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RJ: In a camp, somewhere in the frozen wastelands... There was a group of humans gathered to celebrate the coming of age of a certain girl named Kavika. She established herself as a woman with exceptional skills with a bow, and was taught by her mother, often called a daredevil, to be a hunter. Deadly with a bow, able to kill most normal creatures in one shot, Kavika was raised to be a woman who belonged to no man as a mere prize for him to boast. "A strong woman, a proud woman...!" announced the voice of Kavika's mother, Medici, who was boasting about her daughter as the very woman of current fame awoke, and emerged from her tent. "That... Is my daughter."
Tass: Seated in the center of the ceremonial circle, garbed in the very same ceremonial armor once worn by her mother with her weapons laid out before her, Kavika had to force herself to retain the stoic expression that was expected of her. Medici, her mother and one of the most respected of her tribe, had bestowed her faith in her young daughter, and after years of hunting and training, slaying all manner of dangerous beasts that shared their icy homeland, she was ready to take the rite of passage necessary for all of her tribe to rise to adulthood. She had hunted wolves and elk, bears and buffalo, and now she was set to hunt the greatest of beasts; a great boar. "Mother.... I am a strong woman, a proud woman," she recited solemnly, "I require no man to defend me, and this day I will prove it!"
RJ: "Just like her mother!" A rugged man cheered, holding up a mug of ale. "Aye, a fine woman indeed! Will take a man as great as her father to earn her affection!" a man who had an eye for Kavika announced. Then, seeing her daughter, Medici came forth, and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "This is it, Kavika... This is where I can no longer say I'm proud of you. After this hunt, all of the pride will belong to you." her mother said with a wide smile.
Tass: Kavika kept her face stoic, holding back her smile and her blush even in these solemn moments as her mother approached, placing her hands upon the shoulders of the virgin huntress. "I will earn the trust you have shown in me, and prove myself worthy of my pride!" Kavika replied, her voice still solemn, though now she allowed a hint of eagerness and ferocity to sink into it as well.
RJ: Men and women alike cheered for Kavika, clapping their hands, before her mother pointed out of the environmental shelter near a flowing current and towards the winter plains. "Then go! Slay the boar that claimed two men, and a woman, our warriors! Kill the beast and bring us it's mighty corpse!"
Tass: "Yes!" Kavika cried exhuberantly, taking up her weapons and then saying; "I will slay the beast! I will see it broken before me! I will avenge our honored dead, and return with its corpse, its hide, and its strength! For the good of the Frostborn!" And, with that, Kavika would proudly depart for the hunting grounds, where the great boar waited.
RJ: Traveling from the camp, everyone wished her good luck, and one man even shouted, "If ya fail, I'll take ya into my hands!" he announced, before Medici silenced him with an elbow to the stomach. Making her way out... The true challenge before her was braving the cold. Her warm coat did her good, but her eyes hurt from the rapid blowing winds, snow flowing all around her. The terrain was not flat by any means, but it was certainly windy. It's structure was like a canyon, large and with complex makeup. It was perfect for a massive beast to hunt. The snow eventually calmed down, and the clouds cleared. Heat began to gather in Kavika's coat, allowing her to unwind a little and be less wary of the chill. A little further, the sun moving from dawn to early morning, she spotted boar tracks... But these were small. They were not the prey she sought.
