Uthraed moves closer, but the decreased range doesn't help his aim.
Meanwhile Muroi sends in a bolt of force to strike the beast.
The beast yowls in pain under the combined assaults, but keeps its focus on the Baron.
The beast bites deep into the Baron once more, this time grabbing hold and dragging him to the ground!
Bold May Post
Uthraed
Muroi
Lorelei- 15 dmg (-5, stabilized)
Leucrotta- 21 dmg
Myantha
Baron Rudyahm- 27 dmg, Prone
Myantha fires another arrow into the beast, causing it to scream out again.
Baron Rudyahm keeps fighting from the ground, trying to do as much damage as he can before his lifeblood seeps away. He manages to score a spectacular hit on the beast, just barely nicking an artery despite the beast turning away at the last moment. It falls dead on top of the Baron.
"Out of Combat"
The Baron manages to wiggle out from under the dead carcass and weakly rummages through his pockets, grabbing a couple of potion bottles. "I'll keep for now.. see to Lorelei!"
He drinks one potion, and his wounds begin to close.
"How is she doing?" he asks, a bit more strength finding its way into his voice.
|
Uthraed runs over to Lorelei and attempts to assess how she is doing.
She looks like she is in a bad way, He exclaims and fishes around in his pack for a potion. And tries to get the contents of it into her mouth.
Drink up, were not going to loose you, he whispers softly as he lifts her head to pour the rest of the remaining potion into her mouth.
The baron manages to get to his feet with help, and comes over to check on Lorelei himself. "Yes it is dead. Here.. I can make do with my wounds.. take this to help you get back on your feet. Count Matsanda will be able to help me, and I have a few healing stores with my belongings.
Once assured that Lorelei is going to survive, he turns back to the beast. [b]"By the gods.. that's no tiger! What in the devil is it?" Looking closer and moving around the body, he notes an ugly white scar running along the haunch. "What do you know? This is the creature.. Look! Look where my bullet hit it all those years ago?!"
|
Lorelei gladly accepts the Baron's healing potion as she stands and drinks it down. "Thank you, milord." Feeling a little bolder now, she steps over towards the fallen creature. "It is called a Leucrotta, they are evil magical beasts and quite intelligent. It is no wonder so many men were slaughtered all those years ago..." She rubs her head and winces. "Thank you all for saving me. I cannot believe I fell for such a blatant trick."
"Quite right.. Quite right indeed!" the baron says. He looks about the camp and decides "It is too late to try and break camp. We can come back during the daylight and remove my stands.. for now, lets just find Matsanda and patch ourselves up.. "
With this, the party manages to find a large sapling strong enough to secure the body of the leucrotta. In this way, two people can share the weight evenly with little trouble. Meanwhile, the Baron lights some torches and the party travels single file through the jungle paths, trying to find the camp. Eventually, the Baron is able to find the main path and the party is able to stumble into the hunting lodge at around midnight.
The next morning, (significantly later than dawn in deference to your late night toils) a porter awakes you, saying that the Baron requests your company.
|
After a quick preparation of spells, Myantha makes her way down to the baron's quarters. With a less-than-impressed look, she states in a flat tone "So, we've aided you in your journey, protected you and your son-in-law from multiple threats, and we've even assisted in the hunt for your 'tiger', for which you now have a new trophy to collect dust on your wall. I assume that this concludes our end of the bargain?"
Myantha studies her spells before heading the call of the count and the baron. When she arrives alone, both nobles are very nonplussed that she is the only one in attendance. "Where is the rest of your team?" Baron Rudyahm asks her before turning to another porter and requesting a second wake up for the rest of the team.
|
|
Lorelei spends a little too much time making sure they her clothing is immaculate and her hair is perfect. She looks up when the porter comes around again. "Oh my... please pass along my apologies to the Baron. I will head to their tent immediately."
She rushes into the tent with an apologetic smile. "I apologize, milords. After the encounter in the jungle, I wanted to ensure I looked my best for you both."
Slightly mollified by Lorelei's excuse and presentation, the Baron and the Count continue.
"Well, it is no matter. You saved my life and nearly died yourself! A little rest is, of course, very much warranted!" Baron Rudyahm says, offering the lady a chair.
"It seems that you have more than filled your part of the bargain, and we are in your debt." the Baron continues to the rest of the group. "You saved my life last night, and I am in your debt. Our original bargain with the Pathfinders was for you to accompany us on this hunting trip, and in return we would provide transportation to this island. In light of last nights events, I believe that I can do more. I know these jungles, and may be able to assist you in locating the temple you seek. If you will have me, of course!" he laughs, as if anything else would be ludicrous. "If you decide otherwise, you may go with our thanks and best wishes. Either way, the hunting trip has been successful, and we are ready to depart this camp. If you will have me, Count Matsanda will return to the ships with the porters and await our arrival, or if you do not wish for my company, I will join them. Either way, you will seek out the temple, and then return to the ships where we will take you back to Absalom."
|
|
Uthraed wakes from a deep sleep to find that the sun has already risen and begins preparing his spells for the day as he recalls the events of the night before. Just as he is finishing up a porter informs him that he is late for some meeting. He grabs his bow and arrives just in time to hear the Barron's speech.
