beast lashes at John Appleby with massive claws and lands a powerful blow, but the strength of the bark protects him from harm. It's mighty jaws snap at him and take a chunk out of his arm but Appleby is made of sterner stuff and shrugs off the flesh wound. In response to the attack he smashes the creature with a double strike from the Applewood Staff and the creature reels under the onslaught. The bees continue to swarm and sting. The ranger creeps carefully forward and looses another arrow at the beast catching it in the chest. The damage is taking it's toll and it is heavy on it's feet. The plants again attempt to entangle it and again it dances away. It leaps into the air to escape the druid. As it climbs into the air is flicks it's tail frantically back at the druid and sends another volley of deadly spikes back at him. Expecting this tactic Appleby manages to avoid the worst of this and the Applewood bark deflects some of the spikes. Charmer tracks the climbing creature with a notched arrow. He fires. The shaft flies wide. Unfazed, he notches another and releases it in a fluid motion. The shaft sails true and pierces the back of the creatures neck, severing it's spinal cord. It dies instantly. The body falls gracelessly from the sky and crashes into the rocky ground with bone breaking speed. Appleby calls upon the power of Naduir to heal the worst of the rangers wounds. The two woodsmen then efficiently butcher their quarry. They find several valuable items on the body of a merchant and his body guard and this is returned to the village. The Longsword and Plate mail will be welcomed by the town guard.
The following day is spent healing and by using all his druidic skill and the power of Naduir, Appleby manages to restore Charmer to full health.
Then they set off to hunt Baphen to replenish the village's dwindling food supplies. The track down a Baphen herd and manage to separate a trio of aging Baphen from the rest. Appleby and Charmer cast their spells and enter the fray. The druid attacks with his staff as the bees swarm around a panicking Baphen. He summons a Hippogriff which soars into attack one of the fleeing Baphen. His claws are sharp and rend the fleeing Baphen's flesh. The ranger send a pair of shaft's into it's flanks and it begins to slow. One of the Baphen is enraged and it gores Appleby with her great horns, but the druid sidesteps the worst of the damage. Another couple of blows and the enraged Baphen is down. Another pair of arrows and the fleeing Baphen is slain. Appleby summons another Hippogriff and sends them both to hunt down the last survivor. It's speed is no match for the chasing Hippogriff's and the rangers arrows and within moments, all three Baphen are dead. The villagers arrive with their wagons and the food is butchered, loaded and carted home.
All in a days work.
posted by The Peering Eye | 7:09 p.m.
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