Tass: Kavika was familair with tundra, and wrapped her fur scarf around her neck. She squinted her eyes to limit their exposure to the chill, but kept herself straight-backed as a proud warrior should, even in the face of the chill wind. The flow of the snows brought her to a familair sort of peace, the violence inherent in her task a portion of it that she was inherently prepared for. She had slain the beasts of the wild since she was only a girl, barely hold enough to hold a bow. Now she would lay low the greatest beast that the tundra had to offer, in terrain that favored the beast itself no less, and return to her tribe triumphant. She was sure of it! As the sunlight and the terrain conspired to lessen the cold that washed over her, Kavika spotted the tracks of a lesser beast. She knew that it wasn't the boar that she sought, but the greater beasts often formed groups around them, and it was possible that the creature that had left these was still nearby. >>
Tass: Taking careful stock of the area, Kavika ensured first that no other beasts were lying in wait, the huntress slowly crept forth to examine the tracks, trying to determine how old they were and how far the boar might have gone. (Sneaky, perceptiony, derpy)
RJ: Kavika looked all around, but only spotted birds that flew silently above. There was nothing but the tracks, and no other beasts to be seen. She followed them, and eventually learned that the tracks were boars traveling single file. Eventually, she discovered that there were two. As soon as she saw this in the snow, she heard a crude snorting that could belong to no other beast but a pig. Pigs couldn't survive in this landscape, so it was no doubt their cousin, a boar. They cared not for their safety or discretion, their snorts could be heard a long ways away. It would have been a blessing if the winter terrain was truly flat, as they'd stand no chance. However, Kavika did see alternatives. >>
RJ: A log was laying on top of a hill, no doubt overlooking where the boars were. They seemed to be keeping to thinner areas of the tundra canyon, so as to avoid larger predators. As well, there seemed to be a climbable side of the tundra canyon off to the side, leading up to a cliff that overlooked the circular location, and it's two thin entrances. There was no log to hide behind up there. So easily spotted she'd be... But also out of reach. The boars weren't without their ability to climb however, so it wasn't a free ticket to success, as it were.
Tass: Following the tracks, Kavika found two of the great beasts, grazing amidst the snow in a thinner area of the canyon. Hiding and surveying her surroundings, Kavika briefly considered her options, noting both the log atop the hill and the cliff overlooking the section in which the boars waited. The latter offered a better vantage point and a steep climb, but was very exposed and would leave her escape if cornered, while the former offered cover and a bit of an open area in case she needed to escape. She didn't have to kill these two, however, and while she might normally have downed a boar in a heartbeat, Kavika knew that she wouldn't be able to take a lesser kill back to her village. To slay them now would be wasteful, and so she carefully crept up to the section with the log, hoping she'd be able to see something else from there.
RJ: Up she made her way, quiet, and out of view. Up to the log she came, and peeked over it. Two boars were together, laying in the snow. Their fur was white, allowing them to blend in with the snow, but a key feature that gave them away was their glowing red eyes. Kavika would have seen this before, as these creatures were no doubt warped by some magic into giving them an awful appearance. They looked about their little, supposed safe haven, as if bored, occasionally snorting, sometimes at the snow. Within the circle, Kavika would spot a hint of larger tracks... Her eyes would catch the sight immediately. No doubt, the great boar was here. And no doubt, there was a lair nearby which the boars all stayed together in, especially during the night when it became far too cold, and they must use their body heat to keep each other warm. Despite the presence of the larger tracks, these two boars were in the way, and they looked very faded. There was a good chance she'd have difficulty finding it's lair...
Tass: The sight of the pale boars with glowing red eyes caused Kavika a moment of annoyance, knowing that the beasts had been fouled by unnatural magics made them far less useful to her tribe. Killing such creatures was not wasteful, but rather a boon to the natural world, but as she looked beyond them to their tracks. There was likely a lair nearby, with who knows how many their were. There were larger tracks there, likely the beast that she sought, but they were faded, likely difficult to follow. She would need to get one of the corrupted beasts to lead her to its lair.... Drawing forth an arrow, Kavika slowly knocked it and took aim at the nearer of the beasts, her breath slowing as she used their eyes as a point of reference to find the creature's heart. One would die, and hopefully the other would run. (Sneak attack, Deadly Aim for 10, one shot.)
RJ: She rose slowly, just enough to line up her shot. The boars didn't react at all. She was hidden to them. This allowed her all the time in the world to line up her shot. When she found her mark, the beast's heart just under it's leg, she fired, and her arrow struck true. It's hide stood no chance, and didn't save it's life as it didn't even have the chance to squeal. The other boar, startled, made one quick motion. It looked, saw Kavika, and immediately turned, and bolted for it's life. As she might have suspected, it ran exactly along the faded tracks, creating new, fresh tracks for her to follow.
Tass: Kavika watched the beast go, allowing it to flee as she recovered from her shot, waiting and listening in case another creature should come forth. None did, and after a few moments she would creep down and retrieve her arrow before following after the fleeing boar, trying to remain as quiet and as well hidden as she could.
