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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 20, 2022 20:45:29 GMT -5
Admittedly, Gerhart was not all that excited about chasing an elder ooze whatever that was. From everything he had experienced so far, if he never saw another ooze again it would bee too soon. This elder ooze was too big to just ignore though and he had chased it this far with Fenrear. Time to see this adventure to an end he supposed.
Tracking the elder ooze was one of the easier tasks he had ever taken on. The trail of destruction cut a wide swath of melted and burned landscape across the Marsh Flats. He tracked the path of the ooze boss all the way to The Flood Road, stopping outside the entrance.
"Makes sense he'd come here given what you said before Fen, this place likes to flood...a lot. Plenty of stories about people drowning down here....though if they are true that would give you a few options during the fight, huh?" He grinned and gave the gnoll a playful pat on the shoulder. Gerhart had no qualms with magic that had saved his ass a few times.
"We just gotta be careful we don't get pulled under....We should hurry though, this place supposedly connects to oceans all around Charon so if we lose him here, he could be lost forever and that isn't good for getting paid."
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 23, 2022 18:02:29 GMT -5
Fenrear was happy that this was all finally coming to an end. He had recently learned some new tricks and he was ready to take this thing down or subdue it or whatever. Maybe finally figure out a tasty way to eat it. He knew that Kyle would be excited about that.
He looked over Gerhart with his awkward smile. Yes yes young adventurer. Can feel many souls swimming around below us. But be not afraid yes. The dead are our army. They much better for attacking the ooze than us, yes? Maybe we even get hints from the dead.
Don’t count on it. Said Peter to Fenrear’s mind. Because I was bored as all get out. I decided to do you dullards a favor. I have been checking in with the swaths of dead who have been consumed by the creature you are chasing. They all say the same thing curiously. See you soon hahaha.
If you are not going to be helpful, you can just shut it.
Oh no, it isn’t all bad news. Those fools died because they were unprepared. I must admit, I have been proud of the level of research you have put in, despite the ridiculous topic. It gives me hope that one day, you may be able to finally restore my body to me. Miracles never cease.
We both look forward to that day…
Fenrear realizes he’s drifted a bit. Gerhart, how do you want to approach it?
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 23, 2022 18:40:29 GMT -5
There's the drifting off again, but once more there's no time to fully address it. Move on and move forward so they could both rest and be done with oozes for while. "Once again we can't kill it....which seems more dangerous than it's worth at this point, but we didn't come this far just to fail."
He puts his hands on his hips and thinks a moment, trying to get some ideas going. "Do you have any more of that poison? Maybe if we corner it we can calm it down that way, maybe try and flush it into a corner so it can't just slip away."
They definitely weren't going to be able to put it in a cauldron or have Kyle drink it up this time judging from the size of the ooze trail left behind. Gerhart would at least making his way to the entrance of the cave to take a look inside. "We can at least follow it easy enough." He motions towards the slime residue left along the walls shimmering in the light. "Got any more of those lizards that help with seeing at night? Don't wanna give ourselves away immediately with torches or lanterns."
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 23, 2022 19:07:46 GMT -5
Maybe we do…thought Fenrear openly. Fire might be best to fight the ooze. Sadly, have no more slaad venom. Or very large cauldrons yes. Thinking is best to use this. Fenrear holds up a vial that is very tightly sealed. Distilled drake gland. Highly explosive. We feed this to ooze. Fenrear makes outward hand gestures imitating an explosion. This very very large ooze. Probably not kill it. Probably. 90/10 not kill it. Or 80/20. The drake was very mean. And explody.
Fenrear checks his pockets and pulls out a couple lizards and hands one over to Gerhart. This one not make you see in the dark BUT it does make you ACID PROOF! Good for Oozes yes? If ooze eat you, eat lizard and you live, 5 to 10 minutes. You be naked cause Ooze dissolve your clothes but still alive. Very good deal yes?
