Centrum Glacies Session 52: Rooted
Week 52 in 2022 of this Dungeons and Dragons Campaign in Centrum Glacies continues as the party is rooted inside a massive and ancient tree.
Like my other campaign, I’m turning this one into a book series. You can check out the first one here.
Anyway, just like my other campaign, there is a whole lot going on and I don’t want to elaborate on every moving piece in the story. You can see the whole thing in the book series.
!!!Trigger Warning!!!
This story deals with a cruel world with some horrific twists. So far, this campaign has featured: Animals getting killed, Genocide, lots of body horror, evil cults, brainwashing, torture.
Most recently one of the party members had an eye gouged out and lost an arm. Not exactly the way it happens in Berserk, but that might have been the inspiration for it. The group recently was incinerated in lava. But rather than die, they have been transformed into Demons. And every moment they have to resist a bloodlust that is trying to take hold.
!!!Final Trigger Warning!!!
Though Jyona found herself engulfed by a Shambling Mound, the rest of the party was too large for it to properly harm. They also happened to be a deluded Dragon in a Demon’s body and a Druid who reluctantly was able to corrupt nature in his current form.
Given these unique traits, such a creature didn’t stand a chance against this party. They now continued to prove that they were worthy of their Platinum Rank, even with a Mythril rank no longer among them.
After that battle, Jyona was unfortunately on her last leg. With her new form this was happening more frequently than normal. Notably her Demon form possessed a horrible drawback that blocked most magic from working on her. Healing spells included in that. That meant that combined with her still frail Demon form, she needed rest far more often than the others.
Dragged by Roots
But that short rest created problems for the group as a whole. After all, their enemy wasn’t one willing to remain hidden. The Druids from the Circle of Cleansing believed in killing all Demons. And this group happened to be such creatures.
The Arch Druid who was their ultimate target at the moment reached out to them using the forest itself as a means for communication. Mocking them for rushing towards their death rather than staying away, he called forth roots from beneath the ground and pulled the party into the ground. Rooted in place they had no means of escape.
Vermin
While rooted and trapped inside a massive and ancient tree, the group was swarmed by rats, and even some lesser Demons. Apparently the Druids hoped that the rats could feast on everything else as the party fended everything off.
But despite their best efforts, the rats were still rats and couldn’t even harm Jyona at all. And their attacks at worst stung for moments on the others. The Manes however, hurt a little more, but only because they were Demons themselves. The only reason this fight wasn’t over instantly was because the party lacked all the wave clearing spells while trapped in their current forms.
One rat though, was much larger and dangerous than the others. Its attacks broke through the groups enhanced and magical armor. Its eyes glowed deep red as it smelled blood. And it again and again delivered deadly bites that would have killed an average person in moments.
But after repeated attacks, it was slain just like the others Even though it was much more powerful, it was still just a rat. Even if it had absorbed some Demonic power of its own.
Although the party refused to try breaking free and so remained rooted the whole time, they emerged victorious and very much alive after being swarmed by vermin both supernatural and not. Now they needed to find the Arch Druid.
Threats
If the group was worried that they would be left to rot, it was more clear by the minute that the Druids intended to make sure that they died. The roots keeping them rooted vanished as did a wall that had kept them trapped in this cramped space.
Unfortunately this tree had several root walls Another appeared to block their way The Arch Druid had some choice words for Trent especially Pointing out that he was a traitor to his entire order, he demanded that the Druid die for the sake of nature. Trent of course refused. He was furious that the Circle of Cleansing would slaughter children. That was a line he was not willing to cross.
In his anger, and possibly due to his Demonic nature taking hold for a moment, Trent splashed the roots with acid. And whether it was some twist of fate, or a lucky break, such a tactic worked. And he only reflected for a moment on the harm he was causing to nature despite being a Druid.
Teztcal keeping in line with his chaotic nature, decided that the best thing to do to tree roots that were doused in acid should be lit on fire too. And now that the tree brambles were weakened, this fire proved effective.
Gricks
The Arch Druid was not happy about this destruction. Even less so since he wanted all the Demons dead. Teztcal continued to laugh and talk smack, but the other two members of this group looked around warily, wondering how the Arch Druid would respond.
A shrill shrieking rang through cavern as Gricks sprouted from the ground along with one large alpha. And the tree roots once more appeared to restrain the party. Though they mostly failed, Trent got caught and was rooted to the ground.
Teztcal tried to fly away from the ground. But was met with more roots that attacked from the celling. Though he didn’t get rooted, he did get knocked to the ground.
Wrap Up
The party will have to fight there way through this tree like place where many more foes are in their way. And at the end, they will have to face the Arch Druid. What will happen to Trent if they commit to that?