RJ: The boar made good distance, and was gone from her sight the moment it rounded a corner, and beyond. Further travel she made, following the tracks along the side of a tall, rocky foundation, and upwards along a tall hill, which overlooked a good deal of the land, and a large, open flat area within the canyon, one she might have dreamed of before. There, she saw the fleeing boar rush towards what seemed like a cave entrance, where several other boars, five counting the frightened boar, were sleeping. They awoke upon it's arrival, and seemed equally startled, before they seemed to understand that there was a threat nearby. Rising up, and snorting into the air, the pack of four boars began to mobilize, and spread out among the open plains. they looked angry, quite angry, and it wasn't too long before the frightened one seemed to regain it's bold attitude and joined it's kin in search for the human threat.
RJ: There seemed no way to reach the cave without being in plain sight, though there just might be another entrance to the large cave she could see around the tundra. Another entrance might be more of a gamble, but on the other hand, on such a high cliff, she could scale the rocky foundation that surrounded the open area, and fire at the boars from above. Far from sight, she'd have a massive range advantage.
RJ: On such a high hill*
Tass: One boar became five, and a scowl arrose on the barbarian woman's face. That was a difficult battle, one that would require more strategy to deal with than she'd needed before. Taking a quick glance around, she spotted the cliff and smiled... It was her best bet, and would give her a massive range advantage and a clear field of fire. Climbing up as quickly and unobtrusively as she could, Kavika was like a mountain cat as she scaled the cliff, and when she was at the top she took aim at the nearest of the beasts. (Rapid shot for 5 arrows total, grand total of -16 attack and -4 damage. Deadly Aim for 10, so +10 attack/damage. Sneak attack if able, if not that's fine. Attack each Boar once with a barbed arrow, causing them to take 1d10 damage per round until they are magically healed or somehow remove the arrows and bandage the wound.)
RJ: She climbed, and scaled the rocks. The boar's searching eyes did not find her, even as she reached the top, where she had the true advantage of the high ground. She fired her arrows quickly, letting each fly from her bow in rapid succession. Such a skill was hard to use, and it showed. The wind betrayed her, and carried three arrows off to do no more than alert three far boars to her presence. She was skilled, no doubt, but she was no master of the bow like her mother. Still, her training paid off enough, and two arrows caught closer boars. At first they ran, but it didn't last long as they tried to give chase after their spotted threat before they fell to the snow, dead. The remaining three charged rapidly, quickly heading towards the hill, where they would scale after her.
Tass: Her shots were good to her eyes, but such quick shots could cause problems when the winds were strong, as they were now. Two boars went down, charging for a time before their blood emptied into their bodies, while the other three charged on. The other three charged forth, well aware of her now, and with three of her more precious arrows lost she knew that it was time to open fire again. (Fire four shots total, deadly aim 10, shoot two boars twice apiece. Hold the line until the end!)
RJ: The Boars, one-hundred and fifty feet away, moved so fast. She fired all of her arrows, and each shot was so damned close. Foul winds, as if sent by some evil supernatural force to condemn her, suddenly attacked her arrows and pushed them so that they would miss the running boars. Not a single arrow hit, and the boars ran across the valley and up to the hill, where they were eager to follow her up the rocky terrain. Fortunately, they'd be slowed, but in no time they'd be upon her... Calculating the distance... They got no closer than before, merely went 'round in order to scale the cliff. one-fifty away... Though now they were slow, shots would be easier.
Tass: Kavika scowled darkly as the winds tore her arrows aside, and then waited to fire again until the boars were closer. The rough terrain near the base of the bluff on which she stood became rougher and more dangerous. Taking aim, she opened fire once more, again aiming two arrows apiece at two of the approacing boars. (Same thing, now with masterwork arrows for +4 attack/damage!)
