The Four Seasons (Part 2)

By the combined might of the trio, planter travel was discovered. Hidden cellars uncovered. Additionally:

With Yaretzi's trained hole-detecting feet, a crumbling floor and sinkhole were found.

Due to Auranar's might (and possibly Schara tying the rope to rungs of the embedded ladder), Yaretzi was extricated from said detected hole.

Spied by Schara's keen eyes: a small chest ahead, possibly their prize! Also, an inordinately large mushroom growing in and out of a spot in the wall between them and said chest.

Shall it prove to be stew ingredient? Grumpy gus? Fun guy? All remains to be seen.

Yaretzi leapt across the pit, served as anchor for the other end of the rope aiding Schara to shimmy across along edge at the wall. Auranar is currently on the ladder side of the hole, though could readily follow in either of her compatriot's footsteps.

Auranar stabilizes the rope, though likely it being tied off helps considerably, and possibly does all of the work really. She peers across the short distance that the hole creates and cautions her allies. "The floor may yet be unstable further on. Best to check your footing!"

Yaretzi takes a heavy breath and nods to Auranar's words. "Always terrible footing." she complains, her rather recent fall a reminder. "Perhaps one go, unless magic can reach?" she says, turning to Schara. "If one must got. It would be Yar. Don't worry." she assures, flashing a grin. "Yar just wanted to ask if magic an option first." stooping a bit now that she's cautious of the floor, feeling of it with a hand.

GAME: Schara casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Schara rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8

When she is over the large hole, Schara quickly busies themself fastening down the end they have, just in case it was necessary for return. With that sorted, they turn to Yaretzi, and sigh as they pull out a small contraption from one of the pouches on their armor. "This will mend some of your wounds, depending on the severity of them. But it should help.

The contraption in question is placed on one of the barbarian's shoulders, where the shape unfurls the many sides of the hedron over a large patch of skin, before glowing with a blue light. And just as quickly as it worked, the light dimmed, and the entire contraption fell apart and to the ground. "That was a surprisingly good output of energy, I will have to try that again." They note to themselves before looking back over the hall. "I may be able to float the chest closer depending on how heavy it is. I am concerned about where that large mushroom broke through the wall, over there. Do you recognize it at all?"

Auranar tries to peer around her allies to get a look at the mushroom in question. "It's not something you cook with, so I'd be careful. Try your spell Schara, it might not work, but its worth a try!"

GAME: Yaretzi rolls knowledge/nature: (19)+7: 26

Yaretzi seems a bit perplexed to Schara tending her wounds, but she allows it with a odd glance. "That is nice of you. Thanks. Many of them." her tone dropping to a normal tone, but for her size it's soft. Soft-er. "It is neat trick."

As the two with her talked of the Mushroom, Yar squints at them as they sits near the edge of her line of sight. It's good she has that bauble to float about her to light the way. "Yar has bad news." and then she states it. "It is one of two things known. One mushroom makes bad noise. Lures things." pointing to the one in question. "If it's the other? It's dangerous. Like a beast, it does not wait for things to die to feed. It will take the living." her assessment given as she lets a hand rest on her blade's handle. "Advice?"

Schara stares at the mushroom for a moment as Yaretzi explains the situation, and the artificer swings out the barrel underneath their left arm, fastening it to the end of the limb as metal plates shifted to expose the metal frame underneath. "I could try floating the chest over, but that may cause the mushroom to react. It may be best to deal with it before attempting it, to avoid any further damage to the chest?" She suggests.

It was mentioned that this could be a hunter, too impatient for material to just fall down and die on its own. This theory (and fungal impatience) are both proven as the purple mushroom... hops from the side of the wall to the floor. It then hops again towards the two discussing what to do about it. Then, a brighter, violet tentacle emerges from a slit in its cap.

There hasn't been anything fresh down here in some time...

GAME: Aya rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18
GAME: Aya rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4
GAME: Yaretzi rolls fortitude: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Yaretzi rolls weapon1: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Aya rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Aya rolls 1d20+4: (17)+4: 21
GAME: Aya rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8
GAME: Aya rolls 1d20+4: (15)+4: 19

"Look out!" Yaretzi calls, her weapon already being reached for as the fungal assailant launches at them. Her instinct to protect, she moves quickly to engage, an exchange of sharp tentacle, and falchion. Unfortunately, the mushroom was quicker, it's lash biting into Yaretzi's flesh with a sickening burn. There was some luck, that burning is quickly fading as Yar is left snarling. Bested by something that should be 'food'.

GAME: Aya rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4
GAME: Aya rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: Aya rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
GAME: Yaretzi rolls fortitude: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Yaretzi rolls fortitude: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Schara rolls fortitude: (7)+4: 11

Jab-jab-jab-jab! Three other little tentacles emerge from the mushroom's cap to join the first. The majority poke at Yaretzi, and most find spots through or around armor. A fourth lashes out past at Schara, striking the artificer, as well. It certainly isn't pleasant, and probably isn't very sanitary, either.

GAME: Aya rolls 1d4: (4): 4
GAME: Aya rolls 1d4: (1): 1
GAME: Schara activates her Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex
GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13
GAME: Schara rolls 2d6+4+1: (9)+4+1: 14
GAME: Auranar casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16
GAME: Auranar rolls 1d20+5-4: (12)+5+-4: 13
GAME: Auranar rolls 4d6: (16): 16

Schara seemed to jump when the tentacle stabbed into their stomach before they could even react, and to their surprise, the tentacle leached through the armored stomach, causing the metal plating to corrode and crumble away, through the padding underneath and leaving bloodied muscle exposed. To their credit, they make no sounds of pain from the attack, as they steady and take aim at the creature, filling the dark tunnel with a flash of light as flames erupt from the death ray, scorching the fungal creature. The armor continues steaming, as plates shift to increase range of motion, much like when they crossed the chasm prior.

Auranar is shocked by the sudden action of the mushroom. Somewhere in her mind it simply didn't make sense for such a thing to be able to _move_. She's still shaking her head whilst she lifts her hands, building her magic up and focusing it. Warmth vibrates through her veins, intensifying along the length of her arms and into her hands which begin to glow intently. Echoing words leave her lips, and a mass of white and red energy blasts forth from her fingers to strike the mushroom. The smell of freshly-cooked mushroom fills the tiny space and Auranar does her best not to leap with joy. "It worked!"

The mushroom is... inert. As a mushroom should be.

Yaretzi is left breathing and staring at what just went down as she's left in a haze of confusion. The half dark, spells, a shot. She's disoriented as the fight suddenly comes to a pause and the assault on her has ceased. It was quick, she'd heard, known of some thing, but never had she faced something like this. Tentacles like darting daggers, and enough pain to cause her to rethink closing in so quickly. "It is over?" a brief pause. "Good." she says with huff and laugh. "Thanks. Yar couldn't touch stupid sprout." her glance flashed back to the two behind her in disbelief. Her weapon slowly put away. "So uh. Chest?"

Schara heaves for a few moments as the mushroom falls still, and their armor returns to normal, save for parts broken away by the mushroom. The artificer looks around, and stows their weapon arm, before stepping forward. "I will gather the chest. If there is any concern about that creature burning things away, it would be best for me to hold it." They suggest before moving to take the chest, and see if there was anything else hidden with it.

The chest is intact and in fine shape. Better, it was sealed enough to protect what is inside. As it is not locked, this is easily enough revealed: a well-made and well-worn notebook, along with four fine ceramic containers. Each of the four is labeled with a singular letter: N, S, E, and W. The interior of the chest smells lightly of nutmeg, garlic, and other spices. The heirlooms at the recipes, presumably. Well, not presumably on the recipes; the book is titled Piper's Secret Recipes.

-End