• PM To Join • [Sweetwine Woods] Into The Woods We Go (Hunting Party)

[Kali'rial]

The sound coming off the not-deer was unlike anything the Sev'ryn could ever remember hearing, an otherworldly scream that mingled with the glowing red eyes and fangs of the creature to further embed the demonic flavour of the beast. The brunette had taken too long watching Pash move, and as a result had not killed the creature but caused it a great deal of suffering. Regardless of how monsterous the not-deer was, it was still a living being.

"Bäbbän!" She cursed in Xanthean, berating herself as she drew another arrow and nocked it, furious for being distracted by the Biqaj. When in the whole of her life had she been distracted during the crux of a hunt? Frowning, she took a deep breath whilst aiming again at the screaming not-deer's mouth. If she could get this through, it might pierce the creatures soft pallet and bring it down.

On the other side of her, Talilah's scream made her stomach turn. She couldn't turn to look yet, not yet, but the brunette could see movement out of the corner of her eye and Pash yelling. Damn! Damn!

Breathing out and letting the arrow go with a smooth release, Kali then allowed herself a second to look over, heart sinking at the glimpse of the scene before her. Bear was down, the last not-deer goring him whilst Pash struggled to pull the beast up to give Talilah a clean shot.

Moseke, let her make it. Please don't let her miss. She thought, heart in her throat as she saw gnashing fangs and flailing horns and blood. A lot of blood. The coppery smell made her feel something awful. Almost panicky.

"Help them Baya!" The brunette yelled, grabbing the Tunawa on her shoulder and throwing her at the direction of the trio, even as she dropped her bow and began to run towards her own not-deer. If her arrow hadn't done the trick, the huntress had already pulled her hunting knife in readiness to plunge the point into an eye or temple to end its suffering. Her periwinkle eyes watched the sharp horns carefully, jaw clenched as she ignored the screams behind her. She had to trust Pash and Baya could help the red haired duo.

Immortal's, what a horrific mess.

[Baya]

If Baya had screamed as just a distraction before, her next was pure terror. The deer were…they were worse than pirates! Or maybe the same. What sort of hunting was this?! Why in the name of Moseke would you want to hunt?! Hunting was horrible! And the screaming, her own, the small big ones, the big big ones. So much screaming

And though it had been the Tunawas offer to help she had no idea what to think when Kali threw her. As she flew through the air their was spots of color and Kali with her own deer and felt a sharp stab of panic, now Kali was alone!

“No!”

But there was nothing for her to do for Kali anymore, any help Baya may or may not have offered her was gone as she shot towards the group. When she landed in the fray she realized how little thought out the plan was. Aside from the awkward panic of her scrabbling at the deers face she hadn’t expected the wiggly and sudden worm in her stomach. The feeling of ill that crept up that had nothing to do with the blood. She couldn’t hurt the deer. She couldn’t hurt it the way it was hurt them. She didn’t want to help with this but…

But the sapling was crying. And there was blood. Baya closed her eyes and felt for the deer eyes, if she could, she had too. She had too. “Moseke forgive me, I don’t mean to. I don’t know what to do.”

The Tunawa would plunge her hands into the deer face, its eyes specifically. Aside from the worm, a rock settled in her gut that said she’d gouge them out if she could, if it’d help. Whatever would make the deer let the big one go. If that wouldn’t work she’d try to rip of its ears, as a last resort Baya could even go in its mouth, claw at it from the inside out. As the Tunawa struggled to make use of her tiny frame in the fight she couldn’t help the small hiccup of fear that came out as a strangled sob. She didn’t like this at all.

[Pegasus]

Sweetwine Woods

Pash charged at the (not) deer which was attempting to marmalise Bear, shouting to Talilah as he did so. He grabbed for the antlers which were currently making Bear's life very difficult and, potentially, an awful lot shorter and he attempted to wrestle the thing. By the time he'd told them to shoot the thing, they had acted already, but his struggle meant that his focus was complete.

Damn it all, the thing was strong.

Like. Unnaturally strong. So, Pash grabbed it ('grabbing the oh-deer by the horns' becoming, in that moment, a new phrase among the inhabitants of Scalvoris) and he dug his feet in and he pitted his strength against it. It was a mighty battle for approximately one tenth of a trill and then he lost. And it tossed him like a child. Like he himself might fling a rag doll.

Or, like Kali might fling Baya. Make that... like Kali did.

Before she did that, she took another shot and, in taking that shot Kali felled the screaming not-deer. Which left them just one and that one looked mightily naffed off. Glowing red eyes helped, of course, and the foaming mouth didn't hurt any, either.

And Baya flew towards it. Now, the poor little Tunawa was not having a good time and, frankly, neither was Talilah, but as Baya landed on the not-deer, Talilah took her shot. It had to be said, considering what she was seeing and hearing, the young girl was a trooper. She took her shot and Baya didn't need to keep her eyes closed any more because suddenly she was on the floor and there was not-deer-head on top of her (dead not-deer) and not-deer blood pouring all around her.

