Oh! Thanks for the reminder. Need some colored rings to put around our miniatures :)
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Round 3, continued Zeki ghosts along and attempts to seize up the winged ape, while Zeke's ancestors continue their attack!
Astonishingly the winged ape is held!
Borracho flits about, darting and distracting the golem while Throgg and Werner deliver might hits with their weaponry. They take down the monster in round 3! Round 4
It snaps free as a full round action!
Round 2, continued
Initiative:
Suspicious Winged Ape Kaava Bush Devil Zeki Throgg Boraccho Zeke Werner Zeki bobs upwards to the thirty foot ceiling, his wispy eyebrows just a spider's length from the roof. With his blessings of fervor the party continues their war against the apes. Throgg lands many might blows, though only the first damages the well armored mandrill golem. Borracho also flutters about the monster like an angry hummingbird, possibly irritating the creation.
As Werner repositions everyone including himself, the golem tries to smack him on the way out:
Meanwhile the dwarven ancestors switch to the strange spellcaster, and both do well smacking it around. Round 3 Without a flinch the bedraggled ape casts [/i]true strike[/i] and readies to attack with his falchion the first adventurer that approaches. The golem focuses its one good eye on Throgg and proceeds to lay into the froggy barbarian:
They all connect, for 44 damage (before DR)!
Zeke's Great Grand pappy and Great Aunt appear as he shrinks into the ground, and perform the old hammer and anvil routine on the golem. Unfortunately they are unable to get solid hits in against the monster. Round 2 The winged ape sees Borracho's approach and draws a falchion forth from a back scabbard. It hunkers down and adopts a monkey grip on the weapon, then reconsiders as Borracho flies nearby. Wings flare out and it rises on one leg - a crane stance! A monkey fighting in crane style, how does that even make sense? What is this, a vault of madness?
Meanwhile the dreadful stitched together Mandrill golem attacks Werner with two slams and a bite!
initiative:
Suspicious Winged Ape Kaava Bush Devil Zeki Throgg Boraccho Zeke Werner Zeki cast a wise eye at the creature, and can tell that many things about the mandrill flesh golem. It is clearly resistant to all weapons besides adamantine, obviously immune to magic attacks while possessing construct type traits, and Zeki's keen observation can tell it has no special attacks besides many combat feats.
Throgg is bound up by magical tentacles, though they are no match for his froggy rage! With a might sunder Throgg shreds the very magical threads making the tentacles ensnaring the party! Boraccho, Zeke and Werner are unbound.
Boraccho hits though does not confirm a crit, despite the golem being vulnerable to critical hits. Zeke can optionally revise or continue to glide forward under the earth. Werner thrashes the mandrill over and over, though the blows cannot seem to land and do enough damage.
From across the candle lit room a winged ape passes and scowls at you, collecting arcane energies in its meaty paws. Feathers in array, fur matted, and one eye sealed shut and seeping, it is like no other ape creature you've encountered so far.
As before, it seeks to control the battle, calling forth black tentacles!.
Still nothing you have not faced before... until you find this monkey had one more clever strategy, a force held in reserve. Charging from the darkness, invisibility stripped away by Borracho's invisibility purge, an armored flesh golem made from large mandrill charges into view. It slams into Werner with a rhine hide armor charge!
Zeki is up!
Any day now and we should have our froggy friend back!
Initiative: Suspicious Winged Ape
Throgg added to the map! I'll add an init roll for him though hold off on NPC actions until E-G is back & can play. Spoilers - last fight of the book for us!
Looking at this fight, you might want the green god with you after all..
As you enter you see the follwoing scene before you... "Dozens of candles stand on recessed stone shelves lining the walls of this chamber, many of them burnt down to puddles of dried wax, the rest providing a dim, flickering illumination. An opulent bedchamber and sitting area have been created here on a grand scale out of stolen furniture, crates, and camp gear; the room contains a huge bed draped with netting, a large table cobbled together from crates, and shields and pieces of armor set out as dishes and serving platters." In addition there is the lone scout of the Gorilla king, a winged derhii that unlike all others cast spells with an alarming effectiveness against your planned defenses. Initiative!
initiative order: Suspicious Winged Ape Kaava Bush Devil Zeki Boraccho Zeke Werner
Maps finally made - E-G if you want to bring Throgg in let me know! Otherwise we can think about another in-person game with book 5...
