Jeremiah was puzzled...
The creatures came from a very unexpected direction. On top of this, Paramel jerked about in his hands like a fish out of water, unsure of which direction to strike. Equus, however, made that decision for him, and veered for the closer target that Natasha had already missed. She had a habit of getting in over her head.
"Nat, don't be a fool!" He yelled as he got his bearings.

With a speed only a monk or somebody with magical assistance could achieve, Natasha leapt from her seat and into barehanded combat with one of the creatures.
The creature, facing utter destruction at the hands of the diminutive girl chooses to completely ignore her ineffectual slapping and kicking at it's hard and unyielding exoskeleton, continuing it's own assault on the panicked ox before it.

All may act normally now. Roll D10 for initiative, modify by speed factor, spell casting times, etc and post your intentions.

Rapidly regaining control of his startled horse, Athelstan urged it into combat, his sword flicking out of it's scabard, and shield held ready. Showing his prowess as a horseman, he guided it using only his knees, and ordered the warhorse to join in the attack.


Athelstan
Initiative 11
Riding to the attack

A high pitched scream of terror emanates from the rear of the convoy!

"What, by the three and a half hells of Hica is that?!?"

Suddenly the wagon feels less the haven it had a moment ago. The little gnome rams on the brakes and rolls out onto the snow, advancing quickly, but with care.

when the distance between the two is diminished, the gnome drops to one knee, and grabs the medallion that dangles in the opening of the azure and aureate kimono which exposes a hint of soft flesh to the world, closing both frightened eyes tightly...
This message was last edited by the player at 06:39, Thu 12 Jan 2012.

"Will you just get on with it?" the sword complained at the Paladin.
"There's the creature, swing your arm at it!"

For all the time in the bad weather Trilardir had done nothing except try and keep warm.  The cold had seemingly dulled her thoughts as well as action.  The sudden attack took her totally by surprise and she was slow in reacting.  Then she did as her voice echoed with the strange arcane syllables whilst her hand wove complicated gestures she brought the might of her magic to bear, though at first the effects seemed less than dramatic.

18:36, Today: Triladir rolled 10 using 1d10+2. init. (including dex and spell casting mods

In reply to Triladir (msg #48):

Equus was now on a beeline for the monster on the left, and Jeremiah let the horse do the navigating as he obliged Paramel. His arm cut the words short as he sent the blade forward with the intention of scabbarding it in the flesh of the creature.

Natasha circled the beast as much to avoid the Paladin's charge as to gain a tactical advantage. As it chewed on the beast of burden she moved in to give it a solid kick, hoping to hit something remotely sensitive this time.

NPC'd
Brutus, still struggling to come to grips with the effects of his recent "accident" with a wish, finally fires off several magical missiles at one of the creatures.

Brutus
Initiative 2
Magic missile @ left creature - 10 points

NPC'd
Way back at the rear, Bregor was almost out of sight of the action when it started. Spurring his horse, he sought to catch up as quickly as possible and join in with repelling the assault.

Brutus, while perhaps not the first to work out what was going on, is the first to complete his action. Three missiles stream from his hands and impact with a flash on the creature Natasha was attacking.
A few moments later Natasha kicked out twice, the first strike glancing off harmlessly, he second nearly breaking her own foot!
Meanwhile, Fenube reaches past the wagon driver, hits the brakes and rolls over the edge into the snow and slush. Picking himself up, he takes only a couple of steps forward before calling on his diety. A wave of energy wafts over the area soon after.
In response to being stung by Brutus, the creature spins around and swipes at Natasha, the obvious (but incorrect) source of it's discomfort. Fortunately she is able to dodge the attack with relative ease.
Over on the right side, the second creature has a firm hold on the scond oxen on that side and is just starting to pull it under the ground (along with the animals harnessed around it) when Paramel, assisted by Jeremiah, cleaves it's head from it's body with one MIGHTY swing.
At that point Triladir gets off her spell with the effect of all the surviving oxen and the remaining creature being slowed.
Athelstan, arrives on the scene at that point having shrugged off the effects of the spell. Unfortunately his his did not and his swing goes wide as his mount rapidly decelerates.
Bregor, way at the rear manages to pass Triladir and Fenube and reach the second wagon by the end of the round.

Notes: All are effected by Prayer
Enemy plus Oxen and Athelstan's horse effected by Slow

Next round, one wounded (and annoyed) creature remaining

Startled at the gore and violence that had erupted Fenube is slow to move, but once momentum has been acquired the gnome moves swiftly to the lead oxen of the second wagon, and begins to speak to it.

