Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on May 4, 2023 10:34:52 GMT -5
Having completed other tasks, Taki roamed the Expedition camp helping out in whatever small ways she could between practicing her own skills and communing with nature and the spirits of this place. Whatever was stirring up trouble left quite an imprint on the local wildlife as well as the local spirits. She had been trying to gather information during her free time but wasn't making a ton of progress. During one of several regular meetings, the Hunter's Corps was tasked with finding samples and gathering information about their quarry.
Not having an assignment of any kind, Taki volunteered for this particular mission. Hunting and obtaining information about the cause of this calamity before it spread would prove vital to the upcoming battle. Not only did this give them a greater chance of survival, it also meant they could have ample time to adjust tactics and make changes to the emplacements ahead of battle. Despite everything being worked on, she could imagine the immense difficulty of trying to swap ammo, switch defensive positions or otherwise have to improvise during such a battle.
She left her name with the Corps commander to call upon when they had the assignment finalized and went back to her simple tent on the edge of camp. Feeding her companions, she made sure they'd have all they needed while she was away. Yukina would be joining her, but the others were to stay put for this mission. The lost caravans and mutilated prey had her concerned this would be a hunt unlike others she'd experienced, and didn't want to risk their harm.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jun 21, 2023 16:42:48 GMT -5
"It seems we have found each other again. Though...I doubt we will be as lucky to find a civil solution this time." Leandros smiles as he greets Taki, but the smile fades with the second sentence.
Similarly he is only accompanied by Gilder and Theobo, choosing to ask his wife to stay behind for her safety. Someone had to run the estate if he were to pass after all, bit early to consider settling down for heirs. He shakes the thought from his head.
He hadn't been a part of the expedition for long, but it seemed things were moving along well. There was a good amount of command and structure to the entire operation. This wasn't just slapped together like it seemed. Still, it seemed like there was a lot of work left to be done before finding this big troll they were hunting.
That work for Leandros would start with looking for and hunting down some of the smaller ones it seemed. From what he could tell in the dossier, these creatures were not ones to be trifled with. They had a lot of difficult tricks to deal with, regeneration, poisoned blood, and not to mention they seemed pretty savage attackers.
"I am ready when you are."
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 22, 2023 8:56:26 GMT -5
Taki was surprised to see Leandros again, along with Glider and Theobo. She greeted them each in turn, a smile on her face that her company was both familiar and reliable in a fight of any kind. With a final check on her other companions to ensure they had plenty of water and food, she settled her bow across her torso and gave Yukina a nod.
"Let us not waste any time then. It's good to see you all doing well, and yes... you're quite right, this time, we hunt to protect the others and research their ways to better fight our quarry in the future." She said, striding into their midst as the group set out. Yukina called out, a soft screeching sound she understood now was her way of expressing excitement. The shaman had been able to intuit for some time that Yukina and her other companions would all have voices of their own, but she only recently learned how to speak to the owl, and her newest mount. She wondered what the knight might think of Hanehiko or Keiga, and the way she ordered their saddles or rode their backs.
Still, there was a hunt to be had, and such discussions were best done over a meal or after they'd returned. Trolls of any kind would be quite a challenge for many, including the shaman. She'd studied about them a bit since her initiation, and was quite surprised by the amount of diversity and abilities they had developed. This group was one of the few that wasn't well documented, as they seemed to be territorial and excessively violent. Combined with their natural regenerative healing, and a caustic composition in their blood, they were said to be a terrifying foe even when young. She'd made sure to stock up on supplies, and had been meditating for as many hours as she could spare to try and build her spiritual reserves ahead of time. All that was left to do was pick up the trail, and decide on a plan of attack.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jun 22, 2023 17:18:51 GMT -5
"I've learned some about fighting regenerative creatures, though I imagine our tactics are not going to be the same here...a hydra's regeneration is quite specific and as it's a solitary beast, you can overwhelm it.....From the sounds of these trolls, they operate in small packs, meaning they can't just be singled out."
He shares his thoughts as they start to head out from the camp. The trolls offered many different things to consider when fighting, they would be foolish to just treat the as monsters. All the stories he had heard so far showed they were not mindless attackers. There was thought to it, deadly coordination.
