Jean will do what she can to help with preparations but will mostly bounce on the balls of her feet and hum a tune as she waits for showtime.

Kyo will watch for incoming dangers and alert people as quick as he can. Keeping his mysterious object ready for an emergency.

**Sorry I haven't posted in a while, very busy with work/home stuff**

Kyo and Cordelia have their plans to assault the sphere in place, as well.

Taesn has most of the steam skippers ready, but Brutus took the hardest hit and it's not able to fly. She will stay with it to finish repairs/be at the ready to provide assistance if and when you make it out again. Fiorello once again provides you all with her shared memories, allowing you to fly the ships (and add your proficiency bonuses to rolls while flying). You break down the campsite and board the vessels. Tony, you and Kyo are borrowing Ariel for this round. Unlike Brutus, its skill is in firing multi-purpose flares. Fiorello will use his divination magic and the flare gun to light a path for you to follow. Kyo will hang out in Tony's lounge (punched out of the back of Ariel for this flight). So...

Ariel: Tony and Fiorello (+Kyo in the lounge)
Brutus: (Decommissioned) Taesn
Caspian: Perspicacious and Amaruve
Duncan: Cordelia and Jean

Plans for items:
Tony: Rescue the kids + ???
Cordelia: ???
Perspicacious: Use Chime to coordinate the ships' movements
Amaruve: Anchor the vessels
Jean: Absorb damage
Kyo: ???

You fly in tandem toward the storm sphere, Duncan in the lead. As you approach, you notice large streaks of deadly black energy corruscating along its surface, almost like a shell. You hear from your speaking stones the ringing voice of Chime, warning the skippers from the lead ship and organizing their approach. Flying alongside you on their hippogriffs, you see Deoch, Narimel, and the unnamed air genasi, their expressions unknowable behind their brightly-colored bird masks. The children are inside that sphere, and you're going to find them. 

Cordelia Maneuvers (advantage thanks to Chime): 13

A bolt of black energy rushes toward you, but Jean's body grows hazy as her new shield converts her mass into a quasi-spectral form. She absorbs the necrotic bolt, taking only 33 necrotic damage (CHA save DC 15 for half of that damage, Jean!).

Once through the outer shell, everything is darkness! You all have absolutely no means of piercing the gloom... until that is Fiorello begins directing the flares from Ariel's cannon (disadvantage turned to neutral impact thanks to his assistance). 

Tony and Perspicacious! (EDIT: oof, advantage from Chime lost due to Cordelia's failed maneuvers roll- Roll maneuvers, Tony and Persp! One of you has to hit 15 to get everyone through!)

Tony guns it! Don’t fail me now! 12! Sigh...

“Why didn’t I just let Gordra alone...”

Maneuvers: 11

Amaruve clings to the skippers interior. What was he thinking climbing back into this construct again. Maybe he really did have a death wish. He makes sure the knots in his rope are secure. He throws the loop over his shoulder and grits his teeth...

"Auuuuuurgh!!" Jean cried out as the energy ripped into her spectral form.

CHA save: 9

Fiorello's flares continue to light the way showing the clearest path. All of you are unequal to the ferocity of the storm, however. The three skippers begin to whirl out of control, buffeted by the raging winds. You are scattered, and the path is lost. 

From your speaking stones you hear Cordelia shout, "Damn it! Not like this!" Jean, you see her raise one foot into the air. The golden wings on her new Boots of Haste begin to shimmer as she kicks it forcefully into Duncan's console, violently forcing the magic of the spell into the skipper.

Maneuvers (last chance): 22

"Everyone! Hang on!" She shouts as one of Fiorello's flares strikes Duncan, casting faerie fire upon it. Jean, you see traces of blue and violet fire slide along the vessel's interior as chime directs the other ships to move toward Duncan's light.

The maneuvers are incredibly rough, however, and you each take 21 points of bludgeoning damage (how are you doing on health, Jean?)

Amaruve, for a split second, you see what seems to be blue sky directly below you. You see a flash of what could only be a huge tree in the center of it. Just as the thought to jump occurs to you, you feel yourself enveloped in green and gold faerie fire from Ariel's flare cannon. 

Do you jump?

