Hue stopped. It took a second for him to focus on who was talking and another moment to calm enough to be helped, then, sincearly, "Thank you, Mister Kal." He felt like there wasn't a thing wrong when he started moving through the creeping malevolent shadows.
”Disgustin’ things,” Precious grunted, using a knife to slash away a bit of his shirt’s hem that had caught some of those acidic spored, ridding himself of the cloth just in case the spores would start growing once they were done chewing through the fabric.
”Queen o’ rot an’ decay, ye said earlier?” he grunted, nodding to Kal. ”Seems ye git that dead-on. Hope it ain’t yet too late to burn off the corruption here. Best we hurry it up.”
As you head away from the dead Master Myconid, Kalanzar spots a pile of gear a little bit away, looking to be drow-made items, probably taken from the buried drow.
As usual, it was a little jarring to be suddenly in control of the whelp's body but one thing that Lidelse did expect was danger. After all, that was usually why she was able to gain control. As she took control, she gave a low growl as her presence turned somewhat feral.
Lidelse could not hide her surprise when she stood in the grove and was not immediately threatened by anything. She cast around quickly to her left and her right, looking for danger and caught movement ahead of her and so she intended to give chase.
There were foul irritants in the air and she instinctively covered her nose and mouth as she began to move.
Lidelse gives chase, and quickly catches up to the slower myconids. However, even before she reaches them, the slow to a walk. Echoes spill from the misty cavern beyond, a cacophony of wheezing voices that wrap together like some kind of discordant music. The two myconids, and the remaining heads in the garden begin to croak and groan, joining the horrible song.
Lidelse finds herself banished, and Maddy surfaces again after a short absence. The others move forward cautiously. Through the mist that shrouds the smaller cavern ahead, you can see a parade of creatures responsible for the melody. Their bodies are only vaguely humanoid, with clusters of luminescent lichen and tumescent growths forming chaotic patterns on their decaying flesh. They are neither myconid nor humanoid, but some strange fungal melding of the two. Their voices stab into your minds, both insane and gleeful in equal parts. They are approaching the Garden of Welcome (or Horrors, depending on your point of view).
From rocky bed the toadstool rose,
From chaos dark, her love She shows.
Wish! Yearn! Laugh!
The Lady weill be wed!
Crave! Hunger! Dance!
Her joyous spores will spread!
Youth is gone, beauty rots, Araumycos and Zuggtmoy!
Joined together, heart to heart,
Becoming one till death do part!
Hail! Hail! Hail!
----
Kalanzar spots a pile of gear a little bit away, looking to be drow-made items, probably taken from the buried drow.
A moment! Kalanzar throws his backpack off his shoulder, gathers the equipment of the deceased drow and rushes after his friends.
----
Kalanzar freezes, seeing a nightmarish scene. We could use a wizard with fireballs right now, huh? Behind the light irony, the drow hides horror and impotence, however, not too successfully, as the young druid's throat fails and his voice sounds shaky.
The drow clenches his fists, inhales and exhales, and speaks more confidently. This place is doomed. We're looking for Stool, grab him, and run. And Basidia needs to be informed that he urgently needs to get all reasonable myconids as far away from here as possible. I don't believe in any other options.
You have invited death into your wedding, and death you shall find.
"Alexandra" replies in her mind
Is that really me? she thinks as "she" thinks that
Lets enlighten thyself about the proper... lightshows for such things. "Alexandra" hears herself say as she starts blasting what she perceives to be the sources of that song.
Kalanzar she hears herself say in a very pleseant conversationalist tone
Вы можете определить какие-нибудь особо уязвимые части этой... штуки? Я стреляю в него, чтобы замедлить скорость, с которой он ассимилирует свое окружение, эта «Александра» не... обладает достаточными знаниями, чтобы определить критические области нашего общего противника.
Can you identify any specifically vulnerable parts of this... thing? Me shooting it should slow the speed with which it assimilates its surroundings, this "Alexandra" does not... have the sufficient knowledge to identify critical areas of our common adversary.
Her Abyssal is... very clean, well pronounced, devoid of any swearwords and formal and melodic. Quite unlike how she typically speaks in this language.
Kalanzar puts his hand on Alexandra's shoulder at the moment when she is about to cast a spell and speaks either to her, or to the entity that is guiding her now, Не надо. Может быть сейчас вообще не время и место для боя.
