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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Softwind" data-source="post: 1270902" data-attributes="member: 13893">Need input!!Nineteeth Session (Part 2)Their retreat is undisturbed, save for a rumbling, as if within the bones of the mountain itself.  “’Quake” states Brynn simply.  “A fair ways from here, but big enough for us to feel.”  They find another elevator to ascend on, and return to the outside.  Karazak and Timber appear from the trees down slope, muzzles bloody, showing that they have fed well recently.  They glance towards the horses, seeming to verify that the beasts are okay, before rejoining Brynn and Genoa. “Did I just see that?” Athena wonders out loud.  “Nah, they were just looking around, I’m sure.”  Nonetheless, she occasionally glances over at the two animals with a contemplative look.  Tombit busies himself starting a cook fire, hungrily thinking of warm food, especially pie.  The rest of the group, after assuring themselves that the horses are okay and cared for,  settle around the fire, enjoying the warmth of the crackling flames.  They are unable to get satisfactorily warm before they are disturbed. Crashing through the trees and underbrush, the interloper is revealed to be of giant proportions, its huge shoulders supporting not one but two heads.  In its hands, it carries two clubs, each appearing to be either a large branch or small tree.  It stops upon spotting the party, and then its two heads begin arguing. “Smash” says one, pointing to the party up the hill.  “Crush,” says the other.“Smash!” insists the first head.  “Crush!!” retorts the second.  “SMASH!”  “CRRRUSH!!!” “Die,” Grimnyr states, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly as he swings his dwarven battle axe at the ettin.  The abrupt pain focuses the giant’s attention, and Grimnyr is caught between the two clubs as they meet with him in the middle.  “Smash!” says one head in satisfaction.  “Crush,” the other agrees. Further words are forestalled, as the Companions rush to their dwarven friend’s aid.  Skylar blinds one head with well-placed shafts, and Tombit’s fists pummel the wounded head into unconsciousness.  The giant’s aim with its now off-hand seems hindered until the remaining head regains control of that side of the body.  This avails it little, as strike after strike falls upon the ettin, causing it to bleed freely from multiple wounds.  With strength diminishing, it tries to run after discovering these opponents to be stronger than anticipated.  It crashes to the ground, dead, before it can take a second step away. Breathing heavy, the party examines the corpse, taking the little treasure it carried – a few unpolished gems, and some coin, presumably taken from travelers in the area.  The animal companions help drag the body to the forest edge, where the denizens therein would dispose of it shortly.  Tired, the party returns to the campfire. Fitfully, they doze off, only to be awakened by Skylar, who had taken first watch.  “We’ve got company again,” she whispers to the Companions as she moves from person to person. She points up slope, to several multi-legged forms moving in the shadows.  A sound not unlike that heard within the mines comes to their ears – chitin!  Having taken the precaution of wearing their armor as they slept, the party is ready for the assault when it comes.  What they did not expect was the humanoid creature accompanying the large spiders, an ettercap. Having never seen or even hearing of this strange monster, they were surprised by its initial attack, in the form of a sticky web appearing about and on top of the party.  Tombit avoids the effect by tumbling out of the area.  Brynn, Grimnyr, and Genoa are not so lucky, as the strands hold them fast.  Skylar and Athena stand far enough away to not be contained in the targeted area.  They take advantage of their freedom, and engage the enemy. The large spiders being the closest, the Companions focus their attacks there, as the ettercap slowly makes its way towards them.  Skylar puts her bow to good use in delaying the creature’s advance, allowing her party members to dispatch the spiders.  The webbing does cause some concern, as those stuck within it find their effectiveness in combat curtailed, and their danger heightened. The battle tide is always on the side of the adventurers however, as the ettercap learns much too late to save its life.  With the death of the spiders and their master accomplished, the entangled Companions are released from their sticky prison.  Time is spent cleaning their gear, weapons, and clothing of the adhesive material, before the group settles once more into rest.   In the early morning, just before dawn, the party once more is awoken by activity within the forest below them.  More than one adventurer grumbles about the constant onslaught of disturbances; trouble seems to always dog their steps, no matter where they roam.  Their complaints aside, they waste little time in gearing up for the next encounter. From the coverage of the trees rolls a bizarre creature.  An ape-like head supported off the ground by a series of arms and hands, with no visible torso or legs.  Blue-purple fur covers the head and arms, leaving the grey skinned hands free of cover.  All of the limbs are involved in locomotion of the creature as it nears the party.  With a shock, Tombit realizes what they face.   As a wee Halfling, his dam and sire had regaled him and his siblings with tales of the “boogieman”.  A mythical creature (or so they thought) that snatches away bad little Halflings, carrying them away, never to be seen again!   After a moment of freezing in fear, he remembers that he is no longer a wee Halfling, and is indeed a brave adventurer!  While the creature advances, he moves out to meet it halfway.  His companions follow behind, with Skylar bringing up the rear.  The opening move of the combat is her typical response to any threat.  Shoot first, ask questions later.  Or, in many cases, shoot second and third.  While some of the arrows find purchase in the tangle of limbs, the creature seems to contemptuously pluck the shafts out and toss them away, its attention solely on Tombit. It is hard to say who is surprised more when Tombit reaches the creature and attacks with his Flurry of Blows.  Fist, elbow, knees, head – all are used in the attack.  And many of the blows are blocked by the ever moving limbs of the blue-furred creature.  Its return attack seems to grasp only air as Tombit ducks and weaves between flailing arms.  This interplay allows the rest of the party to arrive in order to attack. The boogieman, able to defend itself against one Halfling has a harder time with several dwarves wielding sharp blades, a gnome with a mace, and the attacks of the animal companions, recently returned from the woods.  Heavily injured, with blood pouring out of savaged limbs and torn face, many limbs hanging limply, the creature tries to flee, only to be downed by a series of vicious open-handed attacks from the Halfling. Tombit poses a moment upon the corpse in classic hero-victory stance, before unsheathing his dagger to collect “trophies”.  “Just wait until Bombit sees this!” he exclaims, before the realization that she and his other siblings are still missing causes his jubilant attitude to fade.  “Sigh.  That is, when we find her again.”  His team mates console him, and as is his wont, he quickly cheers up.  His mood isn’t dampened much by the rest of the party moving upwind from him and his trophies, the stench of which is enough to drive off even the animal companions. Due to the series of attacks, the ranger and druid request their cat and wolf stay in camp the rest of the night, to better serve their friends, should something more occur before the sun arises.  They agree, and the remainder of the night passes without incident.  The two animals seem to shrug, “What was the point” to each other the next morning, as they watch the activity in camp as the party wakes up.  The Companions move slowly, tired from the night’s interruptions, and decides to spend part of the day outside the mines, rather than immediately returning to their task. Athena and Genoa spend some time hunting for medicinal plants and roots to supplement their first aid kits, as well as loading up on berries and nuts to add to their larder.  Genoa instructs Athena on some of the finer points of wilderness lore, and Athena reciprocates with tips on healing; application of poultices, proper treatment and coverage of wounds, and how to purge a body of poison or toxin.  They enjoy the time away from the rest of the group, pleased to be able to relax a bit, and enjoy the surroundings. Back at camp, Brynn and Grimnyr tend to their weapons, returning a good edge to axe and sword.  They swap stories of past battles, as well as tossing back ale pulled from deep within a pack.  Skylar prepares more wooden shafts for arrow crafting, while Tombit looks on, one hand idly playing with a hank of “boogieman” hair hung at his waist.  As the party comes together again, when the sun makes its way to the far horizon, their discussion turns to dreams experienced the night before; and they are astonished to find that at some point, they had all had the same dream!</blockquote>

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