Battle for Kazragun

[Ritzy]

"Well we can start cursing my luck."  Aeon muttered just loudly enough to be heard by Wren, who was right behind him.  Oblivious to the danger, the man's good humor could still be detected in his voice. He had to trust in Arete.

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Having spoken with Veskassdak prior, after a few minutes of walking Baird decided to go and talk with Aeon for he had not yet spoken with him nor Wren in length. Walking towards them, he matched their walk speed and started by speaking to Aeon. "Never got a chance to fully speak with you as any attempts were cut off by Kalib and Bjarni back at the camp. So tell me, you part of a warrior order or something?" Baird spoke as he motioned towards the armor Aeon wore. 


@Ritzy @Sherwood

 

[Dicer]

"Skagu!" Veskassdak spouted as he slipped. Catching himself before falling into the muck, he righted himself and, pointing to the spot he slipped on, said, "Ssstep no here."


Looking around as he moved, and after some time, he spotted some dark shapes in the water.  Probably alligators, he surmised.  "Ssswamp creaturesss ssswimming out there.  Careful usss isss.  Hungry them may be."


He removed his club from the harness strapping it to the side of his backpack and held it ready in case of an animal attack.

 

[Ritzy]

"Why yes. My order mainly consists of Paladins, but they always defer to the clergy." He said with a small laugh at Baird. "It was my 'Uncle' a Paladin of Arete in my real Master's party that taught me to use the pig sticker." He pointed at his sword. "My real Master favored the longsword but my 'Uncle' said that a knitting needle was no use in a real fight." Aeon laughed at the memories. He had many, but those were the good ones.


@Clockwork Syringe

 

[Sherwood]

In a quiet voice, Wren interrupts the conversation between Aeon and Baird.  "Don't be too obvious in looking, but we are being followed by someone going through a lot of effort not to be seen.  Over my shoulder to the left, between those trees."

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird was about to respond to Aeon when all of a sudden, Wren interrupted the conversation with a warning about being tailed by a group. Baird turned his head to look at Aeon as if to continue the conversation when in reality he was subtly combing the back with his left eye. Sure enough, there was a group of lengthy shadows following them, but to what was their purpose apart from the obvious ambush? Turning his head back to face forwards he spoke, "So Aeon, how many were in your former master's party with your "uncle" included? Three to six or fewer perhaps?"


@Ritzy @Sherwood

 

[Dicer]

Upon hearing the warning of being followed, Veskassdak gripped his club a little tighter.  "Sssee you trouble clossse mammal?" he whispered as low as he could. He feared nothing in the swamp. Living in the swamps had trained him well for most of the natural hazards. However the occasional monster still filled him with worry.  He hoped that whatever was following them was living.  The unnatural walking dead always chilled him to his core.

 

[Ritzy]

Aeon nodded at Wren's words, but opened his arms as though he had no care in the world. "There were five, including my real master and my 'Uncle'. A former criminal turned adventurer after my real master saved his head at the gallows. Then there was a Elven wizard, he wasn't too keen on having me around until the first night I called for alarm as goblins invaded our camp. He warmed up to me after that. Then there was a jolly fat man everyone called 'Posh'. I never really got the joke, but he could convince you to sell your teeth to him for three copper. Wonderful singer as well. From what I gathered from his past, he was an opera singer that had debts. So he took to the road to pay them. He was fat, but a wasp with that rapier." Aeon sighed. "They told me that I needed to learn for myself how to do things. That I couldn't look to them for protection forever. Someday I hope to go back to them, as an equal and not some former slave slowing them down."

 

[Silanon]

As you carefully move on, Veskassdak with his club at the ready and the others watchful after Wren's warning, you all can make out the shadows moving behind the trees. Of similar shape as those native creatures the lizardman has recognized as alligators, they glide between the water-surrounded roots of two barkless ashes, slowly following your path in safe distance. Someone familiar with these creatures would probably notice their rather unusual behavior - as they tend to lie in wait of their prey, they usually do not follow beings like that, particularly not a group of persons. Those not so familiar with the local fauna can still feel that something is different - you can feel you're being watched, even though nothing else than those animals is in sight.


