RP:A Rude Awakening

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: Clever summary here (That time that Rorin did not consult a druid before trying to trap a griffon. He's probably pretty lucky he wasn't eaten, but it all worked out okay in the end. Griffon relocated.)

Tengu Nest

Perched atop a black spire of rock is one of the strangest sights you could imagine, a gigantic bird’s nest, perhaps large enough for a bird the size of a man. Fashioned not from twigs but from huge tree logs and in some cases small trees whole, ripped from the soil with fresh green leaves and roots still attached. The pieces of lumber is held together by a thick dried muck which seems to have been smoothed carefully so although the nest rocks slightly in the wind it stays put on this peak. As you turn to lead a horrid squeal like a gigantic bird of prey flying down on her pray bleeds into your ears, seemingly splitting the air around you like a great knife cutting into your mind making you feel woozy and sick, looking up expecting to see a large grey eagle you are instead shocked to see strange birdmen swooping down from the dark sky with murderously sharp talons readied to slice you to ribbons if you do not run for your very life.

Rorin had done his homework on this one. After seeing a posting about a griffon at the Warriors Guild, Rorin could hardly wait - he felt obligated, really, to defend one of these magnificent creatures instead of waiting for the quest to be taken down, knowing that it was dead and he did nothing to protect it. So he set out for Venturil, and once he got there the pilgrim had discovered things were not quite what they’d seemed. The farmer he’d investigated hinted that someone else and botched the job, and it turns out the mercenary company hired to defend him had killed a griffon, just that they’d only killed one. Rorin was furious when he found out - kill a thing that mates for life and to think that’s the end of it, not suspecting the awful travesty that had occurred or was about to. The griffons mate had sought vengeance, going straight after people this time instead of their livestock, very unusually behavior under any other set of circumstances. Rorin had managed to get in contact with a Druid for this, special occasion and all, seeing as how he’d rather move the thing than kill it, not that it might ever forgive anyone, people in general really, and if that was the truth then the poor thing would have to be put down, but Rorin was going to make sure he took every step to prolong that in hopes it’d never happen. The Griffon would be trasnported to an Eyrie - they worked with flying animals enough, he reckoned, to know what to do with it. The problem would be first capturing it, and then getting it there. Rorin had loaded up a crossbow and prepared a few special spells and prayers, anticipating what could turn into a very bloody battle should he mess up. Then he just bought a couple oxen, and although he hated to do it, he had paid someone to release their slave pending a little extra work... as bait. The young feline girl was out there now, shivering, the poor thing, and Rorin half thought she was going to run before anything happened, in which case he’d just let her go and figure out another way to ambush the griffon. At this very moment he sat in his half plate over leathers in a small blind dig into the field, hoping the Druid who’d answered the call was ready. After half an hour or so out here, he had felt it coming - it would be soon, any second now he suspected, his silver half elf eyes up on the sky. He would probably hear it before it was seen...

Kailani was not as nearly up to speed on all the details of the griffon as Rorin was, if only because he has already invested more time and research in this expedition than she. The druid is aware of the important details, they are currently trying to trap and relocate a griffon, the ideal location being the Eyrie. Kailani is not entirely certain how she feels about the griffon being taken captive and taken to the Eyrie, yet she was certain that it was better than the alternative the griffon faced, which was death. Even if the griffon was seeking revenge against the loss of a mate, it was something that a majority of bipedals did not seem to understand. Humans seemed to place more value on their own existence then the existence of anything that might be trying to live with it. By the time Kailani arrives, Rorin has already managed to set the stage to try and lure the griffon to them, another detail that Kailani was not sure she was keen on. "Was this really the best approach?" Kailani inquires of Rorin, her sapphire-blue eyes fixated on the shivering feline girl. The oxen were more justifiable, but perhaps sufficiently tempting enough. "I am sure we would have been able to track and locate the griffon without having to put any life at risk..." Well except their own, but the two of them had to have realized the dangers of this task before they even agreed to partner on it. The paladin and the druid may currently not be seeing eye to eye on the plan. To an extent Kailani recognized it was too late to change the plan, but that did not stop her from voicing her concerns. The druid is armed and dressed in much the same attire as she was when Rorin first met her, minus the thick winter cloak and add a few baubles off...? Well that's the druid's secret, but one can only hope she might have spent some time concocting something to help tranquilize a griffon.

