Pretty throws her last flask of fire at the monster, silently cursing after it exploded outward and burned the monster just barely. The wanna-be-alchemist, now out of liquid fires, tumbles closer to the monster, drawing both daggers during the path. Although she didn't think the monster had any weakness, still daggers pierce flesh, wood and whatever else that was made of, although that would have to wait for next round.
Inside the things belly, Nix lashes about, fighting through the paralyzing spores, but she succumbs to them all the same.
Milo is just catching his breath as the creature grabs him again. Escaping is impossible, it'll just grab me again! I need to kill it! Then save Nix! Dropping his bow, he pulls a dagger from his belt to repeatedly stab at his attacker.
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Kivan finally getting a hold of himself stands up and looking at the creature. Raising his hands Kivan begins casting a spell to hamper the creatures movement.
Seraphina's mind whirled so that the socrceress had to concentrate to calm herself. They needed to kill this monstrosity quickly and so she called forth magical flame again, concentrating on not harming the wolf they sought to rescue.
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Idris' strike is true, and her blade slips upwards through the spongy flesh of the tendriculos' maw and deep within the vitals of the bizzare plant. Incapable of vocalizing, the tendriculos slurps and slops as it weeps clear fluid, flinging Idris away and to the ground. It brings a tentacle up for another strike, but three rapid arrows from Maja distract it - leaving the plant monster totally open for Seraphina's fire magic. The intense flames burn away fungal flesh, withering the creature. Soundlessly, it keels over and slowly topples into the muck with a considerable splash of hot mud.
It is the work of a moment to slice open the tendriculos and retrieve Nix. Somewhat battered, sopping wet with disgusting goo and digestive juices, and paralyzed - but breathing. After a few minutes and a thorough cleaning, she is back on her feet.
Pretty is relieved they retrieved the wolf alive. "Well done everyone! Thanks gods Nix is alright! I'm impressed as this thing didn't kill the turtle..."
The rogue searches the mud pit for corpses or any other equipment the monster might have swallowed and spit in the last years.
"So, head west following the lake?? "
"Turtle is too big for it to swallow," grunts Idris as she wraps a wound in her side. "What've we got for healing, eh?"
Kivan seems happy that the tendriculos is dead and goes back to the mushrooms he was looking at before. Kivan examines the Black Rattlecap mushrooms and their environment before harvesting fourteen of them. Leaving four mushrooms to keep growing strong.
Seraphina was much relieved to see Nix freed and back on her own four feet. She gave the wolf a supportive pat but found she was a good deal steadier than her master. "Gracious, that was horrifying. Milo, are you alright?"
Once everyone was healed and ready to move on, Sera seconded Pretty's suggestion. "Yes, lets continue to scout the lake. We are learning much about this land we have settled in."
Milo winces as the vine's suckers release him and drop him in the muck. Not stopping to wipe the stinking mud from his face, he slices open what remains of the tendriculous open with his longsword and frees Nix. Milo throws his arms around the wolf as Maja prays. "I was pretty bruised from that tentacle thing, but I'm better now, thanks to you, Maja," Milo answers. "That thing would have eaten Nix as an appetizer and then followed up with me and Idris if it wasn't for all of you." Nix, mostly clean by this point, nuzzles Seraphina's hand and then Maja's.
"Nix and I cast our votes for the lake too. We could use a swim after that."
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Fishing around in the stinking remains of the disemboweled tendriculous, Pretty finds a fist-sized gem that has resisted both digestion and excretion. It's certainly valuable as a bauble, but it also radiates conjuration magic.
You make camp near the mud pits, a likely safe spot considering the predator it used to harbor. The mud is inviting for a soak, but the smell of sulfur forces your camp to be upwind of the muck. The first packet of food you retrieve from your packs is dried mushrooms suitable for stew.
Location: Hex R9 (River, Lake)
Date: 16 Erastus, 4710 Absalom Reckoning
Temperature: 65° F
Weather conditions: Overcast, wind 7 mph from the West (light), moderate rain.
Food: 18 days' supply
The dawn breaks bright and early over the lake, dappling the tops of wind-whipped waves in the red and pink reflection of a spectacular sunrise.
