Syed's heart pounds as he grips Herbert's feathered back, his knuckles white from the strain. The vulture's powerful wings beat furiously, propelling them through the sky at a speed that makes Syed's stomach churn. He has never flown before—never even dreamed of it—but here he is, clinging to a vulture's back as they race after a fleeing raven. Considering the previous encounter and Herbert's interest, it might well be another wereraven. The wind whips at Syed's face, making it hard to see, but he squints through the chaos and spots the black bird ahead. Herbert's instincts are clear: catch the bird. Syed, however, has other plans. He leans low, pressing his body closer to Herbert's, trying to steady himself despite the wild ride.
"Easy, Herbert, easy," Syed mutters aloud, but it's more for himself than for the vulture. His mind reaches out, trying to make contact with the wereraven, seeking any opening he can find to slow it down or trick it into making a mistake. "Hey, birdbrain!" Syed projects his thoughts sharply, aiming telepathically for the wereraven's mind and lacing his words with magic, turning them into sharp-edged barbs meant to slice into the wereraven's psyche. "Did you really think you could just flap away from this? I bet you couldn't find your way out of a component pouch, let alone outfly me and Herbert! I've seen chickens with better coordination! Maybe if you were a little less birdbrained and a bit more clever, you'd realize just how hopeless you are right now!"
If he catches a flicker of doubt in the wereraven's mind, a hesitation. Like if it slows down, just for a heartbeat, that would be all Syed is looking out for. "You know, it’s not too late to just give up," Syed continues, his voice now a mocking whisper in the wereraven’s mind. "You could land, save yourself some humiliation. Or do you really want to see what happens when Herbert and I catch up to you?" The pursuit becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse, or rather vulture and raven, but with Syed’s mind locked onto his target, he’s determined to tip the scales in their favor.
Action: cast Vicious Mockery for 2 damage unless DC 11 Wisdom save. Free: talking telepathically to the raven if within 10 feet to trick it to slow down or even land, Deception/Intimidation: 16
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
Zeren's expression doesn't change as he turns and advances on the female wereraven, his movements as inexorable as a wave of iron.
"You should have surrendered."
The fact her back is turned means she doesn't see Zeren's attack coming even as his armored form towers over her. His longsword slices down her back, the strength behind the stroke ensures the blade cuts through her flesh down to the bone.
Zeren smiles as he hears the wereraven screech in pain.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Seeing that there is apparently only one foe left and one die floating above her hand Shayara rushes toward the group and as she does she thrust her hand forward launching her ammunition at the wereraven (Z).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Round 5 begins...
Sparkles (5/10 HP)
Constitution Save = 15 >10 DC A Success ---> Does not get infected with lycanantrophy
(Action) Attack @Wereraven Z with Quarterstaff 6 A Miss. ---> Wereraven Z takes no damage
(Bonus Action) Attack @Wereraven Z with Unarmed Strike 19 A Hit. ---> Wereraven Z takes 5 bludgeoning damage
William (4/11 HP)
Move 30 ft away west from Werervan Z
(Action) Attack @Wereraven Z with Chill Touch 6 A Miss. ---> Wereraven Z takes no damage
Zeren (8/13 HP)
Move 5 ft west towards Wereraven Z
(Action) Attack @Wereraven X with Longsword 24 A Hit. ---> Wereraven X takes piercing 14 piercing damage
Shayara (5/10 HP)
(Bonus Action) Attack @Wereraven Z with Magic Stone 16 A Hit. ---> Wereraven Z takes 5 bludgeoning damage
Kolette (3/10 HP)
(Action) Attack @Wereraven Z with Fire Bolt 10 A Miss. ---> Wereraven Z takes no damage but it does cause the miscellaneous items behind her to catch fire
"ACK!" the wereraven yelps as her back gets hammered by a quarterstaff. She lets go of her hold on Sparkle's shoulder with her beak, flapping her wings in an attempt to massage it. "Taste- taste of your own medicine," She spits after getting kicked in the face. That tossed her to the ground but like a rabid cat she is up again, arching her back and beak with a sneer and wings full out. "Kill my brother then kill me?" She pushes herself up with her talons and runs with a headstart.
