1 March 2019
Once again we begin our session in Neverlight Grove with our group of adventurers.
The adventurers know they need to head out and fight the shambling mound that they have agreed to vanquish, but decide it to be best if they first speak to Basidia before heading out. There is concern within the party that they may return only to find Neverlight Grove devoid of sane and friendly mush-folk with no means to reconnect with them. So they seek out Basidia first.
Basidia informs them that if the sane mush-folk of Neverlight Grove are required to flee prior to the return of our adventurers they should cross back over the dark lake and then head south. There they will find Aramikos, a great ancestor of the mush-folk and a safe place for them to rendevous. Shuushar has heard of this place in rumor and the party is generally of the opinion that they can find this place if need be. Autun implores Basidia to take Drupo with them when they flee, and Basidia agrees to take Drupo and as many of the young ones as they can. Basidia wishes them luck on their hunt of the shambling mound.
The party then leaves to seek out and vanquish the shambling mound, taking Gumfus along as well as their guide. Along the way they encounter deep claw marks in a tall mushroom. Caius remembers the strange decaying beast they found when returning from vanquishing the Grick Alpha. The claws of that beast are roughly the same size as the claw marks found. Agreeing that they are likely related, the party decides to move slowly forward, unsure as to whether there are more beasts like this in the area.
Shortly thereafter the party encounters what look to be Shambling Mound tracks, and at the end of them a Shambling Mound that they succeed in surprising. The ensuing fighting is fierce. Bree actually succeeds this time in casting Faerie Fire, which illuminates the Shambling Mound making it easier to hit. Ezri is once again on point with her Moonbeam from on high. Caius stands fast with his shield, Autun strikes overhead blows with his Axe, and Kais and Jimjar are quick with their bows.
Shortly after the battle commences, Shushaar pierces the air with an indefatigable CROOOOAAAAAK, startling the party and alerting them to the presence of a second Shambling Mound approaching from them rear. This second mound quickly engulfs Jimjar and the party must split their attention between both monsters. Choosing tactically to focus on the first, already injured, mound the party continues hacking at it while exercising a delaying action against the second. Eventually, Caius is able to smite the weakened first mound with his shield and the party turns their attention to the second shambling mound.
By this time Jimjar has worked his way free of the second Shambling Mound and the mound has instead engulfed Ezri. Ezri scrambles trying to free herself, but is unsuccessful and blacks out. Coming to after being healed from afar by Autun, Ezri shapeshifts into a spider. But only with the help of Caius' inspiration and with Bree yanking at her arachnid limbs is Ezri able to escape. Free to now worry the beast from both afar and afield, our party quickly dispatches it. The death blow once again arriving via Caius' shield of Reckenmark.