[NeoRealm] Chapter 20 - Horned Rabbits (Patreon)

The rabbits all stay away from the group but as they go farther things start to change. As they progress groups of rabbits appear that are lead by horned rabbits. Finally though the first fight happens when they meet a group made entirely of them.

The rabbits actually get a jump on the group. Everyone had gotten used to having groups of rabbits just hopping around so a group right next to the path didn’t bother them. As they come up next to a relatively large group with 12 horned rabbits the closest one suddenly charges at them. With a quick jump and the benefit of surprise it rams into James.

*-5*

Despite his dwarven armor it still deals a lot of damage. Luckily for the squishier two, it didn’t target them. The other rabbits seem just as shocked as our group though it seems that won't stop the fight.

Our brave little fight starter will not live to see this. James doesn’t take kindly to the damage and slams his arm down, catching it. Losing its ability to dodge leads to the rabbits ends as James easily bashes its head in with his shield.

As if the death was a trigger everyone starts moving. Jason ducks out of the way of three rabbits while Rosha backs up behind James and readies her bow. Another trio of rabbits are heading towards her but get blocked by James shield. Having been stopped in their tracks Rosha shoots a few arrows managing to hit one.

James meanwhile uses his whip to scatter the remaining 5. However this causes some trouble with Jason as two of them end up joining his fight with the other three. Luckily as one jumps at him he is able to duck under the rabbit and send a quick chop on its neck taking it out. A second rabbit coming in from the other side takes this chance to get a glancing blow on him.

*-1*

Off balance from almost missing its hit makes the rabbit an easy target. Rosha shifts quickly from the ones fighting James to fire a shot at it, spearing the rabbit to the ground. Jason is then able to quickly finish it off before it can free itself with a quick stomp.

James is stoically blocking the advances of the rest of the rabbits after they grouped back up. One of them gets around his shield and lands a solid hit onto Rosha

*-2*

Then it for some reason runs away into the forest. A quick sidestep lets the rabbit dodge out of the way of a quick arrow from Rosha as she tries to stop it. As this is happening the other rabbits seem shocked at it running away. Sadly for them James isn’t and takes this chance to shield bash a couple of them. This even kills one of them which had taken a hit from an arrow. The second one isn’t any luckier as the bash slams the rabbit towards Jason who is able to finish it off with an uppercut. At this the small herd of horned rabbits realize they have lost half their numbers. With this the remaining 6 just book it in the opposite direction of the one that had run away.

Horn Rabbit Herd Defeated

• 7 Rabbits Escaped
• +6 Copper Coins
• +3 perfect rabbit hides
• +1 rabbit hide
• +2 trash rabbit hides
• +3 rabbit meat
• +3 bruised rabbit meat
• +2 perfect rabbit horns
• +1 rabbit horn
• +2 cracked rabbit horns
• +1 trash rabbit horn

Rosha is quite pleased at the loot and points out how the perfect horns are all because she didn’t just smash the rabbits heads in. The other two shake their heads and after dumping any hides or horns below perfect condition they all head deeper.

After a bit they haven’t seen any big herds James stops them and asks a pertinent question, “So, how are we supposed to find this flower?” The group just stand there in silence for a moment or two.

“Right, I don’t exactly see any quest markers. However today is the last full day we have to find it. I only got three days and we only have a bit of tomorrow before that ends. With that in mind there isn’t really the time to head back to town. If we don’t find it today, then there might be a little camping in our future”

Rosha grimaces at the mention of camping, “I really don’t want to stay out here overnight. It is a quest meant for beginners so it can’t be too hard. We likely just have to follow the path. Then once we meet a boss of some sort the flower will be next to it.”

James adds on, “It will probably be a red creature of some sort. My bet is on a wolf variant.”

“Probably will be that rabbit that did the hit and run or something similarly silly”

Rosha makes shooing motions with her hands, “Whatever it is we won't find it just standing here. Onward and quickly at it please.”

And with only moderate grumbling the group manages to get going again. Along the way a couple more groups of horned rabbits though never more than a handful at a time. They even spot a winged rabbit, though only in passing as it glides by overhead. Eventually though the group notices a clearing just ahead. This is quite obviously the goal to their quest. In the center is a small mound with a deep red flower blooming on it. All around it though are signs of many battles, from the faintest of marks to what are clearly furrows formed just this morning. Likely this was where those wolfkin made it to before being forced to turn back.

Not that anyone will be surprised on this location when they get back to town. The glen of beginnings has long been known as any groups first quest goal. Though what might surprise them is the creature which seems barely hurt from the earlier fight with the wolfkin.

Some might call it an amber colored fox. They wouldn’t be wrong. Though as Rosha put it, “By the Gods, that fox is made of amber”. Though when Jason takes a closer look, it paints a grimmer picture.

“Uh, that isn’t a fox made of amber. It’s was a fox and the bones are still there. I think it might be an undead. I will sneak closer and try to id it.” So he crouches down and heads into the trees beside the path. Creeping close until he is in the underbrush that grew up on the edge of the clearing. A bit of observation later and his thoughts are proven right.

Amber Fox

A fox that died next to a sappy tree that has grown upon a bloody battlefield. Over a long period with the right conditions the skeleton will be coated with the sap which eventually become amber. The crystallized lifeblood of the tree grown on the blood of sentient will then cause the skeleton to revive. An Amber Foxes first actions in undeath will be to kill the tree that formed it to complete its amber body.

Things I wanted to mention but didn’t:

The so called ‘glen of beginnings’ is a very common name. Other similar places are the ‘prairy of beginnings’ and the ‘cave of beginnings’. Basically, the Systems requirement for a good place to send people new to it on a quest are very limiting. It has to be quite close to a starter town. Not very dangerous at all (low level people need to get to it). Finally it should be in basically a straight line from one of the towns gates.

The reason people would be surprised about the slightly damaged Amber Fox is that it means the wolfkins where being bad boys. A beginner quest boss won't attack anyone but people with the appropriate quest. Not only that, but it is generally considered taboo to try and snipe a beginner’s quest objective. Likely the real reason the wolfkin wanted to stop our group from going into the forest was to make sure the fox healed fully before the team got to it. When they report to Andrew and Penny on their quest, those wolfkin will be in for a lot of trouble.