Lost Mine of Phandelver

Ronk frowns for a bit, thinking. "Maybe a... Snake? Hm. Serpent style might not work as a snake... I might need something with arms...."

"An eagle," Vanzaren says after some time thinking. "A really, really big eagle."

"B..But ..d..do we h...have to kill this animal? K..can't we m..make it just g...go a..away?" Asks Garet worried about killing beast that just does "beasty" things

Marcon had almost -- ALMOST started to smile hearing Ronk's and Vanzaren chime in with their option. At least between them and goblin's enthusiastic chanting of rot grubs, his spirits began to lighten up somewhat. But then, he finds himself giving Garet an incredulous look. "Are you ki-... I may not be not expert on dragons per se. That was more ma pa's department, as he used to have a thing fer studying stuff. But two things, Mr. Garet." He holds up two fingers.

"One. Dragon's aren't simply animals. Have you not heard any stories? Like, at all? I mean, Stopit and Spit prolly not that old, and I'm sure even they've heard plenty enough to know that better. They're the biggest and most destructive ******** in the whole freak'n world, man. Sure, there's stories too of a few good ones here and there, but that green one ain't one of'em! And if its smart, once we kick down the door and mess it up a bit, it'll run far from here. But that brings me to my second point... I ain't negotiating with it. And if it don't run once I've got my fangs in it, I'm killing the bastard. Same goes for those cultist bastards. 'cause if they ain't here to mess with the undead, then they're prolly here fer the dragon. Either way, as my Mama put it, they're asses will be grass by the time I'm done with'em." He states frankly.

"W..well...y..you m..may h..have problem t..to do it w..without y..your spear and a..axes" Replies Garet

Marcon huffs and rolls his eyes. "Listen here, tall, blue, and worried. I don't need such 'security blankets' on me to not be able to break jaws and shatter skulls... Might take a bit with a dragon, but I've managed with less before and I'll do so again if need be. And on the off chance the green bastard flies off again, I still have this-..." He thumbs the heavy crossbow still at his back. "'sides. If you weren't pay'n attention enough, Mr. Rediroth here offered to transform us into great beast to help even the odds. Which is more than enough... Now! Ya done complain'n? 'cause if so, what beast ya wanna be?" He asked more hotly than the norm.

"..d..d..don't r.rage on m.me m..Marcon" answers gloomily Garet "I..I do n..not sh..shapeeeshift..you w..will n..need my p..powers"

Marcon glares at Garet, clenching and relaxing his hands at his side, before finally closing his eyes and let out a long exhale. "... Fer what it's worth, 'n don't take this the wrong way. But, Helm willing I hope we don't fer the next fight. 'cause since ya tend to be focused on mending most of time, it means shits gone truly sidewayz." He states plainly, and then looks to the rest of the group.

Then if he sees that others appear mostly at the ready, he'll turn back on Rediroth. "Cave Bear, if you would."

The druid nods at Marcon and looks around at the others, giving them one last chance to change their minds about their selections. He then bows his head, grips his wooden staff firmly in both hands and begins to chant quietly in an unknown language. The knotted head of the staff begins to emit thick white smoke - as if it were on fire, yet no flames were present. The smoke grew, expanded and swirled and soon had engulfed the entire group to such a degree that no one could see further than an inch in front of their own face. Thunder peeled in the distance and the roars of hundreds of different animals could be heard all at the same time. With the exception of Garet the firbolg, each member of the party, to include the goblins, began to feel their bodies change: some sprouted wings and feathers, others grew thick coats of fur and fearsome claws and some felt their limbs recede into their bodies as they became slick and slithering serpents or swarms of horrifying invertibrates. After what seemed like an eternity had passed, a strong wind blew the smoke way and the group looked around seeing each other in their new forms:

MARCON has transformed into a cave bear
RONK has transformed into a giant coral snake
VANZAREN has transformed into a giant eagle
RIGEL has transformed into a swarm of rot grubs
SPIT has transformed into a giant owl
STOPIT has transformed into a saber-toothed tiger

"Now then, let us go and see if we can convince that poison-spitting dragon to find himself a new home," says the druid as he starts to walk slowly and calmly towards the ruined keep at the north end of town, as if he was going to visit a friendly neighbor.

The rot grub swarm that is Rigel squirms over to the giant eagle. The swarm grips on to the talons of the eagle but doesn't bite. 

HP roll: 21

The snake contorts and writhes, rearing up as it tries to jab coils like punches before giving up, looking slightly vexed for an animal with no real lips, eyelids, or eyebrows, but quickly follows the others.

