Lazlo is also very intent on the music being played. he bobs his head back and forth in a very owly dance.
the Satyr looks at Samuel with only a hint of alarm in his expression
"well now, there is certainly no need for that here my friend. I can see you lack patience, but you're interrupting my performance!
The tune of the pipes changes, somehow still making sound as the satyr speaks, alternating between speaking to Samuel and blowing in the pipes.
"you and I could be very good friends. You just have to give me a chance. now why don't you put away that very impressive stick and have a seat?
the words push against Samuel's mind. He tries to fight it but the satyr seems very kind and welcoming. much nicer than that nasty two headed witch. it is nice to finally meet someone nice and probably quite helpful. Maybe this satyr could even help them find Baba Yaga? the party could always use another...
Samuel directs himself to sit, but then something triggers in his mind, the reminder of his oath "NO! You will not baffle me, I know you tricky fey! But I promised to protect this mission at whatever the cost!"
The High Sentinel misses no extra time and quickly responds with a targeted shot at the pipes instrument the satyr is using to steal his friends will.
She says, "Samuel, catch.", and casts Silence on the Gunslinger.
The suggested course of activity can continue for the entire duration. If the suggested activity can be completed in a shorter time, the spell ends when the subject finishes what it was asked to do.
It seems to me that if we've come in and sat down (lets assume we have), and the music stops then we're no longer bound by the suggestion. However if continuing to sit and listen is "obviously harmful" then the spell also ends.
Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell.
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Samuel shakes off the magic and immediately knows that he was targeted by a compulsion. He raises his rifle to shoot, knocking the pipes out of the creature's hands
The Satyr is quick to respond to danger and flies up in to the air, pulling out a bow. He shoots at Samuel
His shot is not nearly as accurate as the gunslinger.
The music stops, and the party realizes they were under its influence.
Unfortunately, they were not the only ones being lulled to a state of comfort by the pan pipe... behind the group the mass of vegetation rises and begins to writhe its vines like tentacles... The mass has a huge maw filled with thorns and sharp branches that act as teeth.
The party may act
Letitia's fury over being ensorcelled would have to wait, as the plant creature rises up as a much greater threat. She immediately activates the defensive power of her hyperboreal robe as she moves closer to the satyr. "Use fire on the plant creature! Fight it, quickly!"
She draws her icicle wand and causes a spear of ice to shoot up from the ground, impaling the plant.
Callix turns to face the plant, and with a whisper, causes her axe to burst into flames before swinging at the creature.
for
Samuel grins satisfied as his plan comes to fruition and the bullet removes the mesmerizing music from the equation "Your party is over satyr. Surrender and tell us what are you doing here"
The Taldan overhears Letitia's warning and turns to see the dangerously looking plant. He steps aside, letting the melee girls handle that, while he frowns seeing the Satyr flying and shooting arrows at him.
Resolved to end this the hard way, he will quickly reloads with one of the cold iron bullets Letitia coated for him some days ago "Now I am told you fey don't like the cold iron." just before shooting at the satyr.
Llewellyn started whistling a jaunty tune and he snapped his his fingers, causing his blade to glow. Then with a savage grin he remarked, "It's our turn, let's see how you like the taste of cold iron!"
With a word of power, his image blurred leaving a multi-colored cascade of scintillating images as he zipped across the room and thrust at the satyr!
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Letitia knows this is a Tendriculous. It is not particularly weak to fire, but acid and bludgeoning weapons shut off its regeneration. It can swallow a creature whole.
She fires a blast from her wand at it
it avoids half the damage but is hurt a little bit.
Callix throws her axe, harming the plant but the fire does nothing special.
Llewellyn and Samuel attack the satyr with cold iron, both hitting with their strikes.
Ashling still has an action, go ahead and take 2 rounds of actions when you post for round 2
the Tendriculous moves towards Callix and bites her with it's branchy maw
Luckily it is big and lumbering, and Callix sees it coming, dodging easily out of the way.
The satyr flies away from the cluster of people and hides behind the plant
It casts a spell, the ground beneath the group turning dark and evil energy pushing against them.
Letitia takes 4 damage
Ashling take 8 damage
Llewellyn and Samuel take 16 and are sickened for 2 rounds
The party may act. Ashling has 2 rounds of actions, Llewellyn has an AoO
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 58/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 38/42 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Llewellyn HP: 36/52 - AC: 23/21/13 Status: sickened (2)
Samuel HP:351/51 - AC: 23/18/16 Status: sickened (2)
Ashling HP: 36/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status:NPCs:
Satyr HP: -32 | AC:
Tendirculous HP: -26 | AC:
Llewellyn stabs the satyr in the back as it runs off to hide behind the plant thing. With real menace in his tone, he cried "Leaving so soon?"
The dark energy from plant thing's spell hurts terribly and it leaves him feeling wretched, but putting a brave face on it he joked, "Lets cut this weed down to size!"
Feeling unsure of himself he moved in to make a tentative strike, gauging the plant thing's defences.
"Ugh! That's evil!" Samuel shivers under the painful dark miasma.
The Taldan steps away from the strange plant "A Tendri-what? That thing is ugly for a plant, who has been feeding it?!"