The knight kept his eyes forward as the thoughts swirled in his head. Gilder similarly kept close with his own owl up in the skies above to circle for any information. For now the walk seemed quiet, but that likely wouldn't hold for long. Though they traveled through the mesa, there were plenty of places to ambush from if you were creative.
"Feel free to allow myself to take the front, the armor isn't just for show." He smiles softly. "I can take a fair few hits before it is time to worry. Theobo generally handles the flanks while Gilder supports from range as you've seen. For the three of us, creating a focal point with myself helps focus our enemies and prevent us from being overrun. I would be glad to hear how your group works and figure out a plan for all of us."
While he was no scholar, he was well read and trained enough on military history and tacits that battle plans were the easiest thing for him to do.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 22, 2023 18:54:11 GMT -5
Taki nodded, falling back beside Gilder at Lee's suggestion. The group wandered through the Arid Mesa in search of a trail to follow, keeping near trails and pathways where prior attacks had been reported. Supposedly they were attacking mostly in the dwindling evening hours or at night, with strange weapons that were reportedly formed from their own blood.
The group came across the aftermath of a more recent attack on a supply caravan, broken bits of carts and goods littered the area around the path. Together with Gilder's help, the shaman was able to pick up the trail of the trolls. While they were investigating, Yukina rested on a branch above keeping watch for any movement. Once complete, she took wing again and headed off ahead of the group to scout.
The day turned to an overcast afternoon before long, and the group had traversed quite a distance. As the first signs of the evening were falling upon the land, Yukina signalled from a good ways ahead. Circling ahead above a rocky outcropping, the snowy owl had spotted something in the area that she felt worth looking at. Taki signalled for her to return as they approached the area, wanting to keep her close in case there was an ambush awaiting the party. While she had no doubts about their ability to face a threat, Yukina's eyes and magic would give them an edge if they were caught unaware or needed to make a speedy retreat.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jun 25, 2023 22:02:03 GMT -5
Attacking out in the open like this meant these creatures were getting bold. They had spent enough time in hiding and they didn’t feel like doing so any more. That would make them even more dangerous, that desire to hold fast to the freedom they had just recently grabbed. Gods above help those who tried to do that.....right now it was this group.
He keeps a lookout over the horizon from Byrr’s back while Gilder had a much more immediate area to scan. He looks to the path around them looking for any signs of activity. Broken branches of shrubby and some tracks in the sand.....Seemed to be just a coyote chasing a hare.
Theobo sighs, but seeing everyone so focused on the job he steels himself to prevent unnecessary whining. Gilder caught the sign ahead and slowed his approach. He put a hand up to his half of the party to slow them down.
“The owls have a better look than I, but you can see how scarred the path is up ahead, sand road like this is pretty easy to scuff, but that’s something more ahead. Don’t think this is one we can just run in to.”
The knight nods from the back of his horse as he slows to consider Gilder’s words. “I imagine whatever it is has an idea something is coming, but what is coming is another thing.....If you have any tricks of stealth or a way to scatter them from their hiding spaces we can gain an upper hand.”
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 26, 2023 8:15:06 GMT -5
Taki listened to the discussion intently, pondering the idea. On the one hand, stealth was only so useful to them. The creatures' lack of sight meant it had sharp ears and a keen sense of smell. On the other, it could not 'see' a person without the aid of Echolocation, much the way a bat might. There were plenty of sneaking options, but that may alert the pack even faster, someone who hadn't been stealthy suddenly vanishing from the noisome trail would tip off many smart creatures. While in thought, she was fishing through her bag for a treat to give Yukina when she stumbled across something that made her smile in a sly and goofy way. "Well now, stealth might help or harm, but I do have a fine way of startling their attentions to give us the element of surprise." She opens her palm to reveal 5 small, round pebbles of dark grey stone. They look to be cracked or scored across the surface but otherwise unassuming. "These little lads will make an incredibly loud bang when slammed against a surface. We can use these to confuse their sense of hearing and generally disrupt their plans."
She found the treats, down in the bottom of her kit under her many baubles and various tools. Giving the homemade snack bar to her companion, Yukina ruffled her feathers up and scarfed it down in three bites. "Your cooking is wonderful as always, thank you." "You're welcome, would you mind telling me what you saw?" "Three, big, red skinned, carrying crimson weapons. They didn't talk much, just sat around the entrance of a cave grunting. I think they sensed I was around, but couldn't pin down where I was." "That's more information than I could have hoped for, your eyes are incredibly keen dear Yukina, thank you."
