Twisted Lands (xivvix)

[Tassadar]

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

For years she had helped protect her forest home from mortal invaders. Now she had heard of a dark portal, spilling forth demons from another world. She had heard tales of such portals, and the great evils which they unleashed upon the world and the corruption they brought to the land around them.

So she made her way to the town of Artmirst, moving through the woods, skirting the edge of the lone peak which marked the town. She saw the tops of the humans machines above the treetops, and knew that she'd be there soon.

Elea paused, seeing what looked like a bear moving through the woods up ahead.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Moving swiftly through the Badarian forests, so like the wilds of her homeland, it hadn't been until she first started to see signs of civilization that Elea realized how close she was getting to her goal. The unnatural shapes of the strange machinery in the distance, the acrid smell of ash, and the eery absence of normal forest noise only served to remind her of the danger she was now in. Without thinking about it, she instinctively worked to hide herself in the nearby brush, aware that the locals would find her presence unwelcome. Still, she had come here for a purpose, to see if there was some way to halt any advance of the strange otherworldly powers that were flooding into this area, before she needed to do so for her own lands. With a hand on the hilt of her sword, she softly moved forward into the area around Artmirst.

When she happened across the figure in the woods, she was already in an alert state. While the figure appeared to be a bear, Elea had heard tales of demonic influences changing the natural wildlife into something different. The creature ahead could confirm to the ranger whether demons really were at work in this area. Keeping low to the ground and moving as silently as possible, Elea headed closer to the bear-like figure in the distance.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

Stealth: Success

Elea cautiously moves toward the creature, moving silently through the woods. She gets to within 20 feet of the beast before stopping, her acute senses easily able to make out the large beast as it stands in the center of a clearing. It seems quite agitated, and she can sense that something else is wrong with the beast as it paces around the clearing, growling. She sees several lumps on its fur, as though something is growing there. Suddenly it stops pacing, and Elea realizes that she is upwind of it, and though it doesn't know exactly where she is, it knows that someone else is nearby.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Looking over the creature and studying it's behavior, Elea has no choice but to conclude that something strange had affected it. It pained her to admit to herself that she had no idea of any way to help the poor creature. She was no druid or wizard. The only thing she could do for it was to end it's misery.

As the ranger pulled the bow from her back, she paused as the creature seemed to notice something amiss. 'Of course. The wind,' Elea thought, 'How could I be so foolish?' Chiding herself for forgetting one of the basic lessons of hunting in her haste to inspect the creature, Elea slowly and carefully finished drawing the bow, thankful that she had thought to string it earlier. She knocked an arrow and took aim for the creature, hoping to hit a vital point. "Return to the earth and complete the cycle, noble beast," she said softly, just before letting the arrow fly.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

To-hit: 4 + 34 = 38 vs 20 = hit.
Damage: 1 + 15 - 2 = 14 x 2 = 28 damage damage.

The arrow strikes the bear directly in the shoulder, but fails to penetrate its thick hide deep enough to strike the beasts heart. The creature roars in fury and charges in Eleas direction, moving with surprising speed. It's within arms reach by the time she is able to react, only five feat away.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

"Damn!" she yells, pulling her short sword. A normal bear is no animal to be trifled with, and this one has been infected with some kind of demonic taint. As the huge beast thunders towards her, Elea ducks low, hoping to swipe at its underbelly and roll away before it has a chance to use it's claws.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

To-hit: 16 + 36 = 52 vs 20 = hit
Damage: 2 + 10 -2 = 10 damage.

Eleas swipe at the beasts belly easily penetrates its hide, spilling the poor creatures guts onto the ground. It collapses, bleeding badly, and quickly expires.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Elea spends a few moments staring at the beast while catching her breath. That was a close call. After calming down, she wipes the blade of her sword on the bear's flank, cleaning the blood off. Kneeling down next to the felled beast, Elea looks it over, wondering just what the strange lumps on its fur were. Some kind of sickness? Or something worse?

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

Elea is unable to identify what the strange marks might be, though some of them seem to have grown long and thin, like the tentacles of an odd sea creature she had seen once.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Unable to glean any information from the growths, Elea stands and retrieves her bow, slinging it over her shoulder. Something was wrong with the beast, but she would have to investigate further to find answers. Searching the forest blindly was likely to reveal nothing, as well as put her in further danger from any other affected creatures. "This bear is all the evidence I have," she mused to herself, "I must make use of it."

