The Gargoyle's Nest CTD Part 6

When last we left our heroes, they had defeated the horrible plant-gargoyle copies. One of them was tied up by Kira.

The rest are dead.

You've decided to pull back from the aerie for now, climbing back down the way you came, so that you can find a safe place in the mountain to rest. There aren't many, but it's obviously better than trying to do so inside.

After withdrawing from the castle, Raethon stretches and relaxes quite a bit......and studies. Cuz that's his method of relaxation, studying. "We're not done yet everyone. Prepare for round 2. And we know what we're up against, so prepare accordingly."

Hun'rar strips off his helmet, catching some fresh air and working a kink out of the back of his neck. "Yeah round 2, I almost wish we could just light the whole damn thing on fire. Still we have made good progress, with anty luck it won't take too much to finish clearing the place out." he comments taking a seat and seeing to the dents on his armor.

Leisel doesn't unleash her bear form, as they exit the cave following the others to find a place to rest. She really is not a graceful bear, but once they come to a reast she curls up and blows out a huff of relief. It looks as if her barky hair begins its detransformation, and her body slowly shifts back to her normal form, with strange alterations of the in-between shape of her.

Elisabeth pulls off her own helmet, setting down her shield. "I shall take the final watch, if that is good by all? ... and might someone assist me in removing my armor, please?", she says, setting down her pack, as well.

Raethon says, "I don't want first watch. I need to rest, which won't take me long. Then rememorize my spells.....but I can take the final watch with you, Elisabeth.""

Hun'rar nods to Elisabeth "Provided you help me as well." he says moving to help work the straps. "I can cast mage armor for while we sleep too, just in case. Hate being caught without any protection."

"I wish the final watch for the same reason", Elisabeth says to Raethon. "That would be good, yes", she adds, directing those words to Hun'rar. Eventually, once she's out of her armor, she helps him out of his, before working on setting up her sleeping arrangements.

GAME: Hun'rar casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15

GAME: Hun'rar casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15

Leisel pulls a heavy cloak around her form, she huddles, and pulls a small beetle from her bag. "Yes, the cocoon wasn't quite what I expected either... no, I didn't do very well did I. Yes, I'm lacking in the bear department." She pulls something else from her bag, a small round ball, laying it in her lap, then setting the beetle down with it. "Light snack.. you'll need your stregth when we have to go back in. Oh yes.. I think we must go back."

Elisabeth sets to getting a campfire put together, as there seems a need for the warmth of it. For her part, she seems unbothered by the cold.

Raethon smiles and taps the arm covers he has. "Always have protection." he says as he unrolls his bedroll. "And yeah, we do have to go back in. It's either that, or have gargoyles stay in Alexandria and let them spread."

Hun'rar hold shis hands together until a small ball of purple arcane energy springs forth from between his palms, carefully touching the energy to Elisabeth and then himself to offer protection. "There we go, Gilead's blessing will help keep us safe. I can take whatever watch I need." he comments as he sets his own gear up.

Kisaiya curls up, letting them say exactly when they want her to do her stint at the watch. She doesn't seem to much mind as she pulls a cloak about her while in her - oh look she's wearing floor length wool nightshirt now. Go figure. She uses her bedroll as a pillow. A comfy, comfy, pillow.

Leisel sighs lightly as Bailey has is evening snack. She looks at the others. "What's the plan? Is there one of you good with strategy, cause I think we need one when we go back in."

"I think", Elisabeth says as she gets the fire going, "that we're going to have to establish a marching order... and not try to formulate a plan, playing it by ear. None of us know the layout inside the ruins, after all."

Raethon says, "We'll worry about strategy when we go back in, Leisel. And marching order. For now...stand, or sit guard. We need to rest.""

GAME: Hun'rar rolls perception: (13)+0: 13

GAME: Elisabeth rolls perception: (12)+15: 27

GAME: Leisel rolls perception: (15)+14: 29

GAME: Kisaiya rolls Perception: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Raethon rolls perception: (20)+14: 34

The night passes uneventuflly.

Really.

You /do/ hear some distant crackling sounds from the structure. Whatever's causing that sounds big. WEll, everyone hears it except Kisa, anyway. Sher must've been listening for Serra instead.

Kisa was listening for Serra. She was very disappointed that she didn't hear her, but she did see a Spider which she made gestures at for a while until it was finally her turn to sleep.

