[Wilderness] Psssssst... Get down before it eats you

[Winston]

Descent into chaos

Joe vanished for a moment, before returning with a smile.

"Hold on to your chestnuts..."

Seemingly out of thin air, he materialized next to the campfire on the far end of the camp, addressing a bewildered pig-men with a casual wave.

"Hey there! What's cooking? Oh, es dis supposed tuh be fud? Blegh! Yuh par tings!"

He snatched up a morsel, sampling it with exaggerated disgust.

"Good lord, dis tastes like despair mixed wid regret! Try dis instead!"

With a theatrical flourish, he hurled a tiny, colorful pellet (

courtesy of his secret stash

) toward the nearest pig-man. Unfortunately his throw resembling a drunkard's attempt at darts and the pellet smacked the pig-man's leg and burst into a vibrant explosion of colour, painting the unfortunate creature's knee in a spectrum of rainbow hues.

Despite the lack of actual harm, the pig-man leaped up, howling in fury, while Winston, undeterred, chomped on [get-post=188620 excerpt=Item: Floaty-light Chews Chews]one of his Weightlessness Chews[/get-post] and waved casually.

Predictably, chaos ensued.

The enraged pig-men charged toward him, but Winston, now buoyant thanks to his chews

shot up into the air, water-jet propulsion pushing him forwards

. He found himself soaring uncontrollably, his swimming gear, it turned out, was surprisingly effective for aerial acrobatics, though not so much for precision.

Winston desperately tried to steer himself, arms flailing like a mad windmill as he engaged his hand-thrusters and raining water down on top of everything. His upward momentum halted, but he began hurtling downward, straight toward one of the pigs. The pig-men, their focus solely on the airborne ferret, paid no heed to the imprisoned tunawans. Winston whizzed past one pig, temporarily abandoning his leg thrusters in favor of wild hand gestures. Clearly, he had underestimated the concentration required to control his thrusters under the influence of gravity's cruel grip.

Unable to evade another pig's punch

, Winston rocketed into the side of a makeshift shelter, leaving behind a perfect ferret-shaped hole as a testament to his daring escapade. It was all he could do to activate

Turtle's Shell

as he accepted his fate and plumited through the air.

The pigs were all staring at the shelter and congregating around it to see what would happen next.

Whatever Marak was up to, Joe looked panicked for a second, then relieved and signaled that all was OK.

Off Topic

Feel free to control some pigs, etc. there's plenty to go around. You have complete autonomy to create some bedlam and save some Tunawa

[Makar Hollowbreak]

It was hard not to look at the spectacle caused by Winston and not be in awe. It was also kind of worrying how quickly he was begining to get used to the strangeness brought by the critter folk and his floating head ghost. Partially, Makar knew it was simply because there more important things to worry about in the moment. The rest? He supposed he was simply becoming jaded, because honestly after one disbelieiving thing after the other occurring the wonder kind of wears off. Kind of saddening really.

Truly.


That said once Joe confirmed all was well, Makar began to move quietly as he could. Hoping the thwarthides would stay distracted by the ferrety mad spectacle. His sights was upon the cage containing the plant folk, moving quick as he can from cover to cover of their ramshackle structures till he got closer bit by bit. Indeed all seemed to be going well as the cage was now within grabbing reach, the cage containint the plant flk near the unlit camp fire the Thwarthide's have been struggling to set alight.

After slinging his bow upon his shoulder, he Hunter's hands reached out, fingers and palm wrapping around it and ready to just bolt. His back turning to yoink the cage without even turning to look at the Thwarthide's, then he suddenly felt a jerk of force that prevented him from turing fully.

Blinking once, twice, Makar's head turned around to spot why.

Ah.

A pair of four fingered hands was also gripping on the cage. The squat tusked figure grunted annoyingly at Makar as it tried yanking the cage back from his grip. The suddenly movement jostling the poor plant folk with yelps of dismay and one 'watch it!'. With a squeel it took the cage from Makar's grip and began to run away.

Makar cursed his fortune and began giving chase.

Meanwhile it seemed the rest of the Thwarthide's were still focused on Winston's crash site. It was just Makar's terrible fortune he got the one that wasn't distracted by the spectacle!


He hoped Winston could keep the distraction, unfortunately he had a little piggy he had to chase!

[Winston]

Ferret Rising

As the pigs gathered around the now holy shelter and Marak made his rescue attempt, the pig-people grunted and shoved each other in a mixture of curiosity, irritation and anger. The ones at the front, clearly the bravest or most ravanouse, began to thump the outside of the shelter while the ones at the back jeered and laughed.

