Seeing his companions struggling with a snake....yes a snake. That's some snake. Cale rushes to his companion's aid!
Kalasin holds, in case there is another snake sneaking up to attack the wounded and envenomed companions.
Round 3
The viper seeing two new targets, bites at each one.
The snake then twists and writhes to move away from the two.
This time, the snake moves too fast for either Cale or Grim to get a hit in on it.
You've never seen a snake like that, nor heard of it, it must be something local. From what you know of nature though, a snake that big probably eats an alligator or human every two or three weeks. It looks like an ambush predator, and the venom is paralytic based on how it burns and makes your arms leaden. It's likely not fatal in and of itself, but it makes it easier for the snake to kill and eat it's prey. Also, that thing is preternaturally fast when it strikes, able to strike coil and strike much faster than any snake you've ever seen, which is astonishing for it's size.
Round 3
Snake is going to die !
Grim will charge
Current AC 16
Grim charges the snake, and manages, despite his numb limbs, to drive his weapon into the snake's mouth. The body writhes back and forth, splashing him with muck and blood, but eventually settles down to just twitching.
Grim will calm down: and an other one for the Sushi chef. Everyone ok? he says looking around before setting his weapon down and searching the body of the snake for a nodule.
Hum maybe i can cook it into a soup. A snake soup how does that sound?
"I want absolutely nothing to do with that damned snake from this point forward!" she protests, finding a better spot to sit down so she can take a better look at the wounds the viper inflicted upon her, as well as checking for anything else it might've done to her.
suit yourself he says with a grin
"Snake Soup tastes just fine. Is everyone ok?" Cale asks.
"Aside from feeling slow as molasses, yes, I'm perfectly fine right now." she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she runs her hand along the wounds.
"That's good to know." Cale replies to Aldrah, oblivious to her tone as he goes to aid Goragg in gathering supplies.
If diner and the night is un interrupted to party moves forward in the morning
d20 Terrain Element
1—3 Difficult
4—6 Feature
7—10 Hunting Ground
11—12 Resource
13—14 Secret
15—20 Standard
As the group continues south, they move into an area of the swamp that looks like it was a garden at some time. A new type of tree comes into view. It's straight up for 50 ft, then it branches out hard in all directions. Those without darkvision have trouble seeing in the dim light the trees allow through. But it's easier going than most parts of the swamp, the blocked light allows nothing but lichen and mushrooms to grow. In fact, the mushrooms are so prevalent that the group can make good time through the dim twilight world. Plus the mushrooms provide ready food.
However, as they get to the middle of D10, the forest is overgrown with razor sharp brambles that are leafless. The mushrooms drop off ina line as far as the eye can see (in the dimness). The ground turns hard with a greenish tint. The heavy razor sharp brambles grow 30 ft high, wrapping around the trunks of the trees like concertina wire. The brambles are at least 30 ft thick.
"It might not look inviting, but it is, at the very least, calming. Besides, I've seen enough of those swamps to last a lifetime or two."
Aldrah surveys the area as she walks around in this new terrain, making sure to avoid the brambles.
Hey, Aldrah. Does this mushroom look okay to you?
Here let me have a look at these? he study them for a second
See the discoloration here and there? That is the indication of poison. You shouldn't eat any of them
East is fine with me
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Goragg looks astonished, and briefly angry, that someone would know poisonous mushrooms better than himself.
No, they're fine, they...Grim knows much of nature and poisons, better I should trust him than die stupidly...no, I trust your judgement, my friend.
He claps Grim on the shoulder in a seldom-used mark of friendship.
Thank you. I have learned something today.
But I'm still taller than you, though.
you indeed are
d20 Terrain Element
1—3 Difficult
4—6 Feature
7—10 Hunting Ground
11—12 Resource
13—14 Secret
15—20 Standard
The group turns to the side, and begins walking out of the mushroom area, trying to skirt the briar patch that's grown up and killed off the mushrooms.
Eventually they leave the canopied solid ground and exit back into the swamp. They are then able to continue their southern trek, skirting the forest they were in. At least they were able to harvest mushrooms for food before they left.
As they move into the new area, they are somewhat surprised to find some large clear ponds in the area. Even better, they are shallow ponds filled to the brim with floating green plants that have beautiful flowers of various colors.
The colors aren't quite right, but after examining a few of the flowers, it becomes clear that they are Lotus flowers. The roots are very edible, and grow quite large. They keep well if fried or dried out.
Grim will bend over and ask for a 10 min break in order to study the pond and the flowers
Tonight we will be having Fried lotus flower and i'll make us some dried cookies for snacks as we walk
"I've never seen these flowers before...I don't know if they can be trusted, as they look nothing like the flowers I'm accustomed to. For that same reason, the water might not be healthy." Aldrah warns, eying the ponds as though some strange creature might leap out at any given moment.
