Varielky, eager to end the fight quickly, attacks impatiently, an attack that the guard could normally easily parry, and would most likely leave Varielky open for counter-attacks, too.

Fortunately, thanks to Granophyre's bird, the guard misses his chance and instead, Varielky gashes his torso horizontally. Her second strike, which was supposed to decapitate the guard, gets blocked, however, as the guard again focuses on the immidiate threat. That does not save him from Varielky's shield, though, smashed into his face forcefully, and the guard quickly finds himself on the floor.

Action: Attack. Guard #11 only. Varielky will not attack a surrendering guard.

Attack #1: (1, 12 - advantage)+10=22, 2+9=11 damage.

I'm pretty sure he didn't die, so Attack #2: 2+10=12, miss, I think.

BA: Shield-Shove to knock #11 prone. Athletics: 20!+8=28.

Snow breathes a sigh of relief once Tamazaert has Sura in her arms.

"My thanks for not resisting. We will be going now, it will be in all our interests for you to just stay here for a time", he says to the nurse.

Turning to Tamazaert, he motions for her to leave and then moves back out the way they had come, checking all is safe.

After Tamazaert is passed him, he follows close behind her, closing the door to the sitting room as he passes through.

"We should hurry", he says to Auger.

Movement: 30' to D7
Action: Ready - Dash 30' to H5 (or slightly behind Tamazaert)
Free Interact: Close door at E5

[edited post below]

Auger tries to compel people to action from where he stands. "Where are you? We cannot delay!" he calls out. Then thinking ahead he prepares to deal with the tram car. We would need to stay hidden from the crossbowmen, he realizes.

Auger reaches into his pouch and again draws out a copper coin. Then he reaches into the Sea of Stars and draws the Darkness into the coin, a darkness through which only he can see. Auger then closes his fist on the coin as he steps into the hallway.

Py come to me. I will need you to hold this coin while on my shoulder in a moment.

Details

• Auger Action: Expends 2 Sorcery points to cast Darkness on the coin. The Dancing Lights on the tram level would disappear at this point, if they did not already for being out of range. The Darkness should be held for now.
• Auger Bonus Action: Expends a Pact Magic slot to to regain two sorcery points.
• Auger move: Into hallway at Q5.
• Py movement: Returns to Auger and lands on his shoulder.

Note: Auger has a few spells with a range of 120'. I would like to see the tram position represented (x feet off screen might be enough) when we return to that level if you were not planning to do so already.

Round 13-15 results

SNOW and AUGER

So focused is Snow on departing quickly that he is a ways up the hall before he realizes Tamazaert is not leaving the nurse’s room just yet. The nurse continues, ignoring Snow, “You’re not an imperial at all, are you miss,” a statement about Tamazaert’s costume, not a question. She now looks at Snow. “Ye asked what I meant. I been here five years. An every month, more children and younger. This one…your child…I couldn’t bring myself to take him up, even though it’ll mean my job. Maybe I had an intuition he was special, that someone…you…would come.”

Tamazaert, for Benita’s sake, listens intently to understand the situation, until her face clouds with worry as she looks closely at her baby. “Sura!, Sura!,” she says, jiggling and rocking the child to wake him, to no effect. Her eyes shoot to the flask, then to the nurse. “What have you given him?? Why won’t he wake up??,” her voice tense and fearful.

“Nay there’s nothin to worry about miss. We have to give em this, to keep them warm and asleep on the journey to Jen Ghessa. Rocs don’t like the sound of babies cryin, it makes em ornery. He’ll wake up in twelve hours, hungry and with a huge thirst, but otherwise fine.”

“This is insane! How many children have been parted from their mums???”
“Thousands, miss.”

“But…you took a risk for him, just him? What was your plan after that?”
“I didnt have one miss. Maybe next month I’d have less courage and send him away. Or be fired and not have to live with the decisions any more.”

Hearing Auger yelling for you to hurry, the nurse curtseys slightly.

“You should go miss. You’re in danger here. The Jenghens fight hard for their kind. They say they’ll be the next generation of governors and high priests.” 

Tamazaert looks hard at the woman, then turns to Snow. “I’ll follow you now, but I can’t run with Sura.”

