The Way We Were Wayward Waylaid, Part 4
Log Info
- Title: The Way We Were Wayward Waylaid, Part 4
- Emitter: Jinks
- Characters: Jay, Nemori, Zofija
- Place: Alexandros Wilderness
- Time: Sunday, July 31, 2022, 1:40 AM
- Summary: The scouts are tracked to the water's edge. Venturing down, they're attacked by a Bogwid, throwing her tadpoles. Tamzin and Zofija are overcome, while Heady is damaged to the point of falling apart. The Stinking slug-thing is finally defeated, only for a very decrepite Mul'niessa to emerge. As the group is on the verge of attacking him, he demonstrates immense magical power and they think twice. He has three goats, which are the transformed scouts. He's willing to trade them for secrecy, and the adventurers agree.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Appearing =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Jay 5'9" 145 Lb Eaglefolk Male A perky male Blue Jay with a discerning eye. Nemori 4'10" 110 Lb Mul'niessa Female A tall and slender, dark skinned elf. Zofija 5'8" 225 Lb Hobgoblin Female A well-dressed Arvek-Nar with a big hammer. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Jinks 3'4" 39 Lb Gnome Male A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
As Jay walks over the murky water's edge, a slimy creature breaks from the deeper pool's surface with a tiny *skreeeeee* only to land wetly and flop amongst the rubble and mud of the slope. It has a pink, lamprey mouth filled with tiny white, needle teeth and too many little miniature tentacles flail around madly from its oily grey tadpole body. It issues a wet sucking sound as it continues to flop and bounce, its mouth seeking purchase on a living host while its insides wriggle and churn beneath semi-transparent flesh.
It's a revolting little thing and there seems to be more...
The murky waters begin to churn violently at something larger moves towards the surface.
<OOC> Nemori will use Bit of Luck on Zofija. <OOC> Nemori says, "Sorry, was deciding on that. Will have to move to -1,12 to do the ability."
Nemori makes a face of first startlement, and then disgust at the arrival of the revolting underwater creature. While her mind leaps to possible reasons for a thing launching from the water like so.. self driven? Flung? she makes sure she avoids the water's edge as she inches sideways towards the Arvek cavalier and her gryphon, touching the soldier's knee, imbuing her with the muse's own luck.. "Do not let them hurt Integrity!" she warns.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright, since Jay is the closest she's going to throw another suckling baby at him." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7-6: (5)+7+-6: 6 (Miss)
A nightmare bursts above the surface of the water, eight muscular tentacles undulating in the murky water and spreading a clear viscous residue stinking of putrefaction. Its amphibian skin is moist, green-black, and covered in warts and protuberances. On its back, dozens of fist-sized pustules shift and pulsate with nauseating vitality, like sentient oily bubbles threatening to burst. Two, in fact, have already bursts and leak more of the rancid oil mixed with brackish blood from the distended and ruptured boil.
The second tadpole-like offspring flops back into the water after landing well-short of Jay.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+2: (1)+6+2: 9 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Jinks says, "fml" <OOC> Jinks says, "A larger, adolescent tadpole flops out of the cattails and makes for Screech but misses!" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+2: (7)+6+2: 15 <OOC> Jinks says, "What's Screech FF AC, Zofi?" <OOC> Nemori says, "So 17 is right."
Two oversized and bloated young swim from the brown-green swamp flora and flop with surprising alacrity up the earthen slope towards the arvek knight and her griffon steed. Their maws pulse open and closed as they go and they issue almost constant wet, sucking sounds. Neither manages to find purchase on the steed, however.
<OOC> Zofija says, "I'll attack one of the ones closest to me first, #1" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1-2: (12)+8+1+1+-2: 20 GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+6+6: (8)+6+6: 20 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+5: (19)+5: 24 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20: (9): 9 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20: (11): 11 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6
The arvek-nar grunts as she pulls the reins out of the way of one of the beasts threatening them. She takes her hammer, and smashes one against the ground, with the gryphon finising it off with a bite that pierces through the majority of it's neck area, or the equivalent.
"Don't eat them, I don't know if it's safe." Zofi grunts, watching the larger one. "I'll do my best." She grunts to the Mul'niessa.
<OOC> Nemori says, "Jay will move to 1,10 and stabby. Drawing his rapier as he moves." GAME: Nemori rolls 1d20+7+1: (20)+7+1: 28 (THREAT) GAME: Nemori rolls 1d20+7+1+2: (11)+7+1+2: 21 (COnfirmed) GAME: Nemori rolls 2d6+2+2d6: (6)+2+(4): 12
Yet another of the adolescent tapdoles splashes out from the wet scrub and swims aggressively towards the slope. It springs towards Jay but the l'egalrin is too quick for the thing to find purchase.
Jay squawks in surprise, and if birds could turn a little bit green under the plumage he probably would. But he has a quick mind and a quick response; as Screech and Zofija come under attack, he flashes to their aid. "Integrity C. Truefeather to the case!" he cries, thrusting his treasured rapier into the flesh of the remaining lamprey creature. "The C is for Cooperation!"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Heady begins playing the ribbing on his torso like a washboard and inspires courage +1!" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+2+2: (4)+6+2+2: 14 <OOC> Jinks says, "Hahaha, unbelievable."
Battle is joined!
