“The easiest and fastest option would be a repeat quest, Spinners in the Dark,” Dave said.
“I don’t fancy going into the dark again today,” SJ said, shivering involuntarily.
“All your current quests probably involve cellars or caves to visit.”
“Let’s go back to the inn and see what else is on the wall,” SJ said, shrinking and taking off.
Flying back to the inn only took a minute, and SJ landed in the rear garden. Growing, she entered. Ordering a coffee, SJ walked over to the quest board to see what was available. Most of them were the usual ones that always showed SJ had come to recognise them as starter quests as the experience was so low for each. As her level increased, several more quests appeared, as though they were being released in response. One in particular drew her attention now as she looked at the description.
Plant Infestation – visit Blossom for the details
The problem with the quests in the inn was that you didn’t know any of the experience gains until you spoke to the person who had issued them. “Plant Infestation sounds above ground and more interesting than Saving Shelley’s cat from up a tree,” SJ said.
“It was a one-hundred-and-fifty-foot tree,” Dave said.
“It may have been. Reaching her was fine. It was the fact she thought I was a play toy as I was miniature form.”
Dave giggled. “Seeing you run along the branches as she followed you down again was funny.”
“For you to watch, maybe,” SJ sulked. SJ knew where Blossom lived. She was a florist who lived near the church east of town and ran a stall in the centre most days. Her stall was always full of the brightest and most fragrant blossoms. SJ finished her coffee, placed her mug back at the bar, and headed to see Blossom.
“Hi, Blossom,” SJ said as she approached her stall. The smell of the sweet scents of her flowers filled the air around.
“Hello, councillor,” Blossom replied.
“As I have told you before, call me SJ. I am not on town business. I am here to find out about your quest,” SJ said.
“Really? That would be amazing. It has been posted for a couple of days now with no takers. I need the place sorted out. Otherwise, my next season’s flowers won’t be grown in time.”
The weather and seasons of Killic were strange. Due to the constant temperature and the rare deluge of rain, they had two harvests a year. She had only witnessed two storms since her arrival, the first being when the hobs attacked the town. The most recent was two weeks ago. Even more rain seemed to have fallen that time. The quest popped up on her display.
Quest – Plant Infestation
Investigate what is causing the problems in the flower garden.
Rewards:
1 x stem of the angelus
200xp
‘Stem of the angelus, that’s something new,’ SJ thought.
“Unusual reward. It is something that alchemists use, quite rare,” Dave said.
‘Auction house?’
“Maybe. Darren may want it or Master Rui.”
“Where is the garden?” SJ asked Blossom as she accepted the quest.
“Between the church and the Wandering Ogre, there is a clearing in the forest that I have been cultivating for years.”
“I have never been into the forest in that area.”
“It’s not a very large area, but enough for me. It is just outside the town boundary, unfortunately. Otherwise, I could have asked the council to help clear it.”
“What is it exactly?”
“I am not sure. Some invasive species. I have never seen it before. It grows quickly and is covered in thorns. It has slowly been taking over the flowerbeds.”
“I will go and have a look.”
It was early afternoon, and SJ was making her way through the town. The usual hustle and bustle of the streets and the general sounds of Killic had become a soothing norm for her: traders calling, carts moving, and people walking about doing their daily chores. The town wasn’t huge, but everyone was always busy.
‘Maybe I should have got some tools if I am going to be weeding.’ SJ thought.
“Possibly. I am surprised that a dryad or druid didn’t accept the quest to help. Many of them are so adept at nature and growth spells.”
‘The quest isn’t exactly very telling. I was expecting moles or similar to be cleared, not weeding plants. At least it will be easy experience and above ground.’
Reaching the far side of town, SJ followed the path towards the Wandering Ogre and found the path Blossom had mentioned leading off into the forest. The path was narrow, and as soon as she entered the treeline, the sun’s brightness was cut out by the overhanging crossed canopy of the surrounding trees. The path led a couple of hundred feet into the forest before she came upon a clearing. The clearing was much larger than SJ had expected. The ground was flat and had been worked over the years to provide rows of pristine, perfectly aligned flowerbeds. Each of the beds contained a different variation of plants or flowers. Small wooden signs with the names of the species were placed at the end of each manicured row. The vibrancy and mixed perfumes from the clearing were intoxicating.
“I can’t see anything unusual?” SJ said.
“Umm. Strange,” Dave said.
“What’s strange?”
“Nothing seems wrong with the place.”
“That’s my point,” SJ replied, rolling her eyes as she began to walk between the rows.
It wasn’t until she reached the far end of the third row that she noticed the thorn-covered vine that was intertwined with the flowers at that end. She knelt to look at it. Where the vine wove between the flower stems, it had grown smaller vines that were attached to the flower stems.
“It looks like it’s feeding from the flowers,” SJ said as she equipped her claws. Carefully, she positioned the tip of her claw next to the flower stem and cut through the offending thin vine. “This may take some time.” SJ began to work between the stems, cutting the thin root-like vines. It wasn’t until thirty minutes had passed that she noticed the vines were reattached where she had begun.