Auger hears their voices in the distance, and as he turns from his spot (Q5) in the hallway, he is surprised to see, standing in the doorway which he had closed earlier on the south wall of the playroom, a cook woman with a large cleaver held loosely in one hand, a flask of liquor drooping from the other, silently regarding the warlock, her expression a mask.

VARIELKY

Guard #11 is badly hurt, and Varielky’s critical shield bash knocks him unconscious. Benita spins and cracks her rapier’s handguard against Guard #12’s temple. KO’d, he falls on top of Guard #11.

Granophyre has crept to one of the arrow slits, and pulls back. “You should see this,” he says. If Varielky looks herself, through the arrow slit out into the misty darkness on the mountainside, she sees the high Bantus reaching skyward in the near distance, veins of snow cutting through the looming black peaks under swirling gray clouds, and nearer, enormous rocs nests, on four of which are perched the giant red-brown-feathered birds. Gangways lead to each of them, and the nearest such dock is teeming with nurses and a few guards and stevedores finishing tying bundles – babies – all sleeping, onto the roc behind its rider. To either side of the aerie, right and left, airships flying the imperial dagger-moon are docked and anchored, sails furled, floating ten or twenty feet above the ground. The overall effect is something like this: The Aerie It takes time to see what there is to see.

All, please post actions for round 16. If you think your character didn’t take that long before doing something else, we can discuss in chat before you post.

As the seconds tick by, Auger's anxiety grows. He checks his left shoulder and sees the bleeding is light for the moment. He sends Py into the hallway and then up to the tram level to check on the progress of their pursuit. Then brings it back to him, on his shoulder again when the woman appears.

"We have to move now!" Auger yells for others to hear while he stares at the lady. For her ears he continues trying to be calm. "Step back. Close that door. You never saw us or heard us. That's a far better choice then whatever you think you are going to do with that cleaver there."

Py. If she moves toward us please put her to sleep.

Details

I believe I have the Py maneuver straight here. If not, I'm sorry, I tried.

Auger Status: Auger still concentrating on Darkness and the coin remains in his closed right fist (his rod is in his left hand)

Auger move: None

Auger Action: Auger Readies the Attack action. If the woman takes the step forward then Auger uses his Attack action to ask Py to Attack.

Pact of the Chain: You learn the find familiar spell, it doesn't count against your number of known spells, and you can cast it as a ritual. Your familiar can take on a more powerful form, and when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack with its reaction.

Py Reaction, if needed: Attack roll 7 +6 for 13.

Fey Dreamspell. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 40/160 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. If its saving throw result is 5 or lower, the poisoned target falls unconscious for the same duration, or until it takes damage or another creature takes an action to shake it awake.

Py takes no other action or movement in this round.

"What is it?" Varielky asks, sheathing her sword and coming closer to peek through the arrowslit. It is good that there are lights out there, or Varielky wouldn't have been able to see much at all. "The babies? I know. It's infuriating, but even I know we cannot care for this many babies, and who knows where all their mothers are? We can't save them." The frustration is audible to all, but Varielky keeps looking. Granophyre has surely thought of that, so there's probably something else.

"The ships? Do you think we can use one to get off this mountain? We'll be visible from great distances, though, and they're bound to chase us. Besides, I don't know how to fly one, and I doubt even the Captain (OOC: Meaning Snow) has the knowledge to fly one. It can't be the same as normal ships." Varielky thinks about it some more. "Oh, but maybe we can destroy them in some manner, to immobilize the Empire? They'll recover quickly, I'm sure, but that can still help us in the future."

"Or did you mean the empty nest? The missing Roc must be... the one who we fought before... right?" Varielky steps away from the arrowslit. "Whichever it is, tell me on the way. We should hurry down. I wish to draw those from the tram away from Tamazaert, Auger and the Captain, and they'll probably arrive soon, if they haven't already." Varielky already starts heading down, assuming Granophyre and Benita would follow, though she will stop if they ask her to.

"Yes, of course you can't run, silly of me to expect that. We must move as quickly as possible though, we need to be passed the landing platform before the other tram arrives", Snow replies.

He moves through the corridor as far as he can, staying in front of Tamazaert.

"I will try and let the other's know we have Sura, but might not be in range yet", he adds.

He then whispers to Varielky, "We have sura and on our way up to you, it is slow going though. how are you?".

