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"Right," Yndra replies in a deadpan voice. "So we're strolling into the woods, in a dangerous and strange land, barging head-first where even the locals aren't wont to go. Makes me think that Aeleth was the smart one, to sit this one out." She harrumphs and checks that her axe is within easy reach. Dusklord's announcement of the flesh-eating plant comes as no surprise to the dwarven woman. "Well, there you have it. So, is there good news as well, concerning this poetically-named Assassin vine?"
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Meanwhile, in another abandoned wood far from where locals usually go, the tranquil quiet is abruptly interrupted by a horrible crashing through the undergrowth as Aeleth tears through the foliage.
"Now...where did that birdy go? Waaaaaait a minute. Where did I go? How did I get here? ... How do I get back?" he wonders aloud to himself.
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Thousands of miles away from Aeleth, back in Ustalav, the Pathfinders plan their move...
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Serak seems to be finding his own enjoyment as the group treks through the wilderness, setting the occasional plant on fire here and there, much to the disdain of Yndra and Dusklord. When Dusklord calls out to stop, the gnome sighs.
A bad guy plant? I think I've seen everything. Well... plants burn so...
He grins and tosses a small ball of fire from hand to hand, waiting for the more "uptight" members of the group to admit that the gnome's prowess is magnificent and necessary here.
Resistances: Cold 5, FIRE 5. ;)
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Starling follows the others as they wander along, but has difficulties focusing her attention on the mission at hand. Instead, she moves from plant to flower, examining them and every once in a while exclaiming some superlative while jotting something in one of her notebooks.
When Dusklord identifies the vine, Starling refocuses her attention. "Names aside, this doesn't seem too dangerous for our entire group. I'm sure we can overcome it with relative ease as long as we prepare a few moments in advance before we engage it."
The plant is as evil as a hungry tiger or a spider in a web.
The vine remains motionless as Stephani approaches, and begins to stir as she gets closer, but before she even reaches, suddenly a patch of vines ornamented with beautiful crimson and violet flowers releases a burst of pollen as she walks past. Apparently there was one more dangerous plant here that Dusklord did not notice!
Round 1:
Dusklord
Stephani
Starling
Elvik
Serak
Yndra
Plants
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"Your fire will have limited effect, as will cold..." Dusklord begins, but then the plant he hadn't seen before sprays its pollen at Stephani.
"That's no Assassin Vine!" the wizard says, but he doesn't know what it is.
With few ways to control things without minds, Dusklord draws his wand of magic missile and directs a shot at the second plant.
Dusklord is completely, absolutely convinced that the plant is really... a floral demon-monkey! Yes, that's right. A FLORAL DEMON-MONKEY!!!
Fortunately, even floral demon-monkeys are susceptible to being magic-missiled.
Round 1:
Dusklord <-----we are here
Stephani
Starling
Elvik
Serak
Yndra
AV
FDM1 -4
FDM2
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Yndra draws her axe as she moves to the pollen-laden plant with the colored flowers. "Finally, some worthy opponents," she mocks. Obviously over acting she continues: "Take this, foul plant. Your reign of terror ends tonight... Pah!" With a smirk, she draws back her axe and aims a powerful blow at it.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Serak groans.
A plant that doesn't burn? Why in the nine hells would someone invent a plant that doesn't HOOWAH!
The gnome leaps back and shouts as the second plant pops up, and then shouts
I bet this one burns! My luck can't be that bad!
He pulls a wand out of his bandolier and fires a small arrow-shaped glob of acid at the plant!
The gnome looks at his wand and lets out an appreciative whistle.
Well, looks like ole' Jimmy was right, this thing was a bargain! Hey Duskie, whatcha wanna bet I figure out how to turn this spell from acid to fire, and still make it do the clingy-burn thing it's doing to that plant?
Stephani decides that as a paladin it is her job to take care of enemies of the-vine natures, so she walks up to the vine and tries to take a slash. However, as she is swinging, she pauses to contemplate the religious ramifications of attacking a shrubbery, and in that moment manages to prove unable to hit the broad side of a plant.
She spares a moment to pray her fencing instructor never hears of this.
Round 1:
Dusklord
Stephani
Starling <-----we are here
Elvik
Serak
Yndra
AV
FDM1 -4
FDM2
Starling spaces out as she ponders her supposedly humane vegetarian diet in light of the very animate plants! Meanwhile, Elvik moves forward to chop himself some veggies.
Outraged by the prospect of plants that refuse to burn, Serak decides to settle for flinging acid at the plants - after all, acid 'burns' too, doesn't it? It isn't his most inspired shot, but against plants it proves more than sufficient, and the plant recoils as some of its greenery is melted away. Yndra moves up and delivers a powerful blow...only to find that the stalk she chopped in twain was not part of the plant she wanted to chop at all!
Meanwhile, the plants begin their deadly counter-attack. The colourful plants release even more pollen, covering Elvik, Yndra and Stephani, whilst the vine decides that for once the plants shall eat the humans!
Sadly, the vine is about as limber as any other plant, and proves about as competent in combat!
Round 1:
Dusklord
Stephani
Starling
Elvik
Serak
Yndra <-----we are here
AV - 6
FDM1 -4
FDM2
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Yndra turns to Dusklord while she continues hacking at the plants in front of her. "Don't breathe the pollen... By keeping my mouth shut, you mean? Hah! You'd like that, wouldn't you? No dice, Professor, you'll have to come up with something better than that..." She takes a little more care this time, hoping to take care of the proper plant.
Dusklord puts another missile into the pollen-spewing plant and destroys several of its petals. Stephani however continues to embarass her fencing teacher by having trouble hacking overgrown shurbbery.
Round 1:
Dusklord
Stephani
Starling (in delay)
Elvik <-----we are here
Serak
Yndra
AV - 6
FDM1 -6
FDM2
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Dusklord looks at Yndra with a funny expression as she says he might like to have her shut her mouth.
"My dear dwarf, you are one of the few with anything intelligent to say! We have Aeleth and Serak, who hardly need an introduction, then there is the righteous indignation of Stephani, and though I love paladins with all my heart, their interest is not in the arcane. Then there is Starling, who though comely and inspiring has few words for us. I am fairly confident Elvik is mute, though I have as yet not confirmed that."
With a chuckle, he says "Please, continue to speak! But I reiterate, DON'T breathe the pollen!"
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Serak scoffs at Dusklord, one eye shut and the other bulging open, as he aims down his wand like it's a rifle.
No introduction? I'll have you know my father is an esteemed clockwork technician in Absalom! And I, the descendant of Aceroptyx himself, the great red dragon?!
He fires the acid blast at the plant again, and the draws himself up to his full four feet of resplendent gnome-ness.
I would expect to not need an introduction, my friend! Everyone should already know and fear the name Serak Hamistagon!
Elvik assists in the salad-preparations whilst Serak's acid eats away at the other plant. Unfortunately, all the chatter in the background distracts Serak from his aiming of his next shot, and it narrowly misses Yndra!
With their preferred tactics stymied by the party's hardy constitutions, the flowery plants change their tactics by flicking spiky vines in the direction of their attackers while the vine continues to attempt to become Stepahnie's newest fashion accessory.
Fortunately, the plants prove to be as deadly as one would expect plants to be on a regular day, and fail to harm their targets.
Round 1:
Dusklord
Stephani
Starling (in delay)
Elvik <-----we are here
Serak
Yndra
AV - 6
FDM1 -11
FDM2 -5
Correct updated status:
Round 3:
Dusklord <-----we are here
Stephani
Starling
Elvik
Serak
Yndra
AV - 6
FDM1 -11
FDM2 -5
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Yndra continues hacking away at the plant. "Does anyone know a good lumberjack song? Starling?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
Despite Stephanie's continued inability to strike the foliage, the rest of the party manages to dice and melt the remaining vegetative monstrosities. Amidst the resulting salad, you find the precious herb you were looking for (enough for 5 doses, in fact) as well as a pair of entwined skeletons, one of which has the remains of a belt pouch containing various knick-knacks including three vials containing liquids that detect as magical.
Serak is able to tell with some disappointement that the first potion is a just potion of cure moderate wounds.
He has NO IDEA what the other two might be, but his gut tells him that either they explode into ginormous balls of fire when you throw them at people, or they are utterly worthless.
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"Good, " Yndra states matter-of-factly as she puts her axe back at her belt. "Professor, if you will be the honors of harvesting the wolfsbane?" She then strides over to Serak to look over his shoulder at the potions.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Yndra can tell that the third potion is an elixir of tumbling.
Like Serak, she does not know what the second potion is, but she is less sure that the potion will explode if thrown at another.
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Dusklord, incensed at Serak's ignominious lecture about his intelligence, absentmindedly identifies the second potion, then attempts to harvest the Wolfbane while listing his credentials and academic accolades to Serak.
"I highly suspect you would have flunked my basic necromancy course, let alone any advanced academics! Any power you have is but a remnant of a this once-mighty dragon's drunken dalliance with a gnome? Please!"
As befits his long, sonorous list of credentials and academic accolades, Dusklord manages to identify the last potion as a potion of eagle's splendour, with no secondary property of exploding when thrown.
With the precious herb duly harvested, you make your way back through the town gates moments before dusk. With the light slowly fading, you follow your only other lead and make your way to the home of Markov Rutowski.
A scraggly hedgerow and a thousand storms’ worth of water stains mar Rutowski’s otherwise beautiful townhouse. Well worn marble steps lead to oaken double doors and an ornate, yellow bell pull.
Serak cannot help but notice that despite the water stains, the townhouse is most certainly flammable.
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"By all means. I don't think we really have a plan,do we? Let's see whether he is in, and if we can somehow convince him to help us..."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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As Professor Dusklord finishes lecturing Serak as to why a potion of eagle's splendor would never burn someone, they arrive at the townhouse.
"Thus, the potion provides an enhancement to compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others," he says. "I suppose some might say Starling is possessed of this, though she does not open her mouth enough to make it known. Perhaps she should do the talking...we might even have her imbibe this potion before doing so, just for demonstration purposes."