So, two of the erstwhile hunters got to experience flight that trial. Neither of them had wings and it wasn't entirely fun for either. Pash, by virtue of pure luck (not the good kind) got thrown against one of the trees and he felt all the air leave his body as he crashed against the trunk and slid down it. Baya was underneath a dead not-deer and Kali had the situation of four dead not-deer, Baya where Baya was, Pash being obviously wounded, although likely only battered, bruised and all the wind knocked out of him, Talilah standing in shock and lifting a trembling hand to her mouth and Bear.

Bear was bleeding all over the place.

!

Message from: Pegasus

I'm out next week, so I will try to get to this if I can. Combat finished, Pash, you are just winded, battered and bruised but no broken ribs or anything. Baya, you're fine if somewhat uncomfortable. Kali, you get the award for the best use of a fellow pc in a thread I've moderated, ever <3 If you guys want to, and don't want to wait for me, you are more than welcome to self mod the rest of this. Talilah has enough medical skill to patch Bear up. Let me know!

[Kali'rial]

As the Sev’ryn huntress ran towards the not-deer, she saw it stumble and fall in a dead heap on the ground, little puffs of dust pluming about its bulk and awful screaming cut short. She stopped her run, turning her attention fully to the trio she had left behind just in time to see Pash fly through the air and crash into a tall tree with the type of force that could leave him with some injury, and Talilah shoot the not-deer that had the little Baya gouging at it’s eyes.

And there was blood, lots and lots of blood.

Damn, damn, damn.

Kali’rial’s heart knew who she wanted to go to first, her whole body screamed at her to do so, but the reality was from the view she’d had there was one obvious choice she had to make. She was a hunter, and this was part of the experience sometimes. Unfortunately her head needed to be the decision maker at this point. Picking up her feet, she sprinted over to the group and slid on her knees in the undergrowth to the red-haired man bleeding out on the grass and dirt. Grabbing the not-deers head, she shoved it away with a grunt to free and pick up the small tunawa, not entirely aware of the trauma she’d just created for the tree talker by pelting her at the not-deer. Placing Baya on the ground, she pressed firm hands over the wounds on Bear’s torso, blood seeping through her fingers and turned her head to look at Taliliah.

“Talilah? Talilah, look at me now. Look here.” Her periwinkle gaze was focused on the youngers own shocked eyes, her voice firm and direct. Now was absolutely not the time to panic. The wild haired child looked at her sharply with large teary eyes, clearly on the verge of loosing it.

“I need you to stay with me. We’ve got to help your father now, okay? Do you know any healing, anything at all?” The brunette had limited knowledge, except for the fact you had to put pressure on bleeding wounds and some herbs and plants were useful…that was about it. Taliliah stammered a yes, before nodding and moving to join Kali beside her father and pulling various medical supplies from her pack. Taking a deep breath, she called out with a small lump of concern in her throat and a tightness in her chest.

“Pash? I really need you to tell me you’re okay over there bard.” She may have let a little tone of worry creep into her voice as she spoke, looking down at Bear with a sigh.

“You and your girl have some pretty bow skills.” The burly man almost chuckled, but it turned into a groan instead. He looked at Talilah with pride, giving her a weak smile before looking back at Kali.

“She taught me everything I know.” He joked, accepting some sort of herbal paste from his daughter to chew with a wince. Talilah just shot them both a small smile void of humour and handed Kali’rial a wad of cloth to go under her hands that were pressing on the wound, before moving to thread a needle.

[Pash Raj'oriq]

“‘M fine.” Pash groaned, laying still for a moment at the base of the tree, calloused hands searching the back of his head for any hint of blood. The not-deer, the oh-deer, the thing that had been goring Bear, had been far stronger than himself and perhaps far stronger than he thought it would be, but just how far the beast managed to fling him had been what was really unexpected to say the least. The bright flash of pain and fear upon impact against a tree had thankfully not been enough to knock him unconscious, and while much of him hurt, nothing appeared broken so much as battered and bruised. This was good. No silver on his fingertips was even better. He stood slowly, testing already aching limbs, “Mostly.”

Comparatively, he was in excellent shape. Stepping over the bodies of the beasts that had attacked them, he made his way over to where Kali’rial was keeping Taliliah focused, helping the girl while at the same time attempting to staunch Bear’s bleeding with the pressure of her hands.

Human blood was so red. It was always a shock to see, compared to his own.

Pash opened his mouth to ask what he could do to help, but realized he would most likely only get in the way if he attempted to get his hands involved. So he knelt for a moment, somewhat heavily, and offered to pick up Baya, mostly to turn his arm and give her the sleeve of his shirt to wipe all the gross not-deer off of the poor Tunawa. It was clear that Taliliah knew enough of what she was doing, threading a needle in preparation to stitch up the ugly puncture wounds. She’d given her father something for the pain, and from the looks of things it really didn’t taste that great and probably wouldn’t entirely erase the discomfort.

