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Armagile thinks for a while who is this. As far as he get clear vision, the hunter points upcoming scarecrow with .
Thats a good plan just if Armagile didn't remember that scarecrows may have cold resistance. So, aiming for .
Fall back! Or flank it! What, are you, creature? - Armagile adds louder so that Scarecrow could hear.
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"The forest is starting to creep me out," Lux remarks as they're getting close. "It's too quiet."
When they enter the clearing and spot the scarecrow sacrifing small animals, Lux does a double take. "OK, forget what I said earlier. Now I'm really freaked out." She retrieves a scroll from her belt and casts its spell on Ozul, preparing him to tear down the scarecrow.
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(So, you didn’t forget Niklaas’ night out, right Xave? Anyways...)
Niklaas hadn’t really been listening to a word Blingscales had said; caught up in his thoughts about the previous night and the following dawn... He hadn’t been quite his usual self on the journey through the wilderness either (he’d actually been quiet for a change!). As unsettling (or pleasant) as that might have been for his allies - what was more unsettling for HIM was when the nightmare-fuel scarecrow giant rushed right up in his face and barely missed shredding him with two massive claws. Then the thing almost knocked him off his feet with its breath - and Niklaas got a rude awakening from his questionable daydreams (pleasant or otherwise)!
“HOLY S%#£ F$&@!” Niklaas exclaimed, gagging, “HALLITOSIS! IF BAD F$&@^*# BREATH COULD KILL!”
(Niklaas will delay until someone else hopefully gets in melee range of this thing before he attempts to move into flanking position himself.)
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“Ain’t gotta tell me twice, Brickface!” Niklaas rasps, raising his buckler in the face of the scarecrow behemoth. In spite of his fear, he then yells at the monster, “YA MOTHA’ WUZ A DIRE WEAZEL AN’ YA FATHA’ WUZ A TWIG! YA ‘EAR ME! YA NUTHIN’ BUT A F&@&IN’ SACK A D$&@*!”
Feet, don’t fail me now!
With that, Niklaas weaves to the side and circles around the giant stick man, then makes for a thrust at it’s exposed joints. “Say ‘ello ta my little friend!”
(Raise shield, move around to flank with Fester, and stab!)
“S$&@!” Niklaas cursed as Shirley failed to pierce the thing...
Armagile has no clue what this creature is. Nevertheless, he points a spell at the thing, and a large chunk of its body freezes solid.
Lux buffs up her companion.
The creature shrieks in pain as Nikebei gives it the stink eye.
Nikebei also has no idea about this creature.
Fester nearly trips over the thing as he moves into flanking position, burying his blade into the dirt instead of the creature.
Lastly, Niklaas raises his shield, finishes the flank, and similarly trips over the creature.
The creature shouts something in abyssal before continuing its assault on Niklaas.
Niklaas dodges the creature's first claw, but forgets about the second for just long enough that it rips up his side.
The creature then lets out a deafening roar at the creatures flanking it.
Initiative - the BOLD may act!
Active effects:
-----------------------------------------------
Scarecrow (-5)
Niklaas (-7; Frightened 1)
”Fester” (Frightened 2)
Nikebei
Lux
Armagile
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Seeing that the creature seemed to react to his spell, the sorcerer tries the spell again, before taking out his sling. He watches closely to see if the spell is really causing damage to the scarecrow.
Cantrip 1
Cantrip, Enchantment, Mental, Nonlethal, Occult
Traditions
: Occult
Cast:
[2] somatic, verbal
Range:
60 feet
Targets:
1 creature
Duration:
1 round
Saving Throw:
basic Will
DC:
17
Target's Saving Throw Result
:
Critical Success
The creature takes no damage.
Success
The creature takes half damage.
Failure
The creature takes full damage.
Critical Failure
The creature takes double damage.
You cloud the target’s mind and daze it with a mental jolt. The jolt deals mental damage equal to your spellcasting ability modifier; the target must attempt a basic Will save. If the target critically fails the save, it is also stunned 1.
