3.5 Monk Campaign: A Boot to the Head (IC)

[lostsole31]

ZZZZZzzzzzz......

[Azoth]

Li takes off after Vir towards the remants of the battle. He sees Tilmek on the ground and ignores the weapons and claws of the remaining foe. Li drops to his knees sliding up to Tilmek's bloody body not caring for himself as the second gem on his belt turns black. His hand glows white for a moment as he shoves Tilemk violently.

Get up! You aren't dying on me today!

Spoiler

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If spot applies to see Tilmek (1d20+12)[17]
Move action from x11 to t8 provoking AoO
Standard action: activate belt of healing spending 1 charge to heal Tilmek for(2d8)[11]

[inexorabletruth]

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No Spot Checks are needed.

As you charge past Alaghi 2 sets his eyes on you, but is more concerned about defending against Vir-Sashi's brutal assault than striking out at a non-assailant.

No AoO...

The blood from Tilmek's body stops spurting and slows to a trickle as color returns to his face. His eyes pop open and he draws a deep and heavy breath. He scrambles for a moment, horrified, scratching at his belly as if still trying to pry out the javelin that was recently buried there. Then suddenly, comprehension sinks in. He looks to Li, then to the beleaguered Alaghi, then prepares to scramble to his feet.

Alaghi 2:
Alaghi 2, on the other hand, no longer seems interested in a fight.

"Queemar!" The Alaghi proclaims as he throws his javelin to the ground.

Ur-Agal seems hesitant, but holds up a hand. "I believe he wishes to surrender."

Ur-Agal speaks to the Alaghi for a moment longer, and the Alaghi drops his other weapons and kicks them over to Ur-Agal.

"Immael thasae. Nuu ilna dryadu... verialu." The alaghi drops to his knees and lowers his head, then bows to the ground.

"Verialu!" He pleads.

Ur-Agal has a stern face and seems almost insulted by the word "Verialu." His nostrils are flaring and he looks to the group for a moment, then back to the Alaghi.

"Imaen athavel-MAILIE! Son of a jackal wants peace after that?" Ur-Agal shouts as he wades in for a killing blow.

Vir-Sashi, you're up.

Initiative:

1. Vir-Sashi
2. Ur-Agal (16 HP)
3. Coanacoch
4. Li
5. Alaghi 2 (HP 25)
6. Tilmek (8 HP)

Battle Grid

[Man on Fire]

Vir-Sashi is disgusted by the creature's cowardly behavior. Is is ready to strike at it, and break it's head open with his fist, but stops his hand.
"He may still be useful to us. He knows this forest and it's paths, probably knows it's inhabitants too. I say we tie him up and use as our guide. If he will serve us loyaly, and answer our every question with only the truth, we will let him live. We will take him to the abbey, where he will be judged as thinking creature who had choosen to follow the ways of animal, but won't kill him.. But shall he betray us, shall even a mere thought of lying to us flow through his skull..." He don't finish, just smiles at the Alaghi, revealing all his razor sharp teeth the creature already had unpleasant experience feeling cutting through it's flesh.

[inexorabletruth]

The Alaghi doesn't understand at all what's going on, but knows quite well what "Imaen athavel-mailie" means.

"Mai-ima un imainar railute kein raee." The Alaghi replies coolly after Vir-Sashi bares his fangs.

Out of Initiative unless someone attacks.

Ur-Agal seems quite content to drop a finishing blow on the Alaghi. "I admire your sense of honor, my friend. But we already have a guide; he lies unconscious at our feet because of these monsters."

He steadies his breathing. "A single clean blow, then." He grabs his crossbow and lines up a shot to the back of the Alaghi's head: execution style. "It will be painless."

[Man on Fire]

"You speak jut, if harsh." Vir-Sashi bows his head. "but let us let him choose the way to die. If he wants to die a warrior, with weapon in his hands, I volunteer to duel him."

[Azoth]

Li steps forward towards the Alaghi. Painless is too good for him. The pain he inflicted on Tilmek and Coan was more than enough to warrant some suffering. He only surrendered and wanted peace because he fears death. He is no warrior and doesn't deserve a warrior's death. He deserves torment and being brought back from the brink only to suffer it again.

He reaches to his belt and throws a dagger down on the ground infront of the Alaghi. His words slow and strong. Kill. Yourself. Or. I. Will. With. Much. Pain. Ur-Agal...translate it so the beast understands me.