Or maybe we freeze it good. No move, eat it until it small ooze again, like horrible ice cream. Have pouch of sugar somewhere. Shaa checks his pockets again and only finds his necromancy supplies and a couple fish heads. He had not had too much time to scavenge with his recent training. His new pet wouldn’t stop the ooze but might slow it down in a pinch.
Fenrear looked down into the dark cave. He took his lizard, which did grant vision in the dark, broke it in half and handed it over to Gerhart. Very rare lizard only one. Last 2 or 3 hours at most. Must move quickly. Not know what else lurk in the dark.
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 23, 2022 19:40:41 GMT -5
"A lizard can make you resistant to acid? That's incredible!" He grins as he downs the night vision lizard in a gulp, best not to chew these he learned last time. Too many squishy parts to make it a pleasant experience. The acid proof lizard is stored in a pouch. Let's just hope that pouch doesn't get hit with acid.....hopefully it wouldn't be necessary at all, but Gerhart knew better than to count on himself to not do something stupid and wreckless.
"Exploding it could work, make it smaller and less...threatening. They really weren't clear about how they wanted us to handle this thing...we gotta beat it up, but can't kill it....and then what?" He scratched his head for a moment before shaking it to toss away the thought.
"Plan A I guess is trying to explode it, if you toss the vial, I can toss a torch...maybe if its small enough after that I can take the acid proof lizard and just kinda grab the ooze. Pull it outta here at least. I don't know if it will be in a calm state, but maybe we can get the researchers out here to handle that part."
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 23, 2022 20:27:47 GMT -5
Fenrear was more than a little upset that they might not be able to try ooze ice cream but he was used to disappointment at this point. They started into the cave only to find some left over equipment near the entrance. Among the leftovers were a rope, a book, a couple matches and a small purple vial. Fenrear grabbed the items and continued into the cave.
The sounds of large bats wings could be heard echoing throughout the chambers. Fenrear wasn’t sure how Gerhart felt about it but bats always made him hungry. His mother used to make a wonderful bat soup and it made him a little nostalgic. Ever eat a good bat stew young adventurer? Fenrear inquired. Mothers bat stew was good for growing Gnoll. Lots of protein. Guano is good for fuel as well. Bats also eat lots of bugs so not eat them all. Useful creatures.
If It was even possible, the oozes trail was even more obvious in the cave. It surely wasn’t trying to hide anything. Fenrear examines the purple vial and hands it over to Gerhart. Seen this? Don’t know what this is. Lid is sealed tight. Might be poison or something else.
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 23, 2022 20:37:42 GMT -5
"Never in a stew but as a kid I knocked one out of the air and that was dinner for the six of us that night." It didn't really need explaining that any bat small enough to be killed by a child wasn't big enough to feed six of them. Gerhart did his best to move quietly through the cave and avoid sloshing around as much as possible. A bat swarm would only be adding one more nuisance on top of everything else they had to deal with.
Making their way through the tunnels, makes note of the smoother walls where the ooze passed. He occasionally knelt down to check a bag or a corpse that happened to be floating by. Maybe some salvagable items, but so far along the trek that vial seemed to be the only thing of worth. He looks over the vial, giving it a gentle shake to see how it reacts.
"A poison is a good guess, those are usually this color. Not a lot of good ways to test that out though...not without hurting ourselves at least. I should learn more about alchemy, I might be able to help somewhat." He offers the vial back to Fenrear. As he looks around he hears a sound around the corner, holding up a hand to pause them both. "Hear that? A lot of sloshing up ahead...we've either found a cave exit or the ooze."
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 26, 2022 8:02:23 GMT -5
As they heard the sloshing noises, Fenrear sends Kyle to go investigate. Sometimes having a minion is super handy.
Yes Kyle, just go on up ahead and tell us what you find. Trying to catch it by surprise yes? It will not be concerned about a chicken.
Bwaaakaa bak bak whined Kyle
You are undead and for all purposes immortal. Even if it dissolved you down to your last feather, have an attachment to your little chicken soul. Can always bring you back.
