Humming a quick tune, Aelina conjured the image of a stone like many in the pile before them, but layers with a purple tinge.

"Yes, like that!  Only, less intense!  Does this mean you will help me?"  The woman clapped her hands with delight.

Ayrron looked at the pile with a look of confusion. surely something would help determine the rock from the others? "So, its warm to the touch, stronger than most rocks it's size and has a purple sheen in certain light."

The kender scratched his chin and he thought. "f there was a way to somehow detect the warmth of the stone from the others - maybe see the warmth or detect it would be my guess at the fastest." The kender smiled at the thought. "hey - thats not a bad idea...a pair of goggles that can see heat. Most living items give off a heat"

He shook his head. "if it was a certain light, maybe we could use that to help find it, but we don't know if it's a certain hue of the moonlight, or even if its magical. Short of that, we could try something to crack the lesser stones and hope the otehr remains unharmed - my last option i'm afraid."

Vailin looked on, his mind taking a different tact to the others.  He was hesitant to speak up but decided he was part of this trial.

"Uh ma'am, what does this rock. . .do?  Is it purely ornamental or does it have some purpose?"  The warrior didn't know if 'magic rocks' were a thing but it sure seemed likely to him.  And were magic rocks something you helped strange creatures to find?

While he looked at the creature momentarily, he continued to sweep the surroundings with his peripheral vision.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:07, Tue 01 Aug 2023.

"I cannot return home without it!" the woman exclaimed, her voice rising.  "Please, either help me, or leave me to search on my own!"

Valik spared a glance for the birdwoman to make sure she could contain her frustration, but held his tongue.

Vailin nodded and returned to his sentry duties.  If there was a 'magic rock' to be found, he was sure their friends could manage it.

Aelina looked at the pile of rocks, trying to find a pattern in the arrangement. "I am willing to help you but we need to organize. How do know which rocks you have already tested? "

The woman shook her head.  "I do not understand," she said.  The rock -- my rock -- is warm to the touch, shines purple under certain light, and is more sturdy than any other mountain rock."

She picked up two rocks at random.  "These two feel the same, look the same, and feel like they have the same... sturdiness."  She tossed them back onto the pile, where they vanished into the pile of identical rocks, and picked up two more.  "So do these!"  She toosed them back, and picked up two more "And these!"

Before the woman could throw that last pair of rocks back with others, the bard interposed herself and took the rocks from her hands. "If you are sure that these are not your rock, then lets put them aside, so you won't pick them up again." She moved a meter away and put the rocks on the ground to start another pile. "See? You need to be organized"

Ayrron pulled the Aelina aside with a smile. "I know your magic isn't the same as a wzard, but can you see the aura's of magic? Maybe the rock itself is magical and if you use that, it may be easier."

He turned and looked at the woman holding up a finger, then turned back. "....or there maybe no different rock - maybe their all the same as their all the same the of the 'special rock'? He shrugged.

He turned and looked at the woman who was fretting over the rock. "What was happening when you lost it?"

The woman looked troubled at the question.  "I -- I don't remember.  All I know is, I have to find it before I can go home."

Aelina smiled back at Ayrron. "Oh I can, but it will take time. And maybe that rock is not magical. So I figured that I would propose an alternative way to look for her rock efficiently while I do my preparations. Can you be a dear and help her separate the false rocks from the true one, while I do that?" She winked to the kender, and got her lute out to start playing.

ritual cast detect magic
This message was last edited by the player at 12:47, Sat 05 Aug 2023.

As Aelina began to play, her fingers plucking the strings of her lute, the air seemed to quiver in resonance with the half-elf's music.  The song was a familiar one, taught to many of the bardic students of the Tower, and Aelina's Gift was evident in her performance.

Ten minutes later, the song reached a crescendo, and Aelina plucked out the peak.  Her eyes opened, and while the last note of the song hung in the air, she could see one of the stones -- one among many -- shone with a faint purple aura.


OOC: You've found the stone!  What do you wish to do with it?

While Aelina sung her song, Ayrron helped the woman sorting out stones and speaking all the while about Flux (Even if she showed no interest in him). "....so the density coil of the silver within - nope, not this one - " He threw the stone over his shoulder into a pile. "....helps conduct the potential po.....ohh, thats a nice one, can i keep that?" He put the odd few stones into his pouch for later.

He kept talking while he sorted

The bard finished her song and smiled, immediately starting into another, that created some translucent music notes. Mentally she directed them to plunge into the pile until they extracted a rock with an irricent purple sheen. " There it is!"

use mage hand to retrieve the rock
This message was last edited by the player at 02:12, Sun 06 Aug 2023.

