Popcorn drops Orange after multiple swings, and the construct fragments into multiple jasmine-scented chunks on the floor! Meanwhile, Fluff Fang and Slo Poke combine to finish do the same destruction to Yellow!
Round 3
Bamboom (-17) — GO
Darius (-47) — dying 1
Reaching Rings — pending
Floating candles
Popcorn (-6) — pending
Fluff Fang — pending
Slo Poke — pending
All falls silent, and soon the only sound heard is the pot of melted wax gently bubbling.
Satisfied they have thwarted the nefarious schemes of Darius Wick, whatever they were, the leshy legion steps carefully around the now-deceased candlemaker, flush with victory but no closer to solving the mystery. A quick search of the workroom yields no additional clues.
Two other doors lead out of this room, one further south along the east wall and the other in the northwest corner.
Bamboom shrugs as he looks at the others. Then, one door being much as good as the other -- and certain that this is no yellow wood and that he would in fact be able to try both -- he heads for the one further to the south.
Bamboom is confident there's nothing to fear from the door, so he opens it.
The fine furnishings and imported Qadiran carpet in this bedroom are marred by soot and wax stains. On the wall with the door sits a disheveled desk, and at the foot of the bed is an ornate trunk.
"Welp" slowpoke says, slowly moseying over to the ornate trunk. "One o' y'all check the desk, I'll check the chest." He attempts to open the chest.
Popcorn goes to the desk and starts opening drawers.
Bamboom rips all the covers off the bed! That'll teach them to mess with us!
While the kineticist decides to dismantle a rather tidily-made bed, Sol Poke digs though the unlocked trunk to find four identical sets of green and yellow clothing that matches Wick's outfit.
Popcorn's investigation of the desk yields a shipping manifest, with meticulous descriptions fo crystals, candles, and alchemical concoctions.
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"Look! This fleshy lady ordered lavendar!" Bamboom exclaims with an accusatory point at the manifest.
"It looks like it's planned for first thing in the morning, so we better go now!"
Fluff Fang nods "Let's hurry.'
The group settles in for the evening, setting out before dawn to make the trek to the town of Rosentry and locate Meliosa Manor, trying to arrive first thing in the morning. Rosentry is a few miles down the road from Petalbrook and no more than an hour's journey by leshy feet.
The contrast between Petalbrook and Rosentry is stark. Where the former is a work-a-day collection of common folk filling the streets, Rosentry is a nobility seasonal destination that displays none of the bustle a town might have. The streets appear vacant except for an occasional, ornate carriage with drawn curtains and a driver that does not acknowledge your presence. The buildings here are large and sit behind gates and walls, each a fair distance from the other.
The numbers on each gate are clearly marked, so it isn't difficult to find Meliosa Manor — a cookie-cutter estate wholly unremarkable from those around it, save for its number.
No one comes to answer your rap at the gate. You can see a handful of tables set on the front lawn, but nothing appears to be on them, nor anyone about. For a party beginning first thing in the morning, this appears to be a complete dud.
"Hmm it seems quiet. Toooo quiet. No bugs or anything. These plants aren't even from here. These people don't give two darns about sustainable gardening."
"Wait a second... didn't you say this was for an "afternoon tea"? Wouldn't that be in the afternoon?"
"That's just what they want you to think!" Bamboom retorts. "Look at how unnatural this place is. I'm sure they do afternoon tea would be first thing in the morning!"
He looks around.
"No one's here. Let's sneak in!"
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"I have lived among them. I have supped of the afternoon tea. I have been disgusted by the cucumber sandwiches. It is usually held in the mid afternoon."
Reaching Rings attempts to clear the air on when afternoon tea is celebrated, and his insight may be a reason why no one can be seen mingling among the tables.
Bamboom appears unconvinced, however.
Fluff Fang seems puzzled.
"Is there a kitchen or something to search further?"
"I have no problem with breaking in and having a look around. Or do we wait for the event and turn up on time?"
Popcorn bangs her flail on the ground. "No waiting! Let's go in now!"
"Let's start moving some chairs around to the back of the property. Pretend we are workers hired for the event if we get caught. Should let us see if anyone is around and check for a back entrance."
"I can grow a tree we can climb to get over the stupid wall!" Bamboom says. He's not sure about the plan to appear like workers, but it's worth a try. If it fails, he'll just take care of whoever's causing problems anyway. Which is what he would do if he didn't have to play pretend with chairs.
Slo looks around the party, as if doubtful there's any chance of successfully pulling off this deception. He shrugs and says "All right, let's try."
Popcorn bangs her flail on the ground. "No waiting! Let's go in now!"
The appropriately ostentatious wrought iron gate gives way on either side to an equally pretentious wrought iron fence with a thick privet hedge on the manor side. It wraps all the way around the suitably spacious property, with a smaller, yet still appropriately ostentatious wrought iron gate facing the rear of the manor. Servants can be seen shuttling in and out of the small door at the back of the building inside the gate/fence.
