The Harbinger of Ferocity

D&D 3.5e - The Marches of the Savage Realm

Another arrow cracked by in the chaos, parting the air with its deadly point. The rat it was destined for, unaware of the impending danger, only felt its back grazed by the length of the shot, right down to the fletching feathers brushing its dappled, ugly fur. It cried out in surprise and seemed kept off balance, having only just before avoided the armored man's sword. The arrow, in the meanwhile, planted itself almost at the foot of the partially collapsed doorway in a puff of soft, once rich earth.

Tracan's eyes shown with visible frustration, although she swallowed her building frustration as these were small, swift, and erratic foes. A man was comparatively easier to hit in this combat, let alone the closeness and chaos. She almost wished, almost dared her temper get the better of her, that she could just fire recklessly pull after pull of her bowstring and pummel the rats, not worrying about where each loosed shot landed. However, she had "allies" to concern herself with, rather fellow shackled souls to the will of whatever that god's name was, and it wasn't as though she wanted to kill them - although some could use some sense beat into them for sure but maybe these rats would help do that for her, she thought.

Effects

Initiative Table
Tracan - 23
Gorosk - 17
Creatures - 11
Renault - 5
Vah'lux - 4
Quentin - 0

Tracan fires another arrow at a rat near de Brey, she misses her shot only barely but close is not close enough in this case.

@BangoSkank@Hellion@Lord Wyron@TyrannosaursRex

Post a random fact about yourself.

I enjoy reading things that have no apparent value to me or gaining similar information from sources in passing. This builds a collection of virtually useless knowledge but I cannot spare myself from this penchant.

Post a random fact about yourself.

I am not fond of fireworks, even when I anticipate their coming.

D&D 3.5e - The Marches of the Savage Realm

The rat, that which was just struck, bled badly from its nose. Much its face had deflected the blow rather than allowing the full force of the orcish man's strike to drive its skull in. For now, it lived, although quite possibly forever damaged by the hit should it not find its end here in moments. Regardless of its future, which the rat thought none of in this moment in particular even if it did somehow contemplate its fate, it clattered its sickly yellow teeth back at the monk with a wild bite. Gorosk moved his leg back as the jaws dared closer but the moment he felt pain he knew the sharp edge of its bite grazed him. It wasn't near as bad as the wound their conscripted ally in arms suffered just a few minutes prior but it was a reminder the rats, despite being little more than overgrown vermin, were dangerous. It was becoming ever clearer still in the stirring dust and ash outside the ruined building why the militia would need have been sent here.

Beside the two men dealing with the outlying rat to the right, the charging warrior found himself beset by two. The first, the one just at his foot, leapt up at him with a shrill cry and was checked only by the shunt of the man's shoulder turning it aside. Fighting off that creature, de Brey had the wherewithal from his prior experience in battles not long past to see the other foe coming at him; thankfully it dared not attack behind, it too feeble and simpleminded for that, and he stepped aside to avoid the gnashing jaws, keeping them both back at sword point. From a roundabout point, the last and furthest rat scurried behind the conflict, bounding with hops and leaps around the skirmish then bolting for the paladin, it was too little and too late - having wasted much of its time avoiding the fighter's sword and the orc's staff to get this far.

Effects

Initiative Table
Tracan - 23
Gorosk - 17
Creatures - 11
Renault - 5
Vah'lux - 4
Quentin - 0

Gorosk is bit by the first of four dire rat who he just struck, suffering 1 point of bludgeoning and piercing damage as its teeth graze him yet still draw blood. The rat nearest to de Brey leaps at him but misses the attack, as does one of the rats off to the side who moves in to attack. It does not flank him but would have failed its attack even had it. The last rat bolts toward Beaumont but has its attack easily defeated too.

@BangoSkank@Hellion@Lord Wyron@TyrannosaursRex

Post a random fact about yourself.

The extensive influence and prevalence of the original series, Tiger King, makes me hopeful that more meaningful contribution to exotic cat conservation and awareness will be an outcome.

D&D 3.5e - The Marches of the Savage Realm

What would have been a cautious advance by the entourage assembled in their proceedings toward the charred farmhouse turned into a sudden charge spearheaded by the fallen soldier of the realm. Overtaking and passing by the paladin, who had been leading the approach despite the pain of his leg easing in and out varying on where his boot placed itself among the soft earth of the field, it was now de Brey who started the attack. For all intents and purposes, that was what his hurried dash to the front was, and it certainly did not go unanswered as the moment he rushed the mouth of the ruined house, he too was rushed back. With suddenness, four more of the sizable rats poured from the entrance, apparently startled and at first scattered in a number of directions. It was quite possible that had de Brey not made such a headlong charge, sword heft in both hands, shouting at the top of his lungs, that Beaumont would have met the worst of the rats than he had before.

Disoriented and confused initially, the mottled grey-brown creatures snapped out of their confusion. They immediately set about their own counterattack, if one could call their behavior organized at all any longer - it certainly wasn't. One rat happened to not be far from the man leading the attack, another kept at a flank toward the following paladin, and the other two on the furthest left before them, less than a few paces from where the stead's door once stood, were by themselves. The other three, elf, goliath, and orc, were now a brisk jog away from their leading compatriot at most; only a sprint to battle or their own headless charge would catch them up. Of course, for an athletic, towering creature like Vah'lux this was no issue at all as she could simply make use of the massive glaive she bore, as was this no issue for an elf with a bow, or certainly not for an orc who had a score to settle with these creatures.

