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I have gotten completely and utterly slammed at my day job, and am working an additional 30+ hours at my home business in preparation for the Holidays. I have had to dial back many of my online games. With the slow pace of this game, and the attrition, I am honestly not feeling much interest. I thank UG for his work in this game and wish you all well in this game and future endeavors, but I am bowing out.
Carson nods, "Whatever is going on down here, it is spreading. Lanezra, Absalom, lets go check out the hunter hut and see if it is a place we can retreat to for the week. Eldeth, Topsy, Turvy, Jimjar, we need you to stay with Celia, and keep her safe until we make sure this refuge is safe." He turns back to Basidia, "Thank you, if you can give us a couple hours to check this out, we will be out of your...", the priest pauses before he says hair. "we will be out of your mycellium shortly."
"So it seems our welcome has worn out." The medic says as he checks Celia out. "Celia, you need another week before you'll be fully ready for travel. Sovereign Basidia, we are thankful for your hospitality. You say that Phylo is acting odd. We can only assume that he is under the sway of Zuggtmoy, as are several of the other myconids. We do not have the numbers nor the strength to go up against the Lady of Decay at this time. Unless we can figure out a way to break that influence, it is only going to spread. Absalom," Carson looks to the gnome arcanamancer. "Are you aware of any way to block this influence? I assume it is transferred with the spores, like the myconid communication." Turning back to the Sovereign, "Is there another place we can retreat for the next week that Phylo would not find threatening? Maybe a remote outpost?" Turning to Lanezra, "Worse comes to worse, but on your best face, friend. You are the most diplomatic among us. Hopefully you can buy us the time we need.
Sovereign Phylo, who according to Stool, was once very friendly, is creating dissent in the community. He believes that Neverlight Grove is only meant for Myconids. Is he orange with a bad hair style? Is he going to build a wall between here and the deep gnomes?
Carson nods. "Celia will be coming with us, so she needs to be healthy enough to get along without constant assistance. Staying here and assisting in hunting and defense of the community is acceptable.
or a male named Celia....no judgement here...
Once they have explained the situation to the myconids, Carson pulls his companions aside. "OK, so what are we doing here? We've still got a couple more of the original prisoners we've agreed to get back to their homes, and then we can see about us getting home. I don't think we are experienced enough, or prepared enough, to take on a demon queen and her army of fungaloid minions. What are your thoughts?
The warrior priest explains the strange behaviod of the one myconid after the grick hunt, and the assault by the agents of Zuggtmoy. "They kept on mentioning a marriage; a wedding between the Lady of Decay and Demogorgon. Tying this in to the sightings of the Prince of Demons at Sloopdilipoop, we may have a problem of Abyssal proportions. I'd suggest keeping a close rein on your hunters until more can be learned about this situation."
Once the group has returned to the Circle of Hunter's Carson will use the remaining healing he has. He will first tend to his companions, then to Celia, and the Myconid hunters. "I suggest we rest for a while, and then talk to the myconids about the dangers of that place. They should stay away from there, until they can mount a powerful onslaught against the Lady of Rot." He looks at his other companions, "And we need to decide what our part in this will be. We have returned Stool to his people. Do we participate in this conflict with Zuggtmoy or do we set out on our way to return our fellows to their home and us to ours?"
"Perhaps we should head back to the Hunter's Circle. They may not know of this threat, and should be warned to stay away from here, and to watch their own for odd behavior." The soldier-priest takes position on the other side of Celia, aiding her back to the myconid camp.
The soldier nods. "You definitely need the armor. There is no fair in life. I will take the sword. Perhaps we will need it." He removes the scroll from his pack and hands it to Absalom. "If we need to use that, it is good to know that we both can use it."
Carson holds up the other scroll, "As could this, but I pray we don't need it." He tucks the scroll away in his pack for safe keeping.
Carson, looks at the one scroll. "Ah, this one allows the removal of a curse. The other does not appear to be a prayer that I may use. Absalom, can you decypher this?" He hands the gnome the second scroll.
well hey, I've been healing wrong. As a Disciple of Life, my healing spells grant an additional 2+level hit points back! So that cure on Lanezra should have done an additional 5hp.
Carson blinks, "A bag of holding? I have only heard of such relics. Sword was never one of my preferred weapons to train with. Let me see the scrolls. Absalom, perhaps you could aid me?" With the gnome's help, he looked over the scrolls, attempting to identify their content.
either way gets me the same thing!
Carson nods, "Take some time, but be careful. Lets get out of here and back to the hunter camp. I have some healing prayers left, so once you are done there, Lanzera, lets get you patched up some. Once Lanzera is done, he lays his hands on the man. His holy symbol flares and the silver light settles onto the man's wounds, and they visibly seal.
L2 to L5? That's a pretty big jump. You sure?
All is black. All is silent. Out of that silence comes the clash of steel on steel, the warcries of the drow and his comrades, the grunts and screams of the wounded, the sobbing and cries of the dying. Slowly, the blackness resolves into blurry motion. Jerky at first, but then more defined and smooth. The sounds of battle dimmed, the moans of the dying one by one faded into the quiet whistle of the wind. A figure above him, blurry, but surrounded in a halo of red. Muffled speech which he could not understand and something cool pressed to his forehead. Another blurred figure and the smell of damp decay and fungus as something was pressed against his lips. كل هذا. وسوف تخفيف الألم. The warrior priest attempted to determine what the figure was saying. Սա ուտում: Դա կլինի թեթեւացնել ցավը. It was getting clearer. Eat ਖਾਓ. ਇਹ ਦਰਦ ease ਸੌਖਾ pain. He allowed his lips to open and accept the firm earthy morsel. A long moment passed, and all came into resolution. Above him was Absalom and Hirt, and he remembered it all. The myconids. Zuggtmoy. The fingal worm and the wedding. He sat up and gasped, Lanezra! He looked around to see his companion laying a couple feet behind him, his face pale with blood matting his hair. Carson reached out a hand, through the pain, to touch the fey-touched man. He gasped out a few words, "GIVI OD MICALP The holy symbol carved into his palm flared with silver light, and spread to encompass Lanezra.
The fungal creature slams its fist into Carson's head. For a moment, Carson thinks he is fond, but then his vision goes blurry, and he sees two, then four, then countless of the creature before him. Time slows. He cries out, "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Iiiiiiiiiiiiiii'llllllllllllllllllllllllll hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooolllllllllllll........" and then his vision dims to a pinpoint, and he slumps to the ground, unconscious.
I really have no idea what is going on right now. This whole thing has turned into a mess and I think we need to unweave it and figure out what the true situation is before we move forward. SITUATION AS WRITTEN: 2 myconids charge at Lanezra who is standing behind Carson, and take him down to 0, with extra damage not sufficient to kill him outright. Both Lanezra and Carson asked if they got attacks on creatures charging Lanezra. UG said sure. Carson wants to interpose himself in front of one of the fungal creatures to prevent it from even getting to Lanezra, taking that damage himself. As UG said I could do this and attack the other, I did. I assume I missed with that roll, allowing the creature to get to Lanezra. Then the creatures attack....hitting me for 10, knocking me unconsious, and damaging Lanezra. Then Absalom shoots the thing, and the two attacking us stop attacking. I think at this point we need UG to tell us what the full situation is. I have no idea, and it sounds like I am not the only one.
for bludgeoning damage if hit. Carson steps in front of the first creature, interposing himself between it and Lanzera, and swings at the other. The polished brass knob at the end of the broken ash shaft flashes in the light as it arcs down toward the fungoid creature.
Carson steps in front of Lanzera. "Stay behind me, my friend! I'll cover your retreat! Raising his shield, he calls upon Helm's holy power. The flash of silvery light from his shield surrounds him.
Carson reels from the creature's surprise attack. Should have known that was coming."GO! I'll hold them off!"
Carson is slightly revolted by the fungal creature, but the previous experience of the living being consumed by the garden of fungus was way more horrifying. He steeled himself for whatever may come.
Carson assists Celia to her feet. "I would recommend bringing her along for the moment. I would hate to have her beset by other fungal cultists, as I am sure there are more than this one. Shall we continue and see what this brings? Steel yourselves. Remember last time we met a demon prince..."
The warrior priest speaks to the woman, "We will need to watch you for a recurrence. Fungi are notoriously difficult to get rid of. I am Carson. We'll get you out of this place." He helps the woman to her feed and looks to see if Absalom is done with his work as he approaches Lanzera.
As Absalom goes about his work, Carson begins to examine Celia. All the while he speaks prayers for those who Absalom is escorting to the long, dark night. Helm, watch over these souls as they travel from this place of suffering, and away from the hands of the Lady of Decay.
Carson looks over Absalom's friend with an increasingly grave face. "She could be saved, but chances are slim. I can try, but the conditions here are not good. Unfortunately, i don't think any of the rest can be saved. The humane thing would be to end their suffering." He sat back on his heels. "The drow mentioned Zuggtmoy, who is the demon lord of decay and fungus. She has connections with our favorite baboon-headed friend who showed up at Sloobludop."
Carson grips his shield tighter as they go, the leather hand strap digging into the caloused skin of his palm. These men, Lanzera, Absalom, the tiefling and even the myconids, were his battle brethren. He needed to protect them. The tough leather dig into his hand as if a reminder. He slowed for a moment, looking at the leather shield strap, and then stopped and looked at Lanzera. "Take this." He removed the shield from his arm and offered it to his companion. Turning to speak to Absalom and Mordal. "If it comes to combat, retreat. We're not fighting here, just getting information. Try and stay together, but if we can't, you know where to meet." With that, he continues on after the oddly-acting myconid.
Carson turns and gives his companions a look. One he has their eye, he loosens the broken banner pole he uses as a mace in its loop on his belt. "If we are separated, try and meet back at the myconid hunting lodge."
Carson stops, confused for a moment, wondering if whatever madness is spreading in the Underdark has started to affect even them. But then hearing the myconid's response to Lanzera's use of the name of the Prince of Demons, his curiosity resumed. "What master do you serve?"
Only going off the information I was given. I must be reading way too much into it.
Lanzera said "Uh, did I just miss something?" Was that in character or out of character? If OOC, read UG's last 2 posts.
Carson gives an odd look to the carcass-carrying myconid, holding his hand up to the other myconids. "Let him go. Something is not right with this one. We are already on a side trek to our main journey. I suggest we follow this one and see where it goes. He makes a mental note to ask Stool what the proper pronoun is for referring to myconids. He then scratches that mental note off the list and replaces it with "Don't ask about myconid gender and procreation."
After examining Lanzera's wounds, and making sure there was no potential of infection, he speaks up. "Let's secure the area and make sure there are no more of these creatures. They tend to stay close to their lairs. Lets see if we can find it and make sure there are no eggs or anything. He pauses for a moment and turns to the one myconid who expresses interest in bringing the carcass back. "I agree we should bring this creature back, if for no other reason than to show your people that the threat is ended, but I believe you are going the wrong direction. If you stay with us, we will assist you in bringing the creature back." Carson observes the myconid in effort to try and discern why he is wandering off alone.
"Nice shot, Absalom! Was anyone other than Lanzera injured?". He turns th the fey, and examines his wounds.
Ouch. "Gee, Lanzera, you seem to have dropped your spleen..."
Seeing his comrade gravely injured, the soldier-priest steps forward, the angelic words rolling off his tongue, and touches Lanzera with the broken bannerpole. Surrounded in a flash of silver light, the fey's wounds begin to close. "We definitely need to get you some armor, my friend! he says as he interposes himself between the wounded warrior and the beast. "Stay behind me! Use your reach!"
Carson speaks in a loud, clear voice, and flash of silver light bursts out from the open hand symbol on his shield. A shimmering shield of force settles around Lanzera's shoulders, and Carson grips the broken half of the banner pole.
Carson nods, "Hunters are a pragmatic people."
Carson steps under the giant mushroom cap. "Yes, we are here to assist in making sure this beast does not bother your tribe anymore. What can you tell us about this creature. I only have a rudimentary knowledge of them."
Carson stretches and goes through his morning exercises, making sure he is limber so as not to injure himself in combat. As he does, he comments "That was the most rest I've had since before I was captured. Stool, what is this fungus called that I used as a pillow? it is amazingly comfortable. After breaking his fast, he begins to strap on his armor.
The priest listens to Absalom, "You have a point. The animal itself is not evil. It is just doing what it needs to survive. But we are a civilized people. Bringing Stool back to his tribe shows that. We could have left him to fend for himself and survive as he would, but we chose community. Something I mean to continue until we are all back where we belong."
Carson accepts the food and, before eating, says a blessing over it. "Helm, we ask that you bless this food and nourish our bodies so that we may be strong and hardy when we face this beast." Once alone, the priest suggests keeping their same watch schedule while others sleep. While they prepare to bed down, He comments, "When we hunt this thing, and when we find it, I will ask Helm to guide our strikes. I can also ward one of you, granting you sanctuary from the creature's attack, as well as shield another of you, making you more difficult to harm. Lanzera, in your unarmored state, I believe the shield blessing is most appropriate for you. Absalom, you have shown that you have some arcane power; you should stay back from the front line. Mordal, once combat begins, I'll need you at the front with me." He looks around at them. "Are there any other assets that I have missed?"
Organized Play Characters
Aliases
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Leptus Scipio
~Grimaldi
Jurmo Zanti
~Asaguchi Reifuyu
Builder-42
Baxter Higgs
Leptus of Nirmathas
Stam Steelbelly
Endol Onnend esq.
Ali Joyheart
