" This is not like a jungle, atleast I do not think so. I do not have much experience with those, but this should be useful to swim and climb. We shall head off unless someone wishes to stay for something else. Does anyone know good dragon names?" Salaha queries as they head out.
"So we have underdark goblins trying to corrupt a poor little dragon, drugging and killing people... You land walkers surely need help with many things. We shall cure the illness, then perhaps look into these goblins. How did they get an egg is a great question, and you shall have to inform us more of this underdark. Does it have waters?"
"I don't know truly if it has water," said William. "But to venture there will be a hazard for us."
To Jazlyn, he turns to her and says, "Call me William, scourge of evil."
"Caves have water, but it's nothing like what you are familiar with," Jazlyn offers. "Usually there is water flowing through some tunnels and here and there it pools into what might be called a lake. With no direct sunlight, however, the creatures that inhabit the water are likely nothing like those in the ocean. The water is fresh, not salty."
" Well if it has waters I should be quiet alright in it. We need to explore that somewhat, because stealing eggs is one thing, but unholy issues and now a plague bothers the town is not good signs." With that, without anyone objecting, they could head out.
Salaha sits on the boat as it goes deeper into the swamp, her new companion draped around her shoulders as they keep watch on the boat, keenly searching for anything out of the ordinary. She has her bow out, but also seems to be checking the swamp water every so often to ensure the health of the waters.
William wraps himself in his robes. He was certainly prepared to go deeper into the swamp, or wetlands. He was no healer, that was for sure. Salaha was a druid, maybe she could heal others of their diseases. william was sure of one thing, he needed to defeat evil.
Jazlyn packs her gear carefully, adding supplies she thinks will be helpful.
Jazlyn is not a talkative traveling companion, although she speaks when spoken to. She focuses on watching the surroundings for threats and makes mental notes of landmarks passed.
Dain shivers at the bottom of the boat, once again aboard the feared craft.
The group moves deeper into swamp where the sounds of nature slowly become quieter and the fog seems to hang heavier as the light breeze in the marshes gets quelled by the large trees with their maze like root systems that resemble the clustered branches of a tree rather than one one might consider to be roots. The unnerving stillness is only broken by the semi-rhythmic splash of the paddles or by a the sound of a bug as it flies nearby seemingly greatly amplified in volume due to the lack of other sounds. For those accustomed to Nature the stillness is more unnerving as it is definitely not natural.
Navigating the maze of trees and their above water root systems takes time with these root systems occasionally looking like tentacled arms in the blur of the fog. Unknowingly this would be a precursor to at least one of the creatures that inhabit this swamp. A relization that comes as the boat is suddenly jarred to the right causing everyone to be slightly knocked off balance as a sort of pseudopodial mouth bites into the left railing and splashing movement can be heard from the right.
Glancing to the right at the sounds, the group sees what appears to be the human-sized tree moving towards them. As it breaks the fog they can see it is not a tree but some strange monstrosity. What is propelling its movement cannot be seen but the water churns slightly as if movement were taking place below the waters surface. The base of the creature has numerous alien malicious eyes and just above the eyes long branch like tentacles ending in puckered maws that drip a green goo with the consistancy of sap and the smell of an open grave seems to accompany its presence. Above the tentacles is a multibranch or antler like feature where the corpses of a couple of small animals are skewered upon them for some most likely unpleasant reason. The sight of this creature is quite unnerving
Three tentacled maws lash out toward the group. Each one striking home, hitting Jazlyn , Salaha , and Grün .
Note this Shaken Condition will last until a Save is made, an affected creature may make an additional Save at the end of each of their turns after their 1st turn. So the creature that fails their Save will spend one full round Shaken and then at the end of their next round, and each round thereafter, they may make another Save.
A Grappled creature cannot use Stealth to hide from the creature Grappling it, even if a special ability, such as Hide in Plain Sight, would normally allow it to do so. If a Grappled creature becomes invisible, through a spell or other ability, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its CMD to avoid being Grappled, but receives no other benefit.
If Grappled, one can attempt to break the Grapple as a Standard Action by making a Combat Maneuver check or Escape Artist check (DC 22) this does not provoke an Attack of Opportunit. If successful, the grapple is broken and one can act normally.
William casts Magic Missile at the nearest tentacled maw!
Dain casts Divine Favor on himself (+1 hit/damage)
Salaha is too shaken by the creature to do anything, this eldritch horror from beyond the planes clearly was not natural, but completely known to her. The issue now was if she could survive long enough to speak, or die given she looks as if she is near death's door after one hit.
Salaha will share with the group quickly what she knows of this beast, and tries her best to get loose from it's grip
Salaha does nearly the best she can to get from the grip of these beast.
While Jazlyn prides herself on being unflappable in combat, the creepy nature of this swamp denizan takes her by surprise and unnerves her. Jazlyn immediately twists and tries to break free from the gripping appendage and then adjusts her fighting style, drawing on training to more effectively deal with such a monster.
Grun goes limp, waiting.
Realizing there is still opportunity in his dire situation, the grippli draws a kukri and attempts to cut the creature while it's distracted.
William casts another magic missile at the closest tentacle.