William, who sprinted out the way, sends up another blast of necrotic energy towards the wereraven. It sears past her head, hitting a rafter which comes crashing down on top of the already smashed boxes. Due the weight of this rafter and the unsteadiness of the balcony you're on, you all feel the wood shifting beneath your feet. It creaks which trips up the wereraven's stance as she has to go and flap her wings for a second in anticipation of a fall. This gives an ample opportunity for Zeren to swing his sword onto her spine with her back turned. The smell of iron singes in the air, both of the iron itself and the blood. She cries out in pain.
She wiggles her way out of the longsword's grip, her flesh already trying to heal the wound around it which makes for an unsettling squelch.
Shayara's magic die is sent soaring across the air again, knocking Z (aka Sally) off balance. She stumbles and tries to grab the banister, missing. She tries not to look down in horror. Her eyes darting away from her brother's dead body and then back to yours. "Stop?" Glaring at Sparkles, then Zeren now she raises her right talon up for it only to start being shaky. "Why should I? Huh? Why?!"
That question is met with fire. Kolette's fire bolt bursts through her cloven hands and singes the the feathers on the wereraven's head, she yelps. The fire instead slams into the wooden wall behind her and Sparkles. It causes specifically the chest to catch on fire. This sends the elk downstairs to bray and frantically start moving.
Sally looks around the empty bottom floor, "Damn it, Tomo!" She rubs her aching wings and steps back; her ankle nearly keels over and it takes her effort to stop from falling over.
"Okay! Okay! I'll stop! ... I surrender," she puts her hands up. She pants heavily.
Wereraven Z (Beginning 25%)
Regenerate 10 HP
(Action) Disengage
End of Round: Around 25% still
End encounter?
Syed (9/9 HP)
(Action) Attack @Wereraven Y Vicious Mockery ---> Wisdom Save: 17 + 2 = 19 > 11 DC A Save.
(Free Action) talking telepathically to the raven if within 10 feet to trick it to slow down or even land, Deception/Intimidation: 16
Despite it being your first time riding a vulture and your white knuckles, you hold on. You spot the blackbird and send your thoughts towards its direction. Herbert too shifts gears and takes a right towards it. Its glassy eyes try to stay ahead of the road, flapping even faster.
'Birdbrain?'Tomo (Y) thinks, 'Birdbrain, birdbrain, birdbrain!' He hangs onto these words which reverberate around his small skull and bounce back even sharper. Confused where they are coming from and wondering if it's from his own unconscious, he veers. 'Component pouch?! Outfly?!' His heart beats faster.
'Get the gold, get the gold,' he tries to reassure himself, blocking out your thoughts. And it works! The bird dives and catches a wind current. Yet the vulture's proximity makes him waver.
"You could land, save yourself some humiliation. Or do you really want to see what happens when Herbert and I catch up to you?"
The raven looks right at you then stops, hovering above in mid-flight. Realizing what a bad move this was, he dives into some nearby dead trees, startling some random crows who caw and shout at its sudden appearance. In the midst of dozens of blackbirds finding yours is going to be either a hit or a miss.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Zeren doesn't lower his sword as the wereraven surrenders. He looms over her, ensuring that he can react to any sudden moves with as lethal a blow as possible.
His expression can't be seen beneath his helmet but his body language makes it obvious he's ready to fight again if necessary.
"Good. I'm not going to kill you unless you fight or try to escape. Sit down, put your hands on your head, and stay still and you'll probably make it out of this alive."
His fangs still haven't retracted and the smell of blood is thick in the air.
OOC: Intimidation check:
10
If the circumstances mean Zeren has advantage on the Intimidation check then use the previous check or this one, whichever is higher:
As the combat ends inside the barn, William moves away from the wereraven and seems to stare off into the distance as his eyes go black. In an instant, William is looking and smelling through Herbert... as though he was Herbert
He can see the fleeing raven and directs his familiar to move closer to the enemy bird. He also instructs Herbert to help Syed to attack the fleeing creature.