Heightened (+2)
The damage increases by 1d6.
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“Tha bigga’ they are, tha easier they should be to stab!” Niklaas rasped, rearing back with his blade for another slash. Thank them godz I don’t believe in Double H isn’t ‘ere ta see me now!
“LET’S SEE ‘OW YA LIKE DIS!” Niklaas yelled, delivering two quick slashes at the stick behemoth’s back, aiming for it’s joints.
(Sorry. Forgot to subtract 1 from my attack rolls due to fear - but assuming I still hit the giant once, at least...)
“F€£¥ YEAH!” Niklaas whooped, “HOW YA LIKE ME NOW, F$&@ FACE!”
-After which, Niklaas quickly raised his buckler, preparing for a counterattack...
(Swing, swing, raise shield for thee actions.)
Armagile freezes the thing, Nikebei gets in its head a bit, Ozul just barely manages to bite it, Niklaas is there to dig deep into it, and Fester just blindly thrusts his weapon forward. As fester opens his eyes, he sees the creature still, skewered by his blade.
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"Everyone all right? I prepared healing magic, if someone needs it." As the group diverges to check on everyone's various interest, Lux calls Ozul to heel and walks to the altar with its carved letters and sacrificed small animals. Is this the cause of all the trouble here, or merely another symptom?
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“Awwwww…” Niklaas crooned after the half-elf druid had healed him, “Why - Tiny! I didn’t know ya cared!” Chuckling, the freakish elf shrugged, “Now, I don’t really think of ya that way myself - but, if thingz fall through between me an’... uh… heh heh… Whelp - there’s alwayz tha chance!”
After that bit of theatrics, Niklaas walked over to the corpse of the living stickmonster, hocked up a good loogie, and spat on the things still form. “Good riddance ta that d@&$#%* - an’ good goin’ Brickface, my man! But whut tha hell iz ‘dis s@&$ anywayz?! You naychta nerdz got any ideas? ‘Cuz it sure don’t take no tree-hugga’ ta realize this place iz f&$@& up!”
Having said that, it occurs to Niklaas that maybe he might find something useful using his survival skills… Tracks… Strange animal parts… Uncommon... tree... bits… maybe…?
He gets to work looking around the area as well...
(-Aaaaand it appears Niklaas don’t know jack from a squat...)
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After a few moments of labored breathing, Fester's pulse settles down and he begins to take in his surroundings. "S-See everyone! All in a days work for Fester!"
Glancing around at the ruins, Fester quickly starts to run through what he might know about this kind of corruption (Demon Lore, Arcana, Occult +5; Religion, Nature +4, can read Abyssal) before beginning to remove the animal carcasses from the menhirs. He'll also taoe a quick walk-around to try to find any tracks.
"Now, back to the task at hand, I suppose..."
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Before team depart from the altar, Armagile will check it with Read Aura and look at detailed with Lux and Nikibei.
He is angry about animal sacrificing, his exhalations sounds like growl.
The Hunter probably will burn away the Scarecrow upon this altar if it feels relevant.
Thanks, Fester. We need all this aanimal remains to connect with cycle again.
Armagile gonna spend couple hours to take away animal corpses and try to clear or destroy the altar. If it is not possible - he just wanna cover altar with bushes, branches and so on.
Nikebei realizes the stones are covered in a cyclopean script. He believes the stones originate from Old Koloran, the cyclopean empire that occuptied modern-day Iobaria.
Fester adds a whole lot more to the story: The Old Koloran were known for their widespread worship of fiends and other horrors. The cairns seem to show Finadar Forest, with its swift-burning blood pines, as a great ritual battery for the cyclopses, a place to hold Abyssal energy until it was needed. This energy was brough forth into the world by a series of burning monoliths. The depiction of the monoliths (three feet tall and covered in burning runes) matches Urwal and Cenenviel's description of the monolith in the old dragon graveyard you're headed to.
