3. Wyvern Tor

As Alex skewered the owlbear with his brand-new rapier, it occurred to him that getting the undivided attention of a beast this massive and ferocious was, perhaps, not the actions best suited for a long, healthy, and peaceful life. But it was bold, it was. And his boldness was repaid with the said full attention of the monster, which turned it's head almost 180 degrees around and launched itself at Alex with a cry and outstretched talons, dripping with Boggart's blood. Alex flung himself back and twisted, so that the claws had to first cut through his hide jerkin before they reached his tender flesh [Reaction: Defend for 5hp; Net Damage 9hp; current HP = 20 - 7 - 9 = 4hp].

Staring up at the monster, Alex saw a flash of fire appear as a halo around the monster's head, the result of Redhawk's fire arrow. Any joy Alex felt at this successful attack completely evaporated as the monster screamed in pain and lashed out, once again, at the being it blamed for its predicament. This time, the claws struck hard and struck deep. Alex watched, with fading and graying vision as the claws emerged from his torso. Is that really what my spleen looks like from the outside he thought sluggishly. As he faded into unconsciousness, he thought he saw the beast start to stumble, but through the gray-red curtain, he could not be sure. Accept me, my lady, for I am coming to Kelemvor's plane… [min(4 - 10, 0) = 0; Alex gains one wound and is now Dying].

Boggart is left panting, bruised, and bleeding after the beast falls. It takes a moment for him to steady his shaking legs and a moment longer to loosen the grip on his Mace. As if a spell had been broken, all tension leaves his body, and he falls to his knees, breathing heavily. His gaze is leveled at the dead owlbear before him. Puck dashes to his side to pulls at Boggart's mangled mail shirt and chatter insistently.

"Hm? Oh, Puck. What is...By the Lady! Hold on, Alex!"

Life returns to Boggart's limbs, and he rushes to Alex's side. He still draws breath, so Boggart sets about shoving organs back into place before closing his eyes and placing his hands over Alex's wounds.

"Good Lady, guide my hands. Let me be a vessel for your light..." He says, and gentle golden light like motes of dust and fireflies flow from his palms, staunching bloodflow and knitting flesh back together. Ghostly golden moths flit about, and wild grass and moss spring up beneath the pair of them as the Lady extends her mercy to the mortal plane once more.

Redhawk sees the magnificent creature fall. He will need a talon as a prize he thinks to himself. He sees Boggart rush to Alex as the dandy took some major damage in the fight. He has to give it to Alex he dealt a mighty blow to the beast and to Boggart as well. To stand toe to toe with that thing is crazy. As he walks up to start skinning this beast, the pelt will make a fine cloak "Well fought fellows. Surely there will be songs about this one." He will look to Boggart"How is Alex? Should we go back to the farm so he can fully recover?"
After skinning the owlbear Redhawk will harvest a talon as a prize. He will then say"I have never heard of anyone taking down an owlbear before. Should we harvest all we can? Igrem is there any use for organs or anything for magic?"

Igrem is relieved to see the creature fall after Boggart's last blow, but very much worried about his companions who were engaged in hand to hand combat with the monster. He rushes to Alex, his closest friend, and assists the little druid as much as he can. "Why did you have to take such foolish risks?" he asks, before doing his best to put up bandages to both his wounded comrades.

Once satisfied with the result, he takes a good look at the beast. "We should really take the whole of it." he answers to Redhawk, pensively. "Everything in the creature is valuable: beak, talons, organs, hide. It would be a shame to leave it to waste."

Afternoon, 29th of Ches
Alex, you awaken with a violent gasp, air rushing back into your lungs as though you had been underwater. Pain greets you immediately, but the ghastly wound across your torso has been closed by Mielikki's grace. You came within a hair's breadth of Kelemvor's judgment but it was not this time.

---

Boggart, you look from Alex to your own battered shield and torn mail, and the lesson is impossible to ignore.

You did exactly what you set out to do: you held the line. But you nearly died doing it. Against a creature like this, better armor, stronger protection, enchanted gear, defensive blessings, or even a few potent potions could mean the difference between standing your ground and falling before your companions have a chance to bring the enemy down.

---

Redhawk, you kneel beside the fallen predator and carefully work one enormous talon free from its paw. Even separated from the beast, it is nearly the length of a dagger. A fine trophy. =)

Nineteen talons remain.

Then, you study the carcass with a hunter's eye. Properly skinning an owlbear of this size is no quick task. Even working efficiently, it would take a full shift, and realistically require at least two dedicated people to finish before dusk while preserving the valuable hide.

Igrem's suggestion of taking the whole carcass is another matter entirely. Someone would need to walk all the way back to Narth's farm, fetch Gertrude and the wagon, then return here before hauling the enormous body back. That journey alone would consume an entire day.

---

Igrem, you examine the owlbear as well. You were right. Very little of this creature would go to waste.

The next challenge, though, is time.

Properly harvesting and preserving these materials—and later crafting them into magical items—would mean returning to the cottage, or better yet, to Phandalin, where you would have the space and tools to work. Every shift spent doing so is a shift not spent searching for Joren or tracking the orcs toward Wyvern Tor.

On the other hand, if you invest that time as soon as possible, the four of you may face the dangers ahead carrying equipment forged from the remains of a Legendary creature—a significant advantage against whatever awaits in the hills.

With the crisis now well over with the return of Alex to consciousness, Boggart breathes a sigh of relief and falls back into his elbows, his head dropped back to face the sky while his chest heaves a great sigh. Igrem approaches not long after to bandage his wounds. He smiles. "Thank you, kindly."

