Murder Stumps! (Session 191)

 SESSION 191: When Stumps Attack!?!

Ambushed by killer stumps our band is unexpectedly in trouble. The challenges refused to let up for days.

Day 50 continued– (13.19 -0706/0707à14.20- 0205 ): Sasha refused to accept responsibility for this, “stumps are dead trees not whatever these stupid things are!” The creatures then released volley of tiny paralytic needles into the air. There was no defence as our explorers each faced hundreds of missiles each. Six hobos down, three to go! Revealing hungry maws the stumps then pull up their roots and begin to torturously crawl towards immobilized hobos. The big guns were all down. Sasha was stuck trying to fight off a stump that began chewing on Charles. Mason was able to divinely rouse Bimbles before he fell under a second cloud of paralytic darts. The battle entered the comedy zone. Hobos were roused and then other fell as the stumps tightened the noose one inch at a time. It seemed that the stumps only had three volleys of darts in them. This would be the toehold needed for the gang to turn tings around. They eventually did chop down these nasty killer stumps but they were keenly aware of how close they came to being fertilizer.

Day 51 – (14.20 -0205/0304/0404/0303): This day Sasha discovered a large slimy trail that led to a giant slug – go figure. It puked up acid and was slowly annoying. Fortunately or magically they discovered a sacred grove that a bestowed restorative blessing upon those pure of heart. This seemed like the perfect place to camp even if it cut the day a bit short. The evening was warm and pleasant. 

Day 52 – (14.20 – 0303/0403/0503/0403/0603/0604): Today a watering hole and its predator was discovered. A giant mantid expertly camouflaged in the foliage stood silent vigil waiting for a meal that would come sooner or later. Our mob was surprised by its lightning strike that almost cut Saffron in two. The battle was a challenge as the monstrous insect moved with exceptional speed just outside of melee range. This did drag things out but the abnormally large bug finally succumbed to missile, magic and psionics. It ended up as another bummer the bug had been exclusively eating mundane things that did not have the good sense to carry sacks of loot. 

            Moving on the day continued to be unsettling. A snake of near unparalleled size, remember the snake god of Carcosa?, was moving through the forest adjacent to our gang and did not immediately notice them. This gave Saffron a chance to attempt to charm the methuselah. The chances were very slim but it worked. The 80’ serpent was under our mad fairy’s control. Mason then used his holy powers to communicate with the beast. It was Oxymare and it was only half interested in eating all of our hobos. Mason realized that sending it home to its lair might be the best course of action. Oxymare did not disagree, especially after Saff gave a thumbs up. The snake revealed the location of its lair, secretly to Saffron, in a sub-hex of 12.20 and slithered off. The gang was relieved as they had taken a bit of a beating from the mantid. They moved into the next sub-hex and set camp. The evening did not provide the needed respite. 

During the dead of night, as that is when these things happen, a pair of bulettes exploded from the earth and all hell broke loose. On more time Saff showed why normal folks are so uncomfortable around her type as she knocked one of the beasts to the ground with an arrow the size of a sowing needle. With only one active land-shark the horde were able to swarm it and chop it up real nice. The end result still required a lot of bandaging and healing. The explorers had really taken a beating today. Tomorrow was declared, out of necessity, a day of rest. 

 

ROLECALL 

Carla the Green High Priestess of TMB (C9) 263154 xp +10% <300001> CRT 1d12/III

            Scars: permanent loss left index finger and scarring on arm

Bimbles the High Priest of GSS (C9) 240055 xp +5% <300001> CRT 1d12/III

            Lasting injury: -1 STR, mashed arm

Hobo Steve the Superhero (F8) 228355 xp +5% <240,001> CRT 1d24/V

            Brain Damaged: reduced mental capacity (tough night on the town)

            Touched from Beyond the Grave (Sloth): Eating disorder (x2 food) -5’ mve

            Blessing of Orcus (Consumption -1 CON)

Rahgnar the Dwarven Superhero (D8) 197250 xp <280001> CRT 1d20/IV

            Serious wound: permanent loss of an eye (-1 to missile fire)

            Critical Wound: disembowelled less able to process poison (-1 penalty)

            Missing thirteen teeth  

Raul the Voyager (MD8) 211197 xp +10% <240000> CRT 1d12/III

            Serious wound: permanent loss of CHA -4, 

Removed one of his own nostrils.

