Not A Snark

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====== City of Seven Spears ======

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=== Dramatis Personae ===

  * Tabansi - Half Elven Ranger
  * Athazog - Half Orc barbarian
  * Arkin - Halfling Rogue
  * Huecova Gyrle - Priestess of Calistria (deceased)
  * Ek’tura - Bekyar Wizard (plus Qasa, his familiar)
  * E’req Le Per - Cleric of Sarenrae


==== Session 20 (2016-02-13) ====

We head off into the Jungle with the caravan to find Saventh-Yhi
The expedition leader Amivor Glaur, wants us to go and find a suitable camp site for the caravan once we get through the magical protections hiding the city.

Need a camp site:
In Jungle for defence (+2 defence)
Near water (+2 to supply)

Defence
Exploration (get +4 bonus due to Pathfinders)
Supply

Head towards the city. Find a ruined road, with a rickety bridge. or a lower path across the river.
Tabansi starts to cross the bridge, when a flock of four Pteranodons swoop down.

Arkin gets attacked by a pteranodon who spears him through the chest for 24dmg.  Ek’tura casts Colour Spray at two of the pteranodons and stuns one of them.  Another pteranodon spears Arkin again for 26dmg.  Arkin goes to negative hit points but a special rogue skill allows him to bounce back up with 12 temporary hit points.  Huecova converts a 3rd level spell and casts Cure Serious Wounds on Arkin. Ek’tura creates a pit under the stunned pteranodon who tumbles down taking damage. Athazog kills one pteranodon. Huecova converts a 2nd level spell and heals Arkin once more.  Athazog attacks and kills a second pteranodon.  Huecova casts Magic Missile at a pteranodon and does a little damage.  The pteranodon attempts to fly away but Athazog charges into the air after him and kills his third pteranodon.  Huecova channels energy twice and heals Arkin, Athazog and herself to almost fully healed.

+960XP


Athazog chucks a dead pteranodon down into the water below the bridge and a big crocodile snapped it up.

Athazog tied a new rope across the bridge to aid the party crossing it.



We come to three pools of clear blue water, around which there are no signs of birds or insects. We see some giant ants on some of the ruined buildings.

Scanning the water for magic, it appears to be non-magical. As we move in closer, we see more ants appearing on the walls of the building, as well as some coming up out of the ground.

As we back off, a half-orc undead thing walks through the wall of the ruins. The ants seem ghostly as well. Everyone wants to run away back off and return when better prepared.

Heading around we find some ruins on top of a hill overlooking the city. It is on the edge of the jungle, and isn’t too far from water, possibly making it a good campsite.

Exploring a house we find a big blob of flesh with lots of eyes and mouths. Tabansi takes a shot at it in surprise, but his arrow bounces off. It slithers up to him, making unnerving noises. A magic missile hits it from Huecova, and Tabansi tries shooting again but both arrows miss. He steps back, as the creature spits at him, hitting and stinging but not doing any appreciable damage. It slithers back, leaving being muddy ground, and making gibbering confusing noises, leaving Arkin and Tabansi confused.

Huecova casts a Silence on the doorway so the gibbering mouther’s sound attack has no effect.  The gibbering mouther attacks Tabansi and does a little damage.  Arkin charges the gibbering mouther and although he hits he doesn’t seem to do much damage.  Ek’tura casts a Blindness spell at it.

After several attempts at killing it, Huevoca takes it down with a magic missile.

+320XP

We head down to the water, which looks swampy, with a swampy (marsh) island littered with bones. We reckon that something large lurks in the water. The water probably isn’t very drinkable.

We explore the ruined buildings around the water’s edge. We come to a single story building surrounded by wooden stakes with simian skulls stuck on top. It is the other side of a canal which looks clear. The skulls are the bodies of Charau Ka. Arkin thinks he can see something moving on the top of the building.

We work our way around the canal to the other side, and approach the building from the other side. It is decided for Arkin and Tabansi to wander up and be diplomatic.

Inside the door are four human sized, monkey-like creatures that aren’t Charau Ka. We try to talk to them, but they don’t communicate with us at all.

Tabansi offers a blowgun and some coins. One of them takes the offerings and puts them in a pile of their stuff. Tabansi reckons that they are Keches, a type of human-monkey.

Six more come down from the roof. We back out of the building and rejoin the others whilst one watches us from the doorway.

.Ektura casts Tongues on Arkin, who tries opening up a dialog. The one at the door is surprised and goes inside to get the others.

Some come out and Arkin is able to talk to them. They agree to trade for live Charau Ka.

We head along the beach towards a ruined castle on a small island.

We see a lion-like creature with wings and three heads launch itself from the top of the castle and fly towards us. One green head is draconic, one is a goat and one is a lion.
Huecova quickly heals Arkin with the wand of healing as he is injured.
Everyone waits for it to come closer or land.
Huecova cast Magic Missile at the first one and hits.

Then a black chimera appeared.
Then a green chimera appeared.
 
Tabansi takes a shot at the first one and retreats back into the jungle, just in time as the first one swoops down and breaths a cone of acidic chlorine gas on everyone on the beach.

We retreat back into the jungle, and the black headed one breaths a line of acid on Arkin. We retreat further until we get away from them. After healing up, we head back to the temple on the hill to camp.

We camp down for the night.  Watch schedule:
Arkin & Huecova
Athazog & Ek’tura
Ek’tura &Tabansi & Huecova

In the middle of the night something BIG flew by noiselessly.

Day 2

We head down to the coast, and investigate the temple there. It is a temple to Nergal, a demon lord associated with warfare and the sun.  We head around to a white staircase that leads up to a tall white tower with eight pillars on top. It is a temple to the sun, probably Nergal again.

Looking east, we see a district which seems quite active, with lots of Charau Ka on patrols.

We head back towards where we saw the ghostly half orc and the ants. Athazog tries to talk to him in orcish, but he just yells that the city is his. He charges up and attacks Arkin, a swarm of ants surrounding him and covering Arkin and Athazog.  Arkin and Athazog are nauseated.

Huecova tries to cast Searing Light but fails.  Tabansi attacks the incorporeal orc with his gravity bow and hits three times.  Huecova hits him with a Magic Missile.  Athazog runs in and hits him hard, and the orc hits back at him. Ek'tura hits him with a colour spray, which does nothing, then Huecova slays him with a magic missile. As he dies, the ants disappear as well.  Huecova channels energy twice and heals those with damage.

Searching the building here, we find his stash:
A magical ring: A ring of 7 virtues (10,000gp) (claimed by Tabansi)
A special Azlanti ring, with:
Endure Elements
+5 competence on survival checks in jungles
Taps into magic of spears in Saventh-Yhi
A heavy mithral shield
3x mithral spear heads (100gp each)
Small ivory coffer detailed with azlanti serpent fighting folk (1000gp)
Inside Zircons, 460gp
Ancient Azlanti coins, face value:
170 gp
476 sp
272 cp
Fragments of a journal, which are learned members can’t interpret

+640XP


==== Session 21 (2016-03-26) ====

Trying to find a good place for the caravan to camp.

Get paid +2,500gp for the ghost’s journal.

The notes say they were here two centuries ago, they abandoned their larger group at Lake Octa pursued by Charu-ka, and hid here. The author lured his group into an army ant swarm in order to claim the discovery of Saventh-Yhi for himself.

We head down to the stagnant pool where we saw some evidence of a nasty beast.

Huecova summons a bison and sends it down to the water’s edge whilst we wait to see what happens. A gigantic crocodile pops out of the water and bites the bison. It swallows it whole.

Athazog charges in, and is grappled and swallowed. We start trying to kill it with magic and missile fire, whilst Athazog tries to stab it from inside. Arkin charges in as well, but is initially ineffective, but then manages to stab it in the nose.

Athazog tears his way out, and Tabansi kills it with an arrow.

Dire Crocodile +1,280 XP

We skin it and take its head.

We have a look on the small island full of bones and don’t find anything.


We head towards the ziggurat further along this peninsula. There is a hole under the ziggurat which leads down into shitty water. Chucking in a light spell illuminates a huge thing hanging from the ceiling. It stirs, and begins to unfold large wings. It begins to crawl out of the hole.

Ek’tura thinks that it is a Mwangi Night Bat.

Arkin charges it as it crawls out the hole, and it bites him as he goes in, but still manages to stab it. .Ek'tura colour sprays it, stunning it, then Huecova hits it with a searing light. Tabansi shoots it a couple of times as Athazog steps in and begins to carve it up.

Ek’tura tries another colour spray, but it ignores it. Tabansi tickles it again with his arrows, and Athazog continues to slice at it.

The bat recovers from its stunning and bites Athazog, then bashes Arkin and Athazog with both its wings. As Arkin tries to pull back, it bites at him again. Our attacks hurt it a bit more, but it manages to bite and bash at Athazog..

Ek’tura webs it. It bites and takes down Arkin, and Huecova heals him. Tabansi shoots it again and it finally goes down.

