"...then our task to convince Adabra to come to town with us will be waaay easier!" tries to smile reassuringly Khessa, while completing Echo's phrase. "She must have spotted it as easily as we did; that beast is big, it is hard to miss... She has most likely found a hiding place and waited for the dragon to go away. She will be fine. And, hopefully, she will also be eager to move to a safer position".

You continue along the road for another twenty minutes or so, but the time passes by uneventfully this time. Before long you see the arms of a windmill in the distance, lazily turning in the slight breeze.

Built on the slope of Umbrage Hill is an old stone windmill surrounded by an iron fence. A large winged monster with a spiky tail is trying to knock down the windmill’s front door. A woman appears in a second-floor window, waves at you, and yells, “A little help?!”

After a short time of walking, Jasper starts to make out the shape of a building. “Look! I think that’s it. The windmill over there!” Jasper exclaimed.

Upon a closer look, he sees movement at the base of the structure. A large beast clawing at the door. Jasper points it out to the others. “Ohhh…what is that?” Jasper asks.

Moving up the hill, Jasper hears a frantic voice yelling for help. Looking to the others, Jasper quietly asks, “What should we do? Attack? Someone is in danger.”

Jasper takes off his pack and crouches down behind the fence 15 feet to the east. Just before the fence opening. Spear at the ready…

STEALTH  2

Rel is quite sure she's never seen anything like the winged beast with the spiked tail before, but then she'd never seen a dragon before either until today.  Still, her little gnome friend Roywyn used to tell her of some monstrosities found on the surface and this one seems distinctive.  Rel tries to identify it.

Nature check: 2

She tries to signal to the woman in the window to not give away the party's position by placing an urgent finger to her lips and looking up in her direction.

Rel whispers to the group:  "What is our approach here?  I do not know if we can do this without a fight.  I can circle around east to create a distraction with a Minor Illusion again to lure the beast around the corner of the windmill and that may allow one of you to get to the front door.  But I do not know how we can all depart without it chasing us down."

Based on her poor attempt at a Nature check and general unfamiliarity with beasts and monstrosities on the surface, Rel concludes that this might just be another, smaller, dragon.

"We must save the midwife, of course" replies Khessa "but, as told during the way, I'd like to try to have the monsters help us against the dragon, if possible, instead of simply killing them. No idea if this one is smart enough to listen and talk, but I'd like to try. I'll try to approach from another side and speak. If the monster does not listen, looking at me it should still not see you... and you all should be able to surprise attack it"

...and that the blonde warrior tries. She circles quickly a moment, in order to come from a different direction and not give away the position of the others, then, possibly keeping herself near a tree (to be able to take cover if needed), she yells at the monster: "This is not really the wisest course of action you can take. It will not benefit anyone, in the end... anyone, but that cursed dragon, that is. Do you like it? And even if you do, do you think this will prevent that arrogant, hungry and greedy beast from eating you, sooner or later? Why not... cohoperate to get rid of him once and for all instead? I have a plan. Shall we talk a moment? You can always resume the door bashing later, should you not be convinced..."

Quote from Tybard >>

Rel is quite sure she's never seen anything like the winged beast with the spiked tail before, but then she'd never seen a dragon before either until today.  Still, her little gnome friend Roywyn used to tell her of some monstrosities found on the surface and this one seems distinctive.  Rel tries to identify it.

Nature check: 2

She tries to signal to the woman in the window to not give away the party's position by placing an urgent finger to her lips and looking up in her direction.

Rel whispers to the group:  "What is our approach here?  I do not know if we can do this without a fight.

“I agree Rel. A fight seems inevitable. We should surround and attack on all sides.”

Amazed at the sight of Khessa approaching the beast showing such confidence. Jasper stays ready but annoyed at my clanging armor. 

Rel shakes her head.  She is extremely skeptical that this beast will help fight the dragon (and isn't even really sure this beast isn't itself another type of dragon!) but she supposes surface-dwellers must know this situation better than her.

As Khessa starts walking away (while she is still within 30'), Rel touches her dull black earrings, but reaches rather through her heart, thinking of her aasimar father with the celestial blood in his veins.  She casts Bless on Khessa, Falver and herself.  ((Add 1d4 to all attack rolls and saving throws while active)).

Falver instinctively draws his short bow and notches an arrow. 

"Khessa ... I wouldn't..." But it's too late. Khessa is attempting to talk with the creature now... "Oh gods," Falver thinks to himself "now we've stepped in it..."

