Battle with the Owlbears
by Phil Vlasak

This Dungeons and Dragons adventure is in the public Gamer's room
on  Audio-Tips, Sunday night at nine o'clock Eastern time.
Audio-Tips is at:
www.audio-tips.com

Note: This story contains graphic descriptions of violence. It therefore may not be suitable for younger readers.

List of characters:
Shem al Adeen Holy Warrior of Varice, God of the Sun.
Being a man of the desert, he finds himself in strange surroundings.

Chalk Casselwort gnome Priest of Sedric, God of the Heavens and Travelers.
Pledged to help and support the party, his size and lack of strength makes him reluctant to battle.

Gabriella and Nightshade Elf sisters, Magic User and Thief.
Strangers to most of the group but old friends of Mace.

Mace Knighthammer Magic User/ fighter. To him, stelth and cunning are traits foremost in dealing with others If he can get past his temper.

Molbo Patriarch of Perasin, God of War. His wisdom does not quite make up for his lack of smarts, and he likes to fight, too.

Hitomi Reju Samurai Fighter, Priest of Helandra, the goddess of knowledge and secrets. His honor is foremost in dealing with challenges that he takes on willingly.
He is master of the edged weapons, katana and wakazachi.

SpringRight Elf fighter. He is young but eager to try out battle techniques learned from his tutors.

session September 19, 2004
Our current quest is to travel forth from staven, a city in the
far north, to Odiferous, confront the evil mind controlling one-
eyed Maluur and recover the Most Sacred Crock of Cheese.

The caravan made camp on a rise in the arctic tundra, since it is
a more defensible position. They circled the wagons and made a
large fire at the center where the drivers would rest.

In the evening, after training some of the drivers to protect
themselves with spears, they set up the tents and most of the
party took out their bedrolls and gradually fell asleep. The guard
assumed the same posts as the night before.

Nightshade planned on doing her own type of reconnaissance of the
grumpy drivers. She was going to search their packs to see if they
carried something unusual.

The pale sun had just crept over the horizon, giving light to the
bleak cold landscape. The last watch was doing a slow, methodical
circling of the wagons when Gabrielle notices something.

Gabriella shouts over to Molbo, "I see three rather largish shapes
approaching fairly rapidly from the south east."

Molbo, frowns, and  studies the tundra on his side of the
encampment. After a moment, he  calls back, "Hmm, are they on two
legs or four legs? Can you see?

Gabriella sighs  and says, "Two. But why don't you come over here
and take a look yourself?" She thinks a moment then asks, "Perhaps
I should wait on waking up anyone, what do you think?"

The sound of Molbo's boots crunching through the permafrost
becomes louder as he  nears her position. He strains his eyes
looking south west to see if he can recognize them. Just at the
edges of his vision, Molbo sees three large white shaggy shapes
approaching.

Molbo's frown deepens as his gaze falls on Gabriella, "I think you
should get some help. We are about to be visited by white shaggy
things."

Gabriella says IN exasperation, "Right, I'll go wake the others."
She turns and calls back, "You keep watch here."

Gabriella heads towards the tent where the rest of the party are
sleeping. Being Gabriella, the first one she goes to is
SpringRight. Gabriella stairs down at the peaceful sleeping face
of the young fighter wishing she did not have to disturb him. She
kneels down, starts to genteelly shake him and says, "SpringRight,
wake up! There's something approaching!"

The campfire light dances in SpringRight's  eyes as he looks up,
"I'm awake, I'm awake, what ah, what is it?"

Gabriella considers for a moment then replies, "I'm not sure.
Something big and shaggy. Looks like their walking on two legs.
Might be more of those Yeti creatures." she speculates.  "I can't
say for certain." Gabriella stands up, looks around. "I'll go wake
the others." she adds pointedly.

SpringRight quickly gets to his feet, and reaches for his boots
saying, "Good, I'll put on my armor." As he reaches down, his
wounds give him a sharp pain. Having not yet healed, he thinks
that he'll have to forgo direct confrontation.

