Interesting, extradimensional travel with entry and extry points being on he same plane? Could he describe the monsters?
Can you describe monstrous evil beingz? Maybe you have books with names or pictures? Smart friends of Cani have seen lots, can help us prepare for evil beingz! Also Cani has been to Abyss, but can you describe what Blight is? Cani no idea has.
Cani speaks as his head bops up and down enthusiastically.
Kwiazy nods, not quite in time to Cani's bops, and in agreement adds, "yes, please tell us what this Blight is. And if we find this shard you speak of, how exactly do we use it?"
"You surely know of the legends of the Fangwood’s diseased heart: tales of cruel, corrupted fey and trees that shift and trails that change once travelers pass. This is the work of the Blight, or more precisely, the Darkblight, which is both a disease and a place—the realm of a corrupted fey ruler called Arlantia. But it was not always this way. Not so long ago, the Fangwood was dominated by a collective of fey called the Accressiel Court, ruled by a powerful earth goddess named Gendowyn. Of course, ‘goddess’ is something of an honorific. She was powerful, but hardly divine. I think. Regardless, my ancestors sought her council in the past on matters of the earth and seasons. Arlantia once sat at Gendowyn’s right hand, and it was the earth goddess’s Accressiel Court that was overthrown and perverted into the Darkblight. The sardonyx shard is somewhere within this cursed realm—I don’t know why, precisely—and cloaked by the region’s powerful corruption. But if you’re willing to brave this terrible place, then this may be a blessing in disguise. I believe that Gendowyn is too powerful to have been simply slain, and Arlantia too vain to kill her rather than keep her captive and gloat. Arlantia was a dryad once, and so must be bound to a tree somewhere in that foul forest. Your sardonyx shard and Gendowyn are both likely held there, if you can find them. Freeing our esteemed Gendowyn would put her in your debt, and as we dwarves can attest, Gendowyn’s kindness knows no bounds for those whom she favors. Rescue her, friends, and you may very well secure the might you need to wipe this Ironfang Legion from the face of Golarion."
Karburton considers Velvunk's question. "It would have to be magic of extraordinary strength to make much difference at all. I'm sure you could heal one plant, but it would only be a matter of time before the surrounding sick plants reinfect that plant."
What if we make smesh of Arlantia? If not deity then can be smeshed? She under protection from anyone really powerful like, Feasting Flower pretty-evil-Fae-being? She has any tricks like demonlord resurrection to not get smeshed permanently? Probably regnerates in first world if smeshed yes?
Cani pauses
Also, what happens if we make yoink of evil Dryad tree? Is it joinkable by magiks?
He pauses again
Hmmm, would be unsurprised if Evil Fae being tied her lifeforce somehow to Gwendowyn being, because that be a thing. Perhaps smart persons should have smesh curse or smesh enchantment scrolls? Would be helpfull me thinks
Canis questions seem well, at odds with his personality? More what a battle hardened interplanar mercenary would ask, or perhaps an assassin?
"Our contact with the area has been minimal for quite a while now, so I can't answer your questions, my enthusiastic little friend."
"Maybe a map of the area as it was last known might be at least a little helpful. If this Arlantia is/was a dryad, her tree must be powerful now too, and maybe big enough to be a landmark now. We should watch for big or incredibly twisted trees, or maybe one that is both?"
"I'm sorry, friends, but we really don't know much anymore. We don't have the lifespan of elves."
Cani has new trick! Can now summon reasonably smart being from head! Just needs to dance for one minute! Look Look!
Cani performs his little dance and suddenly...
Hello, I am a Mental Compensation unit! Just call me Menti! I am here to make sure your favorite murderkobold of extremely adorable mass slaughter does not get possesed, dominated, charmed or otherwise compelled to hit non evil people! I also provide a degree of diploamtic advice, and even have useful lore databanks, but our good Cani apparently didnt bother to actually upgrade to that version. A whipsy tranclucent form appears.
My fighting capabilities are non existing, so I will immidiatly bugger off to the wide and free empty mental spaces of Canis brain in case of hostilities.
Kwiazy suppresses a chuckle... then frowns in concern wondering if Cani is indeed possessed by this unit-thing, which is what is preventing further possession... He thinks about it and all the ramifications, then realizes he doesn't understand it all and his head is hurting from trying. He sighs...
Yvra listens with interest to all Karburtin Lightbrand shares, and then chuckles in surprised amusement as Menti introduces herself. What in Golarion is that, I wonder?
She puts Menti out of mind for a moment to concentrate on what she recalls of the Fangwood, and of Arlantia and Gwendowyn.
Yvra does not know anything else about Arlantia or Gwendowyn.
The Fangwood is an enormous forest, which you have already interacted with quite a bit. Yvra does not know anything more about the particular part of the forest you will be traveling to.
Kwiazy, realizing we know little more about where we're going or what we might encounter, says "Let's go to the Fangwood then, and do what needs to be done" then he adds "... Let's go die where we're told to." The last was added in a joking tone of voice, and which he hopes does not turn out to be prophetic.
Odds of Cani dying are too remote, his intellectual capacity is insufficient to understand being ded, so he just keeps living. At least thats my expert opinion!
The ghostly figure pokes her head out of Cani and shares some scientific hypothesis.
Yvra nods.
"Yes, let's make haste."
Petrahk hurries home to check on all the friends you've not taken with you.
You journey carefully into the Fangwood. At first, it looks like a normal forest, but then you begin to see signs of the Darkblight.
Before you go far into the blighted area, you find the smouldering ruins of a miniature village. Sitting on a log near the village, looking despondent, is a creature.
He does not seem to realize you are nearby.
Yvra has been floating along five feet off the ground when he sees the sad-looking stranger. He leans back, causing his flying contraption to briefly--and quietly--land.
He wonders to himself who or what this was, and then whispers, "I wonder if this fellow could help us find Gendowyn? Kwiazy or C4N, you've both shown a real gift for putting others at ease, and getting them to look past their prejudices of our kinds. Do you want to ask?"
This creature is a quickling. They are a kind of fey, usually evil, known for moving very very fast.
Hello Friend Cani pretty merrily approaches, without weapons drawn.
You look sad, there evil being making you sad around? Can asks in a very friendly manner.
Kwiazy wonders why the little fellow is so despondent... ... and waits for his response to Cani, keeping is hands ready but away from his weapons for now, hoping that the little fellow is not going to be hostile.
"It's Arlantea... We helped her, but then she let her closest friend, the dragon Naphexi, destroy our homes. All the others, including my family, killed..."
Yvra is impressed with the way Compensates–despite (or maybe because of?) his ideosynchrasies–truly has a gift at putting people at ease. Seeing that the quickling was willing to speak openly, Yvra approaches slowly.
"I am sorry. Betrayal is the bitterest of poisons. Do you know why she did this? And what she seeks to do next?
"I must say, the fates may have brought us together for a reason. While we cannot bring back your family or home, we may well be able to thwart her ambitions and prevent her from doing this to more like yourself–or coming back for you.
"If you'd like to see Arlantia prevented from doing things like this again, please tell: Do you know where Arlantia is now? Or where her Tree is?"
Kwiazy feels an urge to comfort the little fellow... but isn't quite sure what to say or how to say it... Perhaps a comforting hug? He steps forward and hugs the little fellow gently and pats him on the back as he's seen human mothers do with their children when they are hurt.
He releases the little fellow and looks at him earnestly before speaking.
"Yvra is right. We would stop ARlantea from doing this again to others if we can. We would also like to help you... We cannot return what is lost, but maybe we can help you find new home, new friends, make new family? What can we do for you?"
The quickling seems confused by the hug, but then seems to decide it's nice and awkwardly hugs back.
"No-no-no, none of the fey in Fangwood know where the evil one lives—not those who haven’t taken up her stick-icky fungus love. But Wendel is smart. Wendel listens. Wendel knows that the serpent Naphexi is the evil one’s closest ally. Naphexi controls this part of the blighted forest, and Wendel cannot explore it without help. But Wendel knows where the great wyrm lairs. Oh, yes-yes-yes, he knows; he heard. It’s east of here. Go east, and Wendel will follow. The black serpent is the evil one’s lapdog, and a dog always knows where her mistress rests her head. The black serpent destroyed my villlage and family."
"yes, yes, bargains. Keeping the bargain is another matter entirely."
"Once made, do dragons actually keep their bargains though?" It occurred to Kwiazy that they might just eat the second party and nullify the bargain without having broken it, if breaking bargains was even something they cared about.
Cani met very pretty Demon-god being that kept bargains! Hmm, very pretty Demon-god-being was on most sacred of Apsu-weed though, Cani not know if his current Apsu-weed, which is not the most sacredest, is enough to make dragon-beign agreement capable!
If we want to diplomutantize dragon being, perhaps make smesh first and set terms later? Dragon being if evil may not like Cani much, because Cani follows Apsu, who is clearly bestest, and evil dragon beings tend to smell the goodness of Apsu emanating from Cani! Even if they say they just smell the weed!
A hard to parse stream of conciousness exits Canis mouth.
"A half-rotted evil one cannot be trusted to keep any bargain. Wendel know not to trust mushroom dragon. Smart new friends not trust, either."
"Good to know, Wendel, thank you for your insight. I guess bargaining is probably out as a solution, though it might, if necessary or advisable, serve as a delaying tactic."
He pauses a moment, then looks confused... "Um.. Wendel... what do you mean by 'mushroom dragon'?"
Mushroom Dragon? Iz mushroom pretending to be dragon? HERESY! STAND ASIDE WHILE SMITING COMMENCES Canis eyeslits turn into targetting reticules.
Uhhhmm Menti pokes her head out
Did anybody set an orphanage on fire or something? By Gorrums massive brass balls, he is in smite mode, this will be both humorous and pretty deadly.
Mentis head gets back into Cani
MUSHROOM dragon? What on Golarion is that? Some blight-corrupted dragon perhaps?
Yvra asks Wendel to describe it a bit more, and thinks about what that could possibly be.
The only way you can make sense of Wendel's descriptions is that the dragon has the fungal template. It sounds like she used to be a black dragon.
"Hmmmmm. I hate to say this, but in this case I think C4N has the right of it: Smiting will surely be necessary.
"If I'm right, it'll be more Plant than Dragon...but that makes it more deadly, not less. In addition to its claws, bite, and acid breathe, I wonder if it might not have the ability to create a poisonous cloud...and I certainly wouldn't let Itchy bite it; it's flesh is most likely deadly as well.
"From my experimentation with belladona, I believe I should be able to protect each of us from poison before we approach it...but I have no way to protect us from the acid, not to mention claws, teeth, and battering wings.
"Do any of you have a way to protect one another from acid?"
Kwiazy frowns and tries to think of something... and remembers a tale he once heard about acid and something that stopped acid... but then he shakes his head as he realizes that all that alchemical stuff was beyond his understanding then, and now he can't even recall what the alchemist called the stuff... He sighs softly and shakes his head. "Maybe magic somehow?"
Anyone have spell called "Telepathokilletic boink"? Is very effective if used on Cani to shoot Cani at enemy! Enemy can not make Acid if dedified quickly!
Menti pops her head out out of Canis head.
He means telekinetic charge, and yes it is effective. He is used to being magically propelled or directly thrown at powerful foes. The Phantom says.
I went weeeee! Right at ugly goat being, and then boinked his space between legs! Very Very effective it was! Cani retells dancing exitedly!
Anyone have spell called "Telepathokilletic boink"? Is very effective if used on Cani to shoot Cani at enemy! Enemy can not make Acid if dedified quickly!
Menti pops her head out out of Canis head.
He means telekinetic charge, and yes it is effective. He is used to being magically propelled or directly thrown at powerful foes. The Phantom says.
I went weeeee! Right at ugly goat being, and then boinked his space between legs! Very Very effective it was! Cani retells dancing exitedly!
"Hmmmm," Yvra scratches the scales at the base of his ears. "I've certainly read of that spell. Perhaps if we are able to reunite with Petrahk, we can ask her if she can cast it. Velvunk, as a Cleric, certainly cannot. And I'm sure you understand, I harness the power of Natural Science and Chymistry, not the arcane or divine.
"Speaking of which, I have means harnessing magnetism to draw a metallic being–or one wearing metal armor–to me from a distance, but not to project one more than at most thirty feet. That's unlikely to get you to it as fast as you're hoping.
"That aside, I hope when we reach its lair is, that we can surprise it. Perhaps I can set some traps and then we can draw it out toward us? I have traps that might make it difficult for it to fly, as well as one that could perhaps interfere with its ability to utilize magic–including even a breath weapon–for at least a short time.
"I would rather approach this dragon with the spell most call Resist Energy to protect us though. Velvunk, do you have it prepared? And if not, do you have the capacity to pray to Erastil for more spells today?"
Turning to the quickling, Yvra asks, "Wendel, how far is it to this mushroom dragon? How long does it take to walk there–for slow folks like us, that is, not a quickling like yourself? Oh, and can you describe how big the dragon is, and anything you know about its lair?"