In reply to Chlainn Vacrolann (msg # 28):

The two men and dog descended into the depths, coming across more bloodstains and chewed bones.

Beyond the torchlight there was movement in the darkness but whatever it was it was avoiding the armed men...

In reply to GM (msg # 29):

"Come out into the light!"

Chlainn aims into the darkness....
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:35, Fri 22 Sept 2017.

Usopi grimaces as the beast avoided the light. Surely this cavern must have an end. Eventually they would corner it, and then their skills would be tested.

The two men ventured on through the dark finding the chewed and mangled corpses of sheep, cattle and other remains of less certain origin.

As they descended Gat began whining more and to Chlainn it seemed there must be more than one enemy here...the sounds were too far apart.

Suddenly Usopis lantern light fell on a pair of fell gangling creatures about half his height, with bulbous heads, large yellow slitted eyes, and fiercely grinning
mouths full of sharp triangular teeth.

Matted hair clumped their shrivelled but wiry bodies and long limbs, and stood erect in a stiff comb above the bony ridges of their skulls.

Another wiry form rushed out of the darkness and bowled Gat off his feet...the two furred forms snapping and growling at each other in the darkness.

Befori Usopi could go to Gats aid the two before him charged, hissing and growling and throwing debris..

In reply to GM (msg # 32):

OOC: Do I have a clear shot?  If not, will manuevre around until I do.  If it doesn't look like I can ever get a clear shot, I'll place my arbalest down, arm myself and get stuck in.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:44, Tue 03 Oct 2017.

Usopi grimaces as he braces himself for combat. He wishes he could help Gat, but knows the hound is a tough creature. Instead he spreads his feet and braces for the enemy's charge.




OOC - I'm going to assume you need a defense split now since combat has already started for Gat. I'm gonna split my 8 defense evenly between the 2 creatures and hope any hit fails to pass my armor.

Do I need to describe Gat's actions as well, or will you be NPCing him with the states on my character sheet? Either works for me but I don't want to step on your toes if there's one you'd prefer.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:34, Tue 26 Sept 2017.

Griff was the closest to happy he would ever get, hiking along a deserted ridge with a green canopy stretching away below him. The Border Forest is glowing with a delicate aurora that few men are fortunate enough to perceive, fueled by the countless lives that dwell there.

The woodsman is brought sharply back to reality by the muffled sounds of combat coming from the small gully he has just past. Grunting in annoyance he stops and turns back, exploring until he finds the cave entrance.

Not sure I should post any more yet in case we are moving to combat rounds. BTW you can find a short backstory for Griff in the character description.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Fri 29 Sept 2017.

In reply to Griff Koehler (msg # 35):

Chlainn released the quarrel at the charging creature but it shattered against the rock wall.
The head of Usopis weapon crashed into the side of the creature, and ribs cracked...the creature hissed in rage and began snapping in rage taking a chunk out of its companions shoulder, the other creature seemed not to care as it leapt at Chlainn.

In the darkness there was a sudden flurry of hissing and growling as Gat held his own against his enemy.

Chlainn met his foe, smashing his mace into its grinning jaws sending teeth and black blood spraying, but his foes hooked claws caught him under the jaw tearing great furrows in his neck...the blood that flowed forth was luckily dark not bright red ( -3 hp to Chlainn) in the lantern light.  Usopis blow was blocked by his opponent, but doing so stymied its own slash at his face.

In the darkness it seemed to the two men as if the beasts were stretching and growing ever larger as they raged against them.

In the dark Gat barked loudly and joined the fray again...

OOC:

bb2, rolled 20, 3 using 1d20, 1d6.
bb1, rolled 18, 5 using 1d20, 1d6.
Usopi, rolled 7, 6 using 1d20, 1d6.
Chlainn, rolled 17, 10 using 1d20, 1d12.
bb3, rolled 16, 4 using 1d20, 1d6.
Gat, rolled 1, 3 using 1d20, 1d4.

bb3, rolled 16,2 using 1d20,1d6.
Gat, rolled 7,3 using 1d20,1d4.
Usopi, rolled 18,4 using 1d20,1d6.
Chlainn, rolled 9,3 using 1d20,1d6.
bb2, rolled 17,2 using 1d20,1d6.
bb1, rolled 1,2 using 1d20,1d6.

......................................

As Griff turned back he noted a horse tied within a small grove of scotch pines, the animal snorted at him.  As he moved back towards the gully he noted signs of blood spatter and scuff marks and boot marks over them.

He made his way down into the gully, the sounds louder...coming from below?

He soon found the entrance to the crevasse leading down and began his descent...he would need light to see further...

In reply to GM (msg # 36):

Chlainn curses to himself at the blood streaming down his neck.

"Filthy mutt!  Have at you!"

*Swipes with mace*
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:36, Tue 03 Oct 2017.

Usopi grins at the exhilaration of righteous combat. Surely these creatures are some sort of demons spawned by evil forces. He swings his morning star toward the foul beast, with what he imagines is the holy might of his Lord. He thinks little of his lack of shield. He is destined to defeat the foe at hand.

OOC -
Usopi Venia rolled 9 using 1d20.  Usopi Attack.
Usopi Venia rolled 5 using 1d6.  Usopi Bypass Roll.
Damage = 5

Griff closes his eyes for a moment and focuses his power. When he opens them again his eyes have a pearly sheen and the cave is as bright as daylight. Griff cautiously descends...

Cast Darksight, just about avoided fatigue. 07:47, Today: Griff Koehler rolled 12 using 1d20.  Psi Fatigue.