[Language unknown: "Out oreun unicle cesan, ear hiri, En ngha has ughut k urwhma"]

Gauging the relationship between the second wagon and the remaining monster, Fenube coaxes the lead oxen of the second wagon a short, but safe distance away from danger.

"You know what to do..." Jeremiah acknowledged Equus, who then began weaving through the chaos to the surviving beast. Paramel was still coated in ichor and impatient for the next creature.

Speedily Natasha changed tactics, and the 'chick chick chick' of the ratchet loading mechanism of her heavy crossbow joined the din. If the creature survived the next few seconds she would see how it's hide stood up against a bolt from the blue...
"Jeremiah - to one side!" She called in warning.

Looking back over his shoulder as he went Jeremiah's eyes widened at the thought of danger from behind as well as in front and the place between his shoulder blades began to itch. He urged Equus to one side of the path between the monk and the monster as he grew closer to melee.

Athelstan lets out a muffled curse as his mount slows and his swing goes wide.  Urging his tortoise of a mount to one side, his swings at the creature again.

Running as fast as his short legs can carry him through the snow, Fenube approaches the animals with the aim of calming them down.
Meanwhile, Natasha attempts to withdraw from melee to allow Athelstan and his horse room to fight, while readying her crossbow for action.
Across the ox team, Jeremiah urges Equus around the front to join Athelstan in the onslaught.
The creature moves slowly back into the ground. If not for Triladir's spell it would have made it's escape, but instead, Athelstan's sword slashes out inflicting a nasty wound and dropping it stone cold dead.

The immediate danger is now past. One ox is dead (right side, second in line) and another slightly wounded. All five surviving beasts are extremely agitated (but Slowed by Tril's spell).

"by the seven stripes of a dead cat's tail, that was amazing!"

Glancing at Athelstan with an impressed (and admiring) glance, Fenube continues toward the lead Oxen of the second wagon.

The sounds of battle reached Prudence and Skrfulus through the trees. With a meaningful glance to the half-orc, she wheeled her horse around and galloped back up the slope. The pair broke out into the open just as Athelstan finished off the second creature.

"Anhkhegs? Here?" she exclaimed in shock as the pair pulled up near the atill panicked oxen.

"Is that what these armor-bugs are called?"  Athelstan took a moment to swipe his sword clean on the edge of his cloak.  "We've problems enough without evil springing up from under our feet.  Best we move from here swiftly lest they have allies in the soil."

"No doubt they do. They usually live in more fertile earth than this, farmland mainly. I don't understand why they'd be here in the foothills."
"They're basically unintelligent but extremely dangerous to both man and beast. We should investigate their tunnels and ensure there are no more left to prey on less capable travellers in these dark times of war."

Natasha and the wagon driver, assisted by Fenube soon have the five surviving animals back under control and somewhat less excited. It required cutting loose the dead beast and forcing the others to pull the wagon up and over the bodies of the giant insects, but once a few dozen yards had been put between the oxen and the scene of the carnage the job became much easier.

Of course that still leaves two more wagons to negotiate the narrow trail and bodies, not to mention rather large holes in the ground currently blocked up by insects...

"Is there any value in the body parts? Perhaps might there be treasure worth pursuing in their tunnels?" Fenube asks of Prudence, supposing her knowledge of the creatures name and natural habitat might lead to more information.

"More to the point, do they usually run in packs of more then two; I certainly hope they do not travel in numbers similar to the ants (or the aunts) in my uncle Frillibert's backyard!"

As to the issue of the holes in the ground, the gnome has no useful suggests to offer at this time.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:44, Fri 20 Jan 2012.

Jeremiah vaulted to the ground from Equus's saddle, and after patting the great beast's flank he palmed a sugar cube for his companion.

Horse satisfied, munching away, Jeremiah tilted his head in Prudence's direction and concurred "We had indeed best investigate, in case there are more as you say. Pilgrims or merchants would not fare so well, unless very strongly escorted."

On that note Natasha unloaded her large weapon, re packed it and strode over to the hole occupied by the beast Athelstan slew. She leaned over it, and prodded inquisitively at a gap in the chitinous exoskeleton.

"I suggest," she postulated, "That we tie one of them to some ox and pull it out of the hole. Then we can go down and see what else if anything lurks beneath these hills."

She turned to her companions "Are we agreed to go down there?"