((BA to cast hex, disadvantage on STR checks.))

Avaria smiles back at the human as he addresses them.  "Mr. Dodds, you say?  It's good to meet you.  Purveyor of everything one might need even if they didn't know they needed it.  Now, that is quite the statement.  I wonder, do you know what the two of us need?"

As he marks the boxes, Avaria looks at him, "Shall we follow you now with these?  I would hate to delay anything you require."  She looks to the guards, to make sure she isn't speaking out of turn.  Figures trying to make some kind of friendship with anyone down here, even if this one does appear sly and a bit creepy, may as well start somewhere.

Marrin looks down out her shoulder in shock and pain as blood begins gushing out. She splutters trying to say something before shrieking something incoherently in pain and rage as she slashes at the bird.

Attack: 23 Damage: 8

She then let's out a shuddering,

"I'm going to live. I'm going to live."

Healing word: 6

TEAM ARENA:

The big bird's strike on Marrin's shoulder elicited a few cheers, but the appearance of Ethel's spectral hand drew shouts of encouragement from almost the entire audience. The fact it didn't manage to get a firm grip on the large bird didn't seem to dampen their joy any.

When one of Jan's dagger strikes connect with the same bird, she's rewarded with only polite applause, and a few whistles.

Marrin's shout of anger and rage towards the bird and a devastating slash with her blade brings more cheers from the audience. And then more hoots and hollers as the big bad bird that drew first blood stumbles forward, pauses, then collapses to the ground, a torrent of blood gushing from two wounds.

From up above on the Editor's Platform, Gillian raises her hands to the crowd.

"Now that one has some spunk," she says, referring to Marrin. "Wouldn't want to run into her in the dark, or maybe some of you gents would, you're a creepy lot."

The last is greeted with laughter.

The other two big bad birds approach, either not noticing or not caring that their more aggressive companion has just died.

One bird heads straight at Jan, it's head bobbing from side to side until it suddenly swings it downwards like a large axe.

Big Bad Bird 1 vs Jan: Attack: 11 Damage: 9   

The other looks at Ethel first but finds itself closer to Marrin and swings its large beak at her.

Big Bad Bird 2 vs Marrin: 12 Damage: 9   

Back to Jan, Marrin, and Ethel.

TEAM MUSCLE:

“Oh, what don’t you too need?” Dodds says with a smile and a laugh. “But I’d wager that a set of keys and a boat would be high on your list.”

He raises a hand to the guards, who then reluctantly wrap up their card came and accompany you and the cargo after Harry Dodds.

As you head towards the main tunnel, you both notice that arranged around the dock area are multiple doorways where crates and barrels and other odds and ends are either being carried into or out of; warehouses of some sort you’d guess.

You don’t have far to go down the main tunnel before you arrive at the entry way marked “Dodds”.

People pass by going in both directions, but from several hundred feet further down the tunnel you can hear the shouts and cries from the audience at the arena. However your companions are doing, it sounds like their fight is still going.

When you enter the store, carrying your crates, you notice a muscular orc leaning against the entry way. She nods to Dodds as you all enter.

The inside is brightly lit with lanterns and a couple of customers nose about, looking at all manner of goods. One corner appears to be mostly foodstuffs, and kitchen wares. Trinkets and clothing, and other general merchandise take over another corner. Tools, books, elaborate candelabra, and other decorations fill another. In the last corner, you see shields, swords, leathers of various sizes and styles, along with an assortment of other gear and weapons.

Your hobgoblin escort stay near the entry way.

“Welcome to Dodds,” Harry Dodds says. “Stick those along the back wall there.

As you do, he looks closely at you both. "So you're feeling fit, yes? Strong?"

Jan dodges the bird easily, and slashes with her dagger after shifting her patron's focus to the new combatant. 

Attack: 16 Damage: 9 piercing, necrotic and bludgeoning

((Realized I'd doubled up on bonus action last turn, sorry! Been watching too many One D&D discussion videos perhaps? Or just don't play two-weapon fighting character much?))

Relieved to see the birds aren't so very tough, Ethel continues to walk around the outside edge of the battle area until she has position to catch both birds within a 15' cone while avoiding Jan and Marrin.  She tucks her walking stick under an armpit and raises her hands out in front of her.  Her thumbs touch and with fingers splayed out before her, she intones "Emanivus, flamma."  A thin sheet of flame erupts from her fingertips and washes over the birds.

Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw DC 15. A creature takes 8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Ula is happy to engage in smalltalk too if it might lead to a friendly ally here in the town. “You know what they say, ‘Healthy body, healthy mind’…”. She continues to set the crates where they’re needed.

Marrin leans back as the razor sharp beak whizzes by, now knowing what to expect from the birds. She is even more glad to have leaned back when she sees the bird get lit up in a sheet of flame.

If it is still up, Marrin considers hurting the bird's feelings with sharp words but decides a sharp blade to the neck would hurt its feelings even more.

Attack: 12 Damage: 8

To her companions, Marrin says quietly and in Elven,

"Based on her highness's comment, I think we are going to be dealing with another wave of these things."

If all the birds are down she'll add panting,

"Maybe we should get over to where they let these ones out and you can hit them with more fire as they come out Ethel?"

TEAM ARENA:

As Jan dodges the bird attacking her, she manages to slip down and slice open a the creature chest.

"Another clean hit from out little warrior," Gillian says. "Such fierceness in an elf no less."

Gillian Hargrove no sooner finishes her statement when a blast of fire erupts from Ethel. The bird Jan just hit manages to step to the side and avoid most of the damage and still stands on its feet, though the smell of burnt flesh and blood is less than appealing.

