Rotten Roots

[Anatole]

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-09-27 01:49:57	Anatole knows... Things! rolls 9 to Intelligence + Occult (10 Again, WillPower)	6, 2, 10, 9, 6, 9, 4, 6, 5, 2	3 successes

His hands are figuratively tied, still rummaging through his pack. But the Burned Dwarf has sharp eyes and he sees!

His face goes slack as his mind whirls. Then his eyes grow wide and his mouth appears, big and ghastly, in his beard.

"Gerrit!!!"

The dwarf is trying to move, to render assistance, but his hands are absurdly trapped in his pack!

Health 8/8
WP: 2/3

Hedgespun Coat (Hedgepsun Raiment 3: Def +1, Persuasion (Paladin of Shadows) Intimidation (Menace) )
Axe
Backpack - water bottle, ration bars, knife, a number of plastic bags, plastic gloves

[Gerrit]

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-09-28 03:09:19	Gerrit rolls 1 to check resistance to the fuzz (Res 2 + Stam 3 - 5; curse) (10 Again, Chance)	5	failure

This was strange. The ever-present pain all over Gerrit's body changed somehow. Not that it grew weaker, but the quality was no longer a stinging and burning but more like a grating static in his nerves. He tried to understand what was happening, tried to make sense of the conflicting information gently assaulting his senses-

Anatole's yell ripped him out of his thoughts. Kind of. It felt like minutes between hearing the Wizened and turning his head towards said Dwarf and when Gerrit tried to reply, the sound of his own voice sounded strange. "...What?"
He still couldn't put the pieces together, even though he started to realize that something was wrong.

Spending a point of WP to change the dramatic failure to a normal failure.

Stats and Equipment

Health:
Glamour:
WP:
Armor 0
Defense 2




Equipment: Backpack (1 bottle of water, First-Aid Kit, Small Shovel, Book on Goblin-Fruit, 3 Dream-a-Drupes (heal 1L or 2B when eaten/1 Glamour when fully healthy))

[Saber Sloth]

The pain was distant, the heaviness of his head the same. Everything was woolly, but it wasn't getting worse.....yet.


Anatole, on the other hand, realized something. The rust fuzz was something, very fucking bad. Something akin to Fugespores, the horrible spores, that cause hallucinations, and dizzy spells, and more, but the Smith couldn't quite remember! They normally only grew on briars of the hedge, not other fruits. The effect should only be when ingested, not upon skin contact. Fugespores shouldn't be able to burrow under the skin like they had a mind of their own.

Something had happened, something had changed btu did the Fugespores mutate on their own, or had someone crossbreed them with something....?

Gerrit, you can have 1 more Resolve + Stamina -5

[Anatole]

Anatole finally gets his hands free! Or does he?

He dives back into his pack and wraps plastic bags around his hands, cursing now like a sailor. Fuck... Why didn't he bring a mask or something? Why would he? This doesn't happen this close to the Gates. In the Deep Hedge, sure. In Hollows, possibly (depending on the owner).

"Gerrit! We have to go! Now!"

His voice carries, edged with Menace to get the party moving!

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-10-01 02:11:09	Anatole has Authorite! rolls 6 to Manipulation + Intimidation + Hedge Spun (10 Again)	1, 5, 6, 9, 4, 9	2 successes

"Fungspores! My best guess! Only worse! We go now! Come back with fire and purge the entire trod if we have to!"

The dwarf is at the Ogre's side and will (if Gerrit Aeolus lets him) begin to shuffle to big guy away from the area.

"Liam? You have healing Contracts? Gerrit will need them!"

[Gerrit]

Dramatic failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-10-03 16:41:56	Gerrit rolls 1 to check for Resistance (Res 2 + Stam 3 - 5; curse) (10 Again, Chance)	4	failure

Anatole's words were heard by the Ogre, but he didn't register what he meant for a long time. There was confusion. And distant pain.
What else? What was Anatole and Liam doing here?

Thoughts and sensory input were racing in Gerrit's mind in slow motion, the Wizened's command cutting through somewhat successfully.
"Oh.. okay." More slurred than spoken, but the Onyx wouldn't resist in any way. Maybe he would try to help a bit, but there wasn't much he could do, really.

Everything was just so heavy.

Stats and Equipment

Health:
Glamour:
WP:
Armor 0
Defense 2




Equipment: Backpack (1 bottle of water, First-Aid Kit, Small Shovel, Book on Goblin-Fruit, 3 Dream-a-Drupes (heal 1L or 2B when eaten/1 Glamour when fully healthy))

[Liam Gelt]

Liam's focus goes towards the black feathers trapped in the bramble-ceiling and immediately starts looking around furiously, ears perked up for any sounds of wings or cackling birds. Cass carries a bow, right? She can handle herself from range as long as she's got someone in front of the birds.

