Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Der are minotaur statues all over der place out 'ere", Maag calls down. "We 'ave walked past dem. We should 'ave known der would be a live one out 'ere".

He thinks for a moment. "Dat means dat wotever turns dem to stone could be out 'ere too....but der statues are overgrown...so prob'ly not...but dey don't 'ave a problem comin' out 'ere."

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche thrusts a finger at the half-orc upon the wall for emphasis. "A very good point, Mr. Maag. We could therefore have indeed triggered another summoning last time. If so, we were fortunate to have avoided it when we left."

[ravenn4544]

Alordan wonders, "are we summoning new ones, or some how activating the stone ones? Are they arranged in a pattern? Maybe we should destroy them to make sure they won't turn against us?"

[wolfpack]

Gramble pauses for second, rests and elbow on his axe and taps his chin..


Perhaps we have it wrong. mayhap instead of summoning a Minotaur through the dais and they then get turned to stone, the stone minotaurs are the guards and when one is destroyed another is turned to flesh as anew guard.

he shrugs hefts Labrys and removes the minotaurs head.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Minotaur's are known for being aggressive, not really surprising since domestic bulls are as well and the wild bovines are worse than the domestic in that regard. It seems possible that the statues could be turning to flesh instead of new ones being summoned, does anyone have a sledge hammer?"

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche listens attentively to the proposed theories and pauses to consider the implications before commenting. "I think the statues were indeed originally of the flesh... strictly basing this on the statue we found with the bite mark, and more recently the one with the nasal fixation. Therefore at some point they were petrified by something, but that doesn't rule out the possibility the dais is summoning and restoring them as guards. If as part of a punishment for whatever turned them to stone ... it certainly has a poetic appeal."

He retrieves his map of the caves from his backpack and reviews it against what they know of the island. "I also don't see any discernible pattern to their locations, except for the notable exceptions like the dancing minotaur and look, see, hear trio. Verifying if the dais summons from the statues would be quite time consuming, though. Likewise and more so if we attempt to destroy all of them."

Andron waits for Tlachtga's entangle spell to expire before retrieving the minotaur's head, leaving his bamboo pole behind in the process. "My immediate concern is the difference in behavior of this one versus the previous two. I suspect events have transpired in the caves since our last visit."

[kruk]

Cresty

Maag"Why can't we all just get along? Dis is a sad, cruel world dat we live in."

The paladin looks up at the half-orc after wiping the blood of his blade. We're all beautiful people


Lerrick

The cleric goes into medic mode, surveying the damage Cresty and the ranger received from the minotaur. She deems them as minor flesh wounds and decides to hold her remaining healing capabilities for later on.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To Work
Freeday, 19th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Partly Cloudy, Warm, Humid

Andron steps back even further, urging his friends to attempt to save and even aid the monster they just risked their lives to kill. Those free from the entwining vegetation attempt to cut away at their trapped members, eventually freeing them from their natural bonds. From his elevated perch, Maag keeps an eye on the surroundings, reminding Saracen not to forget to chop off the minotaur's head. Tlachtga checks over her dog, glad to find him more frightened than injured.

Several more hypotheses are voiced about the strange reappearing minotaurs, some of them are debunked right away, while others seem to be a bit more plausible. The party tries to regroup as they wait for the entangling spell to cease so Gramble can decapitate the monster. Just as the effect wears off and the ground stops moving, Gramble and Tlachtga step forward, one to check and the other to chop. The monster isn't carrying any items upon its person, and after a few chops from the fighters mighty ax, it is soon without its head as well. Maag suddenly spots what he thinks might be movement in the jungle directly behind Andronichishche. Can I get a Hard Wis check form Andron, please?

Actions?

map:

F7679344-432A-41A8-A9BA-3FA90B2FFF2B.jpeg (96.07 KiB) Viewed 584 times

Sir Crestbrook 10/11 LoH
Gramble 16/16
Tlachtga 8/8 2/4 1st
Cu AC:3 13/13
Lerrick 11/11 3/4 1st
Saracen 33/33 4/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Alordan 16/18
Andronichishche 6/6 1/3 1st Light:60 CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st
Maag 12/12

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche, focused as he was with the minotaur debate, almost didn't register sensing something immediately behind him ...

