"Calm the animal, stay out of sight!" Kirina then shifts her hands, and the column of moonlight shifts over to another fungus monster. I think #3 is the farthest from anyone, and so hardest for anyone to reach?
Then she runs farther away from the fight, hurt and tired.
Kirina winces as the poison from before sends a streak of pain through her body.
Arthur frowns as he looks around the battlefield. "Try focusing fire. Kill the originals!"
He raises a fist of fire and launches it at the original field who he had first attacked. Then, scanning around one more time, he retreats back toward the wagon, attempting to keep his distance.
Two (or more?) of the fiends vanish the moment Arthur’s spell hits!
1.
Disappearing before Solomon’s eyes, the knight struggles to see where the fungal adversity has fled to. A moment later it is behind Arthur! Unarmed, it rears up and slams its mushroom top against the wizard’s back!
Geth roll 1d4+2 for Bonk
Another appears behind Gruush, silent and cruel. It approaches like a panther stalking game. Then, at the same time the other struck Arthur, it crashes its ‘head’ into the thief!
Gruush! You suffer 3 damage.
Geth roll 1d4+2 for Bonk
3.
This fiend strides out from behind a dead tree and swings for Arthur’s head! It follows through into a pirouette to attack a second time! It looks heavily injured, with acidic burns causing its pallid form to drip to the earth. Perhaps it feels no pain, for it isn’t slowing down.
Geth roll 1d10+2 for Dance
Geth roll 1d10+2 for Macabre
Ahead of Jin’s remains another fiend cuts into reality. It seems to have intentions for that wolfen corpse…
Arthur! You suffer 17 damage! You will also suffer 2 poison damage at the end of your turns from now on, until it is cured.
Alzav feels his power reserves waning, but the multiplying beasts present a serious threat that warrants whatever he has left. He focuses on the nearest creature and looses another volley of burning light into its torso as the spiritual weapon slashes into it as well!
Move 1 S
Move Spiritual Weapon 3 N, 1 NE, to the square 1 W from Gruush
Geth roll 1d8+4 for Spiritual Weapon at #1.a
Geth roll 6d6 for Scorching Ray at #1.a
Solomon rushes to aid Arthur, steering clear of the cloud of toxic spores. "Keep fighting, we've almost won!" he yells as he charges in. Solomon's holy symbol glows from beneath his clothing, releasing an emboldening energy. As he approaches one of the creatures, Solomon goes into a full shield charge, ramming his full body weight into the creature.
Move to right beneath monster 1 (and should be SW, but next to, Arthur). Bonus action Channel Divinity to Turn the Tide. Anyone within 30ft of Solomon who is under half HP gets to restore HP (rolled below). Then will use an Athletics check to try and throw monster 1 off of Arthur, as well as maybe opening Gruush for a sneak attack, adding the +3 for aiding Arthur
Geth roll 1d6+2 for Turn The Tide
Geth roll 1d20+8 for Body Check
The ageing knight collides with the fiend and the two tumble! After a moment of scuffling Solomon manages to pin it to the ground with his shield! The fiend is stunned and prone on its next turn.
Arm drawn over his mouth so as not to breath in the foul air, Gruush darts away from the illusory creature and out of the cloud. Coming upon another of the Fungal Warriors, Gruush gives a disorienting shout, and pierces the wretched thing with his blade!…
Evil Eyed Gruush will Disengage, then move three spaces east (out of the fungal cloud) and stab Shroom #1
I think Gruush would get sneak attack dmg on it since it's prone (and also engaged with Solomon).
Also, what's the positioning for everyone now. I was planning on Thunderwave'ing since they had me surrounded, but I don't want to fire that off if it's going to hit Solomon and Gruush now.
Arthur yelps in pain as two of the demons close in on him. After a slash, he feels a little woozy, but hardly has time to react before Solomon tackles one of the creatures and Gruush engages it as well. That left the other one, which Arthur turned to fully face. Raising a hand, he summons a ball of acid, and pushes it directly into the creatures midsection.
Kirina’s followers do their best to calm the beast of burden; though they know little of it in truth. Yet, they sooth the animal with ease. It has taken a liking to them!
Geth roll 1d20 for Animal Handling
—
An onslaught of attacks against the third fiend ends with a blast of moonlight, causing it to explode in a shower of spores that soon catches fire in the holy light.
Arthur! Make a Constitution saving throw!
—
One fiend remains. It is at your mercy. Solomon has it pinned to the ground. Soon it will come to its senses and no doubt attempt to flee through an echo—by now you realise these fiends can produce an illusionary copy that they can act through and assume the position of at will. Destroying it up close is not wise, but perhaps a risk you’re willing to take.
