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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Greybar" data-source="post: 931719" data-attributes="member: 4938">The Tree of Corruption, part twoSyra confirms that none of the men look like Adolphus, and that some look vaguely familiar and might be the townspeople that Gweni spoke of.  Karrinkas picks up the scent again quickly and the heroes move with renewed urgency.Though the light filtering through the tree branches is fading fast, Karrinkas pieces together clues of broken brush and an odd scent - an odor somewhere between putrid meat and decaying wood.  It stretches from the zombie-like men through the trees... what's that subtle sound in the branches?  Just a breeze higher up?Then a clearing opens up and they see it.  A huge tree, swaying in a wind that the heroes can't feel.  Underneath it are four men, moving with the same halting motions that the other two had.  Two are working the earth around a fifth figure, an older man who is already buried up to his waist... Adolphus.Bows are drawn.  Karrinkas' sling spins into motion.  By the time that the zombies realize the heroes are there two are wounded.  A third is dropped by a shot from Daphna that passes cleanly through its chest.  The rustling sound in the trees whispers louder."Yes", Balius thinks, "I really should shoot Samus first before he hurts someone."  He turns, using all of his skill to put extra force into a point-blank shot that smacks into Samus' leathers right below his shoulder."Mother of Pearl!"[1] Samus shouts in surprise and anger.  Karrinkas turns and takes in the scene.  He bounds over to Balius as the cub notches another arrow, pouncing on him and wrapping him up with retracted claws.Arrows from the rest of the party drop the remaining zombies.  Samus decides that the best thing to do is to get Adolphus out quick, before anyone else can be convinced of doing evil to each other.  His bow disappears to its sling and his axe is out in a flash.  "You should take that axe and cut into the woman with the white armor", the leaves whisper to him.  He shakes his head and charges towards the tree.He is still fifteen feet away from the tree when he sees the branches coming.  They swoop down from above like huge clubs.  He ducks under the first but the second slams into the small of his back.  His breath comes out of him in a gasp.  He slaps the axe back into its holding straps while still running[2], then extends his arms underneath those of the half-planted Adolpus.  He gives a great heave, his legs quivering, and the old man comes free.  Then two more branches slam down.  The first lands squarely on the nape of his neck and blackness and stars blossom before his eyes.  The second smashes into his thigh in a horizontal sweep and Samus spins through the air to land unconscious next to Adolphus' limp body.Karrinkas looks up from Balius, who is desperately trying to convince him that he's perfectly fine and in control of himself again.  Arlissa lets out a soft exhalation - "Crap."Daphna does what any paladin worth her oath would do.  She grits her teeth and charges the tree.---[1] Samus has the most colorful language of the group.  "Mother of Pearl" is a curse denoting singular evil and treachery.  Worth a sidebar...[2] Quick-Draw feat</blockquote>

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