FOREST FORENSICS - PART 2/2 - 01/09 - A Kavel Perspective
Sept 3, 2021 23:40:26 GMT
Ian, WillJ, and 2 more like this
Post by Andy D on Sept 3, 2021 23:40:26 GMT
My comrades and I found ourselves with two large, monstrous plant creatures ahead of us. These corpse-flowers were attacking an ally of ours - a Tyrannosaurus Rex!
There are no dinosaurs on the mountains where I come from. This was quite the sight for a simple, mountain-born Goliath such as I.
And battle shall commence
I was pumped to engage in combat, but Comrade Sorrel was first to come to our ally’s aid. She nocked an arrow and let it fly towards the corpse-flower on the right of our large, lizard comrade. And what a shot from this distance! Clean hit on one of the giant plants.
Okay, Kavel’s time to go.
But faster than I could put one foot in front of the other - Sorrel let loose another arrow! But from where? I can’t see her. She has moved somewhere ahead of me, I just know it must have been her again, since Angier hadn’t raised his bow yet.
My Aaracokra comrade, Tayz, took to the sky and released a magical bolt of energy into one of the Corpseflowers that left a shining light upon the enemy.
The enemies attacked our T.Rex ally, whipping monstrous tentacles at him.
Angier with bow and arrow in hand moved forward much like Sorrel and hit one of the corpse-flowers with an arrow of his own. Soon after, a swarm of beetles and butterflies attacked the same corpse-flower that Angier attacked. Where did these new allies come from?! And pretty strong hits for insects.
Okay now for Kavel!
I run forward. I begin breathing fast and steady. My body becomes hot. I am raging for battle!
I draw one of my javelin’s into my hand. Trying to hit one of the corpse-flowers will be a tricky shot, but that’s what arm strength like mine is for!
Wait just a minute.
Out of the corner of my eye, to my left - another Corpseflower has been lying in wait!
And some dead wolf is with it, and it is running towards me!
I hurl my javelin at my new and nearer target, the zombie-wolf.
I hit it!
The zombified-wolf still moves, but it has slowed.
Up ahead, comrade T.Rex finishes off one of the arrow ridden corpse-flowers with a mighty chomp. Those arms may be tiny, but the strength of those chompers would earn this T.Rex a place in the Iron Strong Company. Much respect!
Comrade Derthaad joins me at my side and casts some protective magic on me whilst also bringing a flaming blade to his hand. Are both these spells new since I last saw him?
Magic! Such wonders the strength deprived can do.
I shift my gaze north to the T.Rex again.
Wait… what’s that?
Revolting!
The remaining corpse-flower by the T.Rex just gave birth to a hideous zombie sheep!
The fight continues
My ranger friends loose more arrows.
Tayz in the sky unleashes another magical bolt, this time aimed at the corpse-flower in front of me and Derthaad.
Yes!
Keep it up Tayz. I really don’t want to see another undead birth!
With that thought, I bring my maul to my hands and put an end to the zombie wolf before me. Undead wolf brains burst on the ground like a watermelon smashed. At the same time further north, our T.Rex ally does a similar thing with his foot to the zombie-sheep. We have; two rangers, and two strong boys in this team, it seems.
My dragonborn comrade, Derthaad picks a new spell from his repertoire and blesses both us and Tayz in the sky with what feels like more vitality. With this, he turns to me and shouts a warning, “don’t get hit by the stench!”. Is this previous experience talking? No sooner than Derthaad has finished warning me, the 10ft plant monstrosity in front of us stepped forward and released a noxious mist at us. Derthaad seemed to be holding his breath.
No Derthaad!
The fool!
I needed to tell him that people of action, like us, must breathe and deliver air to our muscles regardless of our individual preferences for strength. Air is strength, comrade! Air is…
… I felt sick. Oh no.
How weak of me. I need to puke!
I retch up my lunch, and… I fall to the ground dizzily. My strength has vacated me. I am in a sorry state. I am incapacitated.
In my sorrowful, unmoving, and weak state my gaze is facing north. My comrades continue the fight. More arrows and magically guided bolts expertly land on our foes.
But before me, Derthaad with sickle in one hand, and flame blade in the other, attacks the gas-spewing plant-monster before us.
Well done! Burn it again my friend!
What’s happening up north? From my prone status, I cast my eyes north.
Is that another zombified-wolf up?
Oh no! Come on comrades, rangers and dinosaur, put an end to that cursed corpse-flower!
At that point, maybe due to the many wounds the T.Rex had, he began missing his attacks, and I was about to experience the toughest test of my life - and I wasn’t even standing to face it.
Plant fury
Despite my allies, Derthaad and Tayz attacking from the ground and above, the corpse-flower in front of my prone body turns its focus on me. And why not? I offer no defense. Furthermore, I have lost focus on my furious breathing pattern that puts me in a battle rage capable of taking immense damage.