When Maddy regains control of her body, the song echoing through her head is distressing. There were many, almost too many, and they were all unnatural. Maddy couldn't help but recoil by reflex as she is confronted by such a hideous scene.
Hearing Kalanzar's plan, Maddy asked, "Can we really keep running throughout the Underdark? And once this evil has infected the whole of the Underdark, what is to keep it from spreading to the surface? I agree that we should report back to Basidia but maybe this time we regroup and fight."
That's a good point. But meeting Demogorgon showed us that we can't fight the Demon Lord. As much as possible, we can find and warn those who can. Who, for example, understands... Kalanzar's face becomes very thoughtful, as if he had a fresh thought. ...why there is such extraplanar activity here at all? And how to stop it... There must be something like a gap between our world and the Abyss. And it needs to be closed... He nods at Maddy. Then we're heading for Basidia now, right? What do you guys think?
Hmm, first Demogorgon then Zugtmoy? Who is next, that little strumpet Malcantet? These 2 do not exactly enjoy friendly relations, as such alliance is unlikely. Does some interested third party seek to have them slay each other? Although I think such a death would not be final, it would weaken them, perhaps ripening them for a strike against their own sources of power.
Alexandra, speaking in very exact common, says as she keeps blasting things.
Oh, and if there is much extraplanar activity here, then even supposedly *pointless* resistance can be impactfull. If multiple Demonlords exist here, publically resisting, and perhaps hurting, one can well inflict considerable reputational damage, making him, her or it an attractive prey for their *near-peer* competitors.
And Zugtmoy is rather rational, is she not? She says quite openly,
She would be well aware of the... reputational risks, to be incurred from... rash actions against mortal resistance, especially if any of the mortals facing her survive, which they just might, because teleportation is fun and she isnt exactly the quickest.
Especially if one of them is a warlock possessed by one of her adversaries who is happily and insultingly tickling her spawn with eldritch blasts. And who would probably even get off some insulting poems. Or maybe something naughtier. Who knows?
Alexandra keeps clamly blasting infested things, pouring the essence of her fiendish patron into her blasts, without any sign of letting up.
It is appropriate to be prepared for rapid withdrawal, but perhaps we have a wedding to crash?
With that Nat 20 Alexandra succesfully deluded herself into believing *she* is currently possessed by a powerful demon. And also that she is the powerful demon possessing her, rather then Alexandra. Which may be great for bravery, but bad for self preservation. There shouldnt be mechanical changes related to that.
Kalanzar sighs. I can turn into some kind of beast and try to get to Basidia faster so that Sovereign can start gathering reinforcements.
As singing forms approach from within the mist, Alexandra shoots one with her eldritch energy.
The song stops abruptly. The figures turn to look at the warlock and her friend. They begin to run towards you, much faster on their feet than you would have guessed. You get a glimpse of a large hulking fungus creature, flanked by two of the more humanoid figures. There seems to be another set behind them, and judging from the singing, more behind them.
The ground churns beneath your feet, and the corpses begin to burst out of the ground.
Hue watched the ritual with rapt attention. This was it! This was why they'd come. He listened to Alexandra and Kal but he was half unaware as he tried to see what was happening.
When Kal suggested getting wiser advice Hue knew it was right, although his nerves screamed to get in there and try to fix this. Cut away the rot. Pull the poison thorn. Do whatever they must to save this place, this grove of such wonders as he'd never seen. As horrible as the creeping shadows were, it was this place that calmed him. He owed it to help.
But Kal was right.
They needed to warn the others. To ready them and to find some solution. not to charge in all fire and ...
Alex lit up and a long shadow grew behind her. A bolt of hellish energy screamed from her and blasted one of the creatures! She had done what his nerves demanded he act on. She moved like justice and fury, a decisive creature of action.
His shield out, Hue slashed twice downward. "Alex, blas' and run!" He ran behind Precious intending to escape only to bump headlong into Kal Confused and off balance, Hue tried to catch himself by waving his shield about as counter--balance.
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Right you are!
Well, that was predictable...
Thanks, Hue.
Kalanzar goes forward and spreads his arms to cast a spell. A wave of water should wash away the strange mutants that attacked them. Alex, get down!
