Hunt for Planticore
A request to the Adventurer's Guild was just put in. This one is fresh off the presses. A request for adventurer's to go collect an animal out in the wilderness that's been afflicted by the strangeness that permeates the wilderness these days. Something after all, has been... corrupting the plants and animals. As you walk the forest you can not help but notice it. Plants that move when they should not. Which have strange things growing off of of them or as a part of them. It looks less like the wilderness that you know and love and more like... something /wrong/.
"An animal," Iskandar repeats for what must be the dozenth time since the small party was briefed and sent on their way. "Whatever could it be? An Owlbear? A wyvern? One of those four-armed, man eating apes?" Every time he lists off a different set of animals, each time more famous and 'monstrous' than the last.
Chay hacks lightly into the cloth wound around his fist. Black goo squishes from this muzzle, a fine string of it. He wipes at that too, as they move. "...ssers, would anyone know if there had been rumors of the Tower, sseen out this way?" he asks. The sith-makar wears a set of lean armor, armor blackened for a run through the forest.
"And sser, one has no idea--only that such a creature is to be delivered to the witch, sser, once we are done."
"Delivering any such creature has to be a pain. I can incapacitate it briefly if I get close to it, but beyond that..." The diminutive Inquisitor is scanning the distance, dressed in her simple black clothes and without a full-sized bag of gear to accompany her. The way many poor monks travel, in fact, right down to the pouches on her rope belt. "I suggest we follow the corruption trail. We can use that to find some clues to where the creature might be... And perhaps its identity as well."
GAME: Chay rolls survival: (8)+12: 20 GAME: Kore rolls survival+3: (7)+11+3: 21
Iskandar's eyes widen slightly in recognition. "The Tower!" he exclaims, looking at Chay. "Of course! Why didn't I think of...wait. Which tower?" He glances at Kore as well. Sometimes he finds it a bit hard to remember which Alexandrian adventurers were with him on which adventures. "The one that showed up in visions, during the, ah, scrying ritual for the plague?" He tilts his head slightly. "Or one of the others?"
GAME: Iskandar rolls survival: (17)+5: 22
"The tower, sser--" the sith-makar replies. Chay's voice is hoarse, and he lowers the handkerchief to his side. "From everything one has heard, one believes it tied to the plague, ssers. One has also heard that it moves. So one wonders, ssers--if the beasts are sick--"
"--if the tower has shown up here, ssers. But one does not know. One can only keep ones eyes open."
As you walk along, you find some signs of corruption, ones that lead you to a burbling stream which flows toward Alexandria. It's easy to follow the stream and thus the corruption itself. The further you move along, the worse the corruption seems to be, with more of the plants being affected by it. There's no sign of any animals just yet, but as you're close to a source of water it seems likely you'll run into one soon.
"Just so," Kore agrees quietly. "But at least towers are not terribly hard to spot. As a rule." Beyond this, it seems, the Monk has nothing to share. She's investigating their surroundings, checking carefully through the despoiled brush for any further clues. "We should be careful. I would expect the animals to be hostile. I know I would be, if my water were like this." So now Kore is watching for tracks as well as the trail of corrupted wilderness. it doesn't really leave her inclined to slow down, however.
"As you ssay, sser," the sith-makar replies, low-voiced. He paces a while along the trail--and keeps an eye towards the water. The woods, then back to the water. "Water was mentioned by the other victimss, ssers. As well as a creature." Chay brings his hand up, and coughs into the handkerchief wrapped around it. "...if that is the case sers, one was warned to sstay away from the creature's clawss." He pauses. "It may be perhaps too late for this one, ssers--one already ssuffers, but the two of you..." He lets it trail.
