The Cuzto Halflings

[simmeh]

11.14.6.1.2

Well, that was one hell of a party. Regylluro's feasts normally are, but that was just ridiculous. But then, was it really that unexpected? The start of the new Tun is already something to get excited about, and add to that the fact that the war parties are leaving today to go and destroy the Suzulal means that the entirely of Cuzto has a reason to celebrate.

Ixtilon, Ka'lakxi, Kamakayel, and Tlaxal

You awaken from your stupor, lying about the firepit given to the group of you for the revelry. The bonfire that raged the night before are now simply smouldering. Bits of food and empty dishes are strewn about. On closer inspection, some of the meat doesn't appear to have quite come from goats and boars - no doubt the gods will be pleased.

It is obviously well past sunrise, but it is not quite noon yet. As you come to, you all are remembering the sacred charge given to you the night before: to go to the Suzulal holy site that is defacing the far side of Lugyglu and 'deal' with it. This is a great honour. For a group so young, to be tasked with the furthering of the Cuzto and the decimation of the Suzulal in this way is something some veteran clerics only dream of. And yet, you youth were handpicked to go and do this.

One thing is missing, however: an inquisitive young woman from the Third Caste is supposed to be joining you - someone who may know more about the hated Suzulal than you might be comfortable with, but whose expertise with strange temples may be invaluable in the likely case that those dirty fish-eaters sealed and trapped their cloisters.

But she should be the one coming to find you, right? You are the messengers of the gods! Why would you go out and seek a Third Caste goat counter?

Atl'atl

Your family's bonfire last night had been somewhat awkward. It's not that your parents weren't excited that you were receiving such an honour; nay, it may prove a very good chance to move up in the caste system. If anything, they were maybe too excited at the prospect that their grandchildren may not have to work as hard as they did to achieve their prestige.

Yes, you are being brought along almost exclusively for your oddly manifested afinity for communicating with Nuvuk and your experiences around religious articles, but it is still the chance of your lifetime.

That is why, midway through the night, you were called upon to join the other religious acolytes who are going on this mission at their fire. If your family fire had been awkward for you, then this one was too - until everyone consumed enough alcohol to just not care any more.

And so, you ate, drank, and were merry outside your caste. Let's hope that the camaraderie you shared last night does not wear off as the spirits of the gods do.

Ital

The Rillaband family bonfire had been successful, for the most part. Despite your father's attempts to set you up with a fine upstanding son of a stonemason who couldn't really hold his liquor, it was a galloping good time. The fire had roared, the people had feasted, and all the while you sat, ate, and drank with giddy excitement. Tomorrow is the day! Not only one of the biggest days in the history of the tribe, but for you as well! You finally get to go on your own adventure, and for such a noble cause too!

But you'd best not keep the religious types waiting. They're known to be impatient if they have to wait for their 'lessers'.

Necahual

You did not get to participate. The Rillaband patriarch was gracious enough to give you a bowl of water and a few scraps of the roast goat, but that was all. You know what today is. Today is the day you will follow Indara to a temple, likely to defile the beliefs of some other nation, in the same way yours were.

Ital has stirred, and the rest of the field appears to be doing so as well.

It begins.

[Tuv]

They drank, and partied, and danced, and ate. Then they slept.

It would have been so easy to crush a half-dozen of their tiny skulls before they took me down. Revenge would have tasted sweet on my lips, but would it have been enough? I don't know if destroying this entire tribe would be enough to sate my rage, but losing control now just... wouldn't be enough.

I sit close enough to my 'master' to hear orders, but far enough away that I am not mistaken for partaking in any of the festivities, or accused of anything really. Any misstep is a death sentence, only obedience assures my continued survival.

Mayhaps the temple will be vacant, and I won't have to spill innocent blood, or maybe a minor slaughter will quench my rage for now.

And so Necahual sits, waiting to follow.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon wakes up with a bit of a headache, as could be expected after such a celebration. Stretching, he grabs a piece of... some form of roasted meat lying beside him, and eats a quick breakfast before standing. He goes through his mourning stretches, and says a prayer to Hucucto for allowing him the chance to strike at his peoples enemy.

Finishing up, he looks at his companions on his quest. Two devotees of Nuvuk, not a bad group, if a bit odd, and a follower of Zyphlo. Ixtilon made a note to keep an eye on... Ka'lakxi, that was his name. He had introduced himself the night before. No matter how nice he seemed though, Zyphlo had shown favor to the Suzulal to many times before to fully trust his priests to be loyal to the Cuzto.

Well, no matter how he felt about them, the high-priest of Hucucto had told him to go with them to strike at their enemy, and he would. He sat down to await the arrival of the woman merchant.

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi woke up groggy with a huge headache. With a groan he empathically called for Hu'kutu. Get me water. On the other end of the bond he heard a windy laughter that aggravated his hangover even more. He always drank too much at Regylluro's feasts, but it was sanctioned by the gods so he felt it was worth it. Hu'kutu floated into the room, looking like a solidified storm-cloud given halfling form, a sign that even Zyphlo sanctioned the destruction of the Suzulal. As he drank the water, he and his guide shared a prayer to Zyphlo that his stormy wrath may break upon their enemies. Though he had favored the Suzulal for years, many sages confirmed in the storm clouds that a change in favor was nigh.

As he prayed, he scanned the room. They seemed an apt enough bunch, hopefully they were as good as the elders thought. One man seemed to be giving him a wary glance. Ka'lakxi vaguely remembers introducing himself to this man after wine cup number six... or seven. It was a bit fuzzy, but the name Ixtilon rang in his head. Since the scandal with his father, Ka'lakxi knew when somebody was suspicious of him. Better keep a weather eye out for him.

Ka'lakxi finds a cup of wine, a piece of meat, and sits in the sun waiting for the merchant girl to arrive.

[Cyclopean]

Groaning, Tlaxal stirs to wakefulness. The too-bright sun feels like needles in his eyes, and he blinks back tears as he puts his back to the sun.

He is ravenous, and gobbles up the scraps of last night's feast as fast as he can without seeming too uncouth. He almost doesn't bother with getting a drink--he knows from experience that it will do nothing for his itching thirst, but he tries anyway.

His immediate needs more or less met, Tlaxal takes out his jade totem. He has missed dawn vespers. He nearly decides not to bother with them, but begins chanting softly when he remembers that he will surely need Nuvuk's blessing for the holy mission he has been tasked with.

[Lady Moreta]

Ital woke slowly, feeling pleasantly full and lazy, despite the excitement bubbling away in her stomach, the knowledge that today was the day. She sat and stretched, reaching for a cup of water and some leftover goat. It was cold and a little tough, but she couldn't be bothered finding anything fresher, and for once, feeling relaxed enough not to simply order Necahual to get something for her. Speaking of the slave her parents had insisted she take with her - like they didn't think she could take care of herself! She didn't bother turning to check, she knew he would be sitting nearby, somewhere behind her - for that matter, she could hear the heavier breathing of the human, off to her left.

She stretched again, rolling her neck to get the kinks out. She should probably go find the religious types; they didn't like to be kept waiting. And while Ital didn't consider herself 'inferior' in any way, she knew they'd be inclined to look down on her and it was unbecoming to start such an important journey with any illwill - such would be an affront to the gods.

