Shambling Jungle
Log Info
- Title: Shambling Jungle
- Characters: Hilde, Schara, Simony, Jacob, Tlanexhauni, Huian, Rune
- DM: Harkashan
- Map': https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mmkd1cln7u7&secret=s66c7fd3rgg
- Place: Near the Am'shere Portal
- Summary: While investigating a disturbance hear the Am'shere portal, a group of Adventurers find a toppled cart and a run in with some invasive creatures that most certainly do not belong near Alexandros.
The request has been fairly vague in many ways. There was a disturbance a ways off the road between Alexandria and the portal to Am'Shere, requiring their investigation. However, details have been sparse. This is largely due to the expediency needed in this matter. No scouting has been done ahead of time, and rumors of 'a disturbance' is all they have, along with a general viscinity of the problem at hand.
Luckily, it would appear that the <disturbance> isn't 'too difficult to find'. It's still morning when they find it, just a few minutes from the main path: a broken openfaced cart. The animals that used to pull it appear to be missing, and there's a mess of debris on the ground. It looks like it hit a tree and caused it to fall.
Notably however, there are also smears of blood on the path and on the grass. But until they get closer, it'll be hard to tell exactly what transpired here.
Seeking ways to redeem her honor, at least in her own mind and heart, Huian is volunteering for missions much like firing a shotgun at the board. Anything that seems remotely in her wheelhouse gets her attention.
She is not however, a specialist in matters of the wilderness. She slides the scabbarded sword out of her silk sash as the party approaches the location. She approaches the cart, trying to see if she can provide any insight into the debris or the blood smears.
GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/history: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/nature: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Huian rolls perception: (15)+7: 22 GAME: Rune rolls perception: (13)+13: 26 <OOC> Rune says, "Move me to 7, 14 please." <OOC> Hilde says, "Can I move to x:6 y 10 please" GAME: Hilde rolls perception: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls knowledge/nature: (13)+3: 16 <OOC> Jacob says, "can I move to 5, 10? Kinda take a flank and keep my eyes open?"
Hilde moves towards the cart, stopping far enough away to leave plenty of room for others. She's been holding her heavy sword lightly in one hand but leaned over a shoulder to make it easier to heft the weight. But now she lowers it and holds it properly in both hands. Hilde begins to circle around the cart, half her attention on the surroundings.
Simony pulls the pince-nes from her nose, and cleans both lenses on her sleeve. Replacing the glasses on her nose, she squints. The Gobbo moves a bit further up the road, but stays away from the crash site for the moment. "I cannot recall there being bandits in the area, at least nothing recent. As for monsters or animals, I /think/ there may be wolves."
Bending slowly to peer more closely at the debris, and then moving quietly over towards the blood smears, Huian shakes her head. "Odd." she murmurs in a half-whisper to herself, seemingly not wanting to draw attention with loud voices...
She turns to regard the others and approaches. Only when she gets to within close conversation range does she speak, "No blades here. It looks as if a satchel may have been torn open, but... there are still food and coin within. So that is not what whomever opened it was after."
The potential ties to Am'shere of this danger is cause enough for the old bluescale to investigate. If it is some danger from the jungles to the softskin lands, it is the duty of The People to respect their hosts here. If it is some possible threat to Am'shere, it is still the duty of The People to protect the jungle.
While not Hunter Caste, Tlanexhuani may still be able to learn something. He moves to the remnants of wagon, as that is more familiar to him than the woods.
A call to investigate a disturbance near the Am'shere portal is enough to pull Rune's attention. Her previous experience in the Sith-Makar lands mean that she has reason enough to be wary of strange happenings too close to that location. As such, there is a certain level of anxiety there.
Hood pulled up, Rune has her bow out at first, in case there were unseen threats at range. For the time being, she doesn't seem to approach directly, taking her time to scout the area, watching and listening for signs of trouble in the trees or along the road.
"Road is clear." She reports, then steps a little closer, spotting some things left along the way. "Got a satchel here. And some kind of burnt cloth."
You want to talk about someone not garbed for forest based stealth missions... Huian is in white and crimson robes worn linked with reinforced leather protective materials on important bits. She looks to the others having given h er summar of what she was able to learn. But she falls silent at that point, waiting for others to take the lead. She has no skill in the wilderness, and no authority. She only knows one of the beings present even. So she exercises one of the most difficult skills a warrior can learn... patience.
Hilde points with her sword, then moves it slowly to trace a line of marks leading north past the river. "There's blood too," she says after squinting a bit. "Andmore...it's a trail," she says, realization dawning on her. "Into those trees." Hilde glances back at the others and then takes a few steps to follow the path she indicated. "Shall we follow?"
Exploring the wagon-site, the team will note a broken axle, and multiple tears in the wood itself. There's places where the wood seems oddly 'bent', as if it were grabbed, manipulated, and otherwise warped by some kind of force.
A few of the team members find that there's a bag on the ground near the broken wagon, with what looks to be a simple satchel bag. It is however torn apart, as if something tore it up with great force. There's various things that are spilled from it, such as food and coin. The kind of things that a highwayman would no doubt have made off with by now.
Not too far from it lies what looks like a large torn patch with black marks upon it, ripped apart from its 'center' it almost seems. There's something peculiar about this 'patch of cloth'.
Hilde notices there are more marks of blood, leading up northwards.