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Goragg mimics Grim, peering into the water and almost hiding his confusion.
Yes, lotus flowers. Everyone knows that. I'll gather firewood so we can fry them. They're quite tasty this time of year.
Yeah, he's bluffing. He wouldn't know a lotus flower from a glaive-guisarme without Grim's help. But he'll never admit it.
Kalasin inspected the flowers, thinking about any medical properties the flowers might have. "It'll be okay Aldrah. Not everything wants to eat you."
Lunch is ready: Fried Lotus with Kung Pow Snake Meat says Grim finishing his cooking on the Wok.
Itadakimass ! Eat up we are going to be moving again
"Thank you. It looks good." Cale tucks into the meal secure that his party members actually know which is edible or not. Everything else...well he's glad to have a strong consitition.
The roots are indeed tasty, and the group enjoys a good meal for a change that's not crawfish or snake. The water pools are much fresher than the swamp water, and it's a welcome change to not have to boil their water before drinking it.
The next day, the group bids the pools farewell, and continues on, the black wall growing closer with each step. They are only a few hundred feet from the black wall when Goragg and company are shocked to see a mound about a hundred feet away suddenly move with surprising speed. An alligator makes a bloody arc in the air as a huge turtle snaps it's head out and bites the gator hard.
The turtle sits there, chewing on the writhing gator. The gator doesn't writhe long, soon it's dropping body parts from the mouth of the turtle, who sits there chewing slowly.
"Nice." Cale mutters.
"So watch out for mounds too...."
Interesting indeed. What an enormous creature
"So, what was that about not everything wanting to eat us?" she asks sarcastically, taking a few steps back from the vicious turtle. She attempts to carefully survey the area to try plotting a course with the least amount of "mounds"
There are perhaps another dozen of the large mounds scattered around within a half mile. The largest is about twice the size of the one the group sees, the smallest about a third. They are spread out fairly widely, it would be possible to continue on and not come within 30 ft of one if one moved slowly and carefully.
"It's not trying to eat us. It's eating an alligator." Kalasin responds before giving in to testing a theory. Casting Detect Magic, she looked around them. Perhaps, since these modules were magic, she could use it to see what creatures were nearby.
1 Level 1 Spell: Shield of Faith
lets go slowly so that we don't ruffle any of those giants he says moving slowly and carefully
The group very carefully navigates around the turtles, not getting too close to any one of them.
Finally, they make it to the wall. Pushing through the wall as the scout, Goragg is the first to see the next hectate.
As he steps through, he chuffs in shock. The cool air a slap in the face after weeks of hot humidity in the swamp. The next hectate is a hilly cold place. Tall dark green trees thick with needles stab up from the craggy hills. The ground crunches with fresh snow, several inches worth. Ground cover is practically non-existent.
I love snow. even tough i am much more comfortable in hot environment.
he says taking some snow and at Kalasin
"The cold. Good thing we brought winter clothing." Cale shrugs.
Greeted by cold, snow and the local evergreens, her first inclination was to start sniffing around.
She was so focused on investigating the smells of this new area, that she didn't notice Grim taking some snow. It wasn't till the cold snowball hit her that she realized. It was with a yelp and a jump before her eyes landed on Grim. With a small growl, she reached down grabbing some snow herself.
Snowball made, she moved as if to throw it at Grim before switching targets at the last moment to throw it towards Cale.
Taking a cue from her Grim will he was keeping in his other hand at Cale
It was cold. A change from where they were.
It was a change.
Twin snowballs hitting him and the cold wet water dripping down his rocky skin. Ahhhh. Something different indeed.
That was a change.
Seeing his companions wide grins as the snow drops off their hands after their intial celebrations. Cale squats and begins to roll snow. Slowly and surely, he amasses a snowball half his size and hefts it.
This would change.
He grins, the shadow of the massive snowball over his head poised to throw. His arms not buckling in the least.
The moment Cale started to make his own snowball, Kalasin took off laughing, aiming to get out of range.
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Have they gone mad? Fighting amongst themselves is one thing, but they're not even using their weapons! And Kalasin seems to be laughi...
Goragg's thoughts are interrupted by the sight of Cale crafting a giant snowball.
Well, at least someone still has his wits about him besides me.
Goragg scoops up a double handful of snow and forms it into a rough ball. He peers at it for a moment, almost expecting to see a faint magical glow or a minor frost fey to explain this odd behavior.
Then he throws it at Grim, shouting
Yes, begone, insane people! Cale and I will go on without you!
He glances at Cale to see whether he has an ally or an enemy in this fight.
You missed Goragg he replied as he easily evaded the snowball
he says making an other snowball and at Goragg
Got Ya !
Cale heaves the giant snowball at Grim after a short run to give it the distance. Taking care to look out for any possible dangers first before he fires his own!!
His snowball large as it is, fails to travel far...as Cale trips........