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Standing in the thick mud Fade begins to feel an annoying pin prick on his leg. Looking down he lifts his pants leg to find a massive leech attached to his inner thigh.
Frantically he pulls it loose which causes everyone else to begin looking for more.
The leeches quickly begin to drain blood from your bodies as you barely notice their wriggling forms in the muck.
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"Thanks." Natula says snagging the potion. She glares as if daring anyone else to try and take it.The gnome accepts the dare."Lassie, maybe yer not knowin' how this all works. See, when we all signed on ta the Society, we all agrees to cooperate. Grabbin gifts from the peoples we be helpin' like a kid stealin' candy ain't how is supposed ta work. So long as yer knowin' yer carrin' that fer all o' us, yer welcome to keep doin' that. I fer one am hopin' we won't be needin' it...."
Looking at Spackle, still with a bloody hole in her shoulder, Natula says with mock concern "Oh certainly! I would hate for one of us to be hurt bad enough to actually have to use this." *grumble, grumble*
"HA! From over here I thought it read remove psoriasis."
"Great. It's like we've stumbled on Orrin's family reunion."
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Fade, looking more exasperated than hurt, grabs a torch from his pack and lights it, looking to remove the blood sucking parasites. He snorts at Natula's comment about Orrin's family reunion, a grin briefly crossing his face.
"We best keep this handy if we get any more of these damn things on us."
As he burns the vile things from him he grumbles loudly, "Try using 'sizzle' for your little song from earlier Satchel."
He sends the burning torch floating over to anyone else that needs it and he helps burn the leeches off.
"Squee...."
Aww, she could have saved those....
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Fade tries to help Spackle with the leeches. Burning, grabbing, whatever needs to be done to get the damn things off, hopefully without making it worse.
"I've got no idea how we're supposed to treat these kind of wounds. I hope one of you can figure something out." Fade says, something akin to concern in his voice.
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Some tear the leeches free while Natula does what she can to freeze the slimy blood-suckers. Fade lights a torch and brings it as close as possible without doing himself harm to drive the creatures away as they fall lifelessly back into the muck.
The path continues for about a mile and a half when it comes to the edge of a shallow bog whose waters rise above the muck, covering the tracks entirely. A patchy film of sickly colored, rubbery fungus floats upon the surface. Near the water’s edge, three moss-covered planks hang cockeyed froma rotten wooden post.
Fade (4 NL Burn)
Natula (11/19)
Feybella: (24/24; 2 Temp Con damage)
Orrin: 1 Temp Con damage- Still need save
Barrakhan: 2 Temp Con damage- Still need save
Spackle: (11/11; 3 Temp Con damage)
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Orrin scowls and begins tearing leeches away from his person. While it seems indiscriminate, he is following a methodical process only he knows. "Well, this is all disgusting," he comments. "And this is to be our conveyance. I'd almost prefer walking or swimming straight through it, I can breathe long enough, but I doubt I'd be able to see and I might just prefer letting the swamp in rather than be in contact with it any longer."
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Fade pulls the boards closer using telekinesis. The boards wobble in front of him allowing him clear the thick moss away.
Once the moss is cleared, the first sign reads, “Railford 1-3/4 miles”, the second reads “Barrel-Aging Caves 3/4 mile,” and the third sign reads “Beware of Screamers.”
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"Screamers? What the hell are screamers? They are dangerous enough to warrant a sign and obviously they must be near here, but do any of you have an idea what they are?" Fade says with his usual cheery tone.
Peering across the bog he seems to notice something. "Looks like our boy Becher and company must have gone through right there!" he says, pointing to a small passage through the muck where some creatures disturbed and broke apart the film of floating fungus.
"You know, that fungus seems pretty disgusting. Maybe we should tread the same way they did, just in case, and try and avoid it." he says over his shoulder, his eyes continuing to scan the bog for suspected undead.
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The group careful wades into the marsh and as the water begins to ripple one of the flowers begins to ripple open. The purple mushroom within emits an ear piercing scream that makes it impossible to hear anything at all, even the person next to you speaking.
