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Sensing Cat's non-belief in Jasper -- a-la the face palm. Knowing that Brother had the situation well in control, he verbalizes his confidence.
Fear Not Kast! Desna has pain for them and escape for me. Self preservation is my greatest gift. I'm reliable in that fashion.
I'm like Sam the Butcher - bringing Alice the meat.
And BB winks and smiles at the double entendre.
Did one of them seaweed just talk? The Mariner grabs the lucerne hammer from the nearby wall and walks over to scrutinize the Singing Bush. Surely, the Invisible Swordsman is nearby. With a strong heave of the polearm, he slams it into the giant plant.
Pinkie slides out of the door from the cabin catching a glimpse of the mass of vines
"Wha in the....no I can't use that....we on a boat..." Then he slides his short swords from their sheaths and steps in next to Cats ready to hack away any vines that come near.
"Suppose well be cutting them lose soon.....but what the heck are those things?"
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Shameless!!!
Shameless runs out on deck and in his confusion, hurls his underpants at the nearest shambling vine creature. The undergarments get tangled between two vines and prevent it from bringing its full power to bear (or bare).
The Mariner swings his hammer, but it doesn't connect solidly.
Confidant in the power of his goddess, Brother Butterfly walks into the arms of mother unnatural.
Slammed from both sides, Brother Butterfly takes takes the beating willingly, reveling in the scent of burning grass, but then he notices that his spell is having almost no real effect on the creatures, which immediately begin a tug of war to determine possession of the foolball. The one on the left wins, wrapping a vine around the round priest and crushing.
Cats takes a defensive posture, hoping to avoid a fate worse than Butterfly's, while Pinkie steps on deck and draws weapons.
Skywin stabs and stabs again.
The vine monsters thrash about, pummeling those on deck.
Brother Butterfly is dropped, whipped mercilessly by vines, snatched up, and slammed down again. The vines sizzle, browning nicely under the Dawnflower's gentle roasting.
Skywin dodges one swipe, turns and stabs a second vine before it can wrap her up, then drives that attack in harder, thrusting deep into a tangle of vegetation that looks almost like a surprised face. It wriggles and deflates, seemingly dead.
The third vine monster rips the top of the mast off and drops it on the melee below.
INITIATIVE
Fearless (53/53)
Mariner (121/121)
Brother Butterfly (3/70)
Cats (51/59)
Pinkie (76/76)
Skywin
Vine Monsters! Orange -4
Unsure what to do Fearless opens his mind and sends his mind missiles at two of the plants.
HP 53/53
AC 21 (25 w/ Mental Barrier)
Spells: 1st 4/5 | 2nd 4/4 | 3rd 2/2
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 3/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 2/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
Wand of unnatural Lust (49/50)
Ring of Tactical Precision (Pinkie)
Desna. That didn't work as well as I thought it would --- could you help me out?
Cats just glares at Brother.
What did you catting THINK was going to happen?
Desna. That didn't work as well as I thought it would --- could you help me out?
Cats continues to glare at Brother.
What god did you think was going to protect you from all that?!
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Desna. That didn't work as well as I thought it would --- could you help me out?
Cats continues to continue to glare at Brother.
What the cat is catting wrong with you?! I think you shaved a bit too deeply.
Round 3
Cats, still glaring at *someone* who did screw up, double moves around to try to get a flank on the farside, jumping the carcass and Skywin as he goes.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10+4+4[/dice] damage.
AC: 22
HP: 59/59 - 8
LoH: 0/4 used (2d6)
1/1 Hero's Defiance
[ dice]1d20+11+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+5[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
Catrenrae’s Gift: 0/2 used.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Charisma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for each class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have a good alignment to take this trait.
+7 Bab +6 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +11/+11 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
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BB - still wobbly from getting *the Hulk treatment* of being picked up and bashed to the ground multiple times.
Hey, did any of you guys know that these things were resistant to fire? For the careful observer -- I have this big shield of fire on my arm. I was wielding a fire shield- thinking it would hurt the vine-things.
Could any of you have given me a head's up?
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As one of his favorite sailors named Wilhelm goes flying over the starboard with a spectacular scream, the Mariner thrashes back at the vined things.