Taki relayed the information to the others, and continued to formulate a plan of action.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jun 26, 2023 20:59:36 GMT -5
“If we can scare them out, then Theobo and I can charge while Gilder supports. It won’t win us the battle in a swift move, but it will give us the upper hand by sending them back pedaling immediately. From there it is just a matter of preventing them from slipping from our grasps.”
The scout and squire both nod. Gilder had followed along on enough hunts to know what to do, but Theobo certainly looked a lot less confident. This would be his first big fight with creatures like this. Giant spiders and forest animals were one thing, these trolls were clever and cunning. A thinking enemy was something he hadn’t faced.
“Just stick close to your lord, you’ve seen the spoils of his battles. The Lion of the Landing isn’t going to let you get hurt.” It wasn’t often Gilder shared comforting words, but a long way down the line Theobo was a cousin of sorts. That connection got Theobo his position, so if Theobo died under their watch they would both be in a world of trouble.
The halfling nods after a hard swallow of fear, “I know, this is what I trained for....this will just be pretty scary I imagine.”
“It will be, but that fear is good, it means you won’t be reckless.” Leandros smiles down before looking to the others. “When you are ready.”
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 28, 2023 11:25:36 GMT -5
Taki nodded, finding the plan to be acceptable and simple enough. "I'll do my best to keep them pinned after I flush them out then. See you all soon." She said, her outfit shifting into a nearly black suit that wrapped around and covered everything but her eyes. Slipping into the shadows, her footfalls made no sounds as she approached the area where Yukina had seen the creatures. Carefully, she moved from cover to cover, what little there was in the Mesa. With a hand signal, Yukina took off again from her perch and towards the hiding creatures. When she entered the clearing, she let out a shrill cry that startled and stirred the monsters to action. They flung bloody spears and darts into the sky as she disappeared from the other side of the clearing, near silent in the night sky. As they shook off the strange occurrence, Taki leaned out from her cover and lobbed a pair of the Exploding Pebbles overhead. They struck the trunk of a nearby tree, creating a blinding flash of light and a thunderous sound that filled the clearing.
Even prepared, the sound made her ears ring and spots appear in her vision for a few moments. The trolls had it far worse, clutching their ears and clawing at their scalps to make the ringing stop. It had worked, sort of, as they came screaming and wailing out of the secluded area and into the open. Flailing about from the effect, the group was caught unaware as Ryu appeared behind them. The shaman's Guardian wasn't the most offensive tool, but it's aura was powerful and the caught trolls found out how debilitating it could be. Their movements slowed to a crawl, the bloody scratches and wounds they'd been inflicting were slow to heal. Taki stepped out of her cover, letting out a long and vicious hiss as her shuriken began flying. Each one didn't seem like much more than a large needle sharpened at both ends, but in the Orochi's hands they were a lethal and precise tool. As the four sharp points punched clean holes in soft flesh, the trolls' confusion deepened, one even attacking another who'd mistaken it for the offending projectiles.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jun 29, 2023 19:56:57 GMT -5
Leandros snapped the reins of Byrr sharply and began charging in, hooves kicking up waves of sand as they went. His squire trailed close behind while Gilder hung back with Taki and her crew, arrows sheathed in magical flames[1] already flying in tandem with the Orochi's weapons.
The projectiles while maybe not packing as much of a deadly punch, the stopping power was enough to help out the knight and the halfling. Leandros strikes out with his halberd, the holy blade slashing one across its chest as he passes. Theobo would quickly follow up with his own flame-wreathed blade to stab into its chest and put it down.
A successful first volley, but the trolls weren't pushovers. They may have taken out one, but four still remained and now they had the rage of surprise and loss fueling them. The blood seeping from their wounds did seem to stop, but only for a moment. The sickening magic that fuels these monsters instead pulls the blood into their palms as they form weapons in their hands. Each weapon as wicked as the next as trolls start to beat on their chests in a thumping rhythm.