RJ: The boars were reckless. They didn't care about whether her arrows hit them, and it was clear she was seeking to punish them for that line of thought. The first boar might have lived if it was hit with a lesser arrow, but her masterwork tips ended that creature for good. The next came, and she was ready for it too. The first arrow struck right in it's noggin, and the next hit it's shoulder. Sad thing was that it was still hanging on. A boot would finish the job in it's condition. The boar's climbed, snorting at Kavika as they climbed, climbing closer and closer. No wind could interfere now, but this was her last chance. They cleared the climb, and were on solid ground again.
Tass: Dipping into her superior arrows no more, Kavika fired one shot to finish off the badly injured creature before turning and firing another three at the last of the beasts. She had spent many of her arrows already, but if she could just eliminate the beasts she might be able to retrieve some before dealing with her true quarry. No winds would interfere with her now, but the beasts were practically on top of her now, putting her in great danger if she couldn't deal with them quickly.... (4 shots with regular arrows, one on mister wounded and the other three on the last guy. Again with the deadly aim, it's like a record on repeat
)
RJ: The first boar fell with a final arrow, but when she turned her attention to the last boar, she found that this one was clever. He learned how to fight her, and that made him quite a threat. He moved, dodged, and seemed to be ever so wary of her arrows. He'd be slower coming to her, but he just might make it alive, and claim her as his prize. She fired her first arrow, the boar quickly ditched to the side, it's hairs grazed by her projectile. The next was one he couldn't avoid, which she compensated for his altered momentum, and caught him square in the middle. Her last fired, the deciding moment came. He leapped at her, seeking to crush her, and in that split second, she felt that critical moment come. She rose her bow, aimed her arrow, and let it fly.
RJ: The boar crashed into her, slamming her down into the snow...
RJ: But... It'd do nothing else. It was dead.
Tass: The breath was knocked from Kavika's lungs as the boar slammed into her, but the goreing tusks and thrashing hooves that would spell her end never came, the inoccent girl unaware of the beast's real intentions. She'd missed, once, even at that range, but in the end that hadn't mattered, as the beast was now dead on top of her. Giving herself a few moments to recover, the huntress gaped in air and grinned like a schoolgirl, glad to be alive for a few long moments. Only when the chill of the snow beneath her and the weight of the dead boar became particularly uncomfortable did she extricate herself, readying herself mentally for the final battle with the great beast.
RJ: In her morale high, Kavika was celebrated only by her own voice and breathing, and the snow washing against her. The boars laid there, dead, until she decided to move. Collecting her arrows, two of her masterwork had broken off in the bones of the boars, and two more broke, her barbed arrows that hit nothing but the stone underneath the snow. Five dead boars, and one more to be. She had been fortunate thus far, but luck as they say, eventually runs out. The boars she had killed, few made more than a wheeze, but the one she wounded made a nasty squeal. In answer to that, she heard a deep snort of something mighty that she could readily guess. Picking up her last barbed arrow, there it was, a good two hundred feet away: the great boar. Huge, intimidating, and sure as hell angry, it slowly turned it's head, looking at all of it's dead children, before he reared itself back on it's back legs, and let forth a squeal that communicated to Kavika that it was not pleased.
Tass: Collecting her arrows, Kavika replaced those she found whole in her quivers and took the heads and fletchings of the others, before the sound of a great snort from the cave followed by the death squeal of one of the wounded boars signaled the beginning of the true battle. The boar was, unsurprisingly, humongous, its footsteps crashing thunderously into the ground. She had slain its children, and was no longer up on the safety of the cliffside where she was more difficult to reach. She had only distance to protect her now, and though it would be more difficult to hit and wouldn't allow her to aim as effectively, Kavika knew that that distance would have to be preserved. She started backwards as fast as she could go, moving to the side and forcing the beast to curve its path as well, as she unleashed a pair of barbed arrows at the great beast. As she moved, the huntress searched the terrain for an advantage, something that she could use to slow or stumble the beast. (Move back and slightly to the s
ide, two shots with barbed arrows to hopefully make it bleed out some.)
RJ: Moving and firing, and at that distance, Kavika struggled slightly. The boar's size wasn't quite that easy to point at such a distance, but two arrows she fired regardless as the boar charged, squealing with anger. It covered the whole distance, it's larger frame allowing it to move much faster, in longer strides due to it's legs. Her first arrow missed, but as it rapidly drew closer, her second arrow hit. (32 damage). It was so terrible with it's speed, and there was nowhere for Kavika to go with her current position in the wide open valley. She could fire once more, but the beast would quickly be upon her, and he looked quite ready for anything she'd try to throw at him.
