"Like, why do they have SO many extra toes? I think it's unclean, really, if you have even a single cloven hoof, and they have like five cloves."
She pulls out her ax, just in case.
Alessandria grunts agreement, glaring back at Gentle as if he's to blame for all ten-toed crimes.
|
You glean some more insights, but not enough to reach a new threshold of knowledge.
***
The next day, you travel through the Elder Oak and make your way east several miles through the forest to site of the supply depot. This storehouse was one of many in the Verduran Forest. Magically constructed of stone, it’s a multi-room structure with a single entrance blocked
by a metal gate. The building is overgrown with dense vegetation.The metal gate is ajar. Inside, the floor is coated in dirt and other filth, and tenacious plants grow along walls and flagstones.
"There are plenty of creatures beyond man, that share ten toes. Why I once knew a quite rambunctious Possum..." He looks about to trail off into a tale but Alessandria's glare sets him back on the 'correct' path.
"Right. A moment let's see what the hearty friends here have to say about the recent intrusion."
Gentlestorm, firmly nestles his spear nearby and whispers to the foliage near the gate.
"Why hello there friends of the green, it seems your home has been disturbed before us. Would you happen to know more about those who came and trespassed here recently?"
The ferns whisper back to Gentle Storm. "They were a human. They forced open the gate and went inside the building. They came back out a short time later, carrying something. We haven't seen any other humans since then, but wyverns now use this place as a nest, flying in and out of a hole in the ceiling."
|
|
Gentlestorm nodded to the plant, though it wouldn't really mean anything to the tiny thing. "Thank you for your aid, we shall help as we can."
Turning to his companions he frowns, "Men were here, I would suspect under the command of Ruzdoya but perhaps even those outside of the forest seeking a way to defend themselves. Either way Wyverns await us inside."
"Ugh, wyvern. I suppose we still have to go inside to see if anything remains," Wispil complains. He raises up his elements in preparation for entering the building.
Kilitsi thinks about what she knows about wyverns. It's a lot.
Conversation is of little interest to a wyvern, as the creature typically speaks only to taunt their prey, issue territorial claims, or demand tribute. Even so, many wyverns enjoy grim humor and tales of violent acts, particularly if those acts were committed by the storyteller. A wyvern properly appeased with meat, entertainment, and treasure sometimes agrees to provide assistance ranging from giving directions to serving as a mount for a powerful humanoid. However, these arrangements rarely last more than a few weeks before the wyvern's pride, malice, or insolence inspires them to flee or even betray their allies. Only the truly cruel can cow a wyvern into servitude for an extended period, as most wyverns are so self-interested that they go out of their way to avoid helping others.
You quietly sneak into the building, heading into the central tower. The ceiling and wooden stairs within this tower collapsed long ago, leaving it open to the sky. A mound of debris and plant matter is heaped in the center of the room. This is the wyverns' nest, but they don't appear to be present at this time. Stairs lead down to large chambers to the north and to the south.
"Nobody home? Good. Let's poke around before they get back," Wispil urges.
Alessandria sighs. Wyverns might be easier than stairs, but she's practiced, and trots down quickly to the north as well.
Kilitsi nods and looks toward the sky for a moment before heading south. Realizing everyone else is going the other way, she turns around and follows
The area to the north is sunken 5 feet into the ground, making it cooler and an ideal location for storing food long term. The food and sundries stored here turned to dust millennia ago, but many clay pots and jugs remain, empty save for musty residue.
A search of the area reveals one of the flagstones is carved with the image of the Goroth Lodge. Prying it loose, you turn it over and see a partial map is carved into its backside.
"What's that even for?" Kilitsi asks, holding the map upside down.
"Hopefully the rest of the map isn't too far."
"Torag's turds...who puts a map on a rock?!" Wispil lets one of the bulkier party members carry the map, and flaps back toward the south room.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"A druid likely. One who understands that the earth will weather time better than any man-made structure."
He motions to all the things that have rotted away in this place as if to justify his point.
"Kilitsi, would you be a dear and keep that flagstone safe until we find the others that will no doubt complete the map?"
