Kaul grunts a laugh at Tum's intimation:
"Hur. Yer meaning my shipmates... my former crew right? Hur... they're long gone Tum... 'sides I ain't fer shankin' me mates..."
The brutish ape-tainted orc rises from his throne;
"Find me a demon o' the jungles... One O' yer foes... and I'll butcher em in yer name!"
Keeping a low defensive profile Dibbets muses on whether it'd be better to clear off the mist... but trusts in his fellow Gozrehan for the now.
Jim grunts as he misses his target again in the shifting fog. Fortunately, the fog hinders his mad monkey assailants as well and their frenzied hoots lessen as the furious charau-ka seem to be tiring. Sensing that the monkey men have all been drawn into melee, Nkechi dispels his concealing fog. Dingus touches down just in time to blast the nearest creature with his vapor vipers. Richard strikes again, but misses.
Jim still can't manage to hit the creatures.
Dibbets swings his glorified club and tries to swat some of the fight out of the monkey man in front of him...
Flanking Club: for
"Ah! There you are".
Dingus tries to find some cover, or at least put some distance between him and the monkey men, and feeds them another VV.
VV
Richard slithers back to have Dingus's back.
Jim is definitely on the defensive against the frenzied attack, but Dibbets manages to clip the bloodied one. A second round of force missiles cuts down the other. Richard safely slithers back to his master.
The leftover monkeyman looks a bit panicked as he is now gasping for air between his hoots. He attempts to caper past the blowsy halfling, but Nkechi's spear catches him first and the last charau-ka dies.
Nkechi retrieves his spear and pauses to listen. There are a couple of questioning hoots, but the distant drumming continues. "Good, it sounds like the main camp has not been warned yet. We should move quickly before the other guards move."
Jim wipes his blade clean on the fur of one of the fallen creatures, then moves up.
Kaul settles back into his throne and grunts in a placated tone. The brute grins and takes a heavy puff of the leafy cheroot;
"Me likin' de monkey weed! Hurrrrrr..."
Jim is definitely on the defensive against the frenzied attack, but Dibbets manages to clip the bloodied one. A second round of force missiles cuts down the other. Richard safely slithers back to his master.
The leftover monkeyman looks a bit panicked as he is now gasping for air between his hoots. He attempts to caper past the blowsy halfling, but Nkechi's spear catches him first and the last charau-ka dies.
Nkechi retrieves his spear and pauses to listen. There are a couple of questioning hoots, but the distant drumming continues. "Good, it sounds like the main camp has not been warned yet. We should move quickly before the other guards move."
"The other guards? Move quickly? What have you gotten us into"?
Ever swift to pick through corpses for belongings, Dibbets makes a quick pass over the dead monkey men before hustling after the others. To Dingus he puffs "We's in fer a penny Dingus... we do this we get outa this feckin jungle afters eh? Nei worry puttin a few monkey buggers inna mud first"
The group moves as quick as Dibbets' hobbling gait allows up the twisting path towards the drumming. No more charau-ka are seen before the trees end abruptly opening into a clearing around an ancient stone ziggurat. The base is swallowed in a tangle of vines and brightly colored flowers. The trail fades across the clearing then leads up the side of the tiered pyramid.
Jim lopes along, blade in hand. "How many of these things are there likely to be hereabouts, Nkechi?"
"It's probably a tribe so maybe a score of charau-ka along with some dire apes and chieftains.
Jim rolls his eyes. "Oh, is that all? Well, if we can take them a few at a time, we'll have a better chance. Come on, if we hurry Dibbets' spell will still be active."
Time being of the essence, Jim leads the way to the base of the ziggurat. You notice a thin column of smoke emitted from the crumbling roof as you approach. The walls are steep, but numerous dangling vines provide assistance and only Dingus has trouble climbing up. Fortunately, his levitation lasts long enough to help him ascend to the top.
Frowning a bit "How many makes a score then... ten or so... yeah, that seems okay like." Dibbets soon loses his puff at the fact he got to hustle along at twice the speed he's capable of to keep up with the others.
Jim clears the top tier with Dingus rising balloon-like behind him. Nkechi and then Dibbets are close behind. The top of the ziggurat has a couple low crumbling walls and clumps of bushes and vegetation rising up from the ancient cracked blocks. There is a large hole in the center which issues some smoke from the step pyramid's interior. The drumming is noticeably louder now and echoes up from within the structure as well.
A group of monkey men are gathered around the pit watching whatever is happening below. They don't notice you, but they are accompanied by a very big ape that does and rises to a towering height. It beats it chest at the sight of Jim and points a massive finger at the man while baring big yellow fangs!
Nkechi-
Madman Jim-
Dingus-
KONG
"The bigger they are...." Jim rushes the hairy primate, dodging as he goes.
[ooc]Current AC 25[/dice]
Jim skips forward ducking in close and wounding the beast while nimbly dodging the massive fangs and claws. Nkechi scrambles up after Jim grabbing a handful of pebbles as he stands.
Reaching between the air Dibbets calls upon the sparkling lance of his patron, conjuring the electric trident which had become his weapon of choice of late. Stumping forwards he looks to interpose himself to the fray where it will advantage the Madman.
Any developments on Kaul's situ from above - last I read he was getting high as a jungle creeper!