Winston meanwhile was picking himself up out of a pile of sticks, moss and pig-related braka-brack and he happened across a small selection of what he immediately recognized to be Wells! He could not resist the urge to grab some of them before he heard the thumping and the jeering from outside... Taking a quick peek out at the cage, he spotted Makar make a run for it, but was unclear whether he was making an escape, assault or rescue.

The Devil on My Shoulder
Greed: What are you doing?! Take them ALL!
Winston: Me can't carry dem all! Me nat gat me bag.
Curiosity: Yes you can, just pick up the sack.
Winston: No mun, me will be too slow.
Curiosity: No you won't, just fly into the sky and your gone!
Winston: What about Makar an' de Tunuwa?
Curiosity: They'll be fiiiiine. Look at how many there are?!
Winston: Noh, mun, me need to goh 'elp.
Curiosity: DO IT!
Winston: Noh...

With that, he set himself firmly on the ground, carrying only what he could manage, and activated the wells to lift him out of the shelter, holding the wells over his shoulder. As he shot up out of the small, collapsing wooden structure, the pig-man at the front pulled back slightly in surprise, before taking a swing at him. Fortunately, Winston didn't stop and continued up and out of reach.

Looking over the crowd, he could see some of the creatures towards the back of the crowd were losing interest and Makar was chasing down a one of them to boot.

"

Round-up, round-up! Come get yuh stoff back, eff yuh cun!

"

He yelled, attracting their attention again.

His feeling of elation as he succeeded was short lived as the creatures quickly started lobbing things at him. Their aim was not great, but the law of averages was resulting in a fair amount of stuff hitting the ferret as he attempted to make his escape away from Makar and his pig.

As Makar's Pig set off, Joe did his best to distract it from its course. Having no physical form, he could not do much but act as a nuisance, by jiggling about in its path, but he did his best to help the hunter nonetheless.

Thanks goes to Pyrre Ej'qy for inspiring this template

[Makar Hollowbreak]

Meanwhile Makar was still giving chase, and to give credit where it's due the smaller thwart hide was making a good showing despite its smaller legs. It was like chasing after a small child bursting with energy if a small child was a porcine with terrible hygiene.


Although, and he was certainly not talking from experience, small children had a remarkable capacity to look like they’ve been in a pig sty.



His feet stepped into the snow with audible sloshing sounds as he chased after the surprisingly wily creature playing keepaway with the cage containing plant people.

The Thwarthide at least wasn’t having a better time getting away as Joe floated about like a nuisance that the Thwarthide couldn't hit, attempting to use the cage as an ineffective bludgeon and then redirecting uts steps accordingly.

“Ack, watch it you brute” came one indignant sound from one of the plantfolk, jostled uncomfortably by the wild movement.


Makar meanwhile panted, running after the thing was tiring him something fierce. He was much used to walking after his prey rather than chasing after them, relying on trails left behind whether he hit or missed.


Still, it was becoming evident he wasn’t going to be able to chase after it like this.


So he unslung his bow and pulled out an arrow. Then he aimed his bow at a non-descript spot “Joe, if ya can be kind. Can ya direct him to my line of sight?” He called to the headless menace” granted it was only a hope that Joe could, but he imagined if he could lead him so he’d have a clear leading shot.


It was just a matter of timing.

[Winston]

Spirits makes you do stupid things...

The floating ferret took a few hits from trash, rocks and even a crude spear in the form of a sharpened stick flew past him as he did his best to remain a hard to hit target just by not remaining still.

This was not a bad technique, though his complete lack of skill in such things, combined with the need to focus on the wells, was leading to him make silly mistakes... the first of which being to forget he could use his mark from Saiore, Catch & Return.

Instead, he decided to simply try to make some distance, having caught their attention with the theft and the Serpent's Hood, he jetted off, away from Makar and Joe. He knew it was important that he didn't go so far as to loose the interest of the pig-people, but he wanted to make himself a less straightforward target to hit with the various projectiles he was getting pelted with.

As he failed to avoid one particularly well aimed stone, which

clinked off the side of his armour

, he spun wildly, unable to maintain his controlled flight and decided it was simply better to

let himself splash into the snow

and start again rather than propell himself full force into the ground with his jets of seawater.

As he splashed down and rolled in the snow, the pig-men gave a cheer as they continued in their pursuit. Winston got to his feet as quickly as he could, trying to suppress the panic that threatened to take hold as his assailants bore down upon him and once again, focused on the magic suit to get him aloft once more before they go within arms reach. It was still proving to be more difficult than he'd hoped it would be and so he concentrated on going in straight lines and bracing for the occasional collision as he went.