Wait...why am I worrying about the Blindbirds? Sure they were Hobs, but they were also scavengers. They weren't about to pick a fight with an armed group such as their own. Liam shakes his head with a wry smile as he embraces the brighter side of what could be. Nah. We'll be fine. He looks back at Cassandra and another pondering thought crosses his mind. Come to think of it, I haven't seen John around. Did he leave?

And then everything goes wrong with lightning speed.

Liam snaps to attention as Anatole's voice crackles through the air like verbal lightning, eyes flying open with alarm at the sight of Gerrit stumbling forward like a drunken man. "Here! I've got him. Make sure Cass gets out safe." He looks back at the Winter guide and motions for Anatole to cover her retreat as Liam wraps an arm around Gerrit's shoulder while another hand presses to his forehead and wills Spring magic to try and counteract the sluggishness.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-10-08 09:46:33	Liam Gelt rolls 7 to Eternal Spring 1 (Res + Survival + Mantle:Spring) (10 Again)	4, 3, 2, 8, 4, 7, 8	2 successes

"Talk to me Gerrit! What did you see?" The Giant keeps his voice level but focused as he fights to restore his friend.

HP 9/9
WP 2/2
Glam 10/11

[Anatole]

"Aye!"

Anatole shuffles past as Liam moves to assist stricken Gerritt.

"The Rust! Sloughed right off the Goblin Fruit. Gerritt got some on his skin! Never seen anything like it!"

Anatole moves to cover the groups retreat. His eyes are everywhere, all at once - the Thorns, the Trod, at his companions, trying to assess what had distracted Liam...

Everywhere and no where. His attention is too distracted to take it all in. And the Hedge is maddening right now.

[Saber Sloth]

And suddenly, there is motion.

Anatole, taking charge, directing the Lost and hurrying them out and away. Liam calls upon Spring Eternal, sending the glamour and healing breath to Gerrit. Who can breathe easily now, feeling a little more alert, present, but there is still something growing inside.

Liam's contract use, might have helped, but it hasn't erased the rust.

Moved Cass' marble, think it's been long enough. And, No more Resolve+Stam for Gerrit, progress has paused!

Strength + Brawl to grab Gerrit and carry him, and Int+Survival to hustle out of the corridor! Tell me if you want to stop at the clearing, or if you want to head right out of the Hedge

[Gerrit]

Things were still dizzying, ever increasingly so, when Liam caught Gerrit with his large arms and called upon a Contract of Spring to help. This was a mixed blessing: the fatigue went away for the most part, but Gerrit also became painfully aware of the something working its way through his skin and further down. The Spring's question still confused Gerrit. "See? There were those fruits, I knew they were safe to take."

Then they were moving. Gerrit didn't try to help the others as much as he tried to not hinder them. Even with Spring's help his head was swimming a bit and he did not dare to try and navigate the Hedge in this condition. Where did this whole operation go wrong? How did it turn south so fast?

Stats and Equipment

Health:
Glamour:
WP:
Armor 0
Defense 2




Equipment: Backpack (1 bottle of water, First-Aid Kit, Small Shovel, Book on Goblin-Fruit, 3 Dream-a-Drupes (heal 1L or 2B when eaten/1 Glamour when fully healthy))

[Liam Gelt]

Liam doesn't so much call to Stone as much as he feels it pulse through him, begging to grant him the strength to conquer his obstacle. Liam obliges, and there's a sound like bark scraping against bark as the Giant lifts Gerrit's not considerable weight and holds him across his massive arms.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-10-15 12:24:55	Liam Gelt rolls 7 to Carry Gerrit to Safety (Str + Brawl + Ogre 2) (10 Again)	8, 3, 3, 9, 9, 6, 5	3 successes

Thank you. ​Liam's not sure if Contracts have some sort of path towards a conscious thought behind them. But he's grateful all the same.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-10-15 12:30:17	Liam Gelt rolls 7 to Navigate to Safety (Int + Survival + WP) (10 Again)	4, 8, 2, 1, 7, 4, 8	2 successes

He's not taking any chances. Trusting Anatole, Paladin of Shadows to hold the line, Liam bounds forward with Gerrit in tow. His footfalls plant deep into the earth with each stride and leaving a dull thud behind them. Whatever plans there were of being quiet were long past.
"The fruits? Did the fruits do this to you?" He knew Gerrit had handled some fruits earlier, but hadn't he been wearing gloves? The Ogre's mind races for answers but is too focused on getting somewhere safe.

equipment

Hiking Clothes w/ Heavy Boots; Backpack; First-Aid Kit; 2-3 Goblin Fruits; Blanket; Work Gloves; Plastic Bags; Protein Bars (8); Canteen (water; x2); Smartphone

Unless Anatole directs the group out, Liam will just go as far as the clearing. He'll probably have to catch his breath, or even check on Gerrit to see what exactly is going on

HP 9/9
WP 1/2
Glam 8/11