Animal Herd

Animal Herd is a scripted random encounter that the player character may come across while travelling throughout the wilderness of Arkham.

Script
''A shadowy tangle, which resemble a crowded herd, loom on the horizon of twilight. Until now, you weren’t aware of the existence of any animals in Arkham except diseased crows and corpse eating dogs.''


 * 1) Observe the herd and its behaviour. (Survival)
 * 2) Hide until the herd is gone (Stealth)
 * 3) Approach the herd
 * 4) Change your path and distance yourself from the herd

Option 1 (Observe...)
''As the herd draws near, the first thing you notice is that it’s not consisting of the same type of animals. While they all look herbivorous and move cumbersomely, you realize from the silhouettes that you’re facing a mixed group of sheep, calf, horse, and other livestock. Then immediately afterwards, you savvy that their deportment and movements are highly extraordinary and not at all in the characteristics of such animals. It’s as if they’re being animated by another force like a group of toys.''


 * Gain 5 Experience (Survival)


 * 1) Immediately turn towards an alternative route
 * 2) * You urgently change your course and trot away from this undefinable threat. Owing to your high sense of direction, you reach an open stretch to continue your journey without losing additional time.
 * 3) Approach the herd
 * 4) * See "Option 3" below

Option 2 (Hide...)
''You hide in the nearby ruins to avoid the course of this indistinct herd. The positioning of the corner which you deemed safe, and behind which you chose to hide, hinders a complete sighting of the animals. The first thing that warns you of their presence is the rising of an unbearable carrion stench, but it’s the shrill sound that followed which ultimately freezes your blood. It’s a sound between the moaning of a suffering animal and of something else. It’s the sound of something you don’t know and would never wish to know about. The accurst herd wanders away.''


 * Gain 5 Experience (Stealth)
 * Lose 5 Sanity

Option 3 (Approach...)
''You approach the herd with a heightened curiosity, but the things you see makes you wish that you never took the decision. Yes, this is a herd of livestock indeed, but a herd that consists of tottering and putrefying farm animals. Amongst them a skeletal horse whose innards are spelling out, breaks off with its strong teeth a part from the head of the crippled and dead lamb in front of him at one fell swoop. Then they both continue their damned journey, as though nothing happened. Having no interest in you, the herd plods away, just like how this forsaken place does so from reality, step by step...''


 * Lose 5 Sanity

Option 4 (Change...)
''You urgently divert your course and stray away from this ambiguous threat. The time you lost on this alternate route has costed you valuable provisions.''


 * Hunger Increased