Ital bounced to her feet and flicked one glance in the direction of her slave - despite being annoyed at her parents, she couldn't deny it was a heady feeling, being in sole charge of another life like this. Ital couldn't keep the grin off her face as she spoke.

"Come. We must find the others."

[madtinker]

Atl'atl listened with closed eyes as the others began to stir around him. He had been awake for several hours, listening to the blood pound in his ears. No wonder the gods approved of alcohol. It made you feel dead in the morning, the better to fear their wrath. He adjusted his ceremonial mask to let in the light and immediately regretted it. Squinting, his eyes slowly adjusted to the bright morning light and he took in the sight of his drinking companions.

They were sad sacks of pampered putrescence. All the priests were. They claimed to serve the gods but just went through the motions of worship, hoping for their own gain and glory. But to Nuvuk all could be useful tools. He himself was merely a tool to bring all living things to heel.

And today he must demonstrate his worth to those fat old men who called themselves priests by ransacking the temple of a rival tribe. If Nuvuk was feeling gracious, today he would bathe in the blood of his enemies. Atl'atl let his lips curve up in a thin smile underneath his ever-present mask. Today would be a good day.

[Tuv]

Seeing his 'master' rise, Necahual stands and hoists his yoke up onto his shoulders. Perhaps they thought that it would be a burdensome weight to him, and it is, but not for the reason they thought. In the end, there is naught to do but follow quietly.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon gathers his belongings up, then dons his armor, swings his pack over his shoulder, and grabs his axe. As he does, he thinks back to his training and travels, trying to remember anything he knows about his people's hated foes.


Knowledge (Religion) - [roll0]
Knowledge (Local) - [roll1]
Knowledge (Warfare) - [roll2]


When he finishes getting ready, he looks over the others of his caste, still breaking their fast, or just now finishing their prayers. "What are you louts waiting for, the gods to pick you up and carry you to the temple? We must be ready when the merchant woman arrives, that we can go and smite the Suzulal and their pathetic gods." Ixtilon glares at Ka'lakxi. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can bring glory to the True Gods and the Cuzto, and the sooner we can sacrifice the ocean-lovers at the great temple."

[simmeh]

Ixtilon

You know that the Suzulal worship a different pantheon of gods, though its size is unknown to you. You do know that there is no god among the Cuzto pantheon that is the the Suzulal pantheon, and vice versa. Zyphlo has been suspected at times to the chief god of the Suzulal, as he is the god of storms and their chief god is of the sea, but no one has been able to truly make these accusations stick.

The Suzulal are a tribe of frog-like humanoids. Taller than the Cuzto Halflings even when in their normal crouch, their primary advantage is that size, in addition to their great dexterity in water. The Cuzto have never been able to communicate with them, as their language is all-but-incoherent, especially to those lacking the proper organs with which to use it. Other than that, the Cuzto simply know that the Suzulal are nocturnal eat a lot of fish.

The Suzulal, as to be expected of an aquatic tribe, mostly use a wide variety of spears, harpoons, and nets. They favour night raids almost exclusively, though they mostly prefer to keep to themselves. If previous skirmishes with them have been any indication, they will be unwilling and likely unready to fight you during the day.

Ital and Necahual

The group of religious scholars you are going to meet is on the south side of the field. From your position, you can see numerous fire pits with groups of stirring young clerics - obviously, yours was not the only group given an assignment such as this. You were told one distinct way of finding them though: one of the members of the group would appear to be much older than he looked, with greying hair and leathery skin. You spot one campfire with four young-looking tribesmen and a single elderly-looking one. You can safely assume that this is them.

[BornValyrian]

Grabbing his pack and letting Hu'kutu rest on his shoulder, Ka'lakxi says, "Aye. We might as well be ready for when the girl arrives. I personally would enjoy the chance to crush our enemies before any of our tribesmen." He ignores Ixtilon continuing glare. Acknowledging them never helped him before.

[madtinker]

Seeing Ka'lakxi rise, Atl'atl shook himself from his reverie. Picking through the scraps of the feast he selected a few morsels for a morning meal, and checked his gear while eating. Oh yes, he had nearly forgotten. With careful movements he dipped one of his blowgun darts in poison, and stored it safely with the others, noting its position in the case of darts. "ready," he announced to No one in particular.

[Lady Moreta]

"Ah, there." Ital notes aloud, easily spotting the correct group. She doesn't bother pointing them out, Necahual is there simply to follow.

Ital nimbly moves through the firepits and crowds til she reaches the correct group. She pauses for a moment, considering the correct and most appropriate greeting. Her father would tell her not to give any ground, to be proud of who she is and not to let them get away with thinking they are superior to her in any way. Her mother would say the same. Ital thinks that all this is true, but at the same time, her parents aren't the ones who have to live and work with these people for the foreseeable future. She decides on a compromise.

Ital offers a slight bow, enough to show respect, but nothing more.

"I am Ital. We are to defeat the Suzalel, yes?"

[simmeh]

The group of you are now assembled. To the south, you can see the peak of Lugyglu, and that is your destination. It will take the rest of the day to reach its foot, and then likely the entire night to walk around it, as the Suzulal monument is on the far side of the mountain.

The rest of the camp appears to be stirring, and while no one has approached you yet, it may be best to make your introductions quick and be on your way. Near your campfire is a small pile of trail rations given you by the tribe to get you through your trek - enough for six tribespeople for three days.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon takes his share of the rations and puts them into his pack. "I'm glad you could finally make it. Introductions will have to be quick though - We need to leave as soon as possible, and still need to sacrifice to Yowolo for a safe travel. He gives the trader his name as he walks to the nearest shrine to the god of travel, saying a prayer and giving a sacrifice of the food from the night before. "It isn't much, but when we return, we can sacrfice Suzulal slaves to further appease him, and it would be unthinkable to leave with no sacrifice whatsoever."

[BornValyrian]

Also taking a portion of the rations, Ka'lakxi regards the newcomer. "Welcome. We should probably save introductions for while we travel, but I am Ka'lakxi." He stuffs the rations into his pack and makes a similar offering to Yowolo, also leaving behind a pinprick of his own blood. Always leave some of yourself for the gods, his father had taught him, that way they know your flesh and blood .

[Lady Moreta]

Ital picks up her share of the rations, looks at them for a moment, then hands them back over her shoulder for Necahual to take.

"If any of you have anything of weight to carry, he can take it." She offered, it never hurt to make a gesture of goodwill. And speaking of gestures, Ital's favoured god was Regylluro, but it was stupid to go on a journey, especially one this important, without offering to Yowolo as well.

[madtinker]

Atl'atl sighed heavily, and handed his share of the rations to the slave. No sense wasting strength. This is good of you Ital.

All roads lead to death. Why these people insist on making ablutions to an intermediate god, Atl'atl just didn't understand. And since prayers to Nuvuk are best offered at night, he instead 'sat before the road', contemplating whether it might lead to death or glory.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon made a mental note of Atl'Atl's lack of sacrifice. "When he dies on the road there, it will be no ones fault but his, for displeasing the one who watches the road for the Cuzto." he thinks to himself. When he sees the holy symbol around his neck, he chuckles slightly to himself. "He probably can't wait for it to happen so he can go be with the god of death. But what god would trust someone who doesn't honor the siblings of the deity?"

