Above & Below

Brask is impressed though he won't admit it, but he's almost immediately looking for signs of occupants or hostile forces.  Perception 10

Promise, Effort thinks to herself.

"It looks as though we've been lucky so far," she says to the others.  "But now is the time to be wary.  If what Euphoria said is true, there should be some evidence of entry into those ruins.  Hopefully only from one tiefling, and nothing more.  There does not seem to be much in the way of hiding out here, but still... let us try to be silent and not attract too much attention to ourselves as we approach."

She sends Cadmael to scout overhead, just as before, as she herself begins to pick her way gingerly towards the castle.  As she goes, she begins to investigate the way forward for any signs of recent passage or occupation, murmuring under her breath and touching her forehead to assist in her concentration.

Cadmael Perception: 13

Effort Investigation: 9 + Guidance 3

What a wonder... Kurama thinks to himself as the mountain castle comes into view.  On guard for anything unexpected from here on out, Kurama scans the area for any signs of recent movement or activity.

Perception: 15

The landscape is dizzying - there's nothing but shades of white and gray, and the sun reflecting off the snow and ice make it even tougher to really focus on anything. As you start to make your final approach, though, Effort notices a strange shape off to your right. As she approaches carefully, she realizes it's a campfire. There is nothing smoldering, though. It looks to have been made and used quite some time ago. How much time has passed is anyone's guess. Quickly looking around, there doesn't seem to be much else in the area to signify recent use, and trying to find trackable footprints on the rocks seems to be near pointless.

Kurama catches a small shadow pass by on the ground, and then a second. At first, he assumes it's more vultures, or maybe the eagles he saw earlier in the day. Looking up anyway, he sees the silhouettes are actually quite strange. The large winged creatures appear to be mostly bird-like...except for their upper body and head. Furry and snout-like, and with enormous antlers, the creatures almost look as if a deer and a monstrous bird of prey had had baby. They loop back around and start to head back in your direction. With a strange yelping growl, it seems as though they're coming right toward you.

Everyone, roll initiative. The birds are about 60 feet in the air.

Creatures: 13

Kurama's Initiative: 19

Brask's initiative:  15

Effort Initiative: 8

Cadmael is going to bampf out of this one into the pocket plane.

Burik: 16

Pip: 9

Round 1: Kurama > Burik > Brask > Creatures > Pip > Effort

Kurama, you're up. The two strange creatures are still about 60 feet away from you in the air, heading in your direction.

Looking to the sky at the screeching creatures, Kurama moves to an area he hopes will provide a little bit of protection from the creatures (if possible) while trying to determine if he knows anything in particular about these creatures.

(Investigation/ Nature Check: 12)

You vaguely recall one of your fellow monks telling a story of this monstrosity - part predator, part stag - and think it is called a Peryton. Outside of that, though, you can't recall any details of what was said about the creature. It certainly looks formidable, though, as he swoops toward you. You try to take cover, but there aren't any boulders large enough to really get behind. The valley is mostly a cold field of hard-packed dirt and rocks. You position yourself near the largest you can find, but it's hardly enough to kneel behind. 

Time to take your turn!

(OOC: Oh sorry I thought a skill check counted as my turn!)

"Watch out!  They're Peryton's!" Kurama shouts from his meager hiding spot as he flings a dart at the nearest creature hoping to draw one of them into a fight up close.

Dart Attack: 22 (If disadvantaged due to long range (over 20ft)): 11 

Dart Damage if Hit: 5 (EDIT: if it hits & Crits!: 7)

Bummer about the disadvantage! And I usually won't make skill checks take up your turn unless they would take a long time or involve something really physical.

The dart looks as though it is perfectly on target, but as it sails higher and higher, it loses velocity and cruises just underneath the winged beast. Burik fires a blast of necrotic energy at one of them, casting Chill Touch as a ghostly purple hand rockets through the air...

Attack: 19 Damage: 7

It scratches across one of the Peryton's chests, drawing blood but not slowing it down much.

Brask, you're up.

Brask stands above Pip in a protective stance; he draws a handaxe and will ready an attack for the first peryton that comes within 20 feet.

The winged beasts dive down at you all, one targeting Brask and the other Burik. 

Diving gore attack on Brask: Attack: 16 Damage: 8

If it hits, it deals an extra 16 damage.  It then swipes at Brask with its strange talons. Attack: 7 Damage: 9 It barely misses the minotaur, crashing against the ground and barely regaining its flight as it swings and misses with its talons as well.

The second attempts the same on the dwarf: Attack: 24 Damage: 10

If it hits, it deals an extra 13 damage.  It then slashes at Burik: Attack: 8 Damage: 6

The antlers connect squarely with Burik, sending him staggering back and digging under his armor and into his chest and shoulder. The second attack misses, but the damage has been done.

Brask, take your readied attack. There is now one of these things within 5 feet of you, hovering.

Brask would have thrown his axe while the creature was still 20 feet away:  Attack: 8 Damage: 9

(He swears at the miss.)

The creature's attack clangs against, and bounces off, his impressive new plate armour.

Pip steps out from behind Brask, loosing an arrow at the nearest Peryton. Attack: 14 Damage: 6

The arrow easily pierces through the creature's feathers, sticking into its upper leg. It lets out a pained grunt.

Effort, you're up.

A bit like Pip, Effort backs away from the others, trying to gain distance and looking for what meagre cover she can find.  Seeing Burik being hammered by one of the creatures, she hexes it (giving it disadvantage on strength checks), before sending an eldritch blast its way.

Attack: 26
Damage: 5 force + 2 necrotic

The blast connects, sending the Peryton backward as it flaps wildly and attempts to stay in the air. It looks significantly weakened, although you all notice that the one attacking Brask, that Pip had shot with an arrow, still looks hearty. The arrow has fallen out, and the wound doesn't look as bad as it initially did (mechanically they're resistant to piercing).

Round 1: Kurama > Burik > Brask > Perytons > Pip > Effort

Kurama, you're up.

Seeing the two Perytons swoop down into melee range, Kurama focuses for a moment as he rushes forward before summoning two amorphous forms of energy and attempts to use them to restrain the one harrying Burik!

(Spend 2ki points to activate Astral Arms.  Move within 10ft of the Peryton attacking Burik.  Attack action to make a grapple check: 25.  Bonus Action Extra Attack 7 Damage: 7 radiant Damage