True to the old sailor's saying, storm clouds blow in on a strong westerly front around midday. The front rolls across the sky like a cavalry charge, and before long a cold rain begins to fall. This summer storm is quick to spend its fury, and soon lapses into sullen drizzles mirrored by steaming mist rising from the land to meet it.
In these delightful circumstances, you follow the curve of the lake as it arches around to the west. You are fairly sure that you've found the southern edge of the lake until you spot another large body of water to the south. Continuing west, you come to the northern shore of yet another lake, connected to the one which laps against Haven by a short run of river a mere mile and a half long. You recall Guy de Aldifierri mentioning another lake, and it seems you've found it - this would be the way he passes on his journey.
Your continued explorations scout out the borders of this second lake. Although it is a significant body of water, it is the lesser of the two lakes by far. A single day suffices to ride its perimeter. You find the lake's drain, as another stretch of river flows swift and cold to the southeast. Yet another river joins the lake from the west, its waters slow-moving, murky, and heavy with sediment. The western river's influence stretches a ways into the lake before the faster and clearer waters of the Shrike dilute it into the grey-blue lake. You find some signs of inhabitants near this western river - webbed footprints from a bipedal humanoid with clawed feet, a crude raft hidden in a strand of reeds, and abandoned spears. From their short, forked points, you deduce that these implements are more for fishing than war or hunting of large game. You do not catch sight of the owners of these tools, however.
As you circle the perimeter of the lake, you catch glimpses of an island in the center. The overcast skies and drizzle limit visibility, and the sight fades in and out with the weather. It seems that there is a substantial island in the center of this lake. How you would get to it is another question entirely.
"Hmm. Kivan, you have a spell for flying, don't you?"
Pretty clearly did not expect to find anything, and that can be clearly seen on her face when she raises the dirty gem to show them. "Pre-sale on this gem!"
"My instincts tell me there is something in the middle of this lake. A building of some kind." She keeps an eye on it while they circle the place, but nothing seems visible for not. "We certainly need to go there, don't we?"
"I do have a spell for flying, but it would only last for six minutes. I would either need to make scrolls for all of us to fly there and back, or a small group would have to explore the island, and it couldn't be today. I only have one fly prepared."
Kivan then looks out at the island and tries to determine how far away it is.
"What's the matter with going for a swim? Do you think that's too far? I was used to swimming long distances... Maybe we can walk over water? I think that magic would be more effective than flying, wouldn't it?"
Milo relishes eating the mushrooms for supper. "This is how it's meant to be... humans eating plants, not the other way around."
Milo grumbles at the rain- that wasn't what he'd had in mind for washing off the mud and plant guts from the previous day. Near the western river, he inspects the tracks to see if he can recognize what sort of creatures made them.
Regarding the island in the middle of the lake, he adds "We should explore it, if we can get to it. Nix and I are decent swimmers. But a raft would be easier, if we can make one."
"Swimming, I'd be worried about something coming up from the depths. What if that giant turtle isn't the only big thing in the water?"
"I am afraid swimming is not among my abilities. And as Idris says, I would be quite surprised if there are not more great aquatic creatures in these waters." Regarding the tracks, she wondered aloud, "Do you suppose these are more of those toad-like folk that we encountered before?"
Pretty thinks it's best to leave that for later. "Instead of lose time building a raft, that might end up fragile at most, and not hold all of us, why don't we check those creature tracks around here and come back later when we have better options to get to that island?" She lets her suggestion sinks for a bit before continuing it. "It might be dangerous in there, and we will maybe need to bring some other stuff to keep the tower safe after we clean it."
Milo had missed the crude raft, having been too busy examining the footprints. "Good find, Sera. If it looks sturdy enough, and big enough for all of us, it's worth investigating the island." He pulls the raft out of the reeds for a closer look to determine if it will suit their purposes. He's surprised by Pretty's sudden change - she had just been urging that they visit the island. If something is living there, it doesn't have far to go to swim or boat to Haven."