Leisel rested, and when it was her time to be up for the watch, she spent most of the time looking and talking with the plants around the area. It wouldn't be surprising if the area plants seemed a bit greener, despite the cold temperature. During her watch, she glanced about occasionally, hearing strange sounds in the distance.

GAME: Elisabeth refreshes spells.

Come her watch shift, Elisabeth asks Rae to help her back into her armor, then lets him finish his studies before going through her prayers. That done, when it's time to wake everyone up, she offers a prayer for Daeus to share his warmth with her, against the cold. That done, she offers the same to up to two others in the party, which is her limit for casting that spell. As everyone awakens, she says, "I heard sounds from the ruins. It sounds like there is something large awaiting us within."

Hun'rar spent most of his watch sitting really really close to the fire, letting the tips of the flames lick his hands without adverse effects. When the morning does come he takes his time strapping on his armor and getting his weapons ready, going through in the process in a ritualistic manner while praying to Gilead for help with the hunt.

GAME: Hun'rar refreshes spells.

GAME: Raethon refreshes spells.

Raethon sits up only a couple of hours after he laid down to sleep and stretches. he doesn't even hesitate to get back to his spellbook though. One time, he even passes his hand in front of his face.....he begins to glow a white color, and it changes to red.....

GAME: Raethon casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 10 DC: 19

GAME: Raethon casts Overland Flight. Caster Level: 10 DC: 21

GAME: Elisabeth casts Endure Elements. Caster Level: 8 DC: 14

Elisabeth goes to both Hun'rar and Leisel, repeating her prayer to Daeus, asking him to share his warmth with the other two. As she does, she pulls from her pouch a pair of glistening white pearls and holds them in her hand. As she prays over each of the others, one pearl per prayer seems to get a bit dull. With the sharing of magicks completed, she tucks the pearls back away into her kit.

Leisel blinks in reaction to the prayer and the change in the temperature. "Oh my, that is quite comfortable." she smiles at Elisabeth, "My thanks to you.."

"Give your thanks to Daeus for sharing his warmth, not to me", Elisabeth says with a smile. "If doing so should not offend another who you might venerate, of course."

Raethon says, "But you chose her to give it to, Elisabeth. So she thanked you for choosing her. In doing so, you both have made Daeus proud." He says as he closes his book. "I brought along a new spell and i want to try it out." he seems to be grinning too."

Hun'rar grins at Elisabeth "And thanks to Gilead for supporting our hunt. Thank you, I feel comforted by his light already." he says in return as he dons his helmet. "Now, shall we clear this place out?"

Elisabeth nods to Hun'rar, then looks over to Raethon. "let us see it", she says.

Raethon smirks at elisabeth. "You don't want to experience it. So it'll be for the plants. it's not my direct area of expertise, but the plant monsters will not like it at all. The spell is called Twilight Knife."

To the front of the Aerie again, then, with Kisa and Elisabeth taking point. When you arrive, you see the ropes you initially secured to climb up to the front 'doors', which were really widened windows, have been severed by something. The immediate problem is that the hooks you used to secure them are up there too.

Leisel raises a hand, to forestall Raethon... "Only the evil plants please..." she looks about the clearing, making a soothing motion towards the plants she had communed with. "Only the evil ones... he won't hurt you, I'm sure of it. All is well.."

"Sounds like a good way to cut a steak." Kisaiya says to Raethon with a lopsided smile, but they are off and all and it's time to see exactly what they're in for - let alone what exactly everyone else heard in the night (it better not be Serra).

Kisa looks up the to the area that they climbed up, then a glance back to the group, "Well, I mean. I could try to climb it unless someone else wants to suggest an idea?"

Raethon says, "The last time I flew up and got us up there, I was attacked and grabbed by a plant monster. I'll....hold back this time."

Hun'rar nods to Kisa "If you can, with the ropes the rest of us can follow." he says looking up. "I have climbing gear if it will help."

Leisel glances up the ropes, which is how the group got up there the first time. Of course there is no rope for her, and she stands and waits to see what they all decide to do, not looking particularly worried.

