As soon as Achuak saw the boars, he instantly thought of food. He had mostly hunted small game such as rabbit because he needed to only feed himself. However, because he was in a group of large people, large game would be required (large game for Achuak, not us). Whipping out his crossbow, Achuak slowly started to crank it up with a bolt.

"Unless they flee, we shall eat well tonight my friends." Achuak called out. "Let us go for one of the smaller ones - it will be easier to kill and the others will be left to reproduce."

-Draw weapon: Move action
-Load weapon: Full-round action

(boars)

Junn spent the whole wagon ride with a blanket iver his head he was hung over and sore from the night before when the wagon came to a stop he slowly moved the blanket and hissed loudly atvthe suns rays before hiding again ignoreing the world around him and groaning in pain


(party end)

Junn had had far to many drinks and started to stumble back to his roof when he was confronted by a great foe he stood several feet taller and was thin as a rail he seemed old and weak malnurished Junn knew he could take him. He swung left then right theb another left each shot hitting with deadly accuracy then a miss his opponent seized the chance and with one mightly blow junn fell back and hit thr ground out cold. The morning came and the suns bright rays struck junns face wakeing him

"ugh what happened "

junn looked around he was on the ground outside the bunk house his arms and leg wraped around the ladder he used to climb up to the roof

"bested by a ladder great start to the day ugh"

Junn moaned in pain and moved into thr bunkhouse grabing a blanket and draping it iver his head theb making his way to join the party bumping into the wall and triping iver a bed on.his was out.

(witten from phone again sorry)

Hoping to chase off the boars Sordin loosed an arrow at the lead boar, aiming for the ground immediately in front of it. Rather than intimidate the ornery beast, the paladin only further aggravated it. The boar jumped back and squealed its challenge. It lowered its head to charge while the sows on either side raised theirs, mouths open to bite for lack of tusks.

Achuak was screwing up his crossbow as quickly as he could muster while Aria drew her kukri knives and hopped off the cart to meet the boars when they attacked.

Less than pleased with the after effects of a late night party Junn threw his blanket back over his head and pretended the rest of the world didn't exist. He did, however, discretely draw his sword, preparing for when circumstances inevitably forced him to participate in reality.

Sylvia stood next to Sordin and Achuak and threw a bolt of magic between them at the large boar. The three were already starting to charge when the spell struck it high on the crest (-5dmg Boar).

Before Aria could regret being the closest target in front of the wagon, the newcomer Takahashi calmly joined her, standing slightly ahead. The man did not have his sword drawn yet, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his katana while he assumed a defensive stance.

“Focus on the others—leave the big one to me.”

At that moment the charge arrived. Takahashi neatly side-stepped the wild boar's thrust, and with a little more difficulty managed to avoid being bitten by the sow. Aria was less lucky, and she had to negotiate her leg back from the other sow's mouth (-6 Aria). It took most of her energy to back off from that attack.

Achuak – Still Reloadin'
Aria 3/9 – Wait, not bloodied
Junn – GTFO
Sordin –
Sylvia – 
Takahashi – Total Defence, Challenge [Boar]

Boar: Barely Injured, Charge -2AC
Sow1: Uninjured, Charge -2AC
Sow2: Uninjured, Charge -2AC

Sordin drew another arrow, seeing that things were definitely escalating. He notched it in his bow, but waited for a better moment to strike. Beside him Achuak finished loading his bow and leapt off the wagon to the right, running wide along Aria's flank for a better shot.

For herself, Aria dropped into a defensive stance and pulled back away from the sow, giving Sordin the shot he wanted. The sow took the arrow deep in the shoulder (-5 Sow2)

Throwing off his blanket, Junn decided it was time to give these annoying squealing mammals a piece of his mind. And maybe help out with the boars, while he was at it.

The tall elf hopped off the wagon to the left and stalked toward the sow on Takahashi's left with his sword raised. Still unbalanced from its last attack, it could not retreat in time to avoid Junn's sword (-6dmg Sow1)

Sylvia turned to focus her magic on the one giving Aria a hard time. She threw a magic bolt at the sow, blasting it in the side with magical energy (-5 Sow2 Bloodied).