Shayara's first instinct as the battles closes is to shove the creature to her death. She thrusts her hand out about to do just that when she hears her target surrender. quickly she withdraws her hand pulling the wereraven closer to her (Shove). "I do not have time for games beast, I have more important things to do than bother with you. However, i will give you a chance to make amends and prove your worth"
As she is speaking Shayara begins casting a spell, her hands moving in just the right pattern as she weaves her magic finishing with the arcane incantation needed to trigger her magic. "Ra'mash"
Syed’s heart is pounding as Herbert swoops low, wings slicing through the air. He watches the wereraven frantically veer off course, diving into a cluster of dead trees. The sudden eruption of crows makes it hard to spot his quarry. He narrows his eyes, scanning the fluttering black shapes below. Herbert circles above the treetops, his sharp eyes locking onto something below. Syed, however, is unable to single out his target. (Perception 3)
"Oh, come on!" Syed mutters, his frustration tinged with a smirk. "Really? Hiding among a bunch of crows? That’s your big plan? I guess even in bird form, you’re still just a coward trying to blend in." He pats Herbert’s side, speaking out loud this time. “Alright, Herbert, let’s finish this. Grab that bird and bring it back to the others. Just be careful—don’t want to ruin the feathers too much."
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
Sparkles is relieved to see combat end, and just lets the party get on with sorting the surrendering Wereraven. She fears if she got involved it'd lead to her impulses getting the better of her and then they might end up with another body on their hands. Instead she just heads downstairs and tries to comfort Starry; seeing a wereraven fall from the top floor would have given him quite a scare. She rubs her fingers together and goes 'Psspsspsspss' like she's calling a cat, seeing if he'll come any closer and telling the young elk 'It's okay, we should be fine now! You're safe!'
Fire rises from the chest and the back wall of the barn, the wereraven coughs.
"Agh,"she groans, holding onto her aching left shoulder, "I won't."She glares over at Zeren. Her eyes follow the iron sword like it was an open invitation to take. You see a glimmer in her pitch black eyes from the reflection of the sword's light, she reaches with her arms but then she puts her head down and slowly raises her talons above her head. Sally mutters something about dhampirs not being like the book. She takes a kneel, that is, until something shoves her forward.
She struggles. Her arms lock and beak curls in a snarl. Some phantom otherworldly force brings her off the shattered balcony and into midair. Her wings don't even flap. She stares an icy cold glare into the face of her captor, Shayara. "Beast?!"She looks down to herself then up at you utterly mortified. Her body twists from side to side. She opens her mouth again for interjection but only blubbers when she can't find any words. You start muttering incantations and she panics.
"No! No! No! Stop!" The tingle of magic rolls up her spine and coats her feathers in a purplish glow; she winces. She twists her head back and eyes shut. "Arghh nooo!"she cries. Her beak makes some clicking sounds, "Stoppp."Suddenly, she opens one eye. "Huh, ... it's not so bad."
She stares over at Shayara with her neck tilted all the way back. You can see how she tries to breathe heavily but is stilted as she struggles with your magic hold on her so she can only draw in quick short breathes. Her chest rises and falls with pain.
"What- what do you want from me? Agh,"she cringes, her foot talon curling up in pain, "You already killed my brother! Tomo took all the gold! What more?!"
@Syed
((man a 3?! nooooo))
"Oh come on!" you shout. A raven's caw is heard from within the trees and some more crows spring out, shouting back angrily at their distributor, before landing back down again. You see some hopping movements from between the trees, but you can't single out each one.
On the other hand Herbert does, tilting his head to the right side. For a second his eyes lock with yours and you can almost feel a hint of a nod (despite there being no actual motion). After you finish, you see him blink and he swoops in closer, his dark black wings silent in the sky. The birds stare back at him with an equally open curiosity.
He inches closer. The birds slightly shift over to the side, thrilling amongst each other. The suddenly in a dive, he swipes in. His beak intercepts another and then hits flesh. The target is knocked off his perch and swiftly clasped into Herbert's talons. The black bird struggles against your grasp.
There is a cacophony of thrilling from the other crows.
The bird in hand trashes then goes limp. Somehow a piece of gold slips through Herbert's talons and falls through the ground with a jingle. "NO!" The wereraven knows its jig is up but continues to trash anyways, "Please! Please let me go! I swear- I-!" It doesn't know what else to say.