<OOC> Simony says, "Could you move Simony to 8,12, and may she roll perception once there?" GAME: Simony rolls perception: (13)+9: 22 GAME: Simony casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 4 DC: 13 <OOC> Rune says, "Move Rune towards the flower thing in the middle." GAME: Rune rolls perception: (11)+13: 24 <OOC> Hilde would like to move to x 9 and y 7 please :D GAME: Hilde rolls survival: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Schara rolls knowledge/nature: (2)+6: 8
Listening intently, Huian nods her head. She slowly withdraws her sword from its scabbard, tucking the laquered wood scabbard back into her sash. She simply falls in behind Hilde, ready to follow and do what needs to be done. Overcoming through force of arms is something she understands. But again, she is not speaking up right now, merely following.
Jacob approaches with the rest of the adventurers to examine and investigate a disturbance near the portal.
Armored and armed, his eyes are scanning his perimeter.
"I don't like this..." He remarks softly, slowly. He looks at where the wagon is, looking as if it were rent with considerable force at certain places.
He doesn't speak, but he does listen. He does watch. He does follow.
Having satisfied herself with the macro view, the Goblin wanders down to the crashed cart, and begins peering about. Her eyes keep eyeing the cloth on the ground. "Don't... don't touch the cloth." Her hand moves to the hourglass symbol around her neck, whispering a prayer, seeking knowledge of the arcane.
Simony frowns after casting her spell. "Well. I /think/ I have a partial explanation. This was an item, known as a portable hole. It only goes BANG when you try to stick it inside another extra dimensional space, like a handy haversack or uhm... bag of holding!"
Not an expert on -anything- magic related, Huian merely looks to Simony like she was speaking Greek. Her dark brows lift, and she lifts the tip of her sword into a more defensive position. Why? Well, if anyone out there has powerful magic like that, she is worried.
"Well, I'll trust your judgement on this matter, it just looks bad to me, and there's definitely more to it, but figuring out what more there is to it is important." The artificer muses as they watch the others investigating the cart and surrounding area. "Portable holes are expensive. They were moving that, or someone had it, and the other valuables were left behind? Either they just wanted slaves, or it's some sort of beast or other creature that did this most likely, but I can't say anything for certain. Are there any tracks? I'm not good with large animals, but maybe there are some identifiable tracks?
"If there's food and coin in the satchel, it eliminates bandits as a possibility, unless they're very stupid." Rune murmurs, "The food would eliminate some animals, but not all." She continues to take a few steps further towards the patch of 'cloth'.
At the warning from Simony, Rune just holds back, watching the magical examination. "Seems like too valuable a thing to just leave lying around, isn't it?" This has Rune even more watchful, her ears twitching beneath the hood.
Slowly, she moves around the toppled cart and towards the North, her bow aimed towards the ground, but her eyes scanning from left to right.
Rune's eyes stop on something, "We've got fallen. Two bodies across the river!" She calls out, looking back over her shoulder. "They're covered in vines. Be /careful/. This feels like a trap." The rogue warns.
Hilde pauses at the edge of the river. Portable hole? Bang? Great. "I can't tell if there are any tracks, but I think something was dragged this way. Or someone. And they must have been bleeding." She peers across the water.
Tlanexhuani looks over the wagon remants, leaning posture hunching further as he puts one claw upon broken and bent wood. Bent seems significant to him. "This wood was ... changed... warped. This one heard tales of creatures that can do ssuch things. Plants. Hungry plants." A pause. "This one not know why plants hungry for wagon... are many trees to touch."
Entangled bodies, and warped wood. Huian has little experience with druidic magic. But she half-whispers to Hilde, "Nature magic for the wood and the vines?" before her own dark eyes rove back and forth, seeking potential threats.
The Goblin shrugs at Rune's question. "If it is damaged badly enough, for example something cutting through it, it is rendered useless. Perhaps this is what happened. I suspect a BANG would have rendered it a lot more shredded." She moves to where she can see the bodies. "Are we maybe looking at a druid, perhaps? Maybe these people pissed off the local druid circle?"
"I don't know, I don't study a lot of magical plants." The artificer sighs as they adjust their armor, flipping out part of their left arm that extends into a long block of metal, with several coils of metal wire exposed underneath the arm as plates shift and fold out of the way. "This is almost definitely a trap, at least it feels like it and all signs seem to make that a good possibility. But whether or not it is a trap is irrelevant. Either we find a way to spring the trap safely or spring the trap, but I'm not going to leave two people to die trying to figure it out."
Simony manages to uncover that the 'burnt cloth' was once a Portable Hole, but had been torn apart. Presumably by whatever was once inside deciding it no longer wanted to <remain> inside.
Moving up north, following the site of blood, the team comes upon a rather gruesome sight. At the bottom of a decline, past a small and shallow river, lies a copse of woods, with a few vines upon the ground.
Tangled in those vines that have clearly grown far faster than they have any rights to, two human men lay against a tree. One of them appears to have two broken legs that simply are unable to allow them to move anymore, their blood has largely dried, and their face is practically blank. Yet from time to time, they still seem to quake a bit, perhaps at the edge of their life.
The other man struggles and shifts against the vines, after spotting you. He looks dehydrated, and makes a few motions with his mouth, but no sound comes out except for some vague huffs. Similarly, he's wounded, though his legs still seem intact. He seems to be attempting to call for help.
