Hungry Voodoo's Mines of Zolurket
Game Master
voodoo chili
In 4121 AR, the desert dwarves of the Barrier Wall Mountains sealed the famed Tar-Urkatha mine abruptly, saying only that one of the richest platinum mines in history had played out. Nearly six centuries later, the truth rises from the darkness.
Swarms are always hugely hit or miss as far as challenge. If you've an AoE caster (or a bomb thrower that can actually hit the broad side of a barn) then they go down easy. If you don't... then world of hurt ensues... especially when it's a flying swarm you can't outpace.
The number of bats decrease with distance and the remaining mass centers on Tararr as the others flee to safety.
Tararr- 5 hp+1 bleed, DC 11 distraction
Now clear of the swarm, Chitleen is able to focus on acting against it. He spins and advances to within throwing distance and unleashes his third acidic missile...
Alkahest: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 1 = 20 for 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6which should be a solid 9 after the extra 50% to swarms
Free of the multitude of whirling and biting bats, Chitleen finally bull's eyes his grenade and the swarm around Tararr disperses leaving scattered charred bodies that crunch beneath his feet.
Ominously, you still hear chirping and flittering sounds from the dark silhouette of the tower, but for the moment you are able to treat your wounds.
Chitleen slowly stalks back to the others, eyeing the dead bats on the ground warily. He looks to the tower then back to his companions "So.... do we feel lucky?"
"So the question becomes do we linger long enough for the larger residents to return? Or do we make ourselves scarce from this place and seek refuge West?"
Male Dwarf 4 Bar Invulnerable Rager :AC 17, hp 47 (4d12+8) Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; DR 2/4non
"I suspect 'hat we aren't gonna be gettin' loose of this fella very easily. Them bats of his 'ill likely hound us all along this trip. Take care of him and his buddies here an' now. Let's burn his place down and crush him as he comes out the door."
Not put off by a bunch flippity-floppity little blood sucking pests, Tararr leads the way back across the bridge toward the dark form of the tower which the dwarf sees, is still surrounded by a cloud of bats.
"The swarms we can't do much about, there are simply too many of them. But the man-bats...I'm sure they bleed just as the were-jackals did. Perhaps we can draw them away from the tower when they return?"
He keeps a careful watch of the sky, and listens for the flying bat-men, crossbow at the ready.
Chitleen shakes his head "No, I would imagine they would have come upon us as we slew their children if they were still here... retreat will allow us to refresh ourselves and perhaps Daeron would be able to recall words of power that are of more use?"
Though checking his sheet - he doesn't have burning hands...
You keep a wary watch on the tower through out the night and eventually the bats return to their roost as the sky lightens over the eastern hills, but Chitleen sees no further activity in the upper part of the tower.
"Ahh...well, hopefully the small bats will not be as much of a threat during the day."
Surak ponders. "Can we automatically consider the bat-men evil who must be stopped? They seemed to trade fairly with us last night for food, and did not attack us in the night. We were attacked by the normal bats they may keep as pets, but only when we invaded their lair when they were not present. Perhaps we should approach them first during the day and try to speak to them and find out their true nature? If we simply attack them with no true reason, we cannot call ourselves a force of good fighting evil."
Was anyone still injured before we started our watch? I can burn my remaining channel if necessary or even cast a CLW before I pray for new spells in the morning.
Chitleen smiles gamely "Ah, a question of philosophy. I would have no answer of certainty one way or another Surak. Similarly I would not seek to pose the question of their guided or unguided assault is worthy of revenging... though we must also wonder what the thoughts of the greater bats will be when they return to find we have slaughtered their children or pets."
Male Dwarf 4 Bar Invulnerable Rager :AC 17, hp 47 (4d12+8) Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; DR 2/4non
"They're powerful 'nough to live out here with the gnolls and powerful enough to cause us trouble. I says we burn their roost down and be done with it. I made that bastard a promise an' I intend ta keep it."
"I take no issue with killing those who deserve it. But if we murder haphazardly, we cannot call ourselves heroes. Tararr...you may be rash, but in your heart you are a good person. While your actions get ahead of your intentions sometimes, I know that ultimately you are a good person; we have battled enough evils together in the last few years for me never to doubt that."
As you consider your options, the sun rises over the hills spreading light over the valley and ruined tower. Still you see no sign of either occupation of the tower or a return of the Shabha clan.
Chitleen spends a small time renewing his tinctures before contemplating the tower. He awaits Surak being free from his meditations before posing "I would tend to flight in this instance... but I fear what they would be capable of if they came upon us in the night unprepared and unready for them."
Egads! - that Sabha's have returned and taken my companions already, replacing them with statues that bear their likeness... but have no soul or breath within them.
A determined Tararr spends the morning piling up scrub inside the entrance of the tower. There is no sign of the family you saw the prior evening as Tararr lights the thicket and soon the tower fills with smoke, killing or dispersing the remaining bats.
Chitleen assists in part, but mostly watches as Tararr is hard at work. When the bats appear to moved on, he regards the interior questioningly... wondering if it is now safe to enter...
The thick gray smoke pouring out of the tower subsides eventually so that you can explore. The cool dark musty interior of the tower is now hot and smokey. Inside you crunch across a carpet of acrid guano and charred bats. The pair of goats are long dead.
Upstairs, you find a barren room open to the sky. A lean-to with sleeping pallets lies off to the side and there is a fire pit, but little else.
Picking over the cinders Chitleen shrugs "There is nothing remaining now... if we meet the others along the way then so be it. We must just remain vigilant to their return. Should we for the mine once more or have you more questions for the dead and burned?"
Morning has passed by the time you finish with the tower and are ready to travel. Beyond the tower, the trail moves upward into the mountains though not too steeply yet as it follows a broad canyon. Evening comes sooner than you would like since you got a late start today and you must decide whether to push on or look for a camp site.
Looking around at the walls of the canyon Chitleen muses out loud "If the Sabha come then the canyon might restrict their movement... shall we make camp?"
Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14Checking for a likely spot as well as sign of predators.
You find an elevated spot beneath a pair of stately sycamores that looks suitable. The mules are tied off and camp set as you finish off the rest of the roasted goat.
Percep DC 10:
You are just getting ready to retire when you hear a noise up canyon.
With a hiss Chitleen picks up the noise and snaps his head towards the mouth of the chasm. His hand goes to his satchel to retrieve his tincture of sight.
Whispering to Surak, Chitleen informs "Boots and chains come near" before applying the painful tincture to his eyes and blinking as the darkness is no longer a barrier to his sight.