Ixtilon does not hand over his food to the giant slave. That would make it to easy for the brute to poison them. Instead, he waits for the others to finish they're offerings and packing up their rations, before finally starting out on the road to the holy mountain.

[simmeh]

Your sacrifices at the shrine of Yowolo don't seem to cause any immediate effect - the god of travel must be quite busy today, with all the many Cuzto people leaving on their journeys, and he may be a bit hung over from the feast as well - but those of you who made the effort feel better about the coming journey.

With religious duties settled, there is little left for you to do but set out.

[Lady Moreta]

Deciding that the only way she's going to get any respect from these people, Ital nods once, gives a sharp gesture of command to her slave and turns to leave - deliberately not bothering to see if anyone else is following her.

[madtinker]

Well, she's determined. Shall we? Atl'atl motions with a sweeping gesture towards the distant mountain, then sets off after her.

[Tuv]

Suddenly inundated with rations to carry, and with no pack or pouch to speak of, Necahual instead opts to improvise lest he be stuck with arms full of food the entire trip. He removes a sufficiently large portion of the threadbare sackcloth covering his arms or chest and ties it into a makeshift bindle that he can hang upon his yoke.

[BornValyrian]

Seeing the slave struggle, Ka'lakxi throws him his backpack. Here. Its not exactly your size, but you can put the rations in there. I swear by the gods I won't eat everyone else's food.

[simmeh]

The party has an almost entirely uneventful trek to the foot of the mountain. When you reach it, you can see just how vast it is. Though still smaller than Oekyll, it does have its own grandeur. As is fitting for the home of the death goddess, it is black and foreboding, and though climbing it is forbidden, the clerics of Nuvuk say that at its peak lies the gateway to the underworld and thus, the afterlife.

Daylight, though, is swiftly waning, and the sun is now blood red in the sky. If you continue your journey, you can reach the offending Suzulal site by daybreak. If not, the gods may understand that mere mortals need rest.

[ForzaFiori]

"While I am anxious to complete our task, a break may serve us best. The Suzulal are nocturnal, and walking through the night would be begging them to find and attack us where they have the advantage. If we sleep the night though, we can walk to the mountain and be there by mid or late afternoon. Just as right before dawn is the best time to attack a diurnal enemy, just before sundown would be best to attack a nocturnal one. Most will be asleep, and their sentries will be tired." Ixtilon looks to the others for their input once he finishes speaking.

[madtinker]

Wise words. Also, it is good we have the opportunity to camp at the doorstep of Mistress Nuvuk. By paying homage to her tonight we can be assured of victory on the morrow.

[BornValyrian]

Good idea. I'll take the first watch, and Hu'kutu can stay up all night and keep watch Ka'lakxi glances at Ixtilon, hoping he won't take his generosity for treachery.

[ForzaFiori]

"Excellent. Knowing that we will have the favor of the gods is sure to both inspire us and put fear into the Suzulal. I will take the final watch, and pray to Hucucto as the sun rises so that we may have valor in battle. Would anyone like to take middle watch? It will let us all get more sleep if we divide the night in thirds rather than in half, though whoever takes the middle will have their sleep disrupted, unfortunately.

[Lady Moreta]

"I will take it." Ital offers, she hadn't bothered getting involved in the strategy discussion, it wasn't her strong point, and if there was one thing she'd learned from her father, it was never ever display your weaknesses in public. She smiles at Ka'lakxi, "Wake me at my turn."

[madtinker]

Atl'atl claims a spot of level ground for his bedroll and munches on his evening rations while watching the sun set, meditating on the day's events and the mission at hand.

[simmeh]

Ka'lakxi

You take the first watch as the rest of the party beds down for the night. The night seems to be relishing all that will transpire these next few days. The sunset was blood red, the blood of your enemies. Now that it is night, you can hear the sound of some creature baying at the moon, which has also adopted a deep shade of crimson. The firebugs are dancing tonight, as if to celebrate your impending victory. Overhead, you can hear a flock of bats making their way through the jungle, no doubt in anticipation of drinking the blood of the Suzulal.

You stay awake for a few hours, keeping watch. It isn't hard, though you are tired from the long trek and the party of the night before. Just before you feel it is time to wake the next of your comrades for their watch, things change dramatically. The jungle goes silent - the howling, the bats, the firebugs, all gone.

And then, the earth begins to quake with excessive force, rocking back and forth. The trees around you groan and crack, and the mountain itself seems to be rumbling.

Everyone else

You are awoken by the tremors. All you can tell is that the ground is shaking, as if the world were being torn apart.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon awakens with the shaking ground. He speaks only as loud as he needs to in order to be heard by those nearby - no sense in alerting anything that might be in the woods. Do not worry, companions. This is simply Ulalala, showing us that we have her blessing, just as the red moon is Nuvuk's blessing, the easy trip was Yowolo's, the ****** sunrise Regylluro's, and the quick deaths of our enemies will be Hucucto's. We simply need to stand tall and ride out the earthwaves, and show the Gods the bravery we will have in battle tomorrow. He looks around in the darkness and opens his ears, searching for anything strange, and calls out Ka'lakxi "Stay alert, Ka'lakxi. No doubt that the evil Suzulal would think nothing of using our goddess's blessing in order to attack us unaware."


Listen: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[BornValyrian]

Of course. I'll make sure it is only the mountain that takes us by surprise.

I meant to say I would keep one Magic Missile and dancing lights in memory, refreshing hourly.
Dancing lights DC 17: [roll0]
Magic Missile DC 19: [roll1]

[madtinker]

Atl'atl awakens with a start. His first thought is admittedly, panic. But the others don't seem worried, so he tries to act unperturbed.

But, as he turns over to go back to sleep, he pulls his pack closer to hand.

[Lady Moreta]

Ital jerks awake, thoroughly alarmed, until Ixtilon speaks. She lies still, mulling over his words until she decides that yes, they do make sense. Knowing she'll never get back to sleep though, she rises into a crouch, "I too, will ensure we are not attacked."


Listen: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]

[simmeh]

Ka'lakxi

Just fixing my misunderstanding

Your magic is set.

Ixtilon

You do not spot anything in the jungle except the foliage, though you do notice that the moon is now partially obscured by a flowing cloud that appears to be coming from the top of the mountain.

You hear an animal howling at the moon, and maybe some insects beginning to buzz again, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Ital

You aren't able to spot anything out of the ordinary.

You hear the same animal that Ixtilon hears, as well as the insects starting to move again. But, like your companion, you hear nothing strange.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon, like the others around him, pulls his gear closer to him. He digs through his pack and takes a small drink of water, attempting to keep the others from realizing he wanted his weapon nearby.

[Tuv]

Necahual is largely unperturbed by the situation, the ground shaking a little bit isn't nearly as bad as waking up to a caning. The constant vibrations are merely a bit disorienting, nothing more. He has no doubt in his mind that he could crush anything that would try and attack them, and so merely quietly waits to be given orders.

If there's a threat, maybe some of the small ones will get picked off before they think to call on me.

