The Blind Watchers of the Sylvan Shard

[Rae ArdGaoth]

"The spellcasters had said that a certain kind of magic...diminations?...wouldn't work on the shard. Could that be affecting your spiritminds?" Rinya asks, stumbling over the arcane references.

The elf looks at Rinya with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Yes, that is precisely correct, our divinations are simply failing when we attempt to view the Heart Roots. I admit, we have never had the need to look there before. Could this shard have been there all along, without any of our noticing? I cannot answer this without looking myself, and-" As though finishing his sentence, the other six druids all grunt at once and begin writhing and groaning louder. "And as you can see, I cannot leave my fellows to face this alone."

Vagrant nods calmly. "Return to them, they need you more than we do." Without even nodding his assent, the elf closes his eyes and instantly cringes as though he were being whipped or beaten. One of the monks jumps forward and helps lay him down on the grass. The druids' groaning begins to decline, and soon they are almost silent again.

Perhaps we could investigate if you could show us the way.

"Oh. Oh, well, I could never ask such a sacrifice from you all. You came as visitors, not as saviors. And for all we know, our Brothers could very well be dead down there! No, no, I could never ask you to do this for us."

Before any of you can say anything, he continues, "But since you offered, the Brothers of Wyrwood Order humbly accept your offer of assistance in this dire matter. And as a show of our gratitude, I myself will accompany you into the depths of the monastery."

Nhairi gasps and protests vocally. Vagrant, with firmness in his voice, replies, "No, do not challenge me on this. I am quite resolute, nobody knows the Monastery like I do, and-"

Vagrant is interrupted by one of the male monks who has crept quietly in front of Vagrant and put his finger on the ancient elf's lips. Vagrant looks absolutely stunned. "Vagrant, your senses are not what they once were. Please, allow myself and Nhairi to go with these visitors. We will be the Order's nose, ears, and hands beneath the Monastery." This human man, with a white leather blindfold, does not remove his finger from Vagrant's lips.

Vagrant nods slowly. Raising his withered, wrinkled hand slowly to the man's finger. Moving it gently away, Vagrant says, "Ah... I suppose... you're right, Brother Coir. I didn't even sense you there... Yes, you're right, you and Nhairi go... Ah, hm..." He turns slowly towards the adventurers.

"I know I'm not being presumptuous in accepting your offer. When will you be ready to go?"

 

[Phoenix8008]

Saithnar, M Elan Psion/Telepath 3 (AC: 15, HP: 16/16, PP: 14/177

"Hmmmm....ready now I suppose, myself at least." Saithnar says in a bored tone. He continues puffing on his pipe and cocks his head to the side slightly while closing his eyes as if listening for unheard sounds.

 

[Richard Rawen]

Richard has finally mastered his senses, and with concentration, is able to ignore the stench... as he focuses on the conversation he learns that the group has been volunteered.
Arching one eyebrow he looks at his friends, but then shrugs and reflexively tests the straps and clips on his gear, doing a self-check as the others handle the talking.
When the time comes to set off to this 'heart root', he is ready and looking forward to doing something useful... his hand resting on the hilt of his ornate bastardsword.

 

[Heckler]

"Hmmmm....ready now I suppose, myself at least." Saithnar says in a bored tone.

"'Now,' sounds good to me," Rinya says in agreement.

 

[Dalamar]

"Onward then, my faithful followers!" Tumna says in an overtly boisterous voice, obviously meaning it in jest.

 

[Phoenix8008]

Not being in possession of a sense of humor, Saithnar hears Tumna's jest and looks at her with one eyebrow raised in a questioning manner while he considers if she seriously thinks that they are all her followers. A moment later, the reactions of the others lead him to deduce that she was only joking. He nods knowingly to himself as he mentally files away another example of 'humor' and 'sarcasm' for future reference.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Vagrant smiles. "Ah, young people. I knew you'd be excited to go. Well, there's very little preparation. Please, at least let me walk you to the cellars." Vagrant takes off towards the largest mushroom in the clearing. Nhairi and Brother Coir follow, along with another interested monk. The others stay behind, with the druids.

This mushroom is unlike any other you have ever seen, and not only in size. The thing is easily 100 feet in diameter at the base of the stem, and the stem continues straight up about ten feet before tapering sharply towards the center. The cap extends just a little beyond the radius of the stem, making its diameter about 110 feet. Vagrant guides the band into a large double door set in the side of the stem, and passing under the cap, you see truly massive gills. Deep within the gaps between the gills, you can see the pungent black pus beginning to fester and take hold.

Inside, the smell is again lessened. Like the room you found Vagrant in, the floor is packed dirt, and the walls are firm mushroom. This room is mostly empty, like a large antechamber. A raised mound of dirt at one end looks like a decent place for a speaker to stand and address a group of people. The ceiling is ten feet high. Vagrant pulls out a small rock from his pocket, it shines like a a lantern. "A wizard gave this to me many, many years ago. Does it still shine? I hope so, because if not, you'll have a bit of trouble seeing from here on."

Passing through a series of central rooms, the light from outside is practically nonexistent. Instead, the walls are covered with some kind of luminescent fungus. Without the stone's light, it would be very dark in here, but not pitch black. With Vagrant holding the stone as a lantern, you reach the center of the stem. A dirt ramp leads downward, spiraling around the solid center of the stem. As you descend, you notice on the ceiling extends flat, noodle-like roots that apparently hold the dirt ramp above your head. Occasionally, a path extends off to the right, away from the stem, but Vagrant continues downward. After about a minute of walking, you reach a wooden door.

Stepping inside, you see what looks to be like a relatively normal wine cellar. Large barrels and wooden jugs are organized neatly in rows. There is no glass here. Vagrant continues on to the other side of the cellar to yet another door. This one is locked. The ancient elf turns to you, his silvery hair has taken on hues of yellow, green, and blue from the dimly glowing fungi on the walls.

"This is the end of the Monastery's rooms. The tunnels beyond haven't been converted for our use. Our monastic grove is just the tip of the iceberg, as they say. The Wyrwood Mushroom extends deep into the earth and in all directions for miles. Directly beneath this central mushroom are the Heart Roots, it's there where I sent the others, and there where your shard may be. But be careful, the tunnels are winding, some will be too small for you, some will dead end. And I strongly suspect that something down here is causing the problems on the surface." Vagrant sniffs the air. It's cool and musky, with an undertone of mold, but it's refreshing compared to the surface. "Mm, how pleasant. I think I may stay down here a while. Good luck, brothers."

Vagrant takes a key from his neck and unlocks the door, allowing you passage inside. Beyond is a circular tunnel. The dirt quickly drops off, revealing the rounded fungus root floor beneath. About wide enough for one person to walk, the tunnel is even dimmer than the cellar, it extends into darkness.

 

[Heckler]

ooc: So it looks like we need a single file marching order? How's about:

Rinya
Richard
Saithnar
Tumna
Khairi
Lucien

That gives us the rangers with their spot/listen on either end, backed up by a fighter and the "spellcasters" tucked safely in the middle. Can one of the psions hold the glowing rock, I believe all the fighters have their hands full?

Is this okay with everyone?

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Don't forget about Thallirae.

Nhairi says, "Brother Coir and I are trained to see without eyes. Perhaps one of us should scout ahead? We are both trained in the martial arts as well."

 

[Heckler]

ooc: D'oh!

Put the monks on the ends? And Thallirae's an archer, so put her in the middle?

So we have:

Nhairi
Rinya
Richard
Saithnar
Thallirae
Tumna
Khairi
Lucien
Coir

How does that sound?