As Wonky drinks her extracts Harmond retrieves his want and taps himself, a faint shimmer appears as he grants himself Mage's Armor. He then points the same wand at one of the frogs, ready to fire at Ahto's command.
The Vixen simply remains poised to attack, should the creatures rush the party.
But her bow is readied in case they don't.
Eunomia still can't see the frogs in question, but she doesn't doubt Ahto's word that they're there. Fortunately she has one spell that literally can't miss its target. She prepares to cast it as soon as one of the frogs rises above the water.
Ahto's bolt ricochets off a nearby log, missing his target and falling among some reeds with a splash. Eunomia's magic bolt strikes its target, eliciting an angry croak.
Harmond's ray of crackling electricity also finds its mark and delivers a devastating amount of energy. However, this draws forth two worrying discoveries. Firstly, the frog survives the deluge of electricity. Secondly, the warty bit of flesh showing above the water line was only a fraction of this particular beast's bulk. With pained, angry splashing, the frog that leaps up from beneath the spring's waters is well beyond "giant."
"It's some kind of...extra giant frog!" Tyg exclaims, wreathing herself in invisibility and vanishing, lest she be gobbled up. Perlivash likewise vanishes and seeks shelter among the highest branches of a nearby tree.
The mega frog thrashes forward through the steaming waters. It opens its immense mouth and shoots forth a broad, slimy tongue that wraps around Harmond. His arms now pinned to his sides, the occultist gain feel the start of a strong pull.
Of the more manageably giant frogs, one swims forward and leaps upon the elevated bluff where Ahto and Wonky stand. Another swims towards Eunomia, but she evades the lash of its grabbing tongue. The third makes the mistake of scrambling towards the Vixen, delivering a skull-crushing kick to its broad head in return for a failed attempt to bite down upon her mighty legs.
"Ye need another kick in the head then?" the Vixen quips—
—but her boot is covered with slime from landing that first kick. Her mighty leg flails wide as VV maintains her balance—
—by planting her stiletto and lashing out with her left leg, in near perfect form!
Wonky's unerring aim lodges her shot right in the giant frog's eye, and the coin buries itself in the creature's bulbous head. Frothy slime burbles out of its wide maw, and the frog appears on the verge of death. Meanwhile, the Vixen maintains her balance and manages to deliver a follow-up kick that leaves the frog accosting her unconscious and sliding back into the water.
"Hold on Harmond!" Eunomia rushes forward, readying a spell to hopefully help Harmond escape the frog's tongue. As soon as she's close enough she covers his clothes with a slippery layer.
Harmond screams in terror as the giant frog grabs him with its tongue. He struggles and thrashes with all his might to break free.
One of the giant frogs snaps its broad, slimy maw ineffectually at Ahto as he moves to aid Harmond. However, despite the inquisitor's sword swing and Eunomia's spell, Harmond is unable to break free. The largest of the monster frogs drags the occultist closer, splashing him into the stream feeding into the hot spring.
The frog on the bluff lunges forth, but Sprocket intervenes to protect Wonky. The bulldog's jaws close upon the already wounded frog's thick neck, and with a vicious shake, leaves the frog lying motionless on the mossy ground. The other remaining large frog misses the Vixen with its tongue, then decides to slip away into the deeper waters behind its larger kin.
Unable to effectively charge from where she stands, the Vixen quickly considers the option that Sams would've chosen were he here.
As she guzzles the Enlarge potion, she imagines herself saying something intimidating to draw the frogs' attention. But as the world shrinks beneath her feet, the words from her mouth are:
"Oh sh*t not a
Harmond desperately tries to break free
"Let me go!"
Eunomia considers her crossbow, but she doesn't want to risk firing a shot with both Harmond and Ahto so close. She does swiftly load it just in case, then looses two more bolts of arcane energy.
