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When Ehren says he's lost, Unafe feels her heart drop.
Looking at the troop, she finds herself thinking, How much longer can we keep these brave warriors alive, out here?
As the clan-liege sinks into doubt, she hears Dafydd Honeyed-Tongue begin to sing (quietly, but insistently) inside her heart.
With a rueful smile, she sends to Ehren, << Come, Archdruid. No one of us alone is match for this cursed Wound, but together we make each other better. I'm not the tracker you are, but surely I can aid you in finding our way. >>
Though the Shemhazian's presence is truly terrifying, causing her to be overwhelmed by visions of her inevitable fate, her Azatan nature prevents her from being rendered helpless. She wasn't about to fail Gaiwan now after they'd come this far, after all! He'd placed his trust in her!
Gathering herself quickly, she calls upon Pulura, taking care to watch for any attacks that might come from the Shemhazian, and expands the space she is within, producing an area beneath her to hide. Once she finishes her spellcast she teleports down to the floor beneath her, moving her out of line of sight of the beast, then heads as quietly as she can over to the far corner of the room. It wasn't a perfect solution, but hopefully it would buy her some time. Though she knew little of Shemhazians themselves, she knew all demons could summon their brethren, so she likely had only a short time before something else came in to explore her space. If it came to it she could dismiss the space and try to flee, but she hoped to at least be able to cast some spells first.
Ehren smiles at Unafe weakly, glad for his companions' reassurance in light of his potentially disastrous error. With so many lives on the line, they cannot afford to linger in the Stonewilds any longer than necessary. But the archdruid is nothing if not stubborn and unwilling to leave a companion to die. Not if there is still something they can do about it.
Letting out a huff, Ehren glances around, trying to discern the direction of their originally intended path. Of course, the guidance of the nature spirits was not very precise to begin with. At the very least, he can tell where true north lies. Apart from that, he can use the distant menhir as a reference point of sorts. Hopefully, it would be enough to get them all back on the right track.
When the Archdruid signals that they are lost, Myrna holds up a sign to show her squadron to stop. When he moves to discern the right way to go, she and Beatrix gather around him, checking Beatrix's reference materials against Myrna's intuition and the Archdruid's powers of navigation to ensure that, when they moved on, they would do so with the greatest accuracy.
When Hinagiku brings up that she's lost track of "Rue", Valaria's mysterious demon friend, Myrna cocks her head. "Are you sure that she was ever following us to begin with?" she asks.
"No, that is what I am concerned about. But, any way to check if she is following us be potentially dangerous or risks alerting everyone else that someone is following us... it is difficult for me to go really far while keeping all of you within sight... I could rely on sound I guess. I can try once Ehren-kun regains his bearings."
"I can't imagine she hasn't been following us given the sound of the marching song, or the two battles against the warmonger wasps. Val, did you two have any way to signal each other? A call or such?" Li'an asks Valaria. " Worst case Unafe could reach out again, or I could always do a sending in the morning."
<< Hinagiku, Myrna, and Li'an, remember that you can talk mentally if you don't want to share aloud with the soldiers. Go ahead, try it! >>
<< By the way, Li'an, you asked earlier but I have a lot on my mind: Let me call on the ancestors to keep you unhindered, as you've requested before. And I'm happy to call on them for others' aid too. Just ask. >>
She takes a few moments to request her ancestors to watch over Li'an, and to request them to clear any shadows from her own sight,
Auraelia reaches out to enact her plan, attempting to wrap Gaiwan in a protective fold of space, to create a haven he can be sheltered within as they flee. Her focus is intense, channeling her magical energies to forge a small, moveable sanctuary.
However, the complexities of extradimensional magic clash against one another. The principle that one cannot create an extradimensional space within another comes into play, halting the spell's execution. The magical interference, a fundamental rule of planar magic, thwarts her efforts, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
This setback forces Auraelia to reconsider their options, recognizing the limitations of their current refuge and the dire need for an alternative escape plan.
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +9 | AC 34, Touch 31, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 35 | Fort + 16 Ref +18 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 4 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 4 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..04........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..04........18........7........4........19....11
136/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
Hinagiku looks to Unafe, she could tell quite a lot from her body posture since Dayfidd had guided them on their short seance, but she was not quite making sense. Hinagiku ever so slightly squints and tilts her head, a clear sign she as a bit confused.