The accompanying mercenary's working under the protective wing of Mama Bula spring into action. Heady raises a hand, jerkily, and their fingers squeak as it flexes. Then, the will'o'wisp floating in the bowl of tis gorget grows bright and the golem begins to draw its metallic fingertips against the ribbing of its breastplate. It's rythmic and driving, intentionally so, indeed, as one can feel a surge of power from the Hymn.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Tam is gonna full move down the slop and acrobatics to avoid falling on her face since Jay pointed out the hazard." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+11: (12)+11: 23 <OOC> Jinks says, "She eats an AoO" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+2: (5)+6+2: 13 <OOC> Jinks can't even! <OOC> Jinks says, "And she thumps!" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7+2: (18)+7+2: 27 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3+2d6: (3)+3+(9): 15 <OOC> Jinks says, "Git is gonna be too scared to do much."
Tamzin pales and hesitates long enough to reach down and push Git back from the combat; a simple gesture that shows the fondness she has for the little gobber. The moment passes and she splashes down into the water nimbly, skidding on a heel as the soft earth of the slope gives way under her hurried steps and using the momentum to hop over the biting tadpole. The waif has a jeweled stilleto, ostentatious with an oversized ruby and golden-gilded handle and she employs it deftly.
The quick stab produces a geyser of blood that coats her fine jacket, shirt, and face.
"That's... so nasty." She gags and spits, choking. "I fink I'm bloody well gonna be sick."
Git takes hold of his staff in both hands and clutches it against his chest, shrinking down as far to the ground as he can manage. He's wearing dark clothes and the whole swamp of wet-- hopefully no one notices his moment of slipped cowardice.
<OOC> Nemori will cast spiritual weapon and target # 3 with it. Not moving. GAME: Nemori casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15 GAME: Nemori rolls spiritual weapon: aliased to BAB+Wisdom: (14)+4+3: 21 GAME: Nemori rolls 1d8+2: (6)+2: 8 <OOC> Jinks says, "Looking pretty rough but it's still up!"
Nemori nods once, sharply, at Zofija's response, clearing the way so the warrior and her mount can fight effectively. As they crush the life out of one of the creatures, she summons the force-construct representation of Ceinara's favoured weapon, and sets it to joining Jay in his assault upon the second.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Bwiddle3 Charging Tam" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7+2: (1)+7+2: 10 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Jinks throws up papers. <OOC> Jinks says, "Biting Jay since Screech has a hard-candy shell." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+2: (5)+6+2: 13 <OOC> Jinks says, "looooooooool"
The large, vaguely froglike monster surges through the water, spiraling tentacles kicking up a slimy spray in its wake. It crashes into a half-submerged and rotted log on the way and slams hard, spiraling up through the air with its many limbs flailing before splashing back down hard next to the disgusted girl.
Its hungry young worms around on the slope, turning back to gnash again at Jay but finding no purchase on the hopping bluebird's legs.
<OOC> Zofija says, "Screech will bite 3 once, then challenge on the big monster and moving to attack it, drawing AOO" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d6+3: (5)+3: 8 <OOC> Jinks says, "Exploded!" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1-2: (7)+8+1+1+-2: 15 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (5)+6: 11 (AOO - Miss)
The arvek-nar grunts once while the griffon tears through another one of the leech creatures. "Right. Best way to keep Jay safe is by killing the source. So. You. Going to skip the formalities, but you're going to be crushed underfoot to keep that promise." Zofija states before charging into the beast, but her hammer blow does not manage to get through it's hide.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Tamzin is flanking with you on the last slug." <OOC> Jinks says, "Also, don't forget the +1 to hit and damage from Inspire Courage while Heady is performing." GAME: Jay rolls weapon2+1+2: (15)+8+1+2: 26 (+1 hit - Inspire Courage) GAME: Jay rolls damage2+1+2d6: aliased to 1d6+1+1+2d6: (3)+1+1+(6): 11 (+1 damage - Inspire Courage) <OOC> Jinks says, "Very dead! Blood everywhere."
"What are these? Allegedly? They're oily and ugly. They look like they crawled out of a goblin deep fryer!" Jay asks, feathers fluffed, as he dodges another thrown 'tadpole' real or imagined.
"I do not Consent!" He thrust vigorously, "I'm not contracted and engaged in commerce with you!"
The pointed Arbitration is successful, he skewers the slug between himself and Tamzin, piercing it. Blood, everywhere.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Heady maintains the perform but is slow getting down the slope." <OOC> Jinks says, "Tamzin needs a Fort save." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+11: (6)+11: 17 <OOC> Jinks says, "Tumble fails, provokes." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8 <OOC> Jinks says, "So Tamzin tries to tumble into a flank, gets slammed, and promptly loses her lunch all over the place." <OOC> Jinks says, "Git tries an acid aplash but does not have Precise." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4-4: (10)+4+-4: 10
Heady continues its performance, carefully navigating down the treacherous slope with a blade in one hand and performing percussively with the other. The hiss, rattle, thump of its song because the rhythm of the fight.
Tamzin coughs and shies away as Jay finishes the bursting tadpole, green around the gills. She feints and twirls, trying to roll as she walks across the surface of the water only to have a thick tendril whip out and slam her in the gut. The putrescent slime splashes over her and it's a bridge too far. The girl doubles over and expells the contents of her stomach violently into the lake splashing below her booted feet.