Iskandar does his best to keep up. His sandals, so comfortable and stylish in the city streets, may not be the best footwear in this terrain. But he walks along as if he's long used to them - and used to outdoor adventures in general. At Kore's words of warning, Iskandar pulls a shortbow off of its case on his back, tests the string briefly and then takes out an arrow which he knocks but doesn't draw. His expression darkens as Chay. You can see his thoughts play across his expressive face - urge Chay to keep his spirits up? Reprimand him for such a defeatist attitude? "I brought wine," Iskandar blurts instead of either. "In case someone is thirsty. We can't trust this water," he adds a moment later by way of explanation.
GAME: Iskandar rolls survival: (17)+5: 22 GAME: Kore rolls survival+3: (3)+11+3: 17
"That is a good plan," Kore will reply after a moment, nodding slowly. "I wouldn't mind a bit of wine." She'll flash Iskandar a brief smile then, quiet but earnest. Then she returns to studying their surroundings. "I can't imagine it will be long before we find *something...*" Kore too prefers sandals, but it seems that her light step helps to mitigate terrain issues. Something to commiserate about later, perhaps.
GAME: Chay rolls survival: (10)+12: 22
"Hunter bless uss. There are tracks, ssers. ..." The sith-makar stops, and looks towards the water. Chay hesitates, then--"Excuse this one," he says. He ducks his head, and then moves towards the water, and looks into it.
After a moment, he unhooks his waterskin. Then, pours the contents out--and attempts to refill them from the stream.
Thankfully nothing untoward happens to the sith-makar aside from possibly getting his claws wet.
The sith-makar twists the cap back on, tightly. He hesitates, then tightens it again before rejoining the other two. A look towards Iskandar. "You raised a good point, sser. One would sshare this with the witch. One...one has faith in her abilities."
He reaches up with his other hand, and touches the corner of his muzzle. Black goo. He pulls his fingers away to stare at it, and then wipes it on the handkerchief. Takes a step from Iskandar, as though mindful of it. Many had died from the plague already, after all, though--Chay seems to be handling it...well. Possibly no worse than a third-day cold. He certainly shouldn't be speaking in full sentences--not without losing a lung.
Iskandar watches incredulously. Understanding dawns when Chay mentions taking it back. He returns his attention to the trail. "In all my time in these woods I don't recall going this long without seeing an animal, of some sort," he remarks. Then he frowns. "No, that's not alll that seems wrong here. Is it like this everywhere, I wonder? Or just near the water...?"
You travel further upstream, until you come upon a clearing. In the midst of this clearing is a brilliantly red stag. It drinks from a small pond in the center of a densely corrupted portion of the wilderness. The trees lean down toward you dripping venomous prickles that don't /quite/ reach you but feel menacing nonetheless. You watch the animal drinking and realize that it hasn't yet noticed you.
GAME: Chay rolls perception: (14)+10: 24 GAME: Iskandar rolls perception: (20)+8: 28 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20: (5): 5
"If the witch believes it would help sser, yess. ...one has sspent weeks drinking herbs and cure-alls, sser, and vomiting up their contentss. The esperiments are performed within an anti-magic field. Magic, ssers, fuels the disease. Within the field, there are no effectss. It may be possible..." he says, and trails off.
Flat. His voice sounds flat as he describes the process. Flat as his descriptions, words before then. Not an emotionless, dead flat. Not the voice of someone who does not /care/. The voice of someone who is dead tired of being fucked with. Warriors would recognize such a voice.
The sith-makar loosens the bow, and places it in his hand--the one without the contaminated handkerchief on it. "One--can only agree, sser. One would rarely go this long without the Hunter'ss creatures."
GAME: Kore rolls Perception: (5)+17: 22
The stag's ear flickers, it's head lifts and it glances around the clearing without noticing anything odd before resuming drinking. The stag isn't the only thing in the clearing however. Sitting not more than fifteen feet away from you, you notice the oddest creature you've ever seen. It's back is covered in spines, it has a long sinuous vine-tail that is marked at the end with a sharp thorn. It turns toward you, having heard your arrival when the stag has not yet, and it blinks golden eyes at you. It's entirely made out of plant matter, but is shaped like some manner of great cat with a hooked tail-tip and spine.
