The Hunting of the Beast

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

UnHoly Charm

Guest
Raharanor
Bardan Gilthur had travelled much throughout his promising career as a warrior ever searching for the callings of adventure within the Arden and Tuthanka realms. The green glades before him offered the seductive promise of rest and repast, and this was just the thing that one such as he would be in need of after much journeying, adventuring and questing. Bardan's hand briefly brushed against a hand that was softer than his own. The warrior turned in surprise, and slowly smiled in delight as he noticed Gaenea, a young woman he had noticed earlier who had taken his fancy. If Bardan remembered correctly, he saved her when she was in some distress...she was returning that gratitude in a multitude of ways. Smiles and sweet gestures on her part were all part of her way of saying thankyou.

Bardan smiled at Gaenea and led her to a green glade where light repast awaited them. This would be a nice afternoon indeed.


Unholy Charm
Watching from a branch of a near by tree Charmed shook her head for she knew the mighty warrior would not get the chance to enjoy the woman. Quickly she jumped from the branch and drifted over to mighty warrior's shoulder. She stepped closer to his ear and whisperd,
"You have no time for such things Bardan Gilthur".

She tugged at his collar as she spoke,
"Leave now, you must go to the Forest of Alimna and slay the beast that resides there".

Seeing that his attention was still focused upon the woman, Charmed inched her way closer to his ear,
"HEY!", she yelled, "Don't ignore me!"

With that she took her tiny finger and poked him hard on his ear lope to make sure this time he would hear her.



Raharanor
Bardan flinched as the twittering voice near to him turned into a tug of his earlobe. He turned to the source of the sharp pain, and looked upon the sight near him with some appraisal, the woman at his side momentarily forgotten. The tiny figure on his shoulder radiated some mystical air...almost as if she was one of those feys of the forest. However, there was something distinctly different about this tiny creature. Bardan shifted, and bade the maiden next to him pardon, and craned his neck around to look more closely at the little figure.



Unholy Charm
Sencing the movement of the shoulder she was perched upon Charmed pushed herself upwards and then drifted around the face of the man, her movements were much like that of a hummingbird. As his eyes met her she stopped, then suddenly fowards, then back until her feet lay flat at the tip of his nose.
"You have no time for this Bardan Gilthur."

Her tone was that of a mother scolding her child. She leaped up and within her tiny hand she grabbed a few strands of the warriors locks. Tugging as she moved backwards as if to lead him away from the woman and on to the Forest of Alimna.
"NOW Barden, we must go NOW!"

Chamed let go of the warriors hair and set out to lead the way.
"Are you coming?"

She was beggining to grow annoyed by the hesitating warrior and felt she had to do something. She shifted her body about and made her way over to the woman who was still standing near Barden. She came up behind the woman and flutterd near her ear.
"He has no time for you you wench. Go about your buisness with another man for this one has more important things to do then you."

Quickly Charmed drifted back to Barden.
"Now, we must go now. There is no more time to waste for the Beast is destroying the home of many woodland creatures. Please Bardan Gilthur, we must go!"


Raharanor
Bardan finally responded to the incessant twittering of the woodland creature next to his ear and rose to his feet. If this creature was right in what she was saying regarding this beast, then there would be great need of haste. Leaning against the tree, Bardan re-attached his sword belt and organised what few possessions he had on him. He struggled into his boots and pulled on his mail shirt which was in some need of repair, but would hopefully be adequate for the adventure ahead.

Notwithstanding the little fey next to his ear, Bardan managed to have his small pack slung around his shoulder and bade Gaenea farewell. Nodding, she bade him goodbye and good wishes for his coming adventure. That being done, Bardan turned to appraise the little creature, and deigned to ask after her name, as he thought that this creature would have a mystical name.
"What may your name be little one?" Bardan asked of the fey.



Unholy Charm
Making her way back towards Bardan Gilthur his question reached her ears, she come to rest upon his right shoulder then answered.
"I am known as Charmed, now please Barden, we really must go."

