Closer to the waterfall there is more vegetation. This is a richer more fertile area though the land surrounding was inhospitable. The waterfall is impressive a small river thunders down and makes quite a noise from even a long ways away. The undergrowth gets thicker and there are more trees. (Nature 15 - there is a well worn path heading that direction it has been packked down by feet and is years old) Three stealth/acrobatic checks DC 14 get the group into advantagous position
At the waterfall is a small party of indians spearfishing in loincloths. Two are dressed normally and have bows but are a round away through the scrub.
11 x Minion Level 1 Minion
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 13; Fortitude 11, Refl ex 13, Will 11; see also trap sense
Speed 6
mJavelin (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+5 vs. AC; 4 damage.
rJavelin (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +5 vs. AC; 4 damage.
Shifty (minor; at-will)
The kobold shifts 1 square.
Skills Stealth +4, Thievery +4
3 x Archer Level 1 Artillery
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision 20
HP 24; Bloodied 12
AC 13; Fortitude 12, Refl ex 14, Will 12; see also trap sense
Speed 6
m Dagger (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+5 vs. AC; 1d4 + 3 damage.
r Sling (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +6 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage; see also special shot.
Special Shot
The archer can fire special ammunition 3 times. It
typically carries 3 rounds of special shot, chosen from the types
listed below.
Stinkpot: The target takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends).
Firepot (Fire): The target takes ongoing 2 fi re damage (save ends).
Gluepot: The target is immobilized (save ends).
Shifty (minor; at-will)
shift 1 square.
Skills Acrobatics +8, Stealth +10, Thievery +10
Loot - 9 jugs of moonshine chilling in the waterfall. (4g 5s) Also each unfired special arrow is revealed to be encrusted with a foul black liquid (dried gods blood) It allows myriad effects depending on what the archer imagines.
Searching for Camp - Around the waterfall are a series of bluffs which are great defensively and you have no idea WHICH hill they will be camped on making sneaking up on them difficult. The worn path lead up to a ridge next to the waterfall and then doubles back. The climb is steep and fairly old.
Indian Camp - path climbs the rugged wall of the mesa switching back frequently. Vegitation here soaks in the spray form the waterfall and muffles the roar. The path climbs over a number of terrifying climbs up the mesa side and give a commanding view of the surrounding area. (The waterfalls roar makes it hard to hear. There are well used ladders built with steel nails and cut lumber over some of the crevices.
Also the angle of the hill makes it unlikely that the camp could have seen you coming. You catch one good look and see a camp consisting of a smaller waterfall and a rockyoverhand in which there are half a dozen teepees erected around the remains of what looks like it used to be a number of old stills. The camp has large clay pots scattered all around it. There is not real guard but the last fifty feet are steep and have no cover. Outsid eteh camp are stretched the bodies f several men who look lik ethey were flayed alive weeks ago and just left for the scavengers.
A number of youths grab weapons and cry out shrill battle cries as they charge towards you down the rocky slope.
10 x Minion Level 1 Minion
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +1; darkvision
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.
AC 15; Fortitude 11, Refl ex 13, Will 11; see also trap sense
Speed 6
mJavelin (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+5 vs. AC; 4 damage.
rJavelin (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
Ranged 10/20; +5 vs. AC; 4 damage.
Shifty (minor; at-will)
The kobold shifts 1 square.
Skills Stealth +4, Thievery +4
3 x Skirmisher Level 1 Skirmisher
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +0; darkvision
HP 27; Bloodied 13
AC 15; Fortitude 11, Reflex 14, Will 13
Speed 6
m Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+6 vs. AC; 1d8 damage; see also mob attack.
Combat Advantage
The skirmisher deals +1d6 damage when it has combat advantage
Mob Attack
The skirmisher gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per ally adjacent to target
Shifty (minor; at-will)
shift 1 square.
At the end of the 3rd round of combat the real fighters from the tribe appear. Several older indians accompanied by a youth who has tattoos covering his body. The youth is muscular and completely covered in scars. As if he has been cut to pieces hundreds of times. His eyes shine darkly as he prowls down the mountain towards you.
Indian leaders (Dark journey, Little crow, Taoyateduta, Jimmy) - Coming down from the top of the mesa are 3 older indians and a youth covered with scars and tattos. The chief is a young man with lighter skin. His head is shaved and tattooed. His clothing is crude leather on his face and chest is a skeletal mask only on the left side ofhis body. He wields double axes while archers take the slope behind him. These men are veterans and will not drop as easily as those boys. (The archers may turn on the chief though if weakened sufficiently)
The chief ignore pain utterly and may seem a bit manic or scared. He took some serious drugs when he heard the earlier fight and has immense strength and will fight long past the natural point of death. His blood oozes thick and black from his body and he seems to ignore fire.
2 x Dragonshield Level 2 Soldier
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +2; darkvision
HP 36; Bloodied 18
AC 18; Fortitude 14, Refl ex 13, Will 13; see also trap sense
Resist 5 (Acid)
Speed 5
mShort Sword (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+7 vs. AC; 1d6 + 3 damage, and the target is marked until the
end of the dragonshield’s next turn.
Dragonshield Tactics (immediate reaction, when an adjacent enemy shifts ir moves
enemy shifts away or an enemy moves adjacent; at-will)
The dragonshield shifts 1 square.
Mob Attack
The dragonshield gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls per ally adjacent to target
Shifty (minor; at-will)
shift 1 square.
Shaman Level 3 Artillery (Leader)
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +4; darkvision
HP 36; Bloodied 18
AC 17; Fortitude 13, Refl ex 15, Will 15; see also trap sense
Speed 6
m Spear (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+7 vs. AC; 1d8 damage.
