Dirtier than Expected

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Log file:-----------------------------------

As all know there was a job listing at the Adventurer's Guild to assist a group of farmers that are having problems with livestock going missing during the night without a trace the locals can find. The latest farm affected is one owned by Moren, his wife Tikara. The farms by their nature need to be far enough out of the city to have arable and viable land... and closer to the city means more wealth and power. The city guard don't often travel this far out leaving these smaller farms needing outside protection.

Meeting up and heading out has been fairly uneventful. The trip takes a half a day on foot but the weather has held up and it's been a pleasant time traveling. The road is gravel at best in places, mostly dirt, and eventually leading up to an offshoot that points towards a less heavily traveled road. It's still traveled but the road is only a single cart wide where the grasses and scrub-brush that lines the road grow heavier. Not all of the trees out this far have been cleared out and there are still copses standing in places. Not a forest, but not barren or pure plains.

Where the land is flat enough in the rolling hills there are the occasional farm but not the requisite creek that would indicate the proper farm. Cresting the top of a hill the path levels out at the bottom and the creek can be seen coming from the direction of the river off in the distance that provides a bit lusher ground and more fertile ground. The creek runs through several of the farms off in the distance not far away now.

Khepri doesn't really eat or drink, but it's aware of the needs of others around it. And so it is only rational that if something is causing problems for the farmers, it will eventually be reflected later on. The soft jingle of the charms around its neck play countertune to the tinkling of the tiny bells newly tied onto the pommel of its khopesh, as it walks with a steady, inexorable pace. Occasionally the war golem will slow to inspect something to the side of the road, but its pace is more or less relentless.

Dirk is happy to be out of the city and getting back out to nature. Though the carefully cultivated farmlands aren't quite the untramelled wild that he prefers, it's still pleasant enough for the burly old snowbeard. He lumbers along the road, his heavy boots crunching in the gravel with his thunderbelcher slung over his shoulder. His head is up, his shoulders back, a cheerful whistle on his lips. "Some missin' cows should be easy 'nough tae track down, nay?" he says over towards his companions. "Takes a bit o' doin' tae hide tracks like -that-. An' nae cattle rustler -I've- ever seen takes that kind o' time." He rumbles with laughter. "So! We go in, we catch the blaggards, give 'em a proper whuppin', an' brin' Bossy back home. Easy as spittin'! What could possibly go wrong?"

It's been a long time, since Magpie has traveled into countryside. Most of it was when she was a child, and the hustle, bustle, and dimensional insanity that is Rune has overlaid a good deal of her early memories. And in Rune, if you want to go somewhere other than Rune, all you need is teleport fees and to wait in line a while.

So it's fair to say that the gnome's head has been on a swivel ever since most of Alexandria has disappeared over the horizon. Grassy plains and the occasional tree, it seems, holds its own wonder for those not inured to it.

Until Dirk utters the fateful phrase, which point Magpie cringes as if she'd heard a dragon's battlecry, and turns on the saddle of her plodding pony to glare at the rifleman. "You said it! *Why did you say it?!* Now *everything's* going to go wrong!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "For those who want mood music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9UdWnO4W4k"

Another day, another job, and hopefully another payment for a job well done. That was always the hope with these things, and not that it would go horribly wrong the moment they step into the task at hand. At the very least, it was hoped they would be able to manage what was to come.

The arvek-nar was astride their brown feathered Griffon as they traveled, where she could better see the surrounding area.

"Before you ask, it wasn't me. I buy all my cattle from the ranchers, and I don't let Screech out to terorrize livestock." The cavalier grunts, with an accompanying namesake of a noise from the griffon. "So, I'm not trying to cover up my tracks, means we actually have a problem out here. Lets get to it then, yeah?"

Keeping Khepri company as a second artifact of ambulatory artifice, Bob plods along at the back of the ground in his titan armor. The aetherite sparkles brilliantly in the settings on his pauldrons and vambraces when they catch the sun while his cobalt cape flutters out furtively behind him. His bowl helmet is tiled back on its hinge, framing the red-skinned Cerenzan's head like a steel halo.

"You think the a simple phrase will jinx us on our mission to get the cows back, miss?" Bob quirks an eyebrow and grins, running an oversized gauntlet over his head. "... udderly ridiculous."

Shilde, as is her usual, met up with the group once it was outside of the city. How she gets wind of these jobs sometimes is her own trade secret. Knowing druids, she probably has bird spying everywhere. Whatever the case, she and her large, shaggy dog join up with the travelling group as if they were just waiting for her slot in.

"Eh.. it'll jinx y'iff you let it," the druid offers when the conversation settles in. "Or at least serve's good blame when't does fall apart, aye?" Only then does she seem to clue into the joke, which earns the titan armoured fellow a classic, dwarven scowl.

The war golem's voice is dispassionate. "There is no evidence that a simple turn of phrase will cause all probability to become weighted against us." Khepri seems dismissive of the whole notion. "One might as well worry about the phase of the moon, or whether a black cat crossed your path."

Khepri doesn't react to Bob's joke, which is probably for the best. It does look at Zofija thought. "Unlikely. Even your griffon might leave traces. I find it curious there is no sign of any predation."

Dirk loks over to Magpie with a rumble of laughter. "Och, sayin' it won't make it so! Here, watch this!" He looks up to the skies. "Why, I bet a million gold coins will start rainin' from heaven -right about now-!" He cups a hand to his ear as he walks, his shaggy white brows climbing higher and higher as he looks meaningfully over at Magpie. "You hear pennies from heaven? -I- surely don't! So put yer mind at ease, lassie." He looks over to Bob with a snicker. "Careful now, lad. We don't want tae milk that fer all it's worth!" He booms with laughter, tossing up his rifle and twirling it like a baton. Up into the air, catching it and twirling it behind his back, before catching it once again. Seems like there's nothing that can get this cheerful old ranger down!

"Uuuugh, bad puns make me *angus,*" Magpie groans at Robert. Her eyes widen, staring around at all the people who don't seem to believe in bad luck, and after a moment the gnome nearly lifts up off her saddle, her arms flail so hard. "Okay but, like, the *gods exist,* right? Magic is the product of mortal will interacting with a *sea of mana,* right? People even end up getting enchanted a little by *concepts of existence.* Is it *really* that silly to believe that if you ask the world, which is apparently alive and has its own will, and has a lot of gods representing it, what could go wrong, all that *might decide to answer?*"

After all that, Magpie seems to need to catch her breath for a moment. "All's I'm saying," she says a moment later, "is some things? Better off not poking with a stick."

"Hah," Bob barkers at Dirk's verbal riposte, chuckling and grinning wider. His blue eyes bounce to Khepri and he nods at the wargolem's assessment. His grin turns coy when Magpie complains about the dads joking and he shrugs. "Jokes about missing cows aren't the worst thing I never herd."

He'll leave it at that, busying himself with checking the various pouches and gegaws attached to his wide leather belt. Then the hip-sack. "I've got snacks and drinks if anyone needs anything. And an extra jacket if it starts to rain."

Most of the farms are relatively simple but functionally built. The main thing that differentiates the farms is the amount of livestock and the color of the weathered paint on the barn doors. Moren and Tikara's farm has a red door trimmed in yellow with a white MT overlaying each other.

The farm is fenced in with the winding creek, a plethora of wooden posts and strong wire wound around each post with occasional slats of wood put in to reinforce the wire and form a visual 'barrier' to keep the cattle in the larger portion. There are sectioned off wooden fencing inside that keep a pair of pig wallows separated. Sheep are in a separate paddock from the cattle and wood troughs for water have been set up near the well but the cattle drink from the creek directly.

The barn is easily large enough for a score of horses, or all the livestock on the farm in a pinch. The farm looks rather well put together, in good repair, and isn't overly large. Perhaps half a dozen goats, a handful of cattle, a dozen pigs, and a number of chicken that wander near the coop for the most part. There are two plots of land tilled for gardening as well, enough to trade and perhaps sell some but mostly for the families own use.

Khepri looks out at the farm, constructed with obvious care, and then turns to Robert. "I am unfamiliar with agriculture. Is this a well kept farm?" It sweeps the paddocks and enclosures with its yellow eyes, but clearly doesn't comprehend how the place functions. It continues to advance, though, its birdlike head tilted a bit quizzically as it tries to work out what's involved in life on the farm.

"Seems good'nuff," Shilde appraises, though her eyes are more for the borders of the farm that she can see. "Y'stay close, Rocky. No chasin' chickens, alright?"

"Well built," Bob answers Khepri with a nod, walking up to a fencepost and curling his gauntlet into the titan fist. One overlarge steel knuckle knocks on the wood as if to demonstrate its sturdy nature. "As for the layout?" The armor clatters as he shrugs. "... never did live on a farm."

There's a pause and his gaze dips while he thinks, making sure. "Nope. Never did. The Faring Folk had livestock but they just moved along with the rest of us."

"It seems polite to meet the lord and lady before we start our sniffing around," he posits, canting his chin up at the farmouse.

"You say that like a griffon can't pick up cattle to go eat it somewhere else if they have half a mind to." Zofija grunts, readjusting her hat to keep the sun out of her face. "But yeah, not me, glad it isn't too. Part of the reason you spend so much time training and keeping them well fed, so they don't run off to feed themselves."

stepping into the farm proper, she stops to look around. "Probably best someone else does the talking, since not my fault, but I might spook the animals anyways with my presences. When we find out where they went missing from, when and how, that'll give us good ground to start searching."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "and new ambience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-9kyTJ7PNI"

Now full of free snacks and personal travelling water, Magpie's mood resettles to pleasant gawking at the countryside, and when the farm comes into view... well. It's pretty obvious that if she were a good rider, she'd be standing up in the saddle. "I am going to pet *every animal,*" she vows to herself. "Every. Last. One."

As they get even closer, however, her bright grin fades just a bit, the gnome clearly attempting to put on her serious face. It's not... completely effective, she still looks more like a kid on a field trip than a professional trouble-zapper.

As the adventurers begin to approach the main gate of the farm, an older but still very fit man who has begin to go to seed with age steps out of the barn and over towards the gate. He is tall with broad shoulders and heavily calloused hands, sun tanned or perhaps a bit darker in color naturally wearing rough and durable clothing as one might expect of plain brown color. His hair is black and his face is rugged with hints of Uruch heritage in there somewhere in the past. Just a touch of tusk but not really.

A pair of young children play over by the well, a boy and a girl, maybe a handful of years old with the girl being older than the boy and with blonde hair while the boy matches his father presumably. A lad in his early teens is currently feeding and watering the swine.

As he approaches the main gate the man, likely Moren, lifts a hand while eyeing the Griffon, the Wolf, and the group associated with them; "Hail!" His deep voice carries easily and the children pause in what they're doing, staring agape at the approaching adventurer's.