Once again Charmed leaped from the warrior's shoulders and began to lead him to the Forest of Alimna. Her tiny wings moving so quickly that they seem to be invisible, she rushed ahead, then back to make sure Barden didn't loose site of her.

Finally reaching the outskirts of the town Charmed grew more aggitated. This large creature, Barden, was slow in following, but she knew it was not his fault, it was a flaw of all humans.

The Forest of Alimna would be a 2 day travel for the warrior and Charmed knew most likely there would be many an obstacle ahead that would slow thier travels. Hopefully Bardan Gilthur's reputation would hold true and he would be all that was said of him.







FOREST OF ALIMNA
forestwe3.png




Raharanor
Bardan at times found it somewhat difficult to keep pace with the agile creature gliding along in front of him. However, her incessant twittering and calling out to him was rather musical to his ears, so in didn't bother him overly much. The beast, as the fey Charmed had described it, was in the Forest of Alimna which lay one or two days from where he was at the present moment. Bardan had indeed been on many a journey in his youngish life, but this journey would not be too lengthy...or so he hoped. Bardan stroked his sword hilt gently and promised to himself that the beast, whatever it was, would pay dearly for the disruption it was causing the once relatively peaceful Forest of Alimna.

They were approaching a town of sorts. Upon closer inspection, it was a fairly small town with few signs of habitation. That was well, as he did want to attract too much attention to the fact that a dangerous beast was roaming little more than two days journey from the town. As they entered to very small town, Charmed leapt onto his shoulder and clung to one of his earlobes to steady herself.


Unholy Charm
Upon aproaching this small town it appreared to be deserted, but that wasn't the case. Charmed quickly drifted back over the the warrior's shoulder and lay arest upon his shoulder. Her tiny hand reached up and grabed tightly onto his earlope once again as she whisperd to him.
"Don't be fooled Barden, this place may seem to be deserted but how ever, the inhabitants of this seemingly meek place are not ones that will welcome a sight such as yourself. It would be for the best that we make our way around the outer limits of this place as quickly as possible.

The small town was the home of a paticular forest inhabitant which choose to abandon the ways of civilized worlds. They much rather kill then co exist with anyone which thought differently than themselves. The small town was decieving, it looked inviting, almost welcoming a weary traveler with it's quant structures, but it was a trap, and once you eneterd your chances of leaving with your life were slim.



Raharanor
The way in which the warning from Charmed was delivered caused Bardan to stop short and look upon the apparently quiet village. It did seemcalm, but Bardan had noticed something a bit odd about the hamlets close-by. The hamlets did not have anything or anyone moving around them, and there was little if any semblence of life to be seen save the spire of smoke rising from one or two chimneys within the small village. Despite Charmed's insistent tugging of his earlobe and twittering that they must leave now

" Bardan, we must be going now!" Charmed said insistently," or do you wish to risk dying a horrible death at your youngish age?"

Bardan squared his shoulders at that statement, and made his reply.
" Charmed, indeed I don't wish to run afoul of whatever or whoever lives in that village",Bardan replied solidly," but tell me before we set out once more, what dwells in that village that you are so insistent on avoiding?"

Unholy Charm
Charmed begged the warrior to just keep moving, she leaped from his shoulder and drifted back along the trail some.
"Come now Bardan!, she pleaded with him to follow. "No time to waste, if you cherish your life you will follow me Now!"

She wondered why humans were so difficult, did he think she was playing some kind of human child game? Perhaps he isn't as wordly as she had been told, for if he was he should know that creatures such as herself are not one to play foolish games.

Just as she was about to go back and attempt to get Bardan to move, there within the tree tops a deafening screach filled her tiny ears. The piercing sound made her hed spin, she was unable to control herself in flight and her tiny body fell upon the hard ground.


Raharanor
Bardan tore his eyes away from the suspect village and refocused on reality...Charmed entreating him to leave immediately with her if he valued his life. At that moment an exceedingly loud screech had come from the treetops...it was all the warrior could do to not throw himself down on the ground with bleeding ears or to simply flee, but he covered his ears at any rate. Of course, he had Charmed to consider in this instance, and he simply could not abandon her to whatever lurked in the tree canopy. The screeching from the treetops eventually ceased, and Bardan, much relieved, unfastened his large hands from his ears. He glanced quickly to his shoulder to see if Charmed somehow managed to cope through the ordeal...she was gone...

