It was a good idea but its been over a week since anything has been posted. Unless post rate can get back to once a day I say let it go.
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Rebnesk figured the guards would have followed him a lot further but it seems they only checked the surrounding area before giving up. This gave him time to circle back in case they needed him. He pulls from his pack a strange looking vial and tosses it in the air. Littlewing swoops down and grabs it before flying full speed at and above the target.
The little halfling-disguised kobold watches confusedly as the guards approach but only one thought crosses his mind. They know something. It was too much of a coincidence that picked him and Shokal. They knew something but he was certain they didn't know everything and he certainly wasn't going to give them more. Before they can draw their weapons or even finish the sentence, he acts. He grabs an arrow and tosses it directly in front of himself. It shatters on impact with a large puff of smoke big enough to obscure his small form. He then sprints for the thickest part of the crowd, using his small size to great advantage.
As the target is leaving, Rebnesk ushers his companions back into the wagon and slips away to a secluded spot.
Once there he uses his Hat of Disguise and Sleeves of Many Garments to change his appearance into that of a Halfling and follows the target at a distance, waiting for the others to act first. He also changes the feather in his necklace to that of Littlewing's and has the bird fly to a high perch ahead of the target's location. He intermittently peers through the hawk's eyes every now and then to get an overall picture of the terrain and enemies.
Rebnesk doesn't say anything as the people crowd around and he keeps his hat goggles on to prevent showing any distinguishing features. He does show off his companions though and finds they are surprisingly receptive to the adoration. Even Bloodwing is far less moody. He had to admit it gave him no small amount of joy to see others appreciate his flighty companions, even if these people were the enemy. He could momentarily overlook that little fact.
I thought Urgosh was watching the target while Gidgey used message.
Well, our party is separated but I think Urgrosh gets the idea. A lot of votes against attacking now but things are open after that. And since Urgosh seems to be the unofficial leader, (or official, I am not sure since I haven't read to much of the previous posts) Rebnesk will follow his lead whatever happens. This seems to be one of those moments where someone needs to make a judgment call and everyone else needs to be ready to move. The pros and cons have been illuminated. Do we attack our wait?
I would suggest you kill one of the guards before they get back and have someone go in their place but it sounds like this place won't be that easy to infiltrate. A half-assed plan will only get us killed. Especially since we are in enemy territory. I vote we wait and gather more info like in the original plan. He as to leave again at some point.
This was too much of a surprise to take advantage of. Best to gather information for now. And we are dealing with a psion. They might be able to read our minds before we can attack. Maybe they will come back for another show. Then we can be better prepared.
Rebnesk grabs Adra's arm and, when he has her attention, shakes his head. Being a Kobold he knew quite a bit about ambushes. They could make up a large difference in strength if executed properly. But if they weren't prepared or well planned they had made up a lot less. The three of them had just joined the team and therefore had little practical experience in working together. An ambush like this would require a good bit of synergy. Best to gather what information they could and not make the enemy aware of their intentions. Another opportunity would present itself. Hopefully. If they attacked, he would do his part to help but he wouldn't commit to something that looked like suicide and foil any later attempts.
Rebnesk shakes his head violently at the talk of attacking now. "W-w-we attack now, they w-w-will all defend. N-n-no chance. Might be r-r-reading minds now. D-d-don't think about it."
With uncanny accuracy and speed an arrow appears next to Gidgey's head, imbedded into the wooden frame of the wagon. "Bloodwing not beast and I will not sacrifice my friend for the mission," he hisses angrily. There were far too many guards out there for this to be an effective plan. If Bloodwing tried to attack the people he had little doubt the bird would be dropped by a barrage of attacks from the guards of the noble families in the crowd.
That's a lot of people, Rebnesk thinks from inside the wagon. He gulps nervously. His confidence was lacking already and now it was threatening to shatter completely. The only thing keeping him together was the training he had received and that this was a mission for the Convocation. And not only that. His target sat in the crowd. This was no time to lose his nerve. Still when Adra introduced him he shuffled onto the stage slowly, sliding his feet in an exaggerated movement. The audience thought it funny. But once he started working with his companions the nervousness ebbed away. On the back of his friend Bloodwing it was almost completely gone as with almost all thoughts of the mission. It was just the two of them flying high, where no one could reach them. When they landed and completed the show he bowed and lead them back into the wagon to rest. Once settled he continued to watch the crowd and their target. He considered sending Littlewing to follow but thought that an unwise move. Now they knew what the bird looked like and would be far to conspicuous.
I didn't see a range limit or line of sight/effect limitation so yes.
To you. Deliver Trick with some extra fluff. You should be familiar with my companion and it you.
Rebnesk takes notice of a man in the crowd that bears a striking resemblance to the one they are after. He also sees that Shokal has noticed him as well and they share a nod. Between shows he writes up a small note and attaches it to Littlewing. He then signals the bird to deliver the message to Gidgey. Gidgey: Rebnesk's companion Littlewing lands on a tree branch or rooftop near the goblin sorcerer and chirps in his direction. When he has the goblin's attention he pulls at the string holding the note and it drops to the ground. The bird then takes off and heads back to the wagon. The note reads Relative of target in audience. Please tail. Can't leave show.
