Shambling Mound

From WinterWiki

April 24th 2007

Players: Siriel, Iymbryl, Meredin, Shakti, Heather, Demetria, Theodone

Siriel comes wandering into the park and looks at all the tents still set up for the faire, feeling much better today than she did last night when she walked out of it. Her long hair is down as is her hood, she looks at the people starting to mill around in the park. Siriel decides to look around at some of the booths as she stops by the jewelry booth.

Iymbryl emerges some time later from the tent covering the booth of the Mimisbrunnur vendor, and he smiles, looking around. He doesn't not yet notice the elven beauty walking around, and instead fixes his attention on an empty bench to rest his feet on. He heads that way, dodging small children and halflings.

"Oh no thank you" Siriel says with a polite chuckle "I wouldn't know the first thing about the magics that are in that necklace, but thank you for the compliment" she says to the merchant in the jewelry booth as she backs out of it quickly before he tries to convince her to buy something else that she won't be able to use. With a polite and apologetic smile at the older lady she almost ran into she heads on to the next booth, the booth that usually carries some interesting gear.

Iymbryl turns at the sound of the light melodical voice, having not quite reached his chosen bench. Grinning at the sight of the elven lass making her way into one of the vendor tents, he follows... curious to meet this musical creature. He makes his way to the vendor as well, keen green eyes searching over her backside, and rear profile, scrying for answers as to lineage and profession if any.

Siriel adjusts the bow on her shoulder as she looks around the crowded little booth, she pushes her cloak aside and her bare arm comes out from underneath as she reaches to pick up one of the waterskins that's for sale. Her tattooed bicep flashes for but a brief moment before putting the waterskin back down again. Her arm comes out this time so she can run her fingers thru her golden hair as she shakes her head no to the merchant asking her if she'd like to buy that skin. She smiles and turns coming face to face with a man whom she's never seen before (Iymbryl) "um Hi" she says a bit embarrassed as the crowd having nudged her practically into his arms.

Iymbryl stops, suddenly nose to nose with you, staring back into your eyes with his own jade green orbs. "Well met Lady... How does this fair night find ye?" He asks, his voice calm and even, and more than just a little charming. Bumped from behind by running halfling children, he is forced to put out a hand to catch himself, or risk falling into this ladies lap. His hand lashes out, catching the tent support of the booth and he smiles weakly, "Iymbryl at your service.. "

Siriel blushes from the tip of her nose across her round little cheeks and all the way up to the tips of her ears "I.. uh... um" she clears her throat "Siriel" she says after a moment and steps back now that there isn't someone standing up against her "It's nice to meet you" she says finding it hard to keep eye contact from being embarrassed. She offers her hand to you so that she may shake your hand and adjusts the pack that's resting on her hip with the other hand.

Iymbryl backs up as well, so that he is not directly in your face and he smiles. "The pleasure is mine lady..." He says taking your hand in his, but instead of shaking it he raises it to his lips, and kisses your finger tips, watching your face all the while. "As I said.. I am Iymbryl.. at your service. what brings you to our fair this evening, as if he belongs and lives here.

Siriel blushes as she listens to the introduction "Well I didn't come last year and wanted to see if it was as much fun as I've been told" she stammers out "What about you?" she asks composing herself now as she takes her hand back.

Iymbryl smiles, releasing her hand. "I've just arrived actually... Trying to find what the wide world has to offer one such as myself.." He says running a hand over his hair, brushing a few hairs back in place, and flipping the tips of his ears as well.

Siriel looks around as the booth starts to fill back up again with people "Care to step back outside with me?" she asks quietly looking towards the tent flap.

Iymbryl nods, "Of course.. lead the way Lady." He says, smiling, offering you the chance to lead. However as you both start toward the entrance, he does edge in from of you, using his slim form to push a path through the crowd for you, pushing open the tent flap, and motioning you through.

Siriel smiles as she steps out into the sunshine again "Thank you" she says politely "so to turn that around, what you just said about the what the wide world could offer you" she says with a smirk "What can you offer the world?" she says with a smile and inquisitive eyebrow rising.

Iymbryl smiles, and spreads his hands wide. "I work magic.. though precious little at the moment.. I need more schooling before I think I can offer the world overmuch..." He says with a smile, walking with you easily.

Siriel nods "ahh I see" she says with a smile as she walks them over to the old oak with a bench under it.

