The Undiscovered Frontier (Finished!)

[GlassEye]

Arkos blinks in confusion. At first from the odd manner of speaking from the being(s) that call themselves 'Myconid' but then from the information about his past. It is almost too much but he quickly grasps one fact. Myconid is offering shelter and succor and with some serious wounds taken by his companions it is best to accept allies wherever they might be.

"We thank you, Myconid, for your aid against the Three Attendants. We will be pleased to follow you to safety and speak with the Old Obstinate One."

[sblock=Mini Stats]Arkos Stoneborn
Initiative: +1
AC: 12 (11 flat-footed, 12 Touch) [14 w/ Barkskin]
AC: (Predator) 16 (15 flat-footed, 12 Touch)
AC: (Aerial) 14 (13 flat-footed, 12 Touch)
HP: 47 Current: 26
Fort: +7 Reflex: +2 Reflex: (Aerial) +4 Will: +8
Speed: 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Speed: (Predator) 50 ft.
Speed: (Aerial) fly 40 ft. (good)

Current Weapon in Hand:
Current Conditions in Effect: Predator form

Attacks
Spear +8 (1d6+7 /crit. x3)
Sling +4 (1d3 /crit. x2)
Bite (Predator) +12 (1d4+8 /crit. x2; as magic)
Talon (Aerial) +11 (1d4+7 /crit. x2; as magic)
Breath Weapon (1d8; bludgeoning; Ref 15 for half dmg.)
2 Tentacles (while in Predator) +10 (1d8+7) 10 ft. reach

Spells Prepared:
Spell Save: 14 +SL
3rd level: 2; cure moderate wounds, evard's menacing tentacles (PHB2)
2nd level: 3; barkskin, bull's strength, resist energy
1st level: 4; cure light wounds, faerie fire, goodberry, produce flame
orisons: 5; create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, light, purify food & drink

Backpack: healer's kit (x2), sunrod (x2), thunderstone (x2), tanglefoot bag (x2), smoke stick(x2), bedroll, 2 wand CLW, 19 pebbles of CSW & 5 pebbles of Remove Disease. food and water.[/sblock]

 

[Queenie]

Lealani nods in agreement. "Haste would be wise, friends. I agree we would have difficulty continuing in battle."

 

[Shayuri]

Mellisande approached the 'Myconids' curiously, even poking at the fleshy 'cap' that was one of their heads from behind. When it jumped and looked at her in startlement she gave it an apologetic, beaming smile and finger-wave, then quickly scooted back to the others before it could fly into a blood rage or something.

"So be it then," she said with exaggerated authority. "Lead on, Myconoids. We will follow you to your leader."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

You follow your two guides, called respectively Myconid and Myconid. For under two miles you walk under the canopy of heavy, humid foliage. The trees seem off somehow, with yellowed leaves and easily crumbling bark. It is explained to you that the soil is sickly and is resulting in a dwindling forest, leaving even the Myconid people smaller in stature. Other parts of the land are complete or near complete wastelands, as even you can attest. Once you hear the sound of a glider, and briefly glimpse through pockmarked leaves something flying overhead. You suppose you remained undetected, however, as the flyer does not return.

At the end of your walk you find yourselves in the heart of the forest, where the trees rise to an unheard of twenty feet in height. A few dozen of the mushroom people appear, all calling themselves Myconid. They speak excitedly, all swarming to put strange, fingerless hands upon Arkos. The Creator! He has returned! Born anew! Giver of life!"

Eventually your guides calm the multitude down and explain your destination. Although they call this elder Myconid by the same name as the others, the crowd seems to understand who you are to see. An inflection in the way the voice is spoken, perhaps? Arkos and Mellisande can't help but ponder at such an intellectual level, while Lealani wonders about their societal, group and personal interactions.

The elder Myconid, called Myconid by his fellows and by the Old Obstinate One by humans long ago, is a dull gray and giant creature. He leans against several straining trees and sits motionless, making you wonder whether or not he is dead or deep in sleep. Finally one of his smaller fellows pokes him, making him shudder awake while the situation is explained. Two large, yellow orbs appear as eyelids flutter open and his attention focuses slowly upon the heroes. In a deep, slow voice he says, "You who are called Arkos. You have killed the Three Attendants and we have given you shelter. If you are the Gods returned, then we have done our duty. If not, we have risked our last days of existence for nothing and you will bring us a meaningless death at the hands of the Enemy. I see you and you indeed look like the Creator, who called himself Jacques d'Arc. But you also do not look like him. Indeed this is a mystery. Perhaps you are Jack of the Ark, as I am Myconid. Come closer as you and your companions tell me your tale. Come and let us solve this puzzle together, for I was the first of the Ark project, Myconid-000, and remember much."

