Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[Karaunios]

I'd say we wait and then across the river.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Toad Mother did mention the dwarfs (not the fat bearded happy ones) were living in a cave across the river, so if studying and resting for a while here is the plan, I will update accordingly.

There are several containers the maggot could be transported inside.

[silifi]

Sik will rest as well.

[hedgeknight]

The garden also contains many varieties of healthy vegetables, and even some low light fruits.

While we rest, Ceana will gather as many of the edible vegetables and fruits as she can carry, bringing them back to the others. "I'm hoping there is something here to bring our diseased companions some relief."
She takes a bite out of a piece of fruit to see what it tastes like.

"As a druid of Yoon'Deh, I have no means of divine healing. However, I do have a scroll and a tablet which may help. Who needs healing the worst?"

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Hearing Ceana talk about healing he takes a break from the book. I too can do some limited healing on one of you.

[shaidar]

Xenos

While the others rest Xenos joins Akhilleus in guarding the house.

[Belkregos]

Belloc continues trying to classify the potions and rest

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Killing Hooks
Late Afternoon?

You can add the 200gp bronze censor to the spoils list. It is not magical but was being used for witchy stuff.

Deciding to rest here for a while to let the healer types look over the journal and plants, the group settles in with the dead witch’s body still lying on the floor covered in frogs. Sleep seems to come easy in this place, despite the chirping and hopping of the little ones, who constantly jump on you and leap around the place in a sad manner now that their Matron is dead.

A gruesome discovery is made when checking the mushroom house over more carefully. Under the raised home are found many bones. Some of them are human, and all of them show signs of gnawing or marrow extraction. It seems the upper world desert slaves aren’t the only ones resorting to cannibalism lately.

Ceana picks some edible fruits and vegetables from the massive garden to pass around, tasting them first and finding them all quite palatable. The druid realizes that harvesting all of the same species will essentially eliminate them, so she is careful to leave at least one of each growing to assure their sustainability.

After scouring the notes and journals, she and Taibhse are able to locate and identify many magical properties from the strange fungi in the garden. They try to tabulate their findings from the written logs.

Fungus Color (there are only three of each currently growing)
Sanguine= placidity and lethargy for 8 hours if dried out/crushed/powdered and sniffed. +1 Wisdom for one week if rubbed all over skin.

Golden= increases scientific thought for 12 hours. Once eaten, Sorcerers can memorize one extra 1st level spell that day. Causes panic and dread to any non-sorcerers.

Verdant= Notes are garbled and unclear, but relates to premonition in some way.

Azure= Enrages consumer, adding a +1 to damage for 1-3 turns. Transformation save or attack nearest creature, friend or foe, for 2d4 rounds.

Indigo= must sleep for at least 6 hours after eating whole toadstool raw, Will recover lost hp at 2X normal rate. Possible spiritual visions.

Aubergine= ingestible poison (IV) Save vs. Death if consumed.

Violaceous= encourages untapped creativity for 1-8 hours.

Stygian= tranquility for 4 hours after eaten raw. Increased libido for 4 hours when stewed or baked.

Though none of these seem to heal disease, there is another fungus found that isn’t detailed in the notes, and both the druid and shaman believe them to hold healing properties.

IMG_2012.jpeg (17.61 KiB) Viewed 14185 times

A recipe at the back of the journal seems to explain that mixing one of each color fungus along with this unexplained fungus should do the trick, though there may be side effects. The brew takes three hours to prepare and simmer, but should cure the afflicted members in the group.

Once awake and feeling more like himself and not a puffed up aggressor, Belloc starts tasting potions again. The third elixir is sickly green in color and smells putrid. The Mage thinks this potion may be some kind of antidote. The last bottle contains a thick black liquid with no smell. A single taste on the tongue is enough to identify this brew as a ingestible poison (II). Can I get a Save vs. Death from Belloc, please?

Red=?, Clear=Sleep, Green=Antidote, Black=Poison

The note about the gem the Mother sought is a garbled mess of writings and notes, though it clearly states something about the Theosophist’s Gem. It also clearly states something else. “The Dwarfs must know something!”

Actions?

I will be rewarding XP for these last few encounters once this search is over and the group decides on what to do with the spoils you've found so far.

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22 Diseased
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 7/7 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13
Akhilleus (F3) AC4 31/32
Taibhse (Sh1) AC5 7/7
Belloc (M1) AC6 9/9
Sik (Ba1) AC5 9/12 Diseased

[Rex]

Drest

Sheet updated for censor value.

"I am willing to try the concoction if one of you is willing to make it."

[The_Wanderer]

Cyril settles on a small clay container within which to transport the maggot thing. He then spends the next few hours while the party rests poking it, speaking to it and ultimately attempting to feed it some rations to judge whether it has any obvious intelligence or if it is merely of animal or even insect intelligence. One thing is for certain though, he does not let it close enough to his skin where it might bite him. He uses a stick to keep it at bay as needed.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus remains on guard duty.

