(OOC: Snow will not use an AoO, he only has a hand crossbow in hand. Thought maybe Granophyre might. Curse the nat1!)

(OOc: Granophyre doesn’t have a weapon drawn either. Varielky’s turn.)

Varielky sprints full-speed ahead, trying to catch up with the others. When she passes by Snow (I think she does), she pulls him up, lifting his head out of the water so he can regain his breath, and after that, his footing too. Doing so almost loses her balance too, but eventually manages to stand against the strong current and avoid getting swept away.

Dashing northwards, I'm not sure where the difficult terrain starts so I don't know where she'll end, going straight north 60' worth of movement.
Athletics: 2+9=11.

Round 3 Results (cont’d.)

Varielky sprints, dives into the creek, and with powerful strokes makes it to Snow. Twisting to latch hold of the bard's collar, she pulls him with her. The far side of the creek looks similarly steep, muddy, and difficult.

Benita rushes past the snakes near her, evades another swarm, but then stops in her tracks, wavering and unsteady, her eyes focused on something in the woods. “What the flock is he doing here??,” you hear her mutter over the sound of rushing water.

Granophyre tries to cross the creek, and you see him disappear underwater and not come back up.

‘Master!,’ Py sends to Auger, meanwhile. 

You see what concerns the Fey Alyasub: above the western treetops, two pairs of giant wingtips at the perigee of their flapping motion. The rocs’ heads and bodies are still hidden behind the trees, but they are no more than 1000 feet away. 

Within the woods, the barking sounds have clarified into the throaty, chirping laughter of giant hyenas. Orcs, flying the Imperial Dagger-Moon, are mounted upon them, and they are slowly moving toward you at the edge of the tree line. Their leader, between two young orc priests — Hands, as they are called — precedes them, and now steps out from the trees into golden morning sunlight.

You see before you the thick-necked chieftain whom Auger and Varielky know as Shulong Xurl. His muscular, bright pink arms twitch with potential energy as he takes in the tableau, his gaze ultimately landing in satisfaction upon Benita La Cass. The Hands stand to either side, their staves glowing with arcane fire, as Xurl shouts in a voice as strong as a lion's roar, “Neeta! You carry my child!”

You are now situated like so.

Please post for Round 4.

So many things going on. All at once. The Rocs. Now these Orcs. These Orcs again, he realizes. And Benita separated from the rest of the crew. Still though, Auger cannot help but notice that Granophyre has not come back up for air. Concerned that the old man may have gulped some water after going under, Auger moves/wades/swims over towards him as best as he can, intending to pull him up and out and get him across the creek.

Keep me aware of what is going on a the surface Py. Fly up higher to make sure you have a view.

Details

• Move: To X11 - next to Granophyre
• Action: Whatever Auger can do to assist Granophyre find his own footing and to move across the creek. Help, perhaps.
• Any remaining Move: To get across the creek to the far bank.
• Py: Keep pace with Auger, but now at 40' up.

Auger please roll athletics DC 10 each turn to avoid slipping in the creek. 

As Auger attempts to move towards Granophyre he slips and falls into the water (Athletics roll: 8 -1 = 7).

Auger is shoved by the water 5' east from X11 to Y11. There, he discovers Granophyre's position changed while underwater to Z11. Auger almost catapults into him. The water is too deep for a cindarrine, while Granophyre's armor too heavy. The sage is unable to break the surface. Auger helps him up long enough to gasp for breath, but he plunges once again, splashing involuntarily. So involved, Auger hasn't a moment to see what else is happening around him or think about the newly arrived orcs.

It is Snow's turn. Snow, please roll athletics once more since you are starting your turn in the creek. DC10 or be pushed 5' east.

Athletics: 6+2=8

Snow surfaces just long enough to thank Varielky, for dragging him above water, and then he slips and disappears again. Whilst under the water, he happens to catch a glimpse of Granophyre stuck to the river bed under the weight of his armour.

He reaches out with his mind and pulls the Sindarrin towards him and whilst they are both beneath the water sweeps his cloak about him. No-one would notice the tell tale signs of pollen which is instantly disintegrated by the flowing water.

A few seconds later, they appear on the very edge of the wooded area in another puff of pollen, Snow spluttering a bit.

"You ok?", he asks Granophyre, as he tries to catch his breath.

Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove on Granophyre to bring him next to Snow
Action: Use Treewild Cloak version of Dimension Door to travel 30ft (half speed) to a4
Movement: None

Snow heaves against the muddy creek bed to make headway upstream through the sludge and finds Granophyre. The two disappear, leaving a vacuum which creek water claps together to fill, pluming above the surface. The bard and the scholar reappear at a4 and b4 respectively. Difficult terrain does not apply while dimension-dooring, let me know if that affects your Tele-destination.)

(It is Varielky’s turn.)

"You!" Varielky rumbles as she emerges out of the water. "I hope you brought the axe I left with you too, I have not forgotten!" She struggles to get out of the river as quickly as possible. She can say anything, but there's not much she can do without getting closer, and unfortunately, Xurl was closer to Benita than she was. She hoped the others can take care of themselves because right now, she can't help but imagine Benita being taken away again.

Benita, the thought occurs to her, who carries a child, the father of which is unsure. How does Xurl know of that? But more importantly, if he is the father, what are Benita's feelings about this matter?

Athletics: 6+9=15.
Action: Dash, as far as she can get towards Benita.

Round 4 (cont’d.)

Powering through the creek, Varielky can make it as far as U6, 25’ short of Benita’s current position.

Benita grasps her bitten calf, which you see is foaming slightly where the vipers penetrated her skin, and then, turning to try to catch Varielky’s eyes, falls to the ground. The snake poison seems to be taking a further toll.

Granophyre thanks Snow, shaking water from his soaked robe, then twirls to see Shulong Xurl over Benita’s shoulder and then watch in horror as the comely Indallian falls. Granophyre shouts in dismay, then quickly opens a pouch, utters an arcane phrase, and a tiny vial lifts from the pouch then shoots to Benita, breaking open before her nose to release fragrant healing vapors. When she doesn’t respond, the sage gasps. “The poison is beyond my ability to heal!.”

The swarms of snakes are mostly oblivious to your passage, however, swarm 7, nearest Benita, feels threatened when she falls to their level and moves to attack her. It is hard to make out what happens, but it can't be good.

Swarm 5 moves into the creek, and slipping through the water, surrounds and attacks Auger. The swarm rolls 20 (total) to hit for 7HP damage. If that hits, Auger, make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 12 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Shulong Xurl replies to Varielky. “I have not forgotten either. Your axe hangs here on my belt. But I do not have time for you now!” He dashes through the mud toward the snakes with unexpected vigor for such a muscular hulk, and when he reaches Benita, lifts her from the swarming vipers, and hangs her limply across her shoulders as the snakes churn around his ankles.

His two Hands of Ellosh speak rough prayers to the God of War, and blue, glowing blades appear in the air, spinning like sharp cartwheel spokes, and they slice at the two snake swarms near Xurl.

Xurl whirls on the pair faster than their magical weapons whipping through the air. “POISON HEALING, NOT WEAPONS. NOW!!”

A host of orcs riding giant hyenas now stands at the edge of the wood, leveling short bows in your general direction.

‘Master!!,’ Py sends to Auger, ‘the rocs are very close!’

You are now situated like so.

Please post for Round 5.

Auger falls into the water and grasps around for Granophyre, vaguely he senses Snow come by and then he and Granophyre are both gone. The water claps in where they just were. 'Good, Snow got him' Auger thinks to himself when suddenly he is surrounded by the water snakes on all sides. They come in to bite, nearly reaching him, when he touches the Sea of Stars and sweeps those attacking away so they cannot harm him.

Auger gathers himself and, still among the snakes, surfaces to get his bearings. Maintaining his connection to the Sea of Stars, Auger then moves himself out of the water and to the shore.

Not caring who hears him, Auger says, "The Rocs! They are approaching. Stay under the trees."

As he speaks and truly notices the orcs for the first time, he see the magic weapons, but they are attacking the snakes. He see Benita being held, but not ungently by -- being held by an orc with a very familiar face. Xurl. For a split second, Auger is unsure what to do... (ooc: seeking DM ruling on how much action economy Auger has available)

Details

• Reaction (previous round): Casts Shield.
• Py: Moves with Auger, staying 40' above him (or lower if needed to stay away from Rocs flying overhead)
• Being in the water. Strength Athletics roll: 19 -1 = 18.
• Move: Enough to see the shore. (see questions below)
• Bonus Action: Casts Misty Step to W6.
• Free action: speaks.
• Move and Action: Held for DM ruling.

DM rulings requested.

