The Hordes of the Blight - The Adventure

Ghost Tracker says to Zakhar, "You should try telling that to the other monsters. I don't think they share your opinion. As long as the one who has not named itself does not kill my kind for sport it bothers me not. That is why I am here. I am looking for the remaining members of my clutch. Rather, I have run out of trails to follow and am seeking a purpose to have in the meantime that might lead me to more."

"Is admirable goal, and beliefs are yours to have. I will kill when necessary, but is no sport. Right thing is not matter of doing what others do, but what is good thing. Killing monsters is good thing because, you are right, they do not hold life sacred as should be and kill innocents, so I kill monsters, but not for joy."

Fury of the Tempest wrote:Paladin had chosen to walk, taking up a position near the caravan leader. His long stride allowed him to easily keep pace with the caravan as he studied the weapon on the leader's back. "A fine weapon you have there sir." He said, hoping to strike up a conversation with the leader. "Gives a nice reach."

The leader smiles and places the weapon before him. "Thanks. It's fine quality, and yeah, the reach is a bonus. Kind of needed from up here."

Marona wrote:Perception: 13 + 22 = 35

Ghost Tracker's keen perceptions at first detect no monster tracks - the trail ahead is well-worn by humanoid feet and beasts of burden, and is unsullied by signs of monsters. However... there are a few sets of tracks off to the side, parallel to the trail, which could be a pack of wolves... or a pack of blighted hounds. It's difficult to say.

Ghost Tracker points out the tracks and waves a hand in their vague direction and says, "Canine pack nearby." and keeps an eye out for any sign of them.

"No, no...The foes I stand against are my canvas, my blade my brush...Fire, thunder, wind, the earth, and blood, my paints...But your people may not like killing, bat-thing, but the blighted beasts care not for your ethics, or anyone else's...They'll just kill, and kill, until all the world drowns in blood...That's NOT happening...I'll tear them to pieces, every last one, first..." Bellator glared at the nightkin, shaking his head. "They give no quarter, and I expect none from them! I'll crush them where they stand..." He paused in his ranting, though, looking in the direction Ghost indicated, staring for a bit at them to try and puzzle out their meaning...

Perception:

"You continue to assume I will let beasts kill. As said, I kill beasts because is good thing. Is not, as you think, fun or beautiful. Is no beauty or art in death. Is only blood, ugly red blood staining ground with desecration. Your canvas is sullied, little man. Where you see art, I see only death."

Fury of the Tempest wrote:"Prefer to fight mounted do you?" Paladin observed, examining the weapon in more detail. "I can see why, Trihorn's are fearsome creatures, and when controlled by someone who know's what he's doing, can be worth up to ten men in my experience."

"Yes," The caravan leader says, smiling slightly. "Of course, one has to be careful when they frenzy... I've heard a saying that expert Trihorn riders are just people skilled in holding on. But I digress-"

Marona wrote:Ghost Tracker points out the tracks and waves a hand in their vague direction and says, "Canine pack nearby." and keeps an eye out for any sign of them.

The caravan leader looks to where Ghost Tracker is pointing. His second-in-command, the aforementioned Lokira, comments, "Could be just a wolf pack."

[You're entitled to a Streetwise check to verify this.]

The caravan leader, meanwhile, shouts back to the arguing Nightchild and Lokira. "Hey, look sharp, save the venom for the Blighted."

Aparix took a look at the tracks himself - always good to gather information.

Spoiler:

AProcrastinatingWriter wrote:

Spoiler:

[They are moving in the same direction as the caravan - and while they're not getting any closer to the trail, they're not getting any further away.]

At the Caravan leader's command, Zakhar turns his gaze forward and tries to ignore the psychopath behind him.
"Am sorry, sir. I shall focus now."

Bellator scowled a bit, but shrugged. The Nightchild didn't understand, why would he? They hadn't had the same experiences, after all.

And he's not a lunatic.

Rabiosum growled a bit in frustration at that stray thought, shaking his head but focusing on the task at hand...Arguing was pointless, two could exchange words for weeks and solve nothing...One good fight, though, and they'd work their differences out...Maybe he should brawl with-Focus. Right...

Streetwise check:

Fury of the Tempest wrote:Paladin chuckled a bit about the saying the leader shared, through he snapped to attention when it was mentioned that there was a canine's nearby. "I agree that its most likely wolves, but one can never be too certain." When the leader shouted back to the arguers, Paladin also looked back, examining them. "Colourful bunch we have here." He observed, deciding not to try and bring the conversation back to the his fighting skills, through he hoped the leader would ask about his.

"Indeed," the caravan leader observed. "I can only imagine what pitch they made to Markif to join." Markif was the Lokira who was second-in-command, so to speak, of the caravan, and the one who the warriors of the group likely would have spoken to in order to join. The price was likely not high - caravans in Blight-infested areas typically have a code whereby hitchhikers "pay with their blades," making use of the caravan's facilities in exchange for protection. "Speaking of which," the caravan leader said, turning back to Paladin. "What do you bring to the table, so to speak?"