[inexorabletruth]

Ur-Agal looks to Li and threatening expression on his face. But Ur-Agal and was somewhat wounded by the expression. He shakes his head calmly, "I am not your enemy, Li. Remember that," and fires the shot.

At point blank range, the arrow pierces the back of the alaghi's skull, tearing into the brain and dropping him in one hit. As the alaghi lie twitching on the ground, Li lowers his crossbow slowly and sighs.

"Coanacoch must be tended to. I have more healing potions, but I had hoped to save them for Necahual should we find her. We need to leave this place quickly. These alaghi are but a small part of the greater whole, judging by the size of this village. If we encounter the rest of them, we will surely be overrun, and Necahual's life will be forfeit."

With that, he goes over to Coacacoch, drops to a knee and pulls out a potion, pouring it down his mouth.

HP Recovered: (1d8+1)[9]

"I hope to the gods this will be enough..."

XP:

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Li: 720 XP
Coanacoch: 810 XP
Vir-Sashi: 810 XP

[Azoth]

Li looks to Ur-Agal and lets out a slow calming breath. Then he reaches down into pack and takes out his kama. He begings to quickly hack off the head of the Alaghi in front of him.
I know Agal, I am sorry for my temper having gotten the better of me. Someone should search the camp nearby to see if their are any items of use to us. We have already gone through more healing than expected. Maybe they have taken potions or something that could help us heal or fight.

[lostsole31]

Coanococh comes to as much of his gut wound heals ... at least enough to keep from being deadly (now at ~ 50%). "Hey, guys! Did we win? Were we able to subdue them to keep either of us from slaughtering each other?"

[Man on Fire]

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First of all, I go up in a level. YAY! Do we roll hp in this game or take average again?

"Don't know if we have time for searching." Vir-Sashi shakes his head. "Let me help you, Coanococh. Lie still for a moment." He kneels next to Coanococh and starts tending his wounds.

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Heal check (1d20+4)[23]

[inexorabletruth]

Ur-Agal looks to Coanacoch. "We survived. For now that must be enough."

He surveys what he can see of the camp. "Alaghi are a strange lot. By themselves, they are docile, even kind, shaman of the wood who have been known to rescue and heal lost travelers. But alaghi villages are notoriously evil and destructive. No less savage than gnolls, but far stronger and more intelligent. These however," he nudged the headless carcass with his boot, "did not fight with the same strength and cunning I would expect to see from his kind. I suspect him to have been an inexperienced youth, though I never was good at telling their age. They all look the same to me. Either way, this habitat is capable of hosting a dozen more of these creatures... whom I believe have developed a taste for human flesh thanks to a certain dryad grove I suspect we trespassed in earlier."

He pauses and examines his belt pouch, giving it a disapproving look. "Vir-Sashi, you have a valid point. If we wish to scavenge what we may find from this place, we must do it quickly. I'd recommend splitting up into groups and searching together. Li and Vir-Sashi should each lead a group, since they faired the best against the alaghi in this battle. I will search with Li, and Coanacoch will travel with Vir-Sashi, unless anyone objects to this plan." He pulls out his water skin and hands it to Coanacoch. "Here... take a light sip of this. The elves call it Sumihar Wine. It is not really a wine. In fact, it is a bit of a hangover remedy. It won't heal you, but it will keep your mind clear to dodge attacks." The wine has a provocative, aromatic smell that reminds you of amberwood.

[Man on Fire]

"Right! Coanacoch, lets go!" Vir-Sashi yells, accepting the orders. He leads his friend out of the camp, giving a quick look around in search for anything useful.

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Spot check (1d20+8)[16]

[Azoth]

While Ur-Agal continues to speak Li makes quick work of the other two Alaghi heads. Each one being tossed into his Handy Haversack once it is severed. Then he turns to Ur-Agal and Vir.
Alright then, then make this a quick search of the camp. After I suggest we move out doubling back a bit before heading towards the grove. Try to get distance from the fight and the Dryad grove. Unless, anyone wants to barrel back through and try to take out the Dryads?


After an answer is given he will move out with Ur-Agal to see what they can find.

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Search check: (1d20+2)[3]

[lostsole31]

"Great!" says Coanococh cheerfully, before he has to hold his gut again. "Erm, good for us. We are blessed with your knowledge, Ur-Agal."

When it's time, Coanococh moves out with Vir-Sashi.