Meanwhile Takahashi leaped around to the boar's flank. For a second he stood still, focusing his senses. Then Takahashi drew a sharp breath just before his attack, and loosed his sword with a piercing battle cry. The katana blade almost blurred with the speed of the samurai's iaijutsu strike, cleaving open the boar's side like a butcher working a carcass (-17dmg Boar Staggered)

Were it not for the boar's own natural tenacity, it would be lying dead right there. The beast turn end started to trot away, but Takahashi mercifully ended its life there, rather than let it bleed out in a pool of mud, as was the habit with mortally wounded boars to injured to recover. (-5dmg Boar Dead)

The sows, however, still had some fight in them. The one with Junn rammed into his legs and gave him the same treatment Aria had received earlier, almost knocking him to the ground while he furiously wrested his feet from its maw (-6dmg Junn). The sow realized then that it was outnumbered and already bleeding from one wound. It took a step back and faced Junn, watching him warily in case the elf was still going to fight.

Meanwhile, the other sow had switched targets from the retreating Aria back to the man in the middle. It took Takahashi by surprise, ploughing into the back of his leg and crunching down on his calf (-9dmg Takahashi). The warrior shook off the animal with great effort, coming away bruised and cut, but no worse off for mortal injuries than the other two.

After the last-ditch attack, the sow turned to flee at full speed.

Achuak – Done Reloadin'
Aria 3/9 – Total Defence
Junn 2/8 – Rising but not shining
Sordin –
Sylvia – 
Takahashi 3/12 – Challenge Completed

Boar: Fresh Pork: the Freshest! Sow1: Injured, just about to run
Sow2: Bloodied, Running

(Alright, so the boars are all defeated. If you think one ~200lb wild boar is not quite enough food for you, you can act quickly and fell the fleeing sow. The other sow flees next round and both will eventually make a full recovery and probably go on to have thousands of babies each unless they're taken down by a hungry hunter or a passing wyvern or something.

(In other news, though, I think this was a great introductory battle for Takahashi. He really got to shine as the newcomer always does the first time they're introduced to make the audience adapt to and love them faster)

(Also +200 XP each)

Sylvia raised her hand ready to fire another bolt, she was torn. Part of her wanted to finish the fleeing sow simply for more of a meal and the thrill of it but the other part of her wanted to let it go, that part was the one Ortlieb had touched. She lowered her hand and hoped off the cart to check on her injured friends. "Aria what in blazes did you think you were doing? You know darn well pigs can't dance." She scolded, but grinning a bit as she had intended that as a crude joke. She knelt next to her friend and examined the wound. "Well, I don't know much about medicine, but it doesn't look life threatening. I would recommend having someone patch you up." She gave her friend a smile before moving onto the next.

Junn still looked angry and wanting to be alone so she approached him cautiously. "Junn, you alright?" She asked, lapsing into a mix between Draconic and Common. She stayed her distance offering his blanket back to him. "I know you probably want to just sleep, but please have someone look at your leg before you do. If it infects you'll be worse for wear. I'd rather not see you have to lose your limb." She spoke steady and kind, setting his blanket down not awaiting a response, her welcome was already overstayed in the hung over elf's company.

Finally, she stopped a few feet short of Takahashi. "I must say, I am very very impressed." She was grinning, this new comer had already proved to be valuable if even just as a sword. "I won't ask how, or where you learned that it doesn't matter to me I'm not cut out for a sword. But I am pleased to have you on board with us your strength will be valuable in the days ahead." She held her hand out, smiling now less grinning. "You didn't see me at my finest when we first met, please, allow me to officially welcome you on board to our rag tag group of adventurers. It is an honor to have you here." She didn't speak for the rest of the group, they could decide how they felt about him but she for one was very happy to have him here.

“Let us make haste with this carcass!” Achuak called out, grabbing his knife from his boot. “I shall prepare us a feast – we might as well set up camp for the night. I would prefer to keep going, but we should conserve our strength. We have a few days left to travel before we come to my tribe, and then we must deal with the strange one…”

Achuak started to carve up the carcass, hoping that he would be able to prepare enough of it properly for the whole party.

-Survival check if needed for preparing raw meat.

Junn took the blankent and quietly spoke while looking at his leg

"Thanks kiddo"

He moves slowly over to a tree and slumped agenst it wraping cutting off a strip of blanket and useing it as a makeshift bandage to keep the dirt out of the wound

" I agree we should make camp tend to our wounds and such and this is a good a place as any"

Junn looked to Achuak

"Tell me more of this stange one of which you speak"

“The strange one… he is a kobold that I have not seen personally, but was rather informed of him by my chief. Since we shall fight him, I suppose I should let you know of my tribe’s plight. He goes by the name Tartuk, and he is a kobold who’s scales glimmer in the colour of purple – something that has never before been seen by our kind.