GAME: Kore rolls Knowledge/Arcana+4: (13)+8+4: 25 GAME: Chay rolls knowledge/nature+3: (4)+7+3: 14
Iskandar waves a hand urgently, then places a finger to his lips. He lowers himself into a crouch. He creeps to the edge of the clearing and then gestures at the stag. Then he mouths silently, "Go around?" It's hard to add the questioning tone when not actually speaking aloud, but something in his expressive features indicates he's asking, not ordering.
"It's almost like a dryad decided to make a tree-manticore," Kore mumbles, staring fixedly at the strange plant creature. "Around is not a bad option," she'll relate then in her usual near whisper. "Unless we would prefer to fight." It seems not to matter to Kore, who bends down slightly and then begins to see about moving a hair closer without being noticed. Just to get a slightly better look.
"...a planticore, sser?" the sith-makar goes still, and keeps the voice low, low. He takes a step back, as quiet as he might. A glance over the shoulder. "One could wish for cover, ssers. If it fights as nimbly as a lion--" He doesn't want to be in the open, he means. Another step back. He looks around.
Iskandar shakes his head. He edges back in hopes his voice won't carry. "I meant around the stag. I hadn't noticed the other..." he glances briefly at Kore, already forgetting what she called it. Then at Chay as he supplies a more concise name. "Yes, that." He glances back towards the direction of the clearing. "-That- I am thinking we should capture and take back." he finishes. Casually. All just another day, another adventure, no doubt.
You can tell right away that something has changed in the plant-animal's demeanor. It's looking at you. It's looking at you /hungrily/. It shifts its weight and you can just tell that it's about to attack.
GAME: Kore casts Castigate. Caster Level: 6 DC: 16 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+9: (8)+9: 17
Iskandar takes a few steps forward. He still has his bow in one hand, with an arrow held to the string with the other. But after pulling the string back and taking aim, he then lowers it again. Instead he watches the Planticore carefully, watching for any sign of an attack. "Easy," he murmurs in a voice like he's trying to calm a skittish horse. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want to subdue you and take you back to our witches and arcanists to study."
Kore is staring at the planticore as it rounds on them, those blue eyes wide. She lifts a hand and her holy symbol. "Repent your sins. Give up the corruption and be saved." She's calling out in a whisper, but with certitude. And the plant creature... Shakes it off. More or less. She sighs. "It's too far gone. We may have to hurt it to make it stop..."
GAME: Iskandar rolls 12-5: (2)+12+-5: 9 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+13: (19)+13: 32 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+5: (3)+5: 8
The planticore as it's been so dubbed, rushes headlong past Iskandar and jumps Chay as he's backing away from it. It grabs him up in its teeth and growls low in its throat a verbage of victory. It's spikes bristle along its spine and it's tail whips back and forth. Meanwhile across the pond the red stag takes off like a bolt of crimson lightning.
GAME: Chay rolls 1d20+11: (6)+11: 17
"Blaerwefergjjkrgr!" Chay says, or something! Something very much like that! The sith-makar twists, going with the planticore's movement--his shoulder still in the thing's jaws. It's that last twist, that flowing with the manticore's own force, that saves him from going down entirely.
How many times will he thank his kin for the lessons. "The jesst is on you, sser. This one has the plague," he says, panting.
GAME: Kore rolls weapon0+1+1+2: (8)+13+1+1+2: 25 GAME: Kore rolls 1d8+2d6+strength+1+3: (4)+(10)+4+1+3: 22
Kore darts forward quickly as Chay engages the planticore, nimbly launching into a series of kicks. Her movements carry her around behind the beast as she lands several rather brutal blows in the process. "Fire might be helpful," the Monk suggests. "Otherwise ---- I imagine this isn't the first- or last- plant monster we'll encounter. Mmf..."
