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Uesugi and Luurg climbs to the top of the mountain, standing together Gallix. Gallix pops out ciggy and starts to smoke it in the midst of combat, and similarly transforms like Luurg earlier. Luurg, once he reaches the summit, pulls out a coconut and throws it towards one of the asura. It bounces against the ceiling and explodes, burning the asura who was not able to dodge away from the blast.
Meanwhile, Selima gestures to the ceiling above her and a patch of grease appears around the asura. Although hanging upside down, it however manages to keep its footing.
At the point when the screeching reaches it crescendo, suddenly monkeys burst in from every orifice of the temple chamber, clambering on the floor, walls and even ceilings. They move with such speed and blur that at times, it looks like there are hundreds of them, but at other times, you are certain there are only about a dozen. You pulls up your weapons in defence, but they swarm past you, heading straight for the asuras. The asuras disappear from your view briefly, surrounded by the monkeys, but appear again shortly when the monkeys disperse, this time, bereft of their bows! Just as quickly as they appeared, the monkeys quickly disperse. The two asuras screech in anger at the departing monkeys. Having their ranged weapons disarmed, they have no choice but head towards the party to get into melee.
The asura climbs across the ceiling, glaring at Luurg in anger for burning him earlier. It moves directly above him, while its wounds continue to knit close. Opening its maw, a long tongue lashes out but is unable to pierce Luurg's thick hide.
The asura, seeing itself surrounded by grease, jumps down from the ceiling directly at Selima! Similarly, it lashes out with his tongue, piercing into Selima's more delicate skin, but not deep enough to do much damage. However, she feels burning poison injected into her.
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Uesugi watches in awe as the monkey spirits spill into the chamber and flood past him and his companions going straight for the oni-like creatures only to disappear as fast as they appeared relieving the oni creatures of their bows.
Lacking their bows one creature skitters along the wall like a spider and stops over top of Luurg sending its tongue to attack the orc but in doing it leaves itself open for an attack and Uesugi slashes overhead at the creature.
The steel of the katana's blade coupled with Uesugi's skill cuts deeply into the creature. Before the creature can react Uesugi attacks again hoping to finish off the oni creature.
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With the fiends' change of tactics, Rogar realizes that the ladies are in trouble.
"Don't worry! I'll get the bastard!"
He then charges the fiend at floor height while drawing his warhammer.
After the unimpressive, but brave, charge, he shouts an order to Ivar.
"Savage the beast, boy! Rip out it's throat!"
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Luurg sighs in frustration and he begins climbing back down the mountain at a quicker pace. "Damn deez monkey demons! Stay put so we can skewer you!" He climbs down the statue with ease and moves over behind Raevin, but doesn't have a chance to draw out his spear... again. "Luurg here, no worries! Dat monkey ting good as DED!"
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Rogar valiantly charges towards the asura with his warhammer but with its small size, it easily dodges out of the way. Luurg deftly swings down from the faux mountain, heading towards the rescue as well. Raevin steps back, draws another cold iron arrow and fires at the asura between the legs of Selima. The arrow leaves a gash across its shoulder, burning through its magical hide, but misses its vital organs.
Ivar bites down on the unconscious asura but although helpless, its extraplanar resistance still holds, and Ivar's teeth is unable to pierce its hide.
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Gallix watches as Uesugi cuts down one of these creatures but then looks down below and sees others fighting to take down the last one. Confident that his friend can finish up the creature he clenches his cold iron dagger in mouth and belays down the rope with urgency. Hitting the ground with ease he drops his dagger into his hand ready to finish the hideous creature.
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Gallix follows Luurg's lead and similarly descend the mountain dexterously.
Uesugi watches as the wounds of the unconscious asura knit close. It awakens. It crawls towards him and snakes out its tongue at Uesugi's ankle, but he dodges out of the way.
Similarly, the rest down on the ground sees the wounds of the asura closing. It continues its attack with its tongue on Selima, piercing in her calf, and again poison surges in.
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The sorceress is startled as the creature drops down upon her, a bit odd considering she was just trying to make it fall a moment ago. Her head scarf comes loose and slips down around her shoulders, revealing her ears which have elongated points a bit like a elf's but are tipped with feline tufts like a wildcat. She quickly draws a dagger and tries to stab at the thing, but she is clearly flustered and makes an inept lunge.
After the thing lashes it's disgusting tongue at her a second time she thinks better of staying near it. She moves through the throng of Pathfinders to get away from the little demon monkey.
Thirsty flies into a feline fury upon seeing his mistress attacked and slashes with claw and gnashes with fang upon her attacker.
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Uesugi reacts with lightning speed when the asura revives, slicing deeply across its chest, rendering it unconscious again. He quickly follows through with another expert slice, this time decapitating it completely. Ivar gleefully crunches up the head and swallows it.
