The Jungle's Claw #023

General Summary

Game date: 25th day of the Crow, Year 13944   The forgotten depths of the ancient dungeon echoed with the clash of steel and the crackle of arcane energy. Thronn Zamda and his vulture dog companion, Meat Beak, had just broken free from their bonds, facing off against Tuurkidrax, the formidable dragonborn gladiator of the Mistwatch. Nearby, Berathi, the tiefling assassin, stood at the ready, her daggers glinting in the dim light. The air was thick with tension as Ratek, the minotaur ally of the Sinister Six, engaged Tuurkidrax in fierce combat.

Fouk Shadim, the cunning Vorcian rogue, had positioned himself behind a pile of rubble, his gear intact and ready for action. With practiced precision, he nocked an arrow to his short bow, taking aim at Tuurkidrax through the difficult terrain. The arrow flew true, striking the dragonborn with uncanny accuracy and adding to the wounds she had already sustained from Ratek.   Emboldened by Fouk's success, Meat Beak attempted to join the fray. The vulture dog, its scavenging instincts heightened by the smell of battle, lunged at Tuurkidrax with its twisted beak. However, the creature's attack fell short, snapping shut on empty air. Tuurkidrax's eyes narrowed, recognizing the growing number of threats surrounding her.   The tide of battle shifted dramatically as Tuurkidrax unleashed her lightning breath. The devastating attack caught Ratek full in the face, leaving the minotaur's horns smoking and his massive frame momentarily stunned. Yet, the blow only served to enrage the beast-man further. With a bellow that shook dust from the ceiling, Ratek charged forward, his great axe cleaving through the air in a deadly arc.   Ratek's attack was brutal and efficient. He swung his axe twice, both strikes landing with bone-crushing force. Tuurkidrax staggered, her armor dented and her breath coming in ragged gasps. Blood trickled from multiple wounds as she desperately tried to maintain her fighting stance.   Meanwhile, in the Goliath village far from the dungeon, Sherman found himself in a bizarre predicament. The Goliath warrior's arms were now adorned with two sentient meat puppets - one an elf, the other his own kin, Gherman. This curse, laid upon him by his own mother in a fit of disgust at his perverse behavior with the puppets, left Sherman struggling to control his new appendages.   Sherman's mother, her face contorted with revulsion, began to weave a powerful spell. The air around Sherman crackled with energy as she cast a teleportation curse, banishing her son back to the Sinister Six. In a whirlwind of arcane energy, Sherman felt himself lifted off the ground, tumbling through space and time.   Back in the dungeon, Fouk seized another opportunity, his keen eyes spotting a weakness in Tuurkidrax's defenses. With fluid grace, he loosed another arrow, the projectile whistling through the air before finding its mark. The dragonborn's eyes widened in shock as the arrow struck true, leaving her severely wounded but still standing.   In a surprising turn of events, it was Meat Beak who delivered the killing blow. The vulture dog, driven by its scavenging nature, lunged forward and tore into Tuurkidrax's throat. The dragonborn collapsed to the ground, her life ebbing away as Meat Beak began to feast on her remains. Far from being disgusted, Fouk and Thronn praised Meat Beak for its vicious efficiency, the creature seeming to grow more formidable before their eyes.   With the immediate threat neutralized, Thronn began to search for his missing gear. He discovered that most of his equipment had been ransacked, with several valuable items missing, including the mysterious antlers they had been seeking. Fouk, who had managed to avoid capture, still had all of his equipment intact.   Suddenly, a flash of light and a thunderous crack announced Sherman's arrival. The Goliath warrior crashed to the ground, his arms still adorned with the bickering meat puppets. The elf puppet, seething with hatred, attempted to claw at Sherman's face, while Gherman berated him incessantly.   As the group tried to make sense of Sherman's sudden appearance, a commotion from deeper within the dungeon caught their attention. Brasquik, the ettercap ranger of the Sinister Six, darted towards the sound, his movements silent and purposeful. Fouk, ever cautious, signaled to the others to follow at a distance.   The party crept down the dimly lit corridor, the rumbling growing louder with each step. It was unlike anything they had encountered in the jungles of Nolavor - not the footfalls of a giant beast, nor the tremors of an earthquake. Something unnatural was stirring in the depths of this ancient place.   Rounding a corner, they came upon a sight that gave even the battle-hardened adventurers pause. In a large chamber ahead, a fierce melee was unfolding. At the center of the chaos stood Moridec, the leader of the Mistwatch, his long white hair whipping around him like a storm cloud as he engaged in a magical duel with Krikfleek, the shadowy monk of the Sinister Six.   Nearby, Resiroth the Tabaxi and Markhil the halfling, both scouts of the Mistwatch, darted in and out of the fray. Syrgil, an elven druid, chanted spells from the sidelines, while Shittisk, the gnoll cleric of the Sinister Six, countered with dark invocations of his own.   The air crackled with arcane energy as Moridec's staff clashed against Krikfleek's shadow-infused attacks, each blow sending sparks of opposing magic flying. Nearby lay the body of a fallen Mistwatch member, one that the party recognized as someone they had killed in a previous encounter. The corpse had been carefully and respectfully placed, indicating that the Mistwatch had brought their fallen comrade along for some unknown purpose.   As the battle raged on, Fouk and the others assessed the situation. The rumbling that had drawn them to this chamber continued unabated, a constant reminder that an even greater danger might be lurking in the shadows, waiting to be unleashed.

Rewards Granted

XP Awards:

Defeating Tuurkidrax (CR 8): 3,900 XP /3 (1,300 each, vengeance for Gherman's death)

Defeating Berathi (CR7): 2,900 XP /3 (967 each)

XP TRACKER
  Treasure, Equipment, and Magic Items:
  1. From Tuurkidrax:
- Enchanted Dragonborn Scale Mail (functions as Mariner's Armor)
- A pouch containing 150 gold pieces and 3 small sapphires (worth 100 gp each)
- Scroll of Protection
  2. From Berathi:
- Two Daggers of Venom
- Cloak of Elvenkind
- Potion of Invisibility
- A silver locket containing a lock of white hair (possibly Moridec's)
  3. Hidden in the ancient room:
- Behind a loose stone, a dusty Bag of Holding containing:
- 500 gold pieces
- A tarnished silver circlet set with moonstones (worth 250 gp)
- Spell Scroll (3rd level) - Fireball
- In a trapped chest (DC 15 to disarm):
- Potion of Heroism
- Goggles of Night
- A set of platinum-inlaid tools (worth 250 gp)
  4. On the fallen Mistwatch member: - Wand of Magic Detection
- Potion of Greater Healing
- A weathered journal detailing Mistwatch activities (potential plot hook)
  5. Scattered around the room:
- Various pieces of adventuring gear (rope, torches, rations)
- A map of the local area with several locations marked (potential quest locations)
- An ornate key with no apparent lock (mysterious plot item)