A deep, pained howl seems to fill every crevice of Brisshal's massive forest, drawing you towards the source. You find a massive bear to be the source of these cries. It notices your approach and tries to lunge forward, but is stopped short by a chain keeping its hind paw attached to the tree. A bear trap encases its leg, seeming to be the cause of its immense pain. What do you do?
Hehehe, what's that sound? It doesn't sound good. It's in my woods so I should check it out... hehehe, it better not be a monster stealing my mushrooms... Majolica thought back to the bunny girl she had recently drafted into her Witch Ops... Hehehe, can only have one of those... Reaching the sound, Majolica identified the source. Hehe, ouch. That looks painful... hehehe but if I free him, the bear will serve me! Hehehehe! It could be like the guard dog of my cottage! Hehehe! "Hehe, I'll save you little giant bear! Hehehe, and then you'll be working for me! Grand Witch Majolica! Hehehehe, prepare to witness my power!" Majolica shoots a blast of arcane energy to break the bear's chain. "Hehehe, you're mine now! Hehe, You're my loyal bear ally! Hehehe!"
The bears howls and growls only pick up in volume as you approach, magic swirling all around you. The focused arcane blast flashes brightly and then dissipates, leaving behind a brittle, but still attached, chain. This only serves to agitate the wounded and trapped bear. Its eyes, crazed and delusional. It lurches forward, jaws snapping at your thin figure. It looks like it would snap you in half if it could. The chain will break if you hit it again, but you risk having the bear charge and attack you. You can still walk away, completely unharmed, but the bear will probably starve to death in this forest. With his hind leg caught between the sharp metal teeth of the trap and the trap chained to the three, it won't be able to follow you if you leave now. @Grand Witch Majolica, what do you do?
Hehehe... I need to work on my arcane spells... hehe, if I break the chain I'm going to have to subjugate my new bear, Clarence, by force! Hehehe, I could, but I'd rather not. Nothing good comes from forcing someone to submit... hehe unless you turn them into frogs. Bear frog... hehehe, but no! Hehe, first we'll try some witch tricks! "Hehehe, don't worry Clarence! Hehe, Majolica will save you then bring you home! Hehehe..." Using her illusion magic, Majolica summons four clones. As the clones pop into existence, she focuses on the bear. "Hehehe, now, let's get down to business!" Majolica moves back a few feet leaving three of her clones as a defensive line while the other stands off to the side. Hehehe, after it's asleep, I'll just easily remove trap! That way, the bear will still be chained but will feel better! Hehehe, once he realizes I'm a good guy, and he becomes my ally, I'll stylishly blast off the chain and the bear will be free and come home with me! Hehehe! Perfect! Again, using her Illusion magic Majolica attempts to hypnotically lull the bear into a deep sleep.
As you weave your magic in and around the bear, manipulating and twisting its perception of reality, your clones move into position. It thrashes, trying to swipe a massive paw at one of the clones, but they sit just out of its reach. Just as it is rearing for another half-hearted attempt, your magic finally kicks in. Instead of lulling the massive animal to sleep, it invigorates the bear! Its attempts to pounce on you, and all the various copies of you, only increase in energy. All of this vigorous movement is tearing into its leg, permanently wounding that limb, but it is as if it cannot recognize the pain. The flesh begins to split, bone cracking and splintering from the pressure. Leg and body is only barely held together. Then... With a sickening squelch and a crunch, the bear launches straight through your clones defensive lines. Its jaw snaps around their figure but there is nobody to resist its attack. Teeth snap together and you can feel the vibrations of its powerful bite. It sniffs furiously in the air and turns this way and that. You're realizing that while you have successfully stolen sight from the bear, its other sensitive senses are still enough to find you. Maybe another spell will calm it down! Or a beast tamer would be able to soothe this injured soul. There are too many options, not enough time, and if you don't act fast, somebody's gonna die! You better hope it's the bear. So, @Grand Witch Majolica, what do you do?
Hehe, Ah! Stupid Clarence! You're going to be riding a unicycle for weeks after I'm done with you! Hehehe! "Fine! Want to play rough! Hehe, I can play rough! After this, you're grounded, Clarence!" Using her aeromancy, Majolica attempts to electrify the bear with enough voltage to stun the animal without killing it.
Your focus on putting out just enough electricity to not kill it is what ends up being your downfall - while that jolt would've been enough to knock down an ordinary bear, this one is massive and furious. All it does is enrage it further. It sniffs the air and stumbles in your direction, pure predatory instinct and adrenalin driving it towards you. Maw, massive and gaping, waiting to snap around your throat. You see death, grinning and reaching out to pinch your pretty little check. It calls for you, beckons you, like the sharp glimmering teeth ready to tear you apart. The bear is coming. Close, too close, not enough time— This is it. The last moments. You or the bear. Kill or be killed. Just enough time for one final action. Your options seem limited, but perhaps you'll find a way around the circumstances. Or perhaps you will die to this horrible fate. It's all up to you. What do you do, @Grand Witch Majolica?
"Grrrr! THAT'S ENOUGH, CLARENCE! BROOMSTICK!" Majolica raises her left arm defensively to protect her neck. Then, using her aeromany, Majolica pulls her broomstick-staff into her hand. Pouring her magical energy into it, the bristles come alive like tendrils and attempt to grapple and the restrain the bear.
Maybe it was fear that did it - the adrenalin pulsing in your veins, thrumming in your brain... but as the magic pours out of you, crackling and wild, it's powerful. Uncontrollable, thrashing against your will like the very bear you command it to attack. Like the wind it calls upon, your magic slices through the bear, shredding the massive beast to ribbons. Blood and gut explode, finally free of its mortal confines, splattering all over the forest clearing and yourself. The bear is most definitely dead and these clothes most definitely need a thorough washing or twenty. You have survived - somehow. You were lucky, but not all things will go your way. Be safe. Be smart. Survive. And with this, you leave your first marks on the world, @Grand Witch Majolica. [[ Thanks for participating! Please write your final closing post. :) May the dice gods be with you next time. If you have any comments or feedback about this mini dynamic event, please contact me on Discord. ]]
Majolica fell backward into a sitting position as the bear exploded. At first, she felt shocked, then tears welled up in her eyes as she realized what had transpired. Slowly, The Grand WItch pulled herself up from the ground. Recently, Majolica had given up hydromancy. Looking at the scene, she wished she had kept it to wash everything away. "Dumb, Clarence... you should have just listened... hehe... we could have been friends." Majolica walked through the area eventually finding the trap and chain covered in gore. Picking them up, she examined the equipment anger radiating from her eyes. "Whoever owns this made me kill Clarence... hehehe... there will be a reckoning... Hehehehe... I can find you, and when I do, you'll answer for this! Hehehe, and then you'll live out the rest of your life as my sewage frog..." Wiping tears and blood from her eyes, Majolica began to leave the area then stopped. Looking back on the grisly scene, Majolica held out her hand. Electricity arced between her fingers then flashed out setting the area aflame. Controlling the winds, Majolica fanned the flame until it grew hot enough to incinerate the bear's remains. She focused to make sure that the blaze wouldn't reach the tree Clarence had been chained to. After a few moments, Majolica siphoned the air out of the area to kill off the flames. Only dark earth and ash were left of the bear's carcass, grass, and greenery. Walking back towards the still living tree, Majolica funneled a bit of electricity through her finger to singe "Clarence" into the still living bark. Dejected but satisfied with her work, Majolica left the area.
