Champions of the Spheres - IC

[pi4t]

Varia moves towards the entrance, pausing uncertainly and looking for someone to fight.

She's soon answered. Four more arrows shoot out of the darkness at the bear. Lorhanna is able to make the bear "dodge" three of them, but the fourth passes right through it. Incongruously, you hear a "Well I never!" in Lilya's voice, near where the arrow came from.

Spoiler: Heraeus

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You notice the kenku with the circlet slipping out of a gap in the building's wall. He seems to have had the same idea as you, and is slipping off towards the woods. He's close enough to your hiding place that you could reach him without dashing, if you wanted. At present, he doesn't seem to have noticed you.

Spoiler: OOC

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Everyone's up.

[jscape2000]

Scrambling to his feet, and putting his shield between himself and the opening to the hut, Targan scrambles for the safety of the tree line. He remains alert to other enemies, and will take a shot if something threatening comes into view.

Spoiler: Ready Attack

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So 15' of MV to get his feet, and move 15' towards where the team came from.

Ready action - attack. Rolled on Discord, 22 to hit and 6 damage.

[Holy-hunter]

Raeh looks for cover and goes on the defensive, commanding her dragon to defend her.

[pi4t]

Targan emerges. The kenku which attacked him earlier is also rushing for the trees. Still running, Targan takes aim and fires a quick shot with his crossbow, striking the bird in the shoulder.

[Anyr]

Varia was momentarily shaken by the sound of Lilya's voice. But she'd already fallen for this trick once. With an effort, she ignored the imitation. She took aim at any foe that presented itself.

Spoiler: OOC

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Varia will fire a Confining Ray at the first enemy in range. She'll only move if doing so will keep her in cover.

Attack: (1d20+5)[15]; Damage: (1d8+3)[8]

[Frog Dragon]

Glancing at the running Kenku, Heraeus elects to ignore him. If needed, he could be tracked down later. Moving back towards the entrance, Heraeus looks to loose an arrow on one of the kenku who isn't yet running.

Spoiler: OoC

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If I have a target. If I have no target except kenku who are escaping, I'll ready instead to fire at a kenku who is still fighting. Heraeus also has 60ft darkvision.
Attack: 22
Damage: 3

[Anachronity]

Lorhanna keeps her distance from the crossfire, not having fond memories of the arrow she'd taken to the chest not even a minute ago. She takes cover as she works to sway the fickle fingers of fate to their aid.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Bless Heraeus
If anyone rolls between 7 and 12 on an attack, I'll spend a spell point to use Greater Inspiration on them as a reaction

[pi4t]

One of the kenku in the shadows moves, repositioning itself. Heraeus and Varia quickly shoot at it, both striking it. Varia's ray also catches the kenku in a protective barrier, trapping it as it staggers backward into a corner. It's now clearly visible, and bleeding badly.

The kenku respond with a wild hail of arrows at the party and at the "bear". All of them miss, and those of you with a good view of the inside of the building notice three more kenku leaving the shadows and running to the west wing of the building. There's time to follow them, if you're quick.

The kenku you fired at is still there, trapped by Varia's barrier for a few seconds.

Spoiler: OOC

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The attacks against the kenku had disadvantage because it was hidden, but I rolled both the disadvantages and you still hit both of them. The kenku, meanwhile, rolled extremely poorly.

[jscape2000]

Targan steadies his crossbow and takes another shot at the crowned kenku, then sprints for the cover of the trees.

Spoiler: results

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Rolled in discord. Crit! 15 damage.

[pi4t]

Targan's shot flies true, striking the fleeing kenku right through the heart. The kenku stumbles, staring in disbelief at the bloody bolt tip that has emerged from his chest. Then, with a horrible croaking, wheezing sound, he falls to the ground. His crown falls from his head with a clatter, rolling across the ground until it hits a tree. The kenku himself lies still and silent, in a rapidly spreading pool of blood.

[jscape2000]

Reaching the safety of the trees, Targan trains his crossbow on the building. “Your king is dead, slain while fleeing the battle. Throw down your weapons and come out with your wings spread. No one else needs to die today.”

Targan positions himself so a large tree offers nearly complete cover in case the bird brains come out shooting.

[pi4t]

Three kenku emerge from the gap in the building, their hands in the air. The kenku who's still stuck inside drops his weapon too. There's a brief silence, as the kenku wait to see what you say next.

[jscape2000]

"Very good. We don't want to hurt you. Slide your weapons to my associates there."

Targan waits for them to do so.

"We're looking for a girl. One of you seems to have heard her voice. So where is she?"

[pi4t]

The kenku have already abandoned their weapons inside the building, but they look at one another and then one of them points towards one of the buildings.

Spoiler: OOC

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It's the one labelled 5 on the map (on page 4 of this thread).

The one kenku indoors is too far away to hear Targan's instructions, other than his shouted command to surrender. He continues to wait for Varia or someone else inside to give instructions.

