Tests and Trials Game Thread

Let's wait and see what Jaq's arrow will do first before doing anything hasty tho...

The arrow strikes the gryffon holding Cladmir, causing it to waiver but not drop the old soldier. Looking down Cladmir sees 66

(6 out of 100, ouch!)

Some particularly jagged rocks and a couple of his wooden stakes. He doesn't want to fall just here.

Initiative:

Cladmir (Grappled, 20' up) <-----
Gryffons (-35, -26, -0, -11)
Kroshav
Ernos <-----
Jaq

Seeing Cladmir snatched up, Ernos raises an arm and points two fingers at the gryffon holding him, a blast of energy projecting from each.

Eldritch Blast 1 To Hit: 14
EB 1 Damage: 9

EB2 to hit: 11
EB2 Damage: 15

Yeah at this point instead of trying to get free what Cladmir would do is reach up and grab at one of the clawed legs that is holding him (and digging into his flesh -- ouch!) so that if the gryffon gets hit and let go he will still have some control on when and where to drop -- or they both fall maybe he can try and scramble so the gryffon lands first and take brunt of the impact.

Athletic roll (w/ disadvantage): 17

The gryffon shrieks in pain on the impacts of Erson's bolts and releases it's prey to escape only to find it's prey has latched on for dear life.

The gryffon decides up and away from the ones on the ground is still best and beats it's wings with a ferocity borne of fear. Cladmir finds he is rapidly ascending to over 100'.

The gryffon that hit the side of the mountain also leaps back into the air and beats a retreat up and to the east 160'. The other two note the retreat of their prockmates and continue on their paths away and are both 180' distant.

None of them seem interested in continuing the fighting for such low quality, high effort food.

((Prockmates - pride/flock. ™️

Combat is essentially over but Cladmir is a ways up. Anyone want to try something fast? Otherwise the gryffon will continue its encumbered escape.))

As he is carried higher and higher Cladmir tried to think of something, but nothing came to mind.  Knowing that doing nothing would mean being carried even higher he had two choices:  Keep trying to think of a way out of this, or letting go and praying to the gods.  Normally Cladmir would not have even thought of the second option, but even since meeting the adventurers, and meeting Kroshav specifically, he felt like he had found another side of himself -- a side of faith and of believing in something greater than himself.  Perhaps this was another test of faith?

Not wanting to think anymore lest he changed his mind, Cladmir let go, and cried out to the gods.

(( Rolling luck because who knows maybe there's now a deep layer of snow now under him instead of those jagged rock. ))

11. (+1 from Luck Stone of GM would permit.)

(( Let's see if the gods will answer Clamir's cry! ))

When Cladmir starts falling, Ernos hurries to try to get roughly below him and conjures a Mage Hand below him, high up in the air.  Sure, it can only carry 10 pounds, so it can't actively slow his fall, but it can maybe at least provide a little resistance to slow his acceleration once he's in range.

Cladmir lets go and tries to aim for a pile of snow and away from the wooden stakes and sharp rocks. As he falls he feels a faint nudge helping him and he is just able to hit a small drift with a muted crunch and crack.

Fall damage (less 2d6 for the drift): 36

The gryffons wing away quickly cawing to each and no doubt trying to figure out what happened to that tasty horse.

((Okay, well combat is resolved!))

Mikram yells from inside the cave,

"What is going on? Hello? What are ye doing out there?"

Sword is just disappointed.

Kroshav sprints towards where Cladmir impacted, his heart beating up into his throat as he tosses his claws (and Sword) aside and skids to his knees in the drift, scooping Cladmir up and hugging him to his chest, muttering, "No, no, no, not again, no, no, not again, Gods save him, help me save L--... save Cladmir..."

Divine healing flows out of the dragonborn into his fallen friend, Kroshav not seeming to notice that Cladmir is indeed still conscious, as his eyes are closed, tears leaking down his face.

[Lay on Hands for the full 25HP]

As Cladmir fell he cried out -- dread growing that this may be it, when he felt something nudging on him right before the impact.

Then pain -- so much pain.

Then something else -- warm, peace, comfort flowed into him and the pain was gently pushed aside.  Still recovering from the shock he thought he heard someone said something.  Then he realized that Kroshav was holding him, healing him.  Cladmir would have given his life for the dragonborn before, but now he vowed that he must not die before seeing this wonderful noble warrior be recognize as a great paladin.

"Praise the gods..."  croaked Cladmir.

Kroshav gives a cry of relief on hearing Cladmir speak, and clasps the other fellow tighter to him, before standing and making sure he's steady on his feet.

Ernos casts his eyes across the sky for a moment, "We may need to find a way to prevent that...  What is the dwarf shouting?"

At this point the dwarf is mostly shouting increasingly profane curses, and sounds to be working his own way closer.

Sword lets Kroshav know,

Kroshav composes himself once he's sure Clad's okay, and retrieves Sword, hollering down the cave for Mikram, "We're okay here, bloody gryffon's tried taking Ealu and Clad, but they're both okay now... or will be. The cowards flew off before I could put Sword to them."

He thinks to Sword, <Sorry, they were gryffons, kind of eagle-lion things. I wasn't able to get close enough to hit them, they'd already flown off with Ealu and Cladmir by the time I got out here.>

As Cladmir stood up he tried his best not to stare too much as the paladin because he knew that he would not be able to keep the worshipful look from his eyes and he knew that Krishav may not respond to that well.  So instead he took a quick glance at the Dragonborn below lowering his head in thanks.

"Thank you, Kroshav,"  was all that he said before he tried to change the topic to prevent himself from rambling.  "Mikram sure is unhappy about something?"

"When they took Ealu, I just kinda ran out, didn't let him know what was going on."

"Well, those were awful.  Gotta say, flying and snatching is a good tactic."   Shrugging he asks, "How much longer will the tomb take?"

He scans the sky.  "I'm not much help down there, but I'll keep watch, land and sky for as long as needed."