She is inviting me to communicate, but clearly not through words… huh? The monk pondered what the body language for calling out to someone would be… other than an obvious gesture, there was really little.
Raising a hand calming hand to signify that she will think of something and that she will be okay, Hinagiku then says: ”Why not come with me in the rear guard Mrs. Unafe? You are so quick, it would make it possible for us to rapidly come back if a danger arises.”
Tired of the inaction, and knowing by now that they must be fairly close to Aurelia's supposed location, Myrna decides to take a drastic action in order to speed up the progression of events. She mutters an arcane phrase while cupping a horn shape to her mouth with one hand, enchanting herself with the ability to boom out extraordinarily loud commands and magical horn-sounds. Then, she takes a deep breath and lets out an announcement that echoes throughout the creepy, silent, stone forest of death. A summons, a challenge, a cry for contact.
She raises a hand to her mouth, takes a second deep breath, and then lets out a massive horn-blow that echoes through the forest. Then, she bellows a second sentence, this one meant to discourage random nearby demons from interfering.
Auraelia, her senses heightened by the dire situation, remains on high alert. As the door to their extradimensional refuge begins to open, she springs into action, executing her contingency plan with precision. Her focus narrows, the culmination of her training and instinct guiding her in this critical moment.
With a swift, decisive motion, she ends the extradimensional space, simultaneously casting Extradimensional Torpor to safely store Gaiwan, ensuring his protection from the immediate threat. In the same fluid sequence, she teleports 10 feet away, breaking the line of sight with the encroaching Shemhazian demon. Her movements are calculated, designed to give her the upper hand in stealth and positioning.
Her stealth is impeccable; Auraelia becomes a mere whisper in the dense atmosphere of the Stonewilds. The creature's confusion affords her the crucial moments needed to make her escape.
Then, with urgency propelling her, Auraelia takes to the air. She ascends rapidly, using the dense foliage and the structure of the trees as cover from the demon below. She flies straight up, her wings beating against the heavy air, pushing her upwards with all her might. Despite the difficulty of the maneuver, her skill in flight prevails, and she successfully gains altitude. Now, only 10 feet from the treetops, Auraelia is on the verge of breaking free from the immediate danger.
Auraelia continues up into the trees, and once through the canopy attempts to gain her bearings, and scan the surrounding area for anything amiss--besides the three-story abomination beneath her, that is.
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Ehren cringes when Myrna bellows into the Stonewilds, no doubt alerting every abomination for miles around to their presence. The druid looks at the crusader captain in horror and disbelief, rather wishing he had oak staff in hand so he could wring the grain out of it.
Myrna turns back to the Archdruid, temporarily scorned by his ire, pinches her nose and eyes into a small frown, and shakes her head. She tries to impress upon him her sense of urgency.
Unafe switches to speaking aloud and says, "If any of you know how to use magic to prepare yourself or allies for battle, now seems like a good time to do so!"
Unafe (already huge in stature) leans over to touch Myrna, calling out to her ancestors to watch over her bold and reckless Sarkorian sister.
With a heavy sigh, Ehren relents, accepting that at the very least, the risk Myrna took was a calculated one. Arguing about it after the fact would not do them any favors.
With practiced stealth, Auraelia remains undetected, the natural cover and her careful movements ensuring her presence is masked from the monstrous demon below. Her keen eyes survey the surrounding area, seeking any signs of danger or landmarks that might guide her way. Though the details are muddled by the vastness and the chaotic nature of the Worldwound, her survival instincts help her orient herself in the right direction towards Drezen.
Meanwhile, the shemhazian demon, thwarted and confused by Auraelia's sudden disappearance, lashes out in frustration and rage. The demon tears through the underbrush and claws at the trees, its massive form causing destruction in its wake. However, without a clear target, it is unable to pursue her directly. It lets out a bellowing roar that echoes menacingly through the forest, a warning of its lethal presence and a vent for its fury.
The forest, previously silent, now echoes with a growing, ominous buzzing. The sound, distant yet unmistakably approaching, hints at the approach of something large. The Crusaders, their senses sharpened by the imminent threat, ready their weapons, their eyes scanning the surroundings for the source of the noise.
