"See, I said we didn't need to sneak. They're all distracted by that thing in the tree. Let's go up behind them and kill them."
Achahut moves to do just that and stabs the nearest frog.
Achahut kills a frog, stabbing straight through bone and organs.
AC 16, FF 13
Achahut screams at the remaining frogs.
"HHHHHhhhah!! IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG SINCE I'VE KILLED ONE OF YOU! WHO IS NEXT?" Pointing her new sword at the nearest.
Oh my Torag, this Lizardfolk is as nuts as Odie! I need to get in there and protect her.
Round 0? | HP 43/43
Stonewall moves to support Achahut. His first priority is to be adjacent to Achahut, and then, when that is accomplished, to be in range of one of the Grippli for a swing with his axe. I have no idea what the issue is here, I guess I should try to knock them out. Probably to late for it to matter, but I’ll give it a shot anyway.
Surprise!
"I think that Simian guy took their pendant thing."
Ood attempts to knock out the other grippli.
The three grippli see the ferocious Achahut and are so shaken that they turn and run into the jungle, splitting into three different directions, arms flailing
Stonewall misses, but Ood does a flying dropkick, sending the ape to the ground, unconscious.
The pendant is the only thing of value on the simian. The rain continues to pour down.
"Don't let them go! Priest, you go left! Giant, you go right! Fist, stay here with that thing. I'm going for the middle one! Meet back here as soon as you kill it or in 5 if it out runs you! GO!"
Achahut rushes off.
Ood waits patiently and binds the Simian and watches alert for danger.
"Take care of your surroundings while you give chase."
Ood is content to sit with the Simian, but if anyone asked him to give chase could change his mind.
Round Surprise | HP 43/43 | Arrows 34/40
Alset fires an arrow at his assign grippli at its first step in retreat.
Stonewall moves to follow the Lizardfolk’s plan with a nod. If Alset is on board, it can’t be to bad an idea.
Alset's arrow hits the grippli, but does not kill it.
In the rain, you four separate and run into the jungle. The grippli, having the ability to climb through the rainforest, are quickly lost in the foliage. You find yourselves alone, soaking wet, and in an unknown jungle.
Ood waits patiently at the site of the encounter, waiting and waiting for his companions to make their way back. After a few minutes Achahut and Stonewall return, empty handed, but it takes Alset almost an hour to return
The body of the simian, and the magic necklace he carried, is all that is left in the jungle.
Once everyone is back, Stonewall says, "Well, what are we supposed to do with this thing now? Ood, you say it took something of theirs? Also, Achahut, we generally try not to start killing stuff until we know if its evil or not..."
Alset returns wet and frustrated.
He considers the simian and the necklace.
Seeing that he can tell nothing about either, he asks, "What do you think of this creature? Ood, have you talked to it? What did you learn?"
Stonewall sees Alset considering the necklace and says, "Ah, you noticed it too. Looks like a......to me. Sounds like Ood was saying it took it from the Grippli."
"What happened here? It sounded like they said you took their necklace."
"I found necklace. It was around the neck of sleeping grippli. He did not wake when I took it, so now it is mine. Thank you for driving off the dumb frog people. I have bananas if you want some."
He pulls a bunch of bruised bananas from his belt and offers them to you.
"Thank you, bye bye."
He attempts to leave if you are done with him.
Achahut runs him through with her sword.
"I can't stand thieves."
"We couldn't have let him go. He's seen us and our gear, he would have just come back at night to try and take our stuff the way he took theirs. I just saved us from having to wake up in the night to deal with him."
”I should have told you this earlier, but I only sleep for an hour. So someone will take an hour shift while I sleep, and the rest of the night I keep watch for just that kind of danger.”
Ood contemplates... were going to have to work harder than we had with Odie to keep her from drawing blood.
Mud is appalled at Achahut's actions. This is why we don't like lizardfolk...
"Well, let's get a move on. We're done exploring these few miles, so let's move on. Are we wanting to explore around the jungle to the east before heading to the Sky Tempest Temple, or do we want to dive straight in? I have no idea what to expect either way."
Stonewall tilts his head down and clasps his head in his hand. ”You can’t just go killing people whenever you want Achahut. We generally try to avoid killing...”
To Mud:”We should just head for the temple. Let’s take care of this Durathek or what ever and be done.”
The next day of travel is soggy and wet. The jungle feels thicker here, far away from the coast, with vines the size of your arm and fronds slapping you every step of the way. The air is thick and humid, and with the continual downpour, you feel as if you were swimming the whole morning.
After lunch, you come upon a weed-choked clearing that opens up in the dense jungle. Through the sheets of rain ahead of you a basalt structure, overgrown with vines and small trees, lies the Sky Tempest Temple. A foundation of gray stone stands five feet above the ground and runs a hundred and forty feet on each side. Walls rise fifteen feet from the base, decorated with weathered carvings of a man and a woman cavorting in storms and ocean waves. Tangled jungle trees loom to the north, while a swath of thatch huts lie to the west.