Moren continues, "I pray that you're from the guild and not here to pillage. We don't have much, and adventurer's should be comin' soon. Best be on your way if you've ill intentions." He looks wary but his voice is firm.

Khepri raises empty hands. "We are here from the guild." It pauses for a moment. "You sent word about missing livestock?" It knows its countenance and voice aren't -super- reassuring but then, that's what Robert is for. "The grace of the gods be with you," it recites, a fairly ecumenical blessing, "and your family as well."

Then it kind of looks at Robert hopefully that he'll pick up the conversational slack.

Dirk looks around the well-kept farm with his never-faltering smile on his broad, honest face. "Aye, pretty as a picture," he says. "There's much love gone intae this place. Let's see if we cannae help these good folk." He lumbers towards the gate, reaching up to tip his tricorne politely to Moren as the farmer hails them. "Well met, sar!" he booms. "You must be Farmer Moren! Dirk Stormgrip, at yer service an' yer family's. The 'Venturer's Guild's sent us tae help ye track down yer missin' livestock." He sweeps his gaze over the farm, tugging thoughtfully at his beard. "Can ye tell us, Master Moren. Where was the last time ye saw yer animals? Was there any signs o' violence? Anything left behind?" He slaps a hand down on the sturdy fencing. "I'm nae inclined tae believe they wandered off on their own, as well built as yer premises are."

Shilde scowls a bit. Perhaps she'd been hoping that nobody would be home and they could just do the job and get out. "Oh fer.. Aye," she states beginning the process of approaching the gate. Suggest she might be a bandit, will he? She does keep her hands to her side, at least. "Aye.. we're here t'help. Tell us th'trouble'n try'n say out've the way, will ye?"

Rocky takes this moment to prance on over to the sheep pens, sticking his face through the fence as best he can to watch them.

"Robert Ilife," the large Cerenzan offers with a smile and a nod, "but folks call me Bob. Muse' grace." There's the sound of contraptions rattling and metal sliding against metal as he fishes out a folded and stamped bit of parchment.

"We do have the formal writ if you'd like to verify that we're the contract-holders." A certain blue-feathered l'egalrin is helping the older man cross his t's and dot his lowercase j's as he gets back into the swing of things. "Happy to help."

"Yessir, we're the adventurers!" Magpie chirps, sliding off her pony and dropping to the ground. "I'm Magpie. We'll get your animals back, no problems, and anyone who took them, well. *They'll* be sorry they did." With an emphatic nod, she reaches up to pat her pony's nose. "So uh... yeah. What Dirk said."

Zofija was at least polite enough to offer a wave to the man as they came to a stop. "Easy, we aren't bandits, and we have no intent to cause trouble for you and anyone else here." The Arvek-nar grunts, taking off her hat and offering a bow. "We're the adventurers you asked for, I imagine. And we're here to get to the bottom of what's making the cattle and the like disappear, and ideally get to the bottom of it. Your cooperation is appreciated, the more information, the better I say."

Moren gets a closer look at the group and the very disparate themes presented. He relaxes at the comments assuring him that they're from the guild, "You all don't seem like any bandits I've ever had the misfortune of runnin' 'foul of but... strange days." He looks and sounds apologetic while addressing the group, "Strange news from the city. Didn't know if our messenger even made it to Alexandria." He claps his hands together firmly and unhitches the main gate to start swinging it open so that everyone can enter.

"It's the damndest thing." Moren mutters with a curse and a spit off to one side. "We used t'have eight, now we're down to half. Whatever's doin' it seems t'favor cattle. Doesn't happen every night but often enough we can ill afford it. The Tuck place down the road lost every last one. Now it's our turn seems." Moren shakes his head, "Heard tell that the Tuck's lost their oldest but he could have ran off. Boy had big dreams that one."

Moren looks at Dirk, "Don't believe they've run off either. No holes in the fencin', fox don't go after cattle, anything bigger tryin' to get through would leave trace. Whatever is happening, it ain't happenin' in a way we ken."

When the wolf goes bounding towards the pen, Moren calls out, "Kadran! Quit fussin' with the pigs and get them corralled so these fine folks can get into the cattle." He nods towards Robert after smoothing a slightly worried expression at the wolf's interest, "I believe ye. Apologies all. It's a tryin' time." Kadran throws the last of the slop into the pen and then runs into the barn, coming out with a rolled up sheet. Quickly he hooks it to the post near the gate and using it as a 'wall' he unfurls it and rounds up the sheep, moving them out of the way and tying it off to pen them in out of the way.

Upon being given permission, Khepri marches forward... stepping through the gates, and into the pasture proper. It's a slightly absurd image: the gangling war golem moving through the bucolic environs, jingling softly with every step. When it enters the cow pasture proper, it pauses, looking down, then deadpans, "Watch your step." Looks like it almost stepped in a patty.

That warning give, the golem begins to move along the fenceline, methodically inspecting it. Not just looking for breaks, but for tracks or signs something crossed it over.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Anyone who wants to take a look around, tell me how you are intending to investigate, and roll something that makes sense for it :)"

<OOC> Khepri uses Survival to look for tracks and other points of disturbance.

<OOC> Aavhash nods, "Roll it :)"

GAME: Khepri rolls survival: (6)+8: 14

<OOC> Shilde would like a knowledge/geography check to see if she knows anything notable about the surrounding terrain that might apply, and a survival check as well.

<OOC> Zofija nod

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok Shilde"

GAME: Shilde rolls knowledge/geography: (12)+6: 18

<OOC> Magpie says, "Magpie has no idea about anything to do with nature or farms or the outdoors in general, but she's close to the ground, so Perception might work for clues or clue-adjacent byproducts!"

GAME: Shilde rolls survival: (5)+13: 18

<OOC> Robert says, "Bob can walk the fenceline for the pasture and check for tampering or the like. Perception and/or Kn.Engineering."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Roll both, and go ahead Magpie"

GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (4)+6: 10

GAME: Robert rolls Perception: (5)+7: 12

GAME: Robert rolls Knowledge/Engineering: (14)+12: 26

"Rocky!" Shilde bellows, followed by a thick fingered, sharp whistle to get the large dog's attention before she follows Khepri inside. "Behave," she warns the dog, keeping him at her side as she sets to trying to solve the mystery. Beginning with inspecting the cattle enclosure. Specifically the fence, if only to rule it out.. then checking for signs of anything that ought not belong in the cattle pen. Tracks of big beasties, cattle wandering off in an odd direction, ending suddenly anywhere. It's a small hope... livestock tends to have little care of contaminating a crime scene.

<OOC> Dirk will try Survival as well. And 'animal' is my favored enemy, so that should kick in for me, yes?

<OOC> Aavhash says, "In this case? No."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "But go ahead and roll survival and perception dirk"

GAME: Dirk rolls Perception: (15)+7: 22

<OOC> Dirk says, "Does my Track class ability kick in, at least?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Sure!"

GAME: Dirk rolls Survival+1: (3)+7+1: 11

With no idea what to look for, but assuming that something unusual *would* be noticeable, Magpie starts to just... quarter the pasture, peering at the ground all about her. At first, she stops to examine something, but, after a cursory sniff... yeah no, that's just a cowflop. And that. And that one. And--

Okay this isn't working.

Straightening, the sorceress rises on her tiptoes to see if any of her compatriots have the least idea what they're doing.

"Sounds like a lot going on, just losing one head of cattle is already bad news." Zofija sighs. "What's this about the Tucks though? Oldest cow, or oldest child? Important distinction, and if there's folks going missing too, or responsible for the disappearances too, then that changes things."

"Well, lets take a look around the pasture area then, thanks for clearing it out for us. Speak up if you find anything out of sorts, could still be dangerous in the area."

Dirk nods his head to Moren, puffing up his burly chest. "Not tae fret, laddie," he says, hooking a thumb towards his chest. "We'll get ye took care of, nae problem! We're on the job!" And he sets to work immediately. While his comrades examine the surrounds, he lumbers his way out into the pasture. He doesn't go out of his way to greet the cattle that remain--he knows they might spook easily if a stranger comes right up to them. Instead, he turns his attention to the ground itself. He moves at a careful pace, thunderbelcher held in one hand as he runs his fingers over the uneven earth. Reaching the creek, he stops. "Eh?" He takes a knee, peering closely at the ground. He traces out the patterns in the ground. "Well now... -that's- interestin', innit?" he mutters. He gets back to his feet, and trots back to the others.

"Farmer Moren, when was the last time ye saw yer cattle go fer a drink?" he asks. He hooks a thumb over his shoulder. "The tracks by yon creek seem older'n they ought tae be. By my best guess, they've been avoidin' the creek. There's a spot broken up as well." He looks back over his shoulder, squinting towards the creek. "-Could- just have been from a cow that got tripped up an' fell over, but... I dunno. Summat 'bout that feels off. Ground here's nae that uneven. I have a hard time imaginin' 'em gettin' tripped up. Unless summat -made- 'em trip."

As the adventurer's head into the pasture, Moren moves to the gate and watches, "Oldest boy. He was sixteen though, and we all know how people can get. Especially growing up on a farm. Ain't the life for everyone." The older man answers Zofija's question.

"Eh, haven't really noticed." Moren answers Dirk, "Been more worried about how four head just up and disappeared for no good reason." He scratches behind one slightly pointed ear. "They always go missing during the night. We tried setting up watch but when we watch... nothin' happens. Not enough of us to be out all night every night, nothin' would get done. That's what the fence is for."

<OOC> Khepri says, "With Dirk pointing it out, can I check it as well? I do have Track as well."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Sure!"

GAME: Khepri rolls survival+1: (18)+8+1: 27

After a long and deliberate circuit, Bob rejoins the group. He drops a five-pound sledge back into a loop and listens as folks share their insights. "I didn't find any signs of tampering with the fence," he finally admits with a shrug, steam escaping beneath the cloak behind him. "It's well-built, too, and in good shape; more than capable of doing the job." He gives an appreciative nod to the farmer.

Shilde shakes her head. "Hard teh think've anythin' big e'nuff from a creek t'drag a cow away," she admits, keeping her dog close. "But worth checkin' out closer. Nothin' forested enough here to hide th' nasties.. so unless they're flyin'? An' forgive me fer doubt'in, Zofija.. but t'would have'ta be a damn big griffon t'carry way one of these cows."

At Dirk's insistence, Khepri immediately goes over to inspect where he was pointing to. The Executor kneels as well, reaching out to touch the ground. Blank yellow eyes studying the earth, and while one hand is on the dirt, its other reaches back to rest on the hilt of its khopesh.

"It came up through here." the war golem says quietly. "Very large. Easily capable of taking a cow... or a human." Suddenly the golem stands up. "The tunnel may still be intact."

