Hedge Patrol III

[Saber Sloth]

If the Cannibal Chef had been a mortal creature, the Lost would have expected more fight, even mindless, something like a creature's death throws, perhaps they might expect the Colonel to be toppled from his perch, or Liam crushed under the frog's monstrous weight, none of which happens.

What happens in this fearsome, flurry of violence is...

Liam tears the cleaver wielding secondary arm from it's socket, unarming the Chef quite literally. Proving to everyone just because he was a Spring, it didn't mean he was soft.

In those same moments, Colonel Worm's furious yell echoes through the trees as he drives his blade through skin and bone, directly into grey matter stopping only as the hilt meets the Frog's yellow-green wart covered flesh.

Then, like a puppet who's stings had just been viciously cut, the Chef...drops. Collapsing onto it's own many, many legs and arms. The Lost can hear the hob's bones breaking under it's own weight until there is no noise save the Lost's heartbeat rushing in their ears, and the crackling of the campfire, still cooking the human haunch.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-11-15 12:05:30	Frog Chef rolls 3 to Unconscious? (10 Again)	6, 2, 5	failure

[Roshon]

"Fff-fucking Christ," Roshon breathed, flicking the safety on the Mossberg back on.

Yeah, she'd started it, but it was a fucking cannibal, serial killing toad monster. Didn't have a lot of choice, there. You don't run into Jason or Michael Meyers in the woods and then expect things to work out alright. That was basically what the fuck had just happened.

"You ok, big guy? Worm?" she called, sparing a quick glance for her companions before returning her attention to the surrounding thicket of the Hedge.

"We should check the bags and stuff for IDs. Ya know, see if we can give some piece of mind, or something, and then we should get the fuck out of here. Patrol done-zo. Threat neutralized. Only so much you can do in a day, like, for real."

[Liam Gelt]

A new liquid spatters across Liam, this time on his arms. There's a familiar, hoarse yell that he barely recognizes as Worm. He raises both arms up over his head to bring them crashing down on this monsters' flank...

But it's over. Branchel is down, most likely dead. And the haze of violent intent begins to come down.

Details become clearer: the second liquid coating his arms is Branchel's technicolor blood, mingling with the amber-gold sapblood dripping from exposed patches of branchbone and barkmuscle; the ringing in his ears from the shotgun blasts subsides, and he hears Roshon's call for concern. Liam turns in her direction and takes a staggering step towards the Chimera, physically and mentally towering over the animal-woman as he leans down uncomfortably close.

"Not...ooookay...Warniiiiiing...Neeeext...Tiii ime"

His voice is hoarse, as if rebelling against wooden vocal chords. Truth be told, Liam's not sure whether to cry or rage right now. Someone is dead and it could've been avoided.

But he isn't about to start something now. The Ogre's mind turns, as all victorious fighters do, to the spoils.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-11-17 04:15:53	Liam Gelt rolls 1 to Investigate Branchel's Hoard (Wits + Investigation - Unskilled) (10 Again, Chance)	8	failure

Liam picks up one of the discarded bags from Branchel's hoard and upturns it, scattering its contents wholesale. His head's not quite in the game just yet.

[Colonel Worm]

The Hob goes down with Worm still standing on his shoulders. Feeling the life go out of the Frog Chef, Worm leaps from his perch, landing just in front of Branchel's toppled form.

Dex + Ath + 1 (Mantle), 4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-11-18 06:39:33	Colonel Worm rolls 6 to Dex + Ath + 1 (Summer Mantle) (9 Again)	7, 8, 8, 3, 9, 1, 9, 4	4 successes

Sticks the landing. Perfect 10.

Immediately he spins, still caught up in the fog of war. Ready to press the attack. Even though he knows, on an intellectual level, that the threat has been neutralized.

Confronting the reality of Branchel's demise, Worm strides forward, grasps the sword, and yanks it free from the Chef's skull. Blood (or whatever fluid fills this creature's veins) sprays from the wound, painting the Colonel's sword arm up to the shoulder. The Goblin does not appear to notice or, if he does, mind.

He turns, slowly, at Roshon's inquiry. It's clear that he's slowly coming back to himself, the explosion of wrath inside him is still cooling. His mantle radiates like a furnace blast and the air around him is fractal with heat-shimmer. It's a menacing display.

"I'm good," he finally manages. "You search the gear," he says to Roshon. "We can take back IDs or anything else useful." Why leave weapons or supplies or cash for the dead?

"You," he says turning to Liam, seeming to notice the Ogre's transformation for the first time, "come over here. I need to check out that wound." He plants the sword in the dirt beside him and slings the med kit off his shoulders. Ready to triage.

If Liam submits to examination, I will move forward with the medicine roll next round.