GAME: Iskandar rolls 12: (9)+12: 21 GAME: Iskandar rolls 1d6+9: (3)+9: 12 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+15: (8)+15: 23
Iskandar curses fiercely as the creature passes right by him. Of all the things he'd been watching for, somehow he had never considered it would ignore him. "Fire?!" he repeats. "Fire. I should keep some kind of fire handy. It seems to keep coming up." He turns and chases after the enemy, slugging it in the back. "Perhaps next time!"
GAME: Kore rolls Weapon0+2+2+1+4: (11)+13+2+2+1+4: 33 GAME: Iskandar rolls 12: (18)+12: 30 GAME: Kore rolls 1d8+2d6+strength+1+3: (5)+(9)+4+1+3: 22 GAME: Iskandar rolls 1d6+9: (1)+9: 10
The manticore lets out another low growl, then quickly snaps its head backwards, grasping Chay more firmly in its mouth and then it bounds away as quickly as it had come to attack, faster even. Looks like it's on the run!
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13 GAME: Chay rolls 1d20+11: (14)+11: 25 GAME: Chay rolls 1d4+2d6+6: (1)+(6)+6: 13
Chay bares his teeth at the planticore--fear, terror drives his expression and he punches wildly at the beast. ...and makes not a sound.
If you shout, they will hurt you.
If you scream, they will hurt you.
He lands a fist against the creature, but it's plant, it's a plant--it absorbs part of the blow, and the muscles along his muzzle tighten in fear.
GAME: Iskandar rolls 12+2: (6)+12+2: 20 GAME: Iskandar rolls 1d6+9: (6)+9: 15
The planticore bounds off and Kore is flailing after it. "Wait! Stop! Give him /back/!" The tiny Monk takes off in a sprint fueled by surprise and exasperation. She can really run for someone so short. Apparently, punching waterfalls really is good for physical conditioning. Who knew?
Iskandar is taken aback again, as the monster absconds - with Chay! "Hold!" he bellows after it. Then, "That was our plan!" He dashes after the creature, slamming his own body into it in a shoulder check.
GAME: Iskandar rolls 12: (10)+12: 22 GAME: Iskandar rolls 1d6+9: (4)+9: 13 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13
The planticore's odd teeth dig in even deeper into Chay's body as the beast really lets loose, running as fast as it can through the forest away from those hurting it. It dodges between the trees as though it knows exactly where they are and it's quickly lost amid the foliage - though it's tracks remain.
"Ow..." the sith-makar bites his tongue with all the force of Charn's training. It bleeds, he bleeds, but he bleeds more than the planticore holding him. His fingers are slippery with the stuff, and it makes holding the knife he draws awkward at best.
Gritting his teeth, swallowing bile, he attempts slicing at passing leaves and foliage as they tear past!
GAME: Kore rolls survival+3: (8)+11+3: 22
"Keep after them!" Iskandar urges Kore as the much more fleet of foot warrior speeds ahead. "Don't wait for me! I'll catch up!" Iskandar likes to boast that he can hike for days, run for leagues. But he always leaves out how fast he can run, because in truth he's no longer any faster than the average adventurer.
It takes time to catch up to the two. You make your way through the forest as quickly as you can until you come to yet another clearing though this one is smaller. Inside you can hear growling and some other smaller noise that you can't quite identify. As you move closer you catch sight of what's going on in there. There's the planticore, and it's... laying Chay down on what looks like a nest. Which holds several... little ones. They look more like manticores than their parent does, but even here you can see that they're not quite what they should be. Even so they are rushing toward Chay and... playing with his tail.
It's kind of adorable.
Ow. Ow. Tiny, mewling teeth. Mewling teeth biting and gnawing, and--it's everything the Charneth wished they could have done. All one has to do is sit in his lap, and he's there forever. Unable to move.
Universal laws.
Unable to escape.
