Menrozzar pulled out the magic bow they'd taken off Melira and, sighting in on the drakes, prepares to fire an arrow at the first drake to come in.
Menrozzar pulls out another arrow and fires at the drake carrying Scrabbler.
Crossbow in hand Daseem tried to get a proper bead on the Drake, but it's approach was so close he had to throw himself on the deck to avoid it's claws. Shakily he got up and tried to fire off a shot, but it was hopeless he was shaking too much and the bolt vanished into the water.
As the winged menaces drew closer, Bukis draws out a crossbow bolt. He waits until the creatures got into range, and then fires.
The beast swoops in and bites him; he turns and fires again.
As the beast's jaws closed, Scrabbler jumped and tucked, skipping off it's nose like a pebble and tumbling haphazardly down it's length of its back. His hands flashed out, claws scraping on scales for purchase.
Ivan takes a moment to steady his shield in front of him and draw his crossbow. As they close in more, he fires a shot.
As they swoop down and strike out against the others before flying off, Ivan grumbles about the cowardly creatures.
Then shouts before firing off another shot.
Oi! That it! Ye filth to scared to fight folk on tha ground? Bah! Ye don't deserve ta' even be considered in the same family as dragons!
Shooting with ranged weapons isn't the groups pinnacle skill. Only Bupkis and Ivan manage to get one shot in each. Scrabbler goes for a ridiculous stunt again, avoiding getting bitten, but in exchange is now riding a flying drake, drowing blood from him.
The biggest drake tries to get rid of that unwanted passenger, which sends Scrabbler flying into the water.
Bupkis runs over to the other side of the forecastle, and flings another crossbow bolt at the drake who attacked him, yelling, "Go away! Drakes not wanted!"
Scrabbler sputtered, gasped, and quickly discovered that there were a lot more reasons to not like water than he'd originally thought.
Scrabbler makes funny little bubbles.
Bupkis deals serious damage to his personal Drake.
Cursing his poor marksmanship, Menrozzar decides to do something useful. He grabs a rope and throws it to Bupkis, shouting, "Grab hold!", then pulling him back aboard the boat.
Ivan moves to assist bupkis, having seen Daseem's prowess with a sword many times till now.
With the drake in front of him, Daseem felt his pulse quickening with excitement. A worthy adversary, his lord would be pleased. His crossbow clattered to the floor, forgotten, as he snatched up his Greatsword. Gleefully Daseem cried, "GORUM BE PRAISED!" as he swung it around in a great arc that intersected with the Drake. Was he sword sharp enough to bite though its tough leathery skin? With a savage grin, Daseem relished finding out!
[ooc]Swift action spend 1 fervor to cast Divine Favor.
This round Daseem is using the War Mind bonus for +1 Doge bonus to AC. This round his AC is 22 = 19 +2 (shield of faith) +1 (warmind dodge bonus)
Menrozzar reels in a big green catch. Ivan finishes off Bupkis' drake and Daseem cuts an ugly gash into the belly of the beast in front of him. But the drake still fights back. It hasn't realized that it's the prey here.
The large drake on the other side has no interest in losing more blood and dives into the stable instead, grabbing the biggest horse. All on board can onl ywatch in disbelief and the drake slowly but steadily flies away with the large odd-toed ungulate.
Bupkis saw the big drake grab the horse and start to fly away. He doesn't like horses, but he knows they're crucial for pulling the boat upstream. "Hey! Bring back horse!", he shouts, sending a projectile hurtling towards the flying lizard.
Scrabbler splashed and flailed trying to grab the rope.
Leave 'em be. It likely won't be botherin' us again, not with that meal and the damage we caused to it. The more important matter will be getting our other little green friend back on board.
Ivan then moves to get a better look at the situation.
"Ivan, the captain might need that horse! I've got Scrabbler, deal with that!"
Menrozzar continues to reel Scrabbler in.
Bupkis adds another blow to the big drake, but so far it clings to the horse relentlessly.
With a stupid grin on his face as he danced aside from the Drake's maw, Daseem though 'Now this is glorious! With the drake overextended from it's attempted bite, Daseem lifted his blade up high and let it fall like an axe upon it's neck!
Daseem cuts the drake in two with a triumphant blow. The dead body falls into the water.
While Ivan decides to help Menrozzar and Scrabbler, the big drake flies away with the horse. Slowly, really slowly. As the drake who is only slightly larger than the horse carries heavily on that burden.
Raag shouts at the crew "You lame ducks! Our horse got stolen! Row on to the shore, we have to get it back!"
Ivan turns wagging his finger at Raag
I don't even think so, we took this ship fer safe passage, and quick passage. We ain't got the time ta' be gallavantin' all over the country side tryin' ta' chase down a durn poacher. Whats so durn special about the horse anyway?
"It's na special. If ye want and can replace the horse when pulling the ship upriver - you know, to that place YOU want to go - then we can do without. Until then, you hurry to get that horse back, while it still has flesh on the bones." Raag hollers back.
"The nest of those darn drakes has to be somewhere here. We've met them again and again."
Bupis takes a parting shot at the horse thief.
