As the druid of the party, Gotur would have taken point. Provided his new connection to the plants growing in the jungle didn't part the way, he would have known something was up, and warned the others before it got to where we were all taking damage.
Land's Stride
Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
"Ow!"
Gotur shakes his finger where he'd been pricked.
"The plants here are magical in some way, if they were mundane, they'd bow out of my path. And it only looks like it's getting worse up ahead. I think you're right that she doesn't want visitors, but did anyone else see that little guy with the flower? Maybe the flower is the password, as it were? An offering to the Guardian Naga? I can get in touch with the surroundings and see if there are any about."
"Keep an eye out for more of those little guys, Eku, you'd be able to talk to them, right?"
If there are no objections, he retreats back down and finds a spot he can touch the soil, planting his staff in the ground and sitting with it in front of him, one hand gripping it. Rootlets grow out of the bottom of the staff into the soil, and tendrils wrap around his left hand holding the staff. With his right he traces symbols in the air and on the ground, signaling Philip for some water, he traces the symbols in the resulting puddle, all while intoning in his druidic language as he seeks the presence of the orange and purple orchid.
After a bit he grows still, listening to the jungle, and after ten minutes, opens his eyes, tendrils and roots retreating back into his staff as he stands up and stretches.
Gotur, Eku responds "These creatures are interesting, Gotur. They cannot speak. Perhaps physically they have the means, although I've never seen one of their faces. I just know that they do not speak."
Eku's telepathy:
The contacted creature doesn’t need to share a language with Eku to communicate in this way with it, but it must be able to understand at least one language.
This little creature does not understand any language, therefore Eku cannot speak telepathically to it/them
Gotur, after you come back down and your powerful magic takes hold with Phillip's help using the water, you feel the presence of these orange and purple orchids around the base of the ziggurat. With the vast flora in the jungle, you might not have noticed them upon arriving if you weren't specifically looking, but with your magic activated you can now sense that they are basically everywhere around the jungle at the base of the ziggurat.
Gotur, it takes you about 30 minutes and you find a nice patch of them. You don't think they would secrete any type of poison from an initial look over.
If you were to pick one, it would be confirmed that there is no poison.
And if you were to walk back up the first set of stairs with that flower, you'd notice that after the first 10 feet when the thorns and vines get really bad, they would part just like before with the chwinga as you walk near them, which allows you (and whoever you might pick a flower for) to climb to the second set of stairs.
Everyone would need a flower in order to not get pricked on the way up, and Gotur is easily able to harvest enough for the entire party.
Eku says "Well done, Gotur. I wonder what other tricks this naga has set up."
((sorry if I rushed that. For PbP sake to save time, you basically figured it out. If anyone wants to do anything else before heading up, let me know.))
Ground to First Level = Complete
SECOND STEPS
The steps from level 1 to level 2 are 33 feet long and rise 20 feet. The stone is crumbling from age and decay. Anyone who tries to climb the steps find that, after the first few, the stone crumbles into gravel beneath them so they can’t make any more progress. However much you try to climb and demolish the steps, they never seem to get any worse and the gravel never piles up any deeper.
Then you see the chwinga again. It pops out from a large rock, and when it does you all see that this time it has a mask resembling a chameleon’s head. (first one was a triceratops head mask). Was it the same chwinga? Or a different one?
It’s carrying an orange and purple orchid and a red parrot feather, and it races up the steps with ease the moment you see it, literally light as a feather on the fragile stones.
Eku and Azaka look puzzled. (big surprise there, lol)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Gotur gives a friendly wave at the strange creature.
"I feel like they are helping us... any one seen a red bird flying about? I could maybe try that same spell, but it'd be easier if I knew what to look for... Eku, maybe you could fly around a bit back where you're allowed to, and find a nest that might have a few shed ones? Or if one of those red birds got caught by a predator, there might be a bunch of feathers lying about."
He scans the jungle, looking for flashes of red, and listening for bird calls. Perception: 15 (16 Passive)
((If everyone is at a loss, or not able to find a red bird, Gotur will attempt to ritual cast the same spell, searching for birds with red plumage this time.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Phillip helps Gotur with some water, and delights in seeing the cheeky little playful creatures carrying things up the stairs…
When the party are looking for red feathers, he rifles through his 40 exotic arrows trying to find any that may have been fletched with the required bird’s plumage…
Alton follows with the rest of the group, doing his best to help out with anything he can. This isn’t really his area of expertise, so stays more to the back and is more quiet.
