Muir's eyes focus and see the large birds "I can certainly try." Muir approaches and casts animal friendship and then speak with animals, raises his hands straight out front of him and approaches the birds. He speaks normally but to his companions it sounds like noises that Rocs make.
"Hello there. I am Muir. My friends and I wish to pass without harm. I can heal your wounded mate in exchange for safe passage."
Formulating a plan Sam holds his coin up around the corner illuminating the scene for just long enough that Muir can see what he is casting against, the more active and energetic Roc screeches and charges toward the group but as Muir casts animal friendship and begins speaking the Roc slows, stops, and listens.
The Rocs wounded mate drones in response and shifts its weight to begin rising. All is dark once more for the loxodon and as he stands there hoping his ploy has succeeded, the sound of a massive beast moving toward him, he feels warm breath on his face as the more alert roc responds. The rest of the group hear a chittering bird like screech very close, and those with darkvision see that Muir is blindly standing face to face with a near 70ft tall bird creature.
After a series of screeches and loud chirps Muir says out loud to the group "I am going to heal her mate. Something killed their children. I do need a light, it is fine to shine it now, but do NOT do anything aggressive. We have come to an agreement but I need the light in order to assess the wounds."
Gewyn had dropped to a crouch when he heard the first bird awaken, and now hovers between standing and kneeling, unsure if it is safe to move or better to stay still. He grimaces as his legs cramp, and decides to just slowly sit.
Sam takes his enlightened coin out of his pouch and walks up to Muir with it outstretched on his palm. He looks at the large bird looming over their druid but tries not to stare at the thing. Animals tend not to like too much direct eye contact.
"Want me to carry it for you?" Sam asks when he is near Muir. Might be better if you're not all alone with them, he thinks but doesn't speak aloud. That and Wow, they're not rock at all. I wonder why Hector lied to us....
"Something killed their children? That is awful. What could do that? I hope it isn't still around", Vin says concerned.
"Are you able to heal the mate?", he adds more hopefully. "That would be great. It looks malnourished, but it might be diseased or something. I am not the best when it comes to veterinary medicine. Or any medicine really".
A look of realisation hits him just as Sam offers to accompany him.
"I have something that should help just in case, I can go with you, Muir", he offers.
A surprised whine emits from Neferox who cocks her head at Vin, but he absently waves away the questioning noise. Helping creatures in distress was something he was passionate about.
There is many short crowing and cawing interaction between Muir and the active Roc, they seem to understand eachother but the distress of the Roc makes for an uneasy tension in the rest of the group who do not know what is being said.
In the darkness beyond the light of Sam's coin and beyond the reach of anyone's darkvision (unless anyone has 120ft Darkvision) the injured Roc moves around, it sounds like it it reacting to the calls of it's mate, as it adjusts it's position and slumps back to the ground for rest.
"Maybe the rest of you should wait here and light some torches or something?" Sam suggests, not liking leaving the others in darkness any more than he liked the idea of sending Muir in alone.
"These two are big and scary enough, not sure I want to tangle with anything that is looking at them as prey..." Sam says when Vin repeats that something at their young.
"Let Vin go." Elthana says to Sam when he suggests the rest stay. She understands how much this means to him, at least she feels she does. She hangs out over with Gewyn, letting him sit while she keeps an eye on the situation. Ready to vanish and reappear wherever she might be needed. The whole situation sets her on edge and Vin has a good point.. what killed the children and are they still around?
Muir nods to Vin "I have cleared it with the female. We can approach but you two must stay behind me. I will befriend the male bird next." With that Muir waves his staff and casts Befriend Animal on the wounded male Roc. He then approaches speaking in Roc speech.
As Muir speaks to the Roc Sam and Vin could see
Muir checking the Roc over for injuries. Muir pushing in different spots and squawking back and forth to the male Roc.
Vin and Sam accompany Muir as he walks into the darkness, Sam's coin lighting their immediate surroundings, the massive Roc steps to one side and as you cross the expanse of the cavern you find another Roc laying on its side, feathers matted and marred with blood.
