[PbP Gameday VII] GM Ladile & the Pathfinder Society Present: The Twisted Circle - Leshy Mania! (Tier 1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master Lady Ladile

Ah ha. So youre the God they worship. What about Robori? That tree seemed immune to your influence. What's up with that? And why are you turning all those people into leshies?

Knowledge history: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

So does this make you some kind of...Ghoran?

"Leshies? Oh, you mean like like you, like you," the Spark replies, even though its physical form sleeps on. "You're different different, you're different! Already green green green, already green like us. No need to give you help help, no need to give you help like the other plants. No need to give you help help, no need to give you help like the fleshies!"

When Vintner asks about Robori, he can feel the Verdant Spark's essence shrink away with a mixture of revulsion, guilt, and sorrow. "Plant plant planted, they planted that one to mark their own. The ones who went went, the ones who withered and went into the earth. They sleep sleep, sleep there forever. My fault fault, my fault they withered. Like them them, I was supposed to be like them...but I wasn't. Not not not a Ghoran. And after they planted the withered ones they left left, they left me here. Alone, all alone and lost lost lost..."

There's a moment of silence and for a moment Vintner wonders if maybe the conversation is at an end entirely. But then the Verdant Spark speaks again, softly.

"I won't talk talk, won't talk to that one. Can't can't, I can't talk to that one...my fault fault, my fault..."

So does this make you some kind of...Ghoran?

"Dude! Language!"

Plum takes Nira by the hand. "Of course you will not stay here. We'll take you back to the Lodge. I'm sure they will be happy to help you find your way."

"Vitner if you would please ask the seedling why whatever it was is their fault? I'm sure Nira doesn't blame them for whatever it is they think they did."

"Like them them, I was supposed to be like them," the Spark replies to Plumeria. "But wrong, something went wrong wrong...my aura made them sick sick, so sick. They withered and died...and so the ones left left, the ones left sealed me here. And went away..."

Nira considers the strange seedling as Vintner translates back and forth for everyone, seemingly curious and enchanted all at once. "Not...responsible. Spark isn't responsible...for our death. But it is...it is responsible...for Mercy. For the change...they all go through," she offers. "Nothing else...makes any sense...but this."

Skarlit scratches one viny tendril across her forehead in perplexity. "So what are you doing to the people of Mercy? And why? And what did you have to do with that Cloaker beast?"

Vintner feels a wave of disgust when the subject turns to the cloaker beast. "Not mine mine, not mine! It came here several several cycles, several cycles ago. Strange strange strange, very strange creature. But harmless harmless, it was harmless...for awhile. Then it cut cut cut, it cut the fleshy lady down and brought her husk here!" When the Spark speaks of Amenira's death at the hands of the cloaker it seems genuinely upset and sorrowful. "Help help help, I couldn't help her. I wish I could have."

"But the fleshies in the town, they still grow grow grow, they still live and grow, safe now from the beast," the Spark continues, sounding pleased. "My powers, my my aura, it helps them! I learned how over time. Now my aura, it changes them, helps them grow grow, it helps them grow stronger."

There's a surge of genuine pride and affection as the Spark speaks of the people of Mercy that's almost parental in feeling and tone. "And one day I'll wake up up up, I'll wake up. Then I can leave leave, I can leave this place and give my love love love, give my love to all the world!"

Vintner seems genuinely torn. Well... I am not sure what to do here. This thing could prove a benevolent protector. On the other hand I am jot sure that the gifts it bestowed on mercy are necessary outside of Mercy itself.

"Will you awaken soon? Do you also keep the storms away?" Plum asks the seedling.

"What if what he's doing isn't helpful to them in the long run? she whispers to the others.

"Yes! I keep keep keep the storms away," the Spark responds. "But I don't know how long long long, how long I'll sleep like this. It's okay okay, it's okay though. I'm patient, very very very patient."

As Vintner breaks away for a moment from the seedling to consult with the rest of the group, you do note that it looks like the seedling could be removed from its cradle of vines - but to what effect, you're unsure...
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And now, you folks have a choice - leave the seedling where it is or try removing it from its cradle? If it helps, I'll say that there's no right or wrong answer so do as your characters would do.

