Sunny stands from where she's been offering Welt 'Scritches'.
"Well... rilly. We want ta' be havin' they's peoples some where's safe, like." Sunny opines.
"An, rilly, if'n we's can be gettin' 'em some wheres like that then tha' critters in'a forest whut be takin' a interest in us be havin' ta' come t' where ever we's at." The tanned Elf scratches absently at her blond mop.
"Whut we be needin' is a good, quick scout arounde fer some where either a little ways onwards,"[b] She waves a tanned arm in the direction people have been walking "Or some where's a tad ways back."[/b] And she indicates the way people have been trekking.
"Though movin' on t'would seem tha' bestest way ta' go." She leans over the edge from which Burian has just been rescued from with a slight frown and no seeming care for heights. "An' some where's a tad closer ta' ground t'boot..." She adds quietly then suddenly turning to Master Bryson.
"Here! Ye can be puttin' yer pinions ta' right gooder use!" She explains gleefully. "Ye can take a quick flappin' yonder an' be comin' back tellin' us if'n there be some where closer ta' be putin' peoples. Some where we," And she indicates her close freinds "Can be puttin' on'a right welcome surprise fer whut ever t'is thinks it can be puttin' a moxie on our travels." She grins brightly. (^_^)
The situation is maddening.
No matter what traps you set, it evades them. You can feel it out there, watching you. The minutes turn to hours as you remain at high alert. The castaways know something is wrong now, their voices subdued, their sleep disrupted.
The constant stress starts to make people fatigued, and that is the only reason you can thing of as the party is taken by surprise by the flock of birds that turned out not to be birds at all.
With a terrifying shriek, they are suddenly among you and several of you take damage as they hit you with savage power!
Sunny takes bludgeoning.
Marius takes bludgeoning.
Ghirrak takes bludgeoning.
Burian takes bludgeoning.
Bryson takes bludgeoning.
You all feel stony paws grasping you, pulling you up off the ground into the air and away from the cliff. (You are about 10 feet off the ground at this moment. Bryson might be higher if he's flying.)
You are just aware that there are other large, stony, savage creatures in among your passengers and crew, screaming and fighting. And even in the midst of your own fight, you are aware that several of your people have been carried off seaward, towards a large haystack rock of an island a mile or so out to sea.
Round 1_____________________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Reflexively, Bryson responds to the creature's savagery with his own savagery. Whatever's holding him gets attacked.
Bite: gtr magic fang
Claw: gtr magic fang
Claw: gtr magic fang
Sunny does her best to slip free of the sudden grappeling.
Failing that she tries her best to keep her wits and be vigilant about what's going on with her freinds and crew.
She also tries to work out exaclty what it is that's got a hold of her tanned self.
Does the creatures' attacks count as magical?
All you can tell from what's attacking you is that they are a grey blur, a rock hard skin, horribly strong and some kind of winged flight.
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Marius had his own means of slipping free, as his body simply exploded into a small, whirling column of air which buffeted his assailant before descending towards the ground.
As his feet leave the ground, Burian winces with pain as he looks at his attacker.
"Gargoyles! Hit 'em hard, or hit 'em with magic!"
After murmuring an arcane phrase and gesturing, his form becomes raw electricity which leaps out of the creature's grasp and through the gargoyle to the east.
"Whas' a garr gril?" Sunny cries having heard Burian's shouted advice.
"I is just a Elf! I in't able ta' be punchin' a bunch'a ROCKS!" She calls back even as she looks down at the waves below.
She simply spreads her arms and tries to enjoy the experiance of flying. Appreciating some small experience that Master Bryson can do.
Round 1 completed_____________________
Reflexively, Bryson responds to the creature's savagery with his own savagery. Whatever's holding him gets attacked.
His bite and a claw attack punch home, stony flakes spall away exposing bleeding wounds, but his last claw attack skittered off of it’s stony hide.
Sunny does her best to slip free of the sudden grappeling.
But she is unable to slip away.
Marius had his own means of slipping free, as his body simply exploded into a small, whirling column of air which buffeted his assailant before descending towards the ground.
Using change shape to assume the form of a small air elemental and using the whirlwind ability. It's too small to harm his assailant, but it certainly serves to let him get free.
As his feet leave the ground, Burian winces with pain as he looks at his attacker.
"Gargoyles! Hit 'em hard, or hit 'em with magic!"
After murmuring an arcane phrase and gesturing, his form becomes raw electricity which leaps out of the creature's grasp and through the gargoyle to the east.
(npc) Ghirrak punched his ride three times, hard. His fourth flurry skipped off the gargoyle’s stony hide.