Take a final set of turns. Anyone can kill it, just describe how. Best manoeuvre cleverly or tank the spores.
Unless one of you speaks an unsavoury language and wants to try speaking to it...
"I'm going to finish it. Arthur, Gruush, get away from it!"
Gonna let Arthur and Gruush get away from the creature before killing it.
When his allies are clear, Solomon keeps the creature pinned down with his heavy shield, the creature thrashing in its alien way. He then brings his longsword in from the side, stabbing the fungal monster through the neck. As the creature dies, Solomom attempts to leap off and away, but the release of spores is too fast and he is engulfed in the cloud.
Just adding the bit about trying to jump away for flavor, mechanically he gets spored because he killed in close range. And gonna toss in the CON save while I'm at it.
Well Hell, what am I, some kinda animal? We can assume everyone gets clear if you’re holding it down.
Solomon
You turn your head from the cloud of spores as they erupt from the fiend’s corpse. Rolling away, your allies quickly pull you to safe air.
“Well, I’m not much rested now.”, stammers Milla. That might some attempt at humour. Her pale face and dark, watery eyes reveal little.
The other follower, Saros, speaks with a cloth to his mouth, “Yet we can scarcely stay here. Must we forge ahead through that ‘forest’ Kirina?”
Jin remains dead. You spy an odd, translucent mushroom, cap closed, growing besides his outstretched paw-like hand. Looks very newly sprouted. Had that fiend the time to weave some dark magic over him, what could have happened? What do you do with the beast’s remains, if anything? Could you say for certain Arthur was justified? Did you see what happened? Would Solomon fill in the blanks in Arthur’s favour to save questioning his motives?
—
Adventurers
Victory! Swift and clean. First undead, now demons. Would you ever imagine you had it in you?
Down this hill and a ways ahead looms gigantic mushrooms. Between them shadow scattered only by a rare beam of stifled light. The other side leads to the realm of the giants. You can only hope it is not so deep that you would require to once again sleep, for who knows what horrors lurk in there unseen?
But first, there are bodies on the ground and spores in the air. What do you do?
Solomon places his hand on Arthur's shoulder, "You did what you needed to, lad. I won't tell you to not feel guilt, even the most justified of killings comes with it. I would know. But if you hadn't done what you did, he'd have killed you."
"I'll bury him. No matter his actions at the end, he still suffered from his affliction. Stuck between two worlds, man and beast, his mind was torn by the pulling of each. He goes to the Gods now, and he can finally be at peace."
Solomon wraps up Jin's body in the torn and tattered robes he'd worn. When he's finished burying Jin, Solomon fashions a rough grave marker from scraps of wood nearby.
Arthur steps out of the explosion of spores and coughs a little, waving the air away from his mouth. He say very little to Solomon as the other comforts him, though, his eyes do meet Solomon's for a moment with a nod of acceptance. Arthur wouldn't share more right now, nor tip his hand on how he had known something might happen. He had already justified it for himself, but he wasn't anxious to continue the conversation with others.
Stepping over to where Jin had fallen, Arthur investigates the mushroom that was growing there. Carefully, he pries it up from the ground, holding it by the stem and examining it a bit.
By all accounts it is a mushroom. That’s the scary part.
It is apparent to you that fungus is an auger for the demons—they can channel their power through them. Does that mean they can use any mushroom? If they could escape the wall of fog around this land, could they do the same in your homeland? Is it that mushrooms have always been fiendish, and they are merely dormant in the outside world?
You can only guess. But the fact remains; the forest of giant fungus you’re set to traverse is a network of power for them. A thousand wands, tomes and scrying orbs pointed your way.
You’re pretty sure this one in your hand is poisonous if ingested.
Finally, you think there’s something you’ve forgotten. Very annoying.
Arthur drops the mushroom. If demons can use them, then no use in carrying it around and offering them another avenue to potentially spy on the group.
His investigation done, Arthur takes a moment to examine the area again. He is standing where the body of Jin had fallen, and even though Solomon had moved it, he could still see the picture of it collapsing in his mind. But it led him to other thoughts as well, specifically, what of the other two who followed Kirina. Were they going to be overtaken just the same? Turning, Arthur tries to carefully inspect the pair as the group regathers their composure.
