Beltane 2021: The Great Hunt!

[Death Knell]

To arms! A hunt has been called! The Fair Folk have opened the Veil to their realm for Beltane, a celebration of life, but a spirit of wasted death seeks entry! The old wolf Brawmarwolaeth stalks the Wilds, snapping up beasts and people alike to glut its endless appetite. In connection with the Hunters Guild, they have contracted a slayer named Ettyn Gedda to organize the hunt -- but she cannot do it alone!

Brawmarwolaeth is said to be more than twenty feet long, strong enough to uproot trees with his jaws, quiet in spite of his bulk, and capable of disappearing and reappearing within deep shadows. Reportedly impervious to ordinary weapons, he can be harmed by items that have been silvered, enchanted, or blessed, and hates fire and light.



Ettyn and other trackers will be spending the coming weeks following the beast's trails, but the hunt itself takes place Thursday, May 6th at 8 by the Eastern clock. A hefty pouch of two hundred silver coins will be paid to all who take part, as hunters or healers or other support! But those who make the greatest difference will get their pick of the following gifts from the Fair Folk:

• A starfire lantern that reveals doors to the realm of Faerie
• A razor-sharp silver saber that can cut through solid stone
• A silk belt that becomes an adder familiar when thrown
• A white mare that can be summoned and walk on water
• A brand new(?) red 1992 Chrysler LeBaron convertible
• Thirty-six bottles of Beltane 2021 Collection fae wine

((We will be using dice rolls in the #green-room to determine who affects Brawmarwolaeth and how much! The total number of "hits" he can take will be determined by the number of participants. If you reply to this thread with what your character is doing to prepare for the hunt, the gear they are bringing, or other things, then you can re-roll failed rolls against Brawmarwolaeth up to three times!))

[Caleb Feren]

Caleb took note of the notice and the name that was associated with leading hunt. While he wasn't usually one to hunt beasts, he thought that perhaps he'd give his hand at this one. Perhaps Karma might join him. He would have to talk to her about that.

((You already know what Caleb brings ))

[Strawberry]

Karma was easily talked into it. Her fighting style wasn't necessarily well suited for hunting creatures though so she sweet talked Caleb into training with her in the lead up to the hunt itself. On the big night, she brought with her an assortment of things; a set of small link stygian chainmail (flexible but protective!), her enchanted gauntlet gloves (not silver, but cold iron for the blades), and a small field medic's pack in case of boo boos.

[Haru Jeong]

Haru needed no convincing, and on the day of, would be found just outside the gates, dressed in all black, hair and horns covered, tail wrapped around his waist under his clothing and a couple spellbooks strapped to his sides, hidden in shadow of course. Leading up to this however, Haru would be found attending his classes at the dueling school, focusing more and more on practice, slipping through defenses, beating on those poor dummies and unseen servants alike.

[Anya de la Rose]

Anya prepared for the hunt by stockpiling scrolls for herself, Ettyn, and anyone else she thought might be able to use them. On the day, she arrived with Ettyn. She traded out her usual hunting leathers for armor with the addition of a belt that held a multitude of potions, salves, and poisons. She didn't trust those who had made the contract to honor it as simply as it sounded and intended to be fully prepared. If anyone spoke to her, she would offer nothing but reassurances.



The day after the Beltane fires and every day after, she spent in her kitchen for at least a few hours. Bread, stews, and hearty, simple meals all got prepared and put in the freezer or refrigerator. Even some cookies got squirreled away. The day before the hunt, she planted the seedlings she'd nursed all winter in the vegetable beds. Just in case.

[Mallt Y Nos]

Rather randomly, Mallt emerged from the mists of time and space, moving through the miasma with a rictis grin upon her face. She directed the strangely moist mare she rode upon directly to the notice of the hunt to take place. Her three dogs clamored around her as she dismounted. Delicately, she patted each horrible brute's head before striking her own mark to the notice: She would gladly hunt with such creatures.

[The Rouge Rogue]

So she had been invited to a Hunt. Well, it turned out but to be any hunt, but a Great Hint for some spiritual beast of legends. How did one hunt spirits? She wasn't able to shift into the Astral plane whenever she felt like, the way her father could. She didn't have a collection of mystical weapons like her sister. But, she could fly, and she could breathe fire. Perhaps she could allow the best ranged combatant to fly on her for the advantage of higher ground...

Assuming she was able to attend, that was.

