However, the southeastern side—the Karsian side—is a relatively gentle unnamed woodland. Unpopulated, with the nearest settlements being some ways to the east, but still mild in both climate and monster activity, as there are no viable fords along the stretch of the Arlest that borders Karsis.
Well… comparatively mild, at least. There's a reason for the lack of settlements.
?
Varant has the party marching in formation. You and he make for the first pair, walking directly in front of your faithful pack lotch. In the front are Maya and Evylie, and Kani and Tarrian bring up the rear. Marlond and Ruvi form the forward wings, scouting ahead on each side of the party, making sure to stay well within visual contact—"halfway" inside visual range, Varant tells them. Which is a fair enough distance in these sunny woodlands.
You're moving at a walking pace so as not to bumble into anything. Varant doesn't ask you to march particularly quietly, though he did expressly forbid shouting or calling to each other. But the party can tell that it's time to be on alert, and talking is kept to a minimum. Mostly.
— Karsian Northern Woodlands —
After the first fifteen minutes, Varant stops and beckons the scouts to return.
VARANT: Let's check in, now and every half hour after. Each of you tell me what you've seen—even if you think it's totally normal.
Marlond gives him a one-minute summary of everything he's noticed so far—plentiful and varied low-lying vegetation, some signs of small rodent tracks, the expected insect life, and only a single bird—of a kind he didn't recognize. Ruvi on the other hand clearly doesn't have any idea what she should be looking for and stammers out something about a thorny shrub.
[GUILDMASTER]:
—
—<1> (You are far too amused by Ruvi's struggle to adapt to her new role.)
She catches your wry smirk, and turns to glare right back at you with her hands on her hips.
RUVI: …!!!
[GUILDMASTER]: Why so angry? I'm just excited to see our fledgling adventurers attempt to take wing.
RUVI: "Attempt"? Oh r—
[GUILDMASTER]: Even if they fall… into a thorn bush.
RUVI: GUILDMASTERRRR!!!
[GUILDMASTER]: Yes?
RUVI: YOU'RE THE WORST!!
—<2> Did you mean a thorny shrub, or a briary bush? This could be important…
RUVI: It… it was… briary shrubbery?
[GUILDMASTER]: I knew it… the worst kind…
RUVI: You're the worst kind, Guildmaster!
VARANT: Worse than a scout who accidentally steps into a thorn bush?
RUVI: R—RUDE!! But yes—worse even than you, Instructor!
KANI: Woooow…
[GUILDMASTER]: Today, I have achieved greatness…!
VARANT: Greatness indeed…
KANI: I have much to aspire to…
RUVI: …NNNNNNNNGGGGGHHHH
—<3> Don't feel too bad Ruvi, we're all still learning. That's our main goal here, after all.
RUVI: W—Why would I feel bad?!
VARANT: Because you walked right into a thorn bush when you're supposed to be the scout.
RUVI: Oh. Uh, oops.
[GUILDMASTER]: But like I said, don't feel too bad—I'm sure Kani would've done the same.
KANI: WHA—Well. I mean. There is precedent…
VARANT: I can think of at least two times—
KANI: NO YOU CAN'T!!
MARLOND: If you've never been a hunter or scout before, why would you feel bad?
[GUILDMASTER]: Exactly.
KANI: More wise words from Marlond!
RUVI: Um… Thanks…
VARANT: All right sprouts, let's keep moving. Keep it up, the both of you.
EVYLIE: Uh—Guildmaster, Instructor Varant, do you really think there's something here?
Varant shrugs with the utmost ambivalence.
[GUILDMASTER]:
—
—<1> No, and I'm eager to get back to a proper bed. But Varant does, and I think that's important enough to stay.
VARANT: It's not, but where else are you going to get some proper adventuring training?
KANI: And just look at the scenery! I think that's important enough to stay.
MAYA: Lightmaster Tarrian, there she goes again!
TARRIAN: But I think she might have a point this time, Firelord Maya. And besides, look at how many things there are to burn!
MAYA: Oooooh, you're right!… I could definitely burn that, and… I know exactly how this would burn…
VARANT: …Guildmaster, how worried should we be about this girl?
[GUILDMASTER]: Very.
VARANT: …
—<2> It seems to me that we're chasing a coincidence. But we don't have any quests this interesting lined up, so it's an opportunity I'm not going to miss.