"Could be rocs?" Magpie hazards as she toddles back to where the group seems to be re-gathering. A particularly interesting-looking dandelion is picked, twirled between little fingers. "Don't they hunt in the day, though? You'd think you'd notice an eagle the size of a house flying around..."

At Khepri's comment, she whips around. "Wait, *underground?!* Okay that *totally makes more sense!"

<OOC> Dirk says, "Would Knowledge/Nature tell me anything about what sort of beastie this might be?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Knowledge/Dungeoneering"

<OOC> Dirk says, "Would my favored enemy count?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It's not an animal type, so no."

<OOC> Dirk says, "Alas."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Any who have the knowledge/dungeoneering feel free to roll."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Sadly, no dungeoneering"

<OOC> Aavhash moves you all about to where she thinks you'd be while investigating.

Bob straightens and cranes his neck. There's a grunt and he disengages a rather complex looking box of gizmos and gears from the back of his armor. The Cerenzan flips a latch and presses a button, causing the whole thing to come alive with steam and electricity, sparking and unfolding until it looks like an awkward, blocky thunderbelcher with various glass tubes along its barrel.

Cannon in hand, the artificer crosses the pasture once more to join Dirk and Khepri. His free hand flips down the domed helmet and it seals closed behind the raised gorget.

"Can you follow the tunnel?" He wonders, his voice a tinny echo from inside the helmet.

<OOC> Khepri says, "Don't know if there IS a tunnel yet, the ground's just disturbed and broken up."

<OOC> Khepri should've asked for a shovel.

<OOC> Zofija says, "I do have a shovel on me"

<OOC> Aavhash assumes there's discussion on the channel about what to do :) "Let me know if anyone wants to try or do something :)"

<OOC> Khepri says, "I think we might try and dig a bit into the disturbed portion. Zofi has a shovel."

<OOC> Khepri says, "See if there's a tunnel there."

Moren blinks and looks a little surprised, "Somethin' come up from underground and took a /cow/. FOUR head? Without us noticin'? What could that even be..."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Who's doing the digging?"

<OOC> Robert says, "It feels a shame to not let Rocky do what he was born to do."

<OOC> Dirk is an above-ground dworf.

<OOC> Khepri will take the shovel and dig, if no one objects?

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Any objections to Khepri digging with Zofija's shovel?"

<OOC> Dirk says, "Nah. Dirk'll keep Khephri covered with his thunderbelcher."

<OOC> Zofija says, "I guess that works for me, but it's not so much a shovel as a goblin army knife"

<OOC> Shilde says, "It's too bad, I considered having a spell on my list that would have helped. But it's use seemed pretty niche."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Posing"

Shilde nods once to herself. She hadn't thought much of the creek theory.. with news of something coming from the underground, it actually starts to make a bit more sense to her. She joins the others in gathering about where the hole ought to be, but stays out of the way of the far larger, and burlier digging folk.

As discussions are had about who is digging what and where and how, there's a sudden shift and muffled rumble. Especially as other people come to check it out. Khepri is not light. Neither is Dirk. With Shilde coming over as well it seems like there was to much weight around the location and the ground starts to give. It only drops a few feet overall but in a wide enough area that the creek starts to pour into the space created.

There's no real danger to anyone nearby other than perhaps losing their balance and falling into newly formed muddy floor of a very shallow pool of creek water. It's easy to tell that the water level is rising, the dirt not hard enough packed during the tunnel collapse for there to be space for it to leak down and drain.

"GWAAGH!" Dirk's arms windmill as the ground drops out from under him. Fortunately, he doesn't fall far. And it's a fairly soft landing, all things considered. He coughs and splutters as he scrabbles back to his feet, his heavy boots squelching and schlorping in the rapidly softening mud as the creek rushes in to fill the gap. "Piss up my -arse-! Is everyone all right?" he asks, looking around to make sure his friends are similarly unharmed. He squints at the pattern of broken earth. "Aye, sure an' there was a tunnel here all right. But... is there enough of it left fer us tae follow? That's the question, innit?"

Khepri falls down with a splash and a slightly garbled sound. Then it's sitting up again, spattered in mud, looking around. "Well," it says philosophically, "at least this is proof -something- was tunnelling into the pasture." It plants the shovel, as it slowly gets up. "We may need to block the water flow, though. It is inconvenient to continue searching while in two feet of creek water."

"Bloody gravel.." Shilde blurts out as she, too, loses her footing and tumbles as the ground gives way and drops her with some of the others into the hole. Into the tunnel. She ends up facefirst in the water, not moving initially. It's unlikely because she was hurt. Bubbles keep forming in the muddy water around her head. And.. yes. It sounds like she might be yelling curses into the water. Rocky just pads to the edge of the cave-in, looking down, tongue hanging out of his mouth as he tilts his head to the side. He totally has his druid's back.

After giving herself time to vent, Shilde eventually rights herself, planting her feet on the bottom of the shallow pool and lifting her head out of the water. "WHAT COULD POSIBLY GO WRONG?" she asks. Rhetorically.

There was no shovel.. yet. Zofija had hopped off her griffon and pulled a large metal box off of one of the saddlebags on the griffon, which she was stooped over, undoing several latches, pulling out rope and eating utensils and tent tarps and pegs and all manner of things.

"Would have tossed the damn thing if it didn't have so many useful bits and pieces in it." The arvek-nar grumbles to herself, holding a shovel handle and pole in one hand as she fished around for the blade. She stops and looks up when the ground caves in, and hops to her feet, giving it a wide berth. Screech, smartly, keeps back. "You all right in there? Looks like you found something amiss there, so that's good, or bad. Any clue what caused the sinkhole in the first place, or was it just the water?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You do know that whatever made the tunnel is smart enough to only come out at night, likely nocturnal, the water flowed in after the ground gave way enough for the creek to fill the space in a bit of a rush. It wouldn't be difficult to reinforce the creek if that's what you wanted to do, could wait for the new pond to be soaked into the earth."

<OOC> Khepri says, "That's probably what we're going to do."

The artificer takes a healthy step back and the ground begins to sag and fall in on itself. His shoulders pivot and he looks out from the eyeslits on his helmet, trying to gauge the extend of the damage. He cradles the firearm as he takes a few cautious steps closer to the soaked depression.

"You're all fine?" Bob wonders, taking the half-second to count heads. "... aside from being wet and muddy?"

There's a reverberating 'hmmm' as he issues a thoughtful noise and turns back to Moren. "Any caves or canyons nearby?" He glances over to the more wilderness-ly inclined folks, wondering if they'll take note of his question over their own recent misfortune.

"AUGHPTHBPTPFLPTHLPTHPT," Magpie reasons, clawing out of the mire. Two feet deep may not be that much to most people, but it is tw-thirds of this gnome, and thus the sudden collapse results in a much more... dramatic... change of circumstances for her. Scraping a fistful of mud away from her eyes, she looks down at her sodden clothes, and grumbles. "'Learn Prestidigitation,' he said, 'you can't possibly think up one spell with a better spread of uses,' he said. 'That's dumb,' I said, 'Why waste magic when you can just wash,' I said... Yuk it up, Provost..." Tumbling onto dry ground with a wet splat, she lets her head fall to one side, giving Shilde a jaundiced look. "*Exactly.*"

Khepri clambers to its feet, and begins inspecting where the creek is flowing in, unheeding of the water pooling around its shins. "Many things can go wrong. Shall I list them in order of probability or alphabetically?" The golem begins shifting earth around to stem the water coming in, stalking sloppily through the mud as it works with tireless patience. It pauses to wipe a daub of mud off its beaklike nose, before commenting, "It is only mud."

Moren looks as surprised as everyone else as the ground gives way and the children run over to the fence to try and look past the cattle which have also shied away in a bit of a panic. Cows running. That's new.

At the question Moren shakes his head, "Just dirt. No real mountains nearby or anything. Some rocks in the creek but we figured those were just washed down from the river. Never seen anything like this... It's good farmin' earth."

<OOC> Dirk says, "Can we see which direction the tunnel heads from where we are? Or has it completely collapsed?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Oddly enough it looks like it collapsed towards the creek, so maybe from that direction?"

Dirk hunkers down to help Shilde to her feet. "Oh, it's just a wee bit o' mud an' damp," he says. "It cannae hurt ye. Why, I've been up tae me armpits in a Felwood bog afore. Now -that's- a reason tae be nervous!" He squints at the crumbled earth, tugging at his beard. "Goin' by me best guess... the tunnel leads that way. Towards the creek. Och, does the thing dig -under- it?"

"Bah! T'isn't th'mud that bothers me, y'block'ead," Shilde grumbles as she's helped up. She looks around her, only now, to see who else fell. Khepri's a big one, so she isn't too worried on that front.. but Magpie.. well, looks like the gnome has managed her own as well. She looks up out of the hole. We're down here now. Might's well follow it. Won't know if any caves we find'll join this one. Maybe Farmer Murn can get a ladder're something'." Then she fixes her dog with a stare. "Oh, don't think yer gettin' out of this."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "There is no hole Shilde. The tunnel collapsed which caused the earth to sink and fill in. The displaced area filled with water to form a shallow pond."

"Love to," Magpie says, shaking her sleeves out, "but like... Shouldn't we block up the water first? Probably be easier to dig a hole when it's not covered in water. Mud? Mwad? You get it."

"It's the most of a lead we have so far, and if it's not naturally occuring, then we can check and find the source over that way." Zofija shrugs, grumbling a bit as she works on re packing and setting up the metal pack and putting all the levers back into place. Only to look up and over to Magpie, sigh, and start unpacking everything again.

"Maybe it swims and burrows?" Bob posits in a voice that's less-than-sure. There's one last in-place slow swivel before he breaks down the cannon, flipping a catch and folding the contraption back in on itself before stowing. He flips his helmet back up and takes a few more tentative steps towards the pool before offering his mechanical hands out to Shilde and Dirk should they wish to be free of the mud.

"Do you have tools and lumber we might put into play here, mister Moren?" He asks after noticing Khepri at work.

Moren nods, "Think so. Got some lumber in the barn we use to replace broken boards and posts. Not much rock or anything but maybe..." He looks thoughtful and goes back into the barn calling, "Kadran! Get some shovels and the post digger!" The boy does as he's told while the younger children are chattering away softly at each other.

At this point Tikara comes out of the house looking confused at all the shouting. She's younger than Moren, and human, with blonde hair and a kindly if round face. "What's going on out here?" She asks bewildered but spotting mud soaked people off in the distance, and a new pond, she calls out, "By all that's holy." And runs out picking up her skirts in the process. "Any who wish it come get inside and warm. Spring's here but still chill enough to catch cold."

