"Ok, thank you for sharing your knowledge on this.
You stay safe, and maybe find yourself a guardian beast to accompany you."
Ok, back to the Fungal Caves it is.
The trip back to the Fungal Caves is uneventful, except for clouds of oddly shaped biting flies that become an annoyance.
The rocky wall of the valley rises abruptly, swaths of green mold clinging to the broken surfaces. A few mold-encrusted trees and tangles of brambly undergrowth decorate the region-one particularly large patch nearly obscures a single cave entrance at the cliff base.
Now that you know what to look for, the Shambling Mounds look as if they haven't moved.
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As the leave Paetyr's camp, Jarreck has an uncomfortable itch between his shoulder blades but looking around see's nothing and therefore chalks it up to side effects from the vegetables. "Seven, do I have a rash or something back here?" He ask holding the hair away from the back of his neck. Likely receiving an answer in the negative, he shakes his head and moves out to his normal point position.
Once they reach to home of the shambling mounds he offer to draw their attention, if plants could be said to have it, by peppering the one on the far right and drawing it away the entrance and hopefully the other two as well. "If we can separate them out we stand a better chance of destroying them, unless that is Omo/Mort can wipe them out with acid or poison....That snow ball of Mort's might make them go dormant, went it gets cold up in the mountains some plants 'die' off until the spring thaw warms them back up"
Somewhat coldly Seventeen replies, "No. I don't understand is something wrong with you? As for the Shambling Mounds I believe they'll fall down a pit like anything else."
"A rash, what are you talking about? You didn't eat anything funny yesterday, i can't imagine why so suddenly."
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"A rash, what are you talking about? You didn't eat anything funny yesterday, i can't imagine why so suddenly."
"Just got an itch between my shoulders, thought perhaps the vegetables might have had a reaction, must be nothing." Jarreck shakes his head again before moving out. Once they reach the Fungal caves, he considers Seven's offer for the stoneskin.
"Well, we'll probably be toe to toe with them before long, probably be a good thing."
Allowing Seven to cast stoneskin on him, Jarreck moves into position, , and readies a shot.
when everyone is ready....
Seventeen selects a number of scrolls and casts Heroism on everyone! Also she casts mage armor on herself with the metamagic rod to make it last ages.
When Jarreck attacks, she advances and starts miming digging and with incredible speed a deep pit appears under the furthest Shambling mound!
Surprise Round
Jarreck fires his bow!The arrow bounces off the mounds thick hide. The creatures are now alerted to intruders.
+11 None of them notice Jarreck...
Seven casts a Persistent Pit on the furthest Mound it drops out of view.
Round 1
Seven
Isuma
Mounds
Omo
Guaire
Jarreck
Mort
Eyes burning with strange inner fires, Seventeen moves forwards and points at the two visible Shambling Mounds and whispers, "Decellerandum!" As seen before she attempts to alter the temporal flow encasing them in molasses!
Round 1
Seven casts Slow +7 one of the mounds resists, but the other does not.
Isuma aims her rifle at the closest Mound, covering Seven's advance
The rifle scores frost rimed holes into the Mound.
Mounds
1 is stuck in a pit nope
2 lumbers forward and engages Seven
3 lumbers forward veeeeeeeery slooooowly
Omo
Guaire
Jarreck
Mort
Round 2
Seven
Isuma
Mounds
Omo
Guaire
Jarreck
Mort
Almost casually, Seventeen starts whispering something but her eyes never leave the huge monstrosity in front as she ducks and twists away from it's grasp. Abruptly she vanishes and moves behind the vegetation.
Guaire points his finger at the shambler previously engaging 7.
"Spike, that one must be killed."
Spike charges in.
Guaire moves 29 feet closer, and shoots an arrow at the same one.
Omo throws a bomb at the mound next to where his sister flickers from view.
Mort wanders forward, gripping a large hand of salt, and casts explosion of rot on the south-western cross-section of the north Shambling Mound.
Omo tosses a force bomb, dealing damage. The Mound takes advantage of its massive reach to smack the little ratfolk Omo is grappled by the plant creature.
Guaire sends his Pilo friend forward and it cannot harm the beast! Guaire fires an arrow that sticks into the mound, the creature gives a violent shudder.
Jarreck moves close to the slowed Mound, and then wishes he didn't as a massive trunk swings at him Jarreck is grappled by the plant creature.
Mort casts a spell especially designed to destroy plants, it does its job and destroys one mound (probably saving Omo's bacon)
Round 2
Seven disappears and retreats
Isuma levels her rifle and fires a volley at the remaining creature
The final Mound is destroyed by Isuma's barrage!