VARANT: A coincidence, yeh. Once at the warehouse and again at the village. Twice a coincidence, thrice a pattern. So if we had a third time we'd be onto something, but right now we're chasing my age-addled gut.
EVYLIE: Oh. That sounds good though.
TARRIAN: Well. Not sure I'd call it 'fun', but it's certainly what I expected out of the adventuring life.
—<3> I'm sure there's something here, the question is whether it's in any way related to aberrats or not.
VARANT: Didn't think of that, but you're probably not wrong. There's not likely to be anything too big, but nobody's been out here for a half decade—I'd not bet a sickle there isn't a mid-tier monster rolling around somewhere by the river.
EVYLIE: Oh. Are we going far enough in to check?
VARANT: We're headed straight north, yeh. I don't actually want to fight anything higher than low tier, however.
EVYLIE: Oh…
[GUILDMASTER]: Well then. Let's get back to my favorite part: the marching!
RUVI: Guildmaster, the way you said that made my feet twice as tired…
[GUILDMASTER]: That wasn't me, Ruvi—that was the thorns.
RUVI: WHAT—
MARLOND: (He said it was the thorns.)
RUVI: YOU—
[GUILDMASTER]: Now, onwards!
?
Two more check-ins go by. By listening to Marlond, Ruvi has picked up what kinds of things to look out for—she's not a particularly fast learner but she is definitely trying, and making good progress.
You're deep in the woodlands now—you've covered probably some 8 kilometers or so with Tarrian's blessings. And Marlond has started to notice the total lack of predators. Creatures of moderate size, the type who would usually prey on small rodents and herbivores, are wholly absent—a conspicuous gap in the food chain. But he sees nothing that would indicate the cause.
Varant frowns for the briefest second.
[GUILDMASTER]: So you're saying this is probably a recent occurrence?
MARLOND: The balance of the forest is still intact, I think. For now.
[GUILDMASTER]: And it wouldn't be if this had been going on for a long time?
MARLOND: I don't believe so.
Marlond's demeanor is stoic as usual, as is Varant's. Varant shakes his head, with no sign of concern on his face.
VARANT: I agree with Marlond, but I think it's too soon to speculate further.
[GUILDMASTER]: Yeah… Let's keep moving.
?
The third check-in is due soon. But before Varant can signal for another quick review, you hear a low whistle from Marlond's direction— the predetermined signal for a stop. Marlond is crouched at his position, and Varant keeps low as he moves over to him. The rest of you stay put. You can still make out most of their brief conversation, though the rest of the party seem unaware of what they're saying.
MARLOND: Quadruped, roaming northward. Forked horns, shaggy mane. More than two meters from foot to shoulder. I thought… I saw a skull for its face.
VARANT: Varodon… High Varodon. Probably maddened… That would explain a lot. Can you get me close to it? Two of us will count for a confirmed sighting. Which way's downwind?
You motion for the party to stay down, and you turn to your lotch to try to keep him quiet.
Varant and Marlond move off to the edge of your sight, silently. You're surprised how well the old man can move in the forest. They keep going, and soon they're beyond your perception entirely. Your eyes are glued to their direction when you hear Ruvi give her own low whistle from behind.
You give your adventurers a cautious look before making your way to her position, still crouched.
RUVI: Guildmaster…
She is nervous. Very nervous.
RUVI: There's something there…! Look—
You squint and sway to try to see through the trees, but there's nothing.
[GUILDMASTER]: What does it look like?
RUVI: Not sure, but… It's too big to be a low-tier creature… It was furry? I think?
And then you hear the crack-crackling of woody underbrush under the foot of something heavy. It's definitely big… Another second passes, and you hear a distinct stomp as its mass pounds a patch of even dirt. 'Large' size class, at least…
This is a very awkward position to be in, with Varant and your Wildsman gone. If it gets much closer, you'll have to make a judgment call… but how much closer? Another judgment call.
Straining your ears, you think you hear panting from the creature's direction. Could it just be a bear? Nope, too large for that. Your mind starts to race through all the species of monster you've ever heard of, trying to think of a possible match, but you just don't have enough information to make a guess.
You linger a moment longer, all your senses tuned in its direction. Accompanied by a rustle like the wind through barren branches, it starts to move again… Stomp, crackle, stomp… And, though it's not headed straight to you… it's getting closer.
