The spirit lets out some more moans...it seems to have enjoyed the effect it had on your comrades. you can easily work out that you need to keep at least 30 feet away from it as the moaning is scary but the harmonics dont seem to have affected anyone outside that distance
I give the spirit a hard look.
"Verrrry funny." Eltariel turns back to the rest of the party. "Well, let's finish clearing the courtyard. Then we can deal with business."
Not only has the spirit intrigued Eltariel ... it's made things personal.
We continue examining the current structure, taking plenty of time.
This long, low building was once the keep’s stables.The stone columns on the corners still stand, as do some of the rafters, and some of the roof is still intact. There is no sign of life.The most notable feature of this area is the hole in the floor of the southeastern corner of the stables. It is a simple hole excavated from the floor about 8 to ten feet in diameter
Eltariel casts light on a rock and tosses it into the hole.
If anything comes out of the hole in response to the light, Gashelle will kill it. And then see what it was.
The hole itself is only 10 feet deep but there is a space beneath it of unknown depth. The stone bounces into the darkness its light coming faintly through the hole then fading out as it passes beyond range.
From below you hear a growling, hooting sound as if in warning
South of the stables between it and the wall is the overgrown remains of what appears to have once been an orchard
"Well that answers the question as to whether there is anything down there," Eltariel remarks. "I suggest we explore the opening in the other building first. That looks easier to descend, and may link up with this one. I certainly don't relish the idea of lowering anyone on rope into whatever's making that sound."
Avinar peers down the hole, feeling an almost sympathy for the poor creature..."I wonder if it is hungry..., he chuckles to himself, "Its probably best not to find out" Avinar pulls out Mother's Kiss as it makes a clean shriek as it is unsheathed
'Before descending anywhere, I would like to do some experiments with this spirit . It seems sound can pass this barrier so we might communicate with him if we can resist the fear effect '
"It doesn't seem interested in talking, Aude, though you are welcome to try. We should ensure the orchid yonder doesn't house any threats before taking any further action, though."
"Yes. Let's clear the courtyard, abovegroud, first."
Looking south
The overgrown apple orchard is roughly forty feet to a side. It is tangled and dark. You can see some semblance of order in the way the trees are planted, but they have since grown far beyond their allotted rows. Brambles grow underfoot, vines hang from the tree branches,and the husk of a dead beetle can be seen beneath one tree – although you do see the glimmer of metal amidst the underbrush
We form up and approach with caution - loosely Gashelle, Holgur and Avinar forming a front rank, Eltariel and Aude behind, Layjiani wherever she wants to be but probably up ahead on point.
"Be careful, everyone; tangles like this are a favourite both of giant beetles and the things that prey on them - ettercaps, spiders and the like."
In her usual rank as scout up at the front of the party, rapier drawn, Layjiani uses her keen senses and hard won skills to keep a sharp lookout for any danger, anything of interest or anything out of the ordinary.
K Geo, K Nat, Pecerp, Survival
To the party-in-general, Gashelle asks, "I could cast a spell to startle and flush out anything hiding there. Should I?"
To the party-in-general, Gashelle asks, "I could cast a spell to startle and flush out anything hiding there. Should I?"
"I think it would be better to conserve your magic for obvious foes. If you drain all your strength we might be in dire need later and not be able to count on your spells then."
Eltariel
Layjiani
Layjiani calls out a quick a loud "HALT! No one step any further! This is the lair of an Assassin Vine, we must move with extreme caution or avoid this area all together"
"Avoid it, then. The vine won't hurt us if we stay clear of it, and can guard our backs. If we need to root it out later, we can prepare for it and so do without loss."
I look back at the pit.
"I'm pretty sure what's down there is an owlbear ... maybe more than one. I'm not sure of is if they can get out, but if they could we'd see prints around that pit, and I didn't see any. That leaves the other way ..."
"They Are known to contain treasure though..." the rogue mumbles, mostly to herself.
"Forgive my asking: are Assassin Vines mobile?" Gashelle asks, keeping her eyes on the vegetation and adjusting her grip on her glaive.
Sorry but we should get rid of them now , With the fear effect there , someone could run into them wjile panicked . Could'nt we rig some fire arrows ? '
"Assassin vines are practically immune to fire," I reply calmly. "That's what makes them so nasty. With the right spells, I could perhaps persuade it to work for us - ignore humans and kill vermin and undead, perhaps, and let us have whatever it is in there glinting. That or I could blight it and kill it without much risk to ourselves. If you desperately want to kill it now, the only way is to identify the main vine and target it at range with arrows. It can move, but only very slowly. To be honest, I'm loath to try and destroy it just because it's 'in the way', but Aude does have a point," Eltariel sighs sadly and strings her bow.
Eltariel
"Do any of you have a bag of salt? That might kill the vine."
"It would take a week or two to do it, though. And the vine can uproot itself and move. Damn, I can't make it out ... it's too overgrown in there. Unless you want to risk charging in, we may as well leave it."