The crowd leaps to its feet, shouting and stomping their feet in approval.

"There's what we've all come here to see today."

The other big bird wasn't as quick and takes the full brunt of the fire. As it squawks in pain, Marrin steps in and puts it out of its misery.

It falls to the ground dead.

The final big bad bird, disoriented and in pain lashes out at the closest person and swings its head down at Jan again.

Big Bird: Attack: 5 Damage: 5  

Jan, Marrin and Ethel are up.

TEAM MUSCLE:

"Yes I can see that," Dodds says, appraising Ula and Avaria. "What would be most helpful would be if your next fight you have trouble at the start. You stumble a little, maybe take a love tap or two to the shoulders and stomach before finally rising from the sand to claim victory. The crowd loves a story. And I can wait until you look down and out before placing several very profitable wagers."

He pauses and thinks for a few moments before nodding to himself.

"This could be very profitable," Dodds adds. He looks over at your guards and lowers his voice. "They'll likely really want to test you to your limits in your next match. I've heard rumor we may be a very full house this coming week and the longer everyone stays the more the Hargroves make. You could be the star entertainment."

While fussing around the crates. Dodds slips one small vial of red liquid to each of Ula and Avaria.

"Save this for the final act. You can afford to let yourself really get hammered first."

Finally one of the hobgoblin guards grunts and shouts something at Harry Dodds.

"Yes, yes. I think we're all done here."

The blow knocks Jan to one knee, but she shrieks her rage as she drives up with both daggers into the creature.

Attack: 12 Damage: 9

Attack: 12 Damage: 6

Avaria looks at Dodds and raises an eyebrow as he mentions his plans.  "So if we did this, it would make it profitable for you.. what is in it for us?"

She takes the vial from him, checks over to the guard to make sure they aren't looking and slides it into her cleavage since she has no pack to place it in.  

TEAM ARENA:

Jan, in a rage that rivals Avaria's, rises from her knee and plunges both daggers deep into the ruffled feather chest of the big axe beak. Blood run down her hands as the creature slips to the sand, finally at peace.

The crowd cheers.

"Well that was almost too easy, don't you think?" Gillian says to the crowd. 

She turns to look at each section of the crowd and then down onto the arena floor at the trio standing there.

"What do you say? Did that entertain you enough? Does their fast work deserve a reward? Or should we see what they can do with another set of axe beaks? I'll leave it to you."

Gillian raises an arm, one thumb extended upwards.

"Reward?"

Cheers and shouts rain down.

She then turns her thumb downwards.

"More entertainment?"

More cheers and shouts.

It's a close call.

 TEAM MUSCLE:

As the guards come closer and start gesturing for Ula and Avaria to come with them, Dodds smiles.

"Anything that turns a profit for me is valuable," Dodds says cryptically so the hobgoblins don't catch on. "And I take care of anything that's valuable to me."

As you leave the store, Dodds calls out "I hope to see you again soon."

The guards turn Ula and Avaria back down the main hallway, past another broad hallway that branches off to the east, retracing their steps. As you start passing by the arena viewing area, you hear more shouting and something about a reward or more fighting. The hobgoblins slow the pace just enough so that they can get a sense of what's going on in the arena.

TEAM ARENA:

"But it sounds like the crowd has been entertained," Gillian says. "Now, why don't you all go see what my daughter has on special in the Amorous Octopus tonight."

The crowd cheers some more and then quickly starts leaving the viewing area.

As the crowd leaves, Gillian looks down at the trio.

"Well done," she says. "You've made quite the impression. Now, clean this up."

She says the last bit gesturing at the dead axe beaks and then she also disappears from view.

A portcullis to a doorway to the far west side of the arena opens at the same time as the one to your arena preparation tunnel does. Two hobgoblin guards come out and gesture at the axe beaks.

"Drag them in there," one says, pointing at the west tunnel.

TEAM MUSCLE:

Ula and Avaria hear more cheering then a steady flow of swashbuckling and generally seedy looking patrons start moving from the arena and into the Amorous Octopus tavern.

The hobgoblin guards lose interest in the arena and move Ula and Avaria back through the guard training, recreation, bunk area, down the long stairs, through the guard post, and into the cavern again quickly.

Jan flicks blood from her hand in the direction of the departing Gillian.

((If Gillian is within 90 feet of Jan, she'll be subjected to the effects of hex for the next hour, or until Jan loses concentration.))

She'll grab hold of one of the legs, and once one of the others grabs the other leg or the head, start trying to drag it in that direction.

(In case it becomes important, what ability will she have disadvantage at?)

Marrin moves up beside Jan to help haul the birds out.

She winces as she looks at Jan's injury, a mirror of her own, and says in Elven,

"You okay? Nice stabbing there. Let me help."

Healing word: 8

"I guess the reward is dragging dead birds and here I was expecting freedom. Or at least a decent meal."

"Who says the birds aren't their own reward?" Ethel asks, somewhat awkwardly trying to lighten the mood as she struggles to help drag the carcasses.  "This one is mostly well-done already.  Maybe we can talk to the hobs about getting a leg or two sent down to the caves for dinner."

She winces a bit at the poor humor.  But she is grateful for the skillful work of the other two women, as well as somewhat ashamed they took such bloody wounds while she herself walked out unscathed.

She also snatches up a bit more sand... just in case.

((Strength checks. Hope she loses the arm wrestling match she has planned.))

Jan gives Marrin a nod of thanks.