[Lady Moreta]

Ital glances around, but no one seems to have noticed anything beyond the animal noises she can hear, and animals in a forest at night after being unsettled by the ground shaking is not unusual. With a shrug, she rolls over and attempts to go back to sleep.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal shudders awake at the noise, clutching at the jade hanging around his neck. Though not entirely reassured by Ixtilon's words, he attempts to return to sleep until his turn at watch comes.

Apologies for my absence; I was apparently only subscribed to the OOC thread, though I could have sworn otherwise. The issue should be fixed now.

[simmeh]

I'm going to assume that there was a proper watch rotation, so you all got enough rest to keep you from being fatigued

11.14.6.1.3

Daybreak comes, and the sun rises. It is still a deep blood red, causing the still-smoking mountain to have an eerie crimson glow. Now that you have a good look around you, you can see that some of the jungle trees appear to have shifted due to last night's tremors.

In the far distance, in the direction of the seashore, you can also see smoke rising. No doubt, this is the result of the main warparties engaging with the Suzulal.

[madtinker]

Atl'atl gathers and stows his bedroll and collects his morning rations from the store carried by ... Necahual he thinks is the slave's name. Anything interesting happen last night?

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi, upon waking, stretches himself out and reaches into his pack for his rations, saying, After the ground stopped shaking, no. As he packs up his gear, he points towards the smoke, saying, We should probably get moving, so we can actually contribute He calls to Hu'kutu mentally, Let's get ready to go, we have Suzulal to bring the storm upon. At the other end of the link he hears an excited clap of thunder as Hu'kutu comes soaring out of the trees to land on his shoulder.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon comes in from the edges of camp as the others arise, happy that the watch was uneventful and they will soon be in battle. He gathers his supplies and says his morning prayers to Hucucto and Regylluro as he puts on his armor and straps his axe to his waist. "Yes, we do need to get moving. We still have to cross around the mountain to the temple. Thankfully, the Suzulal at the temple should be asleep, or tired from the sounds of battle keeping them from sleeping."

[Cyclopean]

As the light begins to filter through the trees, Tlaxal quickly works through the morning prayers to Nuvuk. He gathers his belongings together with haste--the itching thirst has only grown sharper, but relief is in sight. "Do you think we'll arrive by the end of the day, Ixtilon?" he asks.

[ForzaFiori]

"From the maps I have seen, we should reach the temple in mid to late afternoon, Tlaxal. The Suzulal, resting during the day, will be in a false sense of security. All their watches through the day will have gone by fine, and everyone not on watch will be in a deep sleep. It will be like when our enemies attempt to attack us just before daybreak. They will be confused and half-asleep, and fall beneath our blades." Ixtilon rubs his hand against his battleaxe, fingering the symbol of Hucucto carved into one side. "And once they are vanquished, we shall cut out their hearts for Ulalala, and desecrate the temple to their false gods."

[simmeh]

Your party picks up their belongings and sets out around the mountain. This trip, however, is punctuated by the occasional minor tremor. It's never enough to knock you off your feet, or to twist the trees like the one from the night before, but they are indeed noticeable. The gods must be heralding your impending victory, both on the personal level of your party and at the tribal level for the Cuzto. All the while, you see smoke trails rise in the distance, towards the ocean.

It is a few hours before sunset when you find a path that seems to be worn down by more than just peccaries.

[Lady Moreta]

Ital frowned and rested her hand on her short sword at the sight of the path covered in footprints. This was not her area of expertise, so she turned to the others,
"Can anyone tell how long it's been since someone walked this path? Ixtilon is right, the Suzalel should be sleeping, but it is only sensible to ensure we are alone and will remain that way."

[BornValyrian]

Hmm, looks like we might be getting close. Hu'kutu, I bargain with the realms beyond for the power of a mirage and an unerring sling. Also, I wish to see the gods' gifts and create the sourceless sound and lights. Hu'kutu vanishes with a small flash of lightning and clap of thunder.


This will take a minute or so. Bargaining for:
Silent Image Diplomacy DC 19: [roll0], takes [roll1] rounds to return
Magic Missile Diplomacy DC 19: [roll2], takes [roll3] rounds to return
Detect Magic: Diplomacy DC 17: [roll4], takes [roll5] rounds to return (fails, +2 to DC to retrieve Detect magic for the Day)
Ghost Sound: Diplomacy DC 17: [roll6], takes [roll7] rounds to return
Dancing Lights: Diplomacy DC 17: [roll8], takes [roll9] rounds to return

Each Spell only stays in my memory for an hour, so let me know how long things take

[simmeh]

Ital

You can tell that the path was used recently, but you can't tell by what.

Ka'lakxi

You successfully prepare the indicated spells.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon pulls his axe from his belt. "Stay wary, and it wont matter if we're alone or not. Stay pious, and the gods will ensure that we win, even if we aren't wary." He glances at his followers. A merchant, a water priest, and one who refuses to sacrifice to any but one god. "Sadly, with the way the gods likely feel about some members, staying wary may be the wiser choice."

[madtinker]

Good advise. May I suggest that rather than simply follow this trail we stay in the jungle and walk parallel to it? We will be more likely to surprise any foe that we encounter rather than the other way around.

[Tuv]

The relative silence is broken by Necahual shoving a fist into the bark of a nearby tree. Bits of gummy sap are deposited on his fist, but it is more an act of anger than of purpose. He speaks suddenly and abruptly, in a voice of barely restrained rage.

"Enough talking! Enough about gods, and blessings, and prayers. Your gods do not care about me, or our foes, and they might not even care about you. The time for talking is over, the time for action has come. I need to kill something, and soon, or your prattling will kill me."

With that, Necahual starts to stomp down the path.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal chuckles under his breath and follows.

[Lady Moreta]

Ital snorts exasperated, and just a little amused. She is used to Necahual's outbursts, but is now starting to realise that there might be more to commanding a slave than she'd first thought. Either way, she moves forward to catch up and glares at him til he looks at her.

"This is not the family home. Your behaviour will get you killed and then I'll have to go home and explain to my family that I lost a slave. They'll be shamed and I'll be shamed. And these people already do not trust me. NEVER do that again."

[Tuv]

He gives his 'master' a sharp look, like he was displeased with an unruly child.

"They don't trust you, but they'll never trust me, never trust a slave. I'm surrounded by you weaklings, and you cowards, and there's always so many of you. But out here, there's only us, this small little group of tiny brittle beings, easily crushed like twigs. Just remember that I could have killed you all last night, but didn't, and that I could kill you all now, but won't. If you fear me, then you know a tiny fraction of the fear I have felt, and if you hate me, you still have no idea how deep my hatred goes."

[simmeh]

Necahual

You begin to walk down the peccary path, when something grabs you by the ankle. It yanks you to your right, and then up, and then leaves you hanging upside-down, strung by a rope looped around your ankle. In the rush of things, you drop everything you were carrying, including your yoke, onto the ground.

Evidently, the Suzulal were waiting for you.

Tlaxal

You see the large slave get upended, and you manage to recoil way, spotting several other carefully hidden loops of rope lying on the path, nearly covered by encroaching foliage.

[madtinker]

Atl'atl troops down the path after Tlaxal, smiling under his mask that something interesting has happened. When he sees Necahual swinging in the air and Tlaxal dodge some other danger, Atl'atl instinctively glances around for attacking enemies and any available cover.