The sound of the trolls drumming on their chests and bellowing is hard to stand as Theobo and Leandros stand surrounded. It seemed they would try to deafen their opponents if they could as well.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jun 30, 2023 10:16:36 GMT -5
As the thin needles flew back to Taki's hands, she clasped them with her palms and thumbs. Summoning Keta to her side, she let out a long sigh and steadied her concentration. From either side of the trolls, a mound of dirt and stone rose up, roughly the shape and size of a bear. The earthen golems fell upon the outer pair of Trolls with vicious, slamming attacks that drove them into the ground and kept them there. Even as the pair slashed and pounded at the beasts, they would mend themselves from the blows under the greatly enhanced magic of having a guardian at her side.
It was times like this the shaman had to keep her concentration steady, or be overwhelmed by the chaotic state of spiritual magic. While cooperative, like Fae, spirits could be mischievous and had goals of their own. Taki found that working with her newest domain could bring about a burning fury, or an apathetic stony quality to her if she wasn't careful. Focusing the golem's attacks on blunt, heavy blows, she was able to keep the pair locked down as the sound of crunching bones and soft flesh joined their pained howls. While she'd not ventured into the realm of fire magic, she knew there were things even a troll's healing would be too slow for. Shattered bones and bruised organs were not like simple cuts and punctures, they spread the damage across large areas irregularly based on the density of the material. While she was battling the struggling pair with her golems, she observed their behaviors and tactics as much as possible.
The first brandished a crude, stick like club in one hand that was capped with a rough sphere. It bashed and pummeled her golem, leaving dents in the softer parts even as it came crashing down on the creature. The second was fighting with something that looked like a pair of curved daggers, but it's blades kept getting lodged between the rocky chunks of her golem when it would strike. The golems were amazingly tough when combine with her guardians, something she hadn't anticipated and amazed the shaman more and more. While the bear-golems did take some blows from their quarry, they avoided or stopped many more attacks before they could get started. Slamming the weight of their dense bodies into an offending limb usually saw it twist away at an odd angle for several long moments while the creature's body tried it's best to mend.
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jul 1, 2023 21:21:53 GMT -5
What healing the trolls could do was constantly silenced by an arrow. Gilder stuck by Taki, following her golems' attacks. As the stone and rocks battered the trolls, an arrow would stick into an arm or leg cutting off the regeneration as fires blazed on the arrowheads.
"Oh no you don't!" Theobo turned to clip one troll in the leg as it tried to galumph past him and towards the seemingly easier targets. Flames seared the creature's thighs, it turns with a feral strike, a wild fist connecting with Theobo's chin. The troll takes the opportunity to pounce, the halfling, just able to roll behind his shield and put it between its weapon and his body.
Leandros abandons his efforts to not take over the field and allow Theobo to learn for the back up plan of keep Theo alive. He swings his halberd wide, turning his hips with the blow to send a deep laceration down that troll's chest and throw it off Theobo.[1]
"Flee now and tell your king of trolls that the Lion of the Landing is coming for him, or stay here and die as a message to your fellow creatures!" Leandros bellows, his cape fluttering in the tailwinds of his move.[2]
Each troll takes a tenative half-step back, the pause allowing Theobo to scramble to his feet and reset his defenses.
1. Titanic Reach 2. Looming Fear
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jul 1, 2023 21:46:24 GMT -5
With two pinned, Taki unleashed another flurry of shuriken. In pairs, they punctured the top of each troll's skull until only a tiny gleaming spike remained. The pair went silent, twitching and thrashing for a few more moments before finally laying still. She watched in a combination of shock and astonishment as Lee and Theo stood their ground against the remaining three. When Theobo went tumbling, her breath caught in her lungs for a moment. Then Lee made a wide, sweeping strike that sent the offending beast reeling from the force of warrior and steed in unison.
He shouted to them, warning them of the awaiting fates. Each took a partial step back, but held their ground. Her golems came striding into the trio with heavy thuds of their stone paws, before leaping on the backs of the flanking pair and riding them face first into the hard packed ground with a wet thud. One tried to throw it's attacker off, but only succeeded in straining itself. The other golem was cleaved nearly in two by the remaining troll, whose strike also pinned it's brethren to the ground. She watched the golem crumble, hissing under her breath as her shuriken returned to her waiting grasp. Instead of hurling the needle like projectiles again, she made a grasping motion in front of her and grunted with an unseen effort. The ground trembled for just a moment as Ryu moved away from the melee and brought their aura around to aid Lee and Theo.