R Energy Orb (standard; at-will) ✦ see text
Ranged 10; +6 vs. Refl ex; 1d10 + 3 damage of a chosen type
(based on the dragon served).
C Incite Faith (minor; encounter)
Close burst 10; kobold allies in the burst gain 5 temporary hit
points and shift 1 square.
C Dragon Breath (standard; encounter) ✦ see text
Close blast 3; +6 vs. Fortitude; 1d10 + 3 damage of a chosen type
(based on the dragon served). Miss: Half damage.
Shifty (minor; at-will)
The shifts 1 square.
Skills Stealth +10, Thievery +10
Equipment hide armor, spear, bone mask
114 -5 to attack
Taoyateduta (Elite Brute)
Initiative +2 Senses Perception +4; darkvision
HP 106; Bloodied 53 (note blood crazy)
AC 18; Fortitude 18, Reflex 16, Will 17
Saving throws +2
Action point 1
Speed 6
m Battle axe (standard; at-will) ✦ Weapon
+8 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage.
m Cleaving blow (standard at will; anytime Jimmy does not move on his turn) ✦ Weapon
+8 vs. AC against 2 different adjacent targets; 1d8+4 damage.
Tactical Shift (immediate reaction when missed)
Shift one square
Blood crazed (when bloodied)
Jimmy calls out, "Kalariel why do your gods fail me" his blood suddenly runs thick and black and stops flowing. His eyes turn jet black and says "This is more like it" he loses the ability to use tactical shift and gain +1d10 damage on attacks. Must attack closest target charging when possible. Heal 5 hp at the end of each turn,
Upon being stuck a death blow Jimmy calls out, "Winona, I fail you again... I was soo close..."
As he colapses you see track marks running up his arms. (blood runs over to Hoss? O maybe Hoss gets a surge of power and heals fully?)
(The chief's tent has a series of notes in english from kalerial as well as some raw gold, tomacco, and alcohol. There are a couple vials of a thick medicinal liquid. By the bed there is an empty bottle as well as a empty scyringe. There are several crumpled notes as well as a stack of papers.
100 dollars of gold, 400 ernest dollars, 100 dollars of furs/tobacco/fine alchohol. There is also a millitary style flack jacket (anyone can wear it will be +1 AC and daily power that is heal as a free action once a day as if you spent a healing surge.)
The crumpled notes seem to be addressed to his sister. Several attempts along the same theme. They show a mind alternatingly threatning and pleading. The most recent lay half finished the ink still wet.
"Winona, I am sorry for everything. I know I have made many mistakes and that you have often as not recieved the burden but you must listen to me. You must leave now it is not safe in the town. Hell it may not be safe anywhere soon enough...
I was a fool, I thought I could use them and yet they have been changing me. I am prone to violent outbursts and I need more and more of their "medacine" just to function. Still the men that were responsible for your rape over a decade ago have been punished. I wish you could have seen them suffer, but they died like pigs and did not seem to remember their crime but there can be no mistake, I remember several of them. I am disgusted they the don't remember what they did to a 10 year old girl and her brother.
I wish I had never met any of them. I know it does not make things better between us but they rot in the wind and they will never rest. It is a small concilation for losing your innocence and your brother but it is the only coin I have. I am enclosing money so you can pay off your debts to that woman.
Go with the wind,
Jimmy"
There is a small box with 200 dollars in real money next to the note.
There stack of papers contain the following notes :
The letter from Kaleral tells the "chief"
Chief, We need to talk, you will like the newest treatment. If will help you dominate those pups even more than the last one. Come to the meeting point alone the night of the full moon. I think this may make you unkillable if you really are of the bloodline we thought.
Chief, There was a riot several miners escaped. It is imperative you cut off the town. Don't forget the telegraph. If word got out it could be the end of everything we have worked towards.
Chief, It is stronger now. The latest gift was damaged in travel. Not sure what is up with that. Maybe you can make any sense of her, try to slip away f you can. Password is Plain
Thanks, The escaped miners have been captured again. It is unlikely they got word to the town, but given the ongoing situation it is best to keep the town cut off until the bargain is completed.) Password if Grist
We now have a guest staying with us. I am not sure what to make of him. Tall dark not handsome. Honey hangs all over him they have been inseparable since he arrived. But so far I fear he was a waste of offerings, but still it proves my theories. Take the children into town but come join us to welcome our Lord home. Just be ready to cross over before the new moon. Password is now Vesuvius.
Head back to town and on the way you find that several prospectors and the news reporter have come to meet you.
"Whew you made it back! You beat back the indians? We heard the fight."
Intuition 18 (something is off here) Medacine (18) Prospectors all have black eyes.
The miners are all from kalarials group and not villagers. They are wacked out on drugs and led by the reporter who is Kalarial's agent.
Back in town people cheer and hail the heros. The doctor hears the commotion and asks Doc to explain the trick. He will go on about what charlatan doc learned the trick from. Seems that he found the "dinosaur" skull whole and undamaged in the trash. A exhibit piece near anyone exposed to god blood may react.
IDEAS
Edgar - The coma man died when the shaman died. There will be services... (maybe they go extremely wrong if god blood is brought to service?)
Hoss - Killing indian might give a surge of power? Animal befriends him? Something magical should result from his exposure. Maybe regen?
Fredricks - Carried blood reacts to something in town? Tooth reacts somehow?
Marshall - Looking into records from Kalarials letters. FInds out of problem with prospectors.