Meanwhile, with Makar, Joe was doing all he could to try and kite the pig. He was not a spirit of combat, tactics or herding and so his skills were sadly lacking in this region. Nonetheless, as Markar spoke, Joe nodded in confirmations

"Right you are!"

And with that, rather then lead, he simply gave chase, continuing the pig-person's escape trajectory that Makar had established. By no longer preventing him from moving forward with distractions, he simply kept behind the creature, where it could see him to encourage it to continue moving without the need to dodge about.

Beyond this, he simply trusted the hunter to do his thing, happy in the knowledges that worst case, he was incaporial so unlikely to get hit by any stray arrows himself.

Thanks goes to Pyrre Ej'qy for inspiring this template

[Makar Hollowbreak]

There was also a purpose for the distraction other than a leading shot, truth be told was hard to hit a moving target with Makar' skills as they are. So instead he had to rely on Joe to keep the pig man occupied as he took the time to focus his shot. He breathed in and out as he nocked the arrow to the bull string and pulled it back.

Even a glancng blow would be enough he reckoned as he stood there. Any moment the other Thwarthides could turn around and see him, where the protection of the brown candy and the blanket would be put to the test.


He breathed in and out as the creature continued to run as a ghost head ran after it. Plant folk being jostled in the cage it carried above its head. He could feel his shoulder strain as his eyes kep aim on the spot he anticipated it would step through. Mind measuring distance and trajectory.

Then he fired. The pointed projectile practically projected through the air, its pointy poker passing by the pesty porcine before planting in the snow ground. It was by all account a miss and Makar felt himself cursing.

But it did the job in an unintended way.

The Thwarthide let out a squeel of panic and surprise, the cage dropping from its grip and onto the snow below which cushioned the impact.

Unfortunately for Makar the Thwarthide's anger and surprise turned to anger as it turn to the hunter. In its pair of four fingered hands a couple of stone hatchets that promised to pummel Hunter into chopped bits and paste. It let out lound angry grunts, which would more than likely alert its tribal kin.

Well, bother….

[Winston]

Quake in fear mortals!

As Joe chased the Pig-man and the arrow sped past it, the spirit let out a little.

"Uh-oh."

As it turned on the hunter.

Makar's in trouble, I'm gonna..."

He began before Winston interrupted telepathically with an urgent, pressing tone.

"De Tunawa, Joe. Get de Tunawans. Makar cun sart 'imself out."

This may or may not be true, but whichever it was, they were all there to save these Tunuwas and failing to focus on achieving that was not going to help their cause.

Ultimately, the larger hunter's gambit had worked and the Tunuwas were almost free, now was the time to capitalize on this and then get them out of here.

With that,

Joe nodded and transformed into a dragonling about the size of a dog

. It was sleek, agile and not built for strength, but like its Forged companion ferret, this suited his aptitudes well.

The now caporal Diri leapt towards the cage full of wooden captives and grabbed it by its top as he took to the skies as swiftly as he could. As the brutish pig set off, with it's back to the now escaping figures, Winston let out a sign of relief. That was one thing sorted. Now just to worry about how they were going to get themselves out of this. More specifically how they were going to get Makar out of this from his grounded position.

Cover would be the solution, distractions and cover. For now, he simply trusted that the hunter might handle one solitary combatant... as he himself was still taking hits from thrown objects as his split concentration was pressing his ability to avoid the attacks beyond its effectiveness. It was time to leave...

He let out a cry, digging deep into his diaphragm and projecting as best he could. Singing a single sentences with

support of his quartet of harmonizing ferret voices that seemed to emanate from the things around them

.

"HALT or DIIIEEEE!"

Accompanying this

, he let out a little crackle of lightening from the sky above him, in an attempt to maximize on the theatrical impact of the words. He didn't actually expect them to understand the words and while the entire set-up was pretty derived, it only needed to make them hesitate for a moment while Makar did their thing.

The Pig that was bearing down on the man, turned its head in surprise as the crack was let out, offering him a moment to shoot, strike, run or perhaps all three, but he now very firmly had the upper hand, even if the ferret's hollow threat might soon be dispelled by the absence of exploding pigs.

Thanks goes to Pyrre Ej'qy for inspiring this template

[Makar Hollowbreak]

Of course during that time as Winston was setting up his biggest distraction yet Makar still had an angry piggy to deal with till then. One with two stone hand axes ready to kill him and was charging forth to do just that. It's obvious movements meant the Hunter had ample time to dodge the charging bipedal boar, now acting like it's Tharthog cousin when their tempers are raised.


