Geedra rolls her eyes at the dumb boys and their hijinx. She casts Dispel Magic on the group, figuring this is some kind of charming magic on the rest of the group.
Dispel check
Spell curse
She stomps her foot, seeing her spell apparently fail to affect the group. ”Stop cursing Geedra group. Boys am stupid and all, but Geedra see through dumb magic!”
It proves difficult to ascertain where precisely the source of the voice and music is located due to the echo in this earthen complex, but it is definitely coming from the next chamber, perhaps beyond.
Geedra protests the development as the rest of the group nonchalantly trudges through the wet vegetation and standing water, the algae and other plantmatter floating atop the warm pools parting before them. The wisps of steam are more concentrated near the center of the room, promising a lovely balm to sooth your hardened joints.
You do notice in the periphery in the opening larger corridor leading out of this chamber to your left a slain animal - an ox or a cow perhaps - in an early stage of butchering. How splendid - maybe after your relaxing soak you'll be treated to a hot meal!
As most of you near the center of the morass, Mithas leads as he has the quickest step. Just as he gets about waist deep, a huge, slimy vine suddenly explodes from beneath the surface, sending a spray of congealed swamp matter across half the room. The appendage writhes in the air for a moment before lashing out at the elf, laying hard into his chest and then quickly wrapping around him. The haze over the scout shakes loose and he lets out a yell, just as a body - the source of the vine which you see now is more akin to a tentacle - rises from the muck.
A huge plant beast emerges, rising to a height of 15 feet but some of it is still submerged in the center. It's body is roughly round and seemingly comprised of amassed foliage, deep green and coated in a sludgelike material. The center of the mass houses a great maw lined with hideous fangs that look more like sharpened stakes than teeth. Another great tentacle rises and whips around, searching for a target.
Round 1
From behind the butchered animal, another creature emerges, taking flight into the room as the wave of enchantment dissipates from the party. horned goatman - a Satyr, but twisted and perverted by something else as his batlike wings, blackened claws, and drippings fangs attest to. He laughs as he gains height, surveying the scene.
"Wonderful! More sacrifices!" he shouts, elated. Heinvokes a few words and moves his fingers, conjuring a grisly black sphere of pulsing energy above the group, which suddenly explodes into a nove of black, rippling light. He laughs as it courses across you, but seems to change his tune quickly when he realizes how little effect the spell has.
The area between the blue square and the tan square is quadruple movement (very deep). The area within the tan square with the creature is swimming. Everything else is double movement.
Init:
Satyr 24
Byakko 22
Skäne 16
Geedra 14
Plant 14
Mithas 13
Krosh 4
Init
Will
Geedra shook off most of the evil spell, glad she kept her wits about her. ”Snap out of it, before am too late,” she calls out to the others.
The little goblin casts Blessing of Fervor on the group.
"HeeeeyaaaAAAARRRRGGH" Byakkos yell of frustration turns to a roar as his anger at being charmed turns quickly into bestial rage of combat. He figures the satyr for his charmer and gives himself the means to go after him, casting Shield of Wings on himself and taking off after the Satyr.
Enii is unsure of what to do, her companion seems to have forgotten her, she mills about unsure of how to attack the plant creature. She growls questioningly at the half-elf, backing up with her hackles high.<What do Byakko?>. .
Round 1 (Continued)
Geedra rallies the group as the enchantment form them all fades and intones a spell to bolster them in the fight. Byakko immediately makes benefit of it and casts his own spell, conjuring a burst of burning wings from his back and taking to the air. He quickly shortens the distance between himself and the airborne foe. Enii, awash in the deep muck, backs away a bit, unable to fight effectively in such deep water.
Skäne (choosing also the +2 attacks/ac for Fervor), on the other hands, pushes forward, trudging through the deep water to get close enough to the plant creature to deliver blows.