Ahto's sword cleaves through the massive frog's tongue, allowing Harmond to free himself from its slimy clutches. Eunomia's barrage of magic bolts spells the end for the beast, and its warty bulk collapses into the steaming waters.
In short order, the sharp, enlarged heel of the Vixen also delivers a finishing blow to the last of the comparatively smaller giant frogs.
The hot springs are still and peaceful now that the monstrous amphibians have been slain, although it does nothing to improve the smell.
The Vixen calls out to the fey,
Not nearly as freaked out over her giant size this time, the Vixen takes advantage of her increased carrying capacity and removes bodies from the water.
She asks Wonky (lowering her voice so it won't boom so much), "What's the least messy way to dispose o' the remains? This looks like a fun place to bathe. I don't wanna leave dead frogs in it."
The Vixen shudders at the thought. "I'll confess, I'd think it a happy accident if ye were to o'ercook 'em to the point there's nothing but ashes."
The Vixen wonders if there's a cliff she can toss the mega off of while he's still not too terribly heavy for her. That or a good place to start a crude funeral pyre?
If she knows where to go with the mega-frog, she expends the effort. Not entirely trusting herself, she asks in the gentlest tone, "Hey, Tyg? Can ye guide me to a place to dispose o' this really big one? A place I can get to in half a minute at me going rate."
Harmond stands up from where the giant frog had dragged him into the water, soaking wet.
"It tried to eat me! That was...I almost died!
He spends several seconds righting himself before struggling to get out of the water.
"What now? Are there more? Did we get them all?"
|
"I assume you will like to harvest them for their organs, blood, or anything else that would make useful ingredients, Miss Prong?" Ahto asks Wonky.
"I have never eaten frog meat, and have no idea if theirs would be worth butchering, wrapping and packing back to the Post," he adds in a speculative tone.
To answer Harmond's concern. "There doesn't appear to be any more, or if there are, they are showing a strong motivation to hide from us."
|
Wonky looks brightly at Ahto.
"That is so very considerate of you, Ahto!" she says with wonder. "I must confess, however, that I do not have any alchemical formulae that require amphibious offal or fluids in their preparation." She appears pensive for a moment. "Well, there is no harm in being prepared for just such an occasion - perhaps just a vial of frog blood." She draws her dagger and directs Vixen where to place the monstrous frog body.
After procuring the serum, Wonky regards the large amphibious bodies critically. Nodding to herself, she begins collecting dried branches and stones from the nearby forest, building a crude pyre. At the question, Wonky reveals her thoughts.
"I think that sending them back to nature would be a disruptive process if we were just to let their bodies decay. These hot springs could be utilised in many different ways, but befouling the water or even the groundwater nearby with a slowly rotting cache of frog corpses would make it unusable for years. I suggest that we burn the bodies and scatter the ashes. This would be an appropriate return to the Green for these frogs."
Eunomia relaxes once the frogs are dead. That went fairly well, all things considered. Although Harmond had me worried there for a minute.
Speaking of which...
"Harmond, are you injured at all? I apologize for the grease; it was the only thing I could think of. It should disappear soon."
In the meantime she helps Wonky set up the makeshift pyre. "Burning the bodies does seem to be a sensible solution, although it will take a while for them to burn completely."
Harmond looks down at himself seeming to notice the grease for the first time.
"Grease? Oh. You mean this slime isn't from the frog? I suppose that makes sense. Why would a frog have a slippery tongue? Well I suppose I should thank you for saving me then!
The Vixen, drawing some geographic knowledge from the charts Wonky has been putting together, guesses that there might be a cliff face or bluff to the west of here, where the forest gives way to lowlands. Of course, that could mean carrying the carcasses for a mile or two. Thus, the pyre seems the more expedient solution. Of course, you still need to prepare the pyre a bit apart from the hot springs to ensure that the wood is not too damp.
Wonky, exploring bold and fetid new sources of research materials, makes a few immediately curious discoveries while examining and dissecting the especially monstrous frog. Foul though it may be, this is a unique specimen.