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Pinkie sheaths one of his swords then grabs a rope and swings out and back twords the vine creature weapon exended trying to thread the needle of the creatures defenses
The shambling plant monster on the decks topples from one of Fearless' psychic missiles. The other missile flies up through the rigging and blasts the one near the crows' nest.
The Mariner closes in with his hammer and clobbers one as Cats maneuvers around the ship. Pinkie takes a shortcut and swings off the side and around to flank with the Mariner, stabbing into squishy plant ass.
Back on the poop deck Brother Butterfly begs Desna to take pity on his epic blunder.
Skywin stabs and stabs again.
The vine monsters continue their assault. The one on deck whips at Skywin while the one above lowers itself down the rigging and slaps at the Mariner.
Somehow everyone avoids injury.
INITIATIVE
Fearless (53/53)
Mariner (121/121)
Brother Butterfly (22/70)
Cats (51/59)
Pinkie (76/76)
Skywin
Vine Monsters! Orange 68
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Round 4
Cats moves near flank and starts pruning the hedges of many small villages.
to hit;
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10+4+4[/dice] damage.
AC: 22
HP: 59/59 - 8
LoH: 0/4 used (2d6)
1/1 Hero's Defiance
[ dice]1d20+11+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+5[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
Catrenrae’s Gift: 0/2 used.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Charisma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for each class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have a good alignment to take this trait.
+7 Bab +6 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +11/+11 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
"It's a plethora of plants!" the Mariner smashes into veiny bulbous thing, not mistaking it for Butterfly.
Landing on he deck Pinkie slips his second sword from its sheath and starts laying about with them like he use to practice on bushes back home.
debilitating injury: disoriented (-2 attack on everyone -4 attack against Pinkie for 1 round)if sneak hit
Fearless flicks his dagger out once more at the shambling plant, protecting those nearby.
HP 53/53
AC 21 (25 w/ Mental Barrier)
Spells: 1st 4/5 | 2nd 4/4 | 3rd 2/2
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 3/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 2/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
Wand of Unnatural Lust (49/50)
Ring of Tactical Precision (Pinkie)
Fearless keeps his dagger in the air as The Mariner smashes a creature into wood pulp.
Cats and Pinkie move the last creature and begin some aggressive gardening. Skywin joins them.
Vines reach for Cats...
..and grab nothing but air.
INITIATIVE
Fearless (53/53)
Mariner (121/121)
Brother Butterfly (22/70)
Cats (51/59)
Pinkie (76/76)
Skywin
Vine Monsters! Red -26
Round 6
Cats moves into flank and hacks viciously.
to hit;
slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10+4+4[/dice] damage.
AC: 22
HP: 59/59 - 8
LoH: 0/4 used (2d6)
1/1 Hero's Defiance
[ dice]1d20+11+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+5[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
Catrenrae’s Gift: 0/2 used.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Charisma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for each class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have a good alignment to take this trait.
+7 Bab +6 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +11/+11 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
Fearless batters the orange-ish bush as it thrashes at Cats.
HP 53/53
AC 21 (25 w/ Mental Barrier)
Spells: 1st 3/5 | 2nd 4/4 | 3rd 2/2
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 3/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 1/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
Wand of Unnatural Lust (49/50)
Ring of Tactical Precision (Pinkie)
Round 7
Cats moves into flank and hacks viciously.
to hit;
slashing damage.
to hit;
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10+4+4[/dice] damage.
AC: 22
HP: 59/59 - 8
LoH: 0/4 used (2d6)
1/1 Hero's Defiance
[ dice]1d20+11+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+5[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
Catrenrae’s Gift: 0/2 used.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Charisma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for each class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have a good alignment to take this trait.
+7 Bab +6 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +11/+11 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
The Watchmen hack and slash and smash the last of the plant creatures into mulch. Vines shrink back, receding into small patches of moss and lichen on the deck of the Starling.
”What the hell was that?” Skywin asks, her eyes starting to take on the look of someone on the verge of having “seen too much.”
Some of the sailors grumble about curses and black magic.
