Fantasy DUNGEON DELVER: Secrets of Caedia — Expedition #3, Find the Ecologist

[simj26]

Expedition #3

CHARLOTTE

ELF RANGER

Entrance to Caedia

A Thing had been through here. That was obvious enough. She nocked an Arrow to her Bow, and pressed forwards. She tread through the disorganisation, over the fallen Upholstery, careful to leave what constituted as Clues as they were. It occurred to her that it did not matter what had transpired here. What was important was seeking out the one they had come to locate in the first place.

To leave such a trail of Destruction, surely this beast’s flesh was tough and gamey. Its Hide ought to be worth something too. No Thing that could wreak such havoc would possess a soft and unworn shell. This would be a fascinating Hunt. Alas, Duty calls to the ear. She would have to wait to see her Prey. She focused her Sight and Mind-soul to the pursuit of their Quarry, as it were. Tracks, humanoid. A Direction they had fled towards.


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[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #3

GARWAN

HALFLING RANGER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Dungeon Investigation
DC: 15​

Hoping to surmise the truth of what happened, and uncover the fate of the missing Ecologist, the party searches the area, Lewyse's Ruined Campsite, for clues...

(Bartho) Roll 1d20 = 6
(Cadris) Roll 1d20 = 2
(Gou) Roll 1d20 = 5
(Hew) Roll 1d20 = 8​

While the signs of struggle are obvious and apparent, they offer little in the way of a complete picture of transpired events. Similarly, the stench of the bog masks any notable scents, even to the keenest of noses. To make matters worse, even the most in-tact of Lewyse's research notes are badly torn up and water-logged to the point of near utter ruin.

(Charlotte) Roll 1d20 = 16
(Dakdak) Roll 1d20 = 19​

Luckily, Charlotte and Dakak's searches yield more fruit, including a small, hastily-carved sigil in a gnarled tree limb. A sign of life. A trail is picked up, that leads away from the ruined camp. What's more, there is a small, shallow pool of black, ichorous ooze. Its nature is unknown...

The sound of a shout sent him scurrying back down to ground-level.

"What is it? Did you find anything?!" He asked, ashamed of the uncontrolled quaver in his voice, though fearing the worst. What he found was a bumbling idiot, sifting uselessly through water-logged notebooks. "Tch, leave that!"

Joining with the others near the small sigil, Garwan's eyes alighted with recognition. "She's alive," he breathed a relieved sigh. "Or she was. Come on, let's follow these. There's an old treehouse a few miles away. If she made it that far, she might still be there."

Not wanting to delay, the Halfling failed to notice the bubbling puddle of ichor as he made ready to follow the uncovered tracks... All the while unaware of the eyes from the forest upon him.

Peering between thronging, water-logged vines, were two motes of bloodshot, unblinking ochre, set within a crown of sinuous shadow.

When the wind turned, they were gone.

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[joshuadim]

Expedition #3

DAKDAK

KOBOLD WIZARD

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

The sigil was foreign to Dakdak, and his intuitions couldn't resolve what exactly it was for aside from the obvious marking of the ecologist's presence. Still, it was some good news for their leader as Dakdak had noticed Garwan's frantic nature when it came to finding Lewyse. He didn't hold any feelings about Lewyse's well-being, but he knew that his future ventures down into the depths would be just as dangerous as what had likely challenged the ecologist's presence. It was a reminder to not get complacent, not matter how familiar you are with your surroundings as anything could go wrong. It simply was the nature of things.

As the kobold prepared to follow the halfling's lead, he noticed something else that was unusual. Quickly he crouched down to get a better look at the ichor, gazing into the pooling black liquid. It's presence was unusual given its surroundings, and the possibilities raced through Dakdak's mind: was it perhaps what constituted as blood for whatever had attacked Lewyse? If so, had she managed to fend for herself and wound the entity responsible? Or was it some trace left behind by said thing as part of its natural being - like a trail of dirt left behind dusty boots.

"There's something here." Dakdak said aloud, trying to catch the halfling's attention as he picked out a small crystal vial - one that he had purchased from Hew a week ago - and carefully scooped a little into it before corking its top.

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[Coin]

Expedition #3

CADRIS

HUMAN SORCERER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Cadris wasn't a slouch by any means, however, she found herself in a rather uncomfortable jog keeping up with both an elven and a halfling ranger. The way they effortlessly danced across the terrain was somewhat envious to her comparatively lumbering gait. While she was watching her step, her gaze fell upon the color of parchment that stuck out in the muck and mud. Cadris' excitement of a potential discovery quickly dissipated once she identified the condition of them.