Mwangi Night Bat +960XP

Arkin notices that there are kechs (small ape men) watching us from the top of some ruins nearby. They duck into cover when they see us watching them back.

Ek’tura drops down into the water which is 5ft deep.

A group of kech charge in towards us. Unarmed except for sharp claws and teeth. We all fail to spot them apart from Arkin. He kills one, but they have us surrounded. Huecova casts some type of charm on one, which Tabansi then kills.

They continue to attack, but go down reasonably easily once hit, except for the one on Athazog which seems particularly tough. Arkin seems to be taking a lot of damage. We finish off most of the rest, and the final one flees into the ruins nearby.  Much healing is done.

Kech XP: +800XP

Ek’tura and Arkin go down into the building to investigate. Tabansi notices more kechs watching us from the ruins. Ek’tura flies around inside, looking for magic.

We head back to the ruins where we are camping.

We decide on a campsite for the caravan on the edge of the ruins, and start clearing space and setting things up. The caravan arrives, and we continue setting up the camp. We still haven’t completed it the following day.

Whilst in the camp, we are attacked. Tabansi hears a scream, draws his bow and shoots one of the people sneaking into the camp who have just killed one of the caravan guards.

There is spell casting from the attackers. There is a mirror imaged spell caster. Arkin falls into a pit and Ek’tura is silenced.

Tabansi gets rid of the last mirror image, and then Athazog kills the mage. Another attacker drops out of invisibility and attacks Ek’tura, and another mirror imaged mage becomes visible and casts a negative energy spell at Tabansi and Huecova.

Tabansi shoots the new mage and takes down its false image. It brings it up again the next round. Tabansi takes it down again.

More attackers pop out of nowhere, attacking people. Huecova’s summoned dire wolverine takes down the last visible attacker. Arkin gets out of the pit.

We identify the attackers as red mantis assassins. 

4 elixirs of hiding
5 potions of cure moderate wounds
10 scrolls of cure light wounds
10 scrolls of endure elements
5 scrolls of obscuring mist
5 masterwork breastplates
5 masterwork sawtooth sabres
5 phylactery of faithfulness
5 holy symbols of Achaekek

Experience: +800 XP
 
We spend another day failing to complete the camp.







==== Session 22 (2016-04-30) ====

Important people we have in the camp:
Amivor
Sasha

We succeed in completing the setup of the camp, whilst Ek'tura summons a familiar. A psycopomp (a nosoi) turns up, named Qasa.

We put in an order for 3,000gp of diamond dust, which will take 22 days to turn up.

We also order a scroll of Raise Dead, which will turn up in 12 days.

That night we are attacked by four giant bats. Three are hit by a stinking cloud and taken down by arrow fire and swords, and one flies off.

+600XP

Qasa uses her speak with dead to question the dead raiders from the previous night.
Their camp is in the jungle near the entrance to the valley.
There about 35 people in their camp.
Their leader is Chivane.
Ours is the first camp they’ve found
Chivane is a Red Mantis Assassin.
They are not allied with any other groups here.

The following day we head off to explore the ruins where the Ketch are located, with intent to pacify the region with extreme prejudice.

On the way to their base, we come across some lurking of the roof of a building. We sneak into the building and try to make our way up to the roof. We do a lot of clambering around the top of buildings to try and find them.

They find us, and ambush Athazog. They are not very effective. Tabansi shoots one and Athazog finishes them both off.

Two more come out of hiding and attack Arkin. Again, Tabansi is only able to hit one once. Between Athazog, Tabansi and Arkin we take these out as well.

+800XP

We head out of the building and decide to approach the Ketch from the other direction. Heading around, we see some humans dressed as pirates. Athazog and Ek'tura try diplomacy whilst Arkin and Tabansi stay hidden.

They say that they have heard of us, since we are all here for the same reason, They are part of an expedition sent by the Free Captains. They are looking to set up camp. Their leader is Kassata Lewynn.

They head off and we scout on. We see some activity on the island - what look like serpent folk on the main island, and figures moving on the bridge.. We continue on to the Ketch lair. The door is closed. And locked or barred. 
Athazog and Ek'tura try to force the door and fail. A group of half dozen ketch come charging down the road and attack us at the door, then the ones inside open the door and attack us from that direction.

Ek'tura drops another stinking cloud on those inside. We deal with the ones outside, but we are left with no easy way into the building - it being blocked by a stinking cloud.

As the cloud dissipates we charge in to encounter a dozen ketch.. Arkin and Athazog are inside fighting a large group of them, whilst Tabansi and Ek'tura stand at the doorway firing in arrows and spells.

Ek'tura tries to summon something when a load of Ketch charge outside and attack him, almost, but not quite, disrupting his spell. He successfully summons a Hound Archon which lays into the Ketch outside.

The Ketch outside retreat inside and try to close the doors. Tabansi moves into the doorway to block them. The Archon follows. We eventually take them all down.

+2000XP
We also find:
Potion of protection from arrows
Salve of slipperiness
Wand of charm animal (45 charges)
Bronze armband 50gp
Crystal decanter 150gp
Black jade idol of bloated frog demon 500gp
Silver medallion of a discuss thrower 200gp
76gp, 405sp, 854cp

We feel that this area has now been made safe enough for exploration. We claim the district and head back to camp.

The district is explored: 1 discovery point
Information about the trading laws that existed in Saventh-Yhi. 







==== Session 23 (2016-05-28) ====

What are we doing?
Settling down for the night, we are disturbed by a troop of dire apes that attack the camp. EK’tura summons a couple of dire lions in response. Tabansi shoots them, and Athazog kills a couple. Arkin manages to tumble between one’s legs and stab it in the back, killing it. 

Tabansi kills another, and the lions finish the final one.

Experience: 800 XP

Ek’tura’s familiar scribe the notes on what we discovered about the city, and Amivor pays us all 500gp for them.

Next day we head towards the tower of undead, then realise that we need to swim across the 60ft to the tower, or build a raft. After some arguing about how to build a raft, Heucova just buys a feather token (swan boat) from the camp stores.

It is a pentagonal tower, three stories tall with windows on the top floor. Ek’tura uses an Arcane Eye to scout around, and most of it is underwater. On the top floor are some shadows.

We buff up with mage armours and magic circles of protection.

We carefully move into the tower, keeping within the circle. A shadow floats through a wall and tries to attack Huecova - Tabansi shoots it and Athazog hits it before it can, but are unable to slay it. It misses her anyway. Several more attack from beneath the floor.

Huecova kills one with a spiritual mace, Tabansi kills one with three arrows.

Tabansi opens the door into an internal room, but it is empty with only a door with locks at the far side. It looks like a fire trap has been set off here. Arkin opens the door revealing what looks like an emptied treasure room.

More shadows claw at us from the floor, and we shoot and magic missile at it. One flys up to Qasa and hurts her a lot. Tabansi shoots it three times. Huecova magic missiles it. Qasa flees out of the tower. The shadow thing flys down through the floor, striking at Huecova as it does so. She collapses to the floor.

Tabansi picks up her body and starts moving towards the boat with her. The rest of us start making an organised retreat. Ek’tura finishes summoning 3 lantern archons.

A shadowy spirit rises out of Huecova’s corpse. Athazog hits it with his sword, and the Archons blast it with light rays. Tabansi chucks Heucova’s body out of the window and onto the boat, leaping out after her. Athazog slays Huecova’s shadow.

We all get away.

Items from Huecova’s corpse:
Heavy mace +1
Buckler +1
Handy haversack
Headband of spellcraft
Potions: Cure light wounds, Water breathing x2, Remove Disease, 
Ring of arcane signets
Ring of sustenance
Scrolls: Augury x2, Comprehend languages x2, Divination, Remove Disease, Lesser Restoration x2, Find Traps, Shield
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds 19
Wayfinder
1,865gp

We take her corpse back to the camp.

Experience: 800XP

We use the boat to sail around the lake.  When approaching a group of islands, we catch sight of a long necked sea creature of some kind that dives underwater. Ek’tura reckons it’s some type of dinosaur..

We see it slap a crocodile with its tail, then devouring it. However, it dives again and doesn’t resurface. This area of the lake seems to be a submerged part of the city.

We see some humans patrolling along the coast. They look like natives. A couple of them run off inland, whilst we head in towards shore.. There is a 70ft wide road that leads up to a flight of stairs leading up to gardened terraces. There are statues of humans alongside the road and stairs.

We pull ashore, and a couple of them stay there to meet us. Arkin is our spokesman. He convinces them to take us to their leader Osond. The statues are very high quality, and the gardens are well kept. Arkin, Tabansi and Athazog go with them, Ek’tura and Sasha stay with the boat.

We head up to their main building. A man dressed in bright headdresses and feathers comes up and greets us. He seems willing to make a trade agreement. They invite us in for a meal. He seems interested in Qasa, but is disappointed to find that it is a familiar.

There are boggards where their food comes from, who aren’t good at sharing. There is only one who has been here since Earthfall, and that is the Radiant Muse, who is their leader.

She asks to meet us. We are told that she has a temper. We are taken up to the main ziggurat. It is decorated with art of humans and beautiful women with angel wings and snake tails. About halfway up, a beautiful and terrifying woman, half snake with angel wings comes outs. She has a really nice bow across her back. 

We tell her we come seeking knowledge. Everyone who lives here does so are artists. She asks whether there is anything we can offer. Sasha is unable to impress with dance, Tabansi completely utterly fails a bow shot, Ek’tura utterly fails a calligraphy attempt.

She is unimpressed, and asks us to perform a quest to win her favour. There is something that has moved into the area next to them that is carrying a disease that is infecting her people. A horrific spirit. She wants us to kill it and bring its head back to her. It is undead that has physical form.
They take us to where the sick are, and we reckon they have the bubonic plague.

Their people have seen some form of deformed, hunched, ape. 

Going across the river, we start looking for tracks, and Tabansi finds tracks of an ape. There’s signs that it can fly across rivers. The tracks lead to a ruined tower, and they go inside. There are a couple of floors. Qasa scouts ahead, and finds a gaunt humanoid creature with batlike wings.

We attack it in its lair. It viciously claws and bites Athazog, then terrifies Ek'tura and Tabansi who run in fear. Qasa manages to sing a song that fascinates us and stops us from running. In the meantime the others manage to take down the thing, Sasha delivering the killing blow.

Experience: 1,920 XP

There is no loot. Ek’tura things that It was some kind of vampire. They can possess animals when they die. 

We take its head back to the Radiant Muse who is surprised and impressed. She sings a song on her harp about how wonderful we are.


==== Session 24 (2016-06-25) ====

We get back to camp, and see that there is a new person in camp. He is a cleric of Sarenrae, a Zenj called E’req Le Pere. He came with the Free Pirates, but is looking to change allegiance. 

That night, Tabansi spots a Kech, that seems to be scouting us out.

E’req is able to restore Tabansi’s negative level in the morning.

Both Arkin and Athazog both wake covered in boils and fatigued. It looks like bubonic plague. 

E’req is able to do a Restoration and a Lesser Restoration on Athazog but fails to do a Restoration on Arkin.  E’req is also able to do a Lesser Restoration on Ek’tura. Arkin and Athazog.

After some scouting by Ek’tura’s familiar Qasa, we find that the Red Mantis camp is only a few hundred yards up the river from us.

The day is spent investigating the merchant district.
They discover that the spire on top of the ziggurat is magical which has a passive effect on the district. It can also be activated to do something else. They find evidence of the ritual that is used to activate it. Sprinkle the stones of the ziggurat with crushed gems worth 50gp, and then channel energy into, then it would activate. The cleric that channeled the energy would need to be of a god of trade and wealth. There might be other ways of activating.

That night Tabansi hears something large that night crashing through the jungle. He wakes up the camp, and two four-armed gorillas (Loot: Mwk darkwood club x2, Mwk darkwood shield x2, Mwk throwing axe. x2, Potion CMW x2) charge into the camp.

Athazog charges them and engages in melee, as Tabansi shoots arrows in their general direction but misses. E’req fireballs them both, then Tabansi shoots one through the head and it goes down. Athazog then finishes off the second one.

+960 XP

Further research into the merchant district, another method of activating the spire is found: One hour ritual, counting money and polishing jewels.

+160XP for the discoveries made

That night, four large dire apes attack the camp. Tabansi takes on down, and Arkin almost kills another. Athazog runs up a rubble pile and beheads a third. E’req charges the fourth and badly injures it enough for Tabansi to finish off both it and Arkin’s.

+600 XP

The following morning Arkin is cured of his plague when E’req casts a Restoration and 3 Remove Diseases on him.


Qasa flies over the Chara-ka area and reports back. At the top of the big flight of stairs leading to the Chara-Ka section, a camp site is being set up.

There are lots of Charu-Ka on regular patrols., they seem to be on high alert.

Arkin and Tabansi sneak up on the Camp at the top of the camp. There is a group of about 30 humans setting up. They spot us. We have a conversation.

They take us to their leader, called Dargan Etters, a sorcerer. They are of the Aspis Corporation.

We head back.

Heading down to the artisan district.

There is a triangular plaza with goldern statues, and there is a statue of a female warrior standing on the body of a dead serpentfolk, holding his severed head in her hand.

It is a statue of Savith defeating the serpent god Ydersius.

Behind the Ziggurat is a large walled plaza. Dozens of life size statues. Three bowls in the plaza. There are three basilisks in the plaza.


We meet some people, who tell us that the Basilisks belong to the Radiant Muse. They also say that the building behind are haunted.

We get around to the small lake. There is a sunken ziggurat from which comes a sickly green light. The lake itself is dark and shallow, thick with algae. 

We head back to the merchant district and polish some gems. The spear lights up, covering the whole district with some form of effect. Ek'tura reckons it gives a bonus to appraise and identify items.

Getting back to the camp, they were attacked by thousands of snakes during the day. 

Artisan Area:: Passive effect in area is +2 bonus on craft checks.

Next day we head to the Charau-ka area. The plan is to ambush a patrol and kill them.

We find a group of two charau-ka and a dire ape.. We ambush them. The dire ape is killed, and the two Charau-ka surrender. Athazog kills one of them anyway.

Olujimi is their leader. We tell them we have camped at the top of the stairs, and that we will take their land from them. Then we knock the survivor out and manacle him.

Loot: Mwk darkwood club x2, Mwk small darkwood shield x2, Mwk throwing axe. x2, Potion CMW x2

We tidy up, and whilst E’lriq learns a Detect Evil spell, another patrol turns up. They attack us, but we kill two of them and one escapes.

Loot: Mwk darkwood club x2, Mwk small darkwood shield x2, Mwk throwing axe. x2, Potion CMW x2

+1,280 XP

We move on. We run into another patrol which we try to pull into an ambush.. We succeed and they all die.

Loot: Mwk darkwood club x2, Mwk small darkwood shield x2, Mwk throwing axe. x2, Potion CMW x2

+640 XP

A clanging bell starts from the fort. We start moving back the way we’ve come. A couple of large groups are heading our way, the second having a Gorillon.

E’req starts by fireballing the first group of four dire apes and eight charau-ka. The apes are killed or flee, the Charau-ka drink their potions. A Gorillon with axe and shield, and four charau-ka seem to appear behind us, which Ek'tura drops a stinking cloud on.

The Gorillon staggers out of the stinking cloud tries to command Athazog, and fails. Ek’tura tries to drop it in a pit, but fails.

Arkin and Tabansi each take down a charau-ka. Arkin and Athazog flank the Gorillon, trapping it between them and the pit. Tabansi takes down two Charau-ka. Ek'tura summons a hound archon.

There is more fighting, then the Gorillon vanishes. The others retreat.

There are 5 CMW potions.  We also pick up axes.

+3400 XP


==== Session 25 (2016-07-30) ====

We head back to heal our wounds a bit. Ek'tura uses his magic to scout out the ruins where the Chimera are. There is one big one, and two smaller ones. The large one has a black dragon head, whilst the small ones are green. There is a small mound of treasure in the nest of the large one at the top of the ruins.

We do some investigation.
Find information about their harvest festival. Get 500gp for this. Also 80 XP

We are attacked by huge mantis in the night. One of them grabs Arkin and flies off with him. E’req summons a spiritual weapon to take it out mid-flight. The other is finished off by a lion summoned by Ek'tura.

960 XP

We have grilled mantis for breakfast.

We head back to find Olujimi and the Charau-ka. Met my guards of the Aspis corporation. Apparently they were attacked last night by Charau-ka. They blame us for the attacks (it’s not as if we told the Charau-ka that we were from the Aspis camp... oh wait, we did) and warn us if they think we are bringing trouble their way again then they may shoot us.

Heading into the ruins, we see a large group (~20) of Charau-ka camping near the plaza at the bottom of the flight of stairs. 

We attack. They immediately try to flee. One dire ape goes down. Some guards from the Aspis corporation head down the stairs, bows drawn, and there is a bit of a standoff between us and then. We chase after the Charau-ka, then head back and round towards the building by the plaza.

We get 200 XP.

There is a lot of cheering from the centre of the area at the centre, then screaming. Qasa scouts to see what is happening, and says that the huge ape statue (with wings and horns) has come alive and is tearing the Charau-ka apart. It flies up into the air, flies to the island where the excavations were, and then lands on top of the fort, beating its chest.

Ereq reckons it looks a bit like Angazhan, a demon lord of the apes and jungles, known as the Ravenous King. The ‘real’ Angazhan though doesn’t have wings.

On heading back to camp, we meet the Aspis again. Ek'tura threatens them, and tells them to pack up and leave.

We circle around the other way, to approach the city city from the jungle, overlooking the fort across the lake. The demon has flown back to the Ziggurat, and is perched on top of there, no longer a statue.

