Greta's eyes gloss over as the poison works its way into her apparently rather frail system. She seems disoriented, but when her gauntleted fist lashes out it's the evil plant attacking her that gets swung at.
Junior switches targets and swings over Benedic's head.
Caliban creeps closer down the stairs, continuing to be sick and feel ill, but trying to take in the whole scene of chaos with the agressive plant life in the basement...
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Tristan seems to be watching Junior and Greta.
Those two seem a bit distracted...did she just say kissing?
Selann stops trying to vomit whatever might be left in his stomach and turns back toward the battle. One of the disgusting creatures is down and Greta seems to be ravaging the last one. Even with the high ground of the stairs he isn't sure he can make a shot, but he sends up a silent prayer to Nethys and tries....
Benedic turns to press the attack on the second plant, remaining opposite Tristan and half-closing his eyes as he begins to succumb to the raging song's infectious rhythm.
Despite the poison's direct attack on her lucidity, Greta lays into the mandragora with a single-minded fury. Between her, Junior, and Benedic, soon nothing is left of the monster but a mess of sap and vines.
Massielo
Greta
Benedic
Junior
Selann
Caliban
Tristan
The room grows quiet, and no further threats emerge.
Tristan breathes a few deep breathes of now clean (ish) air. The Inquisitor brightens considerably once Massielo cures his ills!
Thank you, Massielo! That definitely did the trick!
The Inquisitor then gives the room another once over before they decide to continue.
He casts Guidance.
Junior resumes his plan to open the chest with magic.
The elf finally stops retching, Well, that was certainly unexpected. We have grappled with demons, and two plant beings nearly undid us all. He watches Junior from his vantage point on the stairs, now warily expecting everything to be a trap.
Tristan watches Junior; fingers in his ears....
Selann carefully moves in to search the room as it is quiet.
Selann glances back to Massielo, "Agreed. Setting that off was a rookie mistake!"
Despite her lingering frustrations about much she struggled to participate in that fight, Greta does her best to aid Tristan in his search.
If you want we can trade. I thought mine wasn't going to be that useful but the str bonus from alter self is pretty good. Just got to remember to use it before we expect a fight.
Keep in mind that in a couple levels I'll have good hope to throw on you. Even better if I can get a hold of an encouraging metamagic rod.
Benedic slowly recovers his breath while he stands guard over the others. "Close one. Iomedae was watching over us, I feel sure, or we would not have survived."
The tiny statue, an intricate clockwork toy, bears no magic. At the mention of Iomedae's name, however, a voice seems to come from the image of the goat above the chest.
"Ahh, Iomedae's slaves...I would hate to think of mere peasants wasting such a personal greeting from Lord Baphomet!" Simultaneously, the toy lunges forward and swings two tiny blades through the space where the poisonous bottle had been resting.
Meanwhile, the chest opens easily, not even locked. Inside is a note placed atop five holy symbols of Iomedae.
Considering the words, Selann expects some sort of additional deception. He uses his power to glimpse the future as he examines the holy symbols in the chest.
Tristan's blue eyes begin to water; as he notices tiny little molecules floating about.
That one looks like an electron!
Selann and Tristan both notice an odd residue on the holy symbols, which a closer analysis reveals to be malyass root paste, a type of toxin that can be absorbed through the skin.
Seeing the residue on the holy symbols confirms Selann's opinion of the place. Demons and their stooges! "Maybe we can rinse the poison off. But6 for now don't touch the holy symbols with open skin!"
Tristan frowns.
Yup. See there; each Proton is coated with poison.
Wtih the danger over Junior seizes the marilith toy and starts making swoshing noises as she destroys imaginary crusaders. After a minute he says to Fred, "Do you see the original packaging? How could I reseal it anyway?"
"We gained some information," Greta offers as they head for the stairs back to the surface. "We learned that they're leaving poisoned holy symbols behind as a trap. Passing that along could save some lives."
Selann looks with disgust at the "toy". "Baphomet...." If that doesn't activate it, "Lord Baphomet...."
"Somebody might like it as a rather disgusting toy. Otherwise at least it's harmless now. Maybe someone could create a Crusader toy to pound on it whenever it gets activated?"
Junior remembers the soul wrenching mission they're on between play sessions and his shoulders sag visibly. "Let's get back to Defender's Heart."
Tristan taps Junior on the shoulder.
What are we forgetting?
Once again, you return to Defender's Heart in victory, and Irabeth is quick to greet you (along with another payment of 1500 gp for services rendered).
"Your arrival couldn't have been more timely. Follow me, please," she says, and turns toward the inn without waiting for your reply.
She leads you to a meeting room inside, where you find Aravashnial and an aged human man with sharp features and the tattoo of an eagle's claw running along his cheek waiting for you.
"This is Quednys Orlun," Irabeth begins, gesturing to the human, "founder and head librarian of Blackwing. I believe you already know Aravashnial of the Riftwardens. Let me start by thanking you for all that you have done already. I fear that we must ask even more of you."
"As horrific as recent events have been, we've come to realize that they are, in fact, merely a prelude. The razing of the Kite, the destruction of our wardstone, Terendelev's murder, and the
assault on the city were nothing more than opening gambits. The Worldwound is on the march in a more concentrated assault than we’ve seen since the fall of Drezen. It's fair to say the Lord of the Locust Host is finally making his move. The end of this hundred-year-war is upon us, and it falls to us to ensure victory."