I am very unprepared for what comes next.
The corpse-flower makes multiple tentacle swipes at me, delivering bludgeoning blows from it’s 10ft frame and these blows also feel like poisonous pain.
I am unshielded and incapable of dodging. I am in immense pain.
I have no more strength.
I fall unconscious.
…
…
Worry not!
Though I have no recollection of this next part, my comrades - good comrades! - came to my aid and filled me in on what I missed.
My ranger friends had seen their goliath companion fall, and so switched their arrow attack to the goliath-beating corpse-flower. Even the beetles and butterflies gave aid. Angier told me later that they did this, because he told them to.
Okay, I can buy Sorrel talking to sheep, but Angier talking to tiny insects with tiny insect minds? No. This is a joke at my expense. Ha, ha. What a good comrade Angier is by making me laugh.
Next to my aid, and to whom I probably owe the most thanks - Tayz.
Tayz lays his bird person hand on me and casts his cleric magic, and immediately after; no sick feeling, no weakness in my body, no injur… well... still a lot of injuries, and blood. Oh and my own puke all over me… and actually, there is a now dead undead plant monster partially collapsed on top of me.
Comrade Sorrel it turns out expertly killed my assailant with her great aim. I can’t complain, but could she have made the monster fall elsewhere and deprive me of the further indignity of plant entrails on my body?
Oh. And now there are three or four Derthaads, as if I’m looking at multiple reflections of him.
Magic users - they seem to have endless wonderdrous spells.
I nod appreciatively at Tayz and my other allies.
I give myself a little prep talk, and I’m ready to continue fighting!
Let’s end this!
Only the second corpse-flower attacking comrade dinosaur remains. But, it seems it was busy while I was battling death; another undead wolf!
The rangers are busy letting loose arrows at the plant-monster.
I charge forward, second of my javelins in hand. I take aim and throw.
Success!
My javelin pierces the remaining undead wolf.
The many Derthaad dash forward to join our T.Rex friend.
From the sky Tayz causes a sacred flame to appear near the javelin-skewered zombie wolf. But the undead dog manages to evade the radiant flames! It even manages to bite a Derthaad, but the one it bites disappears.
Sorrel and Angier have weakened the remaining corpse-flower greatly, but it still stands.
I close the distance between me and the zombified-wolf. Maul in hands. Time for another watermelon to burst!
I strike and bring my mighty maul down - only for it to land on the T.Rex’s toe.
I am embarrassed…
Fortunately the T.Rex was not at all concerned with any pain from my maul, there were plenty of lashes on his body already demanding his attention, and one final assailant of his to smash.
With that, the T.Rex brought one of his big stomping feet down on the remaining opponent and smashed it dead.
At the same time, Derthaad - one of them - brought the flame blade down on the zombie-wolf and carves off a cauterizing and gooey morsel of wolf head. Victory!
Post battle
Tayz cast some of his healing magic on Alan. Alan was the T.Rex’s name. I began to make my apologies to him for whacking his toe with my maul, but before I could utter a word, “THAT WAS AWESOME!!”, he roared from his toothy strong jaws.
I look on admiringly at my strong new comrade. Alan tells me, “not to worry about the mishit” and that, “when I was smaller that maul would have hurt me. But not so much now I’m big!”
I told him, “well yes, I guess as a smaller child-dinosaur it would have hurt more”. I sense there is confusion somewhere, but I can’t see where.
I started to think of my own childhood with my brethren goliaths in the Iron Strong Company. It would come up often how us goliaths had an endurance as if our bodies couldn’t tire easily in battle, as our bodies were strong like stone and could endure death-bringing punishment, and all a goliath would need to do to prevent a fatal blow rendering him unconscious was to remember our stone endurance and…
… Normally, I would be so happy to be surrounded by my Iron Strong Company brethren, but right now I’m glad they couldn’t see me.
A pause to gather intel
Sorrel begins talking to Alan to see if he knows where the corpse-flowers are coming from. But at that moment - Professor Tumblefood strolls over.
Hmmm. He must have hidden behind a tree when battle commenced. I completely forgot about him.
The professor speculated that the plant-monsters had to be summoned by a necromantic source. Alan told us he has seen many of the corpse-flowers hatching upstream where the river feeds off of a swamp connected to ruins. Apparently he enjoys hunting them when he spots just one or two of them, but more than that and it’s a bit of trouble, even for him.
Professor Tumblefood reckons that if we get to the swamp, he’ll be able to identify the source of the infestation.
Make Camp and Rest
It seems the magic users need to take a couple hours break if they are to have more magical energy for what will likely be another fight. The professor is not keen, but I might need to rely on some healing magic if one of the corpse-flower’s hit me with their foul mist again. So, although I don’t need to rest, I’m happy to rest for Tayz to recuperate some magical fuel.
Drats!