"Notes here, hardly anything left worth sifting through," the witch muttered under her breath as she prodded at the torn fragments and soaked pages.

She was about to fall in on Garwan to follow him deeper in the swamp in search of a mystery treehouse, but was interrupted by Dakdak's discovery. She doubled back and inspected the odd ichor along with him.

"Could plenty of things, have any hunches?" Cadris peered down at the dark ichor and squinted as if narrowing her view would help her identify the mystery substance.

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[Roda the Red]

Expedition #3

GOU

ONI BARBARIAN

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

All his sniffing bore fruitless, the deep musky and earthy tones that spread throughout the bog were too agressive on their assault to the senses to catch up on anything else, The Oni scratched his nose, slightly frustrated by his inability to pick up any useful scent. He stood back up, his heavy boots splashing around the murky waters no matter how light his steps were. He didn't like the bog.

Nodding at the little man's command, Gou began to follow, his eyebrow twitching at the invading feeling of his toes getting wet by the omnipresent waters of the landscape. His attention was then taken by the pair of pointy hat wearers, making a commotion over some weird liquid. "Hmm..." He stared blankly at the raven substance, fingers lightly scratching at his chin. "Doesn't look safe...Better not." He uttered, shortly after looking at the fresh vial taken by the scaly friend. "If you're gonna eat it...You should boil it first." He remarked, feeling like a responsible parent towards the small man. "I learned the hard way, once."
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[Coyote Hart]

Expedition #3

HEW

WEREWOLF ARTIFICER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

As the others were investigating, Hew was only half-heartedly participating, rather he was busy separating the bag of herbs that Cadris had given him into another bag. He held back his nausea until he finished, taking a strong huff of the significantly smaller bag. As Garwan gathered the others to proceed, Hew stood up from the waterlogged books that he was partially inspecting, returning to where Cadris, Gou, and Dakdak were gathered. Along the way, Hew pressed the larger bag of herbs back into Cadris's hands, "Here. No way I could use it all. Besides, I'd feel thoroughly guilty if you were to suffer on the way back for helping me."

"So one could develop good perceptions even when locked up in scholarly endeavors. That's impressive, sir," Hew said to Dakdak. The safety of Lewyse weighed heavily on Hew's mind considering just how scary the dungeons seemed to be, but his relentless curiosity made Hew have to inspect the goo a bit. He leaned closely to the corked bottle that Dakdak filled, inspecting it but having no idea what he was looking for, "If we assume the obvious and say that this is from a monster that attacked Lewyse, the amount is too much to be a stomach acid or venom, unless we're dealing a particularly large creature. I'd venture this is its blood? If so, perhaps we might be able to make a good blood sausage out of it if we can cure it."

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[joshuadim]

Expedition #3

DAKDAK

KOBOLD WIZARD

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Dakdak look up in annoyance to both Gou and Hew, narrowing his eyes towards their fascination with eating unknown substances as if they were toddlers rummaging around a house looking for anything to stick into their mouths. "Or you could end up poisoning yourselves regardless." the wizard said flatly, before turning his attention back to the vial. He sloshed around the substance gently, pondering what it could be. Blood seemed the most logical - and obvious - explanation given the circumstances in which is has appeared. A fight with the ecologist missing, which could mean she had in fact wounded what was hounding her.

But an alternate theory entered Dakdak's mind as he blinked: "It could be an excrement." the kobold said as he looked down. "Perhaps similar to a bird, because I don't feel any particularly strong scent coming off it."

He then turned his attention back to Gou with a devious smirk: "Would you care to test my theory and make sure?" the wizard joked.

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[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #3

GARWAN

HALFLING RANGER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Garwan was, in comparison to his fellow Delvers, decidedly less interested in the nature of the strange puddle of goo. It was the Dungeon. Strange goo was to be found practically around every given corner. A more understanding captain might have cut his team some slack to let their inquisitive natures guide them to deeper understanding, but not him. Especially not now, under current, suddenly dire circumstances.

"C'mon, c'mon, we don't have time for this." He growled, in no mood to be delayed. He had to find her. He had to know that she was all right. He had to...