Bardan searched frantically for the fey in his line of vision, and could not find her initially.

'Feys' Bardan thought tiredly to himself,'mystical in countenence and mystical by nature...its as if the sound vaporised her fragile frame into thin air...'

A loud and insistent twittering drew his attention away from his thoughts and his eyes were directed towards the ground. There was Charmed, lying on the ground looking rather ruffled but otherwise alive and well...

"Little one, I thought I had lost you!" Bardan exclaimed as he bent over to pick up the fey.
"A fey is never lost if she can find her bearings," Charmed replied confidently," but that loud screech from the canopy was more than I could bear..at least for the time being".

Bardan nodded and proceeded to carefully pick up the fey and placed her safely on his shoulder...she had a fine view of the journey ahead from there.


Unholy Charm
Her head still spinning Charmed placed her tiny hands on both sides of it as if trying to hold it still though the spinning was only within. She felt the warrior lift her and place her upon his shoulder.
"Bardan, perhaps a place where I will not fall would be best at the current moment.'

Charmed was not yet ready to trust herself herself not to roll off his shoulder. Tiny fingers gribed onto the material of his clothing trying to prevent herself from falling off.
"I told you not to venture any closer!"

She was a bit angry with the warrior for not heeding her warning. Why do humans think they Know every thing she wonderd. They no nothing compared to the creatures that live within the forest but they insist they do.
 
Bardan felt a distinct tugging on his shirt and silently swore at his own carelessness. Charmed had been placed on his shoulder...precisely where the fey had fallen off his shoulders before. In the process of gently picking her up and placing her in the safer regions of his breast pocket, he noticed something else conspicious nearby. Bardan, at Charmed's insistant advice, did not venture any further to whatever it was, but it was of vaguely humanoid shape with a plain grey robe upon it and a gnarled wooden staff.

The figure continued on its way, parallel to where Bardan was standing near the undergrowth, and he watched as the humanoid gradually made his way east and disappeared into the forest's canopy.

" He wishes to ascertain his bearings young man", Charmed whispered cautiously in his ear," please exercise caution when we make our way out of this place".
Bardan nodded at this and proceeds to go near on all fours and gradually make their way out of the view of this supposedly dangerous humanoid.

There was one aspect about the humanoid that suddenly struck Bardan hard, and began to think hard all the while half-crawling away through undergrowth. The humanoid...had the bearing of a humanoid male, but seemed to have an unworldly and wild appearance about him...this thought wavered in the warrior's mind as they made their way out of the careful view of the humanoid.
 
Within Bardan's pocket Charmed shook her head as if the clear it, the high bitch noise now ceased and her head cleared. She could feel her self swaying as the material of the warriors pocket cradled her as he crawled along the forest floor. She shifted herself around reaching for the edge of the pocket. Tiny hands clenched the edge and she pulled herself foward until her head peeked out just enough to gain view of the direction in which Bardan was crawling.
( Sorry so short, am beat)
 
Bardan continued to crawl along the forest floor away from the gaze of the unworldy humanoid that Charmed was so anxious to avoid. He always seemed to feel a distinct shivering sensation down his spine...as if there was arcane spells being cast nearby. The thought of being caught by this humanoid, who Bardan supposed was a sorcerer of some kind, caused him to crawl along a bit more swiftly. He crawled along for a little more time until he reached a slight decline in the surface and caused Bardan to rise and, while bending almost double, sidestep down the slight decline in the forest floor. As the warrior was proceeding down on his course, he felt the fey moving slightly inside his breast pocket..almost as if she was clinging on to the insides of his studded leather armour.

At long last Bardan and Charmed made it to the base of the decline in the forest floor and proceeded to take bearings.