@Sparkles
The elk downstairs is delighted in your presence. Starry brays and snorts, backing away as far as possible from the corpse then towards your grasp. It sees you coming and then steps away. You try to psspsspsspsspit closer; it rolls its neck and lifts one hoof up, taking it one hoof closer.
It brays again, lowering its head and it takes to your hand as it tries to sniff it. Its nostrils flare when it snorts. Then in an instant it licks your hand before it backs up again and cowers. In its hesitation, it knocks over some glass, which then shatters to the floor. This startles it even more.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
With the Bird in its talons, The vulture Begins to quickly circle back and join the others. As it approaches the barn, it swoops through a hole in the roof and lands in front of William and his companions. William's eyes return to normal and Herbert continues to press down on the bird, pinning it against the ground. "Herbert and Syed have Brought Tomo back to us." The undertaker says woth a smile. "The least you two could do is have over young old for all the trouble you caused us." He says with a smile as he points his wand towards the pinned bird. He then extends his free hand and motions for Herbert to release the bird before extending it outward as though waiting for a bag of coins to be dropped into his palm.
"I'm uninterested in further bloodshed. The fight's over, we loot the place and leave."
He points his sword at the female wereraven.
"Revenge is an idiot's game. You come after us and I'll drain every drop of blood from your body and use your feathers to stuff a pillow. And have some self-respect and stop robbing people, you're wasting your talents on banditry. If you can pick yourself back up from your loss here maybe I'll have work for you in the future."
Syed dismounts Herbert, his legs a bit shaky from the wild ride but his mind clear. He watches as William coolly demands payment from the pinned wereraven, a small smirk playing on his lips at the sight of the vulture’s firm grip on Tomo.
As Zeren makes his stance clear, Syed nods in agreement, though his thoughts are already turning back to their original mission. "Zeren’s right," he begins, his tone practical but with an edge of impatience. "The job’s done, and we’ve got places to be. Our employer is waiting, and I’d rather not waste any more time on these… scavengers."
He glances around the barn, noting the scattered loot and the defeated wereravens. "Look, we’ve made our point. Let them lick their wounds and figure out their next move. We don’t need to dirty our hands any further." His eyes flick to William. "Besides, we’ve already got the ringleader right here. If they’re smart, they won’t cross our path again."
Syed steps forward, offering to [action]help[/help] with the search. "Let’s gather what we need and get out of here. I’ll help speed things up. The sooner we’re back on the road, the sooner we can return to our real work."
He’s eager to be done with this place and back to more important matters, but he keeps his focus on the task at hand, ready to assist in wrapping things up efficiently.
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
The female wereraven's beak goes pin straight when she sees the struggling bird in the vulture's grasp. She makes a face at him, squinting her eyes and curling up her lip. "Tomo..." Her shoulders raise as she tries to get of Shayara's magical grip but still can't. The bird continues its pleas for mercy until dropped.
"GAH!" the black bird screams, falling face first onto the ground. Shifting its wing to the side, it gets onto its back in a way unnatural for birds but more for humans. "Aw, ow." He settles into a nice position before shifting back. The shadows consume it and in its place is a tall greasy-haired pasty human male. Some feathers still stick out from his head and fall out as soon as he ruffles within his cloak (torn with what looks like vulture talons) and gets out a bag. "Here! Take it!" He tosses the bag which thumps to the floor when he raises his hands up.
"Tomo," the girl repeats again. Tomo's gaze tries everywhere not to met hers. Sally sighs. Then a sword is back at her throat. She grimaces. She doesn't say anything for the length of Zeren's tirade, just giving him a look that means no nonsense further amplified by the ways here eyes are glossed. She waits for him to turn around when she yells back, "WELL SOME PEOPLE'S GOTS TO LIVE, YOU KNOW! I- I..." she looks to struggle to find any more words, especially now that your last bit of words have sunk in, "hm."
She gulps and cranes her neck over to where her brother's body lays.
The magical fire set by Kolette subsidies over this, even though engulfed in flame previously the treasure chest looks just fine. You leave the wereravens where they are. From Tomo's bag you find 75 gold pieces worth and another potion of healing. Lucky you!