GAME: Kisaiya rolls athletics: (12)+13: 25

Kisa looks back to the others, a smile, a shrug, and she looks up the cliff face, "I think I got this!" She's, of course, sporting something that looks warmer and for spelunking! A pair of sturdy brown pants and a brown jacket that's left open to show off the deep red tunic underneath. She pulls out some rope, and then starts up.

A slow pull of herself upward, gloved hands grasping the rock. She begins up the doorway, rubble scaled and then the tricky parts where the handholds are smaller. A slow breath, looking up, and Kisa reaches up further, a scale over what used to be a Khazad face of some variety. Then another. Eventually she grabs the edge of the window and pulling herself up to where the hooks are. Dropping the rope back down after tying it off up top.

"Okay!" Kisa calls down, "Don't fall!"

Magnus arrives, singing as he steps into the high grasses. Bluebirds sing.

Magnus has arrived.

"I'll go next", Elisabeth says, hanging her shield from her belt to free that hand. With that done, she grasps the rope to being the climb.

As Kisaiya gets her way up there, Raethon flies up to help out as best he can.....and that way is....making sure they're not ambushed this time.

Leisel's slight form jumps, sprouting wings and feathers quickly as she takes to the air, making gracefull downsweeps of her wings, following the others up and up in an eagles form.

Hun'rar follows up the rope after Elisabeth gets going. "This would be so much easier when I get wings.." he mutters as he struggles up the rope.

Raethon says, "yeah, but you don't have wings at the moment, Hun'rar. Focus on the task at hand for now. You'll get better from this experience." he then looks down. "Leisel?""

And there you go.

One by one, you all ascend back into the aerie. Nothing interrupts you... yet.

But something /did/ cut those ropes. Kira has elected, for the moment, to babysit the consquered mossgoyle to ensure it does not escape.

Raethon then looks up. "Oh wait...there you are. never mind."

Magnus climbs as well, waiting until the others have climbed up. Then he goes up steadily, making sure of his climb. Finally, he's up, and begins to look around.

Once up, Elisabeth rearms herself with her shield and steps into the room, pulling an ioun torch from her pouch to toss up over her head, so that light is provided.

So, the good news is that the front room is still like you left it. The next room is still really squishy, and then the stairs down and up are left for you to explore after you pass through the area where you fought the mossgoyles.

Which way, though, do you want to go here?

GAME: Magnus rolls survival: (5)+10: 15

Kisaiya pulls out her own weapon, the scythe in her hands as she starts to move along with a hum. A look around as she sees that the room is empty, well... small favors. So she sort of skips across the squishy landscape. Squash... Squash... Squash! WEE! And she'll look around as well for any signs of passage.

GAME: Kisaiya rolls survival: (12)+14: 26

GAME: Elisabeth rolls survival: (12)+8: 20

"I see nothing that tells of the passage of creatures", Elisabeth says after a moment, moving along after Kisaiya... though not as bouncy and hippity-hoppity.

Leisel langs near the others, as the chamber is a bit too kramped for an eagle to be soaring about. She shakes her head, seeming to drop feathers and shape for herself again. She looks at the other, waiting for someone to say where to go to next.

Magnus shakes his head, prowling around. He returns, opening his hands. "I can't find anything either. Should we keep going up?"

Raethon says, "well....maybe we can go down the same path we did before. May help....""

"I see lots of squish!" Kisaiya says as she slows down to be more in pace with Elisabeth with a smile toward her. "Hey! This is gonna be an interesting day, am I right?!" She smiles and keeps her eyes open for any surprises.

Elisabeth comes to the stairs... and gestures up with a lifting of her chin. "Let's go that way. At least we know it'll come to an end, eventually. We can turn and continue down afterwards", she says.

Raethon says, "yeah, but how far up is up? At least if we go down, there'll be a limit to how 'DOWN' we go before we're going up again."

Up the stairs!

Up a eight feet of stairs and then you're on another floor! The stairs actually /continue/ up, but here you can step off into a small landing which looks like it opens into a wider room deeper into the mountain side.

Vines hang from the ceiling in there en masse.

Magnus nods to Elisabeth. "Lead on, then." He follows, then takes a moment to study the vines.

Kisaiya turns and looks at Raethon, blinks, "What? There's always a limit to up!" She plants her hands on her hips and starts up them with Elisabeth with a grin. Grand adventure! And then up to that small landing.