You turn back to the party and make a sword-drawing motion with your hands, but you probably didn't have to—they're already ready for a fight.
At this point you're not sure whether to stay here and keep watch, at the risk of it noticing you, or moving back to the group and risk being blindsided. You look back, and Varant and Marlond are still nowhere to be seen. You're close enough to the group that you could probably retreat even if it charges you, so the question is whether or not to increase the risk of it spotting you in order to increase your chances of spotting and identifying it first.
[GUILDMASTER]:
—
—<1> You decide to stay and keep watch. Hopefully you can find out what it is, and whether it's even a threat. And hopefully it won't be long before Varant returns.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
You motion to Ruvi to get down and stay still—which, to be fair, she was already doing. Now the creature is close enough that you can hear that slow-paced stomp, stomp through the earth itself.
You and Ruvi are now lying between the shrubs, with your eyes peeking up above the foliage.
* stomp. stomp. stomp. *
A minute goes by, and you still don't see Varant or Marlond. You can see trees shiver and bushes quake, but it's still too far to see even in these sparse woods… It's still moving obliquely to your position, and hasn't noticed you.
But it's still getting closer.
* stomp. stomp. stomp. *
It stops, and so does your heart. You still can't see it… wait. A flash of brown fur…
You hear a growl.
* stomp, stomp, stomp— *
A gnarring muzzle comes into view in the distance. It's sensed something, and now it's meandering in your direction. Just before you duck into the thick underbrush, you get a glimpse of its paws, forelegs, and face—and the viscous sap drooling from its snarling jaws.
Parullon.
You and Ruvi crawl back to the group as quickly and quietly as you can, with those earth-trembling footsteps coming ever closer…
* stomp-stomp-stomp— *
And the other two still haven't reappeared.
You think quickly… for a Parullon, you'll want plenty of open space to avoid its lunges and swipes. General antidotes will work for its viscous venom, so you order your party to have some at the ready.
[ Now is your chance to check the party's status, loadouts, and formation. ]
Tarrian takes a minute to refresh Beatific Breath on the present party, though it probably wasn't necessary. The life-saving contingency spell is so stable that it can simply be applied when breaking camp and forgotten about for the rest of the day.
Then you backtrack just a bit to a small clearing you passed earlier, close enough that Varant and Marlond will be able to find you. The lotch safely secured even farther back, you hide behind the trees at the border of the clearing as the stomping grows louder and louder, faster and faster. It's now visible through the woods, four-legged with matted fur and powerfully muscled forelegs, and you feel your party's anxiety spike. It's almost three meters tall. It hastens toward you through the thin trees, then slows to a stop as it steps into the far side of the clearing.
* stomp… stomp. *
It looks you straight in the eye… and roars.
[ You start the fight without Marlond and Varant, but in an advantageous position. ]
—<2> You decide to move back to the group. Stay together and wait for the other pair to return.
You motion to Ruvi to follow you. Even as you turn away, you can hear that stomp, stomp through the earth itself—it's still getting closer, but hasn't spotted you yet. Hopefully, whatever it is, it won't have any reason to get too close…
The two of you skitter back to the group, where the lotch is nervously stamping the ground.
You're all huddled together in the front, crouched, with weapons drawn and uncertain of what to do next. And you can still hear the crackling underbrush in the distance as it is trampled by whatever creature wanders these human-forsaken woods. It's futile to assume it's not a monster, and you tell the adventurers that you intend to engage it if it approaches you. You can't leave Varant and Marlond on their own.
Tarrian takes a minute to refresh Beatific Breath on the present party, though it probably wasn't necessary. The life-saving contingency spell is so stable that it can simply be applied when breaking camp and forgotten about for the rest of the day.
The next few minutes feel like a half hour as you hear it slowly home in on your direction. You've secured the lotch and are braced for a fight…
* stomp. stomp. stomp. *
Based on its footsteps, it's only a matter of time until it senses you. Its footsteps hasten, and you know that time is running as thin as the trees separating it from you.
* stomp, stomp, stomp— *
All of a sudden, Varant and Marlond are back. You were so focused on the threat in front that you didn't hear them approach. Tangible relief falls upon the rest of the party as they step into your circle.
Varant gives you a look—"Do you know what it is?"
You shake your head.
* stomp, stomp, stomp— *
Varant mutters quietly, just loud enough for your huddling party can hear.
