The dhampir presses her hand to her chest in an attempt to catch her breath, but nods and takes his hand.
From the ground, she looks up in fear as the creature gores into Gabbi, feeling as if she had failed. She is relieved when Ulrich moves her away however, keeping her safe.
Growling as she pulls herself back to all fours, she looks around for the large pig and takes her feet, screaming "COME AND GET SOME!" as she bangs her shield on the pommel of her blade.
She heals herself once more before casting a spell.
Ignoring the pain when she takes a breath, Gabbi takes stock of her new location before calling down a bane on the beast.
Rascal gets a mouthful of ham as the pig charges past and he swallows it and decides that he likes it and wants more!
Allie meanwhile prefers chicken to ham and joins Ulrich and her sister in teleporting up to the roof. With Gabbi out of harm's way Allie takes the time to improve her shots, rather than healing her wounds just yet.
Gabbi shoots the ypotryll with numerous arrows, and while the beast begins to slow, it still squeals and stomps. Amnayel calls out a challenge, but it turns its fury on Rascal to repay him for the bite. It charges the wolf, goring him and knocking him through the air!
Gabbi feels the magic flowing in from her sister and continues to pull and release her bowstring.
With another flurry of arrows, the mighty beast falls, the ground shaking with the impact!
At last, a relative sense of calm falls over the city. It seems that you have stopped all of the attacks on Jolizpan.
Amnayel makes her way over to Rascal and says "Well done, Rascal. It feared you more than it did me. You are truly a mighty one!"
She then sees to Rascal's battle wounds.
"Kamosh, do another quick scout if you please. There are still many questions to divine." Ulrich says. He kicks off from the roof, floating down gently as a feather.
"We need to figure out if this beast was teleported, summoned, or simply charged into the city." Ulrich says everyone joins together. "Kamosh cannot speak to the dead Wyrwoods. Let us hear the locals for information regarding this attack."
Ulrich will then gather information from the locals about the emergence of the attacks.
With their ride inconsiderately leaving without them Allie and Gabbi have to find more creative ways back down to the ground but once they have Allie hurries to her wolf and begins petting him.
"Good boy Rascal! Good boy!"
With that done she turns to her sister, fixing her wounds with a couple of brief but painful touches. "I'll make it better later if you like?" She promises, in an attempt to take away the sting.
"You always make it better," Gabbi replies, giving her sister a quick kiss once the pain passes.
Asking around, you learn that just after the fire broke out on the docks, a wyrwood lead the ypotryll into the plaza with large chunks of meat. The creature caught up to the wyrwood and, in its haste to gorge itself on the meat, destroyed the wyrwood as well before beginning its rampage.
When you return to Miraina, she asks to see one of the destroyed constructs. "I recognize these wyrwoods. They were grown at the Blue Gardens of Tlil. Until recently, I worked at the Gardens, but a small splinter group of botanists seized the facility to conduct their own research into regrowing the kumaru tree using radical and dangerous techniques. I am too old to fight against them. None of the other ousted botanists could stand up to the might of the splinter group, and with the region’s most powerful defenders lost trying to reclaim Tumbaja Mountain, Jolizpan’s government has been reluctant to intervene in what they see as an academic dispute.
"Called the Children of Kumaru, this group is led by a brilliant but increasingly erratic botanist named Umbarno Xipali. In addition to having suborned some of the Blue Gardens’ best scientists and guards, the Children of Kumaru have used dangerous techniques to grow servant constructs. I am certain the wyrwoods used in the attacks on Jolizpan were the outcome of their experiments.
"I believe you should head to the Gardens to deal with the Children of Kumaru. While you are there, I would ask that you retrieve two items that I need to properly complete the study of your heart-shards: my notes on the Veins of Creation and my soulsight goggles. There are also a few kumaru seeds in a safe in my office. If you can bring them back here for safekeeping, so much the better."
Amnayel is still irked they have been waylaid to this place and cannot focus on their primary objective, but she sees the need to help correct the problems that have come to these people and the crossover that exists between their paths. "Indeed. We will travel to these Gardens to deal with these Children. Rest assured that we will retrieves these items and be back to you as soon as we can."
"Apart from creating contructs, what are these botanists capable of? " Ulrich asks as his mind sifts through possible spells to prepare.
”They are masters of arcane magic, mostly focused around plants and plantlike pursuits. You would do well to proceed cautiously within the Gardens.”
"Tomorrow." Allie says firmly. "We're happy to help, but we need to rest, recover and prepare if we have to assault a group of trained wizards in their own lair."
---------------------------
That night, before settling down to bed with her sister Allie goes to see Ulrich.
Allie knocks on the door of Ulrich's study room and enters when invited.
"Hey, I wanted to follow up on something you mentioned before we left Gallowspire. You said that to become a god one had to find a way to conquer death. What do you mean? I know some gods were deathless beings already, but the mortal gods all gained a huge infusion of divine power didn't they? The Starstone and so forth - so death was never an issue."
She perches on a stool and looks intently at the necromancer. "So why did you say that? Is this something you've studied?"
