The Jungle's Claw #018

General Summary

Game date:   23rd day of the Crow, Year 13944   On the evening of the 23rd, near the cascading waterfall where they encountered the Dragon Eel, Thronn Zamda, Fouk Shadim, and Gherman found themselves locked in a desperate battle against a pack of ferocious saber-tooth tigers. Thronn, pinned beneath the lifeless body of one of the beasts, struggled to free himself, while his faithful vulture-dog companion, Meat Beak, lay gravely wounded nearby.   Fouk, perched high in a tree, rained arrows down upon the remaining tigers, his nimble fingers dancing across the bowstring. Despite his best efforts, his first shot went wide, disappearing into the dense foliage. Thronn, summoning his inner strength, managed to wriggle free from beneath the fallen tiger and rushed to Meat Beak's aid. With a gentle touch and a whispered incantation, Thronn called upon his ranger's magic, mending the vulture-dog's wounds and bringing him back from the brink of death.   Seeking to put some distance between himself and the tigers' razor-sharp claws, Fouk launched himself from the tree, his acrobatic prowess on full display as he landed gracefully beside Gherman. Using the momentary distraction to his advantage, Fouk darted behind the corpse of another slain tiger, vanishing from sight.   One of the remaining tigers, its attention fixated on Fouk, leaped towards him with a terrifying roar. However, the beast's advance was hindered by the searing pain of a giant wasp's venom gland, which Fouk had cleverly thrown moments before. As the tiger recoiled, its jaws clamping down on the agonizing stinger, Gherman seized the opportunity to strike. With a mighty blow, the Goliath sent the tiger reeling, its resolve shaken by the unexpected assault.   As the poisoned tiger attempted to flee, Fouk emerged from his hiding spot, his bow drawn taut. With a precise shot, the rogue's arrow found its mark, the projectile burying itself deep in the beast's flesh. The tiger staggered, the venom coursing through its veins sapping its strength with each passing moment.   Meanwhile, Gherman focused his attention on another weakened tiger, recognizing the potential value of subduing the creature. He approached the beast with caution, attempting to calm it with soothing words and a commanding presence. Despite his best efforts, the tiger remained wary and uncooperative, its instincts urging it to flee. Undeterred, Gherman pressed on, his imposing presence and unwavering resolve slowly breaking down the tiger's resistance. Thronn, Fouk, and Gherman discussed the possibility of claiming the tiger as a companion, weighing the benefits and challenges such an arrangement would bring.

As the battle reached its climax, the poisoned tiger, its body ravaged by Fouk's venomous arrow, made a desperate bid for freedom. However, fate had other plans. The dragon eel, drawn by the commotion, burst forth from the nearby river, its massive jaws clamping down on the tiger's battered form. The trio watched in awe as the eel dragged its struggling prey back into the murky depths, the tiger's roars of defiance fading into the watery abyss. With the immediate threat neutralized, Thronn, ever the resourceful ranger, embarked on a solo hunting expedition to replenish the party's dwindling supplies. His keen senses and unparalleled tracking skills led him to a magnificent elder tree stag, a creature of legend revered for its mystical properties. With a well-placed arrow, Thronn felled the majestic beast, his heart heavy with the weight of the kill.   Upon returning to the group, Thronn set about harvesting the stag's most valuable body parts - its hooves, antlers, teeth, and heart. Each piece thrummed with an otherworldly energy, hinting at the powerful magic that coursed through the creature's veins. The antlers, in particular, proved to be a challenge, their immense size and weight making them difficult to transport. Gherman, recognizing the value of such a trophy, offered to assist in carrying the antlers in exchange for a cloak crafted from the saber-tooth tiger's pelt.   Thronn, determined to make the most of his kill, attempted to preserve the elder tree stag's meat by creating jerky. However, despite his best efforts, the meat spoiled, its magical essence proving too volatile for conventional preservation methods. Gherman, drawing upon his Years of experience in the wilds, managed to cure a portion of the meat, ensuring that the trio would have sustenance for the challenges that lay ahead.   As the day drew to a close, Thronn revealed to his companions that he had recently acquired the ability to speak with animals. He hoped to use this newfound power to communicate with the captured saber-tooth tiger, seeking to gather information or perhaps even forge an unlikely alliance. Thronn, Fouk, and Gherman mulled over the implications of such an ability, their minds racing with the possibilities it presented.

Rewards Granted

XP Awards:

Thronn: 600 XP for his successful solo hunt and skillful harvesting of the elder tree stag's valuable body parts.

Fouk: 150 XP for his strategic use of the giant wasp venom gland and successful sneak attack against the tiger.

Gherman: 150 XP for his attempt to subdue the weakened tiger and his success in preserving 5 lbs of the elder tree stag meat.

Party: 150 XP each for defeating the saber-tooth tigers and witnessing the dragon eel's intervention.

Items Acquired:

Elder tree stag body parts: hooves, antlers, teeth, and heart.

5 lbs of preserved elder tree stag meat.

Saber-tooth tiger pelt for crafting Gherman's cloak.

Consumables Used:

One use of Thronn's cure wounds spell to heal Meat Beak for 7 hit points.

Arrows expended by Fouk during the battle (exact quantity to be determined by the DM).

One arrow lost by Thronn due to a fumbled longbow shot.

One giant wasp venom gland thrown by Fouk.

XP CHART

Notes

Notes to Transcript:

Develop the properties and potential uses for the elder tree stag body parts, particularly the antlers and heart.

Establish the value and rarity of the elder tree stag meat, considering its magical nature.

Explore the implications of Thronn's speak with animals spell and how it may impact future interactions with creatures encountered in the campaign.

Consider the potential consequences and benefits of Gherman's attempt to subdue and keep the saber-tooth tiger as a companion."