Musophobia (Part 4)
Who would have thought that a simple trip to help out a farmer would lead to so much work? Now you stand on the lands that belong to the Trisgwar family whom you know really nothing about having just defeated a giant slug that tried to make a meal of you. To your left stands the crest of some overgrown hill which upon inspection reveals itself to be a decaying slug. One that is nearly the same size as the one that nearly ate you. It seems that these things are common to the area.
Cautiously you make your way deeper into Trisgwar lands. The plants here are highly unusual. Some seem to follow your path of movement while others are strange shapes and colors. The grass for instance is red in color and crinkles underfoot as if in need of water. You're looking you think for the well where supposedly there is another of those strange oozes which you found in the farmer's neighbor's lands.
It doesn't take long to find the house. It's a huge sweeping manor that looks something like it grew up out of the ground. This illusion is helped along by numerous plants which seem to have overtaken the area. Climbing up the house itself and beginning to incorporate its structure into their growing patterns. Once it was white, but now it has been stained with dirt and plant matter of varying colors. It looks like nature has taken it over almost entirely.
Still scraping crud off her gauntlets, Donna mooches at the front of the group, now and again taking a quick look around in case any other threats see them as tasty morsels.
As the house comes into view, the brawler pauses, tilting her head to one side. "Huh..... elves? Wizards? ....Elf wizards?"
"Right." Soup says as he wanders up towards the manor. Taking a moment to adjust his clothing after his bathroom break. Behind him his loyal steed the Dire Corgi Malfeasance is still urinating on one of the unusual plants. Burning the arcane life out of it with the highly toxic contents of a dog's trash disposal digestion, turned up to 11 by it's massive size. "Well this place has seen better days. I imagine the help have decided to bugger off. Wot?" Adjusting his helmet and then tending to a bit of trail mud that lessens his armor's shine Soup continues. "What was that about Wizards? I got Malfeasance." The Dog manages to bark while still tending to it's business at the sound of its name. "From a Wizard, I wonder if I can get another." The little Gnome's eyes flash. "A great horde of mighty steeds to ravage the land. I feel a song coming on!"
Erendriel nods "Elves do make good wizards when they try." She stays to the rear of the group. "Plants can be weird. This could be dangerous."
GAME: Soup rolls perception: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Stena rolls perception: (18)+0: 18 GAME: Donna rolls perception: (18)+8: 26 GAME: Erendriel rolls perception: (19)+5: 24
Though there's some debate about it, you decide to travel around the outside of the house first. It's sort of beautiful if totally creepy. None of the plants look as though they should, and the few animals you catch sight of have been altered in some odd way as well. Eventually you make your way around the back of the house where you find the well. Standing beside it is a small elvish boy. He can't be more than ten years old. You've probably never seen an elf this young before, and there's no sign of his parents. He looks up at you briefly and motions you closer to him.
"Well obviously there is no one out here. This is a waste of time. We should invade this dark manse and claim the glory and rewards. Solving this oddity quickly!" Soup announces from astride his dire corgi. Cutting the perfect image of a stately Knight, where he not only three feet tall riding on a giant dog.
Donna blinks upon catching sight of the child, turning back around to hiss a warning to her companions. Motioning for them to follow, she approaches the well once the young elf beckons them closer, still on the lookout for trouble from afar. "Hey, kiddo," she says, half-distracted by her watching. "What's happening?"
At Soup's declamation, she turns to *stare* for a moment at the undersized knight. "Oi. How 'bout you look at the well, at *your* eye level. See somethin' that ain't nothin'?"
"... oi. What's a kid doing here?" asks Stena, eyeing the elven youth now and rumbling this out quietly.
Erendriel holds her backpack straps and follows the others. She'll walk up to the boy, putting on a big smile and speaking to the child in a bright, chipper way. "Hello. We're here to help you out a bit. Can I ask your name and who's at home today?" <sildanyari>
GAME: Erendriel rolls bluff: (10)+18: 28
The boy smiles and looks down into the well briefly before meeting the gaze of each of you in turn briefly. "Something in the well came out and went inside my sister. A great darkness." He looks so solemn and adult for all his youth, blinking at you seriously with his oddly pale eyes and pale skin. "You have to help. My sister went away and now only the darkness remains." <sildanyari>
Soup turns his steed to look down at the well he stares at the elf boy for a moment and snorts. "Obviously using some of his sylvan tricks." Then listens quietly to the speech between the boy and Erendriel. He tugs at his great mustache and hrmms. "Well this sounds like a bit more of the right stuff. We shall save this maiden from the well monster that lives inside of her. I think I have something in my pack for that." He murmurs as he turns and rummages around in the Corgi's satchel. "Lets see. No, no, no. No. Oooh, no." There's a toss over his shoulder which the corgi turns and snaps out of the air and begins chewing happily and noisily. "Damn, I don't think I brought my well monster potion. Guess we'll just have to do it the old fashioned way."