Gabriella continues, "Yes, I think you'll have time. They're still
a good distance away." She moves over to Reju and shakes his
shoulder.

Reju pops his eyes open and says, "What's up? What's wrong?"

Gabriella standing up reports, "Three creatures approaching. Large
shaggy beastly looking things!" Then she adds, "Molbo's out there
watching them."

Reju quickly rises, grabs his whistle and gives it a quick blow.
Tweet!

Nightshade presses her hands against her sensitive ears and
shouts, "I'm up, I'm up! Not so loud!"

Shem noticing the rest of his group rising sits up, "What's going
on?" he asks worriedly.

While hastily donning his armor, Reju blurts, "We have beasts
incoming! Get ready!"

Shem shivers thinking of the freezing cold that he will be
confronting, slowly gets up and puts on his armor.

Chalk, waking up, hearing Reju, says,  "Oh, damn, I didn't pray
for new spells yet! I hope what I have is sufficient!"

Shem blurts out, "It will have to do."

Reju:  says, "Agreed." He shoots a glance at Gabriella, "How far
were they? How much time would you estimate we've got?"

"They were, I'd say, about a quarter of a mile away," Gabriella
replies. . "You probably have at least a couple of minutes."

Reju finishes hastily donning his armor, grabs his blades and
heads out.

While SpringRight puts on his helmet he ponders,  "With all these
nightly attacks, I think I'm going to sleep in my armor!"

Reju agrees, "I second that, my friend!"

Slowly rising, Mace retorts, "Well, at least I didn't use too many
of my spells yesterday. I should have a couple of tricks up my
sleeve for these, ah, whatever they are." He slips on his fur
coat, notices the trouble the others are having and comments,
"Times like this I'm glad I don't wear anything heavy like you
folks."

Mace leaves the tent first and immediately goes over to Molbo.
When  he reaches the large fighter, he speaks in low tones,
"Molbo, what do you see? Do you recognize them yet, and how fast
are they moving?"

Molbo replies, "They're big shaggy things. Hmm, looks like bears
I'd say. And, they are coming quickly!"

Mace squints off into the distance, "You're right. They do look
about the size of bears. Are there bears up here, Molbo? I know
there's bears just about everywhere else in the wilderness."

Molbo has a puzzled look on his face as he tries to think of their
name, "Hmm, there are bears up here. What are they called? White
bears? I think they like the cold."

Mace rolls his eyes, but says nothing. Reju jogs out to Molbo and
Mace who are still looking at the beasts. Hearing the end of their
conversation, he asks "Are white bears this aggressive? Where I
come from bears usually avoid large gatherings of people like
this."

Molbo replies, "They could be looking for food."

Meanwhile, back in the tent, SpringRight is about to leave and
head for his horse.

Gabriella's eyes follow  him then she says,  "I'll go wake Andy as
well."

SpringRight turns back and says, "Hmm, I suppose so."

Gabriella glances around at the other humans and non-humans in the
tent, "Well, unless you think it's imprudent. I just don't know
how much help you'll need. Perhaps my magic will be more important
than Andy's lance."

SpringRight replies, "No, I think Andy should be waken up." He
pauses and smiles, "But your powerful magic will certainly be
needed, I'm sure."

Finishing with his armor, Chalk shakes his head decisively, "No,
Gabriella, I can wake up Andy. My skills are not as needed as
yours."

Back on the edge of the encampment, Reju comments, "Well, if it's
food they're looking for, I wonder if this encounter can be
resolved a bit more peaceably."

Mace asks, "Hmm, where are the stores of food in this caravan? I
admit I haven't taken a good look inside too many of these
wagons."

Reju replies, You could wake Glar and ask him. We could wait for a
moment here while you do that."

Mace looks at the creatures estimating their speed and declares,
"I don't think I can wake him and get some meat before they get
here."