He had been close to death this time. If his splintered shield had failed to turn aside a portion of the blows he suffered, it would have surely been his end. There was not time to think of it in the midst of battle, but now he keenly feels the reaper's blade retreat from his neck. And what would have happened if he had fallen? He would not have been able to administer his Lady's mercy to save Alex. One death would have made two, perhaps more.

The thought makes Boggart shudder.

Puck worms his way beneath a hand to comfort him, and he smiles. "We made it through," he says, "somehow." That has always been his attitude; things will work out. And until now it has. But now the challenges he faces are greater than a simple shirt of rusty mail and an old wooden shield seemed capable of facing. Just one encounter with a deadly foe has seen that more rings of mail lay scattered across the hills than affixed to his shirt, and his shield more splinter than not.

Mayhaps the time has come to accept his charges with greater care.

"I propose we split the party. Alex and Igrem should go back to the farm to retrieve Gertrude and the cart, and Alex should rest to recover. Meanwhile, Redhawk and I will scout ahead to locate the orcs and assess their strength. I may be battered, but I have not spent all of my Lady's blessings, and can carry on still.

"Once finished, we will meet back here and take our trophy back to the farm. Then we can hold council and decide our next steps. What say you?"

Redhawk will look to Boggart"If this thing is as valuable as Igrem says we should not leave it unguarded. Alex is hurt and Igrem is no hunter. Maybe I should go back alone and fetch Gertrude and the wagon. That Alex can ride back if need be and I can move quicker on my own." Looking around"I can set the bear traps around before I leave."

"All good suggestions." ponders the mage. "But I have yet another one, for this encounter proves once again that we are never as strong as when we are together. What if we hide the remains of this beast nearby, so that it is not stolen or taken to pieces by anyone coming by? We could pick it on our way back."

Looking at his companions, he adds: "Let's not forget that we are in a race against time to save Joren and prevent things to escalate with the orcs."

Redhawk hearing the suggestion from Igrem"That sounds good but wouldn't we want to harvest this creature as soon as possible? That is the number one rule of hunting. We don't want things to start decomposing. Worms and maggots and all."

Boggart, you weigh everyone's suggestions. Igrem is right about one thing: there is comfort and security in staying together. After seeing Alex nearly die, that's something pressing on your mind.

At the same time, you cannot ignore the value lying at your feet.

If you and Redhawk spend the rest of the afternoon skinning the owlbear, Igrem could use his spells to magically carry and preserve the harvested materials. That would allow the four of you to continue your journey together with the hide and all nineteen remaining talons, without needing to fetch the wagon. Those alone would be enough to fashion valuable equipment in the future—sturdy armor from the hide and enchanted arrows or darts from the talons.

The drawback is obvious. There is only so much magical storage available. The meat, eyes, blood, and most of the internal organs would have to be left behind. Perhaps the heart, too, might have possessed some magical value, though you are not knowledgeable enough to say for certain.

A second possibility occurs to you. Rather than skinning the beast now, you could conceal the carcass as best you can, take the talons with you, and have Igrem use his spells to carry and preserve the bulk of the meat and organs. You could all return to Narth's farm, give Igrem just enough time to brew a few potions or prepare useful alchemical ingredients, then come back later for the rest of the carcass—with or without Gertrude and the wagon.

The third option is essentially your original proposal, now with clearer trade-offs. You and Redhawk remain behind after harvesting the owlbear while Alex and Igrem return to the farm, using Igrem's magic to transport and preserve the meat and organs they can recover. It would likely recover the greatest amount of value from the beast, but at the cost of splitting the party while you and Redhawk keep moving.

Boggart listens to his friend's counsel before speaking again. "Forgive me, my words were rash.You both speak wisdom. Clearly we are stronger together, and who knows what other dangers lurk in these hills? Perhaps we should take what we can and give the rest back to the wild."

The druid pauses in thought. Something is troubling him. "Why did no one mention this beast to us? A predator like this should be known in these lands, or else sign of it be plainly seen, yet neither in Phandelin nor the farmstead did we receive word of it. Does this not strike you as odd?"

Redhawk will think a second"I don't think we should let any of this go to waste if possible. Skin it gut it take the talons and eyes head back to the farm to gain an advantage I say. We can hide the rest." Thinking Boggart's comment about not hearing about this creature he will answer."I think it strange as well but maybe it has just moved into the area. These are farmers out here not hunters. They may not venture to far away from home. With the orcs roaming about and all they may stay away from this area completely."

Alex listens to the party's debate as he relishes the proper arrangement of his being: organs and fluids on the inside and skin on the outside. I must make an offering of gratitude to both my Lady and the Lady of the Forests when we get back, he thinks. He still cannot get over the sheer size and inherent menace of the creature, even as he leans against its cooling corpse.

If I may, good fellows, perhaps we should not consider carving this creature until we get to more…sanitary…conditions, such as the town of Phandalin? Moreover, just consider the renown we would earn displaying this trophy to all and sundry. Lastly, for any of the animal which we will not use ourselves, wouldn't we get better prices from the costers or any wizards or temples in town? We should make haste before the effects of decomposition deprive us of our gain. I am certain that once Masters Harbin and Sildar see this awesome predator, they will understand why we took a temporary hiatus from our orcish quest. For that matter, it is clear the balance of power in this area has shifted, and the town will want to know. To that end, perhaps Boggart and I should hightail it. and here Alex coughs wetly, excuse me, back to Master Tezrin, get Gertrude and her wagon, whilst Redhawk and Igrem watch over the carcass, and harvest anything which would rot within a day, and then we all make tracks to Phandalin to maximize our return on the investment of much of our physical well-being.