"The Powers put challenges and secrets in our path combat one another. We must play our part. And it seems Attero that you question your impact against the infinite well of evil. Well, my obsession is to break the Grandmother's Curse of the gnomes. And, I'm willing to sell my very soul to release my descendants of this fate." Ibrox reveals his life's purpose with stern conviction.
After a dramatic pause, his cheerful smile returns, "You need an infinite well of optimism to succeed. Buck up, it could be worse."
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Along the path, he comments on the flora, "The plants in this place have an unnatural feeling. Look closer. The wiry brambles and twisted, short trees are malformed cousins to more normal vegetation. The vines and bark are covered with odd looking tumors and occasionally drip with a foul smelling 'sap' that burns and itches when touched."
"Look back along the path we just traveled. Back there, some of the trees and vines are less 'infected' whereas here the change is much more acute and even worse further on."
"While the original curse appears to have hampered and hindered travelers, there appears to be another presence subverting or influencing the original magic of the curse. Making it much more dangerous and potentially lethal."
"Step cautiously."
Trevor climbs up the trail with great care. Though his elfmarked heritage helps cut through the darkness ahead, his helmet keeps falling on his eyes, rendering him blind and out of breath. The feeling of this foreign Reaver armour on him, its smell a mix of blood, sweat, and worse, as well at its weight, pulls down on his shoulders.
Happy to stop and listen to lectures on how corrupted this place is, he comments: "So you're saying this place was already cursed, and now its twice cursed, yes?"
And then he asks Ibrox: "I've never heard of the Grandmother cu- How did you call it again?"
Nature
Arcana
CON Save
Vrindel's connection to nature is so strong, that he feels no evil effects. He also doesn't notice anything wrong with the land...other than it is not completely healthy... but it is just now turning spring. That could explain things...
But then when Ibrox and Zove point out these unusual effects, he trusts them and keeps his eyes open for something to happen.
"I feel little connection with the power of the earth here".
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"Beseems selling one's soul is a price that I can not pay. Lord Thor already has it, though mine is freely given, and repaid to me with powers over nature, and success in battle. What more price could one command for such a transaction?"
Aterro moved on through the undergrowth giving minor brambles but little heed. He was inured to more hardships than these twigs could bring, enchanted or no.
"'Tis become my habit to refer to this land as 'thrice-cursed' but I see I was at least one curse too quick.
At least, this solidifies our thinking that this must be a place of some import, for ill or good. None would enchant a place so potently if there was nothing to hide.
Rejoice, methinks we come upon quarry of note."
Evening turns to twilight as you struggle up the last few hundred yards of bramble, filled trail. Nearing the summit the trees and undergrowth suddenly give way to open grass and rocky ground. Just ahead is an outcropping of rock that forms a natural barrier to reaching the actual summit of the hill. A long time ago, someone cut through the natural wall creating a narrow gap. Over time rocks and debris partially blocked the trail, but it is clear that recent work has been done to clear the way once again.
As you approach, the strong smell of death and rotting vegetation assaults your senses as well as a sudden chill as the temperature seems to drop substantially between the edge of the forest and the stone wall. Even without any additional aid, each of you can feel the skin-prickling sensation of magic hanging in the air.
Moments later a voice that rasps with the sound of hundreds of dry crackling leaves and vines echoes softly from the gap in the wall.
"Beeee gooooneee. Leeaaaveeeee thisssssss placcccceee."
Trevor freezes in place at the sound of the voice, terrified, thinking only of leaving. He turns to Vrindel, hoping, and avoids looking at Aterro, knowing what his answer will be.
Ibrox crinkles up his forehead at Trevor's ignorance, "The Grandmother? Baba Yaga? Have you heard of her? She's cursed the gnomes."
"Look, two bodies are attached to the rock itself hanging about ten feet high, crucified, naked, and spiked to the stone to either side of the gap. Trails of dried blood run from the wounds and still soak the ground below."
"And, be careful. There is a thick pile of tumor encrusted brambles sitting just inside the entrance to the gap. It could have just been a trick of the wind or dim light, but it looked like one of the vines moved slightly as we started to approach the opening in the wall."
Vrindel's anger is rising as the natural order of things seems to be... off... here. He agrees with Ibrox's statement. "Yes! Beware. I saw the vines moving as well. Do we walk into this obvious ambush or look for another way to approach. I would be surprised if whatever awaits us beyond did not leave themselves a backdoor".
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Part of Aterro's training as a WarCleric was coming against such things in wargames, so he cringed not at either gruesome displays or a possible ambush.
He frowns at Zove's analysis. "Whether it be an illusion, or some evil curse meant to ensnare us, I think that more talk will avail us but little.
Fire, on the other hand," Aterro speaks ominously as he raises his fist and clenches it at the offending vine, seeing how it can resist Sacred Fire.
Baba Yaga... Trevor’s eyes grew wide when Ibrox causually mentioned her name. The paladin cursed himself for asking the question and cursed Ibrox for answering it.
Then the corpses, hung las sacrifice, then the vines, and then the voice...
His feet turn to lead and his voice becomes a whisper: "B- Back door seems best!"
"W- We are... We are? Anyway, I'm not scared, just cautious..."
"I said I wasn’t scared!? Now, can we look for a back way?" replies Trevor, his voise a perplexing mix of bravado and falsetto.
"Aye, I agree with Aterro. Light it up." Ibrox suggests with a cheerful smile.
Vrindel stands ready to see how the attacks affect the blighted vines.
"Be careful. We don't want to set the whole place afire. There may be innocents trapped inside, and there is no need to burn healthy plant life".
1d20+5 Survival (To determine any facts about the area or vines)
"Aaaaa nnnneeeewwwww Mmmaassteeer rrrruuulleesssss. Aaannnciieeennt powwwwweeeeerrrrr. Pppaaaiidddd bbllooooood pppprriiccccceeee." The voice responds to Zove's inquiry. It's rasping voice echoing softly through the gap and off of the nearby stone.
Vrindel and Trevor spend a few moments looking for an alternative path or trail to the summit, but there doesn't appear to be one, beyond directly scaling the rocky barrier itself. To the left after about a hundred feet, the hill side simply drops off into a steep ravine and back into the dense forest. Circling to the right, the rocky barrier continues until it reaches an old slide where a good portion of the hillside gave away long ago. Loose rock and a few skeletal tree trunks line the slope. A few steps out onto the slide area immediately lead to small rocks and dirt tumbling down and feet starting to slip forcing both druid and knight quickly back onto solid ground before cascading several hundred feet with tons of dirt and stone.
Before the creature, entity, force, or whatever it is can answer Zove, the area above the brambles erupts with brilliant burning light as the radiant fire of Thor burst forth from Aterro and strikes the threatening bundle of thorns. The war cleric's instinct proves all to good for as soon as the magic strikes the pile the little clearing before the gap erupts into chaos and danger.
The heads on the two bodies hanging from the stone which had simply been hanging forward suddenly raise up. The eyes burn with eldritch purple and sickly green light as the two let forth an otherworldly scream that echoes through the night, bringing with it the agony of a thousand souls and the fear of a million.
But more immeidately threatening than the undead, void driven screams of the crucified villagers, is the growing mass of whirling, cancerous brambles in the center of the gap. As Aterro's magic fades, the vines flow together in chaotic knots and spirals. In seconds they grow and shape themselves into a vaguely humanoid form towering fifteen feet high. The same purple-green glow emanates from its 'eyes' as it lashes out with three massive whip-like vines.
The luck of Thor is with the war-cleric, however, as all three of the vines either simply bounce off of his steel armor or miss the mark entirely.