Movement: 30' Back towards Auger
Action: Message - 120ft range but blocked by 1 foot of stone so may not reach.
Status: Tamazaert still has Bardic Inspiration (1d8)

Round 16 results

SNOW and AUGER

(OOC: Although she can’t run, I’m going to say Tamazaert can hurry, at 45’ per round.)

The Cook does nothing but stand there staring dispassionately, and Auger may come to understand it is his potential for aggression which concerns her far more than hers, him. In a few moments, the warlock sees Snow, and behind him, Tamazaert, with Sura, emerging from the hallway of bedrooms, and the Cook takes a step back into the dining room, calmly setting her jaw, as he nears.

Snow’s message does not reach Varielky.

Snow and Auger are now situated like so.

VARIELKY

Granophyre looks curiously at Varielky. “I agree that the babies are a shame, but did you note that there seems to be only one roc upon which they are now being loaded? Only one. If the others do not find Sura downstairs or other infants, we must stop that roc before it launches, and preparations are almost complete. It is the only one with a rider in the saddle. Perhaps the other rocs do not pose a threat.”

“As for airships… They could be our means of escape, for they fly higher than rocs do, if not as quickly. It is night, and I do not think in these cloudy skies that visibility will work against us. Snow spent his youth in the Kingdoms of Men, where airships are common. I would not be surprised if his talents could be put to use. I hope the others are all right. Now that we have some idea of what to expect, I agree that we must wait for the others to arrive before moving on, or meet them at the tram landing.”

Benita and Granophyre follow Varielky downstairs as they speak.

You are now on the Guardhouse ground level.

Here is a strategic map of the aerie based on your observations. As I mentioned, Nurses, Guards, and Stevedores are on the dock beside the roc bearing a rider.

ALL - please post for Round 17.

Still making eye contact with the Cook, Auger calls out to the others. "Good. Sura. You have him. Good. Very good. Lets go. Now. I will lead the way and protect us. In a fashion." Then to the Cook, Auger says, "Keep stepping back and no harm will come to you or any others."

Auger turns and heads towards the stairs, and once he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he holds the coin aloft and uncovered above his head, while he proceeds up to the tram level. At the last moment he remembers Py telling him that the Warlock Captain appeared able to see the fey even when invisible. Wondering if the same applied for his Darkness, Auger begins moving erratically once on the tram level.

Details

• Auger will dash if needed to be on the tram level but if able to be on the tram level will Dodge. The Darkness should be exposed as he enters the level.
• Py is on his shoulder doing nothing in particular at the moment.

Snow keeps a wary eye on the cook in the doorway after he hears Auger speak to them. As he moves through the room, he makes sure he is always between the cook and Tamazaert. He does not speak or make any threatening action, he simply passes through the room, letting Tamazaert out into the hallway first.

Once she is out, he will move quickly through, closing the door behind them, and then. staying close her.

Movement: 15' to L5
Action: Ready - Dash 30' Feet to P5
Free Acton: Close door if allowed (due to dash being a reaction technically)

Varielky stops sharply and then turns towards the exit to the aerie. "If the others don't find Sura? That would certainly be a problem. Maybe we could ride another Roc to catch up, but... could we? Benita, do you think you could ride one?" If anyone could, it would surely be Benita. "Perhaps we should delay them from departing until we hear from the others. Who knows, maybe we'll even find Sura?" 

Her tone changes to a question at the end, as she realises that might not be simple. Tamazaert described what he was wearing, she thinks, but she wasn't completely sure about it. Moreover, what if there were other babies wearing the same? Varielky saw Sura a lot for a time, but she wasn't sure she could identify him among many Jenghen babies. For some reason, she felt as if that was wrong of her. She should be able to identify him. Varielky has no idea why she feels like that towards a baby, though, given that babies are, to her, a riddle.

"One of you should go down and check on the others. Draw those coming from the car this way if they arrive and the others are still down there. I'll try to stop the Roc from departing, and... maybe we'll make progress towards capturing one of the ships too. If we find a way to board a flying vehicle, that is." Unless Benita or Granophyre object to that plan, Varielky will run towards the aerie. However, if possible, she would like to first get a chance to assess the situation before running into the aerie itself.