It doesn't take long for Moren and Kadran to come with some lumber, a couple shovels, and a fence post hole digger. "Might take a bit for the water to soak in. Even after we get this finished. You all are welcome to spend the night if you want to wait till morning and hope it dries out." They then go to help with getting the creak repaired.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Khepri you're able to dam it up without to much trouble, just takes time. There's enough rock on the creek bottom to do an ok job of it if you're not concerned about looks. Should be fine unless there's a rainstorm It's about a 6 foot gap but only 3 feet at it's deepest. Should be able to get it done before dark with help from Moren and Kadran and the lumber."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "unless someone has some magic to help make it go quicker, you might be spending the night."

<OOC> Robert can cast color spray at people while they're digging!

The work is long and dirty, but Khepri doesn't complain. Once the shoring and damming is done, the lumbering war golem clambers out of the sinkhole. "A bit different from tending the graves," it comments. "But the gods smile on honest work done in good faith." It pauses, considering. "Each time the cows were taken at night. We should set a watch."

"It'd be very much appreciated," Magpie says, beaming up at the farmer. "And thank you *very* much! So, okay, watches." Pausing, she purses her lips. "Didn't he say that when they set a watch, nothing happened that night? What should we do about that?"

Tiny and noodly, the sorceress isn't really any help with the digging or the repair, but she can at least try to puzzle out the mystery.

It only took another half a minute for Zofija to pull out and assemble the full length shovel, and get to work helping to stop the pooling water. "Well, a bit of hard work never hurt anyone. Well, hurt a lot of people, but this won't be too bad, I think." The arvek-nar muses in passing as they continue until it was blocked off. "Maybe we should rest for tonight, get at it in the morning. Only problem is if whatever it is comes back, if it's smart enough to avoid guards, it might know something's on to it if they see an old passage blocked off like this, even if it's caved in."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "To be fair, cows are big, it might not need one every day and farmers would likely set a watch /after/ it happened, but like he said, they can't do it all the time every night."

Once she's out of the hole, Shilde wipes at her jerkin and her pants, scraping off the thicker mud. "I'll 'ave some magic t'use in th'mornin' if we wanna wait until then. 'N maybe whatever's stealin' the walkin' steaks'll come to us when we watch."

Dirk helps out as best he can. He may not be a craftsman like his mountain-dwelling kin, but he can push, pull, lift, and drag easily enough. Once the shoring is completed, he plants his hands on his hips, nodding in satisfaction. "True talk, laddie, true talk," he says to Kephri with a smile. He turns back to the others, tugging thoughtfully at his beard. "Well... I imagine they had lanterns, or torches, or summat tae help 'em see at night." He looks over to Shilde. "But -we- can see in the dark just fine. What say ye, Shilde? Feel up tae spendin' a night under the soft moonlight wi' me? I promise not tae serenade ye -too- terribly." He tips her a teasing grin.

<OOC> Shilde can prepare magic to excavate up to four 5' cubes of dirt, more if I want to use higher level spell slots. Might be useful here.

<OOC> Dirk only has one spell right now, and that's Use Gun On Target.

<OOC> Khepri says, "...I don't think Create Water is useful in this situation :D"

Bob may not have the stamina of some younger men but he's still stronger and heartier than most and in spite of the occasional electrical arcing and the ozone-smell of mana popping through the Weave, the armor survives some dirty work. He's more than happy to put his titan fists towards some manual labor.

Later, on the topic of watches: "It makes sense to set a watch," the red-skinned Cerenzan nods. "If only so we keep the remaining cows safe." The armored plates clatter when he braces the small of his back and leans, stretching. "I'll need light to see, though, so a good chunk of sleep to renew my schema-- my gadgets," he pats the gegaws. "I'm an early-riser." Sounds like he wants the morning-shift.

<OOC> Robert says, "*and a good chunk of sleep"

<OOC> Robert says, "*gewgaws"

<OOC> Khepri presumes we set a watch through the night, but with five of us we should all be able to get sleep as needed.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Shouldn't be a problem. Since there's six of you. Just need an order."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And the farmers can help too"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Sorry. Six."

<OOC> Magpie will take second! One cup of tea and the chaos gremlin will be perfectly alert. Absolutely.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok so Magpie is taking 2nd, Robert is taking eight (Moren and Kadran can take a watch too) which should leave you all with plenty of sleep before morning."

<OOC> Zofija nod

Shilde eyes Dirk. As she does so, she runs her hand and sleeve along her nose.. leaving more mud there than she removes. "Better not be any serenadin' at all," she tells him gruffly. "Else Rocky'll think it's song'dance night.. an' you don' wanna be 'earin him sing." She declines the farmers' offer, however, of drying off and washing inside. The creek works just fine for her.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "So 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 need people, the farmers will take whatever you don't."

<OOC> Shilde will take 1.

<OOC> Khepri says, "I will take fourth, since I have darkvision and LLV :)"

<OOC> Shilde needs the sleep for the magics.

<OOC> Aavhash nods.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Dirk and Zofi, 3, 5, 6, and 7 Figure neither of you are magic types so doesn't really matter, any preference?"

<OOC> Zofija says, "I'll take 5 or 6 guess"

<OOC> Zofija says, "I guess*"

<OOC> Dirk ain't particular. I do have darkvision though, in case that factors in.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Also, who all, besides Khepri, is relying on low light or dark vision rather than manufactured or spell light?"

<OOC> Dirk flexes in dwarven.

<OOC> Zofija is using darkvision

<OOC> Magpie says, "Low-light, yo."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Is Robert the only individual who is night blind?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Looks like!"

<OOC> Robert says, "Yeah, I'm the only boring human!"

Tikara provides a nice meal for everyone. It's clear she is trying to put on the best she can without real warning. A pair of chickens are sacrificed to the gods of hunger and there's ham that's been put into a stew. Fresh enough bread accompanies it, and even fresh butter. They do have cows after all and probably churn their own. Explains why Tikara has arms almost as thick as Moren's!

The children are good natured, curious, but shy, especially with the more non-human folks, and Robert's got the whole Aether-Mecha thing going on so they are quietly curious without being obtrusive. After the meal there's not a lot of space for sleeping and the griffon won't even fit through the doors so practically every surface is covered with furs and bedrolls. The children have bunk beds and the parents have their own bed but it's cozy and warm and sleep comes relatively easy.

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d5: (5): 5

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Everyone (Besides Robert) roll me a perception please, and tell me where you'd be watching from?"

GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (2)+6: 8

GAME: Khepri rolls perception: (19)+8: 27

<OOC> Magpie would be watching from the side of the barn nearer the field, behind the fence.

<OOC> Khepri says, "Khepri probably watching from inside at 11,4."

GAME: Shilde rolls perception: (7)+11: 18

<OOC> Dirk says, "The green block on the right... that's one of the gardens?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "yes, it is vegetables and such"

GAME: Zofija rolls perception: (16)+4: 20

<OOC> Dirk will hunker down there, then. Doing my best not to tear up the veggies, obviously!

<OOC> Dirk says, "So 10,3"

GAME: Dirk rolls perception: (2)+7: 9

<OOC> Magpie says, "Oh derp, thought that was a barn."

<OOC> Magpie says, "10,4 was where I'd planned to watch, then."

<OOC> Shilde would be probably back that way as well, 11,3 or so, using Rocky as a pillow.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "The barn has the horses in it, where you are also where you can sleep if you wish"

<OOC> Zofija will be watching from near the chicken coop and Screech will probably be with the horses

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+8: (19)+8: 27

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Does anyone have any special plans they want to do before settling in for watches?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And where would you sleep when it wasn't your watch?"

<OOC> Robert says, "Bob'll be in armor and in the field for his watch. He'll also have a torch. Sadly, none of his spells are longer than mins/level so he won't have any prep magics up."

<OOC> Khepri would probably just lie down in the barn when in rest state. Beep beep.

<OOC> Robert says, "Barn'll work for sleep, too. Out of armor as it's heavy and he needs his beauty zzzs."

<OOC> Robert apologizes for snoring.

<OOC> Magpie says, "Likewise, barn is fine when I'm not trying to charm the socks off the kids."

<OOC> Shilde will sleep right where she is!

<OOC> Dirk is okay with snoozing in the barn.

<OOC> Dirk snores in dwarven.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Zofija sleep in the barn with Screech I assume?"

<OOC> Zofija says, "Yeah, Zofi will do that"

<OOC> Shilde says, "I hear dried cow dung makes for good fire fuel."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Posing"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ambience! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vefCdLtCjyE"

Most of the night is pretty quiet. The cattle shift away from the now slowly draining pool and the water, closer to the rest of the animals likely out of some instinctive need to be close to... something else at night when they doze off, standing up like cows do.

During Shilde's watch, nothing happens. The cows are restless a little but... the moon is still high enough to get a pretty good look around and she sees nothing untowards.

Swapping with Magpie, the sorceress is likely bored to tears... or otherwise distracted by something, anything, as it's just... boring! There's nothing to do! Thankfully it's a shorter than average watch with eight people watching.

So and so forth it goes, maybe nothing is going to happen tonight at all.

Until on Khepri's watch the moon sets and the wind picks up a little. The standing cows are still just standing. Robert snores in the barn while others in the barn try to sleep. Off in the distance there are sounds of wild life, it may be farmland but there are critters and creatures out there. Livestock can be easy hunting.

That's when Kepri notices it. The grass shifts much more than it should even for the wind.

The earth begins to bubble upwards.

It begins to break...

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Right about there."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Aavhash has dropped a TIMESTOP!

Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Aavhash to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.

For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

<OOC> Khepri says, "At this moment, Khepri deeply regrets not having something to signal the others."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Khepri, you think you have a little bit of time, perhaps 2 rounds, before that bubble breaks with how slowly it's growing. You rolled really well on perception."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Rolled also ridiculously well on my initiative."

<OOC> Shilde rolled very Shilde, though won't matter until she's woken up anyways.

<OOC> Khepri says, "OK, is that Shilde next to me?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It is"

<OOC> Khepri spends his action to wake her up, then draws his khopesh.

<OOC> Khepri says, "I think that's all I have right now."

<OOC> Khepri poses.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok, pose it :) Shilde you are shaken awake. Everyone else is still asleep in the barn"

<OOC> Shilde will spend her turn waking up! And shaking awake Rocky if possible.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Rocky was woken when you were awakened, cuz pillow."

<OOC> Shilde says, "Sweet"

It's a peaceful night. Okay, it WAS a peaceful night until Khepri saw the earth doing something it really should not be doing. "Hm," it says in a calm tone, before reaching down and firmly shaking Shilde awake. "You should get the others. I do not think this is a normal occurrence."