For now, they keep on the same distance, as if they were waiting for something. You could move on, and see what exactly that might be - the ground is getting worse and worse, areas of solid soil become sparse and the gaps in-between wider. More often than not, the smaller of you have to take several steps through ankledeep water before hitting another place of slippy, dead-looking grass. Alternatively, you could turn to these creatures right now - a few good shots with your bows, slings and whatever else you might carry around might take care of the potential problem before they can even reach you.

 

[Ritzy]

"Before anyone gets any ideas..." Aeon muttered. "We don't know if they are friend or foe. All they seem to be doing is watching us. They could have let off a few pot shots if they wanted to, but they haven't." Aeon muttered a curse as he almost lost a boot. "All they are doing is watching, why don't we return the favor? Wren, you have sharper eyes than me, can you see anything of note in these shadows? If they are undead then I can easily deal with them." 

 

[Sherwood]

Wren nods. "I might be able to sneak in closer to them, get a better idea of what it is that is following us, and exactly how many. If I see a problem, I'll come right back, and if I get caught, I'll scream like a girl. If you hear that, come running." She gives a grin before pulling her dark cloak around her tighter and vanishing into the trees.

 

[Silanon]

Carefully watching every single one of her steps, Wren breaks up from the group and leaves the track behind. She can only get so far before the surrounding water makes continuing impossible, but light-footed as she is, she can risk a few instable tree roots to get a decent look. The creatures following you remain focused on the main group - maybe they do not care for the rogue's investigation, or they simply missed her stealthy leaving into the bushes. From closer distance, she can recognize the pursuers as alligators swimming through the muddy waters, their black-colored skin making them hard to see in-between the shadows of the trees. From your viewpoint, they appear to be living beings - while they do not move more than necessary to keep up with the group, there is no sign of undead behaviour. Only notable thing is that there are three of them in total, swimming side by side.


What are the others doing in the meantime? Do you continue to move on slowly, or do you wait?

 

[Dicer]

"Sssay I here wait for sssneaky mammal return," Veskassdak starts. "Ground go bad before usss. If war do we, here footing better. Sssurvive chanssse here greater. Lesss chanssse sssurvive in water ahead. Ssstay sssuggessst me. What sssay you ressst?"

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Baird agreed with Aeon and decided to trust in Wren's perception in who exactly was following them. Giving a slight grin in return to her own, Baird saw that she simply disappeared before turning his attention back to the group. On account of Veskassdak's call to wait on account of the ground's condition worsening. "I'm in agreement with you on that Veskassdak, I say we wait for Wren to return and besides," Baird unslung his crossbow from his back, "while this is my only means of attack, that doesn't mean I'm terrible with it."


@Sherwood @Dicer @Ritzy @Kiroshiven @Orikanyo @Silanon

 

[Orikanyo]

Having been silent for long enough the halfling, near waist high in muck before he stepped atop of a higher point made himself known. "Whatever it is, best we not leave her behind in case she buggers her cover. Not to talk low of her skills, but procaution is always better then a precaution." making a tad bit of word play the small humanoid unslung his... sling. Metal bullet enclosed within his body ready to send to bullet singing across the air at whatever target comes up. 


"Yea know, if animals do something that's not their normal way, it means they were taught to do so. Or told through magic. Best we grow eyes on the back of our heads."

 

[Sherwood]

Moving slowly so she does not call attention to herself, Wren heads back to the others. Before stepping out, she says, "It's me. There are three alligators following us. I don't know enough about such creatures to know if they normally work in packs like that, or if they would stalk their prey the way these are. Best not get separated from the rest of the group."

 

[Ritzy]

"Well. Better that then Orcs I suppose. Does anyone have anything to shoot at them? Maybe scare them off? Then Veskassdak and I can form a defensive line if they charge us. I do not know much about the creatures of this swamp, Veskassdak is this common for them?  Aeon said, thinking out a plan.