"I cannot for speak for the rest of the group, but you fought valiantly last night, and I for one would be glad to continue to advebture with you" Uthraed says with a slight bow.
His proper way of speaking does not match his mud caked, disheveled exterior experience.
As if just now realizing what he looks like he adds in embarrassment [b]"please excuse my dress, after last night I slept far to long and have yet had a chance to clean."[b]
"It is settled then!" the count says with a laugh. "I will lead the way. The area where your venture captain believes the tempt to be is full swamp.. and it will be difficult to travel through. I say we set out immediately, as soon as you are ready!"
With this, he begins to prepare his own travel pack, leaving the rest of the team to make ready as they will, and meet him back at his tent.
The team meets the Baron back at the center of camp, and the older man sets off at a strong pace through the jungle. Before long, the terrain turns soft, and then devolves into full bog and swamp. Pesky mosquitoes and flies plague you as you thrash your way through mud and water looking for solid trails through the morass. The Baron leads the way, but it seems that he is still suffering some effects from the massive wounds he took the night previous..
The Barons stumbles past a very overgrown path, but Muroi's keen eyes spots the mistake. With a word, the sorcerer calls the groups attentions to the well hidden turn, and the Baron claps the Halfling on the back. "Very well done, my fellow. Very well done! My old eyes completely missed that one!"
The trail eventually takes you out of the swamp and to a very overgrown rise. Eventually, you are able to see that a structure actually exists under all of the creeping vines and brush.. you are able to see bits and pieces of its brown sandstone exterior through the foliage. The weight of the massive roof and the passage of centuries have caused the ceiling to collapse near the buildings center. Once there, the Baron nods, satisfied in the groups success. "I will set up a camp here. It is getting late.. so you should explore what you can and we will head back in the morning!"
Muroi just remembers the scant bits of information the party received during the mission briefing, and looking at the temple he is not able to tell anything other than the place is old. Casting Detect magic also gives him little to go on.. as nothing that is visible reacts to his spell.
|
|
As the group trudges through the swamp, she begins to feel miserable as an ache begins to set in all her muscles. Despite the heat, and constant sweat, Lorelei cannot seem to shake a chill and she finds herself shivering at times. Once at the building she looks tired and dark circles are very visible beneath her normally vibrant eyes. "Yes, let us hurry and explore this place so we can get out of this jungle."
The party moves up the steep and ancient stairway before them, and into the main entry way of the temple. Columns line the walls of this small room, each decorated with a high-relief carving of a monkey in a different pose. Some of the monkey sculptures sit serenely in meditation or reach out with their hands as if to deliver blessings to the viewer, while others adopt more naturalistic poses. The floor is littered with decaying plant matter and mud, and the stench of rotting muck pervades the area. An open archway leads south out into the jungle, while a second leads north deeper into the temple. Entering the room, you are surprised by several looters, packs and arms full, almost running for the exit.. which you are currently blocking!
"Get out of the way" the female in the lead yells at you angrily. "Let us pass and we won't hurt you!"
Uthraed takes a second look at the looters, and calls out "Wait.. They are just afraid of something! What are you afraid of?"
"I said, Get out of our way! You have no idea whats back there!" the looter says, adjusting her full pack on her shoulders.
The looter begins to draw her sword.. but Myantha and Uthraed manage to convince her otherwise. "I.. I.. Something EVIL!" she exclaims, dropping the pack. "Just let us out of here.. look, its yours. Let the things come after you! I don't even know what they are.. Its small, kind of like a man, but with glowing ruby red eyes and like a crown of horns on its head. I don't even know how many are in there.. they keep popping out from the shadows so its impossible to know!"
With these words, the lady and her cohorts run for the door in terror.
Myantha digs out the loot, and Muroi pours over it, trying to find any magic items. One item casts a radiant glow under his spell, the shiny golden apple.
The party gathers the loot and continues deeper into the complex. Passing into the next room you find a mosaic of a monkey-faced figure decorates the floor of this room, though the tiles that would form its eyes are missing. The north end of the room is filled with rubble blocking an arched passageway. To the west, vines and foliage intrude into the temple through an open-air balcony, while a similar balcony to the east remains relatively clear of plant life.
Muroi chooses the cautious route, but finds nothing with his spell. When he brings forth the tiles from the bag, they fit perfectly into the mosaic.
Myantha sees nothing more of note within the room.