The hut on the island looks like it has been smashed to pieces. 

Ek'tura magically scouts into the fort, and sees it is packed full of many Charau-ka.

Looking into Olujimi’s quarters, there is a Charau-ka chained up against the wall.

We head back to camp. We do notice that the demon thing flew across the lake, and vanished from sight somewhere to the south of our camp. At camp, there are the bodies of five boggards in the camp. They attacked, but were dealt with.

Do some mystery investigation, and find out about another spire (near the muse).
Artisan District, if spire is activated, the time to craft items is reduced by 20%. +80XP

We prepare to clear out the tower of undead shadows. We learn some water breathing/walking spells. We head down towards the tower, and notice that the demon thing is in the region, on the ZIggurat.. There are a number of Charau-ka kneeling before it, praying.

We decide to attack it. Now we’re close, it looks like bits of it are still stony in places.. E’req throws a pitiful fireball, as Tabansi shoots one of the Charau-ka and the others move in.

Tabansi takes out one Charau-ka. Ek'tura summons a couple of lantern Archons, which zap it with rays of light. Athazog then charges it using a fly spell.

It casts a Blasphemy and both Tabansi and Athazog are paralyzed. There is a bit more combat, then Arkin flees. Ek'tura flees to Qasa and picks him up to flee. Ereq is killed by claws and teeth. 

It finishes off Ereq and Athazog, but Tabansi manages to unparalyze, turn into a raven and fly away before it can kill him.

+400 XP



==== Session 26 (2016-08-27) ====

Half the party dead... what do we do?

Have had a message from the Radiant Muse, telling us that she has heard that Gruganoth has awaked, and to come to see her.

We do a lot of healing. We very carefully recover the bodies and their stuff the following morning.

We head down to the Radiant Muse, walking through the jungle, and meet with Osond.. We explain to him what has happened. He tells us that the vampire we killed before has returned.

The Muse meets with us. She had originally turned it to stone with her basilisks, and she had buried it on the island where it had been excavated from. She is surprised that the Chara-ka cleric was strong enough to restore Gruganoth.

Districts:
Military
Merchants
Artisans
Farming
Government (Island)
Residence
Temple

We head back to the camp, and prepare to defend in case it gets attacked. Which it does. A lurching undead thing lurches into the camp at night. Tabansi wakes up to be paralyzed with fear. Ek'tura is paralyzed as well. Qasa manages to fascinate it. Arkin charges it, and begins attacking it. After a while, Tabansi and Ek'tura unparalyze.. Ek'tura summons a couple of lions to deal with it, but Tabansi gets the last shot, and kills it.

+500 XP

We go back to sleep. Following day we do some investigating and find out stuff about the city’s rituals.

+150 XP, 500gp

We look for discoveries again. Discover more evidence that says that the spears can be activated.
Derek the Cleric turns up. He looks very familiar to her recently departed brother Eric.

That night, the camp is attacked whilst we are away, and the camp takes 2 points of damage. The following day we try looking for a discovery and find nothing.

Eventually a scroll of raise dead turns up, and Athazog is brought back to life.

We head into the Charau-ka section, and ambush a patrol of apes and monkeys. We kill them.

+300XP
2x: Masterwork darkwood club, Mwk throwing axe, Potion cmw, Mwrk studded leather (all small)

Speak with dead on one of them: Priest is Eketuk, Leader is Olujimi. There are hundreds of them.
Moving along, we discover a large group of them hiding up ahead. We try to ambush their ambush, with Arkin sneaking up ahead to get around behind them. They leap out at us, and we fight back. They flee quite quickly. We take down an ape before it can get away, and one of the Charau-ka.

We chase them into several more groups of them. They are fireballed and Tabansi shoots one of the apes off the roof. Some of the apes charge out, some of the Charau-ka stay behind to drink healing potions. Tabansi takes down one of the apes, as does Arkin. Athazog kills the last ape out in the street. The rest start to run. One final ape gets shot at long range by Tabansi. Derek holy smites the last group, and Tabansi finishes off another ape with a couple of long range arrow shots.

+2,200 XP

Tabansi levels up.

5 x Charau-ka equipment. 


==== Session 27 (2016-09-24) ====

We scout the Charau-ka stronghold with divination magic, and discover that is full of hundreds of Charau-ka The priestess has gone missing though.

We decide to probably go after the Chimera tomorrow.
Tabansi spells: Resist Energy (10), Gravity Bow, Cat’s Grace, Iron Skin

That night, we get attacked by swarms of snakes. Many of us flee, but Derek gets swarmed and suffers badly from poison and bites, getting close to death. Ek'tura summons some lantern archons which ray of light the swarm attacking Derek. Derek goes down. Athazog comes in and attacks the penultimate swarm, Ek'tura summons a couple of lions that kill it.

Tabansi gets his bow and healing wand, and moves over to Derek. Derek recovers from the poison, but is still down. Arkin is still poisoned and is close to falling over. The lions and Archons finish off the last swarm. Ek'tura feeds Derek a potion.

+960 XP

We head off to fight the Chimera. There are three in a ruined fort on a small islet just off the beach.

We start by fireablling, flying charge and shooting one of the black headed chimera’s as it flys towards us. It breathes a line of acid on Athazog as he flies in. The other two take off and start flapping towards us.

Tabansi shoots the black headed one, and it falls down dead. He then shoots one of the greens. The second green flys around to Athazog and Arkin and breathes a cone of acid gas on them.

The first green breathes on Derek and Tabansi, who both dodge most of the damage. Athazog and Arkin fly to the first green, surrounding it and hurting it badly, enough for Tabansi to finish it off with an arrow.

Athazog takes down the last chimera.

There is a body on the ground, which appears to be a wizard, who carries a spell book. Seems to have belonged to the Aspis Consortium. We explore the area.
Magical gloves
Potion, Delay Poison
Potion, Water Breathing
Beautiful gold goblet studded with turquoise, 700gp
Gems worth 1,100gp
15 x Malachite, total 150gp
44pp; 1,281gp; 2,373sp; 5,172cp
Handy havasack
Wand of Daze Monster, 11 charges

+2,300xp

Contents of spell book:

1st: Alarm, Endure Elements, Shield, Grease, Mage Armor, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Identify, Floating Disc, Magic Missile, Disguise Self, Ray of Enfeeblement, Feather Fall, Reduce Person
2nd: Web, Locate Object, See Invisibility, Hideous Laughter, Darkness, Scorching Ray, Invisibility, Ghoul Touch, Darkvision, Make Whole, Rope Trick, Whispering Wind

3rd: Dispel Magic, Protection from Energy, Phantom Steed, Arcane Sight, Tongues, Deep Slumber, Fireball, Vampiric Touch, Fly, Water Breathing

4th: Dimension Door, Secure Shelter, Summon Monster IV, Locate Creature, Scrying, Charm Monster, Bestow Curse, Stone Shape

5th: Break Enchantment, Wall of Force, Cone of cold, Passwall, Permanency

6th: True Seeing, Disintegrate, Form of the Dragon

We head to the Artisan’s District. We think about going to check out the Vrykolakas again, the vampire like creature that possesses animal bodies when it is killed. 
There have been sightings of multiple ones of these creatures.

Possible Spells:
Gravity Bow x2
Owl’s Wisdom, Iron Skin

We take a rabbit in a cage with us. We ‘sneak’ up on it, and it hears us. It comes out, and most of the party runs away in fear. Derek stays to fight, and Holy Smites it, not doing much damage. Ek'tura turns back. He summons a celestial lion, then a couple of lantern archons. The vampire ape climbs up the building and uses fear again on the archons, which flee.

Eventually the vampire ape is killed, around the time Tabansi and others stop being afraid and begin heading back.

Get back to find out Derek and Ek'tura have captured a frog, which they think has been possessed by the vampire’s spirit. We take it back to the Radiant Muse, with the intent to get the basilisks to petrify it. In the end we kill it.

+150XP



==== Session 28 (2016-10-29) ====

We are in the Artisan District of the Radiant Muse. Talking to them about what is around the rest of the lake, we discover that there are: 
Bogards
Troglodytes
Vegepygmies

Whilst we are having lunch, the big flying demon Angazhan lands on top of the Ziggurat. It screams out something, then heads into the entrance at the top of the ZIggurat. We buff up on some remaining spells and Derek casts silence on Qasa to try and protect us from its blasphemy.

We rush forward to the ZIggurat, casting spells as we go. We hear some spell casting, which sounds like it came from the Muse in a different building, then Angazhan flies out of the Ziggurat. An air elemental appears in the air and tries to attack Angazhan.

Tabansi shoots Angazhan once, then there is a beautiful song that fills us full of confidence. Athazog flies into the air and attacks it, taking damage from it’s bite in turn. Tabansi shoots it three times, doing significant damage, but just misses hitting it in a vital location.

A burst of glowing arrows appear in the sky above us and smack into Angazhan. It flies down towards us and uses a Blasphemy against us. This time we are unaffected. We laugh.