<OOC> Nemori will convert a level 2 spell to range CLW on Tamzin. GAME: Nemori casts Calm Emotions. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15 GAME: Nemori rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13 <OOC> Jinks says, "What makes the CLW reach? The reach metamagic?"
"Tammie!" Git yelps, blinking where he cowers. The little gobber still shakes and cries a little but he picks his way across the ground and jabbers out a minor bit of hedge magic. A tiny sphere of acid collects in midair where he flicks at it-- but the missile flies well wide as he tries to avoid hitting Zofija and Screeh.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17 <OOC> Jinks says, "And it'll swim 5' back." GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (16)+7: 23 <OOC> Jinks says, "First is good! Gimme one more." GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (18)+7: 25
Nemori scowls. For some people, when the thought of just letting someone die because of their own foolishness happens.. they enjoy the split second momentarily, then dismiss it and do what they know in their hearts is the right thing to do. For Nemori... it's a bit more complicated. She actually gets a bit of a smile as the young ruffian's trouble becomes obvious, and she turns her attention away from the woman without even a second glance, prepared to direct her magic sword to join the fight. But then she sees Jay, his eagerness to help.. and that turns the shadow elf's malicious smile into a frustrated scowl as she turns back towards Tamzin. An outreached hand towards the sick woman directs healing energies summon by the muse's cleric. It does little for Tamzin's stomach, but at least will keep her standing.
<OOC> Zofija says, "Move up, attack it" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1-2: (9)+8+1+1+-2: 17 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+6: (11)+6: 17 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20: (17): 17 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20: (2): 2
"Get back away from the thing!" Zofija barks at the girl who caught a tentacle for her trouble. In the process, getting smacked herself. The Arvek-nar grunts once, and sends her mount to close the distance as it moved away, but neither claw nor hammer manages to do any meaningful damage to the beast.
GAME: Jay rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (14)+10: 24 <OOC> Jay says, "okay, I'd like to move to 4,9, pull Tamzin 1 north out of the zone of nausea..." <OOC> Jay says, "and maybe take some daggers off her for throwing next round if she has any." GAME: Jay rolls perception+2: (19)+14+2: 35
"I'll get her!" Someone foolishly shouts. Integrity. C. Truefeather. The 'C' is for crazy, caws and flaps his way down-slope and out across the water where the woman is puking her guts out. He wraps arms around her, and using his wings and weight, hauls her further away from the source of her sickness.
His eyes go wide. "I know what these are! It's a Bogwid! Allegedly. Disgusting and tough, even the roughest soldiers feed their young within ten feet of it. It stinks to high heaven, it hits like a siege engine. It can shoot babies..."
An extra tight squeeze around Tamzin's stomach empties more of its contents, "It can shoot babies! That's what the slug tadpoles are. They hide easily in swamps, are resistant to cold and acid and they like to feed disabled prey to its offspring."
His crest rises, "That's DISABLED, not dead! Hey Tamzin, can I borrow some of your daggers?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Looks like Wargolems are immune to disease but it doesn't say anything about sickened or nauseated." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+1: (17)+1: 18 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4+2+1: (14)+4+2+1: 21 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+1+1: (3)+1+1: 5 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+1-4: (11)+6+1+-4: 14 <OOC> Jinks says, "Git just has Acid Splash. So he won't know what to do after Jay's spiel."
Heady continues to play its own washboard body, moving awkwardly over the water in a half-stumble, half-plodding advance. The ghostly floating orb above its shoulder pushes back and shudders against the revolting creature but the steel beneath continues ahead. It settles opposite Zofija and lifts an arm back. A grinding noise, a peel of metal sheering, and a few broken cogs fall out from its arm as the blade sinks into a tendril belonging to the monster.
Tamzin coughs, stumbling back with Jay and spits the slimy sick out of her mouth. "Oh... that were orful."
She draws a thin throwing blade from seemingly nowhere-- but it flies wide and skips off Screech's barding. "Weren't me..!" she chokes, eyes going wide. Then she gives Jay a look as if to say 'what daggers?'
"I can only shoot acid! What do I -DO-!?" Git asks hysterically. He shifts from foot to foot and wrings his hands around the shaft of his staff.
<OOC> Nemori says, "Two move actions. One to redirect and attack with the Spiritual Weapon," <OOC> Nemori says, "one to draw my crossbow from my haversack." GAME: Nemori rolls spiritual weapon+1: aliased to BAB+Wisdom+1: (8)+4+3+1: 16
Not that she'd had any intention of getting close to that disgusting thing, but Nemori takes Jay's warning to heart and making no effort to advance closer to the Bogwin. Instead, she redirects the hovering rapier towards the creature while she reaches behind her head to pull a light crossbow from her pack.
<OOC> Jinks says, "BW Alright, against Zofi!" GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5 GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (13)+7: 20 GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
There's a vicious snarl from the bulbous and pimpled head of the bogwid. A barrage of tentacles lash up and out from the waters, splashing Zofija with murky water and oily filth. The arvek nar is bludgeoned and bruised and the awful smell is too much.
Then the thing falls back again towards the darker waters.
Zofija can't even attempt to strike the beast again. Her arm trembles once, and the Arvek-nar turns over one side of her mount and voiding the majority of her stomach along with a not insignificant amount of blood. Screech decides instead to fall back to the shore, dragging the arvek-nar away from the threat for the time being.
