Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Milo Windby" data-source="post: 1698" data-attributes="member: 202">Keep of the Borderlands -part nineteen (session 5)The party and the liberated prisoners settled in for another cold camp.  Watch was set and Milo slipped into his bedroll after doffing his chain shirt.  It wasn't nearly as comfortable as his old leathers but he had to admit it offered him much more protection.  It was a few minutes before Brigit had finished removing her plate mail.  The heavy pieces of metal clanked noisily to the ground.  Milo sighed, he was going to have to teach her how to be quieter with that stuff.  He had drifted off into a light, alert sleep before the thought was even complete.Milo awoke with a start.  He heard a leathery flapping and a shout from Jeremiah.  He was up in a flash, reaching for his crossbow and lantern before he even knew what had happened.  Milo looked about the campsite and saw what made the sound.  He could barely make out a huge bat hovering over Jeremiah.  Milo found his flint and steel and struck a light to the lantern.The others were up by then, each reaching for their weapon, not even taking time to don their armor.  Jeremiah was in trouble as he dodged the bat as best he could.  In one uncharacteristically fluid motion Jer sidestepped a lunge from the beast and brought his great sword straight down.  The blade bit into the foul monster's hide, splattering the barbarian with blood.  The creature snapped its neck back and sunk its fangs into his arm.  Jeremiah jumped back, hand held to the twin wounds on his forearm.Mazi wasted no time, as soon as she stood up from retrieving her bow she loosed an arrow.  Her aim was remarkable and would have wounded the bat seriously if it hadn't raised a hair's breadth from its position.  The arrow skimmed along its underside, grazing through its hide.  Milo drew back his crossbow string, loading a bolt as quickly as he could.Brigit had drawn her bow as well.  Her shot was not as successful as Mazithra's.  It flew past the huge bat's wings on a downbeat.  She swore and tossed the bow to the ground.  Jeremiah and the bat continued their deadly dance.  They exchanged a flurry of blows, the bat's glistening fangs biting at Jeremiah's sword.  Somehow the huge flying beast made it past Jeremiah's guard.  It pierced his armor at the shoulder and drew more blood.  Jer returned the favor with his sword.  He brought the great blade down on the bat's flank, slicing through the furry hide.Brigit rummaged through her gear and heaved out her waraxe with a satisfied exclamation.  She turned to charge back into the fray.  She noticed the mountain man and guards cowering at the edge of the camp and snorted her disdain before returning her attention to the giant bat.Milo loosed his first crossbow bolt at the creature.  He sighed in disappointment as the bolt bounced harmlessly off the bat's thick hide.  He grabbed his bolts and moved closer for a direct shot.  Mazi suffered a similar problem.  Her arrow grazed the beast's underside again, but no wound trailed the arrowhead.  She grabbed another arrow from her quiver.  Jeremiah slashed at the flying monstrosity a moment too late.  The bat flew in too close and bit down on his other shoulder.  Jeremiah staggered back, bleeding profusely from many wounds.  The bat looked to be about to finish him off.Milo grabbed one of the flasks he always kept handy on the outside of his pack and rushed it to Jeremiah.  The barbarian recognized the vial and immediately downed its contents.  His wounds stopped bleeding immediately and he looked greatly refreshed.  He let out a loud roar and gripped his sword, ready to dispatch the loathsome beast.Brigit moved in and swung her axe.  For the first time she cursed her smaller stature.  It was as if the bat taunted her, flying just inches above her swinging axe.  The bat waited for a pause in her attack and lunged at Jeremiah again.  Its glistening fangs sunk once more into his flesh, this time two puncture wounds in his leg began to bleed.  Mazi sensed a perfect moment to attack as the bat pulled away from its bite.  She drew back hard on her bowstring, ready to plunge the arrow into the bat's heart.  A resounding snap could be heard in the clearing as her string whipped off the top notch.  Her arrow remained in her hand and a bewildered look crept across her face.  She immediately set about rummaging through her pack for her spare string.Meanwhile Jeremiah roared again and charged at the bat before it could rise above the group.  His muscles bunched up around his shoulders as his sword swung down at the huge, le creature.  The blade sliced clean through its hide and didn't stop       until the bat's head was completely severed from its body.  Its heavy corpse fell like a rock to the ground.  Jeremiah stood over the dead bat with his sword tip embedded in the earth.  He was breathing heavily and his wounds were bleeding again.Milo rushed over to Jer and began his chants.  After a couple of healing mantras Jeremiah felt revived and healthy.  Mazi had found that in the confusion the mountain man she distrusted so much lived up to her expectations.  The silver urn they had found that day was gone, as was he.  She muttered under her breath and threw a nasty glare at the remaining caravan guards as if challenging them to flee with any more of their goods.The guards were happy to still be alive and they thanked the party profusely again.  They swore their trustworthiness and promised to keep a low profile if the party would allow them to stay.  Milo saw no problem with the guards, the one he didn't halfway trust had already fled.  He was glad that all the burly mountain man took was the urn.  They had many more valuables that could have gone missing.Brigit hacked off the wings of the great bat and they rolled it out of the clearing.  Milo was half-worried that the carrion may attract other residents of the cursed forest but the party was too tired to move out.  They decided to set up watch again and brave the rest of the night where they were.</blockquote>

Verification