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Wandering around the stalls


Ancre

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"Oh, yeah!" Re-Roll skimmed back to the start of the Lunar Castle Quest. "According to the Filly Master's Guide, the Lunar Castle was built to hold a great evil that, if allowed to escape, will destroy all of the land."

"That is one course of action." Gold Rush agreed. "We could try and climb over. But who's to say that this rock won't break as soon as we touch it?" He walked up to the boulder and touched it with his horn. It remained solid. "It's sturdy enough." The wizard said.

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"That sounds heavy." Willow Whisper remarked, though it was unclear whether she was referring to the great evil or the troublesome rock itself.

"How fare you two at leaping?" Leafdancer asked her two companions with a sparkle in her eyes. "They do call me Leafdancer for a reason!" The druid backed up several paces, got a galloping start, and at near the last moment, with legs as lithe as a grasshoppers, leaped nimbly into the air in an attempt to jump over the stone.

Willow Whisper's horn glowed a dark green color, and the D6 she had been given rose a short distance into the air and then rolled with a small clatter across the table. There was a moment of suspense before the dice settled on a six. "Wow! 6!" The unicorn laughed, delighted. "I hope that means I make it over. Not very graceful to face-plant into a giant rock!"

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Thunderhoof laughed at Leafdancer's antics. “Jump all you want, friend ! I am not a dancer myself, and I will just climb.”

With a sure hoof the warrior started to climb the rocky obstacle, using his strength and endurance to get himself on top of it. It wasn't a gigantic cliff, or a steep mountain side, it was a simple rock, so the exercise shouldn't prove itself too difficult.

“Sooo … does that means I have to roll a dice too ? How does it works exactly ?” Bumble Buns asked, not having fully grasped the rules yet.

In the middle of his climbing, the fighter turned his head toward his magician comrade. “Hasten, Gold Rush ! We have no time to spare. How are you going to pass that rock ? Do you need assistance ?”

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"You roll one of these d6." Re-Roll explained, holding up the die. "It's an agility test. If you get 3 or higher, you make it over. If not, you have to find another way around the rock. I'll show you." He rolled the die, and it came up on a 4. "Okay, I just failed my agility check."

"I do not need help, friend, but thank you." Gold Rush ran at the large stone, attempted to climb it, but merely slid back down to the ground. "Dumb rock!" He grumbled, tapping it with his staff. "I might need some help, Thunderhoof."

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"You never know what you'll get. This games all about chance." Willow Whisper enthused.

"Best help him quick, Thunderhoof." Leafdancer advised from the other side of the stone, and she perked her head and ears to keep watch on this side of the path while her two comrades scaled the boulder. They were headed deeper into the forest, and the further in the more peril and mystery awaited. "I'll watch for danger, but it's best not to stay put for too long in Everfree."

The forest was alive with the sounds of insects and birds around them, but distant calls for aid had grown somewhat nearer, and the voice clearer. The unicorn mare listened, and whispered as her snout crinkled with concern. "It sounds almost like a foal..."

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“Ok then !” Bumble Buns grabbed a dice and rolled it. It turned and rolled and bounced finally gave her a five. “Yay ! Looks like I made it !”

Determination shining in his eyes, Thunderhoof took careful steps and climbed over the rock. Once on top he looked around him : they were surrounded by trees and it was difficult to distinguish a path toward the ruins he could see, lost among the thick vegetation. He also couldn't find out the source of the strange sounds they were currently after.

Looking down, the warrior saw the wizard take a wrong step and fall. It made him smile, and he shouted at his friend : “I think you do need help indeed !” Rummaging his saddlebags, he found his rope, tossed one end to Gold Rush and grabbed the other. “Use this to help your climbing ! I'll hold, and if you want, me and Leafdancer will pull on our end.”

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"That would be kind of you, Thunderhoof." The wizard unicorn grabbed the rope in both of his hooves. "Let me know when you're ready to go."

"I think that this would count as a strength check." Re-Roll flipped through the Filly Master's guide. "You'll need a d12 for this." He handed out d12s to all the players.

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Leafdancer turned back around to face the rock, and reared up, propping her hooves on the stone's face. She stretched her neck forward and grabbed the end of the rope in her teeth in preparation to pull. "Ready." She mumbled through her teeth, bracing her hooves. The slender unicorn was not very strong, but she would pull with all her might when Thunderhoof gave the signal.