Evil-Eyed Gruush is staring down at Jin’s grave, standing solemnly next to Solomon when Arthur approaches. For a long while, the Rogue doesn’t seem to notice the young lad. Then, he quietly says, “…kept er’ steady hand there, didn’t yeh, my boy? Huh. Poor bastard…” The man, hunched over in his usual squat, grabs another handful of dirt from the ground, sprinking it atop the burial site. As he finishes, he turns to fully face Arthur. Eyes peer up at the Wizard from under the mask. “S’good to know though, right? Beginning of this trip I thought you may be too green…but s’good ta know, that when it comes down to it, you won’t stay your hand. Not ‘gainst foes…not ‘gaintst friends…” Gruush seems sullen; depressed. Arthur isn’t quite sure whether the Rogue was complimenting him, or giving him a subtle dig over Jin’s death: it could honestly go either way with the strange man
A bed of black clouds in the far distance, beyond the other side of the fungus forest, catches your eye. Looks like rain. Seems time must carry on over that way. Here, the air is still, no change.
This land is desolate. Poisoned. It makes you ache, you realise, just to be here. There’s a heaviness to this cursed land.
From what you can see of the pair, they are sickly pale and thin. They dote over Kirina, but feel like they’re with the party exactly. Jin, gruff as he was, said more to Alzav and Gruush than these two have to anyone. No use in a scrap really, especially as neither is wearing armour nor carrying weapons. Their pale attire has seen better days, but they try their best to appear presentable. They are quite sane, sensible even, perhaps more so than… some of the party.
You were never much of an outdoorsman, but part of you thinks it’s as dangerous to be out in the open as under the shade of that mock forest of giant mushrooms. When your foes can dance between space and reappear where they please, what good is it to give them plenty of room?
The remainder of your long rest is uneventful, but suspicion keeps you too alert to enjoy it. No doubt you walk the cart downhill, away from the spores still floating gently to the earth on dead air.
Evil-Eyed Gruush is early up the next morning. He starts a small, concealed fire before rousting the others. "Everyone get a quick nip, then we should get moving!" The Rogue says. His eyes are to the sky, and he keeps glancing about and wetly sniffing beneath the mask. "Fungal Forest is less than ideal after our little skirmish last night, but I'm nervous out in the open like this. Should pass on, quick as possible..."
I liiiiiive! Weekends are rough. I say that every weekend I think, it just keeps being true....
Before sleeping, Kirina reaches out to Arthur telepathically, so as not to disturb anyone else. "What happened, with Jin? When I woke up, all I saw were the other creatures. He... attacked you?"
Yes, I've just remembered that Kirina can speak telepathically due to the shard, so time to make use of it! . You don't have to play out the whole conversation if you don't want, I just mostly wanna know if you tell Kirina what happened or not. You did just kill her follower...
Arthur doesn't move to look at Kirina, but recognizes the presence and responds back.
"Jin had...transformed. Into the beast. When I saw him, he was standing over the other two, drooling and muttering. I didn't take the chance that it was anything other than an attack and when I responded, he attacked me. That's when I had to....defend myself."
I want to respond to Gruush but I literally can't think of anything cool to say back so Arthur would have sat in silence trying to think of a cool thing to say.
Arthur doesn't move to look at Kirina, but recognizes the presence and responds back.
"Jin had...transformed. Into the beast. When I saw him, he was standing over the other two, drooling and muttering. I didn't take the chance that it was anything other than an attack and when I responded, he attacked me. That's when I had to....defend myself."
I want to respond to Gruush but I literally can't think of anything cool to say back so Arthur would have sat in silence trying to think of a cool thing to say.
Posts
I’m pretty sure it’s you two to go next before the fiends.
—
Meanwhile…
Kirina’s followers are up and dressed. Neither has a weapon between them.
“Kirina! What should we do?”
The beast of burden attached to the cart is agitated. What’s left of Jin cools on the ground.
Then she runs farther away from the fight, hurt and tired.
Kirina winces as the poison from before sends a streak of pain through her body.
Geth roll 1d20+2 for Concentration saving throw
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He raises a fist of fire and launches it at the original field who he had first attacked. Then, scanning around one more time, he retreats back toward the wagon, attempting to keep his distance.
Geth, roll 1d10 for Firebolt
Two (or more?) of the fiends vanish the moment Arthur’s spell hits!
1.
Disappearing before Solomon’s eyes, the knight struggles to see where the fungal adversity has fled to. A moment later it is behind Arthur! Unarmed, it rears up and slams its mushroom top against the wizard’s back!
Geth roll 1d4+2 for Bonk
Another appears behind Gruush, silent and cruel. It approaches like a panther stalking game. Then, at the same time the other struck Arthur, it crashes its ‘head’ into the thief!
