The most recent roleplay event hosted and created by Tyrman “Mad Dog” Bladebreaker was written for the Pilgrim’s Bounty holiday. Following that theme, he created a cornucopia of fun, mystery and danger. Tyrman gathered a rag-tag group of adventurous gnomes. Together they answered a distress call from the local residents of Elwynn. A feathery menace was wreaking havoc on the roads through the forest. Continue reading to find out what happens:
Operation: Turkey Hunt
Written by Tyrman Bladebreaker
Having received a distress signal from the locals of Elwynn Forest, Tyrman Bladebreaker answers the call. A giant turkey was spotted attacking travelers on the roads and threatening farms. When Tyr came to investigate, he learned local turkeys were becoming more and more aggressive as well. The usual docile poultry of the Pilgrim’s Bounty holiday would attack hunters in flocks! He has tracked the bird up to the Tower of Azora and has called in G4 for help.
The brawler sat near a smoldering fire as he waits for the others to arrive. It’s been awhile since he visited these forests. More familiar with the dwarven lands of Khaz Modan, the gnome found the human ruled territories interesting. Elwynn Forest held a kind of tranquility about it yet a mysterious danger lingered out of reach, just enough to keep you on guard. Perhaps it was the large trees or maybe the urgent call made for help. While lost deep in thought about the prey they would be hunting, Zeppit Fireloose and Mitzie Drew arrived.
“Glad you could make it!” Tyr smiles as he rises to greet them.
Zeppit, the gnomish-imp hybrid, was the first to arrive. The natural glow his horns emitted and his bright red armor chased the nearby shadows away. Tyrman didn’t know much of the lad, but he knew he could count on him for help. The fire gnome brought an array of firepower in more ways than one and wasn’t afraid to get close and personal in a fight; something the brawler respected. He could feel the heat coming off Zeppit already, even if he was a few yards away.
Not far behind was a new member; Mitzie. Gyr, Mitize’s mechanical creation, followed close behind him. Tyr knew little of the tinkerer, they met briefly at a Pilgrim’s Bounty a week ago and made a promise to teach each other about firearms and close quarters fighting. Wearing similar standard heavy leather gloves and boots along with a green shirt and vest; Tyrman wasn’t sure if the lad was ready for this kind of work. But Mitzie assures the automaton armed with a small blade obediently following him would be more than enough. Adjusting his orange-colored goggles, Mitzie gives Tyr and Zeppit a cheerful smile and thumbs up.
Catching a scent with the change of wind, the peculiar gnome hybrid’s sense of smell was able to pick up traces of something. Without any other leads, the group followed the elemental hunter north and deeper into the woods. Thankfully it wouldn’t be long before they found their first clue; a clump of large feathers. Mitzie was the first to pick one up. They were dark brown with a white tip, ruffled and dirty. There were also strands of fine silk flowing off it much to everyone’s confusion.
Zeppit could sniff out a stronger scent leading deeper into the woods to the north. As the others followed, Tyr noticed the plumage was sticking to his clothing. More feathers were spotted up ahead and they would scatter easily as the breeze would cast them until the bushes and trees caught them. It wouldn’t be long before the small hunting party found yet another clump of feathers. However, this one had yet more masses of silk clinging everywhere. In the center of the clearing, it seemed to wiggle.
Cautiously Tyr approached the bundle with his three barreled shotgun to inspect it. As he pressed the barrels against the writhing mass, an ear-piercing shriek breaks the unnerving silence as five turkeys burst from the silk and attack the group! Gyr was the first to spring into action as the little bot was a whirlwind, his micro sword flashed as it decapitates over half the flock. Zeppit eagerly used his flames and roasted the rest. Tyr did a quick check as the feathers settled, only minor wounds of pecks and scratches.
Sometime within the few seconds of chaos, another of their comrades joined them. Heavily armed and armored, proudly wearing the colors and cogs of Gnomeregan, Tyr knew immediately it was Rockrock from the sky-blue mohawk and Relic, his loyal imposing wolfhawk. The brawler respected the lieutenant and welcomed his much-needed help. He wouldn’t admit or show it, but he was worried this job would be more dangerous than expected.
As Mitzie searched the clumps of silk and feathers all around them, Tyr asks the seasoned hunter to see if he could track their mysterious prey. Rockrock immediately follows a trail of smaller bird tracks, leading north toward the old copper mines.
Their trail was coated in thick silk laced with dark brown feathers and plumage. Trees, bushes, and other foliage were bound in strands of sticky silk. With caution, the group took their time to inspect the entrance to the mine. The old copper mine entrance seemed desolate. Nothing was moving or making a sound. Plenty of silky threads covered the ground, walls, and support beams leading in. Zeppit and Mitzie scout the area from a safe distance before Rockrock moves in closer. Tyrman found it eerie as there was no sound, not even the usual common songbirds made a chirp. The team delegated the tinker’s bot and Fireloose to take lead as they would easily light the way. Without hesitation, they delve into the dark mine.
Gyr headlamp lights and Zeppit’s natural glow lit the silk thick tunnel. Dark, damp, dusty; feathers seem to litter the floor and walls. So far, there is nothing distinct but a distant scratching deeper within. A split in the tunnels caused the group to a halt and another mass of wiggling silk blocks their way.
The wolfhawk, Relic, inspects the large writhing silk bundle before more agitated turkeys burst from their cocoon and assail the group. Rockrock fires off cracking beams of concentrated energy from his advanced firearm while Tyrman unloads a salvo of shotgun blasts. Gyr and the elemental hunter join the fray to quickly cut down any stragglers. The deafening sounds of their combat within the tunnels quickly end as the uncanny silence returns, save for the distant scratching and voice Mitzie picked up coming from the corridor to their right.