At the far end of the park a strangely dressed elf walks away from a pile of fallen branches and dead shrubs that lay off away from the set up of the faire to the south, collected and deposited there to clean up the area for the faire. Dressed in what looks to be a robe made of hides, arms bare carrying no bow, just a pack slung over his shoulder. The elf looks seriously out of place scars and tattoos covering any exposed areas of skin, he doesn't look as tho he's trying to blend or hide from anyone, he just walks away from the piles and out of the park looking very snide and completely disgusted to be there.

As Siriel walks with Iymbryl to the bench she spots Shakti and starts to wave at her, but stops in mid wave and seems to frown a bit, turning southward a bit, she looks over at Iymbryl "Did you just see that?" she asks a bit confused.

Iymbryl has been looking that way when Siriel waves, eying another vendor booth, and he nods. "Aye.. I did.. Let's go find out what it was.." He says, a little over eager to impress his new friend

Shakti catches sight of Siriel's wave and returns it, her eyebrows lifting a bit at the other woman's frown. "See what, sai?" she queries, striding over to join Siriel and her companion with a curious, if slightly troubled, expression.

Siriel turns to head over to meet Shakti as she heads towards her and Iymbryl "We coulda sworn we just say a pile of sticks and such move over there" she says as she points towards the south entrance of the park.

Iymbryl nods, glancing back to Siriel's friend as she makes her way over, then returning his gaze to the pile in question. He moves forward, not too quickly though, careful to keep his distance that he may work his spells.

Shakti's mouth twitches into a frown, her stance shifting to something more cautious, more wary. She looks for the pile of sticks in question, her forehead creasing. "I don't see anything at all," she concedes, the fingers of a hand reaching up instinctively to check her bow and quiver. Seems she must've been out with archery on her mind at some point. Still, she'll follow the other two, just in case.

Theodone , finally gets back into the fair, his mind all confused for he ain't remembering nothing from yesterday. So he comes back in and like always with almost everything he owns as well. He spots Siriel and heads on over in that direction.

Siriel pulls the bow off her shoulder and instinctively touches her quiver to make sure it's full as she starts cautiously walking towards the south entrance.

Meredin was bouncing about the fair grounds when she happened to spot something. The elf toddles towards the group of people gathered about and declares a loud, "Hi! What're we doing? Are we going to play a game?" to them.

Shakti unslings her bow scant moments after she spies Siriel do the same, her mouth setting into a grim line. She's anticipating trouble and the arrival of two others to their rag-tag 'party' is noted only with a terse nod. "Mayhap 'tis nothing, sai, but it seems there's something ... amiss over there," she gestures to the pile of sticks at the south entrance, which is where the lot of them are headed from the looks of things.

Theodone as he approaches the group he notices the bush moving, something seems not right as he readies his longbow and nocks and arrow. "Siriel, what do you see in that bush?" not taking his eyes off it.

Iymbryl glances at Meredin, and cracks a grin. "Aye go stick your hand in the pile of leaves.. see if it's still attacked when you pull it free." He however, drifts back to the back of the group, unsure what made the pile jump, and fairly certain his minor magic will do little to affect it.

Siriel shakes her head "I'm not sure" she says quietly "but I swear it moved unlike any plant or pile of leaves I've ever seen before" she says to Theo and then quirks an eyebrow at Iym at his joke to Meredin.

It appears that the pile of leaves, sticks and underbrush by the south entrance is, just that, a pile of compost. Or is it?

As the curious party closes in on the pile of vegetation there seems to be a bit of an eerie silence just before the pile seems to suddenly - stand up?? At the base it's about 8 feet wide tapering off as to about 2 feet wide at it's - head? it stands about 8 feet tall. It lashes out at Siriel and Shakti, seeing as they're the closest but missing them due to the fact that they're out of reach.

Iymbryl jumps slightly, seeing the mass of compost rise up and strike at the ladies he's with. He growls and flicks the fingers of his free hand in an intricate pattern, mumbling something under his breathe. He flings his hand in the piles direction, loosing a dimly glowing arrow of light which streaks out and collides with the things head.

As the large mound stands up and attacks the two females in front, he reacts and reacts badly with the first shot as it goes wide and over it's head but he comes about quickly and composing himself as he lets go of the second shot and hitting it, though he is not sure if he did any significant damage to the thing.