Kolette attempts to pick up the mead but finds it too heavy as do all of you, so she finds it is best to roll it. Eren greets you all at the caravan, "So how was that?" they croon.
Wherever Sparkles went, Starry followed (still 5 feet behind).
Sparkles returns to the wagon with the rest of the party and Starry following behind. She doesn't say anything to Eren, that battle had been too much of an ordeal to joke about. She's just looking forward to reaching Emberwood Village.
Syed's heart pounds as he grips Herbert's feathered back, his knuckles white from the strain. The vulture's powerful wings beat furiously, propelling them through the sky at a speed that makes Syed's stomach churn. He has never flown before—never even dreamed of it—but here he is, clinging to a vulture's back as they race after a fleeing raven. Considering the previous encounter and Herbert's interest, it might well be another wereraven. The wind whips at Syed's face, making it hard to see, but he squints through the chaos and spots the black bird ahead. Herbert's instincts are clear: catch the bird. Syed, however, has other plans. He leans low, pressing his body closer to Herbert's, trying to steady himself despite the wild ride.
"Easy, Herbert, easy," Syed mutters aloud, but it's more for himself than for the vulture. His mind reaches out, trying to make contact with the wereraven, seeking any opening he can find to slow it down or trick it into making a mistake. "Hey, birdbrain!" Syed projects his thoughts sharply, aiming telepathically for the wereraven's mind and lacing his words with magic, turning them into sharp-edged barbs meant to slice into the wereraven's psyche. "Did you really think you could just flap away from this? I bet you couldn't find your way out of a component pouch, let alone outfly me and Herbert! I've seen chickens with better coordination! Maybe if you were a little less birdbrained and a bit more clever, you'd realize just how hopeless you are right now!"
If he catches a flicker of doubt in the wereraven's mind, a hesitation. Like if it slows down, just for a heartbeat, that would be all Syed is looking out for. "You know, it’s not too late to just give up," Syed continues, his voice now a mocking whisper in the wereraven’s mind. "You could land, save yourself some humiliation. Or do you really want to see what happens when Herbert and I catch up to you?" The pursuit becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse, or rather vulture and raven, but with Syed’s mind locked onto his target, he’s determined to tip the scales in their favor.
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
Zeren's expression doesn't change as he turns and advances on the female wereraven, his movements as inexorable as a wave of iron.
"You should have surrendered."
The fact her back is turned means she doesn't see Zeren's attack coming even as his armored form towers over her. His longsword slices down her back, the strength behind the stroke ensures the blade cuts through her flesh down to the bone.
Zeren smiles as he hears the wereraven screech in pain.
Seeing that there is apparently only one foe left and one die floating above her hand Shayara rushes toward the group and as she does she thrust her hand forward launching her ammunition at the wereraven (Z).
Attack: 16 Damage: 6
If it is in sight and 120 feet Kolette will let loose a lance of Pelor's fire
Fire Bolt! Attack: 17 Damage: 10
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
"ACK!" the wereraven yelps as her back gets hammered by a quarterstaff. She lets go of her hold on Sparkle's shoulder with her beak, flapping her wings in an attempt to massage it. "Taste- taste of your own medicine," She spits after getting kicked in the face. That tossed her to the ground but like a rabid cat she is up again, arching her back and beak with a sneer and wings full out. "Kill my brother then kill me?" She pushes herself up with her talons and runs with a headstart.
William, who sprinted out the way, sends up another blast of necrotic energy towards the wereraven. It sears past her head, hitting a rafter which comes crashing down on top of the already smashed boxes. Due the weight of this rafter and the unsteadiness of the balcony you're on, you all feel the wood shifting beneath your feet. It creaks which trips up the wereraven's stance as she has to go and flap her wings for a second in anticipation of a fall. This gives an ample opportunity for Zeren to swing his sword onto her spine with her back turned. The smell of iron singes in the air, both of the iron itself and the blood. She cries out in pain.
She wiggles her way out of the longsword's grip, her flesh already trying to heal the wound around it which makes for an unsettling squelch.
