Rhesus grows bored waiting for negotiations.
"Ok, that's enough of this. Let's go, they're ready for us and they've told the whole place about us. Time to gut some frogs. That was the middle hole right?"
Rhesus will begin slogging to the other entrance.
Bibic shrugs, "I guess we give them a wide berth for now."
He checks his bow and follows Rhesus, "Yeah, I think it was. Let's get some frogs!"
Spasi looks at Noya, back at the barricade and shrugs.
"Well, I tried." He walks back to the group.
"That was the middle hole, right?"
"Yeah, let's go to the middle hole. That's my lucky hole," Spasi agrees with Rhesus, following.
Clement nods.
"If they come to us, it saves us a lot of walking, right Reese?"
Clement punches Rhesus on the arm for good measure, and advances shoulder-to-shoulder with his friend.
Giving up on the Trogs for the moment, you follow the directions on the crude map that Maroux had provided you, and head towards the entrance used by the Frogs. After about an hour of slashing your way through the tangled undergrowth, you catch sight of a rocky spur jutting from the surrounding swamp.
Clustered in the shadow of the outcrop is a small village of mud brick and thatched roof huts. Through the smokey haze of cook fires, a path can be seen winding from the village up to the stony hill. As you get a little closer, you see that the village is built directly into the swarm, with the huts standing half submerged in the stagnant water.
Spasi overlooks the camp.
"I thought the middle hole was the one with the darkness...you know, the one with the monster at the end," Spasi says.
"I think these big frogs are the ones abetting those refugees from Korvosa. We should be cautious."
Spasi looks at Noya.
"Noya, are we going to try to convert these too? Or should we gird for battle?"
Dude...did you use the word 'gird'? You're such a dork.
Man, you suck. 'Gird'. Welcome to Geek Academy. Attendance: you.
Spasi's face scrunches up unhappily.
"Are we going to have to kill the whole village? I don't know if I like that idea. Seems, I dunno, excessive. Maybe they'll just send out their warriors, we can kill them, and then move along unmolested."
"Maybe not even kill 'em. This is their home after all, and we're just trying to get to the other side. Right?"
"So yeah, Noya, do you want to convert them, or can we just beat them up a bit? I mean, they haven't even set us on fire or anything yet."
"You know it Clem. Less walkin' through this swamp the better."
***********
"Hey Spasi, you spoke Trog, ya speak Frog? Mebbe you have palaver with 'em and we can do a one on one challenge? Bet they'd let us pass then, and we wouldn't have ta kill the others till they're older."
"I still want the Trogs to be redeemed, but language is a problem.
And in there weakened state killing them would be like commiting a massacre."
Clement smiles a little as he watches Spasi's face twist up.
Must be that witch's food.
He pats his rock solid stomach, having never noticed a single thing amiss in the stew.
Spasi looks at Noya as if he doesn't even recognize her. He shifts his attention to the more pro-active Rhesus who seems to have a plan.
"Boggards, huh?" Spasi rubs his chin.
Know (Local) - Boggards
"Yeah, I dunno...I don't think I speak their tongue. It's surprising, but I think they have their own living language. You'd have thought it would have croaked! HA HA *cough* HA HA HA *cough**gag* hee hee *GAG*..." Spasi laughs heartily that breaks down into a coughing fit as he feels queasy again.
"Get it...croaked...get it!? Because they're frogs....*hack*..."
When he finishes being hilarious, Spasi rubs off his chin.
"Sure, I'll go talk to them. What should I say? That we're with that other chick? The one from Korvosa? Think that will work?"
Rhesus chuckles at Spasi's joke and nods.
"Sure, try that first. If they don't buy it, challenge their champion."
Spasi will yell out to the boggards, using Common and hoping that at least one will speak it if Oriana, the Korvosan, is there.
"Hey! HEY!" Spasi yells. "We're looking for Oriana. We're from Korvosa. She here?"