Although stunned momentarily, Selima manages to shake off the effect of the poisonous saliva. She whips out her dagger to slice the asura but her attack is not as adept as Uesugi's and goes wide. Waving the dagger protectively, she hikes up her dress and retreats from the area. Thirsty, furiously protecting his mistress, lands multiple blows on the asura but neither his sharp teeth nor claws are able to penetrate its magical hide. While Raevin waits for an opening, Luurg and Rogar stabs and swings at the asura respectively but it deftly dodges out of the way of all the attacks. Distracted by their attacks, however, it did not notice Gallix stabbing at it with his dagger. The cold iron burns the asura with a faintly audible sizzling sound as it pierces its shoulder. It screams in pain and turns to glare at Gallix.
The wounds of the asura continue to close, partially restoring it. Seeing his prey fleeing, the remaining asura turns its attention to the enemy that has caused him the greatest hurt thus far. It leaps towards Gallix, again snapping its poisonous tongue at him like a whip, but misses narrowly.
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Gallix looks at the creature, "Time to end this you ugly spawn!" He goes in to jab the asura from the right but then stops and reverses his direction using the momentum to spin around on his heel and launch an attack from the right.
While the fight commences down below Uesugi whips the remains of the creature below to the ground and heads down the rope.
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Gallix attempts to stab the asura as it leapt at him but it was too quick for him. Dodging the asura's tongue attack, he takes his time to feint, and manages to thrust his dagger into it. Luurg takes the opportunity of the asura's distraction to stab at it through Gallix's legs. Despite its magical hide, Luurg manages to skewer the asura, who falls unconscious from its massive wounds. The party then gathers round and butchers it.
With the two asuras defeated, the party is able to make its way south, towards a shrine flanked by statues of threatening-looking human-sized monkeys. Both of them, however, are badly damaged. In the shrine, a large statue of a monkey-faced man sits on a pedestal facing south. It would have enjoyed a clear view to the entrance of the temple if not for the rubble that had fallen. The statue’s arms and legs are missing, and deep scratches have been gouged into its face. Pieces of broken stone, rotting plant matter, and other assorted rubbish lie in heaps on the floor of this room. The smell of rot is particularly strong here. It seems that the asuras have been wantonly desecrating this temple for decades or even centuries.
When you examine the statue more closely, you notice that it is wearing a ragged belt, crafted like the tail of a monkey.
In addition, there’s a small cabinet in the pedestal below the statue, which the asuras have apparently ignored. Inside, you find an ancient but surprising well-preserved richly illuminated codex, which Gallix is able to read and recognise as the Vigrahin Patitraka, a Vudrani holy text. It is clearly valuable. Perhaps more valuable, as least to the Pathfinder Society, is a handwritten journal belonging to a priest who had accompanied Khiben-Saldin in his conquest and colonisation of the Jalmeray island more than four thousand years ago.
The party retraces its step back to the entrance of the temple. When you reach the entrance hall, however, you notice something has changed with the monkey carvings. It takes you a while to spot it but two of the carved monkeys are now kneeling and holding the tiny longbows stolen from the asuras. They hold them out as if presenting them to you as gifts or trophies.
”I heard some commotion in here. Was just coming in to check if everything is ok, but I guess things went well. Found what you were looking for?” Baron Bomande sees you staring at the two monkey statues, and takes a look as well. Not noticing anything in particular, he asks, ”Um, what are you staring at?”
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"A sacred gift it appears. Ones that the we shall present to the Society." Uesugi heads over to one of the statues and bows before each of them and then recovers the bow. "We thank you for your gifts. And more importantly thank you for the aid you provided us oh wise spirits of this sacred temple. Your gifts and actions shall be recorded."
At hearing that Gallix removes his journal from his pack and begins to record the event in detail before the memory fades. As Gallix does that Uesugi glances back into the temple. "We should remove the foul oni from the temple so that it does not pollute this sacred site."
Uesugi goes into the temple drags what pieces of the asuras are lying about making sure that they are outside of the temple.
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Once the demon monkey stops moving Luurg will give his spear a few shakes to dislodge the creature and send it to the ground, allowing Uesugi to remove its head. Luurg will take a closer look at it after he pulls out his skinning knife. "What you say dis ting is agin?" He takes a long sniff of its innards and flesh and starts to gut the creature, followed by more sniffs and snorts. He then removes some chunks of flesh and offers them to Ivar and Thirsty to see how they like it.
Luurg looks the statue up and down, then takes his now stinky spear and pokes it around in the rubbish, clearing it away from the statue, hoping to see something shiny and valuable. "Dis monkey man statue seen better times. Looks like dem demon monkey's pooped all over it! I bet bossman back home would want us to bring it back, but it too damn big to carry through da jungle. Mebe someone could draw it real gud? Especially dis neat belt its gut on! Hrmm... " Luurg will remove the belt and take a look at it as well as a gagging sniff, followed by another. "Uggh! So stinky! You shud smell how stinky dis is! Peww! Smell dis Selima, never smelled someting stinky like dat kinda stinky before." He then offers it around to everyone so they too can smell the amazing stinky smell.