”So much fer small talk,” Precious grunted as Hue squeezed past him and Kal blasted the mindless-seeming creatures as they rose from the ground. The dwarf took in the scene and decided he didn’t like the look of the other force led by two of the corrupted myconids approaching them. He knelt down to press one open palm against the ground, conjuring a thicket of grasping roots and vines to slow the other force’s approach – whether they were to fight or take flight, it was best to limit the number of enemies they faced at one time.
"'ware 'em roots so ye dot get caught," he hollered for Maddy's benefit, just in case she was considering charging at the biggest enemy in her sight.
23/43 hp
Ouch!
Hue bashed ineffectively at the spore servants rising from the ground. The corpse/fungus/people had remnants of old armour, and his shield clanged uselessly against them.
Kalanzar's tidal wave, however, was very effective. The creatures were only chest high out of the ground, and had no ability to dodge aside. They were overwhelmed by the water's force, some torn apart, arms and heads tumbling away in the deluge.
A second later, Precious cast his spell, calling upon entangling vines to grapple the approaching foes. Weeds and vines sprang up from the soggy ground, writhing around the feet of the creatures approaching. However, one of the humanoid bodies, wreathed in lacy lichen like a gown, reached a too-long arm down and stroked the tops of the growing plants. Instantly, the plants began to swell, as if over-absorbing water from the marshy ground. Seconds later, they burst apart, water and plant matter splattering the marshy ground underfoot.
The large, ungainly creature in front looked like a vaguely bipedal mass of blue mold, with the barest hint of a face nested deep inside a mossy cowl. It was being flanked by the two smaller ones, one of which had stopped the spell. The large one shambled forward, too fast for its bulk. In the dim light, the phosphorescent algae pulsed, creating a strobe-like effect. The creature flickered forward, gaining two feet for every one it seemed to move.
In moments, it loomed over Alex, at least ten feet tall and nearly as wide. It lashed out with two fists at the warlock, repaying her for her insult. Each fish connected, rattling her teeth in her skull.
A second one flickered out of the mist, coming quickly to Maddy. It too lashed out at the shepherdess, but was unlucky and was unable to hit her.
At least two more large shapes could be seen approaching the edge of the mist.
The smaller, strangely feminine shapes moved eerily forward in much the same manner. They spread themselves out, not getting too close. Two raised mismatched, spindly arms, singing a fluting call into the damp air. Tendrils of fungus rose from the ground, thick mats of mycelium that spread like a liquid, flowing over the ground, your feet, and up your legs.
Three more opened their mouths impossibly wide, revealing thick darkness within. They belched out clouds of black spores which travelled on non-existent wind, covering the area around you.
Kal
Hue
Precious
Chamberlains
Brides
Maddy <--
Alex
Spore servants
A shield of black energy flares up around Alex, making its strike barely miss.
restrained
Hue was instantly covered in bindings and faster than the others, him being so close to the ground.
Lidelse's banishment is short lived as she hovers just under Maddy's consciousness when a new and greater threat appears. She can feel that the whelp wanted to leave and warn someone but actions taken by others has made that impossible. Now it was Lidelse's turn to dole out suffering.
The looming mutated myconid made a nice target for Lidelse but before she can act, she is surrounded by an explosion of black spores.
The sheer number of spores and how they seemed to restrict her movement infuriated Lidelse. A thundering growl emitted from Maddy's form as Lidelse voiced her extreme displeasure.
Fuelled by her primal yell, Lidelse’s muscles bulged as she sought freedom from the spores.
Seems everyone is still up, excellent
Blin she swears in Abyssal, although not really, as her blast goes wide.
Kal <--
Hue (restrained)
Precious (restrained)
Chamberlains
Brides
Maddy
Alex
Spore servants
Alex mists herself out of her bonds, and Lidelse rages through them. The others, however, are firmly held.
The ground is littered with the remains of the spore servants, torn apart by the tidal wave. However, the Garden of Welcome has more to offer, and four more half-dead, half-plant, half-drow creatures pull themselves up from the spongy ground. The shamble the few feet to where Precious and Hue are tangled up in fungal vines, and punch them with rotted fists.
[ooc]Kal, Hue and Precious are up. Still need saves from Kalanzar[/dice]
Hue took the punch directly on the ned and it started to bleed.