We had made camp, posted a watch and an hour into our rest a pair of zombified wolves and a pair of zombified sheep have caught us!
A rest cut short
Sorrel reacts first again. Or at least, I follow a pattern of actions that suggests she acted first. I could see Angier readying himself and then an arrow hit one of the wolves from elsewhere, so I intuit that must be Sorrel.
Tayz takes to the sky and casts his holy flame spell on a sheep, but no luck.
One of the wolves attacks Alan - that’s a lot to try and bite. It looked like one of those small, yappie dogs trying to bite the leg of a rhino.
My aim with a javelin improved. One shot kill of one of the zombie sheep!
Angier has chosen to forego his bow for two daggers, and the swarm of insects are helping him again! Team ranger-bugs have just killed a zombie wolf.
Before comrade Derthaad has a chance to act, Alan stomps on the last zombie sheep and crushes it dead.
Rest interrupted, and seemingly always going to be interrupted, we decide to journey to the swamp at once.
Let’s find the source
The two rangers take the lead. Alan guides them towards the swamp. Despite his size, and because he’s experienced in this forest, Alan appears to be quite the silent hunter.
With our point men, we manage to avoid many shambling corpse-flowers and other horribly rebirthed animals on our way upstream of the river, to the swamp.
We arrive at the swamp, and there are eight of those abominable corpse-flowers!
Me and Alan may be strong, the others’ skilled and gifted with magic, but; this is too many for us to take down!
Corpse’s lay almost decoratively in bundles festooned around the swamp between the many corpse-flowers, and Alan informed us that the ruins were further north of here. We needed to get the Professor through this hostile area to get there and then maybe he could tell us how to end the infestation.
I remember from back in the Dragon tavern Tayz mentioned he had flown the professor somewhere once. I make the suggestion that Tayz could fly the professor again, over the swamp and to the ruins. This idea is not approved by the professor, who has taken advantage of Alan as a taxi.
Tayz does fly up high to spot where the ruins are. Surprisingly his jangly chainmail does not give us away.
Alan suggests that our best chance of getting the professor to the source of the necromancy at the northern ruins is if he causes a distraction to lure the corpse-flowers away from us, so we are free to journey to the ruins. He assures us he is faster than they are and is in little danger of being caught up and overwhelmed. I commend his bravery and commitment to our team, and no sooner than I think this - he’s off!
Alan roars loudly from his Tyrannosaurus Rex’s large, toothy mouth. I yank the professor from off of Alan’s back and pull him down to the ground. Alan charges forward at the nearest corpse-flower and takes a bite. He has their attention, and starts to run far away from us and our path to the ruins, and the corpse-flowers give chase. Thank you Alan. I am proud to call you comrade.
It takes us half an hour to get through the swamp. We come across some stone steps rising up. We walk up a mound and before us the ruins we seek.
At the ruins
There are carvings in the stonework here.
The air here is cold and charged. It feels both wet and hot at the same time. I am experiencing a sense of melancholy and dread rising, as we get closer to what might be an altar.
There appears to be, what on first glance is a decrepit tree, but the professor identifies as a tear in reality. I begin to question how my strength will be useful here. Can I crush the tear with the ruined masonry around us? This may be a task for the magic users more than a task for a strong man.
Angier keeps a lookout.
I am a proficient mason. As I look at the masonry here, it seems this place could be, maybe, 2,000 years old?
There are two large statues near the tear in reality.
Derthaad has gone to investigate these. He told us they had a serpentine look to them. Scaly. There were inscriptions there. He could read the language, but not understand the words.
Sorrel told us the tear seemed to be ever so slowly shifting.
Around a pedestal at the altar there were many bones. Very old. The bones, the skulls we saw seemed to be arranged. It did not look like a battle had taken place here. More like a ritual.
Derthaad’s attention had moved to the tear. The professor warned him not to get too close as they try to determine how to close it. The professor, though he did not have the means to do it, suggested that we must stitch up the tear to close it, much like you stitch up a tear in a piece of clothing.
Tayz joins the investigative team, while me and the rangers stand guard nearer the entrance to the top of the mound.
It seems Tayz’s bird person eyes can see the colour drain into a grey through the tear.
At that moment, visitors had reached us.
Let’s repair that tear and get out of here
More zombified sheep and wolves. I don’t think they want us to stitch up the tear in reality.
We had two tasks here and two teams.
One team of magic users and the professor to close the tear. A goliath and two archers to keep the infested away.
At the moment there were two zombie wolves and a zombie sheep.
Sorrel, with the lightning speed I was now accustomed to, let loose an arrow and instantly killed one of the wolves.
Angier, likewise let the second wolf eat an arrow and killed it.
My javelin arm was good, but I only managed to halt the sheep in it’s advance.
I could hear Tayz and Derthaad trying out spells on the tear.
Tayz’s holy flame brought clarity to the tear’s outline.
