The March North

[Lithandrill]

Thangbrand thanks Horst for the horse and promises him that he'll get it back as soon as he is done with it.

A trap hole might work to catch one alive. But the winter is not quite done yet and the ground is still mostly frozen. It will be a hard and arduous task to dig a hole let alone one for a huge boar. Maybe a few of us could hold it down while another ties it's legs together? As for knocking it into submission I am not sure. We could very well kill it and then we'd have to come back home with two dead boars.

Either that or we chase it into the village and hope we can lock it in someone's house...

He bellows his loud laugh and checks the horse's saddle and to hang his longbow from one of the straps.

Whatever we decide though lets talk about it on the way. We still have quite some distance before we get to the thick of the woods that Horst told us about.

With this he mounts his horse and gets ready to follow the others.

[Bandededed]

Akio

Akio grins, "I know I can distract them, at least as long as I can play," He stops for a beat, "Jal and I, I should say. Combined, our talents will have the beasts staring for hours,"

He frowns then, and says, "The rest of you would have to be careful, though. If you distract them, we may end up with a stampede toward us frail dancer types," while looking pointedly at himself.

[WarBrute]

The dark man pulls down his scarf to speak "Boars don’t fall unconscious, they fight to the last breath. Perhaps if we had a large enough net, we could chase him in to it. We would have to make sure it was well secured before bringing it into the town. If it was to get free it could cause severe casualties. He shrugs and pulls the scarf back up over his mouth.

[Exeson]

Snorri turns to Thangbrand.

"I have ways of melting the snow and unfreezing the ground, then perhaps the dogs could dig the whole and you prancing types can lure the boar into the hole. Then we can immobilize it using, say, one of the fishing nets?"

[Methalor]

"Ha!" Jalthak laughed at Akio, "Frail dancer, my foot! One who can caper all night long can hardly be called frail!"

"As for me... Well, I don't mind it when things get messy." Jal grinned, pointedly patting the greatsword strapped to his back.

"Snorri's plan sounds excellent to me. Between Akio and myself, I think we can distract and lure the boar towards the pit. While a boar might not be appreciative of skaldic poetry, a good song might distract it well. And Akio here... Well, his dances can be just plain fascinating."

"If Akio and I stick together, I should be able to hold off the boar for a short while should something go wrong. I'm a poet AND a warrior, don't forget! Still, I've hunted these boars before, and I can't say it'd be easy - so we better have a solid backup plan, should something go wrong. What do the spellslingers have in the way of charms and barriers?"

[Bandededed]

Akio

Akio heads off to Bifrost Inn, collects whatever mounts the group need, and brings them back, along with a rather large fishing net.
OOC: I'm assuming that we can procure these items, and just getting the fetching out of the way. If we can't, let me know and I'll edit this post.

"Brander, I see that you've sent off your wolf, and perhaps we should follow? He will certainly find the boars before we will, and we can finish our chat on the road." With a small frown, he mounts and starts after the wolves, "So, who's digging?" He asks. "I may have a song to help you do that..."

[Benejeseret]

[ OOC: From the looks of the rolls I assume the animals have no trouble tracking the animals. So, Grasulfr will quickly return (longstrider after all) to pick up Brander and lead the group onward.]

Despite the urgings of the others, Brander waits patiently at the edge of the forest a few minutes longer. Soon, the Dire Wolf Grasulfr bursts from the underbrush and scampers over to excitedly lick Branders hand.

He mounts up onto Grasulfr and has the beast lead the group to a spot until within five hundred feet upwind of the prey. There, he turn in the saddle to Valtam, "My training has brought me down a differing path, but do you have the gift of shaping? If nature grants you the claws to burrow then perhaps this pit-trap idea could come to fruition."

[Agthorr]

"My training has brought me down a differing path, but do you have the gift of shaping? If nature grants you the claws to burrow then perhaps this pit-trap idea could come to fruition."

Valtam appears startled for a moment, wondering where his mind has been. "Of course! Here's the plan. I'll take care of digging a hole that is wide enough to hold two boars and deep enough so they cannot escape. If one of you can conjure an illusion to cover the hole, great. If not, we'll gather some fallen branches, thatch them loosely together, and cover with whatever kind of underbrush is available."

"Jalthak and Akio, can you lure the boars into the trap? If not, someone on horseback will agitate the boars so they give chase, then run towards the trap and leap over it with their horse. The rest of us will be hiding near the pit, in case something goes awry."

