Evrik takes off behind Immotichey as quietly as possible to see if he can help find the source of the pleas. (Stealth: 2)  But he cannot help but examine the fungi as he passes by. (Investigation: 13) Something rings familiar, but he is just not sure what. Hello?, he attempts to use the myconid network to see if there is any response here. Hey Chubby, are you picking up anything over the shroomnet? Evrik asks, attempting to at least see if he and Chubby are still connected.

The connection is tenuous, and growing more so each day, soon the mind link will be gone. As for the network reaching out for the other fungus, it does not, you sense nothing from anything outside your own spores. As you walk, you seem to trip, crack, and otherwise fumble around, making as much noise as possible. The noise ringing throughout the cavern.

     The panther begins to make his way back towards the group, when he notices that the cleric is rather noisily admiring the mushrooms. As quickly and quietly as his panther form allows he runs up to Evrik and tugs on his trousers pulling them back to where they entered the cavern (between the first two larger green blobs in the south of the map). From the low guttural sounds the panther begins to make, it is apparent it is expressing its displeasure. He nudges the cleric back towards the entrance and then dashes off to signal the others forward.

     Leading the group back to the three-way split again, he stops and paces back and forth keeping the others behind him - not allowing them to move forward.  Making sure they remain at the junction, the panther slinks off to the northern path

Perception 17

As Immotichey heads north, and the group is at the fork, he would come to a point in the northern path where the green branched inwardly, a deep alcove in the fungus, here, the greenish light seemed deepest. As he would peek around the corner, he would see this.

4

Many tendrils poring into what appears to be an orc, wearing the vestments of a mage or scholar, the tendrils are buried beneath his skin, slowly and meticulously seemign to drain him from the inside, out. It looked as though the orc would only have so long before he was drained from this world.

There seemed to be several more, hidden from view aside from their tendrils leeching from the orc.

(Perception 10 to see if this orc may be one from a tribe Immo recognizes) 

     At the sight of this eldritch horror, the panther immediately stops in its tracks. It takes moment to see if this orc is somehow familiar to the druid. Again he will quietly move back to the group. He shifts back to his true form and quietly relays the information of what he saw regarding this aberration of nature, and his belief that there may be more than one.

Concentrating on the description given by the druid, Evrik rifles through his memories. (Arcana: 13) Seemingly a ritual of some sort, certainly he can recall something related to such a scene. Something was attempting to channel the Orcs knowledge for their own purposes.

"This is idiotic.", Arthasis stated as the druid again vanished away from the group down the northern path. "Why do we even bother. Whatever the source of this wailing, there is probably a reason for it. This voice either wants to lure us closer or is in some kind of serious trouble. In any case we should just stay away.” The warlock would have eagerly continued his rant if it made any difference. But the Lizardman was already under way and the rest of the group seemed keen on following him. Coming to terms with this fact, Arthasis readied himself for the fight, which would most certainly ensue.

And sure enough the Lzardman came back with the bad news he expected all along. "What are you planning to do now? We could still just turn around and get away from here. Personally, I have no intention of sharing the orc's fate."

Chubby whispers to the rest of the team “want me to slice and dice whatever is attacking the thing?”

Through the myconid mind link, the group will hear Shuushar solemnly express, "The choice is up to you all, but you >must< decide quickly. If not for an ideal or some sense of righteousness in the course, sparing this orc can yet yield information in regards to our current path. And thus, avoid far greater dangers. Of which, there are many..." The whole time Shuushar's gaze has changed from the distance look. 

      Hearing the kuo-toa's words, Immotichey turns to Chubby. "I did not heed his words back in the cave. Maybe he is worth listening to." Then to the group, "The last thing I remember before finding myself in that cage was that I was trying to track orcs and survivors from my village. Perhaps there is more information to be had from the orc than the kuo-toa realizes."  He pulls his shield and quarterstaff from his back to signal his thoughts on the matter. 

      Through the spore network (if it's still up, otherwise he'll just ask aloud) Immotichey reaches out to Shuushar, "Do you sense anything here that would interfere with our spells?"

        Shuushar closes his eyes and puts his hands together, then takes in a deep, lungful of air through his nose.

Shuushar Opens the Third Eye of the Multiverse!

Perception: 24 (Unless a Int based skill is required. In which case, -4).

Then through the spore link he says, "I sense..."

(Waiting on DM Adjudication)

This orc was like none other that Immotichey had ever seen. It seemed highly intelligent, and it's skin was a soft blue, and it's clothing was much more kempt, aside from where the tendrils were entering the orc, than you would normally see on a typical, savage, orc.