<OOC> Jay says, "throw a dagger, I guess it's -4 since it's into combat?" GAME: Jay rolls ranged-4: (6)+7+-4: 9
"I know, it wasn't." Jay says, stealthily drawing one of Tamzin's daggers from the secret sheath he felt when he pulled her clear. "It was me!"
A fling and a miss!
The dagger tumbles wide, "Sirrocco! Okay, okay. Git! Git back, fall back to Nemori's position. Maybe we can do it with range weapons. If you've got oil, spread it on the water and light it. Throw rocks. Catch a slug going at Nemori. Well, Nemori's knees. Protect Nemori's knees!"
Jay's battlecrys are getting more nonsensical.
<OOC> Jinks says, "He made the aura check so he's good." <OOC> Jinks says, "5' back, continue to perform for free, and attempt a Lesser Confusion on the Bogwid." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+1: (6)+1: 7 <OOC> Jinks says, "Bogwid is Confused for 1rd." <OOC> Jinks says, "Tamzin, Another thrown weapon attack." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+1: (14)+6+1: 21 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3+1: (1)+3+1: 5 <OOC> Jinks says, "Git'll get his act together and throw rope at the Bogwid." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4+1: (18)+4+1: 23
Heady falls back, drumming out a beat and drawing in the air with the blade. The spell stutters in the forming, impeded by the damaged frame of the wargolem, but manages to pop off. Ethereal blue tendrils cloud around the bogwid's bulging black eyes.
Tamzin glances at Jay, then flicks another dagger at the monstrous thing. The blade flies true and pierces a boil, sending putrid oil and gore bursting into the air. The girl looks fit to be ill again and a wet burp roils up from he flat, troubled stomach.
Git goes "OOH!" and reaches behind him and beneath his shawl. He draws out a bundled length of rope and takes another careful step down the slop. "You need to runaway, Heady! That thing'll smash you--!" He still sounds on the verge of panic.
Somehow, however, the rope thumps against the creature and then drops into the water with a *thloomp*.
... what did that accomplish?
GAME: Nemori rolls spiritual weapon+1: aliased to BAB+Wisdom+1: (15)+4+3+1: 23 GAME: Nemori rolls 1d8+2+2: (8)+2+2: 12 <OOC> Nemori says, "-1 to that." GAME: Nemori spends TWO uses of BIT OF LUCK. <OOC> Nemori says, "And for my move action, pulling crossbow ammunition from the haversack."
Nemori's summoned sword continues to press its attack even as others pull back from the Bogwin; Nemori pays it little mind, however, as she sees Screech carrying Zofija out of the fight while the shadow elf is pulling a bunle of quarrels from her pack for her crossbow. They get dropped to the ground as she begins to prepare a healing spell... but a last second thought has her change her mind, offering the Arvek another bit of the muse's luck instead. "Integrity! Focus!" she yells, not screaming.. definitely not screaming. "Focus and kill that thing!"
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d100: (89): 89 (Confusion - Attacks nearest creature.) GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (14)+7: 21 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+4: (2)+4: 6 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9 <OOC> Jinks says, "KOed, not dead."
The bogwid trashes about wildly, distracted by the haze surrounding its head. The wispy magics seem to seep into its head and it turns, surging across the short distance to Heady. The wargolem has barely a moment to lift its blade in defense before it comes under assault.
The sword goes flying with the animated gauntlet comes apart under the first slam. The second collapses the golem's breastplate-chest and the will'o'wisp sputters out. The animated armor clatters down and sinks into the bog.
<OOC> Zofija says, "I'll just walk and hit it so I don't waste the luck" <OOC> Jinks says, "OK! Fort save to avoid Sickened." GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (3)+7: 10 <OOC> Jinks says, "For you and Screech. Roll yours twice for Luck." GAME: Zofija rolls fortitude: (5)+7: 12 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 <OOC> Jinks says, ""Sickened: The character takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks."" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1: (1)+8+1+1: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1: (4)+8+1+1: 14 <OOC> Zofija says, "..." <OOC> Jinks says, "I only see one roll. You gotta do your luck reroll for me." <OOC> Jinks says, "Por favor." <OOC> Zofija says, "9 and 12" <OOC> Nemori hugs :( <OOC> Jinks squints. "Nope. Just the 12? Go ahead and roll." <OOC> Zofija says, "you don't need to bend the rules" GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8
Zofija Is finally able to finish vomiting, and sitting back up, she looks over to see the war golem falling, and the others not doing too well. Ther Arvek-nar readjusts her armor, and her mount picks its way down the slope towards the beast. "If you're looking for someone to attack, I'm right here!" She shouts at the creature, but it turns into a retching cough from the stench, and she's not able to even connect with her swing.
<OOC> Jay says, "So, Jay will freak out because he things Heady just died, and I'm not sure what else he'll do, I can't occupy the spiritual weapon space at 7,14. It's flanking with Zofija, or SWs can't flank?" GAME: Jay rolls fortitude: (18)+3: 21 <OOC> Jinks says, "Oh, but you COULD single move and provoke if you want to attack this round." <OOC> Jay says, "I'll double move, provide a flank for Zofija, and look at heady and not attack this round"
"What? What!" The bluejay's call is loud, echoing over the waves. "Did Heady die? Are we watching him die? What do I do? What do I do?"