How many guards can Varielky see past the doors, and perhaps, how many has she seen when peeking through the arrow slit before? How far is the Roc with the babies? Are there ladders or other things Varielky could use to board one of the hovering ships? How long would she assume it would take before the Roc is ready to fly, and how long if the guards start working as fast as they can in case they choose to do so if she reveals herself? In case some roll is needed: 9. I didn't know what bonuses to add, if any, so I didn't.

Round 17 Results

VARIELKY

“Ride a roc?,” answers Benita, “I mean it’s like a horse right? No prob.” She knows that Varielky knows she’s full of it though, and, that a roc is not much like a horse in the least.

Granophyre and Benita exchange a glance. “Stay with her,” says the old sage, “my construct and I will be all right.” Benita nods, Granophyre holds Varielky’s eyes for a moment with respect and affection, then turns to move carefully down the stairs, his golden bird preceding him.

Here is a map showing the Aerie. Each square is 30’ per side. Kindly tell me where Varielky moves this turn, and next turn. Benita follows stealthily a short distance behind her.

AUGER & SNOW

The cook doesn’t move. Snow and Tamazaert make it through the playroom, and Snow closes the door then rushes to the base of the stairs. 

Auger must dash to reach the tram level. He does so and ends the turn at the top of the stairs in his magical darkness, and there spots the tram, a mere 15 yards from the landing.

(OOC: In the map, the white edge shows the extent of the 15’ radius of darkness. Due to curvature, a medium-sized person must be completely inside the gray area, not in white. Otherwise their head is showing.

The tram is moving at 10’ per turn, and Auger remembers the tram he was on slowed down as it reached the landing. He calculates 4 rounds before this tram touches the edge of the landing.)

As the dark shadow surrounding Auger moves up the stairs, one person on the tram knows exactly what it is. Auger sees the Dairiku Sorakayoshi’s features more fully now in the warm lantern glow at the landing’s mouth: the long aquiline nose, its tip turned up; shoulder-length, lilac-tinted, silken hair splashing over broad armored shoulders; and the supercilious smirk as his full-bodied tenor rings out with pronounced irony.

“There’s no need to hide. We only wish to talk, mmmm?? And if you give up Granophyre Strewn – yes, I know who this ‘Greybeard’ is – we can even dispense with the talking, mmmm??”

Here is a map showing only the tram level. Snow is 20’ below Auger at the base of the stairs, while Tamazaert is some 25’ behind Snow on the lower level. Auger sees Granophyre’s golden bird atop the other stairway, but not Granophyre, Varielky or Benita.

Please post for Round 18.

Hmm, perhaps talking a moment will be fine. It might distract the others in the tram, if not this Captain. Stay on my shoulder, I think he sees us, but I doubt the others can.

Auger speaks loudly, so that Snow and Tama can hear what he is saying as he replies to the Imperial leader. "The children here, Captain! Babies! Toddlers! How many parents have been separated from their children so you can make extra gold! Who else works with you on this evil?"

As Auger speaks he steps forward, hoping to angle his globe of Darkness such that it covers Snow and Tamazaert behind him. From all the other eyes of course. This Imperial Captain would see anything. And he is trapped on the tram for a few more seconds. Realizing again, that he is observable, by at least the Warlock, Auger moves erratically as he enters the tram area.

Details

• Auger still holds the Darkness-infused coin over his head.
• Auger takes the Dodge action.
• Auger moves to O8. Py on his shoulder.

"HALT!" Varielky shouts at the top of her lungs, to be heard over the distance. "Get away from there!" Varielky mostly hopes the nurses would heed her call, so they don't get caught up in the fight. Moreover, she hopes to draw attention away from Benita, allowing her to do... whatever she finds right. "The captain is here, and wishes that you stop immediately!" While this was a lie, it also wasn't. Either way, these kinds of lies didn't really bother Varielky.

Her sword sheathed but her shield still fixed to her arm, Varielky runs forward, towards the guards. Her goal is to stop the roc from lifting off until she can retrieve Sura or hears that the others found him. Be it talking or fighting, she'll do what's needed for that end. She doesn't want to travel to the Jenghen capital and look for one specific baby.

Persuasion/Deception if needed (same bonus): 18+3=21.
Action for both rounds: Dash, making Varielky's effective speed 60' for both rounds, running 120' eventually. I think that means she ends up at M/N-14/15? 

