16. Aberrant Seed - Part II
The adventurers prepared to enter the nearby woods, having heard from Farmer Zahtonia that her bull was acting strange and had disappeared off into the woods a couple of months ago. The party presumed that the bull was connected to the monstrous calf being born from Zahtonia's cow.
Zahtonia handed them a bunch of carrots, as the bull had been partial to them previously, so could help draw him in.
The farmer also mentioned that an old woman lived in the woods, who she simply referred to as Babushka, though Babushka had not been seen for for a long time now. Her home could be found by following the creek that snaked through the woods. Just as the adventurers were about to head off, they heard a horse drawn cart coming down the road, a commoner driving it. To their surprise, Gilles clambered out of the cart.
He explained Leono had said where he could find them, and was keen to proceed east and towards Rez Isle. However the cleric was still recovering from last night's encounter against the flying horrors in Havenlok, and would rest whilst the others investigated the woods.
Zahtonia handed them a bunch of carrots, as the bull had been partial to them previously, so could help draw him in.
The farmer also mentioned that an old woman lived in the woods, who she simply referred to as Babushka, though Babushka had not been seen for for a long time now. Her home could be found by following the creek that snaked through the woods. Just as the adventurers were about to head off, they heard a horse drawn cart coming down the road, a commoner driving it. To their surprise, Gilles clambered out of the cart.
He explained Leono had said where he could find them, and was keen to proceed east and towards Rez Isle. However the cleric was still recovering from last night's encounter against the flying horrors in Havenlok, and would rest whilst the others investigated the woods.
A Gift for the Grand Marshall
The adventurers followed the creek upstream and through the woods. It was surprisingly quiet, and the adventurers came upon a badger and its litter beside the brook, all dead.
They continued further along when they heard a noise and saw the bull slowly approaching them. Eberond stepped forward, carrots proffered. Meanwhile Brutalithops expertly crouched, rolled and crawled to flank the bull.
As the bull drew closer, eyeing the carrots and the adventurers before him, they noticed that the bull did not look normal. It had a crown of horns sprouting from its head, three eyes, and its hide had parts covered in what appeared to be scales. It dragged something large behind it.
As the bull drew closer, eyeing the carrots and the adventurers before him, they noticed that the bull did not look normal. It had a crown of horns sprouting from its head, three eyes, and its hide had parts covered in what appeared to be scales. It dragged something large behind it.
They realised the bull had an incredibly large cock, a leathery and meaty appendage that dragged across the ground.
The bull grasped the carrots from Eberond's hand, warily staring at them whilst masticating the vegetables. Catsby recommended that they kill the mutated cow, and as Eberond backed away the bull grew agitated. Its fleshy appendage suddenly hardened and rose, curving above its back, mirroring a scorpion tail.
The adventurers drew their weapons and the bull charged. Bolt, arrows and swords drew purplish blood from the mutated beast, whilst the bull gored them using its horns. Its phallic stinger also tried to strike at the heroes, but failed to miss every time.
The adventurers concentrated on cutting this phallic appendage off and ultimately succeeded, and Bal'Aur ended the creature when his hammer caved in the side of its head. Before proceeding up the creek to investigate further and possibly meet the Babushka, some of the adventurers cut off grizzly trophies from the fallen beast. Catsby had heard a rumour that the leader of Dezaria, Grand Marshall Otit, loved to eat bull cock, so cut a healthy chunk off the beast's flaccid organ and planned to have this delivered to the great leader. As they trekked along the creek, they noticed more dead animals scattered across the ground, and some had mutations, such as birds with with two beaks or a hare with five legs, but all were dead.
The bull grasped the carrots from Eberond's hand, warily staring at them whilst masticating the vegetables. Catsby recommended that they kill the mutated cow, and as Eberond backed away the bull grew agitated. Its fleshy appendage suddenly hardened and rose, curving above its back, mirroring a scorpion tail.
The adventurers drew their weapons and the bull charged. Bolt, arrows and swords drew purplish blood from the mutated beast, whilst the bull gored them using its horns. Its phallic stinger also tried to strike at the heroes, but failed to miss every time.
The adventurers concentrated on cutting this phallic appendage off and ultimately succeeded, and Bal'Aur ended the creature when his hammer caved in the side of its head. Before proceeding up the creek to investigate further and possibly meet the Babushka, some of the adventurers cut off grizzly trophies from the fallen beast. Catsby had heard a rumour that the leader of Dezaria, Grand Marshall Otit, loved to eat bull cock, so cut a healthy chunk off the beast's flaccid organ and planned to have this delivered to the great leader. As they trekked along the creek, they noticed more dead animals scattered across the ground, and some had mutations, such as birds with with two beaks or a hare with five legs, but all were dead.
Babushka, where are you?
In a short while, they saw what they presumed what the Babushka's house, though it had mostly caved in on itself for some reason.
Eberond scouted ahead of the party and as he opened the cracked front door, where there had been silence before, he now noticed a strange sound in the air. A vibrating chirp like a cicada, but deeper. As he turned to head back to the others, he noticed an oval sac on a nearby tree that suddenly popped open. A small, light green creature fell to the ground and quickly rose. Although humanoid in form, its movements conveyed that the creature was boneless. Its arms and legs were unproportionately long compared to its small body.
