I had a similar episode myself, a few days ago. My well-established Kiesse settler was heading to the Driik lands in winter. The plan was to exchange furs, crafts and captured weapons for animals and high-quality tools. I had with me my Big Female Dog "Sampo", my Small Dog "Puolokka" (Lingonberry), and my bull "Ukkonen" (Thunder). We had earlier been attacked by a Njerpez warrior wielding a woodsman's axe... Fortunately, I am a skilled axeman myself. I carry a Fine Battle Ax, and I am covered head-to-toe in lamellar, mail, fur and my treasured Iron Spectacle Helm. I am not easily killed.
We made short work of the axe-wielder, but he did severely wound both my dogs. One was walking lame and nearly bled to death.
I found a wounded adventurer in a Koivula camp, who said he had been attacked by a bear and lost his woodsman's axe. I decided to buy another dog to take with me, this time a medium-size Dog, whom I named "Savu" (Smoke). With the other animals tied up safely in the village, Savu and I set out into the heathlands, and discovered the adventurer's camp the following day. We encountered the bear still hovering in the area. I briefly considered setting a trap, but realized I had no bait... Indeed, supplies of food were getting thin. I decided to attack the bear head-on...
I fired a few arrows from my longbow, but scored no hits. However, it did capture the bear's attention, and it charged.
I unleashed Savu, and sent him to attack.
Meanwhile, I dropped the bow and pulled out my Masterwork Woodsman's Axe.
Charging through the snow, I flung the woodsman's axe at the bear... but it missed. The dog collided with the bear, and jaws snapped in the air as both animals reared and pounced. Savu was swiped in the ribs, but he fastened his teeth onto the bear's throat. This gave me time to close in, as I drew my Fine Battle Axe.
I aimed for the bear's head, but in the tumult I struck the shoulder instead. Nonetheless, the ax bit deep and drove the beast to the ground. Savu continued to savage its throat, and I drew my Fine Northern Knife and cut both arteries in the neck. Not long after, it was dead.
After resting and dunking my head in nice cold water, I turned to the bloody task of processing the bear. I was pleased to see the pelt turned out to be a Fine Winter Bear Skin, despite the damage done in battle. I butchered the creature, and Savu and I were able to carry it all back to town. The adventurer was happy to see his ax, and rewarded me with a (much-needed) archery lesson. I sold much of the bear's meat, and purchased a Masterwork Handaxe.
This would become my primary ranged weapon... I could throw it, then easily switch to my Fine Battle Axe.
The group set off into the South-West, and in time we came to the Driik lands. Our trading accomplished, we turned back home once again. It was as we traveling through No-Man's Land, that it happened. It was evening time, in Midwinter, during a storm. Visibility was low. Our foodstuffs - mostly bear meat - were packed onto the bull Ukkonen. All of a sudden, I was pulled from the World Travel Map with a message of wolves. Perhaps they had been drawn by the scent of the raw bear flesh. Immediately, my character was attacked from behind. A wolf lunged out of the storm and caught me by the hip, between my leather leggings and my lamellar cuirass.
It just goes to show how different UnReal World characters can be... I once had a character, who was a female carpenter and fisherwoman who lived alone with her small dog by the sea. One day, she and the dog were out walking, when a wolf pack pounced. The first wolf caught her by the shoulder from behind, and dragged her to the ground. A few short seconds later, her abdomen was ripped open and her throat torn out. I never found out what happened to the dog.
Luckily, this time there was layers of fur over the flesh of this large man, and I was torn only slightly. I swung around with my battleaxe in one swift movement, and slashed the animal across its hindquarters. It fled, yelping... But I knew there would be more.
With visibility down to a few squares, with my dogs all injured and loaded down... What could I do?
I backed into a nearby copse of trees, and got the heavily-burdened bull behind me. The dogs naturally arrayed themselves in front as a screen. Then, the second attack of the wolves came. 2 of them lunged out of the darkness, and all was chaos as dog and wolf rolled over and over one another. Jaws snapped and snow flew as they tussled back and forth. Then, my time came to strike. I lashed with long ax at one of the wolves, and laid its shoulder open to the bone. As suddenly as they had come, the wolves fled.
I grabbed all of my animals' leashes and backed away quickly. Every few steps, I swiveled to look around - I could not afford to be caught off guard again. At last, I sensed we had left the pack's hunting grounds, and we moved onwards through the gathering dusk. Although I wish I could have taken at least one Winter Wolf Fur for myself, I do not think the pack will soon forget us.
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Man, I hate wolves!
Topic: Man, I hate wolves! (Read 9809 times)