Uproot examines the seedling, not sure of what to make of it. But he does notice the thing is easily removable. He tugs on Vintner's arm vines and leans in whuispering, "Could you ask it if it wants to go traveling? We could easily take it home with us!"

Vintner nods sagely.

Not that sage...he was a berry bush

Would you like to go on a journey? If you want to stay here thats fine but...we would love to show you more of the world. You could be one of us

"That would be totally cool! You know travelin' around, hittin' the music festivals--you know, I think the Grateful Undead are starting a tour!"

"A journey?" the Spark repeats, sounding thoughtful. "That might be nice nice, might be nice! The Grateful Undead Dead, Grateful Undead? It sounds fun fun, lots of fun!"

But then, the Spark's tone shifts to sadness again - and worry. "Oh, but...my children children, my children! What would they do without me? Wither wither, they'll wither away if I leave!"

I'm certain your children will be just fine. Think of all the other children you can help. Come with us and see the greater world. You won't be lonely any more."

"Yeah, let us take you with us. Everything withers eventually, that's just the way of the world. It's not when you wither that really matters, though. It's how much you bloom before you do that's important! The world outside's pretty cool...yeah, you should definitely come!" Seedy adds.

Skarlit agrees with the others. It doesn't seem right to leave this noble creature here in a cave. "Don't you want to see the world? There's so much you could do. You could even learn to explore, rapport, and corroborate, like us, no wait, that's not it. Well, you know, I'm still new at this, but it's not so hard to get the hang of it. You'll see. You'll love being a Pathfinder! What do you say?"

"Oh...well, if you're sure sure, if you're sure, then we can try it! It would be nice nice, be very nice to see other places and learn new things," the Verdant Spark admits.

With the Spark agreeing to be moved it's little trouble for a couple of you to carefully detach the seedling from its viney cradle. As you do, the vines tremble and reach out for the seedling but you're able to avoid them.

"Strange strange strange, this feels strange..." the Spark admits once it's been removed from its cradle. "Can't hear hear hear, can't hear the voices of the others now."

The cavern now explored and the cloaker no more, there seems little else to do but return to Mercy to check in with Sheriff Molume and then make the journey back to Katapesh to report to Venture-Captain Roderus. As you climb back out of the caverns and into the moonlight you notice something - many, many of the plants in the vicinity seem to be shriveling up...

"Oh dear, this doesn't seem good," Skarlit says worriedly, as she glances down at her own vines to see if she is also being affected. "Um, Verdant dear, can you think of any reason why moving you would be harming the plants in the area?"

"I can guess. Spark is what was keeping them so vibrant."

Thankfully, it looks like whatever's causing the plants to wither isn't affecting any of you. But it's still a rather alarming sight to see.

"I told told told you! They're my children, I've help help helped them grow!" the Spark replies. "Are you sure that it's okay okay, okay for me to leave?"

Vintner seems less sure. Maybe we should drop him off in Mercy? That way we can make visits while Sparky gets to keep tabs on his and or her children?

"I understand Spark. Let's take you to Mercy and see what they have to say about this. I still think you should travel." she is very interested to see what the good people of Mercy have to say about Spark and if they believe they are Roborri or not.

Uproot gives the fading plants a worried look, but brightens at the idea of taking Sparky into Mercy. "OHHHHH, Maybe Sparky could meet all the people he's helped over the years and have some company. Maybe he'd be able to talk to Big ol' Robori too! And maybe he could FINALLY disuade them from their terrible VEGETARIAN ways!!!"

Uproot then moves in closer to Vitner and starts pestering the leshy to tell Sparky that he should 'denounce the evils of a pure vegetable diet!'

Prickles, gladly carrying extra bloody food, mostly stays intent on keeping near the party and soaking up any drops of blood.

When he notices that all the little ones are gathered around a globe like thing and then slowly draw it out, the catcus gets in closer and slowly bends over, as if sniffing the... thing.

Assuming the thing doesn't do anything unusual, he gently reaches out an arm and taps the thing very softly, clearly curious.

Prickles feels a warmth emanating from the Spark when he reaches out and touches it, but it's not a physical warmth so much as a...spiritual warmth? Metaphysical? Whatever it is, it's welcoming, as though being connected with a kindred spirit.
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Though feeling uneasy about the withering of most of the surrounding plants, you decide to continue on to Mercy as planned and see what the Sheriff and the rest of the townsfolk think of this new situation. You don't have to wait long to find out, for as soon as you reach the town gate the good sheriff slips through and comes out to speak with you. As he draws near, you see that his expression is, to put it plainly, quite horrified.

"What did you do!?" he hisses, quiet enough to keep his voice from carrying back beyond the walls but still full of fear and outrage. "All I wanted was for you to put an end to that flying beast! But now...now nearly everything is dying! The flowers, the crops, all of it!"

Uproot gives a happy go lucky bounce over to the sheriff pointing at Sparky. "Look we found Sparky! He's been keeping things here alive for a looooooonnnnggg time, but he was really lonely in his cave. We brought him up here so he could actually meet people! I don't know if he wants to go back to supporting plants'n'people here but he might be able to plug back in out where people can talk to him n all that!"

"Ahhh, OK so maybe this wasn't such a great idea. This is going to be a herbicide if we take this thing away. I don't want to have this much sap on my hands!" Seedy nervously plucks at one of his own, much smaller seedpods, on his hip.

"Maybe they're just resting?"

"Verdant dear, do you think you can resume supporting all the plants here in Mercy? What if we replant you here? Would that help?"

"I don't know man. Maybe closer to the water with all the palm trees?" says Sticky for whom the words "sand" and "beach" remain synonymous.

Plum looks confused. "We didn't do anything in particular. This Spark was lonely, and we couldn't just leave him there."

"I don't know know, I don't know," the Verdant Spark responds, genuinely sounding uncertain. "My bed bed bed, my bed seemed specially made for me somehow. Maybe I could make a new new new, maybe I could make a new one here? But time time, it would take time!"

For his part, Sheriff Molume looks even more flabbergasted than ever. "W-wait, hold on a second. You're telling me that this seedling thing is responsible for our good fortune? And not Robori? I...I..."

He pulls his hat off, rubbing at his face with one hand. "I'm not even sure what to think right now. But it was planted inside a cave and you uprooted it...right? That'd...I guess that'd make sense with the timing and all, but..."

"Wait a minute, what am I saying???" Molume exclaims, shaking his head. "Please, we need to replant it before all our crops die off for good! If it does what you say then maybe we can work something out to replant it closer to town but we'd need some time to figure out how without everything dying in the meantime!"

"Yeah, shall we put it back? I guess there's no better place for a seed than its pod, after all!" Seedy starts to second guess their initial decision.

"Yes, we can't let all the crops and other plants die! If there's no time to replant it in Mercy itself in a place of honor, let us return it to its cave."

After some brief discussion you come to the conclusion that it might be best to try and put the Verdant Spark back where you found it, you all head back to the caverns and proceed to do just that - it takes a little bit of effort to reattach it but Vintner is able to get the job done without too much of a headache.

Once that's done, there's not much else to do but return to Mercy for the rest of the night and then strike out back to Katapesh the next morning. When you finally make it back, Venture-Captain Roderus listens to your report with a mixture of amazement, wonder, and sadness and he's silent for a few moments once your tale has been told, processing all that you've shared with him.

"I...I'm not even sure to where begin," Roderus admits with a low whistle. "Amenira's death...that's terrible news but not really unexpected at this point," he sighs. "But to have what remains of her soul back with us again...well, I'm not sure if it's something that I'd be 'thankful' for if it were me but we'll certainly help Nira here to make the most of her new situation."

The venture-captain strokes his chin, now thoughtful. "And the matter of this Verdant Spark, that's a whole other kettle of fish. While it would've been nice to have studied it in a more appropriate setting, well...sometimes it takes a lot more wisdom to be able to tell when it's worth it to complete a mission and when it isn't. And at least now we know that it exists and can plan future expeditions to study it further." Roderus leans across his desk, shaking hands with each of you before reaching into his desk and pulling out a fat pouch of coins.

"I told you I would compensate you for the success of your investigation, and I am a man of my word," Roderus says as he distributes the coins to you. "Well done, Pathfinders! It’s good to know I can rely on you for future missions. But for now, take a rest if you like - you've more than earned it!"
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And that's it! We're now finished with The Twisted Circle :)