Auraelia makes use of the Shemhazian's rampage to continue her escape, flying above the treetops and keeping an eye out for any other threats.
Li'an is caught off-guard by Myrna's sudden call to Auraelia and Rue, and challenge to the whole of the Stonewilds. She shakes her head, deciding there isn't anything to do at this point but prepare. Hopefully Rue and Arie would at least get the message Myrna had sent.
Li'an listens intently to the growing sound off in the distance, trying to discern what they've drawn the attention of, before beginning to prepare magic to protect herself.
In anticipation of the unknown threat, Ehren breathes deeply, once again invoking his druidic magic to enhance his senses.
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +12 | AC 37, Touch 34, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 4 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..04........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
136/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: enhancer
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
Hinagiku’s ears flatten down to attenuate the loud call from Myrna, yet she remains unmoving, her body language saying little to nothing about her thoughts on Myrna’s decision. As soon as the echoes of the cries die down, the monk’s ears perk back up as she opens her senses to anything that would betray incoming foes. As everyone await for creatures to come to them, Hinagiku slowly attunes herself to the surrounding ley.
The Shemhazian, engrossed in its destructive rampage, continues its assault on the forest, unaware of Auraelia's presence above. Its failure to detect her allows her to put more distance between herself and the demon.
Four warmonger wasps emerge from above the treeline, their metalloorganic forms glistening menacingly in the light filtering through the forest canopy. The Hellfire Squadron braces for another encounter. Three of the massive wasps descend rapidly, their wings buzzing in a dreadful harmony as they unleash their static discharge upon the group.
The air crackles with electricity as the bolts from the wasps' wings surge towards the Crusaders, the energy exploding upon impact and creating a wide burst of searing pain. The squadron scrambles, utilizing their training to minimize the damage and protect one another from the brunt of the assault.
Despite the chaos, the heroes of the Hellfire Squadron rally, drawing upon their strengths the previous two battle experiences. They prepare to counterattack, understanding the critical need to neutralize the wasp threat swiftly before sustaining more injuries.
You can feel the tremors of something burrowing beneath you.
There is a strange patch of mushrooms poking out from the ground near the Hellfire Squadron.
Round 1!
Ehren, Unafe, Myrna and Beatrix are up!
His protection spell having long worn off, Ehren can only grit his teeth as he is wracked by the warmonger wasps' deadly lightning. The druid’s flesh is left tingling painfully, but the horrid sensation does not leave him blind to what is happening beneath his feet. Against his souls he feels the unmistakable presence of subterranean vibrations, the displacement of earth as something moves underground.
“Watch your feet, something is burrowing under us!” he warns loudly, all pretenses of subtlety gone now that they are in battle again. Waving a hand at the wasp nearest to the Hellfire Squadron, Ehren evokes another burst of radiance that engulfs the creature with its blinding light.
Unafe lets the concussive force of the blasts carry her safely away from the explosions. Then she leaps up, trying again to take down two of the wasps.
Free: -1MP (Mythic Sphere Knowledge) : Gain Twin Tie-Up for 1 minute
Move: jump to below two wasps, landing where pictured on map
Stnd: -1MF: grapple vs both; if successful, will put them both within reach of my allies. (Hard to know exactly where is possible with the trees)
Swft: // if needed to succeed at grapple: Surge
// else: -2T : regain MF
. . . .
Surprised and displeased by the appearance of the wasps, Myrna summons some of her flagging magical energy to enchant herself and her companions with speed-enhancing magic and then rushes into the fray with Unafe, shouting an encouraging, "Yaaaaah!"
After being wracked by the damaging electric blasts of the warmonger wasps, Beatrix recenters herself in the battlefield and unleashes a healing wave of positive energy, holding her holy symbol aloft and chanting a prayer to the Inheritor.
As she lands with a thud , Unafe nods to Peace-Amidst-Pain, suggesting, << Something comes from below. Can you stop it? >>
Ehren's spell, a beacon of searing light, engulfs the warmonger wasp. The wasp, unable to avoid the spell's effects, is blinded by the intense luminosity, its senses overwhelmed. In its disorientation, the blinded warmonger wasp reacts instinctively, unleashing another static discharge. However, its impaired vision results in the discharge striking directly beneath itself, causing harm perhaps more to the immediate environment than to the intended targets on the ground.
