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Tumsy is shocked to see the damage this powerful foe can deal. It is on it's last legs, yes it is! Now go get 'em and finish that one. We got another one coming it! Tumsy knows he can't encourgae Jib, so instead, he turns to Alim. Once that one down, you really should hurry over to the other one, yea you should! Let's move team!
Tumsy sees the enemy charge Dahlia. Don't let that thing attack our friend! Comes guys, lets get 'em! Seeing Dahlia take that nasty wound, Tumsy tries to be inspiring. You are okay, yes you are! Don't let that plant bully you! I have faith in you and your ability to take this thing down!
It's back guys, yes it is! Now go get 'em! Tumsy shouts as he draws his pistol. He then moves to cover to protect himself from flying thorns.
Tumsy has a rough day in the wild. But he keeps on slogging along.
I guess we are doing this, yes we are! Tumsy listen to Katara's plan. Okay, we got a plan! Now Katara I need you to HURRY up and get out there, yes I do! Turning to the rest of you, Now everyone, go GET 'EM!
I think I know what that is, yes I do! I read an article about them recently. They are called Ksarik. He is what I can remember... Tumsy pauses and then begins talking as if he is reciting a textbook again. Ksariks’ ancestors lived as mindless, animate plants that scavenged for food and sprouted their seedlings within corpses, rarely posing more than an incidental threat to other species. Millennia of ongoing strife between the planet’s formians and lashuntas bombarded these primeval ksariks with psychic energy, and only decades before the two factions’ recent peace deal, the plants began exhibiting rudimentary intelligence and a predatory drive. In an unsettlingly small number of generations, ksariks have developed a pack mentality, low cunning, and the preternatural ability to adopt competitors’ strengths. A typical ksarik is a 12-foot-long quadruped made up of dense plant matter, including specialized tissues such as powerful tendons, woody internal supports that resemble bones, and flexible sheets of lignin that serve as a form of armor. Its head is immense and stocky, comprising approximately a dozen feeding tendrils that obscure its underdeveloped mouthparts. Its eyestalks project from either side of its head, providing a wide range of vision that sacrifices much of its ability to see targets immediately in front of it. To make up for this, a ksarik’s feeding tendrils are covered in an array of unusual sensory organs: some can discern the source of smells, while others sense movement and changes in light. Originally occupying a niche between decomposers and scavengers, ksariks adapted to sniff out carrion and digest every piece of a rotting corpse. A ksarik’s body produces a steady supply of several different acids that help it break down food into a more manageable form, and modern ksariks regularly employ these acids in self-defense and hunting. The plants also have numerous thorns that grow along their legs and back. Botanists theorize that these also served as self defense when the ksariks were slower-moving creatures that resided lower on the food chain. Now, however, ksariks use these thorns as a form of reproduction, firing them into live prey and infecting those creatures with spores that gradually grow into nascent ksariks that feed on the host, and then painfully burrow out of the flesh days later. The spores must be fertilized beforehand in a process that resembles sexual congress between two ksariks, leaving both with a supply of seeds that remain viable for months afterward. The most fearsome of the ksarik’s abilities is its capability of extracting and assimilating other creatures’ genetic codes, temporarily mimicking its prey’s adaptations. Studies suggest this ability is as much tied to a ksarik’s physical characteristics as it is some rudimentary psychic ability that allows the plant to adjust its body in accordance with a stolen genetic blueprint. Most of this code is unstable within the plants, meaning ksariks can rarely maintain an adaptation for more than a minute or, at most, a few hours. However, trace amounts of foreign DNA remain, and it appears that parents are able to pass lesser versions of their adopted abilities to their offspring. This enhanced evolution has drawn ksariks into otherwise unsuitable habitats, where they have quickly outcompeted other species, even driving several of them to extinction. Due to this explosive growth, most lashuntas consider them an ecological nuisance, though xenobiologists have lobbied against the species’ eradication until it can be properly studied—especially now that the ksariks have begun absorbing and demonstrating signs of rudimentary culture. The most notable evidence of this cultural development is the lilting melodies ksariks sing when in close proximity to one another. Scientists have yet to discover the purpose of these songs, as their best efforts to determine if they provide any information to the plants has failed. What’s more, their attempts to replicate the sounds only lead to angering nearby ksariks, the creatures being seemingly affronted by the endeavor. These sounds appear to emanate directly from a ksarik’s skin instead of any particular orifice, a fact that opponents of ksarik conservation hold as proof that the plants aren’t purposefully making them. Of course, those on the other side of the argument believe it doesn’t matter from where the songs come. Tumsy takes a deep breath after a very long winded repeat of the article he read. Very interesting stuff, yes it is! But seems dangerous that it has been trailing us...
Tumsy is having a surprisingly good day in the jungle. He is fatigued pretty early on buy keeps on going.
You are alive, Hux, yes you are! Nice moving. But don't stop! Hurry, the plant is catching up! Tumpsy turns and point at the plant monster, Now go get him already!
Hux! I told you to get out of there, yes I did! Those teeth seem like they hurt. He looks down at his own bite marks. Look you can do this! Just focus and we will try to get you out. Everyone else, get that darn plant to save Hux!
Tumsy wakes up from the mind controlling plant. That hurt, yes it did! He looks around to assess the situation. Come on Hux get out of here! That thing is scary! Hurry! Hurry:
As a standard action, you can grant a single move action to an ally within 60 feet. The ally can use that move action during her next turn to take a guarded step, move up to her speed, or draw or sheathe a weapon. The ally can use her extra move action in between her other actions, and she can even use it before or after a full action. A character can use no more than one extra action from hurry in a single round. Hux:
Hux then tries to scurry away from the enemy.
Tumsy is unushally quite as he begins walking toward the rune obelisk. Alim and Dahlia:
Tumsy is now adjacent to that same plant that drew you in. To the GM:
I don't like this, no I don't! We are splitting up. I am not tactics expert, but I know that is never good! I feel saver with the bigger group, yes I do!
Tumsy shouts See that one... get him! as he is pointing to the yellow sting bat. The group took his advice and took care of that stingbat. He doesn't want to shoot the one that Alim is talking to so instead tries to encourage Alim.' That sting didn't look too bad, no it didn't! You don't look poisoned or anything. You will be okay! Just breath and move through it! I have faith in you, yes I do! And with that, Alim's pain does not feel nearly that bad.
Tumsy is clearly startled by the falling stingbats. Watch their tails! He does not like how close some of them are so he steps back and draws his really interesting gun and points to the dark blue one and shouts You should get that one, yes you should!
Tumpsy seems to get get even more excitable when Dahlia makes an effort to validate his assistance. Just doing my job, yes I am! If I couldn't give you information on these guys, how could I even call myself a guide! I am really excited to see the Rune Obelisk though, yes I am!
Well based on Zan's notes, I would say they are likely what he called "Stingbats". But after reading his journal, it was pretty clear these are the creature called "kaukariki". Tumsy's stops for a moment, and begins spouting off a description, as if it is straight from a textbook. Kaukarikis are inquisitive pests named after the sound of their warning vocalizations in the presence of threats. Primarily frugivores, kaukarikis scamper about in woodland canopies and glide from tree to tree, each troop migrating widely over its claimed territory to exploit seasonal food sources. The creatures readily take advantage of other supplies of food as needed, including insects, young leaves, bark, and even meat on rare occasions. In fact, particularly large troops— especially those with a newly ascendant alpha female—sometimes organize a hunt to take down modest prey and share the kill to reinforce social bonds within the group. Kaukariki mating habits often coincide with massive feasts of fruits, with the male that consumes the most food being seen as the most desirable mate. The alpha female chooses first from among the potential mates, followed by the other females that have the alpha’s permission. A female that attempts to take a mate without permission is often attacked and driven off by the rest of the troop. Such a kaukariki is then left to fend for herself, and sometimes she becomes the alpha of her own troop. He stops focusing memory and looks to Dahlia, as if to ask if he passed the test. Ohh one note that might be important for adventures is that their tail is said to be poisonous... but I don't have much detail on that. I just know it is smart to not let that thing touch you!
Tumsy joins the group for a brief rest. He also indulges in a few figs. It's not the best food, but beats more trail rations. Hey, I just knew if I got separated from you fine folks, I would be done for out here, yes I would! I just tried to keep up and maybe shake off one of those beasts if I could. I wonder what that noise was that spooked them... it sure wasn't me, no it wasn't! And you were pretty brave out there yourself! You just reached out and touched one of them, yes you did! No way I would do that! I am glad we just made it through that all. I appreciate your kind words!
Tumsy sees the drop off. He looks back at the thinning heard. He is pretty sure he could manage to squeeze in between some trees and get even more distance.
And the planned worked, there is now a lead between you and the heard!
Tumsy noticed how badly Hux gets hurt from this fight and it frightens him, motivating him to keep moving! He tries to squeeze through more obstetrical to get farther away.
He is able to find a small tunnel under some roots that allows him to get away from a pursuing monster, leading you all farther from danger.
Tumsy assess the jungle around him and decides that he might be able to squeeze between some big rocks to help get away,
But instead, the small little guy gets stuck between the rocks. Help! Help! I am stuck, yes I am!
Tumsy notices how hard it would be to squeeze in the new environment and scraps that plan for now. Instead, he just tries to find the best path to get away.
But the change to the jungle is rough and the short skittermander can't find a way to go.
As it starts raining wood, the quick little skittermander is able to just barely dodge the worst of it, but still gets stabbed by some splinters. Tumsy looks around at the stampede of giants. I am just a bug to them!. He looks at his allies We need to get out of here, yes we do! With that, tries to squeezes between some trees that he hopes are too big for beasts to knock down, and once behind them, he tries blend into the surroundings.
Tumsy is able to move in between the trees and seems to of been correct about the trees, the beasts need to take the long way around, but is not able to blend in very well. Curse this purple fur!
Tumsy's small jaw drops when he sees these mighty beasts.
He feels like he should know what they are but can't quite place it. Those things are huge! I don't think I ever learned about them... but given that they are here, it seems like a bad idea to get near them!
Tumsy uses the same strategy as the group, one hour on one hour off for his armor.
When Alim begins his conversation with the small skittermander, Well my people are not very smart, no they aren't. So when a smart one comes along, they groom them to become extra smart and then send them to a school to fill one of the needs of society. My people struggle with understanding other people... they are so greedy and mean. So they wanted me to master culture. So a couple years later, I am studying at one of the best cultural school in the known universe and I fell in love with elven culture, yes I did!
Tumsy takes Kataras advice and turns his suit on and off every hour to cool down and is shocked about the how effective the results are.
Tumsy seems bored traveling through the grasslands. I expected more ruins and excitement. This is just hot and boring, yes it is.
We should get moving, yes we should! Here Hux, let me see if I can help you with navigating. I am somewhat good using landmarks, yes I am!
Tumsy travels for the first 6 hours of the day using his environmental protection, but goes the rest of the day slogging through the heat.
It is hot out here, yes it is!!! I feel like I am burning up. But I am glad I bought the environmental clothing, yes I am! How are you guys feeing?
The name is TUMSY! Yes it is! |