"What do you guys think is the best way in?"
None detect as Evil.
** spoiler omitted **
Stonewall recognizes the string as a Pendant of the Blood Scarab. Stonewall does not recognize Zooif in the grippli scouting party.
** spoiler omitted **
Ood examines for handholds or chips that might assist in climbing.
”Maybe here...”
"Maybe we go check out the huts? I'm not sure all of us can climb up that vine."
Three lizardfolk stand up form the clearing before you, brandishing terbutjes. You've both spotted each other before either could act.
"Halt! Wait, Achahut? What is going on here? We normally attack intruders unless they're our own kind. I thought you left?"
These are not Daruthek's followers, but the current chief's follwers.
Achahut ignores their questions and in her best chief voice demands:
"Troops, what have I missed?"
"We live in fear of Daruthek. He's sacrificed four of our young ones to his mad schemes. I assume you're all here to wipe us out... please, just spare us and our village there."
They motion to the collection of huts to the west of the temple. The three lizardfolk are cowed and fearful of the Muddy Mariners, worried about being killed by either Daruthek or by you five.
"Take your families and leave. Is there anyone else we can get out without alerting Daruthek?"
Ah, appears he may not be so bloodthirsty as I thought... good. We can work with this!
Stonewall turns toward the Lizardfolk and comes up beside Achahut, his shield at the ready, his weapon in hand but at his side. He watches for any sign of attack but does not instigate anything.
common:"Oh right, I forgot you guys don't speak lizardfolk. Daruthek has threated this village into compliance. They will now flee into the jungle and leave Daruthek to us as soon as they can. Then, anyone still left inside will still loyal to him and therefor stabable."
Alset readies his bow for attacking those who remain faithful to Durathek.
"Ask them where this Durathek is. Let's go and put him out of his misery. He sounds evil to me."
"Follow us," the three guards say. They walk you out of the clearing to the west side of the temple, where a small lizardfolk village has sprung up. As you walk through, you see the lizardfolk bristle at the sight of strangers in their village; however, every one of them is not a warrior. Children, elderly, infirm, grievously injured; the village is full of those who cannot fight. You pass lines of fish hung up to dry, a pen of monitor lizards resting lazily, and pitiful campfires sputtering in the rain.
The three guards meet up with the only other two warrior-looking lizardfolk in the village and discuss the situation.
"We will stay with our own families out here. Many of them cannot move so quickly. Daruthek is in the temple, conducting his profane rituals; we cannot enter deep into the temple, so we do not know where exactly he is. However, Shathva will want to talk to you, our chieftan. She is in there," the guard says, and points to the southwest corner of the temple, where a large hut has been constructed. "She will take more convincing than myself and my fellow lizardfolk. If you will speak with her, I can announce you."
"Thank you, brothers, we will talk with her."
Achahut relays the info to the others and says
"Shathva and I do not have the best relationship at the moment. Maybe one of you can be more, diplomatic, than me in this situation."
"Alset, get in there and talk to this Shathva, I'll back you up." Stonewall moves to stay adjacent to Alset and keeps his shield at the ready, careful with his footing on the slick stone and mud that they traverse.
The hut is made up of three separate structures with their walls combined. Warm furs and stained scraps of fabric line the floor inside the hut, and a burning brazier in its center provides light. Chieftain Shathva sits on an elevated wooden bench, while the two lizardfolk flanking her motion to the floor before the chief. She is covered in scars, her face smeared with red face paint. A feathery headdress from vultures, cassowaries, and other aggressive birds of the jungle adorns her head. Across her lap is a thick greatclub carved from some black-barked tree you've never seen before, (Stonewall:) and it radiates enchantment magic. (Alset:) She is not Evil.
"Speak," she says.
Alset bows respectfully to Shathva and begins to explain the situation to the leader by describing the value of allowing the Muddy Mariners to help by removing Daruthek and helping the lizardfolk to return to their normal lives. He seeks more information from her about her/their religion that might help him make his case.
In her own tongue, "Daruthek is a blight on your people, and has already started costing you the next generation. Let us help stop him for the good of all of us."
Stonewall tries to get a feel for what factors matter to Shathva.
Achahut is too proud to bow but regards Shathva as an equal.
In Draconic: "Shathva, you must get your people clear of this place. Daruthek's actions are going to blow up in his face. You and your people do not want to be here when that happens! We are going to attempt to stop him but if we fail, you'll want to be clear of his wrath. We do now know what he is capable of."
Shathva is not a religious person. "Daruthek is the one with the crazed beliefs. I believe in my fist."
She does not believe Ood's words either, and says, "Have you met Daruthek? No? You only know him from those he has bested. He has been my staunchest friend since we were clutchmates."
She sigh at Achahut, "Yes, I know the power he wields is dangerous. Even I know not what powers he wields, save that of the sky and the storm."
Shathva is conflicted, your words beginning to wear her down, but not yet enough to change her mind.
"He may have been your friend once, it sounds to me like he is an enemy to your people now."