Hue twisted and the mold and rot responded. He pulled back and the grasping undergrowth followed. He pushed then pulled but the vegitation followed with him. He gave it the evil eye as he pushed ... then pulled ... then made like he was going to push but pulled again.
The growth couldn't keep up as me freed himself.
Precious found the taste of his own medicine bitter indeed as the roots held fast to him and prevented him from moving… not that he had much in the way of paths open to him in any case, surrounded by the zombielike minions as he were.
Feeling a moment of desperation he looked around for a way out… and saw, further back, the Fey witch leaning casually against the wall, smiling and waving at her minion/victim. Anger replaced fear as Precious wished for all his might he could get his hands around that long, perfect neck and squeeze the life out of his tormentor… but the thought did give him a burst of inspiration. He despised the power the Fey had invested him with, but once again it might just prove useful.
Murmuring the words of a spell recently granted to him, Precious’s form blinked out, replaced by a cloud of silvery star-motes, and reappeared where the Fey wench had been, only find her no longer anywhere in sight.
Kalanzar shakes his head and resets sleep magic, but a moment of concentration of will on this struggle is enough for him to be entangled. In desperation, he raises his arms and creates a second stream of water, washing away the creatures approaching him.
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Hue escapes his bonds and moves away from the spore servants, only to be served with two hard whacks with their rusty blades as he leaves.
Kalanzar prepares to call the flood waters again, but this time one of the fungal ladies is ready for him. She barks a word out louds that sounds like the snap of a thick stalk breaking, and the spell fizzles away to nothing.
Two of the hulking blue fungus men have converged on Lidelse, and continue to pummel at the rage-filled human. She takes three blows that strike like hammers, and feels bones bruise beneath her flesh.
Another one moves towards Kalanzar, striking twice at the drow. Both blows land hard, leaving him winded.
The fungus brides ladies have their hands raised, as if conducting unheard orchestras, and have continued singing their song. More trios arrive, until there are 6 of the hulking blue chamberlains, and a dozen brides. You get the distinct feeling that they are holding back from attacking you with their full might.
The appearance of more and more fungal aberrants barely registered with Lidelse as she unleashed her frenzied rage on anything within reach. Gripping Dawn with both hands, she sought to wreak as much havoc as possible.
Leave Kalanzar alone!
Alexandras eldritch blasts strike the creature attacking Kalanzar
Too many, lets us retreat, our work is done.
Alexandra seeks to leave the battlefield.
Four of the five companions are moving towards escape, leaving the scene of the battle. When Alexandra clears the narrow entrance to the Garden of Horrors, the fungus brides raise their arms in unison. A wall of fungus, tall and thick and looking impenetrable, rises from the ground, weaving amongst the zurzhwood, creating a barrier. The ground underfoot becomes slick and unstable, as slime-molds burst up from below, coating the steep trail down with a thick layer of slippery ooze.
Hue began to slide backwards down the slope and he looked from the start to be picking up speed. He suddenly stopped as his ankle became braced by something. He looked down to find himself purchased against a discarded hand, half buried. He suffered and threw up in his mouth a little.
”Rust an’ ruin,” Precious swore, throwing his arms wide to get himself balanced on the suddenly slippery slope, then dug the copper-sheathed end of his staff into the ground to anchor himself once he recovered. ”Kal’s still back there.” He looked back at the wall of fungus and plant matter that had sprung up behind them, separating the drow from the rest of the group. ”We gotta git ‘im back ‘fore he too gits planted like them zombies.”
Easier said than done, though – the wall of vegetation looked awfully solid, much too moist to even burn down, had they enough oil to throw at it. And digging through it without shovels didn’t seem like a smart idea either.
Qlippoths beneath bugger my lovelife, Maddy!
Alexandra slips, dusts herself up and starts blasting the newly created wall, to create perhaps an opening for Maddy to get out
Hue fought towards the wall of fungus as he dug out a rope from the Duergar pack he once earned. He tied the rope around his waist. His brow was furled in the worst way. It was a perfect collision between panic and determination.
Straining all his muscles and sinews, Kalanzar breaks free from the captivity of the plants that have entangled him. But what's next? He's locked up, surrounded by monsters. Drow looks around, also realizing that he can't leave Maddy. And yet, if he didn't survive now, there was definitely nothing he could do to help her. Kalanzar concentrates and prepares to transform into a suitable animal, lizard or spider, which could easily climb over this wall.