”Sounds Great” Nasar starts taking off his gross ass boots to let his feet dry in the open air. Don’t need any gross fungus. ”After fighting a swamp squid thing I got soaked with bog water. I’m changing out of my damp clothes so they can dry properly. After that I’ll tell you what else Deract ate today. Sure you’ll get a kick out of it.” Nasar goes to a spot a bit more privacy so he can change into some regular people clothes before telling Lily about the “apple” Deract ate.
Nasar changes up and they all settle down as Lily gets to work distilling the juices from the berries and various other things. She gets an absolute kick out of the story to which she tells Deract, How the tables turn. The demon prince that used to have slaves taste test his food now taste tests for the alchemist and his friends!
Lily finishes up the batch of bombs and hands Nasar 2 small jars full of what looks like clear liquid, his hands grow cold as the bombs rest in his hands like glass grenades. I could only manage 2 this time around, curse my lack of knowledge on the subject but we will have to make due with these.
”wow they are REALLY cold” Nasar puts the liquid ice away in his pack. ”This is certainly better than nothing, and will probably be a better antagonizer than just some arrows. Good work Lily. With this I’d say we’re ready for tomorrow’s hunt.”
The team goes the sleep, during the night Nasar feels his body begin to writhe in pain as his stomach turns like a drunkards. Waves of nausea pass all through the night.
Nasar wakes up finnaly at sunrise as his skin feels a tiny bit wrinkly and his voice a little raspy.
Everyone seems to be up and about finalizing their outfits before they head out.
Nasar lets out a couple coughs as he tries to adjust to the new ailment plaguing him. ”I think I hate swamp bears now...” Nasar slowly rises to his feet and looks over his wrinkly skin with disgust ”Guess I shouldn’t be surprised spending all that time in swamp water and getting sliced by that gross bear got me sick.” He starts getting himself ready and looks through his pack ”With all these miscellaneous potions and scrolls you’d think id have something for diseases.”
Marissa overhears Nasar as she leaves her tent. Oof Nasar you look rough. I’d help ya with mercies and all but ya know... to which she shrugs and starts pulling down her tent.
The team finishes their final arrangements before meeting at the last table standing to go over the game plan one more time. Tony waits with his other 2 partners as Marissa, Genesis, Nasar, Deract, and Lily all take the stage. Tony goes over it all one more time, Alright so you guys will head south east to find the beast. Once you’ve got it’s attention you drive it west where we will be ready. There is a giant mangrove area with a bunch of large trees that are the perfect formation to lunch the trap. Us 3 will come down with our specially made net that will immobilize our target. From there we can properly take care of and study the beast before we eliminate the threat once and for all. Our area will be marked with a giant smokestack we will construct once we arrive. Any questions?
Nasar takes out his wand and gives his leftover bear wound a boop.
After going for his healing, Nasar speaks with his newly acquired raspy voice"Sounds simple enough, how far away will this trap be from the beast?"
As Nasar thwackes himself with the wand his wounds start to close up... but oddly enough the flesh tears a bit as it’s healing as to not fully heal him.
Tony explains, Shouldnt be more than a few hundred feet from the sighting spots. The monster tends to stay away from the mangroves due to the generally cleaner water and area.
Oh good now this is happening too. Can’t wait to see how this day goes at this rate.
Nasar gives his wound a second thwak before moving on from healing
”That’s good enough i suppose Ok let’s capture this thing.” Nasar puts away his wand, adjusts his cloak and is ready to go.
Everyone packs their things and heads off as the hunters team goes west. The 5 of them trek down the swampy area and they stop and go as they find the area pictured on the map. Marissa asks as they walk, So what exactly is our plan. Is someone going to lure the monster or are we going to harm it and chase it?
”Preferably? I’d want us to get it to follow us towards the trap. It’s easier to get it where we want it by having it chase us. If doesn’t want to follow, we’ll just have to harm it enough to cause it to retreat towards the trap.” Nasar coughs a bit after speaking as the raspy voice is hurting his throat.
