"I don't disagree with your assessment mighty Iravon, the question is how we finish this now." Valeria calls out to the Hobgoblin, using her divine powers to create a protective magical force surrounding her, then descending, hoping to lure the last serpentine head out of the water, using her divine powers to bless a golden coin with a divine light, then dropping it into the murky waters where she saw the hydra move to. (Cast Armor, then Light, deducted 1 gp)

Perception to spot the hydra: 12 

You have all decided to continue your onslaught of the creature. It is completely submerged, about 5 ft into the water. Kiersa you manage to wade into the water somewhat and are in range to strike it, but none of your attacks connect.

Mae, it can't seem to hear you with it's lone head underwater.

Iravon, you may take a full turn.

Valeria, no need to try to spot it. You can see where it is.

Iravon wades into the water after Kiersa, also attempting to strike the creature as it flees.

Flail: 26; damage 7

 Flail: 22; damage 5

"You'll not escape me, beast!"

Mae shakes her head. "Let it go! We need to rest for a moment and then press on. At least I do." Mae will walk over to the broken cart and sit down and lean against it with a weary sigh.

"Kiersa, Iravon, wait! We can't hope to catch it now." Valeria calls out and descends to where they are, trying to help them back up on the causeway by the broken cart where Mae waits for them.

The hydra begins to submerge deeper and dashes through the water, first Iravon and Kiersa's AOO!

(at disadvantage)

As the hydra submerged deeper into the water,  Kiersa takes a quick swing at it.

(Longsword Attack: 14 Damage: 9)

Hearing both Mae and Valeria urging then to stop the pursuit, she just stays for a moment, watching the creature. But she doesn't continue after it. 

AOO:

Attack: 16 Damage: 9

Iravon makes one last desperate swing as the hydra makes its escape, but his flail breaks only the surface tension of the water. He lowers his weapon, swearing. "Khaavolaar! We cannot follow this thing underwater. You are right Maevla, Valeria. We shall pause a while".

He clambers back onto the causeway with Valeria's help, then turns to face the direction the hydra disappeared in, bellowing "I know where you live!"

"It might decide not to return Iravon, we did cripple it after all." Valeria says to the brave hobgoblin warrior as she tries to help him and Kiersa up on the causeway again. "We'll rest here  before we continue!" She says as they all are gathered on the causeway again, waving for Jorr to join them. So, a hydra, was this the kind of threats they would face at Vraath Keep too? They had to proceed cautiously and make prudent decisions if they were to last long in Witchwood, that she knew now. Valeria finds a comfortable place to rest, taking up her waterskin to drink. "If this was the Hydra's hunting ground, at least it might have thinned the ranks of the Red Hand." She says, looking over her companions, hoping they were not too discouraged by the appearance of this fearsome monster. They had faced dangers together before during their journey together, but never something like this immense beast.

Kiersa wades back out of the water, occaisonally casting a way eye back towards the deeper water.  She looks to the group's horses, making sure they are all gathered up while the group takes a rest.

Once that is done, she comes over to Mae. "Are you alright? You took some pretty hard blows there."  She then pauses, seeming a little at a loss for what else to say.  "Umm, I'm not a healer or anything. If there's anything I can do to make you comfortable though, let me know. I'd be glad to help."

(Combat over.)

The hydra fades from view beneath the river water, swimming away at a pace none of you could hope to match. Jorr peeks out behind his tree and mutters, "I hope it ate some d--n gobbos. I'd not seen that critter here 'fore. It's a new inhabitant of these parts..." He joins you all as you rest for an hour, catching your breath. (Everyone gains the benefits of a short rest, you can roll hit die here, in OOC, or in your sheet, whatever works for you!)

"It'll be 'nother half hour 'fore we reach the keep. All your parts still in tact, missy?" Jorr nods at Mae, who did take quite the walloping.

Mae looked up at Kiersa with a gentle smile as she came over to her and took her hand for a moment between her two hands. "You've done your part wonderfully. I just need a few minutes here though. If it wasn't for Iravon though things might have been quite different. What a surprising creature he is! I will have to craft a special verse just for him sometime." She gave Kiersa a slight wink and let her hand go before waving at Jorr. "Aye, just a few minutes rest here and I should be alright to go on!" Mae closed her eyes for a short rest and then got to her feet again and dusted herself off a bit. "Alright, ready when you all are."

Valeria sat back and rested with the others, gazing off into the distance, off towards where the hydra had disappeared and off towards Vraath Keep, hiding somwhere deeper in Witchwood. Only Mae had gotten badly injured and Iravon's divine grace had swiftly healed her from the vicious wounds the hydra had inflicted on her tender body. Valeria stood up and faced the others as the hour had soon passed, speaking with fervor and determination. "My companions, my escorts, my friends, we have journeyd far to reach this place and we have faced many dangers together to get where we are, soon standing at the gate of Vraath Keep. Great wealth will await us in it's vaults but there will also be more threats to oppose us. I have just seen you decisively fight off a creature so massive and ferocious that it won't compare to anything we've faced before. Watching you bravery, cunning and loyalty to each other makes me more convinced than ever before that we shall prevail in our quest to reclaim this keep from the evil forces that has made it their home. We are now only steps from reaching our destination and to begin our final battle, and with the blessing of Selûne our victory is all but assured. Now stand up my companions, my escorts, my friends and we will march upon this keep together, and soon stand triumphant in it's vaults." Valeria then takes the reins of her horse, ready to proceed with a proud and confident smile.

(Another 'inspiring' speech granting 9 temp hp :-)

After speaking with Mae, Kiersa finds a shady spot to sit down briefly to rest. She turns her attention fully to Valeria once she starts to speak, a small smile coming to her face. Once the speech has ended, she rises and collects her own horse. "Alright. Everyone ready to go?" 

/---About 3:00 PM, The Twenty-fifth of Ches, 1491 DR, The Witchwood--/

Just before you all begin to depart again for the Keep, Kiersa, you notice something faintly glimmering just underneath the overturned wagon by the river. Curious, you take a closer look and find a large number of partial skeletons jutting from the beach and some bones scattered around the wagon. What's more, that shining thing you noticed is a breastplate with a Red Hand emblazoned on it. Touching it... it seems to radiate power of some kind.

(DM's Note: This is a + 1 Adamantine Breastplate. Kiersa noticed it because she has God Vision. Just as a note: Kiersa will likely always be the one who discovers the treasures hidden in the world. + 1 Adamantine Breastplate is not an attunement item, I don't believe, so if anyone wants to equip this, you can feel free to just put it on. If I am wrong, we will ignore the hour requirement for attunement since I forgot to run this search previously!)

Kiersa pulls the breastplate from beneath the cart, examining it.  "This looks really good for being submerged in the water," she says. "Although I don't much like the Red Hand on it.  Does anyone think they could use it?  I'm not sure Valeria and Mae are much for wearing armor.  I suppose I could use it, though it's nearly the same as my chain." 

(OOC - Just to clarify, I it is both Adamantine and +1? I don't see this specific item in DDB, but it certainly makes sense.  Valeria and Mae can't use Medium Armor.  For Iravon this would be a reduction in AC to get the crit immunity.  For Kiersa it's the same AC, so it adds the crit immunity.  But I'm fine letting Iravon have it if he wants it.) 

(@Kiersa -- yup! It is both of those attributes. I think you can select the + 1 breastplate and when you look in your inventory, you can check a box to make it adamantine. I am admittedly too tired or lazy too look it up rn!)

Oh right... and Iravon, apologies, this spoiler is just for your eyes!