The cheerful gnome cringes and covers his ears at the screaming. With a slight ringing in his ears, his eyes widen watching the giant plant giant stride forward. "That doesn't look normal."
In a stern voice, he says pointing his finger while backing up, "Ibrox, Ibrox."
Trevor's eyes tremble at the horrible sight and he clutches his ears in vain as he shouts: "Damn you Aterro! You should know better!"
Forced to see this to the end, however, he finds his heart and grabs his javelin, rushing forth and sending it at the creature at the end of his dash.
But he slips miserably in the muck and his javelin passes within an inch of Aterro's crotch.
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"GAH!" Aterro gasps as the paladin's ranged weapon comes within a hands-breath of his Hammer of Thor. Although...the spiteful retort dies on his lips as he smirks. "It seems the theory that you can not hit the broadside of a barn with that thing is validated."
Still chuckling, he contemptibly turns his back on the vine and struts away, dispassionately swiping and parrying the thing's vain attempts to engage him. "It seems we all have the wisdom of the High Elders. As this thing can not advance upon us, we need not indulge it in fisticuffs.
We all know that if a threat is weaker than you, you should ignore it or kill it, as anything else honors it.
I prefer this method as it does both," he states, taking a place in front of the firing line.
"That might be of nature, but it is a corrupted nature. We MUST destroy it and more importantly whatever gave it unlife".
WIS Save
HP 28/30
Aterro backs away from the thorn demon while barely avoiding Trevor's javelin. Zove and Ibrox both send magical blast streaking toward the big monster. Ibrox's quick blast misses and harmlessly pummels the rocks while Zove's fire dagger severs a few minor vines doing little harm to the towering beast.
The piercing wails of the crucified continue to fill the vale and assault both hearing and mind. Their horrific cries filling your minds with the pained shouts of thousands of hopeless souls.
The vile, towering beast lurches forward, following the retreating war cleric as he steps back near Trevor. The chaotic depths of twisted purple and green magic that make up the creature's eyes focus on the two warriors. Priest of Thor and Knight of Khors. Their radiant aura's anathema to the creatures own nature. Another trio of long whipping vines lash out toward the two. One bounces off of Trevor's ill-fitting but sturdy reaver armor. But the other two vines strike with a wicked and brutal accuracy. Both Aterro and Trevor find themselves lacerated across face, neck, and exposed arms by the cancerous thorns, their toxins immediately causing skin to burn, itch and bleed profusely.
"Aaaargh! This is not working! Khors help me!!!" shouts Trevor as he picks up his axe and fends the vines off as he rushes at the large creature, as he nears it, he implores Khors for His help.
"Stop. Moving!"
Vrindel's head pierces at the terrible keening and he moves out of the range of the abomination's tentacles and sends forth his Icy Blast, getting it off before Trevor's charge begins.
Will save
HP: 26/30
Icy shard
Advantage: Spirit Whispers
Piercing Ice crystals
Cold Damage (DEX Save to negate Cold Damage)
After releasing his cold missile, he continues his move into zone 2.
The gnome continues to try to cover his ears with his hands to shut out the screaming. He lifts his right hand to point his finger while continuing to back up. In a stern voice, he says, " Ibrox."
His Eldritch Blast flies wide again.
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The combination of the screaming and the buffeting, envenomed blows from the plant-beast temporarily overcame the WarCleric's ability to maintains his defenses, and he suffered for it, though not quite so much as he may have were his armor not broad and thick and thrice-blessed by High Father Joakim himself.
After taking a moment to breath and shaking his head to clear the growing fog, he takes a fresh grip on his hammer and stalks toward the creature. "Despair is a sign of weakness," he intones, drawing strength from the WarCleric's creed as he swings powerfully.
Liking the feel of his hammer SLAMMING against the beast, he doubles his efforts. "Doubt is a sign of weakness."