I will get you a new map Saturday!
In what seemed like the final empty room, Borracho discerns a well hidden secret. By looking at the scratch patterns along the south wall, he sees the outline of a secret door where areas without marks form a door-shaped outline. In the negative space of the scratch covered wall, the hidden is made visible.
I decided to sit Throgg out rather than continue to run him as a GM NPC... I just can't do justice to E-G's combat monster.
Additional note about the statue... it is worth about 1500 gold, or 5000 if the arm is repaired (and the trap removed of course). Statue weights 1000 pounds so there is the question of transportation.
Zeki can easily tell this Glyph has been set up to unleash a blast of sonic energy that would cause terrible damage and probably disintegrate the statue spear and spear arm.
The adventurers (minus Throgg, who is guarding against ambushes) can step over the tripwire now that it is visible, just as the apes have done as they move about their lair. To the south the vault corridor continues about 90 feet and opens up into a small cave. The walls have been heavily scratched by clawed beasts, and there well gnawed bones on the ground. The air smells strongly of an animal order, similar to that of the Girallons you fought previously. There are no exits.
Zeke, as you move down the corridor you see a large marble statue of a female Azlanti warrior. She is portrayed with her spear raised, poised to attack. The design and detail of this work is stunning. Such ancient works are rarely seen, and rarer still is the magical protection against the passage of time granted by the city. As you call out to her she responds immediately with a warning: Nay nay, dwarven stone talker,
Looking about you can see someone has rigged the spear to strike down at whatever crosses in front of the statue by means of a tripwire. Thanks to the statue's guidance you note the faint magical tracing of a glyph of warding on the spear tip, though the type remains unknown.
Throgg, his mighty rage ended, settles back on the ground in exhaustion. Battered, clawed, and terribly wounded he still keeps his fighting spirits about him. "You go on ahead," he suggusts, in between great froggy breathes. "Kill that last ape. I'll catch flying orgres if they try to buzz past." Poking through the remains you find and identify: On apes:
On Girallons:
On Theka:
Among the bedrolls and food supplies storied in the edges of this room your find:
Down the tunnel you the outlines of a large Azlanti statue. Zeki you feel this must be the old stone mentioned in your previously talk with a rock wall.
I'm (mostly) over my cold and will resume posting once the weather cools down tonight.
Round 5, continued Spoiler:
Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon - dead Throgg on 8- Ape Lieutenant Theka - dead Werner on 4 Zeke on 3 Throgg is well positioned to attack the remaining apes, and proceeds to do so.
With only one ape standing between him and the party, the winged ape stops delaying and acts. With the casting of dimension door it vanishes! Werner may finish pouring his potion, then it is Zeke before round 6 and the last remaining foe.
At the end of round 4 Zeke bleeds messily while his faithful servant risks terrible injury to save Zeke's life. Truly a beautiful bond beyond the comprehension of savage apes, for they proceed to attack Werner mercilessly.
The apes strike true, though their giant sized priest misses with an enormous club trailing magical fire. 29 more damage to Werner. Such is the wages of service in Saventh Yhi. Round 5 Spoiler:
Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10-
The blurry winged ape moves watches Borracho go past with one good eye, the other scared and closed shut. It seems to perceive that magic protection is in play on the flying hero. Though not detecting magic long enough to recognize protection from evil is in effect, Borracho was not effected by the confusion aura, and confusion was the planned action. The winged ape delays to see how Theka fares. Now the remaining apes attempt to take on their deadly foe, Throgg.
The apes quail before Throgg, and can barely dare to hit him. He floats above slain chaura-ka and girallon like the Green God reincarnated! Before Theka can begin to apply righteous might on the group, Borracho strikes! Once, twice and a third time the spear stabs horribly into the ape cleric. With a long pitiful howl Theka drops his club and collapses, dead. Zeki is up.
Round 4 continued
Spoiler:
Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon on 8
Borracho flies forward and attacks one of the troublesome casters, immune to the confusion aura thanks to protection from evil 10'. . His spear strike is good! Meanwhile Zeki, who hopefully has vision restored after the third attempt, barely survives the casting duel that was plastering him with fire.
The advanced Girallon attacks Throgg!
For all its great accuracy, the monster can barely hurt the flying frog.
Now Throgg's turn begins...
... and Girallon's life ends.
Theka snarls at Borracho and attempts to defensively cast a spell:
It is filled with Rightous Might and grows monstrously large! Next up, Werner and Zeke.
Werner places a well aimed strike that wounds, but does not kill, an ape foe. Zeke executes a confused strike against his own face, while the two summoned ancestors look on. Round 5
Spoiler:
Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon on 8 Throgg on 8- Ape Lieutenant Theka on 7 Werner on 4 Zeke on 3 As the party presses their advantage into this final vault, the ape leaders carefully consider what is needed. Despite the terrible damage being traded, the defensive line still holds. Visiting Winged Ape on 31
Another fireball flies from the blurry winged ape. It sails to the back ranks, catching Borracho, Griselda and Zeki.
The apes meanwhile work into a hasted frenzy, and attack Zeke and Werner. The shrieking would be very annoying if not for the silence.
Borracho, Griselda, and Zeki up! Need reflex from all three.
Spoiler:
Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon on 8 Throgg on 8- Ape Lieutenant Theka on 7 Werner on 4 Zeke on 3 With a wink of his gnomish eye, the other Girallon is hexed, and now a much easier target. That same beast slides forward to stand next to Zeke and unload four armed fury on the dwarf:
As the Girallon flails it manages to graps Zeke and rend him mightily!
Throgg sees his allies appear and a new foe. He wonders, in his froggy mind, what to do?
Loudly he croaks, "Boraccho was right to attack with flight! Do as grand Borracho!" Unfortunately the magical silence cloaks this profound eruption. With his magical flying boots he soars over the corpses before him and charges the girallon mauling poor Zeke.
The cleric Theka calls upon his clerical domain of madness and beings emitting an aura of madness! madness:
Because when you think about it, why would an ape cleric wear an alligator skin suit when he can wear armor? Is he cosplaying an alligator? Or could furry creatures like apes dream of having cool, smooth skin... And what about those fangs on the hat, wouldn't those be scratchy?
Within the zone of silence and facing the last hope of the surface ape forces, Zeke, his ancestors, and Werner are up! (Need save versus madness from both).
The great girallon cannot handle the full Borracho, and after such a display falls down dead.
Before Zeki's eyes the monster falls, allowing our gnome a chance to reconsider his actions. After Zeki comes the other Advanced Girallon then Throgg!
The dwarven ancestors arose and attack the Girallon for 16 damage, while Zeke and Werner glides through the earth and arrive on the other side. Arising from the ground they find themselves the target of charau-ka fury, as their movement provokes attacks. Unfortunately for these apes they had their javelins out, expecting a fly by attack, so they bite with filthy teeth:
From their new location they see a curious creature.. one of the winged apes that the Gorilla King used as scouts and heralds. The outline of this one blurs and shimmers by magic, and surrounding it you see the faint arcane symbols hovering in the air, suggesting the shape of a magical dome. Round 3
Spoiler:
Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon on 8 Throgg on 8- Ape Lieutenant on 7 Werner on 4 Zeke on 3 From under that dome the visiting winged ape casts a spell, and a small red dot flies past Zeke, Werner, the Girallon, Throgg the unstoppable all the way back to Zeki, where it grows and washes over you with light and heat.
Unknown and unseen, the secret ape leader readies an action. The apes re-position, dropping their javelins and drawing wicked masterwork spiked clubs. They go to work on the newest targets of opportunity. They seem to be entering a shrieking frenzy inside this are of silence, though don't manage to get their full attacks off this round.
Still need a DC 17 will save from Borracho or blind. Borracho, Griselda & Zeki are up!
Borracho flies forward and skewers the second ape, striking it down like a wrathful god. He does find himself at the edge of the party's light source, with only the shadowy concealed figure of the Girallon visible. Zeki, the clever little arcane caster that he is, knows that the black tentacles never grow higher than 10 feet, and he can safely fly above them. His casting however does not seem to produce the expected results. The apes take no damage from the frost and so have no risk of being staggered. It is almost as if they are resisting the cold energy! The silent Girallon attacks Throgg:
Now Throgg is up:
The Ape Lieutenant cast Blindness on Borracho. Werner and Zeke are up!