HP roll: 90

Garet gives both (used to be)goblins a stern glare. "You t..two! Behave! D...d..dragon is a very danger and mighty living creature. N..no p..pranks!" Next he grabs his shield and fallows Druid

Marcon can contain the urge to roar, but growling? Growling he just cannot help as he sat back on his haunches to examine his new form. After a while he nods in stark approval, and then follows casually at the druid's side. It's only partway there that the ex-farmhand realizes... they never quite fully hashed out a plan of attack. But after glancing between their various forms, he decided to put off the worry and just wait until they reached the lair for all that nonsense.

HP roll: 45.

SPIT - (Giant Owl): 25 HP

STOPIT - (Saber-Toothed Tiger): 62 HP

Spit fluttered about uselessly on the ground for a few minutes while he attempted to use his new wings, but in short order he was able to take to the skies and before long was dive-bombing Stopit the saber-toothed tiger.

As the group moved carefully towards the ruined keep where they believed the green dragon was making its lair, Spit suddenly lost interest in harrying Stopit and instead focused on trying to catch a field mouse as it scurried across the dirt path...and this is when the giant cat sprung on the owl, bowling him over and pinning his wings to the ground under massive paws while a pair of 8-inch-long incisors kept the bird's head centered and looking straight down the tiger's throat.

Vanzaren the eagle gives the pair a glare (can eagles even glare?)

Getting closer to the tower Garet starts to feel nervous. It is hard to say who will be today in queen of forests favors. He knees for a second and grabs mud from the ground and smells it. Next he rubs it on the shield and parts of his armor 

Shield of Faith

Bearcon ("Bear-son") stops for a moment hearing the pair of goblins, and turns about to look pointedly between the firbolg and the pair. Seeing as Garet is either too distracted, too scared, or something else altogether to bother trying managing them, Bearcon gets on his hind legs to further make himself look big, and growls down at them; hoping as much to get their attention as it was to stop them. Then with his head, he gestures sharply to the tower, before then turning to continuing on for the tower's side building front door.

Intimidation: 19. (if able to make a Strength based intimidation using variant rulings, then add +5 instead to roll)

Regardless of whether they seem to have gotten the message or not, the Cave Bear wouldn't be making a second attempt at corralling the pair. He waited long enough to tear into the dragon. And nothing -- NOTHING except his own death would deter him now that the course was set on its 'removal' from the area. And once he got close enough to the cottage, unless someone stops him, he's smashing himself in a door and squeezing that big behind on through once close enough.

The large cat and owl quickly break it up and scatter away from the bear's aggressive posturing. A few seconds later the bear crashes through the partially-rotted front door of the tower's cottage. Once inside, Marcon looks around to find the cobweb strewn remnants of what may have once been a hermit's refuge. A moment later, a terrible screeching roar splits the air from inside the tower proper...

ROLLING INITIATIVE:
13 - RONK
8 - MARCON
21 - VANZAREN
5 - RIGEL
18 - GARET
18 - SPIT
10 - STOPIT
22 - REIDOTH
9 - VENOMFANG

Marcon the cave bear looks toward the sound of the evil wyrm's furious battlecry. A brief moment of horrifying silence follows and then the moldy, rotten door leading from the tower to the cottage interior explodes inwards towards the bear under the massive overpressure of the dragon's forceful blast...the expulsion engulfs the bear and also blows out the northern door and eastern window, peppering the druid standing on the other side in mixture of broken glass and deadly, green poison:

VENOMFANG: Attack (Poison Breath)
Constitution Save (Marcon): 7 vs. DC 14;
Constitution Save (Reidoth): 16 vs. DC 14;
Each target takes 47 poison damage on a failed save or half damage (23) on a success.

 Marcon hacks and coughs and shook his head in anger. Then with a roar of his own, he rushed for the newly opened doorway bite and clawing at whatever he can in the process! At least, such instincts urged him so, but in the brief moments leading up to the charge, what higher intelligence the man had sized up the entryway for a second. And if it possible to get at this throat, and yank it into the cottage with him, avoiding any messy corners getting int he way? All the better!

Action: Cave Bear - Multi-Attack. 
(Lethal)Bite - Attack: 20 Damage: 12 piercing.
(Lethal)Claws - Attack: 16 Damage: 10 slashing.

OR, if the above action would be at disadvantage due or Venomfang would have cover through the door, taking the below action:

Action: Attempt to Grapple Venomfang by fang and claw(if possible): 17.

Movement(if above alternate Action successful): Into Northwest Corner, dragging Venomfang into the Cottage. (or if not possible, move as far as possible into the Tower's eastern half as possible).