In his haste to fly the scene, he failed to see the signs, or note the telltale markings of what was about to transpire... As a slithering vine emerged from the cover of foliage and detritus that coated the forest floor and lashed out at the nearest warm body.

Garwan turned, too late to stop it. He watched as the tendril wrapped itself around the ankle of its chosen victim. As it hoisted them up high into the air. If anything, at least the focus would shift away from the strange goo.

Garwan shouted before he sprung to it, whispering a silent prayer that all would be well. "Find its main body—!"

He shouted, even as the forest abruptly exploded with countless more lashing vines striking out at each and every one of them.

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[simj26]

Expedition #3

CHARLOTTE

ELF RANGER

Entrance to Caedia

She sprung to Action, as the Events that transpired fell within the Second. A green Arm took hold of the Horned One’s foot, lifting him up to the Air. She wasted no further Effort, shouting a Warning to the Others, as she readied herself.

“‘Ware your Footing, all! This be the Work of the Whispering Vine! Do as the Green One says! This One shall take to aiding our wrested Companion!”

She slung her Bow across her, and from her Belt, she freed her twin blades. “Of the blinding Dark, of the calling, sweet, beckoning Voices of the Wyrdwoods, bless this One’s steel.” Unfathomable Purple magicks wreathed her swords, as she darted forwards, light and sure footed over the Green. The chorus of her Blades sung as they sought the offending Vine that captured the Horned One.


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[joshuadim]

Expedition #3

DAKDAK

KOBOLD WIZARD

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Dakdak didn't share the same urgency as Garwan did when it came to finding the ecologist, but he was at least ready to follow along given that he was merely a guest in this travel down below. But their situation became more perilous as the witless oni became entangled on the leg by vines and subsequently thrashed around like a toy. Plenty more came into the area to assault the group, though as others sprang into action the wizard remained composed as he looked around. There were plenty to go around, and he had chosen the perfect spell to carry with him on this outing. Clasping clenched fists together, the kobold then opened his palms and muttered an incantation.

Sparks of electricity grew more intense as if it were a webbing between both points of flesh, growing in length as he spread his palms apart further. The air around him became filled with static, putting the moss on his chin on edge as it perked up - as did the hairs on others. A certain charge had taken root that felt at worse mildly discomforting for Dakdak's allies, but was an ominous premonition for the attacking vines as they snaked closer to the kobold. They thought him as an easy snack, but little did these things know that they were merely gnats in comparison to him.

With his final words, he then slammed his palms down and unleashed a field of electric current in the group's immediate vicinity as a protective blanket!

Spell Used: Static Field​

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[Roda the Red]

Expedition #3

GOU

ONI BARBARIAN

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

The rustling sound of the nearby foliage served little as proper warning for the green appendage's approach, Gou's eyes barely capable of trailing its quick movement before being yanked away, gravity betraying him as his whole body was dragged higher and higher. His grip on his weapon wasn't secure enough, an involuntary twitch releasing the hefty metal club, sinking into the muddy soil with a dry splatter.

The Oni squinted his eyes, assaulted by the air current in which he was erratically moved through. He attempted to thrust his arms forward in order to get a good grip on the thick vine, but the contstant flailing pushed his torso away each and every time. He grit his teeth in frustration, if push came to shove, his only option left might be to force his way out of his boot and take the brunt of the fall.

Thankfully he was shown a hand in solidarity, or a blade, to be more specific. As the elf's weapons sliceds through the thick fibers, Gou could immediately notice the tentacle's grip and overall movement weaken. Without wasting another second, he reached for his tangled leg, prying it free with his fingers, and jumping off with a much better form than he would've otherwise.

Painful waves surged through his heavily bent legs as he landed on the ground. He slapped his knees twice, springing himself up and into a fighting stance. A new vine came his way, swinging down and attempting to smash him with its ample weight. He leapt out of the way, a seemingly unfitting maneuver when taking into consideration his usually overtly headstrong fighting style. However, as he rolled through the ground, his hand gripped onto his weapon once more, dislodging it from the ground like the holy sword in the stone.

With both hands gripping at the large handle, he leapt forward, smashing his steel club down on the vine, accompanied by a beastly shout that ended his silent spree.

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[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #3

GARWAN

HALFLING RANGER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Garwan watched with frustration-tinged admiration as the three novice Delvers worked their respective crafts, with Charlotte freeing Gou who, in turn, landed a heavy smash of his massive club down on a vine tendril with a thunderous impact, while Dakdak's incantation crackled through the air. The kobold's web of electric energy expanded, and as the vines slithered closer to him, they met with the sharp sting of his spell, recoiling in shock as the electrical field pulsed through their twisted forms.