Quote from Rivina >>

"Auuuuuurgh!!" Jean cried out as the energy ripped into her spectral form.

CHA save: 9

Jean is knocked unconscious by the storm's rage. The moment your last dizzy thought escapes you, Jean, you experience the unmistakeable impression that you are being watched...

But then everything is swallowed by the darkness.

As Caspian starts to roll and toss Amaruve struggles to get a hold of himself. He tries to clear his mind, he uses the strength of the tribes of his forefathers and shifts, taking the form of the Wild Hunt to clear his senses, releasing his Baboon shape. He looks around and tries to get his bearing and direction as the world spins (Survival: 26)

He can't stay in this cockpit. Now he must act. He fills with Rage and kicks the hatch open. He stands, holding the side of the craft for just a moment, silhouetted against the blue sky before he transforms into a Gorilla (Ape), and leaps out for the island. (Athletics: 20)

He falls through the clouds and as the storm pulls at him he tucks into a ball placing a hand on the charm around his neck... Everything goes still and quiet... for him.

("One last resort, coming up!")

The rope trails behind him, spooling out neatly, one end tied in loop around Amaruve's arm the other end tied to the end of Caspian's tow line.

(Apologies for the text wall)

The rope pulls taut and Caspian is yanked downward out of the storm. The gold and green light surrounding Amaruve's gorilla statue streaks through the darkness like a comet. Also caught in the faerie fire are two forms that were previously invisible; it looks like at least two of the Summerfolk are still with you! They streak through the storm alongside the statue of Amaruve. (Without Jean's protection at the front of the line, the gorilla statue takes 29 necrotic damage)

Tony, piloting Ariel, you see Caspian move straight down. Cordelia, focused as she is piloting Duncan at the front, doesn't notice until Chime's warning sounds through the speaking stone. As Tony spins downward to follow Amaruve and Perspicacious, Duncan is blocked from descending by the roaring winds. Tony, you hear a sudden "MROW!" from behind you. Ariel's cockpit pops open and a gray flash speeds past you as Kyo barrels out and into the clouds, slamming the cockpit shut again as he exits.

Tony and Fiorello, just before they move past the stormwall, see Kyo activate his newfound Ring of the Cloud Giant. He doubles, triples, quadruples in size, outstretching his paws and grabbing hold of Duncan. The enormous kitten uses sheer brute strength to yank the craft downward and into the blue sky below. 

You are now past the stormwall! There is a huge island below you, the main feature of which is the sprawling castle topped with a beautiful tree nearly as large as the island itself. It floats in a perfect blue sky. Of the sphere of the stormwall, there is no sign... There is a small circle of grass large enough for the three steam skippers to land directly below you. Fiorello directs you to aim for it. 

Before you land, there are two immediate problems: 1) Amaruve is still in statue form and falling fast. 2) Kyo has lost consciousness and reverted back to his original size! He is free-falling, as well.

Amaruve resists the majority of the damage and will be fine. The summerfolk use these charms to protect against falling. A valuable tool when living on the Plane of Air.

Tony will try to fly and grab Kyo before he becomes a cat pate. If he must roll maneuvers: 10! Well, here’s hoping. Maybe he can even grab the bear.

(Don't grab the living cannon ball, it won't end well.)

Perspicacious, in Caspian, would like to try and swoop down after Kyo. Throw out a line, tractor beam, whatever the ship might have. Apparently Amaruve thinks he's invincible now.

Maneuvers: 16

Kyo is rescued by Tony's spectacular dive, popping open the cockpit and gently catching the cat while matching his speed.

Perspicacious didn't have to work too hard to stop Amaruve's descent; she slammed Cadpian into an upthrust, maxing out his reserves ask the way to the soft landing space below them.

All three vessels make their landings and you each step out onto the grass. Cordelia calls out that Jean is unconscious, and Fiorello rushes over to tend to her. In the meantime, you all find yourselves on a small grassy circle. It almost looks like it was a park once, with a small stone bench and the remnants of a guard rail along the perimeter. The area is wrapped in small puffy white clouds...

(Perception/investigation checks everyone!)

Jean groaned and her eyes fluttered open. "Okay, that was unexpected. Are we where we need to be?"