RJ: (4 Bleeding damage)
Tass: Seated in the center of the ceremonial circle, garbed in the very same ceremonial armor once worn by her mother with her weapons laid out before her, Kavika had to force herself to retain the stoic expression that was expected of her. Medici, her mother and one of the most respected of her tribe, had bestowed her faith in her young daughter, and after years of hunting and training, slaying all manner of dangerous beasts that shared their icy homeland, she was ready to take the rite of passage necessary for all of her tribe to rise to adulthood. She had hunted wolves and elk, bears and buffalo, and now she was set to hunt the greatest of beasts; a great boar. "Mother.... I am a strong woman, a proud woman," she recited solemnly, "I require no man to defend me, and this day I will prove it!"
RJ: "Just like her mother!" A rugged man cheered, holding up a mug of ale. "Aye, a fine woman indeed! Will take a man as great as her father to earn her affection!" a man who had an eye for Kavika announced. Then, seeing her daughter, Medici came forth, and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "This is it, Kavika... This is where I can no longer say I'm proud of you. After this hunt, all of the pride will belong to you." her mother said with a wide smile.
Tass: Kavika kept her face stoic, holding back her smile and her blush even in these solemn moments as her mother approached, placing her hands upon the shoulders of the virgin huntress. "I will earn the trust you have shown in me, and prove myself worthy of my pride!" Kavika replied, her voice still solemn, though now she allowed a hint of eagerness and ferocity to sink into it as well.
RJ: Men and women alike cheered for Kavika, clapping their hands, before her mother pointed out of the environmental shelter near a flowing current and towards the winter plains. "Then go! Slay the boar that claimed two men, and a woman, our warriors! Kill the beast and bring us it's mighty corpse!"
Tass: "Yes!" Kavika cried exhuberantly, taking up her weapons and then saying; "I will slay the beast! I will see it broken before me! I will avenge our honored dead, and return with its corpse, its hide, and its strength! For the good of the Frostborn!" And, with that, Kavika would proudly depart for the hunting grounds, where the great boar waited.
RJ: Traveling from the camp, everyone wished her good luck, and one man even shouted, "If ya fail, I'll take ya into my hands!" he announced, before Medici silenced him with an elbow to the stomach. Making her way out... The true challenge before her was braving the cold. Her warm coat did her good, but her eyes hurt from the rapid blowing winds, snow flowing all around her. The terrain was not flat by any means, but it was certainly windy. It's structure was like a canyon, large and with complex makeup. It was perfect for a massive beast to hunt. The snow eventually calmed down, and the clouds cleared. Heat began to gather in Kavika's coat, allowing her to unwind a little and be less wary of the chill. A little further, the sun moving from dawn to early morning, she spotted boar tracks... But these were small. They were not the prey she sought.
Tass: Kavika was familair with tundra, and wrapped her fur scarf around her neck. She squinted her eyes to limit their exposure to the chill, but kept herself straight-backed as a proud warrior should, even in the face of the chill wind. The flow of the snows brought her to a familair sort of peace, the violence inherent in her task a portion of it that she was inherently prepared for. She had slain the beasts of the wild since she was only a girl, barely hold enough to hold a bow. Now she would lay low the greatest beast that the tundra had to offer, in terrain that favored the beast itself no less, and return to her tribe triumphant. She was sure of it! As the sunlight and the terrain conspired to lessen the cold that washed over her, Kavika spotted the tracks of a lesser beast. She knew that it wasn't the boar that she sought, but the greater beasts often formed groups around them, and it was possible that the creature that had left these was still nearby. >>
Tass: Taking careful stock of the area, Kavika ensured first that no other beasts were lying in wait, the huntress slowly crept forth to examine the tracks, trying to determine how old they were and how far the boar might have gone. (Sneaky, perceptiony, derpy)
RJ: Kavika looked all around, but only spotted birds that flew silently above. There was nothing but the tracks, and no other beasts to be seen. She followed them, and eventually learned that the tracks were boars traveling single file. Eventually, she discovered that there were two. As soon as she saw this in the snow, she heard a crude snorting that could belong to no other beast but a pig. Pigs couldn't survive in this landscape, so it was no doubt their cousin, a boar. They cared not for their safety or discretion, their snorts could be heard a long ways away. It would have been a blessing if the winter terrain was truly flat, as they'd stand no chance. However, Kavika did see alternatives. >>
RJ: A log was laying on top of a hill, no doubt overlooking where the boars were. They seemed to be keeping to thinner areas of the tundra canyon, so as to avoid larger predators. As well, there seemed to be a climbable side of the tundra canyon off to the side, leading up to a cliff that overlooked the circular location, and it's two thin entrances. There was no log to hide behind up there. So easily spotted she'd be... But also out of reach. The boars weren't without their ability to climb however, so it wasn't a free ticket to success, as it were.
