The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom (Game Thread II)

[JadedDM]

Locky starts tumbling backwards to get away from her opponent, proving far nimbler and faster than the hulking creature. However, this proves unnecessary as the two males of the group come to her rescue.

First, Jerrard climbs over a burning tree, ignoring the licking flames. Using the range of his makeshift polearm, he thrusts at the living tree, splintering it. Shay, who has managed to get on his feet, then nails it with two thrown daggers, finishing it off.

The ranting of the Mad Trees has ceased. The only sounds in the cavern are the gentle lapping of water, the crackling of smoldering lumber, and the party's collecting panting as they try to collect their breaths.

==========================

Locky enters tumbling mode and withdraws from Mad Tree 1.
Jerrard leaps over another burning tree (1d20): 2. Fail. (1d6): 2 damage. He then attacks Mad Tree 1 for 6 damage.
Shay throws daggers at Mad Tree 1. (1d20+1): 19. Hit. (1d4): 1 damage. (1d20+1): 21. Critical hit! (2d4): 6 damage. Mad Tree 1 dies.

Melee ends.

(OOC: Wow, you guys pulled it off. Of course, you're all terribly injured now, as a result. Party can post freely now.)

[Breila]

Babushka slowly follows the two men into the chamber.

"Look at us!" she exclaims. "All bruised and torn! I suggest we retreat into the tunnel behind the stone mouth, if that's not too enclosed a space for you two tall guys. We're safer there than here to discuss what to do next.

Am I correct that we are short on oil now? Then we should try to extinguish the burning trees, so we can make torches from them."

[Jenara]

Locky pants loudly, her top knot is a mess, blonde hair covers her face, her robe is torn in places.

"Oh my, that was exciting! She jumps towards the group, attempting to bandage wounds where needed.
"The cave sounds like an idea, but Shay and Jerrard are very hurt, they need days to heal

[JadedDM]

"The stone mouth is defensible...although we'd be trapped if they just decided to block up the tunnel," Shay points out as lets the kender bandage him up.

[Jerrard]

Jerrard smiles weakly, resting on his branch.
"I am in a considerable amount of pain... We need somewhere safe to heal, to wash these wounds."

"Should we not go to our initial cave?"
He puts out burning branches as he moves.

[Breila]

"Back to base camp? Of course we can go there. I only thought you wouldn't want to go that far.

But perhaps we should leave the caverns altogether. I could find us a safe place to camp in the woods. We're less likely to be found by the podmen there than in the caverns, and we won't need lighting during the day. And it may lure whoever is responsible for all this" she gestures to the dead trees, "to think we've given up."

[Jerrard]

Jerrard struggles to keep himself standing, clutching his chest he coughs up a large quantity of blood.

"I think I can make it back, but we should stay inside, these creatures have left the caverns before... Besides, we are safe with Locky's little trap aren't we?"

Jerrard seraches the cavern visibly for signs of any other victims of the trees.

[Jenara]

Locky smiles at the comment about her trap.Thanks to the invisiblity she wasn't too hurt, fussing with her hair she gasps and pulls it into some form of order.

"I think we should rest in the cavern... I do like the idea of getting clean, I feel all icky." She shudders, still playing with her hair.

"Being invisible was so much fun!"

[JadedDM]

Jerrard searches the cavern, but finds no evidence of any victims other than themselves.

Meanwhile, Shay collects his daggers. "I agree with Jerrard and Locky. Let's return to our little 'camp.' I don't want to risk losing our foothold in this place."

[Jenara]

"Lets go shall we?" Locky collects piles of wood in her off hand, then takes Bab's hand pulling her away from the cavern.

"That was rather interesting, wasn't it? I have never been attacked by a tree before! And I can't believe Jerrard made me invisible!! Have you ever been invisible?" She leads them back through winding passageways, never seemingly to get lost, babbling all the way.

[Jerrard]

Jerrard walks slowly, leaning on his staff, the pain in his chest was getting worse, pausing for a moment he coughs up more blood.

"Shay, I don't know about you, but that hurt, getting hurt by a tree is somewhat embarrassing, don't you think?" He lowers his own head in shame.

[JadedDM]

"When I was a kid, I climbed a tree and the branch I was standing on broke, and I fell. Sprained my arm. This was a whole different thing, though. I've never heard of walking trees that actually try to kill you," Shay responds.

Paladine must be looking after them, or perhaps they are just lucky. Either way, they backtrack without running into any patrols or random beasts. The waterfall has returned, but Locky uses her key to again divert it. "It must be set on some kind of timer," Shay speculates.

Climbing back up the root ladder, the party practically collapses in their little makeshift camp by the lake and waterfall. They likely wouldn't survive another fight in this condition.

"We should decide the watch," the thief says.

[Jenara]

"Well... Me and Bab are less injured, I guess we should share a watch..." Locky smiles and sits down within the camp, "I will take second watch, it will allow me to ask Paladine for healing."

(Ooc: Suggest we rest and Locky prays for all healing spells.. Should heal us quite quickly. Locky probably wouldn't suggest this, but Shay should rest with Locky. Leaving Bab and Jerrard.)

"But first." Locky jumps up, removes her clothes and jumps into the water, bracing herself against the cold, and sets to work washing her hair.

[Jerrard]

Jerrard sits quietly, producing his spellbook, he frowns at Lockys brazen attitude. "We are not relaxing." He snorts loudly and turns away.

(ooc: I would be happy with Jen's suggestion for an order)

[JadedDM]

"All right, we'll clean up a bit, then get some rest. Locky and I will take the second watch, so Jerrard and Babushka can take the first."

Approaching the ranger, he scratches the back of his neck. "Listen, Babushka, I...uh, just wanted to thank you. For saving my life, I mean. I owe you one."