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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Softwind" data-source="post: 1305066" data-attributes="member: 13893">Beasts within the woods, closureTwenty-fifth Session (Jul 03) Brynn takes the lead, followed by Tombit, Athena, and Genoa, with Qonos and Skylar taking the rear.  Cautiously, they follow the tracks into the shadow shrouded brush.  The trail disappears after a few dozen feet, although the signs of claws upon nearby treebark indicate the creatures had taken to the trees.  Brynn quietly states the tracks have been made within the past hour – whoever killed the family leisurely returned to the cover of the woods, fearful of nothing, or so it seems.The hair on the backs of both Karazak and Timber suddenly stands on end, as their heads whip around to stare at something in the trees a few yards away.  Barely sub vocalized growls emerge from each throat, and tails start twitching.  Alerted by this alarming behavior, the party is forewarned as strange puma-like beasts emerge from the trees.  Gaunt, their strange appearance is compounded by a pair of tentacles rising from their shoulder blades.  They are strangely difficult to keep in focus; the Companions’ eyes tend to slide off of the beasts.  Knowing the animal companions would not be upset by something that meant them no ill, the party fans out as the creatures continue to advance.After the first clash, the creatures having taken the measure of the party’s abilities, the two creatures separate and retreat towards trees.  As the party follows to deal with the displacers, a loud crashing is heard – something very large approaches, very fast!  Uprooted vegetation flies as a large, heavily muscled beast emerges from the brush, its gray hide unmarred by the thorns and bushes in its way.  Six eyes take in the party and the treed displacers, and with a roar, it charges.Grimnyr , Qonos and Brynn focus on the gray creature charging them, as Skylar spies one of the displacers and hits it several times with hastily drawn arrows.  Tombit clambers up the other tree, in pursuit of the other.  Athena circles around the large beast to take it from behind.  Genoa, summoning up power from Nature itself, entices a tree to entwine about a displacer.  The thus-trapped creature yowls as more arrows find their mark, easier now that it is no longer mobile.The Halfling finds hitting his target about as difficult as seeing it straight.  Solid blows land on nothing but air.  His opponent suffers no such impediment, as tendril lash at the diminutive monk time and again.  Fairly wounded, Tombit decides to grapple his opponent instead, getting in close to neutralize its advantage.  He succeeds so well that the creature is startled into letting go of its perch, plummeting it and the Halfling towards the ground.  Tombit tumbles off the displacer as they hit, negating the fall, but his opponent is not so lucky.  The sick crunch of breaking bones reaches his ears, eliciting a grin.  The hugely muscled beast fairs about as well against the four arranged against it.  Several telling blows have rained down on the dwarves, but the streams of blood and gaping wounds upon the renderer indicate the battle has not been one sided.  Its eyes constantly look towards the displacers, almost longingly, and as the one Tombit faced falls, it makes to move that direction. This is the last action it takes, as in concert, the dwarves, the elf, and the gnome all land solid hits, killing it.  The treed displacer, unable to dodge the arrows while entwined, parishes under a continual rain of arrows.  Tombit, with the aid of Brynn, finishes the other.  And the battle comes to an end.  For all of its brevity, the party finds themselves fatigued by the combat.  Three bodies behind at the ferry, with three bodies in the woods, bringing balance.  Sorrowed they can do no more than revenge the slain family, they return to the dock and set about burying the dead.  Athena says a few words, calling on Garl Glittergold not tease them too much on their journey to the next life.Having paid their respects, healed and rested a while, the party wonders what else may lay on the road (or river) ahead...</blockquote>

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