 

[Dicer]

"Food ssscarssse ssswamp creaturesss pack hunt," Veskassdak commented.  "Ssswamp creaturesss not follow hunt.  Ssswamp creaturesss like ambusssh edge water. Normal not.  Ssswamp creaturesss may druid friend be. May tell ssswamp creaturesss follow hunt.  Hope not.  Maybe hidden pointy ear mammalsss ussse ssswamp creaturesss for hide defenssse. Careful be usss. Me can ssshoot if needed, but club ready if war they usss."


At which point Veskassdak set his club down near him within easy reach and unslung his short bow to string it, making it ready to shoot his flight arrows at the following alligators.

 

[Silanon]

As you pull out your long-ranged weapons, that seems to be a signal the creatures waited for. Wren is only just back when the dark silhouettes stop their silent observations, moving rather quickly in your direction. As two swim right at you, the third dives, vanishing from your sight. The other two, however, are now well-visible, and quite easy targets if you choose to open fire. Of course, you can still decide to hurry forward, ot do anything else you might think of - while the alligators made a choice, they are still only barely in range of your weapons, so you have a bit of distance to work with.

 

[Orikanyo]

The halfsling extordinaire.


Spinning his weapon above his head he gauged the range on the enemies he could see. "Watch your aim folks! Our round hinded friend is still out there." he reminded folks before he launched his first bullet, taking measures to move to a higher point out of the water, if he could actually find one in this damned swamp. 


How strange it was, to soon be seeing a lizardman fight crocodiles. He should he watchful so he doesn't hit the friendly scaled beast in the upcoming tussel.

 

[Dicer]

Once his bow was strung, Veskassdak took aim at one of the alligators. Once he was certain that they were indeed approaching to attack, he let fly his arrow and hoped his aim was true. Once his arrow was on its way, he dropped his bow next to him and grabbed his club.


Veskassdak shouted "Shurigrem heem korlas kles!" His muscles began swelling. His yellow eyes took on a red tinge. He breathing became more rapid. His color of his back frill became a darker shade of green and the dorsal spike tips color deepened into a dark blood red while elongating by half an inch. It was obvious to any who looked that he was entering a rage as he prepared for melee combat. If anyone thought he looked scary before, he now looked like a thing from the stuff of nightmares.

 

[Sherwood]

Wren has a crossbow, but is not nearly as skilled with it as she is with her swords.  Staying in the shadows to remain hidden, she quietly draws her short swords and crouches down, waiting for the crocodiles to close into melee range.  Then, she will strike from the shadows from behind.

 

[Ritzy]

Drawing his blade in one hand and his shield in the other, Aeon readied himself and said a quick prayer. He charged in, after the Lizardman, screaming. "For Arete!"

 

[Clockwork Syringe]

Seeing everyone else open fire, Baird decided to do the same. Now while he would have liked to use his own claws against the alligators, they would likely rip him to shreds to he decided to stick with his crossbow. Aiming at the beast, he opened fire and hoped that the bolt would land in a damaging part of the alligator.

 

[Silanon]

As the creatures come closer, you open fire - flight arrow, bolt and bullet flying over the water at their respective targets. The halfling shoots first, taking measure on the trees in the alligator's back - years of training are rewarded by a solid hit on the back. It's hard to tell how much damage it caused against the natural armor, but judging from your experience, it should be quite a bit. Veskassdak takes aim at the same creature, and the arrow pierces through the creature's thick skin. The shot seems to go deep, and the alligator rolls around his axis before diving to dodge any further shots. For Baird, only one target remains - as he hits as well, the bolt does not quite penetrate the skin, instead only scratching it before hitting the water. Still, the creature performs a roll just like its companion, though it does not dive like the others.


Initiative order:


14 - Findil


11 - Alligator 1, diving


11 - Ritzy


11 - Wren


9 - Baird


9 - Fi


8 - Alligator 2 - lightly wounded


5 - Veskassdak


5 - Alligator 3 - wounded, diving


@Orikanyois up.