Shayara's magic die is sent soaring across the air again, knocking Z (aka Sally) off balance. She stumbles and tries to grab the banister, missing. She tries not to look down in horror. Her eyes darting away from her brother's dead body and then back to yours. "Stop?" Glaring at Sparkles, then Zeren now she raises her right talon up for it only to start being shaky. "Why should I? Huh? Why?!"
That question is met with fire. Kolette's fire bolt bursts through her cloven hands and singes the the feathers on the wereraven's head, she yelps. The fire instead slams into the wooden wall behind her and Sparkles. It causes specifically the chest to catch on fire. This sends the elk downstairs to bray and frantically start moving.
Sally looks around the empty bottom floor, "Damn it, Tomo!" She rubs her aching wings and steps back; her ankle nearly keels over and it takes her effort to stop from falling over.
"Okay! Okay! I'll stop! ... I surrender," she puts her hands up. She pants heavily.
End encounter?
Despite it being your first time riding a vulture and your white knuckles, you hold on. You spot the blackbird and send your thoughts towards its direction. Herbert too shifts gears and takes a right towards it. Its glassy eyes try to stay ahead of the road, flapping even faster.
'Birdbrain?' Tomo (Y) thinks, 'Birdbrain, birdbrain, birdbrain!' He hangs onto these words which reverberate around his small skull and bounce back even sharper. Confused where they are coming from and wondering if it's from his own unconscious, he veers. 'Component pouch?! Outfly?!' His heart beats faster.
'Get the gold, get the gold,' he tries to reassure himself, blocking out your thoughts. And it works! The bird dives and catches a wind current. Yet the vulture's proximity makes him waver.
"You could land, save yourself some humiliation. Or do you really want to see what happens when Herbert and I catch up to you?"
The raven looks right at you then stops, hovering above in mid-flight. Realizing what a bad move this was, he dives into some nearby dead trees, startling some random crows who caw and shout at its sudden appearance. In the midst of dozens of blackbirds finding yours is going to be either a hit or a miss.
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
Zeren doesn't lower his sword as the wereraven surrenders. He looms over her, ensuring that he can react to any sudden moves with as lethal a blow as possible.
His expression can't be seen beneath his helmet but his body language makes it obvious he's ready to fight again if necessary.
"Good. I'm not going to kill you unless you fight or try to escape. Sit down, put your hands on your head, and stay still and you'll probably make it out of this alive."
His fangs still haven't retracted and the smell of blood is thick in the air.
OOC: Intimidation check:
10
If the circumstances mean Zeren has advantage on the Intimidation check then use the previous check or this one, whichever is higher:
9
As the combat ends inside the barn, William moves away from the wereraven and seems to stare off into the distance as his eyes go black. In an instant, William is looking and smelling through Herbert... as though he was Herbert
He can see the fleeing raven and directs his familiar to move closer to the enemy bird. He also instructs Herbert to help Syed to attack the fleeing creature.
Shayara's first instinct as the battles closes is to shove the creature to her death. She thrusts her hand out about to do just that when she hears her target surrender. quickly she withdraws her hand pulling the wereraven closer to her (Shove). "I do not have time for games beast, I have more important things to do than bother with you. However, i will give you a chance to make amends and prove your worth"
As she is speaking Shayara begins casting a spell, her hands moving in just the right pattern as she weaves her magic finishing with the arcane incantation needed to trigger her magic. "Ra'mash"
(DC to resist Shove =14 STR)
(DC to resist Charm Person = 14 WIS)
Syed’s heart is pounding as Herbert swoops low, wings slicing through the air. He watches the wereraven frantically veer off course, diving into a cluster of dead trees. The sudden eruption of crows makes it hard to spot his quarry. He narrows his eyes, scanning the fluttering black shapes below. Herbert circles above the treetops, his sharp eyes locking onto something below. Syed, however, is unable to single out his target. (Perception 3)
"Oh, come on!" Syed mutters, his frustration tinged with a smirk. "Really? Hiding among a bunch of crows? That’s your big plan? I guess even in bird form, you’re still just a coward trying to blend in." He pats Herbert’s side, speaking out loud this time. “Alright, Herbert, let’s finish this. Grab that bird and bring it back to the others. Just be careful—don’t want to ruin the feathers too much."
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
Herbert will attempt to use his nose to determine which bird is the right one and continue towards it if possible...