He continues: A monolith spewing Abyssal energy into the forest would explain the twisting of Findara's spiurits and bizarre leshyus. As the Abyssal pollution is still in its early days, if the soruce is removed, then the forest spirits would likely return to normal quickly.
---
Lux investigates the strange tomb herself, and notices that it appears to be able to open. The Pathfinders open it and find some dusty crumblinb bones and an ancient amulet depicting a single staring eye made of rusted iron. The item represents 1 treasure bundle and may possible (hint hint) assist you later.
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As the Pathfinders approach the old goblin valley, the environment grows increasingly bizarre. Much of this area has been burned, but the charred and ashen ground is almost preferable to the plant life that has survived. Enormous thorny bushes with leaves bent like clawed fingers sprout from the ground, while strangling vines have sunk hooked spikes into the bark of the remaining trees and drawn a ruddy sap. Massive, pitcher-like flowers seem to pulsate to some unheard rhythm, and the few animals the Pathfinders can see bear massive, weeping wounds. The air is thick and hazy with pollen and has a sickly sweet, metallic scent to it, like rotten blood.
Eventually, the Pathfinders find the strange valley. Through a crevasses is indeed a blasted valley that the Pathfinders were warned of at the Redpine camp, the area all around it teems with awful and uncanny life. The unnatural plants from before grow twice as thick and strange. Shrubs with gnarled human fingers twitch in the breeze, while vines slither like serpents along the ground. A two-headed crow points the Pathfinders' arrival with a demonic caw from atop an oak tree studded with catlike eyes.
Of more immediate concern than the weird life are the dozens of corrupted leshys. A few simply stand around, singing odd, warbling songs to one another, or else play a game vaguely like pat-a-cake, albeit with wildly varying numbers of limbs. Many of the others are hard at work, gathering strewn-about trash, stray branches, and offal, and bringing their prizes toward an ancient graven monolith at the end of the crevasse.
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(If no one else thinks they’d have opened the tomb and swiped the amulet of questionable, potentially Abyssal and cursed design… I volunteer Niklaas! He would’ve had very few qualms with swiping anything that looked expensive - abyssal or otherwise! Let me know if you guys are cool with that - and if so, we’ll make it canon!)
Listening as Brickface described the history of the old cyclops nation, Niklaas would’ve thought, Yeah, yeah… Suuuuuuuure they were, buddy… an’ next you’ll be sayin’ they took ballet classes in Taldor an’ sang Koom-Bi-Ya in Hell…
Niklaas would’ve interrupted Fester long enough to whisper conspiratorially, “Layin’ it on a little thick, dontcha think there, Brickface? I mean, I like sum good bull s#%^ as much - if not MORE - than tha next guy, but ya gotta be more vague an’ generalizin,’ er their gonna call ya out on that s£*+...
(Again, if you guys want, Niklaas could’ve taken the pedant when it was time for that…?)
Afterwards, Niklaas would’ve followed the others deeper into the woods, whistling and nonchalantly crooning an obnoxiously terrible rendition of, “On the Road Again” until the signs of mutation started up…
“ON THA ROAD AGAIN! I CAN’T… wait ta… be…?”
Passing the first signs of clawed bushes, thorny vines, and monster flowers, Niklaas would whistle. Directinghis attention to the flowers in-particular, he’d say, “Where were you last night?! You’d’ve been perfect fer Freckles!” Niklaas would’ve tried to take a sample (-and probably would’ve had the thing snap at him for all I know, in which case, he’d’ve thought better of it and left the thing be, saying something like, “Neva’ mind…Maybe them deathbellz were tha right call afta’ all...” ).
Niklaas would’ve then started humming a rendition of “Byway to Hell,” keeping in-step with the rest of the party...
When the party finally gets to the crevasse, Niklaas says, “Whelp folks - looks like we’re not in Finadar Forest no mo’!” Taking in all the insanity around him, he chuckles, “Wow… Dis feelz like homecumin’... I wunda’ if I’m ‘bout ta see dear ol’ Dad? If so…” Niklaas draws his rapier, “Can’t WAIT ta introduce ‘im ta Shirley!”