"If those white shaggy things are hungry, they will come looking
here." Molbo speculates. "I think some of us should go and face
them, so they don't get too close to the wagons."

Reju asks, If you think that's prudent, I'll go with you."

Molbo answers, "I do. We do not want to stir the drivers too
soon." Let's go."

Mace looks back and forth between the two of them, "OK, if that's
what you want to do.  I think you two can hold them off long
enough for me to wake up Glar. I'll be right back."

Mace dashes off towards Glar's wagon while Reju and Molbo head to
confront the advancing creatures. Chalk jogs towards the center of
the wagon circle where Andy and the drivers are sleeping.
SpringRight astride his Horse comes trotting through the ring of
wagons. Looking around he sees Mace and Chalk heading towards the
caravan center, but He doesn't see Molbo and Reju as they are
already down below the hill. He urges his mount to move faster
towards the creatures.

Reju making an effort to keep up with the larger fighter says,
"Molbo once we get closer we should fight back to back since there
is three of them and only two of us."

Molbo glances to the smaller one, and asks, "So you do not want to
take one and I take one and we try to keep the other one away?"

Reju answers, "Yes I want to do that but you don't want them to
get behind you."

Molbo replies, "No, that would mean they would get to the wagons
of course."

Reju says, "Right, if we go back to back, then the third one can't
get past us and attack our backs."

Molbo frowns, "This is something I have not tried before. I will
let you go first. I will protect you from behind." Molbo thinks,
Hmm, if we are back to back and I take a really really big swing
of my really really big axe, I might really really slice Reju's
head off.

As THEY get closer to the creatures, they notice that they look
like bears but they have something different for heads. They,
have, bird, heads. Reju's  stomach tightens as he recognizes them,
"Owlbears!,  he whistles under his breath, whea! Their quite
nasty!"

SpringRight gallops down the  hill, and seeing the two groups,
heads straight south to flank the Owlbears on their left.

Reju examines all the nasty details of his foe. He knows from
experience that Owlbears are vicious, ravenous, aggressive, and
evil tempered at all times. They are a cross between a giant owl
and a bear and are covered with a thick coat of feathers and fur.
Their beaks are ivory and their terrifying eyes are red-rimmed.
Owlbears speak their own language consisting of very loud
screeches.

Molbo dashing down the hill, knows his lack of intelligence will
make the new fighting style a bitch and a half to learn.

Seeing Molbo confused, Reju tries to explain it in simpler terms,
"Put your back to mine and fight either side."

Molbo ponders, "Hmm, so you fight one and I fight two. Of corse,
that is good!"

Reju says, "I will try to handle more than one but, at least we
will isolate them." Reju thinks what he just said and rephrases
it, "Just keep them off my back!"

Molbo smiles, "I do not think that will be a problem. I will smash
two and you will smash one." Tightening his grip on the axe, he
continues, "The rest of our party will not have to do anything."

Reju running full speed at the middle owlbear hits it with both of
his blades, and his momentum drives the beast back. He swings the
katana in a diagonal ark slicing deep into the Owlbears side.
Whoosh, thunk.

The Owlbear lets off a deafening cry, "Screech Screech!!" Reju
plunges his wakazachi straight into the beasts chest but it does
not seem to slow the beast down. Woosh, bing. A swipe from the
Owlbear's claws  gashes the wrist of his sword hand.  Then its
beak takes a chunk out of his shoulder and he gasps at the sudden
pain. "Ouch!"

SpringRight  on horseback readies his bow while still charging
towards the battle.  His first arrow aimed at the creature
attacking Reju misses wide right. Wiz, thud. His second arrow is a
decent shot hitting the beast in the leg. Wiz, thwack. Screech
Screech!!

The second owlbear comes after Molbo slashing his right side and
biting off a chunk of his arm. Slash, chomp! Molbo staggers back
trying to get out of the beasts range.

