Asano clutches the stays as the vulture suddenly takes to wing.


OOC:
Dex save- 8

"Whoa!" Morg says over all the flapping, when the hippogriff lifts off much quicker than he expected.

---

07:30, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 7 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 6.  Animal handling check for taking off on hippogriff.

Jak's mount soars into the air effortlessly, but Morg's stutter-steps from the launch. Jerkily it makes its way skyward, and gives a strangled cry as Morg jerks on the reins. The bird remains airborne, though somewhat unsteadily.

Asano jerks backward as the giant vulture takes to the air. The straps holding him to the saddle creak audibly, but hold. "Steady back there!" Savra calls over her shoulder.

As the birds lift off, the three groups begin heading in different directions, down towards the layer of mist covering the valley below.

---

All good Jak - liberties fine, even encouraged!

I'll wait for everyone to make their initial rolls before starting the hunt.

Asano nods to Savra as the vulture steadies out, gliding toward the knights' quarry. His left wrist comes to his face, his nose catching a barely present perfume applied long ago. A melancholy smile creases his face, then hardens as he searches the skies for the manticore. His wand slips into his right hand as he steadies his mind and his balance.

Zora held on tightly to the vulture as it launched and dove. She whooped somewhat uncharacteristically for a stern priestess, then fixed her resolve, but still thrilled at the experience of the flight.

Mayon's eyes widen as the vulture takes flight and he clutches onto the saddle for dear life. The feeling of being in the air was admittedly exhilarating...but the sensation of looking down, not so much. He closed his eyes tightly, taking slow breaths and reminding himself not to do that again. Of all the times to learn he had an issue with heights.

Edited Dex Save:
17:43, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 5 using 1d20 with rolls of 5.  Dex save.
Mayon is not much of a rider :P
This message was last edited by the player at 23:44, Sun 29 Oct 2017.

Mayon slumps sideways in his harness as the bird beneath him banks hard, adjusting course to align with the other mounts. The saddle twists and slides somewhat beneath him, and he practically dangles from the side of the bird as it strains to catch up with the group. With an effort he manages to right himself, though the straps seem none too stable.

The three groups disappear beneath the aerial carpet of white fog, and moisture coats every surface of the riders.

Abruptly the group riding giant vultures spies their quarry through a break in the clouds. Visible about sixty feet ahead is a beast if ever there was one. Leathery wings like a dragon's sprout from its muscled feline back. Sharp spikes erupt from a long tail. Its head shines in the scattered moonlight, a parody of a human face framed by a bristling lion's mane that stretches down its back.

Just as the Feathergale knights cry out and make for the flying monster, it screeches at the approaching group.

It whips its tail around and sends three barbed spikes directly into the path of Zora's mount. One spike sails over the head of the ducking knight and spins into the mists, but two other spikes strike home, one each into Zora and the vulture itself. Then it swings around flies further away from the vultures.

---

Round 1! Everyone can post, though only Mayon, Zora, and Asano are in the group that has encountered the manticore. There's no map for this encounter; theater of the mind only.

Group 1 finds the manticore first! Assume you're about 60' away from the manticore after its turn, though movement & distance are very much subject to originality and creativity in this encounter. The giant vultures' flying speed is 60', so you can easily make it to melee range if you so desire, or do anything else you want to really. You're on a flying mount ;).

The knights are too busy controlling their mounts (since they're carrying 2 riders) to actually do anything but control the mounts.

Group 2, this round you just hear the cries of the other group, so your posts can be to determine which way they're coming from, formulate a plan of attack, get better control of your mount, or whatever else you'd like to do.

Manticore's turn:

Manticore attacks 3 times with spikes: 2 vs. Zora's vulture, 1 vs. Zora.
Hits Zora's vulture once for 6 piercing
Hits Zora once for 4 piercing (reduced to 1).

Manticore moves so it's 60' away from Group 1.

Round 1 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Manticore	23
Mayon	12
Zora	10
Asano	4

This message was last edited by the GM at 02:22, Tue 31 Oct 2017.

Seeing Mayon righting himself and diving below the fog, Morg shouts to his group, "Shall we attack from below, trying to box it in, and looking out to catch anyone who falls off?"

Struggling to control the hippogriff, he loosens his grip on the reins, trying to give it more freedom to follow Jak.

---

04:43, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 4 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 3.  Animal handling check on hippogriff, giving it more freedom.

Oops.