Bak bak merrgghh.
No I don’t think that getting dissolved by a giant ooze would be fun but this not about fun. You be fine. Go.
Muugghh. Kyle clucks a bit and heads into the cave. Fenrear can hear the small clucks get further and further. Eventually they started getting closer again. Kyle comes around a corner.
Baja bak bakka
Kyle says there is a really big blob up there. Assuming big blob is our ooze yes. This is it. I guess we going with the “ blow it up until it’s small enough to handle” plan. Fenrear knew this was his plan but he actually didn’t think this would be the main one. This was more like the “ oh no the ooze is really mad so I guess we have to blow it up and hope for the best” plan. But seriously how does one deal with a giant and probably ancient blob monster?
Fenrear offers the explosive vial to Gerhart. Aim is getting rusty. Used to be thrower but Necromancer traing making warrior skills sloppy. Now, more of a “ stab you in the face” kind of Gnoll. Want to throw it? You throw right in ooze. Lid dissolve and KABOOM.
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 26, 2022 10:30:03 GMT -5
“Thanks for touching that out Kyle, here, as a thanks.” Gerhart smiles as he picks a beetle off the wall and tosses it to the chicken. A nice crunchy snack for some hard work. Watching Fenrear converse with Kyle was always quite the sight for Gerhart, though he was mildly concerned that for a brief moment he felt as if he was beginning to understand the chicken.
He takes the vial with a nod. “Just stick behind me and I’ll take care of it. If there’s any goop or fire better it hits my armor than your fur.” Gerhart slowly makes his way deeper into the tunnel once more trying to disturb as little water as possible. He cranes his neck around the corner to spot the ooze.
Not too far from them was the massive elder ooze that they had been sent to track. The light green goo seemed to be working on something, Gerhart could see it was part way through another corpse, slowly absorbing it. “Well…at least he was already dead.” He grimaces slightly before taking the vial in hand. He counts down from three on his fingers so Fenrear could prepare.
On three the vial is tossed, landing on the ooze before sinking in. Gerhart held close to the wall waiting for the boom to fill the cave.
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 26, 2022 11:45:36 GMT -5
The trio waited expectantly for the explosion. After several seconds, Fenrear was concerned that he had sealed that bottle a little too well then KABOOOM!
A large section out of the side of the ooze flashes into nothingness. As oozes don’t scream, the elder ooze icky writhed back and forth in a clear and unmistakable display of pain. Then it turned to face the group. On the bright side, not dead. On the not bright side, not happy.
The ooze, smaller now, starts sloshing towards them. Time for new friend. Fenrear makes some hand motions. Yes, that is it. Release him. When he is through, the ground in front of the ooze starts to tremble. Then a giant man made from bones and wielding a giant axe emerges from the ground. Gary! It cries. It worked! Attack the ooze Gary!
Gary, standing at least 10 feet tall, lumbers to face the ooze. It stops and moves it’s hand and yet another skeletal warrior bursts from the ground. The two start chopping away at the ooze. Fenrear clapped excitedly. Spell is very difficult. They good but not hold off ooze for long. Fire next yes?
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 26, 2022 11:52:27 GMT -5
“One day I’m gonna stop being impressed by you, Fen, but today isn’t that day.” With a small laugh, Gerhart watches Gary with a bit of awe and amazement for a moment. He lets Gary get to work for a few moments, not wanting to get in the way.
As the skeletons go to work, Gerhart pulls out a can of lantern oil to start soaking a rag in it. Looking around he grabs a bone that was passing by to wrap the cloth around to create a makeshift torch. Once properly soaked, he takes out some flint and hurriedly starts sparking it. A sigh of relief escapes once it finally alights. Gerhart toss the torch into the bubbling ooze watching it sizzle and react.
“That seems to be working! Think Gary could carry it outta here once it’s all tuckered out? Or should we help whittle it down a bit more?” He wasn’t excited to go try and get burned again, but anything to get the job done.