Notably, with Tlanex's warning, as well as Rune's comment on this being a trap, some of them could have sworn some of those vines were moving?
Suddenly, the chest of the man on the right - the corpse - begins to move. Not in an undead 'about to get up' kind of way. But rather, his head tilts to the left and his chest begins to bulge a bit... as leaves begin to 'form' out of his chest and ripping through his shirt.
Fighting people? No problem. Fighting vines and leaves and the forest itself? Uh.. that's a bit beyond Huian's pay grade. But she is here to help. So she gets a bit impulsive, and takes one, two, then three steps and attempts to leap over the narrow gape of the water, to get her feet onto stable ground on the other side. Yes, she's pretty much charging ahead, trying to draw whatever reaction there might be, so that the others can react to it.
<OOC> Huian is gonna try to jump to 10,5 <OOC> Schara says, "is up and near Rune based on that last pose" <OOC> Rune says, "Move Rune up to 8,8, I think." GAME: Huian rolls acrobatics: (2)+10: 12 GAME: Simony casts Bless. Caster Level: 4 DC: 14 GAME: Hilde rolls acrobatics: (15)+1: 16
Coming up behind Schara, Simony holds up her holy symbol, whispering a prayer to Navos, to watch over her companions and guide their hands in combat.
As the team maneuvers down into the copse of trees, things begin to shift. The leafy thing on the chest of the corpse continues to shift and move, until it finally splatters out of his chest and begins to flit and flap up. A bit of dried blood crusted onto its wings, it seems disoriented.
Flying left and right for a bit, while Hilda and Huian make their way past the waters, only to suddenly rush for their position! It makes no actual sounds, it just moves like the wind. A very fast leaf on leaf-wings, it tries to fly onto Hilde's body in an attempt to bite into her neck and get a hold of her!
<OOC> Huian will quickly try to stab the leaf thingee as it goes past, shifting BAB into AC via expertise, leaving me at +5 total to hit GAME: Huian rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23 GAME: Huian rolls 1d6+3: (4)+3: 7 <OOC> Rune says, "Shoot it with my bow, then drop bow, jump across the river (move to 8,5), and draw blades." GAME: Rune rolls ranged+1: (11)+6+1: 18 GAME: Rune rolls 1d6: (2): 2 <OOC> Simony says, "Simony will attempt to jump across the water." GAME: Simony rolls acrobatics: (17)+-1: 16 <OOC> Simony says, "11,5" <OOC> Simony says, "If she could attack, she would." GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (18)+5+1: 24 GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (1)+1: 2 <OOC> Hilde will attack it! Using power attack with furious focus GAME: Hilde rolls weapon1+1: (3)+7+1: 11 GAME: Schara rolls heal: (2)+8: 10 <OOC> Schara says, "I'm making a reroll on that" <OOC> Schara will make the 3 RPP request for that GAME: Schara rolls heal: (6)+8: 14 <OOC> Schara says, "I'll attack the flower thing and suggest the others do that, since I don't think the fiery death ray is safe for that" <OOC> Schara says, "But I will be moving up after shooting" GAME: Schara activates her Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex <OOC> Schara says, "swift to activate armor for dex" GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+9+1: (6)+9+1: 16 GAME: Schara rolls 2d6+4: (6)+4: 10 <OOC> Schara says, "move to 8,4" <OOC> Jacob says, "Love me some obvious rolls! I'd love to cross the river. Can I get to 10, 6? If so, would love to cast magic stone on flower monster" <OOC> Harkashan says, "The creature is dead." <OOC> Jacob says, "ah, nvm" <OOC> Jacob says, "thanks! I'll hold my attack action in case the group gets lunged at." <OOC> Tlanexhuani would like to move up to 12.5 if able. "Beyond that, nothing yet. Serving dinner, apologies." <OOC> Harkashan says, "I can move you to 10,4"
The Goblin eyes things across the water, and then looks at the water itself. Swallowing, she runs as fast as her stubby legs can carry her, jumping very ungracefully across the water. Landing with an unlady-like grunt, she pants, taking a moment to ready her warhammer, then swinging and bringing it down on the ... plant?
Well, that is unpleasant. Rune makes a slight sound in the back of her throat at the sight of the creature seemingly breaking free of the corpse. Still on the opposite side of the river, she lines up an arrow, trying to catch the creature in the wing. While the arrow does impact, it seems little more than an annoyance.
For now, the bow is abandoned, leaving Rune's hands free as she leaps over the narrow river and draws out her blades from the scabbards along her back. "Keep an eye out, there might be more of those things." She warns.
Hilde takes the more straightforward approacha cross the river, splashing her way through the water and then struggling back up to dry land on the other side. She walks towards the corpse, tense and nearly breathless. When the leaves burst out and try to attack her she seems to react on instinct. A hasty jerk backwards and she manages to avoid any more than some leafy scratching against her armor. A return slice, vicious...but hasty. And one that likewise fails to do any real harm.
And suddenly, all of the lower planes broke loose in the area. Luckily, they had already prepared their weapon for any potential trap, but they were still caught off guard by everything happening. One of them still seemed to be alive, but a large gout of flame likely would do more harm than good. "The one on the left, free them before they get hurt more!" They shout to the others, coils in their arm glowing red hot as they send a stream of fire at the plant creature, causing plant matter to wither and die on touch. "I'll heal them if I can, but making sure they are not harmed further is the priority."