[jscape2000]

“Ah, sure. She’s right there and this is definitely not another trap? Then go get her and bring her out, my fine feathered friend.”

Targan points to the lead kenku and gestures with his crossbow.

“The rest of you stay very, very still.”

[pi4t]

The kenku you've pointed to responds, imitating you: "definitely not another trap?" He then cautiously walks into the building. The other kenku stand still, eyeing the crossbow nervously and darting glances at the trees.

After a few moments, the kenku emerges again, pushing a frightened Lilya in front of him. Her hands are tied behind her, and a dirty rag covers her mouth. The kenku has produced a small knife from somewhere, and is holding it against Lilya's throat. He imitates Targan, again.

"Throw down your weapons...No one else needs die today."

Then a single word, in an older woman's voice:

"trade"

[jscape2000]

“I’d love to trade.” Says Targan with a smile. He lowers his crossbow.

“Give us the girl, and you can have a head start fleeing this country. But if any harm comes to her, you know that the town will send twice as many soldiers here to truss you.”

He grins welcomingly. “Would you like to make a counter offer?”

[Anyr]

"Lilya!"

Varia let out a desperate cry. She stared, transfixed, at the knife held against her friend's throat. She didn't dare make any sudden moves. At the Kenku's command, she lowered her weapon. She couldn't do the same for her magic. Varia tried to give Lilya a look of reassurance. But the fear in her eyes was obvious.

[pi4t]

The kenku looks relieved as Targan lowers his crossbow. Then a more greedy look seems to come over it.

"I'd love to trade...Throw down your weapons...slide your weapons to..." The kenku points with its free hand, first at Targan's crossbow, and then to the ground in front of it. It adds a "trade" "Lilya!", the latter word copying Varia's cry.

[jscape2000]

“No.” Says Targan, still smiling. He makes a point to keep his weapon aimed away from his enemies for now.

He holds out a hand. “Give us the girl and you can walk away.”

[pi4t]

The kenku begins edging towards the woods, still pushing Lilya along with him - and keeping her between himself and Targan.

[jscape2000]

Targan brings his crossbow back to bear on the kenku, moving forward and to the right (increasing his distance from the other kenku).

“Stop. You want to trade you need to tell me what you want. But you’re not leaving with her.”

If the kenku continues to flee, Targan takes his shot - 15 to hit 4 damage

[pi4t]

The kenku stops, and points again at Targan's crossbow.

[Holy-hunter]

“Let it go!” Raeh says firmly to her comrades.
“It can’t get far with a hostage and will have to release her if it wants to run. It’s not worth us risking her life just to harm it.
We’ve killed enough of ‘em today. If this one doesn’t harm her it might just get away.”

She looks to the girl, locking eyes with her. “It’s going to be ok. Stay brave.”

Raeh struggles with every breath and word, her pains deep and fresh.

“Weapons down, spread out and follow slowly at a distance, keep an eye on them”.


If/As soon as she reaches the shrubbery Raeh will release her crawling hand.

[pi4t]

The kenku continues to wait, looking at Targan nervously.

Spoiler: Perception DC 19

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The other Kenku you've caught are trying to slip away while your attention is on Lilya.

[jscape2000]

Targan keeps his aim steady on the kenku with the girl. “you and Your friends can, and you can too, if you leave us Lilya.”
He tries to add a note of compassion to his voice. “Her family wants her to come home.”
(Persuasion 18 in discord)

[pi4t]

The kenku wavers. Suddenly, there's a commotion from behind you. While you were paying attention to Lilya, the other kenku have been slipping away, and now they make a break for it! Before you can react, they've reached the edge of the woods.

Spoiler: OOC

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This was what was hidden in that perception check; they rolled well on their stealth. You have time for one more action, e.g. a parting shot at the kenku, but attack rolls will have disadvantage because they have partial tree cover.

The kenku holding Lilya is still present.

[jscape2000]

Targan manages only glances in the direction of the fleeing kenku. If anything, this simplifies the negotiation, as the one holding the girl is now clearly out numbered.

"Like I said, you all can walk away, if you return Lilya to us." He tries a new tack: "I don't understand what you hoped to gain by kidnapping her in the first place. Why go to the trouble?"

[Frog Dragon]

"We'll track em' down if needs be," Heraeus mumbles to his allies glancing at the fleeing Kenku. Still holding his bow pointed at the ground, he waits for the creature to react or try to run.

[pi4t]

The kenku opens its beak, but no sound comes out. Apparently, it doesn't have the words to answer Targan's question.

Instead, it shifts around nearer to the woods, nervously looking around at all of you and noting it is now badly outnumbered. "all can walk away, if you return Lilya to us. Weapons down". It pushes Lilya towards you slightly (though still holding her firmly). Then it studies your faces, looking for comprehension.