Ingolf saw the great flying beast crash to the ground. "Ebba, Attack!", he cried, while he struggled to move through the underbrush to reach the drake.
Ebba barreled through the heavy foliage and tried to gore the reptile with her tusks.
Blessed by Ingolf, the dinosaur tries to crunch its jaws into the drake but fails to do so as it stands up.
Trying again, Lightfoot strikes at the drake once more.
The druid holds a curing spell, in case someone needs his assistance.
Entangled and deprived of his flying advantage, the drake is an easy victim to the group attacks. Ebba, Lightfoot and Jonah land most of their attacks, quickly finishing of the work.
The drake has a mummified elf hand hanging by a golden chain around its neck. Detect magic says this is magical.
Muhdzuzi bows in front of you "Asante marafiki, umeniokoa. Ninapata njaa. Labda huu ni wakati mzuri wa kukaa na kula chakula cha mchana." the Song'o sits in a rock by the stream and brings up a leaf of bread and a piece of cheese he starts to eat while taking a long breath and smiling back at you.
"Thanks friends, you saved me. I am getting hungry. Perhaps this is a good moment to sit and have lunch."
Ingolf breathed a sigh of relief when the drake was vanquished. A flying dragon relative was a great danger that he elt ill-equipped to fight. He healed Adriana, and then examined the macabre mummified hand. He informed the others, "This thing, when worn around the neck, allows the user to move small objects by telekinesis".
After a little while to discuss about the drake and its magical hand, or to have lunch, you unset the camp and cross the stream.
It takes you only one more hour to reach Jheri's Plantation. Although "Plantation" is a generous descriptor to this log cabin in the middle of the swamp and the surrounding stands of dika trees.
You have heard during your stays in The Stone Hall common room that Jheri has lived well since arriving in Pridon's Hearth, and having found an ideal location to grow crops (dika fruit and seeds), he supplied the settlers with cheap and tasty calories during the colony's difficult first few years.
Many colonists call him "One Arm" because he only has one. With the years he has become a local legend to the people of Pridon's Hearth, thanks to the endless speculation over how he lost his arm, a story both Jheri and his cousin the sheriff refuse to discuss.
Apparently, the recent storm damaged Jheri's cabin, tearing away part of the thatched palm-leaf roof and several shutters. Everything is quiet when you arrive.
The door is closed.
Ingolf eyed the cabin and commented, "Oh dear, it looks like the building has suffered some damage."
He walked up and knocked on the front door, calling out, "Hello, Jheri? Your cousin Adaela Praet asked us to check in on you."
He listened for a reply or sounds of movement within.
Ingolf knocks the door. It seems firmly closed but not locked.
No one answers his call.
You hear a feeble voice coming from within, it is barely intelligible, but you understand something about "storm brought" "ceiling collapsed" "is guarding" "cannot get out" "help please".
Someone is inside! can you guys hear that? something about the ceiling collapsed, somethign is guarding and she can't get out. let's get in there!
Jonah pulls his flail, and moves to open the door. he tries the door to see if it will open
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The druid saw the drake die and gave a small prayer for it, it wasn't much but it was the least he could do.
"How is everyone faring? Perhaps we can lunch here and I can help you back on your feet." He begins to pull out his kit and his wand and gives Lightfoot some mice.
"I have no delusions that whatever is coming up could involve more drakes or worse."
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Eventually making his way to the plantation, Splits the Leaves looks for any tracks on the floor before moving to Ingolf, "Perhaps someone is in danger. This place does not look sturdy."
Hearing and confirming Jonah's suspicions, the druid nods, "You're right I hear it too."
Ingolf called inside, "Hang on, we're coming!"
He tried to help Splits the Leaves open the door.