"That is the same question we have been asking ourselves since we woke up in that damn asylum!" Fealess throws his hands in the air, yanks his holy torn underwear out of the brambles and heads back into the cabin, slamming the door behind him as he gets back to studying.
"But wait, Catless, uh...uhm...no go and cover up, but come cat," Cats stammers out as he catches his breath. "We need to figure out what happened here. Where did these seaweeds come from?"
Cats will also check on Wilhelm, hoping that wasn't his final scream.
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Skywin, you've sailed the Encartan for years. You've obviously encountered oddities and dangers to the ship before. This can't possibly be your first -random encounter confrontation -not with the way you handled that rapier.
Brother looks around also trying to see how something like these creatures could have gotten on a sailing ship.
Wilhelm is recovered from the water, soggy, but safe and sound.
Brother Butterfly looks around the ship and comes to a strange realization - there are no signs of the vine creatures climbing aboard. They seem to have sprung up on the spot.
Cats does a ship wide search.
Perception
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These vine creatures just sprang into being. That is something that doesn't make sense. It sounds impossible, so that must mean magic is involved. Fearless ... do you know of anything in your books that might talk about summoning of creatures this powerful? Or could these be dropped in because of our trips to the Dreamlands?
Shambling mounds, also called shamblers, appear to be heaps of rotting vegetation. They are actually intelligent, carnivorous plants with a fondness for elf flesh in particular. What serve as a shambler's brain and sensory organs are located in its upper body. Shambling mounds typically have an 8-foot girth and stand between 6 and 9 feet tall. They weigh about 3,800 pounds.
Shambling mounds are strange creatures, more akin to animate tangles of creeping parasitic vines than single rooted plants. They are omnivorous, able to draw their sustenance from nearly anything, wrapping their creepers around living trees to draw forth the sap, sending rootlets into the soil to absorb raw nutrients, or consuming flesh and bone from crushed prey.
Shamblers are frighteningly stealthy in their native environments. Blending in with the surrounding terrain, they can lie in wait for days on end without moving, waiting patiently for a potential meal. A shambler could be almost anywhere at any time, attacking without warning and not caring whether it leaves any survivors, so long as it acquires its next meal.
Shambling mounds normally lead solitary, nomadic existences in deep forests and fetid swamps, although they can also be found underground living among damp fungal thickets. Disturbing rumors persist, however, of shamblers gathering in strange congregations around great earthen mounds in the depths of marshes and jungles, often during the height of violent electrical storms. Their reasons for doing so are unknown, and many sages have wondered whether there is some obscure and alien purpose at work.
"Pinkie, what is going on? Do you have any catdea?"
Cats shrugs his shoulders at the mystery, yet another in a long line of mysteries that he is ill-equipped to handle. He would feel bad about this, but much of the rest of the party are equally screwed up knuckleheads, except Pinkie who is normal. Completely.
With no more dangers near, Cats will return to the cats nest to see if the rat and fungi are doing okay and if they need anything.
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Pinkie, you got an idea? I'd love to hear it. I'm staring at a bad poker hand and don't know how to stay on the table.
Jasper looks confounded.
If we can't get answers to this, let's get answers to the last quest. Fearless, you almost ready? You need any help with those books?
BB -for the first time- isn't being lazy or looking to drink. But instead get answers to something.
Brother Butterfly tries to make sense of things, but little has made sense since the Watchmen first awoke beneath Briarstone Asylum and this is just one more maddening stop on the road to crazy town.
With the danger passed, the crew of the Starling return to their duties, which now include ship repair to fix the top of the main mast. Cats arrives to the crows nest and looks for his small new friends, but neither varmint or fungus can be found.
***
A couple days later Fearless breaks the mystery of the last Dream Quest and gathers the group for another journey into the Dreamlands.
The Watchmen arrive in a vast and nearly abandoned city called Arventon, where Lowls’ journals have indicated a rare monster called a wamp resides. What he gathered from these creatures was one of their red webbed feet.
A lavishly illustrated bestiary identifies rare creatures called wamps, bizarre aberrations with multiple legs ending in webbed feet. Although wamps are generally a pale gray color, the skin of their feet is a dark red.
kp 5 A medical journal describing rare diseases lists corpsepox, ghoul fever, and zombie rot as diseases that carrion-eating wamps can inflict with their bites
The reader is advised to avoid cemeteries and necropolises, where wamps sometimes congregate in large numbers.