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The raft is crude but sturdily made. Saplings from the forest have been stripped of their branches and lashed together with a tough cord of plant fibers. Inflated bladders and leather pouches stuffed around the edges lend additional buoyancy. Motive power is a mystery, as neither pole nor oar can be found nearby.
The raft looks like it was built to hold three or so human-sized creatures with room to move about and work. You all can pile on to it, but it will be somewhat cramped, and the horses will obviously need to be left behind.
The island looks about a mile off shore at the narrowest part, and two at the furthest portions of the shoreline.
Pretty is happy to have a leader at these times, since either option is fine concerning her.
Milo prefers to explore the island today.
"Well, what do you think.. How many can this hold safely, do you think, Sera? I'd be alright going, since I think I could handle swimming back if I needed to, but I would be concerned about everyone else."
"I second that. Water never bothered me anyway."
"Worst comes to worst I can start flying."
"Well, what do you think.. How many can this hold safely, do you think, Sera? I'd be alright going, since I think I could handle swimming back if I needed to, but I would be concerned about everyone else."
Seraphina considered carefully... She agreed with Milo that the island would have to be investigated soon, but was that time now? "If we were to take the raft, the horses and much of our gear would be left vulnerable... Milo, can Nix tell if the creatures who left the raft and made the tracks are still nearby? If we can feel fairly secure that they will be safe, I think we should go ahead and try to reach the island. Locomotion may be a bit of a problem, though... Hmmm..."
She knelt down near the tracks and put her hand into one of the foot-prints, reaching out with that magic that Yatpank had taught her, trying to understand the nature of what had trod there.
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Milo carefully analyzes the prints. From the size and depth of the prints, the creatures are human sized. From the distribution of weight, the creatures are bipedal humanoids. From the slight indentations between toes and the deeper one at the tip of each toe, these prints surely belong to a Lizardfolk.
Indeed, Seraphina finds a fleck of shed scale that matches the creatures' description perfectly. Her magic flickers to life inside her blood, but the spell has less work to accomplish than normal. Her scales turn a greenish pallor and spread, locking over her entire skin as her head shrinks, becomes more angular, and grows a fearsome set of jaws.
"Ok, let's go then." She heads inside the water, holding the raft so the others wouldn't turn it when getting on it. She is also very light and nimble, so she wouldn't have a problem when her turn arrived.
Once on the island she will try to stay a few dozen feet to the left of the party (if there are woods on the island), to use her stealth to its fullest.
A smile spread over her reptilian face, pleased that her idea had worked. "Let's not waste any time then... the less we are out in open water, the better."
Once everyone was loaded up, Sera set off pushing the raft as fast as her strong tail would propel her.
Milo jumps onto the raft, and once everyone is safely aboard, begins rowing it out towards the island. "I hope the lizardfolk are friendly enough that they don't mind us borrowing their raft," Milo jokes as they paddle out towards the island. Nix doggie paddles alongside the little boat.
Idris boards the raft nervously, but is ready for anything. "Maybe they live on the island?"
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Seraphina slips into the cold water of the lake, her strange new scales clicking and rippling as involuntary muscle action draws her armor against her to preserve heat. The raft is crowded but not overloaded, and Seraphina's lashing tail and webbed feet swiftly propel the reed and branch craft towards the island. Milo's paddling keeps the raft on course, and after some time you reach the center island.
Surrounded by the lake on all sides, this bastion of dry earth seems nestled in gloom. A low fog hangs around the shores, warding off the rays of the sun. The waters around the island grow shallow some fifty feet before the rocky shores themselves. Aquatic plants grow with wild abandon in this shallow zone; pushing the raft quickly becomes a chore. Tendrils of grass and weeds wrap themselves around any limb dipped into the water, like a thousand grasping hands seeking to pull you down into a watery embrace. It's merely an illusion, however. No fell force animates these plants, it was just the action of wind-whipped waves wrapping the weeds around you- right?