Evrik would ultimately believe it to be a Beholder, or Beholder-kin based on the description.. it had a giant central eye, and many tendrils, the only thing it lacked was a mouth, and many eyes - as far as they knew. As for what was happening, either the orc was providing sustenance, or knowledge to whatever it was that was feeding from him, or, whatever it was was implanting something into the orc. Either option was gruesome, and brutal.

Arthasis gains 1 inspiration, if he does not already have one. So does Chubby, he also feels slightly gassy. Immotichey also gains 1 inspiration, if he does not already have one.

Shuushar would literally glow with raw, zen energy, the knowledge of the multiverse flowing through him like an oracle.

After a time, Shuushar's eyes flash open, revealing a kaleidoscope of colors for a few seconds. Then, he slam shut, and the raw, zen energy slowly dissipates from his form. His breathing is a bit ragged for a time.  He quickly gets it back under control with a single, deep breathe.

"I sense... the way is clear. We have passed through the nexus point. And point it is in the greater whole. I've... also sensed something else... An imitator... fearful... it is not... is it not as it seems? Maybe... The word... a name... Beholder! Or at least, a grandiose deception of a predator that should be prey." Shuushar opens his eyes and looks to the others after having said that through the net. "A danger all the same. Be swift but cautious should you act. If one of you can get the orc away and a safe distance, I will care for it to the best of my ability."

Chubby will attempt to swing at the beholder, taking care to NOT hit the orc that it's attached to:

Attack: 6 Damage: 10

.

 As chubby charges in, his fat folds wobble just wrong, causing him to trip sideways, awkwardly, his belly falling on his blade, taking a deep cut equal to 3/4ths it's roll damage (roll your weapons damage, then take 3/4ths that damage, rounded up.)

His tumble causing him to impact against the orc like a rolling boulder of fat, dealing 4 damage to the orc, and awakening  the other fifteen Beholder like-beings from their slumber, including the three that had been doing things to the orc, now releasing him, him beginning to collapse to the floor. Chubby would notice as they tumbled, the orc seemed to be wearing Plate-mail leggings. Each of the eighteen beholder-beings rose up, caught by surprise.

SURPRISE ROUND. The beholder beings are all stunned by Chubby's sudden appearance.

Crispy 23 | Pocket_AT 10 | Mehmen 15 | Saute_Monkey 11 | o_Merlin_o 6 | Penguini 7

Beholder-beings: 7

Arthasis watched in disbelief as the dwarf rushed headlong down the northern pathway. He just couldn’t believe his eyes uttering a hearable gasp before saying, “What is wrong with this moronic fool? Is he drunk?” The warlock wasn’t about to go anywhere, least of all into the lair of a beholder if Shuushar was to be believed.

“Well you said it yourselves, maybe the fishman has some valuable lessons for us. For now, I might just have found my inner pacifist.”, Arthasis walked over to Evrik and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “You’ll do, what you gotta do, friends.”, his whole demeanor made abundantly clear that he would not be the first to go after Chubby.

While he was waiting for the others to come up with a plan, he pondered Shuushar’s words trying to think of creatures, which could pull off the kind of deception he had hinted at. Arcana with Guidance : 9

Arthasis would have even less luck than Evrick did and pull out mostly the same information.

(Pre-post) 

Shuushar would keep his distance (30 if at all possible), and prepare himself to dodge any ongoing harm should the thing and its friends break away from the pack. At least until the Orc was pulled in out of immediate harm's reach. As he waited, Shuushar partitioned apart of his mind once more to awaken... his The Fourth Eye of Consolidation!

History: 3.

Shuushar instead falls into a sleep-like meditation.

     Immotichey grunts as the warlock does not engage, and seem content with allowing their dwarf companion to his fate. "I'm not running away again!" he growls and follows behind the dwarf. The number of creatures he hadn't seen before almost makes him rethink his decision, but fights through the urge to flee. The horde before him calls for something greater than his typical flamebolt. His clawed fingers quickly pull out from one pouch a small ball of fat coated in yellow and gray powders, and he begins to intone a spell. A large rolling ball of fire is manifested in the midst of the creatures, causing them all nearby to feel its heat.

Flaming Sphere, DC 13 Dex, 6 fire damage on fail, or 1/2 on save

(Staying at max 60' range from the point that would allow the sphere to be placed in the best position to damage as many as possible, and avoiding the orc.)

     The lizardman then quickly prepares his quarterstaff should any come within range and imbues it with his druid magics.

Bonus Action: Shillelagh