As the gnomes look around the corner, the walls are lined with silk wrapped cocoons. Most are still, others wiggling. The largest of them all sits in the center where the noise is coming from. Without taking any chances, Rockrock primes his rifle and took aim. A crack of energy fires straight through the large silk wrap, followed by a high-pitched scream.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAACH! WHY! WHY YOU SHOOT! YOU TAKE CANDLE!?”
The large mass growled deeply, the shot also weakening the silk, a large wounded kobold bursts from it and leaps at the gnomes. The formidable kobold was blind with fury as it sought out the one responsible for its fresh wounds. Thrashing wildly at anyone or thing nearby before crashing through the group to reach Rockrock. While recklessly doing so, the hunter steps aside allowing them to crash into the rock wall. Tyr, quickly bashes them over the head with the stock of his gun to keep the kobold down.
Before the kobold could respond, Rock presses the barrel of his weapon against its belly to ask a few questions. After few confusing exchange, the group learns that a giant “chicken” has taken over the mine and is wrapping up his friends and family. Before leaving the kobold to nurse his wounds, the gnomes began cutting open more cocoons. Within they would find husks of long dead kobolds and others in a comatose state. That was until a distant gobble causes a kobold to wake suddenly with a fright before passing out again.
Returning to the fork in the tunnel, the team ventures down the remaining pass. The further the team goes, the thicker the silk is and more molted feathers they find. A few pockets of cocoons are on the walls, all of them unmoving. The gnomes refrain from touching them, cautious of what could be inside. Nestled in the back of the cave, sitting in a carefully made nest of bones, cloth, sticks, and other forest debris bound together in white silk strands, sits the turkey the gnomes are after. It seems to be sleeping or resting as its head remained tucked under one of its wings.
“… That’s creepy.” Mitzie utters in a hushed tone.
“Cog me, it’s huge!” Tyr whispers.
“I know how Gnomeregan handles nuisances like this. I’m going in, back me up.” Rockrock says before he jumps from his elevated perch attempting to swing from one of the hanging cocoons and land on the turkeys back. As the others ready themselves to assist, the turkey shifts in its sleep, sensing the movement of the gnomes. When Rock lands on its back, it jumps up from its nest and thrashes its body around!
Now with the beast in full view the gnomes can see it is indeed massive. Its girth nearly fills the small cavern. It also is covered in silk strands and has glowing red eyes, eight of them in fact! The giant turkey hybrid lets out a deafening squawk! The noise pierces the gnome’s sensitive ears, causing them to quickly cover them. Rockrock, holding onto the trashing turkey for dear life, is unable to shield his ears. Mitzie was first to recover and uses the nearest object to lob at the bird, his trusty spanner. The turkey thing stops squawking as the tool smacks the side of its head. Zeppit also responds by tossing firebombs.
The turkey-spider screech-roars as the firebombs detonate burning away some of its feathers. It flaps its wings violently, smacking the ceiling of the mine shaft. The giant spider poultry rears its hideous head and begins to chant; “GOBBLE GOBBLE!” The gnomes hear more gobbling coming from the tunnel behind them. More little turkeys come running ,bursting from egg sacs, seeking their nearest tasty target. Tyrman swings his shotgun around and fires at the swarm to hold them off, as does Gyr and Zeppit.
Meanwhile Rockrock finds enough footing to place the barrel of his firearm against the back of the monstrosity before pulling the trigger. The giant turkey screeches in pain as half of its head blow off, yet it still keeps thrashing! The monster bird barrels and smashes into the walls of the mine finally able to toss off Rock. Sending the gnome flying and crashing near the gnomes keeping the other smaller turkeys at bay. During its thrashing, the turkey hybrid regurgitates a blob of sticky, silky, webbing. The blob coats Mitzie, the tinker, in its sticky goo rendering him helpless.
Zeppit grips his trident with both hands as the heat within him builds, brilliant fiery wings explode from his back as he charges the giant turkey. His strike is true as he swings his polearm in an arc, easily slicing off one of its wings and legs. The bird-beast is bloody, half its head missing, and limbs brutally removed. In its curdling blood cries, it still attempts to attack the group.
“SCREEEE!”
The giant turkey rakes one of its talons across the group in front of it! Zeppit had no choice but to take the blow. Tyrman is pushed back and slams against the wall! He slumps to the floor, glaring at the turkey. Mitzie was able to get out of the webbing in time to see the bird’s talons headed for them. He picks Gyr up and leaps backwards! Rockrock runs towards the weakened Fireloose, who cups his hands and boosts Rock into the air. Mid-air, Rock takes aim and fires an explosive shot right down what remains of the turkey’s gullet. Bits of the turkey explode from behind it and it finally collapses into a heap.
Checking each other’s wounds, a distant “screee” could be heard from deeper in the mine. Before the group could relish in their victory, Tyr asks Zeppit if he would burn everything in fear of more eggs. The gnome-imp grinned and laughed gleefully as he remained behind while the others quickly extract from the mine.
Watching from a safe distance; Mitzie, Rockrock, and Tyrman observe as Fireloose exits the mine. Within an inferno envelops the tunnels. Egg sacs that did line the wall are evaporated as they burst. Kobolds and other survivors that could escape, rush out of the flames along with the slow walking gnome-imp hybrid responsible of the cleansing. Still smoldering, Zeppit joins the others. The forests are rid of these strange and nightmare inducing turkeys, for now.
A Pilgrim’s Bounty hunt Tyrman would never forget.
