Nuveril stands her ground, holding her weapons up high between herself and the bird. "Did you come back looking for your egg?" she taunts. "We ate it for breakfast! And we will be happy to pluck your dead body and roast you for dinner. Come down here and fight me!"
Arjun throws another frost bomb, aiming to avoid the mercenaries.
Attack vs AC 5 on a square behind the vulture.
5 cold damage. Reflex DC15 for half.
Sajan steps closer (5 foot step me please DM) and hurls two shurikens at the bird, neither harming it...
Nuveril stands her ground, holding her weapons up high between herself and the bird. "Did you come back looking for your egg?" she taunts. "We ate it for breakfast! And we will be happy to pluck your dead body and roast you for dinner. Come down here and fight me!"
Sajan's manages to sink one of his shurikens into the bird's body but it does not penetrate. The other follows the crossbow bolt.
Unhampered by the cloud Arjun flings another bomb in the general direction of the bird. It jukes again but still gets showered with icicles. pass
Linah runs in to examine the fallen Yesper. The female mercenaries face is ashen but she is alive and your burst of healing seems to have stabilised her bleeding.
Unable to reach the vulture, Nuveril taunts it while keeping her moves defensive. Whether or not her words had any affect, the bird seems plenty interested in continuing to attack her.
Grall will move until he can see the beast about 15 feet away, drawing his 2nd javelin as he moves then hurling it.
Looks like I only needed to take a 5' step to H18....Grall yells at the crossbowmen, Do we have a net in the group equipment, if so go get it now!!!! remembering his days from fighting in the arena how effective a net can be against a large flying creature...
Grall is hampered by the swirling debris and his javelin arcs wide.
The vulture hovers in place, continuing the cloud. It cries in anger and frustration, neck snapping out repeatedly in an attempt to skewer Nuveril.
miss
The halfling's defensive stance saves her from a painful wound.
Two of the crossbowmen still cannot get a clear shot but Brotis runs up behind the vulture shooting his heavy crossbow and landing a hit.
hit
Perhaps taken up in the battle most of the mercenaries ignore Grall's question. Utarchus, standing a few paces away, yells out, No net. Just bows. The bloody pact guards could have helped but they were more concerned getting the lady out of the way.
Khalid's bolt again hits the bird, leaving a blackened section on its wing.
The vulture is getting more and more frustrated. It looks at its nest and cries out again, the sound clamouring around the courtyard.
Chicken or Egg?, Round 3
Ordered Initiative
Sajan 22
Arjun 20
Linah 20
Nuveril 15
Grall 15
Bird 12
Mercenaries 9
Khalid 8
Effects
- N/A
Notes
- Bird has ten feet reach.
-Cloud is providing concealment from 15-20' (20% miss) and total concealment over 25' (50% concealment and cannot target with sight).
Arjun throws another frost bomb.
Miss
Nuveril continues to protect herself and taunt the bird. "You are a foolish parent to go away and leave your egg alone for so long. These harsh lands are no fit guardian. If it had not been us, the pugwampis would have eaten it. Land and face my hammer!"
Nuveril continues to protect herself and taunt the bird. "You are a foolish parent to go away and leave your egg alone for so long. These harsh lands are no fit guardian. If it had not been us, the pugwampis would have eaten it. Land and face my hammer!" 1d20+5
Round 3, initiative 20
Satisfied that the wounded mercenary is alive Linah reaches back to Arjun to grant the alchemist divine guidance for his next throw. Then she sticks her scimitar in the ground and produces her crossbow which she starts to load.
Round 3 Action
Grall will draw his bow and shoot an arrow.
Sajan throws another handful of shurikens but his aim is badly off as is Arjun's, his bomb exploding harmlessly in the air over Brotis's head. The mercenary ducks down at the noise.
Linah places her minor blessing on Arjun.
Nuveril continues to taunt the bird, suddenly realising what it is.
Out of javelins Grall switches to his bow and scores another minor hit.
The many small wounds to the vulture are starting to add up. Bloodied feathers litter the ground. Having had enough of being blocked from its nest it acts, soaring over Nuveril and Utarchus and pancaking down on to the ground with a thump. Its eyes rove over its nest obviously looking for the missing eggs. When it fails to find anything it screechs again of rage and loss and snaps out at the adjacent Grall in a frenzy but even with bow in hand he evades easily.
miss
The crossbowmen finally have shots and move to take them although both go wide. Brotis loads his heavy crossbow.
miss
miss
Khalid manages a hit but is forced back by snapping beak before he plunge tempest in fully.
