(OOC: It seems like Finley was voting to land.  I think that we'll end up trying to land the balloon unless @willow_ivyleaf jumps in to say that Ilifir would like to try Valrieth's idea of the desiccated reptile of Darkness.)

Valrieth is encouraged by what Clapperclaw says and the sight of vegetation -- even if it is back in Hither's swamps! -- below.  She asks Clapperclaw to look for a dry place to land among trees and vines of the swamp.  She warns her friends, "Those giant geese can probably reach us before we can get to the ground.  We may have to hold them off for a bit until Clapperclaw can get us close to the ground.  Then I can  use the power of Nature to make the trees taller and the vines more dense to slow down the geese and discourage them from continuing to pursue us.  Or at least give us enough time to fight them off before they can get close enough to honk at us again!"

"Ah shoulda thought about changin' th' configuration o' me armor afore taking to th' air. But no matter, ah've got some fire and magical missiles to send out for th' moment." Finley nods, "we saved all those children, ah'm sure we ken fend off some geese!"

"I dont mind taking the risk" ilifir states, face going back to the blank expression he uses so often "landing would probably be best though, that way we can fight it without having to worry as much about losing the balloon. I dont think the goose itself is that much of a threat to us directly"

Clapperclaw begins letting out the gas in the balloon to descend

Giant Goose 2 flies another 60 to meet his flock. 

Giant goose 2 lets out some disgruntled quacks and the other geese rally to him. Round 5 is spent gathering the rest of the flock

Round 6 

Post when able. 

Aoife watches the geese and then turns to the others.

"I can cast a spell to help us to hide. It won't hide the whole balloon, but it would hold all of us, for an hour. Surely the geese will get bored by then, and we can continue on our way. We just have to climb up this rope and wait in the hidden area at the top."

"Ah ain't no good at hidin', but ah'm willing ta try. If they spot us or come fer th' balloon ah'll have to blast 'em with ah magic missile." Finley offers, keeping an eye on the geese.

(OOC: @Weathervision - the giant goose and its flock are > 120 ft away from the balloon at the moment (i.e., two rounds of flying 60 ft away + whatever distance the balloon moved in 2 rounds)?)

Quote from valeskah >>

Aoife watches the geese and then turns to the others.

"I can cast a spell to help us to hide. It won't hide the whole balloon, but it would hold all of us, for an hour. Surely the geese will get bored by then, and we can continue on our way. We just have to climb up this rope and wait in the hidden area at the top."

Valrieth says, "I'm not too worried about the giant geese, but we really need to prevent them from destroying the balloon.  Without it, we'll never get Finley back to Downfall in time!"

Quote from Snievan >>

"Ah ain't no good at hidin', but ah'm willing ta try. If they spot us or come fer th' balloon ah'll have to blast 'em with ah magic missile." Finley offers, keeping an eye on the geese.

Val admits, "Don't worry.  I don't think that we can hide from them, at leaest not like we did when we were sneaking around Loomlurch.  They'll know roughly where we landed.  If we can land before they get to us, I can cause the trees and vines to grow around and over us and the balloon.  I hope that the thick vegetation will discourage them enough that they'll just go away.  In any case, it should give us a little more time to fight them off before they get close enough to use that deafening honk again."

(OOC: Depending on how far the giant geese are from the balloon, Valrieth may have other things that she wants to do on her turn.)

"Ah'll follow yer lead then Val! They get too close ah will blast 'em though, dunnae think these are yer garden variety geese, aye!?" 

Aoife nods and agrees. "Getting the balloon down and out of danger is the first priority."

The ballon moves 30 ft down towards the ground with the flock of giant geese in pursuit.  

It takes 4 rounds for the giant geese to be in melee range of the balloon. Which means they will catch up before the balloon lands on the swampy ground. 

It is Round 9 with the flock of giant geese 30 ft away. If someone wants to do something in those previous rounds let me know.

Post when able

Aoife lines up her bow and begins shooting at Goose 2 as the balloon starts heading downwards.

Round 7

A1:7 to hit for 2 piercing and 6 force (HM)

A2: 13 to hit for 8 piercing and 2 force

Round 8

A1: nat 1

A2: 14 to hit for 9 piercing and 4 force

Round 9

A1: 10 to hit for 6 piercing plus 1 force

A2: 12 to hit for 5 piercing and 4 force

Aoife watches many of her arrows go astray and mutters "Just wait until they get closer... Give me my shortswords any day!"

Round 7:

Action: Nothing
Bonus Action: Defensive Field: Gives 6 Temporary HP to Finley

Round 8:

Action: Finley casts Fire Bolt Hit: 13 at the lead goose. Damage: 11 Fire

Round 9:

Action: Finley casts Magic Missile towards the closest goose. Damage: 10 Force

"We cannae let 'em get ta th' balloon!" Finley shouts while slinging spells towards the birds.

(OOC: @Weathervision - how large is the "flock"?  That is, if we're trying to fight them off, how many of "them" are we talking about?)

