Wyam hissed in pain as the ooze managed to bite him, it was far stronger than he'd realized.
Calling upon his Goddess's power, he healed himself before striking back at it.
Stepping up beside the paladin, Reynard slashes at the plant-thing with both his blades.
Despite a quick flurry of attacks, the creature lies unmarked.
The creature smashes and bites into Wyam.
Bite Grapple
Tentacle Grapple
Tentacle Grapple
Isme feels her woven strands of bad luck fail to stick to the creature but her expertise allows her to muster another attempt, the strands doubling over themselves to constrict.
Noting that fire seemed to work, Spectrum tossed another bomb over his allies heads.
Burnt almost to a crisp by Spectrum's fiery bombs, the creature's remains are cut into ribbons by Wyam and Reynard.
For the first time in some, frenzied seconds, the basement is quieted.
Wyam grimaced a little. "Well done Spectrum. That was all your victory, I'm jonestly not sure if Reynard and I could have managed on our own."
He looked down at the remains of the strange plant creature and Ogre.
"Strange though, I find it hard to believe the Ogre ran this way without knowing this thing was down here. Was it trained not to attack him? Or did he really mot know it was here? Also if not to seek its aid where was it trying to go?"
"I am also beginning to worry that this was not the right place to go first. We've seen no sign of the Rangers? Isme, can you ask the Tiger if it can smell or sense his ranger?"
"Take a good look at it, Wyam." Spectrum said. "It is also Ogrekin. Something changed it into this."
Wrinkling his nose, Reynard walks up to the thing and prods it a couple of times with his toe. Turning to the others, he says "Disgusting. And they did this to one of their own? Are ogres that depraved?"
"Absolutely. However, they are not often that skilled or creative. I suspect an outside mind in this."
Looking closely at the body, you gain a better understanding of the remains from what it once was, as well as the terrible pain and torment it must have withstood.
Suspecting a vile jinx or curse seems reasonable.
Isme nods to Wyam. "I'll ask the tiger," she says before flying back to find the tiger and Shalelu to relay Wyam's questions.
Wyam sheathed his blade as he looked down at the creature. Blinking slowly, he was not sure how this Ogre had become such a horrible creature. He'd heard of such things happening, mostly from the older knights of the order when he'd been a new recruit. Stories of unimaginable monsters found within some dark wizard's laboratories and towers.
He shook his head. He didn't really understand why anyone would want to do such things, or how for that matter.
"Thank you, Isme." He turned to the others. "Let's check that door. If we don't find anything, then we should hurry to the barn."
"Wait." Spectrum said, warning Wyam from approaching the door. "Remember the front door. This place is riddled with traps."
"Reynard, if you would, please."
"Indeed, let take this one, Ser." Reynard moves up and checks the door for traps.
A large chest sits against the wall of this low ceilinged chamber.
Emerald and silver necklace (350gp)
Pearl-studded leather gloves (glods of arrow snaring)
Large sack of coins (210gp, 452 sp, 108cp)
Ruby-inlaid red dragon-scale cloak clasp (600gp)
Three sets of equipment; studded leather armor, chainmail, various magical weapons. Black Arrow colors.
Elven-made Longbow (+1 Shocking)
Poking her head into the room after guarding the party's backs while it fought in the narrow basement, Shalelu's eyes widen as she sights the longbow.
"Well it looks like we found the Rangers equipment. Let's take it with us in case we find them." He began quickly grabbing some of the gear. He noted the look of desire showing on Shelalu and nodded to the bow.
"Take it for now, Shelalu. Your the best archer here, probably. It'll be more useful to us now in your hands than in mine."
NO-! I..." after an outburst, Shalelu coughs. "I... I'm more used to my own bow. I'll keep this one as... as a backup."
"Reynard, there is another door, there." Spectrum said gesturing to the north side of the chamber.
While Reynard checked the door and the others looked over their findings, Array indulged his curiosity and poked into the nooks and crannies the rest of the large room.
He didn't find much.
Isme notices Shalelu's reaction to the longbow and tries deciphering how exactly she feels about it.
"Hmm, alright then." Wyam said with a odd glance at Shelalu's reaction.
"I know we haven't checked every room here in this building but now I'm sure this isn't where they are. We should check that other building."
Nodding to the elf, Reynard moves to the other door.