Boris the Dwarven Lord (D9) 326721 xp +10% <400001> CRT 1d20/IV

Serious wound: permanent loss of CHA -3, carved up face

            Lasting injury: -1 STR, mashed arm

            Wound: Bad leg (-5’ MV)

            Multiple Injuries: lost 25 teeth (7 remaining), drools a lot CHA -1

            Serious Injury: Brain Drain -2 INT                            

Ding-We the Peg-Legged Sorcerer (W9) 425762 xp +10% <470001> CRT 1d10/I

            Critical Wound: Left leg obliterated, runs at ½ rate (peg required)

Bunny the Thief! (T9) 209332 xp <280001> +10% CRT 1d20/II

            Light wound: permanent loss of pinky finger, off hand

Ramrod the Cloned Magsman (T8) 142868 xp +5% <160001> CRT 1d20/II

             Serious wound: Bad Back (-1 stone CC)

            Scars: Neurological damage to hip, noticeable limp (-5’ mve)

            Missing eight teeth talks with a lisp

 

            The Henchmen

Saffron the Mad Fairy Queen of Ribbits (FY7) 149333 xp <200001> CRT 1d10/III

            Moderate wound: Scar on abdomen

            Lasting injury: -1 STR, mashed guts

Sloth the Bopper (L7) 146796 xp +10% <178800> CRT 1d20/IV or 1d6/G (vs. s, m)

            Mental Illness: Mummy-a-phobic

            Missing ten teeth

Nara the Nearly Naked Purple Swami Girl (PS7) 78928 xp +5% <125000> CRT 1d16/II

Wraith Drained: -1 CON

Biff Bartley the Half-Orc Blackguard (HO7) 97862 <120000> +5% CRT 1d12/II

Lasting injury: Crushed spinal column -6”H, -5’mv, -10% thieving

Sasha Plasha the Warden (R7) 96630 xp +10% <100000> CRT 1d10/III

‘BOB’ the Deadly Shade (N7) 64817 <90000> +5% CRT 1d16/II

Felix Ignatius Hemlock the once skeletal Sleuth (I7) 47017 <80001> +5% CRT 1d16/II

Mason the Canon of Yrrrg. (C6) 44466 <50001> CRT 1d10/III

Charles in Charge the Myrmidon (F6) 53085 <64000> +10% CRT 1d16/IV

Critical Wound: Punctured lung (-2 CON) 

            Mostly DEAD. (-1 CON)

Gurn Hammerhand the Dwarven Swordsman (D4) 11255 <17000> +5% CRT 1d12/III

Wendul the Magician (W6) 42429 <80000> 5% CRT 1d8/I

Dolec Da the Hero (F5) 29104 xp +10% <32000> CRT 1d16/IV

            Missing five teeth

Camillus the Myrmidon (F7)  70711 <120001> +5% CRT 1d20/IV

Willy the Reformed Burglar (T5)  12609<20000>10% CRT 1d14/II

Brett & Jermaine Kobold Cooks Extraordinaire 

 

RESERVES

 

Elapsed Campaign Time

498 days at beginning of session (also applies to recuperation) 

Join us for session One-Hundred-and-Ninety-Two when we ask the questions:

Have we moved from the Basilisk Hills to the Killer Stump Forest?

Which is worse?

Have we gotten through the litany of colossal creatures?

Tale of the Tape

Camillus, Bob, Rhags, Charles and Felix are stoned.

 

Exploration

Location hexes: 13.19à14.20

KILLS

Archer bushes (15) 

Giant Slug 

Giant mantid 

Oxymare the Serpent (charmed to go home 12.20)

Bulettes (2) 

LOOT

Nope