Not as Short Notice

All of you have been called together by the Guild of Explorers.

The briefing was quick and to the point by the representative. There's a small village that's begging for help, as it has apparently been 'consumed' by 'fungus'.

This is an issue of concern and you're being sent to investigate by local authorities who want to know, naturally, about the fungus among us.

And that's where you're traveling to now, by foot or on mount. It's only a few hours away and you're almost there now.

Trotting along beside the group on foot, keeping up surprisingly well given his short stature, Wassal's chainmail jingles on his torso. He's not carrying much else, at the moment, but his look is determined.

Orenthal doesn't have a horse, or any real skill at riding. That's what coaches are for. Or quite expensive boots, it turns out. He plods along, using his steel-capped staff as a walking staff, looking a bit upscale for this section of wilderness.

Well, who wouldn't want to know about the fungus in that town?! Surely it must be all laughs. Sarcis was going by way of horse, she rode with one hand easy on the reins, and the other holding her bow. She wasn't sure what exactly this was all about, but she's also ran into more than her fair share of interesting greenery. "When we find this fungus, by the way, don't touch it. The last time I ran into something that sounds like this, it was hardly any fun. Guys and gals, it might try to - uh - attach to you."

"Fungus." Zenia says, voice echoing slightly from within her titan armor. "Well, better make sure the death ray's set up to torch some 'shrooms." she observes, detaching it from her back and flicking a few switches as it hums, before it goes quiet and she places it on her back. "What do we know about this fungus species anyway?" she asks, "I'm no druid, but any fungus that overtakes an entire village sounds... Unnatural. I mean, unusual? Not something the Gods created and all that."

Wassal looks towards Sarcis and frowns, holding out his empty hands, "So, if it's dangerous, what should I do? Throw rocks at it? Ask it nicely to behave?" His words are gruff, but there's a playful grin on his face, though with perhaps a slight hint of a feral cast as well. He then shrugs to Zenia, "There's more'n a few species of wild fungus. I expect any sort of magical fungus would be similar. Once we get a look, though, maybe we'll know more."

Sora travels along with the others. The smallish human lass smiles and keeps up with the others. She smiles, "Have to wait and see what is going on when we get there."

"Burn it." Sarcis says with a flat tone back to Wassal, with her lips curving into a thin smile. "I meant /literally/ don't touch it, not figuratively." She glances back forward, toward the road ahead.

Abigail is traveling by mount and then some, as a rust mule is line tied behind the palomino she rides on. In the center of the pack load on the mule is sleeping large black raven. Abigail listens to the group as she lets the horse tend to walking with the group. She fishes through her clothing, grabbing a scarf and wrapping it about her neck, the leather gloves that she can slip on her silk ones.

Upon your third hour of travel, you come to the edge of the village in the distance. Indeed, it looks rather...fungused.

The first building you see, on the edge of the town, is what appears to be an outhouse. And it is very, very green.

Very.

Other buildings have large splotches of fungus growing all over them.

Orenthal observes, "Well, there's the fungus. It's very fungussy." He nods. "Well, our job here is done, yeah?"

GAME: Sarcis rolls Knowledge/Nature: (5)+7: 12

Sora nods her head and then raises a brow, "Not exactly what I was expecting but then I am not sure what I was expecting."

The gnome grunts at Sarcis' response, then shrugs. "Anyone got a torch?" He wrinkles his nose as the group approaches the town, frowning. "Or a druid?" he gestures. "That doesn't seem normal." He then begins looking around for throwable rocks, or perhaps a large stick. "I say we go poke it."

"I've got an incendiary death ray." Zenia says, leveling it at the outhouse once more. "On your mark?" she asks.

Abigail backs up her horse, sliding from the mount smoothly. She slap tethers the reins to a nearby bush or low limb of a tree. Then she raises the scarf in front of her face. "I would not really suggest blowing up a stink-house. Not as a first choice." The woman speaking louder to overcome the muffling fabric.

"Err." She starts to slow the horse as they near up, then tethers the reins to a limb near Abigail before giving another look at the fungus. "Yeah, this does look similar. It also looks very fungussy." A shake of her head and she pulls out an arrow, knocking it on the bow already.

