Necromancer's Delusion-Homebrew

Aryn would let a small grin show on her face as she pulled the arrows from the shields and walked towards the bonfire.  As she made her way through the forest path she would pull out her new bow and give it a small kiss while admiring the craftsmanship then pull it back over her shoulder.  She didn't often drop her guard and get comfortable but in this place she felt a kind of safety she hadn't felt since before her brother was born.  She recalled hunting in the forest of her youth with her late father who would tell her stories of her mother who past when she was born. As she reached the clearing the memory vanished and she put back up her mental shield.  

As everyone prepares for tonight, Mucor would make his way to a deeper darker section of the forest. Once he was alone, the minotaur would pull the largest of the death cap mushrooms from his pack and cast mold earth to churn up the muddy soil and create a perfect bed for his mushroom. Once the mushroom was in place, Mucor would pull out his new staff and close his eyes. Holding the staff tightly, words would come to his mind and he would begin to chant. Holding both hands on the staff, he would point it towards the mushroom on the ground. With his eyes closed tightly, beads of sweat would begin to form on the Minotaur as he spent the next 8 hours casting awaken on the mushroom.

As the group left the temple to explore, plan or continue testing their new items, Mucor would wander deep into the forest within the grove. Once there he would plop down pulling out a single death cap mushroom. The dull green mushroom appears fragile to its hulking owner who holds it delicately in his hand. The small blue speckles emit a small bio-luminescent glow in the shade of the trees. Planting the staff in the ground Mucor gently balances the mushroom on the ground in front of the staff and begins to cast Awaken. The staff begins to glow and green energy around the mushroom begins to swirl around it as if it were a small hurricane hovering over the mushroom. As each hour passes a different color of energy is added so that the swirl of energy lights up the area in a rainbow of colors now that the sun has set. As the spell comes to a close the swirling energy begins to funnel into the mushroom causing it to glow brightly. As the last of the energy enters the mushroom it grows a set of sinewy roots, a slit opens in its stem and many of the blue speckles congregate into two solid reflective dots near the edge of the cap. The glow fades and the mushroom speaks in a soft high pitched voice, “Hello my name is Button.” And hops up into your hand.

(Lol just finished typing this then looked up. At least we were thinking the same thing)

(lol, they both work :D A nice combination of both. So the real question is... since Button is charmed by me but not truly under my control exactly... will I be controlling him or will you? Or will it be a combination?)

(Congrats on the new bestie! I didn't even know this was a thing you could do lol)

"Hello Button" Mucor would reply with a large smile. "I granted you this life in the hopes that we could be friends..... would you like to be my friend Button" The mintaur would say as he gives the mushroom a small tap on the cap. "When I was young... only a little bigger than you... your kind helped to survive the harsh swamps where I grew up... they gave me my life... I had hoped maybe I could return the favor by giving you life... little one" Mucor would say still holding Button close. 

(It will be me. Also pick a language you know for y'all to talk in.)  "Thank you friend.  Yes I would love to be friends with you.  You were as little as me?", Button says looking up at the titanic looking minotaur then back to herself. "How did we give you life? (rhetorical)  I only know how to kill." Button says as tiny blue needle-like protrusions come out from the cap and stem then recede back beneath the soft smooth flesh of the mushroom.

(If anyone else would like to visit the shops/ explore a portion of the grove or talk plans feel free.  I plan on moving forward to the noon meeting with Geo and Inara tomorrow morning.)

Gaelin would look for a shop that carried grappling hooks just in case they ended up needing them and get 3 for his group to share. 

Gaelin is successful in finding 3 grappling hooks from a small shop in the southern part of the grove. (added them to your inventory)

You congregate back for dinner, discuss strategy for a few hours then head off to your quarters.  All the while Mucor has bee working on a spell and is finally seeing the fruits of his labor.  Around 11 pm his spell finishes and he has his first conversation with his new friend Button.  Everyone awakes to the sweet smells of fruits and savory scents of meat being cooked over a fire.  You enjoy a large breakfast knowing that midday holds the promise of battle.  You make your way to the temple and find Inara and Geo looking over the same illusion layout of the keep. 

"Blessings friends.  We have much to discuss.  Our scouting mission last night was quite successful.  However we were not prepared for what we saw.  Maven and Respen have take at least 5 villagers hostage last night. When we left, they were being taken into a dungeon deep within the rock.  We don't know if they plan to turn them or to use them as food but this only redoubles our urgency to strike.  I hope you are prepared.  Your targets are acting out of desperation it seems which only makes them more dangerous.  The vampire gene is a curse that can be spread through their bite.  It makes them incredibly strong and resistance to damage as well as give mystical persuasive powers over others.  They also regenerate gradually unless recently damaged by holy water or radiant energy.  However, it does make them weak against sunlight and running water.  The stream and pond to the north, while useful, should be considered the last course of action due to its distance from the keep.  We have brought a large supply of holy water.  Take as many flasks as you see necessary.  If you have any questions or need a light meal before we depart now is the time." Inara says as the illusion shows Maven and Respen carrying villagers back into the keep during the night.  Behind Inara is a table with three cases (18 each) of flasks as well as a small layout of fruits and foods.

