Duardlara considers Cynehelm's question. "I do prefer to have more information when possible. Should we retreat to the gazebo where we entered the garden? Of course, who knows if it will stay here if we were there overnight... The hut is so unpredictable... Let's return to where we met Syvet and rest until Cynehelm can bring her back. How does that sound?"
Sounds fine to me
Let's do that. Rest a night and in the morning Cynehelm will cast Raise Dead on the strange cat.
"Manos may have slept lightly enough to avoid night-time attacks, but I wouldn't put it past this odd garden to be a threat given the chance. Let's set a watch - I can take first or last, just so I can refresh myself and my spells in the morning."
"Agreed; we could all use a kip before carrying on.
"I can take the first watch, if you like Duardlara."
I am good for any watch since I don't need to read a magic book
”I will take last, then.”
The night passes eerily but safely as you all take watch in the Hut. In the morning you break your fast and are ready to try and revive the dead cat familiar...
If this doesn't work, maybe we can eat it
"By the grace and power of the Dawnflower, be filled with the holy light of life!"
The cat came back? It couldn't stay away.
As Cynehelm begins chanting his prayers to revive the dead cat a voice cuts through into his head. What is your purpose for this? I am at peace now. Such peace I will never have in the absence of my master.
It is strange that you should even be in communication with the dead Cynehelm but perhaps since she is a familiar with telepathy and you are trying to raise her she is able to communicate through the void. As per the miracle spell you know that she can sense your alignment.
"If you desire peace, then be at peace, Syevet," thinks Cynehelm, kindly. "But if you desire to to help us save your mistress's realm, and possibly all of Golarion, then come back to us. Be our guide and share your knowledge."
For what seems like an eternity Cynehelm and the cat remain motionless. the rest can only start to wonder if something unexpected and dangerous is happening when Cynehelm jolts back into action. He quickly finishes his miracle and watches Syvet carefully. The cat lays there seemingly dead to the world but close inspection shows the whiskers move ever so slightly. A few seconds later the tail jerks as the cat sits up and stares at each of you before stopping her gaze at Cynehelm even though her speech is directed at all. You have a very strong force of character about you. I was ready for my eternal rest when I heard you call into the darkness. Your plea was so strong I could not resist coming back to you. Now that I am back though what is my purpose? I am no longer bound to my master yet I still feel my connection to her and her patron. What is to become of me?
"I'd suggest that you become a companion in our quest. Consider yourself to be, um, feline extraordinary to the quest. We hope you'll have some insight, first of all to this garden and second to the workings of the Irrisen Court, should that come up. And of course, any expedition with a cat is better prepared than one without." Cynehelm doesn't disguise the humorous buttering-up of the cat. She's been through death and rebirth and could use a sense of friendship.
"Like the rest of us, you are free to leave whenever you wish...provided any of us ever leave this garden."
Sever purrs delightedly. I can help with different areas of the Hut. I have spent many years here and can give insights to those areas. as for now though I don’t think I will step outside of the Hut. I will remain here if you leave.
That sounds reasonable
"We could definitely use a guide!"
"Perfect" - Helgash nods - "Thank you for your assistance Syvet"
"Plenty of room in the hut." Manos agrees, "Enough room to swing a..." He thinks better of finishing that saying.
"Welcome, then!" says Cynhelm, frowning at Manos.
"So, do you have any advice or important tips about the garden?"
Syvet licks her fur as she thinks. I have been stuck here by that creature dead a long time. However I knew an ent to the north by the name of Mossbark. A real gentle giant that wouldn't hurt anyone. He just loved to explore nature. There is a shack to the west of here but I doubt anyone lives there that I know of. they would have passed away by now. The gazebo in the center of the garden is where the cauldron sits if you have the right keys and know how to use it. Anything else I can help you with?
We met the ent, real nice fellow.
"Though he seems to be affected by some form of malaise" - Helgash adds - "Are you aware of what may be happening to him? We would like to help" - he nods.
