"A theory? We are buggered." Marklin shook his head. He looked at the others then. " I am all for getting out o' here. But they ain't going to believe us, cause we have no proof. Unless we bring em th Drake....." the warrior allowed his though to trail off.

"Don' care if they believe us."

Sarah inches further away, as if doing so will pull others in her wake.

Eoni allowed herself to be pulled along in the girl's wake.  There was nothing they could do here without being eaten by the dragon.

Taerix says to Jorr, also quietly, "If we get the word back to Drellin's Ferry, and we can get enough arrows into it, even that dragon should fall. It's just too open here." The halfling readies to leave when the others do, again taking the lead to scout out the path ahead.

Valthur sighs as the others pack up. He knows they are no match for a dragon, but worries that the same may be true for the entirety Drellin's Ferry. "Let's hope they have a few score of well trained archers back in town. Maybe then we'll still have a chance."

With heavy hearts, the party withdraws as covertly as they can manage, hopeful to not draw the attention of the green dragon presently sunbathing atop the bridge. Fortunately, they are successful and they are soon marching southward, their destination: Drellin's Ferry.

Soon, the party is within the thick of the ancient wood again, darkness looming deeper as the sun draws ever nearer the western horizon. The adventurers stop to make camp, unwilling to press forward in darkness. Unwilling are they too, to light any fire, and it is a cold camp again. Not that it ever grows cold at any point during the evening. Warm and humid it remains, difficult conditions to get a good night's rest to be certain.

At some point during the late evening, early morning hours, while Sarah is on watch, she hears heavy footfalls and the occasional snapping of trees and rustling of brush somewhere in the darkness, to the east, away from the Dawn Way. Something large is moving through the forest, headed straight toward the adventurers.

Sarah sees nothing but darkness, but she can certainly hear something approaching...

Sarah pulls out her magical club.  She frantically looks about in the light it produces as she races to Eoni -- whom she shakes in a rough, none-too-gentle fashion in order to waken her.

[Private to DM Pawn:
The moment Eoni stirs (if she does, and if nothing interrupts), run to Valthur and do the same.]

"Is it my watch?" Eoni said groggily as she's shaken about by the young girl with the bright light.

"I'm up, I'm up."

Valthur snores contentedly, unaware of the danger looming in the shadows.

Sarah manages to rouse Eoni and Valthur from their bedrolls before the dead of night is rent with the shrieking growls of unknown predators barreling toward the party's campsite. Trees and bushes are pushed aside as though they are little more than blades of grass, all of this barely even visible in the dark gloom beneath the forest's canopy.

A fraction of a moment later two large bear-like beasts come barreling into the camp. Feathers come the thick, shaggy coat of each, and the limpid pupils of each of the beast's great round eyes burn furiously from their beaked owlish heads.

The two monsters pause momentairly, rear back on their hindlegs, roar mightily, and dart into the camp, one bound for Eoni, the other Valthur...

Owlbears, 2
AC: 5
HP: 30/30, 27/27


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  19/19   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Marklin    2  18/18   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Sarah      4  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  19/19   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Valthur    5  23/23   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

NPCs
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

PCs are UP!

Barely having time to roll to her knees, the Sister shouted and cast her arm at the beast bearing down on her, "May Avandra's grace bring light to this darkness!"

[Private to DM Pawn: OOC: Cast light on it's eyes.  Save vs Spells or blinded for 12 turns.  She is currently not wearing her padded armor, AC 9.]

Valthur wakes with Sarah's help, but isn't particularly happy about. "Wha? Missy, what're you doing waking me up in the middle of the ni-" His protest is interrupted by the unnatural shrieks from the nearby wood.

The noise sends a chill down Valthur's spine, but does a great deal to clear his thinking. Instinctively, he grabs his battle axe. With his darkvision, the dwarf can tell whatever is coming his way is not human. The hairs standing at attention on the back of his neck suggest it isn't anything friendly, either.

"Marklin!" He calls. "Rise and shine. We're gonna' need you."

As the hideous beast charges, Valthur realizes he didn't have time to put on his helmet. He hopes this doesn't bring any bad luck, and what worries he had are quickly dismissed as his first swing at the beast lands squarely in the owlbear's torso, causing it to expel a ghastly shriek.

23:46, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 22 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 20.  Battle axe vs. owlbear.
Exceptional hot - 10 damage!!!

One owlbear is blinded by Eoni's light spell, but it presses its attack against the cleric nonetheless, relying on its nose and ears to ferret out its quarry. Fortunately for Eoni, the effect of blindness has the monster confused for a moment, its massive claws swiping to either side of the much smaller cleric.

Valthur drives his weapon into the owlbear with great force. The owlbear shrieks in response, rears back and swipes its claws at the dwarf, striking once.