"I'll take the first guard shift. Anyway, I suggest we do guard duty in pairs. We're quite a few, and this way, we can better avoid surprises."

Those funghi effects are cool. Akhilleus would be interested in taking one indigo if anything.

[Belkregos]

Under The Zakath Desert
Killing Hooks
Late Afternoon?

Once awake and feeling more like himself and not a puffed up aggressor, Belloc starts tasting potions again. The third elixir is sickly green in color and smells putrid. The Mage thinks this potion may be some kind of antidote. The last bottle contains a thick black liquid with no smell. A single taste on the tongue is enough to identify this brew as a ingestible poison (II). Can I get a Save vs. Death from Belloc, please?

Red=?, Clear=Sleep, Green=Antidote, Black=Poison

Belloc
takes care to label each of the potions also noting them on his notebook and examines the last red potion also noting whatever he finds or speculates about the content, last before preparing to rest he updates his notes and adds a map for the areas they've explored

Death save: [1d20+1]=14+1=15

while setting up his bed roll he states to his companions

"i'll try to rest but let me know if there's a need for guard duty"

with that he calls to Crestos and gives his a small piece of dried meat and while checking his feathers and making sure he is heathy
try to rest and keep your strength Crestos, we'll need you to be alert tomorrow, surely there'll be worst threats as we continue

[hedgeknight]

A recipe at the back of the journal seems to explain that mixing one of each color fungus along with this unexplained fungus should do the trick, though there may be side effects. The brew takes three hours to prepare and simmer, but should cure the afflicted members in the group.

Ceana begins gathering the mushrooms and fetches some fresh water (even if she has to hurry back to the river to get it, or use the water in her waterskin). Setting the water to boil, she chops up a fungus of each color and puts them in the water to simmer while the group rests. She checks on the afflicted every hour or so to make sure they are not getting any worse, promising them, "I'll have something for you in a few hours. It should do the trick."

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He notices Ceana making a stew and tossing in those stygian things and raises a brow. Things deflate when she tosses in other ingredients.

"That's really impressive, Ceana. I never would have figured those things out. They all kinda look brownish to me. Also, where I come from, most are poisonous so I leave them alone." Kain smiles in appreciation of the druidesses' skills. And I guess Taibhse too.

"I'll take a watch with you, Akhileus. What's the plan?"

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Will assist Ceana, he also assures the two that should this fail he has more tried methods that will work on the morrow.

To those worrying about the slug, he will let them know it is likely the familiar of their ex-host.

[Karaunios]

"I'll take a watch with you, Akhileus. What's the plan?"

Akhilleus thinks about it for a short moment. "Let us barricade ourselves here in this building. It's the best way to avoid any surprise attack from the dwarfs, although I'm sure they fear the Matron and they obviously won't know about her demise yet.

We can stay here in this room while the others sleep and try to hear for unusual sounds... Apart from all these frogs doing so much noise.

From time to time, we can go check together the entrances and windows. So that if anything happens to one of us, the other one is close by to go and wake up the others."

[silifi]

"Thank you, Ceana and Taibhse, for your wisdom." Sik says.

Though clearly his condition is worsening and his movements are becoming languid, Sik tries to assist Akhilleus and Kain with gathering materials for the barricade while he awaits the brew.

[shaidar]

Xenos will help with the barricades and take a turn at watching.

[OGRE MAGE]

The group is not molested by anything during the rest/stew preparation phase.

I will detail all that business out after we take care of one more thing......

Can I get a Death Save from Akhilleus at +4, please?



I noticed that none of you currently has the Detect Magic spell, eh? That's interesting.

I am assuming the spells and potions will be divided equally, as will the monetary spoils once they have been sold.
If that is not the case, it seems you have a horribly uneven treasure distribution here.

Is everyone still happy with the suggested.....
Final list:

Akhilleus
1 ruby (500gp) - profits to be shared

Drest
1 amulet made of withered flesh and twisted herbs
1 Bronze Censer (200gp)

Sik
1 ruby (500gp) - profits to be shared

Xenos
1 gem (500gp) - profits to be shared
Dagger

Kain
1 pair of shell shaped driftwood castanets

Taibhse
1 moleskin journal with detailed information on fungi species and their effects

Belloc
4 vials with liquids of varying colors (Sleep, Poison (II), Antidote, Unknown)
1 human flesh bound book with magical phrases, sigils, and notes on spells (Darkness, Befriend Animals, Bless, Charm Person, Sleep, Ventriloquism, and Levitate. None in the group can decipher the three remaining spells in the book)

Cyric
1 doll of a dwarf with long iron pin

Ceana?
A single page of notes with the words dwarfs, philtres, and about an invaluable magic gem

[Rex]

I assumed it was just for carrying and potentially use until we know what everything is and sell/ distribute then.