He came to the tribe about a year ago and managed to take control from the chief – Sootscale. He brought with him a deity called ‘Old Sharptooth’, proclaiming it as an ancient kobold god. At first my did not believe, but soon some of the louder cynics started to turn gold in hue, and die. This quickly made my people listen to him. Now Tartuk demands sacrifices – both by our own kind that of others. If we do not stop his curse, my tribe will vanish from existence.

I alone have been unaccounted for, since I stay above ground surveying the surrounding territory. By the time I snuck in, Sootscale told me to leave and save myself. I have since been looking for people who are not with those bandits, or the trappers. That is why I came to you.”

Sylvia took a seat near Achuak and Junn clearing her throat. "Purple Kobold? and an 'Old Kobold' deity? Do you have any descriptions of this, sharptooth? If we know WHAT he looks like might help us figure out best how to deal with it. That, and we might get some insight as to this situation." She spoke in draconic giving Junn a small smile. "I know you can understand me to Junn, I actually might need your help for what I got planned." She put a finger to her lips, a gesture for the two listening. "However, I wish to speak more about it BEFORE we get to your tribe Achuak, I'd like to see if some sort of truce, or treaty or some such can't be made. As Junn said before, as Oleg said and as the bounty board had posted. Your people need to adapt, if you try to fight the entirety of the people following after us when we finish here. You might face your end then, I would officially ask you now. After we help your tribe could I speak with whoever will be in charge? I want to try and foster positive relationships, start something grand so that your people will not be pushed aside but carried to greatness and security alongside whatever happens here." She took a breath looking a little red faced, she hadn't spoken so much in ages, and it was so horribly disjointed she hoped the basic got across at least.

Aria winced a bit as she let herself down on the ground, careful to keep her leg up and off the ground. She rubbed the back of her head as she looked up at Sylvia, smiling sheepishly, "I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking myself."

Laying a hand on her leg, her left hand tracing a pattern in the air, Aria closed her eyes a moment, "If we, jump into the water would we swim or would we drown? If we, build a set of wings could we fly or just fall down? And if, you keep talking to me, through this darkness, through this night, I'll be alright. I'll be alright."
((CLW self))

Suddenly Aria jerked up, "Gah," She buried her forehead in her palm, "Force of habit... the person I kind of learned from used that lyric all the time when healing. Looks like I still use it by default." She mutters, her tone kind of a strange mixture of embarrassment and exasperation.

She bowed her head and sighed, before sitting up to listen to Achuak.

After a moment though, the others seemed to switch to a dialect she didn't know. So Aria decided to check on the others.

"Mind if I try to help with that?" She asked Junn, indicating his leg.

(In dragonic)

Junn closed his eyes and relaxed agenst the tree reveling in the pain of his leg in his strange extacy

" Sure no problem I'll help you out kiddo and shes right Achuak if we cant find some common groud with your people if we help them or not eventually they will be swept up in the unstopable march of progress... but Id like to hear more about this Old Sharptooth back home I... dabbled alot in religion so it a curiousity if nothing else"

As Junn listened to Achuak Aria came over to his side and asked if he would let her look at his leg Junn turned to look at her his expression one of annoyance

(still in dragonic)

"My leg is fine, Im fine, I dont need your help child"

Junn stared at her, her expression blank and slightly confused then he realized his mistake and cleared his throat again

(in elvish)

" My leg is fine I dont need or wish of your help, tend to the others I'll be just fine child"

Junn then turn back to Ach and Syl and continued to listen

"I think you are confused Sylvia. I am not the tribal leader, nor do I have much say in what the leader should decide. Furthermore, the future of my tribe is something that is none of your concern - for the time.

At best, Chief Sootscale will allow us to aid him in getting rid of this Tartuk Menace and then talk to you later about peace treaties. At worst he turns us in to Tartuk because of the hold that evil one has over the tribe. In which case do not harm Sootscale if at all possible.

I will try to tell him that if he keeps up with Tartuk's religion, the tribe will be gone either by the curse or by the sacrifices. So we should at least fight with dignity and end the miserable wretch's life. Outside of this, we should not speak to Sootscale until after the battle. You will win him over to your side more by actions than by words anyways."

