Wardove's Rumble in the Jungle

Game Master Laithoron

Lureene shakes herself out of her link, and whispers softly, "He could not tell me what it was, it could be anyone!"

The rest of you continue to fall back, quickly scurrying over the dead giant obstructing the passageway. As you move, Darvesch hesitates for a moment when the lead ghoul is forced to try and crawl over the dead body, slowing it down quite a bit.

"Looks like it's a tight fit for the ghouls to get past the dead bodies. Pity that."

Seeing the opportunity present itself, the dwarf drops his shield for a moment, chokes-up and takes a pot-shot at the ghoul. His surprise attack hits dead on, hewing straight through the creature's arm. Even as the ghoul screams in surprise and pain, Darvesch levels another strike at it and crushes its ugly head into nothing but pulp. The undead creature's body flails wildly for a few moments before finally going still.

Behind it, he can hear the angry shouts of the other ghouls yelling for their brethren to get out of the way, the tunnel now completely blocked. It looks the good dwarf just bought you a bit more time...

End round 98

MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 99)

Lureene hurries into the entrance chamber and sees Alis and Sasha looking upwards. On their questioning looks, she can only shake her head. "I do not know what killed him, he did not have time to warn me."

Double move to K23.

As Priyya, Lureene, and Talvyra move into the vast entry chamber, Mal climbs ever higher. He's certain heard something although what it was he couldn't tell. Likewise, whatever Alis had tried whispering was too soft to be heard either. Yet given that Grak had vanished, he could only assume that it was some sort of warning.

Slowly, he pulls himself up, even with the edge and looks around. The sound of a bow-string being pulled taut reaches his ears and he turns to see a cannibal aiming at him. Yet the giant has the drop on him and sinks a pair of arrows into him from point-blank range. The big hunter can feel the icy cold of poison once again and curses himself for not thinking to cast delay poison before now.

Damn, it's that witch's toxin, I'll pass out if I don't do something fast.

Looking below, he yells, "Cannibal sniped me with poisoned arrows. He's by the entrance to the guard–"

Before Mal can finish, the giant gives a loud whistle. All around you, you can feel the rock shake as something heavy rumbles across the ground up above.

"Oh SHI–"

Suddenly you see a massive club on the end of a huge thick tail slam into Mal's back with a thunderous crack. Instantly, he falls from the edge of the pit, coughing blood.

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 43 = 43/43(58) poison delayed 1/2 saves DC 26
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
     g: 10 = 10/20
M hp: 57 - 15 - 18 - 25 = -1/57 diseased, stunned (1 round), poisoned
Dex 18 - 1 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Sasha hp: 46 = 46/46

"FEATHERFALL!" There's a definite hint of fear as Alis says the word. The moment he lands atop the corpses, she hurries forward, wand in hand and touches him with it.

Dammit, if I'd just ignored Lureene's summons...

Looking down, she notes that while his wounds have been stabilized, he's non-responsive albeit still breathing and looking about. "Priyya, he's not moving!"

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 43 = 43/43(58) poison delayed 1/2 saves DC 26
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
     g: 0 = 0/20
M hp: -1 + 1d8 + 3 ⇒ -1 + (1) + 3 = 3/57 diseased, stunned (1 round), poisoned 0/1 saves DC 18
Dex 17 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Aerys hp: 28 = 28/28
Gelik hp: 26 = 26/26
Wis 8 = 8/9
Jask hp: 12 = 12/12
Str 5 = 5/9, permanently blinded
Sasha hp: 46 = 46/46

"Oh crap!" Sasha says seeing Mal fall back down right in front of her. Looking up, she can't see anything at present, but she keeps her bow trained on the opening in the ceiling.

"Uh, I'd get him away from there, guys. He's a wide-open target!"

Round 99 end

MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 100)

Although he's unable to move, Mal groans and flexes his arms, evidently not quite dead yet.

Saved vs. poison's secondary effect. He's still stunned for the rest of the round though.

"Dammit! Well it looks like that bastard Cullos must have been laying in wait for us to all go below..."

She gives a long sigh. "This is my fault, I should have stayed put. I'm sorry, Mal."

Setting her jaw, she looks up at the hole in the ceiling then at the one who summoned her down here. "It's too far for me to fly in a single go. Lureene? I'm going to need your help..."

OK, heading to bed now.

Lureene looks up at the hole, and back to Alis. "'Lis, I...I am sorry for doing that to you. I panicked there, and now we are cut off."