Ghirrak’s gargoyle, hurt very badly, drops Ghirrak from 40 feet up and flaps to seaward.
Ghirrak will take fall damage, unless he can mitigate that somehow.
Burian’s gargoyle will give a cry of frustration, but also flies to seaward.
Bonden’s gargoyle is unfortunate enough to be brought down by a cluster of the castaways and beaten to death.
Another gargoyle tries to make off with another seaman, but a group lead by Lord Avner is able to drag it down and kill it.
Skald breaks out his bow and takes a shot at a fleeing gargoyle, but his arrow bounced off.
Another gargoyle is able to make off with a colonist.
Another gargoyle tried to make off with Parrotless Booker, but is brought down and killed by Hammerfist.
Bryson’s gargoyle tries to fly off with Bryson, kicking at him to subdue.
for a possible nonlethal damage.
for a possible nonlethal damage.
Sunny’s gargoyle also tries to fly off with her, kicking her to subdue.
for a possible nonlethal damage.
for a possible nonlethal damage.
Round 2_____________________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
The gargoyle's sudden release catches Ghirrak by surprise, so much so that he plummets to the ground, slamming down hard. Getting up, the stalwart captain closes his eyes for a moment, focusing on the flow of ki through his body, repairing most of the damage from the brutal impact.
Round 1 completed_____________________
Sunny’s gargoyle also tries to fly off with her, kicking her to subdue.
kick:1d20+7+2⇒(3)+7+2=12 for a possible 1d6+2⇒(5)+2=7 nonlethal damage.
kick:1d20+7+2⇒(10)+7+2=19 for a possible 1d6+2⇒(1)+2=3 nonlethal damage.
Sunny doesn't notice the antics of the critter carrying her.
While she is enjoying the veiw Suny does try to get a good look at were the stoney flapper is taking herself and some of her freinds.
"I can see ALL'A stuffs from up here!" (^_^)
Bryson keeps biting and clawing at the thing that has a grip on him.
Bite: gtr magic fang
Claw: gtr magic fang
Claw: gtr magic fang
Resuming his normal form, Marius lashed out at the gargoyle he'd escaped, intent on killing it or driving it off before it turned around and grabbed someone else.
Round 2 completed _____________________
The gargoyle's sudden release catches Ghirrak by surprise, so much so that he plummets to the ground, slamming down hard. Getting up, the stalwart captain closes his eyes for a moment, focusing on the flow of ki through his body, repairing most of the damage from the brutal impact.
Sunny’s gargoyle also tries to fly off with her, kicking her to subdue.
While she is enjoying the veiw Suny does try to get a good look at were the stoney flapper is taking herself and some of her freinds.
Sunny falls 90ft. to the ground taking crush damage, unless mitigated somehow. She can make a Fly check DC12 instead to guide her fall into the sea for half damage.
Bryson keeps biting and clawing at the thing that has a grip on him.
gargoyles are all about 40' up now?
Resuming his normal form, Marius lashed out at the gargoyle he'd escaped, intent on killing it or driving it off before it turned around and grabbed someone else.
You all watch helplessly as the gargoyles, some carrying fellow passengers and crew wing out to sea; now a couple hundred feet in the air and 500 feet downrange.
Bryson can fly.
How many and who were taken?
A quick head count reveals that ten of your fellow castaways have been taken.
This includes crewmen Amella Venkalie, 'Monkey' Jimbo, 'Gull Street' Annie, Professor Urol Forol, and six of the colonists.
As you watch the gargoyles fly away, you can definitely see them fly to the large haystack rock island off the coast about a mile and disappear at the relatively flat top of it.
Bryson is split between chasing after his friends and being happy at the thought of some of his burden of protecting the crew being lifted. He lands near Ghirrak. "What we gonna do?"
Round 2 completed _____________________
Sunny’s gargoyle also tries to fly off with her, kicking her to subdue.
While she is enjoying the veiw Suny does try to get a good look at were the stoney flapper is taking herself and some of her freinds.
Sunny falls 90ft. to the ground taking 9d6=25 crush damage, unless mitigated somehow. She can make a Fly check DC12 instead to guide her fall into the sea for half damage.
Sunny is amazed by all that she can see from the hights. Though with a 'Whoop' of surprise she finds herself falling.
Twisting and turning the lithe, nimble Elf flexes so that (A) She doesn't do the harder landing and (B) Gets to the ocean.
Since it's not her usual method of diving into the sea, Sunny's entry into the surf at the base of the cliff is not quite on point. And she simply floats for a moment gathering her thoughts and gently feeling her bruises.