Gruush! You suffer 3 damage.
Geth roll 1d4+2 for Bonk
3.
This fiend strides out from behind a dead tree and swings for Arthur’s head! It follows through into a pirouette to attack a second time! It looks heavily injured, with acidic burns causing its pallid form to drip to the earth. Perhaps it feels no pain, for it isn’t slowing down.
Geth roll 1d10+2 for Dance
Geth roll 1d10+2 for Macabre
Ahead of Jin’s remains another fiend cuts into reality. It seems to have intentions for that wolfen corpse…
Arthur! You suffer 17 damage! You will also suffer 2 poison damage at the end of your turns from now on, until it is cured.
Such strange and sudden movements!
Move 1 S
Move Spiritual Weapon 3 N, 1 NE, to the square 1 W from Gruush
Geth roll 1d8+4 for Spiritual Weapon at #1.a
Geth roll 6d6 for Scorching Ray at #1.a
Geth roll 4d6+10 for Empowered Spell / final damage
The fiend evaporates under your attacks, leaving behind no trace!
The cloud of spores persists, and without a hint of wind you suspect it will stay there for some time.
They just whooped down on me, so is it back to our turns again?
#1 persists! Almost as if the other one was a mere echo…
Yes, I'm pretty hurt. But we just gotta win soon, ez
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Aha! I almost beamed the other one, but I figured they shared HP.
"Focus on the two near Arthur, the other is a lesser image!"
Move to right beneath monster 1 (and should be SW, but next to, Arthur). Bonus action Channel Divinity to Turn the Tide. Anyone within 30ft of Solomon who is under half HP gets to restore HP (rolled below). Then will use an Athletics check to try and throw monster 1 off of Arthur, as well as maybe opening Gruush for a sneak attack, adding the +3 for aiding Arthur
Geth roll 1d6+2 for Turn The Tide
Geth roll 1d20+8 for Body Check
The ageing knight collides with the fiend and the two tumble! After a moment of scuffling Solomon manages to pin it to the ground with his shield! The fiend is stunned and prone on its next turn.
Geth roll 1d20 for Fun
Evil Eyed Gruush will Disengage, then move three spaces east (out of the fungal cloud) and stab Shroom #1
Also, what's the positioning for everyone now. I was planning on Thunderwave'ing since they had me surrounded, but I don't want to fire that off if it's going to hit Solomon and Gruush now.
Gruush is currently pretty OK HP-wise: minor scrapes, nothing too serious
Rolling for that sweet, sweet sneak attack damage...
Not going to risk it.
2nd lvl Chromatic Orb
Geth, roll 4d8 for Acid Dmg
Geth roll 2d10 for radiant damage if it fails a DC 14 Con save or half otherwise
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Kirina’s followers do their best to calm the beast of burden; though they know little of it in truth. Yet, they sooth the animal with ease. It has taken a liking to them!
Geth roll 1d20 for Animal Handling
—
An onslaught of attacks against the third fiend ends with a blast of moonlight, causing it to explode in a shower of spores that soon catches fire in the holy light.
Arthur! Make a Constitution saving throw!
—
One fiend remains. It is at your mercy. Solomon has it pinned to the ground. Soon it will come to its senses and no doubt attempt to flee through an echo—by now you realise these fiends can produce an illusionary copy that they can act through and assume the position of at will. Destroying it up close is not wise, but perhaps a risk you’re willing to take.
Take a final set of turns. Anyone can kill it, just describe how. Best manoeuvre cleverly or tank the spores.
Unless one of you speaks an unsavoury language and wants to try speaking to it...
Gonna let Arthur and Gruush get away from the creature before killing it.
When his allies are clear, Solomon keeps the creature pinned down with his heavy shield, the creature thrashing in its alien way. He then brings his longsword in from the side, stabbing the fungal monster through the neck. As the creature dies, Solomom attempts to leap off and away, but the release of spores is too fast and he is engulfed in the cloud.
Just adding the bit about trying to jump away for flavor, mechanically he gets spored because he killed in close range. And gonna toss in the CON save while I'm at it.
Geth roll 1d20+5 for CON save
Solomon
You turn your head from the cloud of spores as they erupt from the fiend’s corpse. Rolling away, your allies quickly pull you to safe air.
“Well, I’m not much rested now.”, stammers Milla. That might some attempt at humour. Her pale face and dark, watery eyes reveal little.
The other follower, Saros, speaks with a cloth to his mouth, “Yet we can scarcely stay here. Must we forge ahead through that ‘forest’ Kirina?”