Gotur and Evo, it doesn't take you long before you notice a few of the same red parrot feathers lying around on this level. Alton was also peeking around the ground helping you guys, and so you all had no problems finding a lot of them.
Gotur, the little chwinga does not wave back, although it makes sense that you think these little creatures might be trying to help given what they've already done.
Phillip, the party has enough feathers from the ground, but you did notice that a few of them were indeed used to make some of the arrow flights! Seems parrots are common in the jungle.
Ok - so, you each have an orange and purple orchid and a red parrot feather. Assuming you all now try to make the climb again, you notice that you're easily able to climb the crumbling stairs, just like the little chwinga did.
First Level to Second Level = Complete
THIRD STEPS
The steps from level 2 to level 3 (the level of the shrine) are 20 feet long and rise 12 feet. The stairs are in excellent condition, but swarms of poisonous snakes slither over them. To save time, if any of the snakes are killed, more will crawl out through holes in the stone to replace them, so the swarms can never be destroyed or even weakened. No spells or abilities prevent the snakes from attacking someone who climbs the stairs.
"It might help to think of the whole situation as a fairy tale; it doesn’t need to make sense, because the magic of Orolunga is on a mythic scale that overpowers the ability of any mortal."
After a few moments of examining the stairs, you notice a third chwinga appear again from a rock at the base of the steps.
This time, its mask resembles a mongoose’s face, and it carries a red parrot feather and an orange and purple orchid.
You see the chwinga then whack one of the snakes with its orchid which makes the snake angry, then strokes the snake’s flank with the feather to calm it down, then lies down facing the snake, whereupon the reptile crawls through the mouth of the mask and inside the chwinga. The chwinga then slithers up the steps like a snake, untroubled by any of the other poisonous snakes.
"Yeah... Guess it'd fall to me... Here... Be ready if this doesn't work."
He hands Evo a wildroot.
"If I'm poisoned and your need this to purge it, just pulp this, cut me and slap it over the wound."
He takes a deep breath and kneels near the base of the stairs, waiting for a snake to come close before flower slapping it, then feather tickling it. If the snake seems calm, he mutters a curse and lies down, opening his mouth and screwing his eyes shut.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
"Aye, but it's harder than it looks to learn how to slither aye image. Ye let me know if it looks like he's in distress. I'll be watching this way for anyone following us."
"I can slither just fine in snake form, but it's nothing I practice out of that form, and me turning into a snake to get by doesn't help you all even if it works."
He opens his mouth again reluctantly.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Gotur, the snake reacts the same way when the chwinga did it.
It gets upset when you whack it, then calms right down when you tickle it. As you lie down and open your mouth, the snake indeed slithers into your mouth, and down your throat into your esophagus and then into your stomach... you likely gag as this is happening, but the snake somehow continues to slither down your throat no matter how hard you gag.
As the druid of the party, Gotur would have taken point. Provided his new connection to the plants growing in the jungle didn't part the way, he would have known something was up, and warned the others before it got to where we were all taking damage.
Land's Stride
Starting at 6th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement. You can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard.
In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the entangle spell.
"Ow!"
Gotur shakes his finger where he'd been pricked.
"The plants here are magical in some way, if they were mundane, they'd bow out of my path. And it only looks like it's getting worse up ahead. I think you're right that she doesn't want visitors, but did anyone else see that little guy with the flower? Maybe the flower is the password, as it were? An offering to the Guardian Naga? I can get in touch with the surroundings and see if there are any about."
"Keep an eye out for more of those little guys, Eku, you'd be able to talk to them, right?"
If there are no objections, he retreats back down and finds a spot he can touch the soil, planting his staff in the ground and sitting with it in front of him, one hand gripping it. Rootlets grow out of the bottom of the staff into the soil, and tendrils wrap around his left hand holding the staff. With his right he traces symbols in the air and on the ground, signaling Philip for some water, he traces the symbols in the resulting puddle, all while intoning in his druidic language as he seeks the presence of the orange and purple orchid.
