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

[Jenara]

(Posted on Jerrard's behalf his words, Jen)

Jerrard takes a deep breath, wiping his blade on a fallen body he motions to The Paladin with his head in thanks and leans over to fallen creature. (Does the creature have normal blood? Just an idea.)

Standing he offers his hand in greeting to the man. His fingers stroking his long black goatie beard with the other.
"Jerrard Foss, of the Red robes. Thank you for your aid.."

[Elvenoff]

Elvenoff watches the last of the green men fall to their death. He takes a few moments to study them up closer looking at the wounds and their location. His study is cut short when asked whom he was by one of the human members. His gaze fell first to the floating stone head that bobbled above his head. A raised brow rose from his questing face. “Umm,” he stumbled over his words as the figurine situation still had him off balanced. He pointed at the stone and was about to ask when he decided it would be best to leave it for later. “Your welcome.” he managed to break the fixation upon the head and look to whom he was speaking to, “I’m Elvenoff, I was sent here by Hilda to help with the missing villagers. Whom are you?” His gaze falters from the human to the Kinder whom also spoke to him, “ Thank you, Your not a bad fighter either being that of a clergy. No disrespect meant, just very few good combat clergy these days.” He offered her a friendly smile.

His attention wonders over to the next one that approaches and offers his hand, taking his hand in greetings, “Your welcome, even though it was little aid. May I ask all of your names?” he looked to each one and freezing upon the head once more.. “And what in the name of Saint Cuthbert is that?” his hand points upward to the floating head.

[Jenara]

"He already told you his name." locky giggles, "He is Jerrard, i am Locky, this is Shay, and the lovely lady with the interesting stick idea is Babuskha."

Realising he mean't the head she continues. "Oh, we don't actually know what that is.. It just sort of followed Shay, its a funny looking thing isn't it? It just follows him around and does nothing."

Stepping back from the dead podmen. (After glancing in the next cavern.)

"St Cuthbert? Who is that? " she asks as she watches Bab with the cages.

[Breila]

Babushka unties the knife from the magical staff and sheathes it, then walks over to the rest of the group.

(does the staff become a short coil of rope again, now that the fight is over?)

[Elvenoff]

Elvenoff makes eye contact, and nods to each one as they are introduced. His gaze falls upon the floating head when she speaks about it and begins to wonder about what it's purpose was, but Magical lore was something he never fully understood. His wondering came to an end when Locky asked whom ST. Cuthbert was, "He his the one that I do my bidding for. He is the light that shines at the end of my darken tunnel, my savior." He looked at the symbol of paladine that hung around her neck. "Like the one that shines at the end of your tunnel."

[Breila]

As Elvenoff and Locky speak, Babushka looks into the tunnel where the podmen came from. Is there a light source in the next chamber (=can the podmen see in the dark like Locky and her, or do they need light)?

When they fall silent, Babushka turns to Elvenloff: "I'm sorry I was so rude with you when you came. I wanted to make sure you weren't the mastermind behind all this" she gestures around the cavern. "These beings are no natural creatures. They're made by an evil wizard skilled in fungus lore. They are fighting machines who can see, but not hear. We believe that this" - she gestures to the floating head - "is a spying device. We've covered it so that it can't see where we are. But we don't know if it can transmit sound.

Is there anything important that I've forgotten?" Babushka asks Locky, Jerrard and Shay.

[Jenara]

"Yes Paladine guides me, he doesn't mind me calling me calling him Fizban." She winks, and shrugs, "We are taught of all the Gods of Krynn, I have never heard of St. Cuthbert thats all."

"I'm sure Elvenoff isn't too upset. If he were in our place, he would have done the same."

She nods in agreement with Bab over the situation, "I guess we should mention the cages, we have to rescue the people inside."

[Jerrard]

Jerrard watches the exchanges between the others, and then to the cavern the creatures came from.

(As asked elsewhere, is it dark or lit?)

He then turns on his heels, and faces the others. "We must rescue these people." Mindful the girl is still in there, as are the others, he keeps his voice low.[/b]"For all we know this is how the creatures are formed."[/b]

He then walks back to the cage that holds Merithina. "My dear, we are working on this, we have not forgotten you, but alas, these cages arr tough."

[JadedDM]

Scanning the other room quickly, Locky sees that the room is a dead-end and nothing else moves inside. There are ten pods hanging from the ceiling; two with sleeping podmen inside, the other eight containing the same vile chum they encountered before. The room is not illuminated.

The podmen, as Jerrard notices, have a strange purple blood, and it seems slightly thicker than normal blood, too.

The strange purple staff Babushka holds suddenly goes limp again, as if sensing there is no more danger nearby.

Merithina responds to Jerrard's words. "Listen, my father is a very wealthy merchant. If you can free me and my friend, Ulster, I can see to it you are richly rewarded."

[Jerrard]

"My dear it is not through want of trying, these cages can only be opened through Magical means.." He pauses, his mind working hard..

The creatures caught people, stored them in the cages, ground them.. and placed them in a growth pod... That had to be it.

The blood was both humanoid and plant.

"Have they ever opened the cage?" He asks his voice becomes serious.

[JadedDM]

"Not this one, not since they put me in here," Merithina says. "I was bound and gagged...but I do remember someone saying something. Maybe some kind of command word? But I didn't hear it clearly."

[Breila]

Not wanting to get her pocket ripped again, Babushka hangs the coil of rope over one of the straps of her backpack, a little squezzed so it can't fall off, but ready to grasp when it transforms into a staff again.

She moves over to Merithina. "Have you any idea how long you've been held here? Have you been given food or drink since?"

Despite having asked a question, Babushka remains deep in thought. The magical rope/staff was made of a fungus-like material, too. Was there a connection between it and the cages? Could it be used against the cages in its rope form, if it didn't affect them as a staff? But how?

[JadedDM]

"It's hard to tell how long it's been down here, as there's no sun or stars," Merethina says. "But I would guess almost a week. They confiscated our weapons, but not our rations and waterskins. We've been living off of those. Considering what they did to the others, I don't think they're concerned about our well-being."

[Jenara]

"So someone is making these things? Someone is in charge?" looking to the grinder she rubs her head. "A command word? A riddle.. What did it sound like? Roughly? Jerrard is smart, he'll get it!"

[Elvenoff]

"There is no need to give forgiveness, for I would have done the very samething." Elvenoff responded to her with a soft tone. He then followed her gestureing hand, taking in what she was saying about the strange creatures. He didn't possess the knowlege of herblism so, he listened to the group as they discussed the situation with the cages and the task of freeing them.

He moved over to where Jerrard was standing talking with the captives. “Excuse me for a moment.” Elvenoff moves closer to the cage looking at Merethina, “You said what they did to the others, what exactly did they do to the others? Please tell us everything they did from the time they were removed from the cage to what you seen happen to them.” he knew he might be going over information that the group already had, but sometimes when a captive first responds to questions it’s in a panic state, now that time has passed maybe she remembers more clearly and be able to tell more. “Take your time and concentrate, leave nothing out regardless of how small it may appear.”