As long as there are tools, regular-sized Vixen is willing to get her gloved hands dirty and help out (knowing Eunomia is willing and magically able to rid VV's 150g outfit of sweat and tears). While still a giantess, she may have time to uproot a tree or two.
Whatever destruction she causes, she makes no move until both of the following occur:
• #1. Both Tyg and Pervalish are visible.
• #2. Wonky's consent is given.
The gnome is way more observant than VV, as in way more likely to spot a bird's nest, and as a member of the Green Faith VV assumes Wonky will care enough to stop her from destroying a small animal's home. Or from making the woodland ugly.
The grig and the faerie dragon shimmer back into view, floating down from their perches above upon their gossamer wings. Tyg alights upon a greenish rock overlooking the hot springs below, while Perlivash perches upon the fiery cascade of hair topping the giant Vixen's head.
"Wow! That was amazing!" Tyg exclaims. "I was worried for a bit, too be honest. I didn't know there was such a big frog among them. I always thought it was just a big, ugly, mossy rock sitting in the water."
The fey suggest collecting some fallen, dead logs instead of felling living trees if a pyre is necessary to dispose of the slain frogs. Given the foul smell and sight of the corpses, though, they are eager to see the dead creatures returned to dirt and ash.
The Vixen looks up at Tyg, comparatively even tinier now! She smiles at the adorable creature and makes no sudden head motions for Pervalish's sake.
Taking the feys' advice, VV collects dead logs. Knowing the fey (and pretty much anyone else) are far more observant than herself, she says, "Point out the best logs while they're still like sticks to me."
"Good idea. Dead logs will burn faster, and don't require destroying any living trees." Eunomia pulls out her traveler's any-tool while she joins in the search for suitable logs. Whatever needs to happen to get the logs to the pyre, the any-tool can take care of it.
Once the pyre is finished and the frogs are suitably arranged, she'll prestidigate the Vixen's clothes.
"I guess we're camping here for the night? We'll need to keep an eye on this fire as long as it burns."
Wonky quickly examines a sample of water drawn from the hot spring and surmises its mineral content. Ahto recognizes that a couple of these dissolved minerals would help ease the irritation of his rash.
Meanwhile, the Vixen picks up the larger logs that Perlivash points out, while Tyg guides Eunomia to others that she can split with her magic any-tool. By the time the Vixen returns to her normal size, a sufficient pyre has been constructed to consume the dead frogs.
The Vixen thanks Eunomia for magically cleaning her outfit, then in response to Ahto, she asks, "Anyone bashful? 'Cause if we've a plan to relax in the spring, Ye can count me in."
Harmond stands around looking useless unless someone tells him what to do, in which case he jumps in eagerly to help. It mostly just seems that he both has no experience in outdoorsmanship and is used to having servants do all his work for him.
|
|
Once the pyre is alight, Ahto begins the process of setting up camp.
"Frog meat smells like fowl...interesting...I would have guessed more of a fish smell," he remarks as he rakes the area clear. Once he as set-up his tent, laid out his bedroll, stowed his pack, and unsaddled the animals, he has worked up enough sweat to set the rash itching across his skin. He takes a bit more time to remove, clean and oil his armor and weapons, making sure all of them are in top condition. He pays extra attention to his sword, using a whetstone to even out any nicks in the blade.
"I apologize for any violation of propriety, but I am going to take advantage of the minerals in the pond to treat my rash. You are all welcome to join me," he nods to the Vixen in response to her already spoken interest, "but I will certainly understand if any of you choose not to do so."
He removes his soap cake from his pack, then walks over to the edge of the pond. He removes everything except the Iron Key of Abadar around his neck, then wades into the warm spring, until the water reaches his neck and shoulders. He takes a few deep breaths, and allows the heat of the water to work its way into his sore muscles and itchy skin.
The Vixen rests a boot on a rock and, through the draping sideslit of her qipao, she unfastens the top buckle. Then the next. Then the next...
