Still undecided to what to do, Reachy Rings reaches for the lock to pick in a stealthy manner, but they are too noisy as they try to unlock the gate to everyone's notice inside the garden.
Lady Constance clears her throat when she sees Reachy Rings outside trying to unlock the gates. "Eheemmm... I'm sorry but anyone that comes here for my garden party is by invitation only and I ask you to leave. she says politely with a smile.
A quick scan by Reachy Rings, they can see that the garden is currently playing host to Lady Constance, five luxuriously dressed ladies, and two fabulously dressed gentlemen. The guests are enjoying a tea party with two tiny kidnapped leshys serving as centerpieces for the tables, each pair trapped within decorative glass bell jar displays and unable escape on their own.
Now that the gig is up, Popkorn pokes her head around the corner and looks into the garden. Her gaze scans over all the luxuriously dressed guests...
...who seem to be having a good time, though she senses an underlying current of anxiety whose source she cannot determine.
Her eyes then fall onto the centerpieces of the tables where she finds their leshy friends trapped in glass bell jar displays. This sight brings her sap nearly to the boiling point. Pointing angrily to the nearest table, she says, "Our friends are trapped in jars. We must free them and make sure that woman never hurts them again."
She then steps through the bars and marches up to the nearest table intent on smashing the glass jar to free her trapped compatriots.
Fluff Fang moves to the gate and peers inside. The bard looks up at the hopelessly tall ledge and tries to climb.
Calling to Lady Constance through the gate, Fluff Fang says sweetly, "Ahhh, dearie ... are you the Lady Constance we've heard so much about? Your interest in leshys is well-known. And we were hoping you might find us ... interesting."
The bard is quick to add, "I, for one, am a fabulous entertainer!" Fluff Fang begins singing a tune.
♫ "A party so delightful,
A host that's so insightful.
Please, we beg your pardon...
Won't you let us in your garden." ♫
Shameless Request: "You can downplay the consequences or outrageousness of your requests using sheer brazenness and charm. When you Request something, you reduce any DC increases for making an outrageous request by 2, and if you roll a critical failure for your Request, you get a failure instead."
"Oh an invitation? But look there, you have leshy as display items. Surely you would want another to interact and impress your guests?" suggests Rings.
"See, we can slips between the narrowest of bars!" they say.
"Why, think of all the entertainment value you could have by adding a third leshy to impress your guests. Why, look... you already have!"
Bottlespeaker tries a different tactic, hopefully before Popkorn has a chance to escalate things.
"Those are our friends in the cages. It is not right that you should be using them in such a way. You need to free them. You should be ashamed of yourselves."
Meanwhile Twinsprout, who has already slipped through the gates, is in the garden exploring the exotic landscape and poking a woody finger into the mouth of a snapdragon flower. BS reacts by calling out to her.
"Little friend, I do not know if that is safe."
Popkorn climbs up the fence and goes to the nearest table. As she approaches the table with the leshy in a glass prison, Fluff Fang falls with a thud but is not hurt in any way. She gets the crowd's attention, including Lady Constance. "Well, who are you?" Lady Constance asks them. "I'm sorry, but you can't come here without an invitation." she tells them. She is about to snap her fingers when Fluff Fang tries to talk to her diplomatically. Lady Constance listens, even to her shameless performance to free their leshy friends. One of the guests actually sympathizes. This lady guest, seeing that Lady Constance rolls her eyes at our heroes and turns her back to get some drinks and continues talking about her party and the guests and their intrusion, takes the opportunity to quietly slip a kidnapped leshy off the table and to a nearby leshy hero (which is Popkorn) while the Lady is not looking.
Oblivious to just what happened, Lady Constance gets back, continuing her litany. "I don't know what you are saying about your friends in cages. These?" she tells Bootlespeaker and points to the glass jars with leshies, "You’re mistaken. These leshys decorating the table are my creations of my own making and they are merely animated distractions for my party.” Our heroes can see that Lady Constance isQ clearly aggravated that a group of uninvited plants has interrupted her gathering, especially to accuse her of wrongdoing. "Again, please, knowing that you lot are uninvited, please leave." she tells them while gesturing to go away.