The plant lets out a thick, gurgling roar as it flops the tentacle holding Mithas towards its maw-equipped body, the long, gnarled teeth clamping down on the elf. Mithas lets out a cry as he is now mostly in the creature's mouth, perilously close to being swallowed.
The tentacles whip out once more; Skäne pushes the heavy appendage away with his shield, but the second finds purchase on Krosh, slamming into the orc's chest and coiling tightly.
Mithas twists and turns in the creatures maw, actually managing to push through the fangs of the beast and free himself from the jaws, falling down into the deepest of the water with a loud plop. The plant beast roars.
Krosh, bound, throws one hand towards the plant and it is then surrounded by a softly glowing red corona; it doesn't seem to harm the creature but does make it easier to see.
"Attack it...with...fire," Krosh says loudly while fighting with the tentacle around him.
Round 2
The flying satyr gives a wide-eyed look at Byakko speeding to him, and goes on the defensive, casting a spell that wreathes his clawed hand in a grisly grey-green light. Reaching out, he puts a hand on the oracle, sending necromantic energy into his body.
Init:
Satyr 24
Byakko 22
Skäne 16
Geedra 14
Plant 14
Mithas 13
Krosh 4
Byakko manages to shirk the necromantic energy his robe spiking the Fey's touch and immediately presses his attack. Only the smallest part of him catches his now perfect understanding of Enii's querying roar, and he pairs his actions with roared response from his elongated maw, <Attaaaack!>
Geedra uses her fortune hex on Byakko, improving his aim for the next round, and cackles to keep her hex going, ready to add more as the fight continued.
Round 2
Byakko steels himself to resist the cursed energy that pulses into him from the satyr's touch. With a smirk, his teeth elongate into gnashing fangs and he presses into the fiend with a flurry of attacks. The first cuts deep into the unprepared victim;s torso, the slicing bite of the blade carving a long wound that sprays black-green blood into the muck below. Reeling, the satyr flaps his wings and flails his legs, pushing away the following slashes and shifting backwards away from the bite.
Skäne, now nearer to the plant, releases his own attacks in a flurry of spear thrusts, tapping into the extra attack granted by Geedra's blessing as well. Two strikes penetrate the creature's strange form, but the third fails to harm it.
Geedra further blesses Byakko, cackling from the bnack as she pulls and trugs at the strings of fortune across the battlefield.
The plant, it's soon-to-be meal having wriggled from its maw, directs its attention to Skane, the next hopeful morsel currently stabbing its side. Two tentacles lash out at the Ulfen warrior, following by the floral beast's lurching forward to snap with its jaws. He beats the tentacles away with his shield, but is unprepared for the sudden lurch and gets snapped by the horrific mouth, punctured by the twisted teeth and plucked off of the ground.
Mithas, beneath the water, conjures his innate magical talent to turn invisible and put some distance between himself and the plant.
Krosh waves his hand in front of his eyes and his eyes suddenly crackle and seethe with bright flames as he moves a bit away from the water and the plant.
Round 3
"Too close.." the satyr spits through his teeth. "I will not be stopped." Another spell is released, and a wave of black and grey light washed over Byakko.
Init:
Satyr 24
Byakko 22
Skäne 16
Geedra 14
Plant 14
Mithas 13
Krosh 4
Byakko's determination carries him through the next spell but leaves a crack of doubt, his slashes aren't so sure this time.
Enii does as Byakko suggests springing forward to lash out at the plant creature.
Springing over the deep water to land in the loamy creatures side, biting down as she does so.
Still clinging to the plant creature's mass, Enii begins tearing into it with bite and claws.
Geedra cackles continuing her fortune hex on Byakko but also adds the cat Enii to the pattern of life strings she was plucking and spinning to enhance their luck in battle.
As the monstrous plant seeks to consume him, Skäne sticks the creature with another set of fervour stabs;
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Round 2
Enii crouches in the thick water, muscles coiling and then releasing to send her airborne over the deepest of the pools and onto the back of the plant monstrosity where she sinks her fangs into its body and sticks her claws in the matted vegetation to keep hold.