"I'll have my druid help out your warrior, then." Willow Whisper accepted the D12 with a smile, and rolled it from her hoof across the table top. "5... Or not." The unicorn chuckled deeply, and toyed with the dice under her hoof. "She's more of a dancer than a weight-lifter, I guess."

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"That's ok !" the yellow mare answered cheerily to the other player. "I'm a warrior, so I should be strong enough to do it, even if you only help a little !"

No waiting another moment Bumble Buns rolled the twelve-sided dice. "Uh, a seven. Well, I hope it's enough ..."

Thunderhoof gave the end of the rope to the druid Leafdancer and grabbed it too, bracing himself against the rock, ready to pull the magician with all his might. "Ready." mumbled the unicorn in his back. "Set ... Go !" the warrior continued, announcing loudly what he was going to do before pulling the rope.

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"Success! Gold Rush is pulled over the rock!" Re-Roll said triumphantly. "Now, onwards towards the Lunar Castle."

The wizard came tumbling over the rock and down at Thunderhoof and Leafdancer's hooves. "Never really was one for climbing, anyway." He straightened up and dusted himself off. "I'm glad you're strong, Thunderhoof, my friend. Now, let us continue on our quest."

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Leafdancer chuckled at Gold Rush's not so graceful landing, but quickly moved to help the wizard pony to his hooves. "Onward." She agreed with a smile, and started off in the direction they had been headed at a leisurely trot. The deeper the group of adventurers got into the forest, the denser the plants and trees got, and the branches overhead eventually blocked out almost all sunlight. Only dappled spots of light washed over the ponies as they traveled. The mysterious voice, still calling, had grown much closer but the thick foliage, and the echo off of the surrounding trees made it difficult to pinpoint exactly. Unfriendly terrain for travelers. "Do you two see anypony?"

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"It's too dark. I can't see past the end of my own hoof." Gold Rush complained. "I'm going to cast a light spell. we'll be able to see much better then." He tapped his staff on the ground. A light emerged from the tip, and the wizard held it out in front of him. "Something's moving over by those trees. I can't properly see it."

"Time for our first monster encounter." Re-Roll rubbed his hooves together. "Whatever could it be?"

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The little group of adventurers wandered even further in the forest. The trees over their heads closed the skies, the plants around them grew denser and more oppressive. Everypony remained on their guards, growing nervous as the forest slowly closed its jaws on them.

The calls for help were getting closer, but nopony could see where they came from. Eventually Gold Rush casted a spell and tried to light the darkness and the moving shapes it concealed. But the dense foliage blocked the magic light and kept secret whatever was circling around the ponies.

“I don't like this ...” the warrior muttered, drawing his sword, readying himself for a fight.

“Aw yeah !” Bumble Buns the honey mare exclaimed. “A monster ! Bring it on !”

(Ooc : Sorry for the waiting ! )

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Leafdancer stepped lightly over the ground, moving closer to the safety of the group. The lithe unicorn narrowed her eyes, and lowered her head as her horn began to gleam a neon green color. She wasn't very strong, but she would help in her own way. A spell hung on the edge of her tongue, and she opened her heart to the strength she felt flowing in the trees around her, and the soil beneath her hooves. She was a child of the forest, and part of its power was her own.

The shadow circled them, watching from cover of trees and roots with two sets of red eyes that flashed and burned in the darkness. It growled low and crept closer, undaunted by the small group of ponies. The light from Gold Rush's spell revealed its inky black fur, muscular body taller than even the powerful Thunderhoof at the shoulder, and two snarling wolf heads. The Cerberus bared dagger-like fangs, and lunged onto the path with twin baying calls that chilled to the bone. It slunk toward them slowly, and snapped its jaws menacingly as it confronted the three.

"Wicked..." Willow Whisper breathed with a grin.

(( I hope its okay I picked the monster. If it isn't I'll edit this. ))

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(That'll be just fine. Now I gotta come up with something bigger for the next encounter.)

"It's a Cerberus!" Re-Roll cheered. "Each of it's head has a different attribute. The left head is resistant to magic. The left head is shielded from normal attacks. The middle is resistant to magic AND shielded. Our adventurers will need to use all their ingenuity to get out of this."

"It's a Cerberus!" Gold Rush exclaimed, nearly dropping his staff in fear. "A completely primitive beast. It knows only eating and sleeping. We must work out a course of attack before we proceed."

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The three ponies were walking warily through the forest. Leafdancer added her magic to Gold Rush's magic, using her affinity with the plants to clear a way through the vegetation. It was useful to have a druid tagging along, thought the warrior, impressed.