”Didn’t think it was possible to make me miss the city slicker life...”
Lily trudges through the swampy water and says, Yea... the cold desolate sands of the Plane of Shadow are looking like not so much a bad place right now... jeez even so It feels like I haven’t seen you guys in a week with how much those baboons kept trying to talk to me and ask me questions and stuff. The Phil guy ain’t too bad but the other 2 oh boy...
Nasar hears a tree branch break in the distance up above. Almost as if it were stepped on wrongly and snapped under someone’s weight. He immediately alarms the team as they stop and all look around to survey any assailants.
Marissa points to a tree and hurriedly says. Who is that?
An slim figure who’s skin is browned and face hidden by a wooden mask with tribal paint splattered across it hangs from a tree, bow in hand. He silently hangs there one arm from the tree... staring.
”It looks like a...i dont know a hunter? But more like aomeone who’d be native to the area i think. Maybe it’s scouting us out since we aren’t from these parts. It’d be great if there were no hostility from him. Also be great if he spoke common or else it’s going to be another moment of you talking to someone while the rest of us wait on a translation. Now please don’t try and shoot at us.”
The unknown humanoid flinches at the words before looking at the 5 once more in desperation and urgency. It looks around before giving a signal by slapping its hands against its mouth and sounding his alarm voice. He begins climbing the tree with its bow around its body. Many branches can be heard now rustling as other alarm voices can be heard around them.
Lily’s eyes widen, I don’t think these guys even speak a language...
The being rises in the tree as Marissa exclaims. Is it uhh fighting time?
Deract flings a bolt at the tree that crashes against the wood staining it black, Im surely not waiting for them to answer that question Marissa!
”They seem kinda primitive. Maybe we can spook them away with some fancy magic or something.” Nasar shoots a glance to Genesis before continuing. ”Now I’m not saying we should waste them all with a fireball or something...but IF a fireball would occur the wet vegetation would prevent any real lasting damage to the environment.” Nasar takes out his crossbow that he hasn’t used since the plane of fire adventure with the other PCs and readies for combat.
On several other trees 5 different figures appear in the trees about 30 feet above. Some holding bows and arrows and one holding a stone tablet. They all hold woodland polearms on their backs. Genesis starts casting, If you say so Nasar but I’m not sure-
Deract says, Just cast it we can worry later!!
Genesis shrugs as she blasts a branch nearby 2 hunters. A ball of flames engulfs them and the trees above. They both fall out the tree and hit the ground hard in death but the trees above spark and crackle as the branches above set ablaze. The other hunters scream in fear of their swamp burning as they retaliate with a volley of arrows.
Nasar manages to dodge the arrows that fly his way.
The one with the tablets hand glows red hot as it casts a spell. Marissa’s bock metal armor suddenly turns a fiery red as she jumps around in pain. OW OW OW OW THESE GUYS HAVE MAGIC TOO!! the armor quickly turns back to its black unheated state.
”Well that’s just annoying, guess we need to actually kill them.” Nasar points his crossbow up at the tablet holder and takes a shot with his crossbow.
After launching his first bolt he reloads the bow. ”Couldn’t have an easy trip to the swamps, noooo had to get attacked by everything under the sun.”
The arrow narrowly misses the Druid as the other hunters jump from tree limb to tree limb and proceed to hail arrows back down onto the crew.
Nasar is shot as a arrow whizzes past his arm cutting it open. As he looks at the grazed area he sees a blue gelatinous goo left on his arm from the arrow. He shakes off whatever happened to be tipped on the arrow just fine.
5 hunters remain in the trees as Deract manages to hurl a bolt pounding one in the noggin but not knocking it out. Marissa whips out her handy dandy crossbow and fires off a shot that flies far left field. Genesis casts sheild on herself which manages to stop a few arrows and Lily throws an alchemical bomb to toast them.
Up above now a fire starts to spread in the canopy of the trees. It stretches 15 feet across the top layer of the forest where the fireball was casted.
