Waki fires a slingstone, hitting the creature!
Pierre manages to scramble down the rope ladder!
Devram rushes toward the creature!
Hurley moves closer and tries to identify the creature, but has no idea!
Conloach moves closer, drawing a weapon along the way!
Thorson darts forward and swings at the beast, hitting it, and nearly dropping it in one blow!
The beast bites Thorson in the leg, trying to drag him to the ground, but the dwarf keeps his footing!
Conloach and Devram combine efforts, ending the beast!
Pierre's healing brings the baron back to consciousness. Looking around, he spies the slain animal. "A leucrotta! Could it be....?" This leucrotta is clearly the creature that wiped out the baron’s previous expedition. It has the haunches and tail of a tiger, rather than that of a lion as most leucrottas do, and closer examination reveals a scar along the leucrotta’s flank left by the baron’s bullet five years ago.
Having successfully concluded the hunt with the baron, he thanks you for your aid, releasing you to your secondary explorations.
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Hurley practically skips up to the leucrotta, running out of breath as he does so.
"Oh ho! What can it be? An oversized cat I see?"
He nudges the lifeless corpse, paying special note to the injuries inflicted by Devram and Conlaoch.
"Stalked us, it tried - yet instead it was it that died!"
Hurley tosses a handful of loose dirt on the creature before smiling at Conlaoch.
Agreeing to finish their night of rest, Hurley returns to his perch and snoozes as if events never happened.
After taking the rest of the night to rest, the party heads off into the jungle. A large freshwater swamp dominates the Lowlands, making travel through the region difficult, but guided by Thorson, you have no troubles locating the ruins of the temple.
The temple is dedicated to Ragdya, a Vudran god of monkeys. The site is almost completely overgrown by vegetation, and only bits and pieces of its brown sandstone exterior are visible from the outside. The weight of the massive roof and the passage of centuries have caused the ceiling to collapse near the building’s center.
Cautiously entering the temple, the first room you enter has columns that line the walls of the room, each decorated with a high-relief carving of a monkey in a different pose. Some of the monkey sculptures sit serenely in meditation or reach out with their hands as if to deliver blessings to the viewer, while others adopt more naturalistic poses. The floor is littered with decaying plant matter and mud, and the stench of rotting muck pervades the area. An open archway leads north deeper into the temple.
Moments after stepping into the temple, you see three people heading toward you. A woman, that apparent leader steps ahead. "Out of here! This is our dig! You won't be coming in to scoop our find!"
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"Good day, Madam, I am Pierre Viret, cleric of Iomedae, goddess of Glory and Truth. We are a group of Pathfinders sent here to explore this very temple. We made quite a long journey to come here." he says with a warm voice, smiling widely.
"Is there something wrong here? You seem... not at ease." says eventually Pierre, still showing a smiling face.
While he introduces himself, he gives a little tap on his heart and starts glowing a litlle bit with divine light .
The woman hesitates, glancing at her companions. "Look, I'll make you a deal. Let us pass, with what we have, and you can go poke around for the day. But when we return, you had better be gone, or dead! Deal?"
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Upon hearing the woman's threatening words Thorson's eyes narrow and the hand holding his hammer tightens its grip but he holds his emotions in check for the moment.
"Tis a shame what yea just did there lass. We's could had an understanding but that threat just knocked the mortar outta any bridge built by me companions words."
He then moves the hammer that was resting on his shoulder and drops the hammer head to ground with a solid thunk. "Now listen ta me words close fer I won't be speaking em again. No deal," Thorson growls. "You and yer lot are gonna drop everything that yous be holding and get yer skinny legs outta this here temple and into the jungle with your lives. Don't tempt me patience any longer girl. Our journey been long and my hammer here is ready ta crush something besides these damn jungle flies. Now, drop what yer holding and get outta my sight!"
The woman turns to her companions and silently exchanges looks with them, then shrugs and turns back to your party. "Look, we don't want any trouble. Here, you can have what we have found, if you just let us pass." Tossing down their gear, she holds out her hands. "That's it. Can we go?"
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Now that some steam has been released from the dwarf's inner boiler o' rage, Thorson attempts a slightly conciliatory tone.
"Now's that yer seeing reason again, hows 'bout we stop grinding axes and follow these here fellers invitation to parley and cooperation?" says Thorson while casually thumbing towards Pierre and "King" Hurley.
While speaking Thorson attempts to observe what the goods they have dropped to the ground.
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Hurley wobbles, shifting his weight from his right to left foot and back as he smiles at the woman and her companions.
He bobs his head as the gesture from Thorson.
"Yes yes! No need to let boil! Talk you should, to one who is royal!"
Bowing, Hurley takes a step forward, narrowing his eyes and looking for signs of the Pathfinder's rival murd--- err, archaeologists, the Aspis Consortium.
The woman looks over her shoulder once again, then says. "My name is Asvika, and those two are Thom and Gerri. I will tell you this, then we will be on our way, we have no want to dally. A terrible evil lurks at the heart of the temple. Now, we will be going. If you try to stop us, we will resort to arms, to pass. We have given what you asked, now hold up your end of the bargain!"
Thorson peers at the items, and see a sack. Inside the sack is a coral holy symbol of Ragdya worth 70 gp, six jeweled tiles worth 5 gp each, and a golden apple.
Hurley sees no identifying clues that would mark these people as Apsis.
The woman shivers involuntarily. "We only glimpsed it. Tiny creature with horns and eyes that glowed like rubies...." She nods to her companions and begins to pass. "Good luck and may the Gods be on your side...."
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Once Asvika and her cronies are out of hearing Thorson curses, "Shelyn's _tits, that almost got messier than it need to be..."
To the other party members he says, "Do any of yous know what type of creature she be talking about?"
Picking up his hammer he mutters, "Gives me a bit o' a shiver, little evil bugger wandering around in some gods-forsaken monkey temple."
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Hurley shrugs at the apple.
"Oh, ah, I see... Truth be told, I fear this is simply a magic apple of gold."
He then considers the woman's description and what he knows of the Segang and likely matches.
"Tis an asura, of this err, I'm sure-a?"
"King" Hurley winces a bit at his own rhyme.
Eagerly, Hurley skips ahead and holds his hand above his eyes to shield them from the light.
"Let us see what lies within before the day's light grows dim!"