You have been hired by the local elf government to acquire 12 apples for the coronation pie of their newest king. The apples must be picked on the day of coronation so, after you subtract travel time there and back, you will have four hours to pick the 12 apples. You will be paid 200 gp for every apple you acquire, and a 600 GP bonus if you get all 12 for a total of 3000 GP. The apples are normal apples, exploding if they take even one damage, but the elves can tell the difference if you bring some from a different tree.
The reason they're sending a squad of magic-wielding mercenaries after these apples, and not a pair of grandmothers, is the fact that the only apples majestic enough for the king's pie are the apples of the Red Tree, a giant apple tree located deep in the forest and guarded by a tribe of fiendish "Devil Chimps". Gathering apples from the Red Tree wastes many lives needlessly, and so making a pie from them is a mark of great status.
You all arrive at the clearing containing the Red Tree, right on schedule. The Red Tree is massive, stretching more than 250 feet into the air. There are no signs of any devil chimps, but the ground around the tree is littered with dead bodies. Most of them are decomposed to the point of being unrecognizable, but at least five of them are freshly killed humanoids with bashed-in skulls.
Red Tree Map - 1 Square = 5 Feet
The trunk and lower branches stretch up 30 feet into the air, and the apples are all above this point in the upper branches. It is a DC 15 climb check to climb up from the ground to the upper branches. Once in the upper branches, one must make a DC 10 climb check every time you take a move action (and it's considered difficult terrain) to avoid falling. Additionally, any time you take damage, you must make a DC 5 + the damage Climb check to avoid falling. Finally, the upper branches count as cover for the purposes of ranged attacks from people on the ground.
As a full round action you can pick 1d4 apples from any given square in the upper branches. A square can only be harvested once in this way, so you'll have to move from square to square to get enough apples. You'll need to transport them safely to the ground as well, as dropping them 30 ft. will destroy them.
The smaller trees surrounding the Red Tree use the same rules, although they're not as tall and they have no apples. You can leap from tree to tree if you're really brave.
Max wants to make sure these things are what they appear to be, dead. He will cast acid splash on the nearest dead body. [dice=attack]2+1d20
[dice=damage]1d3 Acid damage VS Touch AC.
Max flings a blob of conjured acid at the corpse directly in front of him, not one to fall for the old possum routine, and it squarely hits it's mark. The acid sizzles on the dead flesh, but there is no movement or reaction.
" Hmm. Works fer me."
Elric replies as he starts to unroll a coil of rope from around his body. Then takes off his pack, and pulls out a sack , an empty belt pouch and a grappling hook.
" Keep an eye out for them Devil Monkey things."
He then proceeds to attach the hook to the rope, knotting it every 3 feet or so, and carefully dumps his backpack out on the ground.
Pulling on a pair of gauntlets, he pulls his backpack on backwards so it is covering his belly, then hands the sack to someone and the empty belt pouch to another.
" Probably shouldn't burn the tree down, so we won't need those. Put any apples you get in the belt pouch or the sack. I'ma fill up my knapsack." He says as he points to a small pile of oil flasks.
" I'll try to climb up first and secure the knotted rope for the rest o' ya. With the knots it'll only reach about 35' or so, so we'll have to climb the branches to get higher..."
he then checks his bolt cases, and weapons and slings his crossbow over his shoulder.
" Again keep an eye out." And he'll approach the tree looking for a likely place to ascend to the branches 30 ' up.
" Might also search the remains here for usable equipment or treasure as well. But mostly watch for an ambush."
"Erlic I have an If you could fill a sack with a few apples. I could stay at the top of the lower branches and use my magic to relay them from upper branches to the ground. Dont fill it up to much though about five pounds will do."
Erlic finds a nice sturdy looking branch from which he could hang his grapple rope. He has just enough rope to ascend up to the upper branches where the apples are.
Erlic throws the grappling hook up and easily secures it to the branch. He gives it a quick tug and while the branch jostles a tiny bit it should easily support a person's weight.
As soon as he does this, however, a simian howling can be heard from up above.