Garwan's eyes narrowed. He couldn't afford to be sidelined in this fight. With a swift motion, he loaded his wrist-mounted crossbow and took aim at a segment of thick underbrush, where he had surmised lay the heart of the writhing mass of vines. The bolt flew true, embedding itself deep within the creature's main body. For a moment, the vines recoiled, retreating as if in pain, then fell still upon the forest floor, their once-relentless assault seemingly halted.

He called out to his team. "Is everyone alright?" Keeping one eye on the inert vines at their feet. It was a good thing, too, for just as soon as they had ceased their wriggling did the vines snap back to life. The brush—too thick to see into—rustled and the vines fully retracted, slithering back into the forest and disappearing into the foliage as quickly as they had appeared.

The rustling continued, vigorous shaking that rattled all the way up to the canopy overhead. Garwan's gaze darted around, searching for the source of the motion, as a feeling of unease settled over him like a dark cloud.

Then, the rustling ceased. The underbrush parted. From the shadows emerged twin motes of bright, flaming orange, glowing like lanterns in the gloom. Then came the rest of it. It was a... Creature? Of some kind. Unlike any he had seen before. It called to his mind at first the shape of a great striped tiger, only twisted, corrupted. Its face was coated in a strange, black, glistening mire that seemed to pulse and writhe as if alive. Its orange eyes fixed on the group with a predator's stare. In its maw, it clutched the crushed bud of the vine creature, the remains of their former assailant now dripping with the same shimmering black substance.

Garwan's breath caught in his throat. He froze. This was no ordinary beast. Unnatural. Was this the fiend responsible for the destroyed camp?!

A voice from beyond his sight, like out of a distant dream, pierced the veil of silence, echoing through the trees.

"RUN!"​

Player Decision​

Garwan's expedition has encountered a strange and mysterious beast in the forest-swamp.

If they choose to fight, roll a 1d20 against a Difficulty Class of 20

If they choose to retreat, roll a 1d20 against a Difficulty Class of 5

The higher of the three rolls will count for all.

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[Coin]

Expedition #3

CADRIS

HUMAN SORCERER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Cadris didn't need a second invitation to retreat. Delves were far too dangerous for heroics or greed; a chance to Delve again would always be worth more than dying. An ambush was a death sentence in progress, and Cadris had no intention on dying just yet. The witch grabbed her gun halfway up its length and held it far away from her body. There was no time to aim the damned thing, anyway. Not right now, at least.

With her free hand, she held two outstretched finger in front of her face. Concentrating her energy, she willed the magic in her veins to focus on a point at the tips of her fingers. A spark ignited, and a single blue mote of flame danced like a candle in a gentle breeze. She pointed her fingers at the ground in front of the horrid tiger-thing and let loose a cascade of magic at the point. The flames exploded from her fingers, spewing a gout of arcane fire that roared through the mire and blasted the brush in front of the creature. With a swish of her arm, she drew an arc with the stream of fire to create a barrier of smoldering plants and steam in an attempt to deter the creature from advancing into the impromptu smokescreen.

Without checking to see if her work had done anything of note, Cadris had already broken out into a dead sprint behind Garwan.

"What is that thing?!" the witch called out to no one in particular.

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[joshuadim]

Expedition #3

DAKDAK

KOBOLD WIZARD

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Dakdak only had a moment to admire the potency of his magic as it did it's job in keeping the vines at bay. The creature's tendrils squirmed from the electrical shocks being delivered to them for daring to come near him, and in turn had worked in controlling the area. It was then that Garwan delivered what appeared to be the killing blow to the creature's core, and defused the situation. The wizard was about to call out back to him, until he noticed that they were still not out of the woods yet. Something worse had come out of this blasted place to wreak havoc on their plans.

The voice calling them to flee was sparsely needed, as Dakdak knew that they could not fight what they did not know. But he did make a mental note of the creature's feline-like features as well as its... substance, before rushing with the others as Garwan led the way. The fire-witch's work seemed to be the most logical choice in diverting attention away from them, but it was also likely that it would not hold that thing back for long. A few moments at best. As such, he kept any chit-chat to himself and focus his efforts on simply surviving this ordeal - which had turned out to be more than what he had expected on this trip thus far.

