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[howandwhy99]

A large shambling mass of vines came into the torchlight. Its tentacles swung at Dalin and Kayla while another held tightly to Igor. Kayla backed away towards the cave entrance, which was too far away to see in the torchlight. Dram ran up through the flying bats and swung at the mound severing one of its vines. Two more mounds appeared to the right of him. Dalin ran over to Igor and swung his torch at the vine holding him. The flames grew on both the creature and Igor. The cockeyed chef screamed and dropped to the cavern floor rolling around trying to put himself out. Ben backed away and focused his divine energies on the bats flying within the melee. Mirel stood beside him. Several bone-bats exploded sending out fragments in all directions, but the area thinned and the others could see again. Darius pulled out a torch of his own and lit it off of Dalin’s. The two hirelings, Ormand the Redd and Rogg both back away. Ormand shot into one of the mounds, but it seemed not to injure the plant at all.

Rogg took out his sword and started hacking at the bats as they flew past him. More were descending from above, but kept outside of Brother Ben’s range now. Darius thrust his torch into one of the two new plants and it went up in flames. The other shambled into the center of the group and flung its vines around Dram. They were glistening with purplish sap. Fortunately for Dram none held tight, but he was badly cut and felt a sting from the wound. Dalin moved over to Dram’s side waving his torch trying to hit the vines. “Don’t burn me!” called out Dram. Igor had managed to put out the flames and stood up from the ground. He pulled out his sword and swung into the flaming plant, which had grabbed him. Its body offered little resistance. Instead it flailed wildly and moved away from the torchlight. The flames had shrunk it considerably. The burning bush Darius had lit backed away too all the while hissing and smoking. Brother Ben followed the fighters in closer trying to destroy more of the bats. Mirel ran over to the uninjured plant with her own torch, but missed. It swung its vines around her trying to engulf the girl.

Darius and Dalin charged the last mound and managed to strike it with torches. Dram reached into the flames and vines and pulled Mirel out. The group retreated now all the creatures were burning. Black bits of charred leaves floated around them in the cavern. When all was done the deadly plants were nothing more than burnt ash and wood. Brother Ben continued to sweep through the great cavern destroying what bats he could. Darius called on Thor’s power to heal Dram and the pallor returned to his face. The rest of the team waited patiently as nearly every undead bat was destroyed. The process took over an hour in all. In the meantime, Igor picked over the plant creatures’ remains. He was in the middle of collecting their sap when Darius put an arm on his shoulder. “Good. We will need this to make an antitoxin for the infirmary above.” Igor nodded silently. After cleaning themselves up they walked out the large tubular exit cave. Darius remembered to check the crevasses near its opening for places the kobolds could have hid. He suspected undead kobolds may still be within. Unfortunately none of the gaps were large enough for even the dwarf to squeeze inside and check.

Exiting out onto the rocky, shale hilltop a mist hit their faces. “It’s still overcast, but at least it isn’t raining”, thought Ben. In the distance the black spiraling cloud could be seen as well as the rain that poured out of it. “If Zelligar’s books are correct, the river below is the Greenwillow River” said Kayla. “It should flow back west and out of the forest, if ever we need to leave quickly.” Dram started climbing a nearby tree. He had a good idea of direction now assuming the storm cloud had not moved from over outpost Xavier. Igor checked the ground for tracks and found several. Some led up onto the hilltop, but he lost them on the black rock. Another set of tracks led away towards the direction of the storm. “That is northwest” Dram declared pointing at the cloud. Darius made a mental note to inform the army of a possible orc attack from the southeast.