Contents:
Huge Bear (played by Tuonoorwen)
Erinstar
Gillhach
Obvious exits:
Northeast leads to Foothills of the Misties - South of Cloudyhead.
South leads to Plains aside the Silverlode.
It is the middle of the day; a sweltering late-summers' day that finds a small encampment on the leeward side of a low hill, here at the feet of the hithaeglir; no wind is up to dispell the sultry heat from the camp... not even a camp really, no fire-pits are laid out, no tents are pitched: a dozen people perhaps, an eagle might espy from high aloft were it to circle, and posess sharp eyes for each is clad in the grey of Lorien, the grey that hides the wearer from prying eyes. Such cannot be hidden though: on long-set poles are hung many a dead deer, primarily does and all from the ragged plains where they herd in the north and east, gathered in days past no doubt. And such is evidence of the purpose of this sortie: they hunt, and this is but a brief respite.
A large stone rolls down the slope, then hits a rock and bounces high in the air, showering the ground around you with rough-edged shards. Dry branches crack under someone's heavy steps. Something is moving up there, in the shrubs which blanket the hillside, and it's not concerned about stealth at all.
Erinstar sits upon the ground with his back resting up against a largish boulder, his longbow laid out beside him as he sips at a wineflask. At the sudden disturbance, however, he leaps to his feet, tucking away the flask quickly as he picks up his bow, scanning the nearby hilltops worriedly.
Gillhach hefts her bow from its spot nestled about her back and moves it to her hands in a ready stance.
A huge head pokes through the gap between the shrubs and disappears again, only to show up few steps further, where the brush gets thinner. Through the gaps in the foliage you can see a large bear, cautiously feeling its way down the uncertain slope. His paws slide as the pebbles roll from under them, and more than once it almost loses its footing when a larger rock, unseated by the beeasts weight, is sent tumbling down.
The bear breaks through the last of the shrub barrier and is now in the clear. Thorns and broken off branches are stuck in its patchy coat. It makes few more steps downhill, and you can see clearly that it is limping slightly. What could have made this old bear to climb the threacherous slopes? The bear sniffs the air, and looks around hungrily. Perhaps, down in the valley its younger cousins have beaten him to every kill. If so, he will not last long hunting on those slopes.
Erinstar nocks a greyfeathered arrow to his bowstring as he sights the great beast, looking over to Gillhach for confirmation...
In calm repose, Gillhach; that one who led the party hither was laid musing. But she stirrs, footfalls she heard, followed closely by the rock, a surety of a passing thing up aloft; with bow to hand, she rises. Seeing the bear, she gasps a breath and hastily makes signals for a mustering of arms, egress would come to late, and surely would the bear follow tirelessly; bowstrings tense in answer to her order, and the huntress signals the first volley, that the beast be stopped 'ere it reach the company.
The air moves, and the bear seem to have spied the hunters. He lowers his head, the massive forehead bone protecting him now like a shield. With his paws set wider and his eyes filling with red, he trudges downhill, slowly at first, then faster and faster as he is close enough to see the encampment, not just smell it. He must see that two elves are standing at the side of the camp, a bit closer to the mountain then everyone else. It will not be long before the others can join them, and the heavy beast is almost rolling downhill now, his tired paws not able to carry him fast enough for his hunger.
Gillhach launches an arrow...
Gillhach's arrow flies wide, doing no harm.
Erinstar nods sharply, refocusing his gazing on the bear and letting fly his arrow, almost recklessly, before taking cover behind his boulder to reload.
Erinstar launches an arrow...
Erinstar's arrow flies wide, doing no harm.
Both arrows are aimed squarely at the beast's chest, but at the last moment a log he was holding onto gives way, and the massive body slams into the moth-covered ground under the hill just as the arrows strike sparks out of the stony slope. The bear raises to his paws almost at once, but is still sazed by the fall.
You forego your chance to attack.
Erinstar nocks another arrow swiftly, pausing to listen for a moment before popping up over the top of his rock and taking careful aim once again. Once more he looses an arrow, sending it whistling through the still, humid air towards its target.
As the bear barrels downhill, old and grey though it may be; meat it knows, by smell and now at last by sight. Since others still have yet to stirr to the defence, and both Herald and Huntress've had no luck with darts already loosed; with a motion of a hand she makes to move away, leaving the pole-hung deer to the bear, and space enough for archers to move to vantages anew. "He is old!" She cries, "But do not think he cannot harm us... we must end this one swiftly... for our sakes and his. 'twould be a mercy on him." With that, she nocks another dart to her bow.
Gillhach launches an arrow...
Ow! You've been injured for 2 hp's by the bowshot.
