The giant ape stops what it is doing as you land. It immediately turns its head and peers up at you...you think to yourself, it is one perceptive ape.
You see its massive eyes dart back and forth, taking in the surrounding terrain. You notice that there are no other animals around, obviously fearful of such a beast.
At that moment the apes face turns into what you could only call a grin or a sneer...it turns back to the heads it was looking at and walks over to one of them slowly placing one of its massive paws over it. It plucks the head off the pole and suddenly turns, hurling the head at you.
the head goes low of you and bounces off the tree. Do you do anything or wait to see what it does next?
The spell allows you to see through concealment without penalty or bonus to what you are looking at. Total concealment would still not allow you to see what the ape is doing. Assuming in your small size you go into concealment and will make a stealth check to see what the creature is doing with the appropriate bonus'. Please roll.
It isn't hiding so no perception check needed.
Balani, you think the tracks are from this morning. It is mid afternoon. You do see that none of the bodies have heads. You going to search their equipment or head back to the group. Nim has been gone for about a minute at this point and has not returned.
Unless Tragershen hears something or sees something to make him think otherwise, he's content to wait half an hour before investigating himself. Of course, if some of the others don't wait that long, he won't make them go alone.
The Dire Ape follows your flight to the area near your hidden spot. You disappear around the back of a tree then peering out from behind some leaves You stop and look to see what it is doing...it stands there for a few seconds looking in your general direction...like it is pondering something.
It then turns and moves quickly away from you deeper into the forest heading west you think...moving with suprisingly quiet steps for something so large. Unless you try to follow you will loose it quickly in the think forest. You are probably about 300 feet NW from the expedition at this point as long as they stayed still.
It has been about 2-3 minutes at this point. You haven't heard aything else except for one crisp sound like a piece of wood hitting another. Otherwise the jungle noise has picked back up somewhat.
Mihai remains content to wait in relative silence.
The great Ape moves west about another 2-300 feet, occassionaly looking back in your direction, before arriving at a horrible scene. You see a trodden down area. Various branches and and trees are broken. You see a number of Ape skulls on broken trees facing outward in all directions. Various remains of jungel animals lay throughout the area within the skills.
There is an area of various softer, but dead vegetation in the center where the beast may have its sleeping area. It goes and sits in that area.
You think it knows you are following it...its not acting like a normal Dire Ape. Its almost like it trying to wait you out.
Nim flies back and rejoins the others. Returning to human form he wastes no time in warning them, We are about to be attacked by a large ape that isn't what it seems.
I think you mean a large ape is about to become carpet material, Nim...
Balani waits hidden in the trees contemplating her next move. Realizing that whatever made the big crashing noise fairly close by is no longer making any noise she deduces that it either slipped away silently or is hiding nearby silently. Figuring that whatever creature or creatures dispensed with the men by the river would have no need to sneak away quietly she assumes there is a high likelihood of an ambush and realizes she needs to warn the others. She slips back through the trees towards the others with her bow at the ready.
"What do you mean, 'not what it seems?' Do you think it is shapeshifted?" And then realizing his intellectual curiosity is overriding his survival instinct, he adds "How imminent do you think conflict is? Can it be averted?" Regardless of Nim's answer(s), Tragershen will stow his bow and ready his metamagic rod, suspecting its arcane benefits will be in high demand shortly.
Wic beats his chest showing Nim he is ready for a challenge!
Just let me know if yo plan to wait here, continue on, or something else.
I'm not sure... it behaves unlike a normal animal. It apparently deduced my nature, realizing that I was not just a simple bird. I suspect it has followed me back...
To Nim (and Balani if she's returned yet), "Is there ground nearby that would make for a good place to stand? If it makes no difference, then perhaps we should press on. If it engages us as we travel, we can react."
Balani walks up as Nim is updating the group to what he saw. The last time he saw it it was about 4-500 feet away...just sitting there.
Balani, feel free to share what you saw before you decide what to do.