Rebnesk looks nervously at the crowd gathered round the wagon. His fidgeting almost caused him to loose his hat and reveal his true identity. But he was on a mission and that came first. That meant maintaining his cover. Unfortunately, with so many people around it was going to be impossible to scout today. So instead he sifted through the many odds and ends in the wagon to come up with a show and worked with Adra for she would have to speak for him. After setting everything up he walks onto the stage with Littlewing, which is quite the feat since the bird is almost as big as him. He looks like a human child dressed in riding leathers and a helmet with goggles. It is an odd outfit that doesn't make since until later in the show. The first bit is a bit of falconry, showcasing the aerial agility of the little hawk. He sends it flying to pre-set stands in the crowd, flying after thrown targets and circling the crowd. After the falconry he moves on to what turns into a lion taming/riding event. He has Bloodwing come out and pretend to be vicious predator that only he can control. The fear on the faces of the humans is enough to remove a lot of his nervousness. After "taming" the bird he hops on and goes for a flight around the square showing off his riding skills and his companions aerial skills. The whole time he never says anything, communicating with his companions through clicks and whistles or through the Leash.
With a meeting place and plan of action in place, things seem to finally be going well. For his part Rebnesk decided to do outside surveillance. He first picks up some food for the two birds and heads back to the wagon. While sitting in the cage with Bloodwing he sends Littlewing out to the two buildings they were supposed to do recon on. Using his empathetic link and the Beast Tongue Leash he has his aerial companion fly around both buildings, watching guard rotation and looking out for the target while also keeping a low profile.
After that he meets with Adra and Shokal to determine what they should do for the show. His idea for his part is to of course do a falconry exhibition with a little archer on the side. Part of his argument is that Bloodwing needs to stretch his wings and seeing as a lot of probably know about the bird by now, squawking at everything that came near the wagon has not been helping, they will be expecting him to come out. Then after all that, back to the meeting place to share information and hand over the investigation.
Renting a warehouse would be a suspicious move anyway. Why would people from a troupe of showmen need a warehouse? Don't they sleep in inns or near the cart? And leaving the cart might be a suspicious too. And the fact that it was getting late and they didn't seem to be preparing for a show. If they were going to stay for too long they needed to at least put on airs that they were who they said they were. It was unfortunate that they ran into that Goblin earlier. He seemed like he might be one to notice such things and remember them. All this and more passed through the Kobold's mind but with out his companion's support all he said was "S-s-suspicious." He hoped that one word conveyed what he meant though.
As an answer to Urgosh, Rebnesk looks up just as Littlewing flies over to land on the roof of a nearby building. Rebnesk silently follows the others, still as twitchy as always while Littlewing flies above.
did we have a secondary meeting point, because the first one seems like a bust.
Group 2:
Group 2: "D-d-don't want to w-w-waste," he says indicating the talisman around his neck. He would rather keep the daily teleport for emergencies. So instead he stealth's off to the parking spot for the wagon to release his small feathered friend and visit the larger one. If this is not possible because of guards or too many prying eyes he will have to use the magic item. Littlewing takes flight immediately and follow's him back at a high altitude then finds a high spot near the warehouse to get a better look at what is going on. Rebnesk's eyes glaze over as he looks through the hawk's eyes, using the Talisman to strengthen the connection and direct the bird's vision.
Erbody still there? I know Urgrosh probably isn't. Is that why we are going slow?
Group 2: Rebnesk finds a place to hide immediately, calling the others to follow.
"This the m-m-meeting place?" he asks nervously as he palms the necklace, wondering if he should call his companion or use it to get away.
Group 2:
Group 2:
Group 2:
Group 2: Rebnesk peers intently out of the wagon at the goblin, an unhappy look on his face. "Why does the small one ride upon Goliath? They do not look happy," he says without stuttering for once. He also hands over the full 300 without much thought.
Rebnesk almost baulks at the idea of putting his companion in chains but the way he has been acting makes it almost palatable. Once given the Beast Tongue Leash and puts a feather of Bloodwing's inside he understands the problem. The great bird can only communicate in ideas and single words but he understands plainly. They had never been cooped up this long. Two weeks grounded and training has caused both of his friends a great deal of stress. He is ashamed that he never noticed. So when the first group sets off he mounts and takes the two birds around the camp and several miles away from Aeon for some scenic flying and hunting. The long day of flying and bonding tires out all three but they return in much better spirits and significantly more relaxed. Bloodwing actually beds in the wagon that night and sleeps through most of the next day as they ride towards Aeon. From inside the wagon Rebnesk takes in the sight of the enormous human city. He had never seen humans up close before. He mostly scouted or attacked from range. While caught up in the grandeur he almost forgets to put on his Hat of Disguise and Sleeves of Many Garments. He picks out one of the smaller humans and changes his look to something close and adopts similar clothing. When the goblin approaches on the litter carried by enslaved goliath he tenses a little. He didn't like seeing the gentle giantkin tied up like that. They suffered enough at the hands of real giants. Bloodwing picks up on his companions agitation and squawks loudly.
