Hunting trip
23:51 Jun 04 2008
Times Read: 780
2nd June 2008
Hunting Trip
After lunch our party of adventurers retire to the gardens for a constitutional, and to compare notes. Things begin to drop into place when both Valpurigia and Thinlorn realise the name Juricus is linked with both the bar keeps suggested name for the local Lord who has been collecting the crates and the name Knight Marshal Woolsey suggested for an off worlder who has set himself up as a Lordling to the north. They decide to pass this information onto the Knight Marshall to keep him informed.
In the mean time, Thinlorn is after a sword and maybe some armour to help him blend in and Brother Ranalf offers to introduce him to the castiles Master Black Smith, Master Atelius. The cross the castile grounds and head for the stable yard, round the side from the yard, past the squires dealing with the horses, cleaning out the stables and so forth, they find the extensive Smiths and Armourers works. They pass by the other smiths working on swords, armour and tack to the private workshop of Master Narl Atelius. They knock, and when bid to enter they find an oddity, rather then some sweaty smith they find an old guy, with high tech goggles and a plasma welder working on a suit of powered armour! After a brief discussion Master Atelius heads off into a back store room and returns with a finely crafted Epee, while not as heavy as a knights arming sword, or a chain blade, but so finely made as to be almost weightless and with an incredibly hard and razor sharp edge. Next he moves onto a little armour, so they head over to the Castile’s armoury, where they collect a suit of hardened lamellar leather armour, light, flexible but also strong! After an exchange of throne gelt Thinlorn looks most happy with his perchases, and Atelius with the cash! This makes the rest of the party rethink a few things, and Caster offers to Atelius his Las Pistol as a bit of a joke, to his surprise he eagerly takes him up on the offer, offering him double the normal asking price! Constantine quickly gets in on the act and trades in his Las Pistol and clips as well smelling gelt which can be used to buy the much coveted Mechadentrite he so desperately wants to have the next time they are back on a more technologically advanced world!
While Thinlorn, Caster and Constantine play a little game of Arms for Cash, Brother Ranalf and Valpurgia make their way to see Knight Marshall Woolsey to apprise him of the situation and ask his advance on how to proceed. Once more they make the long climb up the Castile steps to the Knight Marshalls quarters, and when they are ushered in things are much as they were before. They confirm Woolseys suspicions on Jericus, and he agrees something must be done, they also inform him of the people in statis in the crates at the space port, he is not pleased and agrees to make arrangements to have them recovered, even though they are not his people, they are from his world, and do not deserve to be treated in such a way. Cryptically he changes tack and suggests a hunting trip! Valpurgia takes the opportunity to request if his armourer may be able to help her out with a sword, and he suggests looking up Kaarl, and that he will be able to provide her with either a Chain Sword and arming sword of her choice to borrow while on exercise in the Castile.
When the party are back together again Sir Kaarl Havelock searches them out, he informs them that Sir Woolsey has requested he arrange a hunting trip with them in the north woods for the following morning. A little light exercise, and some experience of the local fauna and flora, and quietly he suggests that should they happen to end up around the lands of Lord Jericus while away from the Castile so much the better. He also offers Valpurgia the choice of a Chain Sword or arming sword, however she points out she has not used a Chain Blade before and so he offers her some basic training, so they visit Master Atelius who hands over a Chain Sword, scabbard and belt with five fuel charges, and gives her a brief demonstration of how it activates.
Hunting does not worry them, camping out in the wilds, not a problem, even the warning of large and dangerous wild animals, nothing they can’t deal with…. but the suggestion they travel on horseback, now that raises a few terrified hackles! After an afternoons brief training and several minor injuries, Kaarl suggests they delay the trip for a day to get some more training in!
After a full day of hard training both in and out of the saddle (more often out then in!) they rise early in the morning and prepare to go hunting. The day passes mostly uneventfully, they do see a number of various fauna and flora, but as the hunting trip is more of a cover then a reality, not much hunting is going on, and by the end of the day, while a number of the members of party are bruised, battered and bothered, they are all ready for a nights rest! However, Sir Kaarl warns that there are many dangers in the wild, and that taking watch over the night is a necessity. The party decide to take three watches or two people each, with Valpurgia and Castor taking first watch, Constatine and Kaarl taking second and Thinlorn and Quint taking the last early morning watch. The party however have not bedded down long when Caster notices the horses are troubled, and a closer investigation of the dark reveals a large animal stalking around the horses, obviously steeling itself for a bold attack. Taking care to wake the rest of the party they quietly move the horses closer to the fire for protection and prepare to defend themselves! Constantine draws first blood by opening fire on the animal while it is still in the dark, this only serves to annoy it and it charges to attack, as it approaches it becomes obvious it is some form of wolf, with dark fur and glaring eyes, but it’s the size of a pony, and solid muscle! Valpurgia responds by stepping to the fore and opening fire with her shot gun, she wounds the animal and the others also open fire, with varying results, but the beast just keeps coming! Waiting till the very last second Valpurgia steels herself and fires just as the beast leaps to the attack, the shot is clean, and at such a devastating range takes half the beasts head off!