Round 3
Byakko once again denies this strange fey's magic, the strength of the moon galvanizing his will against the profane intrusions. Rebuking the worst of the spell, he retaliates with another flurry of slashes. One misses, another cuts deep into the winged satyr's vile flesh again, and the third strikes but the fiend almost parries it with his arm, whatever infernal curse or blessing within his skin rejecting the bite of the katana.
Enii continues shredding the creature's back, failing to find purchase with her fangs again and one paw's claws unable to dig through the thick, wet plant matter accumulated there, but the second set open something beneath, sending a viscous yellow-green ichor spraying from the beast's form.
Skäne all but ignores the tendril coiled around him and lets out a shout as he punches forward thrice with his magical spear. Each one drives deep into the creature's front with a moist splortch. It lets out a gurgling howl after the third blow and the tentacle's grip slackens as the brute goes limp and slowly sinks back into the pull as it collapses.
Geedra continues to support her meatshields, further spreading and maintaining her boons with grin and snicker.
Mithas flickers into view, the vanish spell shedding from him as he fires an arrow at the satyr, catching the fiend unawares and sending the projectile straight through his wings, carving a tattered hole in each. The satyr cries out and staggers a bit in the air, looking frantically around.
Krosh's stares at the half-submerged form of the giant plant with his glowing eyes, and they flash for a moment as a whirl of fire appears on the creature, putting some of the plant matter on it to burning despite the dampness.
"This thing will rise again without flames to kill it true; not unlike a troll..." he mumbles, keeping his enchanted gaze locked on the plant.
Round 4
The satyr sounds out with a worldess scream of frustration and pivots midair to fly towards the hallway from which it first came, but the injuries inflicted by Mithas make it a more difficult task than he realized...
plus
Seeing his prey beat a hasty retreat Byakko turns to give chase but casts Barbed chains hoping to slow his prey just as Mithas did.
Enii carries on tearing into the plant.
Geedra waits to see if Byakko was successful in bringing the creature down.
Round 4
Byakko takes a swipe at the retreating winged satyr but the katana flashes wide. The arrow from Mithas that tore through his wings slow his flight, however, and he is only able to swoop down just to the exiting hallway.
Byakko conjures up his bestowed lunar magic, growling in his bestial tongue and flourishing his hand, a gesture which pulls three sharpened chains to burst forth from the laden ground. Each one whirls and flings itself at the satyr, two of which lash the creature about the legs and sweep them out from under him, putting him on his back.
Enii assists Krosh in making sure the plant beast does not rise again, tearing through vegetable matter like wet paper with claw and fang.
Retcon Noises
As the strange fey makes for the hallway in full retreat, Byakko swipes with his blade, catching the wounded enemy in the back as he turns. The final blow is enough to topple him from the sky and send him to the muck below, where he gasps out a final groan.
"So...close.."
Enii and Krosh make sure the plant creature does not return to fight once more and you all reconvene. Looting the body of the satyr uncovers a handsome shortbow, darkwood with silver embellishments, though it needs a good cleaning, along with a quiver of 20 arrows. You also find he wears an iron amulet etched with an open clawed hand which proves to be a amulet of mighty fists +1. Finally he carries his panpipes, masterfully made but nonmagical (unless you're a satyr, of course!).
The only path leading out of this room was the one that the satyr was making for, and with no other options, you head that way. It's a short hall with natural stone walls that descends another two shallow flights of hewn stairs, eventually opening up once more into a wider chamber, mopst of which is obscured - a series of head-high partitions fashioned from intricately brocaded cloth panels stretched over wooden frames take up most of the center of this cavern, forming a large enclosed area. There is enough room to walk around between the enclosed space and the cavern walls to give passage to whatever lies beyond (though the cloth partitions seem to have flaps that can be opened), and you also see to your left another hallway cutting back out of the room (at the 5 o'clock position, with you entering this room at the 2 o'clock).