Leena draws a Chackram "Stay Focused. We still have a job to complete"
Having been quiet until this moment, Bartleby assesses the situation. He reigns his war pony closer and pats it calmly on the neck. Checking to make sure his crossbow is loaded, he scans the branches and foliage aiming it at the treetops where the noises seem to be coming from. He softly mutters a quick prayer.
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Max moves up to be just behind Erlic. He will then look up at the branch holding the apple. and cast acid splash on the branch, hoping to melt it off and drop the apple to the ground with the branch. But he isn't going to cast it were the grappling hook is, he will cast it behind where the grappling hook connects, so he doesn't ruin the grappling hook versus touch ac of the branch.
acid damage.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
The fiendish chimps are cunning hiders, and Bartleby isn't able to catch sight of one even with the noise cues.
attack: 2 + 1d20 ⇒ 2 + (13) = 15 versus touch ac of the branch.
damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1 acid damage.
Stretching the furthest edges of the spell's range, the glob of acid connects with the branch, and a few drops spill onto the apple. The apple does not have time to dissolve significantly, however, because it immediately plummets to the ground where it bursts on impact.
It seems you'll need to find a gentler method of apple harvesting.
The use of this spell seems to disturb the chimps even more, as the howling and shaking of branches returns, this time intensified. Small stones begin to rain down from the tree, accompanied by the screeching and howling of chimps.
Max is hit hard in the chest with one stone, and Bartleby takes a grazing shot to the jaw, and spits blood. Erlic and HEY YOU, on the other hand, are protected by their armor. Based on the trajectory of the stones you can guess where the chimps who threw them must be.
"Follow my Lead!"
Leena throws her chakram at the chimp at O9.
Bartleby winces slightly in pain and grabs his holy symbol channeling positive energy to heal himself and his allies. The 30' range should heal only allies and not hopefully reach the chimps.
The chimps are unwounded anyhow, although my initiative may mean I go after someone else does, who may wound them.
This should bring Max and I back to full health.
Bartleby keeps his eyes on the treetops trying to spot the chimps.
After, channeling Bartleby moves his war pony ( combat trained ), 2 squares south and one east ( to M12 I believe it is ). He uses his knees as he is holding his crossbow with both hands.
DC5 Ride check
[OOC] fyi I have a cookout to attend so I will not be back until later this evening CST.
[Edit] Actually I have a fancy phone so maybe I can check in and see how that works :)
Erlic frowns up at the branches, then pulls his crossbow off of his shoulder and loads it.
Leena expertly flings her chakram into the trees. It cuts through several small branches before slashing all along the torso of one of the devil chimps, leaving a very deep wound. It screams more with rage than pain, although it's voice noticeably weakens. A few drops of black ichor falls from the upper branches onto the ground below just as the chakram does.
The chimp is able to hold on to the upper branches in spite of taking such a nasty cut.
Just as Max steps back and begins to weave enchantments on himself, the devil chimps send their next volley of rocks.
Erlic side-steps the next stone thrown at him, but the next three hit their marks and smash into Leena, HEY YOU, and Bartleby.
Leena takes a hit to her shoulder, nothing she can't shrug off. HEY YOU takes a hit to the chest but the Half-Orc barely notices. Bartleby, however, is hit so hard he feels it through his armor, and even his war pony rears a little.
And that was when all hell broke loose.
Leaping out of the tree and down 30 feet, howling with an almost human scream the whole way down, come two of the most filthy, gnarled looking chimpanzees even to blight the face of the world. You can smell the unearthly stink of them before they touch ground.
One comes leaping squarely at Leena, while the other drops down on HEY YOU.
Both skilled warriors are able to leap out of the path of the chimps before they touch ground, avoiding the bizarre attack.
Both devil chimps roll with their fall, taking bruises from what should have been a fatal fall, and spring back up.
The devil chimp that leapt at Leena is armed with a large metal shield that is clearly not of monkey manufacture. He also has a large wooden club that might well be.
The devil chimp that leapt at HEY YOU is armed with a pair of nunchaku, which she is wielding inelegantly but with great power.