-Niklaas will then begin poking around the place if no one stops him. Like a true dumba&@, he’ll poke the bush of human fingers, stab the cat-eyed oak in one of it’s cat eyes, and try to catch one of those slithering vines - just for kicks, and to see what would happen. Mind you, if anyone asks, he’s doing it to, “Explore and Report! Why else! I’m a Pathfinda,’ ain’t I? Dis is importamenament research!”
When he catches sight of the toddler troupe of leshies though, he’ll utter a sober, “S&@*!” and grow silent, readying himself for the nigh inevitable combat - and explosions - soon to come...
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Nikebei watches as Niklaas starts to poke around the sick looking plants, "Niklaas, You wanna get us killed or some'at, leave the plants alone, you don't know what they do to ya! If you pick the wrong one, we'll all be for the high jump. They may be changed by this Abyssal thing, but they may just be evil anyway."
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Lux listens intently to Fester's explanation, even through Niklaas's interruption. She's perfectly fine with sending Niklaas in first to the creepy tomb. "Sure, go ahead, she says with a slight tremble in your voice. "If anything jumps out as us, you're probably better qualified to fend it off anyway."
--
As they plunge deeper into the valley, Lux grows quiet again, except for the occasional horrified muttering. "This isn't right. It's... It's... all wrong." She makes sure that Ozul stays close and checks in with Fester to hear whether he has any additional information to share.
She hisses a warning when Niklaas starts putting the Pathfinder's motto in practice. "NIKLAAS! What are you doing?! Look at all these leshies. And we had trouble with just four." She looks around, eager to find a path that keeps them away from the corruption as much as possible. "I think we should try to draw as little attention to ourselves as possible."
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When the others start protesting to Niklaas’ experiments with the plants - Niklaas thinks REEEEEEEAL hard about whether or not he should listen…
Aaaaand he does inevitably think better of it…
-Though that doesn’t stop him from making a couple of fake outs at the others’ expense. (Things like, pretending to walk towards a plant, and when the rest of the party protests, he says, “Plant? Whut plant? Ohhhhhhh! Ya mean THIS plant?!” - while getting uncomfortably close… He’ll avoid touching anything though, and try to keep a safe distance for the most part. If there is anything else we can learn from percieving these nightmare plants from a distance though…)
While some of the plants appear mildly more sentient than the others, the plants seem to react (or, well, not react) as plants typically do.
As the Pathfinders continue scoping the area, the monolith draws their attention. The monolith is half-destroyed, most of the top part battered by some ancient rock-slide, but the Pathfinders can still make out of the same sinuous script upon the weathered stone, as well as bas-relief depictions of three one-eyed figures: two, in armor, bowed in supplication before a third, wearing robes and a massive pectoral amulet. Any finer details are lost without closer (read, deliberate) inspection.
It's then that the Pathfinders notice a single leshy moving around the monolith with quiet efficiency. He looks for all the world like a simple leaf leshy, quite mundane compared to his more gruesome allies, ,save for the chunk of gray stone embedded in one eye. The chunk of stone has a serpentine rune upon it that glows with yellow flames that intensify as the leshy busily assembles the gathered scraps left at the monolith into new, disturbing leshys. As each body is built, the stone eye flashes, and an eerie leshy totters off to join their fellows.
Alright, the Pathfinders quickly find a spot that seems out of the way so they can plan and discuss.
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Niklaas runs one hand over the length of his blade - then nods to the squat, “Yeah, yer prob’bly right Slick. Bet he speaks nuthin’ but brimstone b@$&#... I do think yer onta’ sumthin’ though - me an’ Brickface should totally sneak up an’ shank that sucka’. I can plant Shirley ‘ere right inta that stump ‘a rotten wood ‘e calls a neck... Then we’ll see if ‘e can keep makin’ dem ‘splodin’ compost heaps without a’ head...”
