A couple hours pass until it's the wee hours of the morning, but a good distance from dawn (about 4 AM or so)... Nib's eyelids grow heavy in the silent darkness.
Would you like to turn in and get the remainder of a full night's rest before dawn, or push through it? (the latter risking a level of exhaustion)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae(L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk -Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
You're both awoken by a slight drizzle of raindrops. It's a disorienting experience and it takes you both a moment to remember exactly where you are.
The rain isn't oppressive. Just enough to cover you and all of your gear with a surface layer of wetness. The morning sun above occasionally pokes through a veil of grey clouds and visibility is clear enough. With the morning light, you can see the edge of Bramblebottom Woods to the south.
You're far from the road at this point, but the fields of grass make for easy travel and little impediment.
Shall you continue on your way East to track along the shore of Buckler's Run?
Together you forge onward, heading southeast, past the edge of the Bramblebottom Woods, eventually reaching the coast of Buckler's Run.
The weather clears a bit on the journey. Although cool moisture lingers in the air, the clouds disperse and the rain stops allowing for a much more comfortable journey.
Your path manages to avoid any proximity to Figbrook, though you do catch a glimpse at a familiar barges heading downstream toward Seamew with goods and produce to sell at the Maithar's Day Festival. You can't help but wonder what sort of festivities are going on at home, and how your loved ones might be coping with your absence.
As you round the bend along where the river turns sharply southward, you spot something in the marshy grass along the distant shoreline... a jumble of broken wood about 10'x5' in size, wedged half-in, half-out of the muck. Could be a boat. Could be just random detritus. Hard to tell at this distance... but if it was once a boat, it's in a ruinous condition.
Nib and he starts to walk closer to investigate, he is watchful for any movement, curious if any barge could have wrecked here. He looks to see if this appears to have happened recently or long ago. “Pal, let’s check this out, a barge may have crashed here before.”
Pal opens an eye to the wet, dreary morning and shuts it with a grumble before drawing himself tighter into a ball. After a few minutes of trying to get back to sleep he'll sigh and turn onto his back, letting the light rain fall on him. His mood is about as bright and cheery as the weather at this point. Pal is quiet as he and Nib gather their things and begin heading southeast, but as the weather clears and his clothes dry, his mood improves. By the time they see the jumble of broken wood, Pal is again filled with excitement and an eagerness to explore. Pal follows Nib with his head on a swivel, taking in what he can, "Interesting... I wonder what happened to it... Do you think there's any treasure on board!?"
You approach the jumble of wood and quickly recognize it as the remains of a small rowboat. The bent form of its former pilot, a cloaked human male, lay in the muck next to the craft, tethered to it by a frayed stretch of hemp rope.
The arms, neck and torso of the body are riddled with six-inch-long wooden needles. It's as if the pilot was assailed with a barrage of oversized toothpicks unto death. The poor fellow is covered in mud and, what looks like a fresh layer of mold.
It seems that the craft was in reasonably good condition before the crash. Looking upstream, Pal can easily identify the rapids that must have done the boat in. They look like they'd be easy to navigate with a competent pilot... suggesting this fellow wasn't quite up to the task by the time he passed through them.
Glancing inside the boat, you both see a 10x10 inch wooden compartment secured with a small padlock.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae(L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk -Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal will gasp at the sight of the dead pilot, his excitement and desire to explore the wreckage immediately doused. He'll stay back and say to Nib, "I don't think we should get any closer... Something got him, look at those things sticking out of him... What if it's still nearby? C'mon Nib, let's get out of here! We can tell a guard what happened if we see one." Pal will stay back and keep an eye out for anything that might've needled the man.
“Hey Pal, I got a little ole idea that came into my head. What if we… can you find a long stick, a pole? Maybe we can poke it! Are you up for that? I’m curious about what happened here…”. Nib starts to look for a suitable length pole with which to prod.
Nib takes the oar and begins to push at various things... First, at the locked compartment on the boat. With the shifting of the weight, hears something hard and small rattling around in there, but the padlock still prevents the compartment door from opening.
He then moves on to the body... The moment he gives it a poke, something starts to shift in its torso... At first you think it must be some sort of scavenging woodland creature until you see something crawl out of the corpse's mouth through the thick blanket of mold.
Two tiny grey hands push the jaw open from the inside and a tiny plant-like humanoid head, like a potato with a face emerges, glancing between the two of you like a meercat. It chatters some incomprehensible gibberish at you in an incongrously deep voice (think elder ewok) and regards you with curiosity and alarm...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae(L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk -Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal will continue to hang back, "I REALLY don't think that's a good idea Nib..." When the creature inside reveals itself Pal will shriek and go a bit weak in the knees for a moment, but manage to keep from fainting outright. "NIB! WHAT IS THAT THING!?" Pal will move behind Nib, ready to hop away if the creature becomes a threat.
Nib takes a step backwards, lowering the oar somewhat, point near the ground and says “I’m not interested in you, or that man, or whatever you are doing. I want to see what’s in that box. Okay? Are you ok with that?” To any observant third party, the would notice the quivering of the tip of the oar, the halfling musters all of the courage that he can as he looks at this strange being.
It doesn't take an insight check to realize this... thing... has no idea what you just said. It stares at you while you speak with a totally blank expression.
It follows your eyes to the box when you mention it, but doesn't appear to have any noticeable reaction to your expressed interest... Of course, whether or not it even comprehends your interest isn't rightly obvious. Instead, it maintains its readied stance and speaks to you again in the same strange language as its weird protruding eyes (like potato sprouts) move about, studying your form...
"Ub nuk nuk... Bhuk tuey tuey... Cluptck nuk..."
As the creature speaks, the pilot's body quivers again, shifting enough that you actually see a sizable patch of mold growing on the other side of the body. The size, shape and pattern of the spreading mold suggests the rot actually spilled from the corpse's leaking innards, onto the ground beside it... Out of the exposed cavity in the corpse, two more of these living plant things crawl out, as different in shape and form as any of the turnips Pal's pulled from the ground in his time.
The first new creature simply turns and regards you both curiously, eyes passing between you and the creature addressing you, apparently trying to assess the situation. The other stands behind both of them, not even paying attention, using its little paws and tongue to clean fetid gore off its face and body, the way a cat would.
Nib drops the oar and backs up slowly, saying “Pal, I think we uh, we should get out of here!” And he turns to run back the way they came, getting away from the boat and the strange creatures, circling around this and heading back toward Seamew.
Pal recalls a few books he read on the subject of sentient plant-life. These most closely resemble a species commonly referred to as "mold folk" or "moldies" or "vegepygmies."
The are fungus creatures that live in simple bands, scaveging for sustenance and spreading the spores by which they reproduce. They’re most commonly found underground or in forests where little sunlight penetrates, which puts them somewhat out of place here.
The most likely explanation for their presence is the mold you saw, which is key to their reproduction cycle. The "birthing mold" emits spores that can infect other living creatures. If a creature is infected and left untreated, the mold will eventually consume them from the inside-out. About a day or so after death, one or more newborn vegepygmies will emerge from the corpse, fully developed and retaining the memories stored within the colony's mycelial network.
They are generally harmless to humanoids unless directly threatened, preferring to find sustenance in cadavers and other easily available meat sources. The greater threat to humanoids is the mold itself. The spores it produces are potentially fatal with close contact. However, its light and heat sensitivity make it fairly easy to destroy. Salt, alcohol, sunlight or fire are the common method used by those who inhabit regions where they are encountered with more regularity.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae(L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk -Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal will huff and puff as he runs with Nib, "I... I think I know... What those were!" He'll then share what he knows with Nib, followed with, "You didn't touch them did you? Did you get any of the spores on you? Here, hold your hands up to the sun as we run, it'll kill the spores!" He'll demonstrate for Nib, running with arms stretched upward, palms flat to the sun, "Rotate them as you go so the sunlight touches every part of your hand!" Pal will continue running with his arms raised, hands rotating, as far as he can, which is probably about a quarter mile. He'll still spin around and rotate his limbs as he walks, trying to get the sun's cleansing light into every nook and cranny.