Nasar wipes the goo off his face and coughs as he tries to speak. The shouting and all that talking seems to have finally caught up to him. "Oh good, seems like their arrows are poisoned or something. That's what I needed today. Sick AND poisoned. Be careful everyone, last thing we need is all of us succumbing to poison and getting butchered by some indigenous stereotypes."
Nasar readies to take a shot with his crossbow again, but instead has a better idea. Nasar drops his aim and sprints behind a tree, using the distraction of combat to try and lose the sight of his opponents.
Once he gains some cover and feels he may have lost their gaze, he chirps up again in aklo. They may not be able to understand it, but a primitave language like aklo seems to be a fitting intimidating noise to throw at them.
"Can't Pierce If Can't See. Watch Self Or I Will Pierce You."
All of the hunters lose track of Nasar in a flash and all but the tablet holder is shook by the torrent of waves echoing from Nasars mouth.
Genesis takes this chance to knock one of them down with her magic missle. Marissa manages to shoot one and Deract finishes him with a tail shot. Lily tosses another bomb at the Druid that engulfs him in acidy goodness. 3 hunters remain. The top of the forest burns hotter now as the fire continues to spread above the canopy. Smoke is now billowing out the trees up above.
Deract looks up at the fire that is a bit too late to be contained mundanely. Ohhh noo that can’t possibly end well...
HeheheheAHAHHHAHAHA SCREW YOU SWAMP! THATS WHAT YOU GET FOR HAVING SQUID THINGS AND GROSS BEARS. Ahhhh now what was I doing? Oh right, borderline colonialization murder.
Nasar peaks around his tree and takes a shooty shoot at one of the future corpses.
Nasar tries his best to keep his position hidden...even though thats nearly impossible.
After sending that bolt, Nasar reloads for a possible round of fighting.
One hunter is too consumed with the fight and seeing his companion who just got beamed with an arrow drop like a sack of potatoes from the trees. The Druid however wild shapes into a monkey to give him a greater edge in the trees and makes a screech before running higher up into the trees to make an escape. The other hunter books it in the opposite direction into the fog of the forest. Lily chucks a final bomb the crashes against the trees burning the chlorophyll off that leaf instantly.
The area grows quiet as 5 dead hunters all with masks on lay dead on the swamp floor. Genesis looks up at the burning canopy. I don’t have anything to put that out...
Deract nonchalantly retorts. I doubt any of us do. Screw it we got bigger things to deal with... and he walks over to the bodies to start looting.
”Yea this seems more like nature’s problem. We are still busy with the actual hunt. Let’s keep moving.” Nasar continues on, leaving the fire as if its always been there.
The team quickly gets away from the spreading fire and arrives at the marked spots on the map where the beast might reside. To nobodies surprise mud and muck are all over trees and all over the ground staining the water. Globs of mud the size of carriages sit idle in various spots. Genesis touches the muk and squishes it between her fingers. Well he’s definitely been here. Should we wait for him to come back?
"Well we have no way of knowing if it will come back any time soon. We should cough probably try and hunt it down. If we dont have any luck we can come back here." Nasar clears his throat and looks at Genesis playing with the swamp monster gunk. "Having fun there Gen."
Gensis wipes the muk on a clean piece of tree, Don’t patronize me Nasar haha let’s get a move on.
As they get set to move however a large thumping can be heard in the distance, as if a large creature were making its way through the trees ahead. Deract chuckles as he unsheathes his claws. Maybe this guy knows... and they all get their weapons ready for a fight.
Nasar takes out the liquid ice bomb and squints of into the distance towards the noise. "Oh come on Genesis, let the sick man have his fun. Now! cough Let's piss this thing off, get it to the trap and get the hell out of this swamp." Nasar leads the charge
As the team rushes forward to meet their assailant they see a giant ball of muk hurled overhead as a beast the size of a tractor trailer emerges in a glob by mess. A long thick body matched with two powerful legs and its smaller arms tucked under its body, a large tail behind it to leverage its weight this thing roars in anger and hostility. It sees the team with its small eyes through its muck covered body and charges them as well with a leaping attack to try and crush Nasar and Marissa the frontliners.