GAME: Raethon rolls perception: (18)+14: 32

GAME: Elisabeth rolls perception: (3)+15: 18

GAME: Magnus rolls perception: (7)+15: 22

GAME: Kisaiya rolls Perception: (10)+7: 17

Elisabeth steps just a bit into the room to make room for the others to enter, looking one way then the other. "A mass of vines is all I see...", she comments.

GAME: Leisel rolls perception: (19)+14: 33

Hun'rar follows the others up the stairs, shield still strapped to his back and sword in its sheath. "So a top down approach? Sounds like a good idea." when they get to the landing he looks back down the stairs, letting the others worry about the vines.

Magnus shakes his head. "...I don't see anything. Should we keep going?"

Raethon says, "Vines got me last time we were here......I don't trust 'em."

Leisel follows the other up, and moves to investigate the vines hanging in the room. All of her attention is focused on them, "Friends... you can possible tell us, what is about?" Yes she's actually talking to the vines, "Oh... itchy friends.." a light giggle leaves her throat. She turns to glance at the others, "We would all be quite itchy, if we waded into these friends." She doesn't seem to evem mind the idea.

"Then... what shall we do about them?", Elisabeth asks of Raethon. "Assuming they can grab you, perhaps leaving them be is the wiser action.... especially with what Leisel is saying of them. It sounds as if they are poisonous in some way."

Kisaiya moves toward the vines as Leisel is talking to them, she turns her head to the side, then back to the others, then to the vines, and the other side and back to Leisel. "Well, I mean, if you're done talking tot hem, I can totally trim them back a bit so we can see what's on the other side?"

Hun'rar looks up at the others from his position still on the stair "I could burn them out if we need to." he says listening to the conversation. "But if they are not really dangerous I doubt its something to worry about. Just as long as the gargoyles won't be bothered."

Leisel turns to Kisaiya, startled and alarmed, "Trim... trim them back?! Mother of the Word, NO! They have do no harm to anyone. They can not help what they are, no more than we can help what we are." She almost looks pleading. "We don't need to harm them at all.. I can ask them to move, though its hard... rooted as the are." Turns a green shade as someone mentions burning them out.

Raethon says, "all right. We'll make our way through. Unless they decide to attack, Leisel. then all bets are off."

Kisaiya smile and then nods, stepping back and to the side to wait for Leisel to do her thing!

Magnus pauses. "Do we have to disturb them at all, or should we keep climbing?"

"I would suggest just continuing our climb", Elisabeth says, moving over to look up the stairs.

Up to the next floor, then.

You push up, ignoring the vine choked hallway and then you come up to a barrier.

This barrier is also plant matter. It is a /wall/ of moss, cutting you off from going further up.

Leisel doesn't follow the others up the stairs, she stays near the vines. She moves near them, with no fear. She doesn't even hesitate to raise her hands into them, delicately twining around them, as if tickling the vines. "Friends.." she speaks quietly, "We've need to pass without hinderance..I will help all I can, but can you pull back to let the others through? You see, you may make them itch... no no, you are wonderful, just as you are. I adore you all!! I have many of your like in my own grove. But they need to be able to do things, without the itchings." she then speaks quietly in a different language all together..

Magnus steps back down the stairs to watch Leisel do her thing. He stays quiet, but rather tries to watch further in, arrow in hand, just in case things go wrong.

After talking quietly with the vines, Leisel pushes into the vines more completely, walking through the vines with no difficulty what-so-ever. The group hears a, "Wait till I give an all clear.. they are," there is a slight pause.."unsure." She pushes through the vines to the other side, seeing how deep they go, and what is beyond the vine area.

Leading the way up the stairs, Elisabeth stays back from the wall of moss. "Perhaps we should have Leisel look at this...", she says, turning back to see that... the druid isn't on the stairs with everyone else. "Well... I suppose she's talking to the trees... I wonder if they're listening to her", she comments. "Let's go on back down..."

GAME: Leisel rolls perception: (19)+14: 33

Raethon quietly waits. "as long as they aren't hostile, I'm fine with it. Shoot....if they're non-violent...take some with us."