After a bit he grows still, listening to the jungle, and after ten minutes, opens his eyes, tendrils and roots retreating back into his staff as he stands up and stretches.
"Well..."
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Gotur, Eku responds "These creatures are interesting, Gotur. They cannot speak. Perhaps physically they have the means, although I've never seen one of their faces. I just know that they do not speak."
Eku's telepathy:
The contacted creature doesn’t need to share a language with Eku to communicate in this way with it, but it must be able to understand at least one language.
This little creature does not understand any language, therefore Eku cannot speak telepathically to it/them
Gotur, after you come back down and your powerful magic takes hold with Phillip's help using the water, you feel the presence of these orange and purple orchids around the base of the ziggurat. With the vast flora in the jungle, you might not have noticed them upon arriving if you weren't specifically looking, but with your magic activated you can now sense that they are basically everywhere around the jungle at the base of the ziggurat.
"Those flowers are all about, I'll try plucking one and see if it affects the vegetation?"
Gotur will wander the base until he locates one, giving it a quick study, trying to make sure it doesn't secrete a contact poison or the like.
Nature: 13 (unless it's Survival instead, in which case +5 additional)
"Lovely flower you've made, sorry to harvest your reproductive organs, but we seek audience with the Naga above."
If any of the party give him a weird look for talking to a plant, he shrugs. "Figured it didn't hurt to be polite."
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Evo smiles politely.
"Aye talk to the moon. No room to judge."
Gotur, it takes you about 30 minutes and you find a nice patch of them. You don't think they would secrete any type of poison from an initial look over.
If you were to pick one, it would be confirmed that there is no poison.
And if you were to walk back up the first set of stairs with that flower, you'd notice that after the first 10 feet when the thorns and vines get really bad, they would part just like before with the chwinga as you walk near them, which allows you (and whoever you might pick a flower for) to climb to the second set of stairs.
Everyone would need a flower in order to not get pricked on the way up, and Gotur is easily able to harvest enough for the entire party.
Eku says "Well done, Gotur. I wonder what other tricks this naga has set up."
((sorry if I rushed that. For PbP sake to save time, you basically figured it out. If anyone wants to do anything else before heading up, let me know.))
Ground to First Level = Complete
SECOND STEPS
The steps from level 1 to level 2 are 33 feet long and rise 20 feet. The stone is crumbling from age and decay. Anyone who tries to climb the steps find that, after the first few, the stone crumbles into gravel beneath them so they can’t make any more progress. However much you try to climb and demolish the steps, they never seem to get any worse and the gravel never piles up any deeper.
Then you see the chwinga again. It pops out from a large rock, and when it does you all see that this time it has a mask resembling a chameleon’s head. (first one was a triceratops head mask). Was it the same chwinga? Or a different one?
It’s carrying an orange and purple orchid and a red parrot feather, and it races up the steps with ease the moment you see it, literally light as a feather on the fragile stones.
Eku and Azaka look puzzled. (big surprise there, lol)
What will you do?
Evo's going to look around for a red parrot feather.
Perception: 22
If he spots one, or more, he will point it out and pick it/them up.
Gotur gives a friendly wave at the strange creature.
"I feel like they are helping us... any one seen a red bird flying about? I could maybe try that same spell, but it'd be easier if I knew what to look for... Eku, maybe you could fly around a bit back where you're allowed to, and find a nest that might have a few shed ones? Or if one of those red birds got caught by a predator, there might be a bunch of feathers lying about."
He scans the jungle, looking for flashes of red, and listening for bird calls. Perception: 15 (16 Passive)
((If everyone is at a loss, or not able to find a red bird, Gotur will attempt to ritual cast the same spell, searching for birds with red plumage this time.))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Phillip helps Gotur with some water, and delights in seeing the cheeky little playful creatures carrying things up the stairs…
When the party are looking for red feathers, he rifles through his 40 exotic arrows trying to find any that may have been fletched with the required bird’s plumage…
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Alton follows with the rest of the group, doing his best to help out with anything he can. This isn’t really his area of expertise, so stays more to the back and is more quiet.