"I think I'd be able to take it, in a quick fight. Etariel, coudl you bind it in its own thicket? Holgur, Avinar, do you feel up for some weed whacking?"
"I think I'd be able to take it, in a quick fight. Etariel, coudl you bind it in its own thicket? Holgur, Avinar, do you feel up for some weed whacking?"
"Not without getting the rest of you, I couldn't," Eltariel frowns and thinks a moment. "It's main form of attack is to strike and strangle one target, while tangling up any others. You have to be agile to avoid that, or strong enough to tear free. But I'm fairly sure that if I can get close enough to see it, I can hack it down if it doesn't throttle me first."
Eltariel shoulders her bow and gives her scimitar a few practice swings.
OK the battle field is quite simple a space 10x10 squares with the orchard as 8x8 squares occupying most of it and 10 feet of clear space on the north and east sides..the south and west sides represent the walls which here are too crumbled to use safely, the eastern 15 feet of the northern side and the northern 15 feet of the eastern side are within 30 feet of the ghost. The stables are just off the northern edge at the western side. Assume the vine occupies the 4 squares in the SW corner.
"If we're going to do this, let's advance adjacent to the west wall: we'll need to approach carefully to within charge range, then rush the central vine. It's essential to sever it as rapidly as we can, but it will try and entangle us - it's not very bright, and it usually lies in wait for prey so we should be able to get quite close."
Would it grow sluggish after a meal ? If so , we could feed it the corpses of the beetles there
Although she has yet to warm to the strange (to her at least) priestess, Layjiani still turns to Aude with a look of respect on her face "A good idea that do be. If the vine do eat the bodies or no, it may be serve to distract it from the rest of us"
"If it was an animal, maybe, but the vine doesn't eat - it uses it's prey to fertilize the ground it grows in. It may not even react to an inert body," Eltariel muses. "It's a thought to use on the owl-bears, though - we could easily roll the bodies of the beetles down into that hole."
"I like the idea of rolling the beetles down the well. Why not try one on the weed as well, though?"
"Assassin vines lie in wait for their prey, but they can respond aggressively if attacked by entangling anything close. If we get entangled, we cannot close and attack - and it can still attack us. Better to approach slowly, as unsuspecting prey might, then rush to within weapon's range before it can react."
"Then let's be at this."
On Gashelle's turn:
During a Prep round:
Keeping at range, Gashelle casts true strike.
"If anyone could distract it, that would be wonderful."
During Round 1:
Swift action She casts Blade of Blood, taking 5 hp damage to empower it.
Move Action She moves to within striking distance of the creature.
Standard action Gashelle casts shocking grasp, as part of her Arcane Channelling ability, and strikes. She his AC 46, for 34 points of damage (8 points of weapon damage, 10 points from shocking grasp, and 16 points from the blade of blood) (plus another 5 hp if assassin vines are chaotic.)
"Then let's be at this."
"If anyone could distract it, that would be wonderful."
"Aye!"
[url]Damage 13[/url]
Holgur suddenly loses his patience for talking about how to attack a plant and decides to simply start the fray. He rushes forward and brings his sword down with all his mite into the thickness of the vine.
Gashelle decides she likes Holgur.
Smiling fondly to herself at the impulsive bravery of the Skandik warrior, Layjiani also decides to enter the fray. Realizing her bow and rapier would be of little use here, she draws her dagger and races after Holgur. Moving deftly to try and escape (1d20+7=14) any constricting vines, she too attempts to slash (1d20+3=15) at and damage (1d4+1=3) the assassin vine itself.
initiatives
Holgur 22+
Gashelle 22
Layjiani 19
Assassin Vine 13
Avinar 11
Eltariel 4
Aude 2
you cant charge into the thicket the tangled trees and undergrowth make it difficult terrain so you are down to half movement..but the surprise round gives you time to close with it.
The damage is horrendous the off guard plant no challenge at all to the warriors in the party..blades hack and chop at the vine which quivers and slumps it's tendrils hanging limply before half the party can even get close enough to damage it.
100 XP each
A satisfied smile crosses Gashelle's face as she casts detect magic and probes through the foliage.
Eltariel glides unhindered through the undergrowth and carefully picks over the assassin vine, searching for berries among it's branches and the remains of victims among its roots.
The damage is horrendous the off guard plant no challenge at all to the warriors in the party..blades hack and chop at the vine which quivers and slumps it's tendrils hanging limply before half the party can even get close enough to damage it.
Eltariel releases her scimitar and attacks with the hand of the apprentice, slashing at the vine at range.
Throny plants reach out for the party holding Holgur, Aude and Layjiani firmly in their grasp(1 damage each and entangled). Avinar stabs the vine with Mothers kiss and Eltariel slashes at it with her scimitar and now the plant is truely out of the fight. The undergrowth lets go its grip and sinks back into normal plant mode.
Searching the area garners you a rusty though useable longsword and lantern and 27 GP
"... as I said, the knack is to take it out quickly ..."
Eltariel searches for berries and seedlings ...