Tass: Following the tracks, Kavika found two of the great beasts, grazing amidst the snow in a thinner area of the canyon. Hiding and surveying her surroundings, Kavika briefly considered her options, noting both the log atop the hill and the cliff overlooking the section in which the boars waited. The latter offered a better vantage point and a steep climb, but was very exposed and would leave her escape if cornered, while the former offered cover and a bit of an open area in case she needed to escape. She didn't have to kill these two, however, and while she might normally have downed a boar in a heartbeat, Kavika knew that she wouldn't be able to take a lesser kill back to her village. To slay them now would be wasteful, and so she carefully crept up to the section with the log, hoping she'd be able to see something else from there.
RJ: Up she made her way, quiet, and out of view. Up to the log she came, and peeked over it. Two boars were together, laying in the snow. Their fur was white, allowing them to blend in with the snow, but a key feature that gave them away was their glowing red eyes. Kavika would have seen this before, as these creatures were no doubt warped by some magic into giving them an awful appearance. They looked about their little, supposed safe haven, as if bored, occasionally snorting, sometimes at the snow. Within the circle, Kavika would spot a hint of larger tracks... Her eyes would catch the sight immediately. No doubt, the great boar was here. And no doubt, there was a lair nearby which the boars all stayed together in, especially during the night when it became far too cold, and they must use their body heat to keep each other warm. Despite the presence of the larger tracks, these two boars were in the way, and they looked very faded. There was a good chance she'd have difficulty finding it's lair...
Tass: The sight of the pale boars with glowing red eyes caused Kavika a moment of annoyance, knowing that the beasts had been fouled by unnatural magics made them far less useful to her tribe. Killing such creatures was not wasteful, but rather a boon to the natural world, but as she looked beyond them to their tracks. There was likely a lair nearby, with who knows how many their were. There were larger tracks there, likely the beast that she sought, but they were faded, likely difficult to follow. She would need to get one of the corrupted beasts to lead her to its lair.... Drawing forth an arrow, Kavika slowly knocked it and took aim at the nearer of the beasts, her breath slowing as she used their eyes as a point of reference to find the creature's heart. One would die, and hopefully the other would run. (Sneak attack, Deadly Aim for 10, one shot.)
RJ: She rose slowly, just enough to line up her shot. The boars didn't react at all. She was hidden to them. This allowed her all the time in the world to line up her shot. When she found her mark, the beast's heart just under it's leg, she fired, and her arrow struck true. It's hide stood no chance, and didn't save it's life as it didn't even have the chance to squeal. The other boar, startled, made one quick motion. It looked, saw Kavika, and immediately turned, and bolted for it's life. As she might have suspected, it ran exactly along the faded tracks, creating new, fresh tracks for her to follow.
Tass: Kavika watched the beast go, allowing it to flee as she recovered from her shot, waiting and listening in case another creature should come forth. None did, and after a few moments she would creep down and retrieve her arrow before following after the fleeing boar, trying to remain as quiet and as well hidden as she could.
