The cave surrounding you goes silent as Luther's arrow puts an end to the moving vines.
Looking closely at the huge undead, you see that it looks more like an ogre than a human or elf. But the back of its head is completely infested with vines covered in the same dark fungus you saw when entering the underground.
OOC: combat is over, we are out of initiative order.
"I wonder....was the big guy trapped here or stationed here?" Ufeza says to the group as he looks around the room, trying to find out its significance or why the monstrous undead was here in the first place.
Zephyra remains in wolf form to make full use of the heightened senses of her form and inspects the Undead Ogre thing to confirm for herself that it is truly dead. She nudges at it with her paw and nose to see if she can tell under it if any vines remain connected. perception20 Then moves to check any other exits from the area.
Approaching the huge undead corpse, Ufeza notices that the creature hangs from the roots, its legs swing a few inches above the ground. Zephyra's senses confirm that the ogre is truly dead. The pair look carefully at the creature and upon closer inspection realize that the roots weren’t part of the creature to begin with. Their entry to this creature’s body was violent and evil. It cannot be blamed for its actions long after it ceased to own the corpse it once called home.
Passing the undead and advancing a few steps into the tunnel you find a pair of elves strapped to the tree's root system with the roots piercing through them in multiple spots. The youngest looking one has a green leather satchel hanging over its shoulder. While most of their clothes and armor were destroyed by the roots, the bag is in pristine condition.
Blossom sniffs the air and recoils, emitting a low growl in the direction of the tunnel. “I… I cannot go further…” He looks pained, as if reliving some personal trauma, although the cause of it being the monster, the vines, or the tunnel itself you can’t determine. “I will tell the elves of our progress.”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Unsettled at seen Blossom balk Ufeza has a hunch something is up and hedges his words, "Be careful on the journey back, big guy. See you....sometime." He then moves to investigate the suspiciously pristine bag.
The bag feels normal when Ufeza grabs it. It opens easily, revealing an interior compartment larger than its outside. Ufeza's arms goes almost to his elbow before he grasps a small wooden box. Taking it out it jingles with a metallic sound, it's filled with 200 gp and a pair of pearls that look almost as valuable as the coins it holds.
Checking the bag again, you find a parchment note bearing Corellon Larethian's symbol.
Note transcript below:
Nanny
...all is lost... We areforsaken.... You must flee. Ournation is lost, ourpeopleshriven of our life.Our mostsacred of altars has beendesecrated. I write you thisandsend you myson. I must remain to witness.
Ufeza closes the bag and adds it to his pack, then passes the note around.
"There's a healthy amount of gold and a couple valuable looking pearls in there. We can dig deeper into that when we are in safety again. On a more pressing note, take a look." He then passes the note around the group.
Zephyra shifts back into her regular form and reviews the note, slips on her gloves and starts chopping away at the roots trapping the elven bodies to the walls. "We are close to the entrance and can at least bring these out for a proper burial or service. Wasn't Nanny the name of the leader of the elves? This looks meant for her. Should we take it to her or press on?" She asks as she works.
Having seen Blossom off with a solemn salute, Luther takes the note when offered by Ufeza and reads it.
"This sounds...bad for the author. This symbol, is it Elven? Oh yes, Nanny was their leader! Hmmm, I agree we should bury the fallen, but maybe press on to see if we can end the corruption before we return to the tribe?"
(I'm going to take extra DEX, suits Luther's role in the party)
"I think we should press on right away. Not only might might our foe, who or whatever that might be, discover that we've defeated its guard dog but we also don't know the actual funerary customs of this tribe. I wouldn't want to bury according to our traditions and commit a grave offense...uhh, no pun intended."
"I believe that is a religious symbol."
Religion check if needed to know whose symbol that is: 11
"I'm just proposing to leave the bodies in some peace up here, rather than pinned to the wall. I agree we shouldn't bury them ourselves. We can let them know when we return once the place is cleared." Zephyra says in agreement with Ufeza.
(Taking on FeyTouched Wisdon Feat with Misty Step and Dissonant Whispers which has the side effect of an extra Wisdom point - assuming additional spells prepared for next rest.)
You recognize the crescent moon as an older symbol for Corellon Larethian, the highest god of the elven pantheon.
As you pass the note among the group, a second page falls to the ground. It reads:
The dark tree has taken over Corellon's temple. It started on the acolytes chambers, now it has taken the main altar.
Our clerics can't stop it. A large glowing fruit grows from one of its roots. We leave now, but we will return home one day.
You cut away a few roots opening a way to safely pass deeper into the tree and to the Elvish city you can see further down the path.
Nanny Phrex’dia told you that it had been a long time since her tribe called the city beneath the tree their home. You’re now reminded of how long-lived the Elves really are, and how her scale of a “long time” may be different from yours. A full three inches of dust cakes the tunnel and trail as it travels deeper into the tree.
Zephyra takes a deep breath and looks around at the enclosed space of the tunnel before lighting a torch and moving forward slowly with the group, careful of getting it too close to roots.
The cave surrounding you goes silent as Luther's arrow puts an end to the moving vines.
Looking closely at the huge undead, you see that it looks more like an ogre than a human or elf. But the back of its head is completely infested with vines covered in the same dark fungus you saw when entering the underground.
OOC: combat is over, we are out of initiative order.