Does group 1 get attacks of opportunity before their turns?

From DM: no, the manticore didn't get within 5' of anyone when it attacked.

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:50, Tue 31 Oct 2017.

Jak concentrated mostly, firstly, on making sure he stayed in the saddle on the hippogriff. He didn't try too hard to steer her to start with, letting her fly along with the other hippogriffs, as it would be natural for her. He also didn't know where the manticore was yet so there was no need to try to go somewhere specific.

But that changed when some of the knights spotted the manticore and it attacked them. Jak then urged Sharpwind to head towards where the manticore was. He drew in a sharp breath when he saw that Zora had been hit. He didn't know her, really, having only just met her recently, but she wasn't one of the knights and he didn't want to see her killed.

22:28, Today: Jakrynn Redgate rolled 18 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 12.  Perception to spot/hear the manticore.

Mayon's eyes widen a bit at the sight of the Manticore, but immediately he swaps into combat mode with two of his usual spells. "Try to keep a distance, I'm better at range." He calls out to the knight in front of him, not waiting for a response before casting a quiet curse on the Manticore, and a beam of magic to follow.

Bonus Action: Hex on the Manticore--Disadvantage on Dex checks.
Action: Eldritch Blast on Manticore.
16:01, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 13,10,4 using d20+5,d10+3,d6 with rolls of 8,7,4.  Eldritch Blast Manticore.
Hits 13 AC for 14 Damage (4 of which is Necrotic, 10 force).

If I need to roll with disadvantage or anything like that due to the previous poor dex save I'll edit my post.

Zora held on tightly to the vulture as best she could. "Get in close!" she cried to her pilot as she prepared her hammer and shield. She took a moment to calm her thoughts and bless her companions as they went in.

...

OOC: move towards melee range, cast bless using level 1 slot on Zora, Mayon and Asano.

Morg struggles with his reins, and the bird ends up flying the opposite direction from Mayon and his diving mount, away from Jak.

Jak hears the cries of battle nearby, but the strange acoustics in the air only give him the vague sense that the others are off to his left somewhere, and below. His mount seems eager to give chase though.

Meanwhile, back with the vultures, Savra swings around the beast to try to cut off any escape. Mayon's blast of magic energy swings wide through the mists, leaving a thin tunnel of clear night in its wake. The manticore swivels its freakish face toward Mayon.

"More flies to swat," it booms in a loud gravelly voice, then flings its tail in Mayon's direction. Three more sharp spikes loose from its tail and hurtle towards Mayon, and two hit home.

---

Round 1 Summary:
Mayon casts Hex, then casts Agonizing Blast at Manticore - MISS.

Zora casts Bless on Zora, Mayon, and Asano.

Asano does nothing.

Round 2!

Manticore attacks Mayon with 3 spikes: 2 HIT for 10 piercing damage.


Round 2 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Manticore	23	Hexed by Mayon: Disadv on Dex checks
Mayon	12	Conc: Hex; Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)
Zora	10	Conc: Bless; Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)
Asano	4	Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Wed 01 Nov 2017.

Mayon gasps in pain at the spikes, losing focus on the spell he had cast before glaring back up at the Manticore. His eyes flare silver as he focuses an illusion into the creature's mind. It would see the form of another mounted knight flying up from behind with astonishing stealth and speed and slashing at it with a readied blade, hopefully something to distract it from the ones who were actually there.


17:27, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 4 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 3.  Concentration. Mayon loses focus on Hex.
If Mayon is within 60 feet of the Manticore, he will cast Phantasmal Force as described above. Manticore must make an intelligence saving throw at DC 13. On a failed save, it will wholeheartedly believe the illusory knight to be real and rationalize anything that proves otherwise unless it takes a full action to Investigate the illusion and beat the DC.
If the illusion is kept within 5 feet of the manticore, it will take 1d6 psychic damage per round, but perceive it as whatever matches the illusion, i.e. weapon damage in this case.

If Mayon is not within 60 feet I will edit my post :P

Asano shakes off the momentary paralysis at the creature's monstrous visage. "Bring us in a little closer," he says to Savra, struggling to be heard over the rushing wind. "I'm going to try and slow it down." He levels his wand at the creature and looses a silvery bolt of ice at the creature. The bolt impacts against the creature, its powerful wingbeats slowing notoceably,noticeably.