The caravan proceeds onward. Despite the ominous tone brought over by the tracks, the group encounters nothing as it moves through the plains and fields, though the tracks do not break away from the trail for some time, until they reach the border of a forest.

The sun isn’t quite setting as the caravan enters the woods, but it’s clear that less than an hour remains until sunset. The caravan leader states, “Shouldn’t be long until the waystation now… it’s just inside the forest.”

Then the dog starts growling.

A moment later, Ghost Tracker can smell it too – the stench of the Blight.

The caravan leader pulls on the reins of his Trihorn, and it slows to a stop with a snort. The other carts follow suit, and the few warriors besides the players disembark from their carts, weapons held at the ready. The Lokira stands atop the second cart, peering around at the trees and foliage surrounding the trail.

[Perception checks! Also... list what combat talents you're bringing into the first scrap of the campaign!]

Bellator had been disappointed at the lack of a fight for some time, though he'd restrained himself from starting one just yet...Though, he approached as the dog growled, focused, looking in the direction that seemed to agitate it worst...He readied his axe..."They're coming, then...!? Finally, hah, hah...I've been waiting for this!! You monsters want to dance? I'll slaughter you all and mount your hearts to warn the rest of your kind!!" he called, taunting the beasts in his excitement. He brandished his weapon of choice as he considered his options...To sear, shock, shatter, or storm his foes into submission...Decisions, decisions...! But no, fire would be his choice this fight...He'd burn the beasts away...!!

Perception. Also combat talents.:

"I have been wondering. You do not include me and my kind when you say 'monster' do you?" Ghost Tracker asked as she dropped into a half crouch with a hand on the ground to better feel the moment when the pack approached.

Combat Stuff:

"I think little man should count himself monster. His ranting makes me want ear plugs," Zakhar comments as he readies his war-hammer. It is a large, well-made but not at all ornate steel hammer with two faces, a rune on each. The runes glow as though anticipating use.

Combat and Perception:

"Considered it, you certainly look the part," Bellator said in an absolutely blunt tone. "But no, no...You're smart, don't try to spread it...Willing to give you a shot, hmm, hmm..." Bella glared at the nightchild for a moment, angered by his remark...They'd settle up later. Fighting normal beings wasn't as much fun.

"Sure are talking a lot for people who might be under attack," Aparix noted, drawing his gun. Unfortunately, his the slit in his rags didn't work too well in the night. "Eh. Your loss."

Spoiler:

The more perceptive of the group notices that there are several thick groups of bushes nearby – just ahead and on either side of the trail. The keenest of the group, Ghost tracker, notices that that would have been a perfect ambush point, had they gone just a little forward…

A moment later, there’s a baleful howling, and a swarm of canine shapes dart out from behind the bushes and from deeper into the woods. But they’re not normal canines. Their fur is matted and torn, patches of twisted flesh showing, and their eyes gleam with the green light of the Blight. Most drastic a change of all, however, is that each one has an additional pair of limbs sprouting from their back, sinewy limbs that end in a long blade of bone.

Their leader, a slightly larger-than-average specimen, howls again, and the swarm gathers into two groups, attacking on either side of the caravan. The party stands on one side, the rest of the caravan’s defenders on the other, each with a wave of Blighthounds to battle.

Initiative Order:

The first hound to reach the group angles straight for Zakhar, and swipes at him with its blades for 5 damage. The others are somewhat less slow on the assault...

"Flanking...Clever..." Bellator observed as the hounds charged. Though, as one attacked Zakhar, he swiped at it wildly, spinning a bit from the weight of his axe and cackling madly! "Oh, no...Come to me, pathetic pooches, unless you're scared! I can take EVERYTHING pathetic things like you can dish out!! COME ON!! Show me what passes for fury among your kind!!" His eyes were wide as he stepped forward, making a few quick gestures over his axe, smearing the blood into patterns before it burst into brilliant flames, and the warrior grinned, waving it about his head as if to taunt them!

Combat Data!:

"Hey, get out of the way," Aparix shouted over the eager axeman's warcries. "How am I supposed to do battle with you right there?"

There was a sudden wave of wind by Bellator's cheek- a small one, but dense, and quick. The leader of the wolf pack cried out in pain.

"Ah," Aparix kept smiling. "Right. Like that."

Spoiler:

The Blighthounds continue to charge forth, though without much focus or direction. Two of them set upon Paladin, biting and slashing for 6 and 2 damage.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the caravan, one of the hounds darts towards the Trihorn, makes a mighty leap at it - and is promptly impaled on one of its tusks as it turns its head to face its attacker. The Trihorn bellows before shaking the Blighthound off its tusk, while its rider hangs on to the saddle.

"Apologies beast, you have made powerful foe. Prepare to die," Zakhar says calmly before he begins swinging his hammer rapidly in the direction of the blightwolf that attacked him. Zakhar's swings are fierce and powerful, moving faster than any man should be able to swing a hammer so large, but his blows are also very imprecise.

Battle: