Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP)

Spores shoot out from the myconid and float down to you. When they land on Sera and Merkas's heads, you can hear the faint murmer of a disembodied voice. It sounds ancient and strained. The voice stammers and shudders as if the myconid is straining against something.

"S-so you have c-c-come to f-f-f-f-finish us off th-th-then?"

There's a tweakiness to the voice. Perhaps it's the electricity coursing through his body. At the end of his sentence, a stray lightning bolt shoots out from his head and fizzles out a few feet upwards, and he visibly winces.

BTW, the party gets 100 XP for the last social encounter. I forgot to give you that. Orr the Unseen, who was not a part of the encounter, does not get the XP.

Hastos sharply extends his right hand down at his side as the spores fall on top Merkas and Sera’s heads. A blue flame erupts in his hand, the flames flickering through his clawed fingers.

He raises his hand as the myconid sends two lightening bolts at them, but before he can act, the lightening bolts dissipate overhead. He lowers his hand slightly.

”Merkas, Sera? Are you ok?”

He examines the blue myconid carefully. (Perception: 17)

Without looking away from the sovereign, Merkas puts his hand up towards Hastos to reassure him. “No, we don’t want to kill any more of your people, we tried to speak with them before so we defended ourselves.” He puts his hands out at his sides palms up as he takes another step forward. “You have young ones, and we don’t want to hurt them. Is there any way we can convince you to give us, and any more like us, safe passage through this cave?”

Merkas’ eyes scrunch as he searches his memory for any thing they’ve found in their travels that might interest these beings. (History:19 - suitable food or caves that might entice the myconids to relocate or keep them from attacking the research teams, Insight:12 for the words to say that would accomplish the same goals) 

Hastos reluctantly clenches his hand into a fist and the fire within extinguishes leaving just hint of smoke.

The Myconid Sovereign steps back a bit as Merkas approaches, but quickly resets his stance. "M-m-m-more of y-your k-kind are c-c-c-coming??"

The other myconids wobble their heads, expressions of panic on their faces. If the more people like you possess the power you have, the myconids firmly believe they are on borrowed time. More lighting crackles from the Sovereign's body, and you can hear him grunt in response to the pain.

"Y-you may h-h-hAVE! s-s-safe pas-s-s-s-sage through our colony. F-f-f-forgive our y-y-younglings. Th-they cannot be inoc-c-c-culated f-f-from th-th-the plague spreading through THIS CAAAAVE!" He doubles over and a spike of lighting shoots from his mouth and eyes, blasting the ground at his feet. "It m-m-m-makes them aggressive." He finishes with a pained huff.

Hastos’ stance softens as he examines, the elder mushroom. “ He seems to be in pain, especially when the lightning erupts out of him.” he says in a concerned, tone. “ Maybe they’re being affected by this poisoned magic as well.”

“Oh, we came here to try and clear the plague, we want this place to be safer, and all the places around here too because the plague is causing lots of trouble outside the cave too” Merkas looks back to the rest of the group. “Hey, we don’t need to fight anymore, but maybe these guys can move their homes into that hole that Orr made with the fireball? Where the crawler went?” 

Trying to be as non-threatening as possible he gives a slight bow to the Sovereign, “I know of an area that may be best for your colony to move to. There is a side cave that a carrion crawler has entered. We can show you the area and, if you choose to move there, we will let those that follow us know to leave you and your colony alone. You have my word that me nor my companions will harm any more of your people as long as they don’t harm us.” (Persuasion:21 for relocation and peaceful intentions)

The myconids, unaware of the hole Merkas is speaking of, give each other confused glances. But they all nod their heads at the prospect of moving to a safer location. The idea of sharing a space with a Carrion Eater entices them. It will serve as protection and a symbiotic nutrient source for a new grove.

"Th-th-thank you. Th-th-the lightning from our g-g-grove s-s-strengthens our minds-s-s-s from the illness-s-s-s-s... But it is v-v-very p-p-p-painful. I a-am h-h-holding as much-ch-ch of it as I c-c-can in my own b-b-b-body a-a-a-nd exerting my WILLLLLLL over th-th-the colony s-s-so we d-d-d-don't t-t-tear each other ap-p-p-part. B-b-b-but I d-d-d-don't kn-kn-know how much longer I c-c-can hold IT INNNNNNN! P-p-please tell us wh-where to f-f-find th-th-this carrion eat-t-t-ter, and w-w-we will g-g-g-go th-th-there immmedit-t-t-t-tly!"

Orr and Buckeraon look back and forth at each other. Without being able to tell what the Sovereign is saying, it's unclear if this conversation is going well. But Merkas seems to have everything under control. So they hang back.

Hastos sees the myconids reacting in what seems a very positive way, with a slight confused look, Hastos shouts back to Merkas. “Uh… how are the deliberations going, Merkas?”

Merkas smiles at the Sovereign. “Okay, I can take you there. And maybe my friends can help with the pain from the lightning lemme ask okay?”

The kender steps back to his crew just outside 30’ from the myconid. “It’s actually better than I thought it would be. They don’t wanna fight us and they agreed to move their grove over to the hole Orr blasted in the wall and big guy went into. Only thing is this magic plague is hurting them too. He’s full of lightning and it seems that’s what’s keeping him somewhat sane. Bucky, you think you got something that could draw off the extra lightning so he can keep his people safer? Like it keeps building up and causing more damage like how the big mushrooms exploded, but I don’t think he needs all of it to help his people” 

Buckeran looks through his belongings... "Let's see... I have a Boots of Elvenkind, Monacle of Magic Detection and Eagle Eyes, Amulet of the Drunkard, and the Protable Hole... Oh! And the Alchemy Jug. Hmm... it's not really designed for this. But if we reinforced it with elemental protection, I could summon some salt water into the Alchemy jug. We'd have to get the ratio right, but your new friend could charge it with the excess electricity, and we could literally catch lightning in a bottle! It would store the electricy for a time. But once the elemental protection wears off, I don't know how the electricity will discharge. It could explode. But the gnomes of Khorvairre have been experimenting with a technology for storing lightning elementals this way to create a battery. I had hoped to visit Eberron's universe and study this new technology first, but if my assistance is needed now, my Alchemy Jug is at your disposal."

Orr the Unseen holds out their hands, palm up and shakes their head. "I do not know what scrolls or oitnments you possess, but as far as I know, any spell that would fortify against lightning would be applied to a target creature, not an unliving item. If the jug were encased in a creature, we could possibly insulate the jug that way. But to alter the nature of a spell, we'd need time to perform a ritual. It would require 2 casters... one with arcane magic, like myself or Merkas, and one with divine magic, like Sera. I do not possess lightning magic, though I have been studying it. Currently, the only elements I can control are Ice and fire. You'd need wind or lightning to insulate the jug. I will require a scroll or an elemental focus to imbue the jug with a protective element."

Buckeran considers the options for a moment. "My study is well provisioned. There may be something in there that could help?" Bucky seems cautiosly optimistic. His supplies look like a spice cabinet. Even he doesn't know what all is in there.

The myconid sovereign looks at your group talking amongst themselves. He's still twitching and convulsing, waiting for you to come to a decision.

Sera hear about the very complex plan....she might had an simple upbringing first as a farmgirl and later as street urchin...she step forward..

"..ehem....how about a normal dispel magic? Or..it is a curse? I can remove both kinds"

She ask with a curious tilt of her head. Wondering if she totally miss out some complex reason here...

The myconid sovereign shakes his head. "I d-d-d-do not know. We can c-conduct some forms of magic, but we know v-v-v-very little about magic beyond that." One eye twitches as if winking several times.

Buckeran, not hearing the Soveriegn's reply, chimes in over the Sovereign, "As far as we know, it is magic, but not a curse. It is more similar to rotted meat. It's still meat, but unsafe to eat. So where the spoiled magic seeps in, it wreaks havoc. Outside of this den, it only seems to effect the surrounding nature by causing unnatural storms, spontaneous elementals, and droughts. In here, it appears to also cause madness and violence. Most likely due to the proximity of the spoilage."

Nodding in approval as Orr and Bucky seem to be taking on the challenge, Merkas takes hold of Barkly’s reigns and heads back toward the Myconid leader. Stopping the same distance away he was before he gives a slight bow and says. “Ok, we will do what we can to help you with the pain. I will take you to the entrance where the Big guy went, um, the carrion crawler. And maybe we can even give you a guardian to the entrance to make sure your people stay safe. Anyway, we really don’t want to see any more of your sprouts hurt. We truly are sorry for the damages from earlier.” The kender says apologetically as he looks up again. “So if you would lead us back to the entrance where we first met your people I can show you the other chamber for you to move into. And while you guys move house we will take a rest and then come back in here to try and cure this place of the strange magic poison”

“Uhm, what about the lightening javelin? It stores lightening, does it not? I wonder if it would absorb the lightinging from the elder into itself… like a lightening rod?” Hastos says curiously. “I’m. not very magically inclined, but is there is a possibility it would work?”

The Myconid Sovereign perks up at both suggesstions. "A s-s-s-source of lightning magic will s-s-s-sustain us until we build a new g-g-g-grove. Th-thank you for your AID!" The sovereign jolts upright and more lightning shoots straight up and arcs towards a stalactite. The connection scorches a bit of his mushroom cap. "Ww-we should h-h-h-urry though."

His head wobbles and the other myconids form a patrol. They guide you through towards the main chamber, and follow you in. The Sprouts bound behind you, and you quickly learn that letting them get too close gets your calves or knees nipped at. But they don't have any teeth, so the bite feels more like someone gently squeezing your leg. Once in the main entrance, Merkas shows the myconids the hole made by Orr the Unseen's spell, and they begin the awkward climb through the new tunnel, with the soveregn taking up the rear to make certain everyone gets through safely.

To mimc your form of respect, he bows, his massive mushroom cap nearly touching the floor. Still twitchy and clearly in pain, he makes the climb last and bids you one last warning. "Beware the k-k-kobolds. They k-k-kill on sight and are r-r-r-ravenous. W-w-w-we've lost many of our k-k-kkind who wander into th-th-th-eir terit-t-t-t-tory to b-b-become stews in their p-p-p-pots."

You each gain 200 XP for this encounter.
Larskolstad it's your choice if you want to give the Sovereign your Lightning Javelin. Doing so will give you Advantage on CHA based checks when speaking with the myconid cluster.

You are now in the main hall. Buckeran's mansion is still at the entrance and visible to you.

Hastos watch is the last of the myconids enter the tunnel and turns to see Buckerans mansion. He lets out a sigh.

”I am looking forward to some rest.”

Sers hands over the Javelin of lightning. " hope this reduce your discomfort and helps out.."

Then nods at Hastos. "I agree fully...time to regain some strenght...we all could benefit from a shower? And moisture the Myconoids new area?"

She stack away all her belongings that she not wanted to be wet.  Her livkng armor a chitin extension of her skin now. Unremovable. 

Givkng time for everyone who wanted water to get in place. " Paladine..look on us dirty and thirsty beings with mercy...give us water..."

It starts as a trinkle...then shower...then a huge downpour.

( cast Create water upgraded. Use 4th level spell slot)

After the javelin is handed over and the last of the myconids are through the opening, Merkas pulls out the crystal golem core they collected from the fight in this same spot. He holds it up for the Sovereign to see. “This is one of the protector golems from this cave, I’m pretty sure I can have him protect this entrance for you and your family until you’re all better.” Placing it down he calls forth what energies he can and speaks to the core with the magic imbued into it. “Alright, Sparkles, time for you to wale up again. Gonna need you to guard this area and listen to the guy here, The king Myconid, until he doesn’t need you anymore or I came back to get you okay?” 

As the golem takes form, Merkas addresses the Myconid, “Umm we met another one like him kinda that was able to use lightning to work, and we found these crystal walls can suck up different kinds of energies, so if the lightning is too much maybe you can send some of it into these things to lessen the burden from time to time. I hope you can rebuild and your colony gets back to normal. Farewell Sire, I am Merkas “Yabbak” Flinttassle, and we are Dawnbound, any who come here from Dawnbound will be instructed not to harm you or your people, and that this area is off limits for them” With slight bow and then a wobble of his head as he had seen the myconids do multiple times he heads back towards the mansion with the others, dripping water as he goes.

The Soveriegn ducks under the tunnel before the rain starts to fall. With that much electricity coursing through his body, he's wisely cautious of adding water to the mix. But he accepts the golem Sparkles and and the javelin with noted gratitude.

"We are in your debt."

The myconids are now Indifferent (status wise), as in they are friendly to Dawnbound and will honor the truce, but are in no current position to offer you aid as if they were Friendly. Best they can do is stay cloistured away until the magic poisoning is cleansed and they have a new mushroom grove. However, your party gets the impression that the myconids will one day come to your aid if needed. They do not fair will in the blistering sun of the desert, and are poor warriors. But their knowledge of nonmagical alchemy, poisons, telepathy, and nature is far beyond what is available in Santekh.

Merkas and Sera have Advantage on CHA based checks with the Myconids.

Sparkles struggles to return to form, and looks pretty haggard. But it dutifully rises and takes shape, standing guard at the entrance to the new myconid colony. For temporary bandaging of its form, it rips a few loosened crystals off the wall and slowly bonds them to its body.

It will take a full day of rest in unsummoned form for Sparkles to fully recover. And currently has 45 HP. But it is bonded to Merkas now that it has been given a name, and will only follow his orders. Sparkles's stat block can be found here. I'm working on making a homebrew equivalent so it can be added to you character sheet.

Your muddy trek back to the manor is short and filled with new questions and opportunies. At some point, Buckeran has snagged some magically charged crystal that he wishes to study, and seems very excited about heading up to the alchemy lab. "I'll put together a stew first... something simple that can cook unattended, then I simply must study this crystal!"

Orr the Unseen, in spite of their exhaustion, is second only behind Hastos's blinding speed to exit the cavern. They take a moment to bask in the dusk sky... the sun low to paint the cloud covered heavens in floral hues. They reach out the arms to soak in the starlight, and visibly slump when no stars can be seen in the roiling thunderclouds above. The permament electrical storm above your heads acting as a perilous reminder of the urgency of your task. Hesitantly, with face downcast, Orr the Unseen trudges to the manor and heads inside, to the lethal applause of lightning smiting the ground behind the ornate structure of the shelter that awaits you all.

Once inside, Buckeran lights the fire and sets a giant pot in it. Straining, he adds buckets of broth, then sets to chopping up some meat and vegetables. Orr the Unseen quietly assists Buckeran in prep. The lack of starlight appears to have drained what pep they had in their step, and they might as well be another summoned golem, for all the personality they have. Buckeran is aware of the dampening of spirits, and chooses to give Orr their much needed space. Once prep is done, they toss in the ingredients together, and Orr the Unseen retires to their room, seemingly uninterested in food.

Buckeran puts his hands on his hips and surveys the rest of the party. "Well, we have about an hour before the stew is ready. I have research to do, and I'm sure we all have things we wish to prepare before we turn in for some rest. If anyone needs me, I'll be upstairs. Please knock softly before entering, as I may be handling dangerous chemicals."

He waits a moment to see if anyone has any further need of him. If no one pipes in, he pads softly upstairs.