She reaches into her pack and hands off the filled jug of healing draughts to Mal, and murmers "Drink this." She then turns to Alis and as if reading her mind, nods slowly in agreement.

This is a crazy idea, but we have no other choice here...I just hope Cullos and his beast are alone...

"'Lis, are you going to carry me? Anyway, we should make ourselves hard to see first..."

"I was thinking you should carry me. I still owe that bastard some payback for what he tried to do to me last night. Besides, I'm a bit harder to hit and if those ghouls break through, the others are going to need your firepower."

"I won't let them break through." He tells the group, and heads back in the direction of the ghoul-giants.

He'll move as far as he can in a single action, and cast flames of the faithful.

"I was thinking you should carry me. I still owe that bastard some payback for what he tried to do to me last night. Besides, I'm a bit harder to hit and if those ghouls break through, the others are going to need your firepower."

Lureene nods wordlessly, and flicks her wrish sheath out holding her wand out for Alis, "Do you need this wand?"

Assuming she takes the wand, Lureene blinks a tear out of her eye, and whispers "Be careful! That lizard will turn you into roadkill, so don't do anything rash!"

Alis accepts the wand and nods in gratitude. "Well, my plan is to stick to the rooftops and balconies. We'll see how it goes... Anyway..."

She walks up to Lureene and gives her a hug. "I'll be invisible until I can figure out the situation. Tut? You stay here and let Lureene know if I get in trouble. Keep her company. Mal, if you still have Aycenia's token, it might come in handy..."

With that, she turns herself invisible and holds tight onto Lureene. "If there's anything else you need to cast, do it now, otherwise give me a few seconds before we take wing..."

i.e. Fly next round so she can get 2 move actions to fly instead of 1.

Lureene thinks for a second, then she chants quickly and touches Alis on her cheek, where a soft glow suffuses her body.

She murmers into Alis' ear, "Just a good luck spell."

Cast Mage Armor on Alis for rd. 100.
Cast Fly (swift) for rd. 101, and double fly up 40'.

Even as Priyya drags the downed ranger out of harm's way, Darvesch's axe burst into flames. He stoically heads back into the tunnel to ensure that it remains clogged with un/dead bodies. As he waits, the one he destroyed slowly begins to get pulled backwards towards the transformation chamber.

End round 100.
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Next Up: Lureene, Alis, Darvesch, Mal, Priyya, Sasha, Ghouls;
MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 101)

"Alright, Lureene, let's do this!"

With a nod to her invisible friend, Lureene speaks a single arcane word and takes off with Alis clinging tight. She is able to fly just to the bottom of the hole in the ceiling before the magic of her spell is spent.

Just before she begins to glide back down, she hears Alis whisper her own spell and feels a brief kiss on the cheek before the elf girl flies up out of the hole. Having heard her whisper, Cullos and his pet are on guard. The gargantuan lizard is able to smell Alis' approach and pivots swinging its tail in a broad arc, however she keeps far enough away that it cannot pin-point her and its attack cleaves nothing but the air.

Try though he might, the beast's lustful master can figure out neither what he heard nor what the ankylosaurus swung at. Restraining a sigh of relief, she lands silently on the balcony up above and bides her time.

MAP: V-Giant Cannibal Village 2, (Round 101)

"Oh, no you don't!" Darvesch runs after the ghoul, determined not to let them regroup. Assuming the body in front of me is difficult terrain, I should be in I.34 right now. He'll be moving to N.38, or 10' from whatever is dragging the ghoul, whichever happens first.

Not even bothering to attempt to stand up, Mal simply reaches out and grabs the jug the succubus set by him. He chugs the bitter draught greedily before gasping out, "Lureene! What the HELL did you just do? Are you trying to get her killed? That lizard's tail might as well be Jámo's fist!"

The sergeant gives a sharp grunt as the healing magic begins to take effect, mending crushed bones and torn ligaments.

I hope to hell she knows what she's doing. Be easier to request a new assignment if she's not dead...

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 43 = 43/43(58) poison delayed 1/2 saves DC 26
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
     g: 0 = 0/20
M hp: 3 + 2d8 + 10 ⇒ 3 + (8, 1) + 10 = 22/57 diseased
Dex 17 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Sasha hp: 46 = 46/46

NOTE: As with the past few rounds, we're only nominally following combat rounds at this point until the ghouls are able to engage everyone again. If there's anything you want to do in the mean-time you have about 3 or 4 rounds before the ghouls get the passageway clear. Of course guerrilla warfare is fine too. :)

With a shout, Darvesch pursues the ghoul pulling the decapitated ghoul out of the tunnel. He scrambles up and over the body of the slain cannibal just as the dead ghoul's body is pulled off of it and onto the floor. Still holding its dead comrade's legs, the ghoul looks up in surprise at the approaching dwarf and his burning axe and attempts to 'pull the rug out from under him' before he gets any closer.

Jason: You have just enough movement left to attempt a single attack, but the footing is treacherous as it's a moving body. I'll treat it like a grease spell: Acrobatic DC 10 to move at half-speed or you fall prone.

Next Up: Darvesch?, Priyya?, Sasha?, Ghouls; Alis, Cullos, Lizard tentative?
MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 101b)

Lureene whispers a soft prayer for her sister as she floats back down. Be careful 'Lis, I...I cannot bear losing you...

Once she lands at the floor of the pit, she glares daggers at Mal and hisses, "I know perfectly well how big that lizard is, having been trampled by it yesterday!"

She takes a calming breath, trying to control her temper (which was being fueled by fear for Alis' well-being) and tries to reason with the intimidating ranger, "Look, Mal, if we cannot get Cullos away from there, then we will eventually be slaughtered by Nylithia's minions, or we will starve to death! Take your pick!"

She draws her rapier again, and allows King Tut to scamper on her shoulder, strokings him on his head before he settles on her shoulder. Don't worry, Tut, 'Lis will be OK... Turning to Sasha with a wicked gleam in her eyes, "Sash, I am ready to give these ghouls some payback!

Acrobatics 1d20 ⇒ 9 Miss... damnit..

Being hasty finally caught up with him, as he tries to split the skull of the ghoul, the body of one of their fallen is yanked out from under Darvesch. He loses his footing, and falls prone, for one deadly moment.

Priyya casts a spell and lays a hand on Mal. "I'll go see to Darvesch." She strides down the dark tunnel.

Cure Moderate Wounds
RANGE: Touch
DURATION: Instant
EFFECT: Heal 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (7, 6) + 5 = 18

Try as he might, Darvesch is unable to maintain his footing and falls to the ground between the two corpses. Thankfully, help is on its way as Priyya heads off to check on him after healing Mal.

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 43 = 43/43(58) poison delayed 1/2 saves DC 26
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
M hp: 22 + 18 = 40/57 diseased
Dex 17 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Sasha hp: 46 = 46/46

Continuing to follow her big brother's instructions, Talvyra accompanies Priyya, padding silently down the hallway ahead of her.

Back in the main chamber, Sasha looks between Mal and Lureene. In a hushed tone, she asks, "Want me to back-up Sar– uh... Priyya then? Alis is gonna keep that big guy busy, right?"

Not being a combat tactician, Lureene thinks for a few seconds. Hmmm, I did not hear 'Lis cry out, so she made it up there OK. Now, she cannot take Cullos and the lizard together, but she can distract them. Sasha could help out 'Lis there as well...

She indicates for Sasha to shift to the south side of the opening. Square L19. She then whispers to Sasha, "See if you can take any pot shots at either Cullos or the lizard, if they leave themselves open for it. I will back up the others, in case they get forced back to the chamber. If I need you to help, I will let you know."

"Huh, ok well I'll wait over here then. Just yell if you need me, ok?"

End round 101

Up top, Alis assays the situation from the safety of the balcony, still invisible. As she watches, the giant motions for the giant lizard to stay where it is while he picks up a large vat placed just outside the door to the guard room — something that that Cullos must have recently placed there himself. Setting his bow down, he grasps the large tub with both hands and then with a mighty heave swings it around and hurls it straight down the pit!

Dammit, no!

"LOOKOUT BELOW!"

Just as Alis is about to cast feather fall, the vessel shatters against the side of the pit spilling its contents.

Lureene, Mal, and Sasha all look up at Alis' shout just as a massive ceramic vat smashes against the side of the pit far above. Immediately, a disgusting rain of grease and lard pours down from on high completely covering the floor for a good 10-ft radius around the bottom of the pit. Gold template

Lureene just barely manages to jump back, but the two rangers get completely drenched in the foul stuff and are struck by large chunks of falling pottery. Sasha immediately falls to the ground, her footing suddenly slick.

"Great, all we need now is some flaming arrows from on high..."

With that, he struggles to get back to his feet but is unable to do so. He opts instead to cast a healing spell on himself to undo some more of the damage he's suffered.

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 43 = 43/43(58) poison delayed 1/2 saves DC 26
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
     g: 0 = 0/20
M hp: 40 - 2d6 + 1d8 + 5 ⇒ 40 - (1, 2) + (1) + 5 = 43/57 diseased
Dex 17 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Sasha hp: 46 - 2d6 ⇒ 46 - (6, 3) = 37/46

Cullos looks up at the balcony, a confused look on his face. With a shout to his pet, he makes a grunting sound and pushing motion indicating the scaffolding for the lighthouse's balcony.

Without delay, the huge, armored beast lumbers forward smashing the structure to kindling with barely a trace of effort. Down below, heavy timbers and logs rain down threatening to crush Sasha and Mal. The big man easily avoids the falling logs and struts while Sasha very nearly gets smashed to bits by one that impacts only few feet from her.

"HOLY SH1T!" Sasha says, voice shaking, "How the hell are we supposed to get back out now?!"

She struggles back to her feet and backs away from the opening. "Is Alis ok?"

Lureene whispers back to Sasha, "I sure hope so..."

She turns to Mal and Priyya, "I think we will need to fight our way out through the ghouls now. Didn't Aycenia say there was a cave entrance to the bay further down the passageway?"

With a curse, Alis leaps off the collapsing balcony sailing clear over Cullos' head. In mid-air she whips out her Sewing Kit and draws a bead on the giant's neck. Landing gracefully on the walkway immediately to his south, she snaps off two shots both of which strike home.

As the giant recoils from the surprise attack, she calls out, "HEY! You have bigger little problems, Cullos... ME!"

MAP: V-Giant Cannibal Village 2, (Round 102)

From up above, Lureene, Mal, and Sasha can hear Cullos give a grunt of surprise and pain and hear Alis taunting him. "Well, guess she's doing better than us anyway," Sasha comments, circling back around the pile of bodies and timbers towards Lureene.

If she can keep a height advantage she should be ok.

Not inclined to answer Lureene or Sasha directly, Mal says, "Don't worry about her for now, we've got our own problems. This whole place was hollowed out by the sea, but we didn't get down to sea level yet. That means we'll have to go thru the ghouls if we want to swim back out of here."

Now to see if I can get my feet back under me...

Next Up: Darvesch, Lureene, Priyya, Ghouls; Cullos, Alis, Dinosaur
MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 102)

Priyya and her bodyguard jog back down the tunnel.

Double move towards Darvesch.

Priyya and Talvyra hurry down the tunnel, clambering over the dead giant lodged along the path. The great cat makes it a bit farther and hops atop the body of the giant just around the corner, overlooking Darvesch and his flaming axe on the ground just a short distance away.

Jason: Darvesch is prone in his square but otherwise took no damage from his fall.

Next Up: Darvesch, Lureene, Ghouls; Cullos, Alis, Dinosaur, Mal, Priyya, Sasha
MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 102b)

"Well, guess she's doing better than us anyway," Sasha comments, circling back around the pile of bodies and timbers towards Lureene.

"Yeah, no arguement there, Sash. Anyway, lets get moving, the others are gonna need our help!"

Double move to I31.

Darvesch climbs on the body that's being dragged, and tries to get a good swing in at his awkward angle. "You're not gonna get away that easy! Kahn grant me the strength to destroy these vile creatures."

Not about to let his enemy clear the blockage in the tunnel without a fight, Darvesch grabs hold of the dragged corpse with one hand and claws his way up it, axe held low. In desperation, the ghoul drops its slain brethren and slashes at the dwarf, but its claws glance harmlessly off Darvesch's armor.

Unfortunately for it, that is the last mistake it ever makes as the inquisitor's flaming axe splits its ribcage dropping it to the ground!

Next Up: Ghouls; Cullos, Alis, Dinosaur, Darvesch, Lureene, Mal, Priyya, Sasha

"Grab the dwarf, strip his bones. I shall freeze the blood in his veins..." The words echo down the tunnel reaching even to the entry chamber as Nylithati steps into view of Darvesch. With a wicked sneer, the purple-skinned old hag points a crooked finger straight at Darvesch before clenching her fist so hard that he can hear the bones in her old hand crack.

Instantly he finds himself unable to move, his heart seizing within his chest as if gripped by an iron vice! Although he can still think, not even his eyes will blink nor his lungs take a breath.

In the next moment, cruel claws grasp his arms pulling him forward into the hallway beyond!