The yellow mushrooms screaming begins to make your ears bleed.
As the creature emits the shriek a third mushroom pops up from the marsh. Deep violet tendrils slither out of dozens of fissures within its pointed cap.
Natula (11/19)
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Screamer (DC 11 Knowledge Nature)(yellow 1 rnd)
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Barrakhan:
Fade (4 NL Burn)
Orrin:
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Fungus (DC 13 Knowledge Nature)
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Feybella: (24/24; 2 Temp Con damage)
Spackle: (11/11; 3 Temp Con damage)
Kalas speeds upward 40' to see what if anything might be attracted by the screaming fungus.
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Natula instantly recognizes the pair of purple mushrooms as Bog screamers and the fungus as an Aquatic violet fungus.
Some underground denizens cultivate shriekers as guards and intruder alarms.
The violet fungus is one of the most notorious and feared dangers of the world's caves. A traveler can often see signs of the violet fungus in those who dwell or hunt in places where these carnivorous fungi lurk. In these folk, deep and hideous scars mar bodies where entire furrows of flesh seem scooped away—the marks of a close encounter with a violet fungus.
A violet fungus feeds on the rot and decay of organic matter, but unlike most fungi, they are not passive consumers of corruption. A violet fungi's tendrils can strike with unexpected swiftness, and are coated with a virulent venom that causes flesh to rot and decay with nauseating speed. This potent poison, if left untreated, can cause the flesh of an entire arm or leg to drop away in no time at all, leaving behind only warm bones that soon rot into corruption as well.
Although violet fungi are mobile, they only move to attack or to hunt for prey. A violet fungus that has a steady supply of rot to sup upon is generally content to remain in one place. Many underground-dwelling cultures take advantage of this penchant, particularly troglodytes and vegepygmies, and keep multiple violet fungi in key junctions and entrances to their caverns as guardians, making sure to keep them well fed with carrion to prevent them wandering farther into the den in search of food.
Some species of shriekers (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 416) are relatively similar in appearance to violet fungi, although they lack the tentacular branches. It's not uncommon to find shriekers and violet fungi growing in the same grove—especially in areas where other creatures cultivate the fungi as guardians.
A violet fungus is 4 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds.
Natula sends a searing blast of fire into the Aquatic Violet Fungus. As the flames strike into the murky waters the moss and creature sizzle and pop, sending noxious fumes into the air.
The yellow bog screamer continues to emit a piercing and deafening tone.
Natula (11/19)- awaiting 1 save
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Bog Screamer (yellow 2 rnd)
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Barrakhan (9/10):- awaiting 1 save
Fade (4 NL Burn)- awaiting 1 save
Orrin:- awaiting 2 saves
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Aquatic Violet Fungus (-18)
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Feybella: (24/24; 2 Temp Con damage)- awaiting 2 saves
Spackle: (11/11; 3 Temp Con damage)- awaiting 2 saves
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Orrin grimaces at the noise, but holds his ground. 'It has yet to beat the bickering I've endured thus far, and as it has not caused actual wounds, to me, at least...' He strides through the marsh to the closest one and, bringing his tentacle to bear, attempts to bash and secure it in his mighty grip!
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Fade clutches his ears and grunts under the onslaught. He can't hear anything other than the horrible shrieking but he can see the bubbling mass that Natula just ignited is still coming for the group. He quickly gathers his aether around a rock and flings it hard at the odd looking threat.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Wow and I thought our arguing was bad. This is just awful." Fey shudders under the force if the screechs but manages to avoid getting her eardrums ruptured.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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The water splashes about for a brief moment as the violet fungus splits open and rips to shreds within the muck, leaving a deep brown oil in it's wake.
Orrin wades through the waist deep marsh and slams his tentacle into the shrieking mushroom and grabs ahold of it.
Spackle can't seem to handle the constant blaring from the mushrooms as his ears begin to leak clear liquid mixed with blood. Though it's difficult to hear Spackle begins his own deafening countersong which mixed with the purple mushroom screaming creates one of the most annoying sounds in the world.