The third owlbear tries a swipe at Reju's neck, but he ducks and
the claws ring off the side of his helmet. Whoosh, ding. Reju
comments, "Cool!"

Molbo Spins for a mighty swing hitting the owlbear, slicing its
arm clean off at the shoulder. Woosh, woosh, woosh, thwack!
Screech Screech!, Screech Screech!!

Shem has finished putting on his armor and charges out of the tent
door. He raises his scimitar above his head and bows to the sun.
Hit by the cold blast of air he thinks maybe he should go back and
eat breakfast first. nah, he continues running from the tent and
charges down the hill but it will  take a while for him to get to
the battle.

Chalk has woken up Andy who says, "Perhaps I should get my pony.
I'll be right back!"

Mace picks something out of one of the wagons, then does an
invisibility spell on himself. Zap, poof.

Chalk charges out of the caravan and down the hill while getting
an arrow ready to shoot. Shem sees two Owlbears on Reju so he
pulls out a sling and slows down to a jog to get a shot in.

Reju swings his katana severing the beast's left paw completely.
Whoosh, whoosh thunk. Screech Screech!, Screech Screech! Screech!
Reju shouts, "Khhi!"

With blood pouring out of its stump, that owlbear is extremely
angry, "Screech!!"

Reju nimbly spins away from its claws but still gets a very nasty
beak bite on his face. He breathes a sigh of relief it wasn't
worse. Sigh. Reju swings his wakazachi but wiffs. Woosh

The owlbear's paw  slams  the side of  Molbo's head. Whoosh,
thwack!

Suddenly, Reju hears something very scary just behind him.,
Molbo's battle cry splits the air. His shout in rage imitates the
scream of the Owlbears, "Screech Screech!" The beasts are startled
by the unexpected sound.

With a lightning fast move, Reju swings at the  creature's  gaping
beak. The top of its head thuds into the dirt. Woosh, thwack!
Thud. The headless body of the beast wavers abit with blood
gushing from the grievous wound before it comes crashing to the
ground. Bam!

SpringRight changes his target to the third Owlbear but his arrow
only hits it in the lower leg. Wiz, ping.

The third owlbear turns to  Reju, and both of its paws slice
through the stout fighter's armor, ripping deeply into his legs
just above the knee. Wack, wack! Reju grunts with the sudden pain,
staggers back, dropping his weapons and goes down. Clang, clunk.
many of the claw slashes got under his armor so blood is running
freely down his arms, legs, and face.  He is hurt very bad, but
still awake. He quickly rips a strip of cloth from his sleeve and
wraps it around his slashed wrist.

Chalk, seeing Reju fall, switches his plan to fire an arrow and
continues to run down the hill.

Molbo, roaring with fury, swings his really, really big axe and
hits the beast in the upper leg. Woosh woosh woosh, thwack!
Screech Screech!, Screech Screech!! That owlbear is looking
awfully wobbly about now.

Shem screams at the one that knocked down Reju trying to distract
it: "Hay, you!" He worls his sling and fires but the rock bounces
off the owlbear's back. Whirl, whirl where plunk. The owlbear
looks up and sees Shem, and also a small gnome in his vision and
hesitates for a moment.

Reju in a pained voice calls to Chalk, "Can you heal me? I gotta
get back to the battle."

Chalk diving for the arm of Reju shouts: "I will try, Reju!"

Mace  seeing the situation still 100 yards away, heads behind the
Owlbears.

The creature's remaining paw swings down on Molbo's helmet. Slash.
Clang. Molbo staggers, with his rage the only think keeping him on
his feet.

Chalk lands flat on his belly while his hand makes contact with
Reju's outstretched arm and  does a cure moderate wounds spell
that stops the blood flowing out of him. Zap, ding! Reju feeling
the bleeding subside, reaches for his katana a few feet away.