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 43 - 1d3 ⇒ 43 - (1) = 42/43(58)
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
     g: 0 = 0/20
M hp: 43 = 43/57 diseased
Dex 17 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Sasha hp: 37 = 37/46

"Damnable woman!"

With a surprising display of finesse, Cullos rolls forward scooping up his bow and unloads on Alis point-blank inflicting a grievous wound upon her abdomen. Somehow she manages to pull the huge shaft free before it can poison her, but she is hurt and badly.

Although she's badly hurt, she's not dead yet. Feigning that she's nearly done for, the princess pretends to fall to her knees and Cullos lowers his guard, gloating.

Not quite yet...

She instantly seizes upon the opportunity, striking him twice in the gut. Knowing full well that the poison is supposed to knock her out, she drops to the room to remove herself from his line of sight and continue her ruse.

Wincing in pain and nearly as injured as his quarry, the oversized ranger motions to his imposing pet, urging her to smash down the wall to his south!

The creature gives a deafening roar and charges the wall shaking the whole structure. Inside, aged timbers give way and a hole opens in the roof as she takes a frightening divot out of the century-old masonry. Thankfully the structure fails to collapse, but there's no way it can withstand such treatment for long.

"Good girl! Bring it down!"

MAP: V-Giant Cannibal Village 2, (Round 103)

Silt and pebbles fall like rain underground as the guard beast ramps the walkway. "Nine Hells, it sounds like the lighthouse is about to come down on us!"

Focusing on his predicament, Mal finally manages to extricate himself from the grease slick and hurries after Priyya and the others.

"Damn, I hope not," Sasha comments following close behind him, "don't we need it to signal a ship or something?"

Although she's not entirely certain what's wrong, the sleek hunting cat can tell that the short one should at least be struggling — even a rabbit would scream and flail within her claws, futile though it might be. Carefully, she slinks forward, scaling the dead bodies with all the ease that the two-legs lacked.

With no effort at all, she sinks her fangs deep into the wrist of the giant enemy, seeking to sever tendons at crush bones. Yet even as bad as they smelled, their taste was foul — worse than week-old carrion ridden with flies, worse than any dung or man-made place. Yet for all that, the thing did not relinquish its grip on the short one...

Talvyra's eyes narrow to slits, a growl arising deep in her throat.

So this was why Big Brother had kept her from the hunt — he knew there would be no joy in it for her. Still, she had claws and would make these creature come to regret their bad taste...

Next Up: Lureene, Priyya, Ghouls; Cullos, Alis, Dinosaur, Mal, Sasha Darvesch is still paralyzed
MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 103)

Priyya races around the corner after the jungle cat and stops Move to N40 at the wall of undead. She assays the situation, eldritch flames licking across her body. "Good. This is a just fight."

The holy fighter channels the power of her deity trying to blast the undead from existence before she turns her attention to the hag that created them.

Standard Action - Channel Energy: 30' radius burst; Will Save vs DC:17 for 1/2 DAM
HEAL: 3d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3) + (6, 4) = 21 Phylactery
DAM: 21 + 5 = 26

• No Channel Resistance on Damage Save

She points a finger at the hag. "I'm coming for you, crone."

In a flash of light, the ghoul gripping Darvesch is blown away. He remains paralyzed, but his wounds are healed by Priyya's aid.

A hp: 26 = 26/26
     k: 13 = 13/13
D hp: 42 + 21 = 63/43(58) poison delayed 1/2 saves DC 26
Con 12 = 12/18 -3 penalty
L hp: 41 = 41/41 diseased
     g: 0 = 0/20
M hp: 43 = 43/57 diseased
Dex 17 = 17/18
Int 9 = 9/12
     t: 42 = 42/42
P hp: 36 = 36/36

Sasha hp: 37 = 37/46

Next Up: Lureene, Ghouls; Cullos, Alis, Dinosaur, Mal, Priyya, Sasha
MAP: VV - Caves of the Mother, (Round 0)

Lureene heart quails in fear for Alis as she hurries along the tunnel, her golden glow shedding light all around her. As she climbs over the dead giant body, she says softly to King Tut "I pray 'Lis is ok...please Tut, let her be OK..."

Double move to M38.

Even as the somewhat less busty blonde races along, Tut tries his best not whimper.

"Ee-ee-AH!" He answers, seemingly trying to rally the winged girl's spirits. His queen had killed giants before, this was not so different was it? At least he hoped not...

"Smash it ALL down," Cullos bellows, "bury her in the stones!"