“Have you seen that? They are attached again.”
“Try finding the source of the vine,” Dave said.
Rather than cutting the thorned vine from the stems, she traced it back between the flower beds until she reached the end of the bed, where the vine disappeared into the earth. It was as thick as a tug-of-war rope, with thorns like rosebushes running its length.
Placing her blades against the vine, she began to cut through it. The vine was much stronger than she had expected, and she had to place a lot of pressure on her blades to cut it. Severing the vine, she picked it up carefully, scrapping the thorns from it and then lifted it, pulling it back the way she had come, breaking the smaller vines as she did. Eventually, she got to where she had started The removed section of the vine was at least ten feet long. Lifting it, she moved it to the side and dropped it between the flowerbeds. She repeated the process on the next row, where another vine grew.
It was as she cut the fourth vine that things went drastically wrong. A shriek pierced the clearing coming from the forest’s edge to the rear. Looking up in shock, SJ came face to face with a creature she didn’t recognise. It looked like a walking root.
“Mandrake,” Dave said casually.
“Didn’t you know what it was?” SJ said.
“Nope. They are all unique. No two are alike, unfortunately.”
As the creature emerged fully from the forest, it appeared like a land octopus. Thick vines propelled it forward into the clearing, each covered in barbed thorns. Its body was shaped like a carrot, and on its head grew loose leaves that cascaded around its face like hair. It was one of SJ’s strangest sights since arriving in Amathera.
SJ identified the creature.
Thorned Mandrake
Level: 15
Hit points: 98 of 110
Mana points: 20
Armour Class: 10/30
Attacks: Thorn strike
Special: Entangle
“It has multiple armour classes?” SJ said as it began moving towards her.
“Their roots are usually weaker than the main body. You need to cut its roots off to disable it. Then, you can deal with the main root. I don’t think it’s happy you’re cutting its roots off.”
“It took long enough to react.”
“They are used to losing limbs and regenerating them. It wouldn’t notice losing one or two, but as you cut more off, it has obviously become suspicious.”
As the creature moved, its vines disappeared into the earth, slithering just under the ground’s surface. Each of its roots moved independently, and it had many. Standing up and moving into a space away from the flowers, SJ stood facing it, ready to attack.
“Watch for its…” Dave cut off as one of the vines erupted from the grass beneath SJ’s feet and wrapped itself around her ankles. Dragging her feet from under her, she fell onto her back.
Crying out at the sudden shock of the attack, SJ reacted by sitting up and reaching forward, slashing through the root. Her blades sliced through it with relative ease. Now she wasn’t being careful not to damage the flowers. The reaction from the mandrake was for two more vine-like roots to shoot towards her and try to grab her where she was sitting. Jumping to her feet, SJ moved back from its attack.
Approaching, it began lashing out with multiple vines, SJ cutting and slashing, parrying many of the blows with her blades until one hit its target. Wrapping around her right wrist, its sharp thorns digging into her flesh, it yanked her arm forward. SJ staggered off balance from the attack, grimacing from the pain of the thorns. Another vine struck at her and caught her across the side of her face. She felt the thorns rip into her cheek. This time, crying in pain.
Its multiple attacks seemed never-ending as SJ cut the attached vine off with her free hand and backed away again.
“Any ideas?”
“Just keep severing its roots. Eventually, it will not be able to regenerate as quickly as it has been doing,” Dave replied.
“I didn’t realise it was regenerating,” SJ frowned.
“All mandrakes can when they are in contact with the ground.”
Looking at its health, SJ noticed it fluctuating. As she cut through one root, it lost health and slowly, over time, gained a few health back.
“This may take a while,” SJ blew hard from the exertion.
“Usually, their regeneration stops at fifty per cent health,” Dave replied.
“Good to know.” It currently had 76 of 110.
Two more vines flicked at her, parrying one while the other wrapped around her waist, pulling her forward. The thorns again dug into her through her dress, feeling the scratching and piercing from them. Another vine lashed out at her as she was dragged towards it, this time catching her right leg in its grip. If SJ weren’t careful, she would get entangled in it. Slashing with her claws, she cut the vine around her leg, freeing her movement. Leaning back against the pull of the vine around her waist.
The mandrake was stronger than it appeared, pulling her forward again by the vine at her waist. Her arms flicked up from the sudden movement, and recovering, she slashed down through the vine at her waist. It fell limply, slowly uncoiling as she moved away again. It had 62 health remaining now. It went to attack again as it lumbered closer on its vines. Whipping its appendages towards her. She cut, thrust, and slashed as it continued to attack. It eventually reached 54 health. SJ’s health was, by this point, down to 71. She hadn’t noticed the damage she had taken from all the various attacks and thorns that had caught her. All the small attacks had added up as they did.
The creature’s wrinkled features shrieked again, making SJ’s ears ring with pain. “I wish it wouldn’t do that,” SJ hissed through gritted teeth.
