DM Carbide's Through a Cracked Mirror: The Dark Road
Game Master John Woodford

I'm going to do Lum's attack, mostly to get a post up so other people can access the thread.

Lum again tries to chop the vine clutching Versey to pieces, but both blades are turned by the creature's tough bark.

Rashun will move to S14 due to difficult terrain.

attack-1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

damage-1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Rashun, A2 still has you grappled, but that would hit even with the penalty.

Eretria, with the demise of A3 you're out of range of AoOs, if you want to cast a spell.

Eretria casts magic missile on A1.

3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) + 3 = 9

Round 3:

Initiative Order:
Versey-unconscious; status indeterminate
Darc
Sami-acted/Lum-acted
Rashun-acted
Eretria-acted/Besmarial-acted
Xavier/Vines

Eretria's arcane darts finish off the vine on Versey.

Waiting on Darc; given the state of the boards, it wouldn't surprise me if he hasn't been able to post. I'll give him more time.

Rashun, A2 still has you grappled, but that would hit even with the penalty.

Eretria, with the demise of A3 you're out of range of AoOs, if you want to cast a spell.

In that case I take a -2 to that last roll, and my damage drops to 9 points of damage assuming I hit, unless you want me to roll again.

The boards are still being worked on. You might want to send him a PM.

If you want, you can also use the roll to break free. I also just sent Darc a PM.

Thanks for the PM ..

Round 3:

Status:
HP: 47/47 AC: 20/10/19 Conditions: Enlarged(29), Divine Favor (8)
Attack Power Attack Flail 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 = 22 enlarged, divine favour
Damage power Attack Flail 2d6 + 4 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6, 1) + 4 + 4 + 1 + 1 = 17 enlarged, divine favor

Darc strikes out at the nearest vine.

Round 3 (final):

Initiative Order:
Versey-unconscious; status indeterminate
Darc-acted
Sami-acted/Lum-acted
Rashun-acted
Eretria-acted/Besmarial-acted
Xavier-acted/Vines-acted

With the demise of the vine grappling Versey, only one was left as the target for Darc and Xavier. Rashun had landed a solid chop on it, and after Darc's devastating flail hit the hostile plant was just about done. Xavier advanced slowly through the entangling flora, missing with his scimitar but managing to put it away with his followup cestus strike. In its death spasms it constricted Rashun one last time before collapsing. Rashun, take 10 HP.

Done for at least the next couple of rounds. Actions?

Sami nods quickly at their success, seemingly satisfied with their performance. He winces as he looks down at Versey and hurries to his side in an attempt to discern how bad he was actually hurt.

Heal1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

I would rather go for the attack. If I get free he will probably just grab me again.

OK, that makes sense. Quick rearrangement:

Round 3 (revised final):

Initiative Order:
Versey-unconscious; status indeterminate
Darc-acted
Sami-acted/Lum-acted
Rashun-acted
Eretria-acted/Besmarial-acted
Xavier-acted/Vines-acted

Rashun tears loose from the clinging vine, just in time for Darc to smash it with a flail and Xavier to punch it with his weighted glove. The vine goes after the largest target and enmeshes the enlarged half-orc in its multitudinous branches. Darc, take 10 HP and you are grappled.

Round 4:

Initiative Order:
Versey-unconscious; status indeterminate
Darc-
Sami-/Lum-
Rashun-
Eretria-acted/Besmarial-
Xavier-/Vines-

Darc, you're up.

Darc struggles against the vine trying to free himself.

Round 4:

Status:
HP: 37/47 AC: 21/11/20 Conditions: Grappled, Enlarged(28), Divine Favor (7), Rage(1/15)
CMB: Break Grapple 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 14 large creature, rage

Round 3--> I went for the attack, not to break free. :)

link

How'd I get that wrong? OK, the last vine is dead, Rashun takes the damage and Darc doesn't.

Sami, it's hard to tell with Versey because he's definitely not a form of life you've learned about before, but you think he's still alive.

"Before we try, Lum, does normal curing spells work on Versey?"

Lum nods. "You're not the first to ask that. He took to healing magic just fine."

With the fight finished, Darc shrinks back to his normal size, as the air tingles with the dissipation of the divine magic. He lets his pack fall gently to the floor, where he rummages around for a short time. He brings out a a sturdy piece of wood, entwined with white cloth to create a handle. Darc nods then speaks to Eretria, "This cures." and uses its divine power to aid Versey. A white light escapes the wand, to surround Versey, before its power sinks into his body.

Wand of CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"Darc can I borrow that wand? I would like to be in a better condition than I am now if we run into any more of those things."

Sami nods his thanks at Darc, as he was having a difficult time even discovering which parts of Versey were which. That being said, can we afford a few minutes to get our large friend here back up and mobile before we proceed? I'm loathe to run into more of these things with such a burden as his form on my shoulders.

Once Darc is assured of the healing qualities of his wand, he will continue to heal Varsey to 1/2 his normal hit points and will use the wand on Rashun.

Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 on Rashun
Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 on Rashun
Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 on Rashun
Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 on Rashun

"Rashun, Gorrum's blessing" Darc says as he touches Rashun with his wand.

Two more CLWs should get Versey up and moving again, Darc. He was pretty beat-up--at least, as far as Sami could tell.

Rashun's wounds start to disappear thanks to Darc, and he is very grateful.

"Thanks Darc. I needed that."

Give Varsey 3 more to make sure he's got enough health to keep up a bit. Unless he declines the 3rd.
Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 on Varsey
Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 on Varsey
Wand CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 on Varsey

Used 8 CLW charges from the wand this encounter, any more?

He'll decline the third.

Once everyone is healed, Versey indicates the direction to continue.

"Let us move on then."

After a few more cursory chops at bits of vine that were still wiggling (or looked like they were, at least), the party continues inland. Rashun, the dearth of ground-dwelling animals throughout the area is noticeable. You see birds overhead, but they're universally aquatic or otherwise used to long-distance flight, and they do not land often.

Sami trudges along dutifully, following Versey closely in order to protect the odd creature if potential dangers were to present themselves. He keeps his eyes open for any plants that seem to move a bit too quickly.

Perception1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Sami, nothing out of the ordinary troubles you...yet. Versey scans the horizon, then (through Besmarial) speaks. "We must be close. I can tell that the source is moving around."

Sami nods, and moves forward with even more caution, motioning for Xavier as he does. He speaks in urgent whispers, as if the source were hiding behind the nearest foliage. Should we take any certain precautions as we proceed? It seems as if we're simply walking into danger.

"I will keep my eyes open for any danger. I would prefer to avoid any more plants if I can."

The party has come up out of the valley surrounding the river, and the land is largely flat to the north. There are only a few scrub trees left on what is otherwise an expanse of grassland with very gently rolling hills. The prairie grass doesn't come up to Lum's eye level...quite...but the amount of cover it offers to potential hidden plants is daunting.

Besmarial rises into the air to get a better view at a distance. Versey looks out, peering in one direction in particular. It's at that point that Rashun and Sami realize that one of the scrub trees is moving slowly up a shallow rise. It's probably around half a mile away from the party.

Sami points. Movement...there! He swiftly gets in front of Versey, his fists high and at the ready, even though the danger is quite far away. Lum...I hesitate to ask, but that is where we need to go...right? Past that moving tree?

Versey sidesteps back and forth while facing the moving tree. Through the Cassissian, he says, "The item we are looking for seems to be in the moving tree. In closeup it doesn't even look much like a tree, either."

"This is the strangest of times, the enemy are plants. Oh for the sweet sweat of orcs and humans as they do die in battle." says Darc to himself, feeling quite nervous about their surroundings. "We should not fear what we will face." he says to Sami.

"So.. what are we doing about it then?"

Xavier: "If we're all healed up, let's go out there, kill it, and take back the thing that Versey needs."

"Let us go then. Saranae will bring us out of this alive." said Rashun in a matter of fact voice.

The party advances into the grasslands. It's slow going; for humans, Darc, and Versey it's manageable, but Lum is doubly handicapped--Small creatures treat this as difficult terrain, and he had a 20' speed to begin with.

From a couple of hundred yards away, it is clear that the preliminary identification of the target as a scrub tree was mental laziness, or something; it's about the same height and general color as the other ones in the area, but its body conformation is very different. It looks, in fact, rather like THIS, although one side looks withered and even blackened in spots.

Sami tenses at the sight of the creature. He looks at the area about the plant to see if there's any other dangers.

Is the target in amongst other trees, or out by itself and, thus, flankable? Is it moving in any way, aside from swaying in the breeze?

It has been slowly moving east to west, probably about as fast as the party is moving with Lum. The area around it is wide open for at least 100 yards, as far as anyone can tell.

"Does anyone know what that is, or what it can do?"

In other words we need a knowledge check. :)

Knowledge (Nature) check.

Knowledge Nature:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Eretria, you've heard dim rumors of something like this, but nothing specific comes to mind. Missed the base roll by *1*.

"No Eretria, you mention strange plant creatures in book Arcanica Planica of Fauna and Flora. Sounded like it looks?"

If you can aid another with a knowledge roll. ..... would give +2 to the check.
Knowledge(nature) 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Sure. That jogs something loose in Eretria's memory...another oddball intruder like the akata, generally associated with falling star impacts. That's probably why they're called moonflowers...that, and they can shine so brightly as to blind people.

Assuming Darc passes that information on I switched to my bow.

I will relay the info.
"Well I have no issues getting rid of it so we can get what we need."