Chapter 4: Trip the Light Fantastic

Wolfram's arrow finds its mark in the beast's body. Despite its wounds, the thing tries to tear apart R3N-L3 with its teeth again, but the clockwork's armor is too tough for it!

R3N-L3 hacks into the bog beast as Tzal blasts it with another jellyfish. Laueretta's arrow strikes true, and the monster collapses into the muck, splashing fetid water all around it! It lies still, its tentacles drooping limply around it.

With the monster's defeat, you are able to harvest the pink flowers on its back. There are 12 in total.

With the monster dead, R3N-L3 snapped back into eerie immobility for a second, contemplating the mangled corpse of the hillock-creature. "This plane is almost as violent as baseline reality is." The warform noted mildly, before picking the flowers with a delicate touch, bundling them into a napkin, and stashing them away. He began slowly wading back towards the party.

Looking at Lauretta, R3N-L3 tilted his head slightly to the side. "In my organic state, I culled a total number of fellow sapients which is greater in number than all sapients we have come across thus far, friend Lauretta. Our world is more violent." R3N-L3 intoned in a matter-of-fact tone, before readying to move out to the nymph.

"I will take you to the former nymph's lair," says Ompha the bear. "But first, there is a prize nearby that might benefit you! So far, none have been able to claim it, but heroes such as yourselves might prove worthy."

You follow the bear through the enchanted woods for a bit. Soon, you come to a small clearing. In the center of the clearing, a beam of sunlight illuminates a bronze-colored sword that sticks out from a rock. The blade has a wavy edge, its grip wrapped in wood carved to look like an eagle’s claw. A bronze crossbar extends out to either side of the handle.

"The legends say that this word once belonged to a powerful elf knight poisoned and murdered by goblins at this very spot," Ompha says." To prevent the goblins from taking his most prized possession, the Orichalcum Blade, a magical weapon that was forged at the dawn of creation, he plunged the blade into the rock and cursed it to remain there until drawn from the stone by someone worthy."

The bear settles back on his haunches and gestures for you to give it a try.

Marching up to the sword, R3N-L3 pulled on it. It almost came free....But stayed stuck, tip rooted in the stone. Staring at it, he nodded. "I understand."

And let it go.

OOo thank you!

Despite Wolfram's misgivings, the sword starts to give way beneath his touch. The stone relinquishes its grasp as the rogue pulls the weapon free with a flourish!

"I knew it!" Ompha declares triumphantly.