Sorry folks, guess this weekend... I spazzed!
Anna, awesome posts!
Sonny watches the goings on and says "Trading daughters for food definitely sounds evil. We should look into this. They may yet be saved from their evil deeds. Remember that as we face these people. This is something they learned from their forefathers and we may be able to redeem them. If no we will put an end to their evil another way. Which way now? West?"
Answering Anna's question, Worldwound... Demons and the occasional Protean. Nothing too exciting... eh? Damnit though, I missed werewolves and I do love a good werewolf, now and then. The Paladin offers a wolfish grin.
Listening to all that's being said, Andjela isn't certain she can add anything of value.
Not sure, I can add much... Except that I'm glad to be back and to have a chance to read this nightmare. If I think of something useful, I'll speak up.
My only current thought... a subterranean amphibious species that requires a female host to breed. But, my knowledge of such things is limited.
Tolvan? It all seems to center around hybrids of some kind, even back from before, yes? Bringing the creature to life from multiple parts, blending human and wolf, life and death in the undead.
And, I guess to perfect a hybrid, lots of experiments. It would explain the various werewolves. She shudders. It's so much easier just, wading through the demon horde. Hordes, more than one to be certain...
Andjela then falls silent, hey eyes far away.
Anna rubs her shoulder again. "Eeew. Just, ew. I don't think there were any experiments with the werewolves. Just different tribes. Some good, some bad. But fish-people hybrids? Mr. Tentacle-head was giving them a baby. So... I dunno about that theory."
A breeder can have a litter of dogs and treat each pup differently... Or, multiple litters, conditioning each differently...
I'm one of them, half-human, half-vampire... a hybrid, an experiment. I'm what we are trying to stop.
Andjela, emotional... turns to walk slowly away from the group.
Anna, this place is the result of an ancient evil left unchecked generations. But it shall be unchecked no further. I would like more time to study this book, but this strange place is not the spot for such reading. We should take both keys and go to better prepare for conflict? What do you think?
A soldier needs rest, but if there is more to this... complex. We should sweep it, before heading back.
Half done is undone.
A breeder can have a litter of dogs and treat each pup differently... Or, multiple litters, conditioning each differently...
I'm one of them, half-human, half-vampire... a hybrid, an experiment. I'm what we are trying to stop.
After a pause, Anna bursts into laughter at Andjela's joke.
(Kind of like this.)"You're serious?"
Half done is undone.
Anna sighs. "Yep. Andjela's back, all right."
She starts checking the passages for traps.
"Agreed. We should get some rest before we proceed. I know I am running low with the Bright Lady's favor. Replenishing and meditation is definitely needed."
"Let's finish what we can here, get our horses and then return the baby to her parents. Then we can get some R & R."
Andjela will help bring the horses in, pitching in as needed.
"Sure. I'm so happy to stay in a creepy, dilapidated house with a dead guy in a tank in the basement," Anna says drolly.
"Sure. I'm so happy to stay in a creepy, dilapidated house with a dead guy in a tank in the basement," Anna says drolly.
Look at the bright side, he's won't hog the covers. Andjela offers a tight smile, nearly chuckling.
Danica chuckles at Andjela's comment.
Danica offers "Anna, I know that you have a sense of adventure. This is just another obstacle on the bumpy road. Together, we can handle anything. Being here will allow us, mainly Tolvan, an opportunity to study the 'dead guy'."
Do not fear Anna. I would not subject you to sleeping in that house directly. I have a safer alternative for all of us. Pity I cannot include the horses. Tolvan says as he gets out an elven rope. [ooc]Will pick a good spot where he can hide the rope and cast Rope Trick for a 9 hour save extra-dimensional shelter.
Tolvan uses his spell to create a safe haven to allow the group to rest and recover from the previous fights. Once the spell expires, you check on the horses and see that they are still there and in good condition. Reassured, you head back down to the basement where the corpse in the tank is still peacefully resting.
Tolvan will cast Mage Armor on both himself and Danica before heading down. He casts Overland Flight on himself and Message on the entire party.
Anna stretches from the night in the extradimensional space. After checking her gear, she loads both of her crossbows. "So, onward into the fishy cavern?"
Tolvan considers the embalmed man. I don’t like that his body is preserved. He did great evil and deserves no monument. On the way out of this place I would like to break this thing.
I tend to agree with you, Tolvan. But, what if destroying this... tank does more harm than good? Strange... could it be a prison?
Perhaps we will learn more of this strange tomb as we explore this place. We already know the container is mundane.
Ready as I'll ever be... Let's go.
Back down in the cavern, "Shall we head that way this time?" Sonny says while pointing west.
"Let's head down the creepiest hole"
Anna rolls her eyes at Danica's suggestion. "All right. Sure. Creepiest first."
Just like men... I think she was just chiding. Sonny had the right of it... there. Andjela points West.
We've got your back.
"Well....right makes right. We head west."
Danica kneels down to inspect the terrain.
She holds up her hand motioning for the group to wait. She then walks into the western path (blue arrow) for about 5 feet and let's her eye sight adjust to the darkness. She uses her innate Darkvision ability to determine the path and communicates what she sees to the group via the Message spell.
A series of natural terraces forms a sloping passage descending to this cavern. Murky black waters filled with piles of compost and detritus flood the sloping northern floor of the cavern. A multitude of fungi and colorless subterranean creepers grow over and within this vile stew.
Oh good, I was hoping I hadn't missed this part... Egads!
Andjela's discerning eyes scan the space for evil auras.
"What, you looking to go for a swim?" Anna shakes her head. "I'm not going in there. You want to check out the other passage?"
Tolvan studied the plants and fungi.[/b]
Tolvan studies the fungi from the entrance and find nothing out of the ordinary. Just regular cave fungi, only in greater concentration than one you expect. It might be due to someone cultivating them or feeding them garbage on a regular basis. What is less ordinary, is the usual shape floating in the water. Any untrained eye would assume that it is pas of the normal plants in the room, but Tolvan is able to identify a rare variant of a shambling mound resting there.
Danica surveys the terrain.
Without raising his voice Tolvan states with care In the water, no do not look, rests a rare variety of aquatic Shambling Mound. They are plant creatures and quite tough to put down. He will go on, reciting what he knows about them.
Anna listens intently. "So it's a big pile of rubbish? You think it'll leave us alone if we don't bother it? I mean, you said it's a 'shambling' mound. How fast can it be? We'll just outrun it."
Danica notices wear on the stairs leading to the room, hugging the southern room and the exiting by the other corridor. It would seem that over the years, people avoided walking into the room completely and only stayed on the edge of it.
Tolvan is able to recall some of the things he learned about the creature. Like a lot of plant creature, they are slow and not too bright. While they are somewhat easy to hit, they can take a while to hack down. They hit like a mature tree trunk just fell on you. They are immune to lightning and resistant to fire. A slashing weapon is the best thing to use when attacking in melee. The particularity of this one is its ability to discharge spores of yellow mold when struck.
Not exactly garbage; more like rotting compost. Hmm. We should be ready, but knowing that it is there I think it likely we can simply go around it. Tolvan notes as he points out the trail.
"Well, it's not generally a good idea to pick a fight when it's not necessary. And this pile of compost didn't do anything to us. So let's give it some space."
Andjela is ready to move out and follow Anna and Danica.
Hugging the wall, you cross the room to the next corridor. After climbing a few stairs, you find yourself facing a choice. You can either go left or go right.
Tolvan tries to discern a difference in the choices.
Sonny looks in both directions and points to the left, "That way probably leads to the room south of where we entered. The other way further from the entrance. Why don't we try right first?"
Tolvan tries to get some clue from what lies ahead. From the left, he gets nothing, but from the right, he hears a very faint song being sung by a female voice.