[semi-locked] Event Post: In the barrow den.

[traitre]

Who: The four accused Dragonsworn, and anyone they ask to come along.
Where: A barrow den just outside Silverglen Retreat.
When: Variably between May 16th-23rd.
What: A barrow den. Eight foot tall killer bear-men. Dragonsworn on a mission.
Warnings: Inevitably violence. Will update as needed.

[ 1 ]

Nestled away in a shadowy part of the night elven forests is the barrow den Ysiel spoke of. You've been asked to clear it of a horde of furbolgs, and the evidence of their encroachment is obvious even before you set foot past the threshold of the den into its black depths -- pottery is smashed, the trees around it are scored by huge claw marks, the masonry is splattered with mud and blood from what looks like a fresh hunt. Whatever got these creatures into such a rage must be serious, but there's not much time to worry about that now. If the furbolg are allowed to stay in the den so close to the Retreat, it's only a matter of time before they spread to the village. Ysiel and her few warriors are good enough to handle most anything that comes their way, but a furbolg invasion would be pushing it.

Just beyond the ornately-carved doorway the stone path curves down and around, lit only by sporadically-placed lanterns. Only one way to go: deeper.

[ 2 3 ]

Once you reach the den proper, it's clear that the little house above was only the tip of the iceberg. Cavernous is the only way to describe the place; the ceilings are so high that the little lanterns that illuminated the walkway so well before only shine small rings of light below them here, leaving most of the den in darkness. Over the years, the roots of ancient trees have burst through the ceiling and they cast twisted shadows all around the earthen walls. If it isn't for the delicate scrollwork on a supporting arch here or there, it'd be impossible to tell that this place wasn't simply grown straight from the earth. Such is the night elven style.

It's a few hundred yards in before you find your first furbolg. Even dwarfed as it is by the tall ceilings and grand scale of the den, it's clear from afar that this thing is huge: eight feet tall on its hind legs with broad, furred shoulders and massive paws bigger than a man's head. With its paws at its side its claws extend nearly to the ground, practically sharpening themselves on the stone path as they trudge around aimlessly. A dozen or more of the things prowl the hallways leading further underground. Some even have crude weapons: a cleaver, a rusty sword, a gnarled staff. Ysiel had said that these bear-men were reasonable (if reclusive) neighbors before, implying intelligence-- but there's no trace of intelligence in these creatures. They seem to do nothing but stand around, occasionally swiping at the air in a sudden rage or gorging on one of the stag corpses from their recent hunt.

[ 4 5 6 ]

The hallways get steadily more twisted and confusing to navigate as you make your way further down into the den. Dark, cramped passages branch off the main run -- these are empty and practically untouched by the furbolg, and the supplies the elves had kept here are still intact in chests built into little alcoves in the stone walls. It's relatively safe to rest here.

The main passageway eventually opens up into a large, two-storied chamber. A central pillar connected to the main pathway by two staircases overlooks a bottom floor occupied by half a dozen more furbolg-- and what might just be their leader. The bear-man is easily over ten feet tall, eyes like green coals and back and shoulders riddled with elven arrows that look like toothpicks on his hulking mass. He wields a battleaxe in both paws, like the ones the Burning Legion's felguards use.

With the death of this last, monstrous furbolg, the threat to the Retreat is removed. There's nothing left for it but to return to Ysiel with the grisly proof of the beasts' demise.

[ Plotting Post/Questions | Silverglen Retreat Log | Wrap-up Post ]

Comments

[wilder]

[While Zelda and Yugo are hesitant over the ethics of fighting bear-men, Zelos isn't hung up on those qualms. The condition of their little doll house entrance and the behavior of this one certainly showed they weren't of sane minds anymore. And he really wasn't interested in trying to talk down crazed eight foot tall bear people.]

[His glances at his companions and their body language told him what he needed to know, being as observant as he is. Jacques was probably the most experienced of the three and was clearly familiar with his strange looking crossbow. Zelos probably wouldn't have to worry about being covered by long range. Yugo with his tensing gave sign of someone less experienced than Jacques, but he wasn't panicking like a child would, so maybe he wasn't completely inexperienced. It was still hard to say what exactly this kid's skill was - so Zelos was reluctant to feel like he could count on him just yet.]

[Zelda on the other hand....she dressed like a warrior, but he couldn't quite tell if she was worried to be in a cavern to be fighting creatures that were corrupted, or just in battle in general. He should probably try to keep an eye on her to see]

[Good thing she's easy on the eyes, he mused]

[He doesn't voice any of these observations. Instead he returns the nod before facing the bear again. He makes the move to step forward first, with his sword draw but pointed down. He'll give once chance to the furbolg]

Hey! Bear! Got any mind left or do we gotta fight?