Deract yells out as he flings a bolt of negative energy at him. He definitely does not like us!! the bolt plasters itself against the beast and seeps into its muk where it bursts the muk on that part like a festering boil.
As the mud and slime explodes off the beast the split second before it is recovered with slime Nasar swears he saw a glimmer of... scales? And by the look of them they were dragon scales he would recognize his nemesis’s scales anywhere!
Marissa tries to swing her morningstar in retaliation but it almost gets stuck in this beasts muddy exoskeleton of mud. Genesis casts haste and everyone is suddenly wayyyyy quicker, Throw your thing and let’s book it west!! Marissa takes the opportunity to move back as they try to break the distance farther away. The beast takes the opportunity to hurl a ball of mud at her that causes her to trip and fall just 10 feet away and become entangled. Deract sees this and throws another bolt that blows another mud bubble off the beast! Lily starts mixing things together and drinks her Mutagen to heighten her Dexterity. She wails a bomb then at the beast which explodes in an acidy mess but does not seem to affect the beast.
If Nasar was catfolk, his eyes would be super dilated right now. He speaks at the beast in draconic. ”What a peculiar development, my target turns out to be a dragon.” Nasar raises his bomb and chucks it at the dragon(?) before sprinting away 60 ft.
As Nasar hits the titanic beast he sees the mud freeze and crack off the side of the beast revealing more of its golden shining dragon hide that is quickly covered back up with insane speed by the mud that oozes off him.
The beast roars once more as Nasar can now make out what the dragon is saying. The beast speaks draconian but sounds as if it’s bubbling out of the water through the gurgling mud dripping off it. and with that he does a giant leap once more and slams down on Deract crushing the imp as he squirms out from this giant beast and high tails it west with the crew. Marissa runs with the others as she puts her mace away and whips out her crossbow sending a shot at the beast to keep it angry. Lily flys above and meets up with the crew as they continue running. They are not very far from the beast only 20 or so feet.
Nasar keeps up the movement while keying in the team as to what is going on ”So good news, that monster is clearly a dragon. And apparently it’s cursed which is seemingly what caused it to become this muk monster.” He then turns his head back towards the dragon and shouts in draconic ””
The muk dragon chases after them jumping to step on Nasar once more, his voice booming through the forest as he knocks over trees and spreads sludge like a contagion.
Nasar narrowly dodged the attack and as it lands he lets out a giant roar pointed at Genesis that spits hunks of sludge in her direction. She screams as she is pelted with mud and muk entangling her. Marissa manages to get herself out the muk and runs to be Genesis sheild while she escapes.
Deract flings another bolt that strikes the monsters face blowing a portion off the snout of the dragon revealing a gem stone on its golden scale last near its mouth. The dragon shouts as it’s face reforms in mud.
Nasar readies the next liquid ice bomb and chucks it at dragon.
After sending that bomb he continues towards the trap. "You catch that Lily, witches. If I were a betting man I'd say the witches we are looking for are possibly the same that cursed the dragon."
Lily doubles down on the bomb throwing as she launches a fire bomb that hardens the mud on the monsters body. Nasars ice covers the beast and chunks off a giant piece of its underside which reveals the dragons arms huddled up to its body like they’ve been glued there. The mud quickly covers them back up as the dragon rushes the whole crew trying to bull rush them out of the way.
The beast tramples through everyone as he charges over them and cuts them off only about 50 feet from the mangrove clearing. His eyes flash gold for a second before he roars once more spewing mud all over the team in a yukky fashion.
Deract and Genesis try to flank around to get around the beast but are cut off by it’s tail slamming down stopping their movement. Deract looks a bit worse for wear at this point getting slammed 3 times. Marissa looks around and starts to move and blocks an attack with her sheild leaving it slimes and gross.
