Herral casts a healing spell into his hand then dashes up to touch the flopping monk's leg.
Herral runs up to Adrac and musters up Desna's healing grace, sealing up the massive, bleeding wound at his throat, and restoring him to consciousness.
Davi is up.
Davi drops her crossbow. She's not a good enough shot to feel comfortable attacking with Adrac in the creature's grasp.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Davi pulls out her rapier and charges the creature.
Davi charges bravely at the dragon with her rapier, but ends up barreling past it.
Anthony is up
Anthony swiftly circles the dragon and practically screams the elven, "Losto Eleari!" He looses his spell in a way that only effects the dragon and hopes it fully takes it down. Dragons are known to be immune to sleep effects and fairly resistant to magic. He was pretty sure his spell didn't count as a sleep effect though, and he wasn't sure how evolved a dragon this one was. With enough luck, it wouldn't matter.
The snake-dragon stares Anthony in the face as an explosion of clashing colors erupts around his face. It grins, its jaws still firmly around its prey.
Soroza is up.
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Soroza was becoming quickly afraid for Adrac's life, doubly so because she wasn't sure she could do anything to save it. She had a few wilderness skills here and there, but she had no clue how to get this creature off of Adrac.
So Soroza did what she usually does when at a loss. She did something crazy. Something that probably wouldn't work. Something that was possibly very, very stupid.
She approached closer to the creature, dropping her bow as she went. Once thoroughly within the creature's line of sight, she adopted a vulnerable posture, as if she were perhaps wounded.
Then she started making noises. She drew on her moderate wilderness experience to replicate anything approaching the sound of a wounded creature she could. If she were not deeply afraid her friend was about to die, she'd likely die herself from embarrassment.
With the taste of Adrac's blood in its mouth, the creature doesn't seem too easily distracted by the prospect of new prey.
Adrac is up.
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Adrac loses enough blood to fall out of consciousness for a bit. But thankfully, he regains his fortitude with Herral's aid, though the combined efforts of the others fails to get the beast to let go of him. In spite of every instinct telling him to struggle free, Adrac remained calm, if a bit limp, as he pressed his hands together. Wheezing, he managed to speak as he did so. "Boreus... Breath of the Red Mountain... I need your help again, old friend."
As if on command, Adrac's hands suddenly sparked alight, actually setting on fire as he looked up and glared the creature straight in its eye. "If you can comprehend me, know this: I have come too far to fall to the likes of you. I have faced real dragons and lived to tell the tale. And my granddaughter is waiting for me. So I strongly advise you LET GO OF ME! HIYAH!"
Adrac brought his burning fist down onto the face of the great beast. If the prospect of a seared snout didn't make it let go, nothing would.
The dragon shrieks in agony as Adrac's searing fist slams into its jaw. It spits the old monk out and hisses.
Round 3
Herral is up.
The halfling steps back from the fiery fist and snake as the grapple ends. His bolt slices in towards the scales.
Herral steps back and takes aim, but misses when he overcompensates to account for his allies' close proximity.
Davi is up.
Davi slashes at the Dragon but it twists away from her strike.
Davi misses. :(
Anthony is up
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Herral steps back and takes aim, but misses when he overcompensates to account for his allies' close proximity.
Davi is up.
Anthony takes note of the dragon practically sneering at him. Or maybe that was his imagination. He growls back at it, "Jaseve jaka vur si geou ti jaseve wux persvek inloilic!"
He draws his rapier and imbues it with power as if preparing to strike with it. Instead, he stuffs his left hand in his pouch and retrieves another bag of colored sands unleashing it on the beast and speaking the words of power.
The dragon's eyes widen. It smiles, snorting with laughter, emitting plumes of green vapor from its nostrils as it does so.
Soroza is up.
Soroza approaches the scaly beast, drawing her short sword as she does so. Cautious of the creature's strength, she adopts a defensive stance and takes a careful thrust with her blade, testing the monster's defenses.
The wyrm shoves Soroza's thrust aside with its tail as if she were an irritating gnat.
Adrac is up.
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"Stop playin' with him an' burn the buggar!"
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Adrac stumbles back after being let go, taking a knee and clutching his side as he coughed, a few specks of blood being spat as he regained his breath and focus. "Damnable thing..." he cursed, before sucking in more air. More than ever, Adrac could feel his age catching up to him and now was not the best time for that. Much as he detested the idea of putting the others in danger, he knew he was too tired for more antics like that. Simply calling on the Four Winds had already pushed his body to its limit. He'd simply have to advise the rest as best as he could, and trust they were just as tough as he was in his prime.
It was time to pass the torch on.
"Listen to me!" Adrac shouted with a slight pant. "Dragons have very few weakpoints! Strike for the snout, the shoulder joints, and underneath the jaw! That is where the scales are thinnest! Their scales file back towards their tails, so when you swing, try to strike against the grain - your weapons will catch easier!"
Adrac grit his teeth as he slumped a little, supporting himself with his free hand. "...now go!"
The dragon circles around Soroza, hissing as it gauges her movements for a moment before lunging at her!
But Soroza was ready for it to attack her, and she swiftly side-steps away from it.
Round 4
Herral is up.
Herral loads and fires again, aiming for the throat as the beast lifts its maw to strike.
The bolt passes by the flailing party towards that snakewyrm "Tis time fur us'll ter win this."
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Davi aims her strike for one of the dragon's weak points.