Herbert perception! 11
Sparkles is relieved to see combat end, and just lets the party get on with sorting the surrendering Wereraven. She fears if she got involved it'd lead to her impulses getting the better of her and then they might end up with another body on their hands. Instead she just heads downstairs and tries to comfort Starry; seeing a wereraven fall from the top floor would have given him quite a scare. She rubs her fingers together and goes 'Psspsspsspss' like she's calling a cat, seeing if he'll come any closer and telling the young elk 'It's okay, we should be fine now! You're safe!'
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
Fire rises from the chest and the back wall of the barn, the wereraven coughs.
"Agh," she groans, holding onto her aching left shoulder, "I won't." She glares over at Zeren. Her eyes follow the iron sword like it was an open invitation to take. You see a glimmer in her pitch black eyes from the reflection of the sword's light, she reaches with her arms but then she puts her head down and slowly raises her talons above her head. Sally mutters something about dhampirs not being like the book. She takes a kneel, that is, until something shoves her forward.
She struggles. Her arms lock and beak curls in a snarl. Some phantom otherworldly force brings her off the shattered balcony and into midair. Her wings don't even flap. She stares an icy cold glare into the face of her captor, Shayara. "Beast?!" She looks down to herself then up at you utterly mortified. Her body twists from side to side. She opens her mouth again for interjection but only blubbers when she can't find any words. You start muttering incantations and she panics.
"No! No! No! Stop!" The tingle of magic rolls up her spine and coats her feathers in a purplish glow; she winces. She twists her head back and eyes shut. "Arghh nooo!" she cries. Her beak makes some clicking sounds, "Stoppp." Suddenly, she opens one eye. "Huh, ... it's not so bad."
She stares over at Shayara with her neck tilted all the way back. You can see how she tries to breathe heavily but is stilted as she struggles with your magic hold on her so she can only draw in quick short breathes. Her chest rises and falls with pain.
"What- what do you want from me? Agh," she cringes, her foot talon curling up in pain, "You already killed my brother! Tomo took all the gold! What more?!"
@Syed
((man a 3?! nooooo))
"Oh come on!" you shout. A raven's caw is heard from within the trees and some more crows spring out, shouting back angrily at their distributor, before landing back down again. You see some hopping movements from between the trees, but you can't single out each one.
On the other hand Herbert does, tilting his head to the right side. For a second his eyes lock with yours and you can almost feel a hint of a nod (despite there being no actual motion). After you finish, you see him blink and he swoops in closer, his dark black wings silent in the sky. The birds stare back at him with an equally open curiosity.
He inches closer. The birds slightly shift over to the side, thrilling amongst each other. The suddenly in a dive, he swipes in. His beak intercepts another and then hits flesh. The target is knocked off his perch and swiftly clasped into Herbert's talons. The black bird struggles against your grasp.
There is a cacophony of thrilling from the other crows.
The bird in hand trashes then goes limp. Somehow a piece of gold slips through Herbert's talons and falls through the ground with a jingle. "NO!" The wereraven knows its jig is up but continues to trash anyways, "Please! Please let me go! I swear- I-!" It doesn't know what else to say.
@Sparkles
The elk downstairs is delighted in your presence. Starry brays and snorts, backing away as far as possible from the corpse then towards your grasp. It sees you coming and then steps away. You try to psspsspsspssp it closer; it rolls its neck and lifts one hoof up, taking it one hoof closer.
It brays again, lowering its head and it takes to your hand as it tries to sniff it. Its nostrils flare when it snorts. Then in an instant it licks your hand before it backs up again and cowers. In its hesitation, it knocks over some glass, which then shatters to the floor. This startles it even more.
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
With the Bird in its talons, The vulture Begins to quickly circle back and join the others. As it approaches the barn, it swoops through a hole in the roof and lands in front of William and his companions. William's eyes return to normal and Herbert continues to press down on the bird, pinning it against the ground. "Herbert and Syed have Brought Tomo back to us." The undertaker says woth a smile. "The least you two could do is have over young old for all the trouble you caused us." He says with a smile as he points his wand towards the pinned bird. He then extends his free hand and motions for Herbert to release the bird before extending it outward as though waiting for a bag of coins to be dropped into his palm.