He plants an hand on Tamzin's front, "You stay." Pushing her back, the bluejay runs across the water, rapier raised, tail high, his crest alert and his wings spread. He circles, staying just out of reach of the Bogwind, coming in opposite Zofija and beside Heady.
Weapon raised, he's a threat without a strike while his attention is focused on the disintegrating golem. His understanding of artifice is limited, as is his comprehension of the quirks of the mechanism. He attempts to be encouraging, "Hold together guy, your friends are here. Hang on. Hang ON!"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Heady auto-stabilizes because wargolems are OP."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Tamzin will also move into melee."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23 (Tamzin Fort - Success)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14 (Tamzin Stab - miss)
<OOC> Jinks says, "Git will cast Animate rope"
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
<OOC> Jinks says, "The Bogwid is not entangled. :("
Heady doesn't move save to bob mildly in the murky waters, half-submerged and splashed with filth. Those who observe closely, however, will make note of the subtle flickering of light in the bowl of the gorget.
Tamzin lets out a growl seeing Heady go down. "Yer ugly shit-lickin' goat-luvr!" She spits, roughly wiping her face with the sleeve of her fine coat and running a curved path to try and stab the monster. She snarls through the digust at the sight of the beast but the tip of her "acquired" noble's dagger bounces off a knotted bit of slimy hide.
Git takes a deep breath and tries to concentrate. He wiggles his fingers and yaps a half-panicked enchantment causing the thrown ropes to rise out of the water. The try to tangle up the bogwid's tentacles but they're just too many and too strong and the rope falls limply back into the dirtied, churning waters.
<OOC> Nemori says, "Two more rounds on SW" GAME: Nemori rolls spiritual weapon: aliased to BAB+Wisdom: (12)+4+3: 19 GAME: Nemori rolls 1d8+2: (5)+2: 7 <OOC> Nemori will move down to 2,12, beside Git. Half move to avoid falling. <OOC> Nemori will channel energy to heal, excluding the bogwid GAME: Nemori spends ONE use of CHANNEL ENERGY. GAME: Nemori rolls 3d6: (16): 16
"Ugh. I had better be owed favours for this," Nemori mutters to herself as she abandons her bundle of crossbow ammo on the ground.. dropping her crossbow there with them to free up her hands.. then carefully picks her way down the slippery slope to the water's edge. Once on firm.. water.. she takes hold of her coin-like token, channeling healing power over the battlefield. Despite growing somewhat accustomed to the sensation, it still leaves her light headed and slightly nauseous, but she keeps to her feet despite the light swaying of her body.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright. We've hit its morale breaking point so it's going to try and knock over Tamzin and fleeeeeee." GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17 GAME: Jay rolls weapon2+2: (1)+8+2: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3: (2)+3: 5 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+8+1+1-2: (17)+8+1+1+-2: 25 GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+6+4: (7)+6+4: 17 GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22
The bogwid attempts to flee, and while Zofi is still trying to focus through the stench, she's still able to bring her arm back and slam the warhammer down into the creature's body, sending it to the ground with a noise of splintering bone. It falls still, but the cavalier leaves the hammer in place a moment longer, in case it was still capable of slinking off.
Heady's "head" has flickered back to life and the golem struggles to sit up, dented and twisted. Git is down the slope and splashing through the muddied, slimy waters, sputtering and spitting as he stumbles in the depths that go to just about his sternum.
"Are you alive?!" The gobber cries piteously, already going a bit snotty for his tears. The busted, patina-riddled construct lifts up a now-three-fingered hand and shudders a wave.
Tamzin watches the big creature twitch under Zofija's hammer once and then turns away, hiding her mouth behind the sleeve of her coat and belching loudly again. "Rrgh... bloody-fuckin' vile... augh." She busies herself with moving around and locating Heady's dropped sword.
The water begins to settle, slopping and splashing still at its edges from the death throes of the monstrous creature and-- to a lesser extent-- Git's hurried entrance into the bog.
Jay jumps back as the descending hammer causes an explosion of pus in a small radius. Despite his hand-waving, he's unable to completely avoid the splatter though its debilitating effects have decreased with the creatures death.
He glances at Tamzin, "Thanks," then turns his attention to Heady. He pulls on the golem's form, helping to hod him above the water. The return of his will-o-wisp is encouraging.
"There might be more," Integrity assesses, "if the scouts came this way, wouldn't it have been defeated already? Unless.." He glances towards the cave.
If Nemori keeps scowling for much longer, it might become a permanent fixture. (No, it's not permanent yet. Shut up.) "You are welcome," she mutters sarcastically to no one in particular as she turns away from the scene to gather back up her crossbow and its ammunition. Conveniently putting more space between herself and the dying corpse.
"We check the cave," is Nemori's answer to Jay. "You mention this creature feeds on the disable... perhaps if our 'friends' fell afoul of this creature they may still be alive. Though if it was out here hunting.. that may not be the case."
"Thanks, Lady Nemori." Jay says. His hand holding onto Heady slips. He puts his rapier away, using both hands to assist the golem. His grip is unstady, he's shaking, his feathers on end and making him look poofy where they aren't contained by clothes. "Sorry," he tells Heady, re-adjusting his grip.
