[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/355533303459086346/1103436475510571048/47c3b019e6b116c74307b405c5d0384a.jpg?width=777&height=676[/img][hr][hr]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkhgoKzljpk]♫[/url][hr][hr][sub]Silas Rieger[@Tackytaff], Yuliya Ilyanovich Vasilieva [@Suicharte], Nazih Iqbal[@Ziegenkonig], Esmi’nesta’tawaar[@BlackRoseSiren], Yvain de Berbignon[@jasbraq], Penelope 'Penny' Pellegrin[@Force and Fury], Sven Bjørnsson[/sub][/center]

The people of Tagayungri never trusted Nikolai, despite his near decade living there.  He ate with them, worked with them, and at times even laughed with them. But his true heritage was never to be forgotten:  He was a foreigner forced upon them first and foremost, neighbour and comrade far behind. Not that it stopped the villagers from taking advantage of his freely-offered talent in the gift whenever a child fell ill, or their crop began showing signs of blight.  It had been Nikolai’s magic that had saved the first harvest after an unexpected frost, and it was his efforts again that ensured each of the evacuees made it to the safe harbor of the mountains. 

The last man out, despite being in good health, stumbled and twisted his ankle in his mad dash to safety.  Nikolai lent the man his shoulder as they hurried towards the shelter of the mountains, his gift rushing through the wound with each further step until he was nearly able to bear his own weight and they’d reached safety. The tremors of the oncoming Begemot could still be perceived even in the mountains. Now and then, loose pebbles would fall tumble from the high walls;  reminders of their precarious situation. Uneasy whispers echoed off back, slowly escalating to panic, forcing Nikolai to abruptly gather the group’s attention with a sharp clap.

[colour=3BFFB7]“Friends! Remain quiet and calm. The visitors and I will ensure the threat is removed-”[/colour]  Any further remarks were cut short by another thundering shockwave that sent Nikolai staggering to the nearest wall for support.  There was no longer time to waste.  He pushed past the grasping hands and the questioning voices until he was overlooking the steppe once more.

The Constansian students might well not have existed.  The full view of the Begemot lay before Nikolai; her front rearing upwards to the darkening sky, trunk and horns reaching high enough to pierce the low fogging clouds of the upper steppe.  Legs wider than any tree Nikolai had ever seen kicked in the air as she drew in an enormous breath; large enough he was able to feel it from his distant position.

[colour=3BFFB7]“Get DOWN!”[/colour] He barely had time to shout to the few that had followed him so far, as the monster let out a bellowing trumpet-scream in frustration.  The aftershocks, sent the dead grass of the steppe rolling outwards from te Begemot in every direction.

Nikolai was prepared, and as those around him cowered, he braced to absorb the full impact of the force and sound as it reached them. With practised efficiency the Vissoaryian mage harnessed the tremendous kinetic energy, and reversing the force, shot himself through the air towards the monster and helpless students.

The earth at his landing spot was all but destroyed; ankles sinking deep in the mud the moment he landed. Half of the young foreigners had been knocked on their backs, and the familiar probing of healing magic hummed for targets as they recovered themselves.

The Begemot’s display of frustration had only sunk her deeper into the ground, but her strength proved the greater force as she slogged forward; at least now, she was only walking. A few of the students scrambled to pull on her momentum. Stubbornly though, she pressed forward with impossibly long strides that pulled on the ground under her, threatening to turn the mess of earth into a sinkhole. So that is where Nikolai sent his energy; doing his best to convert the mud to stone. The Begemot was too strong; shattering what little rock he managed to produce between her movements. Suddenly though, she stopped entirely. The sheer impossibility of it had Nikolai searching to find the source. He saw the largest of the students mounted atop one of Dastan’s horses, turned away from the direction he was meant to be going and hand outstretched towards the Begemot.  A brief tableaux, before the begemot’s student stop piled the earth around the boy enough to engulf him completely in mud. 

Whatever the young man had done was enough to halt the beast, and that was enough opportunity for Nikolai.  He scrambled through the mud from his position to reach the Begemot - still but very much alive. Her tusks, trunk, and most of her front torso sunken further still into the ground. He stopped as close as he dared to tread near her, and reached down to spread his magic throughout the muck in another attempt to encase the Begemot in stone. 

[colour=3BFFB7]“Get your friend out!”[/colour] He shouted to the closest body; the blonde boy, dressed in fine clothes ruined well beyond repair, and gestured to the area he’d seen Sven buried as best he could with his hands in the ground.  

He looked around to the rest of the group wildly.  Already he could sense the slowed heartbeat of the monster quickening again.  [colour=3BFFB7]“You need to decide what to do. Now.”[/colour] He demanded of the biros.

[hr]


They’d been riding less than five minutes before something went wrong.  Ilvir didn’t know what the first happening was, but one of the two that were meant to follow him had turned to stay behind- or if they were really [i]that[/i] stupid, to face the Begemot head on.  She would crush him, but giving him more warning would only put the others at risk again.  Not that Ilvir had a language to communicate he would understand.  The dark tall one had taken the second horse, another partner that was useless as deaf.  Ilvir did his best to signal Nazih to follow at a good distance using his hands, but the older boy failed to understand, or didn’t care enough to listen.  

Another low thundering sound broke across the steppe.  Quieter than the trumpeting of the mature begemot’s rage they’d heard from behind seconds ago. The second was fainter, almost an echo; emitted from ahead, the direction they were galloping towards at full speed.  

[colour=3469B8]“Ucha!”[/colour] He shouted backwards, just in time to see the stupid long-foot [i]ruining[/i] their hastily crafted lure.  Half a carcass shining with ruce-seed oil broke off disappearing in the steppe grasses behind them.

[hider=Action Opportunities] 
Deadline for next post is [b]Friday May 12, 12PM EST. [/b]


Your post should include:


What you did to prepare for the Begemot fight
Your reaction to the Begemot arrival, was your character one of the ones knocked down?
How you initially tried to slow/stop the Begemot
What you intend to do during these precious few seconds it is incapacitated

If you require reactions from an NPC, or intend to do something directly to the Begemot please DM or ping me on the discord, I’m always available to help.[/hider]