Eddrikk moves forward and attacks the creature, swinging his glaive in a long arc.
The wounded mound shuffles forward and strikes Eddrikk hard!
Faced with the mass within arm's reach, Galinndan swiftly exchanges his bow for his short sword and slashes!
Irdril tries once more to get her aim point back..
Galenus moves up and casts Enlarge on Gallindrin.
Kanzen draws his short sword smoothly and steps in to close quarters with the monstrosity. He then strikes out at the creature, channelling his lady's vengeance into the blow .
Feeling his own blade bite deeply into the creature, and seeing the other party members land multiple blows as well, Kanzen gives a hiss of satisfaction. "That's it! Surely it can't take much more punishment!" he says encouragingly in a low, strong voice. The joy of battle with his companions, such a diverse but effective bunch, washes over him, and he revels in the rush.
Galinndan grows to be very large and strikes the enemy hard.
Irdril lands one shot on the mound while she sends a pebble flying past. Kanzen steps forward and, his blade lighting up, strikes deep and hard into the mound, wounding it seriously.
It appears that you have hit this monster about one-third as much as you need to in order to destroy it.
Cyrus fires again as the others begin casting spells to deal with the mound.
Cyrus stabs at the creature but it's surprisingly hard exterior deflects his sword.
Eddrikk barely manages to land a significant blow.
The creature then lashes out at Eddrikk twice but can't connect!
Galenus draws his axe and moves up to attack!
Galinndan grows, and continues to slash, a dagger now in his other hand.
Galenus lands a solid blow with his axe but Galinndan misses twice! The hardened earth forms a tough exterior on this... thing...
Cyrus continues to fire arrows at the mound.
Irdril tries again..
and finally connects..
"There we go.."
Kanzen draws his dagger, continuing his furious assault on the mound.
Galenus chops hard into the mound, Galinndan and Cyrus miss, then Irdril blasts the mound with force and stone! Kanzen sidesteps and delivers two sharp thrusts into the mound, which quivers unstably.
Eddrikk lands another blow on the mound with unerring accuracy!
The mound then lashes out at Eddrikk and Galinndan but can't seem to strike at all!
Galenus continues to hammer down with his axe.
Once more..
"This thing is tough!"
Yeah, well, it's a giant plant with lots of rocks and dirt to protect it.... Wait a minute.
Kanzen continues to probe the hulking mass's defences, stabbing and poking it methodically.
Irked by his lack of progress, Galinndan endeavours to carve through the mound's hardened exterior.
Galenus misses! Irdril misses once then hits. Lanzen delivers two solid blows. Galinndan hits once and misses once.
Cyrus drops the bow and gets in close to the mound attacking with his blade.
The group lands a series of bone-shivering blows all over the mound, earth and roots falling off everywhere. It then falls to the ground, motionless. Cyrus then drops his bow and leaps on top of the mound, stabbing downward into it victoriously.
You head back to meet up with Loobamub who is very pleased with you. "Excellent work, we will retrieve the corpse." It and some of the myconids return and drag the mound deeper into the grove. You follow them through large mushroom forests to a large depression in the grove. There you see two larger myconids, one of which steps forward quickly
"“You are safe, friendly softers. You arrive at a wondrous time, for Neverlight Grove is on the verge of something great, something marvelous! Celebrate, as the day of joy is nigh! We are grateful you have returned Stool in time for him too to enjoy the glorious event!"
"What are you talking about if you don't mind me asking?"
The myconid towers above the other myconids, its multiple caps swaying with the sinuous shifting of its thick stalk as it moves. "You will see! You will see! It is glorious indeed!"
The myconids group together in the large basin, forming several different circles. A minority stand still while the rest dance madly in place.
There is another exceptionally large myconid that looks quite troubled.
"That's Sovereign Phylo, the original leader of Neverlight Grove. The other big one over there is Sovereign Basidia. It came a while ago and Phylo welcomed it. They lead together." Stool explains. "I wonder what this exciting new event is?" When the myconids begin forming into circles, Stool grows exuberant. "It's time for the melding! We do this every day to share our thoughts. It's the best part of the day! But... why are they dancing? That's different..."
The myconids meld for several hours, giving you time to rest or whatever else you may wish to do. Afterwards, Phylo rushes off "I must help prepare others for the great event!"[/b]
Loobamub leads you over to the other large myconid, Sovereign Basidia. [i]"These softers have defeated the mound that sapped our soil. We have brought it back for you." Basidia bows over the mound's corpses and emits a small puff of spores. A minute later, the mound rises and shuffles off into the grove.
Basidia turns to you "Thank you, softer. You have eliminated a threat and made it a help instead. Take this as a gesture of community." It hands you a hollow, gourd-like mushroom containing some sort of potion.