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[simj26]

Expedition #3

CHARLOTTE

ELF RANGER

Entrance to Caedia

Before the Green One's voice had reached her ears, Charlotte had already turned Tail and fled, springing and sprinting away, o'er the muck of the Swampearth. Black Ichor coated its Fur, dripping like Venom over its Body, falling like Tears of dark, trailing behind it like Ribbons of Tar. Tattered, torn, trembling Trouble. No good can come from this one's meat. The Party's, too, might not sate its wicked Hunger. This was a Creature of unknown Behaviours and Patterns, she would not like to bring her Bow upon it now. She will hunt it on her own when the time came. For now, she must flee, and so must the Party. To Hunt was to make sure they were doing so on their terms, not the Beast's, and now, the field were on the Beast's terms.

"A Question best left for a better Time, Witch! Keep your feetsteps moving!"

"Enshroud me, I beseech thee, Siblings!" She called upon the Winds and the Leaves, and all that whispered in between, and they answered. In one Moment, the elf was there, and in the next, she was gone.


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[Roda the Red]

Expedition #3

GOU

ONI BARBARIAN

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

The vine abomination proved to be nary a worthy threat to the company, but the true challenge was soon to follow with. The tiger's infernal glare making way to its baleful entrance. Fulgur ran through Gou's body, the beast's mere presence serving as more than enough of a warning regarding its might. The issue lied in the Oni's unique way of tackling overwhelming danger. He brandished his weapon with both hands, pointed straight at the gargantuan feline, baring his own fangs with stubborn defiance. Alone he stood no chance, of that he was well aware. However, working as a unit, they could take on this grand challenge.

The nice witch lady made the first maneuver, coating the foliage with azure embers that quickly fed into their hunger, blooming into a blazing courtain, truly a fitting flair for the battle of seismic proportions that was about to unfurl. Gou tightened the grip of his weapon, ready to react to the beast's next move.

"We fight."

It was strange, however. The valiant charge of his allies growing distant, almost as if they weren't heading towards the tiger whatsoever. Against his better judgement of never turning your back on your enemies, he looked over his shoulder, realizing that, in fact, the rest of the group had opted to retreat. The Oni's battle stance waned.

"Oh, we don't fight."

His voice showed a tinge of surprise and disappointment, although know the creature ahead of them, it was hard to judge their lack of bravery (also known as having common sense.) He strapped his weapon to the holster on his waist, before following suit to his sprinting companions, opting for long, leaping steps as to better cross the treacherous terrain. Despite joining late, Gou quickly caught up with the others, particularly noticing the two robed members in their group that could certainly do with a little help on their pace.

One after the other, he grasped at their loose clothing from the back, pulling them up and throwing the wizards over his shoulders, all the while keeping up the same running speed, not even bothering to explain his actions.

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[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #3

GARWAN

HALFLING RANGER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Cadris' wall of flame crackled and roared as it consumed the underbrush, sending plumes of thick, acrid smoke into the air. The creature halted at the edge of the fiery barrier, its orange eyes flickering. The ichor from its maw sizzled as it hit the scorching ground, but it did not cross. Instead, the beast paced just beyond the flames as the figures of the party drew further away.

Garwan didn't wait to see if the fire would hold it for long.

"Move!"

The group, already sprinting, didn’t need further encouragement.

The chase through the dense, shadowy forest was tense, every snapped twig and distant rustle keeping their hearts pounding. Then, the unseen voice called again—this time, closer.

“Here! Quickly!”

Ahead, a woman—dwarf, young and pretty, but for the mud caked... everywhere—stood at the mouth of a hidden crevice hewn into the base of an ancient tree, her cloak, tattered and mudstained as she was, fluttering in the faint breeze. She ushered them in, her face calm but urgent. One by one, they squeezed through the narrow opening and stumbled into a small, dimly lit sanctuary. The air here was warm, the soft glow of a small hearth crackling in one corner. The walls were lined with ancient carvings, and faint magical wards shimmered along the petrified wood, offering a thin sense of security.

Outside, the forest was silent—unnervingly so.

As the party caught its breath, Lewise stood guard at the entrance, her eyes scanning the darkness. "It’s not far off," she said quietly, "but the wards here should keep it from catching wind of us... for now."

Garwan, still haggard from the sprint, rushed to join her. "Are you hurt? At the camp— I saw, I...." He trailed off.