Mounds
Omo
Guaire
Jarreck
Mort
Suddenly a disembodied voice suggests in a monotone, "We should hurry inside. This combat may have been noticed."
Seventeen advances towards the tunnel entrance and pauses on the threshold to listen.
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"Thank you....<wheeze>.....Isuma." Jarreck manages to get out while he sucks in air to his bruised ribs.
With the air restored, he moves forward to scout the way forward.
+3 more vs traps
If things get darker as he moves in beyond the others light he'll active the tattoos to provide light, candlelight level.
Seven enters the cavern and finds herself nearly thigh high in green algae filled water. The smell of decomposition is almost overwhelming and the air is foul and miasmic.
Isuma replies to Jarreck with an enigmatic shrug as she reloads her Zero Rifle. Jarreck gets a glimpse of her pouch and it looks like she has several dozen batteries inside.
Jarreck leads the way with a light spell from Seven and reveals
A set of six humanoid ribcages, stained red by ragged scraps of clinging meat and hanging from cords like a grisly row of unlit chandeliers, adorn the ceiling of this widened tunnel. The unmistakable odor of rotting flesh mingles with the fetid stink of the soupy swamp water covering the cave passage's floor.The ceiling climbs to a height of 20 feet in the last 15 feet of the north corridor where the passage appears to end at a wall.
A disembodied voice states in a flat monotone, "Peculiar. The passage appears to end at a wall, that seems improbable. Can anyone spot a way forwards?"
Guaire notices the ledge as well.
"We could get there, but it might need some team work.
Jarreck could get onto my shoulders, and Seven upon his, and when she gets up top, she can use a rope to get us to climb up."
Seventeed seemed content to watch Jarreck make the attempt, but when Guaire suggested she clamber upon his shoulders she abruptly replied, "Unnecessary." With some rope in hand, she opened a small dimensional rift and appeared (as much as one can while invisible) upon the top of the ledge.
She then looked for something suitable to tie the rope to before letting it down.
Jarreck scampers up the wall and lowers down a rope which he secures. Looking down the dank tunnel, he sees it splits north and south not 20' from the ledge.
Jarreck leads the heroes further into the disgusting slime filled cave. As they move further into the cave system, the air quality deteriorates markedly and the air is filled with spores, Isuma takes a strange looking mask out of her bag and places it over her entire face, only her eyes are visible through the clear front of the mask. She shrugs at whomever sees her, as if to say Sorry, I only have the one
Fail
Fail
Fail
Guaire, Omo and Jarreck are Sickened until they leave the spore filled cave.
Jarreck comes to another split in the path. The cave here is merely 8 feet high and 7 feet wide, its tough to keep from rubbing against the disgusting slime covered walls.
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Reaching the next intersection, Jarreck pauses a moment to see if any want to break off and explore it, hearing no comments one way or the other he continues southward since it was a straight shot, knowing he could investigate the northward passage on the return should this be a radial tunnel leading away from the entrance they'd found.
Jarreck creeps forward
and he enters a cave.
The ceiling of this tall cavern comes to a peak along its axis thirty feet above. The walls are h u ng with the bleached bones of an untold number of creatures. Bony limbs point i n every direction, eyeless skull sockets stare back plaintively-the scope of death here is disconcerting . Corridors pierce this cathedral of death to the north and west, while a ledge leads up from the lower fungus-riddled cavern to the south.
Jarreck immediately regrets entering the cave...
A creature from your worst nightmare bursts from the bone ridden ground!
The creature slaps Jarreck with its clawed hands! Jarreck goes flying! Jarreck lands prone on the ground and the creature roars and approaches him, slavering jaws quivering with its next meal...
Round 1
Isuma
Guaire
Jarreck [prone]
Omo
Gug
Seven
Mort
Gugs are 16 feet tall and weigh nearly 2,000 pounds, but they move with an eerie, unnatural gait as though their limbs contained far too many joints. They can contort and distend their limbs for greater reach or to wriggle easily through impossibly small passages. Gugs may cling for long hours to cave walls or just within dark side-caverns, lying in wait for prey to stumble too close. Their senses are keen, however, and their joy in the bloody hunt is considerable and gugs who catch the scent of blood may stalk their prey for long days, even venturing at times beyond their caves to dare the bright lands of the surface in search of tasty meat to drag back for their horrific sacrifices.
Gugs are savage fighters when driven by a strong leader, but on their own may flee if brought to fewer than half their hit points, carrying off fresh meat for later feasting if they are able. They can subsist on fungi, slimes, and molds as well as carrion and even undead flesh—particularly that of ghouls.