(BTW, this is all in common - I don't see why you guys are all trying to speak in draconinc. the only reason why you should use that is to fix broken sentences or fill in words. Achuak is not one to leave half the group out of the conversation.)

Sylvia nodded. "Very well then, Tartuk shall meet his end and we will do our damndest to preserve the lives if your tribesmen." She nodded, solidifying her process. She leaned back and sighed, rubbing her forehead with one hand. "This...might be harder then we thought..." She voiced, in common this time chuckling dryly.

Pharast 8-9
Northern Kamelands
En Route
That night the explorers feasted upon the fruits of their labour, and in the morning they set out again. Aria used her magic to restore vitality to the warriors who met the boars head on, but without Ortlieb she wasn’t able to top everyone off herself that evening, though when Junn declined, there was spare enough for Takahashi. (+3hp Aria, +8hp Takahashi).

Aria 7/9 –
Junn 3/8 –

They set out southeast in the morning, but travelled mainly south until they reached the broad—averaging three-hundred feet across, and visible deep—Shrike River, named for the birds that flocked around its riverbanks, which they followed downstream.

The disquieting effect of the kames had disappeared into familiarity, and so the day’s only brief flirtation with excitement came as a sighting of a wyvern over the mountainous Tors of Levenies to the east—just close enough to identify the large flier but too far away to be of any real interest or concern.

Achuak confirmed that they should arrive at the Sootscale Caverns the next evening. Plans were made to attempt to go directly to Chief Sootscale himself and speak with him first, before moving on to deal with Tartuk. The plan was simple and flexible, and, with luck and discourse, would result in minimal casualties among the kobolds.

Junn 4/8

So much for best laid plans gone astray. Within an hour the group found their first kobold corpse, laying in the field and stripped of its gear. Judging by the wounds in its black scaly hide and the two small, amazingly ugly corpses positioned not far from it, similarly wounded, his end had been violent.

The other two creatures less than a foot taller than the kobold, their skin a sickening shade of blue either from rigor mortis or their own natural colouration. They had humanoid shape, but bulbous wrinkles heads that made up almost half their size, with ragged pointed ears and large eyes that appear to be squinting shut even in death.

“Mites.” Achuak spat the word like a curse—and indeed, he had said as much before.

The surrounding grass showed signs of a small struggle. The whole scene could be no more than a week old, give or take time for the bodies to be picked over by one faction or the other for valuables.

The skirmish was not the last they saw that day. The ground was not exactly littered with scenes of tiny carnage, but anyone who was alert could notice other places here or there, in varying numbers of dead on either side, some visibly older than the one in the morning, some as fresh as a day or two, all always stripped clean of useful gear.

It came as a complete surprise and change of pace when the path of the horses disturbed a chorus of indignant shouts emanating from the tall grass around the river bank. Three small winged creatures, elf-like from the waist up with bodies of crickets below rose from the grass in a great high-pitched furor. Though Aria could make out parts of their buzzing rant, they spoke too fast and all-at-once to be intelligible, one of them even pointedly addressing the horse on the left.

After a couple seconds of natter, one of the two males decided to take charge, thankfully in Taldane. “What’s the big idea, trouncing through the grass all clumsy-stompy-like. Don’tya know to watch where you go a-trundling!?”

The little man hovered in the air with his arms crossed. While they were all well and truly infuriated--for the moment--you get the sense that they're hardly likely to even remember their indignation in a few minute's time, much work up the effort to stay angry at nothing.



LORE—Nature: (Achuak) These three creatures are a tiny type of fey called grigs. On the ground they’re no more than a foot and a half tall, but their cricket hindquarters have wings with which they can (and are right now) fly. They are generally mischievous and light-hearted creatures. Achuak doesn’t know a whole lot about them, but he knows they can create a captivating fiddle-song by vibrating their wings quickly, they can perform a small variety of magical tricks, and like most fey creatures, are only vulnerable to weapons made of cold iron.

LORE—Nature: (Achuak) Achuak knows a lot more about Mites, though. See the Bestiary when I get a chance to put it up. He can reveal this tactical information to you at some point during the journey. (EDIT: Lore is up.)