With a leap and and after some wading, Jacob manages to safely get across the river! Jacob nods at Rune. "Consider my eyes peeled." He has his spear out and shield raised, watching for anything else that may attack.
He's ready.
"Serriel guide us...is anyone hurt?"
Between the actions of Rune, Schara, Simony and Huian, they fell the mighty... leaf bug thing that climbed out of that guy? It feels almost too easy, as the rest of the group gathers into the copse of trees.
With Schara finishing it off, the remains just kind of puff onto the ground, not much but black char remaining.
This is when the corpse seems to move again. This time the legs. Right near the group of Simony, Hilda, Tlanexhuani and Huian, two caterpillars suddenly burst forth, making hideous insectoid sounds, rushing at them. The first biting at Hilda, as the other focuses on Simony.
At the same time, the vines come alive. Some of them releasing the Corpse and the Wounded human, flashing outwards from their position. They can't so easily tell the source of the vines, but they're moving fast! One tries to lash at Rune, the other at Jacob!
And to make matters worse, two more of those flying things are coming down, buzzing from the trees. Rapidly trying to get into things with Jacob and Huian.
<OOC> Harkashan says, "Hilda" GAME: Harkashan rolls 6: (15)+6: 21 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d6+2: (3)+2: 5 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Simony" GAME: Harkashan rolls 6: (11)+6: 17 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d6+2: (5)+2: 7 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Rune." GAME: Harkashan rolls 5: (8)+5: 13 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Miss" <OOC> Harkashan says, "Jacob" GAME: Harkashan rolls 5: (13)+5: 18 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4: (1): 1 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Take 1 damage, and roll a Fortitude Save please" <OOC> Harkashan says, "DC 12" GAME: Jacob rolls Fortitude: (18)+7: 25 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Jacob once again" GAME: Harkashan rolls 3: (20)+3: 23 GAME: Harkashan rolls 3: (3)+3: 6 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Crit not confirmed." GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4: (4): 4 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Take 4, another Fort save DC 14 on this" GAME: Jacob rolls Fortitude: (11)+7: 18 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Huian" GAME: Harkashan rolls 3: (5)+3: 8 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Miss." <OOC> Huian says, "can I reach a Caterpillar without moving?" <OOC> Harkashan says, "You can." GAME: Huian rolls 1d20+6: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Rune says, "There's two leaf-rays around Jacob, yes? So I will full round action stab the one I can reach." GAME: Rune rolls weapon2 +1-2: (11)+8+1+-2: 18 GAME: Rune rolls weapon2 +1-2: (6)+8+1+-2: 13 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Hit & Miss" GAME: Rune rolls 1d6: (6): 6 <OOC> Simony says, "Okay, Simony would like to 5' towards 12,4, then channel energy, and the one damaged critter will not receive her channel." <OOC> Simony says, "I accept the aoo risk from the squiggly line thing in 11,4" GAME: Harkashan rolls 5: (20)+5: 25 GAME: Harkashan rolls 5: (12)+5: 17 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Does that confirm the crit on you, Simony?" <OOC> Simony says, "No, she's got a 20 ac." GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4: (2): 2 GAME: Simony rolls 2d6: (6): 6 <OOC> Simony says, "For everyone inside 30 feet. Except the wounded critter." <OOC> Harkashan says, "Weed Whip 2 targets Tlanexhuani." GAME: Harkashan rolls 5: (5)+5: 10 <OOC> Hilde will power attack w/ furious focus on the caterpillar! GAME: Hilde rolls weapon1+1: (2)+7+1: 10 <OOC> Schara says, "I'll shoot that one with the fiery death ray" GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+9+1: (4)+9+1: 14 GAME: Schara rolls 2d6+4: (3)+4: 7 <OOC> Harkashan says, "It retaliates" GAME: Harkashan rolls 5: (15)+5: 20 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4: (1): 1 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Horn Caterpillar 1 tries to bite Rune in the shins." GAME: Harkashan rolls 6: (15)+6: 21 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d6+2: (4)+2: 6 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Leaf Ray 2 does a fly-by on Jacob, to get a flanking bonus." GAME: Harkashan rolls 3+2: (18)+3+2: 23 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4+1: (1)+1: 2 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Start with a fort save @Jacob" GAME: Jacob rolls Fortitude: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d2: (1): 1 <OOC> Harkashan says, "You lose 1 dexterity." <OOC> Harkashan says, "You have your held attack, start with that~" <OOC> Jacob says, "I'd like to cast Inflict Moderate wounds on the flower monster on my left" GAME: Jacob rolls Weapon0: (17)+5: 22 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Harkashan says, "It fails its will save" GAME: Jacob casts Inflict Moderate Wounds. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15 GAME: Jacob rolls 2d8+4: (10)+4: 14 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Roll your regular attack you had as a held action from earlier?" <OOC> Jacob says, "I'll poke it with my spear as a follow-up, yah!" GAME: Jacob rolls Weapon2: (7)+5: 12 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Miss" <OOC> Tlanexhuani would like to activate armor and attempt to bonk the vines with hammer. GAME: Tlanexhuani activates his Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Str GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls weapon3: (19)+8: 27 GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls damage3: aliased to 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Hilde." GAME: Harkashan rolls 6: (6)+6: 12 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Leaf Ray also goes after Hilde (also, forgot, is flanking)" GAME: Harkashan rolls 3: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Roll a Fort Save" GAME: Hilde rolls fort: (16)+6: 22
Things are getting chaotic. Huian has her head on a swivel, but nobody has a sword on the enemy side. This has her just a bit out of sorts. She is a fencer... not an insect exterminator. That may change in the future, sure.. but for now, she makes a half-hearted stab at the nearest caterpillar and cringes as she bites the tip of her family blade into the mud.