[BornValyrian]

Seeing the human swinging from a tree by his leg, Ka'lakxi starts looking around to search for enemies. I need eyes up there Hu'kutu shoots up 20 feet and also starts looking around. What do you see?


Ka'lakxi's spot check: [roll0]
Hu'kutu's Spot Check: [roll1]

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon raises his axe when the slave whips into the air. "Would a nyone else like to insult the gods?" he asks to no one in particular.

[Cyclopean]

Ixtilon's comment draws another laugh from Tlaxal, but there is a nervousness behind it. It seems quite likely that they are all in danger.

Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

EDIT: Seeing no immediate threat, Tlaxal moves forward, careful not to step in any snares himself. "Nehuacal!" he cries, retrieving his sickle and holding it over his head. "Here, use this."

[Tuv]

Hate
Rage
Hate
Whatdidhesay?
Kill
Kill.Them.All.
Ripouttheirspines
Drenchedinbloodlikethesunset

A roar, bestial and bloodcurdling escapes his lips. Every cell, every thought, every river of blood running beneath his skin screams at him to kill them all. But there aren't enough to kill here, no, not even close. The thrum of a crowd, that is where he wants to lose control, not here in the woods just to kill some little children.

Not yet.

He tries to pull himself up, letting the rage fester instead of release, then tries to burst the loop around his ankle.

To pull himself up:[roll0]
To break the rope:[roll1]

[simmeh]

Ka'lakxi

You and Hu'kutu are able to spot four astonished Suzulal (from what you can tell; you aren't familiar with their social cues) hiding up in the branches of some trees some 20m into the forest. They appear to more be a hunting party than a war party, though the broad-headed spears they carry would still be quite capable of gutting you. They appear to still be in a moment of shock, as if just woken up. They were waiting, to be sure, but perhaps they weren't expecting you specifically, or this many, or the presence of a large human slave. Either way, they appear to still be resolving their fight-or-flight decision.

Ixtilon

You are also able to spot a few of the Suzulal, though at this very moment you are unsure of their numbers or their disposition.

Necahual

You are unable to get yourself into a position to grab at the rope.

[ForzaFiori]

Cut him down, and quick. I think we have friends in the trees. Ixtilon speaks softly and calmly, hoping the suzulal dont know their language and so wont know theyre seen yet.

[madtinker]

Atl'atl carefully follows the gaze of the Ka'lakxi and Ixtilon, searching for whatever it was they saw.

[roll0]

[Tuv]

The small ones are talking. Are they talking to him? He can't tell through the pounding of blood in his ears. He'll have to crush them all later, there is a slightly more frustrating problem to deal with now.

Lift Self Up:[roll0]
Break Rope:[roll1]

[simmeh]

Atl'atl

You are able to spot the party of Suzulal that Ixtilon was talking about. At this point, they appear to be preparing, either to run or to fight

Necahual

You are able to haul yourself up this time, and you break the loop of rope around your foot. You manage to land on the ground as gracefully as possible given the circumstances, though you are still flat on your back.

[Tuv]

Necahual absolutely seethes with rage, it boils off him like steam. It is all he can do to stand and pick up his yoke, though he would not be opposed to using his hands at this point.

[madtinker]

OOC: Here goes nothing.

Point at the Suzulal, and shout loudly, "Suzulal, we have you surrounded. Drop your weapons and surrender. There need be no bloodshed today."

[roll0]

[BornValyrian]

I call upon the masters of the hunt to tear our enemies apart!, he says, hoping they understand.
Ka'lakxi calls up the mirage he asked for earlier, steps behind his comrades, and concentrates on the image he desires: six night black panthers, hungry yellow eyes and teeth bared, creeping from the underbrush to surround the Suzulal, ready to pounce.


Bluff: [roll0]
It's silent image
If they get a will save, the DC is 14.

[Tuv]

The Suzulal, targets, Necahual can't see them, but goes off charging in the direction Atl'atl points anyways. If the small ones are lying, he'll just kill them later.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon takes his axe in both hands. "Maybe the giant will die as he kills the last Suzulal, and solve two problems at once." he muses as Necahual charges off.

[simmeh]

Atl'atl

Your shouting appears to have no effect. Either they are not scared of you or (more than likely) they do not understand your language.

Ka'lakxi

One of the Suzulal appears to quake at the sight of your image, while one is unaffected and the other two seem emboldened by the prospect of fighting.

Combat will start shortly. Make your initiative rolls, and I'll be posting the grid when I can.

[madtinker]

OOC: worth a try, anyway.

[roll0]

[ForzaFiori]

Initiative for Ixtilon:

[roll0]

[BornValyrian]

Ooc: here goes nothing

Initiative Ka'lakxi: [roll0]
if familiars get a separate initiative: [roll1]
Can I edit the image, like making the panthers look bigger and more daunting?

[Cyclopean]

I think I'm still surprised, though.
[roll0]

[simmeh]

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/SirSimmeh/Cuzto/combat1a.gif (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/SirSimmeh/media/Cuzto/combat1a.gif.html)


Familiars will not be getting their own initiative roll for now. I have a feeling that this will be clunky enough without having adding in another participant. Also, in order to keep my sanity in check, I will only update the map after each round.

BornValyrian: You may adjust the image as if you were recasting the spell.

Suzulal 2: 16
Tlaxal: 15
Atl'atl: 12
Suzulal 4: 12 (Feared for another 3 rounds)
Suzulal 1: 12
Necahual: 11
Ixtilon: 10
Ka'lakxi: 4
Suzulal 3: 2


The first Suzulal warrior, emboldened by the prospect of combat and undaunted by the images of the panthers, moves to square G5, and sets himself to protect his cowering companion.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal rushes forward and fires off a burst of iridescent energy at one of the Suluzal.

Tlaxal moves to J6 and attempts to use Ray of Enfeeblement on Suluzal 1.

Attack (Touch): [roll0]
Strength Damage: [roll1]

[madtinker]

Atl'atl likewise attempts to disable the Suzulal warrior by sapping his strength with the power of Nuvuk.

Move to J5 and cast Ray of enfeeblement, touch [roll0], [roll1]

Edit: Suzulal 1 was the target.

Edit 2.0: change target to Suzulal 2 (the one in G5).

[simmeh]

Suzulal 1 appears visibly weakened from Tlaxal's ray, his shoulders drooping and his arms going slack, spear falling to his side, though he still looks like he could put up a fight.

Atl'atl can't cast Ray of Enfeeblement on Suzulal 1 from where he is standing. I will allow you to change your move.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon holds his ax with both hands and moves forward, getting up next to one of the Suzulal.


Double move to G4

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi focuses again on the images. The panthers turn and pull back into the forest, only to appear behind the Suzulal, growing to tower over the enemies, with shadows emanating from their midnight-black pelts. Their yellow eyes glow with an eerie hunger, two stars shining from a beast made of darkness.

Ka'laxki, still maintaining control over the images, says to his allies, "Do not fear the beasts, they will not harm you."

I am trying to get the panthers in flanking positions to the Suzulal. I'll put them at E5,7,8,9, F9, and G9.