Chicken or Egg?, Round 4
Ordered Initiative
Sajan 22
Arjun 20
Linah 20
Nuveril 15
Grall 15
Bird 12
Mercenaries 9
Khalid 8
Effects
- Mothers rage (vulture has a +1 morale bonus to hit and damage)
Notes
- Bird has ten feet reach.
Sajan charges the bird, eager to meet it in melee.
Acro to avoid AOO if it has combat reflexes.
Crit threat
Fire damage on elemental fist.
Crit confirm
Round 4, initiative 20
Linah shields herself with her crossbow as the vulture lands next to her. Dropping the crossbow she then grabs her scimitar and thrusts it against the creature.
:
Sajan pounds the vulture with a series of powerful blows, his fists seemingly on fire. The beast recoils from the fire, now severely wounded.
Round 4 Action
Grall 5' steps north to G18 in Flank with Nuveril draws his falchion and attacks:
Growling in her throat at the bird's cowardice in not landing directly in front of her, Nuveril steps around the mercenary and swings her hammer.
Firebomb
Attack
Damage
Miss
Between Arjun's firebomb and Nuveri's hammer you send the vulture unmoving to the ground, though Grall catches a splash of flame.
There is silence for a few seconds before several of the mercenaries share a sigh of relief. Brotis on the other hand spits on the ground, And again the bloody place was s'posed to be bloody cleared....
A few moments later Garavel and Father Zanthus dash up to the courtyard (well not quite a dash in the Father's case) and the Father attends to Yesper's wounds, feeding her a healing extract that gets her back on her feet.
It seems the Lady Almah was looking at the friezes in the courtyard when the vulture came down out of the open sky. The pact guards and Garavel hurried her away while the mercenaries engaged the creature. Several of the former seem unhappy that they needed you to defeat the vulture while others seem simply happy to be alive.
You’ve succumbed to demon fever, a nasty disease caused from an infection from the schir demon’s spit coated onto the blade of its halberd. Its currently manifesting as a burning sensation under your skin in the wounded area. Onset time is a day when you will make another fort save.
Sorry about Khalid’s repeated poisoning/diseasing. There is a reason you started with a stock of lesser restoration potions…..
Sajan continues to tend the garden in the evening, helping to carry the vulture to wherever its corpse is being taken.
Grall takes a marginal hit. He is at 22 out of 33 hit points. He will heal up 2 points over night so could use 9 more points if someone has any left over healing.
Grall looks over at Botis, considers gutting the man where he stands for implying they haven't done their job, but looks at the other folk there to see their reactions.
Grall asks for Sajan's help moving the beast to the an area where he can skin in, gut it, and prepare the meet for cooking and curing.
We will have quite a feast tomorrrow on some of this plus I can make a weeks worrrth of jerrrky frrrom this beast. It might take a little time. Nuverrril, would you like to help claim some of the beasts meat since you helped slew it?
As the vulture collapses to the ground, Nuveril looks for a moment as if she is about to proclaim herself Nuveril Birdslayer, then remembers that her enemy was only a vulture looking for its eggs and dismisses the boast as unseemly. When Grall offers her some of the meat, she nods in approval. "There is no better meat than that which one has freshly slain oneself. It has a flavor unseekable in beasts slaughtered by another." She turns to Sajan with a sly smile. "If you enjoyed that egg, you could go out hunting for more. These birds keep several nests and visit between them. In one sense, they are wise not to place all their hope of survival in one place; in another, they are fools to leave their progeny unguarded. There are doubtless other eggs hidden around this place within the bird's range of flight."
She will also put 2 more notches on her hammer for the 2 other gnolls she slayed today.
Arjun combs over the carcass, looking for anything useful or informational.
Knowledge (arcana)
Knowledge (nature)
Perception
Linah stands over the downed beast with her scimitar in hand. After a few moments have passed she sheaths her sword in a fluid gesture, convinced that the creature has been defeated.
The young cleric then turns to the wounded mercenarys and kneels down beside Yesper's side once more. She touches the womans forehead as she recites prayers to the Dawnflower.