After another couple hours of travel along the coast, Pal & Nib begin to hear the cry of seabirds and smell the scent of brine on the air. The vegetation grows larger, creating a bit more of a canopy as you approach the estuary where the river meets the Southern Sea.
But the scent in the air isn't the only thing you notice as you reach the coast. You hear the din of voices and activity. As you push through the heavier brush you come upon a small settlement consisting of moldering wagons and large, sturdy tents. Looks a bit too ramshackle to be a permanent settlement and a bit too overgrown to be temporary.
A few dozen humans buzz around the structures, talking, laughing, eating, drinking and trading. Commerce and community seems to be the primary function of this settlement, and its inhabitants seem to be hungrily engaging in both experiences. Through the tents, on the far side of the settlement, you can see the edge of the water where a number of boats are tethered, confirming your hope that you've made it to the coast and are just one river crossing away from the port town of Seamew.
Pal is content to let Nib lead the way, but will suggest that they look for passage across the river. As they immerse themselves in the coastal community, Pal will keep an ear out for conversations regarding the Reclaimers in particular, but also any interesting bits of rumor or gossip folks might let slip.
A couple hours pass until it's the wee hours of the morning, but a good distance from dawn (about 4 AM or so)... Nib's eyelids grow heavy in the silent darkness.
Would you like to turn in and get the remainder of a full night's rest before dawn, or push through it? (the latter risking a level of exhaustion)
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Nib will definitely turn in, wanting to get some good sleep before the day of adventure to come.
1st of Mathair "Feast of the Mother Moon"
Time of Day -- 6AM
You're both awoken by a slight drizzle of raindrops. It's a disorienting experience and it takes you both a moment to remember exactly where you are.
The rain isn't oppressive. Just enough to cover you and all of your gear with a surface layer of wetness. The morning sun above occasionally pokes through a veil of grey clouds and visibility is clear enough. With the morning light, you can see the edge of Bramblebottom Woods to the south.
You're far from the road at this point, but the fields of grass make for easy travel and little impediment.
Shall you continue on your way East to track along the shore of Buckler's Run?
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Time of Day -- 10AM
Together you forge onward, heading southeast, past the edge of the Bramblebottom Woods, eventually reaching the coast of Buckler's Run.
The weather clears a bit on the journey. Although cool moisture lingers in the air, the clouds disperse and the rain stops allowing for a much more comfortable journey.
Your path manages to avoid any proximity to Figbrook, though you do catch a glimpse at a familiar barges heading downstream toward Seamew with goods and produce to sell at the Maithar's Day Festival. You can't help but wonder what sort of festivities are going on at home, and how your loved ones might be coping with your absence.
As you round the bend along where the river turns sharply southward, you spot something in the marshy grass along the distant shoreline... a jumble of broken wood about 10'x5' in size, wedged half-in, half-out of the muck. Could be a boat. Could be just random detritus. Hard to tell at this distance... but if it was once a boat, it's in a ruinous condition.
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Nib and he starts to walk closer to investigate, he is watchful for any movement, curious if any barge could have wrecked here. He looks to see if this appears to have happened recently or long ago. “Pal, let’s check this out, a barge may have crashed here before.”
Perception : 11
Pal opens an eye to the wet, dreary morning and shuts it with a grumble before drawing himself tighter into a ball. After a few minutes of trying to get back to sleep he'll sigh and turn onto his back, letting the light rain fall on him. His mood is about as bright and cheery as the weather at this point. Pal is quiet as he and Nib gather their things and begin heading southeast, but as the weather clears and his clothes dry, his mood improves. By the time they see the jumble of broken wood, Pal is again filled with excitement and an eagerness to explore. Pal follows Nib with his head on a swivel, taking in what he can, "Interesting... I wonder what happened to it... Do you think there's any treasure on board!?"