Round 6: 

Valrieth shouts to her bestial spirit, and it wheels around, attempting to stay away from the giant goose that was chasing it and flying back toward the balloon.  (The summoned eagle has a 60 ft flying speed, so it'll cover 120 ft / round while dashing.  I think that it'll be approaching the balloon almost at the same time as the giant geese.)

Then Val asks, "Ilifir, you can cast illusions, right?  Is there any illusion we could put on the balloon that might discourage them from attacking?"  Her first thought was Zybilna's "crow's foot" symbol, but when Aoife mentioned Zybilna's name, it didn't seem to influence the geese.  But maybe they'd think twice about attacking a balloon with the Queen of Prismeer's symbol on it?  If not that, then maybe a great big pair of eyes?  Val says, "Predators have front-facing eyes, so many animals shy away from anything that seems to be looking right at them."  Either that, or maybe try Ilifir's original idea of distracting the geese with something shiny. 

"Er...does anything have anything sparkly?"

Val asks Aoife and Finley whether they're going to be able to target the geese as the balloon descends.  That is, do one or more of them need to climb up on top of the balloon to prevent the geese from attacking from above?

Round 7 

(OOC: I think that the geese start this round within 90 ft. of the balloon.)

If the approach bestial spirit (screeching as it comes) at them are insufficient to dissuade the flock of geese, Val decides that their only option is to fight off the geese.  Maybe if the party kills off one or more of the geese, the others will leave them alone?  "Hopefully it won't make the geese more angry!" 

If the geese do not seem dissuaded by the previous round's attempts, Val shakes her head and takes out her star map.  She will attack whichever goose is still in the lead after Aoife's and Finley's attacks.

Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Guiding Bolt, 13, Damage: 17 (radiant)
  One target (the goose that's at the head of the flock) within 120 ft range.
  If the bolt hits, the next attack roll (either an attack by Ilifir in round 7 or Aoife's or Finley's attack in round 8) against this target before the end of your next turn has advantage.
Bonus Action: None.  They're not close enough for Val to hit with her bonus actions.

Round 8: 

Valrieth targets whichever goose is now at the head of the flock.  

Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Guiding Bolt, 24, Damage: 10 (radiant)
   If the bolt hits, Val's bonus action attack will be made with advantage.
Bonus Action: Archer Starry Form (range: 60) against the same goose as her attack (unless it was killed),
  Attack: 9 (if she has advantage: Unable to parse dice roll.)
  Damage: 10 (radiant)

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Round 8: 

Valrieth targets whichever goose is now at the head of the flock.  

Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Guiding Bolt, 24, Damage: 10 (radiant)
   If the bolt hits, Val's bonus action attack will be made with advantage.
Bonus Action: Archer Starry Form (range: 60) against the same goose as her attack (unless it was killed),
  Attack: 9 (if she has advantage: Unable to parse dice roll.)
  Damage: 10 (radiant)

(OOC: Rerolling the bonus action attack.)

Bonus Action: Archer starry form attack 
  Attack: 13, assuming advantage from Guiding Bolt.

Round 9: 

Valrieth continues targets whichever goose is still leading the flock's suicidal attack on the balloon.

Action: Cast spell (LVL 1 slot) Guiding Bolt, 20, Damage: 15 (radiant)
   If the bolt hits, Val's bonus action attack will be made with advantage.
Bonus Action: Archer Starry Form (range: 60) against the same goose as her attack (unless it was killed),
  Attack: 8 (if she has advantage: 11)
  Damage: 5 (radiant)

This round, the bestial spirit eagle should be close enough to attack the flock of giant geese.  It's just a regular-sized eagle, but it's fast (60 ft flying speed) and can use Flyby to attack and move past the flock without provoking opportunity attacks.

Movement: Fly toward one of the geese near the back of the flock, and then "bounce" off of the goose, climbing 40 ft. above the flock, veering away from the balloon, ready to swoop back down to attack next round.
Melee Attack: (Maul) 15 to hit, Damage: 14 (piercing)

"I have nothing big enough" he mutters to valrieth "and the balloon is moving too fast, all my illusions are party tricks"

Lacking that, he sends a small flame out among finley's, which blossoms into a roaring inferno for a moment, before collapsing in on itself, followed by more of his stone darts, targetting whichever goose is most injured, and going from there if it dies

Round 7:

Fireball, 20' radius sphere centred on the main goose, any geese in that area must make a dc 15 dexterity save, taking 29 fire damage on a failed save, or half on a success

Round 8:

Eldritch blast

26/9

23/9

3 extra bludgeoning on first hit

Round 9:

Eldritch blast

22/12

13/6

3 extra bludgeoning on the first hit

There are 5 giant geese

(Amazing barrage of attacks)

Dex Sav vs Fire ball

14

13

21

7

15

The giant geese dodge and weave with many hit by the fire ball and magical rays. The flock of giant geese disperse with Giant Goose 2 falling to the ground dead. 

End of Combat.

Clapperclaw soon after safely lands in a rather pungent area of Hither with stagnant swamp waters nearby. "Well will you look at that we made it to the ground in one piece. Now how long do you want to stay down here or should be lift off again?"