Are there any indications of the commotion/combat amongst the camp - or is Kauly too stoned to care??
VV gifts for the great Ape.
VV
"Nobody ever tells us the whole truth".
Dingus will stay at a distance from the offending party.
Jim is unable to connect with his second shot, continuing to focus on staying out of the ape's reach.
Dibbets is next up top and he summons a tri-tipped lightening bolt to hand. Dingus hangs mid-air able to neither retreat or advance, but fully able to launch a volley of force vipers into the giant ape. Nkechi pegs one of the inattentive monkeymen with a glowing rock.
Jim's bold assault falters slightly as the beast suddenly goes berserk! The nimble swordsman manages to keep his head however, and dodges the great fangs that snap too close to his face.
The three charau-ka gazing into the hole finally realize that they are under attack and spin to hurl paper packages at the invaders not engaged with the great ape. One is blown past Dibbets' wrapping winds, but Nkechi is hit and the last arcs high and against the odds scores a direct hit on Dingus.
"BUZZ BOMB!" Nkechi howls as the papery hive impacts and a swarm of wasps surround him. Dingus suffers the same misfortune.
With a thankful smirk that he managed to avoid the bomb flung his way, Dibbets shuffles around and into a flanking position against the damn dirty ape. When able he directs Gozreh's crackling trident to give the bugger a scorch he'll rue for the rest of his short life...
Flanking Melee Touch: for
"Ah! "Get em off me"
FORT Distracted
DEX Damage
Jim leans out of the way of the ape's fangs, then responds with a quick stab. "Thanks, mate!"
Dibbets hops along over to Jim's aid, but his gimp leg betrays him and he narrowly misses being clobbered by a long claw. Jim is giving the big ape all he can handle and the sailor's trusty rapier is a steel streak that pauses just long enough to once again sink into the enraged ape's side.
Dingus hangs helplessly batting at the wasps while Nkechi keeps it together long enough to get off a spell. The wasps swarming him lose interest and buzz off.
The bloodied ape rolls his eyes in crazed fury, but just can't get past Jim's ready defense. The three littler simians switch to hurling chunks of broken masonry at Jim and Dibbets as they leap and shriek. Despite their deadly accuracy, they can' manage to hit the pair engaged with their giant ally.
Jim is occupied dodging rocks, and is unable to follow up with another hit.
Weaving in between the dangling monkey nuts and swinging arms Dibbets grumbles "Testy bastard ain't he Jimmer..." as he tries to shove an electric trident up it's jacksie...
Flanking Melee Touch: for
Fort
Fort 2
Dingus cries out and swings madly at the swarm of wasps, feeling his coordination begin to suffer, and his swollen joints to stiffen.
He begins to get rid of his levitation spell, looking for some water to run to to escape the attack.
Dibbets goes Downunder and lights up the monster monkey. Its bellow go up an octave and drown out the drumming. Ignoring the swordsman, it turns on the little pain in the ass. The enraged beast finally manages to sink its fangs into someone, but the pain of its wounds hinder its efforts to maul leaving Dibbets only slightly scratched.
Dingus descends to the middle tier wailing in pain and fear. Nkechi chants out an ode to Gozreh and there is a rumble from the sky above. A bolt of lightning strikes near one of the minor monkey leaving it slightly singed. The monkeys continue their shrieking and stone throwing, but their accuracy seems to be suffering at the moment. Only Dibbets is hit in the hail of stones.
Ahhhhh!
FORT - Distraction
FORT - Dex Damage.
And Dingus lands on the middle tier, and begins to roll around on the surface, discouraging the wasps from stinging him any more.
Through bleary eyes Kaul scans the shifting, blurry panorama:
:
Rolling with the blows and tucking up to soften the risk of further blows Dibbets keeps with the stabbing...
Defensive Flanking Melee Touch: for
... exhorting his comrade "Keep it up Jimmer... fecker cannae be far frae gone like"
Jim nods and waits until the big ape is distracted by Dibbets' lightning again, then makes it pay.
The towering ape flinches from the crackling bolt at his backside and Jim lunges high and stabs the uber-ape in the throat. The howling beast topples crashing to the ancient blocks and falls silent, leaving only the shrill shrieks of the enraged charau-ka echoing through the ruins. In the background, the drumming below has also fallen silent and is replaced by echoing shrieks rising from within the ziggurat.
Dingus finally manages to crush or dislodge the wasps and stands covered in painful red welts. The sorcerer notes that his levitation spell has expired as has Jim's aid.
Nkechi calls down another bolt and this time scores a direct hit on the unlucky monkeyman. He's still standing, but barely as steam rises from charred hair standing on end. The rocks keep flying and this time Nkechi is hit.
"Feck, they're onto us." Jim goes after the three stone-throwers, putting his blade into the sizzling one.
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Round 5
The momentary triumph of downing the great ape is washed away with a grim curse and a spit from the diminutive oracle.
"Feck indeed lads... We need tae finish these monkey nuts quick like..."
He presses (hobbles) home alongside Jimmer bringing his crackling trident to bear once again;
:
:
Heavy lidded but distantly aware the party is moving on, Kaul attempts to get his $hite together...
:
But slumps back into this throne;
"Hurrrrr... Maybeee tomorrooooo..."