Athazog charges back at it, and cleaves into its wing, causing it to fall to the ground. Tabansi shoots it three more times just to make sure, followed by Arkin leaping onto it’s body and stabbing it furiously. It appears to be dead.

+1,600 XP

The Radiant Muse appears above us, and flies down. She seems happy that Angazhan is dead.

It was wearing huge magical bracers of armour +4.

We gain back control of the Merchant’s District.

We head over towards the Boggards, heading into the ruins around their ZIggurat without trying to be too stealthy.

Encountering a small patrol of them, they see us and dive into cover. One of them lets out a loud croak. We shout out that we intend to be peaceful. One of them runs back towards their settlement.

Ek'tura casts Tongues on Arkin, who then chats to them for a bit. They agree to take us to their leader. After a bit, a group of 11 of them turn up, and they lead us into their settlement.

The Ziggurat has a mud hut at the top, next to the base of the stone spire. It is covered in drawings of humans working in fields and generally farming. They lead us up to the ZIggurat. A big muscular boggard comes out and talks to us.

They will be friendly with us if they help them with their troublesome neighbour - the winged snake woman. She has fits of rage, where she has inflicted great damage on the city in the past.

The troglodytes have caused them problems as well. Their priest is called Lessikal, and they would like to see him assassinated. They ask us whether we’ve come across their Oracle, Ugimmo. He has gone missing several weeks ago. There is also a frog god in the lake., which they are having to appease with sacrifices.

Qasa points out that she has seen a boggard wandering around on one of the islands in the central part of the lake.

He head out and around the south side of the Boggard’s district, towards where the Troglodytes are. We come across a bridge/gate over the river, with a couple of Troglodyte guards at the far end of the bridge..

Tracking the area, there are some massive bird footprints around the region, as well as boggard prints. The trog district is protected by a big wall. 

Arkin and Tabansi sneak past the bridge, without any problems. The rest of the party try to follow, and are hit by a couple of fireballs. Qasa drops. They all dive into cover, and Derek channels positive energy to heal them. A third fireball goes off where they were, which misses everyone.

Tabansi sneaks to have a look, and spots six troglodytes at the end of the bridge. Two of them appear to be possibly casters. They turn tail and run back into the city. Tabansi heads off to find the rest of the party, who are trying to heal themselves up.

A group of us head off to explore the rest of this area, searching along the top of the cliffs above the rivers. Ek'tura scrys the region, and finds a large bloody nest just beyond the other end of the bridge, in which sits a large parrot. The top of the Ziggurat is decorated with images of a large mantis like creature laying waste to human cities.

We head back to camp. On the way, we stop off to speak with dead to the wizard corpse. The information we get from him is that:
He is a vassal of the fish god.
He came here within the last year.
He came here alone.
He is not allied to any of the groups in the city.
He doesn’t want to be brought back to life.

When we get back to camp, they have just been attacked by some humans. Tabansi tracks them back. There were six sets of tracks, which lead back to the Aspis camp.

Next day, we head off to find the boggard Oracle. We use water walking to cross by the ruined bridge, and get to the small island. There is a promenade with pillars covered with carvings, some of which have been recently cleaned. There is a boggard studying the carvings, and he is flanked by a couple of zombies.
Arkin goes up to him to talk to him. He appears to be Ugimmo. He claims that he is on a mission from god (his frog god). He is interested in searching our area. The zombies are the animated corpses of those that attacked him.

We have a plan. We’re going to take the demon skull, and head over to the Charau-Ka camp, to try to intimidate Olujimi into siding with us. Either they will be glad we killed the demon for them, or they’ll be scared that we killed their demon.


==== Session 29 (2016-11-26) ====

Preparing to fight Olujimi.
We head into the Charau-ka district, carrying the head of the demon on a pole to try and intimidate them. As we get close to the castle, we notice a region of darkness at the base of the path that leads up to the castle. 

Tabansi casts Gravity Bow.
Tabansi casts Aspect of the Falcon.
Tabansi casts Iron Skin.
A giant scorpion crawls out of the darkness. 
Olujimi and two apes teleport in behind us. One of the apes charges Tabansi, but misses.
Derek drops a fireball on Olujimi.
Ek'tura casts haste on everyone.
Tabansi shoots at Olujimi, and barely hits once.
Derek casts a wall of fire.
A giant wasp appears and attacks Ek'tura.
Olujimi casts dispel magic on Ek'tura’s mirror image.
Arkin charges Olujimi., with an effective stealth attack.
Derek summons a wall of fire to block the giant scorpion and dire apes.
Athazog kills the other of Olujimi’s bodyguards.
Tabansi shoots at Olujim and misses completely.
The wasp tries to sting Tabansi.
Olujimi vanishes with a dimension door.
Athazog kills the giant scorpion.
Tabansi kills the giant wasp with an awesome critical.
We pause because there are no more visible targets this side of the wall of fire.
Tabansi moves around the wall and shoots one of the dire apes.
An unholy blight hits both Tabansi and Athazog. Neither of us are sickened.
Ek’tura’s fly spell is dispelled, and he drifts down into the wall of fire.
Athazog kills one of the dire apes.
Tabansi shoots the remaining visible dire ape., but fails to kill it.
Arkin kills the ape.
People move carefully forward.
Tabansi moves forward.
Olujimi wanders out of some buildings to the side, and Tabansi shoots him with a readied action.
Olujimi commands Derek to drop her weapons and to worship him, so he does.
Arkin charges him, but is stopped.
Ek’tura casts some buffing spell.
Tabansi shoots Olujimi a couple of times.
A brown bear appears behind us.
Olujimi attacks Arkin and throws an axe at Ek’tura
Arkin steps in and attacks Olujimi, but fails.
Athazog tries to charge Olujimi, but is grabbed by the bear.
Ek'tura casts enervation on Olujimi, and drains him considerably.
Tabansi shoots and kills the bear, freeing Athazog.
A floating weapon appears and attacks Athazog.
Athazog charges Olujimi, taking a hit to the face, and failing to hit him.
Arkin moves around to the back of Olujimi and stabs him in the back.
Ek’tura dimensional anchor’s Olujimi
Tabansi shoots him in the eye for 46 damage.
The spiritual hammer attacks but misses Tabansi
Ek’tura runs in fear.
Athazog takes down Olujimi.
Arkin stabs the body until he is a corpse.

The Charau-ka give a howl of despair, and the spellcaster in the area of darkness flees. Tabansi runs after Ek’tura to try and catch him.

+2,880 XP for killing Olujimi

The rest of the Charau-ka disperse on the death of their leader, and we gain control of the district.

+1,280 XP for gaining control of the district.

Gained loot:
+1 light wooden shield
+1 throwing axe
7 masterwork throwing axes
Braces of armour +2

We go an explore the fort. It is mostly empty by now, and there’s not much in the way of loot there. Derek continues to pay homage to Olujimi’s corpse.

We are told that there is a massive spider in the jungle to the south east.
The serpentfolk are enemies of the Charau-ka. They think there may be 50 or more serpentfolk.

Gain a discovery point in the Merchant’s district.

We go back to camp. That night, whilst Tabansi is on watch, he notices a tiger stalking him. He gives a yell and fails to drive it off with a bow shot. The tiger pounces and grabs Tabansi. Tabansi tries to escape, but fails. Ek’tura slows it, Athazog claws at it, Tabansi manages to wriggle free and shoot it, and eventually Arkin kills it.

+240 XP

We sleep for the rest of the night.

Some of us go to investigate the military district. We go look at the Ziggurat, which is carved with images of battle and warfare, showing battles between strangely armoured humans and serpentfolk. Searching around at the edge of the jungle, we see hints of vegepygmies.

We perform exploration of the military district to try and uncover secrets:
About the gladiatorial arena, and their rules of combat and how they trained their troops. 
+80 XP



==== Session 30 (2017-01-07) ====

Have now conquered the Military District. We head towards the jungle in search of the giant spider that is meant to be lurking there.

Derek casts Restoration on Athazog who is now fully recovered.

Vegypygmies spread russet mold, which takes root in your skin, engulfs you and then births a vegypygmy. 

Heading through the jungle, we encounter a violet fungus. Derek casts Fireball on it, and it shrivels up and dies. There is the sound of shriekers in the jungle around it.

XP: 240xp

The noise attracts a group of 8 vegepygmies. The first one goes down with a single shot. The rest go down just as quickly.

XP: 320

Navigating further into the jungle, we come across a huge plaza that is overgrown by the jungle. A large flight of stairs leads down into what appears to be an underground cavern, now filled with fungus. There are strands of prismatic webbing strung across the plaza. There are a number of humanoid shapes wrapped up in prismatic webbing.

Athazog tries cutting one of the strands, and it starts vibrating. A huge spider crawls out of the hole in the ground. It is a huge dream spider. Derek casts Spiritual Weapon and a scimitar starts attacking it.  Athazog does a lot of damage to it.  Derek casts Prayer and everybody’s attacks/damage/saves/skills are improved by +1.  Then Ek'tura shoots a black ray at it, and it shrivels and dies.