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[joshuadim]

Expedition #3

DAKDAK

KOBOLD WIZARD

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Dakdak was more than capable of scurrying away on his own, but found himself surprised when he was lifted up by the lumbering oaf of their group and carried like a sack of grain towards their safety. It was only when they squeezed into their sanctuary amidst the marshes that he was put down at last and Dakdak took a moment to look at Gou with narrowed eyes. The silence was telling of many things - particularly the very curses he wanted to speak out against his compatriot - but settled instead on stating a simple fact of the matter.

"If you ever pick me up like that again, I will freeze you and leave you for the monster." Dakdak said with an unnerving calm, before turning his attention back to the conversation between Garwan and Lewise, who was miraculously alive beyond the kobold's initial expectations. He would reserve his questions for later, as he didn't have any wish to intrude on the conversation at hand.

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[Coin]

Expedition #3

CADRIS

HUMAN SORCERER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Cadris' retreating steps were slowed by the foliage and marsh. She felt herself sink a couple of inches with each stride, despite her narrow stature. On the best of days, a dead sprint through the swamp was a challenge. Being pursued simultaneously made the task that much more difficult. How the Hells were the elves so good at this?

The witch's attention was focused on not colliding with the branches and low-hanging mosses in front of her. She only noticed the thundering footsteps of her oni party member behind her when he was only a few mammoth strides to her flank. Suddenly, the world around her shifted as she was lifted up and placed on Gou's shoulder.

Struggling with the disorientation of being picked up like loose luggage, Cadris took a few moments to reorient herself. It was true that being carried by Gou was certainly faster than she could run on her own two legs, but it didn't hurt her pride any less. In no position to protest, the least she could do was make their pursuer a little more inconvenienced in the chase. She took a deep breath of humid, acrid air. One hand gripped her gun with white knuckles and the other surged with magic. Fire sprouted at her finger tips again, taking aim at trampled path behind them. She let a wide burst a roaring flames leap from her fingers, further concealing their escape.

As soon as they ducked into cover and made contact with the dwarven woman, Cadris breathed again. She jumped down from Gou's grasp and caught her breath, planting the butt of her gun into the ground of the sanctuary.

"Thanks..." the witch grumbled under her breath, indeed embarrassed by being handled like a doll.

Cadris brushed herself off and straightened her hat and clothes before turning to Lewise, "Since you seem more keen to the identity of that creature, would you mind sharing?"

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[simj26]

Expedition #3

CHARLOTTE

ELF RANGER

Entrance to Caedia

Their Feetsteps were heavy, she noted. Each press of their Soles upon the green Flesh sank deep. Personal note here: the Smart ones were not meant for exploring the Dangers of the Swamp. How clumsily they made their Footfalls, uncaring of where they stepped. It was only by the grace of the Horned one that they survived the attack.

“Still your tongue, Lizard,” she announced her reappearance as she stepped back into view of her Party by aiming a sharp remark towards the Lizard. “Were it not for the Horned one’s actions, you would not be alive to render such Witticisms to your Saviour. This one would have certainly left you to be shredded as the Camp we have discovered. You and the Witch need must learn more of moving through such Lands. Light as you are with your Equipment, you are putting far too much Weight upon yourselves. But enough of these Lessons. This one has a Hunt.”


She crouched down beside their newfound Friend and the Witch. The Green one was of no use right now. His Mindspace was, possibly, occupied by the Relief he felt of finding the Dwarf well. “Yes, do tell. Is it edible? Is the Tar upon its body also likewise? It is a Creature of strange construct, and its Stripes seem unsavoury. I did not notice, but does the application of flames remove Impurities from the meat? Such a Body could feasibly last for a few days. Do the Stripes permeate into the body?” She raised a finger to her chin in thought. “Or are those Stripes simply apart from the Body? They did not seem to be one and the same creature. Does this Creature count as two? Hmm…”

She trailed off, muttering to herself, leaving her curious, unanswered Questions hanging in the Air, now completely engrossed in the crafting of Theories as to what the Creature could possibly be.



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[Roda the Red]

Expedition #3

GOU

ONI BARBARIAN

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Gou simply nodded in response to the lizard's remarks, as well as the witch's appreciation, giving the wizardry pair a double thumbs up in return."...Glad to help." Dakdak's words might be venomous, but the barbarian's actions were good, so surely he spoke in jest, of which Gou found delightfully humorous.