Bluff
At Spasi's yell, the quiet village bursts into activity, as armed boggards begin to emerge from the huts. Armed with bows and spears, they quickly take a defensive position. From your vantage point, you can see that while several of them have bandaged wounds, they appear fit and ready for violence. A slightly larger member of the tribe in a distinctive headdress directs them from the rear, gesturing wildly with a long bow.
Rhesus shrugs again.
"Well damn. Bibic, think you can feather that one from here?"
Clement gets his shield ready, and quickly utters the prayers that entwine his lifeforce with Rhesus's.
"Looks like there's one way into this place, and it's through frog-men or.... bog-men."
Spasi casts extended Shield and gets behind cover, happy to let Bibic use his superior skills to whittle down the foes.
"At look already beaten up, this might be an easier fight than with the trogs," Spasi says, hiding behind a tree and peering around.
"I'll see what I can do Rhesus."
Bibic will take a hard look at the large boggard. He takes his time, pull snack his bow, and lets one fly, hoping to be straight and true.
He shrugs at his attempt. "Not a good shot folks, sorry about that."
He looks to see what the response shall be.
"This will likely not go so well."
Noya goes Total Defense
Bibic's arrow whizzes just past the leader.
Combat?
Everyone
Frogs
AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, –1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 22/22 x8
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1
AC 17, touch n, flat-footed 16 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 50/50
Fort +9, Ref+5, Will +4
Round 1, Initiative 16
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 37/40
Silver Blunt Arrows = 20/20
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Bardic Performance = 14/14
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +4, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +1, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 4/4) (CL 5, Con: +8, SR: +7)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
Bibic tries to better his last effort as he tries to hit just the large Boggard out of the crowd. He steps forward 5’.
”Take down the leader and maybe the rest will give up the fight!”
Round 1, Initiative 24
"Bibic, this is all you. We'll watch some. Maybe help a bit from back here." Spasi grouses from behind cover.
"It's too bad these guys wouldn't talk. Too bad."
Round 1 Init 11
Rhesus readies his hammer and moves forward to prevent the spearfrogs from reaching Bibic, but otherwise waits.
"Shoot straight boys, I'll handle any that get brave."
Round 1, Initiative 18
Clement steps up next to Rhesus and readies his shield to block any incoming attacks against his friend, forming a formidable line against any incoming bog-men while providing cover for Bibic.
Noya attacks one of the lesser frogmen
Noya attacks one of the lesser frogmen.
"Noya...wait!!" Spasi says belatedly. "Did you not hear us?"
Spasi watches as Noya goes to single handedly attack all the frogmen while the rest of us hide or wait for them to approach.
I guess diplomacy or patience isn't her thing.
You can hear the yowl pain as Bibic's arrows come slamming in, and a croak of fury as the creature raises its own bow and orders its compatriots to return fire.
The remaining frogs close ranks, though you see one leap into the swamp and swim into the village.
AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, –1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 22/22 x7, 13/22
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1
AC 17, touch n, flat-footed 16 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 23/50
Fort +9, Ref+5, Will +4
Round 2, Initiative 16
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 35/40
Silver Blunt Arrows = 20/20
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Bardic Performance = 14/14
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +4, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +1, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 4/4) (CL 5, Con: +8, SR: +7)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
Bibic takes another step forward, wincing in pain from the arrows slamming into him and tries again to hit the chief boggard.
”Noya!”
Noya will instead not move and ready an attack on charge
Round 2, Initiative 24
"Bibic, that looks like it stings a bit," Spasi says, admired the arrow coming out of Bibic's armor. "Ayep, nothing quite like an arrow in the chest, huh?"
Clement points at the swimming frog.
"Hey! We scared one away.... oh.. wait.."
He then looks to Rhesus to confirm they are charging forward versus standing around and providing cover for Bibic.
Round 2
"Come on Clem, let's take their attention away from Bibic."
Rhesus moves forward 30 feet, inviting the creatures to focus on him.
Bibic looks to where his arrows fell and wonders if the great beast has much more in him.
He waits for the return volley, cringing at the thought of more arrows filling his frame.