"I wonder....was the big guy trapped here or stationed here?" Ufeza says to the group as he looks around the room, trying to find out its significance or why the monstrous undead was here in the first place.
Investigation: 23
Zephyra remains in wolf form to make full use of the heightened senses of her form and inspects the Undead Ogre thing to confirm for herself that it is truly dead. She nudges at it with her paw and nose to see if she can tell under it if any vines remain connected. perception 20 Then moves to check any other exits from the area.
Approaching the huge undead corpse, Ufeza notices that the creature hangs from the roots, its legs swing a few inches above the ground. Zephyra's senses confirm that the ogre is truly dead. The pair look carefully at the creature and upon closer inspection realize that the roots weren’t part of the creature to begin with. Their entry to this creature’s body was violent and evil. It cannot be blamed for its actions long after it ceased to own the corpse it once called home.
Passing the undead and advancing a few steps into the tunnel you find a pair of elves strapped to the tree's root system with the roots piercing through them in multiple spots. The youngest looking one has a green leather satchel hanging over its shoulder. While most of their clothes and armor were destroyed by the roots, the bag is in pristine condition.
OOC: you all go up a level, time to choose more [multi?]class options :)
Blossom sniffs the air and recoils, emitting a low growl in the direction of the tunnel. “I… I cannot go further…” He looks pained, as if reliving some personal trauma, although the cause of it being the monster, the vines, or the tunnel itself you can’t determine. “I will tell the elves of our progress.”
Unsettled at seen Blossom balk Ufeza has a hunch something is up and hedges his words, "Be careful on the journey back, big guy. See you....sometime." He then moves to investigate the suspiciously pristine bag.
Investigation: 22
Zephyra-wolf senses a shift from Blossom and looks up to give a slight whimper as he departs. Silently wishing him well.
working out what to pick for feat but otherwise I'm good to go. Should have it sorted by tomorrow.
The bag feels normal when Ufeza grabs it. It opens easily, revealing an interior compartment larger than its outside. Ufeza's arms goes almost to his elbow before he grasps a small wooden box. Taking it out it jingles with a metallic sound, it's filled with 200 gp and a pair of pearls that look almost as valuable as the coins it holds.
Checking the bag again, you find a parchment note bearing Corellon Larethian's symbol.
Note transcript below:
Nanny
...all is lost... We are forsaken ....
You must flee.
Our nation is lost, our people shriven of our life. Our most sacred of altars has been desecrated.
I write you this and send you my son.
I must remain to witness.
Ufeza closes the bag and adds it to his pack, then passes the note around.
"There's a healthy amount of gold and a couple valuable looking pearls in there. We can dig deeper into that when we are in safety again. On a more pressing note, take a look." He then passes the note around the group.
Zephyra shifts back into her regular form and reviews the note, slips on her gloves and starts chopping away at the roots trapping the elven bodies to the walls. "We are close to the entrance and can at least bring these out for a proper burial or service. Wasn't Nanny the name of the leader of the elves? This looks meant for her. Should we take it to her or press on?" She asks as she works.
Having seen Blossom off with a solemn salute, Luther takes the note when offered by Ufeza and reads it.
"This sounds...bad for the author. This symbol, is it Elven? Oh yes, Nanny was their leader! Hmmm, I agree we should bury the fallen, but maybe press on to see if we can end the corruption before we return to the tribe?"
(I'm going to take extra DEX, suits Luther's role in the party)
"I think we should press on right away. Not only might might our foe, who or whatever that might be, discover that we've defeated its guard dog but we also don't know the actual funerary customs of this tribe. I wouldn't want to bury according to our traditions and commit a grave offense...uhh, no pun intended."
"I believe that is a religious symbol."
Religion check if needed to know whose symbol that is: 11
"I'm just proposing to leave the bodies in some peace up here, rather than pinned to the wall. I agree we shouldn't bury them ourselves. We can let them know when we return once the place is cleared." Zephyra says in agreement with Ufeza.
(Taking on FeyTouched Wisdon Feat with Misty Step and Dissonant Whispers which has the side effect of an extra Wisdom point - assuming additional spells prepared for next rest.)
Initiative 5
"Hmm I hadn't thought of that" says Luther, questioning himself why he had assumed that all cultures buried their dead.
"Yes, let's at least lay them down with some dignity and move on"
You recognize the crescent moon as an older symbol for Corellon Larethian, the highest god of the elven pantheon.
As you pass the note among the group, a second page falls to the ground. It reads:
You cut away a few roots opening a way to safely pass deeper into the tree and to the Elvish city you can see further down the path.
Nanny Phrex’dia told you that it had been a long time since her tribe called the city beneath the tree their home. You’re now reminded of how long-lived the Elves really are, and how her scale of a “long time” may be different from yours. A full three inches of dust cakes the tunnel and trail as it travels deeper into the tree.
Ufeza peers deep into the passageway, looking for anything of note.
Perception check: 13
"Well, shall we?"
Zephyra takes a deep breath and looks around at the enclosed space of the tunnel before lighting a torch and moving forward slowly with the group, careful of getting it too close to roots.
Luther nods, readies his bow and takes the lead. He moves down the tunnel at a cautious pace, keeping an eye out for danger as he goes.
Perception 8 (passive 12)
OOC: it was almost nightfall when you entered the tunnels under the tree. Feel free to take a long rest if you need one.