Instead of striking off randomly, Elea searched the clearing. The bear had been pacing back and forth, which made the ground a mess of trampled plants and dirt. If she looked hard enough however, Elea was sure she could find the creatures tracks, telling her which direction it had come to the clearing from. With that knowledge, she could begin begin searching the forest for anything that might have caused the creatures transformation.

(search for the bear's tracks and follow them)

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

Perception: Failure.

Try as she might, Elea is unable to find where the bears tracks enter or leave the clearing, as the creature seems to have entered and left the area several times. It was all a mess, with trails leading a few feet into the brush before doubling back.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

"Damn." Picking up a pebble and hurling it across the clearing, Elea stands and shakes her head. All her training and she can't find a bear's tracks. Not being one to linger purposelessly, the elf decided that since so many rumors about the portal had named Artmirst as the disturbance's center, her best bet may be to head closer to town. With that thought in mind, Elea struck off in the direction of the town, moving quickly, but still attempting to conceal herself. Towns, especially Badarian ones, were not something she had much experience with, so before heading into the town, the ranger would try to learn what she could from the edge of the forest.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

Eleas further travels through the woods are uneventful, running into nothing save a rabbit. Eventually she reaches the bank of the river bordering the Eastern side of the town, seeing a bridge to her South and surrounded by hills.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Not noticing anything on her way through the woods put Elea somewhat at ease. Perhaps the reality of the situation is not as bad as stories would make it seem? With this thought in mind, she heads towards the bridge.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

As Elea moves through the woods, she spots a figure moving over the bridge, but is still too far away to make out any details about it. After a half an hour of walking she reaches the road, and steps out onto the bridge.

(Since I forgot, Elea gains 2 Experience.)

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Moving quickly, but cautiously, Elea steps out and begins to cross the bridge. The human structure is far too exposed for her to truly take cover, though she does try to stay low while crossing it. As she moves, she looks around, trying to spot the figure who crossed the bridge, or anything else that might give her an idea of how she can deal with the demonic influence.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

Elea quickly crosses the bridge, and takes cover behind an abandoned food stand sitting on the edge of the bridge. She spots a street sign, indicating that to her left she'd be heading toward the factories and slums, to her right would take her to the docks, and straight ahead would take her down the main road of the town. She can find no trace of the figure she saw, though there are many marks indicating passage in various directions.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Looking off in the directions indicated, Elea grimaces at the thought of approaching the human factories, the foul structures seeming as unpleasant as the corruption that had driven the bear mad. The alien architecture would also prove to be a problem for her to navigate, and being lost in this strange place was not something she wanted. Likewise, the main road into town could prove problematic. Humans always build their towns with twisting and turning roads, seemingly without reason. The docks, too, were an uninviting choice, the elven ranger having never had much cause to board a ship.

Finally, Elea decides to head to the docks. Any surviving humans might try fleeing by way of ship, and she might find the figure heading that way. Additionally, the demonic influence could have come into the town by way of trading vessel. The water itself could even prove a means for herself to escape should she need to. Leaving her cover behind the food stand, Elea heads down the road to the right, still keeping her eyes open for the figure she had seen earlier.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Spoiler

Eleas Status HP = 43, P = 33, EP = 36

Stealth Check: Success
Perception Check: Success

Elea proceeds down the street to her right, heading toward the docks. She moves from cover to cover, using trees or bushes whenever possible, but hiding behind stone walls and small buildings when it became necessary. This part of the town was mostly small housing and warehouses, so the going was slow and difficult. As she hides behind a bush, she spots a pair of humanoid figures exiting a small house. They had gray skin, sharp teeth and claws, long lanky legs, and torsos of thick rippling muscle. She guessed that they must be some kind of demons.

They hadn't spotted her yet, and she could fire on them from her current position if she wished. Or she could just as easily let them pass her by.

 

[xivvix]

Re: Twisted Lands (xivvix)

Not just a single demon, but a pair. Though Elea had never encountered these otherworldly beings herself, she had heard stories of their terrible strength and hardy bodies. Instinctively, she drew her bow and notched an arrow. This would be a difficult fight, but every demon destroyed is one less to terrorize the world. Fighting back the urge to rush into a fight, Elea instead breathed in deeply, and concentrated her mind. She imagined herself becoming faster, more agile, with better control of her body. Within seconds she could feel her body responding to the unconscious command, her muscles twitching slightly before coming under her control. Finally breathing out, she looked over at the demons once again, to sight in on her targets.

(use Blessing with X = 4)