[inexorabletruth]

Ur-Agal shrugs at the compliment. "It took no deduction on my part. This one told me before the fight began." He points to the body of the alaghi whom we first encountered.

"Tsee elell grot anubut dryaddu... subba gel dareneth fambresh. It is a very guttural variant of Sylvan which means, more or less, that if we were sent here from the dryad grove, then we were sent here as supper."

He takes the waterskin back from Coanacoch and seals it. By the time you take off with Vir-Sashi, you start to have a clearer head.

[inexorabletruth]

@ Team Coana-Sashi:

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You find that the practice of capturing and eating lost humans has been going on for a while. Bone piles exist near almost every hut you see. Even some furniture, tools, and art work seem to be made from carved bone. The alaghi seem to have little or no understanding of money, and you manage to find a pit full of discarded items... most of which are coin purses full of silver, copper, and in some cases gold. A quick count reveals 21 such coin purses. Amidst this treasure pit, you also find a decent cache of metal weapons (swords, axes, maces), which the alaghi apparently had no interest in, based on the wood and stone weapons the alaghi you fought used.

@ Team Li-Agal:

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You pick a hut, which Ur-Agal presumes to be the medicine man's hut. To your surprise, he is there, but seems to be in some kind of trance and has somehow not noticed that a battle took place at his front door.

Ur-Agal freezes in his tracks, not at all eager to press forward into a shaman's hut while the shaman is sitting right there... trance or no. Still the shaman appears to have been busy. There are potions and medicines organized in shelves all over the hut. The labels are in Sylvan, so you can't make them out, but the colors seem familiar as mostly curative and healing potions, along with the odd buffing potion.

A pleasant aroma fills the hut from an incense bowl in the middle of the room, no doubt a chemical used to help with the trancing effect.

[Man on Fire]

"Disgusting." Vir-Sashi says, looking around. He uickly picks up the purses."Lets hope we can use this for good cause, so we can turn that darkness into at least small light." He says to Coanococh.

[lostsole31]

Coanococh nods, helping with the load of purses.

[Azoth]

Li stops as he sees the meditating Alaghi. He signals towards Ur-Agal to level the crossbow and cover him. Li knows they are food for these beasts. This one probably no different than the others. He has to end it quickly and quietly to not alert any others that may be nearby. Ransacking the place is too risky not knowing how long the trance will last. If this one is a shaman they could face magic if he wakes up and finds them.

Even if he feels bad for it, Li can't risk the other's survival on a gamble. He has to do it. He begins to slowly move towards the Alaghi. His hands raised high to appear not as a threat. Once he gets close enough, he will grab the Alaghi and try to subdue it. Maybe just choking it out for a few hours will be enough...maybe. But if it attacks, they have no choice.

Move Silently (1d20+12)[17]

[inexorabletruth]

@Li:

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Ur-Agal looks skeptical, but readies his crossbow. Lining up a shot right between the eyes.

The alaghi doesn't move. As you move closer you can hear the creature snoring lightly. The fumes from the incense are alluring and relaxing. It becomes difficult to focus.

Roll a Will Save: DC 10

You can see that Ur-Agal is struggling to keep his eyes open. He clenches his eyelids shut and blinks a few times to refocus.

[Azoth]

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Will save: (1d20+8)[19]

Woot! No passing out for Li.

[Azoth]

Li manages to shake off the invading desire for sleep. Still his vission is starting to blur a bit, and focusing on his steps is hard. He doesn't know how long he will be able to fight this, and Ur-Agal is already fading. The smoke has to stop, but if it does...the shaman...might...wake up.

Li shakes his head violently to clear it as he knows what must be done. It is for their survival. He has to do it. He quickly slides his thumb across his throat and points to the Alaghi. Then he moves towards the incense bowl, and without any water decides to just press his hand into the burning embers to stamp them out. He is ready for the pain, but a little pain is nothing for the good of the team.

[inexorabletruth]

@Li:

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The incense deals 1 point of fire damage before it is snuffed out, but it emits a billow of smoke afterwords that makes the air thick and mildly acrid. Ur-Agal fires as you supress the incense burner, landing a bolt right between the alaghi's eyes. Surrealistically, he continues to sit there for a moment, as if the bolt hadn't hit him. Then, like a freshly chopped tree, he tilts backwards and falls flat on his back.