 

[Voda Vosa]

The creatures seem odd for Sarpot. He woudln't know where to actually strike. The giant cap might do, but their actual eyes were down below. Strike at the eyes would do the trick? If they were actually some kind of fungi, were their eyes as vital as his own? Probably not. As he ponders other tactical dilemas, a Flyer hovers over their heads. He instinctively crouched, and watched the thing pass by, with feral and predatory eyes.

Upon reaching the Myconid village he is amused at the creatures more in a curious rather than tactical way. They seem like children, running to meet their mother, Arkos in this case. They didn't have fingers, odd. How could they wield weapons then? His tactical mind took over again for a brief moment, before the guides lead them to the elder.

As the first of the Myconids tells its story, "Finally, someone who knows all the damn story." says Sarpot between teeth.

 

[Fenris]

Nerin had been thoughtful on the way in. This new revelation was most strange. The metal creatures, the perversions of nature. Whether they were gods or not, this world was dying, and there seemed to be no one else to stem the tide of destruction, it did seem they were protected to save this world. or were they merely summoned. In any case let us see what this old basdiocarp could tell them. It did seem he knew some old tale, like the flynd, maybe they could piece more of this thing together.

One thing he was sure of, Arkos would never eat mushrooms again, he wasn't sure any of them would. Well except Sarpot, he'd eat kittens in cream sauce.

 

[GlassEye]

Arkos walks through the camp of Myconid in somewhat of a daze. The attention that is being poured upon them is a bit overwhelming and Arkos can't help but think that it is undeserved. He reaches out to greet with a touch Myconid and when brought before the Old Obstinate One he stands and waits until the creature is ready to converse.

"I am Arkos, though I don't remember how I got that name. Our tale is short; only recently did we wake within a cave not far from here. We skirmished with gnolls and were told a strange tale of gods by one called Flynd. We were hunted by wolf-men and made our way to this place where we battled the Three Attendants. Myconid aided us and likely saved our lives. And that is how we came here.

Your tale seems much more interesting and seems to hold the answer to much that is confusing to us."

[sblock=Mini Stats]Arkos Stoneborn
Initiative: +1
AC: 12 (11 flat-footed, 12 Touch) [14 w/ Barkskin]
AC: (Predator) 16 (15 flat-footed, 12 Touch)
AC: (Aerial) 14 (13 flat-footed, 12 Touch)
HP: 47 Current: 26
Fort: +7 Reflex: +2 Reflex: (Aerial) +4 Will: +8
Speed: 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Speed: (Predator) 50 ft.
Speed: (Aerial) fly 40 ft. (good)

Current Weapon in Hand:
Current Conditions in Effect: Predator form

Attacks
Spear +8 (1d6+7 /crit. x3)
Sling +4 (1d3 /crit. x2)
Bite (Predator) +12 (1d4+8 /crit. x2; as magic)
Talon (Aerial) +11 (1d4+7 /crit. x2; as magic)
Breath Weapon (1d8; bludgeoning; Ref 15 for half dmg.)
2 Tentacles (while in Predator) +10 (1d8+7) 10 ft. reach

Spells Prepared:
Spell Save: 14 +SL
3rd level: 2; cure moderate wounds, evard's menacing tentacles (PHB2)
2nd level: 3; barkskin, bull's strength, resist energy
1st level: 4; cure light wounds, faerie fire, goodberry, produce flame
orisons: 5; create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, light, purify food & drink

Backpack: healer's kit (x2), sunrod (x2), thunderstone (x2), tanglefoot bag (x2), smoke stick(x2), bedroll, 2 wand CLW, 19 pebbles of CSW & 5 pebbles of Remove Disease. food and water.[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

"Yes!" Mellisande pipes up. "Talk to us, magical mushroom man!"

 

[Deuce Traveler]

The old obstinate one speaks once more. ”The humans of the land were peaceful farmers, struggling to survive in the Land. The land was always richest around the Life Tree, and communities centered here. It is believed that the land was once richer, but as time went along crops became harder to grow and magical tools that had been used for generations began to break from overuse. Humans learned to use weaker, innnate magical powers to enforce their will, and so survived a continually hard life. It was during this time that the Land began to feel its first upheavals and there were earthquakes and occasions where the light would disappear from the sky and cast all into darkness. Light returned, but stronger magic, called gamma magic also changed creatures and men into new beings, resulting in the creation of human-like creatures such as the yuan-ti, wolfmen, flinds, and Myconid. Still the earthquakes continued.