RJ: The boar made good distance, and was gone from her sight the moment it rounded a corner, and beyond. Further travel she made, following the tracks along the side of a tall, rocky foundation, and upwards along a tall hill, which overlooked a good deal of the land, and a large, open flat area within the canyon, one she might have dreamed of before. There, she saw the fleeing boar rush towards what seemed like a cave entrance, where several other boars, five counting the frightened boar, were sleeping. They awoke upon it's arrival, and seemed equally startled, before they seemed to understand that there was a threat nearby. Rising up, and snorting into the air, the pack of four boars began to mobilize, and spread out among the open plains. they looked angry, quite angry, and it wasn't too long before the frightened one seemed to regain it's bold attitude and joined it's kin in search for the human threat.
RJ: There seemed no way to reach the cave without being in plain sight, though there just might be another entrance to the large cave she could see around the tundra. Another entrance might be more of a gamble, but on the other hand, on such a high cliff, she could scale the rocky foundation that surrounded the open area, and fire at the boars from above. Far from sight, she'd have a massive range advantage.
RJ: On such a high hill*
Tass: One boar became five, and a scowl arrose on the barbarian woman's face. That was a difficult battle, one that would require more strategy to deal with than she'd needed before. Taking a quick glance around, she spotted the cliff and smiled... It was her best bet, and would give her a massive range advantage and a clear field of fire. Climbing up as quickly and unobtrusively as she could, Kavika was like a mountain cat as she scaled the cliff, and when she was at the top she took aim at the nearest of the beasts. (Rapid shot for 5 arrows total, grand total of -16 attack and -4 damage. Deadly Aim for 10, so +10 attack/damage. Sneak attack if able, if not that's fine. Attack each Boar once with a barbed arrow, causing them to take 1d10 damage per round until they are magically healed or somehow remove the arrows and bandage the wound.)
RJ: She climbed, and scaled the rocks. The boar's searching eyes did not find her, even as she reached the top, where she had the true advantage of the high ground. She fired her arrows quickly, letting each fly from her bow in rapid succession. Such a skill was hard to use, and it showed. The wind betrayed her, and carried three arrows off to do no more than alert three far boars to her presence. She was skilled, no doubt, but she was no master of the bow like her mother. Still, her training paid off enough, and two arrows caught closer boars. At first they ran, but it didn't last long as they tried to give chase after their spotted threat before they fell to the snow, dead. The remaining three charged rapidly, quickly heading towards the hill, where they would scale after her.
Tass: Her shots were good to her eyes, but such quick shots could cause problems when the winds were strong, as they were now. Two boars went down, charging for a time before their blood emptied into their bodies, while the other three charged on. The other three charged forth, well aware of her now, and with three of her more precious arrows lost she knew that it was time to open fire again. (Fire four shots total, deadly aim 10, shoot two boars twice apiece. Hold the line until the end!)
RJ: The Boars, one-hundred and fifty feet away, moved so fast. She fired all of her arrows, and each shot was so damned close. Foul winds, as if sent by some evil supernatural force to condemn her, suddenly attacked her arrows and pushed them so that they would miss the running boars. Not a single arrow hit, and the boars ran across the valley and up to the hill, where they were eager to follow her up the rocky terrain. Fortunately, they'd be slowed, but in no time they'd be upon her... Calculating the distance... They got no closer than before, merely went 'round in order to scale the cliff. one-fifty away... Though now they were slow, shots would be easier.
Tass: Kavika scowled darkly as the winds tore her arrows aside, and then waited to fire again until the boars were closer. The rough terrain near the base of the bluff on which she stood became rougher and more dangerous. Taking aim, she opened fire once more, again aiming two arrows apiece at two of the approacing boars. (Same thing, now with masterwork arrows for +4 attack/damage!)
RJ: The boars were reckless. They didn't care about whether her arrows hit them, and it was clear she was seeking to punish them for that line of thought. The first boar might have lived if it was hit with a lesser arrow, but her masterwork tips ended that creature for good. The next came, and she was ready for it too. The first arrow struck right in it's noggin, and the next hit it's shoulder. Sad thing was that it was still hanging on. A boot would finish the job in it's condition. The boar's climbed, snorting at Kavika as they climbed, climbing closer and closer. No wind could interfere now, but this was her last chance. They cleared the climb, and were on solid ground again.