"We need to find a safe place for most of the group, then mount an expedition to get our people back!" Ghirrak says stoically, watching the gargoyles flying off into the distance.
"I don't know that there are any good options," Marius said, "If we split the group, we risk not having enough people to get the job done, but if we don't, we risk losing people. Or ensure it."
Sunny floats to the surface and looks around at the rocks/shore.
Perchance noticing some place for people to be safe in/at... As well as some where to get backup to where her freinds are.
"Whatever is stalking us usually comes at night. We might could git them back and return a'fore then."
"Though the gargoyles are likely related, the beast which hunts us is still here. I'm sure of it... very likely watching us now."
Burian then pulls rope from his haversack as he heads to the cliff edge nearest where Sunny fell. Once spotting her, he hurls one end down to the shore.
I'm basing that on my Knowledge roll... As far as I know, gargoyles can't do what the "beast" did to me.
Being very close to the cliff as Sunny plunged towards certain death, she is very fortunate that the incoming surge crested high when she it the water, plunging deep.
You find yourself in the middle of the strait between the cliff and the haystack island. The water is marvelously clear, multicolored fish schools swarm about you, you see clams, octopus, starfish, crabs, sea urchins and anemone swaying or scuttling about the bottom. And through the water you see a small sea cave at the bottom of the haystack island. You swear you could see daylight inside, suggesting the island is hollow and open at the top.
And yes; Gargoyles can't do what your stalker has done to you.
They lack the intelligence and patience.
The rest of the passengers and crew, after dealing with injuries as best as they could without Annie to act as Cleric, swarm about the ships owners demanding they do something to get their kidnapped people back.
Sunny gets back to the top of the cliff again eventually. The time it takes allowing her tanned self to mostly dry off.
She thanks Burian brightly as she helps loop his rope back up, though listening to every one's talking amongst one another as she does so.
With things packed away she moves to stand with her freinds as people's talk continues. (^_^)
Bryson stands as tall and imposing as he can. "Ya know that'll leave you vulnerable right? You'll be like sheep to a wolf. But we can go, if ya'll insist." No matter what they say, he's going after Annie.
Sunny reaches out and gently taps one of the people gently on the shoulder.
"Here? Whut's a 'Sheep' bein' agin?" She asks quietly, frowning as she tries to remember what those words were.
"Is at like them apease bein' ta pods an' such?" She knows she's heard such sayings before, though she frowns trying to work out exactly what Master Bryson is meaning.
Marius wasn't entirely convinced by the idea that their enemy would wait for nightfall to strike, but they did need to take action.
"I doubt we have a large window to get our people back. It's a risk, but I think we have to make the attempt now. Get it done and get back quickly, while the others fort up as best they can."
Sunny grins at Marius' words and skips over to him with excitment.
"Aye! There wus light comin' out'a bottom of yon rock stack." She points her tanned arm at the tall islette off the coast to where some of her freinds have been carried.
"I see'd it when I were swimmin' in'a waters after me droppin'." She leans over and points to the waves bellow. "There were a cave an' there wus light shinin' out'a it kind'a like light out'a window. Like tha' whole stack be a pipe." She grins happily.
"I bet we's could all be swimmin' happily over yonder an' thems Rocky-goils wouldn't even be seein' us comin'." She looks about at her freinds brightly.
"Shouldn't take us all too long. We's can be over an' back with tha' foeks easy right quick." She tilts her head.
"Oooor..... " Her mouth working into a 'Mue' as some other thought takes shape beneath her blond mop.
"... We could be makin' right proper aquintance with yon rocky-goils. Sortin' out'a sharin' type space arraingment an' every one be gettin' all safe over on yon jut a land?" She wonders out loud.
(^_^)
"They don't strike me as the sharing types. But... If we could secure the stack as a safe redoubt, that might give us options. There are a lot of ifs though, and I think we'd be getting ahead of ourselves by talking about it now."
Having come down on the side of a rescue, Marius was now determined to get on with it.
Sunny nods, "Well.. I dun't know lots about them critters. They is more flyin' than swimmin', like." She thinks about the best way to get every one down the trail closer to the water's edge the better to being prepared for moving across to the spire.
Burian draws his wand and begins healing.
"Difficult decision.. but the choice is clear."
"I'm confident in my swimming ability."
Bryson is down a few hit points.
He can go any way the group chooses.
"Swimming seems the way to go," Marius nodded, "It at least gives us a chance of sneaking up on them."
Augmenting his own abilities with magic ought to make the crossing straightforward. Probable hungry predators aside, of course.