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"We'll need to do what we can for them, then after, make sure they stay away from us.I don't feel confident of protecting anything, anymore. First it was the alruane, then Mope, then the mephits." Inarus moans morosely. "Everyone that came along with us is dead! Don't you get it? They'd be better off without our interference in their lives!"
I'm convinced the Mephits didn't know any better,
"Then we got them killed for nothing." Inarus laments bitterly, before tucking his head under the coils of his body. Every fibre of his body radiates weariness and defeat. "I don't really care at this point. Maybe it'd be better if I just fell asleep and never woke up again."
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Inarus doesn't even notice the eye roll, so cuaght in the circle of his bleak thoughts. He does notice when Usawoti starts speaking to him, though.
"I told them to find Shuuvu. They tried to warn us it was dangerous,but we didn't listen." Inarus's voice sounds muffled as he speaks from under his coils. "If we listened we could have prevented all this..."
"And you can't just dismiss other creatures, and say they are food for others." He finally peeks out from under his coils, looking guilty as a thought occurs to him. 'How about all the archerai and mephits I ate...' "The archerai horde attacked us first. It was in self defense!" He tries to justify himself.
He examines the remaining mephits. Boy mephits or girl mephits?
He raises an eyebrow when Usawoti turns into a dweigerth.
"Be careful about shapeshifting, Usawoti. The form you take changes you."
"Yeah I think I'll just nap here. Maybe things will look better tomorrow." His head pops up on his coils and he goes to take some shuteye.
Usawoti then moves forward near the vines and using the 'Gazer's' ability to use plant shape he turns himself into a dwiergeth and attempts to blend in with the local flora and fawna.
It works! It's actually quite comfortable, and he blends in among the foliage just fine, despite being a weird orange mass.
As he turns he attempts to speak to the ring again. "I know your not as you were, but is there someway to let those who watch over Shuvuu know that he has to fly to have a bowel movement? He's getting very uncomfortable. OH, and I appreciate you helping us find him."
There is a hint of uncertain helplessness but willingness to assist to the first query, but then both gratitude and a desire to do more to the follow-up statement.
You sense a subtle shift in emotional resonance - something about scents or some such - and a subtle set of signals is sent elsewhere.
After a few minutes, Shuvuu seems to relish a brief moment, before settling back, much less... displeased with his physical state.
And the watch goes on, with none stirring, and no danger approaching, that Usawoti notices.
========================================
He examines the remaining mephits. Boy mephits or girl mephits?
"Yeah I think I'll just nap here. Maybe things will look better tomorrow." His head pops up on his coils and he goes to take some shuteye.
As he rests, he finds he sinks into an extremely deep sleep, very quickly, even as he remains awake - his dragon body enjoying the slumber, his demon soul unable to truly sleep, as he watches weird dreams of past histories that never happened, and blends the question of Inarus with Dishadraluongg - both dragon and demon - and their shared history becoming a confusing jumble.
The two lives, racing in tandem - recent failures compared and contrasted to past mistakes and victories, and recent victories and mistakes compared and contrasted to past failures - flooding his senses, his dreaming mind demanding to know what he believes, who and what he cares for.
Within that moment, Inarus finds the loss of the mephits tragic, but, perhaps, more tragic is the loss of Golan - an ornery sort, but a true friend and trusted companion. What killed him? What could kill him? And how had he been lost? A deep, deep desire fills Inarus - he wishes to see his friend, at least one more time.
A surge of energy and power and ravaging gluttony slam into and flood through the sleeping Dragon. He sleeps on.
"Granted" says a... something in his... mind? head? soul?
The feeling does not abate, but quickly becomes a part of him, humming with his flesh and blood, pumping with his heart, and throbbing in his skin and scales... and is quickly forgotten for returning to the inevitable and absorbing vortex of dreaming.
In this time of inner reflection, Inarus finds something peculiar, though - potentially disquieting, but potentially hopeful. Though he finds memory for both of those pasts, he only finds history for one of them. One of those is real, the other may be merely an illusion - a dream, crafted by this place and its eternal tricks.
Even as his dragon mind races through all of these dragon dreams - hordes of shiny things its body can nestle like a child does fluffy friends and safety blankets, the soul of the demon - caught up and helpless to do anything but follow along - at the same time... hears something. Like the pounding of a mortal's heart in her ears, the beating of a drum (of peace? war? love? celebration? mourning? discipline? freedom? slavery? warning?) in the distance... no, not a sound, more a feeling, a sensation. A hint of... home. Below her, opening into abyssal depths, the hailing of a spirit of like essence, similarly bound into the malevolence of this place, unable to escape, but who will be damned - well, more damned, one supposes - if they will let the opportunity for power and rule slip through their grasp. Unlimited power lies in these tunnels, and they will take it.
... of course, as Inarus' genius-mind and hoarder of eclectic knowledge knows, what's good for the goose can be good for the gander... and if it truly has a way of gaining unlimited power... well, then, shouldn't that belong to the being so grand it lays claim to title of both demon and dragon and even knight...?
========================================
As Usawoti keeps watch and the rest time stretches for hours, his form reverts. He finds he can sense Shuvuu clearly - as a ringing bell! - simply by spiritually 'glancing' that way. He slowly and methodically tests the connection, and begins to discover it's a kind of tertiary effect: it seems the plant had been keeping an eye on, and had bonded with, his spirit animal herself - not as a spirit animal, but as part of a complex series of divination spells that informed her of its every waking essence; his deeper connection is simply able to ride along with that and fully inform him of its state.
Eventually, of course, Usawoti notices a brief acrid smoke waft past him, but it and foul air of the area quickly gives way to a pleasantly scented blue haze filling the corridor, reminding of the fresh breeze of the sea, and an endless azure sky... and that leads quickly to thoughts of Yeye. Her breath and presence fill him, as she is thinking of - and praying for - his success and health, no matter their separation.
Only vaguely noticed by the shaman, the fungal growths began to slowly wilt and decay, the fetid scent dissipating and being replaced by the relatively pure, more-or-less natural (though clearly mystically influenced) greenery of vines - including roses, orchids, and other beautiful, flowering plants - growing from the decay, as the mist seemingly helps secure this place in the tunnels from corruption...
And hours pass.
[ooc]OK, which design does everyone like better?...
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Inarus looks carefully at the mephitis. ”Strangely, don’t look like boy or girl mephitis to me..we could always call them after the elements I suppose, those don’t have any feminine nor masculine connotations to them.” An idle thought occurs to him, as he cocks his dragon head. ’How are they supposed to reproduce?’
As he rests, he finds he sinks into an extremely deep sleep, very quickly, even as he remains awake - his dragon body enjoying the slumber, his demon soul unable to truly sleep, as he watches weird dreams of past histories that never happened, and blends the question of Inarus with Dishadraluongg - both dragon and demon - and their shared history becoming a confusing jumble.
The two lives, racing in tandem - recent failures compared and contrasted to past mistakes and victories, and recent victories and mistakes compared and contrasted to past failures - flooding his senses, his dreaming mind demanding to know what he believes, who and what he cares for.
Inarus watches the weird dreams and tries to make sense of them.
Within that moment, Inarus finds the loss of the mephits tragic, but, perhaps, more tragic is the loss of Golan - an ornery sort, but a true friend and trusted companion. What killed him? What could kill him? And how had he been lost? A deep, deep desire fills Inarus - he wishes to see his friend, at least one more time.
’Why have I failed everyone I’ve tried to protect? I’m sorry’ He wrestles with his inner despair, knowing that no words would suffice. ’Do I have to chase everyone away from me to continue this quest alone? I don’t want to get anyone else killed. Whether they signed up willingly or not!’
A surge of energy and power and ravaging gluttony slam into and flood through the sleeping Dragon. He sleeps on. "Granted" says a... something in his... mind? head? soul?
’What the hell was that?’
In this time of inner reflection, Inarus finds something peculiar, though - potentially disquieting, but potentially hopeful. Though he finds memory for both of those pasts, he only finds history for one of them. One of those is real, the other may be merely an illusion - a dream, crafted by this place and its eternal tricks.
Below her, opening into abyssal depths, the hailing of a spirit of like essence, similarly bound into the malevolence of this place, unable to escape, but who will be damned - well, more damned, one supposes - if they will let the opportunity for power and rule slip through their grasp. Unlimited power lies in these tunnels, and they will take it.
’What exactly is that thing?’ Inarus’s sleeping mind wonders, with no small amount of trepidation. ’I will NOT deal with the devil. I will NOT let anyone take over me. I am myself, and I will live free!’
Inarus continues snoozing on, more comfortable as the fungal growths began to slowly wilt and decay, the fetid scent dissipating and being replaced by the relatively pure, more-or-less natural (though clearly mystically influenced) greenery of vines - including roses, orchids, and other beautiful, flowering plants.
As the hours pass, Usawoti finds the bird-thing bodies to be a host of valuable resources - feathers as light as most and easily individually plucked, but with a metallic sheen that can be as hard as iron, or harder, collectively; sharp and powerful talons that can easily cut through thickened vegetative walls; the skin of the legs proving to be an almost natural leather resistant to fire and acid; the beaks a shell of remarkable hardness; the majority of the flesh just as resistant as the feet, but softer; and the interior able to be slow-cooked - and slowly smelling delicious, after a minor acrid burst of fiendish smoke-like acid - merely by exposing it to the air and a few prayers.
Who knows? Even the blood (a thick, black substance with a sharp tang, though not obviously poisonous) or other fluids, or other organs or bones or elements could be useful alchemical supplies, or crafting, though he has little understanding of such things.
He finds he works quickly - efficiently, even. What's more, there always seems to be something he needs - bowl (even the kind that can be sealed, complete with lid), tools, or other such items - on-hand, and always made out of the "wood" (or whatever) happens to be nearby, and it doesn't occur to him until several hours in that anything isn't normal about that. Thereafter, he begins to suspect that someone is helping him out, though it seems to be a free service. Regardless, he finds his progress incredibly rapid, even though he intended to (and seemingly does) put most of his effort into keeping watch.
In the end, nothing else really happens during those eight hours - Shuuvu falls asleep, at some point, Usawoti becomes aware - and generally things are more or less peaceful.
The mephits do not wake during this time.
As Usawoti works, and his companion sleeps, he slowly - through communion with his new plant-like-jewelry, her previous communion with Inarus, and his own sense of understanding - begins to believe that he unravels some hints about the way that this tower functions. He becomes convinced that he is correct - the mephits, and probably all creatures here, are actual creations of the device created below. Though he personally understands little of such things, it seems that the energies of this place produce, and in-turn, feed off of - the interactions between the various elements, sins, and the creatures therein. Death and struggle and violence within this tower-device - much like in real life - feeds life and energy and existence. The difference is that he slowly becomes certain that it is funneled for a larger purpose - for some other something that is not immediately obvious and probably can't be guessed at.
What's more, he gains a kind of understanding of the growing things throughout these levels, few as they may be - though definitively not natural, they function as much as "nature" can exist in such an exotic and strange place. He can feel their pattern and nature, to some extent, and realizes that where two areas meet - such as the nearby fire and this air - the growths begin to thrive... giving him a rough mental map that he can use to correspond to his own previous musing about such, and he has some vague idea of how to ascend and descend through a couple of levels by way of this map (not to mention the very, very long tube they had been brought part way up by the air elementals, previously). What is interesting, perhaps, is the existence of a third (or fourth - it isn't clear) vegetative growth of some sort purely on this level - clearly down one of the passages you haven't, yet, explored (the "lightning mephit" passage, if you were a betting man); this may repeat on some other floors, but is not common, and you're unsure about them.
That said, he also quickly realizes that this growth, in particular, - or, at least, the growth that had been here before wilting and rotting away and being replaced - is not exactly "natural" even by the twisted definitions of this place: it seems to be the working of an extremely powerful "unnatural" creature (whatever that means in a place like this*) somewhere below - similarly, there are two more "unnatural" creatures on this level, and on the level above.
You've very clearly destroyed the preponderance of the "animal" (or whatever**) population in the nearby region, however - it's clear that the mephits you defeated and these fiendish birds comprised the preponderance of it, though you are aware that vast reserves of such creatures do exist far enough above and below you, though you don't know how much.
*
**
You quickly realize what you suspected before - these passages are complex, intersected "runes" in some ancient language that each are made up of the word for a particular kind of sin and a particular kind of element. What was unclear before, but becomes more-so now, is that time and space are... altered, a bit.
First, you realize that that any given "level" tends to be of a given size, no matter the actual space within the tower. As a result, navigating by what you saw on the outside does no good. This helps eliminate several elements of confusion Usawoti had been having.
Second, within each rune-level (each rune/sin combination), time flows differently, and it feels erratic - some areas might run normally, while others might run very slowly (meaning little happens from an outside perspective, so seconds, minutes, hours, or even days might pass outside of the rune-level before a single second does so within that rune-level) while on others it might run extremely quickly (so that seconds, minutes, hours, or days might pass within the rune-level, while only a second outside that rune-level has passed). He can feel the time shifting in the various layers around him. It suddenly seems much more comprehensible that so little progress has been made with Shuuvu and the other plant-creatures - you've been experience very rapid temporal fluctuations within this layer, making time beyond it slow, in comparison.
You remain unsure if this shifting is intentional, or a byproduct of the erratic magical forces, here. Either way, though it's proved useful up until now, it could turn against you at any - - time, as it were (though, at a guess, you might safely have another day on this rune-level; beyond that is impossible to say, and who could guess on other rune-levels).
After eight hours, Inarus wakes to the exotic scent of roast... what, turkeys? Chicken? Quail? Goose? Duck? Something that kind of smells like all of those, but none of them?
Anyway, the scent is kind of incredible, and causes his stomach to growl; he knows he'd have thought so, even if he was a half-orc.
Regardless, both of the friends find themselves of surprisingly uplifted and courageous.
There is a surprising amount of completed work that's been done while Inarus was asleep.
About half of the creatures they'd fount have been successfully dressed, carved, and separated into meet on large platters of vegetables and fungus (of kinds that hadn't been there last night), metallic feathers carefully gathered and collected into bags (sewn from leaves that hadn't been there the night before), bones sorted and organized onto a sled made of vines and wood (also not there the night before), other elements sorted and organized, and lots of blooming flowers everywhere of a surprising variety.
Usawoti feels surprisingly refreshed and rested, despite a lack of sleep.
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"Oooh! Is that breakfast I smell?" Inarus perks himself up, and uncoils. He curbs his desire to start on breakfast. "We need to help the mephits first. Do whatever you can for them, then hey, did you prepare breakfast for me?" He asks Usawoti, genuinely appreciative.
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"Really?" Inarus sounds incredulous. "Where are these insights coming from, the amulet?"
He gives a rueful sigh, "Ah well, I've never had any luck with the ladies. Or if I did, it was of the wrong sort of attention. I hate to be tied down, you see."
"Thanks. At least we can hope to make up for the harm we have caused..." His voice trails off, as he looks at the two remaining crippled mephits.
"You know what's the irony?" The dragon turns to Usawoti with a twisted grimace of his lips. "I could just..." His form shimmers for a while, then returns to a rather battered looking halforc barely standing, gripping Usawoti's arm for support. "Pretend I was human. Walk into town. Tell tales in the tavern. Like nothing has ever changed. But really?" He shakes his head. "Nothing's ever going to be the same again." Then he returns to his dragon form.
"I'll need healing before I can go any further." Inarus gives a matter of fact shrug. "And don't use the word destroy. Did I ask to become a weapon of mass destruction? I just wanted to set things right..."
"What do you potentially see in the plant growth. I mean Shuuvu is your bird, so if you are fine checking the plant growth, then we can..?" He asks Usawoti questioningly.
Going over to the three injured Mephits, Usawoti gently wakes all three of them, lifting the one who had ridden on his shoulder he says. "I will begin to fulfill my promise with you." Holding firmly onto the Mephit he breaths on to the creature and casts his restorations spell.
The mephit luxuriates under the regenerating magic of Usawoti.
"Uglptz." A harsh sound as the flesh is slowly and methodically stitched back together by magic, wounds mended, missing pieces regrown and restored.
Then, he starts - a low moan, at first... "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh hhhhhh...!"
... but ending with a deeply satisfied sigh of relief.
He sits up, blinks, and looks around.
"Holy ******' ****!" he says. "That was the Best! ***! ******! Feeling! Ever!" his head whips toward Usawoti, staring. "What the actual ******* ****, my dude?!"
As the Mephit is made whole he declares. 'From this day forward you will be Chandruu. Now go eat the food I have prepaired."
The mephit looks at him, stunned. He blinks. "H-... ho-... holy ***-****** ****-**** ****-****** ****!" he says, shocked. Thrilled.
"I-I-I-... I mean yes, sir! Right away, sir! Chandru will do this, sir!"
Like a mephit possessed, Chandru slams himself into one of the birds and begins chowing down as if he hasn't eaten in a long, long time... which, you know, he probably hasn't (relatively speaking).
"Chan-doo phinks 'iz sphoh ******' goo'!" he garbles over a mouthful, happily.
Lifting the other two, he carries them to the food, setting them near it. "Tommorow and the day after I will heal and name you two, until then you can ride in and on my pack. Eat up we have much to do today."
They begin to eat.
Chandruu stops long enough to look up, swallow, and give a soft, 'huh'... thoughtful.
"I see. I kinda thought the dragon was makin' the power-play, but nah - it'az you th' whole time! Nice! Well, either way, you got y'rself a mephit forever!" Turning to the dragon. "An' so long as yuze with that guy," he thumbs at Usawoti, "So does you!"
He goes back to eating... and saying his name over and over again.
The other two begin to weakly eat, but quickly decide this "weakly" stuff is stupid and try to grab what they can.
Once the three Mephits were eating, Usawoti joins his friends for breakfast.
Hhhhhhhhh-huh. This is good.
The food is extremely, even bizarrely, delicious - might even be a masterchef category - and incredibly plentiful... though the dragon is massive, and Usawoti seems shockingly hungry.
You guys could probably eat this forever and never grow tired of it.
"You know what's the irony?" The dragon turns to Usawoti with a twisted grimace of his lips. "I could just..." His form shimmers for a while, then returns to a rather battered looking halforc barely standing, gripping Usawoti's arm for support. "Pretend I was human. Walk into town. Tell tales in the tavern. Like nothing has ever changed. But really?" He shakes his head. "Nothing's ever going to be the same again." Then he returns to his dragon form.
"Holy schapples, tha's a neat trick!" says one.
"Yah!" says another.
"Chandruu thinks it's pretty awesome, too!" adds Chandruu. "Now we know why ya's 'Inarus'!" he adds.
"Yah!" says the second.
"'Cause y've got us-in-ya!" adds the first, giggling, with his fellows. The giggles turn to groans of pain (except for Chandruu, though he, too, stops... and shakes his head at them), but they get over it, and keep eating, happily, though weakly; their taunts and insults keep growing, though, much to their own delight, and the two unnamed ones find endless 'jokes' and 'puns' (such as they are) with Chandruu's new name.
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"So you're saying this place is somewhat like a self sustaining ecosystem that feeds a machine below? And the environment can create items to to suit a users requirements?" Sounds like a demi-plane to me...
"I wish I had a couple of Cure Light Wounds wands that are fully charged." Inarus tries speaking to the surroundings experimentally.
"Or are we in some mad scientist's laboratory?" He asks.
"Glad to see that you're looking better. " Inarus feels some consolation that at least they have managed to help one of the mephits. "I'm really sorry for all the suffering and pain I've caused." His head hangs down in shame. "You tried to warn me that it would be dangerous, but we didnt listen and got you guys maimed, and many of you killed."
He then puts forth the question one more time. "I won't compel you to stay. You've seen firsthand that where we're going is dangerous and we can't ensure your safety. " He shakes his head sadly. "Do you still want to follow us? I won't hold it against any of you if you want to leave."
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"So if we're trapped in this "water wheel" thingie, where is Shuuvu through all this? Is this power good or evil? We still need to help the Coven deal with the abyssal fungus. We promised. " Inarus stomps a foot down, stubbornly. "Could we draw upon the power here to make things the way they were before the demon lord invaded? And maybe bring Golan back?" Inarus asks Usawoti.
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"How can you see a problem and not want to fix it."Inarus shakes his head, dissappointed. "You would be satisfied with the bare minimum?"
"No, I'm not ready to leave, I still have bite and claw marks all over me, from yesterday."
'I wonder if Shuuvu is in one of the rune tunnels.' Usawoti thinks of Shuuvu for a split second, reaching out to him to see if he is experiencing any abnormal emotions, like Inarus and he felt when they entered the rune-tunnel.
Before they leave for the growth, Usawoti puts as much of the resources he had created in their bags, to be used later. the than casts a cure spell on himself to mend the wounds that he had experienced.
'That's a good question,' Usawoti puts his feelings out to attempt to tell more about Shuuvu's location.
the demon lord
"Could we draw upon the power here to make things the way they were before the demon lord invaded? And maybe bring Golan back?" Inarus asks Usawoti.
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Inarus lets Usawotitend to his wounds.
"I'd still try to fix things...but maybe you're right and it can't be fixed..."Inarus looks sad for a moment, then a look of determination comes back on his face. "But we won't know until we try. And I intend to try. I want to put everything to the way it was before the demonlord came."
"Do you have your rod of extend? Let me get some protections up, then we can go."
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Inarus spends that 1 hour trying to fashion himself a tunic and breeches which are half-orc sized out of vines, while waiting for Usawoti to finish gathering before he puts his protections up and goes to investigate the unusual growth.
"Here, help me keep this for the next time I take half orc form. I've got some modesty and won't be walking around naked, you know." He hands the finished products to Usawoti.
Inarus manages to create a perfectly suitable - even quite nice - set of clothing made from various leaves, flowers, plants, vines, and fine plant-fibers threshed from the new growths. Shockingly quickly and easily, in fact.
With his clothes and Usawoti's collections, the two friends decide to head out.
Holding your breath, you head into the formerly poisonous area, only to discover that it, too, has changed, and become more pleasant, if moist and misty.
Breathable.
After a short while, you return to the five way hallway and look around, again.
There are now five passages you see radiating from this central one.
The first is, of course, the one you came from originally. No mephits fled this way, and the direction you came from leads to two side passages - one of which had a frozen and well-separated dragon corpse, the other of which had lots of messy corpses - and they hypothetical (but really hard to get back to) place you came from in the top of the tower (where you'd fought some smoky air elementals and a white dragon).
The second had been inhabited by dust mephits, but extremely few of the surviving mephits of any kind fled down that way. You have now explored that, and added three dust mephits, leaving the cowering fiendish air mephit alone.
The third had been inhabited by air mephits, and a large number of survivors of all kinds had fled down that path - more than any other path, and including those that first fled from Inarus' intimidation, and most that fled the central area. The one mephit to stay conscious after Inarus' fireball - the dust mephit - had also fled down this way, even while swearing vengeance. You'd followed this one part way, but then returned after coming to a very suspicious-looking split hallway with nastiness all around.
The fourth was the one that lightning mephits had inhabited, and the one that the majority of that kind had fled down, as had a few of the different kinds.
The fifth was the one the smoke mephits had inhabited, and the one that the majority of that kind had fled down, as had a few of the different kinds. Following the best understanding you could glean from confused mephits, you followed this after the air mephit hall. You discovered -after a dip of unbreathable dead air - a tangled and gnarled wall of growth, beyond which was a set of vicious and deadly mutant fiendish "feather-beak" creatures resided. Most of the mephits you'd gathered died, but of the three survivors, you regenerated and named one - Chandruu, the "shoulder mephit" of Usawoti - and have kept the others in his backpack; you managed to destroy the vile creatures, collect the left-overs and acquire some rare herbs that can aid in reincarnation, as well as clothing for Inarus' humanoid form(s).
You collectively have decided to head down the lightning mephit corridor.
You begin to travel for some time - about fifteen minutes - but the vegetation begins to grow thick and then you realize you've effectively entered a forest within this corridor.
The going is slow, and sluggish, and the atmosphere is thick and damp, with the sharp smell of ozone.
"Th' plants here're pretty weird." explains Chandruu.
"But th' best source for... the good stuff." adds another.
"Th' g'd stuff..." adds the third, dreamily.
Eventually, you notice something else - a subtle smell of rotted vegetation. It becomes clear, especially to Usawoti, that this is a functioning vegetative ecosystem - rot fuels new growth which rots to fuel new growth.
Inarus, especially, begins to notice minor burn marks - things that, upon conferring with his ally, he is certain appears to be minor sign of lightning strikes.
After another ten minutes, Inarus (with Usawoti's assistance) finally recognizes the smell - very, very nearby is a host of something very similar to shambling mounds, though the scent is... off, somehow, though not in a way that is immediately recognizable for either the dragon or his aasimar ally.
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"Look, you better get yourself protected from poison. While we're at it, maybe protect both of us from electricity as well.".
"Hello, mounds, we're looking around for a hawk called Shuuvu." He tries then to describe about Shuuvu to the mounds.
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Inarus tries to reach out to them, telepathically in Sylvan, repeating what he said earlier.
There is a general hostility toward the presence of your mind, complete with suggestions that you might be delicious.
The last is not a "nice" thing.
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"Seriously, Usawoti? Are you sure this is a good idea? I'm trying to talk nice here and all I get is that I resemble a well-cooked side of beef." Inarus gives an aggrieved sigh. "Why has EVERYTHING tried to eat us up?"
"You sure you don't want to, you know, get back to finding Shuuvu before we get eaten?"
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"Hey, I'd like to clear some misconceptions here, but I'm NOT delicious. If you're touchy that I'm intruding on your territory, first of all, I assure you I mean you no harm, and secondly, if you're that touchy, we'll back off."
====================
At Usawoti's query to his steed, he hears, Nope! sung from Mopes' heart. But you'll do awesome, like you always do!
====================
When questioned, the mephits kind of look at Usawoti and collectively and shrug.
"I'unno." says one.
"Yeah, we mostly dart in, steal what we can, and dart out, so we can use the good stuff with tha' unwitting help a' tha' smokies." adds the other.
"Tha' guys what fled down tha' hall wit' all tha' feather-beaks." explains Chandruu.
====================
Usawoti feels the presence of plants somewhere in the area, but his new jewelry remains strangely... quiet? Perhaps that's appropriate, but it feels like it's not "doing" much right now for reasons unknown. Either way, there seems to be a hint of apology about it.
====================
Inarus finds suggestions that perhaps, once slain, if permitted to rot long enough, the tastiness might increase.
It's not a pleasant idea, but it's kind of questioning a fellow "professional" (or the rough equivalent thereof, considering there is no particular understanding of financial whatever forthcoming) opinion - after all, you must know how you taste to indicate your lack of tastiness, and they figure better query the knowledgeable one, even if you're rudely in their... uh... you think the closest term is "heads" even though that term makes no sense.
Either way, you're being rude and clearly hostile by being there.
The other ones were right to warn them of you when they helped these guys out, earlier.
http://paizo.com/campaigns/ThisIsANonCampaignToTestStuff/gameplay&page= 5#210
http://paizo.com/campaigns/ThisIsANonCampaignToTestStuff/gameplay&page= 13
http://paizo.com/campaigns/ThisIsANonCampaignToTestStuff/gameplay&page= 6#276
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2q1r3?The-Dragon-Demand-GM
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"You know what? I think we'd better leave unless you're really caring for a fight against things that we can't see. Shuuvu isn't with these guys, right?" He asks Usawoti for confirmation.
He presses back at the sensations of Rudeness and Hostility "We will leave if you desire, but show us who warned you about us? And how did they help you."
He has no personal telepathy, but Inarus could pass it on...
... or you could speak it out loud. They can probably understand, even if they can't speak.
Turning to the mephitis, "By good stuff, do you mean food or something else?"
"Wha-? Food?! Holy ****-****, what kind of 'food' could ever come outta plants?!" asks one.
"Yeah, bossman, ya mean y'r a... plant eater?!" asks Chandruu, looking more than slightly concerned for your health.
"****. I wonder if it's even stronger if ya eat it instead-a burn it..." ponders the third.
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Inarus passes the message on, then leaves along with Usawoti.
You begin to travel for some time - about fifteen minutes - but the vegetation begins to grow thick and then you realize you've effectively entered a forest within this corridor.
<snip>
Eventually, you notice something else - a subtle smell of rotted vegetation. It becomes clear, especially to Usawoti, that this is a functioning vegetative ecosystem - rot fuels new growth which rots to fuel new growth.
Eventually, they arrive at the five-fold corridor again.
You back up some, and, after Usawoti states what he does aloud, even as Inarus repeats the message, he... feels... something... deliberation?... happening in a vague manner not quite easily defined. Either way, after being left waiting for a while, Inarus hears a vague answer form into his head. Sort of.
First, after some completely nonsensical thoughts - well, nonsensical to you, anyway - there is the rather huffy sensation of you assigning one of their own successes to another party. It's all very vague, and confusing... clearly these creatures, while sentient, do not think like you do.
Second, they are confused about the concept of "items" and "trade" - they understand the words, but it's a difficult concept to get across to creatures who are unsure about such things. They are clearly wary. There is a general demand for an explanation.
Usawoti finally gets something from his jewelry - a startled sense of accomplishment. She did it! ... though what, exactly, is anyone's guess.
He receives a sense of primping and pride beaming at him, as well as general encouragement.
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Inarus tries to explain they are trying to find their missing friend, Shuuvu, and they are also trying to figure out the place. And they don't mean to do anyone any harm, unless attacked first.
As Usawoti transforms , and begins communicating , the dragon begins to feel the hostility melt away.
Inarus watches his friend, as large petals grow up around him, covering him, and roots shoot forth, extending large and thorny vines, while leaves flourish forth. The blossom blooms, and an extremely attractive, well-built green man that looks more or less like a "classically sexy" version of Usawoti is revealed.
As Usawoti buries himself into the soil, he finds the soil rich, and the loam pleasant. Its weird - he both thinks of interment and death, but also of new life and feasting with family.
The reaction from the forest is both immediate and strong.
His amulet/self - huh, that's, uh... that's surprisingly intimate - suddenly floods with emotion, as he suddenly becomes one with the forest around him.
The sensation is hard to put into words, as it's fundamentally different than what you might think. "Emotion" is a good word for it - and it's true, in fact - but exactly what emotions defy easy categorization.
Sensations of timelessness, fecundity, death, rot, consumption, reproduction, and, above all, life become powerful emotions. Physical needs - hunger, rest, warmth, air, shelter, exposure, procreation, and so on - all blend seamlessly with mental needs - loneliness, companionship, intimacy, reinforcement, pleasure, stimulation, insight, and so on - to create a singular whole. There is no great difference between your desire for exposure and loneliness; between your desire for air and companionship; your desire for shelter and intimacy; your hunger and desire for pleasure; your desire for rest and desire for procreation. These things are all one in the same.
And it is here, now, that you finally realize exactly how beautiful greenery is... how powerfully alive and vibrant - how every living green is connected and unified... so much more than mere selfish flesh with its manifold corruptions and weaknesses and destructive tendencies - destructive both within and without.
You realize, now, how much Inarus' telepathic words - though unappreciated and ill-received at first - paved the way for this... and how much they surprisingly like you, in particular.
The communication is rapid and reflects nothing that can be sanely translated directly; but the concepts are present, and, with Usawoti's abilities and memories, you begin to piece things together.
The mephits - the surviving lightning mephits that fled down this corridor were in bad shape. The plants, here, healed them, restoring them to health; after inquiring of how they got to that state, the mephits explained of the enormous doom and terror that may come this way - the doom that basically destroyed all of them, with no regard to balance or order in mind whatsoever - destroyers who have successfully devoured the whole world beyond this section!
Indeed, the creatures were, even now, curled up within the Guardian Grove, seeking shelter.
And yet, the Eternal Seeds - those with whom you now commune - see you and understand that you are truly an agent of the Balance. With this, the mephits - having entered an amber-bound stasis during this time - are pushed forth to be eructed from the mossy ground, encased in amber, presented as gifts to what is clearly a Guru-Hierophant of the Old Ways in their presence (especially as you are clearly collecting them).
Eleven amber-sealed lightning mephits, crackling with their electrical energy, suddenly rise up from the earth, gifts to such important personages as yourselves. You may end their "sealing" any time (a full round action), but it will otherwise last for what you understand to be a year.
They explain, in detail, who they are and what they are here, for: they, too, are servants of the Balance, and have brought life to this place for untold numbers of cycles; upon achieving enlightenment, the First of their number - a creature long since destroyed, unfortunately, by the occasional evils that arose here - learned the art of turning the barren into the living: by dying and being split into two, half the body would decay, and the other half would regenerate into its true new form.
And so for generations they have done this, ever-so-slowly growing in number, as they have built a successful and living ecosystem: an ecosystem stable enough so that, by the time their current race finally stabilized, they had a self-sustaining variety and self-manifesting "nature" - they had recreated the Cycle and allowed it to be born, once again, into what had become a barren and dead place.
And so now, they mostly sit, tending their "garden" and allowing the world beyond to do as it will. Within relatively recent memory, they have made friends with these mephits, who produce the lightning these creatures so love.
It is worth noting that they have never seen nor heard of your kind before - either plant or humanoid - but they recognize the ability to transform as that of their own, and thus you are a fellow... but your ability to become entirely different kinds - not merely animals or elementals - marks you as far more powerful than they. Similarly, you clearly have "trained" mephits, as they do (something the mephits likely disagree with, but, eh, they're just stupid flesh).
Thus they were of the opinion that strange and "unnatural" things were happening down that way, regardless - so they understand that you cleansed the land of its imbalance to permit nature to grow once again.
In any event, you are permitted to pass, but you have a solid idea of what's beyond, now - a host of various elemental creatures (generally kept away by these same Eternal Seeds) of a kind (but lesser power) comparable to the ones you met when you first entered this level.
The Eternal Seeds themselves are amazed that there are other servants of the Balance, and are overwhelmed that there is a place beyond this - something they desperately wish to commune with. These are like desert-dwellers in a small window garden they've painstakingly and carefully managed to grow over generations being told that, not only is there huge bodies of drinkable water called, but there are also forests, and sometimes there are forests that border lakes at the same time.
Either way, your knowledge and obvious power and association with a Balance-Keeper (Inarus) make you the obvious choice for Guru-Hierophant of the Eternal Seeds... a position that is (kind of) discussed and (kind of) voted upon to a unanimous decision before the flesh-mind of Usawoti is even able to process what, exactly is happening.
Understanding that you seek to destroy an invasive evil, and oppose unnatural creatures, reuniting with your missing spiritual companion, they devote themselves to this cause, and seek to destroy the local unnatural creatures with you, recruit your army, and open your way home.
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Inarus releases all the mephitis, and apologizes both to the mephitis and the Eternal seeds that he had made a terrible mistake. He also tells the mephits they are free to go as they choose.
From the words of what he heard in the passageway, he mistook them as minions of a crazed white dragon, which he was forced to put an end to, because it attacked and slew his companions, despite his attempts to parley with it.He even points to the ring Usawoti is wearing, fashioned from dragon hide which he uses to carry Quiet Gazer.
Inarus asks if the Eternal Seeds if they knew anything about the strange air elementals and the white dragon that came down the tunnels, and asks if the air elementals beyond are hostile – have the Eternal Seeds managed any form of communication with them?
Inarus also warns the Eternal Seeds that going with them may be dangerous, as they had run not just into a crazed white dragon, but also an army of archerai which had killed most of their mephitis, and wounded the surviving ones, Inarus explains regretfully, despite his best efforts to save as many of them as he could.