That is very kind of you, Kerret. Thank you. Kaylee takes the crossbow and examines it. My father taught the oldest of us girls how to use his crossbow. Wanted all of us to be capable and independent. She tears up a little at the memory of her father and wipes it away. I wasn't supposed to come on this adventure. But I had to for his memory. I'm glad I did though, I believe after this experience our fates will be forever intertwined.
Kaylee places her hand on Kerret's shoulder. You have nothing to fear. I'm certain that all of us will stay quiet about your powers. She pauses for a moment to examine the wand and scroll. I am unable to use either of these. I am uncertain from where my powers come from but I believe our magic is very similar. I think, however, that I could probably use Vastar's wand in this case.
She turns towards Lorant next. You've been injured again. Let me take a look. She pokes at his ribs a few times, causing him some discomfort, before taking a deep breath and releasing it. With a gentle glow from her hand some of the pain dissipates.
I could continue healing but I would be of less help in any more fights we may find today. Vastar, would you like to give your new wand a test run?
Lorant smiles at the midwife as she fades some of the big bruises left by the statue. He winces and lets out a breath. "Thanks, Kaylee. Hopefully we'll all be home soon. This is a little different than I thought it would be."
He steps over to the table where Kerret is examining his items. "If your dad told them enough to give you these, then they knew before you were chosen. And they still chose you." He smiles. "Nice work with that statue, by the way. Roasted him!"
The young man then checks out the sword and shield left to him. He smiles as he sees the shines bounce off the blade and the clean lines of the shield. "Nice!" He straps his old battered sword and shield to the outside of his pack and takes the new set. He takes a practice swing with the sword and seems very satisfied.
Kerret grins at the encouragement, and to see Lorant's bruises fade away. Yes, let's finish this. Should we try those stairs in the room with the statue?
Lorant twists his body, testing out his previously injured ribs. "Nice! Thanks, Vastar!"
Lorant nods at Kerret. "Let's go. We still have to find Demira."
Pip takes his items from the table, testing the balance of the sword. "OOOOhhhhh, OldLaw Whiskey!! My favorite! How did they know?!?" Pip carefully opens the bottle and takes a swig. Shuddering as it burns down his throat he says, "Anyone else care for a hit?" He also places the two potions in one of his belt pouches and puts the shortsword in his pack. "Another sword!?!? I'll have to start training with two hands soon!"
Kerret gratefully accepts a swig of the whiskey, then hands it back to Pip. Shall we proceed?
Lorant takes a drink of the whiskey and begins coughing. "How do you drink that stuff?" He shakes his head and nods at Kerret. "Ok, back up to the stairs?"
The stairs in the next room, right? Kaylee asks as she scratches Fenris behind the ears. I'm ready whenever you are.
Lorant leads the others back to the statue room and down the other set of stairs.
Everybody returns safely to the second level of the crypt.
"We need to go this way? It said something about raising the gate." He points east. The young man draws his new sword and readies his new shield. and walks into the eastern room.
Kerret nods and follows closely behind Lorant.
Pip stays as close to Lorant as possible, keeping his eyes peeled for anything suspicious looking.
Percep:
Area leading to the door at C-16:
The water grows deeper with each passing step, eventually reaching a depth of just over 2 feet. At the end of the corridor is a swollen wooden door, barely contained by its decaying frame.
Area leading south to H-17:
A strange blue fungus covers the walls, ceiling, and pillars of this waterlogged chamber. Its wispy strands stretch out from the wall like roots dangling in the air, twitching and swaying in an unseen breeze. Floating in the water are four decaying corpses—three large rats and one giant frog—with strange burn marks all over their bodies.
I can hear something sizzling in here, Kerret whispers. Let's not go any further until we figure it out. Has anyone ever seen moss like that before?
Kerret also casts detect magic and surveys the room.
Lorant moves to join Kerret and Kaylee in the other corridor. The two spellcasters seem to have things in hand, so he remains quiet.