"...glad we got ourselves our own elf," remarks Stena, casually, as she watches the boy and Erendriel talk. She peers at them.
Well *that* was an interesting reveal. Crouching down to put herself below eye level, Donna glances over her shoulder. "Kid's saying that something dark came out of the well, possessed 'is sister, an' now the darkness's all that's left." Turning back to look up at the boy, she attempts a small, reassuring smile. "Where is it now, and is there anyplace safe you can go?"
Erendriel steps right up to the boy and ruffles him on the head. "We'll do our best okay? Why don't you step back so we can look at the well for clues." <sildanyari>
Erendriel then looks back to the rest. "He says his sister has been taken over by something from the well, and nothing is left of her. Sounds very sad... we should check the well first."
Briefly Erendriel's fingers seem to touch... something, but those paying particular attention to the boy will realize that Erendriel's fingers pass right /through/ him. Erendriel most of all whose fingers are suddenly chilled to the bone. The boy looks sad all of the sudden. "Sorry. I was killed by the thing that possessed her. Sorry. I should have warned you."
Suddenly the boy winks out of existence, and there's a rumbling from inside the well. A sloshing and bubbling noise that is familiar to you. All of the sudden the ooze is splashing outwards, crawling into the light like a wave of darkness and throws itself right at Erendriel! <sildanyari>
Stena blinks at this.
"...so, anyone else feelin' creeped out?" And then there's ooze.
"aw, fuck," she mutters.
GAME: Erendriel rolls fortitude: (10)+2: 12 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d6: (4): 4 GAME: Soup rolls weapon9: (11)+6: 17 GAME: Soup rolls 1d6+3: (4)+3: 7
"Ah!" Soup announces. Flinching back at ghost boy elf and well monster. Still his battle hardened reflexes cut in and he's quickly rearing the Corgi around so he can sink the tip of his lance into the creature and try to divert it's attention away from Erendriel. "Face me and perish, again, fiend, or for the first time. Perish in the now you are to perish in time."
GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+7: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Stena rolls 1d12+6: (9)+6: 15 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+4: (4)+4: 8
Instinctively, Stena cuts the ooze in half. There are now two oozes.
"Oh," she says with a sigh. "/This/ again." She is looking less than thrilled about it.
GAME: Erendriel rolls fortitude: (13)+2: 15 GAME: Erendriel rolls fortitude: (7)+2: 9 GAME: Erendriel rolls will: (7)+5: 12
The ooze shoots itself straight at Erendriel, within a matter of seconds it's shoved itself straight into her face and... down her throat. Vanished inside her. The other half waves it's tendrils at Stena uselessly, but that's not really what everyone is paying attention to. No the ooze shoving itself down Erendriel's throat is definitely more eye-catching. Particularly when her eyes begin to glow a pale, pale blue…
GAME: Erendriel casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Soup rolls reflex: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Erendriel rolls 5d4: (12): 12
Erendriel turns to face Soup, head tilted, eyes glowing. "I'm sorry but... I must obey. Your excellency, I am doing my best..." and her hands go out, blasting a wave of fire right at, well, at the corgi and the person who happens to be riding. <sildanyari>
GAME: Donna rolls cmb: (9)+6: 15 GAME: Soup rolls weapon9+2: (13)+6+2: 21 GAME: Soup rolls 2d6+3: (8)+3: 11
"Oh come o--" Donna says as the boy disappears.
"Oh *come on*--" she tries to say, as the ooze explodes out of the well.
"You gotta be shi--" she begins, as Stena cleaves the ooze in twain.
"What the f--" she attempts, as one of the baby oozes launches itself down the sorceress' throat and forces her to turn on her allies. And apparently, that was the last straw.
"FUCKING. *NOPE.*" Turning, she lowers her shoulder, charging at Erendriel, wrapping her arms around the less-solid adventurer's waist and bodily hauling her away from the scuffle.
"I'M ON FIRE! MY MUSTACHE!" Soup shrieks as he's wreathed in flames by Erendriel's magic. The Gnomeish Knight rears his mount around, the Corgi promptly spinning him away from the magic user. Then the two are coming back, at speed. The long lance with it's wickedly sharp point levered right at Erendriel as Soup seems intent to get the ooze out of them the old fashioned way. Thankfully however Donna body blocks Erendriel to the side and the lance cores through the remaining ooze as the Knight races past in near perfect tourney form.
GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+3: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Stena rolls 1d12+6: (12)+6: 18
"...ugh!"