[Death Knell]

Ettyn had been laying the groundwork in the weeks leading up to the hunt, tracking the packs that had fallen under the sway of Brawmarwolaeth, taking out his mad dire wolves and staking them as warnings. They neither seemed to draw out the great wolf nor drive him away, but ambushes occurred along the paths she favored.

Enough of them, eventually, that she knew where he hunted. She ranged far into the Wilds, into his old killing grounds, and saw how he decimated herds. She found the places where the Veil was thinnest, where creatures from Faerie would cross over, and saw signs of entire herds that had moved through in Beltanes past.

She read all that Anya had found, the best that she was able, to understand how he hunted.

And then she prepared herself: studded leather over mail, with mithril beneath her bracers, and steel plates to protect her legs. She had a quiver of arrows silvered, had traded a triton's dripping axe for one with a silvered edge, and had her usual silver longsword and a silver-studded whip.

There were flasks at her belt, not all of them for healing.

She was as ready as she could be.

[Luna Sanguinem]

Hearing the news of the hunt, Luna began her own preparations. She spent the time ensuring the small army of wolves she now had courtesy of Garm and Lila were trained how to gently drag people back to the sanctuary for medical attention. Her ents were empowered, Thorn and Trenton left in charge of ensuring those who needed emergency triage on the field would get it before the wolves dragged them back to Luna for proper healing.

Kairi watched the preparation with wide eyes, before offering up Iris to assist in retrieval, a dire bear far more capable of dragging back people in plate if need be, “You know you’re probably more useful on the field mom.” This pointed out as Luna prepared, “You turn into a direwolf.”

Luna would nod, continuing to lay out her outfits in preparation, she’d be ready, but she wouldn’t be leaving unless needed.

((NPC medical team six, if you need to dip out of live, feel free to have anyone, Luna included, drag you out and back to her home for medical treatment.))



((Edit : If you get pulled out and wanna write a scene afterwards or anything, hit me up on discord, I’m totally down.))

[Lorent]

Traipsing through the marketplace munching on an ‘acquired’ apple the madman known as Lorent ‘the Hunter’ did as he did best - make merry. Well, for himself at least as he hummed a jaunty tune and two stepped his way through a jig. Passing one of the bulletin boards maintained by the so called Hunter’s Guild (hardly much of a guild for hunters since it didn’t have him after all) the loon did pause mid twirl as something caught his eye.

“Brawmarwolaeth… did they not attempt to eat ol’ Lorent’s arm?” A question posed to no one so it should have been no surprise that no answer came in response, simply a breeze rustling the notices.

“That was a different greater spirit wolf? Hmm, suppose one snappy pup tries to rip off limb as snack and then all seem of same afterwards.” He’d spin the remaining apple core upon a finger as he read on, mumbling mildly to himself. “Hmm… eating of things, yes... Causing panic, shocking…” A pause as they came to a name. “Ettyn Gretta? What kind of name is that?” Another question to the winds though the winds seemed to be talkative as the fliers rustled once more bringing that mad grin splitting across the man’s features.

“OH! Little Angry Rum Bum! What are they doing with such a name…” He tsked the poster pityingly. “You know, they quite fancy ol’ Lorent!”

Some leaves rustled, unimpressed. “Fancy to kill Lorent? Oh, well, that just makes things interesting! Livens up turn of phrase ‘gonna smash’, yes?” He cackled at his own joke, a few folks nearby putting further distance from themselves and the one ranting to themselves. Slipping the apple core into a passing shoppers bag, this freed his hand to stroke along his chin pensively. After a bit of thought the man finally nodded.

“It is decided. Lorent will hunt this Brameowlift!” His chorteling was hampered by a sharp gust that tore at his sleeve as he reached to steal the poster. “Hmm? Other duties? Of course, of course, Lorent will not dally. Why, this will be as parking a stroller in some candy to jest a babe, yes?” This time his grin grew as a gust tore across his features. “That is wrong phrasing? Hmm, thought had that one.” A chuckle and a shrug and the madman would set off to prepare.

And prepare he did, though much to the chagrin of many. Ironwood would go missing from the shipyards, leather from a local blacksmith, high-proof alcohol from one of the few honest bars in Rhy’din which didn’t water down their drinks. A missive to Lord Sealgair that was supposed to be all the latest information from the Hunters Guild on the great wolf would go missing, ‘traded’ for a note simply saying ‘Your Welcome.’ And perhaps most bewildering of all - a silver statue, a holy relic of the Church of Our Father of Perpetual Motion, would be replaced with a coconut and a stuffed swallow. Yes, all according to plan...