Derthaad tried to use a magic hand to pull the tear shut, but no luck.
Four zombified creatures approached!
Three sheep, one wolf. The one sheep that my javelin wounded had advanced next to me and Angier. Sorrel still had range on all the hostiles.
Another longbow arrow kill for Sorrel!
Angier too!
I reached for my maul, and perhaps with excess, I pulverized the zombie sheep’s head in front of me. Was I subconsciously making up for my poor performance earlier?
Two of the newer zombie sheep take a bite at me with their decrepit teeth.
They had decent grip with their gnashers. But, I was not crippled by the toxic mist this time. I was fully recovered and in the midst of a battle focused rage. The damage was minimal for me.
Tayz had managed to make the tear begin to close, and Derthaad’s flame blade was fusing the tear closed. Well done magic users!
In this dim evening light, I wasn’t sure where Sorrel was standing away from me and Angier. But, she made her location known when she shouted, “Kavel, you got the two in front of you?”.
“Yes comrade, I have this”, was my reply.
Sorrel let loose another deadly arrow to one of the wolves at the rear - another kill.
Angier switched weapons from longbow to double daggers, and killed an advancing zombie.
I smashed one of my assailants to pulp.
Angier avoids an attack by a nearby hostile, while I soak up minimal damage.
Me and the archers did well against the larger, second wave of zombie creatures, but some remained, and a third wave was approaching too!
Fortune and talent favoured us - Tayz and Derthaad have closed the tear!
Mission accomplished. It’s time to run.
Derthaad tries to flee with some of the inscripted stonework, but I hear the professor shout, “leave it! It’s just archaeology! It's a social science!”
We run!
It takes an hour to get through the swamp on our way back.
We make it back to our campsite where we first rested for the magic users to recharge.
The professor seems reassured that we did what we set out to do; find the source of the infestation and end it.
Derthaad pulled out some parchment and seemed to be recollecting and copying down what he remembered from the inscriptions on the statue he inspected.
The sun is rising.
We see no sign of Alan. I hope my comrade is still alive.
We found a dead corpse-flower that was not one of our kills.
It seems to have collapsed without a wound on it. This was maybe proof we successfully closed the tear in reality. The professor theorised that the tear led to the shadowfell, and this led to corpse-flower growth. With the tear sealed; no more nasty plant monsters that brith zombie creatures. Good!
Comrade Angier goes to taste the bark of a nearby tree. He must be hungry, so I offered him one of my rations. There is confusion somewhere. Once again I do not see where.
We journey back through Bloody Creek and back to the Daring Academy.
The adventure comes to an end
At the Daring Academy, I give the professor back his pack. He rewards us each with 50gp and reaches into the pack and pulls out:
Two potions of healing.
A herbalist's kit.
And a dagger coated in silver that he had received at one of his phd graduations.
The professor generously gifted us these items.
I did not know what to take, but I had no need for too many herbs on my food. I preferred my meat with minimal flavour enhancement, so announced I had no need for the herbalist’s kit. For the third time in two days there was confusion somewhere, and I could not find it’s source.
Angier suggested I take one of the potions since my body shields others from harm, so maybe I could do with the healing assistance. I agreed and took one of the vials. Angier took the dagger, Tayz the herbalist’s kit and I believe Sorrel took the last healing potion. Poor Derthaad got no other gift, but he got something from the ruins. Maybe he is content with that.
The professor thanked us for our work, although I don’t recall him actually saying the words.
We each said our goodbyes and went our own ways.
I had made another set of good adventuring friends.
There is now more chance I run into comrades I know when next, I adventure. But for now...
Argh! Defeated and almost killed by a foul mist! What a horrible memory!
I need more practice. Maybe another trip to the fighting pits is needed...
As I travelled out from Daring Heights there were some pastures beside the path I took. There were sheep in the pasture. But, a group of sheep and a ram were also, actually on the path before me. I could hear lots of baaing.
The sheep made me think of comrade Sorrel and how she could converse with the sheep at Bloody Creek. Perhaps it would be funny if I too could speak with animals like Sorrel, I could probably ask the sheep why they were on the path and if they could please move. But, alas, all I hear are baaing noises about how they are a little peckish and were wondering if I had any food. I told them I had rations, but maybe they should ask their farmer…
…wait a minute...
… I too can speak with sheep? Since when?
It seems despite my fall at the hands of a corpse-flower, I have grown much.
I didn’t realise I had strength beyond physical strength. I only saw Sorrel talk to sheep for five minutes. But, I must be a fast learner of animal languages, for now I too can speak to sheep!
I gave the sheep and ram some of my rations that I thought would suit them and while touching the ram - it seems I too, a physical behemothm am also a magic user!
I am now able to see and hear what this ram sees and hears. However, I lose my own senses whilst I do this, which I discovered when another traveler tapped me on the arm and asked if I could move my animals off the path and feed them elsewhere, since I was in the way.