With that, the war golem reaches to its belt, and draws the elegant-looking khopesh... the bells tied to its pommel jingling softly as the blade comes free.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Jingling bells, not exactly stealthy... let's see"

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+9: (14)+9: 23

<OOC> Khepri says, "Stealth is not Khepri's strong point. But it's going to be an ancestral weapon, so he's compelled to decorate it."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Okie! Shilde, go ahead pose waking up. The earth bubble gets bigger but without knowing where to look you don't notice yet. Either of you doing anything before it pops?"

Shilde grunts. Snorts even. "no.. not the trees da.. the trees..." Then her eyes snap open, looking into the artificial visage of Khepri. It does take a few seconds for her sleeping mind to catch up to his words, but then she's nodding, climbing to her feet. Rocky, having awoken much faster than his druid, is already on his feet when she gets to hers.

<OOC> Khepri will unsling his shield as well, and begin moving to 13,7.

<OOC> Shilde says, "WEll.."

<OOC> Shilde will tell Rocky to protect Khepri, then go start waking people up.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "how far does Rocky move?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "and yourself for that matter?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Also! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLAa1urufGE Ambience!"

<OOC> Khepri strongly advises Shilde to -run- to the barn :)

Robert has reconnected.

<OOC> Shilde says, "Sorry. Dog. Back."

<OOC> Shilde says, "Rocky has 50' move"

<OOC> Shilde will be casting longstrider, to bump her speed to 30'.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And running?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Give me an Athletics or Acrobatics check please."

<OOC> Shilde says, "Well, the first round will be a regular move, because of the spell cast."

GAME: Shilde casts Longstrider. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14

GAME: Shilde rolls athletics: (4)+9: 13

<OOC> Shilde says, "Going to be one of those nights!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok you get to there."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Wasn't hard to hop the fence, and you didn't flub it so :)"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 25.

It is now Khepri's turn! Buggy is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Alright doing a quick pose, then you're up Khepri"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Roger."

Maybe it was the sound of the bells on Khepri's kopesh.

Maybe it was the sound of a dwarf in armor trying to hop a fence and run to the barn.

Maybe it was just the thuds of the War Machine's feet as it moves to get in front of the cows. Or the wolves paws. The bubble... descends. Just a bit, eventually thumping down into a small depression as whatever is under the earth digs a little deeper.

Who knows where it's going to pop up now.

IF it's going to pop up

<OOC> Khepri is going to mentally 'mark' the spot where the bulge was. Betcha money there's a tunnel there left by our burrowing intruder.

<OOC> Robert says, "How late are we looking to go tonight? I'm good for a bit but I'm trying to plot out the remainder of my evening."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Also, I hate to be the killjoy but we are rapidly approaching my bedtime and I will need to crash out shortly."

"Rocky," Shilde commands, getting the dog's attention.. then she points at the war golem marching off to.. whatever he's seen. "Protect," she tells him, the dwarfish rolling off of her tongue before she turns. She takes a second to eye the fence, then summons nature's power through the weave with a word and a gesture. A second later she's scrambling over the fence to hoof it on over towards the barn.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Sorry it took so long to get here. We can pause here if everyone needs but, honestly, I don't expect it to be much longer."

<OOC> Magpie says, "No worries!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Are you delaying or holding Khepri?"

<OOC> Khepri is holding action to see if anything attacks.

<OOC> Khepri is keeping an eye on that spot, though.

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 21.

It is now Buggy's turn! Robert is next!

<OOC> Khepri deadpans, "Well, shit." :D

As Khepri watches the spot, waiting, the ground erupts next to him as a /huge/ beastial form surges out of the earth with a roar. It stands around nine feet tall, a tunnel definitely left behind it now though that begins to collapse slowly too.

The huge figure is humanoid, but it is not human. It's hulking with a horrible dirty musky smell, huge shoulders and stocky arms with vicious claws on the ends. Worse is it's face, like some cross between a boar and a rat or mole with bony protrusions and spikes from it's shoulders or back. It is hairless, and pale pink with splotchy purple.

As it comes out of the ground it swings one powerful arm at Khepri.

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+11: (10)+11: 21

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Hit?"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Yeah. AC 19."

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d8+6: (4)+6: 10

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Oof"

<OOC> Khepri's reaction is probably 'What the--' *CLONK*

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 17.

It is now Robert's turn! Magpie is next!

<OOC> Robert says, "honkshuuuu"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Everyone who is sleeping, make a perception, the livestock is going crazy now."

GAME: Robert rolls Perception: (12)+7: 19

GAME: Dirk rolls perception: (14)+7: 21

GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (7)+6: 13

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Zofija?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Robert and dirk, you start awake. Magpie is still sleeping."

<OOC> Magpie sawin twigs.

GAME: Zofija rolls perception: (16)+4: 20

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Zofija also starts awake."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You have half a round those who are waking up. So Robert, half a round :)"

<OOC> Robert says, "Oh, Aav, it looks like a bunch of us have old damage. Can you +tdamage all=-100"

<OOC> Robert says, "And then you probably need to re-damage Khep"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Except for me."

<OOC> Robert says, "Thanks, boss!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Bells. giant ogre moles dislike them."

<OOC> Robert says, "Aight, so a single action or act normally on init? Whatcha want me to do?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You have a single action to use on your init."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And Khepri, you were holding, whatcha doin?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "For those who are waking up, you literally jerk awake, take a few seconds, and have half a round on your inits."

<OOC> Robert says, "I will stand and as part of that move pick up my death ray if that's kosher."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Sure :)"

<OOC> Robert says, "turn!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok Khepri? You just got smashed pretty hard. You were holding, it's right there."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Swift action to activate Judgement (healing), I get fast healing 1. Standard to whack him with the khopesh/."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Sorry, was checking something."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Fast healing apply at the top of your next init or bottom of this one?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And go ahead and swing :)"

<OOC> Khepri says, "It applies during my turn."

GAME: Khepri rolls weapon1: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL)

<OOC> Aavhash thumbs up.

<OOC> Khepri says, "...sigh."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Yikes."

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 15.

It is now Magpie's turn! Zofija is next!

Yaaaay sleeeep.

After a fun evening of charming the family (and especially the kids) over dinner, a less fun evening of staring at a patch of muddy darkness to see if it'll do tricks, sleep was a welcome relief. So welcome, in fact, that she manages to sleep through the exploding dirt outside.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Magpie's unfortunately still sleeping.. Give me another perception Magpie"

GAME: Magpie rolls perception: (7)+6: 13

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You spend your round waking up after Khepri gets gonged though! So go ahead and apend."

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 10.

It is now Zofija's turn! Shilde is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Zofija!"

Khepri did not expect that. Nor did it expect the beast to slam an arm into it that staggers the war golem, nearly driving it to its knees. A hollow groan rolls from the metallic beak, and it raises the khopesh in defiance... a shimmer of white light washing over the golem and the massive dent in its chest starting to, well, UNdent. Then it whips its khopesh around, but the blade finds no purchase.

Wedged against a wall with some piled straw propping him up, Bob's eyes flash open with a start-- his snoring aborted with a snort. A streak of his thick stubble glistens in the dark where he's drooled a bit. He blinks and stands, feeling that instinctual urgency drilled into him those decades ago.

"We're up!" he shouts, turning a knob and flicking a switch. There's a pulsing lightshow of electric-blue as the cannon unfolds in his arms. He's still blinking, trying to sort out which way gets him to the door in the dark and unfamiliar barn.

The Cerenzan turns his head and lifts his shoulder, wiping the spittle from his cheek.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "To try and speed things along, I will be doing a pose at the end of the turn/start of the next to describe results and monster behavior."

Khepri being turned into the world's stabbiest bell, however, *does* break through the gnome's dreams. "Huhwhafu--" she declaims, tossing the blankets away in a flurry of limbs before sitting up, sleepily. "'Zit sausage-roll day at the commisary?"

<OOC> Zofija says, "okay!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Shilde you hear Robert shouting so you know they're waking up"

<OOC> Zofija says, "going to try to get on screech as a free action"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Sure"

GAME: Zofija rolls ride: (20)+11: 31

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You are the gracefullest Arvek evar."

<OOC> Zofija says, "apparently lol"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "and for ease, companions/mounts will act on their controllers turn"

<OOC> Khepri says, "That's usually how it works anyways :)"

<OOC> Zofija says, "In that case, I'm going to use the movement to move out of the barn to..."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It's a big doorway, Screech can fly out if that changes anything"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Alright. On my turn I will run back towards the fight! Acutally, I'll spend a move, and then try to use wild empathy or handle animal to get the cows to move out of the way"

<OOC> Zofija says, "3,3 is as far forward I can get"

<OOC> Zofija says, "Should I pose or wait for the emit?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Go ahead and pose. Shilde, give me athletics/acro to get back over the fence again, and the cows, you can tell, are going to scatter without help at the CLANG"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "So you still have your action"

GAME: Shilde rolls athletics: (10)+9: 19

<OOC> Aavhash says, "you can get to there"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "easily"

<OOC> Shilde will cast faerie fire on the beastie then.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Go ahead and cast :)"

GAME: Shilde casts Faerie Fire. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It sticks!"

<OOC> Khepri says, "...No save for faerie fire, mate."

<OOC> Shilde says, "Might be a special trait!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Oh. Sorry. Was looking up the spell and figured I'd just roll to be safe."

<OOC> Khepri grins.

<OOC> Shilde says, "Oh!"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Rocky will try to tkae a bite."

<OOC> Shilde says, "take"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Righto, go ahead and pose after Zofija. Also Zofija are you dashing with Screech or is there anything else? Is Rocky going to move at all before this attempt?"

<OOC> Shilde says, "He'll move to flank, first, soaking an AoO."

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+11: (14)+11: 25

<OOC> Aavhash thinks that'll hit probably?

<OOC> Shilde says, "Yep!"

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13

<OOC> Aavhash says, "My dice are crazy today"

"Gods, I don't sleep that long, you don't need to go and be waking me up early." Zofija grumbles to herself, blinking away the sleep, before bolting awake. "Ah, shit, right, right, here we go." The Arvek-nar grunts, grabbing the hammer she had next to her and sliding onto the Griffon's back who was nearby, already much more awake then the rider. If the door wasn't full open, the griffon shoving it's way through them finished the job, and the cavalier rides into the clearing of the farmland, looking around. "Be there in a sec, hang on!" She shouts into the field.

Shilde skids to a stop as she hears the signs of people waking up inside the barn. A moment to put her hands on her knees, huffing.. and then as Zofija and her buzzard-cat burst out of the barn like some hero in an epic, she rounds abouts and runs back, this time vaulting clear over the fence to come face to face with.. what in the great stone works is that? She gives her head a shake, braid whipping back and forth.. then she utters a word, casts out her hand, and the humanoid creature is wrathed in a harmless green flame.

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 5.

