"Yes....resting would be great but I can always hang back and uh...well it is kinda gross but I can spit acid." Gobil says shrugging his shoulders.
"Resting would be nice," Merin said, after a moment's thought. "If anything, so I can try to mend the group. I'm also out of the blessings from Sarenrae for healing, with only a couple other tricks ready today. I can try to patch folks up on the fly, but that's a bit of a chancy option."
Allania follows the others back to the inn for a bit of rest. "We will head there in the morning."
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The party makes their way back to the Feedmill to rest up for a night. After resting, they have another chance to make purchases before meeting with Noala near the center of the blight.
Meeting again with Noala after the party rests and buys their needs, she looks ready for a long hike. "The trek to get to the center of the blight will be a very long one, where reaching it before nightfall will require us to move swiftly." After a very long hike, the Pathfinders reach where the blight is strongest and appears to be in three bands.
The first and most outer band having rotting trees and dying plants, looking a lot like the wolf's den. The second and middle band where all the plants are already dead, with limp and rotten forms that stick the air with sweet decay. Even the birds and insects have abandoned this area. The corpses of desperate animals that ate from the poisonous plants litter some areas.
Finally entering the third area, where smaller trees and plants have seemingly returned to life, but in twisted and oily forms. Gnarled trees with bark that looks like scales grow in abundance, and pustules emit a faintly glowing light. Gnats that go near the pustules find themselves being absorbed into it.
"This is where we part ways. I will keep a patrol of the perimeter while you all head into the thickest of it. Here, take these and use them when needed." She hands you Two Potions of Lesser Healing and Two Potions of Barkskin.
Gobil looks quite a bit better in the morning after resting his body.
"Wow, a nice bed can do wonders...thanks again everyone for making sure I lived to see a pillow again. Not gonna let anything take me down today!" he says in a cheery mood before sticking out his tongue.
As they arrive at the thicket Gobil looks distressed and agitated.
"What in the world is happening...nature is being corrupted. I can't wait to get my jaws around whoever is responsible for this!" he says before taking a few deep breathes. Looking to the group he frowns.
"After having bushes and wolves attack us I don't think charging in is a good idea...even if I want to. How should we handle this?" he asks the others.
Chewface gives Gobil a quizzical look. He then launches into a bit of a tirade, which likely makes more sense to him. "What other ways we got to do it? Sneaking probably won't work. Anything else's just a slow charge. Maybe charge not the right word, but just heading in there ready to fight is the best balance.
"Because we're gonna fight, and we're gonna win. Seen that much about us."
Allania wakes up feeling much better as her muscles relaxed a bit. "Don't worry Gobil, we will find them. Suppose standing around here is't going to to stop the forest from dying." She heads further towards the epicenter of the blight.
"I have a little bit of fire I can throw around again, but proabably not enough to clear this out, at any rate."
Gobil shakes off his doubt from getting the snot beaten out of him a few times thanks to Chewface.
"Thanks! You are right. Nothing else to do but get in there! Nothing has stopped us yet." he says with renewed confidence.
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Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: None
Active Penalties: None
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-0,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Blue Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Green Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Purple Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-0,Fine)
Red Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
As the Pathfinders approach, the threat is easily spotted; vine lashing plants start bursting from their cover to attack! Thankfully, the majority of the group is well prepared for the chicanery of plants!
Allania moves around the lashing vines, blocking what she can with her shield.
◆ Move
◆ Attack
◆ Raise Shield
HP 32/32
AC 19 (21 with shield raised)
Hero Points 1/1
Merin looks pained at the utter desecration, as the plants come alive again to assualt the group. "If they;re rooted like plants should be, then we deal with them one at a time en mass," He slips to one side and whispers a brief prayer before launching a ray of fire at the closest vine, hoping to set it ablaze so the group can deal with it swiftly.
"Well unless they can crawl we could pick them apart from afar." he says but still jumps into action to support Allania.
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Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Inspire Courage (Lingering), Magic Weapon Hulgur
Active Penalties: None
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-0,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Blue Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Green Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Purple Vine Lasher(6,Fine)
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-0,Fine)
Red Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Making swift attacks against the vines and rushing for combat, the Pathfinders find that fire does not appear to have an innate advantage against these plants. The purple vine strides away from the assaulting duo on its left, and then turns back to lash out at Allania!
The green vine moves around the large twisted tree to attack Chewface, and the blue vine moves on its roots like an octopus towards Merrin.
The only vine that strikes against its target is the green one, but since it moved so far it wasn't able to fully grasp at the goblin!
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Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Inspire Courage (Lingering), Magic Weapon Hulgur
Active Penalties: None
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-0,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Blue Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Green Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Purple Vine Lasher(6,Fine)
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-3,Fine)
Red Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Chewface scrambles away from the plant before it can try to assert its hold. "Stupid plant! Can't catch me," he crows. Figuring fire will work best, he lobs a ball of it over Hulgur at his assailant.