Alton Thorngage- (Klein’s One Shot String Adventure)
Holden Stonefist-(A Tale of Mercenaries)
Fenrick Wolfsbane- (Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden)
DMing-Ctleath13’s Lost Mines of Phandelver and Ctleath13’s Out of the Abyss
Gotur and Evo, it doesn't take you long before you notice a few of the same red parrot feathers lying around on this level. Alton was also peeking around the ground helping you guys, and so you all had no problems finding a lot of them.
Gotur, the little chwinga does not wave back, although it makes sense that you think these little creatures might be trying to help given what they've already done.
Phillip, the party has enough feathers from the ground, but you did notice that a few of them were indeed used to make some of the arrow flights! Seems parrots are common in the jungle.
Ok - so, you each have an orange and purple orchid and a red parrot feather. Assuming you all now try to make the climb again, you notice that you're easily able to climb the crumbling stairs, just like the little chwinga did.
First Level to Second Level = Complete
THIRD STEPS
The steps from level 2 to level 3 (the level of the shrine) are 20 feet long and rise 12 feet. The stairs are in excellent condition, but swarms of poisonous snakes slither over them. To save time, if any of the snakes are killed, more will crawl out through holes in the stone to replace them, so the swarms can never be destroyed or even weakened. No spells or abilities prevent the snakes from attacking someone who climbs the stairs.
"It might help to think of the whole situation as a fairy tale; it doesn’t need to make sense, because the magic of Orolunga is on a mythic scale that overpowers the ability of any mortal."
After a few moments of examining the stairs, you notice a third chwinga appear again from a rock at the base of the steps.
This time, its mask resembles a mongoose’s face, and it carries a red parrot feather and an orange and purple orchid.
You see the chwinga then whack one of the snakes with its orchid which makes the snake angry, then strokes the snake’s flank with the feather to calm it down, then lies down facing the snake, whereupon the reptile crawls through the mouth of the mask and inside the chwinga. The chwinga then slithers up the steps like a snake, untroubled by any of the other poisonous snakes.
Eku doesn't say a word. Not yet, anyway.
Azaka raises an eyebrow and looks to the others.
What is next?
Evo coughs.
"Uh... Yer up Gotur."
"Yeah... Guess it'd fall to me... Here... Be ready if this doesn't work."
He hands Evo a wildroot.
"If I'm poisoned and your need this to purge it, just pulp this, cut me and slap it over the wound."
He takes a deep breath and kneels near the base of the stairs, waiting for a snake to come close before flower slapping it, then feather tickling it. If the snake seems calm, he mutters a curse and lies down, opening his mouth and screwing his eyes shut.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
If what Evo thinks is going to happen actually happens he gags and looks away muttering,
"Oh Lady above us that isn't right..."
“What’s he waiting ffff-P’or?! Uh huh?… Doesn’t he need to just slither up now? Hm-Hmmm?….”, whispers Phillip to Evo.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Alton groans in concern, watching his half-orc friend with anticipation. He holds a dagger ready, but looks on silently and calmly.
Alton Thorngage- (Klein’s One Shot String Adventure)
Holden Stonefist-(A Tale of Mercenaries)
Fenrick Wolfsbane- (Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden)
DMing-Ctleath13’s Lost Mines of Phandelver and Ctleath13’s Out of the Abyss
Still looking away Evo replies to Phillip
"Aye, but it's harder than it looks to learn how to slither aye image. Ye let me know if it looks like he's in distress. I'll be watching this way for anyone following us."
"I can slither just fine in snake form, but it's nothing I practice out of that form, and me turning into a snake to get by doesn't help you all even if it works."
He opens his mouth again reluctantly.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Gotur, the snake reacts the same way when the chwinga did it.
It gets upset when you whack it, then calms right down when you tickle it. As you lie down and open your mouth, the snake indeed slithers into your mouth, and down your throat into your esophagus and then into your stomach... you likely gag as this is happening, but the snake somehow continues to slither down your throat no matter how hard you gag.
Azaka turns away.
Eku nods at Gotur in approval.
Gotur, please roll a CON save.
Evo dry heaves after glancing back to see the tail disappear into Gotur as the half orc gags.
"Wave-" hack and spitting, "wave if ye need meh help Gotur."
More dry heaving.
Con save:21
Gotur wonders about the life decisions that led to this circumstance.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock