"Well, if you bozos want one more chance at a normal life, I might know a place where you could wash dishes or shovel dirt without being horribly sacrificed," Wispil offers. "Anything else useful you want to tell us? Or should we send you back to Ruzadoya?"
"Well, when you put it that way, dishes and dirt sound amazing!" Kanako says. Howell eagerly nods in agreement.
Given the chance to thoroughly search the temple, you eventually find an easily overlooked flagstone carved with the image of the Goroth Lodge. Like the one in the supply depot, the backside of the flagstone has a partial map carved into it. You now have two-thirds of the map. One more flagstone will complete it!
"Off to whatever strange floating sphere awaits us," Wispil concludes, fatalistic.
"Oh no, it looks like it's in the Mwangi Expanse!" Kilitsi says, horribly misreading the map.
As the former Wildwood Lodge agents head to the Rootweft Lodge, you make your way to the other location Felivaine mentioned. When you arrive, you see it is a small, perfectly circular clearing ringed by 12 slender trees, each spaced equidistant around the clearing’s perimeter and each unnaturally identical. At the center of the clearing is a highly detailed latticework wooden sphere that hovers 4 feet above the ground and rotates slowly. Within the sphere are further spheres, nested within one another and rotating different directions. Wavering golden light shines at the center of the sphere.
It's clear that this site is of great import and magical power. Wispil notices that the wood the sphere is carved from has a strange grain that’s a perfect fractal pattern—it didn’t come from this world. Nothing you do seems to be able to move, slow, or alter the sphere in any way.
A stone in the ground near the sphere is carved with the image of the Goroth Lodge. On the backside is the final piece of the map you've been assembling. You now know the way to Ghorus' Garden!
Wispil eyes the entire grove with suspicion: "We're ether going to get attacked by something or get turned into something unnatural."
He looks at the trees, "Well, maybe not unnatural, but not...good. Yeah. Those trees are too tree-y, if you know what I mean. Very upsetting."
"Can a thing be too much of itself? Perfection like this sings in my heart; though that does not make it safe..."
"Like that doesn't make any sense! Too much of itself?" Kilitsi says. She looks around at the others, then shrug, and heads into the clearing to get the final piece of the map.
"I got it..." she says, showing it to her companions. It's upside down.
After resting and recovering, you follow the map to its destination. Ghorus’s Garden served as Ghorus’s private sanctuary—a combination of garden, living space, greenhouse, and laboratory. The main entry is through the greenhouse, where Ghorus grew food and cultivated unique plants and poisons. The front door is locked.
Kilitsi looks at the door. "I can probably, like, open it, but the way I do it, anyone would be able to go through. If someone else can, we can lock it again."
Alessandria chuckles instead of making an identical offer. "Perhaps a more Gentle touch to start?"
Gentle Storm doesn't find any traps and manages to open the lock after a couple of attempts. The greenhouse is full of exotic plants that have been magically modified in some way. There are signs that someone has been tending to it—a trowel near the pond, debris-free pathways, and recently used gardening tools near the shed.
Two flowering plants in particular appear to be rather beautiful, glittering hypnotically in the light. As you get closer, however, they suddenly dissolve into clouds of razor-sharp glittering spores that begin to seek you out!
[spoiler=Initiative]
The spores swarm around you!
HP 79/122 (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:
"Ugh! Super hobbled!" Kilitsi complains as she strikes out with her axe before moving a little bit out of the area.
Wispil flies back and channels his elements.
"Move out of the way and we'll blast 'em!"
for
for
The hails of razor-spores score Alessandria's plate, but leave her mostly unharmed.
The centaur rears, igniting the air around her before hurling a whistling blade of fire through the fray.
[ooc]Basic Reflex DC 26,
Gentle Storm is uncertain what these strange funguses might be. They certainly burn well enough, as Alessandria discovers as she incinerates several of the spores, exploiting their existing fire weakness. Wispil hits with a cold blast, and Kilitsi slashes at them, though they are very resistant to her axe's slicing edge.
Wispil retreats from the spores, but the rest of you are still in range. The two swarms fly each at Alessandria and Kilitsi, attempting to invade their ears, mouths, and nostrils before bursting out of their flesh!
With spores all over his teammates, Wispil calls up hungry roots from the ground to drain the enemies' life.
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Gentlestorm scoops up some of the residual fire from Alessandria's attack and breaths life back into it within his palm lobbing an orb of fire at each of the swarms.
He then moves towards Kilitsi "Stay a moment, we'll see you right as rain and stronger than granite." He closes his eyes focusing on an upcoming spell which seems to draw up the earth in the area.
"Arrrgggh!" Alessandria cries out as the infestation creeps in beneath her armor. She scours the area around herself with flame, burning out her nimbus for an instant before reigniting it.
HP 63/122 (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:
"Gross! No one wants to eat you!" Kilitsi snorts, keeping the spores firmly out of her mouth and nose. Before Gentlestorm has a chance to get close, she gestures and two thick slabs of stone rise around her before tilting over. Then she slashes out again with her ax.
Gentle Storm burns both spore clouds with flames, then Alessandria unleashes a blazing wave that incinerates one swarm and scorches the other. The other swarm ignores Wispil's roots, but Kilitsi's slab squishes some of the spores and she is able to disperse the others with a mighty sweep of her axe!
Wispil roots around in his feathers for any scorched bugs that remain: "Gah, disgusting defenses. Any other flowers in here that are going to try to kill us? Or maybe something worthwhile?" The bird pokes around the greenhouse.
Fortunately, nothing else here seems dangerous. You don't find anything of value, either.
You move through the greenhouse and into the building proper. The entry vestibule is now a mess with shredded paper, shattered glass, and other debris covering the floor. A pile of paper scraps on the counter are partially reconstructed like a puzzle.
Examining the paper scraps, Wispil determines that they are research notes on plant creatures and plant weapons. The goose finds some notes about the Cythbikian staff, though it is referred to as the Zibikian staff and noted as being given to Ghorus by someone named Zibik. Ghorus was experimenting with the dangerous mold created by the staff to create new weapons and creatures.
Also among the scraps are papers that depict a detailed drawing of Ghorus as a plant-human hybrid, with notes indicating that this page was the last in a series related to a magical ritual. There are many other related notes that indicate that Ghorus coveted power and was obsessed with making himself “godlike, as Zibik.”
One of the most worrisome notes reads, “My experiment was a failure. Eilwith is dead. While the energy funneled into her body changed her into a plant-human hybrid, as I theorized, it also killed her, and reanimated her as an undead, violent mockery of her true self. Her intelligence is rudimentary, and she has no memory of our time together, nor our mission to save this forest. I’m grateful she volunteered to serve as test subject in my place, for without me, this war would be lost. Her sacrifice will not be in vain. After the Verduran Forest is saved and Taldor is a smoldering ruin, I will find a way to correct this error. I will create a being closer to my vision.”
"This Gorus really seemed willing to do anything to take down the Taldans, even if it meant taking half of the forest with him," Wispil tuts.
Gentle Storm is unable to glean any information about the scraps of paper.
Several doors exit this room: west, south, or east. You came in from the north.
"Like, doesn't that sound sort of like what happened to Ruzadoya? But maybe, like, improved, sort of. Not, like, improved like better for us, but for Ghorus?"
As Gentle Storm approaches the east door, he spots a trap! Flowers carved into the door are rigged to emit poisonous pollen when the door is touched.
"Then we are not alone in learning these secrets," Alessandria scowls. "Though they were foolish enough to repeat his failures."
Alessandria creates an updraft of heated air to lift any stray spores above Gentle Storm while he works to neutralize the bulk of the pollen. "Another task for you, Gentle."
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Gentlestorm studies the pollen spores for a bit determining that it is indeed dangerous. As Alessandria forms an updraft he works to neutralize it. Thr best way to neutralize poison however oddly enough is to either soak it so that it can't enter one's nose or as he takes to the task turning into a giant bee for a few moments and dusting himself in the pollen.
Once sufficiently saturated in the stuff he gobbles it down, immune to the nasty effects of most pollens he the giant GentleBuzz seems satisfied with his work and soon returns to his usual form.
"Hmmm... oddly spicy."
With the trap neutralized, Gentle Storm picks the lock to the room. This office contains a desk, reading area, display case, and bookshelves. Thanks to ancient spells, this room is soundproof, brightly lit, and maintains a comfortable temperature. The books cover a variety of topics, including magic, the planes, politics, geography, and history—all millennia out of date.
The display case contains wood trimmings and clippings, including the following: a piece of bark with complex, spiraling fractal patterns; a slice of a tree with rings shaped like a massive, complex snowflake; and a variety of spore and soil samples. Gentle Storm can determine that these samples are from trees not of this world--in fact, he believes that these samples might originate from an orderly, wood-themed, apocryphal plane known as the Plane of Wood.
The desk is stacked with neatly organized paperwork written in Wildsong, the secret language of druids. Gentle Storm can read the language, and he recognizes that the notes are obsessive, perhaps even fanatical, and that none are related to the war against Taldor. Instead, they focus on a powerful being named Zibik.
A quick skim of the papers reveals the following information:
• Zibik is a green man who lives on the Plane of Wood, an elemental plane that “faded” from existence in a time before history, losing its power and connection to the rest of the Elemental Planes.
• Ghorus contacted Zibik accidentally while examining an otherworldly site he discovered in the Verduran Forest—a latticework sphere. Ghorus came to believe that there were six latticework spheres in the Verduran Forest but was unable to find any others. He returned to this site to commune with Zibik frequently.
• Zibik gave Ghorus tools and information, which Ghorus used to create weapons and creatures for his war against Taldor. One of these items was the Zibikian staff.
• Ghorus was obsessed with gaining more power, and turning himself into a being like Zibik.
• Zibik is a defender of natural places who focuses on the persistent collapse and decomposition that allows an environment to regrow, and has particular interest in fungi.
Searching the desk drawer uncovers a ring of keys, a greater wood-rotted root, and an amnemonic charm. Stored neatly on the bookshelves are a scroll of toxic cloud and a scroll of plant form.
"Well, seems like this Zibik is bad news," Wispil concludes after reviewing all of the evidence. "And Ghorus, classic example of contacting otherworldly beings and being corrupted. Why would anyone do that?!"
"Like, is this plane of wood even here anymore? Maybe it's gone and we don't need to worry about. Like the plane of fire burned it up or something," Kilitsi suggests.
She thinks. "Should we go look for those spheres?"
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Studying the information Gentlestorm grows direly quiet.
"More information to bring to the nexus. This doesn't really help with our current investigation but it does help narrow what sort of artifact we are looking for. This.. Zibik it is odd that a being from a primal plane such as that of wood would entreat with anyone even a druid. We or someone else may even be able to recreate the ritual used to commune with Zibik and garner even more power."
His hair stands on end as the thought passes through his mind. "I don't want to think about what that may entail. We should grab what we can, all of these books have countless knowledge that no doubt the Nexus would be pouring over for years to come. Then we should continue exploring this place."
You return to the vestibule and check out the west door. This living suite looks ransacked. Torn linens, broken chairs, and emptied drawers litter the floor, among other debris scattered all over it. The paintings have been slashed, every mirror is shattered, and the walls sport scratches seemingly inflicted by sharp nails.
This suite was once split into four living areas: bedroom, sitting room, kitchen, and dining room. Furthermore, it’s clear it functioned as a living space for two people—the bed is large, and many objects appear in duplicate: two dining chairs, two sitting chairs, two armoires, and so on.
The slashed paintings once portrayed an orderly woodland that features symmetrical trees and bark patterned in complex, spiraling fractals. These were likely more depictions of the Plane of Wood.
A search of the room reveals that three areas have been used recently. First, an empty jewelry box is placed atop a dresser, lid closed, and all its contents laid neatly across the dresser top in organized lines. Second, all the clothes from one armoire (that belong to a humanoid man) have been piled on the bed in a heap like a nest. Third, all the clothes from the second armoire (that belong to a humanoid woman) have been clumsily placed inside—it’s messy, but it’s obvious someone tried to clean it up.
Alessandria looks around the room, trying to figure out how long it has been since this was all used.
"Like, maybe they'll come back?" Kilitsi asks. "Though these clothes are pretty ugly. They'd be smarter if they don't!"
It looks this room has been occupied in at least the last day or two.
"Set up an ambush? I would be pretty interested in whomever is hanging out here," Wispil suggests. "They probably gave somesome dangerous information, at the very least!"
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Gentlestorm grabs some of the clothing that seems to have been used as a nest and gives it a good sniff to see if he recalls any familiar scents.
"If we wish to go about that, I suggest we finish searching the compound first, we wouldn't want whoever was here to get their hands on anything dangerous before us."
The clothes have a disgusting smell that clings to them, like rotting plants mixed with foul toxins. It's definitely a smell Gentle Storm would remember had he smelled it before.
You head south from the vestibule and into a ruined laboratory. Searching through the shelves, drawers, and mound of debris, you discover a series of fungal samples in sealed glass vials. One is labeled, “Sample: Zibikian Staff,” while the rest are named, “Zibikian Derivative 1,” “Zibikian Derivative 2,” and so on. You can tell that these fungal samples are similar in composition to those created by the cythnophorian seed pods.
You also find a wand of fungal infestation (4th), a moderate blight bomb, a corrosive ammunition arrow, and a bloodroot shield.
Doors exit to the south and east. The south door is locked with a good lock, but one of the keys you found fits the lock.
"Well, this is troubling. Is someone trying to spread fungus over the whole forest?" Wispil asks.
On the principle that it will be more interesting, because it was locked, he suggests going to the south door.
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Gentlestorm wriggles his face in disgust. "Well I would certainly remember that if I'd been exposed to it before."
Continuing on when Wispil asks about the fungus spreading he nods, "Perhaps simply tests, perhaps trying to find out the true source of Zibik's power. All derived from the staff it seems. Truely Goran was a deprived druid if he cared this little for the balance of things. So drunk in his search for power."
He agrees with continuing through the southern door, the other can wait for now.
Kilitsi nods, and turns north, before shaking her head and looking back toward the door Wispil and Gentle Storm indicated.
Beyond the locked door is a vault containing a single large construct made of wood and metal. A gnarled staff is chained up inside its torso. No sooner have you opened the door than the construct lurches to life. It conjures spectral echoes of the central staff in each of its four hands as it begins to lumber towards you!
It moves before you can react, combining its four force staffs into one massive weapon that it swings at all of you! The staff then breaks apart into four smaller ones again, which it raises in a defensive stance.