It was another six months before we were allowed to go on our first hunt. Six months of training in our own combat styles, and learning what each of us could do as part of a group. It turned out that our fights, while not to the death or anything, were enough to get us Experience, which was good. Of course, handicapping myself behind not using magic in the fights meant that I was losing as many fights as I won, but that was fine. The bruises faded easily enough, and I was winning the respect of my fellow ‘newbies’ for keeping with that restriction, and fighting in melee, when I had other options.

Level Up!

Congratulations, you are now Level 2.

1050/3000 XP needed for Level 3

HD: 1d8+1 = 4

+1 BAB

+1 REF, +1 WILL

You have 7 skill points to distribute.

+1 Balance, +1 Bluff, +1 Craft (Painting), +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Tumble, +1 Use Magic Device

Warlock Abilities

Detect Magic (Sp) – Can use Detect Magic as the spell at will as a spell-like ability. Caster level equals class level.

New Least Invocation – Hideous Blow (1st level spell equivalent): Blast Shape invocation. Channel your Eldritch Blast through a melee attack, adding it to the attack’s damage.

Battledancer Abilities

Battledancer’s Performance: Starting at 2nd level, the Battledancer is able to inspire allies or affect her enemies with her dance.

Dance of Reckless Bravery (Su): A battledancer with 5 ranks in Tumble can inspire courage in her allies. While in an opponent’s threatened area, can take a move action that does not provoke to give all allies within 30’ a +4 bonus on saves vs. fear effects for (5+CHA) rounds.

Level Up!

Congratulations, you are now Level 2.

4050/6000 XP needed for Level 3

HD: 1d8+1 = 4

+1 BAB

+1 FORT, +1 REF, +1 WILL

You have 7 skill points to distribute.

+1 Balance, +1 Bluff, +1 Craft (Painting), +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Tumble, +1 Use Magic Device

Warlock Abilities

Damage Reduction 1/Cold Iron

Eldritch Blast increases to 2d6 damage.

Battledancer Abilities

No change this level.

New Feat Acquired!

At 3rd level, and every 3 levels after, gain a new feat.

Weapon Finesse – Use DEX instead of STR for attack rolls on light weapons, finesse weapons, and natural weapons.

I’d made some substantial gains during those six months, as had the others. While each practice fight won only granted a portion of the experience we would normally gain from combat, six months of training still has an effect, and a noticeable one. The increase in my skills was welcome, of course, but I was a little upset when I learned that the damage reduction granted me by my template would soon outstrip that provided by my class, and the two didn’t stack, as they were of the same type. That was disappointing, but I was already a slightly unfair existence, and I didn’t want to become some massively overpowered character like in a light novel from my old world.

The new feat was a welcome sight, to be sure. And while I am sure that there were other feats I could have picked out there, I was happy with the one I chose. After all, I was a far quicker and more agile than I was big and strong. Now, I knew that my attacks would hit far more often than they had before, which I was quite grateful for.

Oglaf had been with us through it all, training us up as a party so that we could rely on each other when we were out in the field. He was leading us on our first hunt today. I was, as usual, the odd one out, not being clad in armor or carrying any weapons. The reason, of course, was the same as it had been in training. I was more effective without armor, and my magic, which I would be able to use in actual combat for once, was far more effective than any weapon I could carry with me and still fly with my pack on.

While it wasn’t required that I be able to fly, Oglaf wanted the option. A trained scout can track the animals of the Tundra from the ground, but sometimes being able to fly up to get a better point of view offered a kind of clarity that most people would not have. The way of the Tribe was simple, but their warriors were not so foolish as to throw away an advantage offered them. Other tribes might be more superstitious, but the Tribe of the Elk were a practical lot.

The joy of flying was something I had never known in my old world. Never got to go skydiving or hang-gliding, for instance. But here, in this world, I could spread my wings and fly! I felt truly free when I was in the air, the wind rushing through my hair as I soared above the tundra. It was worth dying to fly like this!

A-woooooo!

The howl shattered my calm. Wolves were not uncommon on the tundra, especially when the elk and other herds were nearby. But for them to range so close to the camp? That was very rare!

Spot: 1d20+2 = 10 (Success)

I saw the beast responsible for the how. It was a wolf with inky black fur, which stood out against the snow. Wait, that was too large for a normal wolf. It had to be a dire wolf or a worg! I wasn’t completely sure what the difference between he two was, but I knew that there was one. Maybe the dire wolf was larger? At any rate, a one wolf wouldn’t howl when it spotted prey unless there were others nearby!

Down below, I could see Oglaf gather the other three into a rough circle, their weapons at the ready. They were no fools, they were raised in the tundra, and the tundra did not allow the weak to live. As I flew near, Oglaf looked up at me, and signaled for me to circle. If there were more wolves coming, I was the best chance at giving the rest of the group some warning, or at least giving them a clue as to whether they should run or stand their ground.

Spot: 1d20+2 = 16 (Success)

Praise the Frostmaiden that these were not winter wolves, for I knew that I was no trained scout, and if I had been trying to find white fur against the snow, things would have been in dire straits, to be sure. But the wolves were black coated, and stood out against the snow, once you were looking down from above. And what I saw terrified me.

