Being a former scout hunting and grabbing small animals should totally be in Cladmir's wheelhouse!  (( Goes in for a grapple. ))

16

Contested: 13

Cladmir does a grifflet scoop with far more grace than Ernos.

((Give me an animal handling with advantage since Ernos paved the way for Cladmir.

You all heading to the tunnel or taking the above ground option?))

Animal handling:  8

(( Cladmir would prefer the tunnel route -- but if Kroshav wants to walk above ground... ))

The scooped grifflet briefly evaluates its new mode of transportation and finds it superior to walking on its own. Also it is warmer. The grifflet settles contentedly into Cladmir's arms and gives a contented sounding trill.

The remaining two grifflets still in nests are now quite actively thrashing around in their nests as they see they are getting left behind and begin squawking loudly. The grifflet in Ernos' arms squawks back but, for the moment, seems content enough as the party start approaching the hole in the ground that is their tunnel.

Thir pokes her head up and looks at the three, having apparently run down the tunnel and only just arrived.

"Where egg..."

The grifflets both inspect her as she spots them. She narrows her eyes and says,

"Less good. Egg more quiet, less struggle."

She notes the lack of struggling, and that Kroshav seems to have taken an arm load of griffin waste instead of a baby griffin, and starts asking,

"Wha...?"

She shakes her head for anyone can answer or comment and ushers the three down the tunnel.

"Hurry. Mom dad come, kill."

((After the tunnel, are you going to try and descend the mountain or are you going to try and hide in the tunnel?))

(( Fighting while trying to hold onto this little wiggly thing seems like a losing proposition -- so unless Kroshav is going to do otherwise Cladmir is going to plan on hiding. ))

"I can tunnel us all the way back to the dragon!", Kroshav suggests, forgetting that the idea had already been shot down based on logistics.

((So I guess the plan is to just try and hide in the tunnel? How long you gonna do that?))

((Kroshav is a dragonborn of action, not forethought!))

Kroshav excitedly looks around, clutching his armful of detritus as he waits for someone to say what the next part of the plan is.

If anyone was hoping that Cladmir will contradict or try to bring sense to the paladin, or try to provide any helpful input they are sorely mistaken!   Now we have an excited Dragonborn carrying stuff looking around and an old man holding a critter also excitedly looking around.  Truly paragons of calm thoughtfulness!

Ernos ducks into the tunnel and starts heading for the other end, "It will be hard to keep these two from alerting the adults when they return, but descending the mountain with them will be even harder, and we would be completely exposed.  We should hide until dark and descend then."

((Just a reminder on needing to be back by dark.))

Thir reacts to this suggestion,

"Dragon say we back by dark."

She hustles along with the rest in tunnel,

"And mamma and pappa birdcat no bite dragon when dark?"

"Mmm, a tall task, but the dragon probably won't be reasonable...  You're right.  Let's hurry down and hope we can lure things into a conflict."

((Presuming the two followers follow...))

The four humanoids and two grifflets dash out of the tunnel and to the spot they ascended. There is still no sign of the parents, but if Jaq's estimate was any good, they probably are going to be back in the next couple of minutes.

The grifflets remain impressed by their dark then light surroundings and new views and remain docile.

((You know a path down, a pretty good one in fact, but it will take more than a few minutes to descend. How you, as a group, choose to descend will inform the rolls.

Quick - Dexterity roll, with disadvantage from the grifflet carriers.

Normal - Dex with advantage, flat from the grifflet carriers.

Sneaky - Stealth roll, with disadvantage from the grifflet carriers.

Feel free to suggest another method!

Also, please give me a d100 roll))

One d100 roll coming up!  78

I would vote normal -- as carrying grifflets that seems the normal thing to do.... BUT Cladmir will also blindly follow Kroshav's lead!

((To make sure that the d100 roll doesn't disappear: 63.

Other roll, don't worry about it:

8 (8)

))

((Normal? Unless we really want to make haste and carriers want to risk it. Kroshav isn't sneaky.))

Seeing no opposition, Kroshav starts picking his way lower down the slope.

DEX: 16

Kroshav leads the way to where the party ascended, Thir helping him take some of the griffon debris so he is less loaded. The dragonborn making steady progress as he descends.

Thir nudges the grifflet holders ahead of her, scanning the sky.

"Go, Thir follow."

((Dex rolls from Cladmir and Ernos, please!))