[From the roar and charging straight at Zelos, it looks like arguments about whether or not they can reason are out. He brings up his sword to meet the claws to stop them from ripping into him, but he could use some backup]

[yugo]

[Welp, that about does it. Yugo doesn't hesitate to jump in, but he doesn't go straight for a lethal blow just yet.

With a quick movement of his hand, he's gone. He reappears mid-air behind the furbolg and delivers a hard, heavy kick to the bear man's head. Of course, the thing is tough, so it only stuns him for a second before he turns and tries to claw the Eliatrope in half.

Yugo's still fast, though. He tumbles through a portal just in time and reappears ten feet away, hoping that the frustrating dodge tactics are enough to get his party a hit in.]

[ninjacques]

[Sliding his feet into position, Jacques levels his bow gun as Zelos is greeted by the bear's claws. The Hunter doesn't fire off a shot quite yet, watching as the little one vanishes- and then reappears to make his attack. Magic of some kind?

His focus remains on the furbolg once Yugo has vanished again, and the moment he sees an opening he lets an arrow fly. With practiced ease, Jacques loads another arrow to fire, aiming for points that would slow the creature down, especially if it would keep the furbolg from getting a hit on one of his companions.]

[highrules]

[ This is what combat feels like up close, is it? Having witnessed enough of it from the shadows, the concept didn't seem all that difficult. Swing the sword, hit the target, and try to not get blood on her clothing?

So it's a lot more difficult in practice than she imagined. Good to know. For now she'll keep a watchful eye out for her allies and more importantly, for any additional allies. The roaring concerns her, listening to how it echoes all around them. ]

We should prepare ourselves for more for they surely heard that.

[wilder]

[Jacques's shots lands! The furbolg howls as it tries to swipe at Yugo, but the arrows in it slows it down greatly. Zelos takes the chance of the bear being distracted to take a slice to the creature's chest. He can only hope that the bear's anatomy is somewhat close to human anatomy. Still, blood definitely splatters in his direction and anyone near him. Ew.]

Right! Well, we gotta take 'em all out anyway!

[yugo]

[Oh, das nasty. Yugo manages not to get blood all over him, but only barely.

As his back is turned, another furbolg rises up from the tunnel behind him and charges. Yugo bounces right off like a rather inconsequential little bouncy thing.

He smacks into a wood beam pretty hard and ends up stunned on the ground for a moment. His fault for facepulling the patrol, honestly.]

[ninjacques]

[That's not good. Jacques trusts Zelos to finish off the first as he turns his attention to the new furbolg that Yugo's managed to find. He slips out an arrow from another quiver strapped behind him, clasping it carefully before he nocks it into his bow gun.

In the next moment it's sent flying off, glowing a faint green. Should it find its mark, it will start to sprout vines in hopes of slowing if not entangling the furbolg. Hopefully in that it will buy time enough for Yugo to recover, but regardless, Jacques has another (normal) arrow set and fired.]

[wilder]

[Good job Yugo! Zelos looks over at the sound of someone smacking into a wood beam in surprise, but is quickly brought back to attention to the furbolg he's currently handling. The thing is badly injured and doesn't have much more to go- so he'll reach up and stab it in it's throat, half-decapitating it to finish it off]

[Jumping out of the way of the falling bear, he'll look over to check on the kid while Jacques shoots at the patrol]

Yugo! You alright?

[yugo]

[Yugo pulls himself to his knees, and then his feet. He doesn't wobble too much.]

Y-- yeah! I'm fine!

[He's been through worse scrapes than this, but now he's kind of annoyed. He doesn't want to bring anyone down, so he wastes no time getting back into the action. He hops through portals with ease, reappears once more above the enemy, and delivers some serious kicks.

This time, he goes for the eyes. The furbolg roars both from being entangled in roots as well as someone shoving their shoes in his eyeballs.]

Pick on someone your own size, you big jerk!

[ninjacques]

[With all the commotion, it shouldn't be any surprise to find a couple more of the beasts heading in their direction. Jacques keeps an eye on the tunnel once Yugo's back on his feet and kicking- literally.

The Hunter's arrows first arrows sent in the direction of the approaching furbolgs are likewise meant to slow them down, figuring their roars are enough of a head's up to the others of his group.]