Heather comes walking down the path singing to her self but sees combat "just one day I like to see a event like this never see combat." Two words said in the dragon language brings a flaming short spear and a buckler that as the Valtamari symbol on it. Carefully Heather approaches the combat to help out

Shammy's a little pissed, just trying to take a nap in the spring sunshine and the adventurers had to come and bug it. It spots Siriel and Shakti standing there and lurches forward slamming both the women, with it's compost arms.

Meredin pouts when the mound of compost starts to move. "Hey, no fair, I didn't get to stick my hand in it and see if I still had it afterwards!" says the elf. She points towards the monster and sends a stream of magic missiles to pelt it senseless.

Demetria slides into the area from the shadows. She doesn't run in at the sight of battle. Oh no. The halfling woman tilts her head, and carefully starts to approach, apparently giving the others the benefit of the doubt.

Shakti is not in any mood to be trifled with ... while she would have been fine leaving the thing alone, it just had to haul off and attack her. The Berezani draws and fires two shots, but both are overshot and completely miss.

Siriel sighs as she steps back a few paces bow already at the ready and goes to fire off a shot at the mound of rotten vegetation, as she steps back she loses her footing on a branch that was on the ground and completely misses the mound.

Heather comes in at a fast speed as her first spear comes in at the mound twice missing the first time but the second hits not effecting it at all. "damn will need to use magic."

Iymbryl glances at Meredin, making a quick mental note to get with her later, and he skips sideways, out from behind the lady archers, and to the side. He jams his staff into the soft ground and brings up both hands, fingers interweaving and he touches both hands, thumbs together, fingers splayed. He smiles as an arc of searing flame leaps from his finger tips, at the walking compost pile, confident he has hurt the thing at the very least.. but alas.. the flames hiss and make steam touching the moist rotten body of the thing, but otherwise has no effect.

Demetria doesn't even slide into the shadows after watching the first round of hits. The halfling woman steps from her spot and starts to move forward. Two steps and then THUNK...Thunk..Two daggers slice through the air and slam into the creature before Demetria pulls out two more daggers. "Hello my Pretty." she remarks. "Lets see you bleed."

Does not move much at all as he intend to hurt the beast as much as he can , even if it is pathetic damage. Two more arrows shoot towards the creature and hurts it, perhaps but not much at all if any. A small frown appears on Theodone face now.

Shammy lurches forwards and seems to want to go after the little halfling woman who threw the little sticky pointy things at it. He doesn't attack yet just moves towards her.

Meredin blinks as the group suddenly seems to double in size. Siiigh. The elf decides to spare using anything fancy and simply points towards the creature again. This time an arrow flies forth and hits it right on the front where sizzling and hissing sound from acid eating into it.

Shakti draws, nocks, and fires another arrow -- this one being a special arrow of the like she prefers not to use unless need be. Still, her arrow comes just shy of striking the beast, missing by the width of a finger, if that. She swears, just under her breath, and tries to regain her focus again.

Siriel takes a step sideways to get out of the compost heaps way to get a clean shot at it, she draws back on her bow and shoots her arrow straight at it and gets it in where she assumes it's chest would be. Seeing it flinch only slightly.

Heather points her finger at it and says "goddess please let me use your will to send your light to destroy this thing." A ray of light comes from her hand and hits the shambling mound nice and hard, making it stop with a wounded look... well as wounded as a pile of leves can. She appears to be speaking in Celestial

Iymbryl backs up swiftly from the thing, taking his staff with him. "Fine... blades seem to hurt you.. let's see if mine have any effect." He says and kneels to pull a well crafted dagger from a hidden sheath in his booth. He smiles, and lays the blade on the ground, and works his magic on it, fingers working intricately. He smiles, seeing the small blade rise under his will and drift up into the air, at the things head, slashing easily at it's head and 'face' if it has such a thing.

Demetria waits for it..waits for it and then, her daggers fly, three cuts are given to the creature, The first swiping at the beast's skill draws its attention for the return swipe to sink deep with in its flesh. This is all done with her right hand, the left hand comes around after the frosted dagger sinks in and she leaps, using her weight to rip at the flesh before slammed the other dagger into its shoulder. "I told you, that you would bleed." she whispers before pulling the daggers from its hide and readies herself.

Once again Theodone does not move much as he releases two more arrows. This time his shots go do hit but the toughness of the creature makes it look like they bounce off like nothing.

Shammy seems to be toe to toe with the halfling woman yet still can't hit the sneaky little woman it seems to growl deep in its compost type belly.