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"Whatever you do, don't bring up the fact that he's only got one arm," Tonny cautions the group as they approach the plantation. "He's really sensitive about it - the fact that it's missing, not, like, the skin where the arm was once attached, though I'd imagine that that would also be more sensitive than other places because of the injury, or would it be just a mass of scar tissue that wouldn't be sensitive at all?" The half-elf's train of thought dies down as his companions start knocking on doors and yelling about people inside, and he pulls Muhdzuzi close (whether for his own safety or for the halfling's is unclear) as he glances about the clearing with wide eyes.
Worried about the sounds inside and finding the door unlocked, the group storms in to find a dim lighted forest hut. A yellow-orange amoeboid creature slithers in the ground watching on a closet. The palm trees ceiling has collapsed all over the interior of the hut.
The creature notices your door banging ahead of time but some of you manage to storm in before it can react.
This is a type of ooze known as Ochre Jelly. Mostly known by the fact instead of damage, slashing, piercing and electrical attacks split them in two (leaving them with half hp), unless they have 10 hp or less remaining.
Their attacks are acidic and they can grab and constrict those they strike.
As other oozes, they are immune to mind-affecting attacks, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning. Ochre Jellies are also immune to electricity.
As they are equal in all parts, they cannot be flanked.
Like other oozes, they are blind and guide themselves by their blindsight.
They are slow but can climb.
Terrible Reflex and Will and appalling AC.
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”Hoooooo jeepers, that’s an ochre jelly!” Tonny blurts as he eyes quickly adjust to the dim light inside. ”Don’t cut it! It’ll just split it into two jellies and then we have twice the problem to deal with! Don’t poke it either - only blunt weapons! Use only blunt weapons! And don’t try to shock it either - that’ll also split it!” The half-elf pauses to take a breath, then continues letting words rush out. ”And watch out because it’s sticky and will grab you and squeeze until your internal organs pop out from your mouth and your... well, Professor Tawnilard couldn’t sit down for a week after his encounter with one, so...”
Tonny’s words trail off as he looks around the room. Blunt, anything blunt, maybe a broken board or something...
It's not just the animated goo that causes Adriana to make a face, but the fact that once again her main method of attack is more harmful than helpful.
"Blunt?! I don't have anything blunt! Uh.. She sheathes her scimitar and fumbles through her possessions for one of her torches - it was all she could think of that would work.
Tonny alerts the group of what they are facing and snatches a branch from the path to use it as a club.
Not sure about using her scimitar in here, Adriana brings one of her torches.
Jonah does something heroic!
The slime slithers across the ground and around the central table, pseudopods grasping ahead of its slow approach.
Ingolf ordered, "Ebba, guard Jonah!" He didn't want her to attack, since it sounded like that would do more harm than good.
He stepped back, flew into a rage, and attacked with the blunt end of his Lucerne Hammer.
Ingolf ordered, "Ebba, guard Jonah!" He didn't want her to attack, since it sounded like that would do more harm than good.
He stepped back, flew into a rage, and attacked with the blunt end of his Lucerne Hammer.
The druid looked at the jelly and held a hand out, hoping to slow down Lightfoot. "Easy. In time."
He offers his staff for Adriana, "Take it. You have the ability to use it more than I."
Jonah reflexively hits the ooze with the weapon in hand when it appears. luckily it is a flail.
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Tonny gulps, grabs the branch, and tries to use Jonah as cover to avoid being the target of those waving tendrils. Reaching around the corner, he swings tentatively at the ooze. ”St-stay back!” he adds uncertainly. ”Not that, like, you can understand what I’m saying, but Professor Marbrandt always said to give your opponents a chance to surrender or retreat because you’re at the dig site for the discoveries and the academic glory rather than the danger and stress of guard duty...”
Stepping back Ingolf unleashes a powerful blow with his hammer and holds back Ebba. Her eyes see good in the dim light and so he strikes accurately.
Spligs holds Lightfoot too and gives Adriana his staff to use it as a nice club instead of a torch.
Jonah moves in bringing down his flail with great and successful strength.
Tony is close to strike with the piece of wood he has collected, but just hits in the door frame.
Adriana does something heroic!
Muhdzuzi loads his sling and shots but with so many people in the middle it goes wide!