"Ooh. Flaming dung. Yeah, that might be bad." Zenia observes, "Well, I guess that's why we have people who realize how things might play out a little better than me!" she observes, "So uh... You lot know about this fungus?" she asks, "I mean it sounds like you've seen it before."

"Well," Says Wassal, "If we had flaming dung, we could use it on the fungus. Right? Dung us for fungus!"

Sora shakes her head, "I don't really have a clue what that is or what we should do." she shakes her head, "Is it alive? Or just some kind of thing like mosses?"

Orenthal suggests, "About all we can do now is check for survivors and try not to get fungussed, ourselves."

Being careful of the claws at the ends of his fingers, the gnomish companion scratches his head. "But, like, where'd they come from?" He looks around the outskirts of the village. "How do fungus, like.. spread? Did this village make hanky spanky with the next village over? Should we maybe walk around the village and see if there's a trail?"

"Not a bad thought." Sarcis says to the idea of walking about the village first.

GAME: Sarcis rolls Perception: (19)+9: 28
GAME: Wassal rolls perception: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Sora rolls perception: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Orenthal rolls perception: (5)+7: 12
GAME: Abigail rolls perception: (7)+2: 9
GAME: Zenia rolls perception: (8)+6: 14

"Uh oh!" cries Wassal, before he begins charging directly into the village.

"WAIT!" Sarcis cries out to Wassal, looking toward the others, "I think I heard something inside the village... I think he did too." She jerks her thumb toward the one charging for it.

"What? What do you-" Zenia says, before she realizes Wassal is heading into the village, "Just perfect, I'm not letting him get killed." she says as she follows, though a bit more carefully.

"Hmm." Abigail murmurs, retrieving some sampling equipment from an alchemy kit on her horse: mason jars, tongs, small clippers, sparker, and metal probe. These are transfered to pouches and pockets for the moment. Wait, where did everybody.. Oh that way.

As Wassal reaches the center of the cillage, he finds several moss-cocoons. It's like they were wrapped around still living people. You can hear them struggling from within.

That said, for those with any real natural education, those moss cocoons look an awful lot like the way a spider might wrap its webs around its prey...

...oh, hey. Moss Spiders.

GAME: You roll initiative: 11 + 6 = 17
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 20.
      It is now Moss Spider 3's turn! Moss Spider 2 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+3: (5)+3: 8
GAME: Wassal rolls fort: (3)+6: 9
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d2: (2): 2
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 18.
      It is now Moss Spider 2's turn! Sarcis is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 17.
      It is now Sarcis' turn! Moss Spider 1 is next!
GAME: Note Flat-footed ended.

Moss SPiders.

Really.

They're spiders made of /plant matter/. And one leaps from the top of a building and lands right in front of Wasal. It's mandibles...mossdibles? They latched onto his arm and /bite down/. Hard. Yellowish ichor is left smeared over ther wound.

A second one drops down beside the gnome as well, biting down and trying to get through his armor. This time to no avail.

GAME: Sarcis rolls BowPBSJust: aliased to weapon2 +2: (11)+6+2: 19
GAME: Sarcis rolls 1d8+2: (2)+2: 4
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 13.
      It is now Moss Spider 1's turn! Abigail is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

Sarcis already has an arrow knocked as she starts running after Wassal into the town. She grimaces at the sight, and shakes her head as she mutters, "At least it's not a mound of stuff, actual discernible anatomy this time." She draws back, lining up, and then releases the arrow which hisses forward and hits the Spider squarely. Good news, everyone!

A third spider has arrived. It is also made of moss. And it is also trying to eat Wassal. Mostly because he was the first person on scene and they're sort of single minded like that, evidently. Thankfully, it too misses.

That's a lot of big spiders, though. Made of moss.

GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 13.
      It is now Abigail's turn! Sora is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 10.
      It is now Sora's turn! Wassal is next!
GAME: Abigail casts Resistance. Caster Level: 2 DC: 14
GAME: Sora rolls melee+2+2: (10)+6+2+2: 20

The gnome ran off, then others followed. Abjurers rarely rush their actions, patient and contemplative. Abigail strides along staff in hand, her mouth moving to the words of a cantrip to defend her. Once cast though, she does pick up to a quick pace. The raven jumping awake and to flight after her.

GAME: Sora rolls 2d6+12: (4)+12: 16
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 7.
      It is now Wassal's turn! Zenia is next!