Isme detects an odd mix of feelings- trepidation, sorrow, concern.
Moving out through the house and into the clearing, you find the firepelt on guard, looking towards the barn. Asking it about its master, it points itself with its nose towards the great wooden barn.
Wyam looked at the barn, worried now that he had not chosen to look into there first.
"Reynard, Isme, I'm planning on going through the front door. Isme I want you to see if there's any magic on the doors. Reynard keep an eye out for traps. Spectrum stay back but have your familiars circle around and look for any other ways in or out. Reynard have your familiar fly overhead and keep an eye out for any ambushes from the outside."
Spectrum nodded, handing Wyam and Reynard potions to drink. His dragons took off immediately at Wyam's commands.
Glimmer circled right.
Array circled left.
"Got it." Reynard says, glancing at Gwen circling overhead. You heard the man. You're the eyes in the sky. Offering his thanks to Spectrum for the potion, he quickly downs it, then follows Wyam in, watching for anything suspicious.
You got it boss. Nasty in there?
Isme acquiesces to Wyam's leadership, checking the entrances for magic though somewhat preoccupied with holding back her comments on Wyam going through the front door again.
Circling around the barn, Glimmer, Array and Isme spot no threats, exits, windows or traps.
Studying the front door, Reynard spots no traps as Wyam pushes his way in.
The barn houses several mounds of molding hay, grain stores, and even a large but crude still. Two catwalks rise up along the walls, leading to doors near the ceiling in the east wall. Lower, a pair of massive doors, boarded over with thick timbers, allows ground access to the room beyond. Several dingy kennels are built into the walls under the catwalks. At the back of the barn, you spy two cages; from your angle, you can't tell if they are full.
As the doors open, you see your foes. Three lumbering ogrekin, shortspears at the ready. Two more ogrekin, their faces grey and pallid, dried blood covering great wounds and arrow-shots; zombies. And at the back, an enormous ogrekin woman wearing a huge red curtain as a shroud, propped up by her great rolls of grey fat as much as her legs. As you enter, she shrieks. "THERE! GETTEM, BOYS, GET THOSE DAMNED BASTARDS WHO KILLED Y'BROTHERS!"
As Wyam enters, one of the ogres lashes out with a prepared strike.
At the back, the woman casts a spell.
From behind, the woman spits out an incantation.
The ogre fighters swarm around Wyam, jabbing with their spears.
Reynard slowly moves to Wyam's side, attempting to reach one of the ogrekin.
At the same time, he turns sluggishly to Spectrum and says "Any chance you can fix this?" his slurred words coming out ponderously.
Wyam resists the incantations effects through sheer force of will.
Even as he is attack from all sides his armor and divine aid from Iomadae shields him from harm.
"We have to push them back!"
Drawing her bow, Shalelu takes a breath, sights, and fires.
The firepelt advances, growling.
With two quick blows, Wyam beheads one of the deformed ogrekin.
Isme flies closer to the door but can't get a good look inside. She opens her beak and lets out a shrill cry, focusing supernatural power on the ogre she can see.
One flees before Isme's cry.
"I can." Spectrum replied to Reynard.
Git 'em, guys! Rawr! Glimmer yelled telepathically flapping tot he edge of the roof near the battle. Her neck arched downward as she hissed out her anger.
Suddenly feeling quick again, Reynard strikes quickly with his ethereal blade.
The bewitched ogrekin is swiftly cut down.
Hissing, the great witch waves her spectral hand and slaps it against Wyam's cheek.
Gnashing its great teeth furiously, the ogrekin lunges at Wyam.
The zombies advance.
Wyam
"Gaaaggh!" Wyam let out a shocked cry of pain as his head was forcibyl jerked aside. Spitting out some blood from a split lip, he looked back to the spell casting Ogre matron.
"You're going to have to do a lot better than that! You'll pay for your use of those abominations!"
His faith shined as he grasped his holy symbol.
Raising his hand high he called forth divine energy to crush the undead monstrosities.
With that Wyam turned and ran back outside skidding to a halt near Spectrum. "FEARGHUS!" he called, while giving a sharp whistle.
Spectrum knew what happened whenever Wyam managed to face an enemy on horseback. The elf smiled, bemused at the fate of the as-yet unsuspecting ogres. His job was now to clear Wyam a path, which happened to be the sort of thing he did best. He tossed a white-hot bead of flame.