“Now it’s below half health. You need to finish it by attacking its main body,” Dave said.
“And how do I do that without getting caught by the vines? If I get any closer, it will just entangle me.”
“It won’t die from root damage alone. They only die once you severe their heads.”
The mandrake’s carrot-shaped body was possibly eighteen inches across. “My blades aren’t long enough to slice its head off in one go.”
“No, unfortunately, you are going to have to reduce it to zero health and then cut its head off.”
“Great,” SJ replied sardonically, continuing to defend herself from the vine’s onslaught.
The mandrake was only a level higher than SJ, and she was doing relative damage. The issue was the number of attacks it was getting in comparison. She was struggling to get in range of its body without being struck back. As she moved closer, her health was getting whittled down as much as the mandrakes.
“I wish I had a ranged attack,” SJ growled as another vine struck her across her side, and she gouged more cuts into the mandrake’s body. Her health was now down to 43, and the mandrake still had 31 remaining because of the increased armour class of its body.
The mandrake had lost over half its vine-like limbs but still had many remaining. She continued the battle. They were strike for strike, SJ tiring more as time went on. This was the longest continuous fight she had ever been in. Even in the main valley battle, she had a respite between attacks.
As her health dropped to 28, the mandrake still had 25, and if they continued at this rate, she would be dead before finishing it. “I can’t keep this up,” SJ hurriedly backed up and began to shrink as she did. Pain flared across her body from the multiple wounds, but she gritted her teeth and bared it, taking off as soon as she was able. Flying up and away from the creature. She hovered above it, catching her breath.
“You need to hurry up whatever you are thinking of doing. If active combat drops, it will begin to regenerate faster than you will even with dragon blood,” Dave said.
Thinking through her options, SJ quickly opened her inventory and checked it. She still had it with her, thankfully. She had meant to visit Nexis at the auction house to discuss the prices of some of her loot later that day since she had picked up various items and begun the quests. Withdrawing the vial, she dropped to the ground again in front of the mandrake, growing as soon as her feet touched. Drawing her arm back like a baseball pitcher, she threw the vial at the creature.
“Ooo,” Dave said, realising what she had just done.
The vial of rock gobbler intestinal acid exploded against the mandrake, the white translucent liquid spraying over and around its body. The mandrake screeched in agony as SJ watched its body begin to be eaten away. Its health dropped quickly as the acid took hold, eating into its flesh and turning it black as it did. It began to look like a charred vegetable in comparison. Several of its remaining vines fell off as acid ate through them. It whipped its vines around in a frenzy, shrieking and unable to do anything to stop the acid.
As its health deteriorated, it slowed its movements. It reached zero, its vines stilled, and it fell forward to the ground. Where the acid had splashed on the ground when the vial exploded, small holes were eaten into the surface, turning the earth into muddy pools.
“That was a very good idea. Maybe if you had thought of it sooner, you wouldn’t have taken so much damage,” Dave said.
“You think!?” SJ replied, looking at the now smouldered mandrake root.
“OK. Remove its head, but be careful of the acid.”
SJ walked forward, making sure she didn’t step on or touch the acidic splashes. She began to cut through the root with her claws, which reminded her of the texture of a swede. Eventually, the top of the mandrake head came away, and SJ slowly lifted it by its green-leaved hair and threw it to one side. Taking in the scene, it looked like she had been shredding lettuce, with plant parts scattered around the flower beds. Several of them had been trashed in the process of the fight and would need work to get back to their pristine state.
Looking down at her own body, her dress was shredded, tears, and ripped all over from the multiple thorn strikes. Her arms looked like a cat had used them as a scratching post. Moving back from the area, SJ sat heavily on the ground, removing her waterskin and drinking. Her display triggered.
Thorned Mandrake killed - 150xp awarded
Quest – Plant Infestation - complete
You have disposed of the mysterious mandrake.
Rewards:
1 x stem of the angelus
Reward: 200xp (+100% bonus) 400xp awarded.
Congratulations! You have reached level 15.
“Congratulations!” Dave said.
“Thanks. Maybe rats would have been easier,” SJ replied, lying back on the grass, exhausted.
Opening her character sheet, she decided to immediately add both of her extra points to Constitution. Her health had been her weakest element of the fight as soon as she had needed to get in range of it with its multiple attacks. The recent questing had been helping her no end.
↻ Level: 15
Experience: 285 of 6000
Hit Points: 41 of 124
Armour Class: 28
Dexterity: 27
Constitution: 20
Charisma: 15
Subterfuge – Identification Level 8 – 280 of 300 to level 9, Shroud Level 2
After resting for several minutes, her dress repaired, and her health continued to improve as the scratches and cuts healed, she stood, walked to the mandrake remains and looted it.
2 x mandrake roots, 1 x potion of regeneration
“I better go and see Blossom, and then I am going to head home,” SJ said.
“You have had another very productive day. Those two latest quests gave much better experience than the usual ones you have been doing,” Dave said.
Shrinking, SJ took off and flew back to see Blossom.