[Tuv]

The little ones crowd forward preventing the bloodthirsty charge, and forcing Necahual to swallow his rage and weave more purposefully through his allies. He tries to avoid the panthers, but he's pretty sure one or two could have taken a bite out of him if they'd tried. He also manages to avoid getting too close to the group being blasted with magical rays.

He is left standing in front of two Suzulal that, he notes, are still very small compared to him. The is no remorse in his eyes as he swings his yoke down upon one of their heads.

Moving to G8

Single Attack on Suzulal 2:

[roll0]
[roll1]

Cleave Suzulal 3:

[roll2]
[roll3]

[simmeh]

Suzulal 2 also appears to droop, as if his spear has suddenly become much heavier as Atl'atl's spell takes old of him

Suzulal 4 is still quaking of fear of the panthers

Suzulal 1 runs to square I5 and attempts to skewer Atl'atl with his spear. He appears to stumble while doing so, and completely misses.

I'm going to assume Necahual is swinging at Suzulal 3, as Suzulal 2 had since moved away from where you are.

Necahual runs to the Suzulal and swings his yoke with everything he has, but the Suzulal warrior barely manages to move out of the way at the very last moment.

Ixtilon repositions himself, preparing to fight. He narrowly dodges an attack thrust out by Suzulal 1 as he runs past.

Ka'lakxi's images reorient themselves into their new flanking positions.

Suzulal 3 strikes back at Necahual, grazing him with his spear and inflicting 2 damage.

END OF ROUND 1

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/SirSimmeh/Cuzto/combat1b.png

Suzulal 2 lashes out with his spear at Ixtilon, but the attack glances off of his armour with no harm done.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal darts forward and strikes at the Suluzal with an empty hand.
5-foot step to I6, followed by an attempt at using Charnel Touch.
Attack (vs. Touch AC): [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[madtinker]

Atl'atl cautiously steps away from the man with the pointy stick, and calls upon Nuvuk to strike fear into his heart.

Five foot step to K5. Cast Cause Fear S-1. Will save DC 14 or he becomes frightened and must flee for [roll0] rounds. If he makes the will save he is still shaken.


lvl 0 - 5/5
lvl 1 - 2/4

Edit: fixed spoiler tags.

[simmeh]

Tlaxal's strike lands true on the Suzulal, thanks to the foul creature being occupied with both him and Atl'atl. The Suzulal staggers under the force of the blow, but still remains upright.

Atl'atl's spell also seems to have an effect. Suzulal 1's frog-like eyes bulge even more, and he turns a lighter shade of green.

Suzulal 4 is still trembling in place.

Suzulal 1, with his newfound horror of his opponents, turns to flee. As he escapes, Tlaxal strikes out in opportunity with his sickle, and lands a mortal blow (3 damage). The Suzulal drops face down into the grassy jungle floor.

[Tuv]

The fight is a mess, spells and bodies moving every-which-way. Three of the Suzulal are on the defensive, and one is directly attacking his 'allies'. It is obviously beneficial for Necahual to ignore the single outlier, in favor of culling as many of the weaklings as possible before they run or build up the courage to attack. A blow strikes at him, merely a scratch, and as if to taunt the creature, invites it to take another blow.

Moving to H7, then G6. Provokes an attack of opportunity from Suzulal 3.

Assuming the AoO doesn't down me:

Single Attack on Suzulal 2, who is now flanked by Ixtilon and Necahual:

[roll0]
[roll1]

Cleave Suzulal 3:

[roll2]
[roll3]

[Cyclopean]

Laughing with triumph, Tlaxal moves to attack another Suluzal.

Charnel touch on Suluzal 2 if he's still standing; otherwise the attack is for Suluzal 4.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[simmeh]

Suzulal 3 attempts to jab Necahual with its spear as the large slave rushes past. He is too slow, however, and Necahual is able to reach Suzulal 2. With a mighty swing, he brings his yoke down. The frog-creature stands little chance, and is completely crushed by the blow. It crumples into a heap, its skull bleeding and smashed. Necahual attempts to wheel and use his momentum to also attack Suzulal 3, but the manoeuvre proves to be too much, and Suzulal 3 remains unharmed.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon raises his battleaxe over the Suzulal still cowering in fear. "This one is so scared, he might not even be worthy of having his heart eaten! He says with a laugh as he swings his axe.


attacking Suzulal 4.

attack: [roll0]
damage: [roll1]

[madtinker]

Atl'atl draws his dagger and moves in for the kill.

Move to G5 to help Ixtilon with a flank on the next round.

[BornValyrian]

Hoping to distract the Frog-things one more time, Ka'lakxi shifts the panthers to flank the remaining enemies. They snap at Suzulal's 4 and 3


Panthers at E5,E6, and F6, and at E7, E8, and E9. This is hoping they provide flanking bonuses, at least for Suzulal 4

[simmeh]

Despite the helpless state of his opponent, Ixtilon is unable to land a blow on the trembling Suzulal warrior.

The panther images all bound to their new positions once again

Suzulal 3 once again thrusts his spear at Necahual, this time catching him more solidly in the abdomen. Necahual receives a 5 damage wound

END OF ROUND 2

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/SirSimmeh/Cuzto/combat1c.png

Suzulal 2 continues to bleed out.

Tlaxal moves to stand astride Suzulal 2's broken body at G5, and reaches out to touch Suzulal 1 with negative energy. The cowering frog-man shudders hideously.

Atl'atl stalks towards one of his remaining enemies.

Suzulal 4 completely succumbs to his fear, and falls into a prone position on the ground.

Suzulal 1 continues to bleed out.

[Tuv]

When the second blow strikes home, Necahual's ire focuses on the Suzulal that has been trying so hard to kill him. "You've done well. That ends very soon."



Single Attack on Suzulal 3:

[roll0]
[roll1]

Cleave Suzulal 4:

[roll2]
[roll3]

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon laughs at the Suzulal on the ground, swinging his axe for the creatures head.


attacking Suzulal 4.
attack: [roll0]
damage: [roll1]

[simmeh]

Necahual's swing is deflected by Suzulal 3. Despite the cowardice and death of his comrades, this particular warrior seems ready to fight to the death.

Ixtilon's axe does strike Suzulal 4, though it only manages a grazing blow. The frog-man curls up in pain, but retains consciousness.

[BornValyrian]

Focusing again, Ka'lakxi makes the panthers surround the remaining frog-men.

[spoiler="ooc"]Panthers move from D9 to E8.

[simmeh]

Ka'lakxi's panther stalks into a flanking position.

Suzulal 3 continues to assault the largest available target, catching Necahual with another 2 damage grazing blow.

END OF ROUND 3

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/SirSimmeh/Cuzto/combat1d.png

It is Tlaxal's turn.

[Cyclopean]

Appearing deeply satisfied, Tlaxal once more reaches out to caress his foe.

Charnel Touch on Suluzal 4. I get flanking from the panther, right?

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[madtinker]

Atl'atl moves closer, staying clear of the large slave, and attempts to distract Suzulal 3 by thrusting and slashing.

Five foot step to G8, use the aid another action. [roll0] vs AC 10. If successful, Necuahal geta a +2 to his next attack against S-3.