The Dreamlands excursion occult ritual is keyed to reach a place referred to as “the Ceramic Necropolis.”
The tall buildings of Arventon press in around a wide square. The sky is low and leaden, and a feeling of oppression and abandonment hangs in the air along with a powerful, unpleasant odor of decay. A few scraggly plants formed from yellow ceramic stand in window boxes on the buildings, and a few trees of the same ceramic composition cluster together in a nearby park. The buildings are all constructed of stone and the same yellowish ceramic material.
Once a living city in the Dreamlands, Arventon was struck by a terrible disaster at some point in the past. All items not made of stone immediately petrified into pale yellow ceramic. This petrification afflicted most of the living creatures in Arventon as well: people, trees, and vermin were all transformed into ceramic statues where they stood. The city is now mostly abandoned and supernaturally oppressive and joyless.
As you make your way through the city, humanoid figures watch from dark windows and shadowed alleys. At first they watch silently as you pass, and some shy away as if scared of your presence, but eventually a group of them grows bold enough to slink forward into the open.
Pallid flesh stretches tightly over their starved frames. Red tongues lick long, sharp teeth. Once human, these creatures have succumbed to a state of ghastly undeath.
”Fresh meat.” One bites the air, as if tasting your presence.
”So long since a feast like this has walked the streets.”
”Don’t eat them all right now. Hang a few from their entrails. Bleed them out and let the rot season the meal!”
The ghasts converge in a hungered frenzy!
INITIATIVE
INITIATIVE
The Mariner
Brother Butterfly
Cats
Ghasts
Fearless
Pinkie
Round 1
Cats launches a series of arrows at the flat-footed ghasts.
to hit; (no PBS)
damage.
to hit; (no PBS)
damage.
to hit; (no PBS)
damage.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10+4+4[/dice] damage.
AC: 22
HP: 59/59
LoH: 0/4 used (2d6)
0/1 used Hero's Defiance
[ dice]1d20+11+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+5[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
Catrenrae’s Gift: 0/2 used.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Charisma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for each class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have a good alignment to take this trait.
+7 Bab +6 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +11/+11 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
The Mariner moves up and swings at one of the ghasts with his hammer, but stumbles and misses badly.
The ghasts cringe under the holy assault, but do not fall. Except for two, who are finished off by Cats’ deadly archery.
The rest converge on the Watchmen, trying to steal a bite before dinner is ready.
INITIATIVE
Fearless
Pinkie
The Mariner
Brother Butterfly
Cats
Ghasts -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -8 -16 -8
Round 2
Cats 5’ steps back and fires at the ghast that bit him.
to hit; (no PBS)
damage.
to hit; (no PBS)
damage.
to hit; (no PBS)
damage.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10[/dice] slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+10+4+4[/dice] damage.
AC: 22
HP: 59/59
LoH: 0/4 used (2d6)
0/1 used Hero's Defiance
[ dice]1d20+11+1 damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+10[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+5[/dice] to hit; (no PBS)
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] damage.
Catrenrae’s Gift: 0/2 used.
Mini Smite: 0/1 used: Once per day as a swift action, you can add your Charisma bonus to your attack rolls and deal 1 additional point of damage for each class level you have against evil creatures for 1 round. You must have a good alignment to take this trait.
+7 Bab +6 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS -2 DA -2 Rapid= +11/+11 to hit
+2 Str +1 magic +4 DA+1 PBS = +8 damage
Fearless' body grows rigid as he freezes in place. Full on paralysis take over every muscle.
HP 38/53
AC 21 (25 w/ Mental Barrier)
Spells: 1st 5/5 | 2nd 4/4 | 3rd 2/2
Inspiration 7/7
Tactician 1/1 (Rounds 3/3)
Challenge 1/1
Phrenic Pool 3/3
Wand of Magic Missile (3rd) 14 charges remaining
Wand of Unnatural Lust (49/50)
Ring of Tactical Precision (Pinkie)