[Shourim Manti]

*Player will be unable to participate live due to work and is posting here instead.

Shourim has been working very hard at the hospital on Terra. Upon hearing from Reiko of a hunt that would be taking place, his eyebrow raised. They were on the phone, so neither of them could see the other's facial expressions. Video calling wasn't a thing due to Shourim walking to the cafeteria for his lunch break. "That sounds like something you would jump at the chance of getting in on," he told his adoptive daughter, "so why not get involved?"

"As much as I would love to, Sho-Sho-kun, I'm not feeling too good," was Reiko's response, "I woke up this morning with some nausea that doesn't seem to want to leave and have been laid up in bed since...no, you should go. They might have need for extra medics and healers, and yours is on par with some of Rhy'din's finest. Please, go in my place? At least that will be one less person partaking in combat..."

She had the eyepatch-wearing man there. One less person fighting would be helpful. "All right...I'll go. You rest up and feel better, Reiko."

And, that was how Shourim ended up signing up to join Medical Team Six. It was then that he learnt, he would be working with Luna, the woman of nature who had unexpectedly come to Reiko's aid in the previous year.

[Salem Moon]

*Player is posting participation here.

So, there was a hunt to take place. "My combat senses are tingling," Salem remarked. He had found out during a walk around Dragon's Gate when he heard talk about it from the local folk. Yes, this was something that he was going to get in on. What would he use to aid in this, though? He was merely a human with no special abilities to his name, simply his weapons. Sure, he could fire a gun quite well. His accuracy was high enough, he supposed. Well. That was going to be what he went with. Salem was bringing two guns – one rifle and one Magnum – with him to the hunt. Whether or not they would be very effective remained yet to be seen.

[The Regent In Red]

This may have been a Hunters Guild bounty contracted with Ettyn Gedda, but the Regent in Red, paranoid as they had become in recent weeks, smelled a trap being laid by their enemies. How convenient for yet another fae beast to break the Veil and ransack this realm. Still, from the sounds of things, this might have been a bit more than the hobgoblins harassing Nova Liberdade as of late. Maybe even more than the Snake could had planned. Typical.

So it was that, in spite of their misgivings and concerns, the Regent in Red showed up in full regalia for the battle against Brawmarwolaeth. The usual red silk jacket with white shirt and trousers, the same red Chinese opera mask on their face, the same black hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. The only thing that differed from their previous appearances in more public settings -- or the last time they attempted to collect a bounty on the guild's behalf -- was the giant oversized broadsword strapped to their back. Made of silver, with a wavy blade, the flammenschwert, which the Regent dubbed Vlammendzwaard, seemed like it would be far too big for them to wield, and yet when they drew it, they held it with just one hand. A bit showy and ostentatious in their appearance, sure, but every hunting party needed a tank, right?

[Anor Aran]

Anor had heard of the great hunt through Ettyn herself over drinks, and had considered joining the fight for quite some time.

After much thought and preparation, and a visit to a mage perhaps to have a spell cast on them to make them much larger to up their survivability, they quietly approached the hunting group to settle at the edge of it. They had freshly polished their armor and tower shield to a mirror finish, and their cloak and plume were bright as blood. They spoke to nobody, as was their way, and simply waited for the hunt to start. Ettyn would know where to put them.

[Mallt Y Nos]

Each Hunt was the same: hours spent studying the land its lay, learning the paths and breaks, followed by her dogs and mare. Mallt walked as much of the wilds as she could in the time she had, listening, watching, scenting. Familiarity breeds contempt, after all, and she needed know her way without hesitation.

Each dog was groomed and looked over from paws to eartips, making sure the brutes were able and healthy, their coats smooth, modern dog-shoes on each to protect their feet. Each wore a cuirass, a neck guard, carefully fitted helms of mithril, though all three dogs were glamoured to appear to be horrible brutes.

Her horse - rather, her kelpie - was groomed and inspected as well, but as the beast refused anything but a slender bridle, there was nothing else to be done.

Mallt garbed herself in well fitting hunt clothing, and carried a pike in lieu of a crop, a whip on her belt along with a .38 pistol.

Then, she was ready.