Eberond scouted ahead of the party and as he opened the cracked front door, where there had been silence before, he now noticed a strange sound in the air. A vibrating chirp like a cicada, but deeper. As he turned to head back to the others, he noticed an oval sac on a nearby tree that suddenly popped open. A small, light green creature fell to the ground and quickly rose. Although humanoid in form, its movements conveyed that the creature was boneless. Its arms and legs were unproportionately long compared to its small body.
As one of Eberond's bolts flew past and hit a tree near the other adventurers, they joined the fray.
More creatures emerged out of sacs attached to the trees around them and used their reach the attack the heroes.
When hit, the creatures were quite easy to fell, but their lithe movement and tendency to climb the trees and along the walls of the ruined house made them difficult to hit. Despite their frailty, the creatures' blows were savage. Their arms would stretch out up to ten feet, and their palms opened up to rows of savage, teeth like claws.
When hit, the creatures were quite easy to fell, but their lithe movement and tendency to climb the trees and along the walls of the ruined house made them difficult to hit. Despite their frailty, the creatures' blows were savage. Their arms would stretch out up to ten feet, and their palms opened up to rows of savage, teeth like claws.
Brutalithops and Bal'Aur set fire to the remains of the house using torches and a fire bomb fashioned out of a perfume bottle. Something in the house started to bubble and uttered a muffled screech.
Catsby uttered a spell that formed a chorus of discordant whispers - lookadis fo tow-graaf! - and the targeted creature's head then blew apart in a mess.
Despite their slow gains, Brutalithops was the first to fall. One of the creatures flexed a powerful blow that knocked the goblin out. It started to drag the unconscious Brutalithops somewhere but Brutalithops charged through the woods and cut down the creature before it escaped with its prize.
Eberond also closed in, but a flanking attack from another creature caused Eberond to fall face down to the ground, bleeding and unmoving. Catsby clambered up to the remains of the first floor of the burning building and found a nest of monsters. Most of the sacs had already been opened, and judging by the dryness they had hatched some time ago. But one of the sacs was still complete, and within he saw a monster, different than the green creatures, but somehow familiar.
The tabaxi slashed at the sac and the thing inside spasmed in pain. Bal'Aur, having cleared the last of the greenish creatures, tried shake Eberond awake, but saw the heavy blood oozing from a dozen puncture marks in the half-elf's right chest. The ruins of the house creaked ominously, as the flames quickly ate away the last of what propped it up.
By slashing the sac, the monster spewed out of it and unfurled in front of Catsby. The tabaxi realised it was a flying horror, much the same as what they had vanquished at Havenlok last night - were the other empty sacs the birthing chambers of the same monsters?
The flying horror was in a messy state following Catsby's assault, but its claws still caused considerable damage.
Just then, the building lurched and Catbsy's feline reflexes guided him safely down to the ground floor. The flying horror also landed beside him and Catsby slashed at it furiously. Yet he couldn't find an advantage and the creature angrily swiped back. The subsequent pulse of psychic damage from the monster coursed through Catsby and he fell to the floor. By now, Bal'Aur had put a salve on Eberond's chest to stop the bleeding and rushed up to help Catsby. Seeing he was the last of the adventurers standing, he put all of his might to smash the creature aside but the uneven ground of the ruined floor caused his swing to miss.
The creature swiped back but also missed, and the half orc took this chance to riposte a brutal swing into the flying horror, sending it careening against the building's stone foundations. The remaining walls collapsed and crushed the monster into pulp. He dragged the unmoving Catsby free from the building and uttered a sigh. Having Gilles' powers of healing would help right now!
Eberond also closed in, but a flanking attack from another creature caused Eberond to fall face down to the ground, bleeding and unmoving. Catsby clambered up to the remains of the first floor of the burning building and found a nest of monsters. Most of the sacs had already been opened, and judging by the dryness they had hatched some time ago. But one of the sacs was still complete, and within he saw a monster, different than the green creatures, but somehow familiar.
The tabaxi slashed at the sac and the thing inside spasmed in pain. Bal'Aur, having cleared the last of the greenish creatures, tried shake Eberond awake, but saw the heavy blood oozing from a dozen puncture marks in the half-elf's right chest. The ruins of the house creaked ominously, as the flames quickly ate away the last of what propped it up.
By slashing the sac, the monster spewed out of it and unfurled in front of Catsby. The tabaxi realised it was a flying horror, much the same as what they had vanquished at Havenlok last night - were the other empty sacs the birthing chambers of the same monsters?
The flying horror was in a messy state following Catsby's assault, but its claws still caused considerable damage.
Just then, the building lurched and Catbsy's feline reflexes guided him safely down to the ground floor. The flying horror also landed beside him and Catsby slashed at it furiously. Yet he couldn't find an advantage and the creature angrily swiped back. The subsequent pulse of psychic damage from the monster coursed through Catsby and he fell to the floor. By now, Bal'Aur had put a salve on Eberond's chest to stop the bleeding and rushed up to help Catsby. Seeing he was the last of the adventurers standing, he put all of his might to smash the creature aside but the uneven ground of the ruined floor caused his swing to miss.
The creature swiped back but also missed, and the half orc took this chance to riposte a brutal swing into the flying horror, sending it careening against the building's stone foundations. The remaining walls collapsed and crushed the monster into pulp. He dragged the unmoving Catsby free from the building and uttered a sigh. Having Gilles' powers of healing would help right now!
Locations
Zahtonia's Farm, Northern Dezaria, east of Havenlok Date
Sune 12th, 5249AC
Zahtonia's Farm, Northern Dezaria, east of Havenlok Date
Sune 12th, 5249AC
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