”Am good idea to heal up. Plant monster am bad news,” Geedra says as she looks at the wounded in her group. She turned up her nose at any of the magic gear, not seeing any use for her.
After the group heals and moves along the hallway, Geedra inquires about the next move for the team. ”Wonder what partitions am for? Weird. Keep going forward or follow left hallway?”
Byakko flicks some plant matter off of Enii as they advance. "I'm more than a little curious what's behind said partitions but even less fond of not clearing our retreat Geedra. Perhaps..."
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You do sense some magical auras within the enclosure beyond the partitions, further in the room. After a few seconds you can pinpoint that there are 2 such auras, somewhat faint; one an evocation aura and one an abjuration aura.
Enii sniffs and shakes her head in a mildly disgusted fashion, scrunching her nose as she picks up the sour stench of an unwashed, unclean living space.
"There's two magical auras behind the the cloth. Could be traps, could be... Something else. Enii doesn't seem to like the smell." Byakko lowers his voice, the last words barely above a whisper. Byakko cautiously pokes around hoping to glimpse beyond the partition without eating a bolt or spell.
Geedra follows behind Byakko and the tiger, trusting them to fight off any enemies, while she could help look for the sweet, sweet magical items, hopefully.
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Skäne hefts the short bow and arrows, noting their craftsmanship;
"Nei for me, but it is a reisiligr weapon... perhaps an ally can use them?"
The big warrior collects spear and shield, before falling in beside the little goblin with a hard grin and wrinkled nose at the potential source of the sour smell;
"Could your kǫttr be smelling this little Puka Hvítrkló? "
Byakko prods the nearest cloth-panel barricade, testing both its resistance and its probability of retaliating, but fortunately both are equally non-problematic. The fabric yields as easily as any mundane cloth and can be pushed aside without issue, and this one at least houses no implements of injury. Peering beyond, you espy a roughly triangular compartment about fifteen feet across. The area is set with a bed, its coverings thrown in a loose pile and a heavy trunk at the foot of it. A small table flanked by two wooden chairs takes up most of the rest of the space, the surface home to a collection of various objects - a clay water jug, small stones, clay plates, wooden drinking cups, small bones, and knives. The wooden poles that support the cloth panels have hooks embedded in them for hanging cloaks, blankets, or other sundries. The focal point of the sour odor seems to be coming from the bedding; obviously unwashed for some time and likely belonging to an equally unwashed sleeper. Byakko senses no other beings within this spot.
Byakko's divination tugs his focus to the trunk, where a magical aura of abjuration dimly glimmers within.
This compartment is but one within this larger enclosed area, suggesting a small series of living quarters separated within the fabric walls.
Once the trunk was pointed out, Geedra moved up and elbows Byakko in the ribs. ”Opej trunk. Group am need magic,” she explains, as she expects the others to bravely open the chest.
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Skäne shoots the little goblin a baleful stare, then sighs and attempts to open the chest...
"Let me."
Fortunately, opening the chest has no harmful outcomes. The leather-covered lid lifts open easily to reveal the contents. There is an assortment of clothing; simply roughspun house dresses and similar frocks, threadbare in places and possessing the same sour smell that the bedding does. Moving those aside reveals a series of jars and vials, many of which are empty. One flask, however, holds a silvery blue liquid (a potion of protection from arrows). One of the jars contains several live earwigs and a few twigs to which many of them cling. Nestled in a small pouch is a brilliantly cut black star sapphire, non-magical but a magnificent piece.
"Well I'm not sure I like the unpleasantly unwashed person that spends their time here but I'm not sure I need their things either." Byakko carries on, cautiously, Enii in his wake.
Geedra paused for a few seconds, but when no one reached in to grab the potion and the big beautiful gem, she grabbed them both and stuffed them in her pouch. When she was confident they were secure, she follows Byakko and his cat further down the hall.
