Aerys manages to find a weak spot and so do Torch and even Gelik, while the thing resists Ralf's magic.
Furiously it claws away at Torch, doing 15 points of damage with its chilling claws and teeth.
Your turn.
"Die you damned apparition..." Aerys continues her assault with the dagger.
The wounds that had closed from Ralf's magic are promptly torn back open again, and Torch grinds his teeth, trying to focus past the pain.
Ralf gives Torch some weak healing.
Gelik is uncharacteristically quiet and serious as he continues to conjure up magical flames.
After some more pounding the monster finally goes up in flames, leaving you free to search the bodies if you care to. You can collect four sets of masterwork studded leather, three masterwork spears, five short swords, and a magic ring.
Torch quirks an inquisitive eyebrow at Ralf as he hands over the ring, but the movement is briefly interrupted when it reminds the half-elf of his still-bruised rib.
"Hope there aren't any more of them, really nasty thing. What was it?" says Aerys bushing her wet and matted hair from her eyes and tasting the sweat that drips down.
"No idea," Torch answers. "Some kind of possessing spirit, I guess. Ghost of a priest, maybe?"
Ralf checks the items for magic and attempts to identify the ring.
Only the ring is magical, and it is a Ring of Sustenance.
You leave the bodies for the main caravan to dispose of. They are indeed Pathfinders, and Gelik even thinks he recognizes a face or two, but it's impossible to be sure.
Continuing north along the river, you trek seemingly endlessly through roots and underbrush, without finding anything particularly interesting, except disposing of a few venomous snakes and finding some broken remains of Mwangi hunter's arrows.
At this point along the river, you notice snapped saplings and torn brush, evidence that something large has passed through the jungle, opening a trail to your left.
Gelik shakes his head sadly when he sees the deceased Pathfinders. I expected they would have better loot.
For the next few days, Gelik mutters to himself, seeming more pensive than usual. It wears off eventually, and he's back to his old self after a week or so.
Hippo trail, obviously. Gelik has no idea what he's talking about.
"Pathfinders, are you sure, I thought them a quite passive organisation, we have crossed them as well then... Best we continue on quickly then ... as she attempts to make her friends move and march me quickly towards their goal.
Once the party has found the evidence of a large creature, Aerys tries to see where it has gone from its tracks. She tries to describe the sort of creature she thinks it is...
Gelik shrugs in response to Aerys' question. Whoever they are, they aren't beating us to the lost city in their present condition.
Gelik follows Aerys, casting Mage Armor.
Survival:
"Hm...some real tall fella went thataway! And he had some beastly friends with him, to boot."
Torch nods agreement with Ralf's assessment. "Worth checking out, or borrowing trouble?" he asks the others.
Gelik prods Torch and Aerys in the backsides with his mold-man spear. Let's go, you two. Adventure awaits!
"Gelik, will you be careful, I'm doing my best to follow these tracks and determine what creature made them, but its not easy. I know it's all a big adventure to you, but I have to work hard just to get us on the right trail. If I get it right, then you'll have you big adventure..." says an exasperated Aerys.
The tracks are actually not difficult to follow. Whoever went there took no heed of any obstacles and basically went crashing through the jungle, slashing as they went. The trail leads deeper into the jungle to a small clearing where a boar carcass lies splayed open on a boab tree, its entrails laid out before it.
At the edge of the clearing sits a small gravesite surrounded by anthills, with a gaping hole in the side of the cairn marking where the tomb was breached. As you enter the clearing, a Mwangi man steps out of the hole, his skin covered with a pale white crust. He wears an oversized darkwood mask carved to resemble a tusked frog-demon, and macabre fetishes made from severed human hands dangle from a thong around his waist. He's brandishing an intricately carved spear.
As he sees you he utters an exclamation and a seemingly dead troll, singed and with glassy-white eyes bursts out of the foliage at the other side of the clearing. You would have thought that it was a zombie but for the uncanny speed it moves with.
Roll for initiative.
Less talkin', more trackin'.
Gelik smiles at Aerys innocently, until he sees the troll-thing.
Spellcraft:
"Hm, looks like someone was tellin' the future with those pig guts!"
Init:
As Aerys looks up see gasps ....
Map is up, and Torch goes first, then the masked man and dead troll.
Torch rushes forward, bringing his blade down on the undead monstrosity before it can threaten his allies.
Torch cuts deep into the putrifying flesh of the troll, which reels awkwardly, flailing desperately as it tries to regain its balance.
The man steps forth to confront the rest of you. The mask transforms into a hideous visage, filling your hearts with terror.
You are all up.
Fear takes hold of Torch's heart and begins to squeeze.
Ralf tries to blind the man with some Glittering Dust.
Will save:
Gelik steps forward and blasts the masked man with a colorful magical cone.
Aerys sees the mask and stands for a moment, her face full of fear she flees the evil man.
Torch continues to lay into the undead troll, leaving the shaman to his friends to deal with.
The man is dazzled by the magic assault of glittering and swirling colors. He casts Fly on himself to rise 20 feet into the air, then removes his glittery mask to restore his sight (revealing himself to be a middleaged human Mwangi man).
Torch cuts elegantly into the dead flesh, but the withered veins refuse to bleed and the troll fights on. Ducking and weaving Torch manages to avoid the brunt of its attacks, only catching a claw for 8 points of damage.
You are up again.
Ralf asks the man to "Approach" in Polyglot.
Well. I suppose it's time for a bit of immolation.
The man succumbs to Ralf's magic and flies down towards him, just as Aerys flees back towards the river.
Torch still to go, then the bad guys.
"Fall down, monster," Torch grunts angrily. "Your existence is abomination!" He cuts and jabs, trying to keep the thing's claws away from him.
Torch finally cuts down the troll, which collapses into the underbrush. Gelik sets the flying magician on fire.
The man is irrestibly drawn to Ralf, so he tries to cast a spell defensively to avoid Ralf's staff. But as the troll falls, he utters an involuntary curse and the spell is ruined.
You are up.
Ralf moves towards Torch, hoping the man will follow.
Aerys stops running, out of breath she can't stop her legs shaking or her heart beating loudly.
If flying guy isn't in melee, Gelik will nail him with a Ray of Frost.
Ralf runs up to Torch who moves into a flanking position, while the flying man can't but follow Ralf. Gelik sends a Ray of Frost after him, but it goes wide, and he manages to put out the fire.
Furious, he tries again to cast a spell at Ralf, but once again the spell fizzles as Torch makes a lunge at him.
You are up again.
Torch turns to the necromancer. "Not sure who you are," he says in Polyglot, "but I already know I don't like you."
Ralf uses his Brain Drain on the mystery man.
damage, Will DC 17 negates, can sort through thoughts for 5 rounds afterwards