VARANT: Well, whatever it is, it doesn't hunt by smell… Probably too late to run though. If it's mid-tier, we'll fight it. If it's high-tier… well, running is the best we can do. Stay in formation—you're doing good. Wait for my signal to engage.
He looks at Evylie when he says that. She nods, and almost succeeds in not looking embarrassed.
[ Now is your chance to check the party's status, loadouts, and formation. ]
You hurriedly check over everything you can think of, but without knowing what the monster is, there's only so much you can prepare ahead of time.
* stomp-stomp-stomp— *
Suddenly you see a flash of brown through the trees. Four legs and furry… three meters from paw to pate… pointed ears, a thickly muscled neck and forelegs, a large muzzle—
And a thick, brown, venomous drool dripping from between its fangs.
Parullon.
And just as you see it, it sees you.
* stomp… stomp. *
And roars.
VARANT: Kill it.
[ You start the fight with Varant and Marlond, but with less room to maneuver. ]
?
As any mercenary-turned-adventurer will tell you, fighting monsters and fighting people are two wholly different things. The thing about a monster—particularly one mid-tier or higher—is that an ordinary sword, especially one wielded by an ordinary soldier, won't scratch it any more than it would an Imperial Champion's plate mail. Their hides are generally tough enough to survive brawls with other monsters, after all.
Adventurers have long thrived based on a combination of teamwork and an emphasis on individual power—an expensive degree of power, and one that simply isn't practical or truly needed on an army-wide scale. Enchanted weapons, enchanted accessories, and training specifically to enhance and expand one's anima—something usually reserved for a mage corps. Because even with magically enhanced strength and weapons, every adventurer needs to use mana in some form. The Technical Arts are just as important to an adventuring fighter as the Arcane are to a mage; you can't expect to simply swipe at the hide of a gorgul or malrithe and expect to do more than annoy it. It takes a Power Strike or better to meaningfully wound something with a hide that strong. But standing still during that wind-up is a dangerous proposition—thus, the role of the party's Keep. The mighty Keep isn't outfitted or trained to be able to kill a monster… they're trained to survive it. And to do their utmost to make sure that party's backline doesn't have to.
?
[ A combat phase commences. For this narrative, you start the fight with the Guildmaster, Evylie, Kani, Maya, Ruvi, and Tarrian in the active party. ]
Evylie charges the monster like a beast unleashed, Virtues bless her. The poor creature is actually startled by her viciousness, allowing her a moment to position without challenge. The rest of the party rushes forward in one of the patterns you'd learned on the second day of training: Maya and Tarrian make for its left flank while you and Kani make for its right, leaving Ruvi to rove as she needs. With Evylie still unharmed, Tarrian takes the opportunity to unload a barrage of debilitating spells as he repositions—blinding, vulnerability, confusion. You realize he hasn't put up most of the normal party-wide defensive boons yet, but you recognize the value of a strong start. Those afflictions will greatly help Evylie in her role, which in turn will help to stabilize the flow of the fight.
Her face snarling as if to out-menace the monster in front of her, Evylie lands the first real strike, a vicious downward thrust into the monster's furry forepaw. It roars again, more in challenge than in pain. As if it were some kind of signal, the battlefield immediately turns into chaos.
The parullon stomps blindly in front of it, and Evylie only barely manages to backstep in time—the earth rocks before her feet and she struggles to maintain her footing as clods of earth fly into the air. Then she launches herself straight back into range of its swipes, landing a scratch on one of its paws in the process. The flash of mana through her blade tells you that her strike was laden with a pain enchantment—that monster is going to feel that little scratch, and it'll know she's the one responsible. You're more worried about her than you have any right to be, and tell yourself to trust in her experience and ability, both of which were well sold to you by Magda.
The rest of the party is unloading on the parullon's haunches, Tarrian included as Evylie has yet to be hurt. Maya, having managed to reach her favored position, wastes no time in abusing the ambient fire mana. Firebolt after firebolt splashes into monster's haggard haunch, setting the occasional tuft and tussock of monster hair aflame. Beside you, Kani winds up an Art you haven't seen before, then launches into its thigh with a spectacular uppercut. You can feel the mana flow off her blade as it dives into flesh, opening up a gruesome gorge that flashes the monster's pink meat through its hairy hide for just a moment before it's overrun with dark crimson.
