Round #1
Initiative order
20 Jendral
18 Allistra
18 Ciprinus
14 Taelythenihel
13 Milak
08 Valdaris
08 Ossa
07 Bear
04 Ruud
Jendral has his hands full, fighting the horses as they rear and plunge. Already skittish again today, this ursine threat is the last straw for the poor beasts. They roll their eyes in terror and try to back away from the bear. Jendral manages to keep them in check but the wagon crashes into the branches at the side of the track, dislodging something which falls with a thud into the back of the tray.
Valdaris calls out,
“Allistra. Get to your feet!”
He is answered by a low cursing as the caravan marshall promises dire punishment to her horse, the bear, the river and the day in general. Then, astoundingly, the cursing stops and music pipes in the air. Allistra has drawn her recorder from her sleeve and stands dripping in the stream, playing a martial tune. As the party listens, their hearts are stirred by the plucky melody, and they look forward to the coming battle with vigour.
Ciprinus slips from the horse and makes his way through the trees to the bank of the stream. Not long and he'll be in position to deal with the bear.
[sblock=Ciprinus]Difficult terrain - movement rate halved. It’ll take Ciprinus 2 rounds to reach the bear, whichever way he goes. And then there’s the issue of what’s fallen into the rear wagon.
Edit: I've changed the entry based on your choice and I'll update the map when I get a chance.[/sblock]
" Ciprinus. Can you tame this beast?!"
"We shall see my friend..."
"
More ill fortune," says Taelythenihel, dispassionately. "
Ciprinus, how would you wish us to deal with this creature?" As she speaks, a few sentences from a bestiary she read as a child tickle at the back of her mind.
[sblock=Taelythenihel]Knowledge (Nature): The Black Bear dwells in the Forest. It eats dyvers kinds of victuals. Oftentimes more likely to avoid battle than to seek it, it stands ready to protect its Food and its Young.[/sblock]As the wagon rocks and clatters against the trees, the elf wizard hears a heavy thump behind her on the wagon tray. Looking around, she sees a large and obviously angry snake, which has been knocked out of the branches overhead. Entangled in the ropes and bundles of cargo which lie on the floor of the tray, it won’t be long before it frees itself to strike out at the interlopers in its forest. Already its hisses fill her ears.
It’s clear that this snake won’t be pacified with a toy mouse!
Milak, too, has his hands full. But whereas Allistra’s curses are low are low and controlled, his are loud and sustained.
Valdaris jumps to his feet as the bear approaches. Drawing his sword, he eyes the bear, finding that it’s not as big as he first thought. Standing the height of a man - though perhaps not even as tall as he himself is - it must reach up to attack him. The sides of the wagon afford him some protection against it, while he quickly sees that his own attacks will be the fiercer for raining down from a height. Still, he doesn't like the look of those teeth.
Ruud sits in absolute shock as the bear rears up.
"Uh-oh."
Note: I've changed the maps somewhat, to make them clearer.
Color Spray the snake it is, then.
And yes, she knows the bear is there.