"We should check the cave. Yes." He echoes. "I'm ready. I'm ready. When you're ready."
Finally the arvek-nar picks up her hammer and shakes off their hammer as the miasma clears some more. She pats the griffon on the side once, and sighs. "Nasty thing, at least it's gone now." She grunts. "But that wasn't part of our job. Still need to find the people we're looking for, or their remains, and that cave is probably where we need to check. Everyone alright? If you've got any broken bones or the like, speak up now."
"Gh! Gh! Gh! Gh!" A strange sound echoes through the swampy gorge, bouncing out of the cavemouth and around the murky waters halfway between a laugh and a hiccough. "Ennnn-turrr'teign-eeeeengh. Gh! Gh! Gh!" Comes the drawn out and heavily-accented assessment, joined with lazy, sparse clapping.
"Boooo'utt... maai pette..." The tone shifts, still echoing by sliding down into a chilling menace. "Yoooo keel. Grrrrrrrrkt." The onomatopoeia is wet and drawn out. Followed by a wet clearing of the throat and the dramatic sound of spitting. "Trezzzz--p'aaaaassurrrrrs..!"
Tamzin stops and frowns deely, standing up and holding both sword and dagger. Heady steadies itself with Jay's help and Git hides between the construct's legs.
"Wut w'aaaaan--t?" The cave asks pointedly.
Having stowed her crossbow and bolts, Nemori draws her rapier at the sound of the voice coming from the cave. "So we are not finished," she says, agreeing with Zofija.. though perhaps for a different reason. She returns to the water's edge, her voice rising. "Stand aside so that we may finish our task and be gone from this wretched place!"
GAME: Nemori rolls linguistics: (6)+7: 13 GAME: Jay rolls linguistics: (13)+8: 21 GAME: Zofija rolls linguistics: Trained Use Only: 0
"We apologize for the trespass, but the area was not de-marked." The bluejay egalrin calls back, "We are under commission to locate a missing scouting party, comprised of two Slyvanori and a gnome. This provides us with the authority to enter dangerous areas for a reasonable inspection."
He can be loud when he wants to be, "have you seen someone with blonde hair and gold eyes, brown hair and green eyes, or green hair with hazel eyes."
"Apologies if you are colour-blind or chromato-compromised."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Anyone who speaks Undercommon can roll Perception for me!" GAME: Nemori rolls perception: (15)+9: 24 <OOC> Jinks says, "Kn.Local, too, if anyone has it." GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/local: (10)+8: 18 GAME: Jay rolls knowledge/local: (10)+10: 20
"We're just looking for some people in the area. If you've seen them, your assistance would be appreciated." Zofija grunts, but other than that, she takes a step back, letting the other speak and hopefully get any useful information.
"Gh! Gh! Gh!" The laughter resumes. The echoing voice drops to a hissing, ophidian whisper that slithers out of the cave mouth. There's the shuffling of bare feet on stone accompanied by a cacophony of tiny hoofbeats, scattered pitiful bleating and the jingling of bells. "Trezzz--p'aaassurrrs zee'eek'enge trez-p'assuuuurrrrrrrs.. Gh! Gh! Gh!"
An old, bent-backed mul'niessa appears out of the cave mouth and around the shielding outcropping of stone. His skin is cross-crossed with centuries' of wicked white scars and faded purple and black tattoos. Milky eyes are cataract-spotted and wide with a manic madness. His cloak is a ragged tagger of weblike silk draped over a pristine set of scale-woven armor.
He grins a wide, idiot grin in the direction of the mercenaries and his blackened teeth are messy with flecks of old meat. He snarls and jerks on a series of leather leads he holds in the hand that doesn't grasp his gnarled staff and three goats stumble into view, bleeting and whining again with bells jingling. They're shorn and crudely branded.
"Yooooo g'nooo reitssss," the elf tells Jay, narrowing his milky eyes and grinning maliciously. "Yooooo... mee--t, y'ussss?" He curls his wrist around the leads, shortening them before he lifts the trio of goats off the ground with surprising strength considering his appearance. The goats jerk and kick, choking out renewed bleeting panic.
Tamzin stands gobsmacked, confused and unable to process what, exactly, is happening. Heady, for its part, begins to (none-too-quietly) back up, dragging a whimpering Git through the water.
"Kill him," Nemori says, voice cold. "Kill him now. I suspect he has either eaten the scouts... or is planning to." Her eyes are hard when she looks at the wizened shadow elf. "Rothe," she adds, as if that is supposed to mean something.
Jay stares, cocking his head, attempting to understand the dialect, which is both incomprehensible while just close enough to speech he recognizes, that he can piece things together.
It's the lurid pantomime which makes everything fall into place. He blinks, beak agape, "You turned them into goats? Allegedly? Oncith Jocan! Ilythyrra! Corhim Peddleleddelle! Is that you?"
"Ah... ah... ah..." The normally talkative bird is at a loss for words, "Turn them back or we'll be forced to..." His head turns, Jay stares at Nemori, then looks back at the aged Mul'niessa, "yeah that. Kill you."
Zofija stops, and grunts, picking up her hammer she had let go a bit slack. "Beast Brethren, druidic followers of Garm." The arvek-nar grunts. "If you turned them into goats, then you should turn them back. Then we may offer you mercy, or at least a hearing with the druidic circle for your actions. And if not, well, with everything going on, you know how people who follow Garm have been treated of late."