With a powerful leap, Unafe ascends towards the two wasps, her trajectory bringing her into optimal position despite the dense canopy. As she reaches them, she extends her arms in a swift, encompassing motion, ensnaring both creatures in her formidable grasp.
The struggle is intense as the wasps flail and attempt to break free, their stingers lashing out in a desperate bid for freedom. However, Unafe's thick saurian hide proves impervious to their attacks.
The Hellfire Squadron, now empowered and coordinated, follows Myrna's lead, focusing their assault on one of the grounded warmonger wasps. Together, they unleash a flurry of attacks, their weapons finding their mark weakened by Unafe's grappling. The wasp, overwhelmed by the combined onslaught, is left reeling and in critical condition, its ability to fight back severely diminished by the concentrated effort of the squadron.
In the aftermath of the wasps' devastating electric assault, Beatrix, amidst the chaos, calls upon her divine connection. Lifting her holy symbol, she invokes a prayer to the Inheritor, channeling a wave of healing energy that washes over the Hellfire Squadron. The light emanating from her symbol bathes the wounded in restorative radiance, knitting together flesh and bolstering spirits weakened by the battle's fury.
On the battlefield, Unafe, having successfully grounded the wasps, turns her attention to the new threat emerging from beneath. She looks down to where Peace-Amidst-Pain might be, beneath the ground, her instinct to communicate silently thwarted by the realization that the elemental does not share a telepathic bond with her.
Round 2!
The Heroes are up!
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Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +12 | AC 37, Touch 34, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 4 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: renew enhancer
Move: move straight up
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard: attack wasp 3
Full round action:
_______________________________
Thanks to the buzzing that foreshadows the wasp’s arrival, Hinagiku is able to prepare herself for their enemies. Standing tall, hands a foot in front of her chest, gaze upward, she readies herself for a shower of lighting. And, when the insects appear and crackling balls come hurling towards her, Hinagiku lifts both of her hands as she slowly spins on her centre. In the slow vortex of her motions, she guides the lighting all around her, a funnel made of countless threads of light, and safely leads it all the way to the ground.
Not waiting for a second volley, Hinagiku quickly brings both arms to her side, lifting herself through the ley in one swift motion. As she rises, Hinagiku spins on herself and strikes one of the wasp with her heel.
Auraelia continues to climb away from the trees, gaining another 80' in altitude away from the rampaging demon below.
She scans the horizon for any signs of which way to head to Caerwen, using both her senses and her knowledge of the land.
Yet more wasps arriving... it was hardly a surprise at this point, but was getting more than a bit tedious. The rumbling beneath, however, was something new. Li'an became aware of it just as Ehren yells out a warning.
After easily dodging the lighting from the two wasps nearest her, she begins following the rumbling, trying to get a better sense of what was beneath and where it would surface.
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Myrna grips her hammer tightly, and takes a deep breath, bellowing,
"Stuck in a demon land,
fighting back to back,
squadron hold hand in hand,
go on the attack!"
Then she pivots and brings her hammer down on the wasp behind her, smashing a hole in it that allows her squadmates ample room to make attacks into its vulnerable, soft portions.
Beatrix is wracked by the latest electrical attack. Now smoking, and without any offensive capabilities remaining, she regards her situation with suspicion and fear.
The Lieutenant steps away from the beginning melee and reaches over to ward Valaria with a divine protection spell. While not much, it was the best that she could do to help Valaria survive this conflict -- and if she died, then much of what they had come here to do would be for naught.
Amid the cacophony of buzzing wasps, Ehren focuses on Myrna's voice, allowing it to stir his heart into a battle frenzy. As his heart pounds in his chest, he embraces the presence of the Silver Crane, having grown accustomed to using its holy power. Looking at one of the warmonger wasps that Unafe tore out of the sky, he balls his hands into fists, intent on dismantling the loathsome thing.
Limned with a silvery light and stepping forward in a blur, Ehren launches a quick combination of blows at the wasp, perhaps a little overzealously. While his form lacks the grace of his fiancee's preferred style, it is apparent that he is not merely flailing his fists blind.
You can sense something 20' behind you that is burrowing around ten feet beneath the ground.
