Perhaps the waters of the Breitwasser manages to clear his mind of the nauseating stench, but Leelan finally starts feeling better. With renewed energy, and with the help of Mr. Howie, Leelan tries one more time to escape the grip of the demonic avian creature.

Acrobatics (with adv. from Mr. Howie): 7

If he succeed, he’ll swim up and out of reach of the creature.

Grapple:  16

Mr. Howie grabs hold of Leelan and pulls with as much leverage as he can muster in the water.  Leelan tries to twist out of the demon's grip.  Its clear the monster doesn't have nearly as tight a hold as it once did... but them Mr. Howie's rope runs out of slack and the cluster-grapple slips away down the river, Leelan still in the Vrock's talons.

Raqisat is still up this round.

     Raqisat sees little choice but to stab at the monster and keep holding it from attacking the others.  The dagger seems to be doing little good but doing nothing would do less…

Dagger attack:  20 to hit for 8 damage  plus 1 sneak attack damage.

     Raq is more concerned with trying to drown the thing but if he has any movement he would try to drag it towards the boat.

In the thrashing, wet darkness of the river, it is hard for Raqisat to tell just how much, if any damage he is doing to this creature.  He attempts to paddle back toward the boat, but the current pulls then further away still... and the boat seems to be going in reverse upriver, to boot.  Things look less than ideal.

Then Grugga trains the bright light from the front of the boat upon you and your grapple-chain.  Its near blinding in the dark waters, but it provides illumination... just past you down river, you see the tumbled stones and broken pilings of the collapsed lower bridge.  If he wants, he can steer himself, the Vrock and Leelan toward those rocks and at least get out of the water.  Or he can let the current take them all through the rubble and further downstream, toward the sea.

Rohuzar climbs down to the main deck, wiping demon ichor off of his silver sword.  He paces, looking at his allies illuminated in Grugga's beam.  He will provide the help action for anyone on the lower deck, though he cannot assist with attacks on the distant Vrock.

Unable to secure Leelan's escape, a wet and disappointed Mr. Howie begins pulling himself back toward the Golden Empress via his safety line.

As Raqisat considers his options, the Vrock holds tight to Leelan in its talons while once again lashing out at Raqisat with its beak.  Attack: 16 Damage: 9

[Everyone is up!  The Raqisat, Leelan and the Vrock are approximately 55' off the front of the ship, in the water.  They are now well-illuminated in the light so there is no disadvantage for any attacks or actions due to the darkness (though any range-related penalties would still apply.]

     Illumination or not, Raqisat sees little benefit in releasing the Vrock and allowing it to fly around attacking everyone as it pleases.  At least in the water it is more or less nullified and doing no harm to anyone...  Except maybe Leelan.  Light or not, Raqisat is having an almost impossible time of seeing how Leelan is making out.  But what if...

     Stowing his dagger for a moment, Raqisat twists and turns his way until he can reach Leelan and then attacks him with a shove. If successful Raqisat will shove Leelan five feet away from himself, out of the grasp of the Vrock.

(My understanding is if a creature is move by an outside force it breaks the grapple?)

Shove vs Leelan:  (Raging so adv on Str checks) 19 or 22

(Not sure if Leelan can choose to fail the contested check but can definitely choose Str of Dex?)

     Raqisat has no bonus action he can take so he will just try to move the Vrock further away from Leelan and the boat...

Seeing the winged abomination and his companions being dragged out of reach for his telekinteic powers by the strong current of the Breitwasser, Aubrey desperately sends two golden beams of eldritch crackling force towards the stinking bird-like creature.

Eldritch Blast: 25 Force: 11
Eldritch Blast: 27 Force: 13

The Vrock struggles to hold onto its little prize, but Raqisat's barbarian rage is too much!  After what must have felt like hours wrapped up on the claws of the demon-bird, head held underwater against his will, Leelan pops free and bobs to the surface.  

[Each turn, between the current and the reversing of the boat, the gap between those in the water and the boat naturally grows by 30'.  And swim speed is half the walking speed.  So even if Leelan dashes back toward the boat, for example, the best he can do, without help, is to maintain the distance.]