"While the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth were scattered, those who serve the Lord of the Locust Host himself remain concentrated in Old Kenabres. What we’ve heard from within the barricade they’ve erected is ominous. The cultists are waiting for something, and based on our own information and what you’ve managed to recover so far, it sounds like the vile witch Areelu Vorlesh will soon be coming to Kenabres. And it appears that we’ve determined what she intends to do."
"When the wardstone was destroyed by the Storm King, it exploded and destroyed the Kite. The network along the border failed, but did not fade completely. I believe this is because a significant portion of our wardstone still exists, and that the cultists have taken it to the old garrison in Old Kenabres. From what we’ve learned, they're hoping to engineer a way to somehow reverse the field generated by the wardstones—essentially, to use our own greatest defense as a devastating weapon."
Irabeth pauses here, looking to Quednys. Drawing himself up, he speaks in a voice made hoarse by strain.
"The attack on Kenabres had a predictable result: causing the crusade to gather at the border to defend it. Some wonder why the demons haven’t attacked in stronger numbers. I believe that
Areelu was counting on us massing along the border, and that if she can corrupt the wardstone field, she can strike a devastating blow against us all. In effect, we've lined up for the slaughter."
"Vorlesh is surely seeking some object of great Abyssal power, likely the Nahyndrian crystal mentioned in the missive you recovered, and with it she intends to turn the source of our hope into an unimaginable nightmare. We cannot hope to evacuate everyone from the border—I doubt they would give up the defensive line even if they knew what the enemy planned. But we can still stop this from happening—we just need to have someone infiltrate the Gray Garrison, locate the wardstone fragment, and destroy it."
Once finished, the two of them look to the party, trying to gauge your reactions.
Selann listens, feeling shock and despair. He understands what has to be done, and why, but.... "Pardon me. Of course we'll try. But if the Stormking's attack only damaged the wardstone, how are we supposed to destroy it? All of us together don't remotely equal the power that monster had!"
”We don’t need to destroy the Wardstone...” Greta offers hopefully, ”if we destroy that nanyndrian crystal thing she wouldn’t be able to go through with her plan...”
”Right?”
Benedic looks at the others, frowning. "I must pray on this," he says carefully. "If it is the will of the Inheritor that we do this, then I am her most faithful champion." He pauses, a hint of worry in his expression. "Did you say that they have taken the Gray Garrison? That the army of demons now occupy the museum where Yaniel's sword once resided?" His frown deepens. "That cannot be allowed to stand. No matter what must be done with the wardstone fragment, we must at least drive their forces from Old Kenabres, back to the Worldwound and through that to the Abyss from which they spawned."
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Massielo looks unease at Irabeth's words. He thinks We barely won a battle against... a plant. He is brought back to reality that the real enemy are demons quickly. What's worse, he remembers that there are humans aiding the demonic war effort, and that disgusts him. He looks at Benedic for some bravery and he does indeed seem unaffected by these horrid news. The healer says "We have just been in a nasty fight. Maybe we can rest before setting out for this mission?" He tries to hide his worries.
"Wait..." Greta says, apparently just having had an epiphany, "there's a reason why there's a head librarian and a riftwarden here, isn't there? This isn't just about the small victories we've won, its about the trust we've earned... you know how to destroy a wardstone, which is super dangerous information that absolutely cannot fall into enemy hands, and you're going to trust just us with that knowledge."
She takes a deep breath as she processes her own theory and then adds, "I can't speak for Benedic, or anyone else, but I'm with Selann: of course I'll go. Massielo is right too, though: a warm meal and a night's rest would go a long way to prepare us, if we can spare them. Is there a bigger plan to put in place still? An assault on one of their strongholds maybe, to draw away some of their forces while we try to slip in from behind, or through the sewers or something?"
Caliban nods in agreement with Greta, Yes, some recuperation is necessary for all of us. This is a significant task laid before us, but one we must undergo should we, and what is left of Kenabres is to survive. My concerns lie with Selann's statement, but I feel as though we are capable. the elf adds nothing more, seeing what his companions have to offer as well.
Tristan laughs.
Infiltrate the Gray Garrison, locate the wardstone fragment, and destroy it.; you say.
The Inquisitor takes a slow step about the room. He quietly peers at each individual in the room; not belonging to his Group. The Inquisitor's blue eyes stare at each for a few moments prior to moving onto the next.
He stops to stand once more amongst his peers.
We shall undertake this much needed mission. My allies do bring up a good point. What distraction can you manifest for us to infiltrate, as you say, the Gray Garrison?
Tristan then reaches for an apple from the table.
And, agreed, we shall rest for this evening, plan, replenish ourselves, and make way in the morning at first light.
Then he smiles.
Any further resources, items, gifts to help us in this task would be much appreciated.
"Surely we're not destroying the Wardstone, just the fragment they intend to use to corrupt it?"
Junior rubs his sore muscles but then says with conviction a tiny hint of joy, "I've got plenty of juice available for suicide mission. If we need to head there straight away I'm ready to go."