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Lux breathes a sigh of relief as they make it to a secluded spot safely. "Whee, this place is giving me the creeps." She crouches low to get a better view of the monolith and the one-eyed leshy. "Do you think they might be a cyclopean spirit inhabiting the leshy body?"
The discussion between Nikebei and Niklaas prompt a response from her. "Well, I speak Brimstone - it's called Abyssal, by the way - and I think Fester does too. We could try hailing it, luring it to us." She then thinks back on Urwal's words. "He said we might have to lance the abscess with swords and flame, but that a safer salve might also be found. Shouldn't we at least try to find a non-violent solution first?" Her voice makes it clear that she has no idea what such a solution should entail, but she's willing to make some kind of effort.
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(Keep in mind that as a player, I’m perfectly fine with finding another way to solve this encounter without fighting - but I will be RPing my character in a way that befits his cutthroat nature…)
“F*#¥€£ really?” Niklaas rasps at Blondie, “Ya want we should go up an’ invite tha blasted thing ta tea?! ‘Ow we know that legion of plant matter minions won’t spontaneously combust yer a&$ when ya try?!”
Niklaas growls in frustration - then looks to the monolith with its carvings of the cyclopes, studying it for anything that might be helpful here…
“Wait a minute…” Niklaas pulls out the amulet he swiped from the tomb earlier - looks at it, then looks back at the monolith… “Could we maybe use THIS thing? If Plant F&$#*+€ Mc F$&% Face is possessed by an evil, one-eyed mutant… maybe tha evil, one-eyes mutant might want his s&@$ back? Should we try usin’ tha thing as a bargainin’ chip? …Assumin’ he doesn’t get ‘is pals ta blow us up on sight, I mean?”
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Armagile a bit terrifying as far as the team walking through this strange creepy place. He try to convince Niklaas be cool, but at the same time worry about situation. He gonna try to communicate with leshys with different languages. But as team proceed, Armagile do the same.
Good point, Lux. MAybe Cyclopean legacy. But they used to be connected with evil forces from other planes. I think we need to find non-violen solution. Bargain, yeah. Maybe we need to perform some sort of ritual here to clear area out of corruption. I am sure we need to try talk to this leshy.
When they reach obelisk, Armagile will Read Aura of it if they got some time. Or at least suggest it.
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Niklaas growls in frustration - then looks to the monolith with its carvings of the cyclopes, studying it for anything that might be helpful here…“Wait a minute…” Niklaas pulls out the amulet he swiped from the tomb earlier - looks at it, then looks back at the monolith… “Could we maybe use THIS thing? If Plant F&$#*+€ Mc F$&% Face is possessed by an evil, one-eyed mutant… maybe tha evil, one-eyes mutant might want his s&@$ back? Should we try usin’ tha thing as a bargainin’ chip? …Assumin’ he doesn’t get ‘is pals ta blow us up on sight, I mean?”
That's a good idea. I am sure we can not avoid talk to the unnatural leshy.
Nikebei and Lux realize the stone is channeling energy from the monolith into the leshy crafter, and that the leshy crafter, empowered by the structure, is infecting the rest of the leshys in turn. Removing this immediate vector, either by killing the leshy crafter or by removing the stone from his eye, will also resolve the problem of the angry nature spirits--at least long enough for the Pathfinders to destroy the monolith and end its threat for good.
Fester pulls a blank in the same regard.
As Lux peers at the monolith herself, she can make out that the monolith is channeling energy from the Abyss itself into the surrounding wilderness, which explains the strange fleshy plants and the grotesque leshys. She deems that disabling it is necessary to stop the Abyssal pollution.
Alright, you have a few options here. To make life easier, I'll give you their short names: "Be Subtle", "Be Direct", "Combat". Doing one of the first ones does NOT rule out combat. It's just that it's an option right from the start if that's the way you want to go.