Snow rushes up the stairs and conceals himself behind the globe of Darkness, waving Tamazaert across. He makes sure there is no way those on the Tram can see him unless they can see through the darkness.

As he waits, he once again whispers to Varielky, "We have sura and on our way up to you, it is slow going though. how are you doing?".

Movement: 30' to M1
Action: Message to Varielky - 120' range as crows flies (unless there is a barrier

Round 18 Results

VARIELKY

“I’ll know Sura if I see him,” Benita tells Varielky before they leave the guardhouse. The comely Indallian manages to keep up with the shield-maiden — having picked up a crossbow from one of the fallen turret guards, which Varielky hadn’t yet noticed — while darting stealthily from shadow to shadow. When Varielky approaches the activity at the central Roc’s nest, the shield-maiden loses sight of her raven-haired friend completely.

Each of the gangways is marked with a large sign marked with the imperial flag and a name. The one Varielky approaches bears the name Cpt Lamgugh Imai.

When Varielky shouts, the nurses turn and look, all of them in a morose stupor it may seem to her, and they move slowly aside, almost mechanically, as if they have to tell themselves every movement and then deliberately and dispiritedly carry out each thought.

The guards move into a line at the edge of the dock, 10’ above the ground at the level of the nest, except for one on the ground level. The rider, some 20’ up, in a shining chain mail shirt, long shield, and helm fashioned with a ferocious eagle beak design, turns in his saddle, taking his command reins in his shield hand, motions for the stevedores to continue, and when he shouts in reply down to Varielky, his voice carries like a conch horn. 

“Who, by Ellosh, are you? You’ve taken a wrong turn, the party is in the castle!”

The guards laugh. 

The head stevedore signals the rider with crossed wrists over their head followed by a lunging pointing motion which apparently indicates their packing is complete. For good measure he shouts curtly, “Ready Captain!”

You are now situated like so.

AUGER and SNOW

The bard’s whisper still does not connect with Varielky as he and Tamazaert move in the visual wake of Auger’s dark shroud. No one on the tram seems to notice. All three of you see Granophyre come around the bend in the stairs. He stops at the landing, out of view of the tram, listening to the conversation.

Sorakayoshi responds immediately, “Ha ha ha. I am flattered, truly, mmmm?? But, I do not create policy, I simply enforce it. Of course, with your help, rather than onward to take their places in the palaces of Jen Ghessa, I could send the babes back to Brod Kahgkul, to be raised in the company of hyenas. Would you like that, hmmm??”

You are now situated like so. 

ALL – Please post for Round 19

Auger finds a few reactions flashing through his head as he hears Sorakayoshi respond. The Imperials will be able to leave the tram in just a few more seconds. There were several people in there. Closely bunched. He had to act now. Could he... no... murder is not what he does... but Tamazaert and Sura have to get away. The Darkness protects them and Snow it appears. For now. So they can get up the stairs to... to what? He notices Granophyre above, which means at least he is okay. But what of Varielky and Benita? All these things he balances along with the knowledge that again he is stepping away from the goal above. He still does not know what it is, it stimulates feelings of - of family, perhaps? Perhaps he wants to protect it from -- from this Imperial Captain who fills Auger with disgust. Disgust at his words. His casual disregard for what the taking of children means to parents. His disregard for Auger himself. A mistake.

Then Auger realizes what is going on and sees his own mistake. Delay and conversation. That also works for the Captain there. Stuck in the tram. All bunched up. Now is the time to act. Auger moves forward and, briefly wondering if Varielky would find the act honorable, he draws forth energies from the Yemma's Diadem. And sends them into the tram. And then again. And then again. And then again. At the Captain and his guards. At the tram itself perhaps. The first blow is directed at the Captain, a streaking and spinning bolt of golden light. Auger barely has time to aim it and the Captain is able to avoid the attack (probably). Then Auger releases the true attack. Three smaller lights, red at their center but sending out sparks in all directions as they move, slightly slower and more haphazardly where they land in the tram and shoot burning sparks up over and over again, into all of those in the tram.

"No, Captain. I would not like that," Auger says calmly. "That was the beginning. Perhaps you should turn around now."