"Once the boars are in the pit, we can pelt them with rocks and other things at our leisure until they're unconscious. Then we can climb down with a rope to kill one and tie the other securely. We'll wrap them in a net, one at a time, and use the horses to haul the net out of the pit. We'll also need a cart in which to transport the boars back."

(OOC: "pelt with rocks" = or do non-lethal damage with ordinary weapons at a -4 penalty to attack. Also, replace "cart" with "sled" if the terrain is snowy/icy; I don't know but Valtam does)

Once we select an appropriate location for the trap, Valtam transforms into a Dire Badger and digs the hole in a few minutes. (OOC: 10' wide by 30' long by 10' deep should be enough?)

Once the hole is complete, Valtam returns to human form.

[Goats_o_Mjolnir]

(OOC:Gunna expedite a wee tad)

Thanks to Grasulfr,Grimolfr, and Geri your hunting party manages to locate the boars with ease. The boars are forraging by a massive tree with thier snouts low to the ground, your party moves a few hundred feet away and begins to prepare the trap.

Please make the appropriate rolls to prepare and EVERYONE please make a move silently check twice DC10 for both.

[Bandededed]

Akio

Move Silently - (1d20+10)[20]
Move Silently again - (1d20+10)[17]

Akio withdraws his pan-pipes and "prepares his dancing shoes", as he says.

[Lithandrill]

((**** I have movesilentphobia))

"Move Silent First" - (1d20-2)[16](14)

"Move Silent Second" - (1d20-2)[6](4)

Cunhail draws his long bow and prepares to shoot as soon as the boar notices them. (Ready action to shoot on a failed Moev silent check)

[Agthorr]

Since Valtam knows that in human form he's about as stealthy as an elephant, when the wolves start to draw even vaguely close, he dismounts, ties up Hrimfaxi (horse), changes to dire badger form, moves to the appropriate location, does his digging business, and waits in badger form around 100' from the trap in the direction furthest from the boars (and closer to Hrimfaxi).

(OOC: retconing slightly because I originally pictured digging the hole first and finding the boars second; hope that's OK? In human form the mod on these rolls is -7 instead of +3)

Move silently as Dire Badger:
(1d20+3)[7]
(1d20+3)[15]

Move silently for Geri, wolf companion:

(1d20+4)[17]
(1d20+4)[16]

(OOC: I'm assuming the Hrimfaxi is tied far enough away not to matter)

(OOC: Hey, Akio, want to cast Silence on the prep area? You're pretty stealthy, but with a group of 8 or 9 somebody is bound to make noise)

[Exeson]

Snorri follows the group, hanging at the back. When they arrive at the scene he grudgingly turns to Valtam.

"Need a help thawing the ground before you start digging?"

[Benejeseret]

Brander winces at the crunching up sticks nearby and tries to hold himself still.

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(1d20-2)[5] (1d20-2)[10]....maybe he would get situational move silently check as he is not 'moving' and is mounted

He holds a hand out, palm down, signalling Grasulfr to skulk.

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(1d20+4)[8] (1d20+4)[24]

[Goats_o_Mjolnir]

Both boars prick up thier heads at the sounds of twig snaps and shuffling. For several heartbeats they remain still, twitching thier ears and sniffing at the air. The boars grunt and begin to wadde away at a light trot another few yards, before resuming foraging, but at a slower, more alerted, pace.

I recommend the silence spell as well;)

[Methalor]

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Move Silently checks: (1d20)[2], (1d20)[14] .

--Earlier--
"Aye, I think Akio and myself can lure those boars. I know there's enough fair ladies who'd like to follow that dancing all around town! If all else fails, I have a bit of illusion and fast feet - I'd bet ya anything I can run just as fast!"

--Now--
Jal cursed silently as he stumbled over a still snow-covered root, feet crunching down hard on a stray twig. He drew in a sharp breath at this own clumsiness, mentally whispering a plea to Ullr for the boars to not pay heed to his oafishness.

He sat back from the diggers, having no real ability to aid them in their task - singing a song would be rather counterproductive, given the necessity of silence. Jal simply shuffled through his mental catalog of songs, trying to pick one that might have a pleasant enough tune to appeal to wild beasts.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Grimolfr stalks the snowy woods as deftly as any of his wolfish kin, stalking the boars, his white fur blending with the snowy ground as his piercing ice blue eyes tracks them, he sniffs the air as if sampling it.