Hinagiku ascends toward the closest warmonger wasp, her intent clear. Though the enemy remains just out of reach, her proximity puts her in an advantageous position for an impending confrontation.
Below, Ehren advances, his movements more about purpose than finesse, delivering a series of punishing blows to the incapacitated wasp. Moments later, Myrna's hammer, an extension of her will, crashes down upon the warmonger wasp. The impact is thunderous, the force of her attack leaving no room for survival. The wasp crumples under the might of her blow.
Nearby, Valaria, feeling the comforting presence of Beatrix's divine shield wrapping around her, nods in appreciation, understanding the gravity of the situation and the protection afforded to her. "Thank you, Beatrix. I'll do my best to stay out of harm's way," she responds, her tone grateful.
Emboldened by Myrna's battle hymn, the Hellfire Squadron, their spirits ignited by the call to arms, converge on the second wasp that Unafe has brought to the ground. As they advance, ethereal images of wings unfurl behind them, and halos of blazing wrath crown their heads, manifestations of the Silver Crane's power. Their weapons are aglow with holy energy, Myrna's magic transforming ordinary steel into instruments of divine retribution.
The wasp, already reeling from Unafe's initial assault, finds itself overwhelmed by the concerted attack of the squadron. The holy energy that infuses their weapons sears through its corrupted form, leaving it teetering on the brink of destruction.
But then, Peace-Amidst-Pain, the newborn earth elemental, emerges from the ground with a tremor. The sight is alarming – their normally solid, stoic form is marred by injury, and an unsettling growth of mushrooms sprouts from their rocky flesh, a clear sign of an unnatural affliction.
With a voice that rumbles like shifting earth, they speak, confusion and pain evident in their tone. "በታች አንድ ተፈጥሮ አግኝቻለሁ፣ የእብሪት እና ክፉአነት ምስል ያለው እንስሳ፣ በሰፊና አሞሌ ሙከራ የተከፈተ አፍ ያለው። ምድርን እንደ ኤሌመንታል እንደሚሸከም ነበር፣ ነገር ግን ገላጭ እንደሆነ ተቀይሮአል፣ በእነዚህ ተሸፍኖ ነበር።" They gesture to the mushrooms consuming their form. "እሱ ምን እንደሆነ አላስተውልም። ከድንጋይ ወይም እንቅልፍ አይደለም፣ ነገር ግን ከፈንገል እና ክፉአነት ነው።"
"I have encountered a creature below, a being of armor and malice, with a maw wide and deadly. It bore the earth as an elemental does, but its form was corrupted, overrun with... these."
"I do not understand what it is. It is not of stone or mineral, but of spore and malice."
Unafe, Li'an, and Hinagiku are up!
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +12 | AC 37, Touch 34, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 4 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: renew enhancer
Move: move straight up
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard: attack wasp 3
Full round action:
_______________________________
Having grossly miscalculated the wasps movement, Hinagiku spins without hitting anything, but this only gives her more momentum for as she continues to ascent towards her foes, she finally comes within range of her target and extends her foot in one swift motion to heel strike the wasp.
Unafe grunts as the wasp in her arms makes her unable to leap out of the way of the next blast.
She smashes the one in her hands into the wretched tree-husk beside her.
Looking at Peace-Amidst-Pain, Unafe says, "ሰላም-አሚድ-ህመም፣ ስለማስጠንቀቂያዎ እናመሰግናለን። አሁን፡ ከቻልክ እራስህን ጠብቅ። ከተቻለ እንደገና ከመታገልህ በፊት ብትፈወስ እመርጣለሁ።"
Then she turns to the others and shouts in warning, "Peace-Amidst-Pain warns: there's a fearsome foe coming from below. Be ready!"
Free: berserk
Swft: Silver Crane Stance
Move: Maintain (damage) #1
Stnd: // IF #1 is still up, brutal strike it,
// ELSE, READY an action to attack whatever is beneath us, if it comes out this round within Unafe's reach.
With Peace-amidst-pain confirming what she and Ehren had sensed, Li'an begins preparing a spell to restrain the approaching creature. She adjusts her position to face where the creature is likely to surface and begins to gather motes of light, slowly forming a set of shining, ethereal chains. With the magic ready, all she needed was for the creature to show itself and she would hopefully be able to render it helpless to her allies' attacks.
