[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

The last of the plant-creatures--at least, the last one with any obvious capacity for independent movement--shrivels to a blackened husk in the magical fire. Looking around, it is difficult not to suspect that this tree or that vine will suddenly spring into animated fury: every little rustle now seems suspicious.

As Kane is walking past the plant with the large, nasty-smelling flowers, it shudders, and one of its tendrils inches purposefully toward him. Kane instantly whips out his sword and drives it straight down the middle of the plant. The plant quivers briefly before becoming still, and Kane has a fleeting sensation of warmth, as though some grateful spirit has been released. A small amount of glowing liquid creeps up onto his sword while it is embedded in the plant. The liquid winds around and branches, spreading spidery veins over the surface of the blade. When Kane removes the weapon, the liquid seems to have dried and formed an indelible pattern.

The sword that one of the zombies was carrying is a large, Kingdom of Jade-style weapon, finely made.

After taking a well-earned rest--Dartmoor in particular seems to have only narrowly escaped death--the adventurers continue their search for viper nettles. Heading further north, into wetter ground that seems favored by these plants, they find an enormous patch of them, with many ripe berries. These are slowly but safely harvested by Kane, who uses his telekinetic hand to avoid touching the leaves directly.

Not far from this spot, two streams come together to make the one that the adventurers have been following. One branch flows from the north; this is the same stream that flows past the party’s camp, and they can plainly see the hill at the top of which they built their shelters rising before them. The other branch flows from the southwest.

[sblock=Treasure!]Sorry about taking control of Kane there, but he seems to like his existing sword so I wanted to upgrade it rather than replace it =)

Kane’s longsword becomes a dislocation longsword +1 (L4 item)
The zombie’s sword is a frost bastard sword (no-dachi) +1 (L3 item; for Takahaan)

jbear--If you use the compendium, note that the entry for the dislocation weapon is a bit borked (the printed PHB3 version is the right one, I think). The target doesn’t grant CA unless you augment the power (which you can’t, of course). Hope you don’t mind the psionic item--I thought the unaugmented power was really nice. It just screamed “swordmage” to me.

The viper nettle berries fulfill Aerys’s quest, of course. They also constitute an excuse to “buy” healing potions with virtual gold, if anyone wants to do that.[/sblock]
[sblock=time and ooc stuff]Status at the end of the fight:
Castile HP 20/39; surges 11/13, AP used
Dartmoor HP -2/33; surges 8/10
Hú Lí HP 11/29; surges 8/8, AP used
Kane HP 10/28; surges 9/10, AP used
Noriaki HP 21/33; surges 7/9, AP used
Takahaan HP 6/29; surges 6/8
Ishirou HP 17/24; surges 6/7

I calculate the current time to be about 12:20 pm. Lunchtime!

The first page has been updated with a new map, additions to the plot summary, etc.

The intention is still to keep following Ieana and Kovack, correct?[/sblock]

Takahaan pulls his arms back and stretches after the intense battle, wiping the blood and sweat off him afterwards. Looking to where one of the zombie-creatures had fallen, he notices the weapon again, and walks over to inspect it, carefully keeping an eye out for anymore plant-fiends.

"Noriaki...Kane! Envious of my..." He picks up the Jadian sword off the ground, slashing it once in the air, feeling its weight. "Nodachi?!" He sports a devilish grin across his scaled face, and looks unusually elated.

The sword seems to fit his grip much better than his old one, which was standard-issue Iron Legion gear. It seems to be made out of much stronger material, but is noticeably lighter and easier to handle. The hilt is wrapped in what seems to be leather fibers, and is worn, but not unpleasantly so. Carved into the blade just above the hilt are strange characters. Recognizing them as some sort of Tsugo characters, he brings the sword over to Noriaki.

"Friend... look at these symbols on the blade. They are in Tsugo, but very unfamiliar to me. Perhaps you can understand them." He hands the sword to his ally, waiting for an answer.

"We should rest and refresh ourselves before moving on," Hú Lí says. "Since it is past noon, we should eat. I do not wish to dine on any of the plants from this area. Perhaps something we can hunt for small game. Rabbit would be nice." She seems oddly enthused by this thought.

