ELDEEN REACHES
SEGMENT 003
11/06/09
“The Vadalis Horse Ranch”
The four of them walk to the ranch run by Saudo d’Vadalis. It is located north of the village about four miles away. It is getting late now as they arrive. Much was discussed on the way there. Beginning twelve days ago animals began to disappear around the ranch. Sometimes a body was found. Sometimes not. The ranger / hunter for the house looked into the events. He found wolf tracks everywhere and thought the cause was a pack of wolves. He found recent tracks that suggested they were living in the Foothills of Byeshk Mountains. These mountains were a natural barrier between the Eldeen Reaches forest and both Shadow marches and Droaam. Each is known for its dangerous inhabitants.… especially Droaam.
The Hunter waited until darkness fell then began to hunt the wolves. He was last seen charging after something within the forest. Loud howls were heard. Wolf-like but different. It sounded bigger… more sinister. The Hunter was never seen again.
Joe was contacted and before agreeing to help the house, he wanted to look around himself. He found wolf tracks that disappeared as the animal leapt over a log. In its place were small humanoid tracks. He immediately feared possible werewolves. Several hundred years ago the priests and zealots of the Silver Flame hunted were creatures nearly into extinction. Most of the surviving were creatures sought shelter within the dark and rugged woods of Eldeen. In time the great hunt ended as more sinister events drew the clerics and hunters away.
It had made sense of course. The wolves seemed unnaturally intelligent. They avoided certain traps and set-ups. Tracking was difficult and at times near impossible except for the thirty plus years of tracking experience Joe possessed. He agreed to hunt the dangerous animal and either kill it or drive it away back into the mountains and the many caves and ruins they held.
Joe witnessed something on the night they attacked. He would not speak of it but swore to hunt the creatures down and destroy them. He also warned the animal handlers of the goblins that had moved into the area and seemed to be using the ruins as a base of operations. Many of the tracks and trails showed some sort of connection of the wolves and the goblins. Joe left three days ago and was never seen again. Monstrous animalistic howls can be heard every night, as the moons become full. Many of the hired help has fled. He has tried to replace most of them but has found he has been forced to hire workers not fit for the work of a farmer or rancher.
Leaffa has Ash taken to a stall where she can be brushed and fed. Gilfer and Piik look over the small outpost. There are four buildings that are close to each other. Two stables, a mess hall and sleeping area for the helpers and finally a small building where Saudo d’Vadalis kept records and slept. The woods were cut back from the small ranch to allow crop fields and training areas to be developed. This bothered Leaffa some, as this clearing of the forest was a constant concern of the local druids. Most remained civil about it while others were more… aggressive. She did not rule out the possibility that druids were attacking the ranch to drive him away.
Piik and Gilfer followed Leaffa to the well where many of the tracks were most easily seen and showed signs of a shapeshifter. Thanking Saudo, Leaffa went back to taking care of her horse while Gilfer and Piik went to the tavern. Inside were the four shifter brothers. They had picked up where they left off at Wine Tree. They were clearly unfit to defend themselves… much less the ranch from threats natural or supernatural.
“Comes on sover brudder.” Says one brother.
Gilfer is quick to join his racial brothers. Shifters are unique humanoids with an ancient history of supernatural origins. Their ancient ancestors were werewolves and humans whom coupled and gave birth to creatures that were not cursed by lycanthropy but still retained some of their abilities. Over the course of many generations, the breeding ran true and a new race was created- The Shifters. They are so named by their ability to call onto their lycanthropic blood for short periods of time. They called it shifting. They would become faster or stronger than before while undergoing a slight change of appearance. Sometimes they became covered in hair. Others bulked up with muscles or gained better night vision. In the case of the four Eds, it appeared to be the inability to handle their alcohol.
Piik eyed the five shifters. Even though Gilfer had just met them he was accepted as a sibling instantly. They began to drink. Heavily. Piik wasn’t sure if he could even keep up with them. But it was fun to watch anyway.
Night was fast coming and the four Ed’s still had not drunk enough bravery drink to face the possible oncoming attack from the forest. Saudo d’Vadalis was less than impressed and threatened to fire them on the spot.
Eventually as the moons rose over Eberron and the Eldeen Forest everyone took their positions. Gilfer and the Ed brothers remained in the center of the ranch near a fire. Listening for anything in the woods was impossible as the shifters began to sing disharmony 99 bottles on the wall. At the third time they lost track of bottles (while still in the high eighties) they would restart at 99.
Leaffa was the first to see them. Wolves. They paced impatiently and with apprehension at the edge of the fields. It was uncertain if the bonfire or the singing was spooking them, either way; they were reluctant to enter the main farm area. Piik put away his sharpening stone and stood up and waited for the first wolf to charge in. It would soon then go Squish. Piik would be happy.
Then Gilfer spotted a strange soft burst of blue elderich energy on a rooftop. Leaving his drunken shifter brothers behind he focused his mind’s will and energy to form a blade once more then imagined himself racing up the wall of the closest barn. Then he charged the building and sprinted to the rooftop directly from the ground. As he did this he saw a hairy humanoid shape leap from the rooftop. When it landed it charged away in the form of a wolf! A man inside the barn screamed and the horses began to make noise as they became panicked by something within their midst. Something supernatural.
Lee, the only remaining woodsman and hunter began to fire away with his longbow. Yelps could be heard as wolves dropped each time he released an arrow. Concerned for Ash, whom was in the other stable, Leaffa moved to cover the only doorway into the building, an arrow notched and ready, a summoning spell readied and set to be caste verbally.
Then the wolves charged in full.