The parullon doesn't slow its strikes as it roars at nothing in particular. Those monstrous paws swipe and swipe again, and Evylie is continuously on her back foot. Which means she's doing her job.
You slam the creature with another of your own attacks, this time aiming for the opening created by Kani. It's all too effective and, encouraged, you make ready to go at it again. On the other side, Maya is doing her very best to burn the monster and only the monster as her flames start to spread. It tries to swivel in her direction, but all it can reliably see is Evylie's shield in its face and her flashing sword threatening pain.
Ruvi takes a couple quick but ineffectual swipes at its hind legs, then hesitates a moment. She's having to time her attacks between the parullon's movements while also keeping aware of where the monster is facing. Taking stock of the situation and seeing that Evylie still keeps the monster's full aggression directed toward herself, Ruvi attempts her own power maneuver, something she's clearly learned just recently. She fumbles it once, as she misplaces her footing; twice, as the creature's leg moves at just the wrong time; and thrice, as she loses her momentum due to her hasty form. But, nervous as she is, she doesn't give up.
RUVI: Fine! I'll do it my way…
Fire in her eyes, she repositions once again and focuses; her next move is born out of all her attention, all her energy, and probably all her mana too. More than that, you realize as she launches into the first strike of her combo; what you're seeing is a lifetime of finesse put into effect, of long-trained skills being aligned into proper form. The mana swings off her dual blades as they flow into action, and you recognize the dancing forms of Breakneck Minuet as she fluidly combines a vicious thrust with a double-bladed slash and then a wicked, diving cut before carrying her momentum and mana into a full-throttle pincer strike. The increasingly violent sprays of monster blood illustrate the success of her performance.
Finally, as the blood starts to soak its hair and the fires start to scorch its hide, the parullon understands the scope of the danger it's in.
Just as you land a ruthless attack on its bloodied hindquarters, the monster reels, roars, and swings its head from side to side as if sweeping its bellowing rage across the arena. Before you can even react it swivels around with a gigantic swipe. Evylie is already on top of it as it tries to turn, roaring straight back at the monster and plunging her arming sword into the knotted muscles of its near shoulder. But it's not enough stop it.
In a feat of rage, its left paw makes a heavy 180-degree flight around it, threatening to brutalize anything caught in range. Out of sheer reflex, you and Kani manage to cleanly avoid the attack… but Ruvi is caught off guard. The tail end of its swing clips her head. Its claws rip through half of her face, bloodying her leather surcoat—but in less than a second, a flash of light surrounds her and her face is whole again… though as Tarrian's healing light fades, her eyes are still wide with pain, fear, and shock. It lasts just a second…
But the monster doesn't slow its attacks, and that second is all it takes to follow up on its advantage. Ruvi is still in shock as a large paw comes crashing down right on top of her. She crumples like an old barn under a fallen oak.
A never-before-known urgency in your hearts, you and Kani hasten to draw its attention away from her by landing attacks on its face, and unfortunately are all too successful. It shakes off your hits then lunges at Kani with its overlarge muzzle, and she backsteps—a poor choice. Its lunge overtakes her quickly and she is forced to the ground as its slabbering jaws reach for her. Yet, with her greatsword thrust in front of her in perfect form, the monster's maw can't quite close around her—she's knocked on her back, and there's a split second where you and Evylie know that there's nothing you can do; its drool spills over her prone form as its teeth stretch toward her, its face strained with raw aggression.
But when that split second runs its course, the monster suddenly reels back as it registers the pain of the point of her sword embedded in the top of its mouth.
KANI: Got you, you bugger…!
With a yelp and then a roar, the parullon recoils and Evylie follows, planting herself squarely between it and the rest of the party.
In the corner of your eye you see Tarrian working with Ruvi, and you can only hope she survives. But you've reason to hope: Beatific Breath. Virtues willing, she was spared any fatal damage…
Evylie has thrust her sword straight at the monster's throat, managing to pierce it just enough for it to snarl in pain. Even as it flails at her, She's managed to keep herself positioned in between the parullon and the team, who back away from its front momentarily to let her take control. The fight stabilizes as Evylie roars and jabs at the frustrated creature, flashing cheap blinding spells in its face and forcing its attention on her.
