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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ruined" data-source="post: 23695" data-attributes="member: 113">The Year of the Broken Wheel[ Hecatomb 1 – Day 15 ]From their starting location, Tira knows that the trip will take about three or four days. She does mention that travelling at the beginning of Hecatomb is a bad omen, as it is the month that most reflects the nature of Baator. The skies have adopted a hellish red color, pink early in the morning fading into a deep blood-red as night falls. Their path leads them into a lightly-populated forest, which she explains will gradually change into swamplands.The change of atmosphere seems to scare the locals back to their lairs, and so this day’s travels go without incident. Hunting proves to be difficult, so they eat hard rations that they had brought with them. The woods provide a comfortable place to camp for the night.[ Hecatomb 2 – Day 16 ]As the characters move through the woodlands, they come to an area where trees have apparently been struck in Spar’s stormy weather and fallen over into the path. This doesn’t hinder the group, but it provides a distraction in which they are ambushed. Breaking from the trees are quick moving birds that are similar to ostriches in size – abrians. A group of three rush up behind Killian and Solastor, striking out with incredibly strong legs. They only stay for a moment, then rush off as the party recovers and ready weapons. As Tira launches a spear at the fleeing attackers, another group rushes to the front of the group, and catch the characters unprepared.The group quickly divides to handle the ‘guerilla tactics’ of the abrians. Solastor finds himself in dire straits as two of the birds return and team up on him. He defends as best he can with a dagger, but their crippling kicks push him farther back into the woods. Quinn connects with one of his swords, leaving a bloody hole in the abrian’s side. The creature pecks at his face, trying to gouge out an eye, but misses and earns a spiteful headbutt from the Minotaur. The abrian collapses into a heap.Killian tumbles away from an abrian and tries to use the trees as a shield of sorts. It works to his advantage at first, with Killian slashing into the abrian’s wings. The bird-creature angrily squaks at him, and then Killian is struck from the rear. He realizes that the birds are communicating, coordinating their attacks. This situation could get bad…Tira also maneuvers to get a better advantage. After getting kicked by one of the abrians, she takes off down the path, seemingly running from the combat. She can sense that one of the birds is bearing down on her, so she takes a spear in hand. At the last second, she pivots and places the butt of the spear into the ground, and guides the point directly towards her pursuer. The abrian has no time to correct its path, and slams into the spear and into Tira. The spear impales the creature, and snaps under its weight.Quinn sees that the creatures have Solastor on the ground, trying to retreat. He tackles one of the abrians, sending it rolling onto the ground. Solastor is freed to act, and from his crouching position he moves his hands and brings forth an arc of flame. The flames burn the creature and force it to back away from the fallen mage. The abrian that Quinn struck stands and trades blows with the minotaur. Quinn can feel the crunch in his ribs as he is kicked one good time. He forces himself to ignore the pain and lashes out again and again with his short swords until the creature lies fallen before him.Killian dodges and tumbles his way past the pair of creatures attacking him. He does a defensive retreat, until he hears a thud and sees an arrow sprouting from the neck of one of the abrians. Enraged, the bird turns and charges towards Tira, who has now taken out her bow. Two more arrows fly, stabbing into the bird until it falters and falls at her feet. Killian’s sword finds his opponent once more, after which the bird decides to flee. As it moves, the last one attacking Solastor joins it in running from the scene. Killian takes his new chakra, the disc purchased from Ely, and hurls it at the abrian. It connects, although it fails to drop the beast. The disc ricochets from its target and among some trees, but comes nowhere near close to Killian’s outstretched hand. It takes a little time, but he retrieves the errant weapon.Feeling fortunate to be alive, the group gathers and moves on, knowing that their destination of Faunel is still a few days ahead of them.</blockquote>

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