Leisel returns to the others walking through the vines, as the vines themselves part for her. "They seem to understand who I am, but I can't not say for certain they will part for you." She stops and thinks a moment, "I may have a solution for that, if you wish to go forward." She holds up a hand, "There are alcoves on either side of this hallway, but the mouths of them are covered over in plant matter, what kind I could not ascertain. But there are stairs yet on the far side of this as well, going up. I should easily be able to get you through.. I think." She pauses, looking down at her feet which are quite dirty with dirt and disgarded plant matter. "There is no light here... no natural water source. Yet they are all here..."

"There is something making all this happen. That's what we're here to discover... and put a stop to, at the request of the gargoyles. It would, likely, mean that these plants... would no longer be able to live here", Elisabeth says to Leisel. "There's something unnatural about their being able to grow here, in the first place."

Magnus nods slowly. "Lead the way, then." A pause. "And yet they are -- living on something." He nods to Elisabeth. "Exactly."

Raethon says, "That's the reason why we're here. Of course...if these things are growing. maybe the answer is down. But...let's check up first.""

Kisaiya just sort of stands there, looking between them all with a tilt of her head to the side. She gives a furrow of her brow, then an arch of them, then a shrug. She's really all at a loss, "Sure! Let's head on through I suppose!" She gives a grin, "Either way it's an adventure!"

Leisel nods at all of them, "I understand, you have been sent to stop.. something. But I must state, I will not hurt the plants here, if all they are doing is living. I understand.." her brows furrow, "But don't ask me to kill or harm them. The things we fought before, were evil, and I could feel that. But these," her hands running through the ivy, "Are just simple plants." I will try and get you through."

"I understand. Also, up these stairs here, there's a wall of moss blocking the way up, so it seems that you getting us past your friends, here, seems the more prudent course. In this case, you lead us, that we may do as little harm as possible in seeking to put an end to whatever unnatural thing is happening in this place, devoid of Daeus' light", Elisabeth says, reaching up to put a hand, for a moment, on Leisel's shoulder.

GAME: Leisel casts Tree Shape. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17

Leisel smiles lightly to Elizabeth, the moves further into the vines, choosing the most center area. Her feet start taking root, and her arms lift now branching out and lightly lifting the vines up and away. As the foliage and flowers sprout from her, the purple flowering clusters hand down instead, allowing the others to pass through the hallway, with only purple flowers to lightly glance against them.

Raethon makes his way through, or attempts to. He's probably the smallest of the group.

Now the rest of you can, in fact, see the hallway. It is described much as Leisel said it: teh vines twining around the tree as it suppresses them reveals the rooms on either side, also shrouded (but less so) and covered in earth and dirt. They definitely look like they are living domiciles of some kind, though the moss has overgrown the funriture that might have once been within.

Elisabeth, after a moment's thought, outlines an idea, involving use of a rope and Leisel's ability to pass through the vines untouched, to create a passage through without harming the rest of the vines blocking the rest of the passage.

Kisa gives a shrug, "Sounds like a good idea! I know that I'm not a fan of people going after spiders. I imagine that vines are no different." She looks around to see if she spots any spiders - speaking of which - and then helps out in the plan to get passed the vines without hurting them.

The large Wisteria tree shivers lightly at the mention of the idea, as it doesn't harm the vines.

With ropes in plce, everyone is able to make it to the other end of the hallway. They've been parted like curtains!

You are now in /another/ stairwell, where Leisel can rejoin you. This set of stairs only goes up, however.

Elisabeth peeks into the new stairwell, looking up to see if there's a wall of moss blocking this one, as well.

Magnus moves to scout upwards as well, arrow at the ready. He goes quietly, really not saying much.

Leisel follows after the group, thanks to Elisabeth finding a way through that didn't involve harming the vines. She comes through with a rather large smile on her face. She moves as well to the stairs and peers up at them. "Lead, I will follow."

Raethon says, "huh." Is all he says as they make their way up the stairs."

Elisabeth nods, and proceeds on up the newly-found stairwell.

Kisaiya will of course be moving along with Elisabeth, keeping her eyes open for anything trap like. Wouldn't do her any good to go through all that and stumble into a trap!

GOOD NEWS, EVERYONE.

Moving /up/ those stairs has you coming up towards the 'top' floor, it seems. These stairs are rather long, a good thirty or forty feet, floor after floor, until you come out onto a antechamber where the room ahead opens up into a large top floor.

.... at the heart of it is a massive, pulsating plant heart, surropunded by moss gargoyles.

They don't appear to have noticed you yet. There's about a dozen of them.