Book the Second, Chapter the Eighth: A Brace of Conundrums

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Lepus hesitates, not wishing for his globe to accidentally kill any of the creatures whose help he has requested.

Instead, he calls for his unseen servant (if he is still active) to hang onto the monster’s fighting arm before, grinning a feral grin, drawing his dagger and leaping upon the distracted creature.

(Who knows? If the attack fails, then mayhap the wanderer’s unique odours will render the brute insensible!)

Spoiler:

DEX = 9 VS DEX = 15 [dice]0[/dice]

A witness to what follows would be doubtful of his wits, for it seems that the creature struggles mightily with one unseen, then is perceived to act in the manner of one hurling a large object as far as his great strength allows. A crashing sound follows not long after, and a curious flattening of the grass in a place at some distance, although no reason for either of these phenomena is plain to human eye.

Spoiler:

The creature has tossed the servant aside, rendering it out of action

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Henry rushes in with his cane, striking at the creature with the heavy gold head.

Spoiler:

dex = 11[dice]0[/dice]

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Henry rushes in with his cane, striking at the creature with the heavy gold head.

Spoiler:

dex = 11[dice]238610:0[/dice]

It would seem that something invisible has blocked Doctor North's attack, for his cane fails to come anywhere near the creature's head. Was it the unseen object it seemed to hurl? Be that as it may, the creature prepares to launch its attack.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

Everybody is in range now Target of attack: 1 = Miss Ravenscroft, 2 = William, 3 = Lepus, 4 = Doctor North, 5 = Ivan, 6 = I am going to have something else happen[dice]0[/dice]

Perhaps recalling, somewhere deep within his brain, now that he is in that state known to the ancient Norseman as a berserk rage, that his first successful attack was upon the bold Russian, the creature once again lashes out at Ivan, intent on mayhem.

Spoiler:

dex = 15[dice]1[/dice]damage [dice]2[/dice]

With a vengeful snarl, the creature lands a mighty blow, knocking out more than one tooth. Blood flows freely from Ivan's mouth. The Herculean manservant suffers greatly from his injuries, but remains steadfast in his loyalty to his master.

Spoiler:

just to keep track, Ivan now has 2 hit points left, the creature has 5

[SunlessNick]

William wishes greatly that he had brought the blunderbuss with him on this endeavour. He strikes with the sword again, stabbing rather than slashing, aiming between the creature's ribs. He yells, "To Hell with you, foul thing!" in the hopes of distracting the beast from the badly injured Russian.

[jp1885]

Dagger in hand, Lepus also joins the melee.

DEX 15,[dice]0[/dice]

Damage 1d4 +1 damage bonus I think?,[dice]1[/dice]

His wicked blade sinks deep.

[Mr. Handy]

Henry hurries to Ivan's side and applies the Regenerator to heal his wounds.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

William wishes greatly that he had brought the blunderbuss with him on this endeavour. He strikes with the sword again, stabbing rather than slashing, aiming between the creature's ribs. He yells, "To Hell with you, foul thing!" in the hopes of distracting the beast from the badly injured Russian.

Spoiler:

DEX = 13[dice]0[/dice]damage, although it's a moot point by now[dice]1[/dice]

Having already been rendered a mortal blow by the blade of the hedge wizard, the creature is rendered entirely lifeless by the sword of the soldier, which pierces the center of his heart (that organ, by the by, being located at a point within his body other than where an anatomist might expect.)

Miss Ravenscroft examines the dead creature with the piercing gaze of one not unfamiliar with the horrors of the charnel house, and pronounces a considered opinion.

"As I expected, the process of regeneration has already begun."

It may be observed that the internal workings of the creature, rendered evident by multiple gaping wounds, are writhing like so many serpents, hissing and bubbling and producing a most unpleasant odor. A possible comparison might be made between this loathsome activity and the beneficent workings of Doctor North's Regenerator, which is even restoring Ivan's missing teeth.

Spoiler:

I believe that the regenerator is still Cure Light Wounds, and Ivan is a Level 2 Brute, so gets two points of healing per "turn," whatever that might be. It will take him a while to get back to full strength, anyway.

[jp1885]

“Work thy science then!” Lepus spits at Miss Ravenscroft, “Finish yon benighted brute afore it rises anew!”

If need be, the hedge wizard will find an axe and strike off the creature’s head to slow the regenerative process.

[SunlessNick]

"How long do we have to transport it to your shed?" William asks Miss Ravenscroft. He continues to inflict wounds on the creature's body to slow its regeneration.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ivan is recovering quickly enough that he should be able to carry the creature," says Henry. "I'll work with Miss Ravenscroft to unmake it. The process should go faster with two of us."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"We must hurry! Stay your hands," Miss Ravenscroft says to both Lepus and William, "for further attacks upon the regenerating flesh serve only to stimulate the process. Come!"

Directing all the males present with the imperious tone of one used to command, Miss Ravenscroft guides them back to the shed containing her hastily assembled secondary laboratory. An eerie glow, akin to that of certain curious fungi that produce their own light, emerges from the small chinks in its structure.

"I trust we are not too late for the two problems we must face," she says. "Take the creature inside, and I will begin the process of dissolution. But," she continues, with firm resolve, "this be my price. You must recover the female creature, and allow me to provide for her education. Then she may go with you, if it be of her own free will."

[Mr. Handy]

"I will gladly agree to that," says Henry, directing Ivan to carry the creature inside. "I would have provided for her education myself, but I'm pleased you wish to do right by her. I intend to raise her as a daughter, to teach her right from wrong, to teach her how to be a lady, and to pass on to her what I know of science."

[jp1885]

Lepus helps carry the brute, alert for any signs of life.

[SunlessNick]

"You have my agreement also," says William.

[jp1885]

“Aye,” Lepus concurs. “Mind you do right by the girl and play us not false though,” he warns.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Upon opening the door to the shed, the adventurers are startled by the sight of what, at first, appears to be a clutch of entangled serpents, stirring restlessly within the confines of this makeshift laboratory. Closer inspection reveals this not to be an assembly of writhing snakes, but rather a single organism; to wit, a curiously mobile member of the floral kingdom. If one were to imagine one of the ship-drowning giant squids said to haunt the remote parts of the briny, one would have a fairly accurate portrait of the strange plant. Its vines cover every part of the laboratory, resulting in much destruction of equipment and supplies, as revealed by shards of glass and pools of weirdly glowing liquids upon the floor. Walls and ceiling are covering with the silently slithering vines, each as thick as a grown man's wrist. The surfaces of these deep green pseudo-tentacles are covered with large, sharp thorns.

"It is as I feared!" cries Miss Ravenscroft. "I was away from my experiment for too long a time! We must overcome this specimen and procure the chemicals needed to render the creature harmless before the entire laboratory is destroyed!"

[jp1885]

Rolling his eyes in exasperation, Lepus looks about for an axe or other such tools to hack at the tendrils.

[SunlessNick]

"Damnation," mutters William. He draws his sword - if Lepus is looking for axe, he can still do some damage to the plant now.

[Mr. Handy]

"Fire is what we need!" says Henry, looking for torches to use to burn the plant. "Fire may be effective against the creature too, if it should regenerate too much."