[simmeh]

Suzulal 4 shudders once more at Tlaxal's touch, and finally ceases moving, its wounds and exhaustion finally overtaking its strength.

Atl'atl's feints manage to distract the Suzulal warrior, setting him off-balance.

Suzulal 4 continues to bleed out

Suzulal 1 continues to bleed out.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon, seeing the battle essentially won, raises his axe with a cruel smile. Looking down at his helpless foe, he drops the axe down onto it's neck.


performing a Coup-de-Grace on Suzulal 4, so automatic critical hit.
damage: [roll0]
and, assuming he somehow survives, he must make a fort check to survive.

[simmeh]

Ixtilon's axe slams into the lifeless form of Suzulal 4 at the base of the its neck, ensuring that the cowardly creature is indeed dead.

[Tuv]

Necahual attacks the last Suzulal.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[simmeh]

Necahual's strike lands true against the remaining Suzulal warrior, leaving a substantial mark on its green skin.

It is Ka'lakxi's turn.

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi moves closer to the battle, and seeing that some of the images are not doing anything for him, lets them discorporate into his allies' shadows.


Move to J4 and get rid of images 1, 4, and 5.

[simmeh]

Ka'lakxi's images disappear as he repositions himself.

Suzulal 3 takes aim once again at Necahual, but his is swatted away by the big slave.

END OF ROUND 4

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/SirSimmeh/combat1e.png

Suzulal 2 continues to bleed out.

It is Tlaxal's turn.

[Cyclopean]

Growing slightly frustrated at the Suluzal's resilience, Tlaxal strikes once more, hopefully for the the kill.

Attacking Suluzal 4 with Charnel Touch.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[madtinker]

Atl'atl, pleased to see the slave draw blood, again uses feints and jabs to maintain the distraction.

Use the aid another action again. [roll0] vs AC 10. If successful, Necuahal geta a +2 to his next attack against S-3.

[simmeh]

With the help of his flanking allies, Tlaxal is able to strike the remaining Suzulal warrior with negative energy. The frog-man shudders and looks very beaten, but remains on its feet.

Atl'atl attempts to again aid Necahual by distracting Suzulal 3, but this time fails to catch its attention.

Suzulal 4 continues to bleed out

Suzulal 1 continues to bleed out

It is Necahual's turn.

[Tuv]

Necahual attacks the last Suzulal again.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[simmeh]

Necahual manages to break the guard of the remaining Suzulal for a final time. His blow crushes the skull of the frog-man, and it collapses on itself, its strength gone.

All members of the party gain 480 exp

Your enemies now lie dying around you. The sounds of the jungle are beginning to start again after the pitched excitement of the battle. The Suzulal monument cannot be far away, and no one saw a runner, so they still should not be aware of your presence.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon draws his dagger, and begins cutting out the hearts of the Suzulal. He starts with those who are still alive. When he has the four hearts collected in front of him, he says a prayer to Ulalala and Hucucto. "Goddess of the Cuzto, Lord of Battle, we have slain these heathens in your honor. Worshippers of false gods, they fell easily before our blades, blessed by you, Lord Hucucto. an inferior species, they could not pierce our armor, blessed by you, Goddess Ulalala. To you we offer their hearts, and make their souls yours in the afterlife, in defiance of their false idols." He cuts the each heart into pieces, one for himself and each of his Cuzto companions, and one for the gods. He then goes to each companion and offers them the 4 small pieces. "Eat, and recieve the continued blessings of the Gods, and have the power of the vanquished added to your own" He eats his own last, savoring the taste.

The ritual over, Ixtilon cleans his axe and resheathes it, dusts off his clothes, and generally makes ready to continue travelling.

[madtinker]

Atl'atl accepts his piece of heart, silently adding a prayer to Nuvuk. His piece is rather tough and chewy, but he manages to swallow quickly.

After putting away his dagger, he turns to the slave. "Necuahal, are your wounds grievous?"

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi causes the panthers to discorporate into shadowstuff and form a spinning disc of shadow. It rises to form a dark humanoid shape and then disappears. The heart is a bit chewy, and formed differently from the hearts he remembers having before, but he prays to the gods regardless, making sure to mention Zyphlo. We should get going. It can't be far now. Hu'kutu floats down from his spot in the air and the halfling tells him I require another mirage. Go.


Fetching another silent image DC 19: [roll0]

[simmeh]

Ka'lakxi

You successfully retrieve your spell.

[Tuv]

Thus was one of Necahual's points of contention with his captors. The ritual consumption of their foes. His own people were cannibals, of course, but never as a result of battle. Some would give their bodies to be eaten out of shame for their failures, or for the good of the rest of the tribe, but only willingly. To feast on the body of an unwilling individual would deny them their glory in battle, and their access to the afterlife. It was a disgusting practice that was much reviled by his tribe until their destruction.

He would allow it, but not partake. That was the little defiance he could manage now, such as he was. His wounds pulsed and bled, and he had no doubt that there would be little sympathy or care given.

But he would not give in.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon see's the slave's face, and his disgust at their ritual. "Don't worry, you giant slave. You aren't worthy to participate in our worship, even if you wanted to. At least, not until we cut your heart out and eat it like these." He says with a sneer at the human. The slave may not understand him, but the tone and body language would make sure he knows he's being talked down to.

[simmeh]

As you all continue to feast upon the hearts of your slain enemies, the jungle begins to come back to life - for a moment. The jungle - normally so alive with the very many animals that inhabit it - has grown eerily silent. There are no insects buzzing, there are no birds singing, and there are no beasts rustling.

The mountain above you continues to let off a constant stream of black smoke.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal also consecrates the pieces of heart given to him to Nuvuk before eating. He checks to see if he can extract any hearts that Ixtilon may have missed, but does not find any.

"We should keep moving," he grunts after the silence falls and the feasting concludes.

[madtinker]

"agreed. The silence bodes ill."

[ForzaFiori]

Assuming no one else volunteers, Ixtilon takes point and begins leading the others down the trail.

[madtinker]

Follow Ixtilon, ready to call down Nuvuk's wrath on anything that emerges from the brush.

[simmeh]

The peccary path continues to snake its way through the jungle, though all aural sense of that is gone. The eerie silence is made even more palpable by the fact that the sky looks to be turning dark despite it being in the middle of the day. What light there is continues to be a violent shade of red.

The path ends quite abruptly in front of you. 30 feet ahead, you can see it opens up, and though the jungle foliage is still blocking your view of the entire clearing, you can see the beginnings of stone steps leading off to the left.

[madtinker]

"Looks like we made it. Now...is anyone home?" Glance around for any sign of Suzulal.

[roll0]

[simmeh]

Atl'atl

You cannot see anything beyond what you first glanced on your approach to the clearing at your current position. You would need to approach to see more.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal cautiously creeps up the steps.

Move Silently: [roll0]

[madtinker]

Creep into the clearing behind, but don't start climbing the steps just yet. Stick to the edge of the jungle and try to avoid being seen.

Glance around, looking for enemies or other structures.

[roll0], [roll1]

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon follows Tlaxal slowly up the steps, his grip tight on his battleaxe.

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi sends Hu'kutu to scout ahead and follows behind Ixtilon.