Kavel levelled up to level 3 at the end of this session, and as a barbarian; gained the spells Speak with Animals, and Beast Sense.
There are no dinosaurs on the mountains where I come from. This was quite the sight for a simple, mountain-born Goliath such as I.
And battle shall commence
I was pumped to engage in combat, but Comrade Sorrel was first to come to our ally’s aid. She nocked an arrow and let it fly towards the corpse-flower on the right of our large, lizard comrade. And what a shot from this distance! Clean hit on one of the giant plants.
Okay, Kavel’s time to go.
But faster than I could put one foot in front of the other - Sorrel let loose another arrow! But from where? I can’t see her. She has moved somewhere ahead of me, I just know it must have been her again, since Angier hadn’t raised his bow yet.
My Aaracokra comrade, Tayz, took to the sky and released a magical bolt of energy into one of the Corpseflowers that left a shining light upon the enemy.
The enemies attacked our T.Rex ally, whipping monstrous tentacles at him.
Angier with bow and arrow in hand moved forward much like Sorrel and hit one of the corpse-flowers with an arrow of his own. Soon after, a swarm of beetles and butterflies attacked the same corpse-flower that Angier attacked. Where did these new allies come from?! And pretty strong hits for insects.
Okay now for Kavel!
I run forward. I begin breathing fast and steady. My body becomes hot. I am raging for battle!
I draw one of my javelin’s into my hand. Trying to hit one of the corpse-flowers will be a tricky shot, but that’s what arm strength like mine is for!
Wait just a minute.
Out of the corner of my eye, to my left - another Corpseflower has been lying in wait!
And some dead wolf is with it, and it is running towards me!
I hurl my javelin at my new and nearer target, the zombie-wolf.
I hit it!
The zombified-wolf still moves, but it has slowed.
Up ahead, comrade T.Rex finishes off one of the arrow ridden corpse-flowers with a mighty chomp. Those arms may be tiny, but the strength of those chompers would earn this T.Rex a place in the Iron Strong Company. Much respect!
Comrade Derthaad joins me at my side and casts some protective magic on me whilst also bringing a flaming blade to his hand. Are both these spells new since I last saw him?
Magic! Such wonders the strength deprived can do.
I shift my gaze north to the T.Rex again.
Wait… what’s that?
Revolting!
The remaining corpse-flower by the T.Rex just gave birth to a hideous zombie sheep!
The fight continues
My ranger friends loose more arrows.
Tayz in the sky unleashes another magical bolt, this time aimed at the corpse-flower in front of me and Derthaad.
Yes!
Keep it up Tayz. I really don’t want to see another undead birth!
With that thought, I bring my maul to my hands and put an end to the zombie wolf before me. Undead wolf brains burst on the ground like a watermelon smashed. At the same time further north, our T.Rex ally does a similar thing with his foot to the zombie-sheep. We have; two rangers, and two strong boys in this team, it seems.
My dragonborn comrade, Derthaad picks a new spell from his repertoire and blesses both us and Tayz in the sky with what feels like more vitality. With this, he turns to me and shouts a warning, “don’t get hit by the stench!”. Is this previous experience talking? No sooner than Derthaad has finished warning me, the 10ft plant monstrosity in front of us stepped forward and released a noxious mist at us. Derthaad seemed to be holding his breath.
No Derthaad!
The fool!
I needed to tell him that people of action, like us, must breathe and deliver air to our muscles regardless of our individual preferences for strength. Air is strength, comrade! Air is…
… I felt sick. Oh no.
How weak of me. I need to puke!
I retch up my lunch, and… I fall to the ground dizzily. My strength has vacated me. I am in a sorry state. I am incapacitated.
In my sorrowful, unmoving, and weak state my gaze is facing north. My comrades continue the fight. More arrows and magically guided bolts expertly land on our foes.
But before me, Derthaad with sickle in one hand, and flame blade in the other, attacks the gas-spewing plant-monster before us.
Well done! Burn it again my friend!
What’s happening up north? From my prone status, I cast my eyes north.
Is that another zombified-wolf up?
Oh no! Come on comrades, rangers and dinosaur, put an end to that cursed corpse-flower!
At that point, maybe due to the many wounds the T.Rex had, he began missing his attacks, and I was about to experience the toughest test of my life - and I wasn’t even standing to face it.
Plant fury
Despite my allies, Derthaad and Tayz attacking from the ground and above, the corpse-flower in front of my prone body turns its focus on me. And why not? I offer no defense. Furthermore, I have lost focus on my furious breathing pattern that puts me in a battle rage capable of taking immense damage.
I am very unprepared for what comes next.
The corpse-flower makes multiple tentacle swipes at me, delivering bludgeoning blows from it’s 10ft frame and these blows also feel like poisonous pain.
I am unshielded and incapable of dodging. I am in immense pain.
I have no more strength.
I fall unconscious.
…
…
Worry not!
Though I have no recollection of this next part, my comrades - good comrades! - came to my aid and filled me in on what I missed.
My ranger friends had seen their goliath companion fall, and so switched their arrow attack to the goliath-beating corpse-flower. Even the beetles and butterflies gave aid. Angier told me later that they did this, because he told them to.
Okay, I can buy Sorrel talking to sheep, but Angier talking to tiny insects with tiny insect minds? No. This is a joke at my expense. Ha, ha. What a good comrade Angier is by making me laugh.
Next to my aid, and to whom I probably owe the most thanks - Tayz.
Tayz lays his bird person hand on me and casts his cleric magic, and immediately after; no sick feeling, no weakness in my body, no injur… well... still a lot of injuries, and blood. Oh and my own puke all over me… and actually, there is a now dead undead plant monster partially collapsed on top of me.
Comrade Sorrel it turns out expertly killed my assailant with her great aim. I can’t complain, but could she have made the monster fall elsewhere and deprive me of the further indignity of plant entrails on my body?
Oh. And now there are three or four Derthaads, as if I’m looking at multiple reflections of him.
Magic users - they seem to have endless wonderdrous spells.
I nod appreciatively at Tayz and my other allies.
I give myself a little prep talk, and I’m ready to continue fighting!
Let’s end this!
Only the second corpse-flower attacking comrade dinosaur remains. But, it seems it was busy while I was battling death; another undead wolf!
The rangers are busy letting loose arrows at the plant-monster.
I charge forward, second of my javelins in hand. I take aim and throw.
Success!
My javelin pierces the remaining undead wolf.
The many Derthaad dash forward to join our T.Rex friend.
From the sky Tayz causes a sacred flame to appear near the javelin-skewered zombie wolf. But the undead dog manages to evade the radiant flames! It even manages to bite a Derthaad, but the one it bites disappears.
Sorrel and Angier have weakened the remaining corpse-flower greatly, but it still stands.
I close the distance between me and the zombified-wolf. Maul in hands. Time for another watermelon to burst!
I strike and bring my mighty maul down - only for it to land on the T.Rex’s toe.
I am embarrassed…
Fortunately the T.Rex was not at all concerned with any pain from my maul, there were plenty of lashes on his body already demanding his attention, and one final assailant of his to smash.
With that, the T.Rex brought one of his big stomping feet down on the remaining opponent and smashed it dead.
At the same time, Derthaad - one of them - brought the flame blade down on the zombie-wolf and carves off a cauterizing and gooey morsel of wolf head. Victory!
Post battle
Tayz cast some of his healing magic on Alan. Alan was the T.Rex’s name. I began to make my apologies to him for whacking his toe with my maul, but before I could utter a word, “THAT WAS AWESOME!!”, he roared from his toothy strong jaws.
I look on admiringly at my strong new comrade. Alan tells me, “not to worry about the mishit” and that, “when I was smaller that maul would have hurt me. But not so much now I’m big!”
I told him, “well yes, I guess as a smaller child-dinosaur it would have hurt more”. I sense there is confusion somewhere, but I can’t see where.
I started to think of my own childhood with my brethren goliaths in the Iron Strong Company. It would come up often how us goliaths had an endurance as if our bodies couldn’t tire easily in battle, as our bodies were strong like stone and could endure death-bringing punishment, and all a goliath would need to do to prevent a fatal blow rendering him unconscious was to remember our stone endurance and…
… Normally, I would be so happy to be surrounded by my Iron Strong Company brethren, but right now I’m glad they couldn’t see me.
A pause to gather intel
Sorrel begins talking to Alan to see if he knows where the corpse-flowers are coming from. But at that moment - Professor Tumblefood strolls over.
Hmmm. He must have hidden behind a tree when battle commenced. I completely forgot about him.
The professor speculated that the plant-monsters had to be summoned by a necromantic source. Alan told us he has seen many of the corpse-flowers hatching upstream where the river feeds off of a swamp connected to ruins. Apparently he enjoys hunting them when he spots just one or two of them, but more than that and it’s a bit of trouble, even for him.
Professor Tumblefood reckons that if we get to the swamp, he’ll be able to identify the source of the infestation.
Make Camp and Rest
It seems the magic users need to take a couple hours break if they are to have more magical energy for what will likely be another fight. The professor is not keen, but I might need to rely on some healing magic if one of the corpse-flower’s hit me with their foul mist again. So, although I don’t need to rest, I’m happy to rest for Tayz to recuperate some magical fuel.
Drats!
We had made camp, posted a watch and an hour into our rest a pair of zombified wolves and a pair of zombified sheep have caught us!
