[Lakelands] Six For Adventure

[wolfheart]

Dain does just a cursory search. He is looking for the obvious, and halts his search when Kregor comes in.

Dain replies to Kregor, "I like your idea of waiting in ambush for the beast. It will return to it's lair soon enough. Let's get out and find some cover before the beast returns. And when it does, we will descend on it like a pack of wolves."

Dain quickly moves back toward the entrance, a wild fire in his eyes. As he goes he mumbles to himself about lines of fire, positioning, cover, and hit and run tactics.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

When Kregor disappears inside the passage to inform the others of the scream, Selanil waits outside, listening for any further screams or other sounds that are out of the ordinary. He continues to wait outside until someone reappears to tell him what the plan is.

 

[wolfheart]

When Dain exits the barrow, he looks about at the lay of the land.

"Friend Selanil, we need to prepare an ambush for the manticore. We must set ourselves so we can attack from different sides and take cover while the beast answers. Or we must use someone as bait to lure the beast in while the others rain down death upon it unawares. You look as though you,ve seen a hunt or two, what suggestions might you have."

Dain motions for Selanil to walk with him as he explores the immediate area around the barrow, looking for some advantage that the terrain might provide.

"Glom, come with us. Your abilities are best put to use from a distance. We will find you a nice little nest to fire from."

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

OOC: What are the light conditions right now? Is it moderate darkness (10% miss chance) or total darkness (50% miss chance)? Are there any other rules about fighting in poor lighting conditions that I should know about?

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Horsom leaves Glom and Kregor and crouch-steps his way out of the tomb. He hears Dain and Selanil discussing strategy and tells them that he has some skill in remaining hidden and that he will find some bushes in which he can create a "sniper's perch".

"I admit I'm a little worried though: what if the manticore isn't coming back to its lair? What if it is rampaging through Kell's Reach and we're sitting here waiting for it like a pack of idiots?" Horsom sighs heavily and squints into the darkness in the direction of the village, as if hoping to glimpse something that would substantiate the group's decision. "There's nothing to be done for it, I suppose. There's no way we could get to Kell's Reach in time to stop the manticore. We'll have to hope that it returns to its lair."

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OOC: Horsom scouts around for a suitable hiding spot and digs in.

 

[Krug]

"Yes, it's best we wait here," says Glom. "Perhaps we could prepare more traps? These manticores are sly beasts. Hopefully it picked up some wounds in its hunt."

 

[maddmic]

Kregor turns and heads back outside with the other. He then nods to Glom. "I know it picked up a wound from an arrow. You are correct that this beast seems to be very intelligent. I will stay in the lair. What I will do to mask my scent will probably turn some of your stomachs, but it will enable me to pounce on it when it least expects it. I suggest that you all form up some where close though. If it wants to, there's a good chance that you'll have to fight it one at a time if you have to enter through the short opening. That would not bode well for any of us."

 

[Raven Crowking]

Even with a cursory search, Dain notes that there are two side-chambers in the barrow, north and south, which have been sealed with great stones. They would take some effort to move, but there might be something behind them untouched by either tomb robbers or manticore. Horom searches a bit longer than Dain. It is sad work, for these folk were not wealthy. What oddments he finds would buy a tankard of ale at most.

The light is fit for owls and cats, as it is said, while you search for your positions. Once you find your spots, you hunker down to wait. Luckily, staying awake is not very difficult, for it is cold. Indeed, as dawn approaches it grows very cold indeed. While springtime, it has not been truly warm at night yet, and the earth still feels the winter in its bones. It grows dewy, and those waiting outside become damp.

There is still no sign of the manticore.

Shortly after the light begins growing, you hear the old churchbell ringing. The night has passed.

 

[Samuel Leming]

Enough time having passed, Maldordo once again assumes his human form.

Addressing the group outside the tomb, Maldordo asks, "Does anyone here see any reason why the mandy-core would return here now that he knows he's being hunted? Well, other than to hunt us in return. Since this beast can both fly and travel faster than we can, I believe we need to think of some way to lure it into a trap. "

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom shivers uncontrollably as the sun pales the eastern sky, wistfully recalling the fur-lined cloak he had given Tattercoats. He stood and stretched his cold-stiffened muscles, then pushed his way out of the corberry bush he had been hiding beneath. Breathing in the smell of that sap all night ensured that Horsom would never eat corberry jam again. Thinking of Tattercoats made him remember the three acorns the fey had given him. He wondered, not for the first time, what the gift meant.

He wandered down the hill towards the spot Selanil had chosen to spend the night. "We should return to the village to see if the manticore returned there. If it returned there last night, we might be able to find clues as to where it's lairing now."

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

To Maldordo's suggestion, Horsom replies: "That's wise, but without knowledge of its hunting patterns, laying a trap will prove difficult. How do you propose that we bait our trap?" To the others he says: "Unless anyone can think of a reason not to head for the village, I say we go there right now. I think we all suspect that the manticore made an appearance there last night, so at the very least we can get some clue to help us in our hunt. Besides, any victims might need our help."