Judging by the expedition leader's reaction, it was safe to assume the short lady was the ecologist the party had set on finding. Even without Garwan here to serve as confirmation, only an expert on the marshes could wear mud so naturally, just as he noticed before when looking for clues, masking yourself with the muted must of the environment was an exemplary method to remain disguised from the dangerous wildlife, and quite the wildlife was she hiding from, indeed.

"...Hm, I bet it might taste really good." He followed up on Charlotte's questioning, sharing her enthusiasm on the culinary research. However, whereas her interest quite broad and thorough, with more than one word alien from Gou's lexicon, the Oni's aim was quite the simple one. "If it's so strong, it must taste good." It was a mystery how one would reach such a reasoning, but logic was rarely a warrior's ally.

He walked up to the vertically challenged duo, taking a closer look at the dwarven woman. "...Good to see you in one piece." He gently placed his hand atop the halfling's hood. "Your friend was very worried."

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[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #3

GARWAN

HALFLING RANGER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Garwan, already standing quite awkwardly with the Oni's palm on his head, stiffened. His gaze snapped to Gou as the Oni’s words hit him like a blast of heat. The brief flicker of surprise in his eyes replaced by a slow, creeping blush that spread across his cheeks.

He coughed awkwardly, trying to mask his sudden embarrassment. Trying to disappear beneath his hood.

Lewyse's eyes sparkled mischievously. A knowing smile tugged at her lips, and she leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow in his direction. "Was he now?" she teased, inviting Gou to go on.

Garwan fidgeted out from underneath the large Oni's grasp. "It's not!— I—well... I just didn’t want anyone else—" He stopped, realizing he was digging himself deeper. The others watched, some with amusement, others pretending not to notice.

Lewyse mercifully shifted her attention back to the group, catching snippets of their conversation. She leveled her gaze at the witch, acknowledging her question with a solemn nod. “Aye,” she said quietly, her voice betraying no surprise. “I did know of the creature. Studied it 'fer years, in fact...

Only, it never used to look quite like that." Lewyse continued, casting Charlotte an appraising look. "Under my nose, the beast's become somethin' else entirely..." The dwarf paused, a brief picture of perfect melancholy. Her hand brushing a sigil.

“Somethin', or someone's taken it. Turned it into somethin'... Wrong."

Garwan shifted beside her, his hand instinctively gripping his crossbow. "That stuff on its face?" he asked, his voice low.

Lewyse nodded grimly. "What it is I don't rightly know. But I do know this: I've been studyin' these mangrove fields fer nigh on twenty years, and I have never seen its like before..." Her expression hardened, her gaze sharp. She turned to face them squarely. "We need to kill it. For the sanctity of this place. For the sake of the creatures that still live here."

Garwan stepped in. "Alright, we need a plan. The creature is big, fast, and we’re working in its domain. What's more, it'll likely smell us coming from a mile away..."

"Wouldn't be too sure 'bout that..." Lewyse cut in, cupping fistfuls of mud in both hands.


The plan, like most plans constructed in haste, was elegant in its simplicity. They would bait the beast into a trap and then slay it before it was any the wiser.

Gou stood at the center of a natural clearing—a shallow basin, ringed by towering trees. The ground was slick and uneven.

The others had already taken up positions on either side.

Lewyse, her face covered in a fresh caking of swamp mud, knelt near the edge of the clearing, tracing runes into the soft soil. "It’ll come soon," she whispered, her breath hanging in the cold air.

Garwan, looking miserable covered in mud, nodded grimly. "Stay sharp."

They didn't have to wait long. As a low growl rumbled through the trees, vibrating the very ground beneath their feet. The air grew colder, and the faintest glimmer of orange eyes flickered in the darkness just beyond the clearing. Yet unseen, it stalked toward Gou—the only one who'd been spared of a mudbath—its massive form almost indistinguishable from the shadows it moved through...

Until it pounced.

"Now!"

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[joshuadim]

Expedition #3

DAKDAK

KOBOLD WIZARD

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, Dungeons under Caedia

Initiation Roll 1d20 = 19​

Dakdak lay in wait following the plan given by Lewyse, and although under normal circumstances he would have protested it was the urgency of dealing with this threat that made him stay his tongue. Besides, he would rather reserve words for the imbecilic and impudent Oni or the annoying She-Elf that came to his defence; but a time and place would come for his tongue to be freed, as he instead lingered in the shadows and mud like the rest of their group in wait for their quarry. No longer were they the hunted, but rather they were the hunters for a creature of unknown origin and its unknown corruption.