Round 2
Spoiler:
Secret Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Secret Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon on 8 Throgg on 8- Secret Ape Lieutenant on 7 Werner on 4 Zeke on 3 The second round begins with most of the part retreating behind the menacing tentacles, leaving poor Throgg to face off against the last ape army on his own. Secret Visiting Winged Ape on 31
From the depths of the cave Confusion is cast upon the barbarian.
The black tentacles wiggle and grasp.
The ape near Throgg is silent but clearly his working himself up into a frenzy, gaining an extra attack.
The other three reposition and readying for flyby attacks against their ape cleric. Borracho, Griselda then Zeki are up!
I believe the flame strike can be dropped so it does not toast the ape by Throgg.. let me know if that poor fellow would have to be roasted.
Round 1:
Secret Visiting Winged Ape on 31 Secret Ape Leader on 18 Secret Ape on 17 Borracho & Griselda on 14 Zeki on a 10- Advanced Girallon on 8 Throgg on 8- Secret Ape Lieutenant on 7 Werner on 4 Zeke on 3 Borracho strikes an ape solidly, and then boldly flies back amongst the Black Tentacles. . Griselda meanwhile guards the entrance of the gave, perhaps fearing that at any moment an ogre magi could de-cloak and attack. Zeki provides his blessing as a large Girallon moves forward, as if to attack over the smaller apes at Throgg. As it moves up, silences descends upon your chattering opponents. Even though it takes up most of the tunnel, this "advanced" Girallon has stubby little arms, and can't reach the Grippli barbarian! It can only stand ready to attack, mute with rage (and silenced). Throgg has no such difficulties reaching his nearest foe, the wounded ape. He rages and power attacks, getting an extra swing in thanks to Zeki's blessing.
Throgg's first swing critically wounds the injured ape and his fervor'ed follow-up dispatches it! Throgg steps forward five feet and begins chopping up the second ape, his health bolstered by raging vitality. The Girallon bites:
Farther down the cave a new chaura-ka appears, this one wearing masterfully crafted hide armor from some alligator creature. Standing outside the zone of silence, it calls a Flame Strike down on the tentacle filled hall.
Throgg takes 12 -2 (fire resistance) more points for 43 of 181. Werner and Zeke are up!
Round 1 Secret Visiting Winged Ape on 31
From the darkness far down the tunnel, the ape forces make the opening move in their battle against your group. Underneath your feet spring up a small forest of Black Tentacles!
No one is grabbed by the ridiculous rubbery tentacles!
From the side chambers ahead a wave of apes boil forth! You are reminded of the battle on the wall of Taizon against the ape hordes! And the battle in the temples of Taizon! And the battle in the northern district of Saventh-Yhi! And the battle versus the Gorilla King! (But only because there were a lot of apes hanging around). Three hang back and throw javelings at Throgg!
Two more move up with their speed of 40 and attack Throgg with greatclubs! As they get close you can suddenly hear their howling and snarling.
Borracho, Griselda are up followed by Secret Ape Lieutenant & Zeki!
As you move deeper into the vault, you approach the next muddy chamber. The tunnel slopes downward slightly and ends in a puddle of muck, which is difficult going for those not flying.
Part-way down the corridor Werner has a sinking sensation as he stumbles in a small pit trap dug into the floor and covered with mud. These must be the holes mentioned during stone tell.
The experience might bring back unwelcome memories of drowning in the Impenetrable Redoubt of Khalid-SHa, where Werner was encased in a stone coffin and plunged under the oozing muck. Fortunately he evades trap.
Ahead, peaking around the corners, you see the face of first one, then a second large ape creature. From your long experience battling these beasts you recognize them as Girallons! One of them opens a mouth as if to scream, but there is no sound. Other, smaller apes appear and move forward to attack, again in silence!
rolls:
Secret Visiting Winged Ape on 31
Next post : The battle of the furry crawlers!