Sora already had a good grip on her belt and at the attack of the spiders, she pulls her belt off and screams out a charge. She holds the belt with her artifice arm and surges forward. She speaks the words as she charges and the belt shimmers and grows replaced with a greatsword which she swings powerfully at the mosspider that Sarcis shot, slicing into it pretty good.

GAME: Wassal rolls melee+2: (1)+4+2: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Wassal rolls melee+2: (17)+4+2: 23
GAME: Wassal rolls 1d4+1+2: (2)+1+2: 5
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round One - Init 5.
      It is now Zenia's turn! Moss Spider 3 is next!

With a howl of pain and primal rage, Wassal's visage shimmers slightly. His flesh doesn't change, but takes on a coppery hue. His nostrils flare and his already toned muscles bulge as he swings both clawed hands to swipe at his attacker. His left hand misses its mark, but the right row of claws digs a furrow across the mossinous carapace.

"Spiders?!" Zenia asks, "I'm not sure what they're doing with the whole fungus thing, but they're trying to kill us so no time for wondering!" she notes, as she levels her death ray at the one closest to her and fires a sizzling blast of energy towards it!

GAME: Zenia rolls Ranged + 2: (4)+6+2: 12
GAME: NEW ROUND!
      Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 20.
      It is now Moss Spider 3's turn! Moss Spider 2 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+3: (1)+3: 4
GAME: Sora rolls Fortitude: (16)+5: 21
GAME: Wassal RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 4 temporary HP
GAME: Zenia activates her Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex

The mossy creautre clearly feels pain. It flips around and bites at SOra first, as Sarcis and her were both wounding it. It bite bite bites at her, scoring a hit and leaving ichor on her person.

The otehr triss to get a hold of Wassal again to no avail.

GAME: Sora rolls Fortitude: (9)+5: 14
GAME: Zenia spends ONE use of DEATH RAY.
GAME: Zenia refreshes special ability pools.
GAME: Zenia spends ONE use of DEATH RAY.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 18.
      It is now Moss Spider 2's turn! Sarcis is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 17.
      It is now Sarcis' turn! Moss Spider 1 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 13.
      It is now Moss Spider 1's turn! Abigail is next!
GAME: Whirlpool reverses the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 17.
      It is now Sarcis' turn! Moss Spider 1 is next!
GAME: Sarcis rolls BowPBSJust: aliased to weapon2 +2: (15)+6+2: 23
GAME: Sarcis rolls 1d8+3: (1)+3: 4
GAME: Wassal rolls fort: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 13.
      It is now Moss Spider 1's turn! Abigail is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

Ther spider turns and /leaps/ at Zenia, biting at her face.

It hits an over turned wagon on the way over, tumbles to the ground, legs kickign as it lays upside down for a second before flipping itserlf right side upo once more.

Very graceful. Much amaze.

GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 13.
      It is now Abigail's turn! Sora is next!

Sarcis is still moving as she reaches back and grabs another arrow from her quiver, a smooth reach back a knock of the arrow, draw and loose. It's all one smooth, practiced, motion as she keeps her eyes narrowed in toward her target. The arrow hisses through the air, and sinks in deeply to the spider that her and Sora were attacking with a vengeance. "Yes." The Oruch calls out to Zenia, "Spiders. No idea either, but we can always check afterward, right?"

GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 10.
      It is now Sora's turn! Wassal is next!
GAME: Abigail casts True Strike. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15

Studying the battlefield, Abigail moves forward to circle in on the spider near Sora. She speaks arcane word, grasping a pouch and lifting her staff slightly as she approaches, then stepping up to the beast to add distraction for Sora.

GAME: Sora rolls melee+2+2: (9)+6+2+2: 19
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 7.
      It is now Wassal's turn! Zenia is next!
GAME: Wassal rolls melee: (9)+4: 13
GAME: Wassal rolls melee+2: (14)+4+2: 20
GAME: Sora rolls melee+2+2-2: (18)+6+2+2+-2: 26
GAME: Wassal rolls 1d4+3: (1)+3: 4
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Two - Init 5.
      It is now Zenia's turn! Moss Spider 3 is next!
GAME: Zenia rolls Ranged + 2: (7)+8+2: 17
GAME: Zenia spends ONE use of DEATH RAY.
GAME: Sora rolls 2d6+12: (8)+12: 20
GAME: Sora rolls 2d6+12: (8)+12: 20
GAME: Zenia rolls 2d6+6: (7)+6: 13

Heedless of the poison running through his veins, shrugging off its additional effects, Wassal continues his swiping attacks with his claws. The first glances across the mossy surface of the first spider, but again several lines appear on the mossy surface of the creature. "<something you don't understand in draconic>" bellows the gnome.