The fog persists as you walk up the beach, boots crunching tiny rocks with every audible footstep. You can't make out the mainland any more through the haze. From this vantage point the island seems like a speck of land amid an infinite sea. A terrible place to be buried, this; none will ever wander by your grave to lay flowers or pause in fond remembrance. Your bones will glitter white on the rust-red rocks until the inexorable pounding of waves on a forgotten shore have ground your remains into powder. Even then there will be no escape for you. Your soul will linger here evermore, and soon you will welcome the pain to fill the aching void where your mind once was.
The rocky beaches give way to a flat plain of tall, wavy grasses. Near the center of the island rests the remains of an ancient tower. What once must have been a mighty edifice has been reduced by time and weather to a shell of its former self. A mere three stories of stonework remain, and a field of mortared stone rubble lurching off to the northeast attests to many more long vanished chambers. A squat, rectangular stone building slouches against the side of the tower proper. At one point it had a roof of thatch or shingle, but now only the remnants of stone eaves shelter its contents from the weather. An archway that once held a set of large double doors offers entrance to the rectangular building. No portal is visible to grant access to the tower itself. The tower does not seem to have been heavily fortified - the rectangular portion shows little defensive value aside from stout walls, and no curtain wall rings the location.
A rough cough grabs your attention away from the tower. A familiar half orc stands a mere thirty feet to your east. Powerfully muscled and clad in mismatched leather and brigantine armor, Xen Falhs regards you with a smirk that shows off his broken incisor. He holds a serrated longsword in his left hand, and his right lingers close to his belt where you see five identical dirks resting in five identical sheathes. His shaved head is clad in a leather cap with iron plates sewn across it, and his bushy sideburns spill out of the chinstrap.
"Knew it'd be awhile before someone found me here," he rasps out in a voice hoarse from disuse. "Didn't expect it to be you lot, though. I'm going to take great pleasure in flaying the meat from your bones - ain't a lot to eat around these parts and it's been a fair month since I've tasted meat!"
Pretty is definitely not feeling welcome. "Gosh, this place has nothing for us... We should go home and burn it to the ground!"
She keeps following the group, but avoids being too far from them, since there is something wrong with this place. Then they find a half-orc in the middle of the place, and although he seemed dangerous Pretty had no idea who he was, since she did not know Xen in person, but only heard about him. Still, her quick mind imagined the possibility when he gave his speech, but she still thought that hard to believe. In any case, Xen was last gone with his flock, and although the mad man looked as alone as they come, it would never hurt to be cautious. She observed the surroundings for any signs of other enemies while the others in her group talked.
Kivan seems pleased that this island has a faint magical effect and plans to study it later. The tower also gets a long examination Kivan enjoys the view and resolves himself to rebuild this tower. All of this was forgotten though when Xen made his appearance. Barely listening to Xen Kivan just closes his eyes for a few moments before opening them with a new light burning within their depths.
"Xen, I am going to end you today, but don't despair. In a few short years I'll hunt down your soul and give it over to Hell itself. Then, after you've experienced the torture of the nine levels of hell for centuries I will end your soul's tormented existence."
Seraphina smiled with some relief as she realized the effect of the enchantment upon this place. "There, there, my friends. Don't be drawn into dismal fantasy, it's just a minor enchantment effect. We'll explore it and then we'll leave, just as we planned."
Sera did not know the half-orc stranger, but there was no mistaking the cold certainty in Kivan's voice. Wasting no time, she spun the whirlwind of speed between her hands and sent it out to her friends.
When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with one natural or manufactured weapon. The attack is made using the creature's full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a speed weapon, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can't use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)
A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
All of the hasted creature's modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject's normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature's jumping distance as normal for increased speed. Multiple haste effects don't stack. Haste dispels and counters slow.
Idris draws her blade forth and prepares for battle.
Despite Sera's reassuring words, Nix raises her hackles and lays her ears flat, prowling around nervously near Milo. He didn't notice anything until the strange half-orc emerged from the mist. After Kivan names him as Xen, Milo remembers where he'd heard the name before. Just after he'd first met this group traveling towards Restov, they'd asked if he'd seen any signs of Xen. How long ago that seemed, thought it could only have been a few months...
Milo draws an arrow in silent agreement with his friends' words of damnation.
Idris also pulls out her potion of Cat's Grace, in addition to her sword.