A rest cut short
Sorrel reacts first again. Or at least, I follow a pattern of actions that suggests she acted first. I could see Angier readying himself and then an arrow hit one of the wolves from elsewhere, so I intuit that must be Sorrel.
Tayz takes to the sky and casts his holy flame spell on a sheep, but no luck.
One of the wolves attacks Alan - that’s a lot to try and bite. It looked like one of those small, yappie dogs trying to bite the leg of a rhino.
My aim with a javelin improved. One shot kill of one of the zombie sheep!
Angier has chosen to forego his bow for two daggers, and the swarm of insects are helping him again! Team ranger-bugs have just killed a zombie wolf.
Before comrade Derthaad has a chance to act, Alan stomps on the last zombie sheep and crushes it dead.
Rest interrupted, and seemingly always going to be interrupted, we decide to journey to the swamp at once.
Let’s find the source
The two rangers take the lead. Alan guides them towards the swamp. Despite his size, and because he’s experienced in this forest, Alan appears to be quite the silent hunter.
With our point men, we manage to avoid many shambling corpse-flowers and other horribly rebirthed animals on our way upstream of the river, to the swamp.
We arrive at the swamp, and there are eight of those abominable corpse-flowers!
Me and Alan may be strong, the others’ skilled and gifted with magic, but; this is too many for us to take down!
Corpse’s lay almost decoratively in bundles festooned around the swamp between the many corpse-flowers, and Alan informed us that the ruins were further north of here. We needed to get the Professor through this hostile area to get there and then maybe he could tell us how to end the infestation.
I remember from back in the Dragon tavern Tayz mentioned he had flown the professor somewhere once. I make the suggestion that Tayz could fly the professor again, over the swamp and to the ruins. This idea is not approved by the professor, who has taken advantage of Alan as a taxi.
Tayz does fly up high to spot where the ruins are. Surprisingly his jangly chainmail does not give us away.
Alan suggests that our best chance of getting the professor to the source of the necromancy at the northern ruins is if he causes a distraction to lure the corpse-flowers away from us, so we are free to journey to the ruins. He assures us he is faster than they are and is in little danger of being caught up and overwhelmed. I commend his bravery and commitment to our team, and no sooner than I think this - he’s off!
Alan roars loudly from his Tyrannosaurus Rex’s large, toothy mouth. I yank the professor from off of Alan’s back and pull him down to the ground. Alan charges forward at the nearest corpse-flower and takes a bite. He has their attention, and starts to run far away from us and our path to the ruins, and the corpse-flowers give chase. Thank you Alan. I am proud to call you comrade.
It takes us half an hour to get through the swamp. We come across some stone steps rising up. We walk up a mound and before us the ruins we seek.
At the ruins
There are carvings in the stonework here.
The air here is cold and charged. It feels both wet and hot at the same time. I am experiencing a sense of melancholy and dread rising, as we get closer to what might be an altar.
There appears to be, what on first glance is a decrepit tree, but the professor identifies as a tear in reality. I begin to question how my strength will be useful here. Can I crush the tear with the ruined masonry around us? This may be a task for the magic users more than a task for a strong man.
Angier keeps a lookout.
I am a proficient mason. As I look at the masonry here, it seems this place could be, maybe, 2,000 years old?
There are two large statues near the tear in reality.
Derthaad has gone to investigate these. He told us they had a serpentine look to them. Scaly. There were inscriptions there. He could read the language, but not understand the words.
Sorrel told us the tear seemed to be ever so slowly shifting.
Around a pedestal at the altar there were many bones. Very old. The bones, the skulls we saw seemed to be arranged. It did not look like a battle had taken place here. More like a ritual.
Derthaad’s attention had moved to the tear. The professor warned him not to get too close as they try to determine how to close it. The professor, though he did not have the means to do it, suggested that we must stitch up the tear to close it, much like you stitch up a tear in a piece of clothing.
Tayz joins the investigative team, while me and the rangers stand guard nearer the entrance to the top of the mound.
It seems Tayz’s bird person eyes can see the colour drain into a grey through the tear.
At that moment, visitors had reached us.
Let’s repair that tear and get out of here
More zombified sheep and wolves. I don’t think they want us to stitch up the tear in reality.
We had two tasks here and two teams.
One team of magic users and the professor to close the tear. A goliath and two archers to keep the infested away.
At the moment there were two zombie wolves and a zombie sheep.
Sorrel, with the lightning speed I was now accustomed to, let loose an arrow and instantly killed one of the wolves.
Angier, likewise let the second wolf eat an arrow and killed it.
My javelin arm was good, but I only managed to halt the sheep in it’s advance.
I could hear Tayz and Derthaad trying out spells on the tear.
Tayz’s holy flame brought clarity to the tear’s outline.
Derthaad tried to use a magic hand to pull the tear shut, but no luck.
Four zombified creatures approached!
Three sheep, one wolf. The one sheep that my javelin wounded had advanced next to me and Angier. Sorrel still had range on all the hostiles.