The rest of the party awakes to chaos, as two rampaging owl bears tear through the camp, eager to sate their bloodthirst.



OOC: Valthur took 7 points of damage.

Owlbears, 2
AC: 5
HP: 20/30, 27/27 (blinded)


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  19/19   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Marklin    2  18/18   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Sarah      4  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  19/19   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Valthur    5  16/23   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

NPCs
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

PCs are UP!

Aldara happily dreams.  Well, until the owlbears emit their terrible cries and rouse the mage from her slumber.  Much like a duck in a similar situation, she snaps to.

Still groggy, the mage manages to force out an illusion, calling for a not-quite-there bear to rush at the nearest owlbear, hopefully distracting them.

Phantasmal force at the nearest owlbear.

Taerix wakes up, terrified from his dream that he was under attack. No, wait.... He races for the nearest owlbear after making sure he's got a steady grip on his sword. Unfortunately, he still has double vision from his drowsiness, and misses the owkbear by a country mile.


07:59, Today: Kane Taerix rolled 3 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 2.

Seeing the rabid creature's clawed foot upon her staff, the Sister abandoned the idea of pulling it free and backed away from the blinded beast.  If she could lure it away from camp and the others while keeping a tree between them, they could deal with one at a time.

[Private to DM Pawn:
OOC: Half movement Fighting Retreat, 20' away from camp to hopefully find a tree big enough for cover.]

Seeing that the one attacking Eoni is blinded, Sarah spends the round getting behind it, preparing to attack it from behind.

Marklin came awake with a groggy worded.. " Wha.. the bloody hells?" He was greeted by two horrors that towered over the memebers of the ground. He grabbed for the sword that laid next to him and made a wild swing that missed the creature,as Marklin was still on his knees.

12:33, Yesterday: Marklin rolled 9 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 8.  Attack on an Ow lBear.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:24, Sun 24 Dec 2017.

Valthur's confidence fades slightly when he learns a direct hit with all his strength doesn't drop the beast in front of him. It fades even more as the monstrosity slashes him open.

He replies with a swift swing of his axe, but this time he finds no satisfaction.

23:42, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 6 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 4.  Battle axe vs. owlbear.

Jorr rolls out of his bedroll into a nearby bush, short bow and arrow at thew ready. The wily old man looses an arrow at the nearest owlbear but misses the mark.

Meanwhile...

The blinded owlbear is dazed by its lack of sight and swats ineffectively at Eoni as she retreats from the monster. Aldara's illusory bear charges the other owlbear and the monster takes note of the new enemy. The owlbear redirects its attacks away from Valthur and swats its powerful claws at Aldara's bear, striking it once and causing the magical figments holding the creature together to begin to unravel.



Owlbears, 2
AC: 5
HP: 20/30, 27/27 (blinded)


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  19/19   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Marklin    2  18/18   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Sarah      4  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  19/19   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Valthur    5  16/23   8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

NPCs
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

PCs are UP!

Taerix swings in again, doing his best to steer clear of the owlbear's claws and beak. This time, his sword cuts into the beast.


07:41, Today: Kane Taerix rolled 6 using 1d8+1 with rolls of 5.  Owlbear damage.

07:40, Today: Kane Taerix rolled 20 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 19.  Attacking owlbear.

"Avandra bless and protect us from this danger," Eoni intoned as she strove to keep a tree between herself and the blinded beast.  "Guide our hands and strengthen our resolve in our time of need."

OOC: Bless cast on everyone for +1 to hit and damage.  Roll 1d20+1.

Sarah's days of experimenting caused her to conclude that the club was an inferior weapon, particularly in comparison to her long sword.  Therefore, with the light problem solved and with time to do so, she swaps her club for her sword as she sneaks behind the blinded owlbear.



10:03, Today: Sarah rolled 18,6 using d20+5,d8+1 with rolls of 13,5.

12 damage due to backstab.

Valthur can sense the tide turning against the horrible mongrel in front of him. With Taerix and Sarah both connecting, he suspects one more good hit may be enough to topple their foe. Thanks to the guidance of Avandra, he buries his axe deep in the owlbear's torso.

22:54, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 14 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 11.  Battle axe vs. owlbear.
22:54, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 11 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 8.  Damage.

Confident in her allies' abilities, Aldara does not attempt to work any more magic, groggy as she is, instead opting to throw...well, there were more daggers on her person.  Her last good dagger of normal make is thrown at the healthier-looking owlbear.

02:57, Today: Aldara rolled 7,5 using 1d20+2,1d4+1 ((5,4)).

Attacking the healthy owlbear, and dibs on the name "The Healthy Owlbear" for Aldara's new inn and tavern!<