Suddenly an appendage protrudes from the Ochre Jelly surface and strikes at Jonah.
The appendage cracks the hunters bones. He gets stuck at it while it pushes him towards the Jelly and crushes it even faster. The skin also burns due to the acidic contact with the monster.
Muffled shouts come from a closet inside the hut.
Ingolf attacked and struck the ocre jelly, somehow reaching past Tonny!
Ebba tried to protect Jonah as she's been ordered, but found her way blocked.
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”Aaaah!” Tonny yells as the pseudopod whips past his head. ”Aaaah!” he yells again as Jonah is grabbed by said pseudopod, and the scholar grabs hold of the hunter’s leg without thinking. ”I’ve got you Jonah - now pull!” he continues frantically. ”Or would it be pushing? Sorry, don’t think too hard about getting out of there - just do it!”
unable to swing his flail while grabbed by the ooze, Jonah tries to wriggle out.
The jelly is so large and immobile that Ingolf easily manages to crash his hammer deep into its gelatinous body.
Jonah tries to help squeeze himself out of the jelly's reach. The hunter tries his best but the body is too sticky. Fortunately for him Tonny pulls from the protuberance that has him attached strong enough to free the man from the jelly's grasp!
He quickly steps back, out of the creature's reach.
Seeing Jonah get out and badly wounded, the druid channels the greenery into his magic yet again.
Moving toward the hunter he places his hands on him and hopes to ease the pain of the acid.
Adriana thanks Splits and picks up club he is offering her. In addition he looks at the jelly and studies it attentively preparing herself to attack its vital spots.
Splits says words of magic and touches Jonah's wounds, quickly healing them.
Armed with the club, Adriana climbs ups the stairs and launches herself to fight the jelly.
The wood strikes powerfully leaving a deteriorated jelly.
The ochre jelly attacks her back, but the sturdy woman just dodges the new appendage by a few inches.
Ingolf continued to rage against the giant blob.
not having any room to squeeze in and attack and knowing from the earlier warning not to hit the thing with arrows, Jonah just retreats (full withdraw to be safe)
Ingolf strikes with massive strength removing a good chunk from the jelly! He cannot discern any vital spot though.
Jonah retreats while Tonny attempts to strike but poorly does so at the door frame.
Muhdzuzi loads his sling and shots striking true on the ooze's body!
With fearsome determination, Adriana swings the club and chomps down the jelly that loses all shape and melts down through the floor holes.
Without the immediate danger of the Ochre Jelly you are able to access the hut and find Jheri lying in the closet, shivering from what had been a mild case of red ache he contracted on his muddy farm. Without food, water, or proper rest, he was unable to resist the disease, which ravaged his body. Thanks to the dehydration and disease, he is extremely weak, to the point of falling unconscious.
The man looks at you faintly when you open the closet "H-help... water... please... w-water..."
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Ingolf entered the cabin and found the man lying in the closet. "Oh dear, you're in rough shape! Let me make a proper place for you to rest, while we treat you."
He laid out his bedroll, to make Jheri comfortable, and gave him his waterskin. "I've got food when you feel like eating."
He did what he could to aid those better qualified to treat Adaela's afflicted cousin.
He also healed some of Jonah's wounds, since the hunter had been badly hurt in the fight against to ooze.
With some effort, Jheri relocates to Ingolf's bedroll and accepts his water eagerly. When food is offered he nods vigorously "Y-yes please"
The gnome prepares some more hydrating solutions to help whomever feels expert enough to treat the disease.
Finally, noticing Jonah's wounds, he heals them almost completely.
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Seeing the afflicted person, the druid doesn't give a second glance to the others. It was only a matter of time before things go bad for them. Giving a small prayer he moves toward the sickly Jheri.
Immediately recognizing the disease wasn't a problem, what was was how advanced it had become. "Ingolf, I need a few things. Time is dire, so please make it quick." The little dinosaur hops off his shoulder and tugs at Ingolf, "She should know."