"HM! Keeeeeeel?" His eyes roll back and he drops the goats roughly into the water with a splash, they kick and jump back to their hooves and strain against the tethers. The bells jingle. "Gh! Gh! Gh! Gh!"
The elf crouches down and makes a thoughtful noise, gesturing vaguely as he considers the sky. The clouds overhead begin to shift, picking up speed as they pull into a spiral. Energy coalesces towards the center and begins dancing out beneath the clouds, arcing and angry.
"Mmmm-aaek yoooo f'ooood, y'usss? Ooooooooowr..." the elf stops and draws a black tongue over his teeth. "I... g'eeeeev yooooo..." he shakes the tether. "L'eeeev m-aaaaaai zz'womp." He sniffs and lowers his gaze, staring daggers. "M-ai howme," the mul'niessa growls. "G'no mooooar z'gowts. Eeeeeeeeav-r."
He shuffles forward, dragging the goats behind him, to where the water gets darker. Deeper. He turns to look down at the little animals. Then down at the dark water. Then he looks across the pit and balls up his face in a rictus grin.
Heady carries Git now and they're halfway up the slope. Tamzin still stands stunned into silence, looking from the calls to violence to the creature that would be their target. She might be trembling slightly.
GAME: Nemori casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 6 DC: 13
Nemori utters a quick orison, then spends precious seconds watching the garmite and his goats. Those eyes narrow further, the slitted orbs fixe upon her 'countryman' and her fingers tight upon the leather grip of her rapier. "A trade." She doesn't exactly speak for everyone present, but there's a hope, then, that they may follow her lead as she continues to study the man with her spell enhanced gaze. "A trade. You give us your 'goats'.. alive, unharmed.. and we leave your filthy, disease ridden swamp. And no more goats."
Without taking her eyes off of the bogwid's 'master', Nemori speaks to the others. "Do not be foole by his appearance. He is very well equipped. Very, very well." The implication: we should take the trade and leave.
"Isn't he threatening to throw the goats in the deep water if we don't volunteer to be goats?" Jay asks, looking at Nemori. "I don't really understand what he's saying."
GAME: Nemori rolls sense motive: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Jay rolls sense motive: (18)+10: 28 GAME: Jay rolls appraise: (3)+3: 6 GAME: Zofija rolls sense motive: (10)+1: 11
The bluejay looks back at the old mul'niessa, then the slightly more friendly one he's more familiar with. "Oh. Ah. Oh."
"You're right, Nemori. He -is- proposing giving us the goats if we leave him alone and no one comes back to bother him."
He leans back a little, going sotto voice, "and he honestly believes he'll have no problem killing all of us. He doesn't want to be bothered. wants to be left alone in his swamp."
Integrity straightens up, rearranges his feathers, "As your legal counsel, I advise accepting the offer."
"And if he kills us, he knows more will come," Nemori points out... perhaps to explain why someone who believes he could kill everyone here is willing to let them go. With the transformed scouts. "Tamzin.. please take custody of the goats with Integrity. Zofija, please watch over them both." A pause, and then she turns her head, eyes still on the other mul. "Git, Heady. Stay where you are until we are all ready to leave."
"If you'll give us the goats, then I suppose that's fair." Zofija grunts. "Listen to Her, she has the right of it, I think. We'll be out of here in a moment, fast as we can move them through the swamp. I'll keep an eye on things."
"Okay, okay!" Jay glances at tamzin, nods once, then slowly starts forward. He waits for Tamzin and keeps pace with her. His hands are held up, clearly visible. His feet and the water walking spell safely carry him over even the deep underwater chasm.
He doesn't look down.
He extends his hands, "Good goats. Good goats."
Tamzin wants to help-- she really does!-- but her feet won't move. She just looks at Nemori and shakes her head emphatically after a moment's effort.
"Gh! Gh! Gh! Gh! Gh!" The mul'niessa laughs, standing up straight as Jay approaches. He's tall. Taller than an elf has a right to be. And his smile is the furthest thing from friendly. "G'iiiiivt," he breathes a carrion breath down at Jay as he hands over the leads. The goats continue to strain against their tethers and the elf doesn't let go until he's sure Jay has hold of it. "G'no. Moooar. Z'gowts." He repeats, patting Jay's hand once he has hold of the leads.
Hunching back down, the mul'niessa shuffles towards the cave with one hand at the small of his back. He grins and looks from the darkness of the cave mouth to the churning sky. Then he half-turns back towards Nemori and speaks in that strange, snakelike whisper and the language of the underworld.
He pauses, letting a weight sink, before he erupts into manic laughter and shuffles away into the darkness.
Nemori's dark skin actually pales a little bit, but she angrily gives her head a sharp shake. Once she moves her eyes away from the back of the retreating mul, she never looks his way again. Instead, she steps out on to the water once again, crossing the distance to help Jay. Tamzin does get another look; another time, perhaps, Nemori would be spitting figurative venom at the woman. But perhaps she understands that it would do little good. Instead, "Zofija.. please gather up Tamzin and bring her to her friends. And let us all be gone from here. We are not out of danger yet." Nemori is no leader.. but it seems that at one point, at least, in her life she was accustomed to giving commands. And having them heeded.