Satisfied with your search of the first compartment, you push through the fabric wall into another. This one is narrow across but wide, stretching about thirty-five feet left to right. The compartments' contents are similar to the last; a simple bed with covers and a trunk sit in the left side, and a small table and chair set to the right. A few cloaks and plain linen gowns hang on a few hooks. The magical aura is emanating from the trunk.
As you near the left side of the room with the trunk, it isn't difficult to spot a huddled figure hiding in the corner made between the bed and wall. The figure is trying desperately not to be seen, but the space isn't obscured enough to do much. The head is down and between the arms, a light voice trying to stifle shallow breaths.
A few moments later it is obvious that the figure knows it is seen, and slowly looks up to reveal a comely young woman with tear-stained cheeks. A tangled cascade of dark hair spills down onto her shoulders, a bit dirty, and she wears a simple homespun dress but nothing on her feet, which are rough and soiled with dust and dirt.
"You...you're not fey," she whispers. "Nor giants." She speaks in Iobarian, and then Elven if she gets no response. "Are you...here to save me?"
”Maybe… assuming girl am not attacking group. Geedra not look for trouble,” she grunts at the lady.
”What am in trunk,” the goblin asks.
Byakko grunts at the mention of fey, "I think you'll find one less fey to worry about, are there many? Will they or the giants be returning?"
Skäne eyes the young woman, then scowls at the bluntness of Geedra;
"Aye lass. We're nei fey nor jotunn. I am Skäne, the one with the tiegr is Byakko. The puka is Geedra, and the scary old one is Krosh. You are..?"
The woman creeps slowly out from behind the bed, eyes darting around nervously.
"I am...Greala," she says hesitantly, as though speaking it would incur some foul retribution. "The giants are new to this place...Are you here to slay the warden?"
When she registers you as armed and armored and speak of slaying a fey, her demeanor makes a sudden shift as she rushes forward and falls to her knees before Byakko and grabs at his shirt. "Please! The warden must be stopped...a malicious monster who wears a false human guise. It has jailed me in these dungeons and performs such horrible atrocities to those who inhabit Artrosa!" Small beads of tears well up in the corners of her eyes as she looks up at the half-elf, and then back to the rest of you. "There is naught but suffering here...please.."
To Geedra she shrugs. "I know not; I've learned not to poke around here...take anything you want, especially if you think it will help."
Sense motive
Geedra wasn’t sure if she trusted this woman or not.
Skäne nods at the woman, listening to her tale of woe with keen interest;
"Tell us more of this verðir ... What nature of illr is it?"
Byakko is obviously discomfited by the woman's behaviour and carefully takes her hands and pulls her to her feet. He's too distracted to do anything besides let his friends do the talking, for now.
At first thought, you do find it peculiar that this lone beautiful stranger is plopped here in the center of Artrosa. You exchange glances as she flings herself at Byakko's feet and beseeches for aid, but in studying her words and gestures, you don't identify any reason to doubt her. She certainly seems afraid and desperate.
"I do not know...some foul fey or demon that can twist its shape. I cannot say I have ever seen its true form, but it often takes the face of a human woman. Sometimes young, sometimes old." She looks over her shoulder and points towards to the fabric walls behind her. "There is a door just past the curtains, but it is locked. There is a separate path near the door, and I have started to sneak down it before...but I heard terrible screams and noises and have not dared to again."
She then points back towards the way you came, but to the right corner, not at the exact path you took from the room with the plant monster.
"There is a long hall that way as well, but I fear monsters lurk beyond. A winged beast would come to taunt and torment me as well...but I think that is the one less fey you spoke of, judging by the sounds of fighting I heard. You must be strong and capable warriors."
She does allow Byakko to pull her to her feet, and she wipes a tear from her cheek. "Please take me with you; do not leave me here."