Ur-Agal chokes a bit on the air in the room, then expels the fog with a raspy cough. "Fortune was with us, Li. Had he woken up, we would probably be dead. He looks at the headdress of the shaman. This alaghi is the village shaman... most likely a druid. That explains the relationship with the dryad. We are making too many enemies this day."

He puts away his crossbow and helps you to round up the bottles that you wish to carry.

You find:

• 6 bottles of Cure Minor Wounds
• 3 bottles of Guidance
• 3 bottles of Purify Food and Drink
• 3 bottles of Resistance
• 2 bottles of Cure Light Wounds
• 2 bottles of Endure Elements
• 2 bottles of Longstrider
• 3 bottles of Magic Fang
• 2 bottles of Shillelagh
• 1 bottle of Barkskin
• 1 bottle of Bear's Endurance
• 2 bottles of Cat's Grace
• 3 bottles of Delay Poison
• 1 bottle of Owl's Wisom

along with an obsidian sacrificial dagger, some exotic cosmetics, a short ebony club, dried goods, paints and dyes, an unusual rug, some garlic, 2 bottles of wine, a vial of walnut oil and a pound of walnuts... apparently they like walnuts too.

@ Everyone:
You gather what you wish of your findings and meet up with the rest of the group, which apparently has found quite a haul as well.

Ur-Agal is still shaking off the effects of the incense when they arrive at the meetup, but seems to be lucid and ready to go. He looks at Vir-Sashi and Coanacoch's haul and an idea sparks.

"I believe I can get us back on the right path without taking us through the dryad grove, but it may require circling wide. At that rate, we will not make it to the bandit camp until dawn. With the copper you have found, we may be able to bribe a member of the fey to guide us. What do you think? Should we hazard the short path through the grove, or take the longer, safer route?"

[lostsole31]

Coanoch says, "I think we can do well with bribing them."

[Man on Fire]

"If we can use that for something good, we should." Says Vir-Sashi. "It's our duty to make the light out of this darkness."

[Azoth]

Li looks around to the others for a moment. His hatred of Fey and the actions of the Dryads made him want to barrel through the grove putting a cold iton arrow through each of their heads, and burn their tree to the ground. His comrades though wished otherwise.

Through gritted teeth Li spoke, Let us take the long way. Someone else with dispense justice unto the Dryad that killed so many from the races of man. Today, fortune smiles unto them that it is not us and grants their wicked ways another day...and a few more lives.

[inexorabletruth]

It takes a some time, and more than once Ur-Agal must scale a tree to check his progress, but the group makes a wide arcing route around the dryad grove, a topiary garden, a troll den, and two gnoll encampments. You've been marching the whole day, and the direction Ur-Agal leads you on looks nothing like a path. Finally, after climbing down one particular tree, he returns with a huge grin.

"We are in luck. I found what I am looking for at last. A grig is not found unless it wishes to be found. But a treant grove is a difficult site to ignore."

He enters an unusually dark patch of the wood, where the trees are so closely pressed together, it gives you the feeling that he is walking into a cage. Disturbingly, the trees warp and grow even closer together after he passes through.

For many long moments, it is quiet. Then you hear an earth trembling "whump" sound and the groaning of wood. Then a low, woody moaning sound. Then silence. Faintly, you can hear Ur-Agal's voice, speaking in what you've come to recognize as Sylvan.

From the side of the grove, as if from nowhere, an odd little fellow, roughly 2 feet tall and slender moves in front of your group, between you and the treant grove, his face twists into an alien looking smirk,

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"Now I've seen everything," it says in high pitched voice, like the sound of someone who has just breathed in helium. "A monk in the woods who has made friends with the fey. I've heard of you, Coanaoch of Armedio Jungle, from Nib and his wife. Your guide mentioned your name and I had to see for myself."

His face is naturally pursed as if he'd been sucking on a lemon, so it is difficult to discern facial expressions, but he seems to be sizing you and your friends up. "You look like hell. What happened to you?"

[lostsole31]

"We were almost appetizers for a few alaghi," says Coanoch. "My best regards to Nib and his wife."

He gives a low bow, but not one that seems to tall and patronizing, nor one that seems to have his big head looming down at the fey. "I am honored you know who I am, and by sight alone. With whom do we speak?"

[Man on Fire]

Vir-Sashi bows his head to show respect and remains silent, but cautious. He cannot help himself but to admire the strange beauty of the creature in front of them.