XP: 960

Qasa tries flying through the webs, takes wisdom damage from hallucinations and flies back.

A few of us creep up on the trapped shapes. They seem to be medium sized humanoids, but can’t any details. Down in the pit, there is a golden rod of some type, with three glass onion sized domes on it. It seems to be sticking out of the fungus.

Tabansi goes down the steps to the rod, and picks it up, taking it back to Ek'tura. It glows quite strongly when magic is detected.

It is a Rod of Well Deserved Rest. It is a +1 light mace, up to 3 times a day, it can try to put the target asleep (Will DC 14). Once a day, it creates a tiny hut of 5ft radius. 62,000gp.

We give up trying to rescue the creatures, head back into the jungle and round to the ziggurat. It appears to be covered in layers of what could be rust, or dried blood. It is 100ft Ziggurat with a 100ft spear on top of it. There are some Vegepygmies in the area. About 8 of them, some looking a bit larger than the others.

We head back to the spider cocoons, and use mage hand with the flaming scimitar. Opening one releases a swarm of spiders.  We run away from the swarm and work our way around through the jungle to provoke the vegepygmies in the Ziggurat.

We head back to the Ziggurat. Tabansi shoots one of the tougher ones, and it doesn’t go down. It dives into cover. A second is shot, who also dives into cover. Ek'tura takes a close look at the surface of the Ziggurat, and reckons that it is completely covered in russet mold. Since most molds don’t like sunlight, but we are in bright sunlight, so there’s something odd about it.

Tabansi shoots and kills the first one which is trying to crawl back up the steps. Derek surrounds himself with a nimbus of light, and moves closer to the mold.

Since the pygmies are all hiding, and we don’t want to touch the mold, we head round the back of the Ziggurat, to explore. We find the ruins of what looks like a stately manor which is overgrown with vines and flowers. It is on top of a hill that rises above the canopy of the jungle. We head up to it.

Scouting the place out, Tabansi finds tracks of a barefooted humanoid female. As we wander past the back door, an attractive woman with green skin opens the door. She introduces herself as Egzimora. She invites us in and offers us fruit and salad.

She says she is a fey, bound to the hill, and doesn’t get many visitors. 
Have we met Kliboolya? He is the leader of the Vegepygmies. He is a vain sort, open to praise. 

She is interested in chat, or learning about nature magic.

She says that the Radiant Muse is prone to fits of madness. 

There is a depraved creature called Akarundo. He positions himself as a god for the weak serpent folk on the island in the middle of the lake. He is a pretender, a man of very little taste. He takes many forms.

She reckons that her senses are heightened whilst she has been here (we get +2 Perception whilst in this area from a passive effect).

She is a sorceress that specialises in plants, with the Verdant bloodline. She can speak with plants, and gets most of her news that way.

From the vantage point of the hill, we can see a building with seven towers, which apparently has magic that repels anyone from getting near. Qasa flies down towards the building to investigate, and never returns. Ek'tura feels a sharp pain, as if something had been torn from him.

When we leave, she asks Tabansi whether he wants to stay for sex. He says that he has things that have to be done, but will return tonight.

We go back to the Ziggurat to talk to Kliboolya. Arkin talks to them using a Tongues cast by Ek'tura. He persuades the leader to come out and talk to us. However, diplomacy fails.

Derek chucks an acid flask at the mold, which clears a 20’x20’ area. 

Tabansi heads back to Egzimora, and spends the night with her. The rest of the party head back to the camp. The decision is to meet up back at the ziggurat tomorrow morning.





In the middle of the night, a chimera enters camp.  Athazog, who is on watch, fights the chimera.

XP: 640

We buy:
8 flasks of acid
The tree token that Eric ordered before he died (Derek)
2 bottles of wine (Derek), 1 cheap bottle of wine (Athazog)


Tabansi leaves Egzimora in the morning. She asks for him to stay, and becomes quite insistent when he declines but promises to return. Tabansi gets a sense that she is trying to use enchantments on him to get him to stay, so he leaves quickly.


Getting to the ziggurat, there are about 50 pygmies there.. Tabansi tries to warn the rest of the group before they arrive, but the pygmies hear Derek, and attack us before we get a chance to prepare.

Ek’tura throws 2 lion figurines down and 2 lions appear.
Tabansi casts some spells to improve his crit range, increase his bow damage and toughen his skin.

The party kills 8 vegepygmies very easily then move up the ziggurat stairs.  2more vegepygmies die.  Ek’tura casts a Stinking Cloud to centre on the top of the ziggurat.  The lions pounce on some vegepygmies but do no damage.

Arkin moves up the ziggurat but gets too close to the russet mold and gets affected by the spores.  Vines start sprouting from him.

The vegepygmies attack us in force.  They inflict some damage on Arkin and Athazog.  The lions fight back.  Kill 2 more vegepygmies.  One lion takes con damage.
Derek casts Remove Disease on Arkin who is cured of the disease but still has con damage.
Athazog kills a couple of vegepygmies.  Arkin kills the vegepygmy that hurt him badly the previous round.  Tabansi’s arrows kill another three vegepygmies.

Used 2 flasks of acid to clear the stairs so far.

We clear the lower steps of any vegepygmies.

Ek'tura casts fly on Tabansi, allowing him to fly up and start taking pot shots at the pygmies on top of the ziggurat.

Derek wind walks up into position to Fireball them as they pack together behind the stinking cloud.

Used another 5 flasks of acid (7 total).

The lion grapples the vegepygmy leader and Tabansi takes a few shots and kills the leader.


XP: +3,660
The vegepygmy leader was carrying:
Potion of CLW
Potion of invisibility
Small +1 spear
MW composite Short bow w/20 arrows (instantly claimed by Arkin)
Brooch of shielding
13 GP



==== Session 31 (2017-02-04) ====

Exploring the residential district (the jungle-y bit next to the ziggurat).  It gets to that hot sticky part of the day.  A few hours of exploring reveals nothing.  The troglodytes are still guarding the bridge.

Return to our camp and order a boatload of cheap alcohol so that we can go back to deal with the mold.  It will cost 50Gp (to be paid on delivery).

Around 7pm a group of four red mantis assassins turn up.  Amivore and Athazog go forward to talk with them.  The red mantis people say that in the temple area of the city there is an area where their god was worshipped and they would like access to it.  It’s where the troglodytes are right now.  We negotiate a ceasing of hostilities between our party and theirs. We will allow them to travel through our territory to get to the temple area.

Our discovery party comes back with a fairly details narrative about Saventh’s Azlanti heroine) defeating Ydersius (snake god).  The head was banished and put into a pit of fire.  His body was sent elsewhere.  Saventh had been bitten by the snake god before he died and she took ill and died too.   She is buried around here.

Ek’tura continues with his item creation while he waits.

Derek casts Restoration on Arkin so he regains lost strength.

We get 70XP each.

=============================================================================================

Day 28:
The next day Ek’tura casts Mage Armor on himself, Arkin, Derek and Athazog.
Ek’tura casts Fly on Athazog.
Derek casts Shield of Faith on himself.

Tabansi stays on the shore with his bow at the ready.

The party enters the tower.  There’s a churukai shadow waiting for us.  Athazog charged in and tried to hit it and missed.  Arkin tried to attack it and also missed. Ek’tura cast a Haste spell on the party.

The shadows attack and miss everyone.  Derek casts Spiritual Weapon and it misses the shadow.  Athazog rages and attacks the shadow in front of him.  Does massive damage and kills it and then moves between Ek’tura and the other visible shadow.  Arkin moves in and tries to attack the shadow but misses.  Ek’tura triggers his foretell ability.

A big shadow appears and drains 5 strength from Arkin.  Derek’s spiritual weapon attacks the large shadow.  Athazog does serious damage on the big shadow and takes down the big shadow.  The little shadow disappears.

Derek casts Detect Undead and tries to sense where it is.  The shadow comes through the stone floor and tries to attack Derek. Derek takes 6 points of strength damage.  Derek does a Restoration on himself.  The shadow appears again and Derek channels positive energy to do damage.  The shadow shrivels and fades away.

All but Tabansi = 1200XP
Tabansi=600XP

Derek casts a Lesser Restoration on Arkin.


The party travels to the artisan district.  Derek does a Remove Disease on one of the affected inhabitants.  She lets Derek know that she got infected in the area near the statue of Savith (row of golden pillars with a 40ft statue of a woman standing on the body of a snake like creature and holding the severed head of the snake).  The statue was writhing with snakes.  Ek’tura does a Detect Magic.  He detects magic on the statue and in the area.  The snakes are not magical.  Tabansi scouts around the area.  