Muir speaks and calms it, his staff glowing for a moment, it keens in response. The non injured Roc shows interest in what Muir is doing, and approaches hesitantly, however careful it is being the three are now flanked by gargantuan creatures and it is difficult not to feel anxious.
The injured Roc lays between Muir, Vin and Sam and the back wall of the cavern where Vin and Elthana had reported seeing some eggs, and others that had been broken.
“Sam these wounds…I’m unsure what they were from. They look too thick to be spears and too big to be arrows. Possible with your weaponry expertise you could determine what made them?”
"Can't you just ask what made them?" Sam asks even as he tilts his head and holds the light a bit closer to try to take a look. "And does knowing the source help the healing?"
Still, questioning the helpfulness or not, Sam can't help but want to try to answer Muir's questions. He moves a bit closer to try to get a look but quickly pauses and looks at the Roc. "Hey big guy. The sun's getting pretty low... Nobody wants to hurt anyone here... Ok?" He uses his best soothing voice and all his animal handling know-how... (Animal Handling: 26) Once Sam is as sure as he can be that it is safe to do so, he steps forward and delicately tries to get a closer look at the wounds.
Vin moves forward with Sam, slow and steady, no sudden or threatening movements. As he gets close he does look to focus though, but speaks as quietly as he can in doing so.
Staying a little behind Sam, he leans across to get a little look at the wounds as well, albeit not as close as he would like yet.
"Those puncture wounds show signs of a necrotic effect as well", he whispers to Muir and Sam.
At Sam's voice, the Injured Roc cranes it's head around to look at him. A massive beady eye illuminated by the coin, looks piercingly at the half orc dwarfed by the sheer size of the animal, Sam is able to pet the creature's beak and this also seems to help soothe it. Muir and Vin move closer to the wounds, able to examine the holes in the Roc's chest to a better degree.
"That help us fix 'em?" Sam asks. "Or tell us what hurt 'em?"
"You know, in olden days, my people used to ride yours into battle," Sam says to the Roc. He knows they don't understand him but still, talking to an animal often has a soothing effect, creates a bit of a bond. Sam doesn't know why it is. Hell, maybe it's all imagined on the part of people... But point to one person who doesn't spend significant time with animals who doesn't talk to them. Go ahead, we'll wait...
"Yep, way back in the olden days," Sam continues. "Way, way before I was born, of course. Likely you too. But I used to hear the stories at bedtime and such... How back when the giants roamed the world and dragons ruled the skies the giant god Jotunnam created your kind so his people could take to the skies and battle the dragons on their own turf. Of course back then I had never actually seen one of you. Mom said Jotunnam created rocks and I was picturing... Well, rocks. I always did wonder how they flew... I was a dumb kid, eh?"
"Imagine it though, a huge me riding atop you... the both of us flying through the sky to take on some horrible beast... Epic, eh?"
Muir looks at Sam mouth agape about to ask several follow up questions but instead gives him a look that says expect them later "I have to perform a surgery. There are worms that burrowed inside. They have destroyed the eggs and are now inside of the male Roc. Keep the light close." Muir begins screeching and making bird noises to both of the birds before her begins
"Necrotic worms?" Sam asks, a bit grossed out... And concerned. He immediately starts checking the floor of the cave, then the walls and ceilings... cause ick!
It was odd, but even with everything that was currently going on, the thought of Sam being told bedtime stories as a kid still stood out. Vin shakes away that thought though, as Muir mentions worms eating into the male Roc and surgery.
"Surgery?", he whispers. "How can you perform surgery on something so big? Surely if something has burrowed into the roc, it will be beyond your reach?", he asks quietly, intrigued by how Muir intends to remove the worms.
"I could use magic to attempt to kill the worms. I know a spell that steals the life energy from creatures and uses it to heal another", he offers as a suggestion.