Kani has found her way to her knees, the grip of her greatsword in one hand and an antidote in the other. But you can't spare her any more attention as the monster thrashes and swipes, no less dangerous to you even though they're aimed at your Keep. A volley of firebolts splash on its hindquarters, their flames starting to encroach on its back and belly. Having no clear route to its weakened flank, you aim your next few abilities straight at its face.
[ By this point, Marlond and Varant have arrived if they weren't already with the player. Marlond joins the party reserves, but Varant excuses himself once again, saying the adventurers need the experience and he wants to save his energy for what comes next. ]
If you had any breath to spare, you'd let out a cheer as you see Ruvi standing again. Her face blank with shock, she stumbles to the sidelines as Marlond takes her place on the field. Tarrian looks both relieved and guilty, but spares no time to dwell on it as Evylie takes a crushing blow directly on her shield, breaking her arm. The young priest seems to go into overtime, keeping Evylie healed and casting blessing after defensive blessing on the party—something he seems to have forgotten to do at the start of the fight in his eagerness to give the group a fighting edge with his offensive support.
Marlond's arrows hasten toward the monster's face, almost nailing its eyes. Your party continues their tenuous dance and for a moment you think the fight is going well, but then you notice that Kani is still on her knees. You look at her rapidly sickening face and realize that the creature's venom must have gotten onto her face, and she's rapidly succumbing to its effects. Her hand still grasps the antidote, but the paralysis has begun to kick in—she's helpless.
You sprint behind the flailing monster, launching yourself toward her as you avoid a hind kick. You land on all fours next to her and snatch the antidote from her hand. You uncork it violently, splashing its first draught onto the collar of her breastplate, then tilt the purplish fluid into her mouth.
Behind you, Evylie makes a wrong step and finds herself caught between its lunging maw and swinging paw. She tries to dash backwards, covering herself with her old shield. The parullon's swipe comes down squarely on its unenchanted steel, shattering its backing and her arm both. Her teeth are clenched and her mouth drawn in pain but her eyes are as bright as ever. She immediately receives relief from Tarrian's Divine Arts, but for the moment she has to disengage from the monster in order to disentangle the wreck of her shield from her arm.
Tarrian has only just found the time to dash a cleansing and healing spell onto Kani, who quickly rises to her feet and readies her weapon with fierce determination on her face. Which is promptly replaced by surprise and dismay—she leaps into you, toppling the both of you to the ground as a monstrous swipe flicks the air above you.
Then you hear the now-familiar roar of the parullon in pain, and feel a jet of red flames fly over your heads. You and Kani roll to the side and nearly trip over each other as you rise to your feet. But the roaring of both the monster and the flames continues. Maya, her face a portrait of dauntless anger, has darted close to the monster for this particular maneuver. One of her hands grasps a tarstone pendant, steadily emptying its stored fire mana; and the other is outstretched, flames flying freely from the tip of her magus staff. You can't help but admire the continuous stream of fire barreling toward the monster's face—it's something you'd never heard of, didn't know was possible. But you and Kani don't let it slow you down as you ready your own attacks, eyeing the reeling monster warily, looking to take advantage of the opening.
The flow of fire stops, a moment that Evylie has been waiting for. She's once again in the monster's face, flicking the tip of her sword along its lower jaw—as high as she can reach. She can't truly wound it; but it's enough to give it something to retaliate against, and she's once again dancing between its thrashing forepaws as if her heavy suit of armor were a noble's ball dress.
But her desperate waltz only lasts a few moments. Just as the parullon rears up to unleash its built-up ire in a devastating stomp, its left eye erupts into blood, spewing over the quills of one of Marlond's arrows. And now its other is blood-red with rage as it turns to its ranged assailant…
Parullons aren't known for their raw speed, but anything that large can cover ground far faster than a two-meter bipedal. In its fury, it sprints toward Marlond with a roar that competes with its thundering tread.
And Marlond runs, faster than you believed a mortal man could. Which, to be fair, is what an archer is supposed to do when approached by a three-meter-tall behemoth.
But he's running away from the party.
Evylie's face, so dauntless since the start of the fight, is now mangled with horror and uncertainty. In an instant Varant is standing in front of her, holding back the entire party with a motion of his arm. With fingers to his lips, he whistles even louder than the parullon's near-deafening roar—long, short-short long. It's the same pattern your father used on your hunting trips, to tell you to come to his position—"Group up", it means.