The boss frog drinks a potion and orders its soldiers to attack.
The melee bogs move out to attack Clement and Rhesus.
AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, –1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 22/22 x7, 13/22
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1
AC 17, touch n, flat-footed 16 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 10/50
Fort +9, Ref+5, Will +4
Round 3
"Finally some action!"
Rhesus starts swinging with gusto at the boggard that nicked him.
He barely manages to hit, but the hammer does it's job.
Round 3, Initiative 16
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 35/40
Silver Blunt Arrows = 20/20
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Bardic Performance = 14/14
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +4, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +1, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 3/4) (CL 5, Con: +8, SR: +7)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
Bibic moves a little closer to the action as he cures himself of some of his injuries.
Cure Light Wounds for
”Watch yourselves, these creatures are fierce and not as dumb as they look!”
Round 2, Initiative 24
"Bibic, keep shooting. Don't you worry about nothing."
Round 2, Initiative 18
Clement glances back over his shoulder, some concern on his face for Bibic, but immediately whips his head back just in time to bring his shield to bear between the latest onslaught of bog-men and Rhesus.
Grunting as he takes an injury of his own, he swings his mace to repay in kind.
for
One of the creatures drops beneath Rhesus' mighty hammer and Clement scores a wicked blow on another. Spasi's bolt flies true and the leader bellows defiantly in Boggard. Behind the archers, you see that the boggard that fled is returning and something swims alongside it, causing the water to roil alarmingly.
The frogs continue the fight, but their blows and arrows mostly go wide.
AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, –1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 22/22 x6, 18/22
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1
AC 17, touch n, flat-footed 16 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 6/50
Fort +9, Ref+5, Will +4
Noya continues on the lesser bogs
Round 4
Rhesus turns to the boss frog.
"Finally, a challenge!"
Round 4, Initiative 24
"Hey Bibic? Bibic?! Is Rhesus...frothing? Is that froth?" Spasi tries to see Rhesus through the mess of frogmen. "I think he's frothing."
Round 4, Initiative 16
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 35/40
Silver Blunt Arrows = 20/20
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Bardic Performance = 14/14
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +4, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +1, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 3/4) (CL 5, Con: +8, SR: +7)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
Bibic steps up, emboldened by Spasi’s earlier words of encouragement. He looks at the flecks of froth in the distance and nods, ”Yep, that’s slobber all right! We’re in it now!” He grins and shoots, targeting first the lead Boggard and then another in the ranks if the leader goes down.
Round 3, Initiative 18
Clement continues to keep his eyes trained on his own body to spot wounds he's sharing from any attacks against Rhesus... and is both relieved and disappointed to find none.
He once again lays his mace into the skull of a nearby boggard while keeping his shield ready to deflect any enemy attacks.
for
Tho more boggards drop beneath the terrible fierceness of your assault and Bibic's arrows drop the leader, who falls into the swamp with a sigh.
The remaining archers drop their bows and rush in drawing clubs.
The disturbance in the water also reaches you and out bursts a nightmare shambling along the ground on eight muscular tentacles that leave behind a clear viscous residue stinking of putrefaction. Its amphibian skin is moist , green-black, and covered in warts and protuberances. On its back, dozens of.fist sized pustules shift and pulsate with nauseating vitality, like sentient oily bubbles threatening to burst.
AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, –1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 22/22 x4, 15/22
Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +1
Round 5
Rhesus continues to roar and fling spittle as the lesser frogs line up to die.
"Come here ugly!"
Noya continues on the lesser bog minions
Round 5, Initiative 16
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 31/40 (3 misses)
Silver Blunt Arrows = 20/20
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Bardic Performance = 14/14
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +4, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +1, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells Remaining: (First: 3/4) (CL 5, Con: +8, SR: +7)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
Bibic looks at the huge shambling thing coming out of the water and shrugs - glad he’s not any where near that stink. He takes two shots at it to try and weaken it before it arrives at the front line.
Clearly it has him shaken however and he shoots poorly.