Bjorn catches the sudden rush of air and the scent of outdoors. He turns slightly and see's his prey's attempt to run, it only seems to cause the scaled twisted man to turn even angrier as he slides up under the long arm and chokes the doorway with his own mass.
He howls in fury before his claws flash out once more.
The howls, attract and spur the wolf to squeeze past the others and push into the room.
The wolf sees his master and smells the blood of his friend on the creatures club and attacks!
The prof focuses once more on the giant to lower its defenses while the leopards attack again.
for
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Bjorn and the leopards tear into the blubbery giant, who crashes to the ground with a wet thud! She struggles, but falls silent after a moment.
Looking around now with a moment to breathe, you can see that this house has been built around a set of standing stones, and you can see dark stairs heading down into the ground, from where you can smell a salty, fishy ocean smell.
"This smells fishy..." states the prof with a smirk.
"Caesare, would you kindly proceed to the investigation of this room and stairs, please?" he asks gently to the man, stroking the hair of the leopards that soon disappear in a mist.
Caesare's confusion seems to wear off after a couple more babbling moments.
Bjorn sits on the giant and starts to breath a bit heavy. He looks up at the others and watches as they wait for their companion to gather his mind again.
Once his own breathing is back under control and the others seem confident, he stands up using his spear. "The blood has grown weak this day. I cannot call upon it's power any longer. We must hurry for the effects of my blood still remain to protect me for a small while longer." he said as he looked down at the stairs. He grunts and points the wolf in that direction.
Arrrooo ascends the stairs followed closely by Bjorn, they however pause at the bottom to make sure the others are coming.
Caesare shakes his head vigorously before speaking up.
"That was.. emberassing! But great work all. Sorry I was so little help."
Bjorn stands up now thast it seems the human is done babble and in his right mind. He comes up and claps the man on the shoulder with perhaps a bit too much heft.
"It is alright, one's blood can do many things to a man in the throws of battle. You will learn with experience to harness and control it better I'm sure."
The worked stone stair soon gives way to a much older, cruder stone stair. The crude stone stair opens into a wide natural cavern. An alcove to the north holds a tall glass tank in which stands the perfectly preserved corpse of a man. A single large, discolored bronze bell inscribed with strange runes hangs from one wall.
The prof approaches the bell and begins to try to understand what it is about.
"Δετεκτ!" he says, casting a spell.
He looks at the bell with glowing eyes and intensity.
The professor recognizes the bell as a focus for an Alarm spell. Nothing else shines with magic, though he does notice there is a small lectern next to the tank with the corpse in it. A book sits atop it.
The prof whispers to the others.
"An alarm spell. Anyone to disable it? I'd like to access the lectern over there..." he says showing the book sitting atop it.
Caesare would like to try to disarm the bell.
Caesare is able to disarm the magical alarm spell. It seems non-functional now.
The prof looks at the book with avid eyes.
A small lectern next to the tank holds a small book bound in sharkskin—Cassius Undiomede’s journal. Along with the more mundane entries, the journal describes Cassius’s first meeting with “the Neighbors”—though Cassius does not describe them physically, the text nevertheless gives the impression that the Neighbors are something other than human. The journal also mentions the Neighbors’ home: submerged tunnels at the bottom of Avalon Bay, at the base of the Tern Rocks. Later entries detail Cassius’s eventual lordship, and the institution of the Fostering Pact between Cassius and the Neighbors, including the line, “I can only ensure the health and prosperity of Baytown and my own line by giving the Neighbors what they require, even if that means giving up my own daughters, and those of my heirs and my people. Regardless of my personal feelings, it is a small price to pay for such security.”
Very interesting! And also very troubling...
"It doesn't look good, friends. This man is either mad or he met something or someone... from somewhere else. A place unknown to us... It's... very troubling yet really interesting." says the prof with a spark in the eye.
Bjorn snorts as he steps around the room and up to the fish tank, peering into it. "And...where is this man, where is this creature? I care not his past, I need his present." he said snarling at the corpse of a man.
He thought for a moment and brought the wolf up to the book to try and scent it.
Caesare listens to the professor reading from the book.
"This man is demented. Offering his children for security. That sounds like a bargain from hell. Or the Abyss. I hope is rotting there. In pain!"
Staring at the corpse in the tank, you recognize him from the giant statue in the town square: this is the founder of Illmarsh!
You head to the west. A series of natural terraces forms a sloping passage descendingto this cavern. Murky black waters filled with piles of compost and detritus flood the sloping northern floor of the cavern. A multitude of fungi and colorless subterranean creepers grow over and within this vile stew. Some of the items seem broken and destroyed, but you can see the glint of a silver helm near the waterline.
Looking at the surrounding Ceasare inspect the area.
Caesare spots three things of interest.
1. That silver helm. It seems to be decorated in wave patterns and seems intact and undamaged.
2. An amulet lying in the offal, what looks to be a gagged skull!
3. The fact that part of the mounds of offal is a living thing! He recognizes it as a Fetid Spore Mound, a close relative of a shambling mound that is infested with mold and exudes spores if struck in combat! This one seems content so long as you don't actually enter the room, but these things are notoriously always hungry and will eat whatever or whoever they can get a tentacle on!
Caesare confers his findings to the others, asking the Prof how to fight that monster the most efficient way possible.
The prof scratches his head looking at the spore monster.
Caesare's roll pretty much will answer any questions you have.
Bjorn whips out his spear and prepares himself for combat...for he has no other way to contribute at this point!
If you have any questions regarding the plant monster, ask away!
The prof looks at Caesare with a nod. "I think you need more than I do on this matter, my young friend."
Caesare nods to the others. "Let us roast this thing!"
Special attacks: Constrict (It can squeeze you!) and Spores (if struck it releases spores!)
Weakness: None
Resistances: Immune electricity, resists fire, DR vs everything but slashing
Hit dice: 12 (a round dozen, Guv'ner)
As you step into the room, the mound suddenly shifts and moves hungrily toward you!
Round 1:
Professor and Bjorn!
Fetid Spore Mound
Sonny and Caesare!
"'Freeze' or 'melt' might be more correct terms, my dear." says the prof, concentrating himself.
He says some arcane words and Bjorn disappears.
It took Bjorn a second before he realised what had been done before he nodded and moved quickly to the other side of the monster.
He made a quick noise to urge his beast into attacking before attacking himself.
Bjorn stabs, hitting the creature but not doing as much damage as he expected. The wolf, however, misses with his bite, jaws snapping shut on wet fungus!
The mound lashes out at Bjorn and the wolf!
for damage!
for damage!
Both land and the mound tries to grab both Bjorn and the wolf!
Caesare takes a step back and drinks an extract of enlarge person.
Sonny begins to beseech Sarenrae's power "Oh great Dawnflower shine your power though this insignificant vessel and destroy this creature!" and raises his palm toward the creature and a bolt of light shoots out from it toward the creature.
Sonny's searing light burns into the mound, while Caesare begins to grow!
Round 2!
Bjorn and the wolf go into a whirl of activity as they stab at and bite the creature multiple times.
The prof pears towards the fight.
"Is... is it over?" he says.
Bjorn and Aaarroo both get in some good hits and Aaarroo even manages to trip the thing, but it's not stopping!
It tries to keep a hold on Bjorn and Aaarroo! and It does and squeezes them both! damage and damage!
Caesare takes a moment to measure the enemy, than stabs with his spear.
Not knowing what else to do, Sonny pulls out his crossbow and takes a shot at the creature as he says a prayer, "Oh, Sarenrae guide the bolt and remove this creature from this plane!"
Caesare's spear sinks in twice to the Mound, but Sonny's bolt misses.
Bjorn continues to pummel the beast and Arrrooo continues to bite.
The prof stays into delay, not knowing what to do.