From below the assaulting troll, a massive pillar of solid crystal punched up from the ground. It tore through the creature and straight out the top of it's body, leaving it impaled and writhing in choked agony as it's poisonous ichor poured down the gleaming shard. One troll pinned by a golem, the other buried in the rubble and impaled by it's now accosted kin remained. Taki felt the startling calm of the earth beneath her feet, her magic and spirit drawn to it's stony call. Now was not the time to be losing herself in the roiling storm that was magic. She tucked the shuriken away in their pouch and stepped into the clearing, her outfit shifting to a minimal top of soft leather straps and matching breeches.
"These ones won't see reason Leandros, they're not like Arcuilas or other magical creatures. I've been studying their attacks, movements... it's very primitive, no less dangerous, but there's no thought to their tactics, only the desire for blood and death, only a reaction to changes without anticipation."
|
|
Noble
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Capitol Landing
622 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Leandros Aurthurian on Jul 2, 2023 10:54:58 GMT -5
The flurry of magic and animated stone made it hard for Theobo to know exactly where to go next. He helped make sure the last few ones left were truly dead. The halfing put his blade through the face of the troll pinned by the golem, pushing his hand against the pommel of his blade to drive it through. The troll that has been impaled is on borrowed time, the arrows in it have kept it from healing and the earth in it won't let the creature reform.
Seeing the battle subsiding, Leandros does relax his stance though his halberd remains drawn and readied. A lion waiting for someone else to challenge it.
"I've learned from you, friend, that I can at least give them the chance. What they choose to do after is beyond my control." Slowly and gradually does his expression soften as the adrenaline fades. Soon, he looks more like the gentle giant he usually is.
Theobo collapses back to sit in the sand, heart still racing. "This is what being a knight is?"
Leandros smiles softly as he comes over to pick the halfling back up by the scruff of his collar and set him on his feet, "This is one small part of it. I admire your desire to protect the others, but remember not to over extend yourself."
"Easy for you to say with how big you are." He huffs.
"Size is part of it, knowing what you can do with your size is the other." He pats the halfling's head, suffusing a little bit of healing magic to lessen the bruises. "How are you Taki? That was a lot of impressive magic, if you're exhausted you can ride Byrr back to town."
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS ONLINE
28
Renown
Crescent Isles
623 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Shitakibo on Jul 2, 2023 11:24:01 GMT -5
"I do appreciate the offer Leandros, but I'm doing quite fine. It's become something of a routine for me to use more magic than that in a shorter span of time when I dedicate time to magical training." Taki said, walking over to the pillar and golem debris. She set her hand against each, and they crumbled to dust and sand. Her remaining golem pushed the carcasses into a pile, or at least what remained of them, as carefully as it could so they could study the remains. While she was no scientist or researcher trained in a big college, Taki nonetheless had her own methods of gaining information from her fallen enemies.
Her outfit shifted again, covering her entire body in what looked to be tarp-like fabric except her eyes and nostrils. She walked over and began examining the remains, jotting notes down as she went on any details she thought might be helpful to the other members. Using her finely crafted shuriken, she pried open gashes, explored the effects of blunt trauma, and any other wounds she could find. As she was doing this, she tried her best to explain her observations to the others along with her methods. Knowledge was something Taki was adamant about sharing, considering that such an idea was loathed by many a state and their leadership. The very idea that someone might know something beyond the scope of their daily life often seemed foreign to the common folk, particularly in small villages that didn't see many travelers. While Taki was no scribe or author, she still did her best to spread the wisdom and understanding she had, in hopes the future would become a brighter, more knowledgable one when she was gone.
After finishing her examination, and dismissing her remaining golem, Taki gathered her things and gave the trolls a simple Last Rites. She shuddered to think about such creatures being animated as a zombie or other undead, and wasn't willing to take such a risk. She clasped her hands together, bowed her head, then signaled to Yukina and fed her a treat after washing her hands in some of the fresh water from her water skin. "Once again, your help has been invaluable and I am grateful that you continue to join me for adventures. It's awesome to see you getting some battle experience Theobo, keep at it. Gilder and Lee, you both struck true and did well keeping your spacing. Shall we go make our report back at camp?"
|
|