So he jumped to the right, letting it run by him rather than getting gored or get chopped up with the primitive axes it held.

In anger squeed again, not slowing its gait as it moved closer to Makar who wa still on the snowy ground. Makar cursed, rolling to the side only to be hit by a glancing blow from the stone ax, which only slid off as the blanket received from Winston turned to embersteel at the brief moment.

“Sailor’s balls, that actually worked” Makar said, his own astonishment met the Thwarthide’s own, then it squeed again and swung, hitting Makar straight in the chest where again, the blanket turned to embersteel and absorbed the blow.

Still as he grasped his chest, feeling the wind knocked out of him, Makar kind of wished his mother had taught him how to fight when she went about training his survival skills.

That’s when Winston’s display of theatrics and lightning came to play, which seemed to have an effect on the Thwarthides focused on him and more importantly the one standing over Makar.


The creature turned to look at the display, leaving its back exposed as Makar took this opportunity to slide out his axe from his belt loop and remove the leather covering hiding its edge.


Slowly he got to his knees, trying not to attract the creature's gaze or remind it that he was still there and alive.

He could try to take this moment to run, but he wasn’t sure he could outrun. This whole thing had left him drained physically. So he raised the hand axe in air, and in a swift motion brought it atop the Thwarthide’s head.

It squealed in pain. It wasn't a clean strike against its hoggy skull but it caused it to stagger as blood seeped down its skull. So he grunted and pulled the axe out and swung it back down, this time striking clean on the center and he watched it slump.


He breathed heavily, not used to killing something so messily. He did not like it, he did not like causing unnecessary pain. It churned his stomach.

Once he pulled his axe free he began to turn away and make a run for it. They’d smell the blood even in this cold weather, and hopefully Winston would take the same moment to run off now that the plant folk were secured.

[Winston]

Rewards Requested

Notes/Warnings: (Any Notes or warnings? Violence?)

Thread: [Wilderness] Psssssst... Get down before it eats you
City/Area: Darbyton

Renown: Reviewer discretion, but they saved some tunawans from certain death
Wealth Points: N/A
Collaboration: Yes
Local Language Thread? No

!	Message from: Pig Boy
	Done!

[Pig Boy]

Winston

Feedback

Winston Winston Winston, you really should maybe install some sled based transport for CHest, poor overworked underpaid Chest.

I think you ran this thread pretty well in tandem with Makar, both contributing a good deal to the rising action. I might've liked to see more from the tunawa, maybe some screaming for help or similar pleading with the thwarthides to release them. But then it's understandable given the climate that they might be dormant.

Great writing! And nice flying.

Rewards

• Renown: 10
• XP: 15

Knowledges

• Deception: Hiding things behind little white lies
• Teaching: Instruction 'in the field'
• Socialization: Reading people's emotions
• Linguistics: Common Sign: Coordinating a sneaky approach
• Detection: Decering between sticks and stick people at a distance
• Detection: Looking for traps
• Tactics: Creating an effective distraction
• Combat: Whips & Flails: Throwing things at a large target at close range
• Flying: Jet Propelled: Keeping moving to avoid getting struck by projectiles
• Meditation: Focusing on wells while in a high stress situation
• Tactics: Don't get distracted from your objective
• Flying: Jet Propelled: Not falling out of the sky when things are thrown at you
• Intimidation: Saying dramatic things to create short-lived hesitation
• Intimidation: Using theatrics to scare simple creatures

Loot

• 2 x Unrefined Windstar (Aeronyte) & 1 x Strengthstone (Lucyte)

Losses

• 1 x Embersteel Blanket of Protection
• 1 x Super Stealth Chew & 1 x Iron-skin Chew
• 1 x Floaty Chew

Makar Hollowbreak

Feedback

Makar really holds his own here, and I enjoyed your pc's reactions to the very weirdness and zany antics that are WInston Miller's everyday behavior

The amount of detail you're able to pack into a action oriented thread is impressive, and I enjoyed the chase with the little thwarthide.

Finally, Makar making that shot with the last of the pig people was a very heroic moment.

Great job and writing! I look forward to more.

Rewards

• Renown: 10
• XP: 15

Knowledges

• Stealth: Crawling to keep a low profile
• Field Craft: protecting camp with traps
• Detection: Watching out for sentries
• Tactics: Utilizing distractions to mask approach
• Stealth: Utilizing distractions to approach unseen
• Combat: Ranged: Ranged Combat: leading shots
• Athletics: Jumping away to avoid a charging danger
• Tactics: Striking a distracted foe

Loot

• 1 x Embersteel Blanket of Protection
• Super Stealth Chews gained from Winston