My thanks. We help when we can.
Galinndan pays attention, and spots something he finds amiss.
He approaches the large myconid.
Greetings. I am Galinndan Siannodel. What troubles you?
Sovereign Basidia, a large broad myconid, turns slowly to Galinndan. "You detect my trouble well... Do not stay long in Neverlight Grove... Another group of softers came several cycles ago... Phylo greeted them warmly and took them into the Garden of Welcome... I have not seen them since... Also, the Circle of Masters has taken most of our new spore servants. I do not know why... They have sent groups of myconids out of the Grove and no one knows why... The sovereign clearly emotes concern to all of you.
Kanzen pulls close to Galenus and the others. "Do you detect a hint of weirdness here?" he asks in a whisper. "The word 'glorious' was thrown around a lot in reference to Lloth and her blessings. The troubled Sovereign, the disappearing humanoids. And the dancing... Well, I just hate dancing. But it all seems a bit strange, if you ask me. I feel like we should get out of here."
Galenus takes the mushroom-potion from whoever accepted it so he can analyze it. He speaks with Kanzen as he does so. Yeah. Dancing is certainly off for myconids. I've never heard if it before in all the time I've been in the underdark. Something strange is going on here. Think it has anything to do with Demogorgon? I don't see anything two-headed around here, like we saw in Sloobludop and Gracklstugh.
Sensing your concern, Basidia reaches out to you. "Please help us determine what is going on. Look in the Garden of Welcome. Only Phylo's inner circle are allowed there. Every time we meld, more of the myconids begin dancing. I and some others attempt to resist whatever is spreading between us but..." the large myconid slumps in a recognizable gesture of despair "... I can reward you if you help us, softers."
Sounds like we should help.. We have recieved to much help from Stool to turn an eye..
Of course we will help. It is only right., Galinndan replies with fierce determination.
"Thank you, softers. I fear that Phylo has been infected by some sort of diseased spore... I fear that if I go into the garden of welcome myself, I too will be infected." It hands you another mushroom storing a potion. "Here, take this as well to help you investigate the garden."
Galenus identifies the first potion as a potion of greater healing. The second is a potion of protection from... something... he's not entirely sure what.
What is this second potion? Does its effects last long or burn briefly?
Galinndan is straight to the point, but it comes from a place of wanting to help.
I'm not sure what. Protection from something. Most protection potions last a while, though. Safe to think this does as well.
Cyrus keeps a fair distance from the odd myconids. "I say we get outa here before we all catch dis madness." He whispers while the mushroom people are preoccupied.
Basidia replies to Galinndan's query "It will protect you from... Outside influence..."
That makes enough sense. I am ready.
Why not have a look, huh?
"Let's go.."
You were brought into the Garden of Welcome only to find it full of moaning and horrible, twisted creatures. You were immediately seized by myconids, dead-looking drow moving under some strange power, and a horrible slug-like creature. Your gear was stripped off you and thrown to the side while you were forcibly buried up to the neck in the soil, crawling with fungal hyphae. These tendrils have begun squirming inside your clothes searching, searching for orifices...
You head toward the Garden of Welcome, a raised terrace screened by a natural wall of soaring zurkhwood stalks. Muffled murmuring can be heard from atop the plateau.
The low muttering grows louder as you reach the top, turning into a symphony of moans, cries, and hisses. The only light comes from a few glowing mushrooms along the edge, but even in the gloom, you can’t miss the source of the sounds. Through the gaps in the zurkhwood trees, you see the heads of creatures of a dozen humanoid Underdark races peek from the ground, mold and fungi growing around them.
One voice calls out loudly in Undercommon — a female drow fighting to speak. “Please … for your gods of light . . . kill me!” She manages to stir within her living grave, raising a spider medallion half-embedded in the bloated growth that was once her hand. Half her face is rotten and pustulate, a bed for the sprouting of scores of tiny mushrooms. “The Great Seeder … trap … she’s here … the Lady of Decay … Zuggtmoy …” Near her are two dwarves, buried up to their necks, but still struggling to break free.
Galenus ignores the Drow for now and quickly goes to the two dwarves to help set them free. Hey there, you two ok? he asks, as he tries to set them free.
Zuggtmoy is the demon queen of fungi, the Lady of Rot and Decay. She ony wishes to infect all living things with her spores, see them rot, and re-animate them as spore servants. She is not normally associated with the myconids, who raise spore servants but only if something has already died for a good reason and do not generally infect living things.
"Blasted demon lords have infested the entire Underdark.."
Idril scans for enemies..
Seeing the dwarves, Galinndan moves in swiftly, though still watchful for ambush.
"Hold still. I will start to cut you free.", he says, and moves in close with his short sword out, ready to begin cutting around the nearest dwarf.