To Rel, Falver says very quietly... "Don't waste a spell on trying to distract it... Khessa may be providing all distraction we need... " 

With Khessa distracting the creature, Falver ducks low and tries to hide behind the iron fence and to the  right of where they approached.(On the map) 

(Stealth: 24 )

He will hold an attack for when/if the creature lunges at Khessa, then he will let his arrow fly:  ( Shortbow: Attack: 11 Damage: 7  )

(Bless addition to attack: 2  )

"That's a weird dog..." Echo mumbles. "Maybe I can try putting it to sleep? I don't know if it'd work on something so big though. I'm also great at climbing, so I could get to her," she gestures to the woman in the building, "if that helps?"

Seeing Khessa approach the creature so confidently, she says, excited at the prospect of befriending or battling a beast: "This works too! Good luck!!"

Echo slowly makes her way into the fenced area (Stealth: 19) , one of her hand posed like a claw and watches Khessa intently. (Echo holds a chill touch for if the creature attacks Khessa.) Attack: 20 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

(ooc: where is the woman calling for help? if possible, Echo would try to move towards that direction OR if she doesn't know, she'll just heed Jasper's advice and move inside the iron fence, in a south-west direction, staying close to the fence)

The woman, who can only be Adabra, seems to notice Rel's signal for she nods her head once and quits yelling, but she remains at the second story window, peering down at the monster trying to break inside and the strange group of adventurers that appear to be her only hope. 

The monster is so caught up in slamming its claws into the door, its blows so powerful that chips of wood go flying with each swing, that it doesn't notice the party approach until Khessa calls out to it. Surprised, it whirls around toward the source of the noise. It has the body of a lion, great, draconic wings, and a grotesque humanoid face with a long, tangled mane. "What?" it screeches, in a guttural voice that is almost human but not quite. "More humans! More food for Tookrashk?"

At the mention of the dragon, the manticore quails, and for just a moment, looks uncertain. "No talk of dragon! Dragon steals food, make Tookrashk angry. Tookrashk hungry! Want meat!" At this it creeps forward a few feet toward Khessa, staring at her with hunger in its monstrous, yellow eyes. "You have meat for Tookrashk?"

"Nice to meet you Tookrashk! I am Khessa" the tall warrior smiles at the monster, moving some step closer as well. "You can have meat not only today, but every day, if we become friends. You know, I'd never leave a friend without food! Also I am angry with the dragon and I'm gathering friends to get rid of him once and for all." she fixes her blue eyes into the feral ones of the manticore "You'd rather forget about it, I understand, but you see? It won't stop because of that. The dragon will not be satisfied with chasing you away like it did... not with starving you either... he will want more and more territory for himself... he will want to eat you... Just like he would like to eat me. By the way, do you know it was flying around here just a little while ago? We must do something Tookrashk, before it is too late!" Khessa punches herself in the palm of the hand for emphasis "Will you be my friend Tookrashk? As soon as I have gathered my other friends, I'll be ready. Will you help then me kill the dragon? We will be many... and strong... That beast will not stand a chance... We will take revenge on it and there will be sooo much more flesh for everyone! Plus, you'll have food every day before I call you. What do you think? You're interested in being a friend of mine?"

Can you roll for persuasion?

Just a straight roll? No advantage perhaps? The manticore seemed interested in food... and Khessa is offering food for every day... Anyway, OK, straight roll here:

Persuasion: 10

Rel, hopeful but still skeptical of Khessa's negotiation gambit, tries to take cover behind a tree or hillock and readies an attack with her light crossbow on the creature (trigger is first attack or other hostile action taken by creature).

Attack bonus from Bless:  1 (add to attack roll below).
Attack: 22 Damage: 5

(Does Falver know what type of creature this is, or anything about it that might help? I don't know what the DM would like to classify that as, so here's a roll for each)

Nature: 21

History: 19

Perception: 20

I would accept a Nature roll and Khessa can roll with advantage on the persuasion. :)

Ok, first roll was a 10, as you saw, 2nd roll for persuasion: 1

 So 18 is the final result 😀

As Khessa spoke, the monster had been slowly inching towards her, its feral eyes glittering with malice and hunger, but when she mentioned the dragon again, Tookrashk stopped short. It turned its head back and forth, scanning the skies, as if afraid the dragon would return at any moment to scoop it up.

"Dragon eat Tookrashk?" it says, alarmed. "Tookrashk just want meat," it whines. "You bring Tookrashk meat now. Be friends."

The monster seems to notice the rest of the party for the first time and it casts its yellow eyes over them hungrily. It doesn't seem at all concerned that weapons have been readied against it.  "Big friends, strong friends. Strong friends bring Tookrashk meat now, fresh meat! Then Tookrashk help fight dragon."

Tookrashk returned to his position in front of the door and settled down to wait. It was clear he didn't intend to let go of his current prey until his appetite was sated.