Bartleby lets out a burst of positive energy, unfortunately catching the two devil chimps who jumped down in it as well, before withdrawing to a safer distance on his pony.
HEY YOU and Erlic ready themselves for combat.
ahh. crap. standing right between them.
Taking a 5' step out of the chimps flanking him, Elric drops his crossbow and draws his Waraxe." Die ya filthy ape!"
Unfortunately he stumbles over a root and the swing goes wide....
Bartleby quickly assesses the situation. It looks like the channel went off after damage was taken by our team, and was enough to bring us all to full health. Bartleby fires his crossbow at one of the treed chimps.
After firing, he maneuvers his pony to behind a tree to gain some ranged cover. Again he steers with his knees so that he can reload his crossbow. The tree to the east about 5 and 2 south. Whereever the trunk is.
DC 5 required
Leena infuses her longsword with a piece of her spirit at the same time as she draws it from it's scabbard. With a spinning overhand cut she lashes out at the devil chimp that leapt from the trees at her.
Her sword smashes into the chimp's metal shield, and the simian blocks the blow with tremendous strength. The enchanted weapon scraps along the side of the shield, kicking up multicolored sparks as it does so.
There is movement above, and the chimps in the trees shriek and howl, although the rain of stones has stopped.
Max exhausts his spell to throw his javelin with perfect accuracy, striking the club and shield chimp straight in the stomach, tearing a nasty wound as it rips out.
The club and shield chimp ignores the pain and counters Leena's failed attack with one of it's own.
Leena easily parries the club and turns the attack with her empowered blade.
The nunchaku-wielding chimp flails around with it's own weapon, seemingly at random, and slams it at Erlic's exposed back.
Not for the first time today, the dwarf's chain shirt absorbs the impact of the attack.
Erlic retreats back from the compromised position, swinging wildly as he does so but not making contact with the enemy.
Bartleby fires up at the trees as his pony takes him further from the battle towards cover.
HEY YOU expertly swings his polearm sideways at the nunchaku chimp, striking it square in the head. The fierce attack shatters the beast's skull and sprays bits of green brain and black blood. The stinking creature falls to the ground, dead.
Bartleby wishes he remembered if he has ever heard anything about these sort of chimps. He suspects they may not be normal animals, being "devil" chimps, and he didn't take calm animals today in any event.
He peers up into the treetops hoping to spot the chimps from the safety of his treetrunk cover (+4 (or better? ac vs ranged/melee - bringing Bartleby's AC to at least 18)
If he sees a target he can shoot at, he will fire his crossbow.
If he does not spy a target, he will instead slip behind the tree as completely as possible gaining total cover, and then cast Shield of Faith - bumping his AC to 20.
He calls out to HEY YOU, "Don't wander too far, I will boost your weapon soon."
Leena takes a 5 foot step to NW to set up a flanking position, and swings at Club Chimp.
Erlic will move again, 5' step North to grant himself and Leena flanking.
" Die Monkey Brain!"
But the pain in his back from the Nunchacku hit, even tho it didn't pass his armor, causes him to pull his arm and miss.
Leena slashes an ugly wound into the arm of the club chimp, but it battles on in an insane animal rage despite the blood loss.
Max has only the vaguest idea where any of the chimps are, but that's good enough for the magic missile. He flings the force dart and it speeds off in a zig-zag route through the branches before smashing into it's target, the chimp Leena's chakram damaged, right in the wound.
The chimp falls unconscious and loses it's grip on the branches.
It lands on it's head and snaps it's neck.
The club chimp screams as it takes one last desperate swing at Leena. A black aura of negative energy surrounds it momentarily as all of it's hate is focused into a single strike.
The bladebound magus spins out of the way of this crazed attack, before the strain of it causes the chimp to collapse.
Bartleby shoots up at the trees, but his bolt is deflected by a branch.
Finally, HEY YOU approaches the downed club chimp and finishes it off with an overhand bash to the skull. He makes a complete mess of the chimp's head, killing it.