" Charmed my dear fey," Bardan said puffing with his exertions," can you discern any pursuit on the part of that sorcerer...?"
" I would think not,"Charmed replied as she poked her little head out of his pocket," but we must be wary still for the duration of the remainder of the day's journey towards the Forest of Alimna".

Bardan considered this piece of advice on Charmed's part, and decided that a day of attempting not to be caught unawares by the sorcerer they narrowly avoided earlier would be better than rushing headlong into his domain. Bardan made sure that Charmed was safely tucked into his armour pocket, and hefted his shield on his back and clenched his sword Gurdhal tightly. The pair of adventurers continued forth into the forest, away from the threat lurking behind them.
 
Random Battle!

Rumor says eating the flesh of a fairy or sprite is terribly addicting. Once you taste it you can never stop. In the road before our two heroes stands a homely kobold with a spear. The gecko like beast sniffs the air and then stares straight at Bardan. "You have fairy meat! Gimme! Gimme!" the beast shouts and it points the spear at Barden threateningly. No reasoning here, draw your steel.
 
The travel had been rough in some places and in others it was relatively simple, but one thing remained the same...the up and down declines appearing here and there in the rough-shod road through the woods. Charmed clung on to the tip of his pocket in the leather and chain mail that Bardan wore, and all seemed to be very quiet apart from the distant calling of birds of prey or wild animals from afar. It wasn't going to be too long before that peace was going to be ended by a bestial call from the road's edge where a kobold lizard armed with a spear came into focus. The scales on the lizard creature's back were puffing in and out slightly, as if in anticipation of a contest of sorts with someone or something...that someone being Bardan and Charmed.

"You have fairy meat! Gimme! Gimme!" The Kobold in the middle of the road shouting the challenge to Bardan.
"Begone bold Kobold, or you shall meet the edge of my steel!"Bardan shouted back warningly.
"Never shall I flee if such tasty fey meat lies within my hands reach!"The lizard snarled, and proceeded to run at the warrior with his spear raised to strike.
Bardan neatly sidestepped the initial challenge and brought his sword Gurdhal up to parry away the first blows directed at him by the small beast. Then he proceeded to push back the lizardman with his parries to the spear strikes with his long sword, managing to deal a minor wound as the beast danced out of the way to avoid the worst of Bardan's swordstroke. He could feel Charmed squirming apprehensively inside his pocket and it was evident that she was most uncomfortable about the prospect of becoming a snack for a foul kobold lizard.

With this disagreeable thought in mind, Bardan moved in to finish off the foul beast who would so threaten Charmed.
 
Charmed had fallen asleep within the comforts of the warriors pocket but was soon rudely awakened. Shaking her head to awaken her self she heard the rantings of some sort of creature demanding fairy meat? Quickly she shifted about and reached upward to the opening of the pocket and carefully peeked her head out to see what was going on. Her eyes fell upon the most hideous of sites. There, jumping back and forth was a Kobold. As Bardan challenged the creature Charmed fought to remove herself from his pocket. His constant jerking movements bad it a bit difficult but finally she was able gain freedom and fly high into the tree tops to avoid being the creatures next meal.
 
Kobold's Rage

The kobold was wounded, though slightly. For some thre is something about seeing your own blood that drives you berserk. The Kobold was one off these. He charged towards the swordsman with a feral roar. Once in range the kobold leapt at Raharanor trying to impale his crude spear on the human's face or throat. It was a gamble all or nothing.

(P.S. The kobold is just an npc so you can waste him in the next post.)
 
Bardan, while continuing his concentrated counter-attack against the kobold lizard, had to dodge a sudden spear jab aimed at his unarmoured neck and just barely avoided being skewered by the creature. After sidestepping the attack, the warrior then proceeded to fight the creature back ferociously with the lizard's defense starting to give gradually upon each fierce blow from his sword Gurdhal. The skirmish ensuing, Bardan was vaguely aware of Charmed scampering out of his mail pocket and away from the jabbing strikes of the kobold intent on eating her alive. That was good, as he was mortally afraid of how he would continue the journey without his fey companion.