Five shapes ran across the tundra, heading towards the group. Four were sized like the one I’d spotted originally, but the fifth? My heart froze for a second, and my wings missed a beat, causing me to falter in the air. The last of the wolves was larger than I was! It had to be almost as large as a pony, or a small horse!

Swiftly, I turned back towards the others. I say swiftly, but I barely outpaced the wolves! As soon as I was close enough, I called out, “WORGS! ONE BEHIND AND FIVE IN FRONT! THEIR LEADER IS A BIG ONE!”

Oglaf took command instantly. “Melinda! Pick off the one behind, and then come to help with the rest! Yolr, hold your rage until I say! We can’t afford you tiring at the wrong point of the battle! Krudd, hang back, and use your bow. Any of them that try to get around behind us, you need to keep their attention until the big one is done. Sgaun, with me, and use your shield to help protect Yolr as we fight.”

None of us responded in words, but as one we yelled out the battle shout, offering praise to the god of battles for this chance to prove our worth. I also included a prayer to Auril, asking to become like the winter wind that chilled to the bone and reaped the lives of the unworthy, and offered the souls of the wolves I killed to her. I had not been overly religious in my old world, but here, the gods had power, and they affected the world. It would be rude to not offer tribute from my first hunt to my patron. And the gods hate it when people are rude to them. (Which made them a lot like the old tales of gods in my old world, actually.)

Initiatives:

Krudd

Melinda

Worgs

Oglaf

Yolr

Sgaun

Melinda’s Attack: 1d20+7 = 21 (Hit)

Damage: 2d6 = 5 (Magic)

For the first time, I unleashed the powers of my Warlock class, and I had to laugh triumphantly as purple light formed around my outstretched hand, and flew down to slam into the worg’s black furred nose, causing it to yelp in pain at the onslaught. I could tell that I had hurt the thing, but I hadn’t killed it. My magic wasn’t powerful enough to kill in a single blow, not yet. But I was far from powerless! I wasn’t going to be weak ever again, damnit!

I heard the sound of a bow, and another yelp as Krudd made certain that the first wolf to crest the drift nearest us got something to think about. I didn’t turn to see what the wolves over there were doing, though I heard growls and snarls, and the gnashing of teeth as combat began in earnest. I did not hear any cries of pain, so perhaps the others had gotten lucky on this first pass.

My wolf, however, was snarling at me. It was too intelligent to try jumping at me, flying in the air like I was, and it knew that I was between it and the prey that it could reach. It may have been a beast, but it had intelligence, that much was certain, for I could see the moment it made its decision, and rushed forward, moving side to side as it ran in an attempt to throw off my attempts at magic. Damn, it was going to try and attack the party from behind, if I didn’t do anything to stop it!

Melinda’s attack: 1d20+7 (Hit)

Damage: 1d6 = 2 (Bludgeoning)

Damage: 2d6 = 10 (Magic)

Swooping down upon the wolf’s head, I put my new invocation to the test. It was called Hideous Blow, and as the eldritch energy surrounded my fist, I could see why. When I was a higher level, this would clearly be something that could deal devastating blows to a creature. Even now, it was no slouch, in terms of damage. I saw blood fly from the worg’s mouth as my fist hit the side of its head, and the pained howl made me certain that I had its now undivided attention, now that I was within its reach.

Worg’s attack: 1d20+7 = 11 (Miss)

I flowed like the battledancer I was, turning on my heel in the snow and allowing the angry worg to bite down where my leg had formerly been, avoiding his attack with ease. No, couldn’t get complacent. I’d had that lesson beaten into me many times by Yolr and the others during our training. I had to hurry and end this, so I could help the others.

Worg’s Attack of Opportunity: 1d20+7 = 11 (Miss)

Melinda’s attack: 1d20+7 = 17 (Hit)

Damage: 1d6 = 3 (Bludgeoning)

Damage: 2d6 = 6 (Magic)

Another magically-enhanced fist, and another powerful hit on the worg. It tried to snap at me as I conjured my magic, but I was too quick for it by far. I didn’t know how many HP it had left, but it had to be hurting after I’d poured twenty-six total damage into it! That much would have killed a normal wolf long ago!

Worg’s attack: 1d20+7= 13 (Miss)

Worg’s Attack of Opportunity: 1d20+7 = 17 (Miss)

Melinda’s attack: 1d20+7 = 25 (Hit)

Damage: 1d6 = 1 (Bludgeoning)

Damage: 2d6 = 10 (Magic)

Again, the worg leapt at me, attempting to bite my arm this time, but I had not been training all these months for nothing, damnit! With a twist of my arm, I pushed the worg’s head to the side, causing its teeth to once again snap down on empty air once, and then again as I called upon my powers. Continuing the motion, I brought my foot around in a spinning heel kick worthy of an anime, my boot surrounded in the eldritch power I commanded. With a sickening squelch, the worg fell to the snow, and did not get back up.

Looking back over the drift, to where the other battle continued, I spread my wings, and shot into the air. The fight was not yet finished. My friends and tribesmen needed me!