In the moments of quiet after the attack there is a roar out in the trees, defiantly not another of the beasts, but something bigger! Unfortunately during the attack the horses had panicked and ran off into the woods, and so as swiftly as possibly and staying in groups of three they head off into the trees to recover the horses, however the inexperience of our acolytes shows through again with regard to the unruly beasts and it takes them over a hour to eventually round up the horses, and while Valpurgia and Kaarl round up the last few, the rest of the group clean up the camp and dispose of the body of the Sabrewolf.
Eventually they grab the last few horses and prepare to lead them back into camp, when suddenly Kaarl stops and goes deadly still, he whispers to Valpurgia to get onto the horse and ride for her life, as quick as a flash he leaps into the saddle despite his full armour and they both ride like the devil itself is behind them, Kaarl has caught wind of something and radio’s ahead to the camp that they are coming in at speed and they should be ready for anything!
As they come crashing through the trees Kaarl leaps to the ground landing on his feet with cat like agility, Valpurgia however is less delicate and falls flat on the ground, just as an enormous bipedal carnivorous dinosaur comes roaring into the clearing behind them! After a moment of stunned silence, and not a few panicked looks, all hell breaks loose!
Thinlorn opens fire upon the monster with his shotgun, but while shooting true, the shot scatters harmlessly of its thick hide, Caster lends his fire along side his colleague, but even though he is using inferno rounds setting the beast on fire it appears undisturbed, Kaarl stands his ground, Gun and Chainsword in hand, and opens fire with his hand cannon, the shot is true and wounds the beast gaining its attention. Constantine also lends his fire, biting down his terror, but even his Long Las does little against the monsters hide, Valpurgia, still lay upon the floor where she fell, opens fire with her pump action shotgun but with no more luck then Thinlorn! Lastly Quint leaps down from the trees behind the creature and with the coldness of his years of training leaps to the attack against a 20 foot monster with nothing more then a sword and dagger; however they are mono blades, so maybe he is not so mad! But once again the toughness of the beast is proof against damage and his blades skitter off with barely a scratch!
The beast appears little bothered and stalks forward ignoring those around it and lunges for a horse, who with a scream of terror leaps free! The acolytes redouble their efforts and continue pouring on the fire, shot and laser scattering off the beast, and once again only Kaarl manages to best the monsters impenetrable skin! It responds by attempting to crush Valpurgia under its feet but miss-steps as she fires on it again.
Seeing how in-effectual their ranged weapons are, Caster drops his shotgun, switches to his hammer, and charges to the attack; Constantine has a similar thought and dropping his Long Las he concentrates on using his mechanicus technology focusing his inner strength into a blast of pure energy through his electoos. Thinlorn, never one to change his mind when set to a task reloads and keeps firing, Kaarl stands his ground and keeps poring on the fire, while Quint dances his tango of death darting in and out cutting and cutting, and occasionally scoring a wound. Valpurgia however is now lay pretty much under the beast’s feet, and resorts to a little dirty fighting; she takes careful aim at such close range and blows a chunk out of the beast ankle. It roars its pain and bites down intent upon swallowing Constantine whole, miraculously he dives for cover and barely makes it out of range feeling the monsters fetid breath on his neck!
Once again the acolytes keep pumping in the shot, and now the beast does appear to be feeling the worst of things, Constantine changes tack again and this time striking the animal with the palm of his hand again focuses his energy through his palms and succeeds electrocuting the monster. Kaarl again stands defiant before the beast and again blows a chunk out of its hide. Valpurgia, realising she has wounded the beast again fires into its vulnerable legs wrecking the ankle joint! The shock, blood loss, and the electrical blasts take their toll and the beast finally falls, but its flailing death throws knock Thinlorn, Quint, Caster and Constantine off their feet.
In the sudden silence that follows everyone gathers themselves, and on instinct Valpurgia, Kaarl and Thinlorn reload while Caster and Constantine collect their guns. Kaarl explains that while Carnosaurs are not exactly common, they do roam the woods of this planet, but at least they can be sure they will have a quiet night, they prowl a wide range, and the attack was probably in response to the smell of the blood of the Sabrewolf. Constantine administers first aid while they clean up the camp once more, and prepare to finish their nights sleep.
Next week…… hopefully a little less visceral excitement, as our acolytes get closer to their quarry.
To Be Continued Next Week!!
COMMENTS
-