Unafe retaliates with ruthless efficiency, slamming the trapped warmonger wasp against a petrified tree-husk with such force that it shatters the construct into oblivion. Above her, Hinagiku's focus is laser-sharp as she closes the distance between herself and the wasp. The creature, a looming threat above, remains tantalizingly just beyond reach.
As the two remaining wasps in the air set their sights on Hinagiku, they converge with menacing precision, their stingers poised to deliver their venomous strike. However, Hinagiku, with her heightened reflexes and acute sense of her surroundings, remains undaunted. With a fluid, almost serene movement, she dodges the dual assault in mid-air, making the wasps' deadly stingers meet nothing at all.
As the Hellfire Squadron begins to contend with the aerial threat of the remaining wasps, an unexpected danger emerges from the south. A seemingly benign mound of mushrooms undergoes a grotesque transformation, revealing a malevolent creature of decay and disease. The upper body of a pale green woman, hauntingly beautiful yet unmistakably deadly, rises from the fungal growth, while her lower half remains an amorphous, pulsating mass of fungus.
"I am a herald of Cyth-V'sug, the rot that consumes, the decay that liberates," she intones, her voice a chilling mix of seduction and malice. "You dared to challenge the dark, and so I have come. Your flesh will feed the spores, and your despair will blossom into beautiful, eternal corruption."
In the shadowy depths of the Outer Rifts, Cyth V'sug festers like a wound upon the cosmos. This demon lord, originally birthed from the ancient and forgotten horrors known as the qlippoth, embodies the relentless decay and corruption of all living things through fungus and parasites. Picture a being not just grotesque but profoundly alien, a massive, misshapen horror made of tubers, rot, and fungal growths, with a draconic head crowned with broken, sharp teeth and eyes like festering puffballs.
Cyth V'sug's realm, Jeharlu, is as much a part of him as he is of it—a vast, writhing expanse of parasitic fungus, a living blight seeking endlessly to consume and corrupt. It's said that this Prince of the Blasted Heath yearns for nothing more than to stretch his mycelial tendrils across all planes of existence, pulling everything into his domain of rot and despair.
The followers who whisper prayers to Cyth V'sug are as aberrant as their master, drawn from the ranks of the mad and the desperate. They revel in the decay and desolation of the world, seeing in the spread of blight and disease the touch of their loathsome patron. These cultists, often found in the dank and decaying corners of the world, offer bloody sacrifices in hopes of bringing the world one step closer to total ruin.
Despite his might and the dread he sows, Cyth V'sug remains an outcast among demon lords, consumed by a hatred that eclipses even the loathing he receives. His ambitions are not for dominion or worship but for the utter eradication of life, a return to the primordial chaos that once was before demons or mortals ever trod the planes.
Yet, this demon lord's influence is not unchallenged. He harbors a deep enmity for the Great Old One Xhamen-Dor, a rivalry born of competing desires for the end of all things. And while Cyth V'sug’s followers rarely cross paths with other cults, when they do, the encounters are marked by a shared understanding of the end they both seek, though their methods and madness differ.
This is the truth of Cyth V'sug: a being of ancient hate and endless hunger, dreaming of a universe swallowed by the silent, unending decay of the fungal grave.
Brandishing a scimitar, she utters an incantation. As she completes her spell, a hideous gray cloud materializes, enveloping the area in a noxious mist. This cloud, far more sinister than any natural fog, crackles with sickly green lightning, an ominous herald of the poison it carries.
The Crusaders, caught unawares by this new foe, find themselves engulfed in the toxic cloud. They start to cough violently, their bodies quickly overtaken by a dreadful illness. Sweat beads on their brows as feverish shivers run through them, the debilitating effects of the spell sapping their strength and clouding their focus.
In the damp shadows of the underworld and the corrupted expanses of the demon-infested lands, whispers tell of the Fungus Queens. These sinister beings, with the upper bodies of beautiful, pale green women melded to grotesque, pulsating fungal forms, are the eerie stewards of decay and blight. Common tales among the weary travelers and the superstitious villagers speak of their ability to command the plant life around them, twisting it to their malevolent will. They are known to dwell in places where the veil between the natural world and the realms of dark magic grows thin, such as corrupted woodlands or the forgotten corners of the underground realms.