The owlbear's  two paws rake across the back of Chalk, neatly
slicing through his leather armor. Slash slash. Chalk yells in
pain, "Oof!" Reju seeing this realizes that Chalk's god must be on
his side for the owlbear could have done much worse damage.

Shem shoves his sling in his pouch and draws his fireblade. With a
command it flashes into flame. He comes at a dead run toward the
owlbear hovering over Chalk and Reju.

Molbo's axe head is a blur as he delivers a savage, two-handed
strike.  With a sickening chunk he buries the head of his axe deep
into the skull of the owlbear killing it. Woosh woosh woosh, Chop!
Crash.

Shem rams his burning scimitar into the remaining owlbear's side
up under its ribs. Woosh, Thwack, sizzle. Screech Screech!!

SpringRight fires an arrow that misses and hits the ground. Wis
thunk. He frantically knocks another arrow quickly and fires, this
time right on target hitting the side of its head. Wis thwack!

Mace is behind the owlbear and sees Shem attacking it from the
right while Chalk and Reju are on the ground trying to get up. He
flips a hunk of meat to the left of the creature to see if it
distracts the beast. Thud. But the owlbear, paying more attention
to the burning gash in its side ignores the slab of meat.

Down the hill come Andy on his pony and Gabriella running fast.

Reju while still being  woozy from the attack and healing, tries
to get up with the help of his sword.

The Owlbear hits Shem in the arm with his paw throwing him off
balance, stopping his swing. Slash. Chalk gives a short thanks to
his god, Sedric that the paw wasn't aimed at him.

Mace standing invisible right behind the creature, stabs it with a
dagger in the back up to the hilt. Thunk. Screech!! With this
attack, Mace becomes visible and yells: "Aha!" He starts back
peddling and pulls out his sword.

Gabriella casts a spell that sends two magic missiles and hits the
owlbear. Zap, zap. Bam, Bam. Screech Screech!!

Chalk still on his knees, does a sunscorch spell on the owlbear.
Zap, zing. A pale beam of sunlight shoots down but barely warms
the back of the beast.

Shem swings his scimitar but misses. Whoosh.

SpringRight shoots an arrow that hits it in the foot. Wiz, plink.
He shoots another arrow that hits a little higher. Wiz, thunk.
Screech Screech!! With a red gleam in his eye and gritted teeth,
Molbo's axe slices threw the air in a vicious downward arc
cleaving the owlbear in two. Woosh, Thwack, chop. Crash!

Shem puts out his sword, sheaths it, and looks towards Reju,  "How
are you?"

Reju getting to his feet sighs then replies, "A little sore, shall
we say."

Suddenly, Molbo goes all wobbly, weak in the knees, and falls
saying: "Oh." He hits the ground face first. Crash.

Reju seeing this shouts, "Chalk, our friend is in trouble!"

Chalk replies, "I saw it too, I just can't move as fast as you."

Chalk quickly examines Molbo and says he is not so bad off and a
cure light wounds spell will help. He does the spell and gets
Molbo to stop bleeding and wake up. Zap, ding! Molbo opens his
eyes and grown.

The air is suddenly filled with the sound of hoof beats. Andy
pulls up his pony and says, "Ah, looks like I'm too late! But, ah,
at least everyone's alive! Sorry, chaps, I didn't get here
sooner."

Shem scowls and spits into the dirt, "I as well."

Shem and Mace lift Molbo to his feet.

Molbo says, "thank you my friends. It was a hard fought battle but
we won, and protected the wagons." He looks around, then
continues, "I need some help to get to the tent, then I will
recover."

Reju takes out his healing stone and starts it spinning above his
head.

Chalk shaking his head, declares, "I'm all out of healing spells
or I would use one on myself."

Reju comments, "I wish we had another healer in the party."

Shem looks up and growns, "Chalk, is it not time for you to do
your prayers?"

Chalk smiles, "Oh, yes, I forgot, I didn't have time to pray for
them today."

Shem and SpringRight help get the injured of the group moving back to the tents.

The end.