One of Rune's ears gives a little twitch. It's the only sign before her head swivels, reacting quickly to the arrival of new enemies. "Shit. I knew there had to be more of them." Tightening her grip on her swords, Rune dodges out of the way of one of the flying creatures, not wasting energy to swat at it.
She grits her teeth, seeing a cluster of them around Jacob. "Alright, let's do this." Two blades slash out in quick succession, though only one seems to impact, digging into one of the flying creatures.
Hilde hefts her sword and begins edging towards the corpse. She hardly seems to need the warnings and cautious words from the others - she's still moving stiffly and with a hiss to her breathing that speaks of adrenaline. Or nerves. When the caterpillar bursts forth and bites, through some verminous cunning or height difference or pure luck, the fangs line up with Hilde's unarmored legs. Hilde hisses in pain now, and then flails again with her sword, digging gouges in the earth next to caterpillar on both sides.
Simony grunts as she is thwacked by by something sprouting from the ground. She wobbles her way back a little, and then utters a prayer, calling upon Navos to sooth her companions', and the dying man's, wounds.
And now there were more creatures that had emerged. It turned out there was more to the trap than first thought. Torn between standing to be a threat and getting back to provide assistance, the artificer takes a small hop back, readying their death ray again to sear the mass of vines that were threatening them at the moment.
Tlanexhuani respects the wilds and wildlife. In Am'shere, this does not exclude the flora and fauna attempting to eat you. Which includes most all of it. Respect does not mean it can be left to run free, though. One claw touches his chest, imparting a spark from his blood into the bronze, animating it to ripple and cling to him like a second set of scales. This other retireives his hammer to swing it down into the vines between himself and Simoni. "Not let grow here!" As the vines retreat some, he points at the ground near them. "There! In ground. Is where grows!"
There's the monsters.
Jacob rolls his shoulders and nods at Rune. "Stay light on your feet." A way of saying 'stay safe' but when was Adventuring ever safe?! Jacob takes some slashes that rake across his chest, making him wince as he feels slower, but he's still quick enough to react. He extends his hand to touch the plant creature to his immediate left, filling with with necrotic energy. that corrupts and destroys. It doesn't kill it, but damn it gets close. His spear jabs out immediately after, but misses.
The onslaught continues. The Caterpillars keep biting at Rune and Hilde, while the Leaf Rays just won't let Jacob and Huian alone - but it seems like Jacob has enough. Touching one of the Leaf Rays as it digs its small leafy talons into him, it suddenly shrieks and almost falls to the ground, just barely swooping away.
And while Schara is burning the vines for certain, it seems her weapon is not getting as much done as usual against these things. When she burns down one vine, another one comes and continues its assault on her! Tlanexhuani however, seems to be more familiar with these things. Crushing multiple vines, he exposes what looks like a bulb hidden in the ground, from which the vines originate!
<OOC> Huian says, "I will try to stick stick the one in the water to the south" <OOC> Huian says, "to eliminate flanking on her -and- me" GAME: Huian rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Huian rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9 <OOC> Rune says, "Going to move one down to get flanking, roll acrobatics to try to avoid the AoO, and then do a stabby." GAME: Rune rolls acrobatics: (18)+10: 28 <OOC> Rune says, "Moving /up/ one to flank the caterpillar." GAME: Rune rolls weapon2 +1: (17)+8+1: 26 GAME: Rune rolls 1d6+2d6: (1)+(10): 11 <OOC> Simony says, "Is the critter in 11,4 hurt at all?" <OOC> Harkashan says, "Yep, very." <OOC> Simony says, "AH, okay, she will attack that." GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+2+1: (11)+5+2+1: 19 GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (6)+1: 7 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Tlanex, Simony, roll DC 12 Fortitude" GAME: Simony rolls fortitude: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls fort: (9)+6: 15 <OOC> Hilde will try chopping the caterpillar one more time :P GAME: Hilde rolls weapon1+1: (15)+7+1: 23 GAME: Hilde rolls 2d4+7: (7)+7: 14 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Rune, Tlanex - also give me a Perception roll." GAME: Rune rolls perception: (19)+13: 32 <OOC> Schara says, "I'll try to clear out the vine near to the guard, to keep it attacking me and not them" GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+9+1: (15)+9+1: 25 GAME: Schara rolls 2d6+4: (6)+4: 10 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Attack on Huian." GAME: Harkashan rolls 6: (16)+6: 22 <OOC> Huian says, "miss by 1" <OOC> Harkashan says, "Leaf Ray 2 fly-by attacks Simony." GAME: Harkashan rolls 3: (18)+3: 21 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Hit." GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Simony, DC 14 Fort Save" GAME: Simony rolls fortitude: (15)+5: 20 <OOC> Jacob says, "I'm gonna keep it simple, attack the caterpillar boi on my right!" GAME: Jacob rolls Weapon2: (2)+5: 7 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Miss." <OOC> Tlanexhuani would like to hold or ready for the wriggling belly dancer.
