RQG 24 - The Root of The Problem

## Content Warnings

Corpses, temporary helplessness, graphic descriptions of corpse mutation

## Summary

A huge plant-creature attacks the party as they try and save Mendeleev. After beating the creature and finding Mendeleev, they return the scientist to the mansion above. He doesn't know anything about the seed, but suggests the dwarves of Svalbard might know.

## Synopsis

Bertie goes to remove the rock which is covering the hole in the container, but the man says that the rock is keeping something out.

Hamid is tapped on the back of the head and his vision goes yellow. He is tapped a second time.

The man in the glass cage says that they need to get reinforcements. The party turns to see Hamid with a yellow smear across his face, as a monster emerges from behind him. It is an enormous plant with a bole at the bottom with tangled roots and a single hand protruding out from the roots. It has 6 tendrils flailing and a red lotus flower on the top, the stamen is snake-like and covered in bulging sacs. After the creature repeatedly stuns Bertie, The Rangers are able to suppress the plant beast.

The Rangers realise that the mould is growing from one of the chambers. They see the skeletal hand from the creature is holding a vial and Zolf starts to dig it out. Hamid checks through a door and sees stone steps leading upwards. Sasha taps on the glass which contains the man, miming that the plant creature is dead. The man in the glass container crawls out, and introduces himself as Doctor Mendeleev. Sasha explains that everyone else who came down is dead.

Zolf has found the corpse and digs it out. Doctor Mendeleev identifies the plant creature as a Yellow Musk and the brown mould as a Venezuelan Brown, which flourishes under heat.

Bertie steps up to the door and attempts to open it, failing. Bertie smashes the door and Hamid casts *acid splash* on the door into the room that is more humid than anywhere else in the building. Mendeleev turns a valve and all the steam starts to dissipate. Sasha throws Hamid's rope around the body in the brown mould, revealing him to be the night guard. They leave the basement and they return to the building.

George, the clerk, is instructed by Mendeleev to lock the basement and seal everything off. Mendeleev sends a message to the Institute to let them know what happened.

Hamid shows Mendeleev the seed, who says he's not seen anything like it. Hamid thinks it came from a trader near the coast of Norway and was in the scrapbook around the section dealing with replicating the nervous system. Mendeleev takes the seed to and performs some tests on it, concluding that it is mostly metal. He says they might need to go to the seed bank in Svalbard, which has been known to trade in rare seeds, for more information. People call Svalbard the gateway to the Dwarven realms and Sasha asks if Zolf knows anyone there and he says that he's never been to Svalbard.

## Quotes

**Sasha**: "Can you drown it?"
**Zolf**: "It’s a plant!"
**Sasha**: "I’m trying to help!"
―Sasha tries to help Zolf please Poseidon
## Dice rolls and Mechanics

* Hamid makes a Will save: 15
* Hamid makes another Will save: 8
* Everyone makes a Perception check on Hamid: Bertie gets 3, Zolf gets 23, Sasha gets 19, Hamid is under the influence of the monster
* Hamid casts *acid splash* on the roots.
* Hamid casts *acid splash* at the hinges of the door.
* Everyone makes a Perception check: Bertie gets 7, Zolf gets 10, Sasha gets 23, Hamid gets 17

## Combat Breakdown

**Initiative:** Sasha, Bertie, Hamid, Brutor, Zolf, plant creature (nat 1)

**Surprise round**

* Plant creature: Who rolled a nat 1 on initiative, smashes a container and frogs swarm out, obscuring the monster.

**Round 1**

* Sasha: Throws a fire grenade, hitting on an 18 (as well as a 9 to beat the concealment) and dealing 1 damage.
* Bertie: Charges at the creature, hitting on a 26 and dealing 11 damage, slicing off a plant tentacle.
* Hamid: Looks around, confused.
* Brutor: Howls, scared, and backs away.
* Zolf: Checks Hamid is okay, rolling a Perception check of 9 to determine that the powder on his face is yellow.
* Plant creature: Steps back and attempts to strike Bertie with a tendril but misses with a 17.

**Round 2**

* Sasha: Throws a fire flask, missing on a 2 and cracking the glass of one of the other containers.
* Bertie: Steps back and does a Power Attack, missing on a 9, but killing a frog.
* Hamid: Casts *magic missile*, doing 4 damage.
* Brutor: Moves further into the corner.
* Zolf: Moves toward the beast.
* Plant creature: Moves away from Bertie, splashing some yellow substance on Bertie. Bertie fails his Will save with an 11, causing him to go slack and unable to act for 5 rounds.

**Round 3**

* Sasha: Throws a dagger at the creature. She hits on a 14 and deals 1 damage.
* Bertie: Does nothing.
* Hamid: Casts *magic missile*, dealing 5 damage to the creature.
* Zolf: Takes a 5-foot step so that he threatens the creature and casts *create water* on Bertie's face.
* Plant creature: Attacks Zolf, but misses with the tendril.

**Round 4**

* Sasha: Throws her last fire vial at the creature, missing on a 10.
* Bertie: Is unaffected by the water and does nothing.
* Hamid: Casts *magic missile*, dealing 2 damage.
* Zolf: Adopts a defensive stance in front of Bertie.
* Plant creature: Steps back and throws something at Zolf, missing.

**Round 5**

* Sasha: Throws a dagger, missing on a 9.
* Bertie: Does nothing.
* Hamid: Casts *magic missile*, dealing 2 damage.
* Zolf: Adopts a defensive stance after doing a 5-foot step.
* Plant creature: Swings at Zolf, dealing 7 damage.

**Round 6**

* Sasha: Throws a dagger at the creature, hitting on a 20 and dealing 1 damage.
* Bertie: Remains stationary.
* Hamid: Casts his final *magic missile*, dealing 3 damage.
* Zolf: Converts *burning disarm* into *cure light wounds*, rolling a 6 but only healing himself 3 hit points since Poseidon is displeased.
* Plant creature: Steps back, spitting pollen at Bertie, stunning him again as Bertie fails his Will save, rolling a 1. Bertie is unable to act for another 6 rounds.

**Round 7**

* Sasha: Enraged, throws another dagger at the creature. She rolls a 20 on the hit, dealing 1 damage and finally kills the creature.

## Trivia

* The yellow musk appears to be a modified yellow musk creeper and the Venezuelan Brown is a brown mold.

## Plot Notes

* The seed is identified in episode 180 by the Council of the Ursans.
* The party finally make it to Svalbard in episode 196.