Within a split second the kobold suddenly struck Bardan on his mail shirt and was fortunate that he would be dealt little more than a bruise to the chest. The determined warrior swiftly retaliated and, in a flurry of well-honed blows, slew the lizard kobold. The skirmish was over...but Bardan knew in his heart that there were more battles to come further along the journey. Bardan then proceeded to search for Charmed, who'd disappeared into the forest canopy during the fight.

Suddenly he felt a scampering of small feet and he smiled gladly to see Charmed was unscathed.
" Are you alright little one?" Bardan inquired anxiously.
" That I am my warrior," Charmed replied," it was mortally dangerous for me to be near you during that skirmish with that bestial creature".
" Indeed it was," Bardan replied heartily agreeing, still heaving from the exertions of that short skirmish," I'm just glad that you didn't become dinner for that kobold".
 
(ooc: Mad props to charmed for the visual aid!)

Unknown to our heroes there was a set of eyes watching the battle. It was the unknown humanoid in the grey robes from before! He(? She? it?) seems satisfied with the outcome and exits quietly seeming to vanish.
 
The kobold lizard lay dead before the warrior as he confirmed Charmed's whereabouts and her state of mind after the skirmish. As far as Bardan could ascertain, the fey was slightly shaken but otherwise in good spirits. The kobold lay dead...but they would have to keep their eyes open for anymore hostile inhabitants within the forest and beyond the forest if they should get out alive and out into the open wilds towards the Forest of Alimna. Bardan set about removing the body of the kobold to the side of the path into a overhanging bush and shouldered his pack and Gurdhal as if to set off once again.

" Bardan Gilthur!" Charmed said into his ear loudly," the wound that was dealt to your right side is still open..let me dress it for you!"
Bardan had almost entirely forgotten about the wound that he took against the kobold, and was grateful that the fey's memory in those matters bettered his own. He nodded his approval of her action, and obediently sat down so she could dress the wound in the way only a fey can.

While she was doing this, Bardan could suddenly sense a presence..something that they thought had left behind a while ago...but had evidently caught onto their trail. The stout warrior flicked his glances to his left, where he felt the threatening presence the most. The presence wasn't too close, but yet not too far. Charmed could sense it too due to her quick glance in the direction of Bardan's gaze, but she continued with her work deftly.

" That should do it,"Charmed declared finally after some minutes of dressing," cannot have such a human as yourself go with their life gushing out slowly now can we?"
" Indeed we cannot,"Bardan agreed heartily," you do far better than me in the art of injury-treating!"
Charmed smiled slightly at this remark, and then proceeded to remount the large warrior and settled in his front pocket once again.

" Now we must leave this place Bardan," Charmed insisted urgently," as I can sense a presence that is dangerously familiar...we must leave!"
" That we will,"Bardan replied gruffly," but hold on tight little one, as I can hardly bear the thought of losing you and your wit upon this journey!"

The two travellers then proceeded again on the worn path through the forest, the dead kobold staring blankly into the forest canopy from his bushy resting place and the presence that they had sensed before fading once again.
 
The Beast?

Once out of range the grey figure shrugged off it's robes. It grabbed it's staff with clawed hands. It was covered in matted black fur and filth. The monster had rows of razor like teeth stained pink with blood of recent kills. This foul wretch focused it's glowing yellow eyes towards our heroes destination. Slinging the gnarled staff over it's back the monster lept to the trees and bolted ahead at a fevorous pace hoping to be there before Bardan and Charmed so it can lay a trap.
 
(ooc:
Sorry guys, but I have lost interest in this RP. You have my permission to use my personna like Richard has been already doing)
 
(well if your quiting then I am quitting to. I can't keep up with Raharanor on my own. Sorry to have spoiled it for you.)
 
(OOC: At least one other person needs to be posting here besides myself...come on people! I rarely get to finish a roleplay of any kind.)