The woman crowed with excitement and reached for the stone.

---

OOC: Do you hand it over?

The notes moved a little, not letting the weird woman touch them or the rock. "I have fufilled my part of the bargain, I helped find your rock. Now, this is a magical item and I ask my price in exchange for my services. My curiosity is aroused and I want to know if it can have an effect on the balance of magic. You say this is a family heirloom, do you even know what it does?"

As Aelina pulled the stone away with her mage hand, the lady quickly coils into an attack pose, shrieking with fury at an apparent immediate betrayal.  She swooped swoops towards the half-elf, clawed hands reaching out to snatch the stone back.

OOC: Make a Dexterity Saving throw.

Surprised by the sudden attack at her very reasonable request, the bard could not evade it.

Today: Secret Roll: Aelina rolled 5 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 1.  dex save.

Caught off-guard, the bard was unable to react as the winged woman she triumphantly snatched the stone from the floating mage hand.  Her serpentine tail whipped out to shove Aelina off the cliff!

OOC: You each have time for one Reaction.  If you would like to try and catch Aelina before she goes over, make a Dex saving throw.  If you have another Reaction that may be helpful, do that.

Ayrron watched as the interaction happened, the smile faded from his face as he saw the tail whipping out. His instinct was to jump out to her, but he knew he couldn't hold her falling her weight.

...then a flash of genius came to his head.

"HOLD ON!" he called as he lifted a tube like thing from the side of his pack. He hadn't tested this, but now was as good a time as any! A 'POP' came from it as an item, aolmost like cloth came out and wrapped the woman's torso as she started falling. She disapeared from sight as something appeared.

....a sheet of light material exploded up and slowed her decent.

Ayrron almost jumped for joy as the idea worked. He looked at Flux. "Guide her to the wall." He said. The metallic dragon disappeared over the side and the halfling frowned at the demon woman.

"Now....your in trouble."

---

<OOC: Casts Feather fall on Aelina - like a parachute and getting Flux to guide her to teh cliff wall to hang on>

Vailin, who had not trusted this creature from the start was in motion as the attack came.  He attemped to put his shield (and body if able) inbetween the beast and it's intended receipient to take the blow in her stead.  As he did so he clumsily swung at the beast.


OOC:  Not sure if you'll let Vailin try to take the hit instead.  He'll just dive in the way with shield and body if possible.

Sentinel attack: 8 (assume a miss, didn't roll damage)

With a cry, Aelina was swept over the side.  There was a brief scream as she started to fall, but Ayrron was already moving, throwing his little tube over the side.  The little cylinder spun end over end, caught the wind, and opened to catch Aelina around the waist and shoulders, slowing her fall to something a little less deadly.

The little four-legged construct Ayrron had built was over the side a second later, spreading its gossamer-thin wings as it angled its flight down to intercept.  It pushed Aelina towards the the cliff wall, where she tried to hold on, but found that while she was falling slower, she was still falling, and trying to find a handhold while falling was a little more challenging than expected.

Up above on the cliff face, Vailin had tried to leap in front of the blow meant for Aelina, but found himself too slow.  He aimed a desultory blow at the winged woman, but missed as she spread her wings and floated up and back, her serpentine tail curling beneath her.

OOC: Let's roll some initiative and first actions.  Aelina is currently falling (slowly) at 60 feet per second.  The rest of you are on the cliff face with the winged woman.

Ayrron watched as his invention worked and heard the scream of the woman slow down. As he did he picked up a handful of the stones that were on the ground and placing them in the side pouch, he tapped the side as it glowed slightly.

removing a stone he placed it in his hoopak and looked at the woman. "You want another special rock....here!" He sent the rock flying towards the winged woman.

---

Initiative	Ayrron rolled 13 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 11.  iniative.
Movement	None
Bonus Action	Cast Magic Stone
Action	Attack using Hoopak (Magic Stone)
	Ayrron rolled 19 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 14.  Attack - Hoopak (Magic Stone).
	Ayrron rolled 8 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 5.  Damage - Magic Stone.
Reaction	None
Special Note	Two magic stones left

Vailin wasted no time, moving directly before the creature, sword drawn.  "Help Aelina if you can." he called.  He could not help their friend but he could keep their attacker busy.  He lunged with his longsword, determined to strike before the beast took flight.


Initiative: 8

Move: To attack the woman, keeping her between Vailin and the cliff.
Attack (Longsword):  Hit: 16  Damage: 11
Bonus: None
Reaction: Sentinel attack (if she attacks someone else)
This message was last edited by the player at 10:25, Mon 07 Aug 2023.