Countersong
Natula (11/19)
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Bog Screamer (yellow 2 rnd; grappled)
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Barrakhan (9/10):- awaiting 1 save
Fade (4 NL Burn)
Orrin:(Grappled)
Feybella: (24/24; 2 Temp Con damage)
Spackle: (6/11; 3 Temp Con damage)- awaiting 2 saves
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Natula attempts to explain what it is they are striving against, but gives up after a moment when she realizes she can't be heard.
Squeezing the unfortunate plant harder still, Orrin calls back to his comrades. "Take care of the other ones, this guy isn't-" smack "-going-" pop "-anywhere!"
"WHAT?!"
Fey pulls out a sling, and loads a bullet ready to fire it at the yellowish fungus. "That is the most awful noise ever. Screaming, and jokes about screaming. Bah. The reviews in Absalom are going to be terrible."
"WHAT?!"
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Barrakhan's ears cause him slight discomfort as it feels like his head will split open. Wading through the muck he stabs at the purple mushroom but only manages to catch a large chunk of moss.
Feybella pulls out a sling, loading a bullet as Natula sends a magical missile rocketing at the mushroom.
With Spackle's countersong, the plants hold no ground as the group of Pathfinders tear them leaf by leaf.
With the plants destroyed the Pathfinders continue to pick up the trail of Becher and his men. The path is clearly marked by the familiar moss covered signs hanging from a post on the other side of the bog. From there, the trail continues for another several miles, leading straight to the barrel-aging caverns.
Poking up from the murk in front of a crumbling foundation of cobbles, a cracked and faded sign swings upon a moss-covered post. It reads Barrel-Aging Caves. Within the foundation a pile of debris clogs a 5 foot indent in the ground that looks like an old stairwell. A few feet away, a muddy corpse lies face down in the murk.
Examining the body you note that he is covered with vicious, jagged claw and teeth marks.
Natula (11/19)
Barrakhan (8/10)
Fade (4 NL Burn)
Orrin:(Grappled)
Feybella: (24/24; 2 Temp Con damage)
Spackle: (6/11; 3 Temp Con damage)
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With sharp eyes, Fade sees the hint of a bone protruding from the muddy bog. Given his concerns about hidden undead, he is cautious at first as he begins pulling on strands of aether to clear the mud away, but that caution is short lived and he eventually dredges up a long forgotten skeleton, complete with a heavy bag of gold.
Once the group reaches the barrel-aging caves Fade says, "Jessup said this place collapsed just the other day so I would bet it's pretty unstable. You guys catch your breath while I work to clear us a a safe way in."
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"Yeppers Red. I can work from here, about 10 paces or so away, so this should be fine...You all just need to stay back a ways behind me."
Fade remains alert for further collapse as he clears away the debri, moving closer only if necessary. He remembers something else as he works his aether around the rocks, "Didn't Jessup say when this place collapsed it landed on some of those chompers? One that almost got him? Keep your eyes peeled just in case."
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With a wink to Feybella,"Savin' the best for last are ya? Well lassie, thank ye fer yer luvin' touch. I'm guessin' I owe you a drink 'er two when we get back ta town."
"Don't worry Dourcloud, we 're all on the lookout fer trouble."
Going to call the combat as their only attack is the shriek that lasts a total of 3 rounds which Countersong counters.
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Feybella tends to the injured which surprisingly enough makes Spackle feel incredibly better.
Investigating the cave-in Fade determines that the area is very unstable and could collapse further in at a moments notice. Pushing everyone back several feet he shifts the rocks with a small telekinetic push. Stone crumbles in with a loud crash as the cave in clears and several rocks fall into the cavern, leaving the entrance wide open.
The entrance is extremely dark and unlit by any form of light within.
Natula (19/19)
Barrakhan (10/10)
Fade (4 NL Burn)
Orrin:(Grappled)
Feybella: (24/24; 2 Temp Con damage)
Spackle: (13/13)