Unfortunately for the little ponies, the spell brought to light the monster hidden under the trees : it was a gigantic, three-headed dog, towering upon them. Each of its glowing eyes showed nothing more than hunger and a taste for bestial brutality, and the cerberus was growling threateningly, eager to feast on the ponies tonight.

But Thunderhoof wasn't going to let it eat them without a fight. He stepped forward, brandishing his sword in a threatening manner, ready to strike at any moment, clearly unafraid. “Go back, monster, go back to the forest !” he growled.

In his back he could hear the wizard Gold Rush muttering something about course of actions and plans and waiting before proceeding. “This thing will jump on us at any minute !” he answered, his eyes still fixated on the monster, his sword still high. “Think, and think fast, my friend ! I can get his attention while you two focus on blowing his head away, or tie him with forest foliage, or magic him down in another way !"

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"Give me a moment, I'm thinking!" Gold Rush protested. He wasn't the brightest pony in Equestria. "We need to take the heads off, and I think I have a plan. Druid, can you bind its...body? Of course!" The answer had been, literally, right in front of him the whole time. "The heads are protected, but the body is vulnerable Ponies never take that into account because they're preoccupied with the heads. I have a new idea. The Druid and I will keep it busy. Thunderhoof, can you get to the body?"

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Leafdancer froze momentarily in fear at the sight of the beast. Long had she lived in Everfree, and she had only seen the spoor and leavings of these terrible beasts. But been face to face with one? Never. She steeled herself against its burning gaze, and twitched a listening ear toward her companions. Gold Rush had a plan it seemed, and each pony had a part to play. "I'll slow it down as best I can!" Leafdancer called as she jumped lightly away from the group, and dipped her head low to the ground. Her horn's neon green glow pulsed brighter and brighter, and she whispered to the earth beneath her hooves, entreating it to help her and her friends.

Meanwhile, the Cerberus snarled at Thunderhoof as the warrior pony stood his ground, and decided upon its first target as it lunged toward him with its three maws slavering and snapping. As it ran for the sword-wielding pony however, roots and vines erupted from the loamy soil, seeking to ensnare its paws and legs.

"I cast a spell of Entangle!" Willow Whisper said decisively with a knock of her hoof against the table. "Hopefully it will work, or we might be lunch."

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Gold Rush worked out a plan feverishly while Thunderhoof kept the monster in check with a steady posture and a sword held high, showing absolutely no sign of fear to the three-headed dog. They had so little time to come up with something ! Thankfully, the magician brought up a course of action, which could be resumed quite simply : paralyze the monster and aim for the body.

“I can do it !” the warrior answered. Wasting no more time, he charged the monster as the monster charged him. Thunderhoof was merely faking a frontal charge, however : his intention was to slide under the monster at the last moment, and slice his belly open with his sword ! The druid was casting a spell, attempting to restrain the cerberus and ease the warrior's work. Would their mad attempt work ?

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"And I cast Torrent of Ice on the right head. The one that isn't resistant to magic." Re-Roll grabbed a d12 from the table. "Well, let's make our rolls. Good luck, everypony." He threw the d12 across the table, all the while chanting "7 or higher. 7 or higher." The die came to rest at 8. "Yes!" Re-Roll cheered. "It's fairly weak, by my standards, but hey. Right head of Cerberus takes 20 damage."

"I call upon the spirits of winter! Strike down my foe!" Gold Rush's voice echoed around the forest. Out of nowhere, a sudden cool breeze chilled the clearing. The breeze proceeded a rush of hailstones and snowflakes that continuously battered the Cerberus' right head. The head reeled in pain from the sudden attack.

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Willow Whisper's green tinted magic lifted the D12 she had been given, and rolled it with a will. The twelve-sided die slowed, and eventually ended up on a 3. The pudgy unicorn made a small hissing sound of disappointment, and looked over at Bumble Buns with a shrug. "Its all you."

The roots and vines entwined and grabbed at the Cerberus' paws, but the creature was strong and would not be stopped. It ripped its limbs free with barely a thought, and continued its charge toward Thunderhoof. All three heads were so intent on the pony that the beast did not notice Gold Rush's spell until the icy missile struck. The monster's injured head bayed and thrashed alone as the creature bore down on the warrior pony, and tried to bite him with its two uninjured heads.