Seventeen states flatly, "The air is getting bad in here. I wonder if there's something that could be done. Mort any ideas?"
Guaire looks in surprise, as his comrade comes flying through the air, and smacks onto the ground.
"On your toes people, something strong must be heading over here."
Guaire casts abundant ammo, and points at a location nearby, as he himself moves further down the tunnel.
"Spike, come on over."
Omo has never read of such a beast before.
Ome heals himself.
Round 1
Isuma stalks forward, rifle raised.
Guaire casts a spell and moves.
Jarreck [prone] stands up...and the Gug swings a meaty claw at him! but Jarreck dodges the blow.
Omo heals himself...
Gug casts a spell a cold greasy darkness envelops the heroes(Mort and Omo aren't affected)! Unholy Blight
A successful Will save DC18 reduces damage to half and negates the sickened effect. The effects cannot be negated by remove disease or heal, but remove curse is effective.
The spell deals only half damage to creatures who are neither evil nor good, and they are not sickened. Such a creature can reduce the damage by half again (down to one-quarter) with a successful Will save.
Seven
Mort
Round 2
Isuma unloads on the Gug!
The Gug staggers backwards away from the Zero Rifle's blasts!
Guaire
Jarreck
Omo
Gug
Seven
Mort
Spike takes 9 dmg, i take full....whoopy!
Guaire coughs, as something hits him, while Sike grunts briefly.
Guaire steps 5ft forward (SW), and full attacks the creature.
"Spike, attack it."
Spike moves forward.
Seventeen moves forwards until she can see the ferociously ugly foe, she reaches out towards it and whispers a spidery phrase. Fine silver missiles dart out from her fingertips to unerringly strike with miniature explosions!
Still need mort and Omo...
Omo continues to repair his abused flesh.
Seven blasts the Gug
Mort
Round 2
Isuma unloads on the Gug!
The Gug staggers backwards away from the Zero Rifle's blasts!
Guaire dishes some pain...
Jarreck also dishes some pain, which incidentally is the amount of pain needed to kill this bestial creature.
Omo heals himself
Gug
Seven
Mort
Combat Over.
Seventeen tries to search for any valuables the creature might have had or for anything else of interest but she finds that she is highly distracted by a 5d fractal that appeared in her HUD.
Mort looked quite bewildered with this new adversary. Having not seen the like of this monstrosity before he was quite unsure what to do and just stood stiff with fright and amazement.
When the thing fell, he was still a bit taken aback, but curiosity quickly took the overhand. He rushed towards the thing and looked it over a few times, trying to discern what kind of creature it was and what made it tick.
"My word, this... this thing... It's incredible. Mutations are quite something, aliens as well, but this thing looks quite daunting and terrifying. Far different from the other aliens we've met. anybody of you have a clue as to what it is?"
Mort says as he pokes the thing with a knife to open up a bit and look inside.
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Now that the fight is at an end, Jarreck racks his rattled brain to see if he remembers anything about such a creature.
and still knows nothing more.
In response to Seven "Changing the air quality is well beyond my abilities but please do if you can, i've been in chanel houses that smelled better. Doesn't appear our host here had much need for weaponry perhaps his other victims left something useful behind."
Pulling a variant scarf up over his nose Jarreck moves around the room searching for anything of value, however gory the room may be.
Guaire nods at Jarreck's words.
"Yes, only if you can. It would be pointless to waste your time otherwise."
Jarreck searches the room and finds that the piles of bones hide two additional exits from the room-one leading to a narrow crawlway and one masking a hole in the floor that leads to a tunnel.
Jarreck scouts out the northern tunnel for a ways, and finds its long and winding. He thinks it ends at a large cave.
Seventeen wasn't concerned about the darkness but it became apparent the others where so she whispered a spell and a soft radiance appeared on Jarreck's weapon.
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Jarreck sees Seven start a now familiar incantation, willing the art on his arms to brighten he shakes his head as he realizes she intends to focus on him pointing to the tip of Guaire's bow.
"Easier to scout ahead if I do not shine like a beacon before I ever get there." he quips with a smile.
Those watching him see an almost comical pantomime as he thinks about the direction they entered the caves and which way they had turned since.
Finally announcing with reasonable certainty.
"The tunnel shouldn't go too far, we're fairly close to the cliff wall outside, unless it descends into the depths, and in that case we should be better prepared for a long trek. The path leading off to the north seems to have a bit better air quality, but if we run into anything it will be a one on one fight. of course that can be a good thing, check the tunnel first and then move into the crawlway, perhaps this time we'll be the one surprising someone and not the other way around." He says smiling rubbing a hand across his sore ribs.
+3 vs traps