Amnayel declares boldly "Understood. Are we okay to continue or do you all require a reset first?"
"We rest," Gabbi says tersely.
Miraina shares the layout of the Blue Gardens of Tlil with you; she has worked at the facility for years and knows it well. She notes that the rebels wore masks during the takeover, but because the staff all knew each other, she recognized most of those she encountered. In particular, she knows that the group’s leader, Umbarno Xipali, has become more reclusive and erratic in the past few months, and she cautions that he could be dangerous. Miraina urges you to avoid killing any of the rebels if you can, but she understands that restoring the Blue Gardens isn’t likely to be easy or bloodless, and the rebels’ attacks on Jolizpan warrant a strong response. You are free to take any valuables you find while at the Blue Gardens; Miraina assures you she will compensate their owners.
After resting overnight, you leave Jolizpan and head towards the Blue Gardens of Tlil. The Gardens stand a mile west of Jolizpan, surrounded by the Jolizpan Forest. The forest, which is never safe even at the best of times, is particularly wild around the facility; Jolizpani law prohibits cultivation around the facility to keep its connection to the natural arcane network undisturbed. A single, winding forest path leads to the site, sheltered by the dense canopy 60 feet overhead.
You are about halfway to the Gardens when a strange creature emerges from the forest to confront you. An attractive, green-skinned man sits in the depths of an enormous, sweet-smelling flower. "Turn back," he intones in the Razatlani language, "or I will squeeze you like ripe papayas and devour your pulped flesh!"
Amnayel strides defiantly to meet the flower-man-thing. "We cannot. We have no desire for confrontation with you, so please reconsider your proposition of violence so that you may live to insult the next set of travelers that pass through here."
Gabbi smirks just a little at the creature's posturing and Amnayel's dismissal of it. She readies her bow, confident how this will play out.
"I am starving! I have not fed in days. I will allow you to pass so long as you are willing to offer yourselves as a meal," the creature says, its roots slithering around in anticipation. "Let me feed on your essence. One of you for two hours, or two of you for one hour. Once I am sated, I will let you pass."
"You could say it is all I have studied." Ulrich replies in the night, his face lit by a candle. "I said what I did because there is a time limit to achieving divinity. Not only do bodies age and crumble, but souls too have their lifespans. Even druids cannot reincarnate forever. My soul may die long before your's, but even the elves have their limit. Therefore, I say that you must achieve immortality. Either before your divinity, or at the same time. The Starstone grants that immortality along with divinity. I believe however that the Gods Nethys and Irori were first immortal, and then divine. Neither have been my focus in religious studies, but as our days continue and my power grows drastically compared to before our trials, I am becoming more interested. I hold little interest in lichdom. It is a sad compromise, and easily controlled. I give you this advice simply because it is similar to my own desires. Be wary of the Starstone. It is high risk, high reward. I believe it to be a desperate gamble. And likewise, beware of lichdom, for it is an easy path to immortality, but also filled with suffering. I do not know how you will achieve your divinity. Your powers lack explanation. Perhaps finding that answer will lead you forwards. Just understand that you have a time limit."
"Just a moment." the paladin says before turning around to approach her companions.
Amnayel looks over to the sisters and says "I am willing to offer myself to this creature temporarily if it means avoiding possible injury to either of you."
Turning to Ulrich she adds "You're welcome to join me. It would be a humble thing for you to offer yourself up to demonstrate your love for Gabriella. I would do it."
Ulrich narrows his eyes behind the plague mask.
"Are you well, Amny?" He asks
Amnayel is being truthful without deception! How else could a paladin be?!
"I am fine, Ulrich. Is that your way of saying you would prefer to hide behind your mask and not protect the ones you love? This path is non-violent and is the safest for the party. It is the path of least resistance."
She pauses for a brief second before nodding, "So be it."
Turning to Gabriella she says, "If he breaks end of the bargain, kill him at all costs."
Spinning to face Alessandra she says, "Please see to it that I do not die. I trust you."
Turning to Ulrich she just purses her lips before moving back to the twins. "Shall we proceed?"
"I have never seen you shrink away from killing an evil enemy, in fact, I do not recall you shrinking away from killing any enemy at all. Given that the alraune has enchantment magic at its disposal, I suspect you to have fallen to its charm." Ulrich says, as he assumes a defensive stance. "Do not succumb to its feeding. You already have such little intelligence that I shudder to consider what little may remain afterwards."
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Spells Prepared
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0th (at will) Detect Magic, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic
1st alarm, ray of enfeeblement x2, shield x2, vanish
2nd blood transcription, knock (2), glitterdust (2slot), burning gaze (2slot)
3rd dispel magic, vampiric touch, fireball (2slot) x2, magic weapon (greater)
4th
5th
6th disintegrate x2, ether step, dispel magic (greater), heightened bestow curse
7th control construct x2, finger of death x2
"Fear has little to do with it, Ulrich. I was simply attempting to take the path of least resistance instead of bullying our way past it. If it is bloodlust that drives you, I will be happy to ensure that this creature is removed from our path."