It is now Shilde's turn! Dirk is next!

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 4.

It is now Dirk's turn! Khepri is next!

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5+2: (13)+5+2: 20

<OOC> Shilde says, "Rocky's bite."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Hits!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Damage?"

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9

<OOC> Shilde says, "He gets a free trip attempt now."

<OOC> Aavhash nods.

<OOC> Shilde says, "But it's big, so it will probably fail."

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5+2: (13)+5+2: 20

<OOC> Aavhash says, "That is not enough unfortunately."

<OOC> Shilde nods!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Dirk! And I am tracking Rocky's hp manually since I don't know how to damage him with code"

<OOC> Robert says, "+tdamage/c Shilde=##"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Bob's your uncle. :)"

Meanwhile, Rocky protects the best way he knows how. By mauling to death whatever is attacking his assigned ward! So he dashes past the monster, growling when it strikes him, then whips around and closes his jaws around the back of its leg, trying to bear the thing down to the ground.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Thank you"

<OOC> Dirk says, "Full-on run to 7,13"

<OOC> Dirk says, "That's about all I can do ;_;"

<OOC> Dirk cries in dwarven.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Give me an acrobatics or athletics to parkour over the fence :)"

GAME: Dirk rolls athletics: (9)+2: 11

<OOC> Aavhash says, "barely! But you make it over without slowing down"

Dirk certainly seems to be dead to the world. Resting in the barn with his tricorne down over his face and his thunderbelcher cradled in his lap as he steadily saws logs. But as soon as the hue and cry goes up, he springs to his feet in a flash. He leaps into motion, sprinting for all he's worth out the barn door. He tears around the corner and crouches. "Hup!" He leaps, planting a hand on the top of the fence as he vaults over, landing and tucking into a roll. Without breaking his stride, he tears into the middle of the yard, skidding to a halt. Up comes his thunderbelcher, his thumb cocking the hammer back as he draws his bead.

It's the mighty *CLANG* of the beast smashing into the golem that wakes people up right quick. Even the deep sleeping Magpie is jostled awake though the cattle scatter and the fracas truly begins. The beast doesn't roar, it's rather quiet all things considered. An ambush predator that is erupting from the ground in a spray of dirt and what would be blood but maybe some sort of arcane fluid drips from Khepri's form.

As people scatter out of the barn, some unarmored, but armed, and begin to run from the barn there's some activity from the darkened farm house but other than the sparks of someone trying to coax a lantern or torch alight it's hard to tell what's going on in there.

As Rocky swings wide he gets struck by one powerfully taloned hand that rips through fur and draws blood but the giant ogre-mole is now flanked between Khepri and Rocky as the Faerie Fire lights up the huge being, outlining it in flickering flames... and the cattle do what they can do while being panicky cows.

They run and scatter.

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 25.

It is now Khepri's turn! Buggy is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Khepri!"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Regenerate 1 HP from judgement. Hack at the creature."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Roll to hit"

GAME: Khepri rolls weapon1+2: (9)+4+2: 15

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Your weapon scores the hide, but does not draw blood, deflected by a bony nodule."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Posing."

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 21.

It is now Buggy's turn! Robert is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Rocky and Khepri get an AoO chance."

Khepri seems undaunted by the prospect of fighting something this big. "Doom approaches," it intones, the khopesh coming back again. The dent in its chest continues to straighten, as the blade strikes at the creature, ricocheting off the bony process sticking from its flesh. "You cannot escape."

<OOC> Khepri says, "OK."

GAME: Khepri rolls weapon1+2: (11)+4+2: 17

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5+2: (2)+5+2: 9

<OOC> Shilde says, "Whifffffff"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "So close."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It dives into the ground, burrows down, and comes up on the other side of Rocky taking a gore as it comes out practically underneath the canine."

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+11: (15)+11: 26

<OOC> Shilde says, "Why that dirty..."

<OOC> Aavhash eyes her dice

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d8+6: (2)+6: 8

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 17.

It is now Robert's turn! Magpie is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Robert you're up. Rocky takes another painful wound."

<OOC> Robert says, "Alright! Scoop up my belt and run like all the other cool kids are doing. Heading for 10,10"

GAME: Robert rolls Athletics: (9)+3: 12

<OOC> Robert says, "Sorry, 10,11"

<OOC> Robert says, "Turn!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You make it, DC is only 10 to hop 4 foot fences. Pose it up :)"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 15.

It is now Magpie's turn! Zofija is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Magpie :)"

<OOC> Magpie says, "Okay."

<OOC> Magpie says, "Without the feat, running is 3x move, yes?"

Apparently, it can escape.

It's also smart enough to know when it is in a bad position. It dives into the earth with a spray of dirt as it burrows into the ground leaving a mound behind it. The thing disappears entirely until it erupts on the other side of the canine, slashing with it's huge tusks and managing to clip Rocky, drawing blood and savaging flesh as it rises back up out of the ground!

<OOC> Shilde says, "4x, I think, unless in medium armour? 5x with the feat?"

<OOC> Dirk says, "4x yar."

<OOC> Magpie says, "Aha! Okay so..."

<OOC> Magpie could get up to 7,14, what's the DC for climbing a fence taller than me? :D

<OOC> Aavhash says, "3x speed if in heavy"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "otherwise 4x"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You're a gnome, you think a fence is going to stop you? Still 10."

GAME: Magpie rolls athletics: (15)+-1: 14

A flash of feathers and a bouncing grey beard later, Bob is alone in the barn with the gnome in the technicolor dream coat. He shakes loops his arm through his shed belt and shrugs it on like an oversized bandolier even as he's running for the south doorway.

The clockwork trinkets fused with aetherite and Kulthian know-how bounce as he hustles around the grounds to follow the Khazadi scout. He blunders and stumbles over the fence, rolling and sliding through the sheep's pen until he comes to rest against the next bit of fencing. He braces his shoulders against the head and pokes his head over to have a look.

Muse' grace, indeed.

<OOC> Robert says, "*-shakes"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Go ahead and pose it Magpie :)"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 10.

It is now Zofija's turn! Shilde is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Zofi!"

<OOC> Zofija says, "okay!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "We'll just ignore the straight line quantity to running for dramatic effect :)"

Aaaand they're off! Leaving Magpie to clamber to her feet and run the Gnomish Quarter Mile -- something an arcanist is terribly unsuited to, but nevertheless, the teeny blond makes a stellar effort at it. Even the fence is no barrier to her progress!

But she is huffing and puffing as she catches up to Dirk, for all that she shows no signs of slowing.

<OOC> Magpie appreciates. XD

<OOC> Zofija says, "figuring out actions here"

<OOC> Zofija says, "Moving to 17,4 with a double move!"

Robert has partially disconnected.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 5.

It is now Shilde's turn! Dirk is next!

<OOC> Zofija says, "Err, 16,4, sorry"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Pose away :) Shilde is up"

<OOC> Zofija says, "Leaving myself in a straight line :)"

<OOC> Shilde will move...

<OOC> Shilde says, "to 13,8"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Alright"

<OOC> Shilde says, "drawing and using a wand to CLW Khepri"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Oooh, tingly."

GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.

<OOC> Aavhash nods, "Roll it. Do war forged take half healing here? I haven't looked over every race extensively."

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7

<OOC> Khepri says, "Nope."

<OOC> Shilde says, "They get normal healing here, yeah."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Done! And Rocky?"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Oh yeah"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Bite bite bite. He's hurt, but he's in protect mode."

<OOC> Shilde says, "well, one bite."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok"

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5: (14)+5: 19

<OOC> Aavhash says, "hits!"

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d6+3: (2)+3: 5

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11

<OOC> Shilde says, "No trip"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Still can't bring it down but does draw blood!"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 4.

It is now Dirk's turn! Khepri is next!

Out in the main land of the grounds, Screech was able to break out into a run to the cow pastures, leaping over the fence, and hopefully not trampling too much in the gardens in the process. The griffon screeches to a halt to face the creature, with the arvek-nar on top looking more than a bit irritable, and with a horrible case of bed head. "Keep 'em there for a moment you, I'll get in there and get their attention!" She barks to the others, hefting their hammer and getting a better view on the monster, once the tiredness was blinked out of her eye.

<OOC> Dirk says, "Gonna shoot it!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Range inclement on gun?"

<OOC> Dirk says, "40'. It should be just inside my first range increment."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It's just out unless you move"

<OOC> Dirk says, "Bleh. Aight, let's move up to 9,12 and -then- shoot it. XD"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Roll :)"

GAME: Dirk rolls ranged: (8)+5: 13

<OOC> Dirk says, "Hrrrgh."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Alas."

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 25.

It is now Khepri's turn! Buggy is next!

<OOC> Khepri says, "Does that miss his ranged touch? Firearms hit touch AC in the first increment."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Oh, no, that hits then"

Rocky yelps this time as the ground betrays him and the creature erupts behind him, goring him. But the dog is a loyal protector.. and fairly agile to boot. Rocky twists about, baring his fangs with a snarl, then he goes for the creature's leg again.

Shilde isn't blind to her companion's plight... but few know better than she how tough he is. Her short legs keep pumping, bringing her before Khepri... by the time she gets there, she has her wand-twig in hand. A flick, and she's transfering magic from it into the large artifical bird man.

<OOC> Khepri says, "Unless I'm mistaken."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Damage!"

<OOC> Khepri checks. Nope, I'm right. Dirk, roll damage :)

Dirk carefully scootches forward on one knee, sighting down the barrel of his thunderbelcher. His eyes narrow as he draws his bead. His finger squeezes the trigger, and the hammer clicks down. K-FWOOM! The rifle kicks back in his grip, but the shot goes wide. "Aww -shit-!" he snarls, racking the action to eject the spent shell.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Dirk, you actually hit :) Damage please."

<OOC> Dirk says, "O.O"

GAME: Dirk rolls 1d12: (4): 4

<OOC> Khepri says, "Needs more powder."

<OOC> Dirk rewrites his pose then.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Go ahead :) And since I posed the beasty as I had enough time. Khepri you're up."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Anyways. Move me to 13,9. I cast Bless, and that should get everyone but Magpie."

<OOC> Khepri says, "(Also, I regenerate 1HP) :)"

Dirk carefully scootches forward on one knee, sighting down the barrel of his thunderbelcher. His eyes narrow as he draws his bead. His finger squeezes the trigger, and the hammer clicks down. K-FWOOM! The rifle kicks back in his grip. The bullet PYANGs off the monster's hide, leaving a grazing wound. "HAH! HOW'S THAT TASTE, YE UGLY BASTARD?!" he thunders, racking the action to eject the spent shell casing.

GAME: Khepri casts Bless. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14

<OOC> Khepri says, "Shilde, Rocky, Zofija, Robert, Dirk, and myself now have +1 to attack and +1 to save vs fear."