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 26, 2022 12:14:16 GMT -5
Fenrear pulls out a scroll and checks the mission parameters. Mission says weaken big ooze for study…how weak it have to be? Blew it up, chop it, light it on fire. If we take it outside again, what stop it from eating and getting big all over?
This was a problem. So far, they had managed to fight it without being eaten, so that was a good thing. But the problem was still how to truly immobilize it without killing the thing. The cave still had things to eat but less things than the outside. Maybe it was safer being in here than out there. But the caves were tricky too. It was eating dead bodies so it wasn’t exactly picky. Also, what if there were a back exit? It might escape like that and no research. Ugh.
Bwak bagah bak buk
What? What hole? You never mentioned a hole.
Ba bah bagak!
You did not! Fenrear turns to Gerhart. Kyle is saying down that passage is a big hole. Maybe we trap it down there. Might be worth a try.
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 26, 2022 12:55:05 GMT -5
“That should work, I’ll scoot around and get ahead. Have Gary push the ooze back and once it is in the hole we can plug it with something until the researchers have enough time to do their studying.” Gerhart slipped around the corner. It took some careful maneuvering but he was able to just barely avoid Gary and the ooze, only losing a bit of his pants to acid.
“Ok I found the hole, hold on I gotta find something to plug it!” He called back to Fenrear. Lots of sloshing and splashing can be heard as Gerhart desperately tries to find something that can cover the hole or at the very least slow the ooze down.
It takes a few minutes until he finds a rock big enough, rolling it over to the hole with a grunt. He pants as he rests against the rock once it is put into position. This better work or he might just kill the ooze out of frustrations. “ALL RIGHT FEN! SEND IT THIS WAY I AM READY FOR IT.” Gerhart is ready to push to rock into place one the skeletons are able to push the ooze into the hole.
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Post by Fenrear on Oct 26, 2022 13:13:23 GMT -5
Fenrear looked around and it looked like things were ready. Gary and…..son of Gary. Force the ooze towards the hole! Gary! The hulk cried as it swung it’s great axe towards the ooze. Gary’s minion pushed from the side only to be grabbed by the ooze and absorbed. Gary! Gary was apparently very unhappy with that and continued to swing his axe, driving the somewhat mangled great ooze towards the hole.
Closer and closer to the hole they came. Get ready Gerhart, yes? Gary swung his axe with speed and skil, cleaving off little ooze parts until the ooze was at the edge of the hole. The ooze started to slide down only to grab Gary by the leg and pull him down with him. Soon Gary was hanging off the edge of the hole one handed crying Gary! Fenrear walked up to the hole and kicked Gary’s hand off the ledge. The two fell into the deep abyss. Thank you for your service. Gary…. Fenrear made some signs unanimating the hulk. Didn’t feel a thing, no problem. Cover the hole, yes?
Fenrear knew from his training that undead hulks only lasted a short time. They were also mindless, not like Kyle. Thier body parts were comprised of lots of different corpses. So why did he feel a little guilty?
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Post by Ser Gerhart Stanislav on Oct 26, 2022 13:20:37 GMT -5
A few strained noises are made before the rock is pushed into place. It wasn’t a perfect fit, but it would prevent the ooze from coming out as anything but little blobs for the time being. As he wiped the sweat off his brow, Gerhart gave a nod of respect for Gary and Son of Gary. He gave Fenrear a tired smile.
“That will hold for awhile, I assume the researchers should have a geomancer or some magic guy who can lift the rock out of place…..should have plenty of time to sit in there and relax though. I can’t believe that all worked as easily as it did.” Gerhart scoots around the edge of the hole to join the gnoll on the other side. “Good amount of team work though, Kyle you really played a vital part. And obviously Gary and son of Gary, those two really came in clutch right at the end…..So, should we start heading back? I think we dropped off those scholars not too far from here.”
Gerhart was overjoyed to be done with this, no more oozes, no more wet boots, making a new friend was fun along this adventure, but hopefully the next one would be somewhere fun.
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