Sora dances with her greatsword, moving as if she and it were one, almost more agile than brute force, though she is trying for powerful blows. She slashes down, cutting deep and droping one of the spiders, as she continues the swing, cutting deep into one of ther others.

GAME: NEW ROUND!
      Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Three - Init 20.
      It is now Moss Spider 3's turn! Sarcis is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+3: (5)+3: 8
Biting at Sora now after that powerful hit, the moss-spider turns and snaps its mandibles at her but only hits her armor instead.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Three - Init 17.
      It is now Sarcis' turn! Moss Spider 1 is next!
GAME: Sarcis rolls BowPBSJust: aliased to weapon2 +2: (16)+6+2: 24
GAME: Sarcis rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6
AME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Three - Init 13.
      It is now Moss Spider 1's turn! Abigail is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Three - Init 13.
      It is now Abigail's turn! Sora is next!
GAME: Abigail rolls 1d20+22: (3)+22: 25
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Three - Init 10.
      It is now Sora's turn! Wassal is next!

Sarcis is not to be stopped as she grabs another one of her arrows. Thankfully, the Spiders seem far more interested in other people than her and that left her relatively free of distraction. She knocks it and draws, holding it back near her jaw as she waits, angles, and then sends it off hissing through the friendlies all clustered about the spiders. It sinks into one of its leg joints and she smiles a bit grimly. Yes... Now just give in to the pain. "Well, at least this is better than the trogs."

GAME: Sora rolls melee+2+2: (14)+6+2+2: 24
GAME: Sora rolls 2d6+12: (5)+12: 17
GAME: You nominated Abigail for good roleplay.
GAME: You nominated Zenia for good roleplay.
GAME: You nominated Wassal for good roleplay.
GAME: You nominated Sora for good roleplay.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
      Round Three - Init 7.
      It is now Wassal's turn! Zenia is next!

Swinging with eldritch accuracy the staff comes down in to the mossy spider and slays it. Okay, what really happened must have been the spell guided the whimpy wizard's strike into a previous wound and the off balance abjurer leaned in to an exposed vital organ, trying not to tip over. Not tha Abigail will be mentioning that. "It.. It's dead. I think." After another second, "I killed it?"

Sora turns, looking for a target, as many of the others are down. She surges forward as she charges and whips her greatsword down, not quite taking the spider down, but definitely hurting it.

GAME: Wassal rolls melee+2: (15)+4+2: 21
GAME: Wassal rolls melee+2: (11)+4+2: 17
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "You'd only get one attack due to having to move to it, but it's still a hit!"
GAME: Wassal rolls 1d4+3: (3)+3: 6
GAME: Wassal ends his rage.
GAME: Zenia deactivates her Titan Armor.
GAME: Whirlpool removes the timestop.
Timestop by Whirlpool has left.

Zenia's own armor whirring as it powers down, she starts panting somewhat from the strain of magical exertion. "So what in the world brought these things on?" she asks, "I mean fungus, spiders, now... People." she notes, as she rushes over to one of the coccoons to pry it open.

Seeing his foe fall to Abigail's staff, Wassal snarls briefly at the woman. He turns quickly however, and spots another spider, the one sliced near to ribbons by Sora. Striding towards the creature, then leaping into the air with his clawed hand behind his head, the gnome slashes downwards as he falls, scoring a raking blow across the spider's eyes, causing it to writhe in pain before becoming still. The gnome pants, looking around for more enemies, then collapses to his knees.

Seeing Zenia running towards a coccoon, Wassal hollars, "Wait! She said don't touch the fungus! Use fire to burn it off!" Because common sense.

Stopping just short of the coccoon, Zenia stops and says, "...Oh yeah." as she aims the death ray at a part of the coccoon that's NOT close to a human form so as to prevent it from striking the person inside.