Perception: 19
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
You approach the jumble of wood and quickly recognize it as the remains of a small rowboat. The bent form of its former pilot, a cloaked human male, lay in the muck next to the craft, tethered to it by a frayed stretch of hemp rope.
The arms, neck and torso of the body are riddled with six-inch-long wooden needles. It's as if the pilot was assailed with a barrage of oversized toothpicks unto death. The poor fellow is covered in mud and, what looks like a fresh layer of mold.
It seems that the craft was in reasonably good condition before the crash. Looking upstream, Pal can easily identify the rapids that must have done the boat in. They look like they'd be easy to navigate with a competent pilot... suggesting this fellow wasn't quite up to the task by the time he passed through them.
Glancing inside the boat, you both see a 10x10 inch wooden compartment secured with a small padlock.
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal will gasp at the sight of the dead pilot, his excitement and desire to explore the wreckage immediately doused. He'll stay back and say to Nib, "I don't think we should get any closer... Something got him, look at those things sticking out of him... What if it's still nearby? C'mon Nib, let's get out of here! We can tell a guard what happened if we see one." Pal will stay back and keep an eye out for anything that might've needled the man.
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
“Hey Pal, I got a little ole idea that came into my head. What if we… can you find a long stick, a pole? Maybe we can poke it! Are you up for that? I’m curious about what happened here…”. Nib starts to look for a suitable length pole with which to prod.
Looking around a bit, you spot an oar lodged in the reeds nearby, presumably from the rowboat itself.
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Nib takes the oar and begins to push at various things... First, at the locked compartment on the boat. With the shifting of the weight, hears something hard and small rattling around in there, but the padlock still prevents the compartment door from opening.
He then moves on to the body... The moment he gives it a poke, something starts to shift in its torso... At first you think it must be some sort of scavenging woodland creature until you see something crawl out of the corpse's mouth through the thick blanket of mold.
Two tiny grey hands push the jaw open from the inside and a tiny plant-like humanoid head, like a potato with a face emerges, glancing between the two of you like a meercat. It chatters some incomprehensible gibberish at you in an incongrously deep voice (think elder ewok) and regards you with curiosity and alarm...
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal will continue to hang back, "I REALLY don't think that's a good idea Nib..." When the creature inside reveals itself Pal will shriek and go a bit weak in the knees for a moment, but manage to keep from fainting outright. "NIB! WHAT IS THAT THING!?" Pal will move behind Nib, ready to hop away if the creature becomes a threat.
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Nib takes a step backwards, lowering the oar somewhat, point near the ground and says “I’m not interested in you, or that man, or whatever you are doing. I want to see what’s in that box. Okay? Are you ok with that?” To any observant third party, the would notice the quivering of the tip of the oar, the halfling musters all of the courage that he can as he looks at this strange being.
It doesn't take an insight check to realize this... thing... has no idea what you just said. It stares at you while you speak with a totally blank expression.
It follows your eyes to the box when you mention it, but doesn't appear to have any noticeable reaction to your expressed interest... Of course, whether or not it even comprehends your interest isn't rightly obvious. Instead, it maintains its readied stance and speaks to you again in the same strange language as its weird protruding eyes (like potato sprouts) move about, studying your form...
"Ub nuk nuk... Bhuk tuey tuey... Cluptck nuk..."
As the creature speaks, the pilot's body quivers again, shifting enough that you actually see a sizable patch of mold growing on the other side of the body. The size, shape and pattern of the spreading mold suggests the rot actually spilled from the corpse's leaking innards, onto the ground beside it... Out of the exposed cavity in the corpse, two more of these living plant things crawl out, as different in shape and form as any of the turnips Pal's pulled from the ground in his time.