“It was then that the great ones came down from the heavens, bringing down powerful magics thought forgotten. They never called themselves gods, nor did they ever deny being such. But what else could they have been with their strange clothing and devices of life and destruction? They told the people of the Land that their world was called Warden, and that it was the center of a war in the heavens. They told the elders of the Land many weighty things, most of which the elders could not understand or refused to understand, such was the terror of the knowledge discussed. The gods said that Warden was just one of many homes to men, who were spread out and fighting a war among the stars against the Enemy. But the men of this world were different, they had been changed by gamma magic, allowing them to develop slight knacks over the generations. These knacks allowed them to survive the world’s slow degradation. But the Enemy had come to notice this world, which held the key to the ingredients of mankind. If the enemy could take Warden, it would have the knowledge to develop powerful magics tuned to humans. They would be able to kill untold amounts of humans amongst the stars; numbers that could not be fathomed by the thousands of humans of this world. The gods asked the men to join the war, and also the Myconid, yuan-ti, wolfmen and flinds. These races agreed to help men, though some grumbled that the gods sought to elevate man and make the other races subservient to mankind.

That was when we were let in on the secret of our existence by Jacques d’Arc. We were the first, created by Gaia, servant of the gods, using the knowledge of Jacques d’Arc. As Myconid we were created in the Heavens and brought down to Warden to thrive. We were created to both heal the land’s soil and to help augment the defense of the world. We were meant to serve man as man must survive in order to help defeat the Enemy. The other races were also created, though they took the news of their creation with less enthusiasm than Myconid. Jacques d’Arc was pleased by our loyalty and taught Myconid how to use the magical wands. Myconid fought in the heavens against the Enemy, as did the men of Warden, yuan-ti, wolfmen, and flinds. We fought next to the gods, but were gradually pushed back. The Enemy were able to change the golems of the gods against us, then the yuan-ti. Eventually the yuan-ti began to suspect the Enemy of being true gods and the human-shaped gods as oath breakers. They turned soon after the Enemy took the Life Tree and captured Gaia. With Gaia and the Life Tree taken, the sickness of the land greatly accelerated. The battles lost any semblance of order as resistance was broken into pockets on Warden, and with the soil corrupted Myconid found itself unable to travel distances to help. We became neutral, as the Enemy and gods both came to us to help the soil recover. But the soil cannot be recovered. The Enemy finds that it cannot save the Land. It does not know how, and the races that turned to support the Enemy now doubt their own survival. Jacques d'Arc himself once said that if Warden could not be saved from the Enemy, it must be destroyed. This statement did little to endear the wolfmen or yuan-ti to him.

But your presence confuses all. Now the gods seemed to have returned, but in new and mostly non-human bodies. They do not remember their past lives, but instead patches. Perhaps they are now like Myconid, where when they are reborn they only retain some of their memories. Perhaps they are not the gods at all, but something different, as the gods they resemble had died in previous battles.” The Myconid looks angry for a moment, as if something awful had crossed his mind, then says in a near whisper, ”Perhaps they could track down the sole survivor of the last great battle, currently held in the yuan-ti ziggurat. A god named Gunter von Furhmann, Lord of Spring, and ask him what he did to the children of the gods. The children he was supposed to guard above all else? The children who bore the full brunt of his experiments with gamma magic.”

 

[GlassEye]

Arkos sits and listens as Myconid relates an amazing story of worlds and men and gods and much more that he is credulous about.

"That... is a fantastic tale, Myconid."

He looks at the others in their small traveling band silently willing them to speak their mind as he isn't sure what to think.

[sblock=Mini Stats]Arkos Stoneborn
Initiative: +1
AC: 12 (11 flat-footed, 12 Touch) [14 w/ Barkskin]
AC: (Predator) 16 (15 flat-footed, 12 Touch)
AC: (Aerial) 14 (13 flat-footed, 12 Touch)
HP: 56 Current: 35
Fort: +8 Reflex: +3 Reflex: (Aerial) +5 Will: +9
Speed: 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Speed: (Predator) 50 ft.
Speed: (Aerial) fly 40 ft. (good)

Current Weapon in Hand:
Current Conditions in Effect:

Attacks
Spear +9 (1d6+7 /crit. x3)
Sling +5 (1d3 /crit. x2)
Bite (Predator) +13 (1d4+8 /crit. x2; as magic)
Talon (Aerial) +12 (1d4+7 /crit. x2; as magic)
Breath Weapon (1d8; bludgeoning; Ref 15 for half dmg.)
2 Tentacles (while in Predator) +11 (1d8+7) 10 ft. reach

Spells Prepared:
Spell Save: 14 +SL
3rd level: 3; cure moderate wounds, evard's menacing tentacles (PHB2), evard's menacing tentacles
2nd level: 4; barkskin, bull's strength, heat metal, resist energy
1st level: 4; cure light wounds, faerie fire, goodberry, produce flame
orisons: 5; create water, cure minor wounds, detect magic, light, purify food & drink

Backpack: healer's kit (x2), sunrod (x2), thunderstone (x2), tanglefoot bag (x2), smoke stick(x2), bedroll, 2 wand CLW, 19 pebbles of CSW & 5 pebbles of Remove Disease. food and water.[/sblock]