With the spirits of his ancient warrior ancestors whispering in his ear, Vrindel adjusts his aim just enough that his icy shard strikes the creature and shatters in a manner that catches one of the two screaming undead in its blast as well. The druid's northern ice magic shreds the crucified remains cutting off the screams as it jerks and twists violently on the iron spikes keeping it secured to the cliff face. But the vines of the thorn demon shift and turn quicker than the eye can follow causing the shattered bits of ice and cold to pass harmlessly through the giant beast as it quickly reforms and resumes its attack. It makes a similar move to thwart Ibrox's next blast of eldritch power as the blast passes through the demon and pummels the rock wall beyond.
As Zove retreats from the swirling and lashing thorn creature, Trevor charges forward. His axe slices into mass of vegetation and ignites with a violent whooshing sound. Trevor's blow is followed up quickly by Aterro and his hammer. The war cleric's crushing blows smash into the creature, but it's flexible and elastic nature absorb a good portion of the mighty follower of Thor's damage.
As the flames from Trevor's axe hiss and burn near the monster's upper left 'leg' another tendril reaches out and stabs the crucified undead that was uninjured by Vrindel's ice magic. Immediately, the screaming from that creature stops leaving nothing but unnerving echoes ringing in the parties ears. Instead all can see the pulsing glow of blood red energy being syphoned from the hanging victim and back into the bramble giants body. As the syphoning continues, burnt and damaged vines are replaced with new, strong, growth unharmed by fire, axe or hammer. It then lashes out again at the two closest targets, Trevor and Aterro. Trevor is struck once again by a thick thorn encrusted vine that digs and tears at his skin and even punching through his armor in a few spots. Aterro is more fortunate as he deftly ducks at the last moment and the vine goes sailing past without causing any harm.
The creatures' attack takes the wind off Trevor. The paladin falters, his resolve shaken, but the sight of the creature pumping up vitality sparks something inside him. Something beyond the complete revulsion he feels at the sheer gruesomeness of the sight. No, he realizes he has little fight in him, while the creature does now. He decides to stay his axe, for a moment, and ask Khors for help!
"Khooooooooors!" he roars at the top of his lungs, feeling the god's power course through him and revive him.
The gnome shakes his head and tries to target the giant plant giant. In a stern voice, he says, " Ibrox."
His Eldritch Blast probably flies wide again.
Vrindel thinks quickly. He has prayed for no fire, so concentrates on taking out the thralls that the plant beast is using to recharge itself. He takes aim at the previously injured hanger and releases another ice knife.
Ice Knife
Piercing damage
Cold Damage (Dex Save DC 13) to negate
Critical Damage
Ibrox starts to be concerned and wonders. The questing gnome has never missed the broad side of barn, like this before. Is this giant plant giant an avatar of Ibrox? Is his power repellent like two magnets? Do I stand with this avatar of Ibrox? Do I stand with my new companions?
Zove and Ibrox both miss with their magical attacks as fire and eldritch power pummel the cliffside instead of the giant foe. Vrindel's ice magic punctures the crucified creature he hit before adding yet another spike that secures it to the cliff as it bounces and struggles against the cold. Eventually it's movements slow and it hangs there, tainted black blood slowing oozing from its wounds.
Trevor and Aterro both take a few moments to heal wounds and free their bodies of the poisonous venom coating the plant creature's whipping vines. Aterro manages to land another blow, but once again the damage to the plant creature seems to be....less than what it might usually be.
But the two holy warriors get little reprieve as the creature lashes out once again with its heavy, toxic appendages. Trevor's new reaver mail holds up against the thorns and strike this time as the vine slides harmlessly off the steel armor. Aterro is not so lucky. Once again the demon finds a weak spot in his armor and the thorns dig deep into the war cleric's flesh to draw blood and inject more toxic venom.
[ooc]Thorn Demon: 60/100
Trevor spins to avoid the vines coming at him and uses the momentum to propel its axe at the monstrous creature. He asks Khors for the strength to bring down this incredible foe.
"Take that!"