Herral's shot flies straight and true into the creature's neck, just as Adrac predicted, where the scales were thinner. Davi neatly hooks the tip of her rapier into the wyrm's scales, then rips it inwards and sideways to tear a ragged gash.
Anthony is up.
Anthony spears his blade into the dragon as he steps toward it, following up with his horns.
Anthony thrusts his blade into the dragon, but it is repelled by the creature's thick, scaly hide.
Soroza is up.
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The moment Adrac points out the vulnerable areas on the beast, Soroza acts without hesitation on the Monk's advice. Placing her free hand at the base of her short sword's pommel, she makes a desperate thrust at the creature's much softer throat.
Soroza spears her shortsword through the dragon's throat. It writhes and hisses, but the blood loss is considerable. It falls to the ground, unconscious, and dying.
Combat Ends
Herral collects the eldermoss in a pot and places it on Elsie, he tries to keep as much as he can inside for the plaguecure.
"Tis all's well that ends well. Adrac, you still wounded much or ready to climb up an' find us some dragon's treasure. Got a nest or summat I reckon." He rubs his hands together and looks up.
"Quick shufti an' we can be off aftur the next ingredient."
"Ok. I got this. I'm gonna make it happen." Davi takes a minute to climb out of her armor. Anything to make getting up that tree easier. Because she's going to do it! She's better than that tree. That tree's got nothing on her. This stupid forest has been a pain in her rear all day long and it's about time that she took it down a notch. She bounces a couple times, psyching herself up, before she takes a running leap at the tree.
+ = 16
She makes it up! Once she's a couple branches up she looks around.
"If it's stashed anything here I can't see it"
Herral looks up into the branches and points out where the scratch marks are headed.
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With Herral's help Davi locates the beast's tracks. She follows them further up the tree...and winds up face to face with an unfortunate victim.
"EEEEEEEEAHHHHHHH!!!!" Her high pitched scream is a cross between a tea kettle and a horror play victim. Davi gasps for air.
"It's ok! Sorry! There's dead guys up here. Really gross, really dead people. But uh, there's stuff so that's...good? " Davi starts tossing items down. The ring is the one item she mulls over. "Flaming hawk symbol. Anybody recognize it?"
Soroza smirks at Davi's grim discovery.
"Davi, what did I tell you about consorting with strange corpses in trees?"
As the changeling drops the various bits and bobs to the ground, Soroza's tone goes from snarky to bemused as she answers her own teasing question: "That it's quite profitable, apparently."
She saunters over to the fine shortbow now laying at the bottom of the tree.
"If there are no objections, I can likely make use of this. Herral, would you mind if I stowed my old bow on Elsie?", she gestures to the weapon she left lying on the ground during the battle.
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Adrac clutches at his side, but generally seems alive, if a roughed up. Standing up, he watches the others clambering into the tree and tossing down objects they've found. He had to refrain from a smirk... he recalled the first time he and James had found such a trove. It was also the first time they'd run into Lorefel...
Turning more serious, he mustered himself to his feet, still holding his side and wincing slightly. Walking over, he looked up at Davi, before looking at the others. "...I owe you all a regrettable apology." Adrac shook his head, inhaling a bit.
"I... have not been treating you all fairly. I was- I still am- so stricken with fear for my granddaughter that I let it cloud my judgement. I was so blind with resolution on the task that I failed to remember my limits... and in turn, underestimated yours. I am not nearly as spry as I once was, and I did not wish to put you in danger, experienced as you all may be." The old man shook his head, strands of gray and burgundy hairs swishing about, before looking down at the dead dragon. "I cannot force the youth back into me... I simply have to help direct yours. You're more than capable of handling yourselves... with some guidance."
Herral loads it all on Elsie except the money, which he pockets.
"Elsie cun carry a fair bundle so let's deal with this bits an' bats after we gotten the ... Cure. Adrac, you keep doin' what you do best. Tis a rare day to meet a witch, dontcha think?"
Davi pockets the ring. "I remember now. The signet's from the Samkil family. You know any of them Anthony? They're Falcon's Hollow people."
Climbing down does not go well for Davi. A branch breaks under her and she has an unfortunate meeting with the ground. She doesn't bother to get up right away.
"I swear nature is out to get me"
Anthony glares at the corpse of the serpent, as if daring it to come back to life. He is interrupted and drawn from his reverie when Davi addresses him directly. He shakes his head in response, "No I haven't paid too much attention to them. Can't say I know much ability them, save for the fact that they're old money in the Hollow."
He takes a look at the pile of rummaged gear and picks up a crossbow. "Too bad there aren't any spare bolts."
Soroza pats Adrac gently on the shoulder.
"We'd be hard pressed to find a better sword and shield than your guidance. I'm fairly certain that beast would have had bits of me strewn across the forest if you hadn't coordinated us so effectively."
She straps the new bow to her back, stretches, cracks her neck, and shakes off the remaining tension of combat.
"Let's get moving. We've got a plague to cure."
The heroes leave the Forest Elder and continue onwards through the forest. Nothing noteworthy happens, other than passing a tree covered in large ants. Soon the sun sets, and it becomes too dark to see anything further.
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Once the sun starts setting Davi moves herself to the front of the group. Her eyes glow in the setting light like some sort of animal. When it's fully dark she pulls Flower to a halt.
"Making camp is a good idea. We're tired, we're bruised and pushing on through the creepy forest so we can get to the witch's hut in the middle of the night sounds like the plot of a bad horror story."
She looks in the gloom for a likely campsite.