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Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Inspire Courage (Lingering), Magic Weapon Hulgur
Active Penalties: None
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-0,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Blue Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Green Vine Lasher(23,Dead)
Purple Vine Lasher(6,Fine)
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-3,Fine)
Red Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
The green vine gets decimated between the combined assault of Hulgur and Chewface. Ashes remain of a badly beaten plant, and the red one lets out a spore filled battle screech. It double strides up and lashes out at Gobil!
It lands a lash against the gnome barbarian!
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|
Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Inspire Courage (Lingering round 2), Magic Weapon Hulgur
Active Penalties: None
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-7,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Blue Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Green Vine Lasher(23,Dead)
Purple Vine Lasher(6,Fine)
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-3,Fine)
Red Vine Lasher(0,Fine)
Merin, deciding to be reckless for once, draws his blade and pushes against the tree just a little to get behind the closest foe, hoping that being there will give an advantage for the others. He takes a clumsy swing at the vine as he passes.
Allania sees that Merin might need a hand or two. She moves in on the other side of the vine and snaps her shield down into the roots.
HP 32/32
AC 19 (21 with shield raised)
Hero Points 1/1
Gobil rushes up in an attempt to tear the assaulting red vine apart.
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|
Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Inspire Courage (Lingering round 2), Magic Weapon Hulgur
Active Penalties: None
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-7,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Blue Vine Lasher(20,Dead)
Green Vine Lasher(23,Dead)
Purple Vine Lasher(15,Dead)
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-3,Fine)
Red Vine Lasher(7,Fine)
The party is swift and decisive with their blows! Gobil lands a healthy hearty bite into the red vine, shredding a mouthful of leaves off! Allania and Merin manage a double offensive strike that throws the blue lasher off balance, and Allania's blade slices it cleanly in half! Screech calls upon his power of yelling lyrics and words, and the rock flies at high speeds from the power of his voice. It slams into the green vine lasher, which falls over with a thud. If plants had brains, then it can be bet that it got damaged!
With only one plant left, Chewface keeps to his simple strategy: get close enough to burn it, then follow through.
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Chewface's fire is fans over the fauna, and it furiously bursts into flames! The immediate threat is quelled, and the Pathfinders have a moment of respite.
To the east is a pen that looks to be made up of loose and broken materials. It is high enough that scaling it would take some effort, and thorny vines appear to be growing on it. The entry way into it is a doorway made of large and thorny branches that winde in a clockwise circle.
Opening it may require some careful observation to open.. Or fire.
Merin steps toward the doorway to give it a look.
"Yeah...I have no idea for other options myself."
If we're not gonna try being quiet about it..." Chewface conjures up another ball of fire. "We can do it quick and fun way? Maybe light up some live plants snooping too close as well like this."
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Hulgur's careful eyes pick out that the thorn branch that would open this door is located in a cleverly hidden spot. He can see that reaching in to grab it will get him cut by the thorns.
Hulgur pulls the thorny branch, and his deft hands manage to sneak past the protrusions that would have cut into him. The thorn door of branches slides open...
... On the other side of the wall of brambles is a yard dominated by three large, wooden cages and a pool of bubbling sludge. A wretched-looking horse stands in one of the cages, while another cage is filled with a swarm of gigantic rats covered in white blisters. The third pen looks empty, but it appears to be built around a small cave located in the hillside. There is another cave entrance on the north side, near one of the pens.
Two orcs, who appear to be dumping buckets of sludge into a pool and in front of the horse cage, turn and look at you all. They appear very surprised.
Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Magic Weapon Hulgur (2 Rounds)
Active Penalties: None
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Red Orc(0,Fine)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-3,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-7,Fine)
[s]Blue Orc(0,Fine)
How very.... goblin of Screech... Merin muses before shaking his head in amusement. Then, he focuses on the fight, calling a blessing from the Dawnflower to guide their blades before moving forward.
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Hulgur didn't see the sense in moving all the way up and possibly having to face the orcs two on one, so he tries a little trickery first...
With a word, Hulgur causes a magic shield to appear in front of him. He then moves ahead waving his staff, spouting angry nonsense as he goes.
Orcish: "You'd better stop it and back away before you see what my next spell does!."
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Light Condition: None
Active Buffs: Magic Weapon Hulgur (1 Round) Inspire Courage 4 Rounds, Bless
Active Penalties: None
Hulgur Grimm(-0,Fine)
Merin Talusian(-0,Fine)
Screech Razorsong(-0,Fine)
Red Orc(0,Frightened 2)
Allania(-0,Fine)
Chewface(-3,Fine)
Gobil Sliink(-7,Fine)
The red orc screams like a coward at Hulgur and then throws the bucket at the half-breed assailant!
The bucket flies wild from Hulgur, and the orc then begins to rush... But not at the group like a brave orc, but to the horse cage! It begins to pull bindings that would keep the cage locked free from their position. The horse inside looks particularly violent!
Chewface scuttles forward. He doesn't entirely mean to speed past the safety Hulgur provides, but carries on anyway. "You idiots! Stop that, or someone's gonna bash orcs to bits!" His words don't have any magic to them yet, so hopefully the cage takes a moment to open.
Gobil bursts into action darting across the battlefield jaws first.
"MONSTERS!"