The elf's bow audibly snapped with the sound of another arrow being fired from it, loosed through the air and whizzing past all those before her. She wisely aimed for the rats who were not right beside her dysfunctional compatriots at the forefront but still missed all the same. She cursed quietly to herself in frustration, her emotions starting to get the better of her.

Effects

Initiative Table
Tracan - 23
Gorosk - 17
Creatures - 11
Renault - 5
Vah'lux - 4
Quentin - 0

Quentin de Bray manages to upset a would-be surprise round by four dire rats hiding inside the burned out farmhouse. They instead pour out of their hiding spots rather than have a chance to attack. Following de Bray is Beaumont, who is within 30ft of the other man, followed by Vah'lux, Gorosk, and Tracan who are all some 60ft away. For everyone but Vah'lux who is far, a charge attack - a full-round action - or a double move would be needed to close the gap. The dire rats are positioned so that one is adjacent to de Bray, one is adjacent to Beaumont, and the other two are 15ft away from either and seem more confused.

Each member of the party must now make an Initiative check for combat. This interrupts and foils the previously impending attempt by Beaumont to use Search (Int) to investigate the ruined building. As a result, his search attempt for now fails although he can attempt it again after combat.

Tracan makes her attack with her bow but fails to make her mark.

@BangoSkank@Hellion@Lord Wyron@TyrannosaursRex

D&D 3.5e - The Marches of the Savage Realm

The elf-woman silently nodded at first, paying no mind to the obvious pain that was likely now settling in upon the man who had got himself bit by one of the sizable rats. She did not remain quiet forever, answering the orc's question as he surveyed the handiwork of their group. And although she spoke up, she kept the remainder of what was running through her thoughts about how they brought this on themselves to herself, instead only noting what she knew.

"We disturbed them." At first that was all Tracan said although she continued after walking among the wild grasses and grains, looking over the bodies of the sizable, unusual vermin. The corner of her lip pulled as she thought deeper, accepting that the orc was somewhat right, although not for the reasons he likely knew or understood.

"All of nature is more hostile here too, just some parts of it more than others..." She conversationally changed from being more sobering to being more alert and to the point almost instantly, the tone of her voice adjusting, "If we've seen this many, there's more."

Her intense eyes fell on the rest of them, almost urging them to get moving with their green gaze. She was likely not wrong either, where one saw a rat, there were probably five more, and where one saw five rats and so of course the saying probably went from there. The size of the burrows in the field was a strong indication of such things too, although if these rats all lived communally or not was debatable despite it probably being no coincidence they attacked together. All it meant in the end was that said slain dire rats were likely not the last of their worries.

Effects

Tracan rolls a Knowledge (Nature) (Int) check for the behavior of the rats. Because she has no ranks in the associated skill, she makes a pure Intelligence (Int) check but receives a circumstance bonus for having lived in the Marches and being a wild elf. While she cannot do better than a 10 due to lacking that skill, she does much better than that on her roll. She notes the most she can and shares that while it is a bit strange, it does not seem too strange.

@BangoSkank@Hellion@Lord Wyron@TyrannosaursRex

Post a random fact about yourself.

Seeing the trees preparing to bloom and with the return of all the birds, it makes me ever aware that spring is close, even when receiving snow into this point of the season.

D&D 3.5e - The Marches of the Savage Realm

For how sudden and violent the exchange had been, man and beast wrestling for this little plot of land irrelevant in the greater scheme of things, it was an affair that was as wild as it could be until the end. As while the other rats were dispatched, having died with little more than a loud gasping squeak and shriek, the remaining survivor kept at its attack. It swept around their feet in the now far more flattened grass, avoiding the goliath's blade as it went for blood. This time, far more prepared, Renault saw his attacker coming and its foremost, yellow, worn teeth, and fearing another bite he shunted aside the creature with a turn of his body, using his shield to protect his flank the entire way.

The rat had failed, and as it rallied to bite again, it now had the attention of the entire group of invaders. All of their steely swords, their metal truncheons, their hardened staves, and their strengthened fists, there was no hope for such a pitiful creature but that did not mean it was soon to surrender. It would defend its lair like the rest or flee back to it soon enough, but for now its worn pink toes grasped the ground under it and it shrieked and snapped again. The crack of an arrow whipping through the air past the paladin put an end to that, the rat flopping over itself and into the dirt. It moved and writhed for a moment, thrashing very briefly, and then was done, no more.

Tracan lowered her bow and stepped silently over to the creature, collecting her arrow from it. The elf didn't say anything other than giving them all a look as she stood. They knew what she wanted to say, how this wasn't what she wanted to do and that these rats were defending their home as much as the people who had lived here before them did; until the banditry of the land slaughtered them just as they did these vermin. Wiping the arrow clean, flitting it between her fingers, she returned it to her quiver and simply let the atmosphere of what had happened settle in. Elves were not shy of words but they had a way of making their point with a simple look or shift of their lengthened ears, much like the beasts they were known to consort with.

Effects

The last remaining dire rat takes a 5ft step and attacks Renault but fails to hit him. Tracan fires an arrow from her longbow and despite shooting into melee combat and the concealment, still hits the creature and kills it with 5 piercing damage. Combat has ended and Tracan collects both her arrows she fired.

All of the party members gain 100 experience points.

@BangoSkank@Hellion@Lauder@Lord Wyron@TyrannosaursRex

Post a random fact about yourself.

I am not fond of loud noises and not the sound of sirens, least of all those civil defense sirens - commonly called the air raid siren or tornado siren. Mostly because I can differentiate between an "attack warning" and a "disaster warning". Even when I know that they are to be sounded for testing and maintenance weekly, it is an unpleasant experience.