Sylvia blinked, her head whipping between the angry nattering before she finally had to hold her head with both hands to stop, thankfully not to long when the slighted grigs calmed down and one spoke. "Sorry sir, we didn't notice you we have been deep in our own thoughts as of late and were not paying close attention. If you may, I'd apologize for the entirety of the group and ask your forgiveness. I can assure you we will take better care to look out and ensure it doesn't happen again." She bowed her head politely, a friendly smile on her face but her eyes glinted slyly. Rather then waste time here, or anger something that could probe meddlesome in the immediate situation or in the future. She did have to admit though, they were curious little creatures and if they had the time she would have liked to chat with them more.

A few questions about the local area DID float into her mind, but she could always ask Achuak for those, namely quite a few relating to the mites, the wheels turned and gears clicked and her brain fired up. A plan formed, well half a plan. First, Tartuk would be taken care of with no kobold casualties hopefully, secondly should the mites be hated enemies, perhaps promises to route them or lend aid in whatever conflict was going on when the resources came available would be a good barganning tool should her original argument, one Junn explained well before. She gave the man a half glance before turning back to her attention, she would speak with him before they got underway into the caverns. He was vital, in his height and imposing person, and he explained the 'adapt or be swept aside.' argument oh so well, the fact he also spoke draconic was a boon.

She would need to speak with Achuak as well, she needed to know the Kobold's thoughts on elves and how receptive they would be to the treaty idea. She wanted peace with the Sootscale and would rather see the darling creatures aiding the progress that was innevitable to come, and not be wiped out.

All the while she was focused on the current slighted grigs, looking friendly enough and not overly her poker face of a smile hiding her thoughts and her urgency to carry on.

The speaking grig translated for the female in a tongue Aria could understand, but was jabber to anyone else. The lady, arms crossed, inclined her head in an imperious manner so unconvincing it could only have been rehearsed, like a child playing at queen, and spoke a few short words.

“Her grand imperial majesty, Flutterlina-Thoraline, graciously accepts your apology.” The proper pomp and circumstance observed, the last pretences of formality vanished. “So whatcha doin' around here anyway? We don't see many biguns round these parts so often—just the blue ugly-faces and the black sharpteeth. Hey! Are you here to get rid of the ugly-faces!” Without hesitating he translated his own conclusion to his mistress before an answer could be made.

Almost imperceptibly the three closed in and took up positions for themselves on the wagon, the two who have spoken not far from Sylvia, almost like small children crowding in, with the third content perched on the back of the horse he had scolded earlier.

“Lately it's been all war-war-war between the sharpteeth and the ugly-faces. With all the fighting nobody likes a good prank and so it's been no sporting for almost forever,” the little translator explained, shuffling into a comfortable position. Up close one could see that though they wore no other clothing, they had tiny swords no bigger than a pocketknives strapped around their waists, and carried bows scarcely more than a foot long over their shoulders.

(---How long and what you with the grigs about is up to you---)

The grigs didn't hang around too long—Flutterlina, Dallodan-Dustang, and Tep, true to their child-like attention spans, left in hot pursuit of some new activity the moment they lost interest in the newcomers and they could politely make their escape.

They say trouble comes in threes (and fives. Nines, thirteens, twenty-fours...) so after a trio of angry boars and a triad of grigs, it was an inevitability when a small band of kobolds leaped out from behind one of the ubiquitous kames. They each carried spears in their hands, but they weren't raised to fight—it wasn't an attack.

“A-Achuak!” Their surprise was evident. The leader spoke in a flurry of Draconic.

“What are you doing here, Achuak? It has been so long! Who are the tallfolk—are they friends of yours?” the kobold scarcely paused for a breath, much less to let the green kobold respond. “Was winter in the forest cold? Chief Sootscale will be happy to know you've returned safely. We could use some good news lately.” Suddenly the kobold froze and his face fell with a sobering thought. “You haven't seen Mikmek have you? We were posted here to await his raiding party's return—they left the day before yesterday to recover the sacred statue and have been gone since!”

(I know you said not to throw you ahead too quickly, but it seemed like this last bit of info might be vital to decisions made whilst concocting plans of attack)

(Oh yeah, and a list of the things Achuak didn't/doesn't know: The evidence is all around him, but he didn't know that they've gone to war until the grigs hinted at it earlier. He has no idea how small his tribe has become in the year since he had to flee. He does know of the statue that is the physical representation of the god 'Old Sharptooth' that Tartuk brought to the tribe, and can guess that it is this that the kobolds are so distressed to have lost to the mites. Feel free to pester me if you're looking for more info that he might/might not know that I forgot to tell you.)