Mission: The Cycle of Life (DM-ReddestMage)
Squadron: Godfrey, Ogis, Peri, Sunny, Theodore, Vraela
Mission Goal: Return a farm north-west of White Moon Cove to a liveable and workable state.
Mission Status: Ongoing
The following is a report of the events which took place during the mission that my squadron and I, Sir Godfrey of the Farlands, undertook to return a farm north-west of White Moon Cove to a liveable and workable state. Significant progress to such goal was made, yet the source of conflict is yet to be dealt with. Our squadron was unable to determine the correct decision moving forward, yet information was attained in hopes to resolve the conflict. At this time, the farm is not safe.
CASE A: WHITE MOON COVE
Our mission began in White Moon Cove. Before leaving towards the farm, the squadron was given a brief by a villager. The following is the information attained:
- Farmers had recently been going missing on the farm
- Unknown creatures had been spotted on the farm. They were shaped like humanoids and had flower-like objects on their heads.
CASE B: WELL
The following is not significant to the current mission, but should be noted:
During travel, the squadron found a well surrounded by faintly magical ground. Upon inspection, the well contained a pile of gold coins inside of it, submerged in water. Covering the well’s opening was a magical barrier, which stopped a pebble, a piece of gold, and an owl attempting to dig through it. Our squadron was unable to determine how to dispell the barrier. We continued to the farm.
CASE C: FARM
C.1: Spore Creatures | Around three-quarters of the way towards nightfall, our squadron reached the farm. We scouted the house on the farm using a familiar, and two of the humanoid creatures mentioned previously were discovered inside. They took notice of us, and battle began outside of the house. We were victorious and burned the bodies of the five creatures which we fought. The following are the characteristics of these unknown creatures, should they be a threat again:
- They are undead.
- They have the form of a dead humanoid, head morphed into a blooming flower.
- Their body has a gray colour.
- Their bodies, almost corpse-like, contained decayed bones.
- They are hostile to humanoids that they can see, but seem to remain in place when not fighting.
- They fight in melee, clawing enemies.
- They are difficult to kill, and often spring back to life when seemingly dealt with.
- They appear to resist certain spells which whither matter.
- Upon death, they release a harmful gas, which seems to affect those only directly next to them. However, this can be dodged without much hassle.
C.2: House | The house had no other creatures inside of it. It had no features significant to the mission except for a pathway which led downwards. Around the pathway were spores, which glowed yellow. Our squadron have taken a sample of these spores. After scouting the pathway below, we progressed inside.
C.3: Cavern | The pathway led to a cavern. Inside the cavern, another humanoid creature, different to those seen before, was met. It talked to the squadron telepathically and had the appearance of a humanoid mushroom. Our squadron conversed with the creature and attained information listed below. After which, the squadron returned to the house above.
- This creatures name was The Soothsayer. They are the self-proclaimed protector of nature, and specifically the large mushroom within the cavern.
- Within the cavern, there was a large mushroom that produced blue spores. We later found out that these spores are magical, and that this magic was mostly enchantment, but also some necromancy.¹
- The Soothsayer is the protector of the large mushroom and created the creatures fought before to protect the mushroom.
- The cavern had been used as a burial ground for the people of farm. The people buried there died of old age, according to the Soothsayer. The Soothsayer used these corpses to create the creatures fought before.²
- The Soothsayer and the large mushrooms “spores” are different. The Soothsayers are yellow, while the mushrooms are blue.
- According to the Soothsayer: the mushroom was in the cavern before the farm, and the farmers were stopping the “cycle” of the mushroom. The farmers, however, never directly harmed the mushroom, only using the cavern as a burial ground.
- According to the Soothsayer, even if the farmers were to stop using it as a burial ground, the mushroom and the farmers could not co-exist, and that the Mushroom could not move.
- According to the Soothsayer, the mushroom still had time to prepare for its cycle. This could possibly refer to it releasing spores.
- The Soothsayer was not immediately hostile, but seemed to have the ability to almost instantly turn corpses into the creatures fought before.
- The Soothsayer did not know that farmers went missing, and was not the cause of it, according to them.
[1] While I do not have much knowledge of magic, I believe this would make the large mushroom’s spores parasitic or controlling in nature. However, we have no evidence of these spores in action. This could possibly be the cause of the missing farmers, but that is purely speculation.
[2] No matter the Soothsayers intentions, his actions have created undead which are hostile and dangerous. This should be noted when considering the final course of action.
C.4 Deliberations | The squadron conversed about the right course of action. Should the Soothsayer and the large mushroom be exterminated? We could not come to a decision. We attained further samples from the large mushroom, and made our way back to White Moon Cove, planning to converse with those who hired us about revised goals for the mission. The travel back was uneventful, and we arrived in White Moon Cove.
Do we have the right to bring justice upon creatures who are simply living as we are? They might certainly be harmful to us, but you must also consider that we are being harmful towards them. The Soothsayer, a protector of nature, is protecting its people. In the same way, we are the protectors of civilization, protecting our people. If we choose to eliminate this species from this island, it would not be an act of justice or righteousness – it would not be an act against evil, but more an act to protect what we hold dear. We must ask ourselves – Is this land worth enough to us to fight for? Do we fight for the good of our people, or the good of all living things?
– Sir Godfrey of the Farlands.