Nasar’s covered up face scrunches up at the dragon’s words. ”Guess I need to ditch this medal at the house if its scent is that distinct. You do have a point, you are nothing more than a nemesis to me. Maybe that is why im taking my time to let yoy suffer. You really shouldn’t insult those you want something from.” Nasar draws his blades and tries to take advantage of his hastened speed to run throw the dragons position to get behind for a possible flank and/or draw him into the trap.
Nasar dashes under the mukky beast as a drop of mud drops on his shoulder as the beast ducks under its own legs and flips over in attempt to chase Nasar through its stance. The beast is turned around as it begins to spew mud. and a giant geyser of mud shoots towards the team running around the beast.
Nasar manages to just get a little dirty but evades getting gooped like the rest of the party. Genesis sloppily eats the dirt as she falls on her face in a mukky mess. It then drives its muddy tail through the air to slam down on Genesis with a giant splash of mud. It lifts up its tail to see Genesis’ body imprinted in the floor laying there unconscious.
Marissa tries to make her way to Gen before she realizes, Crap! I can’t heal her anymore!?
Deract and Lily both toss their charge of healing to hit Genesis as she picks her head up in pain. Uggghhh my head...
The beast looks at Nasar as it kicks a foot up to prepare to charge Nasar.
Nasar sprints into the clearing, ready for the dragon to come into the mangrove area.
Well I don’t see no giant smokestick so either this is a different mangrove area or they aren’t ready. If I spent all that time kiting this dragon here I’m going to lose it.
Nasar readies his blades for the dragon’s charge and taunts it one last time.
””
Coincidentally enough Nasar spots the crew up above as he runs past the dragon and preps his blades. The 3 of them stand above ready with a giant net and the dragon let’s out a bestial roar and charges Nasar. the boys come crashing down on the beast as he trips into the net and fumbles into a giant mud ball. The beast topples forward some 20 feet from Nasar as the hunters get dragged along as the beast is finally contained. The beast flails and secretes mud to slip out but is unable to get free. Multiple giant rocks sit tied to the net holding it to the ground.
Tony wipes off some mud as he gets up. Hey you found us! Good thing too considering we got attacked by some denizens of the forest and our fire stack got ruined. But look at this!! he looks to the captured beast. Bang up job you guys!
The dragon flails and struggles and with every attempt draws the rocks closer trapping him even tighter.
Nasar lets out a string of coughs before taking a swig of water to help calm his throat.
"We had our run in with some of the local tribes? Then this thing turns up and ends up being a dragon. Says some witches cursed it." Nasar starts making way towards his team while digging in his pack for the stick of health "How are you holding up Gen, you took a nasty hit back there."
Genesis’ eyes look very glossed over as she smiles with a tooth missing and gives a thumbs up. There do a fine river where kudos for always do says. and falls back and lays on the floor to regain herself.
Phil looks at the beast trapped in the net, Witches cursed it hmm... maybe we could fix it? I’m no wizard but it couldn’t be that hard could it?
Lily grabs Genesis’ book of spells and finds a spell. A spell for removing curses could work and she has it. We... just have to fix her up. I have 2 charges of my alchemical healing I can give her.
The beast continues to flail and writhe in the net spewing mud and muk. It lets out a roar,
Lily waves off the dragon. Yea yea big guy wait a second we’re planning your stupid downfall... she mixes a potion and heals Genesis as she lifts her head in comfort of the pink sweet smelling panacea.
Genesis takes a deep breath. Ohhhh my that’s the strong stuff... oh hey he’s in the net! Man that was a huge hit i to- she places her younger through her lost tooth. Her eyes widen, What the he-
Lily stops her, Dont worry hun it’ll grow back with another healing spell or two!
Phil looks to be pretty beat up, his head has a wound on the back and a swollen knee marks his pain still lingering.
Genesis opens her book and looks to the party, So should we try to remove the curse on this big lizard? Or maybe he will be even worse than this mud beast?
Nasar holds back a laugh "Not so funny when it's your tooth getting knocked down ya throat eh? Nasar offers a hand to help Genesis up to her feet. Unless removing the curse makes it easier to kill, and with all that muk that is actually a decent possibility. But if we don't have to I say leave it. Sounds like he's hating having that curse and who am I to help out."