Jin remains dead. You spy an odd, translucent mushroom, cap closed, growing besides his outstretched paw-like hand. Looks very newly sprouted. Had that fiend the time to weave some dark magic over him, what could have happened? What do you do with the beast’s remains, if anything? Could you say for certain Arthur was justified? Did you see what happened? Would Solomon fill in the blanks in Arthur’s favour to save questioning his motives?
—
Adventurers
Victory! Swift and clean. First undead, now demons. Would you ever imagine you had it in you?
Down this hill and a ways ahead looms gigantic mushrooms. Between them shadow scattered only by a rare beam of stifled light. The other side leads to the realm of the giants. You can only hope it is not so deep that you would require to once again sleep, for who knows what horrors lurk in there unseen?
But first, there are bodies on the ground and spores in the air. What do you do?
"I'll bury him. No matter his actions at the end, he still suffered from his affliction. Stuck between two worlds, man and beast, his mind was torn by the pulling of each. He goes to the Gods now, and he can finally be at peace."
Solomon wraps up Jin's body in the torn and tattered robes he'd worn. When he's finished burying Jin, Solomon fashions a rough grave marker from scraps of wood nearby.
Stepping over to where Jin had fallen, Arthur investigates the mushroom that was growing there. Carefully, he pries it up from the ground, holding it by the stem and examining it a bit.
Geth, roll 1d20+6 for Checking the Shroom
By all accounts it is a mushroom. That’s the scary part.
It is apparent to you that fungus is an auger for the demons—they can channel their power through them. Does that mean they can use any mushroom? If they could escape the wall of fog around this land, could they do the same in your homeland? Is it that mushrooms have always been fiendish, and they are merely dormant in the outside world?
You can only guess. But the fact remains; the forest of giant fungus you’re set to traverse is a network of power for them. A thousand wands, tomes and scrying orbs pointed your way.
You’re pretty sure this one in your hand is poisonous if ingested.
Finally, you think there’s something you’ve forgotten. Very annoying.
His investigation done, Arthur takes a moment to examine the area again. He is standing where the body of Jin had fallen, and even though Solomon had moved it, he could still see the picture of it collapsing in his mind. But it led him to other thoughts as well, specifically, what of the other two who followed Kirina. Were they going to be overtaken just the same? Turning, Arthur tries to carefully inspect the pair as the group regathers their composure.
Geth, roll 1d20+4 for Perception
A bed of black clouds in the far distance, beyond the other side of the fungus forest, catches your eye. Looks like rain. Seems time must carry on over that way. Here, the air is still, no change.
This land is desolate. Poisoned. It makes you ache, you realise, just to be here. There’s a heaviness to this cursed land.
From what you can see of the pair, they are sickly pale and thin. They dote over Kirina, but feel like they’re with the party exactly. Jin, gruff as he was, said more to Alzav and Gruush than these two have to anyone. No use in a scrap really, especially as neither is wearing armour nor carrying weapons. Their pale attire has seen better days, but they try their best to appear presentable. They are quite sane, sensible even, perhaps more so than… some of the party.
You were never much of an outdoorsman, but part of you thinks it’s as dangerous to be out in the open as under the shade of that mock forest of giant mushrooms. When your foes can dance between space and reappear where they please, what good is it to give them plenty of room?
The remainder of your long rest is uneventful, but suspicion keeps you too alert to enjoy it. No doubt you walk the cart downhill, away from the spores still floating gently to the earth on dead air.
Fully rest up your characters. You’ll need it!
Before sleeping, Kirina reaches out to Arthur telepathically, so as not to disturb anyone else. "What happened, with Jin? When I woke up, all I saw were the other creatures. He... attacked you?"
Yes, I've just remembered that Kirina can speak telepathically due to the shard, so time to make use of it! . You don't have to play out the whole conversation if you don't want, I just mostly wanna know if you tell Kirina what happened or not. You did just kill her follower...
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"Jin had...transformed. Into the beast. When I saw him, he was standing over the other two, drooling and muttering. I didn't take the chance that it was anything other than an attack and when I responded, he attacked me. That's when I had to....defend myself."
I want to respond to Gruush but I literally can't think of anything cool to say back so Arthur would have sat in silence trying to think of a cool thing to say.
The forest awaits you. Dare you enter?
There’s no hex map, no location A, B, C to pick from. You can only enter and try to get to the other side in as straight a line as terrain will allow.
Kirina doesn't respond further...
Sorry, I've lost track a bit of where we are. This forest is still in Drossmere?
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