Rorin would have attempted to discuss the plan with Kailani, and to be perfectly honest, he was sure given more time he could have come up with something much better. Frankly though, he was sort of pressed for time - killing things for money was a very competitive job, after all, and if he didn’t get to it first someone with a much less delicate disposition on it most definitely would. Griffon claws and beaks were incredibly valuable, after all, their eyes and feathers and all sorts of organs as well. If it had been diseased, or perhaps caused more of an outrage (it had only killed a few guards and attempted to take a few beautiful young maidens before being scared off, after all) he would perhaps have been forced to the same dire measures, but this was luckily not the case. And, really, Rorin would not have looked forward to cornering a griffon in its nest. It would have fought them very clearly to the death. Out here was better, less risky - he was freeing a slave, after all, and had assured her no harm would come. This did nothing for her nerves, she’d heard of the attacks, and as she stood among the oxen she tried idle chatter to help relax and pass the time. Just as she began to feel reassured that it was just another day in the prairie, Rorin saw a shadow pass over the sun and start growing larger. Mid-dive, the Griffon they had been waiting for made a terrible sound somewhere between a screech and a roar, like tearing, grinding metal, the sound of the earth and sky being torn open. It’s claws were open, it’s eyes burning with hate, it’s wings moving - and Rorin loosed his shot. It landed right in its wing, barreling the massive beast into the ground, and the poor girl was frozen in fear as the oxen sprang into a run. A mioment later her feet were beating behind them until she tumbled into a bush, safe from harm. Rorin exploded out of the blind, spell at the ready, trying to snare the griffons foot as it wildly thrashed and kicked about, stone-cutting beak snapping sharply.

Neither would have a chance to really discuss their difference of opinion in the plan of action as both would soon be forced into action, trying accomplish the one thing that they could actually agree on. The griffon should not be killed. Straight into the attack would not have been Kailani's first course of action, but the fact that it was Rorin's puts some limitations on what the druid might be able to do. A griffon is a creature of great intelligence, and so there was a high probability that it would have resisted any amount of charm that the druid might have casted upon it...but what slim chance she might have been successful has been reduced to none now that the griffon and Rorin are engaged in battle. While Kailani might have thought to bring her ranseur, it is not the weapon that the druid ends up relying upon. Rorin can distract the griffon by continuing the battle, he had his weaponry and he had his spells and no intention to really hurt the beast if he could actually avoid it. While he is doing that, the blue-haired druid is positioning herself several yards behind the griffon and retrieving a blow dart while in motion. Several darts have already been laced with a heavy sedative prior to her arrival, that is one task that she does not have to do in the heat of battle so long as she does not run out. Honestly, she's never put a griffon to sleep before so she's not entirely sure if she made the sedative too weak (spoilerz, she did...this thing will not be passing out at the first shot). The first shot is taken and it's a hit...! But Kailani is not quick to take a second shot, she waits....Which means Rorin is going to have his work cut out for him. Do your thing warrior boy. A second shot will come eventually. And a third once Kailani realizes it's probably more than a little needed. The druid might be primarily concerned with causing the griffon to take a nice little nap, but she is still keeping awareness on her surroundings, watching for any sign that the griffon might turn it's attentions from Rorin to her, and also trying to be mindful that you know...Rorin doesn't get eaten by a griffon. She does not want to play a more offensive role, if she does not have to.

Rorin launches his spell, effectively grounding the griffon for now, but that created a different problem. He couldn’t go too far, or the spell would wear off, and the griffon was more than prepared for a close up battle. Rorin had only brought a purposefully unsharpened sword and his shield, and that was proving to do little more than piss it off as it managed to get up. It’s claws were sharp, it’s beak not only sharper but faster, and he was having trouble deflecting all the attacks. Kailani’s tranquilizer was not much in the face of this things fury, and as it feared up on its hind legs, Rorin was forced to put up his magical shield instead of backing away or going in for the kill. The griffon bore down on him with all its weight and power, not just once, and starting to scratch and nip at the blue dome when that proved ineffective. He couldn’t keep this up long, the damn thing weighed more than several men all together, and it was a whole lot more ready to kill him than he was it.