Meredin ends up sending another stream of magic missiles at the creature and, as the acid burns it again, the critter finally starts to sway.

ShadowHawk comes skipping into the park looking for some fun, seeing a gathering he heads that way only to see a mound of garbage being attacked by a group of adventurers. At first he wants to laugh then he changes his mind, his eyes begin to glow red he sings out "Mighty gnome is on his way, Mighty Gnome will save the day!" then red bolts of magic launch out of his eyes to strike the garbage monster. The mound shudders for a moment then falls apart to move no more. He appears to be speaking in Draconic

ShadowHawk bounces over to the group "Hi everyone! what was that thing?"

Demetria frowns deeply and looks around. "Something that Shambles." she states and moves to drag it off into the bushes.

Iymbryl wills his dagger back to him, to land easily in his hand, before he stops to resheath it. "That was certainly interesting.. Magically animated?" He asks, glancing aroud at the other spontaneously arriving magic users.

Meredin goes to follow after Demetria, meanwhile, while saying, "Hey, I wanted to see what that was!" as the halfling goes dragging at the mound of compost.

A jolly looking man stands over at the gallows the stage of and looks towards the crowd thats gathered in the park "OH MY! Wasn't that a sight to see, A round of applause for the brave brave adventurers" he says and claps loudly, the crowd that's gathered following suit as a loud applause is heard throughout the park "What say ye good citizens, shall we still have our wonderful event that's been planned for this evening or was that entertaining enough??" he shouts out to the crowd.

Demetria looks at Meredin, "its a Pile of Worm Shit.." she states to the Elf. Pulling her daggers from its hide she sighs and moves to start tossing stuff back out to the group clearing from the body.

ShadowHawk follows along after the Halfling woman picking up the sticks and bits of shrubbery letting out a quiet "nee" with each piece he picks up making sure he gets everything that falls off.

Shakti slings her bow back into place, the grim look subsiding into one that might seem out of place: abject disappointment in herself. She fusses with her sash, forehead creasing with irritation, and doesn't look up when the shout goes out to the crowd. It's only after a moment or two that she sees what Demetria's up to and, leaving the halfling woman to her work, the Berezani looks on with only the faintest amount of interest.

Theodone looks towards the dead creature as it's dragged towards the bushes and holds his longbow in a relaxed sort of way now. He makes a note of the creature and takes in the knowledge of how it was defeated, for future reference.

Iymbryl walks up to and peers down at the 'remains' of the creature.. wondering how it got so close to civilization without being noticed.. but then.. it IS a pile of leaves.

Demetria dusts off her hands and points to the bush. "Alright everyone listen up." She states and continues when she has their attention, "The following people will -never- know this happened. Tenian and Ellis." she states. "Reason being...They Fart...and this city is a mushroom cloud."

Meredin pouts at Demetria. "Hey, I said I wanted to see what it was!" Now the elf is rather unhappy to say the least. When the man up on the gallows calls about whether to have the entertainment she yells, "You better!"

Shakti intones only, "Indeed, sai." to Demetria with a somber nod. Not that she'd want to tell anyone about this latest failure, or so the look on her face suggests. Her gaze drifts, a hand going to check her quiver strap while she looks about.

Siriel puts her hand up "If I was to venture a guess I think that's what they call a Shambler or Shambling mound" she then shrugs "I think, but I might be mistaken"

Iymbryl shrugs, hefting his staff once more. "Its gone now, thanks in part to all. How about we go enjoy the revelry, being that is... I imagine... what most of us came to do." He says, leaning the tip of his staff in the direction of the booths and entertainment.

Demetria moves to pull out a few daggers before..juggling them. That is right. The halfling tumblefoot apparently can't out live her family name and with a performance that would bitting a halfling she starts to speak while watching the daggers. "Aye. A shambler. and you can look at it in the brush there Meredin.

Just remember what I told you Tenian and Ellis need not know about what they need not know about.." Of course, through the midst of people, and the masses, The halfling doesn't see all that enter.

ShadowHawk looks to Siriel then starts searching around the remains with a thoughtful look, "Yes Siriel it was a Shambling Mound I remember learning about them a few years back, they're quite resistant to fire if I remember correctly" He then sports a large grin "I hope no one tried burning it!"

Iymbryl blushes slightly, upon hearing that.

(After this comes Day 2 - Dagger Throwing)