ARB: Please RP this injury accordingly.
Erinstar launches an arrow...
Ow! You've been injured for 5 hp's by the bowshot.
ARB: Please RP this injury accordingly.
Huge Bear regains his balance and eyes the Elves hungrily. His paws set wide, his head low, protecting almost all of his body, he swings from side to side, advancing in his attack posture. The arrow grazes his forehead, then the second slices through his soft ear. Fresh blood trickles down along his fur, but he only growls louder, from pain or hunger, then suddenly charges ahead. He must have forced every efford from his old worn out muscles, but in one moment, the huge gaping maw breathes smell of blood into Erinstar's face. The bear swings his paw. almost lurching himself at his target.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Erinstar!
Your attack against Erinstar badly wounds him!
Erinstar is knocked back like a rag doll, the bear's great claws ripping through his tunic to thrash the chain mail shirt beneath, sending little metal links flying. The herald tumbles backwards a few times as he connects loudly with the ground, his bow flying out of his hands limply. He staggers to his feet quickly, blood seeping out of the gaping hole in his armor as he fumbles for his longsword, freeing it from the sheath at his hip and placing it between himself and the advancing beast dazedly, taking a half-hearted swing at it, if only to drive it back.
<OOC> The Bear is @emitted by Gillhach from now on, its attacks are coded.
Erinstar wields Longsword.
Erinstar attacks Huge Bear with his Longsword, but he misses by a mile.
Huge Bear bellows out a mighty roar.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Erinstar!
Huge Bear badly wounds him!
Erinstar is knocked back like a rag doll, the bear's great claws ripping through his tunic to thrash the chain mail shirt beneath, sending little metal links flying. The herald tumbles backwards a few times as he connects loudly with the ground, his bow flying out of his hands limply. He staggers to his feet quickly, blood seeping out of the gaping hole in his armor as he fumbles for his longsword, freeing it from the sheath at his hip and placing it between himself and the advancing beast dazedly, taking a half-hearted swing at it, if only to drive it back.
As Erinstar falls, mauled by the fell black bear; struck once, twice. Pitted terribly and bleeding, his armour in tatters of blood-soaked chain; all the arrows of all those gathered roundabout the lumbering beast are come to naught on its thick hide, so Gillhach takes up a sword; the ice-blue steel of it glitters as the huntress comes up behind the bear, and deals a desperate stroke upon a thick set leg; as might a wolf, she nips upon its flank that she might rend its hamstring.
Gillhach attacks Huge Bear with her longsword, but she misses by a handspan.
Huge Bear stares at Gillhach with his bloodshot eyes.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Gillhach!
Huge Bear mildly wounds her!
Its sword-like claws twice sheathed in the flesh of the herald, the bear does not abate in its pursuit; or might not, but the ring of drawn steel upon its flank is a distraction, and the great beast wheels itself about to counter the new threat there; with a ragged roar, it bears its teeth and swings a mighty paw at the huntress.
Erinstar staggers backwards dazedly as he is mauled once again, placing a hand over his stomach with his free hand, the blood oozing out between his fingers as he winces in pain. Seeing the bear turn upon the Huntress is enough for him though, and he lets forth a roar rivaling that of the beast as he flies forward, his blade gleaming in the sunlight as he drives at its flank.
Erinstar attacks Huge Bear with his Longsword, but he misses by an arm's length.
Huge Bear stares at Erinstar with his bloodshot eyes.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Erinstar!
Huge Bear terribly wounds him!
It is enough for Gillhach to see the bear abandon its assault on Erinstar; and as the bear turns on her, the Huntress leaps away... not before the flat of the claw-decked paw intended to rend her flesh sends her bodily off her feet, with the ugly crack of ribs to accompany her fall; winded, she lays stricken for a time, and cannot come to aid the herald as he's borne down upon the third time. She struggles to her feet, and attacks the bear again, with all the strength she has remaining, she makes to hamstring the beast again...
Gillhach attacks Huge Bear with her longsword and badly wounds him!
Huge Bear bellows out a mighty roar.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Gillhach!
Huge Bear lightly wounds her!
Talia comes up towards you from the south...
Talia has arrived.
Talia quickly draws her longsword.
Talia slips her arm through the straps on the back of her shield, taking a defensive stance.
Erinstar drops to his knees weakly, his longsword gripped tightly in one white-knuckled hand, his other holding his guts in place as he bleeds profusely from several massive gashes across his chest. He stares sightlessly at the bear, blood trickling from his lips slowly...
The sharp slant of the afternoon sun throw a long shadow across the plains in the shape of the tall Knight-Protector, ancient mithril blade in hand. She moves towards the bear and her kin without a pause.