Options for access:
• Try to climb over the fence (Athletics)
• Try to squeeze through the fence and hedge (Acrobatics)
• Try to pick the lock in either gate (Thievery)
• Creative solution (the tree idea from Bamboom and the cosplay idea from Reaching Rings both certainly qualify)
Fluff Fang grins, "I'll set up us to go in the back."
"I'll set us up."
Reaching Rings will scout ahead and try to ensure the group stays out of the line of sight as much as possible, avoiding any other servants or guards that might be around.
Slo pulls out his pistol and begins to take aim at one of the locked gates. As a servant walks by, however, he pauses. Perhaps making that much noise is a bad idea. Instead, he tries to squeeze through between the fence and hedge.
Popcorn finds a tray or plate and then makes quick work of foraging some berries and herbs to make tiny canapes. She holds the try above her so she can't be seen easily.
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Fluff Fang hastily makes everyone look like a collection of verdant halflings, and not at all like poorly disguised leshys.
Slo Poke bustles through the hedgerow (don't be alarmed now) while Bamboom creates a native tree that looks suspiciously out of place among the other growths here, but it's enough to get the rest of the party over the gate. Popcorn's creative canapes look both tasty and professional.
Several of the servants raise an eyebrow — or two — at the new arrivals, but before they can bring it to anyone's attention, a commanding halfling chef storms out of the back door.
MAKE SURE THOSE TRAYS ARE FULL OF SWEETMEATS BEFORE YOU SERVE THEM!
THAT CRAB IS SO UNDERCOOKED IT'S STILL SINGING SONGS!
THIS ISN'T A PUDDING, IT'S A MISTAKE, A TALDAN TRAGEDY!
Turning to the leshys green halflings, he bellows, WHAT ARE YOU LOT STANDING ABOUT FOR? GET THOSE CANAPES TO THE KITCHEN FOR PROPER GARNISHING! NOT SURE I WANT YOU SERVING ANYTHING, YOUR PALLOR WILL MAKE THESE DREADFUL PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE ABOUT TO VOMIT!
If Bamboom had teeth, he would definitely grit them as he resisted the urge to kill this foul fleshy, or at least bark back at him. Instead he just nods, ducking his head as he heads for the kitchen. Once inside, they can stop this awful pretending and start looking for their friends.
Popcorn keeps the tray above her head and follows Bamboom to the kitchen, glaring at the rude chef.
Swept into the kitchen, the disguised leshys find themselves under the watchful direction of Chef Rordon Gamsey and unable to escape for a good four hour stretch.
During this time, Popcorn swings back and forth between irritation at the chef's bombast (MY GRAN COULD DO BETTER THAN THIS, AND SHE'S DEAD!) and her fascination with learning to make other hors-d'oeuvres — a lovely olive tapenade, some mushroom pate, and a marvelous bruschetta she commits to memory to share when they get back home. Fluff Fang learns a jaunty tune that helps pass the time when working in a kitchen, and also discovers that swearing is industry language. Bamboom steadfastly refuses to sample any of the food, seeing as it's tainted by the touch of fleshys, but Slo Poke and Reaching Rings are only too happy to have a taste when Gamsey isn't looking at them for a moment.
As the grandparent clock in the main hall chimes 1 p.m., the kitchen help is released and the leshys, still in various stage of disguise, find themselves back outside the kitchen door while other servants scurry about, bringing chairs and table settings to the garden tables.
Bamboom can barely contain his own rage at the mass murder of innocent vegetables! Each one seems like more of an insult than the last! Why are they not making something from dead cows, or dead pigs, or dead fish, or any other dead fleshy! He steals glances at the halfling, considering what kind of dish he would make!
Once released, he makes his way around, looking for whatever a centerpiece may be? Surely that would be on the edges of the ground?
A little searching about the grounds, and the leshy legion spot their long-lost missing leshy friends mounted and tied uncomfortably in stuffy, formal floral displays that drape over the sides of the table on which they sit. Each has a mouth stuffed with fabric so they can't speak.
Popcorn is too preoccupied finishing off the last of the bruschetta she snuck out to notice, but the remaining notice a quartet of other leshys lurking among the foliage about the table settings. They resemble the topiaries they sit among, but are distinct.
Also, decidedly hostile to your presence.
The nearest, crawling forth from honeysuckle vines, makes its way ◈ toward Reaching Rings!
Behind the honeysuckle comes a lovely purple-haired leshy from the wisteria bushes, which moves into the fray ◈◈ and also takes a swing at Reaching Rings!
On the other side, one resembling the bamboo shoots it sits amongst, steps forward ◈ and bends waaaay back ◈, then lashes out at Popcorn from a fair distance away!
And from the far corner comes an oversized mint leaf, larger than the others, shuffling up ◈◈ to get a piece of Popcorn as well!
Lady Constance! the mint leshy cries out. Lady Constance! Your party is being crashed!
Round 1
Hostile leshys — nasty plantses
Reaching Rings — GO
Slo Poke — GO
Fluff Fang — GO
Bamboom — GO
Popcorn (-13) — GO
"AAAGGGGGHHHHHHH! HOW CAN YOU TURN AGAINST LESHYKIND?"