She takes her sweet time—the boots cost 1610g! Motorway than her mithril shirt! And that is practically all she has on by the time her qipao is off, and carefully being folded. Just the mithril and her plain black smallclothes.
She says to Harmond, who looks a little lost, "Best way to deal with this sort of excitement's to cherish the moments ye can relax." She starts undoing the buckles on her armor. "I normally don't do a co-ed bath, but the spring's room enough we've more than ample personal space."
The armor comes off, along with the undergarment, leaving the Vixen completely nude except for the mask. She keeps that on.
To Wonky and Eunomia, she says, "I hope I won't be the only girl jumping in." She looks up at Tyg, as her invitation to join applies to the fey as well if they're interested.
The bodyproud redhead steps into the water, carrying herself with the same poise as when she is fully clothed.
|
|
Wonky beams at the gathered group as they move to enter the hot springs while the pyre burns merrily.
"I will not be asked twice to join in the soaking waters!" Wonky calls out, disrobing in a hurry to join the group.
"Ahto, what does Abadar have to say on the topic of ritual cleansing? I ask only because the Green Faith has a great deal to say about the topic..."
The Vixen says to Wonky, "Oh... I'd love to hear the Green Faith's view on baths. I take it it's specific to natural waters?"
Eunomia hesitates. On the one hand, a bath sounds lovely. (Even with the smell of sulfur.) On the other, having everyone bathing at the same time would be a recipe for disaster if they were attacked.
"I have no objection to a coed bath, but I do feel that at least one of us should be keeping watch. I'll wait until someone's done." She looks at Harmond. "Unless you don't plan to bathe?"
|
|
"Considering the nature of my faith, regular bathing is a matter of both practical and spiritual importance," Ahto replies to Wonky. "Think of the great cities of Golarion. Can you imagine the stench of even a modestly-sized town if no one bathed? Not to mention the press of bodies in a crowded market, lice crawling from person to person as the pushed past one another in the streets?" he pauses a moment and gives a small, visible shudder.
"It is impossible to be completely clean all the time, and attempting to do so would make it impossible to perform any sort of productive work. The is nothing generally offensive in the sweat of a hard day's work, provided it is not left to ripen overnight. Matters of cleanliness are of particular importance in my own profession. I cannot avoid the splatter of blood and excrement in the course of executing my duties. If I were to only bathe once every fortnight, as some choose to do, that blood and offal smell would become intolerable to anyone who came within two strides of me."
He leans his head back, and allows the water to flow over his head, then resurfaces. he begins working a lather into his hair with a practiced practical motion.
"In short, cleanliness is important to the Abdarian Faith because it is one of many pins that holds a civilization together. Once those pinnings start to fail, anarchy follows."
Harmond blushes furiously as Vixen disrobes.
I.. uhh.. I.. Bath?
After a few moments Harmond collects himself well enough to speak coherently.
"Uh, that's ok. You can take a bath. I'll keep watch. I'll watch for bad guys. Not uhh.. yeah. The blushing returns in full force.
The Vixen says, "If any bad guys come, I'll come out and kick 'em as I am!" She may or may not have meant that as a joke. In either case, she removes her mask after saying that.
Wake, Child.
Addison certainly enjoyed hearing Ahto's take on bathing. She decides to share her faith as well.
"With Shelyn, it's about beauty. The world'd be a much more beautiful place if people took the time to relax, cleanse the body, mind and soul, and appreciate our natural beauty."
Sparing Harmond by submerging herself to shoulder level (well... almost), she faces the pink-cheeked elf.
"Seeing how ye know the fashion world, surely ye know the purpose is to accentuate our natural forms. I especially love long, flowing gowns. Some call it decency, but it ain't that. Layers that leave much to the imagination're beautiful, and if customized for a specific body, everything from waist to hem flows beautifully. The perfect dress flows with the body, as opposed to hiding it.