This made the wizard all the more curious as to what was in the vial he had collected now... but that, again, was an inquiry for another time as he focused on preparing his magic. A coldness took root at his fingertips as he lay in wait, daring not to breathe for fear of giving away their intentions to the beast. At least one thing came true, which was that the Oni was possibly going to become a snack for such a creature as he watched Gou loiter around in wait. But then, a rustle in the air came to his attention - and Dakdak's eyes trailed its motions as it kept its presence as minimal as possible.

And then, it attacked - and Garwan shouted the signal. And so, Dakdak quickly let forth ice in an effort to entomb the creature and force it to be vulnerable!

Spell Used: Flash Freeze​

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[Roda the Red]

Expedition #3

GOU

ONI BARBARIAN

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Initiation Roll 1d20 = 1​

A bundle of emerald blades of grass crumbled under the repeated tapping of Gou's large boot. His taciturn eyes might remain the same as always, but his pouting was a dead giveaway of his repressed disappointment. Be they too quick to have in their grasp, or too deadly to confront, traps were machinations utilized by hunters for millennia to outsmart the creatures of the land. The Oni understood and respected the practice, as well as the need to exterminate this being, corrupted beyond recognition of its former self. But he was no hunter, he was a warrior guided by his desire for grand combat, he knew that monster was going to attack him regardless of what he did, so why should he resort to dirty tactics in order to get the upper hand? Why couldn't he honorably take on the beast head on?

But alone on this mission he was not, and it was selfish of him to go against the whims of the many, thus he relented on his allegedly reckless approach. At the very least, he was more than happy to serve as the bait, whatever got him up close and personal with his ferocious opponent. The clearing was ominously quiet, the chatter of birds waning into a telling silence, it was approaching.

Hulking as it was, the Oni bore his fangs all the same, barbaric rage Welled within, bellowed by the insurmountable odds. Weapon in hand, he awaited for the tiger's attack. And thus the creature did, both beings roaring as claws striked at the steel club, effortlessly digging into the hard material. Gou held his own brawn in high regard, but even his best efforts crumbled under the monstrous push from his opponent, a jolt of pain on his wrist weakened his grip, swiping his tool of was aside as if it was but a discarded toothpick. The tiger wasted no time to lunge at Gou, it's massive maw biting down at his shoulder. The Oni cried in pain as alabaster daggers sank into his flesh, crimson trailing down his torso. He could agonizingly feel every bit piercing into his body, even the bending of his ribcage under the pressure of its closing jaw.

But where in it was something to be avoided by others, it was in pain that Gou found a well of power to draw upon. He reached for the monster's skin, gripping onto it with newfound strength, making sure the creature couldn't escape his side without a good struggle. As winter's Embrace began to grow over the beast's fur, the ogre opened his mouth, his own fangs biting down at the tiger's neck.

Passive Activated: Warrior Tribe


Skill Used: Devour​

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[Coin]

Expedition #3

CADRIS

HUMAN SORCERER

THE GLOOM-MIRE MARSHES, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

Initiative Roll 1d20 = 4​

Cadris was no hunter, but she had the virtue of patience on her side. Laying in ambush for hours at a time was no problem for her. Now, paying full attention while she was waiting was the challenging part. She had chosen a branch that had equal parts concealment and comfort for her position in the ambush. Gou, and a narrow window of clearance were visible from her perch. Her hat lay hung up on a branch beside her, and she had her gun lined up between a fork of another. She had straddled the large branch and stared down the post sights of her gun towards Gou for a few minutes before the task of cataloging the moss and insects in her tree became far more interesting than staring at the Oni playing bait.

If she hadn't looked up from the little bushy patch of moss when she did, she could have easily missed an opportunity to fire on the cat-like monster that had sprung their trap. Swearing to herself, she pushed the butt of her rifle into her shoulder and cheek, narrowing her gaze down the sights and trying to form a clear picture of the creature.

"C'mon, damn you. Just be still for a tick..."

Between Dakdak's freezing spell and Gou's direct engagement of the furball with fangs and goop, Cadris sucked in a breath and squeezed on the trigger of her gun. The hammer dropped, igniting the flashpowder in the pan and a plume of fire erupted from the muzzle. A lead bullet ripped through the air and towards the critter.

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