The first new creature simply turns and regards you both curiously, eyes passing between you and the creature addressing you, apparently trying to assess the situation. The other stands behind both of them, not even paying attention, using its little paws and tongue to clean fetid gore off its face and body, the way a cat would.
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Nib drops the oar and backs up slowly, saying “Pal, I think we uh, we should get out of here!” And he turns to run back the way they came, getting away from the boat and the strange creatures, circling around this and heading back toward Seamew.
Pal will join Nib in his retreat while trying to recall if he's heard of such creatures before and if this is typical behavior for them.
Nature check: 19 (21 if History)
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Pal recalls a few books he read on the subject of sentient plant-life. These most closely resemble a species commonly referred to as "mold folk" or "moldies" or "vegepygmies."
The are fungus creatures that live in simple bands, scaveging for sustenance and spreading the spores by which they reproduce. They’re most commonly found underground or in forests where little sunlight penetrates, which puts them somewhat out of place here.
The most likely explanation for their presence is the mold you saw, which is key to their reproduction cycle. The "birthing mold" emits spores that can infect other living creatures. If a creature is infected and left untreated, the mold will eventually consume them from the inside-out. About a day or so after death, one or more newborn vegepygmies will emerge from the corpse, fully developed and retaining the memories stored within the colony's mycelial network.
They are generally harmless to humanoids unless directly threatened, preferring to find sustenance in cadavers and other easily available meat sources. The greater threat to humanoids is the mold itself. The spores it produces are potentially fatal with close contact. However, its light and heat sensitivity make it fairly easy to destroy. Salt, alcohol, sunlight or fire are the common method used by those who inhabit regions where they are encountered with more regularity.
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal will huff and puff as he runs with Nib, "I... I think I know... What those were!" He'll then share what he knows with Nib, followed with, "You didn't touch them did you? Did you get any of the spores on you? Here, hold your hands up to the sun as we run, it'll kill the spores!" He'll demonstrate for Nib, running with arms stretched upward, palms flat to the sun, "Rotate them as you go so the sunlight touches every part of your hand!" Pal will continue running with his arms raised, hands rotating, as far as he can, which is probably about a quarter mile. He'll still spin around and rotate his limbs as he walks, trying to get the sun's cleansing light into every nook and cranny.
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey
Coastal Camp Settlement
Time of Day -- 12 PM
(Ambiance)
After another couple hours of travel along the coast, Pal & Nib begin to hear the cry of seabirds and smell the scent of brine on the air. The vegetation grows larger, creating a bit more of a canopy as you approach the estuary where the river meets the Southern Sea.
But the scent in the air isn't the only thing you notice as you reach the coast. You hear the din of voices and activity. As you push through the heavier brush you come upon a small settlement consisting of moldering wagons and large, sturdy tents. Looks a bit too ramshackle to be a permanent settlement and a bit too overgrown to be temporary.
A few dozen humans buzz around the structures, talking, laughing, eating, drinking and trading. Commerce and community seems to be the primary function of this settlement, and its inhabitants seem to be hungrily engaging in both experiences. Through the tents, on the far side of the settlement, you can see the edge of the water where a number of boats are tethered, confirming your hope that you've made it to the coast and are just one river crossing away from the port town of Seamew.
What would you like to do?
DM - Origins - A Level Zero Adventure
DM - Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
The Forge of Fury - Lehmani (L3 Tiefling Cleric, Forge Domain)
Wild Beyond the Witchlight - Fa'amae (L2 Shadar-kai Druid, Circle of the Spores)
Greyhawk - Tilliman Treewick Toadswaddler the First (L1 Gnome Rogue)
Pal is content to let Nib lead the way, but will suggest that they look for passage across the river. As they immerse themselves in the coastal community, Pal will keep an ear out for conversations regarding the Reclaimers in particular, but also any interesting bits of rumor or gossip folks might let slip.
Perception: 9 (Passive: 12)
DM I The Forge of Fey Fury
Palifwan "Pal" Turnipson I Level 0 Harengon I Hero's Journey