Stena spins her axe around and then drops its flat on the top of the ooze. "I HATE THESE THINGS," she yells loudly, working herself up into a lather. She's not quite there yet, but rest assured it won't take long.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20 GAME: Stena rolls Fort: (14)+5: 19
The ooze finally manages to tag Stena, slapping her up alongside the head like she's done something wrong while the blue glow in Erendriel's eyes remains the same. A woman's voice echoes forth from her lips. "Release us." It's not Erendriel's voice, it's too empiricolous for that. It's like someone else's voice is written over hers.
GAME: Erendriel rolls escape artist: (8)+6: 14
Erendriel flails about. Her motions strangely determined, and a bit unnatural. "Release... I am ordered to destroy you..."
What follows is a brief scuffle, Donna's face grimly determined as the brawler moves around the flailing limbs to seek a better position. Finally, the dust clears on Erendriel facedown on the ground, Donna sitting atop the sorceress' back and leaning hard on both Eren's arms. "How about," she replies, voice conversational, "you pack up and shove off to Gofuckyourself Duin." Here she pauses, and tilts her head. "It's Dwarven. And leave my friend behind while you're doing that."
GAME: Soup rolls weapon9+2: (11)+6+2: 19 GAME: Soup rolls 2d6+3: (2)+3: 5 GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Stena rolls 1d12+6: (5)+6: 11
"Onward!" The Gnomish Knight yells as he and Corgi hurtle past once more, this time the lance isn't as accurate and only seems to clip the ooze. The duo zipping past and starting to make their next turn and strike pass.
GAME: Stena rolls Fort: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Erendriel rolls escape artist: (15)+6: 21
Erendriel continues to jerk her body around, and manages to roll away, seeking to climb to her feet and resume her assault, eyes continuing to glow very strangely.
"WAUGH," says Stena as she's covered in ooze. It exploded all over her from her strike! Yuck! She looks ready to tantrum.
GAME: Donna RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 8 temporary HP GAME: Donna casts Thunderstomp. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13 GAME: Donna rolls cmb: (3)+6: 9
Rolling to her feet, Donna's tattoos flare to life, and she lifts her foot and brings it down with a magically-enhanced crash of thunder. The tremors, sadly, do *not* knock Erendriel off her feet, but it *does* betray her as a fresh and interesting source of magical energy.
GAME: Soup rolls weapon9-4: (18)+6+-4: 20 GAME: Soup rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9
Soup rides along on past Stena, after she's exploded the slime. "Good hit!" He remarks, quite happy to be ooze free. Then with a snort he swings the lance up and then brings it down like a barrier at a train crossing over Erendiel's head with a resounding 'thump'. "That's enough of you monster! Evict yourself from that body before I am forced to come in there after you! It make take a lot of grease but I've been in tighter messes!"
GAME: Erendriel casts Grease. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
A small black ooze forces itself out of Erendriel, and skitters across the ground toward Donna! The brief coughing spell seems to do nothing to disway Erendriel from attacking Soup.
Erendriel turns after she is hit by the lancer, and wriggles her fingers in the direction of the corgi, attempting to make the whole area beneath slick! Her eyes continue to glow evilly.
GAME: Soup rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20 GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+3: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Stena rolls 1d12+6: (9)+6: 15
"This is gross, this is gross, this is gross," says Stena, bending down and smooshing the tiny ooze under the flat of her axe. SPLAT. "Augh!" She shakes herself off like a dog.
GAME: Donna rolls cmb: (11)+6: 17
"Yeah it's gross but WE GOT SHIT TO DO," Donna roars, turning and once more tackling Erendriel to the ground. "NOW GET THE FUCK OUT OF HER YOU SUPERIOR SACK OF SASS-JELLY."
GAME: Soup rolls weapon9-4: (20)+6+-4: 22 (THREAT) GAME: Soup rolls weapon9-4: (2)+6+-4: 4 GAME: Soup rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6
The Gnomeish Knight watches Donna restrain Erendriel and seems hesitant to react. Then finally the lance simply comes down again once enough head is visible to whallop without hitting Donna. With a precise thwack the snoot is booped. The Knight striking true.
Erendriel falls over with a thud.
"Shhhhhhhhhhhit," Donna mutters as Erendriel slumps in her arms. "Thanks, Soup. .....We gotta get her to a healer, before she wakes up. Like, now. Ain't chancin' her goin' the way of that kid's sister. Anyone got any ideas?"
The Knight nods slowly when his boop seems to have done the deed. "I can cast a basic cure or two, and then I have potions." He motions to the satchel on the right side of the Corgi's saddle. He watches Erendriel pensively as if the idea of beating an ally down is worrying to him.
With Erendriel down you have no choice really but to abandon your search of the area. You found what you came here for anyway. So you carry Erendriel back to Alexandria on the back of the corgi to be checked out. The magic users there are able to dispel the control over her but the cure to the plague... Stena and Erendriel have both been infected.
-End