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Wouldn't i get the skill benefits from my animal form? if so move silently 1(1d20+7)[17] move silently 2 (1d20+7)[11] if not move silently 1 (1d20+4)[13] Move silently 2 (1d20+4)[21] also, what does DC stand for? (this is probably a very nooby question, but I'm tired and I can't remember right now )

[WarBrute]

The man pulls on horse’s reins to single him to halt. He eyes the two boars and whispers, “Well which one should we take alive. I guess we could decide once they’re in the pit.” He trails off. He shifts in his saddle and pulls an arrow from his quiver.

[OOC: I’m assuming you already made my Move Silently rolls for me judging how you continued the game]

[Goats_o_Mjolnir]

Nope, I just pushed the boars farther away so this can be sped up and you guys can get the meaty, tender part :D

[WarBrute]

ok then MS rolls

(1d20+8)[26]
(1d20+8)[22]

I guess I should roll for horse too.

(1d20+1)[2]
(1d20+1)[18]

[Bandededed]

Akio

"Gather 'round, my friends. I've a spell of silence I can use to quiet us." He sighs. "Silly me, forgetting that I have spells..."

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I'll cast silence around wherever we decide to dig, and hang around there until we finish.

[Agthorr]

After finishing with his digging as a dire badger, Valtam makes some paw gestures indicating that someone should cover the hole with an illusion spell.

[Benejeseret]

Grasulfr and Brander sit at the northern edge of the silence, ready to bound off and wrap around the flank of the boars. Brander takes the moments of silence to study the brush along his path, planning out the route to funnel the boars towards the hole.

[knowledge nature: (1d20+5)[17] preparing for a situational bonus to his next action through the brush]

[Methalor]

(OOC: I have Silent Image, which would be perfect for this... Except it requires concentration. If Jal is going out into the open, he can't concentrate on that AND distracting/enticing the boar.)

[Bandededed]

Akio

"No offense, my friend, but I think you should cast the illusion spell," Akio says to Jal, just outside of the silenced area and opposite the boars. "You and I can both preform, but we both know that my shirt(/vest-thing) let's my be better at it than I normally am."

OOC:

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Ok, I have two preform skills, and both are at a +17 bonus (yay ability bonus magical items!!). I was hoping that I would play and that we could get an aid another action going with you playing, but if one of us needs to cast the spell...
In any case, since I'd make two preform checks, I think the boars would have to beat both of them to become not fascinated, and my effect would last longer because I have more bard levels.

[Exeson]

Snorri stands nearby waiting, his abilities are worthless until there needs to be some killing done.

[Methalor]

"Aye, s'true. Besides, I doubt the boars would be interested in an epic poem anyhow!" Jal whispered, winking at Akio, "I guess I might as well cast this illusion I've been holding in reserve!"

Taking a small bit of fleece out of the component pouch girded to his belt, Jal mumbled a few words of arcane power. Spells and storytelling really weren't that different - he'd decided that a long time ago. Unfortunately, he knew his magical potential was far too limited to do much more than the few tricks he already knew - it was not where his talents lay. Still, for small, silent illusions, he could proudly cast one.

As he concentrated on the effect, the pit began to be covered by underbrush virtually identical to that of the area surrounding it. As he mentally manipulated the arcane energies surging through his body, he worked hard to integrate the illusion convincingly into the surrounding environment. Finally satisfied that his trickery was suitable to fool a dumb animal, he wordlessly signalled to Akio to undertake his portion of the plan. As he continued to concentrate on the spell, he drew Stormcaller from its sheath - he wanted some backup, in case things went wrong.

[Bandededed]

Akio

In one fluid motion, Akio dissolves his bubble of silence, and reveals himself to the boars.

"You may remember this tune," his says gaily as he raises his pipes to his mouth and begins to dance.

Preform checks

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Preform(dance) - (1d20+17)[25]
Preform(pan-pipes) - (1d20+17)[30]

Statblock, just in case

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{table]Akio |Human |Bard |5 |Chaotic Good |Med
22/22 |+2 |30 ft |AC/T/FF |17 / 12 / 15 |Chain shirt
Melee Atk |Scimitar +5 |1d6+2 |Ranged |Dagger |1d4+1
Saves |Fort +1 |Ref +6 |Will +4
Srt - 12 |Dex - 14 |Con - 10 |Int - 14 |Wis - 10 |Cha - 20[/table]

[Benejeseret]

Brander tenses and glanced side-ways to Akio and the others, "Are the beasts bedazzled and fascinated...or waiting for the right moment to gore us?"

Grasulfr is signaled to bring the duo north and slowly circle at a non-threatening pace. They are both careful for to make eye contact with the boars.