Tass: Dipping into her superior arrows no more, Kavika fired one shot to finish off the badly injured creature before turning and firing another three at the last of the beasts. She had spent many of her arrows already, but if she could just eliminate the beasts she might be able to retrieve some before dealing with her true quarry. No winds would interfere with her now, but the beasts were practically on top of her now, putting her in great danger if she couldn't deal with them quickly.... (4 shots with regular arrows, one on mister wounded and the other three on the last guy. Again with the deadly aim, it's like a record on repeat
RJ: The first boar fell with a final arrow, but when she turned her attention to the last boar, she found that this one was clever. He learned how to fight her, and that made him quite a threat. He moved, dodged, and seemed to be ever so wary of her arrows. He'd be slower coming to her, but he just might make it alive, and claim her as his prize. She fired her first arrow, the boar quickly ditched to the side, it's hairs grazed by her projectile. The next was one he couldn't avoid, which she compensated for his altered momentum, and caught him square in the middle. Her last fired, the deciding moment came. He leapped at her, seeking to crush her, and in that split second, she felt that critical moment come. She rose her bow, aimed her arrow, and let it fly.
RJ: The boar crashed into her, slamming her down into the snow...
RJ: But... It'd do nothing else. It was dead.
Tass: The breath was knocked from Kavika's lungs as the boar slammed into her, but the goreing tusks and thrashing hooves that would spell her end never came, the inoccent girl unaware of the beast's real intentions. She'd missed, once, even at that range, but in the end that hadn't mattered, as the beast was now dead on top of her. Giving herself a few moments to recover, the huntress gaped in air and grinned like a schoolgirl, glad to be alive for a few long moments. Only when the chill of the snow beneath her and the weight of the dead boar became particularly uncomfortable did she extricate herself, readying herself mentally for the final battle with the great beast.
RJ: In her morale high, Kavika was celebrated only by her own voice and breathing, and the snow washing against her. The boars laid there, dead, until she decided to move. Collecting her arrows, two of her masterwork had broken off in the bones of the boars, and two more broke, her barbed arrows that hit nothing but the stone underneath the snow. Five dead boars, and one more to be. She had been fortunate thus far, but luck as they say, eventually runs out. The boars she had killed, few made more than a wheeze, but the one she wounded made a nasty squeal. In answer to that, she heard a deep snort of something mighty that she could readily guess. Picking up her last barbed arrow, there it was, a good two hundred feet away: the great boar. Huge, intimidating, and sure as hell angry, it slowly turned it's head, looking at all of it's dead children, before he reared itself back on it's back legs, and let forth a squeal that communicated to Kavika that it was not pleased.
Tass: Collecting her arrows, Kavika replaced those she found whole in her quivers and took the heads and fletchings of the others, before the sound of a great snort from the cave followed by the death squeal of one of the wounded boars signaled the beginning of the true battle. The boar was, unsurprisingly, humongous, its footsteps crashing thunderously into the ground. She had slain its children, and was no longer up on the safety of the cliffside where she was more difficult to reach. She had only distance to protect her now, and though it would be more difficult to hit and wouldn't allow her to aim as effectively, Kavika knew that that distance would have to be preserved. She started backwards as fast as she could go, moving to the side and forcing the beast to curve its path as well, as she unleashed a pair of barbed arrows at the great beast. As she moved, the huntress searched the terrain for an advantage, something that she could use to slow or stumble the beast. (Move back and slightly to the s
ide, two shots with barbed arrows to hopefully make it bleed out some.)
RJ: Moving and firing, and at that distance, Kavika struggled slightly. The boar's size wasn't quite that easy to point at such a distance, but two arrows she fired regardless as the boar charged, squealing with anger. It covered the whole distance, it's larger frame allowing it to move much faster, in longer strides due to it's legs. Her first arrow missed, but as it rapidly drew closer, her second arrow hit. (32 damage). It was so terrible with it's speed, and there was nowhere for Kavika to go with her current position in the wide open valley. She could fire once more, but the beast would quickly be upon her, and he looked quite ready for anything she'd try to throw at him.
RJ: (4 Bleeding damage)