Time to rock’n’roll… Guern, with his dog Hamilka, successfully follow the trail of the monsters, which wends its way into the chalk hills for a long morning’s march. Once into grassy well-drained ground the trail becomes too hard for seafaring men to follow, but the hunter barely slows down. Eventually he draws to a halt, waving the Vikings to silence, and indicates ahead where there is a largish cave-mouth at the foot of a small cliff. Even from fifty yards away there is a perceptible smell.
Bjarni and his sword brothers prepare for battle. Ivar begins a Chant and all the missile troops stand by. (Rolf and Henrik could use bows, but there were none available before you left.) As the Chant takes effect, the Vikings approach. With startling suddenness, a horrible creature appears at the cavemouth, as tall as the largest bear Ulf has ever seen and appreciably bulkier. Its strange body could look almost owl-like in the dusk with the light behind it, especially if you had been drinking; and its beak certainly resembles that of an owl. Red-rimmed eyes peer myopically and angrily into the noonday light, and the air whistles through its nostril-holes as it catches the scent of man. A look of permanent bad temper on its face, it lumbers out from the cave-mouth.
Guern and Hamilka retire from the scene as the archers open up. Ulf is on target twice, Bjarni likewise nails it twice, Jorund’s thrown hammer glances harmlessly off the thick fur. The beast roars and charges.
Jorund hurls another hammer and fells the creature, but the sound of movement is heard from inside the cave and moments later three more owlbears charge out, running with alarming speed. It is doubtful that any of you could distance one if you had to flee. Bows are still ready and Ulf directs an arrow into the flank of the creature charging him, but Bjarni’s aim is off. Osvald, intending to pen in any remaining owlbears, produces a Flaming Sphere and starts it rolling slowly towards the cave-mouth. Then the owlbears charge home. One swipes at Ulf, clawing him twice and hugging for a total of 11 damage. Ulf immediately Berserks and enters the Aspect of the Bear - his poleaxe would be useless in a clinch even with both arms free. Another claws Bjarni, battering him despite his armour, but fails to lock on for a hug, inflicting a light wound (4). Jorund is gashed by a snapping beak for 7 damage.
There is a blur of activity too fast for the human eye to follow. Jorund’s hammers both strike home and his owlbear is grievously wounded but pecks him again (total 11 damage). Ulf’s claws raise gouges in the monster’s hide but he is pecked and hugged again (total 26 damage). Bjarni’s sword slashes at his owlbear, wounding it, and the monster’s retaliatory strikes bounce harmlessly off his coat of good mail. Seeing Ulf hard pressed, both casters opt to aid him, Osvald with a pair of Magic Missiles and Ivar with a Cure Moderate Wounds for 9 points (Ulf is now 17 down). Rolf stays by Ivar and feels brave enough to stab the preoccupied owlbear, which he does successfully. Ivar’s Chant is no longer in effect as he had to drop it to Cure.
Ulf claws again, unsuccessfully, and is pecked and hugged for another 14 damage (31 total). Bjarni is pecked for another 6 (10) and Jorund is clawed twice and pecked, though not hugged, for a mediocre 14 damage (25). He reacts by going berserk. Bjarni’s sword strikes down his monster with a mighty blow, Jorund’s hammers slay his, Ivar cures Ulf again (17, Ulf is now 14 down) and Rolf bravely finishes off Ulf’s owlbear for him shortly before he could do the job himself with his claws. Two more owlbears emerge from the cave-mouth and as Osvald has not been able to move the Flaming Sphere over yet, he fires off a Color Spray; one of the owlbears appears blinded.
Bjarni, as befits a hero of the Northlands, leads his berserkers in a charge on these new monsters. Since one of them is blinded, it is no trouble at all for the three fighters to gang up on the other - it is plenty big enough. However, it reacts swiftly and claws Ulf “Owlbear’s-Meat” Andersson for another 11 damage (25). Ulf retaliates with an even better claw-strike of his own and Jorund obliges with another of his double hammer-blows, smashing the creature’s heavy skull outright. Bjarni therefore concentrates on the blinded owlbear, and slashes a gaping wound with his sword; but he gets too close and one claw, swiping with bestial savagery, connects and drags him into the monster’s deadly embrace. He takes 13 damage and is now down 23. But Ivar is close at hand and cures his chieftain with a Cure Light Wounds that is amazingly effective (cures 11, Bjarni is now down 12) and Rolf, still sticking close to the priest he is guarding, thrusts his blade deep into the furry horror. Osvald has enough breathing space now to roll his Flaming Sphere over to the cave-mouth.
Leaping on the last owlbear, Ulf tears all the way into a major artery with his claws, and it is left choking its life out on the grassy hillside. There appear to be no more owlbears coming to join you at present. Both berserkers collapse in exhaustion as the Aesir-gifted rage leaves them.