Aryn would walk over to the flasks of holy water and ask, "Can I apply this to my arrows... do I just pour it on them and hope they become holy?  If so how long will it last?" then takes a piece of meat from the table and begins chewing on it.

(I don't see anything about putting it on weapons in the equipment description and wanted to know if that is an option.)

(Good call.  Never noticed that it didn't say anything in the description.  Always figured it worked like Van Helsing, you dip them in and they were holy for a about a minute. 20 arrows per Holy Water (flask).  Instead of 2d6 it will only add 1d6 radiant damage for arrows.  If you were to apply it to a weapon it would be the full 2d6 but same minute time of potency.  1 action to pour/ coat 20 arrows or a weapon in holy water.)

(On second thought...)

Inara walks over to Aryn and says, "May I?" as she reaches towards one of the arrows in your quiver.  She takes it and pops the stopper off one of the flasks, then while holding the arrow still in her hand casts Shape Water with the other hand.  A small globule of holy water hovers out of the flask and floats towards the tip of the arrow then expands over the arrowhead faintly increasing the size.  It freezes in place over the steel point augmenting the shape slightly but not enough to impact the range or performance of the arrow.  "This will last for one hour.  Your druid will be able to do this for all your arrows once you arrive near the keep."  she says as she hands the arrow back to you.

(Nice movie reference, even better solution.  That is awesome!)

Aryn would carefully twist and admire the frozen arrowhead and look back at Inara in half amazement and mutter a soft, "Thank you" still somewhat shocked at the ingenuity of these people. Then would turn to the table of flasks and grab 6, 4 for her supply of arrows and 2 for daggers just in case.  She would grab another piece of meat then rejoin her group ready for battle.

(GREAT! NOW I HAVE TO PREPARE SHAPE WATER :D GEEZZZZ.... Actually.. that is a cantrip that Mucor doesn't know... and I cannot just swap out cantrips like I can spells... Also, Button will speak minotaur because I don't want to risk anyone saying anything to him to make him sad and want to leave the group :D HE IS MY PRECIOUS BABY. )

 Arriving to breakfast, you all would notice a black and blue mushroom perched on the minotaurs shoulder. Not more than a few inches tall, it would be appear to be sprouting from his shoulder out from his fur just beside the straps of his armor. "This is Button..." Mucor would say beaming with pride. "If any of you hurt my new friend, I will make sure to fee you to him...." He would say with a serious tone that doesn't seem to match the smile on his face. The mushroom however, currently not moving, would appear to just be a normal mushroom.

When they are briefed on the findings, Mucor would snort. "I guess we had better get moving quickly then" He would say with a snort. He would then grab a fist full of holy water flasks and put them in his bag. "Now Button, I don't want you to get hurt so if things get too scary I want you to hide inside my bag OK?" He would say turning his head to his shoulder towards Button.

(Sorry I meant the grove druid.  I try to not make the players have to prepare anything.)

The mushroom on Mucor's shoulder just appears to be a mushroom until Mucor talks directly to it about getting in the bag.  The tiny mushroom with two large blue speckles suddenly stands up on small root like legs and turns to talk to Mucor.  You barely make out a soft high-pitched voice that sounds like it roaring and barking at Mucor, (since it's in Minotaur) but to Mucor she says, "Okay.  Thank you friend. " 

Gaelin listens intently to Inara and makes mental notes.  He smiles as he watches his sister's surprise and cocks his head slightly when Mucor speaks and upon seeing the mushroom move and speak.  "What have we gotten ourselves into sis." he thinks to himself then nods to Mucor.  Gaelin walks over to the table retrieves 3 flasks, putting them in his bag and walks back to his group with an apple in his hand. "I am ready."

I drew a picture of Button. XtraCrispy, let me know if this is not how he should look and I can change it. I was imagining him being probably only like... 6inches tall maybe?

That’s awesome. I love it. If anything I’d make the stem a slightly lighter shade of grey with a greenish hue to it.

Probably only 3 inches total right now. It will have the opportunity of growing bigger and potentially start augmenting your spores as well depending on how things play out. 

(That's adorable.  We have our own baby groot!)

(I AM BUTTON!) (Love it!!!)

Quote from Xtracrispy07 >>

That’s awesome. I love it. If anything I’d make the stem a slightly lighter shade of grey with a greenish hue to it.

Probably only 3 inches total right now. It will have the opportunity of growing bigger and potentially start augmenting your spores as well depending on how things play out. 

 Awesome, I already have plans to spend 8 hours casting plant growth on it to see if I can make it stronger. 3 inches is totally fine also, I wasn't sure how large it was to start.