Under Strange Stars II

[Someone]

You climb cautiously the final bundle of rocks and reach a cold, humid and even plateau in the side of the mountain. Through the mist that clings to it you can finally see mountain´s top, cut as if by the strike of a huge axe.

The plateau is littered with gigantic rocks and twisted spires of black stone. The floor bears, as if scars, many deep and narrow cracks, and the same goes for the stony structures. As if in a dream, beyond the rocks, the masts and hull of forgotten ships rest in random positions. The tattered remains of the sails give the place a ghostly appearance. The littered remains and skeletons of huge sea beasts do little to improve that. Among them, big curved white plates are scattered.

“Eggs” someone comments.

You are about to ask Razeem where he saw the bird when you already see his finger pointing ahead. A bird head shows over one of the spires, and would have done the same over a big house, but it´s not the falcon you saw. It’s a young, a chick not big enough to fly.

CHIRP!

The sound it makes leave your eyes ringing, before the plateau starts shaking under the young bird´s jumps. Other two more heads rise, similar to the first, and they eagerly jump and flutter their wings towards you.

 

[hafrogman]

"That is one big baby. . .correction. . . THOSE are some big babies."

Menghil stares wide eyed at the chicks coming out of the nest and takes an involuntary step backwards.

"Um . . . why do I get the impression that we are the proverbial worms that those early birds are going to get? You think the cyclopses would be upset if we killed the children of their god?"

 

[Zerth]

"I don't care about the cyclopses, I'm more afraid what their mommy would do. Look at the size of them! Don't let them near me!" Amira cries and takes more than just few steps away from the giant-sized chicks.

 

[Someone]

(The chicks are not particularly fast, but of Gargantuan size and they seem quite able to eat you, specially if you keep complaining without doing anything . The plateau is big, and they´ll reach you in three or four rounds - they would do it sooner in a unobstructed terrain, but the rocks don´t allow them to Run.

Other details:

Despite her terror Amira don´t see anythind supernatural in them. Al-Khazad, too, thinks they behave just like oversized regular birds.

Jagra and Menghil notice a faint smell of burning wood and cooked fish)

 

[Ashy]

Jagra stares, slackjawed, at the massive baby birds. Only their quick movement towards him rattles him out of his shock. He quickly intones the words to a spell and slings some sand towards one of the chicks.

Casting sleep at the first chick in range.

Prepared Spells:
0: Resistance, Acid Splash, Light, Ray of Frost
1: Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Burning Hands, Summon Monster I, Sleep
2: Melf's Acid Arrow, Web, Spider Climb, Invisibility
3: Fireball, Fly, Lightning Bolt

 

[Zerth]

Amira is both horrified and confused. She wouldn't like to harm the chicks, but maybe there is no way to avoid it. The chicks are faster, but how much? Maybe her spell can change that. Amira waves her hands and summons the familiar effect making everyone quicker, like so many times before.

OOC: Cast Haste and move as far away from the chicks as possible.

OOC2: If you haven't noticed, rangerjohn is not with us anymore. He dropped out from all of his games. It's in the sticky topmost thread for absent players in "Talking the Talk".

 

[Someone]

(Thanks, I didn´t notice. I´ll probably call for another player for his character, now that you´re only three again)

 

[Someone]

The familiar swiftess in your limbs come again as Amira finishes casting Haste and retreats, while Menghil and Al-Khazad, with eyes wide open, do the same more or less, more confident now that they feel they can outrun the small young birds. Jagra decides to test his luck and starts casting Sleep on one of the chicks, and frantically gestures to finish it before they arrive. When his target looms over him, the spell is shoot, with no effect. It doesn´t even blink.

 

[hafrogman]

Muttering curses, Menghil steps in to stop the chick going for Jagra. He darts forward and tucks low to avoid the claws and beak of his target as he draws his blade and takes a swing at the bird.

[ooc - move forward and draw blade, tumble (+9) as needed. One attack +16, 1d6+6 dmg)]

 

[Zerth]

There seems to be no alternative to fighting, so Amira casts another spell. This time a ray of sickly green color shoots from her fingertips towards the closest chick. She also moves a little further away from the giant-sized feathered horrors.

OOC: Ray of Enfeeblement, +7 ranged touch, 1d6+3 Str damage. Retreat 60 feet thanks to Haste.)