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“Okay, okay!”[/] Niklaas leans into the group huddle, trying to keep his typically loud rasps down to a whisper (so as not to attract the attention of the exploding leshy posse), [b] “So’z I’m thinkin’ - if we need ta get that rock outta tha psycho-leshy’s eye-hole, me an’ Brickface ‘ere sneak up on, right? We get inta position, yeah? Then, if ya ‘AAAAAAVE ta try it, sumone else - who ain’t me er Brickface, mind ya - can try ta,” Niklaas makes air quotes while adding in his most mocking ‘namby-pamby’ voice, “Talk ta tha monsta’ whut been makin’ an army of ‘splodin’ produce. If dey can sum’ow manage ta convince tha leshy ta lay down his prob’bly all-powerful god talisman that’s likely overtaken all ‘iz mental faculties - then neat. Ev’rybody’s ‘appy an’ we all go ‘ome in peace...”
Niklaas pauses for a moment to let the likelihood of that scenario sink in for everyone…
“BUT! If all tha talkin’ fallz through” Niklaas coughs, - like it usually does - then we fall back on yankin’ tha f*#%€£¥ s&@$ outta tha’ f&@$*^# ‘ead - or if worse cums ta wurst, loppin’ ‘iz ugly leshy headstump clean off ‘iz shouldas!
Niklaas pauses again - this time for dramatic tension, then adds, “So? ‘Ow’s that plan werk ter ev’rybody?”
(-And again, remember that I as a player am actually alright with talking this leshy down if we can actually manage it. I’m just not really sure how feasible that option will be. Does the subtle option include stealthing and... thievery? If so, Niklaas isn’t a bad option for that. )
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Lux leans in close, straining to make sense of what Niklaas is saying beneath all the bluster and cursing. "You know, I actually think that's a good idea," she says, sounding just a little bit surprised. She pulls herself tall. "When you get in position, I will draw its attention by talking. In Abyssal. If it seems to respond well, we'll see how that goes. If not, it may just distract it long enough for you to sneak up and yank that stone from its forehead. Right?"
She realizes she might make herself a prime target if things don't go according to plan. "I have a sturdy shield to hide behind, just in case things go.. just a bit different from what we planned. And maybe one of you has some other defenses I could add?"
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"Yes, Lux, this is for you and I'm sure your subtle approach. Make out we come to worship the great Leshy maker, get him off guard. Ask if we can touch the great one, the all powerful Leshy. You know that sort of pandering to his vain and proud side. Usually works with marks... I mean those with money and power. I mean I can talk to him, but only if it knows common. Mind you you could say I was your master and you my slave, able to translate. It might believe us." the halfling suggests. "I mean get close enough to pull out the stone, though how we do it is .... ummmm! ... well we don't know really do we, but we gotta give it a try."
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"If buttering the plant up is our goal, I'd be willing to initiate the discussion. I also happen to know Abyssal quite well, after all, and have some experience with... flattery. But, if you all think you can handle the distraction, I wouldn't be against joining our foul-mouthed friend as well. I'll leave it to you lot if you'd rather me go in sneaking or speaking."
Fester starts to lean back against a shrub before remembering what that would entail. Oh yeah. Riiiight.
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Lux had previously held herself proud, but Nikebei's suggestion have her slowly backing away - literally. Why did I suggest to be the one talking to that thing?! She's quick to push the attention on Fester. "See? Fester knows Abyssal as well, and I'm sure he could be very convincing. I wouldn't mind walking up next to him to guard his back, but actually taking the initiative in the talking...?" Red splotches start appearing in her neck and on her cheeks.
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Nikebei beams at the thought of Fester being the negotiator, he had after all been given to telling a tall story and spin a yarn, with only a modicum of truth in them. "Oh I forgot you had such special skills Fester, to go with your clever use of the blade. How wonderful for you to turn the tide of this quest with the use of your tongue."