<OOC> Khepri says, "And that's my action."

<OOC> Dirk says, "Sickness."

<OOC> Aavhash nods and thumbs up.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Buggy will burrow, cuz loud sound and pain... so Rocky gets an AoO."

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5+1: (18)+5+1: 24

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Hits!"

Khepri shakes its head as its limbs tingle from the touch of the wand, and it focuses once again. "We are not done yet, but thank you." Smoothly, the golem advances, and places a hand on the holy symbol embedded in its breastplate, raising its khopesh with the other. "The Harpist's eyes are upon you. Fear no darkness." A shimmer of light again, offering a touch of focus. Of grace.

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5+1: (7)+5+1: 13

<OOC> Shilde says, "Whiff the trip."

<OOC> Magpie says, "Oh joy."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "He burrows and burrows and pops up there!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "No attack though."

<OOC> Dirk says, "O.O"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Hey Robert? Shoot it in the face."

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 21.

It is now Buggy's turn! Robert is next!

<OOC> Robert would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter.

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 17.

It is now Robert's turn! Magpie is next!

<OOC> Robert says, "Yeah. I imagine I'm eating an AoO here, but death ray zot."

<OOC> Shilde says, "Sorry, the unsubscribe button moved right before you pushed it. Now you have a virus."

<OOC> Khepri says, "Depends on if he has reach. Not sure he does."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Indeed"

<OOC> Magpie says, "I have an answer, but it will also involve inconvenienced sheep."

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+11: (7)+11: 18

<OOC> Dirk says, "Beep beep I'm a sheep"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Does that hit your unarmored ac Robert?"

<OOC> Robert says, "He did not hit it at 12 exactly so he misses, right? (he hits)"

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13

GAME: Robert rolls ranged+1-4: (3)+4+1+-4: 4

<OOC> Robert says, "I'll drop the RPP for a reroll"

GAME: Robert rolls ranged+1-4: (18)+4+1+-4: 19

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Reroll hits!"

GAME: Robert rolls 2d6+4: (9)+4: 13

<OOC> Robert says, "Electricity damage if he has any kind of ER."

After the loud gunshot and sting of pain, the creature's head jerks over towards Dirk, it's flat pink little nose twitches almost cutely then it dives into the ground and gets savaged by Rocky leaving bloody dirt behind as it dives into the ground. It doesn't come up for a while, where did it go?

It emerges a full six seconds later bursting up out of the ground right next to Dirk, the sheep, and near enough that it's long limbs could reach out and touch Magpie and Robert too!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It's looking pretty tore up"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Go ahead and pose it."

<OOC> Magpie says, "...I have a different answer."

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 15.

It is now Magpie's turn! Zofija is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Magpie is up"

<OOC> Magpie says, "5' step to 6,14 to get away from AoO..."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok"

<OOC> Magpie says, "Aaaaand center a Grease spell on the bottom corner shared by 6,11 and 7,11."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ah yes, the Magpie special"

GAME: Magpie casts Grease. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15

<OOC> Magpie only has that and Burning Hands, and I can't be sure 2d4 is enough. :P

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+4: (7)+4: 11

<OOC> Magpie says, "But a Prone ugly is a vulnerable ugly."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Kaboom, it falls!"

Bob pivots and swings the barrel is his cannon towards the creature even as he's showered with dirt and clumps of grass. He braces the stock of the weapon against his shoulder and takes the cross-grip action in hand, cocking it.

The towering beast takes advantage of the situation and smacks the Cerenzan full across the face, staggering him even as the weapon begins to hum and glow.

"Kneel before zott," the ex-soldier spits. The cannon discharges with a flash and a KR-ZZZZAT, spilling blue-white energy over the creature to leave blackened, smoldering patches of skin begin.

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 10.

It is now Zofija's turn! Shilde is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Go ahead and pose Magpie. Zofi, it is being herded away from you"

<OOC> Robert says, "*behind"

<OOC> Zofija nods

Eep. That is *really* close and *super* ugly.

Shifting to one side, Magpie stoops to mimic the gathering-up of a double-handful of dirt, coming up with a wodge of greenish-brown, dully-glowing mana. Taking a moment to compact it into a ball, she spares a quick, apologetic look at the sheep. "Sorry, sweeties, I'll pet you later."

Her arm cocks back, and she hurls the energy, which instantly spreads into a pool of slippery, slimy oil that offers absolutely no purchase... and down the monster falls.

GAME: Aavhash rolls 1d20+2: (18)+2: 20

<OOC> Aavhash says, "The sheep, does not fall"

<OOC> Zofija says, "just thinking about options"

<OOC> Khepri says, "20m hard limit warning."

<OOC> Zofija says, "I'm just going to delay for the moment"

<OOC> Zofija says, "until there's space to move in there"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 5.

It is now Shilde's turn! Dirk is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Shilde!"

<OOC> Shilde says, "okay"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Can Rocky move to 8,13?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "yeah he can easily jump the fence"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Interior fences are not as tall as external"

<OOC> Shilde says, "He will do that, and bite."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Roll it :)"

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d20+5+1: (14)+5+1: 20

<OOC> Aavhash says, "hits!"

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Youch"

<OOC> Shilde will move to 11,12 and heal Robert

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And Shielde? It's still up but /very/ torn up"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "sorry Shilde"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Can't heal through the fence?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "yeah, reach over, tap."

<OOC> Shilde says, "okay!"

GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3

<OOC> Robert says, "It's a good neighbor fence."

<OOC> Shilde uses the good heals on Robert.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok pose it up :)"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 4.

It is now Dirk's turn! Khepri is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Dirk. It's right there. It's down on the ground. But it's /right/ /there/."

<OOC> Dirk says, "Well, since I need a full-round action to reload my gun, I'll just pull my handaxe and chop it."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "roll it"

<OOC> Dirk says, "If I take a 5' step to 9,11 will I be flanking it?"

<OOC> Dirk says, "Or does flanking even matter since it's prone?"

<OOC> Khepri says, "No flank, I believe. You need to be on opposite sides."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It's -4 to it's AC while prone, but not across from it to flank"

<OOC> Dirk says, "All right. Chop chop!"

GAME: Dirk rolls Melee: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL)

<OOC> Dirk says, "..."

<OOC> Khepri pats Dirk.

<OOC> Dirk says, "Are you actually shitting me?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Yikes"

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 25.

It is now Khepri's turn! Buggy is next!

<OOC> Khepri says, "OK, question. Can I -charge- him while he's prone?"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Did you want to take the 5' step? And he's huge, you could charge him, but there's a fence in the way"

<OOC> Khepri will attempt to vault the fence as he goes.

"Git 'im Rocky!" Shilde yells while she trundles up to the fence, seeing Robert stagger... still wielding her twigwand, she reaches over the fence to tag him long enough to pass along some more healing magic. Though.. perhaps she should have held contact a little bit longer.

Rocky is more than eager to follow Shilde's directions. He may be injured, but he's still moving at speed. He runs and leaps and clears the fence, landing nearly beside the fallen creature before snapping at him, biting, pulling at the same spot he's been working at the whole time.

<OOC> Khepri says, "Going to 9,10... rolling Athletics check..."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Ok, athletics vs 10"

GAME: Khepri rolls athletics: (17)+1: 18

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Success"

<OOC> Khepri says, "OK, I get +2 from charge, +1 from Bless, and +4 cause he's prone."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "roll at +2"

Dirk yelps as the thing bursts out of the ground -right next to him-. "GYAH!" He doesn't even think. He just acts. He rips his handaxe off his belt and cocks it back, bringing it down on the prone monstrosity with all his strength. But his foot turns one of the loosened stones under his boot, and his strike goes wide, chunking the axe blade into the turned earth instead. "GAH! EAT MY FAT HAIRY DWARVEN -ARSE-, YE KNOB-GOBBLER!" he roars in frustratino.

<OOC> Dirk says, "*frustration"

GAME: Khepri rolls weapon1+2+1+4: (6)+4+2+1+4: 17

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Well, that misses."

<OOC> Khepri fumes.

<OOC> Aavhash is sorry :(

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Pose it?"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Swift action, change my judgement to resiliency."

<OOC> Dirk says, "Crap, I forgot the +1 from Bless. Does a 5 hit it with its prone penalty?"

GAME: Aavhash advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 21.

It is now Buggy's turn! Robert is next!

<OOC> Aavhash says, "a nat 1 always fails :)"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "but no, a 5 doesn't hit it"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Oh!"

<OOC> Dirk says, "fml"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Khepri"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "you hit"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "+2 from flank?"

<OOC> Khepri says, "I don't think he's in position to flank."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "you're opposite Rocky"

<OOC> Khepri says, "... Oh. Damn. Completely forgot Rocky."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Roll damage!"

GAME: Khepri rolls 1d8+2: (3)+2: 5

<OOC> Shilde says, "That's okay. I forget about him alot too."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "And... you... just... kill it!"

<OOC> Khepri says, "Phew."

<OOC> Magpie says, "Woo!"

<OOC> Robert cheers as his teeth fall out!

GAME: Aavhash removes the timestop.

Timestop by Aavhash has left.

Khepri vaults the fence, running as fast as it can after the beast as the others manage to pull it down with spell and claw. A running leap, and the war golem skids to a halt on its face... but the khopesh drives through the beast's right eye, bringing its struggles to a grim halt.

"This victory seems somewhat undigified," the golem comments after long moments.

<OOC> Khepri says, "OK, I gotta go to bed. Thanks for running, Aavhash. I'll review the rest of the log and we can decide next time when to meet up :)"

<OOC> Magpie nod!

Khepri has disconnected.

"Hey I'll take it," Magpie sighs. The puddle of grease is dismissed with a snap of her fingers, and she simply *stares* at the creature. "So... we win! Yaaaaaayyyyyy. What even is this thing?"

The giant hulking beast slips and slides on the oil as it tries to defend itself, somehow managing to avoid Dirk's axe but it doesn't avoid the Khopesh that ends it's life. It takes a deep shuddering gurgling breath, torn from many wounds, and burned by electricity, but it stills and it's foul smelling blood soaks into the earth.

The sheep manages to dodge out of the way and they huddle against the gate but the threat is over for the time being. Just as a light comes on, lantern lit inside the farmhouse and Moren comes running out with it held up high.

"Is everyone ok?!" Moren calls out in just a pair of hastily pulled on linen trousers.

<OOC> Shilde zots Robert with another heal.

GAME: Shilde used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.

GAME: Shilde rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3

<OOC> Shilde says, "He seems to be healing resistant."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "lol"

<OOC> Robert doesn't need your positive energy in his life.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "I don't know if I can heal him now that the timestop is gone."