"It's in part why I'll never attempt men's clothing—all me work revolves 'round women's hips."
Eunomia tries very, very hard not to laugh, and succeeds in restraining herself to a grin which she hides behind her hand. Right. Young and probably didn't spend a few years on long patrols in mixed company. When you were out in the wilderness for a week, you took whatever opportunities to bathe you could get.
(Admittedly, she'd nearly died of mortification the first time she'd wanted to bathe during a patrol. Glor had firmly told her that he could turn his back if it helped, but no one went off alone.)
"Thank you Harmond. I appreciate it." She quickly disrobes, folding her clothes into a neat practiced pile, then joins the others in the springs.
"Ahhh, that's better." Prestidigitation did a lot, but nothing beat a long soak. She grins again at the Vixen's comment. Joke or not, she has a point. Benefit of being a sorcerer; I'm technically just as effective in combat naked as clothed. Although for Harmond's sake I hope it doesn't come to that.
Harmond seems to regain his composure once the conversation shifts to a more comfortable topic.
"Oh absolutely. A suit whose cut would be perfect for myself would look absolutely atrocious on Mr. Ulrych. For him you would want something to accentuate his broad shoulders, something that wouldn't restrict his movement over much."
|
|
"I cannot recall a time in my life where I felt comfortable in finery," Ahto replies with a smile in his tone. "Were it not for the Key around my neck, most people at first meeting would assume me to be a thick-witted farmhand at best, or a vicious highwayman at worst. One of the ironies of my life, the thugs who murdered my parents left me with a face most civilized folk would mark as belonging to a thug."
Addy turns to Ahto.
"No, not a thick-witted farmhand or thick-witted anything. The murdering scum may've scarred ye, but they didn't remove yer pride. When I first laid eyes on ye, I saw strength and I saw a leader. Ye carry yerself as one who gets a situation under control, even if it's chaos.
"There's a look for ye. I just ain't the right designer to craft it."
She realizes those words just slipped out, but doesn't feel there's anything wrong with her response. She can relate, and so she admits aloud,
"All murdering scum leave scars on their survivors. The difference between you and me's that the bruises on me throat healed in a matter o' days. I've scars. They just ain't the physical type."
For some reason, Addy seems quite comfortable saying this.
|
|
"Thus, the need for what we do," Ahto replies, nodding. "No one has the right to victimize another in such fashion. Removing such threats requires a certain mindset and dedication. Culling murderers and thieves from the world is not unlike being a butcher. Everyone wants meat with their bread and greens, but few have the stomach for the killing and skinning that brings that meat to the table. Everyone wants a peaceful community, free of violence and crime, but few have the fortitude to face down and bring an end to those who are the cause. It is a duty perhaps not worthy of minstrel's tales or songs of legend, but nevertheless necessary for civilization to prosper."
|
|
"The Green Faith has many different factions within, as many religions or philosophies do," Wonky says, her eyes closed in comfort. "Some of those that worship the Green Faith see civilisation and its trappings as diametrically opposed to the natural world," here the gnome opens her eyes and smirks at Ahto. "That is not the interpretation that I choose to follow. My synod firmly believes in the longer term view of the world at large, with civilisation something that arises naturally, like the tides. Culling things that do not belong in order cleanse the field prior to the next natural step is where I fall into the cycle of the Green, as we call it," Wonky smiles to herself, her eyes closed.
She opens her eyes with a start.
"Hot spring baths are a nice representative nod to that process."
Harmond lays down at the edge of the pool looking into the sky.
I was never particularly religeous growing up. Its not something we talked about much. Its one of the few things where mother and father disagreed. Father is fairly devout in his faith to the Master of the First Vault, mother was rather fond of Urgathoa. I suppose she would say that as long as you are enjoying yourself it can't be wrong. I guess without civilization you couldn't have all the finer things in life that she loves. So I guess thumbs up from Urgathoa?"