Another longbow arrow kill for Sorrel!
Angier too!
I reached for my maul, and perhaps with excess, I pulverized the zombie sheep’s head in front of me. Was I subconsciously making up for my poor performance earlier?
Two of the newer zombie sheep take a bite at me with their decrepit teeth.
They had decent grip with their gnashers. But, I was not crippled by the toxic mist this time. I was fully recovered and in the midst of a battle focused rage. The damage was minimal for me.
Tayz had managed to make the tear begin to close, and Derthaad’s flame blade was fusing the tear closed. Well done magic users!
In this dim evening light, I wasn’t sure where Sorrel was standing away from me and Angier. But, she made her location known when she shouted, “Kavel, you got the two in front of you?”.
“Yes comrade, I have this”, was my reply.
Sorrel let loose another deadly arrow to one of the wolves at the rear - another kill.
Angier switched weapons from longbow to double daggers, and killed an advancing zombie.
I smashed one of my assailants to pulp.
Angier avoids an attack by a nearby hostile, while I soak up minimal damage.
Me and the archers did well against the larger, second wave of zombie creatures, but some remained, and a third wave was approaching too!
Fortune and talent favoured us - Tayz and Derthaad have closed the tear!
Mission accomplished. It’s time to run.
Derthaad tries to flee with some of the inscripted stonework, but I hear the professor shout, “leave it! It’s just archaeology! It's a social science!”
We run!
It takes an hour to get through the swamp on our way back.
We make it back to our campsite where we first rested for the magic users to recharge.
The professor seems reassured that we did what we set out to do; find the source of the infestation and end it.
Derthaad pulled out some parchment and seemed to be recollecting and copying down what he remembered from the inscriptions on the statue he inspected.
The sun is rising.
We see no sign of Alan. I hope my comrade is still alive.
We found a dead corpse-flower that was not one of our kills.
It seems to have collapsed without a wound on it. This was maybe proof we successfully closed the tear in reality. The professor theorised that the tear led to the shadowfell, and this led to corpse-flower growth. With the tear sealed; no more nasty plant monsters that brith zombie creatures. Good!
Comrade Angier goes to taste the bark of a nearby tree. He must be hungry, so I offered him one of my rations. There is confusion somewhere. Once again I do not see where.
We journey back through Bloody Creek and back to the Daring Academy.
The adventure comes to an end
At the Daring Academy, I give the professor back his pack. He rewards us each with 50gp and reaches into the pack and pulls out:
Two potions of healing.
A herbalist's kit.
And a dagger coated in silver that he had received at one of his phd graduations.
The professor generously gifted us these items.
I did not know what to take, but I had no need for too many herbs on my food. I preferred my meat with minimal flavour enhancement, so announced I had no need for the herbalist’s kit. For the third time in two days there was confusion somewhere, and I could not find it’s source.
Angier suggested I take one of the potions since my body shields others from harm, so maybe I could do with the healing assistance. I agreed and took one of the vials. Angier took the dagger, Tayz the herbalist’s kit and I believe Sorrel took the last healing potion. Poor Derthaad got no other gift, but he got something from the ruins. Maybe he is content with that.
The professor thanked us for our work, although I don’t recall him actually saying the words.
We each said our goodbyes and went our own ways.
I had made another set of good adventuring friends.
There is now more chance I run into comrades I know when next, I adventure. But for now...
Argh! Defeated and almost killed by a foul mist! What a horrible memory!
I need more practice. Maybe another trip to the fighting pits is needed...
As I travelled out from Daring Heights there were some pastures beside the path I took. There were sheep in the pasture. But, a group of sheep and a ram were also, actually on the path before me. I could hear lots of baaing.
The sheep made me think of comrade Sorrel and how she could converse with the sheep at Bloody Creek. Perhaps it would be funny if I too could speak with animals like Sorrel, I could probably ask the sheep why they were on the path and if they could please move. But, alas, all I hear are baaing noises about how they are a little peckish and were wondering if I had any food. I told them I had rations, but maybe they should ask their farmer…
…wait a minute...
… I too can speak with sheep? Since when?
It seems despite my fall at the hands of a corpse-flower, I have grown much.
I didn’t realise I had strength beyond physical strength. I only saw Sorrel talk to sheep for five minutes. But, I must be a fast learner of animal languages, for now I too can speak to sheep!
I gave the sheep and ram some of my rations that I thought would suit them and while touching the ram - it seems I too, a physical behemothm am also a magic user!
I am now able to see and hear what this ram sees and hears. However, I lose my own senses whilst I do this, which I discovered when another traveler tapped me on the arm and asked if I could move my animals off the path and feed them elsewhere, since I was in the way.
Kavel levelled up to level 3 at the end of this session, and as a barbarian; gained the spells Speak with Animals, and Beast Sense.