Twisting about in defensive patterns, Huian has her blade moving to help defend herself... but then she observes the movements of the enemies in the area... so she twists, turns... ducks down and comes up with a lunge straight through the center of the creature to Hilde's south. She doesn't move however, as she is guarding a flank.
While Rune's attention is on trying to help with the matter of multiple flying creatures, there is a resounding chomp to the back of one of Rune's legs. What follows is a colorful string of curses, starting in Draconic, then in Sildanyari, then Yrch-Speak before ending in a resounding exclaimation of pain in the common tongue: "Fuck." Her leg buckles slightly, but the rogue manages to stay on her feet.
Turning, she moves to get into a better range with the thing that just /bit her/. She very much seems to like the idea of making sure the creature gets a fair return for the blood seeping down her leg at the moment. So, Rune stabs the creature, hard, dagger digging into a weak point.
The Gobbo finds herself sort of cornered, with plants and critters cutting her off from the others in the group. Her gaze moves back and forth between her options, and she moves a step forward to bring her hammer down upon the exposed bulb of one of the plants. Simony recoils away from it as the bulb splatters, spraying her face and chest with plant gore.
There is a shift of movement that catches in the corner of Rune's vision. Turning, she spots what looks like part of the corpse starting to move again. "Heads up! We may have more incoming!" Rune warns, even as the stomach area of the body starts bulging.
Hilde is attacked from two sides at once. Monsters everywhere! But fortunately Hilde's not alone either. She gives Huian a quick nod, that could just as easily be lost in the chaos of the fight but all she dares. She tries to loosen her deathgrip on her sword and settles into a more relaxed stance as she turns back to the caterpillar. Steadying her breathing, she waits for an opportunity. And then unleases a measured cut, neatly bisecting the creature.
Schara was caught up with the rest of them, struck by vines, but doing alright, for the most part. the others make the artificer stop and, pause, looking at the ground, instead. They take aim, and the death ray erupts into another stream of flame, leaving a smoking hole in the ground where the bulb was.
Tlanexhuani also sees the movement of the body. "Ssa! Iss bigger! Maybe worm! More danger! Be ready!" He does exactly that, turning to face the lurching-belly corpse. Claws tighten on his hammer as he watches and waits for it to make an appearance.
<OOC> Harkashan says, "Simony has Leaf Ray on her." <OOC> Huian says, "okay, can I make some sort of acrobatics check to get around that?:)" <OOC> Huian says, "a leaping flying wire fu strike?" <OOC> Harkashan says, "You can get there and roll Acrobatics to make it awesome." <OOC> Harkashan says, "You'd likely end up at 13,2" <OOC> Huian will spend a panache to look better GAME: Huian rolls acrobatics: (8)+10: 18 GAME: Huian rolls 1d20+6: (11)+6: 17 GAME: Huian rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9 <OOC> Huian says, "and I get the panache back, yay me" GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (8)+8: 16 <OOC> Harkashan says, "It misses. And something tells you that's a very good thing." <OOC> Rune says, "5 foot step to close on the caterpillar's butt, and then full round stab." GAME: Rune rolls weapon2 +1 -2: (2)+8+1+-2: 9 GAME: Rune rolls weapon2 +1 -2: (15)+8+1+-2: 22 <OOC> Harkashan says, "1 hit" GAME: Rune rolls 1d6+2d6: (6)+(9): 15 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Roll a DC 16 Reflex Save, Rune" GAME: Rune rolls reflex: (18)+7: 25 OOC> Simony says, "Simony will smack it." GAME: Simony rolls weapon2+1: (14)+5+1: 20 GAME: Simony rolls 1d6+1: (4)+1: 5 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Roll DC 16 Reflex if done with a melee weapon." GAME: Simony rolls reflex: (16)+4: 20 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Hilde, stick them with the pointy end!" <OOC> Hilde will try! GAME: Hilde rolls weapon1+1: (7)+7+1: 15 <OOC> Harkashan says, "That's a miss I fear." <OOC> Schara says, "will shoot the big worm" GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+9+1: (12)+9+1: 22 GAME: Schara rolls 2d6+4: (4)+4: 8 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Caterpillar moves through some spaces to flank Hilde." GAME: Harkashan rolls 6: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Harkashan says, "And fails to do so miserably." <OOC> Harkashan says, "Hilde, Jacob, you two get AoOs on that Horn Caterpillar btw." GAME: Jacob rolls Weapon2: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Jacob rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6 <OOC> Jacob says, "I'd like to cast Spiritual Weapon and place it at 10,4 to attack the big boi" <OOC> Harkashan says, "Ah, 10,4 is occupied" <OOC> Harkashan says, "Would 11,5 be acceptable?" <OOC> Harkashan says, "(And if so, roll hit please)" GAME: Jacob rolls Wisdom+BAB: (17)+3+3: 23 GAME: Jacob rolls 1d8+4: (6)+4: 10
Still having kept from speaking for all of the fight, Huian peers over the field and sees Simony being harrassed. She gets a running start and leaps into the air, one foot impacting the trunk of a tree to send her higher into the air where she slashes with her blade to open up the target before stabbing through the center of the Leaf thingee... she lands and shakes it from her blade before turning to regard Simony and giving a nod.