As the mercenary returns to consciousness Linah spreads her arms wide and radiates a warmth that washes over those nearby.
Linah slowly opens her eyes and rises to her feet with a content smile on her face. She curtseys and then retires to the shrine to meditate for the rest of the evening.
"You should know that it is never a bother, Khalid. I will see what i can do", Linah anwsers in a clam tone.
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In terms of combat there isn't much to know. Its big and strong with a tough body. Like any animal it isn't too keen on fire but in its current agitated state you think you would need to hit it with a lot to make it flee.
Grall gives the chef's about a 100lbs of meat from the bird for a great feast for tonight. I am sure everyone could use it. The rest he preps it for salting to create jerky out of...takes a 10 so he doesn't poison anyone.
Linah's healing is much appreciated by all. Thank you priestess. I thought I was going to see Pharasma's face for certain, says Yesper as she gingerly prods her former wounds.
Following a check of Khalid's and Sajan's injuries Linah prepares and administers a foul smelling mixture of garlic, herbs and even a pinch of powdered silver as an aid in fighting off the disease.
Group enthusiasm for giant vulture meat is more mixed. The normally stoic Garavel looks decidedly green at the thought and excuses himself quickly as Grall takes to the bloody (and time consuming) task of plucking and skinning the bird. Elia washes the dried blood from her hair before joining him saying, I think I'll stick with goat!
The half-Badawi Trevvis on the other hand is all smiles helping Grall with the butchering. Vulture meat, great delicacy! he says with a grin.
As the afternoon proceeds and the heat of the day recedes you set to your various activities. Following a short briefing, Almah and Garavel are extremely pleased at your continuing success against the gnolls and particularly your defeat of the guardian demon.
Father Zanthus provides you with an update on the condition of Oxvard, the man you rescued, but it seems little improved. It seems likely that the fiend he spoke of during his ramblings was the very one you defeated. Perhaps the other things he spoke of were true as well? muses the old alchemist.
He has mentioned several times this group 'the lions' and in particular a man named Felliped. Perhaps he is still a prisoner of the gnolls?
During the afternoon, Elia approaches you at a point where you are by yourself.
Khalid. I hoped you could spare me a moment. She touches your arm, You look a bit pale. Are you OK? Then she shakes her head, You have more important things to do than answer my silly questions. There is something I wanted to warn you about. Dashki is talking to the other mercenaries about the gnoll. You can probably guess what he is saying, warning everyone that its only a matter of time until he turns and betrays us all to the Kuldis. Brotis is listening and Utarchus too. He's a good man but his family was killed during a gnoll raid near Solku and ... well. So far it doesn't seem to have gone past talk but you know how these things go. You may want to warn your friend not to go anywhere alone.
Anyway I just thought you should know.
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"Please, do not worry about my condition. The demon's blade was a bit more potent than I originally had thought, Linah is helping me get through that though. I would like to thank you for your words of warning about Dashki and the others. Grall has been nothing, if not loyal and potent ally to our cause thus far...I would hate to lose him. I will certainly pass along your warning."
Follow his conversation with Elia, Khalid seeks out Grall...
The inquisitor approaches Grall...
"Grall, my friend, if I may have a few moments of your time..."
Khalid places a firm, friendly hand on the gnoll's shoulder...
"Thank you for hearing me out, my friend."
Evening falls and dinner is roast goat or vulture (according to taste), black bread and coffee.
Despite the afternoon's aerial incursion, the mood around the campfire is good, noone was killed in the battle and the general feeling is that you are making real progress against the Kuldis.
After dinner, the herder and head cook Hadrod asks you to relay your battle with the demon and in turn spins some tales supposedly the creation of a beautiful and wise woman held captive by an evil sultan and forced to tell him stories every night or lose her life. The man is clearly a gifted story teller, changing his voice to play the various roles of sultans, genies and fools.
Lady Almah however seems a bit disconcerted. She eats little and retires early, waving Garavel's concern away and leaving her servants to enjoy the tale telling.
You retire for the evening.