Hard wisdom check: [4d6] = 16 (18)

[OGRE MAGE]

stock-photo-tree-green-plants-trees-jungle-50e3dbdc-dd69-4d05-9530-26a581757d4d.jpg (280.21 KiB) Viewed 571 times

Andronichishche suddenly gets a weird......feeling?

When Maag looks his way with heavy concern covering his round face, the priest spins around quickly, hearing a strange noise behind him.

There he sees 3 of the trees that they have been avoiding, the same ones that lined the path into the jungle when they first arrived.

The trees aren't doing anything dangerous or sinister in the least. They are simply there, not moving, not groaning, but just.....there.

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche whistles sharply through his teeth to alert the others, raising his right hand in a fist. He then indicates the trio of strange trees with a three fingered gesture.

"Gentlemen, Miss Tlachtga, we have company." Andron retreats slowly and carefully to join Gramble with the fallen minotaur. "I suspect they were close enough to attack me with their vines, if so inclined and capable, that is." He'll then drop his bamboo pole and heft the minotaur's head with a grip on both horns.

Straining with the weight he says, "If my spell research is successful ... I should be able to learn more about them. For now though ... I suggest we continue to avoid them ... and move into the henge before the rest arrive."

The trees remind me of the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who.

[Storm11]

Saracen looks at the new trees suspiciously.

Could THEY be transformed creatures? They aren’t aggressive or hungry it appears at least.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Be careful, perhaps they are biding their time. Shall we go in the caves now?"

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche glances at the trees and nods in agreement with Saracen. "Indeed. It's my working theory at least ... or, as Mr. Alordan succinctly put it, they could just be killer trees. In either case, I agree with Miss Tlachtga. Let us keep the initiative and proceed into the cave where our current object is."

[kruk]

Cresty

With everyone wanting to go to the caves the paladin leads the way.


Lerrick

The cleric moves quickly with the others as to get away from the trees as quickly as possible

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag makes sure to stay away from any hanging vines. Once he sees that the group is heading for the cave again, he climbs down from the rocks inside the circle and joins the end of the line.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan is suspicious of the boldness of the trees movement and asks for help in dragging the minotaur body closer to the killer trees, "let's throw this in to the vines while the body is still fresh and see what happens.."

[Storm11]

Alordan is suspicious of the boldness of the trees movement and asks for help in dragging the minotaur body closer to the killer trees, "let's throw this in to the vines while the body is still fresh and see what happens.."

Saracen claps at this idea and moves to help, sheathing his sword and popping his shield upon his back so he can take the legs.

Brilliant he says, beaming that grimace at the sturdy ranger.

[wolfpack]

Gramble joins saracen and Alordan

I'm telling you lets set them all on fire.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To Work
Freeday, 19th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Partly Cloudy, Warm, Humid

Andronichishche slowly moves away from the possible arboreal threat behind him, moving back towards the blood spattered Gramble to retrieve his still glowing minotaur head. The young half-elf can barely lift the huge bloody thing, needing to drop his long pole in the process. He suggests leaving the trees be and concentrating on their task at hand for now, wondering if the idea for his next magical spell research will aid in such situations in the future.

Maag stays clear of any vines near him as he climbs down into the stone circle once Cresty and Lerrick enter it again. The three of them can see something different near the opening of the dark cave. It appears that someone has hung strips of rags or something similar down in front of the opening into the tunnel system. They dont notice anything dangerous inside the circle clearing.

Alordan suggests that they offer the warm body of the beheaded minotaur up to the moving trees, to which Saracen couldnt agree more. With Gramble's help, the three of them drag the carcass of the bullman over and drop it in front of the stationary trees. They dont notice any change in the trees behavior, or lack thereof. Gramble suggests burning them to the ground all the same.

Andron and Tlachtga watch from the linteled entrance to the circle with great interest, not sure if the trees lack of action is a good thing or a bad thing.

Actions?

map:

BDC5D96E-AD56-434B-B1DE-F956C6E841E8.jpeg (88.88 KiB) Viewed 533 times

Sir Crestbrook 10/11 LoH
Gramble 16/16
Tlachtga 8/8 2/4 1st
Cu AC:3 13/13
Lerrick 11/11 3/4 1st
Saracen 33/33 4/5 1st 2/2 2nd
Alordan 16/18
Andronichishche 6/6 1/3 1st Head Light:59 CL, DM, RM / 1/1 1st
Maag 12/12