"Waiting will get us no further down the coast, unless you want to be traipsing through this jungle after dark. I'd really rather not do that, as it's an excellent way to break Soulwind's leg. I vote we turn back now."
Lorenz scratched his head. The heat must be getting to him, he was getting a little confused.
"I'm not very good at counting, but as far as I can tell it's three in favor of trying to continue and three in favor of returning to camp. How do we make the final decision? Draw straws? Ask the horse? Have a rope tug?"
He knelt down to scratch at his ankle. "I hate to return with only extra rope to show for our efforts. Without a seashell for Sasha and some sort of encouragement for Aerys, it's going to make for an uncomfortable night."
"Nothing but rope? What is that Makoa's carrying, then? Too, we have a much better idea of where on the island we are, and simply going out and returning safely will boost morale some." Aakif shrugs.
"I agree with Aakif. This must be ver flesh-like rope I'm carrying if that's all we're bringing back. I think everyone's gonna like Urza a bit more when they something other than rations for dinner."
"But what if there's a way down to the beach just over the next ridge?" Douena wheedles. "Just a little farther? It'll take us less time to get back than it took to walk here because we won't have to climb down to the shipwreck again. We can still make it back before dark."
"To hell with Aerys. Though I would be happy to return with a shell for Sasha, today she will have to settle for snake meat and rope. We can go out tomorrow and explore some more."
As you are trying to decide whether to turn back or not, you hear the sound of flapping, and two more of the creatures fly over top of you towards the cliff edge. They join the others there and then shortly afterwards, all of them fly down below the top of the cliff. You can still hear occasional squawks indicating they haven't gone far down the cliffside.
Lorenz watched the creatures fly down. "I wonder what they're doing down there?" He looked out into the distance with a thoughtful expression on his face. Then he shook his head and turned back to the group.
"I wasn't counting the snake because I'm not sure some of the others have gone hungry long enough to appreciate snake meat. I'm admittedly curious to see what snake tastes like but it's not like it's the sort of delicacy that's making me forget that I'm shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere." He grimaced slightly at the remains Makoa were carrying.
"So, we're at a tie. Are you three really going to deny Douena her chance at a seashell? Look at how disappointed she is!"
Mahjik has a mischievous grin on his face, it isn't immediately obvious (especially to Douena) but the fly that is bothering her ear for the last few minutes is really a long piece of grass that Mahjik tickles her ear with. "Wise man suggests to not do tomorrow what can be done today. That said, I'm also curious what these flying reptiles are doing. There's a possibility that we'll lose out on whatever has caught their attention."
"If it's a nest they went to.. Sasha might like an egg to hatch better than a shell, she could even train it to help her hunt.." Makoa says as he glances toward the last place the dimorphodons were visible.
"If it's a nest they went to.. Sasha might like an egg to hatch better than a shell, she could even train it to help her hunt.." Makoa says as he glances toward the last place the dimorphodons were visible.
Lorenz frowned. "Whatever gave you that idea? Surely Sasha wouldn't be interested in one of those creatures. They're rather ugly what with those leathery wings and the teeth. She strikes me more as a woman that would want something colorful and pretty, like a bird with, I don't know, feathers?"
Glad that Mahjik was still in favor of pressing on, Lorenz said, "I've never known any wise men but father always said, 'There's no sense putting off 'til tomorrow what you can get done today.' Not that I ever followed that rule, but that's beside the point."
"It doesn't have to be 'pretty and colorful' for someone to like, no matter who they are. Something to keep her company while she hunts may be a welcome addition by the time it hatches."
"If you want to see what is going on, I'll stay close behind so if they see you, they won't see me. They might see the javelin though..."
"I can go peek over the edge of the cliff," Douena offers. "I can be pretty sneaky when I want to be."
Douena scurries out of the jungle and to the edge of the cliff. Looking over, she sees, about 20 feet down, a large outcropping of rock. The dimorphodons have built a nest on the outcropping. There are five dimorphodons altogether.
Three of them look straight up at her as she looks down. They squawk angrily, baring teeth. They don't look happy that you've approached their nest. They spread their wings, ready to leap into the air.
Order: Lorenz, Douena, Dimorphodons, Aakif, Makoa, Mahjik, Urza.
There will be a surprise round during which only Douena and the 3 dimorphodons that spotted her will be able to act.
Up First:
Douena's eyes open wide as she sees the creatures looking directly up at her. Turning her head back toward the other party members, she shouts, "Hide!"
Douena crawls away from the edge, keeping herself flat against the ground, and tries to get as much of the ground material over top of her as possible.
The 3 dimorphodons launch into the air, attempting to fly straight up to the top of the cliff.
Two of them manage it and fly straight up 30 feet (placing them 10 feet above the top of the cliff). The third one is forced to take a more leisurely climb, and heads northwards, rising gradually to 5 feet below the top of the cliff .
One of them sees her and squawks menacingly.
Up Next: Douena, Dimorphodons, Aakif, Makoa, Mahjik, Urza.
with corrected positions of the dimorphodons.
Moving carefully through the underbrush, Lorenz took a position behind a tree, readying his bow as he moved and unstrapping his shield when he got in to place.
Peering out of her hiding place, Douena doesn't yet see the creatures coming over the edge of the cliff, so she decides to take a chance and run for better cover a little further away.
Makoa draws a javelin and brings his arm back to throw it as soon as a dimorphdons is in range...
The two dimorphodons that flew straight up last time, curve to a gentler climb and move out over the cliff edge . The other one already flying continues its longer route, making it just above the cliff line .
The remaining two in the nest attempt to fly straight up.
They fly straight up 30 feet.
Up Next: Makoa, Mahjik, Urza.
Aakif scowls at Douena's call, but says nothing. Instead, he sheathes his falchion and quickly strings his horsebow, nocking an arrow to the string and taking aim at the nearest flying lizard.
"I wanted to go back to camp, but no she just had to go and aggravate the carnivorous birds." Urza complains. As if being stranded on an island, being attacked by crab-scorpion things, fighting off undead, and being hunted by giant snakes wasn't enough, now we have a flock of razor beaked seagulls mad at us. Urza casts Shield and moves next to Lorenz.
Aakif prepares his bow and Makoa readies to toss a javelin.
Up Next: Urza, Lorenz.
Mahjik rushes south passed Aakif towards into the clearing between the trees, issueing loud irate squawks mimicking the screeches the dimorphodons make. In spite of Mahjik's chicken dance, experienced warriors can tell that his stance and attention to the scaly birds is highly cautious, ready to dodge any attacks that may assail him.
Watching events unfold, Lorenz cursed under his breath. "Cayden's piss, even I can see her." With Mahjik acting like a fool, he hoped that dim-birds would rise to the bait. He held his arrow nocked and ready to shoot.
Aakif prepares his bow and Makoa readies to toss a javelin.
Up Next: Urza, Lorenz.
Mahjik's squawks are not very good imitations of the ones the dimorphodons make, but he does draw attention to himself nonetheless.
Urza then casts his spell and moves up to Lorenz.
Lorenz prepares to fire an arrow.
Up Next: Dimorphodons, Aakif, Makoa, Mahjik, Urza.
Glancing between the big birds that have obviously seen her and the rest of the party still so far away, Douena fingers her holy symbol. "Need to move a little faster, Desna," she murmurs. With an astonishing burst of speed, she breaks from her cover and runs, ending up in a another clump of trees near Mahjik.
Douena zips across the ground.
The dimorphodons see her and screech as she does so. One sets off after her, flying down beneath the branches of the trees and straight towards her . The other close one (at AR -90) instead flies for Mahjik, also lowering down to get beneath branches. As it does so, it passes through Lorenz's line of sight, and he lets loose his arrow. The arrow shoots through the air and nips the wing of the dimorphodon. It screeches in pain.
It continues on, passing next into sight and range of Makoa, who throws his javelin.
The javelin just misses its mark, and the beast flies on .
The dimorphodon that was taking the gentle way up the slope now turns and makes straight for Mahjik .
The remaining two shoot out in the general direction of Mahjik and Douena .
Next Up: Mahjik, Urza, Douena.
Aakif shoots an arrow at the bird-reptile-thing streaking towards Douena, but the fast-moving creature is too small a target. Muttering a curse in his native tongue, he drops the bow and moves forward to intercept the nearest creature, drawing his falchion once again.
Urza will move up to cast Color Spray (DC14) against as many dimorphodons as he can.
Concentration
After his arrow goes astray, Aakif moves up .
Next Up: Urza, Douena, Lorenz, Makoa, Dimorphodons, Aakif.
Mahjik moves to intercept the scaled bird that heads for Douena - lunging at it and striking mid-leap.
Unfortunately in his efforts to distract the creatures he wasn't able to make the attack connect.
After Mahjik unsuccessfully attacks a dimorphodon, Urza moves up and sends forth a cone of brilliant colours that spray out and up, surrounding two of the dimorphodons .
One of the two dimorphodons wheels and drops from the sky like a rock .
Up Next: Lorenz, Makoa, Dimorphodons, Aakif, Mahjik, Urza.
Displaying another preternatural burst of speed, Douena gives the flying creatures a wide berth and runs up between Lorenz and Makoa. . Breathless, she reaches out to touch Lorenz's elbow. "Desna's own luck be with you," she blesses him. "Now hit one of them!"
Lorenz gets the sudden feeling that luck is on his side.
Up Next: Makoa, Dimorphodons, Aakif, Mahjik, Urza, Douena.
Feeling the blessing of Douena's God flood through him, Lorenz lifts his bow and aims for one of the creatures still flying out of reach.
"Down!" He cried and fired.
Up Next: Dimorphodons, Aakif, Mahjik, Urza, Douena, Lorenz.
Makoa, knowing it would take longer to draw another javelin, slips a dart from his sleeve as he moves to help Urza and tosses it at one of the dimorphodons still flying.
Makoa's dart flies just beneath the dimorphodon.
The dimorphodon by Mahjik bites at him.
But it's a very clumsy attack. The beast then flies on, opening itself up to attack from Mahjik.
Meanwhile, the one in front of Aakif also bites at him.
It is just as clumsy as its friend. It then flies on, opening itself up to attack from Aakif.
The one that resisted Urza's spell swoops round towards him to bite him.
Its teeth sink deeply into Urza, injuring him quite significantly. It then flies on , but also opening itself to an attack in retaliation.
Finally, the remaining dimorphodon turns for Makoa, swooping down to bite.
It doesn't quite get through his defenses. It, too, continues to fly by .
Up Next: (if desired) from followed by remainder of dimorphodon movement.
Makoa leans forward to returns the bite...
Urza tries to snap his mace up to fend off the dimorphodons attack, but fails.
Lt Mace: AoO
Lt Mace: damage