Byakko's discomfort is obvious to Enii who approaches the woman and sniffs her. As for Byakko himself, he overcomes his awkwardness as she mentions shape shifting, he is suspicious almost immediately although he tries to hide it. He mumbles something about "...take the other path by the door..." as he concentrates on the young woman.
”Hold on, Geedra am remember more magic close by,” she says as she casts detect magic and looks for the item that drew the group this way to begin. After she procured the treasure, she was happy to go whatever direction the group wished.
Detect magic failure chance from curse
She shook of the curse and focused intently on any possible magic.
At the mention of a fey or demon Skäne flashes a dark grin, hefting his adamantine hammer;
"Daemon or Fae... either will be bresten by minn hamarr."
He eyes the direction where their next foe lies, then shakes his head;
"Betri you stay here lass. Wait for us to hrjóða ".
Geedra and Byakko both continue their divinations, though with different goals in mind. Geedra resumes a search for the magical items present in the area, leading her to the chest near the bed. The chest yields a small trove; a scroll of flame strike, a decorative bejeweled skull, and a leather sack containing 800 gp in assorted coins. There is another leather bag within, though this container's contents are decidedly less grand. A collection of dried scalps have been stuffed in the bag...small scalps, perhaps belonging to halflings, goblins...or children.
Enii sniffs at the young woman, Greala, but detects nothing unusual. She looks back to Byakko and gives a soft grow before skulking back behind him. Smell human. Byakko's probing likewise turns up nothing of note on or around the young woman.
Greala looks to Skäne when he speaks, her lip quivering. M'lord, I beg..." she looks around nervously. "What if the warden returns? I would feel safer following in your wake as you move through this place. At least the path you walk will be made clear."
Krosh mutters from the back, "If we need bring her, I can keep guard..and eye on her. Either way, we best not tarry everlong. This cavern is quarters to something."
Byakko recovers from his awkwardness as his momentarily attenuated senses detect no obvious deceit from the woman. "Aye Skane lets clear the passage but perhaps she best remain with Krosh? In any case, lets move along. This place is nothing if unnerving. He slept here!"
Aside he says... "Geedra surely you can't read this? Let me hold on to this scroll, take the rest..." His wink is directed at the goblin despite her obvious distraction.
Geedra sneers at seeing the bag of collected scalps. She gives it a quick look but upon discovering no tasty elf ears, she throws it to the ground. She does grab the bag with the coinage and the neat skull. ”Geedra ready now. Girl, be nice or Krosh bonk head,” she adds as she closely looks at the human again.
"I promise I will not get in the way," the woman says. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
As you exit the fabric-walled compartment you see the locked door that the woman spoke of; a wall of tightly-packed wall of fieldstone stands, obviously built to block off the other corner of the room. The door itself is stone and carved with the image of a young maiden walking a deer through the woods.
About twenty feet to the right of the door is an open corridor that leads out of this chamber. You make for it, moving down the natural hallway. About fifty feet down, you feel the hairs on your neck stand up the ambient temperature in the passage suddenly drops to just above freezing. The ambient light likewise dims to levels near pitch black, and even any magical lights you carry diminish. Further, the walls of the cavern shift from the warm, light tan to dark grey or black - it is hard to tell in the weakened light.
After about eighty or so feet, you hear the noises that Greala spoke of. You hear the pained or tortured calls and screams of some manner of creatures, punctuated by the eerie laughs and banter of other beings..
Skäne agrees, his mood blackened by the sight of scalps in the bag;
A skálpr of bairns... This vorðr will be shown nei mercy..."
The big warrior forges ahead, shield and spear readied as they approach the sounds of torture and sadistic glee.
He looks back at his companions;
"Láta kné fylgja kviði"
Geedra enjoyed the colder conditions. ”Am feel nice in here,” the cold focused mage smiles. She follows the others as they advance towards the noise ahead.
She tries to cast mage armor as well. The stupid curse finally rears its ugly head and disrupts her spell.
Failure chance