• Auger wants to avoid opportunity attacks from the swarm. If he cannot get to the surface without them attacking him, he will use his Action to enter Py's perception, so he can successfully Misty Step out of the water. Otherwise, he has an Action still.
• Also moving to see the shore from the water might use some movement. Or not. Can you say how much movement is left?
• And finally, whether or not Auger heard Xurl yelling about healing seems important. Timing wise, Auger might have been partially underwater.

(OOC: Auger was not fully submerged. He heard Xurl. In hindsight we’ll say, since he was occupied in the moment. But he can base his action on what he heard and sees. Does not have to use an action to transfer to Py to Misty Step. In other words, Auger has only used his bonus action. Still can move and act.)

Auger runs to the tree line but angling towards where Xurl holds Benita. He heard the calls for healing he realizes but still, if Xurl can get away with Benita, he would make it much harder to free her again. He cannot hold her. He must not take her. Still though, something was wrong with Benita and Xurl was calling for healing. Auger musters a quick bit of determination and while a word of power forms in his mind, Auger looks towards Varielky, waiting to see what she does before taking action.

Details

• Move: To S2
• Action: Ready. Will cast Mind Sliver, targeting Xurl if Varielky makes a move to get Benita back. Int 19 saving throw and 6 points of psychic damage. If Xurl fails the saving throw then he subtracts 1d4 from next saving throw.

(Auger moves to S2 and readies a spell. Snow’s turn.)

Snow stands there dripping, trying to take in the scene. The warning from Auger about the Roc, the host of orcs on their giant hyenas, the swarms of vipers still harassing them and the limp form of Benita being carried by the muscular orc chieftain.

His mind races. If Granophyre had failed to help Benita, then chances are his limited healing magic would fail as well. That meant that the chieftain's call for poison healing might be her best chance. And the best chance of her unborn child.

The one thing he can control right now is where he is, and so he moves under the trees as Auger suggested, and readies his violin.

Without knowing what was going on, he couldn't take any offensive action, so he points to Varielky and whispers, "What do we do? I can transform you again if we are to fight, but they might be her best chance".

He finishes by speaking aloud and inspiring Varielky, "I trust in your instincts".

Movement: Moves to V1
Action: Message to Varielky.
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Varielky - For 10 minutes, the creature can add 1d8 to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. This can be added after seeing the roll, but before knowing the outcome.

(Varielky’s turn. She may return Snow’s Message in kind if she wishes.)

Varielky halts. If she lets Xurl take Benita... no, she's just being selfish. Despite everything, Benita never resented Xurl, did she? Besides, if Granophyre can't help her, Snow might be right, and the Hands might be her best chance. But still, allow her to be taken away again, and because of some random lizards again, no less. She hated her powerlessness. She can't even defend a handful of people. No, she struggles even with just one.

Frustrated, Varielky doesn't answer Snow directly. Instead, she turns north-eastwards and sprints towards the others, stopping momentarily to turn around and call to Xurl: "She better tell me how bored she is of living safe and spoiled over there when I meet you again - soon!" She then continues to run into the trees. She realises she turned soft over these last few months. While not entirely a bad thing, she couldn't help but be unhappy with the turn of events. Instead of being reliable, she must rely on others.

(Varielky Dashes towards NE, as far as she can get.)

Round 5 Results (cont'd.)

Xurl Growls somewhat in response to Varielky's statement.

The snake swarms either remain in place or retreat into the creek, except for the swarm surrounding Shulong Xurl, which surges around him as he carries Benita away from them. When he leaves the swarming young vipers behind, you see that he too has been bitten about his ankles. He limps slightly.

The two Hands of Ellosh approach him, and while directing their radiant swirling blades to enact vengeance on the vipers which attacked their chieftain, they assess Benita’s condition. She remains unconscious, now carried in Xurl’s arms, his veiny biceps bulging but easily bearing her weight as her lithe limbs hang limp. The Hands’ exchange glides between orcish and Jenghen. You hear the words “herbs” and “shaded pool.”

The orcs on hyenas remain where they are, bows pointed in your general direction, just off-map to the west.

You now see the head – and wings as they arc above – of a roc flying low over the treetops, perhaps 100’ above the ground. It is just west of the map, and can see almost the entire meadow you have just traversed, no doubt. In its talons, a pair of mountain goats. A second roc trails it, much higher up, perhaps 400’ above ground, with one fat boar in its grip.

You feel certain their riders do not yet see you, for they are looking straight down, surveying the mounted orcs through the foliage. If the roc riders turn in your direction, you will be seen unless you do something to prevent it.

You are now situated like so.

Please post for Round 6