Kailani :: Dear Rorin, Kailani is very sorry that she did not make the sedative potent enough. She honestly was a little bit too concerned she was making it too strong! It's not entirely her fault, it's not every day that one goes about actually trying to drug animals. Just....don't expect the druid to actually apologize, alright? She's a bit socially challenged. The druid is quickly trying to analyze her next course of action before Rorin ends up lunch meat...With the sedative not working as hoped, Kailani moves on to other courses of actions. Water might be her preferred element, but that does not mean that the druid has not put time and effort into studying the remaining elements. A hand is pressed to the ground and eyes are closed but she does not remain in this position for long, it's a passing moment where the druid pays her respects to both Hind and the earth before she urges the element to offer it's assistance to both herself and Rorin. Vines begin to grow from the earth and start to entangle the griffon, growing at a rapid rate. It would be enough to slow and hinder the griffon's movements for what is to come next, but not stop it completely. The beast is far too powerful to be tied down by the vines for more than a minute. Kailani is repositioning herself, this time in front of the griffon...and once she's where she wants to be? She shouts at Rorin, "Move!" Like out of her way, away from the griffon, which might seem kind of reckless? Because surely the beast could charge right at the druid without Rorin helping to hold it at bay? But she's holding one of those baubles in her hand right now, and if Rorin doesn't move...I mean...she's going to throw it? Right at the griffon, and hard. Hard enough that it'll break against the beasts chest and cause a cloud of powder to erupt from it. Rorin probably doesn't want to be there when that happens...unless the paladin wants to cuddle right on up to his new friend for a nap. Who knows where they'll end up if that happens, Kailani most certainly does not know where these Eyrie people hang out.

Rorin had been enduring as best he could while being beat down on, but it was only when Kailani shouted that the Griffon turned its attention towards her and gave him a break. The pilgrim rolled backwards, breaking the hold his spell had on it as her vines wrapped around instead and the powder started to take hold. It leered, lumbered, drunkenly, made a half drunken swipe, and fell over, breath labored and eyes half lidded shut. Rorin approached with due caution - those paws were bigger than his head, and even an exhausted griffon could do damage he was well aware of. Only when it seemed truly safe did he take off his helmet and get out some length of chains stored in the blind - normal ropes would do him no good here. A transport company was prepared not far off with a sizable wagon but Rorin still had his worries. Someone might attack it mid transport, a subdued creature made an easy target for smugglers or black market dealers looking to score some goods. Once it was ready to be taken away he’d give Kailani his thanks, as well as an apology, but something was still bothering him. There were only a few things Griffons could possibly be doing in the mountains for fun, after all, and this was not exactly a junior sized creature. So, what if it had become so territorial because there are, or were going to be, far more than two. Rorin had some hiking to do.

Kailani :: Rorin had some hiking to do and Kailani was torn on what her next course of action should be. Part of the druid felt inclined to follow, part of her felt inclined to linger with the beast that she had just subdued. Rorin still had his worried, but Kailani was the one who ended up vocalizing them...surprisingly, she is on the more reclusive side. "Do you need further assistance? Do you trust the people you have hired to transport the griffon? Or would you prefer I remain here with it to make sure it is safely transported to the destination?" Judging by tone of voice and expression, the druid had no strong preference for either option. Rorin could voice his wants either way, and she would be content. If Rorin spoke a preference for Kailani to remain with temporarily slumbering griffon, Kailani would inspect the Paladin briefly just to determine he had sustained no significant injury...And if he passed this inspection, then he could be on his merry way.

Rorin chewed on his answer for a moment. What would he prefer... “Stay with it, if you could. If I find anything, it will find it’s way to you.” He trusted his hires, sure, but there was only so much they could do. A mercenary, or a whole company of them rather, looking to cash in on a fairly written check would be far too much for them. He thanked Kailani again and saw the transport go on its way before trekking up the mountain. Rorin saw a lot of disgruntled Tengu who had made their nests here previously, and it wasn’t long until he found the one he was looking for. Lined in gold and silver, chunks of ore and spikes of metal kept in the heat of the high sun, dug up by the griffons beak. “Oh no,” Rorin whispered to himself on that ledge, the gleam shining off the equally metallic eggs. “This is not good.” He began to hear a chittering sound somewhere between a chirp and a mew...