[wilder]

[Oh good the kid's alright. The whole portaling thing is pretty weird, but he won't really question it. It seems useful enough. ]

[The roars are definite heads up enough. He jumps over the body of the dead one to meet up with one of the oncoming furbolgs before it has a chance to get over that arrow. This time as he slashes his sword, a strike of fire goes along with it- causing even more injury to it's thick skin. He'll trust Yugo to handle the one he's on]

[yugo]

[As the others handle reinforcements, Yugo continues dodging. The thing is blinded, so it can't really do much-- unless Yugo portals the furbolg's hand and makes it slash itself.

Well, that's unfortunate.

One more kick, and the pat goes down for the count, bleeding unceremoniously. Yugo draws the short sword on his back as he runs to help Kaneis and Jacques.

For a kid, he's definitely strong. So are the others-- that's good.]

[ninjacques]

[The arrows that had halted the furbolgs' rush also glow and sprout long tendrils that wind about at the feet of the creatures to give them something extra to deal with while Zelos attacks.

Jacques takes aim for the other, shooting another of his plain arrows off.]

[wilder]

[Magic arrows, okay sure that's new. Handy though, and he'll take advantage of the furbolg being trapped by tendrils as a chance to move around the bear and stab it in the weak part of it's back. A few more slices and one more goes down for the count- leaving the last bear of the patrol left]

[yugo]

[The kid in the hat tries to handle the last one. Somehow he seems in his element. He tumbles through another portal, reappearing above the furbolg's head again, his sword raised. He brings it down into the beast's face, then readjusts himself and clings to the bear's back to avoid being clawed into ribbons.]

[ninjacques]

[Freshly grown magic arrows. Being Greensworn certainly has its perks.

With Zelos taking the one down, Jacques watches as the Bluesworn boy pops in and out of the area. Though he doesn't look it, he's impressed, but there's time enough for that. As soon as Yugo's moved behind the furbolg, another arrow thuds soundly between the creature's eyes.]

[wilder]

[And with the sword being brought down, and the arrow right between the eyes- the creature falls! Much dead, so kill, wow.]

[And it sounds like no other patrols have noticed this attack just yet, so they have a moment to breath and loot bodies. Zelos glances back at the others]

Well, that was a fun start.

[yugo]

[Yugo shakes the blood off his sword with some disdain, then sheathes it and faces the others.]

Sorry about letting that one get the jump on me. I didn't see him at all. I'll be more careful next time.

[ninjacques]

...there's probably a lot more waiting within.

[Lo, he speaks more than one word! Jacques looks in the direction heading deeper into the caverns before he glances over at Yugo, nodding a little.]

Are you all right?

[wilder]

Yeah, most likely. Sure hope we can keep getting them in small numbers.

[Praise be two whole sentences! But since jacques is covering concern, Zelos just shrugs]

It happens. You were more useful than I thought you'd be.

[.........he swears that was supposed to be nice]

[yugo]

[Whoa, the quiet guy actually said something more than one syllable! Yugo blinks at him, and then his face splits into a grin.] Yep! I'm fine. Thanks for the save, guys.

[As for Zelos, Yugo shifts into brat-mode for sec.]

Hahah! I still have some tricks up my sleeve.

[He steps through a portal and reappears a little ways ahead of the group, peeking over the railing to see if anyone's coming. There's another group of bears down there, but they don't seem to have noticed the commotion. These ones have staves, though it may or may not make a difference in the end.

He returns to the others in a flash.]

There's four more down below us. I don't think there's any way to ambush them from up here, unless you want to drop over the edge.

[ninjacques]

[Nodding again in agreement with Zelos' sentiments, the Hunter looks over as Yugo does his thing. It's not like any sort of rune magic he's familiar with, not that he's ever been an expert in it.

When the boy returns to report his findings, Jacques looks thoughtfully in the direction he had scoped out. He pulls out an arrow, one of the special ones that he could coax to grow.]

...draw them up here? Maybe we can try to split them up.

[wilder]

[Wow brat alert. But at least they have someone who can look ahead. That's useful enough]

We'd probably break some limbs dropping over.

[At least, he's assuming so. He's been sort of overly careful about jumping and drops since becoming human again, just in case.]

Can any of your fancy arrows do something like that? All I got is fire.

[yugo]

We can split them up, no problem.

[As a blue dragonsworn, he has some cool stuff he can do, too. Or, well, one cool thing. The other things he hasn't quite gotten the hang of yet.]

Just say the word and I'll go distract them.

[ninjacques]

[Jacques carefully sets the arrow into his bow gun.]

If you distract them, I can try to trap a couple down there, let the other two come up this way.

[They took two down without too much trouble earlier, at least.]