Frowning at the lack of cooperation on the part of Lady Constance, Fluff Fang is determined to get inside. Pulling out a set of thieves tools, Fluff attempts to pick the lock on the gate.
Approaching the nearest table, Popkorn is about to climb up onto it and smash the glass prison when suddenly one of the guests leans down and hands her one of the leshy prisoners. Momentarily confused, Popkorn stops her advance and considers her options. Looking around, she sees that no one is taking any notice of her, so with a bird in the hand shrug, she grabs the freed leshy by the frond and half-drags the creature to the gate. Pushing them through, she tells them, "Hide in bushes until we free the rest."
She then returns to the table and growls at the lady. "Want the other one as well."
Bottlespeaker anxiously waits as Fluff-Fang works the lock, dividing his attention between the progress with the lock and his wayward charge wandering through the gardens on the wrong side of the fence.
Fluff begins on working with the lock which she successefully disables, to Lady Constance's dismay. For now she is just containing herself until Popkorn tells her that they want the other one.
"What? What the other one?" she asks and looks at the table where the glass jars containing the leshies she plantnapped. Finding one of the jars empty, her eyes grow large to see if she is really seeing it empty. Realizing it is indeed empty, she snaps twice and calls out her guards. "You are not just gatecrashers! You are also thieves! Guards! Get them!!!" she exclaims furiously and four plant-like creatures just like our heroes manifests from the walls!
Our heroes are quick to see them easily hiding among the foliage of the fence, giving them the opportunity to act first!
Terrain Features: The glass tables are 4 feet tall, and the wood chairs are 2 feet tall. The tables have a Hardness of 1 and 4 Hit Points, and create difficult terrain in their squares if broken. The patches of wildflowers along the east and west sides of the garden are all 2 feet tall or higher, creating difficult terrain but also offering cover to Hide in.
Party Conditions: ---
ENCOUNTER MAP
Bottlespeaker HP 38/38, AC 19(21 w shield)
Fluff Fang HP 35/35, AC 19
Reachy Rings HP 30/38, AC 20
Popkorn 53/53, AC 19(18 Rage)
Golden Bamboo
Green Mint
Minkaian Honeysuckle
Purple Wisteria
Popkorn is not all that surprised when Lady Constance refuses to hand over the rest of the plantknapped leshys, but it's when she states that Popkorn and her friends are thieves that her Antirrhinum brain finally snaps . As her higher mental functions quickly become overwhelmed by her rage and start shutting down, Popkorn roars in indignation.
Popkorn is about to go nuts and start smashing glass bells (and tables, chairs, Lady Constance, her guests, etc.) when the greater threat of the emerging guards focuses her enraged mind. She did not recognize these strange new plant creatures, but they were clearly in the lady's thrall and meant them harm; they would have to be subdued before Popkorn could free her confined forest compatriots. Turning to the nearest one, she lets out a mighty roar. The little skulls of her war flail burst into flames and she steps towards it menacingly. The leaves on her arms enlarge as they branch out to reach her opponent and bring her fiery weapon around to bear.
Bottlespeakers protective instinct kicks into full gear and he moves to interpose himself between the minty guard and little 'sprout.
**cast Shillelagh (duration 1 minute)
*move
Reaching Rings dashes forward, keen to see the mint overwhelmed before it can spread its 'clean' odor over everyone.
Slipping their rapier between the large mints leaves, Rings watches with interest.
*interact (draw weapon)
*stride
*strike vs FF
With the party awaiting inspiration for the upcoming battle, Fluff Fang tries not to disappoint:
♫ "What a fine party to crash.
Popkorn just can't wait to bash.
.....While Bottle and Rings
.....Do he-ro-ic things.