Rebnesk readily agrees to Adra's offer. It certainly sounds like a good way to get the birds in the city. Unfortunately the task is easier said then down. At first Bloodwing will have nothing to do with the wagon. It looks too small and the beasts pulling it too stupid. They look more like food to the giant bird of prey and the work animals sense the predatory danger. They get skittish and turn the whole thing into a comical event of Kobold chasing, bird chasing, horses. Eventually he gets an idea and adds some hey to the back of the wagon, letting Bloodwing make nest out of it. Eventually he settles in, with Rebnesk in the back to watch over him, and they are ready to go. He has Littlewing ride on top and peers through the raptors eyes as they move along.
The weeks of intense mental training left Rebnesk with an intense headache. He never had a strong will to begin with and thus lagged behind the others in the training. And of his companions only Bloodwing faired well but after the first session he couldn't coax either back. They didn't understand that it was just training. So what little confidence he had, even upon his companion, was washed away with every failed mental defense. When Urgosh says they will have to disguise themselves and walk through the front gate he is a little more than skeptical at there chances of success. "Um..." he says indicating his very large bird companion. It is obvious he is wondering how they will get him in.
Should I make aliases for my companions as well or just post their actions in mine?
So there is three parts to this mission. Part 1 get into the city undetected. Part 2 finding out the location of our target and Part 3 is the removal of our target. Rebnesk raises his hand and holds it up until someone notices him. "Part 1 and t-t-two." He then makes a similar clicking from earlier but instead of the massive Roc, the smaller falcon flutters in. He makes some more clicks and flies out of the tent. He seems to go into a trance as his eyes cloud over. "Two drow, one minotaur, three dwarves. All within 10 feet of this tent. The minotaur is passing through, the drow converse though I cannot hear them, and the three dwarves stand guard." The bird flutters back in as Rebnesk comes out of the trance. "Can f-f-fly above. Invisible. Send Littlewing to s-s-scout. Find human. G-g-go from there?"
"Both?" Rebnesk says in response to the suggestions of invisibility and flight. "I scout. I w-w-wait. When outside. I g-g-grab? Can't see. Can't p-p-protect."
The second one isn't a Roc its just a Falcon. I guess a better way to put it is my effective druid level is 3 which is split between the Roc and the Falcon. The Roc got 2 levels and the Falcon 1. Then add boon companion to the roc to bring it to level 6. I don't see anything that says I can't but it is up to you.
"Air d-d-defenses?" Now that he is no longer on Bloodwing he has returned to his previously nervous self and his voice barely carries across the table?
I haven't seen anywhere where it states that combined level of animal companions or familiars has to be your level or lower. In fact Boon Companion states that "Special: You may select this feat more than once. The effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a different animal companion or familiar." which leads one to believe that combined level can, in fact, be higher than your character level but neither alone can be above yours. That being said I have 7 (6-3 (ranger) +4 (Boon)) levels but I can only spend a maximum of 6 on one companion. So I get the Roc at level 4 who is at level 1. At level 5 I gain another animal companion (Littlewing) at level 1 and take the feat boon and apply it to the Roc to make it level 5. Then at 6 I increase only the Roc to 6 and leave the other one at 1. The other one is mainly going to be for scouting and at level 12 I can bump him to level 4 because I no longer take the -3 hit to effective druid level. I want to keep the Roc at full power because it is going to be the main damage dealer for me. I am going to be nothing but support.
"T-t-to-t-t-t." Rebnesk can't seem to get around the stutter enough to say what he wants so he stops. He then makes some clicking sounds and the Roc he calls Bloodwing walks forward and bows its head next to him. He hops into the saddle and sudden change comes over him. He no longer fidgets or looks away when he talks to others. "I am here to represent the Miners clan and that of all Kobolds within the Convocation. I am the first of our clan in many years to be able to withstand the glare of the sun. It is for that reason that I was chosen to join the army and the fight against the oppressive humans." [insert monstrous bird sound from Bloodwing]
At Urgosh's sigh, the little Kobold panics, afraid he has already ruined his chances. "Wait," he says rushing to a pack on the enormous eagle. It is while he is jostling the packs that a much smaller bird pops up out of one of the bags. Though small is relative as it is almost as large as the Kobold. Instead of red feathers, this one has many though all are earthy tones. "Not now L-l-littlewing. Eat later." He pats the bird and continues searching until he finds a hat. He puts it on and instantly turns into a human child. He smiles back Urgosh, hoping this will suffice.
It is a poor likeness unfortunately.
Finally finished my character. At least I think. After so long I kinda forgot what I bought...and skills...and other stuff. But I think I got it now. I have two animal companions now. Bloodwing and Littlewing. Cool little thing about Boon companion. It boosts effective druid level of animal companion by 4 but ranger only reduces it by 3. That means I can use the extra level for another animal companion vie beastmaster while keeping the main companion at full. And when I hit 12 I can boost Littlewing to level 4. And in one level my companion will be far stronger than me. So I have relegated myself to support using Tangling Attack from skirmisher. Edit I also have a Hat of Disguise now. Only problem is I don't know common. Should make things interesting.
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