Chapter 3 The Kingdom Border

[jcftao]

You enter the forest and begin searching for signs of any construction. The forest is dark with rays of sunlight shining through the canopy on occasion. Areas of tangled vegetation, briars, and vines slow your progress.
About midday, in a particularly dark section of the forest, you hear a bloodcurdling screech! Out of the gloom a lone bat swoops down at Otis of Gyre!

The bat is larger than typical bats...about the size of a large cat. It rushes towards Otis and as it does so, a blur of motion arcs in front of it. The bat tumbles forward, no longer under its own wing power. It falls to the ground, dead.

Three fast moving objects speed away into the dark canopy.

The bat lies on the forest floor.

Actions?

[badams30]

Otis - Fighter

Otis blinks in amazement, then his instinct (and his goofy trait) kicks in - he starts to run, trying to follow whatever killed the bat. He says "Wait! come back! Thanks!"

OOC: He'll chase for a bit, but if it's obvious he can't catch up, he'll reluctantly quit.

[mythictom]

"Check the bat to see how it died," Moonglimmer says as she lunges after Otis.

"Otis don't wander off!" she hisses as she runs. "The forest is dangerous on your own!"

[merias]

Erwin is momentarily surprised by the flurry of activity, even more so by Otis' impulse to split the party. "Wait, come back!" he yells after Otis and Moonglimmer. He shakes his head and turns to the dead bat, examining it to see how it died. Was it clawed to death, like from another flying creature? Or something else he can see?

[jcftao]

Erwin examines the bat. Ii is unlike any species of bat he has ever seen.

It has black fur, wings that end in sharp claws, with the body being about the size of a cat.

But the most upsetting feature is the bat's head. It looks disturbingly humanoid...like a goblin's head but with sharp fangs protruding from its thin lips.

The eyes are glossy black.

As Erwin nudges it with his boot, rolling the bat over, he sees two tiny arrows in its side. Each arrow is about 2 inches in length.

Actions?

OOC--I have one vote for moving through the forest at a faster pace and seeing what will turn up, as opposed to a careful search of each hex. Thoughts?

[badams30]

Otis - Dopey Guy

Otis will stop once he hears the party shout for him. He shrugs and says "Awwwwwww....."

[greyarea]

Fungo is unsettled by the flying...thing. He examines the arrows closer. I wonder if there are brownies or some other wee folk about.

He looks up at all the taller people around him. Well, I suppose you think we hobbits are wee folk, but there are folk even wee-er than we. If you follow.

[mythictom]

Moonglimmer reunites Otis with the group and looks at the bat.

Does she recognize the arrows as sprite or pixie-shot?

[jcftao]

Moonglimmer does indeed recognize the arrows. They are crafted by a species of fey called the Leaf Men. Well intentioned pixie types, but murderous at times if crossed. They are known to inhabited fey woods and considered themselves protectors of the weak.

[badams30]

Otis - Fighter

Otis smiles meekly at the others and waves at the tree canopy above "Hey little forest guys, thanks for shootin' that nasty bat-thing. I'm Otis... Otis of Gyre. Nice to, uh... er, meet you." He stares for a long while at the trees, hoping to catch a glance at whatever flew away.