Your anxiety builds as the monster's stomping and bellowing continues. The crashing of a felled tree only accentuates the moment-to-moment uncertainty of Marlond's fate, as the percussive thud of its tumbling trunk against the ground sends a jolt of dread up through your feet and into your heart.
Varant, standing beside Evylie, seems nonplussed. He slides an Adamant potion from his own hip pouch and hands it to her. You suppose that, to him, any break from combat should be taken as an opportunity. Getting the better of your worries, you follow his example and reach for one of your own potions, and by the time you're finished you can hear Tarrian and Maya behind you as they each chug the bright blue contents of their own thin cylindrical flasks. A crucial bit of calm returns to your adventurers with just this small measure of preparedness.
With a series of motions, Varant orders your party—including a rejuvenated Ruvi—into a defensive formation in a relatively open part of the woodland, facing the direction of the din. Which is growing closer…
Now you can see Marlond and his pursuer through the trees. He's racing the monster toward your position, nimbly flowing through trees that the parullon has to weave and crash through.
Varant orders Marlond into the reserves as Tarrian loads him with auras of refreshment and vigor. Then he backs out—"Have at it," he seems to say.
The party is emboldened by Varant's confidence in them, as well as his capable chaperoning. And as the monster clears the nearest trees, Evylie once again charges it with vigor.
By now, your party knows exactly what she's going to do, exactly how to play this. They know how the monster acts and reacts, and they know that now—fully enraged—it's more dangerous than ever, even with its face and haunches smoking and blood drooling down its left cheek. And, after a considerable amount of bumbled strikes in the beginning, they now know what it takes to hurt it and where to strike. Taking Varant's cue, you trade out with Marlond as soon as he is recovered to allow the young adventurers their first medium-threat kill as a party.
Tarrian focuses on blessing the party with every spell that he knows, and the fighters find themselves empowered beyond their means. Ruvi is the first to strike, slipping around to its flank like the thief she was. A slick poison coating flashes on the edges of her two blades as she poises behind it, funneling her mana into her blades. It only takes a couple seconds for her to ready the Art she'd just been taught by Zoel: Geminate Shear. She launches from the ground, flying straight at her target like a quarrel leaping from a crossbow.
The hide of the parullon's smoking left haunch had been considerably worn down by Maya's and Tarrian's barrages, and her twin blades drive through it as if it were an old tapestry. Blood spurts and splashes from the wide gash in monster's thigh and its wails of pain overcome its roars of fury. But Ruvi doesn't try to avoid the spray; she's already charged up another Geminate Shear. Two seconds later and she's hamstrung the monster's right leg as well. Her remaining momentum flies her clear of the monster as its rear half collapses to the ground under its own weight.
Of course, it doesn't stop there. In quick succession, the monster gains an arrow in its tongue and a greatsword in its belly. Ruvi, slick with blood across her upper body and mostly out of mana again, has pulled out a poisoned dirk and rushes over to plunge it into the wound left by Kani—so hard that she loses her grip on it as it sinks into flesh and viscera. And all the while, the beast is scorched by a continuous barrage of mana-efficient firebolts from a source that it just can't reach.
Now the parullon is reduced to a miserable sight. It crawls, carrying its weight on its forelegs, and its attacks come less frequently as it can only use one paw at a time. Even so, the fight continues for another three minutes. For your adventurers it's the most intense three minutes of their lives, requiring every gram and glimmer of their awareness. The creature's venom is an ever-present and all-too-potent danger, and each and every furious swipe and bone-severing bite could lay an adventurer low.
But from your perspective—as worried as you are—it looks like a romp in the woods. Evylie is performing brilliantly, as she has since the start of the fight, and Maya has torched the monster from head to toe. Its weakened hide is easily exploited by Kani's power thrusts, and only its sheer mass keeps its innards from failing as she perforates its brawny underside in between dodges. Marlond and Ruvi have both switched to poison tactics, and its effects are beginning to show as the parullon grows sluggish and its cries anguished. The underbrush is progressively stained with darkening blood as Evylie and Kani work together to herd the creature away from their teammates; and for each and every wound one of them takes, Tarrian is there—his attentiveness doesn't falter even once.
But at the same time, you can sense Varant getting nervous, and it's contagious. He stands unnaturally still and alert. Stoic as his face is, you can see his eyes turn northward—briefly yet all too often. But absorbed as you are in the fate of your adventurers, you can't determine what concerns him.