The unlucky few who have encountered a Fungus Queen and lived to tell the tale speak of their chilling powers with hushed tones and fearful glances. These creatures can reach into the minds of plants, compelling them to act against their nature, turning serene groves into traps for the unwary. Those who have crossed paths with these entities often recount the Fungus Queens' chilling ability to drain the very essence of life with but a touch, transforming the unfortunate into thralls covered in sickening fungal growths. The survivors whisper of the queens' lairs, filled with enslaved minions, both plant and beast, all bound to the will of their fungal mistress.
The true depth of the Fungus Queens' horror lies not just in their sorcery but in their origins and ambitions. Born from the dark machinations within Cyth-V'sug's abyssal domain, these entities are not mere monsters but the embodiment of fungal infestation and decay. They possess not only a terrifying control over plant life but also the power to create spawn from the bodies of their victims, spreading their infestation like a plague. The most knowledgeable scholars speak of the Fungus Queens' ultimate loyalty to the demon lord Cyth-V'sug and their collective dream to spread his domain of rot and blight across all of existence. The most powerful of their kind, known as Enivuni, harbors ambitions that could threaten entire regions, seeking to transform the land itself into a domain of fungal horror. These queens do not merely inhabit the darkness; they seek to expand it, their spores carrying the will of Cyth-V'sug to the corners of the world, promising a future where all life succumbs to their creeping blight.
Round 3!
Ehren is up!
Caught off-guard by the cloud of spores, Li'an begins to cough, the foul gas permeating her lungs. Her attention focused for the moment on the fungal woman, she tries to remember if she'd heard the name Cyth-V'sug before, but draws a blank. "A demon lord, perhaps?" she asks the others, wondering if anyone recognized the name.
With the aid of Li'an's inspiration, Unafe manages to withstand the fungal spores.
Both of the battle-hardened high-ranking tiefling Crusaders resist the foul miasma summoned by the suddenly-appearing mush creature. They both turn towards her, ready for battle.
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +12 | AC 37, Touch 34, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 38 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 4 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
_______________________________
The name Cyth-V'sug was unknown to Hinagiku. Yet the name somehow stirred feelings similar to that of the nightmarish tree they had fought on the comet; hearing the name and peering into the soul bore worrying similarities.
”Mrs. Unafe, any chance one of your ancestors knows about creatures of unfathomable horror and dread?” the monk calls her clear voice carrying across the battlefield.
As she speaks, the monk strikes twice at the incoming wasps, before joining in close combat melee with them.
Header
Percept +23 low-light vision, blindsight 50', detect evil creatures within 200' emanation | Init +12 | AC 38, Touch 35, FF 26 +4 dodge when moving | DR5/- | CMD 39 | Fort + 16 Ref +21 Will +20, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 7 dex, 6 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: not FF in surprise round | Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious),
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........18........7........3........16....00
Max.|..07........33........7........4........19....11
154/154 hp
Martial focus: 1/1
Resources spent
Rolls
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: renew enhancer
Move:
Move (e. pat.):
Free:
Standard:
Full round action: full attack wasp 2
Staying calm, knowing that being outnumbered does not mean being at a disadvantage, Hinagiku graciously moves between the mandibles and pincers, avoiding as she strikes with fist, elbow and knee at her foe.
_______________________________
At a glance, Ehren might have mistaken the green woman for some forlorn aspect of nature if not for her proclamation and the aural wrongness clinging to her. But more telling are the memories that the creature’s presence stirs within him, none of them his own. He recalls the hushed warnings of long-dead druids, those who preserve the delicate balance between the surface and the deep places of the world.
“You and your kind are a mockery of the Green,” the archdruid declares, peering through the cloud defiantly. “Your master will soon have one fewer servant to spread their filth.”
Spreading out his arms, Ehren draws deeply from the ley and incants another spell. He imparts a fraction of his mythic nature to it, just enough to alter it fundamentally. Wispy, nigh-invisible slivers of ley reach out from his hands and contact several of his nearby companions. The fungus queen's foul miasma would no longer prove an obstacle to their efforts to destroy her.