The party travels across to the abandoned house to where they met the vampire before.  Discovering nothing, we decided to circle around the outskirts of the Artisans’ zone to check out an abandoned house which we had heard was rumoured to be haunted.  Found nothing so pressed on clockwise, where Tabansi spotted some suspicious barefoot tracks.  Whomever made them was clearly ski;lled at hiding their tracks, so we felt we had to follow them around the shoreline.. 

(Remember Tabansi gets +4 bonus when tracking, further +2 if human or +4 if undead... plus jungle bonus... and urban bonus now as well… - Sam)

We follow the tracks away from the Artisans zone and finally lose them near the ruined fort where fo fought the chimeras. Ek’tura used an Arcane Eye spell to scout the ruin, and caught sight of a skulking humanoid figure on the walkway. Tabansi hides at the edge of the jungle while the rest of us cross the narrow water to check out the fort. Arkin starts stealthily exploring the ruins and tries to scramble sneakily up the rubble of a broken wall to the upper walkway.  Fails.
Ek’tura has cast Fly on Athazog who flies up to see if he can see what is on the walkway.  An undead creature charges up to Ek’tura and Derek who are hiding behind a wall - it is another vampire, exactly the creature we were looking for!.  Ek’tura is hit but manages not to gain a negative level.  He yells out to warn the others and casts Vanish..

Arkin continues to try and climb up but stops trying to do it silently.
Athazog flies (charges) down to attack the vampire, and delivers a mighty strike.  However, he has to do a Fort save.
Ek’tura five foot steps backwards and starts casting a Summon Monster spell.
Derek channels energy against the undead and does 21 pts of damage then moves 20 ft back out of the way.
Tabansi shoots at the vampire twice and does 14 pts and then 16 pts of damage. The vampire is looking ragged.

Arkin is up on the walkway searching around to see if there’s still anything there.
The vampire attacks Athazog furiously, who gains a negative level and takes 27 damage (but takes no damage in the end due to damage resistance and his temporary hit points).
Athazog steps in and full attacks and does 23 pts of damage but misses with his second attack.
Ek’tura’s spell completes and in a flash of light a Hound Archon appears.  The Hound archon attacked the undead creature but missed.  Ek’tura triggered his Foretell ability.

Derek moved up within 30 feet and channelled energy against it again doing 21 pts of damage.
Tabansi fired 2 arrows and took the undead down.  Derek casts Wall of Fire (with the fire on the outside) in an effort to stop the undead spirit transferring into a small creature. We kill all small creatures in the area and hope this is enough to stop the vampire coming back again.

All but Tabansi=1600XP
Tabansii=800XP


Tabansi’s new jungle camo look.  Tabansi is now an ELF AND SAFETY RANGER!! (terrible pun courtesy of Keith)

We go back to the Artisan zone.  Tell them the story of the victory over the vampire and how we beheaded/burned/utterly destroyed the body and any small creatures we found.
We segregate ourselves with the artisans (who are already plague infected) and DO NOT track the disease back to our own camp.

=============================================================================================

Day 29
The next morning Derek casts 4 Remove Disease spells and heals everybody who was deathly ill.  The party decided to go back to their camp (symptoms of illness won’t appear until later today).  They will stay outside their camp until they think the threat has passed.

Back at the camp, they discovered that it was attacked by pteranodons.  They have discovered that there might be subterranean vaults and a people living there.

Both Ek’tura and Atahazog have been infected by the plague. The party stays in quarantine in order not to infect the camp. 
The camp is attacked by a gibbering mouther but deal with it without our assistance.

=============================================================================================

Day 30

Have discovered the story of the founding of Saventh-Yhi (again).
Everybody gets 160XP.

We spend the day in camp. Derek cast 2 Remove Diseases and a Lesser Restoration on Ek’tura and he was cured. Derek cast Lesser Restoration on Athazog and he was cured. Ek’tura continues working on creating his magical headband. 

=============================================================================================

Day 31

A caravan party returns to camp and brings Athazog’s chakram with them.  He spends the rest of the day playing with it.

The merchants in our camp bought a barrel of wine from the Red Mantis camp.
We buy the barrel from the merchants for 100Gp (daylight robbery…).  Derek does a Detect Poison to double check.  Not poisoned.

The party go exploring.

Ek’tura manages to locate the frog shaman, who has left the island and is now exploring the ziggurat in the Merchant Zone. I wonder what he’s up to?  Ek’tura also sends an Arcane Eye over to the centre island to see what the serpent folk are up to.  The serpent folk seem organised, they seem to have regular 3-4 people patrols, patrols are changed often.  

We wander back to the Military Zone and Tabansi looks for serpent folk tracks. Some have them have crossed the bridge and wandered around but there is no sign of them there now.

The party head towards the Residential Zone ziggurat (with the vines) in order to use the alcohol to clear the russet mold.  We clear one side of the ziggurat. Still much to do but we’ll need a lot more wine.

Ek’tura casts another Arcane Eye and scouts around this side of the centre island.  There’s an impressive building with a glittering red dome (looks like a ruby egg) with decorations that look like snake scales. Look forward to checking that out later. Ek’tura produces a rough sketch map of the island in the centre based on what he’s seen while scouting it (we’re going to want to go there sooner or later).

The camp was attacked while we were away by an attack of Chara-kar thugs who do some damage.  We need to help rebuild the camp and protect it too. Hopefully it won’t be attacked again tonight...



==== Session 32 (2017-03-04) ====

One of our merchants goes missing overnight. Tabansi has a scout around but can’t find any clues of what happened.

A caravan turns up in the morning.

Derek manages to do a sending to Tom the missing merchant. He says he has been taken to the island near the red dome.

We sneak across by one of the ruined bridges using Water Walk to get to the central island. Sneaking around, we are spotted by a couple of serpent folk. Tabansi takes a shot at one, and we rush around towards the red dome where there are a couple of patrols waiting for us.

Ek’tura runs across to the red dome island.  Derek follows.  Tabansi moves out to provide coverage and sees and shoots at a serpent folk.  He misses.  Athazog throws his chakram at a serpent folk but misses. Arkin runs across the water and stops just behind Derek.  Ek’tura delays, Derek rushes past wielding his flaming scimitar and prepares to attack any enemy that comes near him.  Athazong and Arkin move in front of Derek.  Nobody can hot these serpent folk!  One of the serpent folk throw a javelin at Arkin.

Tabansi moves up towards the shoreline, and finally manages to shoot one of them.  Arkin charges in and massively damages one of the serpent folk.  One of the serpent folk spears Derek and knocks him down to half damage.  Derek counter attacks and does one of the 3 serpent folk surrounding him some damage.

Tabansi manages to shoot another one straight through the head, killing it outright. Ek’Tura summons a lion that charges into the melee, biting one of the serpent folk and fastening on with its claws. Tabansi shoots at the ones flanking Arkin, taking one out, and then Arkin slaughters the other and throws his chakram at the one held by the lion, killing that one as well.

The lion is killed the last remaining serpentfolk. Arkin kills it.

XP: + 1,400

Tabansi scouts round the big building whilst the others heal and do a quick body search. There is a terrible stench of rotting meat, which seems to be coming from a large dark archway that leads into the round building.

Inside there seems to be concentric levels with seating and cushions. The stench of meat is quite bad. There is what looks like a human wearing long red robes with a posh blue tunic sitting on some cushions. He says “Welcome Tabansi, come on in”.

There are four other serpent folk and a body chained up at the back. He says he is Akarundo, and that this was his city. He looks a bit like Tom. He tells Tabansi to invite in his friends to worship at his feet. Tabansi shoots at him, and misses.

Akarundo casts a spell, and commands Tabansi to put down his weapons, to come in and worship at his feet. Tabansi thinks this is a good idea.

Ek’Tura castes haste. Derek casts prayer. Athazog runs in and attacks one of the guards. Akarundo tries to dominate Athazog as well, but fails. Derek steps in and puts up a Magic Circle, and Tabansi suddenly wonders why he’s just dropped all his weapons. He picks up his bow and tries to shoot the wizard again, getting a really good hit which bounces off him.

He casts a lightning bolt, which strikes Tabansi, Derek and Arkin.

Ek’Tura summons a Hound Archon. Derek casts silence on Arkin, who by now has moved down towards the wizard. Tabansi turns his shots onto the guards, taking out one of them. The wizard moves away and vanishes. Ek’Tura drains energy from the remaining guard, Derek heals Tabansi and himself, and then Tabansi finishes off the final guard.

Athazog moves around the building, towards the chained up man at the back. He looks like a naked Tom.

The Hound Archon seems to detect some evil presence nearby. Derek and Tabansi go back to the door, Tabansi looking for any signs of an invisible wizard. On doing so, he sees another patrol of serpent folk incoming.

Derek fireballs the general area where we think Akarundo might be. Tabansi tries to shoot at the serpentfolk, but misses.. There is a bit more fighting against them, as they waste their attacks on the Hound Archon which is about to return back to where it was summoned from.