The southern room is an austere yet messy armory that has been plundered. Rusted weapons sit on fragile racks, armor and shields lay strewn across the floor, and remains of long-deteriorated arrows are mounded in open-topped barrels and crates. A layer of mold and fungi coat most surfaces in this room.
Wispil notices a loose panel in the north wall that's slightly ajar. It conceals a hidden closet lined with shelves, mostly bare save for a few valuable items: a suit of +1 resilient leaf weav, two moderate antidotes, a scroll of insect form (4th), a greater clay sphere, a moderate necrotic cap, and a vine whip (viper vine). There are also two strange seed pods. A close study allows Gentle Storm to identify them as seeds of a cythnophorian, the type of fungal creature that took over Valenar the Green's body during the slaughter at the Greenwood Gala!
"What should we do? Kill it with fire?" Wispil gives Alessandria a sidelong look.
"Like, yeah," Kilitsi says, agreeing with Wispil's plan. "Those things are bad news."
"We should see if this place holds other proofs. Something such as this may be needed."
|
|
Holding his tongue on the matter, Gentle Storm is reluctant to agree with Alessandria.
"I would love nothing more than to put them to ash. I even worry about how we might safely transport them so that they don't infect anyone. But Alessandria is right. We need more evidence before we go about destroying what little we have. If these may indeed help to prove the innocence of anyone there that day at all."
You gather the seeds and prepare to leave the depot. As you are are passing through the central chamber, however, a trio of shadows pass above you, cast by the three wyverns who have just returned to their nest! The drakes hiss and roar, their stinger-tipped tails whipping behind them!
[spoiler=Initiative]
[/dice]
|
|
Without already being in his wildshaped form Gentlestorm finds his potential prospects of approaching and fighting the Wyvern's precarious.
So he pulls together some primal energy from this ancient druid's place. Around the wyverns small mushrooms suddenly blossom and eject clouds of spores only for a sudden intensifying of sunlight coming through the hole in the ceiling to cause the clouds to flash in broghtly multicolored pings.
Revealing light dc26 reflex
He then tries to slink away from the group and their foes.
The burst of light dazzles the wyverns, giving Gentle Storm a chance to slip away to a hiding place. Blinking against the light, the wyverns dive down to attack, each one targeting a different member of your party.
Alessandria avoids the wyvern's talons but is struck by its stinger.
Kilitsi dodges both attacks directed at her.
The third wyvern rips at Wispil with its claws but fails to grab a hold of him. Undeterred, it whips its stinger into the goose's side!
Wispil resists the poison, but resents the damage!
He flutters away from the wyven, opens his elemental gate, and heals himself.
for
HP 122/122 (if lose dying condition, use snarling badger talisman)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +15, Will +12; Ancestral Geometry roll: xx (Reflex/Will/Fort)
Hero points: 3
Effects:
"Like, just leave us alone you silly creatures!" Kilitsi scolds, swinging her ax furiously against the one attacking her.
Alessandria hisses in displeasure at the sting, heat unfurling around her before sending an arrow flame scorching across the wyverns!
Wispil lightly blasts his attacker as he heals himself. Kilitsi slashes the wyvern that attacked her twice. Alessandria's flames lightly scorch two of the wyverns but badly burn the one that stung her. Gentle Storm's blazing bolts burn Wispil's and Alessandria's opponents.
The first wyvern shifts targets from Wispil to Gentle Storm, angered by the burning spell. It flies over to attack the druid, raking him with its claws and grabbing a hold.
Kilitsi's opponent fails to land a hit!
Alessandria's foe misses with its jaws due to the dazzling lights, but it manages to claw and grab her.
Alessandria slams her hands together and a Blazing Wave erupts out of her, extinguishing her flames with its sheer force. Rather than wiggle free from the Wyvern she simply ignites herself once more.
