Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 4, Pursuit

[maddmic]

Herger is slow to get up and move with the group. His steps are slow and methodical as they move towards the source of the smoke. As they slowly follow the 4 more stealthy members of their party, the giant looks at Kaela.

"I have failed her Kaela. Failed to protect the one I promised that no harm would come to. My determination was strong at the beginning of our journey south, but it is fading. Each day I feel that the trail becomes colder and harder to find. I should've known Fallax was a deceiver. I should've known not to push him, but I did. I felt that he wasn't carrying his weight and that his babblings were detrimental to our cause. I can't help but feel that he might not have turned against us had I not spoke to him in such an manner." He briefly paused, not letting Kaela get a word in. "I failed you all as well Kaela. I couldnot break the bonds that held me steadfast. The Legate held control over my weak will and I almost caused your deaths."

The large Dorn pauses again. This time longer.

"I had a dream Kaela. In Baden's Bluff when I was under the blackness caused by that winged demon, I had a dream. It was not a good one." He looks forward blankly and does not say another word.

 

[Bobitron]

Tears well up in Kaela's eyes as Herger expresses his feelings. "You aren't the only one who feels that way, Herger." She moves to him and hugs his massive chest tightly. "My heart aches more with each day. The signs of Fallax's intent are clear to me when I think back on his actions. But that is past," she says, her voice muffled as she presses her face into Herger's side.

"But we must continue onward. Until I know that Aislinn is safe in our company again or dead and buried in the earth she loved, I will not give up. The Hope lives. I feel it in here." She pulls away and touches her chest. "And you have been the rock that we rely on, Herger. Were it not for you, we would all have been dead long ago. It is not our place to judge our own actions. It is far more important in my heart to know that you have done all you can. I hope we can all say that about each other when our journey ends."

Wiping a grimy sleeve across her eyes to clear the tears, she looks to the others. "Now come. Let's join our friends and find out what we can do for these victims. I fear we are too late." She starts walking toward the bodies while the scouts move to determine what the noise is.

ooc: I was aware of the whispered conversation. My reply was in regards to the other portions. Sorry if I was unclear as well or spoke to something I shouldn't have heard.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric carefuly follows after Valurel while keeping his eye on the corpses in the village. He has seen the dead rise to feed too often to assume these ones won't do the same.

 

[Hrothgar]

Valurel, Mardo, Lodric, and Starhl descend quietly down the steep, grassy hill to the small village. Pausing in the faint shadow of one of the earthen homes, Mardo finds the source of the smoke: old coals have burned the interior of the homes, leaving little more than blackened earth. Lodric beelines for the fallen figures in the grass, his fear of Fell adding urgency to his quick movements. Lodric crouches over the two figures, slowly turning the bodies in the blood-stained grass to get a better view of their features. Both are human males, one a full grown man, the other a boy barely past a decade old, if that. Both males have been torn apart viciously, great gobbets of flesh missing from their bodies.

From the bodies that Lodric inspects, a blood trail leads toward the Ohr River and down a steep embankment. The sounds from below are sickening: a great crack, followed by a rending, and then a wet smack. A large grunt follows.

Crawling on their bellies, Valurel and Starhl make it to the edge of the village to look over the Ohr River Valley. The river stretches for miles, its water glinting silver in the dull brown and green of Erenland's prairie. The gulping sounds heard early draw the pair's attention once again: at the bottom of the hill a massive figure squats, its huge hands soaked in blood and viscera. Leaning back its misshapen head, it dangles a human leg above its dripping mouth with an outstretched arm. With a crack of bone, the leg disappears into the creatures gullet. Standing to its great height, even taller than the massive Herger, the creatures sniffs the wind, its senses picking up something new. The immense creature is naked and weaponless, but its hide is thick and pockmarked like the tough bark of an oak and its long arms and hands end in wicked talons. At its feet lie the remains of several humans, but its desires seem to have been turned elsewhere. Leaning forward, the creature squints at the overturned wagon at the Ohr's edge, not more than a hundred yards away. Instantly, both Valurel and Starhl see the creature's desire: hidden under the wagon, nearly lost in shadow, is a female human. Crouching down in the beaten grass to hide from the massive creature at the foot of the hill, the woman barely moves, but her fear and anxiety are tangible.

With a sickening smacking of lips, the horror strides greedily toward the wagon, its strides picking up momentum as it goes to claim its next meal...

 

[Krug]

Starhl draws his weapon. "What manner of beast is this?" As the creature approaches the wagon, Starhl descends, careful to stay behind the horror. He will then launch himself at the back of it, trying to plunge his sword into the creature's spine.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Valurel starts down the hill behind Starhl. "One of you, warn the others!" he hisses to Mardo and Lodric before breaking into a run. Making every attempt to stay out of the barbarian's way, he launches himself at the giant horror, tearing into it with vicious claws.

 

[maddmic]

Herger doesn't know what to do when the girl hugs him. He is not used to the affection. He listens to her, but his thoughts are lost on how he will get Aislinn back. When Kaela is done and lets him go, he nods. "Yes, we should get to the others."

 

[Bihlbo]

OOC: I don't mean to seem uninvolved, I just haven't posted because I like the way things are going and haven't seen a need to put focus on something specific Mardo is doing or saying. This monster seems neat. I love the interaction between Herger and Kaela - very interesting stuff that I could use a lot more of. Hrothgar: Does Mardo find any weapons while running through town? A bow or some throwing weapons would be nice.

Valurel starts down the hill behind Starhl. "One of you, warn the others!" he hisses to Mardo and Lodric before breaking into a run. Making every attempt to stay out of the barbarian's way, he launches himself at the giant horror, tearing into it with vicious claws.

The look of horror drains from the gnome's face as an opportunity for distraction becomes available. "Yes, right away."

As Mardo darts back through the town he quickly passes by any bodies he sees, hoping for a sign of life. He's not sure if he really wants there to be survivors or if he just wants to believe that something can survive the monstrous beast in the valley below.

Panting, Mardo stops in front of the pair, "The village... heh... slaughtered by a great... heh... monster. It's down a steep... heh... hill on the other side of the village. *gulp* Kaela my dear, you may want to avert your eyes through the village. It is a sight I wish I had never seen myself."

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric moves towards the riverbank to help Starhl and Valurel defeat this beast. He circles around the beast in an attempt to surround it and directs a snap kick at its leg.

ooc: Unarmed attack +7 1d6+3 damage (Precise Strike: ignore 3 points of DR if applicable)

 

[maddmic]

Almost as soon as Hergers attention returned to the situation at hand, the small one showed up in front of him and Kaela. Without a word, Herger knew that if the small one was here, then either the others were engaged with the beast, about to be, or were in trouble. "I'll go Kaela. Be cautious if you approach and run fast if we cannot hold the beast."

Herger begins to run towards where Mardo indicates the others are, his large frame somehow moving much faster and more fluidly than his size would indicate. On his way, he scans the landscape for anything he can use as a boulder to throw.

OOC:
Movement is 35'
Herger has the endurance feat if needed.
If he can find a boulder and once he gets there, then: Boulder (ranged) +6 (1d10 + 4, x2) 30’ (+4 BAB, +2 Dx) If he can't find a boulder to throw, then he will ready his great axe as he approaches.