[simmeh]

As you enter the clearing, you can fully see where the stairs lead. There is a stone platform at the far end of the clearing, about 10 feet in height, with the stairs leading right to the top in a gentle slope. On the platform you can see several stone pillars, each etched with runes that are mysteriously glowing. In the centre there is what appears to be an altar, adorned with the bones of a large animal of some sort. Behind the altar is an object that looks like a dais or a lectern, from which someone could pontificate a religion. Indeed, it appears that someone is doing that right now. There are about a dozen Suzulal on the platform, all prostrated towards the individual at the lectern. This individual is not Suzulal, but is instead a tall, dusky-skinned female humanoid. Her head is thrown back and her arms are outstretched, as if she were begging the favour of a god. All the while, she appears to be gibbering, though from your vantage you cannot hear her.

None of the Suzulal have noticed you yet, probably due to their faces being pressed into the stone. The leader hasn't yet noticed you either, though there is no telling how much longer the prayer will last.

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon moves back down the steps a little, so that he is better hidden, and whispers to the others. "The best time to take them is probably right now. I say anyone skilled with range take aim, then we let the slave charge in and I'll follow behind them with anyone else who prefers to stare his enemy in the eye when they die."

[simmeh]

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/SirSimmeh/monument1a.png

Here's a map for better decision making processes

[madtinker]

Nod in agreement. "And I'll do what I can to keep them frightened and off-balance."

[BornValyrian]

Ka'lakxi whispers, I'll try to split them up. If a big black wall appears, it's fake.

[Tuv]

Necahual runs forward, barreling up the steps in an attempt to get a kill or two in before the Suzulal know what's going on.

[simmeh]

Necahual's charge seems to wake the woman on the dais, though not the worshippers. Her eyes snap open, and you can see that they are a deep red. Her gaze bores into Necahual for a second and then...

Well, you aren't sure exactly what happened, but you are all now on the platform at the very top of the stairs, all clumped together in a tight group. The dusky woman regards you with a smirk. "Welcome, my dear Cuzto playthings. We've been eagerly expecting you. Today is a great day indeed; your race has finally succumbed to its most base instincts and has started its own self destruction!"

[Tuv]

Deep within his gut, Necahual's hatred bubbles up. The wounds, the treatment of his fellow, and now this wom- no, this thing speaks as if it knows anything. "My people are already dead, I have nothing to fear from you. Even death will only release me! I HAVE SAT IDLY FOR TOO LONG! KILL! KILL YOU ALL!"

His voice turns into a roar, feral and terrible, as he loses himself to the rage. His eyes fix on the one that moved them here, in a twisted parody of the way she did to him. He would have blood, and her blood would be first.

Rage On! Free Action. Lasts 7 rounds (or 42 seconds).

Intimidating Rage! Free Action. Intimidate check to Demoralize (make Shaken) on Unknown Woman.

[roll0]

[madtinker]

Startled by the sudden change in location, Atl'atl casts the first spell that comes to mind, attempting to blind the woman with the red eyes.

Cast flare directly in front of the woman. fortitude save DC 13 or be dazzled. (A dazzled creature takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls, Search checks, and Spot checks).

[ForzaFiori]

Ixtilon had just started charging when everything changed. He stares the priestess in the eyes, then laughs. "Dont worry, brave Cuzto. Listen to what she claims, clearly were only dealing with a lunatic who has learned a few trick."

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal's eyes widen momentarily, and then he begins to chant furiously.

"Great Nuvuk, lend me a warrior from your halls, that I may send you a worthy sacrifice," he prays.

Casting Summon Undead I to call up a skeleton as a full-round action, preferably in a flanking position with Necahual.

[simmeh]

Necahual

The woman regards you as an battle-hardened warrior would regard a child playing soldier - with amusement. Your furious rage appears to have no effect on her.

Atl'atl

After the bright flash, the woman remains as she had before. She continues to smirk at you.

Tlaxal

Your skeleton arrives, standing beside Necahual. However, it is still within the small area that you are all standing in, making this little plot of the platform even more crowded.

Ixtilon

The woman simply lets your pontification hang in the air, not responding for a moment. She then addresses you all: "Are you all quite done yet? Just let it all out. We'll talk once you're done; I doubt very much that there is anything you can do from there that can hurt either me or these wonderful worshippers around me, XXXXX,xxXXXXX,XXXxxxxx,xXXxxxx,XXXxxxxX,XXxxxxxxxX ,xxx,XXXXX?" This last part is guttural and croaking, and sounds very strange coming out of her. It is likely the language of the Suzulal, though none of you can recognize any of the syllables.

[Tuv]

Necahual roars and lunges forward, swinging wildly.

[simmeh]

Necahual rushes forward a few feet, and then stops abruptly as if he had slammed into a particularly sturdy tree. There is no visible barrier, but evidently something is in the way.

[Cyclopean]

Tlaxal dismisses the skeleton in disgust. "Congratulations, woman. You have captured the emissaries of the Cuzto, and doubtless you will soon kill us. But please, satisfy my curiosity before you send us to Nuvuk's realm. What do you mean, that we have begun our own self-destruction? Surely this is the day the Suluzal fall, not the Cuzto."

[Tuv]

A heavy swing with his yoke. It batters against nothing, and Necahual bellows in rage and frustration. Two, three, four, five, six more strikes, nothing. The anger isn't so much spent as it is denied, pent up inside now. He suddenly feels the pain of his wounds catch up with him, and sends a blob of blood and spittle at the woman, no doubt to be stopped as well.

[madtinker]

Sensing that they are in the presence of one who wields great power, Atl'atl waits for his companions' rage to burn itself out.

[simmeh]

Necahual's spittle does indeed stop, hitting the invisible wall that stand between the party and the mystery woman.

"My dear, misguided sweetlings. Did you really think that yours were the only gods with power? Yes, my sister planned all this along with those other arrogant fools you worship, but that does not mean that that they alone controlled the elements. You see, being omniscient means I know things you do not, and being omnipotent means I can do things you cannot. That allows me to control both your fates and the fates of these frog-men at my whim! And they have even given me their semi-undivided worship! Just watch!"

The woman flicks her fingers at at one of the 'congregation', and the creature immediately explodes into gooey bits of brains and bones. None of the other Suzulal so much as flinch.

"Now then, if you would direct your attention to the mountain behind me, the mountain you hold in such high regard, the mountain where my sister decided to set up shop, you can watch an even greater show. Behold, as your sad race is destroyed!"

And with that line, a jet fire erupts from the top of Mount Lugyglu.

[ForzaFiori]

"The Cuzto do not THINK that theirs are the only gods with power, we know it to be so. Clearly this is an act of our gods that you are simply trying to use. Ixtilon counters. When the mountain erupts however, he begins to pray fervently under his breath.

[simmeh]

Tlaxal

You know nothing of who this woman could be. She does claim to be the sister of someone, apparently Nuvuk, but she doesn't match anything close to the description of what Nuvuk (or a relative) would look like - a female Halfling with a bald head and hollowed eye sockets. She is, though, posing as a deity, and probably one of the Suzulal.

The markings on the rest of the shrine are consistent with what little you know of the Suzulal religion - you aren't sure if they have an actual written language, but you have seen these loopy, squiggly symbols before.