You undertake your morning prayers as normal but a ripple of shock rips through the joy of communion with your Goddess. You are offered prayers of the 2nd circle of the Mysteries, something which can take some priests decades to achieve! Many never attain that level. While the greater level of powers offered by the new prayers will help immensely you might perhaps wonder at the difficulty of the challenges ahead…
Your study of the alchemical manuscripts bear fruit as you learn new formula and methods to enhance the potency of your bombs! You sense that there is still much more for you to learn from the papers though.
Father Zanthus is very pleased by your success. I am very proud of you my boy! Won't be long until you surpass the skills of this old dabbler. Be careful though, I can't help wondering where that demon came from.... Someone or something must have bound it to its service.
You stand again at the mountain of your dreams, hitting it with your fists. It looks higher and stronger than ever, although the top seems covered in some dark cloud lit with flashes of fire. You can barely make it out.
Pound. Pound. Stone chips fall from the points of impact but the mountain does not move.
You look down and see that the white tiger lies at your feet. It stretches lazily, watching your endeavours.
Pound.
Pound.
Pound. Your getting nowhere.
You use your strength but not your spirit, says the Tiger. Your ki is a trickle when it could be a river. Must be a river if you are to survive what is to come. And if you fall then so will your companions and the Fire will consume all.
It gets to its feet and you realise just how big it, its head is nearly at your chest.
I am Tiger. Over the millennia I have taught 33 Sajan Krama Sumna's the mystic way. I taught your grandfather and his grandfather. I will teach you if you wish it. I will teach you to align your spirit and your ki. Body and spirit as one.
There is another that will come. He too will offer to teach you, but he follows a different Code than mine. You will need to decide whether to take up his offer as you now need to decide whether to take up mine.
What do you say Sajan?
You sleep soundly, belly full of vulture meat.
But still some strange noise, smell or feeling triggers your warning instincts and you jolt awake, right hand reaching reflexively for your trusty hammer.
Before you can take action though a black shape in front of you resolves into a familiar form, the juvenile blink dog from a few nights back. It seems to be carrying something in its mouth, the body of a large desert hare which it deposits beside your bedroll with a doggy grin.
You dream again of Haleen.
She appears as a giant, seemingly a hundred foot tall while you scurry at her feet, reaching no higher than her foot.
She seems to be blind, arms out-stretched she lurches from side to side, nearly crushing you under a giant sandal.
Grall! Grall! I can't see! Tell me where to step! Help me. I tried to help you. I tried to change things. But now I can't see. I'm so afraid!
She stumbles and falls. You wake moments before the impact.
And wake with the dawn's light, some more refreshed than others.
Nuveril is freakishly cheerful in the morning. She wanders into the hallway outside the kitchen where the pugwampis were executed with a large dead rabbit in her arms. "The ancestors are watching over us," she tells curious onlookers. "We will eat fresh meat again today."
Grall seems in a bad mood in the morning but will not share anything about why. He grunts something about needing to go on another raid or something.
Fort vs Halberd
Nuveril is freakishly cheerful in the morning. She wanders into the hallway outside the kitchen where the pugwampis were executed with a large dead rabbit in her arms. "The ancestors are watching over us," she tells curious onlookers. "We will eat fresh meat again today."
At breakfast, a concerned looking Hadrod approaches Linah and Khalid. Cry pardon your emminences but there's something I thought you should know about. Something seems to have scared the animals real bad during the night. They're still not quite settled down. My poor Rombard has been in such a state. None of 'em are hurt and all are accounted for but gods save me I worry about what could 'ave frightened them so.
"Is anyone in need of a haircut?"
Linah seems to be in a calm and peaceful mood the next day as she checks on the health of Khalid, Sajan and the mercenaries wounded in yesterday's combat.
At breakfast, a concerned looking Hadrod approaches Linah and Khalid. Cry pardon your emminences but there's something I thought you should know about. Something seems to have scared the animals real bad during the night. They're still not quite settled down. My poor Rombard has been in such a state. None of 'em are hurt and all are accounted for but gods save me I worry about what could 'ave frightened them so.
"Thank you for bringing it to our attention. We will investigate what can have caused such anxiety among the livestock", Linah says in a serene tone void of woes. "We should ask Grall and Nuveril to help look for tracks nearby", she says to Khalid.
You retire for the evening.
** spoiler omitted **
Teach me as you taught my ancestors, Great Tiger. Sajan says solemnly, bowing his head to show subservience to the divine beast.