The Weed Whip plants are done away with, as Schara manages to get a good shot in. And it isn't long before a Horn Catterpillar is felled. Their foes are dropping quickly, but Rune has warned them of a coming new threat! Or perhaps, a threat that had gone unnoticed so far!
As Huian sails through the air and finishes off the last Leaf Ray, there is the sound of bones cracking and a splatter behind her.
On the lowground, a massive caterpillar bursts from the corpse's remains, as well as a pit in the ground below him. It is large enough that it pushes Tlanexhuani back in that moment, before it screetches and attacks the Sith-makar!
Luckily, Tlanexhuani is also ready to strike back!
Tlanexhuani was expecting ... something to come out. He wasn't expecting exactly that, or maybe something not quite that big, or not getting attacked the moment it emerged. He swings back, but it is off and glancing; it only slides off the very large caterpillar's hide.
The sight of the massive caterpillar has Rune flinching at first. Sure, she expected something gruesome, but not something quite that /big/. "How in the world did that thing even /get/ here?" It's not a question she really expects an answer to, but the surprise on her features turns to determination. "Be careful, this thing can web and paralyze people!" How does /she/ know that.
Stepping forward, Rune stabs with both of her blades, but one of the two seems to bounce off one of the prickly portions of the beast, even as the other sinks in. The attack causes the creature's bristles to move in her direction, but the rogue ducks them gracefully, even as she raises her arm to cover her nose. "Ugh, it smells like dead bodies."
The Goblin huffs, still being pressed by creepy crawlies and plants, and she continues to swing away with her hammer. Her expression has slowly slide towards one of anger, her hair, face and robes splattered by gore from plants and insects alike. Letting out a yell, she brings her hammer down once more, thumping the caterpillar, and avoiding the spines it tries to stab into her. Panting, she meets Huian's eyes, and returns the nod.
Hilde grimaces at the newest caterpillar. This one is the biggest yet. She casts a incredulous look at the corpse. She can't keep the grisly thought from flashing across her mind - surely there can't be room for any MORE monsters in there...? By the time she's shaken her head to refocus on the present threat, the rest of the party is already moving to surround it. Hilde raises her sword high and brings it down in a vertical blow. Wide swings might inadvertantly tag one of her own allies. But at the last moment the wormlike monster twitches and wriggles out of the way, and the blow only gouges a new divot from the ground.
Whatever moment of relief was there with the vines gone was instead replaced by more worry as a much, much larger caterpillar emerged, looking very, very hungry. Or at the very least, violent. It was likely too dangerous to move the injured person so close to the threat, so instead, they unleash another flaming ray at the caterpillar, singing the outside, but not felling it. With a sharp sound of splitting metal, the wires in the arm, pushed to a white hot heat, splinter and fall apart, leaving a melted mass in their place. "I have a replacement, but not too much more!" She warns the others.
Jacob is dueling a horned Caterpillar, but when it leaves his area, he strikes out at it and manages to knick the creature along it's side before it can get away. He turns his attention to the giant beast, tilting his head as he snaps his fingers and a golden spear takes shape, radiating with holy light as he directs it with his fingers into the air and he sends it straight down from the heavens.
It manages to pierce the thing, going straight through it until it exits the other side and impales the ground....managing to destroy every vital piece of biological matter from brain to shitter.
The beast falls. "Never liked bugs much."
<OOC> Huian says, "another running, leaping, dancing, flipping trek to get there" <OOC> Harkashan says, "Yeah, you're gonna need to roll Acrobatics again~" GAME: Huian rolls acrobatics: (11)+10: 21 GAME: Huian rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Hit." GAME: Huian rolls 1d6+4: (4)+4: 8 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Rune, there is a low-health Horn Caterpillar remaining." <OOC> Rune says, "Not enough movement to get around behind it?" <OOC> Harkashan says, "You can, you'd be attacking from highground. But I'll need an Acrobatics roll." GAME: Rune rolls acrobatics: (13)+10: 23 GAME: Rune rolls weapon2 +1: (8)+8+1: 17 <OOC> Rune says, "Forgot the flanking +2, but yeah!" GAME: Rune rolls 1d6+2d6: (4)+(8): 12
Lifting her blade to salute Simony, Huian gives the hint of a smile. But then she hears more action and she turns. Without taking time to think it through, she begins running once more. She steps up onto a fallen log, and then onto a tree stump... and with a spinning leap that flares the hem of her robes out about her... and looks almost like a dance move, she stabs the Horned Caterpillar with a fierce blow before she withdraws her blade and twists to land nearby. Again, no words spoken.
And so, when all is said and done, Huian tilts her head to the left, looking over the field. "Does anyone need treatment?" she asks. "And... does anyone have magic that can remove this ... residue from a sword blade?" she asks. Sure, her leaps looks like something out of a ballet. But now she is just talking and not dancing or leaping.
Simony makes a retching sound, and turns way, being violently ill.
When the larger creature falls still, Rune is quickly searching for signs of any remaining enemy forces. She follows Huian's example, darting with a measure of acrobatic grace over the water to land on the opposite bank. Scrambling to her feet, Rune darts to flank the creature, who is already distracted by Huian.
