Miles:

(OOC:  Miles had started going that way, then stopped when Wendigo gave his report.  He intended to follow when the others continued forward (as he originally suggested), but I didn't explicitly say so.  Feel free to have Vera react first, then Miles catch up from behind at some later point).

(Jhazaal also said he wanted to check on the sounds. I would assume he went with her, once she used the healing from his healing spirit and he released it.)

"Ug." Jhazaal says with a glance back the way they came. "Maybe just report to big mushroom men..."

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

Vera, you round a corner and see an odd sight:

Echoes spill from the misty cavern beyond, a cacophony of wheezing voices that wrap together like some kind of discordant music. The remaining heads planted in the Garden of Welcome begin to croak and groan, joining the horrible song.

Through the mist that shrouds the smaller cavern, you see the parade of creatures responsible for the melody. Their bodies are only vaguely humanoid, with clusters of luminescent lichen and tumescent growths forming chaotic patterns on their decaying flesh, their voices stabbing into your minds, both insane and gleeful in equal parts:

From rocky bed the toadstool rose,
From chaos dark, her love She shows.
Wish! Yearn! Laugh!
The Lady will be wed!
Crave! Hunger! Dance!
Her joyous spores will spread!
Youth is gone, beauty rots,
Araumycos and Zuggtmoy!
Joined together, heart to heart,
Becoming one ’til death do part!
Hail! Hail! Hail!

Quote from Scott_R_Simmons >>

Miles:

Recoiling in disgust, Miles says, "We must put an end to these foul mockeries of life," entering a rage and racing towards the corrupted corpses.

Initiative if needed:  10

Vera was stunned into inactivity once again as she witnessed the disturbing site in front of her, slowly coming to terms with just how large this depraved operation was.  She was shocked into focus though when the strange chant began piecing her mind and overwhelming all her thoughts and actions.  As she tried in vain to think on who Araumycos was (History check: 13) she saw the chef try and charge forward towards the chanters.  "Miles wait!!" Vera hissed as loud as she dared as she attempted to stop him from continuing.  

(OOC: Not sure if there would be some sort of contested check on this but she for sure does not want to go near the chanters if she doesn't have to)

Miles:

Coming around the corner behind Vera, Miles is just about to run in, then hears Vera just in time.  Ducking back around the corner, he whispers, "Those are dead bodies inhabited by mushroom spores.  I just finished putting the heads in the garden out of their misery; this perversion must be ended!"  He looks back and waits, though, cognizant of the need to have everyone on board before acting.

"There are too many," Wendigo growls. "We should go, report what we have found. Later we return with assistance and fire, destroy them all."

(OOC: For clarity, how many things are we looking at?  And there are two groups right:  The zombie-ish chanters and the planted heads?)

Knox has stayed at the back of the group, trying his best to stay out of sight of the chamber, but still somewhat close to his friends.

There are 12 smaller ones and 6 larger ones, all appear to be weird mushroom plant zombie things.  The heads don’t seem to be doing all that much.

Quote from TheHumbug >>

"There are too many," Wendigo growls. "We should go, report what we have found. Later we return with assistance and fire, destroy them all."

"I think I agree with you... the longer we stay here, the more likely it is that we'll be discovered."  Vera added as she continued to look on at the depraved parade.

(OOC- Not sure if we're supposed to stop or discover what's going on deeper in the cavern but I Vera's first inclination is to dip pretty hard.  She's not looking for another Demogorgan situation if she can avoid it.

Knox waits back from the chamber entrance for his companions to come back out and explain what they see, not wanting his large clunky form to give away their position by entering himself.

Jhazaal would definitely not be one to push for an attack. "Go now?" he whispers to the others. "Jhazaal no like..."

(So has everyone decided to leave?)

Miles:

Extremely reluctant to leave, Miles turns and says, "Are you CERTAIN no one wants to join me in destroying these fungal zombie abominations?  Certainly someone has a spell to soften them up, right?"

"Jhazaal has no softening spells..." Jhazaal says with a shake of his bald head. "Jhazaal stay and fight if wish, but..." He shrugs glancing to the others.

"There are at least 15 of those creatures up ahead.  Plus the greater demon...  I don't know how smart it is to go rushing up there and drawing more attention to ourselves..."  Vera began.  "...but I understand where you're coming from.  If you think it's the right call then I'll follow you Miles.  But we need to decide now."  she added looking towards the rest of the group.

OOC: Miles may be a chef, but he is also a barbarian, and those spore zombies before seemed to go down relatively easy.  That being said, tactically it is probably unwise and Miles can be talked down, but to him this is part of taking care of the problem as they were asked to do--either now, or coming back with more allies to spread the load a bit.  If you want to do a party vote, Miles is a definite yes.

(To be clear—these aren’t spore servants.  They’re weird demonic plant things.)

Quote from Scott_R_Simmons >>

OOC: Miles may be a chef, but he is also a barbarian, and those spore zombies before seemed to go down relatively easy.  That being said, tactically it is probably unwise and Miles can be talked down, but to him this is part of taking care of the problem as they were asked to do--either now, or coming back with more allies to spread the load a bit.  If you want to do a party vote, Miles is a definite yes.

From Vera's point of view, she doesn't want another Demogorgon situation with Zuggtmoy (and has no idea how close it may be) but she'll follow Miles and the others deeper into the grove if one or people go.  It also just seems like a lot of enemies for our group to face which is making her a bit uneasy as well.

OOC:  Let's pull back, unless someone else can accurately identify the new enemy as easy pickings.  The spore servants may have been relatively easy, but we know nothing about these demonic plant things.

"Jhazaal think no fight here." Jhazaal says as he moves away from the dancing circle. "Jhazaal think find help, and Jhazaal wish leave mushroom place..."