We leshys can really kick ash!" ♫
The bard then notices Purple Wisteria much too close for comfort. Fluff points a leafy tendril toward the enemy and yells, "run away", casting a Command spell at the nearest enemy.
Name: Command
Range: 30'
Saving Throw: Will
Success: No effect.
Failure: For the first action on its next turn, the creature must use a single action to do as you command.
Crit Failure: The target must use all its actions on its next turn to obey your command.
Fluff Fang begins to sing to encourage our heroes. She then commands Purple to go away.
Purple is able to resist the command. On the other hand, Popkorn rages and attacks Green Mint with her war flail at close range. The attack bludgeons and burns the leaves of the leshy to dryness and turns them into ashes. The leshies dies and explodes, filling the area with mint plants, and making it also the area difficult terrain. Bottlespeaker makes his weapon magical, now brimming with energy, before he moves close to one of the hostile leshies.
Reachy draws her weapon and closes in to Purple Wisteria but her Strike misses by a hair.
Golden Bamboo moves and flanks Reachy Rings and give them a fist attack!
The fist catches air instead. Minkaian gets closer to Popkorn to give her a punch!
The punch is a miss!
Wisteria takes the chance to punch Reachy Rings with their tangled fist!
bludgeoning damage
With the successful strike, they then grab the leshy and constrict them!
Terrain Features: The glass tables are 4 feet tall, and the wood chairs are 2 feet tall. The tables have a Hardness of 1 and 4 Hit Points, and create difficult terrain in their squares if broken. The patches of wildflowers along the east and west sides of the garden are all 2 feet tall or higher, creating difficult terrain but also offering cover to Hide in. Area in green-line emanation is difficult terrain.
Party Conditions: ---
ENCOUNTER MAP
Bottlespeaker HP 38/38, AC 19(21 w shield)
Fluff Fang HP 35/35, AC 19
Reachy Rings HP 20/38, AC 20 | Grabbed (FF, Immobilized, DC 16 Athletics to Escape), pending DC 18 basic Fortitude save vs 7 bludgeoning damage
Popkorn 53(+5 temp HP)/53, AC 20(19 Rage)
Golden Bamboo
Green Mint
Minkaian Honeysuckle
Purple Wisteria
Fluff Fang continues to sing out inspiration for the team:
♫ "This challenge: we're ready to meet it!
The battle: we will not concede it!
.....While you guys keep swinging,
.....I'll just keep on singing.
Where's Lingering Comp when you need it?" ♫
Knowing Reachy Rings works better with a partner, Fluff Fang moves into a flanking position to assist the rogue, and then draws a rapier.
With the guard-in-er now flanked, Rings goes into full attack mode against the golden bamboo.
"How could you side with *her* against your fellow plants?"
Despite the rage clouding her mind, Popkorn manages to impress even herself with the effectiveness of her attack. Momentarily stunned by the subsequent verdant explosion, she is slow to react when the next guard attacks her from behind. Fortunately, the attack is laughably inept and Popkorn turns furiously to face her new attacker. With a great Sylvan roar to terrify the Minkaian Honeysuckle, she lays into it with her flail.
Bottlespeaker commands little 'twig back inti his head which she is all too eager to do, having been startled and scared by the appearance of the nasty plant. With his charge safe, he turns to the Enemy of the People (pPurple Wisteria) and charges into battle.
*stride
*stride
*attack
; meh
AC 19
Fluff Fang continues to inspire our heroes and begins to move and draw her weapon. Before even answering, Golden Bamboo is quickly eliminated by Reachy Rings with such quick but precise attacks. Another burst of primal energy and it heals any leshy around it with HP (our heroes included) Popkorn attempts to Demoralize the Minkaian Honeysuckle to no avail, and they only chuckle. Despite that, our barbarian leshy attacks and fatally wounds the same leshy she attempts to Demoralize. Another primal burst and healing of HP for those within the area of effect. Bottlespeaker closes into Purple Wisteria and tries to hit them but he misses.