<OOC> Robert :C

<OOC> Shilde can hit him with super staff powers.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It is free RP :) The combat section is over."

Dirk wrenches his axe out of the ground, hawking and spitting as the thing stops twitching. "Aye, that's what ye -get- when ye tangle wi' -us-!" he growls, holstering his axe with a harrumph. He looks up as Moren approaches, puffing up his burly chest. "Aye, Master Moren, all's well!" He gestures to the dead -whatever-the-hell-it-is-. "Think we got the beastie makin' off wi' yer cattle. Yer animals should be safe, now!"

Shilde taps Robert with another bit of healing from her minor magic wand, then tucks it away. "Rocky! That's not.." Well, she supposes the dead creature /could/ be considered food. The dog is worrying away at its leg, still, the canine's hurts temporarily forgotten. Or ignored.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "I apologize if this ran long for people. Took longer to get to the combat than I thought."

<OOC> Magpie says, "S'okay! It happens. :3"

<OOC> Dirk says, "It was fun!"

<OOC> Magpie nod, and thanks for running!

<OOC> Dirk is realizing he's pretty much useless until he gets Firearm Mastery. All the way at level 6. ;_;

<OOC> Zofija says, "beneficial bandolier"

Zofija, waiting for a chance to charge in, finds the beast falling to the ground. The Arvek-nar grunts, and rubs the sleep out of her eyes,before picking her way carefully over to the sheep pen in case the ground was unstable again.

<OOC> Shilde says, "No worries, Aavhash. Many take even longer. And you moved combat along exceptionally quickly."

<OOC> Dirk says, "O.O"

"Everyone alright in there?" She asks, peering into the pen. "Yeah, seems okay! might have found the source of the tunnels."

<OOC> Dirk says, "I need this in my life."

"... don't let anyone ever downplay the importance of a helmet," Bob groans, turning to nod and wince his thanks at Shilde's healing magics. The bleeding stops but the bruising sets in quickly, swelling follows behind shortly. He reaches behind to take hold of a post and pull himself to his feet, his cannon braced against his hip. "Well fought, all..."

The artificer isn't so quick to put away his weapon this time. Instead he rests the worst of its weight across his shoulder and takes a closer look at their attacker. There's a rough nudge or two from his boot to make sure it's not faking.

<OOC> Robert says, "is this a naked monster-type thing, Aav, or does it have some form of clothes/kit?"

The ogre-mole-boar thing is not faking. Or it's exceptionally good at it since it doesn't so much as twitch while Rocky tears off a hunk to get at the good bits.

Tasty.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "It is wearing a loincloth made from cowhide."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "fresh cowhide."

<OOC> Zofija says, "and yeah, all good! It went alright"

<OOC> Zofija says, "Combat did go well, things can take a bit here sometimes"

<OOC> Robert has had a single-session thing stretch into four meetings, so...

<OOC> Robert says, "But I'm abysmally longwinded."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "I'm still learning Pathfinder, so I appreciate the patience and just hope it wasn't boring"

<OOC> Robert had a great time!

<OOC> Robert says, "And more people running is the bee's knees."

Dirk digs into his hip satchel for his pipe and tobacco pouch, fully intent on enjoying a well-earned victory smoke. He eyes the thing's loincloth as he fills the bowl and tucks the bit in the side of his mouth. "Dana be merciful," he mutters as he fumbles for a match. "Did... did this thing take the poor Tuck boy too?"

<OOC> Dirk says, "It was really good!"

<OOC> Magpie says, "Question, Aav!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Potential answer!"

<OOC> Shilde says, "It was great, Aavhash. I apologize for my earlier mistake regarding details."

<OOC> Magpie says, "Would K/Arcana, Alchemy, or Spellcraft give me any insight into this creature?"

<OOC> Zofija says, "It was good!"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Quite alright Shilde, as for those knowledges... No, I don't think so. It's a monstrous humanoid, related to ogres, usually deep underground which is why I asked for Dungeoneering."

<OOC> Magpie nodnod!

<OOC> Dirk says, "Ugh. 1000 gold for this bandolier. ;_;"

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Anyone who has knowledge/nature go ahead and roll again please."

GAME: Dirk rolls Knowledge/Nature: (5)+6: 11

GAME: Shilde rolls knowledge/nature: (10)+9: 19

<OOC> Aavhash says, "One day, Dirk will roll above a 5, and we will all die from heart attacks."

<OOC> Dirk says, "That would be really nice. ;_;"

Shilde climbs over the fence to get a closer look at the creature herself, now that it's not moving and won't take a swing at her. She kneels bside it, ignoring Rocky as he slowly disassembles it. "Hrn. An' this's odd. Buggan' if'n I'm not mis'knowin'. First time I 'eard of behaviour like this." She straightens up, then starts pacing about it.. avoiding Magpie's grease patch. "Prob'ly took the other farmer's boy. Seems more their taste, aye? Still strange t'see 'em here. Usually only found in th'deeps."

"Smart enough to wear clothes, and attempt to move around." Zofija grunts, hopping off her mount and over the fence to take a closer look. "How long ago did the boy go missing? Something like this has to have a place it's staying, and, at the very least, should find the body. It's only right."

"...Think if we follow the tunnel, we'll find that place?" Magpie says, brow furrowing. "I mean as fast as it can dig, it's probably suited to living underground, right? Why move around above ground and chance being spotted?"

Dirk strikes a match off the stock of his rifle and lifts the flame to the bowl of his pipe. His whiskers twitching as he puffs steadily to kindle a warm glow. "Hrrm," he says, puffing a billow of rich cherry pipe smoke into the air, snapping the match out as he glowers at the thing. "If it gets around by diggin', it won't leave many tracks fer me tae follow." He nods over at Shilde. "An' if it lives underground, that's out o' me area of expertise. But... Magpie's not wrong. We need tae find the poor lad an' bring 'im home."

Moren looks aghast at the thing as it still glows in faerie fire, and at Shilde's words, "Poor Anwon and Issy. They're getting by on dreams one day their boy is gonna write them a letter or come home with his tail between his legs." The man shakes his head, "Tuck farm lost their cattle, and Lemore, about two weeks back. Their farm is just over there." He gestures towards the northwest, the next farm up the creek. "I don't know about all that... tunnels and such." He says that but looks over to the new 'pond' in his field. "Hope there ain't more of 'em. Can't afford to be hirin' more adventurer's. This about tapped us pretty good."

At this, Magpie gives the farmer a look that one would normally see on a dog that heard a new sound. "Uh, what d'you mean?" She says after a moment. "Job's not done until it's done. And, like, we don't know if there's just the one, or more, or what! Far as I'm concerned, we're still on the clock."

Shilde shakes her head slowly, her face.. well, stoney. "If'n it 'et 'im... won't be nothin' left. Save fragments, maybe. But it still shoul'nt 've been here. Might need t'follow the tunnel and see if there're more." The fact that this is not the only piece of ill luck to befall the Tuck farm.... she isn't normally touched by sentimentality. Maybe she isn't now. But she still says, "Seems t'me like the folk here've had enough misfortune."

Moren grumbles something about not needing his farm and pasture all dug up but it's mostly under his breath. Thing's dead. Tomorrow's another day. Typical farmer and survivor outlook.

"The others are, yeah, they're right." Zofi grunts, reaching to readjust her hat, and finding it wasn't there, which leads to awkwardly ruffling their hair around to cover up the motion. "We aren't done, don't know if there are more. If the problem is dealt with. Food wasn't in the payment either, so gotta pay that back somehow, you know?"

"The city might supplement our income," Bob offers with a glance at Moren, one eye half-closed and bruised. "If you don't mind letting us finish the night here I'd be happy to take whoever's willing to at least explore the tunnels in the morning when these things are sleeping."

The big Cerenzan blinks and looks at Shilde, wondering, "They'd be sleeping, right?"

He lowers the cannon and collapses the action lever, then twists and folds to collapse the cannon back into something resembling an uneven box.

Dirk takes ahold of his pipe, puffing another billow of smoke in the air. Unlike Shilde, he -is- a sentimental sort, and his heart goes out to the poor family who's lost their boy. "The lad -might- still be alive," he says. "Until we see a body... I'm nae givin' up hope that we might find 'im an' bring 'im home." He looks back to Moren. "Not tae fret, Master Moren. I dinnae think we'll need tae be diggin' up yer pasture land." He nods to Rocky. "The boyo here's got the thing's scent. Might could be -he- could lead us to the thing's lair."

<OOC> Robert says, "100 down for a pt2 but I need to potato."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Do we have any stone smart and dig smart individuals?"

"But like I gotta ask *one* thing, as a favor," Magpie says, nodding in agreement with her compatriots, but now and again her eyes sliiiide over to the sheep. "Before we head out tomorrow... Can-- can I pet your sheep? They just look *so fluffy* and I've never touched one before and and and--"

<OOC> Dirk just has the Stonecunning.

<OOC> Shilde has.. knowledge/engineering, and can prepare spells for excavation.

<OOC> Aavhash says, "Shilde roll me that knowledge."

<OOC> Robert will assist her.

<OOC> Shilde cracks knuckles

GAME: Robert rolls KNowledge/Engineering: (3)+12: 15

<OOC> Shilde says, "uh.. Robert should have taken the main on that one.."

GAME: Shilde rolls knowledge/engineering: (12)+3: 15

<OOC> Robert says, "Too late."

<OOC> Robert says, "LOL"

<OOC> Dirk says, "O.O"

<OOC> Shilde says, "Okay then."

<OOC> Aavhash says, "You both know that given how the other tunnel collapsed that they are /not/ safe for surface dwellers."

The next morning is a busy day. There's the hulking beast's corpse to deal with let alone finding the right spot to start tunneling. The pond has mostly dried out but it's still wet and it'll take most the day for it to dry enough to start tunneling there.

That leaves the most recent tunnels as starting points. Fortunately Khepri and Dirk can point out that spot easily enough while Moren mutters about having to make sure his remaining cattle doesn't fall into a collapsing tunnels but when Shilde starts digging into the tunnel it goes almost straight down before heading much deeper into the earth this time.

The tunnel isn't smooth though so can be traversed safely enough if people are careful. Those with knowledge of engineering using their tricks to reinforce the tunnel enough to keep it from collapsing down on the group. It becomes clear after a time though that it is definitely getting wetter, and those who can track direction underground believe that the party is heading northwards towards the river.

The tunnel rises again then drops with only a few blockages that need to be cleared before opening up into a dug earthen lair that does not smell nice at all. Clearly where the beast was living judging by refuse. The odd thing is that the very back of the space is not dirt, but stone.

Worked stone.

Old stone.

Part of a wall that is mostly buried under collapsing earth. There's a ruin down here but with the tools and spells available it is inaccessible until this place is excavated properly and reinforced.