"So...let them live or finish them off?"
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Zeren shakes his head.
"I'm uninterested in further bloodshed. The fight's over, we loot the place and leave."
He points his sword at the female wereraven.
"Revenge is an idiot's game. You come after us and I'll drain every drop of blood from your body and use your feathers to stuff a pillow. And have some self-respect and stop robbing people, you're wasting your talents on banditry. If you can pick yourself back up from your loss here maybe I'll have work for you in the future."
Syed dismounts Herbert, his legs a bit shaky from the wild ride but his mind clear. He watches as William coolly demands payment from the pinned wereraven, a small smirk playing on his lips at the sight of the vulture’s firm grip on Tomo.
As Zeren makes his stance clear, Syed nods in agreement, though his thoughts are already turning back to their original mission. "Zeren’s right," he begins, his tone practical but with an edge of impatience. "The job’s done, and we’ve got places to be. Our employer is waiting, and I’d rather not waste any more time on these… scavengers."
He glances around the barn, noting the scattered loot and the defeated wereravens. "Look, we’ve made our point. Let them lick their wounds and figure out their next move. We don’t need to dirty our hands any further." His eyes flick to William. "Besides, we’ve already got the ringleader right here. If they’re smart, they won’t cross our path again."
Syed steps forward, offering to [action]help[/help] with the search. "Let’s gather what we need and get out of here. I’ll help speed things up. The sooner we’re back on the road, the sooner we can return to our real work."
He’s eager to be done with this place and back to more important matters, but he keeps his focus on the task at hand, ready to assist in wrapping things up efficiently.
Sorry, I'm beginning to enter a vacation period and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
Kolette will roll or pick up (not sure how heavy they are) a barrel of mead, and take it to the wagon.
At the very least people like booze.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
The female wereraven's beak goes pin straight when she sees the struggling bird in the vulture's grasp. She makes a face at him, squinting her eyes and curling up her lip. "Tomo..." Her shoulders raise as she tries to get of Shayara's magical grip but still can't. The bird continues its pleas for mercy until dropped.
"GAH!" the black bird screams, falling face first onto the ground. Shifting its wing to the side, it gets onto its back in a way unnatural for birds but more for humans. "Aw, ow." He settles into a nice position before shifting back. The shadows consume it and in its place is a tall greasy-haired pasty human male. Some feathers still stick out from his head and fall out as soon as he ruffles within his cloak (torn with what looks like vulture talons) and gets out a bag. "Here! Take it!" He tosses the bag which thumps to the floor when he raises his hands up.
"Tomo," the girl repeats again. Tomo's gaze tries everywhere not to met hers. Sally sighs. Then a sword is back at her throat. She grimaces. She doesn't say anything for the length of Zeren's tirade, just giving him a look that means no nonsense further amplified by the ways here eyes are glossed. She waits for him to turn around when she yells back, "WELL SOME PEOPLE'S GOTS TO LIVE, YOU KNOW! I- I..." she looks to struggle to find any more words, especially now that your last bit of words have sunk in, "hm."
She gulps and cranes her neck over to where her brother's body lays.
The magical fire set by Kolette subsidies over this, even though engulfed in flame previously the treasure chest looks just fine. You leave the wereravens where they are. From Tomo's bag you find 75 gold pieces worth and another potion of healing. Lucky you!
Kolette attempts to pick up the mead but finds it too heavy as do all of you, so she finds it is best to roll it. Eren greets you all at the caravan, "So how was that?" they croon.
Wherever Sparkles went, Starry followed (still 5 feet behind).
((sorry no colors I'm rushing ahh))
<---- me irl slow reader, even slower writer easily jumpy thanks for being patient
DM: Drakkenheim Mind and Matter + Blood Secrets + What's in the Here and Now;
Player: Dragonlance
Sparkles returns to the wagon with the rest of the party and Starry following behind. She doesn't say anything to Eren, that battle had been too much of an ordeal to joke about. She's just looking forward to reaching Emberwood Village.
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
Callow Sunken-Eyes: Goliath Arctic Druid: We Are Modron
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist , The Hunt for the Balowang and Surviving Tempest City!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!