The battlefield descends into chaos as a gargantuan bulette, a behemoth of terror adorned with fungal infestations, bursts forth from the earth. Its massive form, dwarfing any of its kind that the heroes have ever seen, heralds an even greater danger with the presence of three fungus-coated salamanders riding upon its back. The air fills with the scent of brimstone and decay as they unleash a spore-laden assault, transforming the Hellfire Squadron's struggle into a nightmarish battle for survival. The infected Crusaders now bear grotesque fungal growths that sprout out from their flesh.
As Peace-Amidst-Pain engages the behemoth, the tragic scene unfolds with brutal finality. The mighty earth elemental, a being of pure natural force, is torn asunder by the bulette's ferocious might. The Hellfire Squadron, spurred by loss and the looming threat of complete overrun, coordinates a desperate counterattack. They close in on the fungal-infested bulette, their weapons raised, their hearts filled with fear, anger, and sorrow. The battlefield becomes a maelstrom of flashing steel, roaring flames, and earth-shaking impacts as they confront the monstrous creature and its salamander minions.
Amidst this pandemonium, the fungus queen, recognizing the threat Ehren poses as the Archdruid of Sarkoris, regards him with a twisted sneer of malice. "Ah, the guardian of the Green, the so-called Winter Lord," she hisses with venomous respect. "Your lands will rot, your legacy will wither, and all that you protect will crumble into the glorious decay ordained by Cyth-V'sug!"
Li'an and Myrna stand inside the fog cloud conjured by the fungal queen obscuring their vision, reducing the battlefield to shadows and muted sounds. They can barely make out the forms of their comrades through the thick, sickly green mist that envelops them. The foul miasma fills their lungs, making each breath a struggle against the coughing fits that seek to overwhelm them.
From within the concealing cloud, they hear the chaos unfold: the ground shakes violently, sending a clear signal of a new, formidable threat joining the fray. Despite the visual barrier, the unmistakable sound of destruction, of soil and stone being torn asunder, reaches their ears.
The air is filled with the cries of the Hellfire Squadron, a cacophony of pain and battle fervor. Amidst the din, they discern the distinct sounds of combat—the clashing of weapons, the roars of some monstrous entity, and the distressing screams of their comrades as they engage with an unseen adversary.
Amidst this pandemonium, they hear the fungus queen call out, "Ah, the guardian of the Green, the so-called Winter Lord," she hisses with venomous respect. "Your lands will rot, your legacy will wither, and all that you protect will crumble into the glorious decay ordained by Cyth-V'sug!"
Beatrix stands at the edge of the fog, which gives her clear line-of-sight to the fungal queen. As the ground shakes, shortly afterwards the air fills with spores.
Myrna and Beatrix are up!
Drawing on the adrenaline coursing through her, Unafe manages to shake off the disease.
At Hinagiku's urging, Unafe considers if there are any old tales reminiscent of Cyth V'sug, and hears her ancestors whisper once again in her ear. "Yes, Hinagiku. Efa the Stout has heard tell of Cyth V'sug: he's a demon lord of rot and decay, born long ago from the qlippoth. Even other demons rarely want to work with him. The sooner we put an end to these abominations, the better."
Just then, she sees the monstrous bulette dive out of the earth and bite through Peace-Amidst-Pain, causing his rocky form it crumble.
"NO!!!", Unafe calls out in rage and despair, as the gigantic bulette shatters the young elemental who had pledged themself to her cause.
Beatrix rushes out of the fog and towards the sound of the evil proclamations. She cries, "Myrna, the fungus queen is over here!" She draws her sword with one hand and traces a divine symbol with the other, then thrusts her hand forward and unleashes two magical concussive blasts towards the strange creature-woman.
The two concussive blasts entirely miss the fungus queen, blasting into open air into the forest.
Despite the emergency of the fungal bulette's sudden emergence and assault, Myrna knows that no lone spellcaster can be allowed to simply stand at a distance and unleash whatever they want to unleash. She chooses to trust in her companions and assume her place at the head of danger.
"Though assaulted by above and below,"
"The heroes knew their roles,"
"Flight for flight,"
"Strength for strength,"
"And victory against desperation!"
she shouts to her colleagues. Then she dashes across the battlefield, under the influence of her haste spell. Following Beatrix's voice, she emerges from the cloud and then, upon sighting the "fungus queen", Myrna breathes a spell and disappears into a multicolored blur of light. She reappears in melee with the fungus queen, mid-swing.