"No..." Leafdancer whispered, watching her attempt to slow the monstrous creature fail. The plants had not proven strong enough. The unicorn glanced around, searching for some other means to help. She noticed smooth pebbles littered around the base of a tree, and hastened to collect them with her magic. As the stones hovered about her, she began whispering to them, enchanting them with the subtle magic of the forest. The spell would take some time, and she watched the struggle between the monstrous canine and Thunderhoof with anxious eyes.

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“Let's save the day !” Bumble Buns replied, grinning, before rolling her dice. It gave her a seven. The honey-like mare quickly shuffled through her character sheet, comparing numbers and characteristic tables. Everything was still confusing, but she was getting the hang of it. “Uhm ... I think I made it.” she finally concluded.

Thunderhoof charged the mighty monster. He remained calm, focused, patient, looking for the right moment to act. Leafdancer's spell failed, but Gold Rush's didn't ; the Cerberus got hit by a nasty frost bolt, and trashed around in pain and anger, trying to avenge itself on the warrior pony.

Thunderhoof wasn't going to let him, though. He used the distraction to slide under the dog's belly and gave a mighty slash of his sword, before reappearing in his rear, taunting the monster to gain it's attention once again. “Hey, I'm here ! Good doggie, come see me, you stupid three-headed thing !”

The fight was on.

“Ok, I hope I haven't missed anything.” the yellow mare reviewed her notes. “It's going to be the monster's turn to strike, right ?

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"Yep, and this Cerberus has some nasty stuff in its inventory. I can attack three times in one turn. For obvious reasons." Re-Roll rolled a d6 across the table, which landed on a 4. "Alright. Middle head of Cerberus uses Ashen Breath on Gold Rush. Let's take an evasiveness check." He rolled the d6 again. 3. "Does 10 damage. Thankfully, this is only a low level Cerberus."

The great beast howled as Thunderhoof slashed its belly. It tried to turn and face him, but it felt it owed the wizard for giving its head a brain-freeze. The middle head opened its mouth and a great torrent of ash billowed from the beast's mouth at the wizard.

Gold rush jumped to the side, yet was still caught in the ash torrent. It burned him, and the pain was unbelievable.

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"That's one nasty monster." Willow Whisper shook her head, and shuffled through her own papers with one hoof. The unicorn reread the spell she had been considering. "My turn, huh? I cast Magic Pebble." She rolled a D12 once more. "11! Wow, uh... 10 damage."

Leafdancer winced in the heat of the flame that had threatened to consume Gold Rush, and felt immense relief when the Cerberus' foul breath faded and the wizard still stood. The wounds looked angry and painful, and would need tending to after the battle. If they survived the battle. The slender unicorn refocused her attention on the deadly dance that was going on between Thunderhoof and the beast. The three headed canine was wounded, but its strength and rage made it continue the fight. She scrunched her eyes shut and focused on the spell, urging the pebbles to fly and strike true. The smooth pebbles floating around her glowed green, and though they were ordinary rocks for the moment they sparkled like jewels. She held up her hoof, and one of the stones disengaged from the rest to hover over it.

"Fly." She whispered, and opened her eyes to gaze at the Cerberus. The stone zipped towards the beast as though hurled from a sling, and struck the creature on the head that was resistant to magic but not physical attacks. The Cerberus, having had its vengeance on the wizard, had turned its attention to the warrior when it was struck in one of its eyes with the magically propelled stone. The wounded head yelped and whined, lifting one of the body's legs to paw at its face. Wounded and distracted, it lunged again for the most prominent foe: Thunderhoof.

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The fighting was getting ugly. The strike from the warrior's sword, and the spells from both of the mage had wounded the Cerberus severely, but the adventurer's advantage was flimsy at best, as the monster clearly demonstrated when coating the wizard with burning ashes.

“Hey ! Look at me !” Thunderhoof yelled, swinging his sword, trying to get all the attention of the monster for himself. He was the one who had to distract it, in order to give to the other two ponies the concentration they needed for their spells.

“So, the Cerberus attacks me right ?” Bumble Buns asked. She was right : a few dices were rolled for the monster and the yellow mare checked what they meant in their respective tables. “Uh, well I don't understand everything, but I don't think it looks good ...”

This time the three-headed dog did gently obey and turned toward Thunderhoof the warrior. With an angry roar it raised a paw and smacked the earth pony. Thunderhoof tried to evade, but he was a second too late, and the monster's hit made him roll and crash in a tree.

“Ow ...” the earth pony complained while standing up again. This fight was not going their way.

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