New map! Please load it up and let my know if your tokens have problems. Sounds like everyone is moving forward. Werner, anything to add?
The chamber stretches west 40 feet, then turns north. The floor ahead is covered with fresh mud, in contrast to the well cleaned and smoothed room you stand in now.
Yes Zeke, a fabulous stone gift for you is just down the hallway, waiting for pick up. Ruthazek whistles innocently.
"Many things crawl. Yesterday was very busy. Furry crawler similar to you reshaped the stone and set door to fall. It did not speak though. Many other furry crawlers dug holes and covered them in mud. Some small, some large." It pauses for a while. "Large flyers you fought days past did much cleaning. Scraped us very smooth. And everyone led by large stitched together crawler. Other things inside that did not come nearby though." It pauses for a while. "Feel I should tell you more. Special day. Not many crawlers can talk. Another stone could use your help. Old stone, shaped long ago, knows much about they city. Farther inside, the furry ones broke it, rigged it with rope, and defaced it with spells. Fix it, and take from here?" It pauses for the last time.
The stone tells all to Zeke, though its perception is limited. stone tell:
You gain the ability to speak with stones, which relate to you who or what has touched them as well as revealing what is covered or concealed behind or under them. The stones relate complete descriptions if asked. A stone's perspective, perception, and knowledge may prevent the stone from providing the details you are looking for. You can speak with natural or worked stone. "You speak! This surprises. Crawlers never speak." It pauses for a while. "The new stone has been saying it is about to fall for a time. The other crawlers with you did not listen. It was finally quiet again." It pauses for a while. "What would you ask us, crawler that talks?"
Haha very nice.
Would anyone like to assist in piloting the barbarian when E-G isn't around, or should I?
The room is rather large and there is plenty of room for both Werner and Throgg to both work their strength on the plug. Zeke stands out of the way and beings casting stone tell while Borracho and Zeki float nearby. As soon as the two touch the side of the plug to get a grip and try to move it, the entire door topples forward, threatening to flatten them! Trapped stone door
Beyond you see the same passage as before, stretching off to the west. It appears completely empty, and unlike this clean and smooth entry room the floor is tracked with mud and dirt Does Zeke continue the stone tell to gather information? Does anyone heal up Werner and Throgg?
How will you deal with the stone door plugging the passage west? Will anyone manipulate it or will you use magic?
As soon as the monks can, they pause their flight to hide with invisibility. Heavily thrashed in their first round of fighting by a flying frog and man with a long spear, they do not reappear. As the cloudkill drains from the room into the jungle, Kassata grows increasingly restless. "My pirates trained in fighting out in the opening, and not cave fighting with death magic. We will go back and defend our fort from those ogres if they dare show up again. We'll shoot them right out of the sky!" "Those cowards deserve to die," she adds, while commanding her troops to start back. Her Freebooters, who are in a highly anxious state , look somewhat relieved. Inside the first room you find the no signs of your previous fight. It has been returned to the fastidiously clean state it was before, with Zeke's impromptu stone shaping missing. A new stone door blocks the tunnel west. It does not have a handle and works more like a plug than a door, with exposed edges that could be gripped by someone large and strong. knowledge engineering 15:
The area out was smoothed out with stone shape, and vents were added to the ceiling and floor to allow air circulation. These changes allowed the cloudkill to empty into the jungle. The stone plug is also a new creation via stone shape.
The two Ogre Magi withdraw from the fight, flying backwards from your weapons then up out of sight over the twenty foot high cliffs.
Throgg takes to the air! Using previously mentioned flying, he moves like a battle toad and charges Chiyo, hitting for massive damage. . Afterwards, at the end of the round Zeki finally acts, appearing south of the fighting via means of boots of escape! Being brought so low by the initial attack, Chiyo says to Makka "Loyalty to the Maka Yaki is not worth this death." Makka nods and they move to escape. Knowledge Local 15:
The Maka Yaki were known to be a massive bandit group, named after a crimson piranha like fish. They burned a path of destruction across the southwestern Mwangi expanse after a legendary monster known as the Kaava Bush Devil appeared and took control of their group. Only open battle with the combined troops from the cities drove them away, and no one heard from them since.
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