"Alright, thanks." Zofi grunts, watching the elf leave warily, but they don't seem to turn back. The Arvek-nar nods, and turns her mount around to where Tamzin was. With practiced ease and no small amount of strength, she scoops the woman up by the waist and deposits her behind her on the mount. Alright, hold on tight. Kerry-anne's waiting for you back at the waystop, nows not the time for getting cold feet." She states before turning back to exit up the muddy bank.
Jay flinches, at the carrion breath and the filthy pat on his hand. He has a death grip on the leads, feeling the leather pressing into his palm is keeping him in the moment, the pain focusing his thoughts there. Do not let go. Get out of here.
He turns and with stiff legs walks back, not looking back. His eyes are fixed on Nemori like she's a lighthouse guiding him home. He doesn't look up, there was a storm threatened. If he ignores it, he'll be fine.
"S-so... what do we say?" Git wonders, practically walking on Heady's metal right foot on the way from the waterlogged bog. "We didn't get the scouts but we found g-g-g-goats?" He forgot his rope. He almost stopes to go back for it but decides it's not worth it.
Heady draws a gauntlet thumb down its ribcage, conjuring up a mild bit of the Hymn to reinforce nerves and dispel the lingering dread.
Tamzin is looking at the two blades she holds riding on the back of the gryphon and starts taking sharp, shallow breaths as he heart races.
<OOC> Nemori clearly burned the wrong spell for the heal. GAME: Nemori rolls bluff: (19)+9: 28 GAME: Nemori rolls diplomacy: (9)+8: 17
"Everything is going to be fine," Nemori assures Git, without really explaining, but laying on a tone of compassion and unerstanding so thick one might be able to stir it with a finger. If only one could listen to her inner monologue right now. In a lower voice, she asks of Jay, "Integrity.. please assist Zofija with Tamzen. The human looks as though she is ready to hurt someone. Or herself. And be calm. Here, I will take the goats for now." She doesn't even cast a glance backwards, though it's hard not to. "The scouts are bewitched. They are the goats. We have saved them, and we will restore them. I promise." Her voice is raised again, trying to convey a sense of confidence she does not feel, a sense of caring she lacks. Trying hard not to think about how much easier it would have been to leave the three fools behind.
"We tell them that we have reason to suspect that these goats where the druids sent out, and to provide restorative magics for them." Zofija nods. "Simple as that."
The Arvek-nar grunts and turns back in the saddle to the girl. "Hey, pass those blades over to Jay. He'll get them back to your warforged friend."
"And, sorry for making light of you and your adoptive sister." She adds with a shake of her head. "I didn't know the relation between you two, and I misread things. And I'm not one to talk about being a good sister, am I?" She chuckles to herself, followed by a long sigh.
The bluejay nods, transferring the reins and appearing beside Screech. He pats Tamsin on the calf, "Hey. You did well, and we got all your knives back."
He scours his thoughts for something to say. What words of comfort would Robert use? "Hey, you're kind of cute." Not those. "For a human." Especially not those. "Your nose isn't nearly big enough to look like a beak, but it's a good effort. Has a nice bump." Definitely. Not. Those.
"I have regular sisters, not adoptive ones." Jay wanders off on a conversational tangent. "They're all kind of mean, like Zofija. Except in different ways. Tempty is a paladin, so you can imagine what that's like. Sissy is a healer, she's really nice, but she's really... nice. She gets upset if you're not happy and relaxed and tries to fix it. Lucky is, well... she's kind of like you. There isn't a dare she wouldn't do."
He looks askance, "usually something my other sisters would dare her to attempt." He rubs at his crest, "yeah, a lot of that happened."
Tamzin's swooning behind Zofija by the time Jay arrives. His touch makes her jump and her breath catch. She blinks at him, confused, and the distraction to follow his scatterbrained observances seems to mellow her somewhat. Her expression turns flat and she doesn't respond to the egalrin, sliding off the back of the gryphon mutely and taking up the driver's seat when they've returned to the wagons on the overgrown road.
Git is jabbering on at the other end of the spectrum, asking endless, unanswerable questions about the scouts and the goats and the mad hermit shadow-elf living in a cave. He eventually calms when Heady lays its damaged hand on his shoulder and drums out a mild beat on its abdominal plating. The gobber won't ride his goat on the way back so it has to be tethered to the back of the wagon to follow.
Heady, at least, seems to take everyone in a broken, limping stride. It doesn't speak, either, and the will-o'-wisp has returned full strength after the healing from Nemori. It's still damaged, however, and needs assistance getting up for the ride back.
The trio of Mama Bula's kids aren't doing so well and Tamzin just says 'no' if someone tries to bring the enchanted scouts near their conveyance. Git curls up in one of the blankets to hide. It's a pretty quiet ride for them on the way back.
Map
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mmr0qp63byv
Dice Bag
https://i.imgur.com/zuSHNAW.jpg
NPCs
<OOC> Jinks says, "from the note: Oncith Jocan, Sylvanori Hunter. Blonde-hair and gold-eyes. (druid), Ilythyrra, Sylvanori Warden. Brown-hair and green-eyes. (ranger), Corhim Peddleleddelle, Gnome Essence. Green-hair and hazel-eyes. (druid)"