Wispil blasts Alessandria's attacker with a jagged branch, but urges a bery to grow in the centaur's hand.
for
HP 122/122 (if lose dying condition, use snarling badger talisman)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +15, Will +12; Ancestral Geometry roll: xx (Reflex/Will/Fort)
Hero points: 3
Effects:
"Are you even trying? I'm the biggest one here, and you can't hit me?" Kilitsi taunts, hoping to drive the creature away so she can help her friends, who seem to be struggling more. In case that doesn't work, she swings her ax, drawing sprays of blood.
|
|
Gentlestorm witholds his actions to see if the party is safe without his aid. Stuggling against the grasping Talons of the Wyvern and wary of the stinger he draws in some of the ancient primordial magic of this location and swells into the form of the formidable triceretops. Swinging and thrashing in the wyvern's grasp to gore the creature.
Wispil blasts Alessandria's attacker with water, then the centaur unleashes a wave of flames! The fire incinerates the wyvern grabbing her, and it releases her as it falls. The flames also burn Kilitsi's opponent. Kilitsi slashes that wyvern twice, cutting it down. Gentle Storm transforms into a triceratops and gores the final drake.
No longer dazzled, the wyvern snarls and sinks its fangs into Gentle Storm's side!
Wispil showers Gentle Storm with healing balm, then lets out his most threatening squawk at the remaining creature.
Alessandria flings fiery axe blades into the last Wyvern with a look of fierce delight flashing across her face.
Between Gentle Storm’s horns and Alessandria’s flames, the final wyvern falls!
"That was so rude!" Kilitsi says, nudging one of the dead wyverns out of the way with her hoof.
|
|
Tossing the Wyvern corpse to the side Gentletops stays alert for a while to make sure there aren't any more incoming threats, before the ancient energies infising him leave.
"Ah.. that was more than I expected, not often you see such creatures roosting in a trio. Check their nests quickly. Eggs shouldn't be left nor treasures from previous victims if we can help it."
In the meantime he utilizes some simple magic to bury the corpses so that they may enrich the land.
Wispil heals himself a bit and puts his rumpled feathers back into order.
Searching through the nests uncovers some valuable gear that once belonged to victims eaten by the wyverns, including a +1 striking shortbow, two pieces of explosive ammunition (arrow), and 125 gp.
There is nothing else to be found here. It's time to return to the Viridian Nexus and continue your research.
Kilitsi picks up the bow and arrows. "These are nice. Anyone else want them?"
Alexandria smiles disdainfully, "No. I do not need those to hunt "
|
|
VIRIDIAN NEXUS (LIBRARY 8)
Foliar Treatise: Corazal’s leaves detail events of the past in tiny, ever-shifting text; Maximum RP 10; Research Checks DC 19 Academia Lore or Library Lore, DC 22 Nature, DC 24 Society, DC 26 PerceptionRootbound Record: Spiritually connect with Corazal’s roots to tap into the soul of the Verduran Forest, and view visions of the past; Maximum RP 15; Research Checks DC 19 Academia Lore or Library Lore, DC 22 Diplomacy, DC 22 Occultism, DC 24 Perception (Sense Motive)
Wyrwood Researchers: Dozens of wyrwood attendants perform their own research, some have information pertinent to your studies; Maximum RP 5; Research Checks DC 22 Diplomacy, DC 24 Stealth, DC 26 Society
Foliar Treatise 4/10 RP
Rootbound Record 2/15 RP
Wyrwoods 1/5 RP
Reminder I can cleanse stupify a few times a day
"You're more likely to make use of it than I Kilitsi. Gentlestorm answers his part as they take their leave back to the nexus.
Spending the first day back at the nexus Gentlestorm returns to the nook he's been fond of sleeping in. Though instead of sleeping today he meditates on the ancient primordial strength that he was exposed to in the abandoned warehouse attempting to connect deeper into the roots of knowledge. The experience leaves him weary for the day, so he spends the next overlooking the notes of other researchers before returning to his meditations for the day after.
Wispil settles in, looking for strange patterns in the leaves of the Foliar Treatise.
He finds the work more dull than stupefying, but he finally makes some progress.
Kilitsi resumes her conversation with the wyrwoods, but struggles to find, like, even anything in common to talk to them about. Like, boring, much?