So the battle began against the Awakened Shrubberies.
The Heroes quickly realized that they were surrounded and began to defend themselves against an entirely new adversary. One that none of them had ever encountered or faced before, even Sylas. Elzy already had his rapier out, expecting the worst as they entered the clearing. He quickly engaged with one of the shrubs. Grainne looked around and quickly grabbed her shield. In her mental preparation for this battle, it crossed her mind – are these even living creatures? Did they need to burn? All important questions as the killer plants closed in.
In her first real public demonstration of magic, Eldaria began casting Tangle Growth. After a few seconds, they were able to bend a tree down keeping one of the awakened shrubs at bay. Eldaria felt immense power in this place which allowed their magic succeeding beyond what they have normally accomplished. Sylas really wanted to try out his new glaive in combat, but realized quickly that in this moment his trusty broadsword was clearly the better tool. So he readied his sword and shield. Grainne, meanwhile, summoned fire underneath one the advancing shrubberies which caused them to burn, but more shockingly and advantageous they become afraid of the fire. A truly mindless creature wouldn’t have shown fear would they? Are these plants in fact alive?
After their display of magical power, Eldaria then cast an an arrow, finally felling one of these shrubberies. And once Grainne discovered that fire worked incredibly well against these creatures, she began to summon her trusty Flame Jet, burning them at any chance she got. Eventually Grainne, and then Elzy got a bit over confident and the Awakened Shrubberies both got in successful attacks. As their thorns pierced their leather armor, they found out that the thorns were indeed poisonous. Grainne was able to shake off the pain and nausea, but Elzy did not and fell unconscious upon the meadow. Sylas, though, had no fear of these creatures. Their thorns could not pierce his armor and he was able to finish off the rest of the shrubberies before anyone else could be hurt.
Rules Break Out:
Awakened Shrubbery: ST 10; DX 9; IQ 9; HT 11; SM 0; BM 4; Dodge 8; Parry 8; Thorny Branch-11 (1d-2 sw cut); DR 1). Thuckleberry Poison – 2d damage and HT vs. Nausea. Full version of this creature is from Garden of Evil published by Gaming Ballistic.
After all of the shrubberies were defeated, Grainne was able to diagnose that Elzy, and herself, were not going to die as the poison has an immediate effect, but does not linger and continue to cause damage. Regardless it was pretty obvious that Elzy was in particular very hurt. Scrambling to help, Eldaria remembered about the Esmalgos tree, that if the bark is brewed, would create a tea that helps neutralize poisons coming from plants, but particularly offsets nausea. With luck, Eldaria found a young Esmalgos tree near by the meadow. It couldn’t have been more than 6 or 7 years old. One wonders if that is how long this halfling has been in these woods? Sylas in annoyance took all the shrubs, along with some other dead wood and threw them on the fire that Grainne summoned. With a fire raging, they could boil some water for the Esmalgos Tea.
Rules Break Out:
Esmalgos bark, when brewed and consumed, gives an addition 2 HP to a First Aid roll against plant based poisons and toxins. It does nothing against any other types poisons and toxins, like snake bites. It is also frequently used by midwifes and herbalists to reduce nausea caused by pregnancy.
Not far from the clearing, Eldaria discovered a shrine to Tybeeda, a powerful nature deity that is worshipped throughout Elandorr. Thy are the primary deity of the Feral Humans. This shrine was a tree that was magically warped and shaped to look like a face of a wisened man with a long flowing beard. The tree was at least two or three hundred years old, but had been clearly forgotten about for at least a life time or two, only to be discovered by this Druid of Tybeeda.
Not to be out done, Elzy discovered the Druid’s cave. Inside he found her stash of food, some of which he started eating. Getting almost killed by poisoned shrubs was a bit stressful. There were a bunch of scrolls and other writings, but Elzy as it turns out, couldn’t read them. The written words never interested him, but was cognizant enough to know to at least take them for his friends to look at. When Eldaria read them, it became fairly clear more or less what happened. The Druid wanted to aid herself in creating a small community out in the woods. Therefore, she began animating plants to do very tasks like build her cave. But then something caused this halfling to take a darker turn and began awakening the plants. It is not entirely clear what caused this. But by the process of awakening them, she caused souls to be ripped from Gurri’s grasp before they could travel to the Land of Lycretia. It appeared to be the inability to control these Awaken Shrubberies that caused the Druid’s tragic death.
Upon the body of the druid herself, she had wooden lamellar armor that was too small for anyone in the party, a necklace with the Great Tree of Tybeeda, and a magical sling. Everyone agreed that Elzy should have the sling, even though he did not yet know how to use it.
Rules Break Out:
Scrolls: Heal Plant (M161), Shape Plant (M161), Bless Plants (M161), Plant Growth (M162), Plant Vision (M162), Create Plant (M163), Animate Plant (M164), Create Animated Plant (GoE4), Grasping Branch (MPS14), Capturing Vines (MPS12), Create Paper (MPS12).
Other Treasure: Wooden Lamellar Armor (DR 3), Sling with +1 Accuracy, a bag with 10 stones that do +1 damage, and two minor healing potions.
The World of Lycretia 