Popcorn gets very med. Then, she pulls out her flail and smacks the mint leshy with it.
(bludgeoning, disarm, sweep, trip)
Plus 4 fire (arcane, evocation)
Bambooms eyes widen as their fellow leshies turn on them. They've been corrupted by the sins of the flesh! He snarls as bamboo splinters start to whirl around him, lashing out at his stalk-ing bamboo counterpart. He sends another hail of splinters toward the same foe, then coalesces the wood around him to form an impervious shell!
In stark contrast to his name, Slo Poke darts quickly to the side, his pistol appearing, twirling, in his hand as he fires off a quick shot at the nearest leshy. He glares at them as he quickly reloads, as if daring them not to give up.
Reaching Rings draws their rapier and moves into a flanking position, stabbing at the evil fleshy they are flanking.
Fluff Fang shouts out to their allies "You got this!" and then turns invisible.
Popcorn's flail just misses hits its target! Clearly she is inspired!
Bamboom's first burst lands solidly , though his follow-up flies over its head!
Slo Poke's gambit catches the honeysuckle leshy off-guard! His shot sails wide just lands on the distracted foe! It's enough to spook the leshy badly, too, and a little sap leaks out beneath it!
Reaching Rings takes advantage of positioning and lances the mint in its...well, where its kidney might be, I suppose!
Honeysuckle moves away ◈ from the frightening leshy with the cowboy hat and the loud gun and focuses on the somehow-less-scary raging leshy! This is perfectly reasonable and not at all incongruent!
Wisteria steps ◈ to cut Popcorn off from the table and takes a couple of swings itself!
Bamboo seems confused — Weren't there five of these intruders a few seconds ago...? — but nevertheless, bends waaaay back ◈ and lashes out at Popcorn again!
It then bends waaaay back ◈ again and appears to be waiting for something to trigger it!
Mint cals out again — Lady Constance! LADY CONSTANCE! — and moves to engulf Popcorn ◈◈.
Does the damage happen right away? I can't tell, because Paizo. If so:
and
At the second cry to her, a well-dressed woman comes hurrying out to the garden are. My party! Ruined! And what are you insolent things doing to my creations!?
Round 2
Hostile leshys — nasty, NASTY plantses
Reaching Rings — GO
Slo Poke — GO
Fluff Fang — GO
Bamboom — GO
Popcorn (-45, maybe more) — GO
Honeysuckle (-8, frightened 1)
Wisteria
Bamboo (-7, Coiled Opportunity ⤾)
Mint (-23)
Round 2
Hostile leshys — nasty, NASTY plantses
Reaching Rings — GO
Slo Poke — GO
Fluff Fang — GO
Bamboom — GO
Popcorn (-45, maybe more) — GO
Honeysuckle (-8, frightened 1)
Wisteria
Bamboo (-7, Coiled Opportunity ⤾)
Mint (-23)
Very injured, Popcorn starts by whacking at the mean mint leshy.
(bludgeoning, disarm, sweep, trip) Plus 4 fire (arcane, evocation)
(bludgeoning, disarm, sweep, trip) Plus 4 fire (arcane, evocation)
She then steps away.
Slo Poke twirls his pistol again, snapping off another shot at the now-frightened target before quickly reloading.
Popcorn lands a solid blow, which knocks Mint to the ground!
Slo Poke feints successfully and shoots the honeysuckle!
Round 2
Hostile leshys — nasty, NASTY plantses
Reaching Rings — GO
Slo Poke — fake and bang
Fluff Fang — GO
Bamboom — GO
Popcorn (-45) — smack and retreat
[spoiler=GM stuff]
Honeysuckle (-15, frightened 1)
Wisteria
Bamboo (-7, Coiled Opportunity ⤾)
Mint
Reaching Rings draws their short sword and attacks the one closest to them.
Twin Feint [two-actions]
Only one of Reaching Rings' stabs is successful, but successful it is!
Round 2
Hostile leshys — nasty, NASTY plantses
Reaching Rings — stabbination
Slo Poke — fake and bang
Fluff Fang — GO
Bamboom — GO
Popcorn (-45) — smack and retreat
Honeysuckle (-15, frightened 1)
Wisteria
Bamboo (-14, Coiled Opportunity ⤾)
Flufffang dips between the hostile plans, casts true strike and tries to finish off the one to the North.
Fluff Fang becomes visible.
Fluff Fang reappears a heartbeat before chewin' on a honeysuckle vine leshy! They notice the damage doesn't seem as potent as they might think!
Round 2
Hostile leshys — nasty, NASTY plantses
Reaching Rings — stabbination
Slo Poke — fake and bang
Fluff Fang — oh THERE they are
Bamboom — GO
Popcorn (-45) — smack and retreat
Wisteria
Bamboo (-14, Coiled Opportunity ⤾)
Bamboom wants to spray his foes with shards of hot wood, but can't figure out a way to do so without also hitting his friends. Gritting his nonexistant teeth, he decides to help Popcorn instead, summoning a protector tree to her side, then lashes out at scaredy-suckle.