OOC:
Ray of frost att- 17
Ray of frost dmg- 2 and it is slowed by 10' until my next turn

I don't know why my post yesterday didn't work, but I did the same thing and missed.  :(
This message was last edited by the player at 19:01, Thu 02 Nov 2017.

"Bring us in close! Very close!" she called to the knight in front of her, as she concentrated for an instant. A hammer of force materialized nest to the manticore and swung at it, as she did the same with her own warhammer.

...

Not really sure how well melee works in a situation like this, going to assume I can do the usual, close and fight. If not DM can fix this :-)

Bonus action: cast spiritual weapon and melee spell-attack manticore:

21:39, Today: Secret Roll: Zora Jilkina rolled 25 using 1d20+5+1d4 with rolls of 18,2.  spiritual weapon attack on manticore.

21:40, Today: Secret Roll: Zora Jilkina rolled 5 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 2.  spiritual weapon damage (if hit).

Attack action: 21:41, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 12 using 1d20+1d4+5 with rolls of 4,3.  warhammer to hit, including bless bonus +3 str and +2 prof.

21:42, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 6 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 3.  warhammer damage (if she hit).

Jak frowned as he couldn't seem to see what he was looking for, and the sounds of what he heard didn't help him navigate too well in the air. He was used to being on the ground, after all. He noted a sort of vague direction to go in.

However, he found that Sharpwind wanted to give chase and seemed to know which way she wanted to go, so Jak let her loose, urging her forward. "Yes! Let's go get that thing, girl!"

OOC: Movement towards (hopefully) the Manticore since I can't see it.

"You numpty dwarf!" Morg whispers to himself as the hippogriff turns back.

He tries to turn it around towards Jak, "Whoa now, thataway."

---

06:50, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 2 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 1.  Animal handling check on hippogriff to turn around.

This is why dwarves prefer to be inside mountains, instead of above them ;).

Morg hauls on the reins a bit too hard, and the hippogriff lurches back towards Jak's mount. With a snap, one of the harnesses holding Morg in the saddle gives way, and he slides to the side of the hippogriff. The bird squawks in protest.

"The dwarf is sliding off!" the Feathergale knight accompanying the group calls out, pointing from his position above Morg at Jak as he and his mount fly farther from his companions. Muttering a quick spell, he Messages Jak that his friend is in trouble, then dives down towards the struggling fighter.

To the manticore's eyes, a shiny-armored knight bursts from a nearby cloud of mist and bares steel, flying directly for the beast. "Fresh meat," the creature growls, loosing three more spikes that carom harmlessly off the knight's breastplate. The knight buries her sword in the feline side of the beast, who howls anew.

From the other side, a floating hammer appears and slams into the manticore's head. Zora's own hammer blow misses the beast by inches as she dives past.

Asano's blast of ice hits the manticore broadside, and rime ice coats the monster's wings.

The creature swings around, searching this time for a clear shot at Asano.

---

Morg, make an appropriate ability check to try to save yourself from falling - depending on how you try to accomplish that you could do athletics, acrobatics, animal handling, intimidation, religion, etc. =)

Jak, if you wish you can turn around and help, continue on to try to join up with Group 1, or (of course) something else entirely!

Round 2 Summary:
Mayon casts Phantasmal Force at Manticore (failed save). Manticore takes 4 psychic damage.

Zora casts spiritual weapon - HIT for 5 force damage. Zora attacks with warhammer - MISS.

Asano casts ray of frost - HIT for 2 cold damage, and the manticore is slowed by 10' until SoANT.

Round 3!

Manticore attacks phantasmal force - automatic MISS.


Round 3 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Manticore	23	P. Force: d6 psychic dmg/turn; slowed by 10' until Asano's next turn
Mayon	12	Conc: P. Force; Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)
Zora	10	Conc: Bless; Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)
Asano	4	Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:45, Fri 03 Nov 2017.

Asano's eyes widen as the manticore wheels to fix him with a glare weighed heavily with imminent violence. Asano concentrates, another ray of icy energy coating the creature's wing joints as the sorcerer's off hand begins drawing defensive sigils in the air. "Let it try and hit me," he mutters to Savra, speaking just loudly tobe heard above the rushing wind.


OOC:
Ray of Frost att- 19
Damage- 2 cold, and slowed again! Hah! If he attacks me, Savra, or the vulture, Asano will try to interdict himself and cast shield.

She said a quiet prayer for 'the dwarf' who was sliding off, but could do nothing, she couldn't even see him in the confusion. She had her own life and death encounter going on here, she needed to focus on it.