In reply to Griff Koehler (msg # 39):

Chlainn whipped his weapon about and collected his enemy on the side of its skull sending it crashing out of sight.

Usopi also struck his foe a nasty blow and it fell away from him, but not before its claws whipped out and struck him in the chest, his armour withstood the blow but such was the strength that he ended up on his arse on the cavern floor.

There was a final hiss and Gat barked loudly, bounding over to lick Usopis face. Suddnely the dog tensed and turned towards something unseen in the dark behind them. Gat growled, though somewhat uncertainly....

..........................

In reply to GM (msg # 40):

Chlainn clutches at his wound.  "What is this?  More of them?"

Chlainn starts to load up his arbalest again....
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:07, Mon 09 Oct 2017.

Usopi pats his dog on the head and stands before turning toward the rear and picking up his lantern to illuminate the darkness.

Griff steps into the lamplight, his hands hanging by his side. A big man, made bigger by his bearskin armour, Griff looks right at home in the corpse-strewn cave. "Heard fightin'" he says gruffly, peering into the darkness behind them. "Saw summat..." he mutters.

Usopi first starts at the large figure draped in the flesh of a bear. His initial assumption is that Griff is another beast who somehow got behind them. However, as the big man begins to speak in the language of Man Usopi understands that he is not a mindless creature.

”Brother Chlainn, if you would introduce us to this fellow, I will examine the corpses and search for more opponents, and perhaps the belongings of their victims that may be our divine reward for avenging their spirits.” Usopi says with a smile and a nod at the newly met human before he turns to the deceased abominations and begind examining them to identify them and to search for their victims.


OOC - if I find a pile of bones or body parts without more enemies to kill I’ll probably start hauling them out of the cave. Even if they’re unidentifiable we should probably burn the corpses or something to at least gove them some form of funeral service/last rights. :P

Usopi begins to search the stony ground for his fallen foes but curiously can find no sign of them, though the corpses of their victims and prey are readily apparent.  After a cursory examination of the area Usopi concludes that most of the dead here are of the bovine and ovine variety, with occasional piles of grouse and capercaillie feathers.

He does find two human bodies, though there is little left of them, one is dressed in a shredded and ruined plaid and the other in a simple brown robe. Searching the robe he finds a silver fish-shaped pendant on a silver chain and a small case containing tightly wrapped scrolls on fresh parchment.  There are a scattering of copper Thulish pennies in the other pocket.

Usopi stores the goods for later, when they could be fullly examined and divided between himself and Chlainn. He then begins to look around the cavern to look for any possible avenue through which the creatures may have fled aside from the entrence through which they had come. If no such path exists he shrugs and heads for the surface.

In reply to Griff Koehler (msg # 43):

"Wonderful!  It is good to see a human face!  We've been investigating some especially vicious predators, these…  curs have been dragging people away!"

"How rude of me!" 

*Cranking arbalest*

"My name is Chlainn, and this is Usopi!  We have the dismal duty of pacifying these wild dogs so that the peasants can remove them safely and make it safe for travellers!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:41, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

"Name's Griff" says the stranger distractedly, still peering into the shadows. Then his brain catches up with his ears. "How's the pay? 'Cos you're not done yet and I reckon you might need my help".

In reply to Griff Koehler (msg # 48):

"Pay?  Pay...  Sir Venia, have you found anything we can 'pay' with?"

"Actually, you are free to observe!  That future generations might have some idea of the important duty of gentlemen in the line of duty.  These hounds managed to drag quite a few men in, if they're alive they might know some gratitude.  If not, their relatives may be glad to hear what happened to them!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:30, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

"You're doin' this for free?" says Griff disbelievingly.

In reply to Griff Koehler (msg # 50):

"Well, its more sophisticated than that!  These strange dogs attack travellers, farmers, they in turn don't pay tax.  Then we of the privileged classes have to raise more taxes and thus burdening the poor further.  Just as farmers and goat herds may remove weeds or wolves, we do our part.  Its all for the greater good really."

"We're still establishing how many have died.  If you're undecided, feel free to follow and observe the Lords work!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:30, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

Griff's jaw hardens perceptibly. "The Lord's work" he mutters darkly. "I prefer the payin' kind". Griff glowers a bit as he watches the pair move among the bodies, but seems to have something on his mind. "So... you'd be strong in the faith then. A pious man?" he asks Chlainn after a while.

Usopi, hardly paying attention to the conversation of the other two travelers considering his position elbow deep in blood and flesh as he sorts the corpses, finally stands back with a grin of contentment at a job well done. He has taken all the human remains he could find, seperated them in to two piles, based partially on skin pigmentation, partially on size, partially on the scraps of cloth still clinging to the open wounds, but mostly on total guesswork.

”I’ve seperated the human remains and tried to figure out which bits go with which body. Now we can take them outside with us, provide them with a meager service to lay their souls to rest, and be on with our travels.” he says before turning away from the grisly piles and finally greeting the newcomer personally.

”Hail friend, I am Usopi Venia, Knight of Lakstead!” he says with passion, his muscular body flexing under gore covered plate armor and his chisled, handsome features practically glowing from the glimmer of his broad, toothy smile, ”After dealing with the three creatures we’ve discovered so far, our reward has been a few coppers, some trinkets of unknown origin, and the knowledge that we have protected the innocent from future assaults and the dead from an eternity of restless torment. Though if, as you say, we are not done, then perhaps there shall be even greater monetary gains upon our completion.”