Balani arrives in camp in time to hear Nim's warning. I did not see the creature, but it appears to have easily dispatched a group of armed men earlier. Ripped them apart in fact. She speaks quickly, It appeared to have taken them by surprise, we should prepare now!
I think we should press on and hope that I am wrong that it is aware of us...
Balani shrugs at Nim's statement. You are the animal expert. Perhaps we just need to pass through quickly and avoid lingering in the creature's territory.
She prepares to lead the others off in as much the opposite direction as possible based on the apparent location of the Ape. She remains wary, her eyes and ears straining for any hint that they might soon be attacked.
This is no normal animal. Animals don't generally kill for sport and keep trophies. And they certainly don't arrange them for display.
I agree we should leave the area immediately...
The party heads NE, following the river. You come across the bodies found by Balani earlier.
The description. The trees grow broader and taller here, their gnarled branches rising to a tangled canopy that blots out the sun. Digging into their roots, giant, parasitic corpse-flowers blossom across the forest floor. Littering the banks of the river are several humanoid corpses, their armor and bodies ripped apart as if by large claws.
You haven't searched them yet, do you wish to stop and look at or search them as you pass?
We should not have come this way... Nim warns darkly.
Unless Nim or Balani stops him, Tragershen will move forward and examine the bodies. He'll use a detect magic across the area, and he's checking for any sort of insignia on the fallen. Can he tell an ethnicity of them? Could we identify them as a rival group?
Nim shakes his head but does nothing to stop Tragershen.
Balani does not watch Tragershen as he works but instead maintains vigilance.
I too am curious as to the nature of this group.
You pick up a magic aura, it comes from a detached hand laying near the water with a magic ring on it.
You also find in one of the packs an insignia of some type which you discuss and come to agreement that it is of the Aspis Consortium. You can't tell anything else as their is so little left of the group...just pieces.
You grab the packs and move away form the area as quickly as you can...
Absolutely. Once he finds the Aspis insignia he holds it up for the rest to see, then drops it. He'll take the ring, pausing to scan the jungle before moving away with the rest.
Let us not tarry! Get the soldiers moving! Nim whispers emphatically through gritted teeth.
Tragershen nods curtly and moves as directed, following the guides.
Balani leads the way as they make their way swiftly from the area.
You press as hard as you dare and until it is almost dark. You are probably several miles away from that area when you stop. You are all uneasy though, the image of the men ripped apart running through everyone's mind.
You settle down for the evening, nothing occurs but the jungle noises in the background that evening.
Any special preparations tonight? If not I will advance the game.
Tragershen will try to identify the ring he took. Spellcraft .
He'll continue to use extended (with Vudrani Spark) alarm (with bonded object casting) since he didn't use either during the day.
He'll change Ray of Frost for Message so he can use it on advance scouts during the day.
Any useful gear from the Aspis packs will be given over to our escort to bolster our provisions unless it is something special.
The ring turns out to be a very useful Ring of Sustenance
Aura faint conjuration; CL 5th
Slot ring; Price 2,500 gp; Weight —
Description
This ring continually provides its wearer with life-sustaining nourishment. The ring also refreshes the body and mind, so that its wearer needs only sleep 2 hours per day to gain the benefit of 8 hours of sleep. This allows a spellcaster that requires rest to prepare spells to do so after only 2 hours, but this does not allow a spellcaster to prepare spells more than once per day. The ring must be worn for a full week before it begins to work. If it is removed, the owner must wear it for another week to reattune it to himself.
Kragnir was not at all uneasy. As a matter of fact, the warrior was itching for a fight and was irritated by the caution being displayed. Surely if the caravan was to follow behind, the beast would need to be dispatched.
After Tragershen has identified the ring, he'll show it to the others.
"This is a ring of sustenance. After one wears it for a week or so, it will start to eliminate the need for the wearer to eat, or drink. It will greatly reduce the need for sleep as well, though not entirely. Perhaps it should be worn by one who would serve as a sentry or scout?"
Balani accepts the ring, promising to do double duty during the night, once it takes effect.
Keep in mind that the Guards you have with you are doing watches at night not anyone from the group.