As elven steel rends the flesh of it, doing grievous harm: the muscle and tendon of the bears' right hindquarter is shored; the beast howls its agony, the leg now is limp and useless, but still it wheels and buffets the huntress that dealt the mighty stroke about the head with one of its great claw-filled paws, Gillhachs' form flies limp and lifeless, sprawled upon the ground.
As her sister falls, Talia wastes not a moment more and rushes at the bear, sword raised. Talia attacks Huge Bear with her Longsword and badly wounds him!
Huge Bear bellows out a mighty roar.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Talia!
Huge Bear's attack misses Talia.
From the far distance, Tauran noches a arrow, as he draws back the tang on his worn longbow. Brant Alagos flexes ready to strike a bolt into the air. A piercing *twang* can be heard in the air, as a feathered blur flys throughout the air, flying onward towards its mark.
Tauran launches an arrow...
Tauran's bowshot hits Huge Bear, badly wounding him.
Huge Bear bellows out a mighty roar.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Tauran!
Huge Bear severely wounds him!
Tauran's bow is knocked out of his hand!
Talia leaps backwards out of the way of the swipe of the crippled bear. She seems undaunted by his size and some strange light in her eyes suggests that she may actually be enjoying herself. She sidesteps and makes another swing as the bear makes for the squire.
Talia attacks Huge Bear with her Longsword and badly wounds him!
Huge Bear stares at Talia with his bloodshot eyes.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Talia!
Huge Bear's attack misses Talia.
As the great bear covers the short distance between Tauran, a mighty paw swings at Tauran's mid section slicing with bloody fury. Tauran drops to the ground badly wounded, as the bears attention is again diverted to Talia. Staggering to his feet, Tauran readies another arrow. WIth his last bit of strength, Tauran draws back the longbow for a shot. A arrow flys into the air, as Tauran can only watch and pray it finds its mark.
Tauran picks up a worn longbow, beaten and battered with time.
Tauran launches an arrow...
Tauran's bowshot hits Huge Bear, severely wounding him.
Huge Bear bellows out a mighty roar.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Tauran!
Huge Bear badly wounds him!
Erinstar is dragged forcefully back into reality as he watches the bear knock the huntress back, and he lets forth a cry of rage, staggering to his feet as he throughs every last ounce of strength he has into a final charge...
The bears paw strikes Tauran with devestating fury. Tauran falls to the ground yet again. Draped over his worn longbow, he scrathes at the ground. Kicking and flinging himself with the last bit of fleeting strength. His right hand, resting upon the longbow, he dares not move least draw the bears attention upon him again.
Erinstar furiously attacks Huge Bear with his Longsword and terribly wounds him!
Huge Bear stares at Erinstar with his bloodshot eyes.
Huge Bear roars in anger and swings a mighty paw at Erinstar!
Erinstar collapses to the ground, defeated by Huge Bear!
Once, twice, thrice is the great bear pitted; fully twice it answers the strokes of Talias' sword, but finds not her flesh that he might sheathe his claws in it; e'en with a lamed hind-quarter, the ancient beast makes towards the other then, the archer: and for each arrow he opens up a mighty rent in the bachelors' armour... but his loping is slowed, his breathing ragged as his life blood pours out from his wounds. The deer that lured him hither, strung up on theircuring poles seemed such easy pickings...
Erinstar drives his blade deep into the bear with all his might, and is knocked back once again, blood spraying from his wounds as he hits the ground once again, unconscious, his sword still buried into the beast...
Drawling the last of failed strength, Tauran rises only to a knee. Grasping his longbow with a blood drenched hand, he draws the last of his strength into the tang. A sharp snap of the longbow, and a bolt is loose in the air, the mark being the back of the bear as it mangles Erinstar.
As the air is filled with the resounding sound of Talia's dear friend, the herald, hitting the ground, the Protector cries out in rage. At full speed she makes a run for the bear, the tip of her blade aiming for it's chest, to make the final blow.
Huge Bear collapses to the ground, defeated by Talia!
Huge Bear draws his last breath.
Its dinner snatched from 'neath its snout, cheated, stricken to the last the great black bear topples; so long it had wandered alone, tired and aged through what would doubtless be its last year, hungry for days unnumbered; with its last, failing breath it ends the Herald, then slumps onto the blood-soaked turf.
Talia stands tall over the fallen bear, her shadow cast over it by the last rays of the failing sun. She breathes heavily, still holding her sword up in a defensive manner. Satisfied at last that the bear will stand no more, the Protector turns away and surveys the rest of the blood covered company.