Though the others are down, the last hostile leshy isn't giving up!
The continue to grab Reachy Rings and constrict them! They even
They also smack Reachy RIngs!
Fortunately, it's a miss.
Terrain Features: The glass tables are 4 feet tall, and the wood chairs are 2 feet tall. The tables have a Hardness of 1 and 4 Hit Points, and create difficult terrain in their squares if broken. The patches of wildflowers along the east and west sides of the garden are all 2 feet tall or higher, creating difficult terrain but also offering cover to Hide in. Area in green-line emanation is difficult terrain.
Party Conditions: (1 rd, assuming Fluff Fang spends one action for the cantrip)
ENCOUNTER MAP
Bottlespeaker HP 38/38, AC 19(21 w shield)
Fluff Fang HP 35/35, AC 19
Reachy Rings HP 20/38, AC 20 | Grabbed (FF, Immobilized, DC 16 Athletics to Escape), pending to Hero Point (if you want to) the previous basic Fortitude save I rolled (which is a crit fail) for you vs 7 bludgeoning damage, another pending DC 18 basic Fortitude save vs 5 bludgeoning damage, pending 17 HP healing once saves are resolved
Popkorn 53(+5 temp HP)/53, AC 20(19 Rage)
Golden Bamboo
Green Mint
Minkaian Honeysuckle
Purple Wisteria
Bottlespeaker starts bashing the remaining guard and gives a little help to the poorly faring Reachy Rings.
*attack
*attack
*cast Guidance on Reachy Rings
Fluff Fang sees Reachy Rings in trouble, but feels it's more urgent to help take down the remaining enemy. Fluff sings out:
♫ "More inspiration I'm sending.
To help with the damage we're rending.
.....We have many powers.
.....Don't mess with us flowers!
The Lady is nearing her ending." ♫
Fluff Fang then calls out, "surround sound" and casts Sound Burst near the remaining enemy.
Popkorn weathers another satisfying leshy explosion as the Minkaian Honeysuckle goes down under her barrage of fiery flying skulls. Looking about, she sees that her friends have also been doing a pretty good job with the rest of the guards. With only one left standing, Popkorn slogs across the now well overgrown garden to get it within reach of a swinging strike from her flaming flail.
Bottlespeaker bangs the remaining leshy with his weapon. The first one connects but not the second attack. He then cast a spell on Reachy to guide their actions.
Fluff continues to inspire our heroes and creates a cacophonous noise against Purple Wisteria!
Purple Wisteria is somewhat affected, but not that much! Popkorn makes her move toward the last guard and hits them with her fiery war flail! The weapon connects and burns the flowers of the leshy into ashes!
Having defeated all of the enemy leshys by our heroes, the party guests come to realize that their host’s actions were deplorable and are quick to take our heroes' side — the guests don’t stand in their way as they exit the garden with their rescued kin.
Word of Lady Constance’s actions spread quickly through Rosentry, and the people of the town are quick to take the leshys’ side, being genuinely aghast at the thought of someone kidnapping and imprisoning sapient creatures. The nobles promise to see Lady Constance suffer consequences for her actions, and several of the garden guests gleefully express how much they hated the noblewoman’s gardening guidelines and how much they look forward to breaking them now that she’s in disgrace.
With the kidnapped leshys returned to their home and Lady Constance foiled, our heroes can rest on their laurels for the time being, knowing that they’ve defended their friends and their forest. In any event, the nobles of Rosentry are pacified for now, and peace is likely to follow for at least a little while. Humans are always quick to encroach on the wilds, however, and the leshys of Verduran must remain ever vigilant. As celebrated leshy heroes, the safety of the woods lies on their shoulders!
|
During his downtime, Mandoo helps a local theater company putting on a play about a team of undead hunters on a tomb exploration adventure. He shows the extras how to apply makeup and behave in a realistic undead-like manner...
...the play is a raging success and lauded by the theater critics for its realistic portrayal of the undead.