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A devilishly demonic smirk breaks across Niklaas ugly mug as he watches Blondie squirm - but then Brickface butts in with the better offer, and he curses under his breath…
Kicking one of those multi-eyed stumps and rolling his milk-white eyes, Niklaas grumbles, “Yeah, yeah… Brickface prob’bly WOULD be tha betta’ pick… even if watchin’ Blondie sweat would be more fun…” Shrugging, he adds, “Sure. I can do tha sneaky s#%* solo. I’m usually a one-man act anywayz. Brickface’d prob’bly jus’ slow me down…”
Having decided on a plan, the Pathfinders move out. Niklaas begins to sneak around while the other Pathfinders approach the Leshy.
As the Pathfinders aproach, the leshy crafter is putting the finishing touches on a new leshy, a hideous monster made from spindly vines growing through the carved-open corpse of an opossum, with two small pebbles serving as the eyes, tied in place with string. The leshy crafter finishes attaching the last limb, and the opossum leshy twitches to life atop the broken monolith, their body suffused with a dim, yellowish light. They take several jerky steps forward, then disintigrate, their head falling off and one of the pebble eyes rolling up against Lux's foot. The leshy crafter tilts his head and considers this.
"No. No, no, no, the river pebbles were not a success. Very damp. Needs an adder stone? Yes. Adder stone works. Then they can see everything. Also, not slippery. I can tie the string." At first, the leshy seems oblivious to the world. Then he turns his head, the jagged piece of stone in his eye making odd shadows play across his face. "Oh, hello!" it responds chipperly.
"Do you have an adder stone?" The leshy stops and looks around. "Or string? Used mine. Need more."
---
Armagile is aware that most leaf leshys have an attack called a seedpod, that can deafen. He's also aware that this leshy seems to have particular control of the plant life and leshys around, making him capable of attacking from the ground and in a burst around him.
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As he readies to clear his throat, Fester is interrupted by the Leshy's address, leaving Fester mid-cough with eyes mildly surprised and clenched hand hovering a few inches from his face. Quickly shifting into a smile, he opens the hand and waves briefly. "Hello in turn, my small friend. Why, I may have picked up an adder stone around here somewhere, let me look through my things..." The plain elf kneels down as he begins to dig through his sack, rolling, in order:
While scanning the ground around him and retrieving some string from his pack, Fester continues. "So, may I ask for your name? I've been a fan of your work for quite some time, and the mere idea of assisting with your... exotic craft brings me a not-insignificant quantity of glee, you see. Formally, I am known as Soumral Eldren, amateur herpetologist - which, as you surely know, is one who studies herbs - and aspiring leeeeshy crafter myself. Your techniques are truly awe-inspiring, so I came to you with my associates in order to inquire about your astounding methods myself. May I perhaps have a closer look at your process, and perhaps lend a hand in your craft?"
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Armagile is tense. He looks through his gear to find something useful while Fester talks.
The hunter soon find sort of string - it is about 20-30 feet of fishing line (fish string). He suggests the crafter-leshy to take the string and support Festers speech with a couple questions as far as silver tongued rogue look for the stone around.
Hown long have you being created these leshys? We're they always this type or used to look and perform another way?
Meanwhile Mishe wandering around, not far, and sniff everything.
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Nikebei adds to Fester's speech, by adding that he has been assisting Fester in his pursuits. "My speciality is to try and bring light to a Leshy life so they can easily grow in the dark, see.....unfortunately as yet the lights don't last very long." Nikebei casts Dancing Lights on several nearby Leshys, especially those that don't look like they have been altered yet.
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That’s right, Brickface… Niklaas thinks as he creeps forward through his hellacious surroundings, Keep that vegen freakshow platta’ talkin’... Shirley already loooooong drawn at this point, Niklaas considers where the creepy plant thing’s vitals might be as he continues his (hopefully) silent advance…
(Niklaas will try to advance as far forward as he can while keeping behind cover. The idea is to get as close to that leshy as possible without being seen - then ready Niklaas to strike if/as soon as negotiations break down...)