Bardan continued along the path with Charmed in tow within his mail shirt pocket. The previous combat with the kobold lizard had shaken him a little, and the obvious presence of the strange power that they had witnessed earlier in the journey had also given the large warrior doubts about their immediate safety. The presence had faded, but Bardan and Charmed still had their doubts upon how they would get to the Forest of Alimna and slay the beast without having too many other attacks befalling them. The kobold's bold skirmishing taught the warrior, and indeed the fey, that they were not safe as long as events like what occurred before happen again.

The path through the forest stretched out before them, and Bardan continued on, keeping a watchful eye out for any possible pursuit of the travellers.
 
Last edited:
The Real Beast!

Upon reaching the Forest of Alimna You hear a loud roar! The beast was aware of your coming and comes to greet you Bardan Gilthur! You see a winged lizard in the sky roughly around the size of a horse. It's beady red eyes lock onto you and reconizes you as the enemy. It then starts to make a passing dive towards our hero and his Charmed companion! What will they do?

wyvern.jpg
 
Bardan gazed up at the winged beast before him and Charmed. The lithe lizard creature that had been terrorising the areas in and around the Forest of Alimna had now sighted them, and Bardan very quickly leapt out of the way of the reptile's claws into a nearby bush. Just at that moment the warrior realised that Charmed was no longer on him, she had supposedly escaped from him when the beast approached....so he assumed anyway. Bardan turned his attention back towards the lizard creature, and drew Gurdhal up to his shoulder and awaited the beast's charge through the forest undergrowth towards him. He didn't have to wait long before such a thing happened...

The beast roared as it rose up on it's winged body and focussed hard upon the young warrior standing fast in the forest undergrowth. It then charged upon the undergrowth, and Bardan thought to hold onto it's tail as it passed by on it's first pass through the forest canopy. Trees and bushes flashed by him as he clung onto the beast as it tried vainly to dislodge Bardan from it's scaly tail. Bardan, just before he fell off the beast's hide, plunged an arrow from his shoulder quiver into it's side and the beast roared his displeasure at the wound dealt to him by the young and bulky warrior. The beast then landed upon the ground and glared menacingly at Bardan...as if signalling the beginning of combat...

" Is this beast taking to the skies or isn't he?"The large warrior pondered as he concentrated on it's steady and menacing movement towards where he was in battle stance. The warrior didn't have long to wait...the lizard beast roared loudly shaking the forest to it's foundations, and rose up high to challenge Bardan full on.
 
Round 2!

The horrid beast landed with a thud infront of Barden and leaned forward. The tail lashed out at the man swift and deadly like a scorpion. The warrior deftly blocked the incoming strikes from the tail's stinger with his sword wich pissed the beast off. It charged him like a bull and dealt a glancing blow to Barden's left arm before he could get out of the way.
 
Bardan was knocked heavily to the side before he could dodge the oncoming charge of the beast in front of him. The warrior was conscious of having been wounded somewhat to the side...he grunted in pain and rolled away to try and regain his position. The serpentine creature in front on him seeming to notice his discomfort and continued forward against Bardan to press his skirmishing advantage. The muscular warrior then leapt to his feet once more with barely enough time to bring Gurdhal up to block the furious blow dealt by the winged beast, aimed at his relatively unprotected head. Bardan then ducked beneath the swivelling head of the beast and attempted to get upon the back of the beast...the creature noticing this and flapping his wings hastily to get into the air. The warrior just barely managed to cling onto the beast itself and struggled to get onto its back, with the beast's rocking making the task strenuous to say the least.

The forest canopy flashed before him and he knew that a fall now could well be fatal to him especially...but if only he could gain the lizard creature's back...

' If only I could gain his back...then I could deal some damage with Gurdhal there...gods willing' The warrior mused to himself while sweating in his efforts to get onto the beast's back completely.

Once again the great beast attempted to buck the muscular warrior off it's back and Bardan clung on like a limpet. With a great effort which strained his aching muscles, the warrior got onto the beast's back and, just as the beast began to come down again towards Ayenee and the forest floor. As they closed with the forest, Bardan steadied himself somewhat and managed to deal a hefty blow with Gurdhal to the beast's neck.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom