Yorikata's bolt finds it's mark but the slimy scales of the drake turn most of it away. "Get it off my boat" Ragg calls, staying on the rudder.
The Drake lands on the boat on the aft castle looking at Ragg who draws a Scmitar in one had muscling the rudder in the other. The Drake spits a goob at Gran't'
Dain shoots again at the boat drake
Gran't' gets stuck
Lanneth uses her Witchy powers to curse the River drake.
Balder Moves up the stairs pulling anout another spear.
Striking the Drake Balder deals it a deep wound
With no one to flank, there is no reason for Yorikata to go into melee. She shoots another bolt.
Gran't' frees himself and moves towards the drake
Gran't' moves towards the drake on a mound of rolling pebbles
Gran't's thrust fails to penetrate the Drakes scales, Yorikata's bolt does however strike the creature.
Lanneth pulls out her bow and shoots at the Drake flying away:
Dain keeps shooting
Yorikata reloads her crossbow, ready to shoot at what Balder and Grant leave standing of the drake.
Lanneth lines up well but the Drake is almost 200' out as it flies faster than anything she has ever seen before.
Balder screams "Go down curse you!"
And smashes at the drake again with his mace!
Balder finishes the drake off on the boat, the body slides into the river blood pooling around it.
I wonder if we can eat these things.
"We have to get my horse back. Reginald is the lead puller, I have seen a cave system just up the river a bit, I bet that is where the drakes have made their nest." Ragg says looking at the group.
The pungent odor of fish entrails permeates the air near an open cave mouth. The beach outside the cave is littered with the remains of several marine animals, including the bleached skeleton of an immense crocodile. The area is eerily quiet and devoid of wildlife.
"How many horses do you lose on an average trip up and down the river?" Yorikata asks.
As they walk away from the boat Yorikata tells Lanneth "With the bad luck Raag had on this trip so far with us he might as well write the horse off and dump us in the middle of nowhere."
"Maybe 1 depending on what happens, this one is a prized horse that I bought just for this journey." Ragg tells Yorikata.
Dain gets out his bow and is ready to fire if the drake shows it's snout.
As they are walking away Lanneth tells Yorikata.
I almost offered to summon him a mount for pulling, but he seems stuck on getting this one back.
She thinks for a moment then continues:
I agree it does seem like this trip has been star-crossed, but I've seen nothing to say it's not just chance....
However It does seem strange the critical horse out of all of them was the only one snatched. Maybe it makes sense to look at that horse when we recover it from the of the drake... If you find something on it that would attract a drake, that would tell us there are other forces at work.
"With how silent it is, we probably have to look for signs on the bones of the horse." Yorikata answers, taking a look into the entrance of the cave, with aimed crossbow.
The sound of a panic'd horse whining drifts out of the cave.
Lanneth Pulls out a torch and lights it.
I expect we will be needing this. Lead on.
Dain will follow behind Balder
Yorikata runs into the cave.
Slice the pie!
Gran't' does his best to keep up with Yori.
Balder will do the same. As you enter the cave system the smell of death and decay gets more over whelming to the point of you gag a bit and cover your faces to avoid the eye watering smell.
The sounds of chewing can be heard from further into the cave, Reginald stand alone in the cave 2 large gashes on his side form where the drake carried him.
The Horse is scared and anyone who approached may be attacked by the panic'd animal.
Dain makes some comforting horse signals
Balder hefts his mace. "Best calm that horse Dain." he says and keeps an eye open for the drake.
"Lanneth, can you send the horse to sleep?" Yorikata asks.
She gives the horse the evil eye to lower it's resistance.
Lanneth Hexes the horse to put it to sleep.
Slurping noises can he heard from further into cave, your voices echo down the chambers.
Dain manages to calm the horse even getting close enough to touch it, the remains of the rope that was holding it on the boat still hangs from the bridle on its head.
large stomping noises can he heard coming closer.
Dain tries to urge the horse to get out of the way by moving south.
Dain manages to coax the horse towards the group with some sweet words and a carrot that he still had from the boat.
"Balder, would you block the passage, that the drake can't do any more harm to the horse?" Yorikata asks. "We should send the drake to sleep too. What do you think?" she asks Lanneth.
Lanneth follows Balder staying a ways (10') behind trying to see the drake.
If she sees the drake she immediately casts a Misfortune Hex on the Drake.
"If the beast is coming to us, we should lay a trap." Gran't' says, positioning himself about 20 ft away from the direction the stomping is coming, and pebbles start to spin around him.
The Stomping rounds the corner, seeing everyone stealing it's next meal the Drake roars. Seeing Gran't' and Balder positioned as they are the Drake spits at....
Dain moves up and shoots at the drake
Dain lands a solid blow on the Drake, loosening some scales around the neck.
Yorikata gives the drake the evil eye.
Lanneth starts to laugh evil as she realizes what is about to occur and then Casts a slumber hex on the drake.
May the Night Fairies take you, greedy beast!
Balder runs right up to the drake intending to crush it's head with his mighty mace.
"Raaaah!!"
Lanneth's spell almost takes hold on the drake but it shakes it's head throwing the drowsiness off.
Balder runs in thinking that he will be attacking a creature that is sleeping, little does he know the Drake bites back at him as he does.