Bastard Charge

You were not afraid.

You stand.

Before you the beast paws at the earth, its hoof pounding the ground as sparks of fire and lightning fly with every impact. Already it lowers its horns in threat, blood red madness colouring its eyes; death dancing in red and blue as it prepared to charge. Your fingers tightened their grips about the harpoon, feeling the bone grow beneath your fingers in eager anticipation of combat.

A shiver of fearful delight courses though your veins as you challenge your foe. This would be the beginning of the end for one of you.

You spare a glance from the corner of your eye at Yaaril, who is scrambling to his feet; he needs time to shift position. From his gear you guess him to be some kind of ranged specialist, not uncommon among hunters, but usually a coveted role. Few ranged weapons had the power and versatility needed to take down a strong Bastard. To be trusted with one was indeed a great honour.

“Alright. Come on, come to me.” You spoke beneath your breath, heady anticipation. The creature was big; at least five times your size. It was strong. You wanted to slay it. You wanted to slaughter it. You wanted to lick its blood from its throat as its life leaked out into the dirt.

It charged.


Atali Defensive: Perception 1, Mobility 1, Adrenaline rush 5, Armour 5, Strategy 3, Roll 19
1d20+1+1+5+5+3 → [19,1,1,5,5,3] = (34)
Balrigor Charge: Strength 5, Warp charge 9, Hoof beats 5, Roll 5
1d20+5+9+5 → [5,5,9,5] = (24)


You, can almost see it in slow motion as the muscles of it’s chest tense and the crackle of red lighting builds up across it’s body.

No time to think.

You throw out the grappling hook, pushing yourself away from the enemy even as it closes distance, your hook ramming into something nearby as you drew yourself forth, recognizing the unnatural boost which the beast had given itself even as your legs screamed out in protest to the wild manner in which you threw yourself back.

Success!

The hook held fast and your motions would catapult you from harm’s way even as the beast lunged forward to gore you upon electrified horns. You needed to get back, make room. You’d gotten lucky here and now, even as you attempted to draw the beast forward. You could see flames flickering from a smoldering spot right where you had been. The welling beat of your blood floods your ears, till all else but you and the Bastard beast are drowned out from this world.

You cry out in a primal scream, a sound which you yourself can barely tell if it came from a human throat despite it coming from you, ensuring its attention back upon you even as you backpedal flinging out your Grappling hook and pulling yourself back toward the forest.

You had challenged it on its own ground. Balrigor would not ignore this challenge.

Already you were dodging into the woods even as lighting struck the place where you’d been before, slipping though the brush like a manic monkey on speed. And the Bastard followed suit.