[IC] Halfling Quest - Rooting Around

[ender_wiggin]

"So I guess the plan is to wait and see?" asks Ringly.

I'm not terribly sure the boar will go for the trap...why doesn't it just come after us? Unless we're obviously more dangerous -- walking around and making noise, but if that happens, I doubt the boar will approach the area.

 

[Tarlonniel]

"So I guess the plan is to wait and see?"

"And eat!" Kiylea sets about making a small fire to toast her rabbit, bread, cheese, apple, and anything else that might need it. "Are we going to take watches, or all stay up together?"

 

[Evilhalfling]

The food looks good Kiylea. Well there is no way I am going to be able to sleep. I might as well stay up. erm so a boar then? we can handle a boar. right...?

 

[Boddynock]

The three of you follow Lamir out into the fields, he makes idle chatter with Alton, mostly ignoring Jerran and Ringly. The young warrior seems to impress him, perhaps he wishes he himself had become one rather than being wed to Besha at a young age.

Alton talks, a little shyly at first, but with growing enthusiasm when he realizes Lamir is interested in a warrior's skills. He mentions the Lady, and stops quickly, watching for Lamir's response. He is heartened when Lamir nods thoughtfully, and continues to chat until they reach the field.

He gestures to a set of prints sunk into the dark earth, "like I was saying, probably a small boar." The three of you look, but could barely imagine what it was if no one had told you.

"That's very impressive, Lamir - there's no way I would have even noticed those prints. Thank you for showing us."

When they arrive at the place where the others have gathered, Alton goes straight over and examines Eddie's trap, asking him to demonstrate it. "That's great, Eddie - really creative thinking. So you just step on it past the pivot point, and it swings up so that it's set to receive the boar's charge? Very neat. I guess it's too late for me to try building another one - but I think your idea of having a boar spear is a very good one. I might try and find another sapling strong enough to act as a spear. We could try to fire-harden the points, too, which might be of benefit."

While there is enough light, Alton finds an appropriate sapling and cuts it down and shapes it. "Lucky I brought my woodcarving tools after all." He brings out some rations to share, and sits shaping his spear as Kiylea prepares the cony.

erm so a boar then? we can handle a boar. right...?

"What do you know about boar, Kiylea? All I know is that it's not a good idea to let them get close enough to gore you ... which is fairly obvious, I'm afraid."

"Eddie, to encourage the boar to come at you from the right direction, would it be helpful, do you think, to put a pile of food out for it? I mean, you've got the trap oriented to the track where it enters the field but some bait might be a bit of insurance."

"I suppose it is just one pig, isn't it?

OOC: By the way, what's the phase of the moon at the moment? Are we likely to be able to see without lights?

 

[Tarlonniel]

"What do you know about boar, Kiylea?"

"Not much. They can be nasty in the right mood, but most times they're shy and try to stay away from folk. Usually they don't come out of the forests at all; this one must've developed a taste for Mellar sweet potatoes." Kiylea smiles at the thought.

 

[hafrogman]

Jerran is unusually silent as he stands and watches the others set about preparing for the boar. He sets out the lantern that he had borrowed from his parents, but doesn't light it. He doesn't want to be blamed if the boar doesn't show. He sets himself against a tree and starts looking over his crossbow to check that everything is still in working order.

 

[Slippshade]

Kiylea giggles, then, when Eddie turns away again, makes a big show of creeping hungrily towards his pie. When he glances over she gasps as if caught red-handed and quickly saunters off with an exaggerated air of innocence. Then, laughing again, she grabs her walking stick from where it was leaning against the tree. "I'm gonna' go find that rabbit. I'll be back before twilight," she says, and waves a farewell.

Bubbles laughs at Kiylea's antics, making sure that Eddie doesn't feel to embarassed.

"Good Idea Kiylea, see you in a bit"

Bubbles continues to discuss the trap with Eddie to make absolutely sure she knows how to work it. After words she makes polite chatter with Eddie, until the other halflings show up. She greats them...yes even Jerran and helps to set up camp.

The food looks good Kiylea. Well there is no way I am going to be able to sleep. I might as well stay up. erm so a boar then? we can handle a boar. right...?

Bubbles waits for Kiylea's reply and adds, "I don't think it will be a problem Eddie. Your trap seems sound and I will keep my swords nearby if it manages to get too close to me."

 

[Boddynock]

"I don't think it will be a problem Eddie. Your trap seems sound and I will keep my swords nearby if it manages to get too close to me."

"Uh, we are sure that the only way to deal with it is to kill it, right? I mean, things are likely to get pretty hectic when it actually arrives, so we don't want to have any second thoughts at the time."

"That being the case, I guess we'll have to wait until it's well and truly out of the forest. If we just scare it off, like Kiylea said, it'll just come back some other time - or else go foraging in someone else's fields. So do we put a pile of sweet potatoes some distance from the forest edge - say, thirty feet - and wait until it starts to eat before we attack? How fast are they, Kiylea - do you know? If we're over here, would we have time to fire our missiles at it and then draw swords before it reaches us? Or should we split into archers and melee fighters? The archers could be back behind Eddie's trap, and the sword-wielders on either side of Eddie."

"And another thing, what about light? I guess lights would scare it off - but would the night be bright enough for us to see it without them? I've got a lantern, and I see that Jerran brought one, too. If we could light them quickly enough, we'd have light to fight by. Or, say, Ringly, you're a magician, can you produce light?"

"Oh, I've just thought of something else - should we be prepared to cut off its retreat if it just turns and runs? That could be risky."

Alton pauses in dismay. As the most heavily armoured of the group, he is the one with the best chance of dealing with the beast one on one - but if all goes according to plan, and the boar charges, he wants to be there to help protect his friends. What would be best?

"What do you think? Ringly? Eddie?"

 

[Ferrix]

OOC: By the way, what's the phase of the moon at the moment? Are we likely to be able to see without lights?

OOC: The new moon passed maybe a week ago, it should be between first quarter and waxing gibbous. Meaning it's not a full moon, but it will be in a week at most.

 

[Boddynock]

OOC: The new moon passed maybe a week ago, it should be between first quarter and waxing gibbous. Meaning it's not a full moon, but it will be in a week at most.

OOC: Hmm, so I guess that means we wouldn't be able to see much without a light source. Yes?