Details

• Auger Move: To M13, trying to angle the Darkness so Tamazaert can stay out of sight
• Auger Free Action: Drops the coin at his feet. Centering the Darkness at that point.
• Auger Bonus Action: Cast the Yemma's Guiding Bolt, targeting the Captain. Using the Eldritch Blast for the roll: 5 +10 = 15. 8 points of radiant damage if that happens to hit.

Yemma's Guiding Bolt: While wearing this diadem, you may cast guiding bolt as a bonus action. A flash of light streaks from the diadem toward a creature of your choice within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 radiant damage, and any attack rolls made against this target before the end of your next turn have advantage, thanks to the mystical dim light glittering on the target until then.

Note: I realize that this counts as a spell casting. The Shooting Stars description does not mention spellcasting so I am acting as though it is an ability. If I am wrong to think so please correct me then I will remove the reference to the Yemma's Guiding Bolt from the post.

• Auger Action: Expends three charges from the Yemma's Diadem and sends Shooting Stars into the tram. Each of the light motes lands in its own square. Two in the front of the tram at N24 and O24. The cubes should extend so that the first three rows of people in the tram should be affected. The last mote lands in N25 and the 15' cube should exclusively capture the three rows of guards. I assume the guards with crossbows on the roof are protected by the roof or are possibly too high, but I would very much enjoy it if the cube is high enough to get them. Most in the area of effect will have to make multiple DC15 DEX saving throws. Damage for Shooting Stars #1: 11, #2: 12, #3: 11. All fire.

Shooting Stars. You can expend 1 to 3 charges as an action. For every charge you expend, you launch a glowing mote of light from the diadem at a point you can see within 60 feet of you. Each creature within a 15-foot cube originating from that point is showered in sparks and must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 5d4 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Seeing Strewn on the stairs, Snow breathes a sigh of relief. He had been worried about the others as his whispers had gone unanswered.

He waves at Strewn, points to Tamazaert and gives him a thumbs up.

Hearing the sounds of conversation and then battle from the tram area, he decides to try something different. Something to buy them more time.

He runs towards the tram, staying in the protective cover of the darkness, and then whispers to the Eye, “Reverse direction, head back down”.

He then bolts back towards the stairs.

Movement: 20’ South to L5

Action: Cast Message
Movement: 10’ North-West to J3

They're ready! Not good. Varielky was still too far from the roc, and even if she ran her fastest now, they would most likely still be able to lift off before she reaches them, or axe-throw distance. She wonders if a well-aimed axe could cut the reins or the harness that holds the rider in place (OOC: I think you mentioned one when we fought the previous roc rider?). Would he fly without it? Either way, it was too risky. She could hit one of the babies, especially throwing from this distance. There's ought to be another way. 

Varielky continues to run forward. "I did come from the party. The captain... ah, Saro something, requested my help. He's seen me before, and so he already knew me to some extent." While her lies were spun around the truth, Varielky no longer could say it is the truth. She was simply lying at that point, and she didn't really like it, but there were worse sins one could commit, and Varielky feels that she has already done worse this evening. Besides, she really couldn't let that roc fly.

"There's been a group of people shooting down rocs, for some reason. Even the one the captain called for was shot down, so the captain had to come on the tram. He's currently fighting them with all the guards he could find, and so he asked me to carry the message for him. These people are powerful, and he needs every guard at his side." That didn't really sound believable, but that was her best attempt. "There's no doubt they'll be defeated eventually, but for now, he asks that you stay here so that the roc with the babies does not get shot down! He says you should know very well what will happen if it is found out you let all these Jenghen babies die!"

Then, after a brief pause, she adds: "You can go down and see for yourself! Maybe you could even lend your hand to him!" Of course, she had no way to know what was happening downstairs. Perhaps the captain would appear in the aerie any moment now, and her bluff would immediately be exposed. Maybe by drawing the guards downstairs, she's only bringing more trouble to her companions. But... at the moment, this seemed to be the best option.

Action+Movement: Dash, to K/L-14/15.
Deception, if needed: 19+3=22.

((OOC: If Varielky hits the roc or its rider with a Disarming Attack manoeuvre, could she significantly delay lift off in one of the fashions described at the beginning of the post? The ability's description:

 Here's hoping "object" could be the rider for the roc, or the babies. Since the ability says the object lands at the target's feet, it would mean that the rider would fall off the roc, and that's why I offer the axe cutting the harness. If that's out of the ability's scope, that's also fine.))