Nerd Dice: Side Story: Birds of Prey

Written by Adam

On their journey from the Cormanthor to Evermeet, Laucian and his master stopped in The Reaching Woods to visit Amra, an old friend of Laucian's master. A ranger with a great love for the birds of the forest, Amra was a Falconer who tended to the local birds, protecting them from outsiders, healing those sick or injured and training those keen so show off their hunting skills.

During their stay, Amra taught Laucian much about the birds of the forest; how to tend to them and handle them for hunting. But knowing that Laucian was not yet ready, Amra instructed Laucian as much as she could and told him to visit again when the time was right for him to handle and train birds of his own.

(Time passed until present.)

Sensing the time was right to return, Laucian makes his way from New Keep to a clearning in the Reaching Wood where Amra tends to her birds. After half a day's travel, Laucian arrives to spend the afternoon helping Amra tend to some recently injured birds. Amra is appalled at the number of injuries and nature of some of the wounds. She informs Laucian that in recent times a small band of hunters have been stealing eggs and hatchlings from the area. However, she hasn't been able to confront them as their numbers have been too strong.

The next day Amra continues Laucian's trainning with a favoured friend of hers, Lomion. A small and patient owl, Lomion (Child of the twilight) submits to Laucians clumsy handling until the end of a long day, where the two finally manage to successfully hunt some small rodents.

On the third day Amra instructs Laucian to prepare an Animal Friendship spell. As a gift Amra dimissess Lomion and offers her to Laucian as a guide. Laucian completes the Animal Friendship spell on Lomion, who is at first hesitant to part with her old master. Lomions reservations subside when the spell is complete, and the two work on some new tricks for Lomion to learn.

That afternoon, Amra receives a visit from a company of Giant Owls. Panicked, the owls inform Amra that hunters have been active in the area for the last few days and even had the audacity to raid one of their own nests, escaping with some giant owl chicks after slaying their mother. Unable to track the hunters, the owls have come to Amra for help.

Laucian and Amra set off with the company to track down the band of hunters. After a few hours' journey to the giant owls home, the group picks up the trail, which they follow for several hours until finding a small camp. Laucian informs the company to hold back until Lomion's signal to strike. Laucian and Amra move near the camp until they can hear some of the discussion. Laucian spots a wizard with the group.

"My master will be pleased with the specimens you have found for us. You will be rewarded well on our return to Greenest," says the wizard to one of the band who looks like the leader.

Laucian and Amra then lie in wait for the band to rest for the night. Two hunters are posted while the leader, the wizard and another two hunters rest. Laucian sends Lomion to signal the company of Giant Owls to attack. The owls glide in so silently Laucian only notices them after they've pounced: one per hunter in unison. Laucian and Amra go to take the leader and the wizard, only to find the leader more than a handful, while the wizard retreats with the giant owl chicks. Laucian receives some medium wounds in the fray with the leader.

Fast on the tail of the wizard, Lomion hampers his progress until the chicks cry out, getting the attention of their father who's in the fray with the hunters. The wizard battles with the giant owl and injures the giant owl seriously, almost killing him, before Laucian breaks battle with the leader droping his weapons and quickdrawing his bow to shoot the wizard through the neck. In the meantime Amra dispatches the leader, while the rest of the owl company finish making short change of the hunters.

After the battle Amra and Laucian tend to the giant owl father's wounds and Laucian gives him a cure light wounds potion. Greatful for saving his chicks and his life the giant owl, Olwin, pledges his friendship to Laucian, asking him to call on him anytime for help. Amra also tends to Laucian wounds but she cannot heal him, only bandage him up.

The group makes camp for the night and set off the next day to Amra's hut where Olwin will rest until he is fit to return with his chicks to their nest. Amra lets Laucian know that she won't need any help returning the rest of the eggs and chicks to their parents, and that he should rest before his journey back to New Keep. On her return, Amra informs Laucian that some of the eggs and chicks have been orphaned and will stay with her to be reared until they are adults.

Laucian and Lomion make ready to head back to New Keep when Laucian notices a young Hawk he has seen watching him off and on over the last few days. The hawk studies Laucian for a time before taking to flight and diving a few times, as if to show off his skill to Laucian. Laucian gets the Hawk to perch on his outstretched arm, and casts Animal Friendship on the bird and names him Aurion (meaning "Child of the day").

Before heading off, Laucian rigs up a pair of perches on top of his backpack for the birds to sit on and look over his shoulders-- Aurion on the left, Lomion on the right. After final goodbyes the three then head off back to New Keep, arriving in the evening, with Laucian still slightly injured.