While he quickly reloads another cold iron coated bullet and shots at the Satyr.
"Ashling! Use the mace, not the sword against the plant!" Letitia advises. "And mind yourself! It can swallow you whole!"
Mindful of the threat the plant monster presents, Letitia tries to bend fortune away from it for a moment.
Callix sighs and swings the axe again, her ears perking up at Letitia's directives, and slamming the plant with the shaft of the axe instead of the blade.
for
Ashling wakes from her brief mind control and takes note of whats going on, a brief hint of anger in her eyes she gets it under control quickly enough and pulls out her alternate weapon, the adamantine warhammer. She dashes toward the plant and swings the hammer down.
Llewellyn strikes the satyr as it flies away, dealing a hefty blow. Samuel follows it up with another bullet. the creature is looking badly hurt now.
The others focus on the plant. Llewellyn moves in carefully, but as he approaches it a long vine snaps out at him.
Llewellyn is damaged a bit, but more vitally is grabbed and held in place before he can reach the monster!
Letitia tries to hex the plant
Some magic in the room itself must be aiding the beast, as surprisingly it shrugs off the hex.
Letitia also calls out the weakness to bludgeoning, and Callix and Ashling switch tactics. Both are able to hit the creature once.
Badly hurt, the satyr withdraws, slipping past Ashling and flying by Samuel and Letitia on its way out of the room.
The tendriculous tries to wrap Llewellyn up in its viney tongue and pull him in.
The vines and sticks that form the mouth of the creature close around Llewellyn as the monster swallows him whole!
the acid of the thing's stomach tries to immobilize Llewellyn
He feels his limbs go stiff as the walls of the monster close around him....
The party may act!
Global Condition: |Party Condition:
Callix HP: 58/58 - AC: 20/14/16 Status:
Letitia: HP: 38/42 - AC: 18/12/15 Status: mage armor
Llewellyn HP: 14/52 - AC: 23/21/13 Status: grappled, paralyzed (5 rounds)
Samuel HP:351/51 - AC: 23/18/16 Status: sickened (1 round)
Ashling HP: 36/44 - AC: 19/15/15 Status:NPCs:
Satyr HP: -65 | AC:
Tendirculous HP: -51 | AC:
Callix curses as the plant pulls the bard into its maw and quickly calls on the Drunken Hero for aid before swinging the axe once again.
Samuel looks at the satyr as it tries to fly away while he reloads a new cold iron bullet, then aims at the tendriculous as it start to swallow Ashling, then witness Callix butchering and turns back again at the satyr "Not that fast. You are not letting you further play with our heads!"
When I said the plant monster could swallow you whole, that was a warning, not an invitation!" Letitia shouts when it seemed that the orcish bard simply dove into the thing's gullet. Fortunately, Callix dealt the tendriculos a devastating blow. Hopefully it would not hold their newest companion for long.
The wand in Letitia's hand is a weapon, and as the winged satyr flies past her, she stabs at him.
She watches closely to see how the plant creature fares after Callix's strike. If it still lives, she uses her wand again to cause another lance of ice to spear up from the ground. If it's dead but the satyr lives after Samuel's shot, she throws a Slumber hex on him.
OR
Ashling continues wailing on the plant creature if its still alive, if not she shifts over to the satyr unwilling to let him live
For a brief moment things look grim. Llewellyn gets pulled in and is quite possibly being digested by a plant, and the satyr spellcaster is running away.
Just as quickly, things turn back in favor of the party as Callix feels her hand guided by her drunken god. her axe hits something vital and the plant monster falls!
Samuel quickly loads a hot and expertly shoots the satyr right out of the air, killing it.
the group quickly works together to cut their orc friend free of the vines, which is much easier once the consciousness that was holding the mass of vines together has been severed.
end of combat!
Letitia lets out a relieved sigh when both their enemies fall and Llewellyn is retrieved from the plant monster more or less intact. "If you'll recall, I have already used my healing hexes for everyone this day after our fight with the pale rider. We will need to consider resting at some point if these kinds of fights continue."
She groans in the realization that she had neglected to use one of her own spells, so she casts it in anticipation of continuing further through the fortress.
Still paralysed by the digestive fluids, Llewellyn's body slammed into the floor when the plant was cut open. Stunned it took him several moments to react before groaning, "Oooh how undignified... Damn that hurts too!"
Shivering now as cold from the digestive juices and shock set, he woozily picks himself up and mutters, "My thanks, but if you mind I'd prefer never to speak of this experience again."
He whispers a spell to try and dry himself but it takes several castings and his skin was more than half melted giving him a decidedly unhealthy translucent red look.
Callix produces the party's healing wand, and says, "This'll probably be more effective than whatever it is you're casting."
You should be more carefully about throwing yourself into danger Says the youngest member of the group who routinely throws herself into danger all the time.
Samuel takes a second to go check the satyr is really down and take any useful equipment from him "That was close... good job Callix and Ashling"
The man traces back to go see how Llewellyn is fearing "Well, if you were interested into visiting new places, you can now compose an ode about carnivorous plants digestive system"
The Taldan gives some time for Llewellyn to be healed with the wand offered by Callix, but once this is done, he will check the western bottom corridor.
