[KAUAI]The Rod of Seven Parts: Of Hexes and Gems

Maelicent spies the hulking monstrosity around the corner and is about to step forward and take aim when Gammad's stream of fire unexpectedly tears across the tunnel in front of him. Momentarily awed by the blatant display of destructive magic, the goblin recovers as the rest of the giant-kin race past him with their weapons bared. Stepping past him, the Green Wizard quickly relights his torch and likewise begins incanting dark words of power.

Without wasting any more time, the Gudwulf warrior steps forward in front of Voadam (as a five foot step to E-5) and drops to one knee to ensure that he'd remain low enough to not get caught by whatever the giant-kin was about to unleash. Aiming over the two forward giant-kins, Maelicent takes aim at the abomination's large head and looses his readied arrow. Even as his bow string is thrumming from the release, the goblin is already pulling a second black-fletched arrow from the sheath at his hip, nocks it to the bowstring, draws it back to his cheek, quickly aims and fires again [Full Attack action; Point Blank Shot feat, Precise Shot feat & Rapid Shot feat; Ranged composite longbow +7/+7 (1d6+1)].

The AoO I owe Brakkus: As soon as the owlbear steps within reach of his guisarme, Brakkus jabs and slices with his weapon, missing. Voracious black eyes fix on Brakkus as the owlbear hulks forward and looms over the battle-seasoned warrior, Chev directly behind him.

The readied action for Maelicent: The Gudwulf, spying the feathered and furred foe, nudges the tip of his nocked arrow around the corner and looses the projectile with a steady hand. The black-fletched arrow streaks past Brakkus and hits the owlbear with a satisfying whump in the gut, dealing 4 points of damage.

-------------------------------------------Continuation of Round 1----------------------------------

Silent but full of deadly purpose, Chev steps forward to join arms next to Brakkus. Despite the beast's girth, Chev's battleaxe hits a bit of protruding rock to the left, sending a small spray of mineral flying and completely missing the owlbear.

Stepping in front of Voadam then immediately dropping to one knee in order to avoid whatever fury either wizard is about to unleash, Maelicent quickly fires two arrows in rapid succession. Both arrows hit the owlbear in the head, the first arrow for 6 points of damage, the second for 3 points of damage.

Speaking ancient words full of black purpose, Voadam weaves the beginnings of a spell with nimble fingers then points at the owlbear. A coruscating ray of necromantic magic streaks toward the beast and misses, blasting a darkened hole the size of a fist in the rocky overhang just to the right of the owlbear at the southern juncture of the tunnel.

Cursing his initial slow start but undauntedly stepping backward that he might all the better be able to work his guisarme, Brakkus again jabs at the beast and this time flays open a nasty wound in the owlbear's flesh at the hip, good for 18 points of damage. The human warrior's muscle rip and bulge with exertion; the creature's hide is thick but penetrable.

Peppered by three black-fletched arrows, scorched by arcane fire, and now sliced open by Brakkus's guisarme so that its lifeblood flows as a font in summer to the dirt floor of the cavern, the owlbear howls in pain even as the fire in its dark eyes winks out. Chev jumps a bit backward to clear the way as the hulking beast falls heavily slumps and sags against the left wall of the narrow cave.

End of initiative, please post at will.

Voadam shakes his hand then clenches his fist to get the blood flowing again after channeling the necromantic magic. His eyes go from the beast on the floor to the hole in the rock ceiling which he views with interest. "Its coming back to me but I will need more practice with the flow of magic on this world, like on many worlds it has its own unique rhythms and properties to adjust to."

Voadam moves forward to inspect the ground beneath the hole as he did not see any debris fall and wants to confirm that and then to inspect the beast's corpse. Having had no previous experience with owlbears Voadam will be interested in the details of the magical hybrid's anatomy. the giant owl and brown bear characteristics, how they blend and meld in the creature, whether there is evidence of magical blending or if it looks like a natural beast.

Maelicent stands, draws and nocks another arrow as he turns a bitter eye towards the albino. "D'ja finish yer belly-achin already? I reckon thar some monsters down deeper tha didn't hear ya yet..." Without waiting for a reply, the goblin spits and dashes forward between the two forward giant-kin. Clambering over top of the downed owlbear the Gudwulf warrior turns the corner and skulks forward, swiftly moving past side tunnels to assume a forward position from which he can spy all of the caves' exit tunnels simultaneously (Move Silently & Hide +13, moving to 0-10 and attempting to hide while keeping watch on areas J-11, S-13 and P-8).

From what he knows to be the large semi-open cave to the east, Maelicent hears the distinct scritch of metal on dirt and rock. Whatever was at work in that area is apparently still at work and has paid little to no heed to the disturbance with the owlbear.

Voadam moves forward to inspect the owlbear with an eye for the queerness of its features and the melding of two giant-sized beasts into one. The creature's head is clearly birdlike, while its body more closely resembles that of a bear, replete with fur and normal-seeming bear claws at the end of the hind feet. The owlbear's arms, however, are a marvel. Covered in feathers rather than fur and ending in padded paws like a bear's, the creature's last two claws on each thick arm are clawed as a bear's might be, but the foreclaw on each arm ends with a bird talon. What feathers there are on the beast primarily adorn the head and arms, with the rest of the aberration covered in fur. Whether magical or natural, Voadam is left uncertain.

Brakkus takes a short moment to feel proud of his devistating blow, and to give a node toward Gamad for his helpful spell. Somewhat grimly, Brakks says "Let's keep moving. We've been too late too many times already. Everything down here already knows we're coming anyway." Brakkus follows along, though he allows Mael to range ahead.

"Hmm, similar to the melding of a griffin. Head of a predatory bird with the lower body of a beast, though in this case bear instead of lion and giant owl instead of eagle. This one does not have the independent wings that could sustain flight though. The owl head probably provided excellent night vision and hearing, though likely at the sacrifice of a bear's powerful sense of smell. I wonder if it spits up pellets of bone and gristle the way normal owls do."

Voadam considers then turns to the goblin scout and would be apprentice.

"Maelicent. When you heard this coming would you say the sounds matched the description the gnomes gave of the beast they heard but did not see from the side tunnel?"

As he's clambering over-top of the owlbear, Maelicent offers his opinion of the creature to Voadam. "Description? All tha damned mongrel said was tha he heard somethin 'big' comin. I'd say this thing be pretty big." The goblin disapears around the bend.

"Nice work Brakkus." Chev says with a congratulatory pat on his back. "Same goes for everyone else. I've never seen anything like this, but what an odd creature. It makes me wonder what else we might encounter."

Gamad

It is a magical aberration, evil wizard's experiment.
Say the deformed magic user as he inspects the feathered horror.
Reaching to the big corpse, the dwarf plunks a feather and tucks it into his pack for later inspection.
Crossbow loaded and ready, Gamad walks in the back, side to side with Voadam