"What sort of keys would you need for a cauldron anyway?"
Tur-Keys?
Mossbark is sick? No I had not idea such a problem was upon him. It must have happened in the last decade though while I was possessed.
Turning to Orgar Syvet elucidates. The cauldron acts as a magical portal transporting those inside the location of the cauldron to different times and spaces. To activate the cauldron though you need the proper keys. Usually the keys can be found near the cauldron itself. For example I know that a particular sheep's bladder wineskin and a horseshoe will bring us to a particularly interesting desert oasis where the water cleanses one of disease at exactly 8:43 on the fourteenth day of each month. If you use the wrong sheep's bladder wine skin though you wont go anywhere.
”The keys we have seen appear to be appropriate for the place we found them, in general. The shack seems a likely place for the keys to be located. I wonder what makes a particular item a key while another similar item is not...”
Dunno, who knows what goes on in that witch's head.
"Sounds, um … interesting. Does this mean we have to know exactly what key we need for find first?"
Maybe the order doesn't matter
”I cannot explain it, but the keys seem to find us, in a way. But we have to make the effort to find them.”
Correct. purrs Syvet. The order in which the keys are placed in the cauldron does not matter only that the correct 2 are placed together. Do you know which keys you need or where you wish to go next?
There is a shack or whatever to the west I believe. Some nasty flower thing there as well.
The house may be a good place to start as it was unoccupied when I remember it. That was a long time ago though.
No time like the present! Jetro bullies everyone to the shack, avoiding the big flower.
”Patience.” Duardlara leads the party toward the plant creature she spotted earlier, trying to get close enough that the others can see it among the other plants. ”Syvet, do you know anything about that creature?”
Perception
Oh that thing? It is a moonflower. A fully grown moonflower easily stands 20 feet tall, its massive trunk frequently 4 feet or more in diameter. The roots extend away from the base and into the soil, making the plant seem well anchored, but the roots themselves possess an agility that belies the great size of the plant and allows the moonflower to uproot itself and move with surprising speed. The tendrils of the plant are independently prehensile and writhe around the large flytrap-like "head" that crowns the stem.
Moonflowers have never been known to communicate with other creatures, even with druids and others who regularly converse with plants. The plants do possess some manner of strange telepathy, though, and are in constant communication with their nearby brethren. Those who manage to intrude upon the creatures' alien thoughts face an assault of horrible visions of terrifying jungles filled with ancient, sentient, and malign plants.
”Sounds lovely. Who wouldn’t want one in their private garden?” She runs her fingers along her jaw while she thinks. Finally, she says, ”I can see little chance than the thing won’t be hostile given the opportunity. But I hesitate to attack unprovoked, even against a plant. I wonder if another might be present... Can we bait the creature away from the path’s crossroads, perhaps?”
"Or scout around it unnoticed?" asks Cynehelm.
Yes you could split up to go around to get it from the northeast. You think you can see the corner of the shack 40ft to the west of the creature. You are not sure if you all could make it there without being noticed.
Syvet looks at you as you ponder your move. it is but a plant. Donwith it as you will. It is not as if they can be controlled at all. Syvet then raises a paw and extends her claws.
Well le tus get moving! Jetro heads out.
Jetro flanks!
Duardlara nods at Jetro's eagerness. "Ranged attackers on either side, maintaining distance, would be able to cover for a 'bait' individual while remaining largely out of danger themselves. If it attacks the bait, the ranged attackers can open fire from both sides, arrow and spell. The question becomes who shall play the part of the bait. A healer with each group makes sense. The bait individual should be someone that has a life link to Helgash in case the creature is able to injure them."
"I propose that Jetro, Cynehelm, and myself circle around. The rest of the group remains here keeping an eye on the creature and once we are in position, tests to see if it is hostile while we prepare to open fire."
Works for me
"Very well," concedes Cynehelm, reluctant to open fire until he knows for sure the hostile intent of the plant.
He follows Duardlara.