He says to his friends, "Raag needs horse to pull boat! We go after Drake!"
It was all going so well, mano-a-mano with an exotic and dangerous opponent. He could hear the strains of that angelic band, the beat in time with the pumping of his heart. Cutting and thrusting and dodging blows and then the stupid drake had to ruin things by dying. Disgusted, Daseem kicked it overboard before sitting down for a proper sulk. Glorious battle was supposed to be without end, didn't it know that?!
Part of his mind heard Raag yammering on about some horse. Suddenly he realized the biggest drake was still out there. A feral grin stole back upon his face, it wasn't over!
The drake takes a heavy hit from Bupkis, before it disappears behind the trees. It comes out behind of them a minute or so later, to disappear in a barely hidden cave in a hillside a quarter mile down the river.
Raag steers the boat close to that point to the shore and has Halrex anchor it. "Go after the drake and get the horse back. He tells to his passengers." Looks like it's more an adventuring trip than a cruise.
Bupkis jumps from the boat to the shore.
He waits for his team-mates before heading towards the cave.
The team gets everything they need if they hadn't had it already on their body. Then they follow Bubkis lead through the light forest to the entrance of the drake cave. The pungent odor of fish entrails permeates the air near the open cave mouth. The area 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.
The cave is divided into two chambers. If the drake absconded with the warhorse, the creature whinnies nervously in the outer cavern. A trail of blood leads in and deeper into the cave. It is not from the horse.
Ivan's grumbling is ceaseless as they hike on their errand. After seeing the drake land close by, he had no real reason to deny Raag's request. Didn't mean he had to like it.
At least we can be done with it in a hurry. Ivan places himself about 10ft in front of the others as they move forward. Shield at the ready.
As they prepare to hunt down the Drake, Daseem takes a moment to treat the bite he'd received from the smaller one. Gorum willing he would need to be in top condition to deal with the larger Drake.
As they trek up to the cave, Daseem's thoughts are consumed by the idea of glorious combat with this exotic foe. His main concern was whether it would be able to last the course, and Ivan's comments earned him a dark look.
Daseem put one finger to his lips, pointed to his ear and then the cave. Carefully he drew his sword so as not to scrape it on the scabbard, and waited for everyone to be ready.
The horse cowers in the corner, its ears pointing backwards. In its fear it would probably attack anyone who approaches it. The clawmarks of the drake a clearly visible in its flanks.
The drake hides around the corner. Badly wounded it sits ready to bite anyone approaching.
Bupkis creeps forward, trying to stay away from the horse, which he thinks might kick him.
The horse has definitely noticed Bupkis but makes no move to leave its corner. In this part of the cave bupkis finds nothing else of interest.
Ivan Holds his hand up to stop the others for a moment before attempting to channel the Hammers energy and grow into the largest dwarf they had ever seen.
Daseem attempts to activate his armor! In theory all he had to do was think and it would empower him, but he had a choice to make. Did he want to be dark and menacing, or was the light more his style? Decisions decisions... He glanced sideways at his companions, darkness would be pretty cool but there was
a certain romanticism about a knight in shining armor.
Ivan moves forward hammer already swinging at the drake.
The drake desperately tries to hinder the giant dwarf from approaching him, and even manages to bite and grab Ivan. But all is in vain, as the drake is ended by a hard blow with the hammer.
Scrabbler was already upset that his new clownsing clothes were soaking wet, but the fact that he was now being asked to rescue a horse had him downright cranky. What kind of self-respecting goblin rescued a horse?
He trudged along and the back of the group like a petulant child, kicking rocks and scowling, looking for anything to be distracted by. When Ivan went after the big drake, Scrabbler followed. It was over too soon.
"I rided that one," he grumbled as Ivan killed it. "I flewed."
Ivan picks up the gemstone and loose coin.
Ah well, I suppose tweren't a total waste. Mayhaps we can use this to get some O' us off rowin' duty as well. What bein' the horse heros. Daseem, can ye hand me that wand for a second? He flicks 2 PPs and 8gold pieces to the others.
Ivan then gives the wand a flick, at least looking to close the fresh wounds.
Bupkis looks at the loot; there are shiny things there! He asks the others, "Someone calms horse? Bupkis can heal, but no want to get kicked!"
Bupkis heals Ivan's wounds.
Before leaving the ship, Menrozzar made sure to grab some feed for the horse to use to help him calm it down when they found it.
While the others went to focus on the heavily wounded drake, Menrozzar approached the panicked and wounded horse. "Shhh...it's okay. You'll be alright. It's okay." He holds out some food in his hand, an offering for the horse.
Menrozzar manages to calm the horse. It doesn't eat, but it stops to panic.
Disappointed. Seriously disappointed, he hadn't even got close before the Drake had the discourtesy to die! What was the world coming to? Clearly opponents of a greater stature were required...
After pacing around for a bit searching for a hidden for, something, anything! He noticed the others uncovering a discarded buckler and other odds and ends. Back at the temple, Daseem had been taught a charm for revealing magic, which he dutifully cast.
With a blank look he dismissed the findings as, "Some magic h-hoodoo."