"But I will sing to pass the time while we prepare our meal," she says, and starts singing a traditional invocation before a feast.[sblock=rest]Song of rest: at the end of a short rest, Hú Lí and each ally may spend a healing surge and regain an additional 4 HP.

Hú Lí spends two surges, which with this brings her to full HP.[/sblock][sblock=Hú Lí]The Black Fox Fox Spirit (Changeling) Bard 2
Initiative: +2, Passive Perception: 17, Passive Insight: 19
AC:18, Fort:12, Reflex:16, Will:17
+3 vs. AC, 1d6-1 damage

HP:29/29, Bloodied:14, Surge Value:7, Surges left:6/8
Action Points: 0, Second Wind: unused
Powers: Fox Spirit Disguise, Wild Shape, Staggering Note, Vicious Mockery
Blunder, Fox Spirit Trick, Grasping Claws, Majestic Word x2, Words of Friendship
Stirring Shout, Canon of Avoidance

Virtue of Cunning: Once per round, when an enemy misses an ally within 9 squares of the Black Fox, the Fox may slide the ally 1 square as a free action.

Conditions:
none
[/sblock]

The soothing melody put forth by Hu Li's beautiful voice brings Takahaan a much-needed calm. He closes his eyes and follows the words in his mind, the intensity of his wounds lessening and causing him not as much pain.

He smiles at Hu Li, a silent thank-you. Looking to his companions, his friend still looking over the blade, he agrees with the bard's idea. "Fresh meat that hunting could provide would be a nice change from this stale bread, wine, and meat we have been partaking of. Dartmoor! I'd imagine you and your men to be the kings of hunting in the wild." Takahaan nods very respectfully to the Captain, and continues. "What say we see what small game we can capture on this forsaken island?"

[sblock=healing]I'll spend 2 surges to get to full health, including the song of rest bonus. 9/13 surges remain.[/sblock]
Castile rubs her temple in an effort to dispel the migraine lingering from the caller's attacks. It doesn't help, but Hú Lí's tune seems to drown out the pain. A light smile comes to Castile's face as she realizes the battle is really over.

"I'd say a victory feast is in order after that fight! Who'd have thought a bunch of plants could be so strong? What is it about this place anyway? Vicious lobsters, giant spiders, and now moving plants..."

As the final zombie falls, Noriaki leans one hand against a tree, panting with the effort of the too-powerful spell he had summoned. Thrusting his blade in the air with the other hand, he releases the rest of the storm energy straight up into the air, where it shreds some leaves above. Shakily, he resheathes his katana and stops to catch his breath.

By the time Takahaan approaches him with the new sword, Noriaki has recovered somewhat. He takes the blade and runs a finger lightly along the characters, then holds it up for a whispering. His eyes closed, he hears the blade's story, then looks up to Takahaan to tell what he has discovered.

"This sword is far from home, friend, just like us. He was made centuries ago, by the swordsmith Oyuki Hideo, of the House of Snow, but he has not been back to our homeland since the oni overran the lands of the House of Snow. Though the power has faded with disuse, he still bears a link to the Great Ice Dragon. Here." Noriaki holds the sword out to Takahaan. "His name is Otaruhi Nodachi. It is up to you to figure out how to draw out his power."

[sblock=Healing] Kane spends 2 surges which brings him to full again [/sblock]

Kane looks at the pattern that seems to be melding some kind of spirit to the heart of his sword, something he feels integraly due to the deep bond he has with it. But he resists the temptation of fading from the now and being part of that process as he has more pressing concerns. He walks towards the slain zombie and cuts the foliage the wraps its head, discovering the face beneath. He turns to the group and asks, "Y-your f-friend?"

He repeats the process with the other zombie that bore the large sword to be certain. (Assuming the negative) Kane then stands and glumly stutters "S-so w-we lost the tr-trail..."

At which point he sits down to catch his breath and allow the bards music to soothe his splitting headache. He sinks into his sword and begins to shape the new fabric that has become part of it to fit better with his style of fighting.

Later once the berries have been collected he suggests, coin spinning in the air:

"If w-we have l-lost the trail, maybe w-we could take a l-look at that sh-shipwreck back up the c-coast we saw?"