"Ow--" he hisses through his teeth. And does his best to edge, edge, edge towards the edge of the nest. Or...find...can he throw something? Distract mama?
Kore skids to an abrupt halt as she approaches the cave. She's listening, and a horrified expression is dawning across her features as she listens to what is occurring within. She pauses, crouching as she come close. "Oh no. It has... Babies..." The elf whispers this through clenched teeth. "Maybe I can do something. If we just- could get them out of the cave..." She reaches into her belt and produces a few small black balls. Smoke bombs. It doesn't take much for the elf to strike the fuse and roll these into the cave. A small(ish), enclosed space. Thick, acrid smoke that is unpleasant to breathe.
"By all the gods..." Iskandar stares at the sight. At a loss. Until...he thinks of something. He reaches behind his back, slowly. The other hand holding the bow out in front of him, lightly, fingers opened so that it's held loosely in the crook of thumb and forefinger. Trying to make it clear he won't be able to fire. The other hand comes out just as slowly, holding his...wineskin. "Trade?" he offers the planticore. Planning isn't his strongest tact, even in the most normal times. Neither, perhaps, is listening to the plans of others, he realizes, shooting Kore an apologetic look. Well, nothing for it now. To demonstrate what it is to the manticores, he shakes the skin back and forth. It sloshes lightly, half-full, at the most. Did he drink from it somehow, during the chase? Or did he start the quest off, in what feels like a different life - even though it was just this morning - without really bringing enough for everyone. Iskandar, he feels, owes no explanations.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+13: (14)+13: 27 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d4+5: (5)+5: 10
Out of the smoke comes rushing the planticore, trying to find the source of... and there's a waving thing right in front of its face. Angrily it bats at the moving object which is mostly Iskandar's arm.
Back in the nest the little babies are swarming over Chay, the smoke slowly getting closer and closer to them until it's reached the floor, but they don't know where to go so they mill around on the sith-makar mewing for their parent.
And then...and then...there's smoke.
Chay starts screaming.
Pyotr snickering, as he clasped Ozera on the shoulder. Pyotr smirking, as they dropped the kin into the foyer. As the match lit. As...
He screams. And thankfully, runs! Runs, probably with teeny, gnawing not-kittens attached to him!
"It's okay! Chay, come over here!" Kore hisses while Iskandar bravely volunteers to distract the Planticore. Such a good friend! She'd offer him a salute if she wasn't gesturing wildly for the Sith'Makar to... Run right past her. "Stop!" She reaches out and snags Chay by a leg. "Let me help. Come on. Nice kitties... Go to sleep..." And with a touch, unbelievably, one does tumble off of him, tiredly plopping onto the ground. One down... A small army to go!
Oh, and if Chay keeps running? He'll drag a Kore along too. She's small.
GAME: Iskandar rolls 12-6: (14)+12+-6: 20 GAME: Iskandar rolls 12-6-5: (2)+12+-6+-5: 3 GAME: Iskandar rolls 1d6+9: (5)+9: 14 GAME: Chay rolls strength: (19)+3: 22
Iskandar grits his teeth as the Planticore clamps jaws over his own forearm. Very well. At least the wine is safe - for now. Unwilling to let either skin or bow fall, Iskandar shifts his arm ever so slightly to line up the creature for...a headbutt. Iskandar jerks his head towards his own arm, brings the metal part if his headgear into swift contact with the forehead of the planticore, and knocks it senseless.
Screaming. One has never heard a scream like this. It's the memory of the two brothers, of the depths of Charneth hell. Of their smirks, their smiles--
--the gas chamber. The GAS CHAMBER. He runs through it, panicked, voice one long tunnel of soul-wrenching terror. Charneth arms grab at him! Their claws and fingers, grasping and pulling in the form of Kore. He snaps, hitting who he perceives as a would-be captor with a desperate force.
GET AWAY.
LET ME GO.
He'll do his best to get the fuck out of there!
-End