The Tendirculous had really done a number on Llewellyn and it took numerous applications of the wand before everything stopped hurting.
He then handed the wad back to Callix, saying "Thanks!"
i agree with Letitia we should rest, we'll likely not find a better campsite than this it might also due to stop and discuss today
"I didn't say we should rest, only that we should consider resting. I still have a great many spells available to me, but none that are of the healing variety. Our future success may depend on how much healing we can provide to ourselves. But I can press on; I've just bolstered my own defenses."
we know a few things thus far. There are likely giants around, and creatures that like to ambush, cast odd magics. We are handling well and as long as we have a source of healing remaining then i am fine with whatever. the young human girl wipes plant goo off her weapon and sheathes the black hammer she stares towards whatever path is ahead, her hand fidgeting with a dagger, she seems antsy.
"I uh, guess I'm still good to go, I've not used all my tricks." muttered Llewellyn.
Noting Ashling's words about potential ambushes, he concentrated briefly, humming a wordless tune that sharpened his focus. When they were ready to move on, he kept a careful watch in case something was indeed lurking out there.
Callix says, "We're burning out the wand, but I think we're otherwise still combat-ready."
"We can profit the surprise factor we still have" Samuel comments "At the very least lest find out a less damped area than this cold corner"
Otherwise, the Taldan goes check the south-western tunnel.
Llewellyn is recovered and healed up. He works to clean himself too, but can't quite remove the smell of the inside of that thing...
some discussion is had about resting, but in the end the group decides to push forward some more today while they still have spells.
Samuel leads the way, heading down another long passageway.
soon they reach another cavern, this one lit more brightly than the others
A series of head-high partitions fashioned from intricately brocaded cloth panels stretched over wooden frames take up the center of this cavern, forming a large enclosed area in the center of the chamber.
There are several more passageways branching off of this room, and a closed door with the image of a maiden to the far side of the cavern.
"What the demons is this now?" Samuel exclaims quizzically and slowly approaches the strange cloth panels to try look over them.
If it is not possible to look over, Samuel attempts to push one slightly with the cannon of his musket to open a fissure to try see through.
Letitia and her familiar stay alert for threats as they approach this chamber with its cloth partitions.
Samuel finds that the cloth parts easily. It appears that the cloth is suspended between posts to provide some homeyness and privacy in an otherwise drab cave. He finds a small living area, with a chest a bed and a table with two chairs. other sections are divided with more hanging cloth.
Letitia hears something from the farthest section, and Lazlo confirms to her that there is one creature in that segment.
Samuel blinks surprised by the revelation, he turns back a second to inform about what is ahead "Seems someone lives here, there is what seems a small bedroom..."
The Taldan kneels to check the chest has no traps.
If no trap is found, he tries to open it.
With his orkish bow nooked and half drawn, Llewellyn kept watch as Samuel worked.
"Someone or something is in this abode," Letitia says quietly. She stays wary, and activates the defensive power of her robe while pulling out the sickle made of magical ice. They were looking for allies, but this fortress had been infiltrated by foes aligned against Baba Yaga.
Callix spins the axe in her hands at Letitia's warning, then says, "Ideally, whatever it is might be an ally."
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Letitia half-smiles at Callix's comment. She's learning, the Winter Witch thinks. It wasn't so long ago that the Ulfen would have regarded anything inside this fortress as an enemy.
That being said, there were no guarantees. She resolved to be on her guard.
Samuel is able to determine that the chest is safe, and is not locked. He opens it to find a pile of mundane belongings. It appears to be a woman's chest of clothing, personal care items and simple jewelry.
The items look to belong to a fairly large woman. Not 'large' sized, but certainly taller and wider than an average human. The clothes do appear to be made for a humanoid.
tucked in with the clothing is a potion of some kind, a jar of earwigs, and a rather expensive looking black star sapphire on a chain.
the potion is a 'protection from arrows' potion.
While Samuel looks through the chest, Llewellyn hears someone moving on the other side of the partition.
When the group starts discussing who might be there, a female voice calls out in common:
"hello? who is there?"
Letitia winces when Samuel starts going through the chest and sees that it's full of clothing. If they were caught rummaging, any possible alliance might be dashed right there. The size of the clothing surprised her, but not overly.
Her eyebrow raises when she sees the potion and the jar of earwigs. She considers what possible use the bugs could serve.
Then she turns her attention to the potion.
She frowns, glancing at Samuel's weapon. She whispers to him, "Useful defense against ranged weapons. Maybe keep that, at least until we know this woman is friend or foe."
When they're heard, she waits for the others to be ready before calling back, "We're not the satyr, if that's your concern. Show yourself."
Samuel is fast to hide the potion once Letitia urges him to do so.
The man looks at the expensive sapphire and despite now knowing how much it can be sold for, he cannot avoid picking it up as well, for it looks expensive.
He closes the chest trying to hide well he has been rummaging through the clothes and looks towards the source of the voice smiling.
Llewellyn added his voice to the Jadwiga's, saying "Hello there! We're visitors from afar, and who might you be? My name's Llewellyn."