You continue walking through the now silent forest as light rain falls. Between the notes in Bonewits journal and the instructions that Nanny Phrex’dia gave you the path is easy to find. Night falls as you enter a clearing centered around the greatest tree you have ever seen.
There is no mistake that the tree standing before you is the heart of the forest. Its branches stretch up until it dominates the landscape around it. The root system at the base spreads out like it is the foundation of some great manor house. The bark around that base and root system is a darkening grey color, appearing more like stone than wood. At the base of the tree, a crack wide enough for two teams of horses sunders the wood. A worn dirt trail leads down into the darkness within the tree.
"Yes, indeed and plainly ill. We should hurry." Zephyra noting the darkness, lights a torch and continues into the tree hopefully joined by the others.
Thariv smiles and nods at the others' encouragement following his experimental use of the stronger wind spell. He senses things growing darker in more ways than one as they get closer and closer to the tree. The coral in his pocket pulses from time to time, as if picking up on some foul, primordial signal.
He pauses for a moment when they reach the tree and looks at it. He's not sure what their next move is, as actually going underground is not really his idea of a good time. When Zephyra lights up the torch and moves toward it though, he shrugs and goes along. "Time to head under, I guess,"he mutters quietly.
Zephyra offers to shift back in the group as they venture below so that the light from the torch doesn't affect the darkvision of anyone in the group keeping grip of her quarterstaff as they move.
The entrance to the abandoned elven city is obvious to find. You don't hear any noises as you enter the root system leading to the city below. Aided by yhe torch light, Zephyra notices that the tree bark surrounding the entrance is covered in a strange grey moss she can't identify.
The further you walk down under the tree, the more the smell of moss, peat and dirt surrounds you. And while the rain outside explains some of the dampness, you would swear you were buried in a deep cave in a soggy swamp.
Ufeza takes in the environment with his senses, breathing deeply and touching the ground. "I know we're in a tree, but this doesn't exactly feel like what I would have assumed an elven colony living in an old, sacred tree would be like. I somehow expected something cleaner...fresher at least. It that just me?"
"Perhaps this is the symptom of what plagues the tree...?" Blossom instinctively hunches as they enter, keeping an ear out for signs of life, angry squirrel or otherwise.
"This Grey Moss isn't familiar to me perhaps it is connected with what is affecting the tree?" then looking about the area. "This seems more akin to the natural environment in a Swamp, not a forest." She thinks on the notes in Bonewits' journal so far trying to remember anything about the environmental differences and the Grey Moss. History21(unless another skill is more appropriate)
Luther moves towards the front of the party, longbow at the ready. "It's corrupted for sure, whether it's natural rot or the foulness that we are here to stop"
Looking carefully at the moss, Zephyra sees that a dark fungus is growing past the moss and digging into the live wood of the tree itself.
Ufeza senses that the tree has been corupted somehow and has a feeling that magic is somehow involved. The roots in the cave floor are also infected with the same dark fungus that Zephyra sees in the branches.
The tunnel continues for a while until it opens into a chamber nearly 20 feet in height, but your way forward is blocked by the presence of a massive creature. Roots have shot out from the walls of the chamber and anchored into the flesh of the undead monstrosity standing before you.
Its eyes are clouded over in death, but still they turn toward you. It opens its mouth in a silent moan and the roots around you start to wiggle menacingly.
Time to roll for initiative! Mounstrous undead: 17
On her turn Zephyra starts to shift, Dragon leaping from her pack and moving to the tree entrance to be out of the fray. Her equipment melds with her body into the shape of a Silvery Wolf the color of her hair, eyes the color of hers. Growling and the monstrosity, she stands with her friends ready to face the beast.
This will be her action, moving only to keep with the group. wolf - linked here
Thariv feels his link to the sea grow fainter, more distant as they travel underground, though of course it is still present. He does feel a bit cooped up and confined in this dark, moldy place.
He braces himself as they encounter the undead creature, his fist clenching the coral as he feels power begin to course through his body.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ufeza, not wanting to see how much hurt getting hit by the monstrous creature would cause, shifts himself to the edge of chamber and begins to weave a magical flow of insults and distraction towards the creature.
You continue walking through the now silent forest as light rain falls. Between the notes in Bonewits journal and the instructions that Nanny Phrex’dia gave you the path is easy to find. Night falls as you enter a clearing centered around the greatest tree you have ever seen.
There is no mistake that the tree standing before you is the heart of the forest. Its branches stretch up until it dominates the landscape around it. The root system at the base spreads out like it is the foundation of some great manor house. The bark around that base and root system is a darkening grey color, appearing more like stone than wood. At the base of the tree, a crack wide enough for two teams of horses sunders the wood. A worn dirt trail leads down into the darkness within the tree.
Ufeza lets out a low whistle as he takes in the scale of the tree. "Well...that's the biggest tree I've ever seen."
