The Jungle's Claw #011

General Summary

Game date: 18-19th day of the Crow, Year 13944   After a harrowing battle with giant wasps and the mutated Ravus the Forger near the burning termite mounds, Fouk Shadim, Thronn Zamda and Gherman finally make their escape. Fouk, under the influence of mixed mummy dust and dream petals, slips into vivid visions. The shaman Peake appears and reveals more about the mystical bone dagger Fouk recovered from the dinosaur Eliadne. Peake explains that as Eliadne devoured him, he transferred his full consciousness into the bone blade. "Use the knife," Peake implores, hinting at its latent power.

  Cutting the throat of the paralyzed, wasp-mutated Ravus the Forger, Fouk finds a curved ceremonial sickle, a map of the jungle, forger's tools, and ascribed spells on vellum. He also discovers a pouch hidden beneath Ravus' tongue containing four rubies worth 50gp each.   As the party recuperates, the foliage stirs and Scout Nok emerges, catching his breath after a panicked dash through the jungle. His expression is grave as he delivers an urgent warning. Nok explains he was drinking at a nearby tavern when he overheard Bloodclaw soldiers bragging about destroying a jungle lab and dumping chemicals into the river. Soon after, Nok received word - the Bloodclaw brutally wiped out the entire Kurnok village, where the orcs captured and interrogated Chief Krolok. Under torture, Krolok confessed that Thronn had given him intelligence allowing the disastrous Kurnok attack on the Bloodclaw basecamp.   Enraged by this betrayal and heavy losses, Thronn's chieftain father Chief Gruznak has sworn a merciless anathema, sending 300 elite Bloodclaw warriors to capture and torture Thronn.They approach from all directions, surrounding the area and allowing only one path of escape - through a Goliath-built tunnel into the Ironedge Mountains.   Nok's disturbing news forces the companions to cooperate against the common Bloodclaw threat. Conferring with Gherman, whose secret mission is to capture jungle slaves for the Goliaths, Thronn realizes convincing the mountain tribe to grant them passage is now their only hope. In exchange for navigating the tunnel, Thronn promises Gherman a valuable sapphire gemstone.   Time is against them. The Bloodclaw could appear at any moment. The group still aims to reach the Corpseflower Temple and free the Djinn Azural using the half-orc child sacrifice Brakka, but it dawns on the adventurers that Xolotza the panther and her precious cargo are nowhere to be found.   The group prepares to venture into Goliath territory and their mountain tunnel.

Rewards Granted

Treasures Found:  

Ceremonial sickle (ornately curved, inscribed with serpents)

Map of the jungle (weathered, partially burned)

Forger's tools/kit.

Spells on vellum (unknown incantations in an ancient script)

4 rubies worth 50gp each (discovered hidden in Ravus' mouth pouch)

XP Awards:  

600 XP each for slaying Ravus

Fouk - 100 XP for advancing the Peake/bone dagger story through visions

Thronn - 100 XP for roleplaying the "fatwa" threat dramaticallly

Gherman - 100 XP for tribal knowledge and tunnel navigation

200 XP each for surviving the encounter.

Notes

Notes to Transcript:  

Expand on Thronn's past betrayal of the Bloodclaw, before he betrayed information to the Kurnok.

Gherman was on a slave raid for the Goliaths when he joined the group