Sora turns and looks around for a moment, "How did they say not to touch it? With flesh? or not at all?" she doesn't remember.

Only Sarcis said not to touch it. With the combat having died down, you hear muffled cris from inside the cocoons.

Sarcis starts to slowly move after them all, looking to the spiders and frowning. This whole place needed to be burned with fire if it was her call. "Anything." Sarcis says back, "Though if you have to, just not flesh and be ready to drop whatever you're holding if it starts crawling up it." She glances up toward where the others are trying to get a person free. Sarcis will begin trying to pick her way around would the immediate area, listening for any other survirors.

The Oruch pulls free a dagger from down on her thigh, moving toward one of the cocoons and trying to cut one of them opening and free what is hopefully a survivor.

Slowly and carefully, Wassal wobbles to his feet, leaning on his legs for a moment and panting. The coppery hue to his skin fades, and is replaced by an unhealty looking palor. "Just... get... a torch. Light... the moss." says the gnome. "It'll be fine."

Abigail backs off from the feral gnome at the growl. A head shake when some one runs to the pod, "With flesh.. Stay low and be careful. Cut it gently with a long blade." That said Abigail still backs up a few meters. Waiting for the results of the first attempt.

As Sarcis cuts, the moss indeed begins to climb up the blade. But still, she's able to get one of them open and pull a survivor (covered in mossy splotches), out of it. The human is weeping frantically as she claws at her flesh. "get it off, get it off," she yells. Seems they're going to need to be dragged back and given to healers for attention.

After a moment of watching the first survivor being freed, Wassal shrugs. Having caught his breath, he begins meandering towards one of the coccoon. He looks closely at it, tilting his head this way and that, then raises one clawed finger, as though preparing to cut into the casing.

There are two more cocoons.

GAME: Sarcis refreshes spells.

After a moment of watching the first survivor being freed, Wassal shrugs. Having caught his breath, he begins meandering towards one of the coccoon. He looks closely at it, tilting his head this way and that, then raises one clawed finger, as though preparing to cut into the casing.

Seeing the woman clawing at her flesh, Zenia frowns. "Hm..." she muses as she withdraws a goblin army knife and fiddles with it for a while before she comes to the fire-starting application. "I'll do what I can, just please remain calm." as she prepares to try to precisely singe off the moss without hurting the woman.

Abigail gives a sigh of relief as the person comes out. She doesn't take it as any sign she should do that though, instead, she kneels by a spider carcass and gets a cloth on her probe to take a sample and seal it in a jar.

As the second cocoon burns away, it reveals a mess of blood and bone. That one? definitely not alive.

It pours out onto the ground.

Ew.

Seeing as nobody is stopping him, Wassal uses his claw to begin cutting away one of the coccoons.

The third coccoon opens to reveal another individual covered in open, weeping sores where the moss has eaten away at their flesh.

They're able to pulld out.

This is not good.

Sora helps out where she can. She can't heal though so she just does what she can.

Zenia has disconnected.

GAME: Sarcis casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14
GAME: Sarcis rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11

Sarcis gives a look toward the others and quickly starts off in the direction of the third person. Even as she moves, she begins to chant something under her breath, an urge of her prayers to be answered. Reaching out, she casts cure light wounds on the wounded person. "Someone cut down the last one! Quick. The Moss is eating away at them!"

Searching around the town reveals stones covered in moss at its center.

Interesting. Sarcis should probably recognize those!

The rest of you are able to gather the three who were trapped and return them to the city. The militia is going to be deployed to set the small village on fire to get rid of the moss, with watchful members of the Green Word being called to investigate.

Either way, mission accomplished for you lot.

"Alright, ya'll. Drinks at the adventurer's guild? That one is buying." Wassal hooks a thumb at Abigail.

Abigail looks up to see the point at her, a shoulder shrug, "I will by a first round of honey mead or ale." So to be clear, she isn't forking out for centuries old elf wine or gold flaked dwarven spirits.

Sarcis gives a sigh, "I'll pass, thank you." She looks over her clothes, then her hands, making sure none of the moss was still on her. She even went so far as to singe her dagger that she used before putting it back into the sheath.

"Thank you though." The Oruch says, with a smile sliding along her lips and an arch to her crafted brows. "I /do/ so appreciate offers like that."