Kaylee and Fenris peer down the other corrider. She takes her time examining her surroundings, wondering what could be ahead.
I've heard of this moss before. It is an Azure Fungus and it's known to carry an electric charge. Those animals must have been killed by the shock. Kerret, do you have any cold spells? Fire and lightning will not hurt it.
Cold is not my strength, but I do know a cold cantrip that might help...
Staying well outside the room, Kerret starts casting ray of frost onto the moss as many times as it takes to kill it.
Even just casting it once renders a 5 foot section inert. The effects only last for a couple minutes with such a weak spell though so it'd be impossible to do the whole room at once.
"Kerret, try it again. I'll hack it to pieces while it's frozen." Lorant waits until Kerret has frozen a small portion and then tries to cut it away.
Kerret freezes a section of the moss close to the entrance of the room, and then the surrounding sections before prompting Lorant. Have at it, but try to keep a frozen section between you and the live moss.
Are you stepping into the room to attack the Fungus?
Pip stands outside the room "Uh..guys? I hear frogs...and...uh..ah..You may not have a problem with this water, and I dont mind getting wet but..uh...it is up to my neck! Anyone care to give a little halfling some help?" Pip has a sheepish grin on his face. He is only 2' 10" after all.
I scratch my head, not sure what I can do to help, and listen out for Pip's frogs (or anything else).
I scratch my head, not sure what I can do to help, and listen out for Pip's frogs (or anything else).
[dice=perception]1d20+7
Listening carefully, you can hear the same frogs that Pip does. You dont find anything else of note.
Kaylee sets her backpack on the ground and motions to Pip. I'll carry you on my back Pip. We'll stay near the back so we won't have to worry about you getting knocked off if we come across another fight.
Lorant continues to hack at any of the fungus that Kerret freezes, trying to break it up.
As Lorant hacks away at the floating inert fungus, it becomes apparent that if the larger portions on the walls are not dealt with, the water will still conduct enough electricity to be harmful.
"Ok Kerret, we're going to need to go in and kill it. You freeze it and I'll cut it down as fast we we can go. Ok?"
Kerret nods, As you say, Lorant. I'll freeze as much of it as I can, and keep hitting patches as we proceed. We'll work methodically, kill all the patches on the walls, and clear out the room. I just wish we didn't have to send you into the water to do it. Vastar, can you move the destroyed fungus out of the water as we go? Kerret begins freezing the near patches of fungus for Lorant to destroy.
Pleased to have a useful contribution to make, I begin clearing the dead fungus away in a corner.
Before climbing on Kaylee's back, Pip rummages through his backpack and produces two bottles of acid. "Hey guys, will these help?"
"Pip, throw it against the back wall. Hopefully it'll do our job for us!"
Pip throws one of the bottles of acid at the back wall...
As stated in this post, its not possible to freeze every bit of fungus with a 0 level spell, and as stated in this post if not all the fungus is frozen, it can still discharge.
The way the book reads, this is a very difficult room to get through. This is how I imagine things playing out in my mind.
Kerret freezes as much of the fungus as he can but as he works his way further on down the room random bursts of electricity discharge. These random discharges become weaker as more of the fungus becomes frozen. However, as Kerret works, the earlier portions of the fungus that he froze begin to thaw. Noticing this Lorant realizes he needs to act quick and steps into the room. hacking away at the fungus does in fact destroy it, but the combination of moving through the water and hacking at the fungus causes ripples and shallow waves. The disturbance in the water causes the fungus to become unstable and a random burst of electricity shoots through the water, hitting Lorant in the process.
Lorant! Get out of there! Kerret anxiously motions for the warrior to retreat out of the waters.
Hmmm, maybe if I tried some acid as well.
Kerret conjures up a small sized orb of acid and hurls it at some of the fungus.
Kerret keeps casting acid splash until the moss is destroyed.