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From the entrance of the tunnel where she and Locky have taken shelter, Babushka turns and shoots a stone at the podman with her sling.

1d20=19, 1d4=3

Locky still stuns jumps slightly and raises the sticky hoopak, letting off two bullets.

(Thaco 15: Roll: [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2849146/]18 & 15 dmg 3 & 5)

Acting immediately, Babushka and Locky unleash an assault of flying stones on the strange creature. While the abomination is still reeling from the blows, Shay gracefully dances forward, unsheathing his blade and delivering a direct blow to where he assumes the 'heart' of the creature should be.

The creature releases its grip on Jerrard before slumping to the floor, unmoving. A strange, purple liquid bleeds from its wounds, pooling on the floor beneath it.

======================

Babushka strikes the Podman for 3 damage.
Locky strike the Podman for a total of 8 damage.
Shay attacks (1d20): 12. Damage (1d6): 6.
Podman is dead.

Babushka walks swiftly towards Jerrard. First of all, she wants to make sure he doesn't come into contact with the podman's "blood". Who knows how powerful and dangerous that liquid is?

Fury and concern battling in her heart and face, she asks the mage: "Are you OK? How badly did it hurt you?"

"I am," He pauses obviously suprised by the Podmans attack, "My arm is in considerable pain, I did not expect an attack of that manner! These creatures truly are the creation of some foul magic." He nurses his arm, eying the Kender.

(ooc: if he can concentrate he'll use his plant lore to detect what plant these creatures are related to, and what might kill them. Plant lore roll 1d20: 15)

"Oh, how awful! Did it hurt, lots?" She ignores his response, stepping forwards, "May Paladine heal you of your wounds!" She gives a little flourish, and lays her small fingers on Jerrards Arm, nearly removing the rings at the same time.

[ooc]Locky casts cure light wounds, roll 1d8: 6[/ooc]

Despite all of the years spent studying plants, both mundane and magical, Jerrard has never seen or encountered anything like this before. Whatever manner of abominations these creatures are, they are not grown from any natural means. And whatever magic is used is likely not sanctioned by the Conclave. No, rather, this seems more like the work of some mad mage toying with the fabric of life.

Fortunately, Locky is able to heal up Jerrard's arm, leaving only slightly bruising as evidence that he had ever been hurt in the first place.

Shay wipes off his sword with a cloth and frowns. "Whatever that thing was, from the looks of these pods...there's more of 'em somewhere. We should be on our guard."

Babushka joins Jerrard to look at the plants, but she probably won't be any wiser. She says to him: "Jerrard, please, don't do anything like that again. We were discussing cutting or shooting the pods down, and suddenly you attack! Locky and I, at least, were totally unprepared. What if the creature had attacked Locky instead of you and hurt her so badly she couldn't heal herself? Let's work as a team, each of us has special talents, together, we have much better chances of success!"

She then addresses the party at large. "You're right, Shay, these creatures are probably what gave the area so much trouble. Their feet fit with the tracks we found outside.

Now, we definitely should get some rest. And if I'm not mistaken, Locky needs some quiet time to restore her healing powers. I suggest we go back to the cavern where we ate. It is the only place with just one easy access, where one of us is enough as guard, so we all get a chance at a decent night's sleep. "

"I can cast another, if you want to investigate further. And we have those potions... " She looks down the caverns. "You did surprise me, attacking that creature like that. We don't know what it is.. If its even 'intelligent' we should consider it..." Looking down at the dead creature she pokes it lightly.

"I have been sent here to destroy these things... " He waves his hand at the creature, "I have never seen such a creature, the sight shocked me. It shall not happen again." He fruitlessly inspects the body, "It died quite easily, perhaps they grow stronger, hence the ease at which it died."

Seeing that the others want to continue, Babushka shrugs, then counts the empty pods.

"OK, there are 18 of these creatures running around - if this is the only breeding chamber. But before we go on, we should shoot down the remaining one. Who knows how fast these things grow!"

"Leave it to me," Shay says. He approaches the second occupied pod and turns up his nose at the bad smell. With some effort, he manages to pierce the pod with his blade and then saw it open, letting the gunk spill onto the floor. The thief quickly steps back to avoid getting any on his boots.

"Ugh, I may never eat fish again now."

"What an interesting smell!" Locky, steps forwards narrowly avoiding the gunk as it falls "Its different, not something I want to repeat, but... So how do we kill them? Not that I believe in killing of course, but if they attack us..." She rambles on, picking up the gunk, nothing interesting..

"I went fishing once, it was sooo boring! Did you know there are huge fish at the bottom of the sea? Aren't these plants, not fish?"

In answer to Locky's thinking aloud, Babushka says: "Yes, plants that smell like fish and breed some cross between human and animal... Jerrard's right, someone is playing around with magic here." Babushka shudders, well-used magic is uncomfortable enough for a gnome, but this! is definitely intolerable.

"Let's get out of this stench, quickly. Onwanrds?" she points to the tunnel ahead, where the stream flows.

Shay lifts his lantern higher, shining his light down both tunnels. Aside from the path they came from, there are two exits. The one to the southeast, the one that the stream follows and that Babushka indicates...and the dry path, to the northeast.

"Keep following the stream then?" he asks the others.