The last minute is a slow and painful dance. The monster has lost its other eye and gained a gaping slash in its gut. It flails blindly, slowly, but it just doesn't die. Its rage doesn't quiet even as its attacks grow weaker and weaker, but the party doesn't grow complacent—in some ways, this is the most dangerous part of the fight, as their foe has become very unpredictable.
Finally, the mighty parullon staggers, trips, and falls to its side. Kani and Evylie both rush forward, aiming their swords straight into its eye sockets, trying to find a way to finish it off…
The creature lets out one last furious groan.
It dies miserably, its body mangled beyond recognition.
And that's when you hear the first howl, vicious and hateful, washing over the forest like an icy tide from the north.
You and your six adventurers spin in alarm, seven pairs of over-widened eyes shooting northwards and seven pairs of bloodied boots freezing in place. For a moment there is no movement save for the urgent panting of your party.
RUVI: What—
VARANT: Sorry, but you've no time to carve, sprouts. Run straight back to Mayika. If you can, don't rest until you're out of sight of the woods.
He steps forward, facing north—positioning himself between the party and whatever hateful being now approaches. He unslings his shield and begins to remove the hide coverings he keeps it under. It's the first time you've ever seen him use it.
KANI: But—
Another howl ripples across the woodlands, a braying cacophony of hate, and the trees themselves seem to shrink away from its direction.
VARANT: Do I look like I'm kidding? Get a move on, I'll follow after I divert this thing. I'll tell you the trick to it later.
The party looks to you. But no other option comes to mind. You give Varant a concerned look before rushing off to untie your panicking lotch. Your adventurers are visibly tired, and the group has to stop for a moment as Tarrian almost chokes on a mana potion. It takes another few seconds for the enhanced mana regeneration to allow him to cast his traveling blessings.
The third howl sends a chill through your whole body, back to front and top to bottom. It's definitely closer.
You and Kani can barely restrain your lotch as you try to guide it due southward, followed by the others. Every one among you looks over your shoulder as you begin your flight—behind you, Varant rummages through his personal a bag of supplies before pulling out a potion and uncorking it.
The fourth howl is terrifyingly close, and as it fades you hear something approaching—like a busy wind through the leaves of a thousand trees. Then you realize it's not the monster itself… it's the sound of every living thing in the forest fleeing for its life. A horde of shrews, natlings, lizards, flitsil, even a wild boar, and more varieties of flying insects than you knew existed, surges through the forest in every direction but north.
Your group runs at the crest of that wave of creatures, barely able to keep up with their frantic pace. Again, you look over your shoulder; Varant is half-occluded by the thin trees. It's the last you see of him as your group of seven rushes away.
[ Varant has left your party. ]
You hurry southward. At first you try to follow the way you came, but quickly lose the trail.
[GUILDMASTER]: Kani. Which way to Mayika?
Question and answer both are frantic and curt.
KANI: Probably south-southeast. I'll lead.
Pulling on the lotch's harness, she turns the party a bit away from the sun, which is now high in the sky but distinctly past its zenith.
The fifth howl is unlike the others—guttural, hateful, baneful. It's spotted him, you realize.
You keep pace with Kani, holding the other side of the lotch's restraints, as she makes through the trees. Your party follows anxiously, still exhausted despite the boons provided by Tarrian.
The forest itself seems to flee alongside you.
? Scena 16: A Quicker Trek will be posted Friday, 2025-APR-11 at 1300 EST / 1700 UTC.
———————————— DEFINITIONS:
parullon?/?pɑ?.ru.l?n/
Three meters tall from toe to crown, the parullon is an ubiquitous threat in the plentiful woodlands of the Northern Empires. Their brute strength and paralyzing venom are their primary means of attack, but they are agile for their muscular profile and their speed shouldn't be underestimated. They are notoriously territorial and aggressive, and it is advised to keep out of their sight if you are not prepared to fight and win.
varodon?/?v?r.?.d??n/
A long-lived four-legged mammal with antlers and a bony head covering. They are most notable for two things: their three life stages; and their "maddened" forms, which are unpredictable and far more dangerous than their sane counterparts. A varodon's second life stage, called 'high varodon', is reached after a century or two of maturity; the third stage, 'exalted varodon', is a mystery. There is no known information on the transformation process they undergo each for each stage.
———————————— CHANGELOG: