William's hope that the massive plant contained a store of treasures sadly does not materialize.
The group continues on its way back to the caves that the refugees have turned into their home. It is still a lengthy distance, and the path that Cierio had given them away from Fort Ristin has put them somewhat off-track. They now have to work their way over a rocky series of hills before turning south towards the cave.
After some time traveling since they tendriculous, they find a glade in the midst of the series of hills. The secluded glen has only a few patches of short, tough grass growing in the dirt. A human man in a gray-and-green poncho lies face down in the center of the glen, several small arrows protruding from his shoulder. The man rocks back and forth with something clutched in his hands, a grimace of pain on his face.
From Grum's back, Cierio gasps. "Caydan! By the gods, what's happened?"
The man just groans and wheezes, holding something in his hands. He gasps, "Please, take this, before it's too late."
Benedict's first instinct is to run to help the man, but he's pulled enough tricks on the hobgoblins to have doubts about a potential trap.
|
"We have potions, Grum, or we can have Aubrin or the adepts fix you up back at the caves."
”Save the potions. I’m not dead enough to need them. Aubrin and the others could use a job to do, anyways.”
——
”Too late? For what?” Grum said, scanning the trees for signs of hobgoblins. It looked to him that the man had run afoul of a patrol.
Aerel steps back into the trees to cover the others, scanning the area for threats as he readies his bow.
The arrows appear to be small-sized, possibly from a goblin, spriggan, halfling, or other race of smaller stature.
The wounded man groans again, reaching out with the object in his hand. "Please! I've not much time left!"
Cierio shakes urgently on the back of Grum. "If it was a trap, Caydan would be using a code! We've got to help him!" Then he shouts over Grum's shoulder. "It's me, Cierio! You're safe now!"
William runs to the man one he has been identified as being known by Cierio. "Bring the wand and use it on him while I grab this thing."
Benedict keeps a lookout for fey, goblins, spriggans, or the like.
Aerel maintains his vigil.
As Grum (carrying Cierio) and William rush to the distressed ranger, there's a rustle in the undergrowth at the outskirts of the glade.
A small arrow streaks from the undergrowth and strikes the ranger. The man shudders briefly and then explodes in a disgusting cloud of rot and decomposing gasses.
The shooter is a small fey of some kind, but clearly infected with some sort of fungal affliction. Most likely female, the fey's skin is covered in bleeding lesions and her gossamer wings are crusted with fungal growths. Despite her ailments, her face is set in a wicked grin.
William (and Grum, if he fails a DC 15 reflex save) feels a stinging sensation as a wriggling worm starts boring into his flesh!
This is a rot grub infestation. A DC 20 Heal check or any application of fire damage can cure the infestation before the grub burrows its way into the heart or brain of its host
Aerel quickly fires from his position in the trees.
"Rot grub infestation! Burning it quickly will kill it off or someone can treat it if they have the right medical knowledge." William yells as he feels the thing try to burrow in. He pulls out a alchemist's fire and says "Here goes nothing!"
Benedict charges at the fey archer! He makes an unarmed Disarm attempt to grab her bow.
Amkarang misses, but Grum deals the fey a serious wound, but his weapon does not cut as deep against the enchanted flesh of the creature. Similarly, Aerel's one bow shot that connects only does a trace amount of damage.
Benedict manages to snatch the bow away from the fey. Her face contorts into one of murderous intent before she vanishes from sight. Her cruel voice echoes through the glade. "Give me back my bow, you sot! Limbs will wither and flesh will rot!"
”That was a solid hit, but it barely scratched her! What’s it going to take to hurt her?”
William shouts "Try cold iron like the last fey we ran into! Of course you could always snap the bow in half and burn it if it doesn't reappear!" He then starts searching where the ranger was to find what he was holding and trying to give them.
Benedict unstrings the bow.
If he has any actions left, he will draw from his bag one satchel of the Dust of Appearance that we found in the troglodyte caves. (He has one satchel, the other is unclaimed.)
"Grum, fire will kill the grubs and not hurt you!"
Well, at least not hurt him too much.
"Fire might kill the fey too!"
The putrid stench surrounding the Chernasardo Ranger tells William that something's not right with him.
As he interacts with the man, he suddenly realizes that there's an illusion over a stinking, rotted corpse teeming with vermin. Caydan was long dead.
"Get that Aegis of Recovery on Grum!"
Sir Kingston came out of Grum’s pack. The little hedgehog did what it could to help, even if it was at most moral support. Grum certainly did seem to ‘orc-up’ more in the face of pain with the miniature warrior watching him.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Sir Kingston was a warrior! And now it was his time to do battle. Grum had made an opening, in his own lumbering way. Sir Kingston charged into the fray, his teeth gnashing at the foe. The grub, cowardly creature that it was, tried to retreat. But he would have none of that. The hedgehog pounced with all of his fury. And the fiend..was no more.
Aerel, seeing the futility of using his bow without the special ammunition, stows the weapon. "Who has more of the fire vials? I've used mine."
He will move to whoever says they have more alchemists' fire so he can prepare to throw them next round.
While the party prepares and heals, the invisible fey still lurks about. Suddenly, a mass of thorns spray Grum from a nearby patch of underbrush.
Fortunately for Grum, the thorns fail to pierce his sturdy armor.
WIlliam moves back from the corpse on the ground. "He was long dead an it was an illusion we saw!" He the pulls a cold iron arrow and prepares to shoot it should the creature appear.
"I've got some fire, Aerel!"
Benedict will stow the Dust of Appearance and draw an Alchemists' Fire for Aerel to take.
Aerel moves to Benedict and prepares to pitch the alchemists' fire to a space just beyond Grum, hoping to catch the creature in the flames.
"Grum! Where is it?"
The fey hisses as Grum delivers another powerful blow that cuts through its resistances. It retains its invisibility, however, as it steps back and flings more thorns at Grum.
They again are ineffective.
The fey dies, flickering back into visibility. Its fungus-infested body starts decomposing right before everyone's eyes.
The fey carried a potion, a wand, and a quiver of sixteen masterwork arrows (small sized). The bow that Benedict stole at the start of the conflict is also masterwork.
Cierio hops over to the decomposing fey and makes a face. "I had heard... rumors. Stories by some of the more seasoned rangers, that there's some sickness deep in the Fangwood. I wonder. That pixie was infected by something."
Aerel slaps Grum on the back. ”I have no idea how you could see that thing, but I’m glad you could!”
William says "That was nasty. I'm sorry for the loss of your friend." He takes the items and casts detect magic and examines them.
"Yes, let's get back to camp. This bow and these arrows could be useful for some of our Halfling or Gnome refugees."
"Cierio, I don't know the burial customs of the Chernasardo Rangers. Your friend was infested with rot grubs. Best, I think, to just leave him here? Or maybe try to burn up the body with some Alchemists' Fire? I don't want to risk more of the grubs coming out, but I feel bad leaving Caydan like that."