A quick strike with a short-blade later, and the smaller horned caterpillar joins the array of insect bodies that surround them at the moment. Breathing heavily, she looks across towards Tlanexhauni. "Tell me I'm wrong and we haven't just been fighting beasts from Am'shere."
As focused efforts of Rune, Tlanexhuani, Simony, Hilde cut into the caterpillar, they give Jacob the chance for a final blow. Rending the head of the caterpillar with the spiritual spear in one fierce stab along its body. They do not give the caterpillar the chance to get its bearings and become more of a risk!
Rune and Huian immediately team up to get rid of the last Horn Caterpillar, flipping and bounding across the terrain with much ease, until they flank the creature and together, cut it apart.
Which leaves the groaning and wounded man bound to the tree.
With the final beast felled, Schara is quick to keep moving. The melted metal in their arm is quickly ejected to the ground as they jog over to the wounded man, where they work on dealing with the last of the vines. "He is weakened by more than just wounds." They artificer notes to the others. "He will recover, but we need to be careful getting them back to the city, where they can rest and get further care. Is everyone else alright? I have some healing if any is needed, and I'll do what I can."
<OOC> Harkashan says, "Someone roll Survival for me." <OOC> Harkashan says, "Or Knowledge/Nature" GAME: Jacob rolls Survival: (2)+4: 6 GAME: Schara rolls knowledge/nature: (12)+6: 18 <OOC> Harkashan says, "@Schara - you saw that Leaf Ray climb out of the previous corpse. You are pretty sure that kind of species uses this kind of method as a way of reproduction." GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/nature: (14)+8: 22 <OOC> Harkashan says, "You believe this man needs some kind of proper HEALing, or other ways to remove infections like that, or he's not gonna make it." <OOC> Harkashan says, "Same @ Simony." GAME: Simony casts Lesser Restoration. Caster Level: 4 DC: 15 <OOC> Harkashan says, "Roll 1d4" GAME: Simony rolls 1d4: (4): 4 GAME: Simony rolls heal: (18)+3: 21 <OOC> Rune rolls bluff to hide her injury because she wants people to focus on healing the dude. GAME: Rune rolls bluff: (15)+8: 23 <OOC> Harkashan says, "From the others, while Simony is doing Surgery, roll Perception." GAME: Rune rolls perception: (1)+13: 14 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Jacob rolls Perception: (3)+5: 8 GAME: Schara rolls perception: (17)+10: 27 GAME: Hilde rolls perception: (11)+2: 13 <OOC> Harkashan says, "@ Schara, you find a piece of paper in his pocket, talking about a 'Next Shipment'. Based on the evidence, it seems there's a smuggling operation going on for Am'shere wildlife." <OOC> Harkashan says, "And this may not be the last time this is going to happen - if people don't interfere." <OOC> Harkashan says, "Aka, these guys are smugglers." GAME: Schara rolls sense motive: (10)+3: 13
Wheezing, the Goblin makes her way over to the fallen man. She leans in, listening to his breathing, then peering into his eyes, followed by placing a hand on his forehead. "I don't like the looks of this.", she says, her voice scratchy. Her holy symbol begins to glow extremely brightly, as she beseeches her God to aid the fallen man. There's a bright flash, and then after images as it fades.
Simony feels at his forehead once more, and tsks. She starts to undress the man, at least, pulling his shirt off. "No way... it's growing in him..." From a kit full of medical implements, a knife is taken, and with little fanfare, the Goblin starts cutting... eventually retrieving a sprouting seed. "Gotcha!"
Schara lets the others work, feeling that they are much better suited to caring for the man. The artificer looks around, and the bronze figure tilts their head once. They reach into a pocket of a discarded garment for the impromptu surgery, and they pull out a note, which they stop to read. "Well, I'm not entirely sure what's going on here, but it seems they were planning another shipment. Is this their fault? The portal is supposed to be well guarded against anything getting in or out of it that isn't planned."
Rune doesn't really need an answer to her question. Instead, she sheaths her blades, folding her arms across her chest, expression concerned.
When the artificer asks about healing, the rogue seems to shrug it off, despite the fact that the leg of her trousers is darkly stained. "We should focus our healing energy on the survivor for now. See if we can get him back and find out more about how this all happen--." Rune cuts off mid-sentance, watching Simony work. It may very well have just suddenly turned her stomach.
So, the rogue steps away briefly, still hiding a limp, and tries to keep her trail rations from making a repeat appearance. Instead, she lightly holds her stomach and looks at Schara, "You mean these idiots intentionally brought these things here?" Rune presses her other hand to her forhead and groans.
Hilde still seems a little jumpy, holding her sword at the ready and casting a worried look at the sound of every leaf rustling. "Another shipment..." She peers at the note and then at the remains. "That means more of these creatures. Perhaps we had better head back."
"Growing?"
Jacob approaches with a soft step. "That means...they're parasites." Jacob frowns softly. "Shit. Okay, I don't recall-" Hearing that these gentlemen are poachers and smugglers, Jacob shakes his head softly. "And they'll keep doing it...unless we stop them." He looks around. "We have work to do, my friends."
Simony yawns. "Anyone else hurt? Speak up now... we don't want people carrying these seeds around in them." Her hands glow again as she uses magic to fix up the physical cutting she'd just done.