Feeling in an adventurous mood, Thorn decided to inquire about the rumors of the beast reported yesterday.
As a graduate of the combat academy, he didn't like the thought of a beast lurking within its recesses. He asked around at the Drunken Dragon Inn and as far as they knew, it was still lurking somewhere.
Could he be up to the task? His wicked dagger seemed a bit dull and its aura seemed to be fading, so he returned to the top level to visit Zulphur and freshen up the weapon's magic in the chamber of enchantment, then down to the smithy for Stan to repair some nicks and sharpen it..
The exploration began. Thorn walked the halls of the complex, scanning for any sign of a beast. An animal trainer in the 3rd level, with a large bear on leash, swore her pet was most definitely not the rumoured beast. He was well trained and had never gotten loose. Thorn wasn't so sure whether to believe this, but he explored deeper and there at the bottom floor he noticed a small dark hole burrowed into the corner. Sniffing the air, he could make out the musky odour of a beast.
So Thorn steeled his resolve and unsheathed his weapon. Slipping quietly into the hole, he hoped to get a glimpse of whatever it was before he was spotted. And there is was, fully aware of him.
Thorn recognised it to be a leucrotta. An offspring of a crocotta (a wolf-dog mix) and a lion. Legends tell of their ability to hide, listening for family members calling each other by name, then mimic their voices to lure each to their doom.
Cornered in the hole, the beast snarled at Thorn viciously and they fought wildly. Thorn soon realized the poisonous bite was what made this creature such an effective hunter, but the manner of the poison made him wonder if someone dark and sinister had played a hand in his foe's origins.
The battle was close as Thorn neared death, the enchanted fire and heat emmanating from this dagger put an end to the foul thing.
Taking a moment to recover his wits, Thorn removed the poisonous fangs (more bone than tooth), and took them back to his laboratory for further studies.