"Yes, indeed and plainly ill. We should hurry." Zephyra noting the darkness, lights a torch and continues into the tree hopefully joined by the others.
Thariv smiles and nods at the others' encouragement following his experimental use of the stronger wind spell. He senses things growing darker in more ways than one as they get closer and closer to the tree. The coral in his pocket pulses from time to time, as if picking up on some foul, primordial signal.
He pauses for a moment when they reach the tree and looks at it. He's not sure what their next move is, as actually going underground is not really his idea of a good time. When Zephyra lights up the torch and moves toward it though, he shrugs and goes along. "Time to head under, I guess," he mutters quietly.
Ufeza follows underground, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness, the familiar shades of gray sharpening in the areas the torch doesn't reach.
Zephyra offers to shift back in the group as they venture below so that the light from the torch doesn't affect the darkvision of anyone in the group keeping grip of her quarterstaff as they move.
The entrance to the abandoned elven city is obvious to find. You don't hear any noises as you enter the root system leading to the city below. Aided by yhe torch light, Zephyra notices that the tree bark surrounding the entrance is covered in a strange grey moss she can't identify.
The further you walk down under the tree, the more the smell of moss, peat and dirt surrounds you. And while the rain outside explains some of the dampness, you would swear you were buried in a deep cave in a soggy swamp.
Ufeza takes in the environment with his senses, breathing deeply and touching the ground. "I know we're in a tree, but this doesn't exactly feel like what I would have assumed an elven colony living in an old, sacred tree would be like. I somehow expected something cleaner...fresher at least. It that just me?"
"Perhaps this is the symptom of what plagues the tree...?" Blossom instinctively hunches as they enter, keeping an ear out for signs of life, angry squirrel or otherwise.
"This Grey Moss isn't familiar to me perhaps it is connected with what is affecting the tree?" then looking about the area. "This seems more akin to the natural environment in a Swamp, not a forest." She thinks on the notes in Bonewits' journal so far trying to remember anything about the environmental differences and the Grey Moss. History 21 (unless another skill is more appropriate)
Luther moves towards the front of the party, longbow at the ready. "It's corrupted for sure, whether it's natural rot or the foulness that we are here to stop"
Looking carefully at the moss, Zephyra sees that a dark fungus is growing past the moss and digging into the live wood of the tree itself.
Ufeza senses that the tree has been corupted somehow and has a feeling that magic is somehow involved. The roots in the cave floor are also infected with the same dark fungus that Zephyra sees in the branches.
The tunnel continues for a while until it opens into a chamber nearly 20 feet in height, but your way forward is blocked by the presence of a massive creature. Roots have shot out from the walls of the chamber and anchored into the flesh of the undead monstrosity standing before you.
Its eyes are clouded over in death, but still they turn toward you. It opens its mouth in a silent moan and the roots around you start to wiggle menacingly.
Time to roll for initiative!
Mounstrous undead: 17
Ufeza startles then lets out low curse and a growl. He readies himself for a fight.
18 - Initiative
Zephyra initiative 17
On her turn Zephyra starts to shift, Dragon leaping from her pack and moving to the tree entrance to be out of the fray. Her equipment melds with her body into the shape of a Silvery Wolf the color of her hair, eyes the color of hers. Growling and the monstrosity, she stands with her friends ready to face the beast.
This will be her action, moving only to keep with the group. wolf - linked here
Luther grunts as he nocks an arrow, ready for a fight regardless of the foe.
Initiative 11
Thariv feels his link to the sea grow fainter, more distant as they travel underground, though of course it is still present. He does feel a bit cooped up and confined in this dark, moldy place.
He braces himself as they encounter the undead creature, his fist clenching the coral as he feels power begin to course through his body.
Initiative 21
Seeing the roots moving toward the group, Thariv snarls and fires a bolt of magical force at the undead.
Eldritch Blast Attack: 12 Damage: 7 Force Damage
Blossoms initiative: 14
Thariv's blast hits the large undead doing some damage while Zephyra morphs into a wolf.
Initiative order:
21 Thariv
18 Ufeza
17 Zephyra
17 Monstrous undead (7, 20 feet in front of the group)
14 Blossom
11 Luther
Ufeza goes next, then the undead.
Ufeza, not wanting to see how much hurt getting hit by the monstrous creature would cause, shifts himself to the edge of chamber and begins to weave a magical flow of insults and distraction towards the creature.
Casting Vicious Mockery
Damage: 1 psychic damage. Target saves vs DC 14 Will or have disadvantage on the next attack it makes until the end of the creature's next turn.
Wisdom save: 15
The large undead growls and wiggles in place. But the vines supporting and connecting it to the tree are keeping it in place.
Initiative order:
21 Thariv
18 Ufeza
17 Zephyra
17 Monstrous undead (8, 20 feet in front of the group)
14 Blossom
11 Luther
Blossom goes next.