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Muir's eyes focus and see the large birds "I can certainly try." Muir approaches and casts animal friendship and then speak with animals, raises his hands straight out front of him and approaches the birds. He speaks normally but to his companions it sounds like noises that Rocs make.
"Hello there. I am Muir. My friends and I wish to pass without harm. I can heal your wounded mate in exchange for safe passage."
Formulating a plan Sam holds his coin up around the corner illuminating the scene for just long enough that Muir can see what he is casting against, the more active and energetic Roc screeches and charges toward the group but as Muir casts animal friendship and begins speaking the Roc slows, stops, and listens.
The Rocs wounded mate drones in response and shifts its weight to begin rising. All is dark once more for the loxodon and as he stands there hoping his ploy has succeeded, the sound of a massive beast moving toward him, he feels warm breath on his face as the more alert roc responds. The rest of the group hear a chittering bird like screech very close, and those with darkvision see that Muir is blindly standing face to face with a near 70ft tall bird creature.
After a series of screeches and loud chirps Muir says out loud to the group "I am going to heal her mate. Something killed their children. I do need a light, it is fine to shine it now, but do NOT do anything aggressive. We have come to an agreement but I need the light in order to assess the wounds."
Gewyn had dropped to a crouch when he heard the first bird awaken, and now hovers between standing and kneeling, unsure if it is safe to move or better to stay still. He grimaces as his legs cramp, and decides to just slowly sit.
Sam takes his enlightened coin out of his pouch and walks up to Muir with it outstretched on his palm. He looks at the large bird looming over their druid but tries not to stare at the thing. Animals tend not to like too much direct eye contact.
"Want me to carry it for you?" Sam asks when he is near Muir. Might be better if you're not all alone with them, he thinks but doesn't speak aloud. That and Wow, they're not rock at all. I wonder why Hector lied to us....
"Something killed their children? That is awful. What could do that? I hope it isn't still around", Vin says concerned.
"Are you able to heal the mate?", he adds more hopefully. "That would be great. It looks malnourished, but it might be diseased or something. I am not the best when it comes to veterinary medicine. Or any medicine really".
A look of realisation hits him just as Sam offers to accompany him.
"I have something that should help just in case, I can go with you, Muir", he offers.
A surprised whine emits from Neferox who cocks her head at Vin, but he absently waves away the questioning noise. Helping creatures in distress was something he was passionate about.
There is many short crowing and cawing interaction between Muir and the active Roc, they seem to understand eachother but the distress of the Roc makes for an uneasy tension in the rest of the group who do not know what is being said.
In the darkness beyond the light of Sam's coin and beyond the reach of anyone's darkvision (unless anyone has 120ft Darkvision) the injured Roc moves around, it sounds like it it reacting to the calls of it's mate, as it adjusts it's position and slumps back to the ground for rest.
"Maybe the rest of you should wait here and light some torches or something?" Sam suggests, not liking leaving the others in darkness any more than he liked the idea of sending Muir in alone.
"These two are big and scary enough, not sure I want to tangle with anything that is looking at them as prey..." Sam says when Vin repeats that something at their young.
"Let Vin go." Elthana says to Sam when he suggests the rest stay. She understands how much this means to him, at least she feels she does. She hangs out over with Gewyn, letting him sit while she keeps an eye on the situation. Ready to vanish and reappear wherever she might be needed. The whole situation sets her on edge and Vin has a good point.. what killed the children and are they still around?
Muir nods to Vin "I have cleared it with the female. We can approach but you two must stay behind me. I will befriend the male bird next." With that Muir waves his staff and casts Befriend Animal on the wounded male Roc. He then approaches speaking in Roc speech.
As Muir speaks to the Roc Sam and Vin could see
Muir checking the Roc over for injuries. Muir pushing in different spots and squawking back and forth to the male Roc.
Vin and Sam accompany Muir as he walks into the darkness, Sam's coin lighting their immediate surroundings, the massive Roc steps to one side and as you cross the expanse of the cavern you find another Roc laying on its side, feathers matted and marred with blood.
Muir speaks and calms it, his staff glowing for a moment, it keens in response. The non injured Roc shows interest in what Muir is doing, and approaches hesitantly, however careful it is being the three are now flanked by gargantuan creatures and it is difficult not to feel anxious.
The injured Roc lays between Muir, Vin and Sam and the back wall of the cavern where Vin and Elthana had reported seeing some eggs, and others that had been broken.
“Sam these wounds…I’m unsure what they were from. They look too thick to be spears and too big to be arrows. Possible with your weaponry expertise you could determine what made them?”
"Can't you just ask what made them?" Sam asks even as he tilts his head and holds the light a bit closer to try to take a look. "And does knowing the source help the healing?"
Still, questioning the helpfulness or not, Sam can't help but want to try to answer Muir's questions. He moves a bit closer to try to get a look but quickly pauses and looks at the Roc. "Hey big guy. The sun's getting pretty low... Nobody wants to hurt anyone here... Ok?" He uses his best soothing voice and all his animal handling know-how... (Animal Handling: 26) Once Sam is as sure as he can be that it is safe to do so, he steps forward and delicately tries to get a closer look at the wounds.
Gewyn stays back, still seated non-threateningly, but in his mind he is feeling out the pitch he will need for quick magic should things go squiffy.
Vin moves forward with Sam, slow and steady, no sudden or threatening movements. As he gets close he does look to focus though, but speaks as quietly as he can in doing so.
Staying a little behind Sam, he leans across to get a little look at the wounds as well, albeit not as close as he would like yet.
"Those puncture wounds show signs of a necrotic effect as well", he whispers to Muir and Sam.
At Sam's voice, the Injured Roc cranes it's head around to look at him. A massive beady eye illuminated by the coin, looks piercingly at the half orc dwarfed by the sheer size of the animal, Sam is able to pet the creature's beak and this also seems to help soothe it. Muir and Vin move closer to the wounds, able to examine the holes in the Roc's chest to a better degree.
"That help us fix 'em?" Sam asks. "Or tell us what hurt 'em?"
"You know, in olden days, my people used to ride yours into battle," Sam says to the Roc. He knows they don't understand him but still, talking to an animal often has a soothing effect, creates a bit of a bond. Sam doesn't know why it is. Hell, maybe it's all imagined on the part of people... But point to one person who doesn't spend significant time with animals who doesn't talk to them. Go ahead, we'll wait...
"Yep, way back in the olden days," Sam continues. "Way, way before I was born, of course. Likely you too. But I used to hear the stories at bedtime and such... How back when the giants roamed the world and dragons ruled the skies the giant god Jotunnam created your kind so his people could take to the skies and battle the dragons on their own turf. Of course back then I had never actually seen one of you. Mom said Jotunnam created rocks and I was picturing... Well, rocks. I always did wonder how they flew... I was a dumb kid, eh?"
"Imagine it though, a huge me riding atop you... the both of us flying through the sky to take on some horrible beast... Epic, eh?"
Muir looks at Sam mouth agape about to ask several follow up questions but instead gives him a look that says expect them later "I have to perform a surgery. There are worms that burrowed inside. They have destroyed the eggs and are now inside of the male Roc. Keep the light close." Muir begins screeching and making bird noises to both of the birds before her begins
"Necrotic worms?" Sam asks, a bit grossed out... And concerned. He immediately starts checking the floor of the cave, then the walls and ceilings... cause ick!
It was odd, but even with everything that was currently going on, the thought of Sam being told bedtime stories as a kid still stood out. Vin shakes away that thought though, as Muir mentions worms eating into the male Roc and surgery.
"Surgery?", he whispers. "How can you perform surgery on something so big? Surely if something has burrowed into the roc, it will be beyond your reach?", he asks quietly, intrigued by how Muir intends to remove the worms.
"I could use magic to attempt to kill the worms. I know a spell that steals the life energy from creatures and uses it to heal another", he offers as a suggestion.