Equipment:
Khukri knives (+ sheaths) x 2 2L*
Brass Knuckles x2 1B (in pants pockets)
Kevlar Vest (thin)
Reinforced Clothing (Motorcycle jacket)
Advanced First Aid Kit
Water bottle (in first aid kit exterior pocket)
Bag of Beef jerky
Loner Sword
Cigarettes + Lighter

[Roshon]

Aaaaaaand the safety was flicked off once more.

Trying to intimidate someone with a loaded weapon, right after a near-death experience, was generally not a good idea, but Liam had been the only one to get injured, so Roshon was going to cut him a little bit of slack.

Like, a tiny bit. But still.

She waited until the Jolly Green Giant walked away from the bags to go get treated (if he walked away to go get treated), before she approached to see what could be found.

nada

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-11-19 03:20:46	Roshon rolls 1 to Chance Die Investigate (10 Again)	8	1 success

Which...wasn't much.

"It's just junk," she called back to the others. "Let's bounce ASAP."

[Saber Sloth]

The silence continues, peppered now with the Lost coming down from their battle high, the bags are checked, and nothing of note is found. If the giant allows the Soldier to tend to his wounds, there is time enough for that.

But the Wizened was correct. They'd eliminated a threat, and while the silence was lingering now, that didn't mean it would hold. A hob was dead, and there was.....food cooking on the fire.

If Liam wants CW to see to his wounds, we can do that, and I need to know if you guys want to head back home or if y'all want to linger for....reasons.....

[Liam Gelt]

Liam's brief rush of emotion begins to cool; he wasn't an Ogre built to hold onto anger. With a bit of bashfulness, he kneels down towards Colonel Worm and bares his face, still feeling the rancid scar and its venom pulsing on his face. "Yeeeees. Thaaaaank...youuuuu...Woooooorm...." ​His treant vocal chords strained to produce intelligible sound, and a he feels the taste of sapblood at the back of his tongue. There was a reason he preferred not to transform like this casually: his body couldn't handle Arcadian physiology.

I'd be up to fall back for now. Perhaps this will lead to a future sortie?

[Colonel Worm]

Worm frowns at the wound, leaning close to sniff at it. His goblin nose wrinkles at the scent.

"Nasty shit," he mutters, then locks eyes with Liam, "but we'll get you patched up, buddy." It's clear from his tone that he's both upset that his friend has been hurt and relieved that it's not too severe.

He gets to work immediately. Washing the wound, sterilizing it. Bandages are applied. The Ogre's not miraculously cured, but the rest of the toxin has been cleared away and the risk of infection has been neutralized.

Field Medicine Roll, 4 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-11-20 18:28:31	Colonel Worm rolls 7 to Dex + Medicine + Specialty + 2 (Advanced First Aid Kit) (10 Again)	6, 4, 8, 10, 4, 8, 9, 1	4 successes

The whole operation only takes a few minutes. Worm steps back, examines his handiwork. "Not good as new. But good as it's going to get for now," he says with a smile. "You'll be back to your handsome self in no time."

Quickly, he packs up his gear. Straps the bag to his back once again. Pulls the sword out of the dirt, letting it swing from his hand.

White-within-white eyes find Roshon. "Alright, yeah. Let's get the fuck out." Enough adventure for one day. Might as well quit while they're ahead. And alive.

As Worm rolled 4 suxx, Liam regains one health point lost. 1 roll = 1 minute of work, so the procedure happens quickly. Only one health point can be recovered per day in this manner, so that's the extent of Worm's triage. We're ready to head back!

Equipment:
Khukri knives (+ sheaths) x 2 2L*
Brass Knuckles x2 1B (in pants pockets)
Kevlar Vest (thin)
Reinforced Clothing (Motorcycle jacket)
Advanced First Aid Kit
Water bottle (in first aid kit exterior pocket)
Bag of Beef jerky
Loner Sword
Cigarettes + Lighter

[Roshon]

"If we make it back, drinks are on me. Assuming y'all don't wanna just go face plant into a mattress, cause, that sounds pretty damn good right about now, too," Roshon said as they turned to go, fleeing the Hedge once more.

Yiss, exit, plez

[Saber Sloth]

With the threat neutralized and nothing more of value found, the Lost pause only long enough for Colonel Worm to tend to the worst of the Giant's wounds before they retrace their steps, and begin the long trek home.

Another one for the books. This Hedge Patrol's a success.

CW helps Liam Gelt heals 1 point of Lethal! But regains it when he returns to normal size leaving him at 4L. Remember your 4L will not disappear after this Scene, you're going to need to heal via contract, goblin fruit, other medicine rolls or time!

But other then that! End Scene! Great job guys!