Erlic waits until the enraged half-orc is finished his attack before getting between him and the chimp, then moves up.
" Crazy animals!" Grumps the dwarf as he rehangs his axe, and move over to pick up his crossbow.
Leena takes a Chakram and throws at the nearest chimp if she spotted one otherwise throws it randomly into the tree.
Having eliminated the ground threat, and none of the team appears to be wounded, Bartleby, strains his tiny muscles to reload his crossbow and fires at his target again, his nimble little hands taking careful aim.
Always curious about apes, Bartleby secretly wishes the chimps weren't so obviously evil and corrupted.
He keeps his eyes peeled for the other ape and for any other surprises that we have not sensed yet.
After firing, he guides My Lil' War Pony towards the rest of the team, riding up to the tree, next to HEY YOU and Erlic.
free action - guide mount with knees (DC 5).
Bartleby and Leena take wild shots at the chimps as they retreat deeper into the branches and higher into the tree. Eventually they get so far up that it's not really feasible to target them from the ground.
Only Max, whose attack is magically incapable of missing, is able to get off a successful parting shot at one of the chimps.
Meanwhile, HEY YOU ascends the knotted rope up into the upper branches.
HEY YOU is able to gather 2 apples, perched where he is.
The devil chimps are rustling around in the branches above HEY YOU somewhere, but you're not sure where any of them are.
Bartleby looks high into the trees. "Ugh, I was never good at climbing like the other kids. I will stay down here I think.
Hey Erlic, I can enchant one of your weapons, melee or ranged, you pick, you will get better use out of this than I will."
...reaches out and casts Magic Weapon on whichever weapon Erlic indicates.
"That should last about a minute."
Bartleby then reloads his own crossbow, beads of sweat forming on his brow as his rubbery little arms strain at it.
My Lil' War Pony snorts and stamps at the ground eying the dead chimps, then sniffs the tree and the ground, bored.
Max looks up and identifies a lot of good apple-picking locations up in the trees, but there's nothing he can do to gather them on the ground. You could access them if you climbed the rope.
HEY YOU climbs down with the first 2 of the dozen apples you need. You're 1/6th of the way towards your goal, and the chimps up in the tree seem to have run out of ammunition. But they're still up there, plotting.
"Well if those chimps have even the smallest amount of intelligence, they saw what we did to their comrades, and will let us take the apples and be on our way."
"I can store those apples in the saddlebags here, unless the teams feels safer having a person keep them. NO, NO Pony, you can't eat those, those aren't for you!"
Bartleby keeps his crossbow pointed at the treetops in case any chimps make an appearance.
If we enter noncombat or have any large gaps of time, I will cast longstrider on myself, otherwise I threaten the trees menacingly.
Bartleby takes a moment to cast longstrider on himself, while he monitors the trees for any movement.
Picking up his crossbow, Elric then holds it out to be enchanted. Slinging it over his shoulder he yells up to Hey You.
" Hey didn't I hand you a sack or an empty belt pouch to tuck those into? I know I handed them to somebody..."
"Ahh yes, so you did.
Bartleby uses the sack to also securely contain the apples and provide even more padding.
"Maybe we could tie a rope to a sack and raise and lower them up and down quickly, rather than climbing up and down a bunch of times."
Bartleby casually eyes the equipment that the fallen chimps had, I believe a shield and some sweet nunchuks, kicking it into a pile so we don't forget it.
Max ascends the rope into the upper branches. Unfortunately HEY YOU already grabbed all the available apples in the immediate vicinity. He has to move over one square where he manages to fill a bag with 5 apples.
Meanwhile, Bartleby checks out some of the classy new gear you've come into possession of as a result of your recent string of chimp murders. The nunchuks are, as predicted, totally sweet (masterwork at least), and the heavy shield is made of living steel if you're not mistaken. You might be, you're certainly no merchant.
The club is worth nothing. Technically less than nothing because even a good club isn't worth anything, and this is an inferior chimpcraft club. It has negative value. Carrying it around would cause you to have less money.
HEY YOU easily swings over to another branch, and fills a bag with three more apples.