Wildwood Red in Tooth and Claw II [IC]

[Pyrex]

Weylan nods. "NR, give me a hand. You get his shoulders and I'll get his feet."

 

[Voidrazor]

"Yes, my lord." There is a strange tone to the warzoder's reply. Its voice comes through undistorted, but measured in a way that has not been apparent in its earlier conversation. Nevertheless, NR4ZN lifts Thelso by the shoulders carefully, and cradles his head gently while helping to carry him to the other chamber.

As it carries the fallen Dover, NR4ZN answers the druid, "The Ottotowans are a technologically and psi ... [buzz] advanced race from off world. I came here with them on a survey [click] vey mission. My chronograph was off-line after I and the ship crashed, so I don't know how lo[short burst of static]ng ago it was."

 

[Voadam]

The druid nods and leads you back to the pit chamber. The plant man looks grim as he comes upon the badgers body. He inspects the body briefly before rising with a sigh to lead you off out of the chamber "The badger was a true companion. My last request of him was to lead others to me when they came. The cycles continue and his spirit moves on now." At the pit chamber he pauses to look out over the pool at the bottom "Something has happened to the Earth nexus I established here. This does not bode well for the Water one remaining pure." He starts to step out carefully on the shorter path around the chamber, though you note it is not the one the badger led you around before.

 

[Pyrex]

"We did what we could for him, and he fought well. His efforts insured we were able to free you."

Weylan looks at the slippery path around the pool, "Hmm, we may not be able to carry Thelso around the pool. We nearly fell in the first time; and something foul lives there now."

 

[Voadam]

The druid thumps his staff down onto the muddy ground and the vines that compose it begin to writhe, as do the roots that compose his "legs" and "feet." Before your eyes they extend and burrow into the ground, anchoring him, then start to grow and reach along the path and extending out a few feet over the edge. The vine tendrils stretch and crawl down the path, reaching and grasping, extending branching roots to anchor into the muddy earth as they go. It creates a stable-looking, wider walkway along the edge until they reach the opening on the other side. The vines burrow and anchor into the opposite side opening then grow still, their prodigious rapid growth finished. He turns to Weylan and the rest of the party "Nothing used to lair in this Elemental Earth nexus, there was no water mixing it and changing it to mud. What did you see below?"

 

[Pyrex]

"As we fought here, some sort of ... tentacle ... lashed out and grabbed hold of a spear which it then dragged below the surface."

With NR's help, Weylan carries Thelso across the newly-widened path.

 

[Shayuri]

Inamar nods. "And the water's not really water. So be careful not to touch it."

 

[Voadam]

"If they have corrupted or damaged the Water nexus then I will need to encyst the dover until I have restored the grove and its circles. The Pool can be used as a divinatory aid to determine what is wrong with your companion as well as a cleanser and a focus for restorative life magics, but the invaders may have damaged it. Your companion has many bites upon him, tell me how he gained these wounds, they may be the source of his infirmity." He continues to lead you through the winding mud tunnells. He does not look happy to see the mud but says nothing.

 

[Shayuri]

"Where did he get the bites?" Inamar asks. "Well, for starters, there were about a million rats. And then there were really BIG rats. And there was Bloodwhisker; also very ratty."

She thinks.

"Didn't something bite his neck in the jungle? Oh wait, that was you, Weylan...sorry... Um."

"I think it was just the rats that bit him."

 

[Voadam]

"Did they look like rats from nature or did they have supernatural aspects? While rats may be carriers of natural diseases, there are supernatural ones as well. Blood Whisker was empowered with fell magics by the Eye of Night, it is possible some of that was transmitted to his rat minions if he shared a sufficient mystical link to them. Your dover is showing signs of acute fever." He presses on.