She directed her spiritual weapon to hit the manticore again and urged her pilot to, "Keep me in close," as she swung her own weapon at the beast again.

...

25 to hit with spiritual weapon, 11 damage if it hits. Also 10 to hit with warhammer, 6 damage if it hits

20:42, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 6 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 3.  damage from warhammer.
20:41, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 11 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 8.  damage spiritual weapon.
20:40, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 10 using 1d20+5+1d4 with rolls of 3,2.  to hit with warhammer.
20:39, Today: Secret Roll: Zora Jilkina rolled 25 using 1d20+5+1d4 with rolls of 16,4.  spiritual weapon attack on manticore.

Morg shouts "[Language unknown: Tedstaman...]" as he tries to cling to the hippogriff, before composing himself to try to climb back into the saddle and tie himself to one of the harnesses.

"Okay, belay ma last, it's now up to you where we fly - A'm just along for the ride. "

---

11:04, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 25 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 19.  Athletics check to cling and climb hippogriff and tie rope.

Mayon smiled to himself as the manticore fell prey to the illusion. He muttered his quiet gratitude to his patron in Sylvan, then sent a burst of magic at it while trying to stay just close enough to keep the illusion in motion and aggressive.

11:50, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 15,4,12 using d20+5,d4,d10+3 with rolls of 10,4,9.  Eldritch Blast Manticore.
19 to hit for 12 Force damage! (Ignore second rolls, I messed up on dice roller)
11:51, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  Phantasm Damage.

Diving down, the Feathergale Knight reaches out to try to assist Morg into the saddle, but the dwarf clambers up on his own. The knight hauls back on the reins, but too late - his mount's wings slam into Morg's back as they fly past.

Mayon's blast and Zora's hammer of force both strike true, causing the monster to rear back as it prepares its attack. The manticore ducks Zora's flyby attack, but is hit with another blast of cold that coats its mane with frost.

Snarling, the manticore growls a warning. "Stay out of my domain, puny knights. Go fight more of your own kind." Swinging its tail, it launches another three spikes at Asano and Savra.

Asano hesitates as he sees one spike heading straight for Savra, hunched in front of him, and another for the giant vulture's chest.

---

Morg, make a strength save to see if you can hold on as the other hippogriff smashes into you.

Asano, I haven't applied damage to Savra or your giant vulture yet - you can use your reaction & movement in round 4 to unstrap yourself & get between either Savra or the vulture (not both), in addition to your normal action. If you decide not to do that just post that too & I'll apply damage to both.

Jak if you continue towards the sound of battle you can make it there & act in Round 5. I'll assume that's what you're doing unless you post otherwise.

Round 3 Summary:
Mayon casts Agonizing Blast at manticore - HIT for 12 force damage. Manticore takes 4 psychic damage from Phastasmal Force.

Zora's spiritual weapon HITS for 11 force. Zora attacks the manticore with warhammer - MISS.

Asano casts Ray of Frost - HIT for 2 cold damage, and the manticore is slowed by 10' until the start of Asano's next turn.

Round 4!

Manticore attacks with 3 spikes - 1 flies wide, another heads straight for Savra, the third for Savra & Asano's giant vulture mount. Asano,


Round 4 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Manticore	23	P. Force: d6 psychic dmg/turn; slowed by 10' until Asano's next turn
Mayon	12	Conc: P. Force; Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)
Zora	10	Conc: Bless; Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)
Asano	4	Blessed (+d4 to hit/save)

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:18, Sun 05 Nov 2017.

Morg turns his head to look back to see where the rest are, but instead only sees another errant hippogriff just before they collide.

---

23:47, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 14 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 8.  Strength save to hold on after hit by other hippogriff.

The creature was taking a beating but didn't seem to be losing its fight. She had another idea when it mentioned it's domain, but choose to ignore it for now in favor of more physical means of vanishing the manticore. She swung her war hammer in a mighty blow and directed her spiritual weapon to smite the beast.

...
22:41, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 26 using 1d20+5+1d4 with rolls of 20,1.  War hammer to hit.

22:40, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 14 using 1d20+5+1d4 with rolls of 7,2.  Spiritual hammer to hit.

22:44, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 13 using 2d8+3 with rolls of 8,2.  War hammer damage use second die if crit.

22:43, Today: Zora Jilkina rolled 8 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 5.  Spiritual weapon damage if needed.