She pauses and adds "Insulting my intelligence is uncalled for." and snaps her arm forward in a quick jerk to put her gauntlet firmly on his nose with enough force to break it.
"Forgive me. I am but an unintelligent creature of force who is appreciated only for her virtues of violence and not beauty."
Ulrich recoils from the attack, and heals himself up if necessary.
"It may be justified. I see no logical path to your conclusion of non-violence. Not only is it uncharacteristic of you, but it is also unnecessary. Here is a creature that is certainly against your beliefs. If we had two thralls at our behest and you suggested we sacrifice them, I may agree, but instead you have offered up yourself, and suggested I go along as well. I strongly disagree, as we are both needed in top condition for our battles today, and submitting ourselves to this plant does more harm than fighting it off. And if you suggest that the act of non-violence here is justified, I retort that you shall then let it feed upon others. This creature is a predator upon mankind. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that either you have reached peak lunacy, or you are instead under the plant's charm."
-----------------------
"I'm not going to let you get hurt." Allie replies as though its the most obvious thing in the world, although she makes no effort to stop Amnayel breaking Ulrich's nose. "But this seems like a bad idea. Can't we just go around, or hit it? I can't imagine the locals will miss it."
"Enough," Gabbi pronounces. "No one is feeding off from you, Amnayel." She frowns for just a moment, considers saying something else, but with a shake of her head turns to the plant-man.
"You are not feeding from any of us and if you stand in our way, you will be ground into dust. I am an emissary of the Lady of Graves and you will not keep me from my goal. If you put us to the test, you will lose." She nocks an arrow to the string and draws it back. "Make your choice."
The creature curls its lip but slithers out of the path. "Very well. I shall wait for easier prey to happen by. Leave, quickly, before I change my mind."
"Enough," Gabbi pronounces. "No one is feeding off from you, Amnayel." She frowns for just a moment, considers saying something else, but with a shake of her head turns to the plant-man.
Allie grins swiftly at her sister and then turns back to the plant creature, game face firmly on.
Luckily Gabbi is more than scary enough to make a plant run away. Even so, Allie makes sure that Rascal stays close as they continue through the forest.
You continue along the path and soon arrive at the Blue Gardens of Tlil. A large fence surrounds the grounds of this impressive facility. The fence doesn’t appear to have been built for security; it has one wide opening to the north and two openings to the south. The main building’s walls are made from a distinctive wood that wraps around itself, giving the impression of twisting vines. Dozens of colorful flowers and verdant plants grow along the outside of this building.
Large plots of worked land lie in the southeastern quadrant of the grounds, containing a variety of fruits, vegetables, enormous flowers, and tall vines. Several plants rise to a height of a dozen feet, peeking over the fence. The tall plants writhe and squirm slowly, as if attempting to find a comfortable position to rest. Three greenhouses stand to the north of the garden beds, and a shed stands to the west.
You can see four wyrwood soldiers patrolling the grounds in pairs.
"We should eliminate the patrols first before we investigate and move further. Do you have magic to accomplish this or should we surprise the first pair coming our way?" Amnayel asks her companions.
"Can we sneak through the patrols?" Allie asks quietly. "Someone should be able to make a distraction easily enough."
"I would much rather make a distraction than sneak, I am not so quiet in all of this." she says, motioning to her armor.
Ulrich walks past the Alraune, looking at the monster with so many questions on his mind.
"I have not prepared any useful illusion spells today, so I am not in a great position for subterfuge. I was under the impression we were going to tear through the front with sword and bow, and thus I did not prepare for subtlety. However, if we chop through these Wyrwoods, I can command any of them should one attempt to flee to alert others, provided I get line of sight to cast the spell."
"It annoys me that we can't just get through." Allie says in frustration. "Bugger it. Let's wait for them to be as far apart as possible and then go!"
Once the patrols are spaced far apart, you rush towards the nearest pair of wyrwoods!
Unfortunately, they react quickly. Calling out for aid in hollow voices, they rush at Amnayel. One stabs her with a spear as both raise their shields together!
Allie taps her sister on the shoulder to make her stronger.
Rascal joins Amny in combat.
Gabbi targets the one Amnayel is in melee with and looses her arrows after summoning down a judgement.
Ulrich will cast Hungry Earth on that chokepoint.
Ulrich will take control of one of the shieldbearers with Control Construct.
The paladin was ready for some shield-bashing and doesn't disappoint when the moment arrives. Raising her blunt defensive weapon into the air, she brings it down on the closest foe several times in rapid succession.
Amnayel lands one good hit on the wyrwood, while Gabby shoots it multiple times. Rascal can't get past the construct's shield. Spotting the other pair of soldiers in the distance, Urlich conjures a field of hungry earth beneath them. It grabs a hold of both of them!
Amnayel takes two spear thrusts from the wyrwoods. One of the grappled ones escapes and tries to stagger out of the area of hungry earth, though it can't quite get out yet.
Grunting in pain, she places her hand over the wound and magically seals with with a quick prayer, negating all of the damage from the spear. She slams her shield three times with "STOP. THAT. HURTS!" between each bash.