Does Raqisat steer for the rocks and land?  Or slip past them down the river?

Aubrey's beams of golden force arc through the night sky and impact the demon.  

Raqisat, it could just be your imagination, but it feels like the monster is struggling a little less than before?  Perhaps the many blows are beginning to take their toll?

     Raqisat isn't much trying to steer his grappled monster anywhere other than away from the boot.  Land or down river?  Land will be evens, down river odds as he hasn't really given that much thought yet...  15

     Raqisat smiles as some of the magicks seem to catch against the Vrock... Perhaps there is hope yet, though he doesn't think he's the one doing the damage.

Fresh air! Finally, thanks to Raqisat’s help, Leelan is free from the Vrock’s grasp. Realizing that there was no chance for him to catch up with the boat, he swims all the way to the closest patch of land he can reach. Making sur that the Vrock is not in a position to grab him again.

Those on deck watching with the aid of Grugga's light, see the small form of Leelan break away from the grappled mass and swim toward the tumbled stone wreckage of the collapsed lower bridge.  

Leelan, you are able to swim to and climb up on a piled of tumbles stones that were once part of the road surface of the old lower bridge.  

At the same time, Raqisat and the Vrock seem to be sliding throught the gap in the debris and further downriver.

[Grugga and Cosette are still up this round.  Soon Raqisat and the Vrock will be out of sight, on the other side of the collapsed bridge.  There will be one more turn, after this current turn, where they can still be seen by all parties.  After that point the rest of the party will be out of initiative and it will just be between Raqisat and the Vrock as to how that shakes out between them.  ]

((Apologies, I thought I had gone this round already)).

Grugga is relieved to see Leelan escaping the fray. He yells out: "Leelan, stay low, we'll come for you!"

With the light on the riparian battle and one ally no longer in danger of friendly fire, Grugga feels comfortable gambling on ordering Zip to fire at the Vrock.

Action: continue to shine the light.

Bonus action: Order Zip to attack the Vrock.

Attack: 19 Damage: 5

Zip can fly 30 and has an attack range of 30

** Zip deals force damage

Not having done anything useful worth mentioning, and with Grugga taking over the light, Cosette just shoves a bolt in her crossbow and fires it.

Attack: 15 Damage: 9 

Rohuzar moves to help pull Mr. Howie back into the boat.

The Vrock, Leelan gone from its grasp, now turns its talons and beak against Raqisat as they struggle in the water.  

Beak Attack: 9 Damage: 13

Talons Attack: 12 Damage: 18

Everyone is up. Raqisat and the rock are 85' away from the front of the boat.  After this round they will pass out of sight, even with the spotlight.  The curve of the river and the wreckage of the bridge will block line of sight. For now, those of you with ranged abilities have one more chance to impact the outcome of Raqisat's struggle.

Leelan is 55' from the boat on a pile of rock in the river.  He is 30' from Raqisat and the Vrock.  He will have line of sight on them this turn, and next turn.

Leelan is in the worst mood you’ve ever seen him: he’s peeved. His cloths are drenched, he almost drowned, and he’s overall done with this day. 

He conjures another icy arrow to shoot at the Vrock holding Raqisat.

Attack: 14 Damage: 12

(*if hit the Vrock’s speed is reduced by 10 ft. Not that I think it’ll matter)

Grugga will continue to shine the spotlight, not being much help in a ranged battle. Zip will continue to follow the river's current, shooting the Vrock once more.

Action: use the spotlight

Bonus action: Zip attack

Attack: 26

Damage: 4

If this doesn't do it, Grugga will prepare to jump into the water to give chase.

The young noble gives Rohuzar and Mr. Howie a grateful nod of recognition over getting Leelan aboard the Empress again. Barely seeing the winged abomination still locked together with Raqisat and soon being dragged out of sight by the strong current of the Breitwasser, Aubrey desperately sends another two golden beams of eldritch crackling force towards the stinking bird-like creature.

Eldritch Blast: 23 Force: 11
Eldritch Blast: 10 Force: 9

"Captain, can the Empress follow them?" He calls up to Captain Neck.
He then sends out Furvus to follow and keep track of Raqisat and the winged creature.

Furvus perception if needed: 21