I wonder how valuable a soul gem thingy made from a dragon would be... If Nasar's scarf wasn't covering his mouth and nose his wide grin would be very easy to see right now
The hunters look at the dragon, Well we do plan to dispose of this beast one way or another, but it’s so hard to penetrate him with weapons I think removing it would help.
Multiple people agree to remove the curse they wait on Nasar to give the ok.
The beast flails around in the net still now almost completely tied up.
Nasar sighs and speaks draconic, glaring down at the captured dragon "Hear that you foul cretin, we'll undo you're little curse before harvesting you. How kind of us."" He then clears his throat and crosses his arms before continuing in common. "Sounds like a unanimous decision. Let's break the curse and put the dragon to rest."
Genesis begins casting the spell and-
The mud and slime start to slowly dribble off the dragon as its yellow golden scaley hide is exposed. It lays there in solace until it is all washed away and evaporates away. The dragon slowly opens its arms attached to it body and its eyes slowly open to show its black eyes. Multiple gemstones lay embedded in its hide that glisten and shine in the light shining through the mangrove. It looks at Nasar in peace at its current state. It speaks softly though it’s voice booming with its draconian nature. it breathes heavily as the wounds it sustained leave it in a near death condition.
Lily looks over the dragon as does Genesis. Genesis looks at Nasar and whispers to him. Hey uhh Nasar so did you wanna know anything about this guy before we like put him down?
The dragon lays there in submission... the hunters team looks at this situation and waits on Nasar before Tony says. Your call guy, you took just as much part as we did so you should have a say.
After dusting himself off he approaches the fallen dragon, removing his face covering before speaking to the dragon in its native tongue. "It's a shame that one dragon getting aggressive against me so long ago has made me detest such magnificent creatures. I had even tried befriending one some time ago but alas that ended poorly as well. Tell me unnamed dragon, are we destined to fight forever. With every passing day it feels as though the burning flame that is my desire for revenge is slowly running outa fuel." Silence falls as Nasar thinks over his train of thought "I used to over a short prayer to the dragonkin I slayed that would postulate another life where I don't see them as enemies anymore. Maybe...it would be possible to start that process early, in this life. What do you think?"
If it isn't plainly obvious, Nasar is offering an alliance to the dragon. After saving it from the curse and having it in a compliant position, Nasar felt a new feeling. Empathy for a dragon. The past with Lucky may be someone clouding his judgement of just putting the dragon down but the possibility of a new draconic ally is a bit too enticing to just pass up.
The dragon breathes heavily as it looks to Nasar with a voice of soft but harsh understanding, Nasar can tell he is referring to the teams general evil auras around them. The dragon closes its eyes and awaits judgment.
Nasar laughs a bit and shrugs, returning to speaking common to delivers his decision to the group. ”Well well can’t say that I didn’t try but alas it wasn’t meant to be. I would have just walked away but the whole ‘won’t hesitate to stop me’ is just enough of a threat that warrants preventative measure. So this swamp will be your final resting place.” Nasar withdraws his soul gem talisman before returning to talking in draconic one last time. ”From the dark confines of your swamp prison to the shadows of the Umbral Dragons stomping ground, may your eternal slumber give you peace until we meet again in a world beyond the planes.”
The dragon exhales one last time as a light purple smoke slowly seeps out. and with that Nasar is free to coup de grace the dragon and take his soul gem.
Nasar with a kukri in one hand and s talisman in the other brings the blade down swiftly to the head of the soon to be slain beast.
After delivering the blow, Nasar attempts to make a soul gemout of the dragon.
Nasar ends the dragon and focuses the lens to create a soul gem, it spits out a golden yellow soul gem that is a fine bit bigger about the size of a quarter. As they pull the net off the slain dragon they spy several gemstones embedded into the hide of the dragon. Various jewels lay on the dragon varying in colors and one stands out on the dragons jaw bone, an amethyst piece of rock is pulled out and she hands it to Nasar. This looks fun...