Finding the Spark (Pathfinder 1E Quest)

The Season of Still Stone

"Now, before the prey scatters!" you hear Gorok shout as he hurtles down the ladder, more of a controlled plunge really than the descent the builders had meant it to be, his claws digging into the rotted rungs. You are already aiming, not at the leader, nor at the thorn-studded beast, but at the rusted hook above the ghoul's cage holding it up. One good hit should do it... Alas, you do not manage a good hit, only one hard enough to make it creak and sway alarmingly over the battle below.

"What are you doing? Didn't you hear me, it's a...?"

You cut off Mina's shocked rebuke without taking your eyes off Gorok as he slams his trusty bone hammer into the head of the beast, popping two of its many eyes and leaving a clear dent in its spongy flesh.

"It's another body in a fight that's not in our favor!"

Thorny takes 12 Damage -> Now at 10/26

"Another body...?" Clank-thump, her stonebow goes off, though to little effect, glancing off the back of the beast rearing up before Gorok to little effect. "Are you mad? They spread sickness and curse everything they touch!"

"No, this is mad!" you say, half to her and half to yourself as you charge down after Gorok. Later you would hear of how Cob had slipped under the belly of the beast and split it open almost end to end, of how he dodged the wrathful 'pokers' of the newly recovered guards, but for now you are focused on the king, shadows billowing around you.

Thorny takes 9 Damage -> Now at 1/26

The overly ambitious mushroom hears or smells just the same and manages to duck under your blow even as Mina strikes one of the half-rotted shelves, sending glass and earthenware flying. That is not however all that is flying.

Pepper, all ten pounds of hissing black fur, lands on the bucket crown of the king, slamming the moldman's head down painfully, or at least so it would have been if they were creatures of flesh.

"Why won't you fucking...?" You never get as far as 'die' as the beast, upon its last legs as it may be, senses danger to its master and expels three of its spines out its backside. Neither shadow nor silken armor can help you this time. Amid the howls of the dead man above, seeing his hopes of escape dashed, your knees buckle in agony.

Akorian takes 6 Damage -> Now at 5/11

Through a haze of hated tears you see Gorok try to finish off the beast, failing, and Mina striking one of the guards in the back of the head, leaving it cracked but still holding together. Fingers gripping the hilt of your dagger painfully tight you measure the length of the ladle and the heft of your foe.

Vegepygmy Guard 1 takes 4 Damage -> Now at 1/5

A quick stab just to distract it... serves you far better than you had hoped. As the blade sinks into the dirty green 'flesh' you hold you breath, anticipating the puff of mold that can kill more surely and more gruesomely than any blade.

None comes.

Vegepygmy 'King' takes 4 damage -> now at 15/19


This thing isn't mature yet. "No spores!" you shout to Cob and Gorok, though they are in no condition to answer as one of the guards spears Cob deeply in the shoulder, slamming the goblin against the far wall, though he still has plenty of fight in him, a slash of his dagger removing his attacker's leg. You hear rather than see the wounded guard struck by Mina again. He won't be getting up. Neither will the beast, Gorok finally finishing it off.

Vegepygmy Guard 3 takes 9 Damage -> Dead
Vegepygmy Guard 1 takes 6 Damage -> Dead
Vegepygmy Guard 4 takes 6 Damage -> Dead
Thorny takes 5 Damage -> Dead

The battle is all but won when the dead man's cage turns just an inch too far from his frenzied smashing and it falls on the other end of the long table. It clangs open from the impact, sending the ghoul racing right out the door. So much for enemy of mine enemy, you think bitterly, batting away the ladle with your dagger, trying to keep the wounded 'king''s' vacant gaze on you. Eventually it is Cob who deals the final blow, his dagger dripping with noxious juices.

Vegepygmy 'King' takes 9+8 damage -> Dead


"Come on, we have to go after it!" Much to your surprise Mina is racing down the stairs into the wreck of the kitchen.

"It?" Gorok hisses, halfway to barring the door.

"The ghoul! It will bite someone!" She shudders head to toe and not from the reek that was already emanating from the bodies of the slain, mingling with the miasma of rot. "Turn them."

What do you think should be done?

[] Chase down the Ghoul as Mina wants, it is at least partly your fault it got out

[] No, you are all tired, you are wounded, and you have no magic to heal. Loot the place and then set up camp to rest (Will trigger Level Up next update)

[] Write in

OOC: Mina is from the Immortal Principality of Ustilav, they have strong feelings on the undead. Then again, they also have a long experience with them.