Luurg nods at Rogar. "Ya not nice to not take gift. All dem monkies get bad and come steal our stuffs. No want dat, take dem bows I say."
"Hi dare Baron. Dis temple not too big. Not much good stuff here either, just sum old books. Bossman hopefully ok wid just some old books."
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Gallix approaches Luurg as he offers up the belt for a sniff and inhales deeply. He coughs and wipes tears from his eyes at the overwhelming odor. "Gah! Smells like a devil's sick. Put that thing away, Luurg!" The effects of the mutagen gradually wear off, and Gallix's body returns to its normal proportions. He carefully records the events that transpired in the temple, starting with the asura attack and proceeding from there to their recovery of the asura's bows.
When the Baron enters, Gallix looks up from his notes and nods to the nobleman. "This is quite the interesting site, Baron. We might not have made it here without your guidance. Thank you."
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"This is quite the interesting site, Baron. We might not have made it here without your guidance. Thank you."
"Well, I think we are all in agreement also that I would not have made it this far without your company, my friends. Come, it’s time to go. I would like to reach the lodge before nightfall. We know how well last night went!” He pauses here briefly, with a warm smile on his face. ”And I miss my son-in-law.”
As you leave the temple, a warm feeling descends on you, as if somehow, some essence of the monkey god accompanies you as you depart.
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The journey to the hunting lodge passes uneventfully. Count Falroun is pacing up and down the entrance when you arrive, clearly waiting anxiously for your returning. He is stunned, however, when Baron Bomande steps up and gives him a big hug. ”I’m glad you’re safe.”
The Count looks at you with some confusion, but also in gratitude. He pulls your party aside that night. ”We had quite the adventure, didn’t we, my friends. I didn’t think it would be so eventful when we first met in the office of your Captain, and I’m still not quite sure what happened last night with the Baron. But I can only say thank you. For keeping us alive, for one! And for helping me build the bridge to him. Thank you.”
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The party returns to Niswan to rest for two days. During this time, Count Falroun arranges for the golden jackal and rhinoceros brought down by Rogar and Uesugi to be stuffed and mounted. The third morning, the party boarded the ship to return to Absalom. The Baron stares deeply into the emerald jungles as the ship sails away from Jalmeray. ”Goodbye, my old friends. You have been avenged. And I think it is time I hung up my musket, too.”
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Back at the lodge, Venture Captain Valsin listens to your adventures with great interest. He excitedly inspects all the items you found in the lost temple, but he is especially thrilled with the journal recounting Khiben-Sald’s conquests and journeys.
Bearing a seldom-seen smile, he adds, ”I spoke with the Baron and Count just before they left. They both seemed different people from before. Happier, I would say. They sang praises of your support, and pledged their continued support for the Society. Good job with that. Now, I better get this journal log to our Vudran historians for analysis! We might find clues of other lost sites the Maharaja built or visited in his travels!”
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Luurg smiles a big smile when he sees the Count and Baron hug. "Was a gud hunt! Lots of tasty animals to be 'et.. and all dees jungle fruits!" Luurg is currently well stocked with all the local fruits of the jungle from their trip back.
After a long tasty meal Luurg is leaning back in the stoutest of chairs at the lodge, picking leftovers from his teeth with his skinning dagger. Once that task is complete he moves on to rubbing his gut that seems to be groaning in either protest or satisfaction.. or both. "You knows... dees tasty fruits... dey don't grow back on Absalom, not near so hot and wet dere. I tink dey could make fer some good eats back dere. Lots of hungry peoples wid silvers and gold to spend in der fancy houses. How hard you tink it be to bring 'em back to sell? Could be gud fer yous and good for mes. I know sum people.. dey good wid dat stuff."
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I am no diplomat Baron, my skills are better shown with my blade but I seek your counsel. I represent a group of individuals that look to maintain the peace and prosperity of the many nations of the Inner Sea. We look to guide the monarchs of the Inner Sea away from wars and any other actions that would be viewed as potentially dangerous to the growth of the Inner Sea. Much like the Society lended our support into assisting you the people I represent look to be that same support when the thrones of the Inner Sea might choose actions that would disrupt the open attitudes we currently live in. Might I have your support Baron?"
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"Master Uesugi, your offer is intriguing. I have been a soldier my whole life, and as a I result, many misunderstand, thinking that I live my life for war. How wrong they are. I have lived my life for the sake of peace. Just like you. I can see while you are martial, you are not violent. If an alliance can keep the peace in my beloved Alkenstar, I am willing to do what I can. So, my friend, yes you have my support." He smiles and he pats you on your shoulders.