Monster Hunter, The Swampy Second - RPLOG
Participants
Date
8/5/478
Log
The swamps are muggy and oppressively hot in the late afternoon and midges, mosquitoes and all their bloodsucking ilk are out in abundance. The rangers at the outpost directed all interested hunter out here to the edge of the mangrove forest. Waiting on one of the few bits of dry ground is a female pangolin in ranger garb with a clever clan seal placed prominently on her shoulder. She has a crossbow ready and is peering around warily, even as the Freeswords approach.
Cara walks through the swamp, axe in hand. As she wades through the much, she smirks upon noticing the pangolin in ranger garb. She waves and makes her way over to her. "Hello, I'm here to help." The feline takes a look at the crossbow for a second and smiles, "I see that you've come prepared as well."
Despite her fondness for excessive amounts of armour, Lucasiel knew when it was and wasn't a good idea to wear it. Swamps were no place for heavy armour, so today she's chosen to dress in a light metal breastplate over a leather tunic and a matching pair of pants. The only other armour on her were her gauntlets. Still carrying that massive axe, though. "Swamp troubles that the Rangers alone couldn't handle? I am curious, now."
Kalt humms gently to herself as she makes her way through the swamp, the Vixen's tail flicking a bit behind herself as she seems to be in slight contemplation before taking notice of their employer(?). A small dip of her head to the woman as she adjusts her bladed gauntlets with a smile, and double checks her gilded armor. "Evenin'!" She chimes out to the Pangolian, and any fellow freeswords whom arrive.
Zuri arrives shortly after. The small salamander is dressed in practical armour, a chain hauberk worn over a cotton tunic, lightweight but still protective. He peers behind him at the jasmine being following in close proximity with a smile before strolling over to the gathering group. He offers a polite nod at those gathered, except Kalt who receives a bright smile. "Howdy folks."
Rokarion stifled a yawn as he walked after the salamander, the plant being clad in his usual body-covering heavy cloak. The nonchalant looking youngling glances all the mercenaries grouping up near the pangolin as he closed in himself, "I hear there is an unusual creature that you are having trouble with?" he asks idly. With such disinterest one wonders why did he even bother showing up.
Shizuko follows Lucasiel through teh swamps to the Rangers' outpost; the older leopardess is fully armed, and she moves with an easy grace as she picks her way through the terrain. As she reaches the outpost she gives the pangolin a nod, then stands and listens for the briefing.
The Pangolin puts a finger to her thin lips, and waves the newly arrived freeswords closer. As the gather, she points out into the mangroves. About 100 feet away (30 meters) the haunch of some sort of large bovine hangs above the surface of the swamp with flies and midges swarming about it wildly.
The ranger cups a hand to her ear. The group is suddenly made aware that the normal chorus of birds and swamp beasts has fallen silent and waves lap gently along the mangrove roots. In normally stagnant water. The pangolin carefully aims her crossbow toward the hanging haunch.
Suddenly, the water boils and something huge lunges from the water! There is an impression of teeth, teeth and more teeth, the twanging sound of a crossbow, and then it is gone, along with the half a cow!
Cara raises an eyebrow from the now bleeding husk of a cow. "Okay, well, it looks like we're hunting today. I'll get it out of the water." A small smile comes to her lips as a plan comes together. From the safe distance, she begins to concentrate as water math begins to gather around her. After a few seconds, the water math is sent directly over to the lake that the beast is inhabiting in her attempt to get the beast onto land. Hopefully, the land will slow it down.
Lucasiel raises her brow at the sight and lets out a low whistle, tugging her hood up. "That certainly is a creature. Unfortunately, I can't really do anything about it as long as it's under the surface."
Kalt blinks a bit as the remains of the bovine meal is removed, the vixen raising an eyebrow before she offers a belated wave to Zuri as she smirks. "Well then, let's go gettin' out here. Don't go bein' 'fraid to get yer weapons ready." The Vixen takes off on a slow walk forward, standing farther out than the group in what is hopefulyl ankle deep swamp water as she lowers her body in a prepatory maner... Ready to either shoulder a smaller thing, or dodge from a bigger beast... Hopefully that is. Her voice is low as she gently sings near that water, her words carrying out as she seems intent on drawing it forth.
"Holy Diver, you've been down too long in the midnight sea. Oh what's becoming of me~?"
Zuri jolts as the creature makes itself known by the gruesome spectacle of a cow being devoured in the blink of an eye. The little salamander draws his two paired weapons and darts to the side, parting from the center of the group and circling around. He hopes that the beast will be drawn to the bigger, noisier beings and that he will be able to attack it from the sides.
Rokarion raises an eyebrow before idly taking out his trusty book from underneath his cloak, "Fascinating, and what kind of creature is that?" Rokarion asked idly, "Is it a native denizen of the swamp, because it must have traveled a long distance otherwise, and this place is hardly a favourable environment for the being." Done with his comment, the plant being remained silent for a while as he mentally prepared a calcified flesh spell.
Shizuko takes a long moment to consider the water-beast full of teeth, then slides her miao dao - a two-handed scimitar - out of its sheath. "I see. Fascinating. I will stand guard on the mages until we have a plan."
The water surges and swirls under the influence of Cara's magic, spitting a few horned belchers and some pale fish onto the shore but producing no more results.
The pangolin finally speaks. "You won't get it that way," she says, "The thing has already gone back to its hidey hole." She points to a distant mangrove, a real monster with roots that form a cave like entrance. "Thing is immune to every poison we've tried and just shatters our traps." She looks at Rokarion. "Pretty sure it's native," she says, "Just bigger than any of the critters I've seen. We rangers aren't much suited to a head on fight. Thing took two of our best when we tried to take it out in its den. Fed it enough sedatives to knock out a bone dragon for a week. Didn't even slow it down. Thing is bloody fast in the water, but it will feed on land. That's why we set this up. The crossbow was really just a shot in the dark. Any questions?"
Cara quickly turns to face the ranger, "That would have been useful to know before I tried to get it out of the water." The feline sighs and yells out to the marble fox in the water, "It's not in there any longer." She rolls her eyes and concentrates once again, this time intending on making everyone a bit more maneuverable in water.