Maybe now was a good time for that song, he decided, though he hadn’t brought an instrument to play. He hummed a little at first, testing the waters, then shifting to sit and offer assist Bear if the bigger, stronger man would let him, to help him be still. He’d been here before, he knew. The man complied, perhaps not entirely of his own will, Pash’s presence a strangely calming one for everyone involved, despite the unexpected and rather dangerous melee they’d just survived. Although, he didn’t know it, honestly, the aura of the spark that lived and grew in power inside of him the calming force regardless of his own internal state. He paused for a bit or two to pray in thanks for their lives before asking Zanik’s blessing on his song, to lift everyone’s spirits and to help Bear relax and not feel too much pain. Once everyone was comfortable and once Taliliah was ready for all the painful bits with small, pointy objects, the seafaring minstrel began to sing.

He sang in Rakahi because the words didn’t matter, but the tall Biqaj sang just loud enough that it didn’t feel dangerous. His song was just as calming as his presence, warm and quiet, and if anyone understood his language, he was singing a song that was also a story, a ballad-like epic of a song about a great feast at sea on a fantastic boat with sails of gold and foods that were the bounty of a great hunt at sea. The protagonist also fought and won a great battle to provide part of the meal, and so his song had a rousing melody which with just his voice singing it he was able to tone down to a more relaxed sort of telling, the emotions in his baritone exposition becoming actually uplifting to everyone present through his Ethilem abilities.

Pash didn’t watch Taliliah work, not really one with a stomach for it all as she packed wounds that needed packing with all the right herbs and went to work stitching what could be stitched. He looked to Kali instead, to Baya, to the trees, and sang until the girl was finished with her stitching, aware that he’d have to help get Bear home, whether or not he could ride.

[Pegasus]

Kali'rial

Overview

Kali'rial, I love your pc and the way that you write her. The bare-footed huntress who is sweet and lovely but has a backbone of steel! I really enjoyed your contribution to this thread, and I have to tell you that I have never laughed quite so much as when Kali threw Baya. An awesome pc written by an excellent writer. You portray Kali fantastically and she's a pleasure to moderate. I hope you enjoyed this thread! Please do pm me if you have any questions.

Points

XP: 20 points (Moderated Thread with 3x pcs)

Devotion: +1 Prayer to Moseke
Fame: +10

Loot

Samples of plants / flowers / berries etc, as required.
Dead Oh-Deer x 4

Knowledge

Bladed Combat (Dagger): Drawing whilst running
Caregiving: Looking after a scared little girl
Detection: Spotting specific plants
Fieldcraft: Picking berries and fungus for eating
Hunting: Oh-Deer Tracks
Hunting: Deer Tracks
Leadership: Taking control.
Leadership: Kind, calm direction
Ranged Weapon (Bow): Choosing targets
Ranged Weapon (Bow): Breathe out as you release
Ranged Weapon (Bow): Regulate breathing during a hunt
Stealth: Moving quietly through a forest
Stealth: Bare feet help
Tactics: In combat, every trill counts
Thrown Weapon (Tunawa!?): Flinging a tunawa Location: Sweetwine Woods
NPC: Bear
NPC: Talilah
PC: Baya
PC: Baya: A Tunawa
Scalvoris Fauna: Flunny
Scalvoris Fauna: Oh-Deer
Scalvoris Festival: Hunters' Moon

Pash

Overview

Pash! Oh, so very out of his depth in this thread and you played that so well. I loved how honestly Pash was portrayed throughout this; I had a very clear visual of him trying to be stealthy but failing and also of the slight scowl on his face as he thought about what he was doing here. Beautiful description of movement from you, I really enjoyed writing with you. Hope you've enjoyed the thread, do drop me a pm if there's any questions!

Points

XP: 20

Devotion: +1 prayer to Zanik, +3 an act of strength
Fame: +10

Loot

Injuries: Bruised and sore for a good few trials.
Samples of plants / flowers / berries etc, as required.

Knowledge

Acrobatics: Emergency moves for defence
Acrobatics: Cartwheel
Acrobatics: Jumping over opponents
Detection: The sounds of a forest
Detection: Drinking in the bigger picture
Endurance: The pain of being winded
Endurance: All over impact hurts
Mount (Horse): Cantankerous, foul beasts
Stealth: Basic techniques
Stealth: Hiding in the undergrowth
Strength: Wrestling strong creatures.
Unarmed Combat (Martial Art) Acrobatic Dodge
Unarmed Combat (Martial Art) Bracing for impact
Unarmed Combat (Martial Art) Considering the size and relative speed of the opponent Location: Sweetwine Woods
NPC: Bear
NPC: Talilah
PC: Baya
PC: Baya: A Tunawa
Scalvoris Fauna: Flunny
Scalvoris Fauna: Oh-Deer
Scalvoris Festival: Hunters' Moon

Baya

As soon as you are approved, please drop me a pm and I'll be happy to post your review. For you all: the Oh-Deer