Opening up his pack, the druid gets to work, "No need to speak. Keep your strength you will be fine."
Jonah looks on, concerned but with no skill to aid with.
let me know what you need, Splits. I can find whatever you think is helpful, but I'll leave the rest to you!
Ingolf followed Lightoot out into the swamp. The little dinosaur showed him some herbs that grew in certain partially shaded spots. The gnome showed them to Ebba and let her sniff them, explaining, "We need to find more of this, to help heal the sick man in the cabin."
With her sensitive nose, she quickly located some more plants, and soon they had enough to bring back to Splits the Leaves.
Jheri incorporates himself to let Splits and Lightfoot to team up and help him. The group spend a few hours focusing in the man, Ebba and Lightfoot come back with proper herbs the druid uses to cook a concoction.
Accepting the mixture he explains what happened "At the height of the storm's landfall, the winds caught a vicious marsh-dwelling ooze and splattered it against the cabin, allowing it to seep in through the damaged roof. When I found out, I hurriedly barricaded myself inside the closet, where I remained ever since... The ooze patiently waited outside while I slowly was succumbing to dehydration and disease within..."
The man is very pleased to know the sheriff requested you to check on him and he invites the group to pass the night at his cabin, where you find enough food and wood to prepare a good dinner.
The next day Jheri is in much better health, thanks to your intervention "Th-thanks... I think I have recovered enough strength to make the trip to Pridon's Hearth. I think I will remain with my cousin Adaela until I fully recover my strength"
"What are your plans next?"
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”Oh, well...” Tonny answers as he gently swishes a bottle of ochre fluid in slow circles. ”We’re escorting this gentleman back home, and then we’re also looking for...” His voice trails off and he looks over to Splits the Leaves. ”What was that fellow’s name again? The one who mentored that priest we rescued before we left town?”
Waking up the next morning bright and early the druid goes to check on Jheri quietly. Eventually he stumbles across Tonny swishing around the jelly, "I hope it cannot regenerate." Pointing his staff to the bottle, "We are looking for Kanjo's master, Magdi Kukoyi and his friend elemental."
He finds a seat on a rock and looks toward the morning air, "What mysteries can you tell me oh great sky?"
"So Tonny, did you expect such a grand adventure? I know I had not."
Ingolf replied to Jheri, "We're escorting Muhdzuzi, our Song'o halfling friend, back to his tribe. We met him at Fort Breakthrough."
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"As the others have said, we are escorting Muhdzuzi to their tribe. This was planned as a detour to see if you were alright, and perhaps our timing could have been better, but it is good to know we can get both of you to safety."
"I see, be careful, the Son'o are isolationists. But if one of them are guiding you I guess you will be ok" Jheri looks down at Muhdzuzi "I will pick up my most important stuff and make my way to Pridon's Hearth"
From a small chest he picks up a small book and offers it to you with difficulties "I never was the kind to be good with magic, but my father was a wizard. I guess I will never make use of this. You better have it. It is a present for saving my life friends"
It might take some days of study, but Tonny will finally decipher all of the spells in the book: 1st—alarm, comprehend languages, identify, magic weapon, unseen servant; 2nd—minor image, protection from arrows, see invisibility, spectral hand; 3rd—dispel magic, heroism, slow
Ingolf consulted with his friends, "Do you think we should escort Jheri back to Pridon's Hearth? I worry about him going by himself, so soon after his illness."
The druid frowned, "We did have a deal with our halfling friend. Perhaps we should speak with him first, but I would hate for his friends to raid a place or worse due to our lack of alacrity."
He looks toward Muhdzuzi, "This one here is sick and was dying. I know we promised you an escort but I would not feel safe with him walking where the drakes and other wilderness runs wild." Splits the leaves does his best to speak the primal language, "I will attempt to talk with the wind and see if they will come get him, would you be okay if we have to go back with him?"
He begins to formulate a message to speak on the winds, but without a way to hear back all he can do is hope.