A lightning bolt hits Athazog and Tabansi, and Akarundo appears about 50ft away in the opposite direction. He is glitterdusted by Ek’tura, and blinded. He also looks a bit different, and has a crocodile’s head and hands whilst still being humanoid. Whilst he tries to get away, a pit appears underneath him, but dodges aside. Derek drops a Wall of Fire around him.

AKarundo walks out of the fire, and chucks an acid arrow at Arkin. Ek’tura greases him and he falls over, and Arkin tries to charge and stab him. Another patrol of three serpent folk turn up. Akarundo manages to crawl out of the greased area and start running away again.

The wizard lightning bolts Tabansi and Arkin again, then runs away. We continue to try to get rid of the rest of the patrol, and finally kill them all. We then hurriedly start heading back to camp, trying to find the crocodile wizard as we do.

Tabansi runs round the other side of the building, and catches sight of him running across the surface of the lake towards one of the buildings between where the Bullywugs and Bard are. Tabansi tries to keep an eye on where he’s going, whilst the others search the round building.

XP: +3,840

We get back to the camp. In the mid-afternoon, Athazog and Ek-tura come out with the plague. 

We get attacked at night by a couple of dire apes.

XP: +200 for Derek, Arkin, Tabansi

Gain 2 exploration points.



==== Session 33 (2017-03-25) ====

We are at the camp, with our plague ridden colleagues.

Derek casts 3 Remove Disease and 3 Lesser Restoration spells to cure his companions.

We head back to the pyramid in the jungle which is covered in russet mold, equipped with a large stock of wine. With about a day’s work, we are able to clear the pyramid.

Exploring the area, the team makes a Discovery
The passive effect is: Everybody gets +2 Perception.

We get back to camp that night, to find that Troglodytes attacked the camp during the day, almost completely wrecking the place.



Questions
Is there a magical portal to elsewhere in this city?
Is there a field over this city that stops people from teleporting?
Are we within 900 miles of Eleder?
Are there significant underground areas under the city?
Can we trust the Radiant Muse to keep her word?


That night, there is a shout from one of the guards. Rushing over, we see what looks like a gibbering mouther crawling out of the jungle.  Tabansi fires an arrow at it, it swallows the guard, Derek flame strikes it. After it is killed, we rescue the still living guard from its stomach.

XP: +320

Our archaeologists return from their explorations, and report that Bob has gone missing. Derek casts Sending and sends a message to him to try and find how and where he is.  Bob replies that he has been captured by Egzimora, and that he is bound and can’t move. She is the green skinned woman that tried to control Tabansi.

The party travels at a quick pace to Egzimora’s place.  Ek’tura casts Arcane Eye and scouts out Egzimora’s house.  She’s in there preparing food but there’s no sign of Bob.  Derek casts a Magic Circle against Evil and tells the party to stay within 10 foot of him as they approach her house.  Derek also casts Shield of Faith on himself.

We knock on the door, and there is no answer. Arkin manages to get it open, and we head inside.  We open the back door to let Ek’tura in.  Then we head upstairs looking for Bob and Egzimora.  Ek’tura cast Locate Creature and finds Egzimora downstairs and then heading out the building.  We follow rapidly.  Derek casts Helping Hand in rder to try and find where Egzimora is.

Egzimora sends a swarm of rats to attack the party.  Ek’tura fails a fort save and gets bitten badly.  He is nauseated for a round.  Athazog steps up and massacres the swarm with one mighty blow.  Egzimora disappears into the forest.  The party search the house and find a trap door into the basement.  Poor Bob is attached to the wall with vines (along with the skeletons of 2 other humans).  We cut Bob down.  Derek and Ek’tura guard the door while the rest of the party search the entirety of the house.

Find potion of ?? and some notes in her bedroom detailing her mad scientist experiments which Ek’tura takes possession of.

Derek and Tabansi head into the basement to recover Bob’s body and the 3 skeletons.  The rest of the party is standing outside the house keeping an eye out.  Suddenly they are surrounded by a stinking cloud.  Ek’tura and Athazog escape its effects but Arkin is nauseated.  Ek’tura yells that she is upstairs and vanishes.

A lightning bolt heads towards Arkin and Ek’tura is in line so gets hit.  Arkin has evasion so doesn’t get hit.  Ek’tura takes some damage.

Athazog moves around the stinking cloud and heads to where he can now see a troll-like creature wearing Egzimora’s clothes.  He lunges and attacks her and does a goodly amount of damage.  Ek’tura also heads out of the stinking cloud and spots the green warty clawed hunched human creature or hag as we like to call her.

Ek’tura starts casting Summon Monster.

The hag steps up and claws at Athazog.  Her scratching claws causes him to lose strength. He attempts to hit back at her but misses.

Tabansi and Derek hear the commotion upstairs and start moving up, Tabansi casting a spell. Ek’tura summons a Babau Demon behind the hag.

Tabansi opens a window to climb out of that rather than going through the stinking cloud in the doorway. Derek runs to the back door and opens it and prepares to run around the building.

The fight between Athazog, the demon and the hag moves into the jungle.. Ek’tura moves in order to see the hag and creates a pit.

The hag turns invisible and runs off, followed by the demon. After some fighting, Derek fireballs and slays it,

XP: +1,280

Items:
Wand of Bestow Curse (9)
Wand of Lightning (22)
4 Potion of ?
2 x Cure Moderate
Resist Energy (Fire)
Elixir of Love

The Residential District is now cleared.
XP: +1,280

We head back to the camp. It is still intact.


==== Session 34 (2017-04-29) ====

It is a quiet evening in camp.
We plan to go back and attack the Serpentfolk again

Derek casts Shield of Faith and Air Walk on himself and Water Walk on the party.

The party make it to the shore and see 3 lizardfolk hiding around the corner.  Athazog moves closer and prepares to hit anything that comes around the corner.  Tabansi readies an action to shoot at anything that comes around the corner.  Derek moves around the side of the building.

A crocodileheaded being appears over the water and casts a lightning bolt at Derek, Ek’tura and Tabansi who take damage.

Derek casts a Flame Strike on the croc character and ducks down an alley.

Arkin gets mind whammied and told to go ‘prostrate’ himself at the ziggurat.  He moves rapidly down the alley and towards the ziggurat.  The croc moves closer.

Atahzog is fighting with the pack of serpentfolk who are chucking spears and stabbing at Athazog.  Athazog can see three more serpentfolk appear in the distance.

Tabansi casts Gravity Bow in preparation for trying to take down crocodile guy.

Derek tries to cast a Dispel Magic on Arkin but the spell fails.

Ek’tura summons a large earth elemental which punches 2 of the attacking lizardfolk.  He then quaffs a potion of CMW.

The croc shouts out “Kill the intruders” to its people.

Arkin shakes off the spell that was on him.  A couple of minor serpentfolk attempt to hit and bite him but miss.

Tabansi manages to kill a couple of serpentfolk.

Derek tries to Fireball the croc but his spell fails..

The earth elemental attacks the serpentfolk but doesn’t kill any of them.  Ek’tura cast a Vanish spell.

Derek casts a Wall of Fire between 2 oncoming parties of lizardfolk and us.
Arkin charges and hits the croc.  He does damage but not as much as he thought. Tabansi manages to get a hit in on him.

Ektura summons an ankylosaurus next to croc guy., but it is unable to hit him.

The earth elemental wails upon the remaining serpentfolk guard, and Athazog finishes him off.

Tabansi is unable to hit the croc, his arrows just get deflected or blocked.

Derek casts a Blessing of Fervor spell.
Croc guy crawls out of sight beyond the wall of fire, Tabansi shoots the one dying Serpentfolk guard who is the only enemy left in sight.

Ek’Tura dispels the wall of fire, and we see croc guy surrounded by more of his followers. Everyone moves into the combat. Derek manages to counter his attempt at invisibility.

Ek’Tura creates a pit underneath Croc, but he jumps aside. The anklyosaurus and earth element both bullrush some of the serpentfolk surrounding him into the pit, then Athazog strikes at the croc and takes him down. His body falls into the pit.

We wait for the pit to vanish, and slay the remaining Serpentfolk as they try to escape. Checking the body of the Croc, he is very dead. 

XP: +4,800

He has:
A ring: Water Walking
Amulet: Charm of Fate (first failed saving throw, get +5)
Bolas: Hammertail. +1 bolas, ranged trips are +4 to CMD. If misses, then returning.
+1 Kukri

We go to visit the Ziggurat here. There isn’t much of interest. Looking into the central pool, there seems to be something large in the water.

A few serpentfolk patrols seem to be avoiding us now.

Head down to the round building, which is being guarded by half a dozen serpentfolk. Arkin scares them off.

As it turns out, there isn’t much more in the building than we found before.

We go down to the water’s edge, and throw a body in to try and attract whatever is in the water. As the body hits the water, there is movement under the water as some long thin shape grabs the body and drags it under. We don’t get a good enough view to recognise what it might be.

XP: 200 XP

We return back to camp. That evening we are attacked by two leopards.

XP: +120