Penny stood up in the river, coughing and trying to recover her breath. "That was... a lot harder than I thought it would be," she gasped.

The slaves had all freed themselves and now stood on the river bank, watching the trio and trying to figure out what to do next. More worryingly, the sound of the other bullywugs can be heard from the plantation just a couple of hundred feet to the east.

OOC: An interesting learning experience - and a massive grind. But we are now ready to move on and that is the important thing. Penny suggested that you take the slaves back to 'Blisterwall', which is a fort a couple of miles to the north-west and the closest civilisation. Of course, the BW's are going to be hot on your heels.

Penny and Kassius quickly rounded up the slaves, and led them towards the north-west. This was the shortest route into the jungle and also the direction of Blisterwall, the nearest fort. When they reached the treeline, Penny refusesed to enter.

"I have some unfinished business," she said grimly. "Keep them moving, and I will catch up." There wasn't anytime to argue. Even as they were talking, a half dozen bullywugs announced their arrival in the camp with blood-curdling screams of fury.

Within two minutes of leaving Penny, Kassius could hear her war cries as she unleashed a volley of arrows at the oncoming amphibians. A few seconds later she came bashing through the jungle and almost ran into the group.

"What?! Haven't you gotten any further?!" She seemed surprised at how little ground they had covered, but the slaves were dehydrated and exhausted, and the moonlight was patchy in the jungle making it hard for them to see. "I got one more, but they are REALLY frakked off now!"

The two rangers and Kibeti set up another ambush across a small clearing, and forced the slaves to run on ahead. The bullywugs burst from the jungle a few seconds later, only to be meet by an entangle spell and a thick storm of arrows. Two more of them fell, before the remaining four fell back to the trees.

The chase continued over the rest of the exhausting night, with the bullywugs never being far behind but now being more cautious about showing themselves in the open. By the time they reached Blisterwall the slaves were dead on their feet and Kassius and Penny weren't much better.

They rested in the fort for two days before leaving with fresh provisions and the thanks of the men they had saved. They headed back into the hills and upriver.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:59, Wed 25 Feb 2015.

The first night out of the fort they make camp close to the shore of the Emerald river. Penny volunteers to collect the water, but takes her time checking the surface and the river bank before finally filling their canteens. The Emerald River takes its name from a unique form of algae that grows atop its slow-moving water. This green vegetation forms a solid layer in some stretches of the river, that looks like sheets of floating emerald. While quite beautiful, the shiny algae makes perfect camouflage for crocodiles and other waterborne predators - the ranger has learnt from past experience to be very careful near the beautiful waters.

After a good solid meal, Penny leans back and relaxes a little. With Kibeti on guard it would be impossible for anything to creep up on them, and the couple of days cooped up inside the fort had been hard for her.

"So squirt. I guess you're wondering what we are doing this far up the gods forsaken ass of the Sasserine wilds? Ha! Well I can tell you that I wouldn't be doing it without the right encouragement," she says, rubbing her thumb and fingers together.

"No, we need to find something for some crazy old geezer who hired me back in Sasserine. He called himself 'VORSH', although I doubt that was his real name. He said he needed a big rust monster for a spell he was researching." She chuckled. "It's so sad. They always say that, don't they? But you know it is probably to treat a <ahem> personal potency problem. Why don't they just come out and admit it?!"

"Anyway, he wants us to go up into the mountains and locate the biggest rust monster that ever lived - some beast called Kogoloxen. I don't know. I have half a mind to just wander around our here for a few more days and then just go back and just say we couldn't find it. Or say we did find it! And then just give him a vague location up in the hills. You see, he doesn't want us to try and kill it. Just tell him where it is and what its lair is like. Weird..."

The ranger shudders. "But he was cold Kassius. Ice cold and creepy. I'm not going to cheat him - I wouldn't dare. We'll do our best for about a week to try and find this thing and then go back and report the result truthfully, whatever that result may be..."

This message was last edited by the player at 20:31, Sat 28 Feb 2015.

The Emerald River - beautiful but unhygienic

The pair continue further up into the Hell Furnaces as the mountains surrounding Sasserine are known. They trace the Emerald river and watch it change from a deep, shining green to a mottled metallic red as the algae become less prominent and the source of their nutrients become apparent - the rocks in this area are rich in iron minerals and the runoff from the mountain looks like it has been carried by a rusty pipe.

After three days of hard walking and being constantly on guard for rockslides and kobold scouting parties, the Emerald river has dwindled to a shallow stream cutting a ragged path through the mountains, and the air is as cold as Kassius has ever felt before so close to Sasserine. They take turns checking for tracks, but Penny seems to be searching for something other than animal trails - she keeps scanning the skyline and sometimes makes them walk on after dusk in the moonlight while she keeps her gaze fixed above the peaks.

For that reason, Kassius can hardly be surprised when something does become visible through a gap in the mountains on the third night. He sees a tall tower with remarkably smooth sides and with great gouts of gushing flame bursting from the top of it. Penny pauses, looking at it carefully. She then announces that they will camp and then head straight towards it first thing the next day. The ranger is quick to catch Kassius' incredulous look.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:51, Wed 04 Mar 2015.

"Don't worry, we're not going into it! It is the Tower of Rust and Fire, and just serves as a landmark, that's all. We need to find a cavern that is somewhere between the river and the tower, at least that's what the rumours say. We'll see soon enough if there is any truth to the myth of Kogoloxen the great!"

The Tower of Rust and Fire
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:48, Wed 04 Mar 2015.

"It's your funeral, I'm not too proud to turn tail and run if things get too hot," Cassues says with a teasing grin.

After quickly setting up camp, he heads out to find something palatable to supplement their rather bland rations.

Kassius rolled 23 using 1d20+7. Survival forage/hunting.

"You and me both, squirt!" retorts Penny. "And although Kibeti might be the fastest out of us three, but I think I might be the second."

Kassius scuttles up into the mountains after the camp is set up, and is quick to find some tracks. Within half an hour he has followed them back to the a lair, and dispatches the creature inside with one carefully aimed arrow - a small rust monster. The creature is unfortunately slimy and has sickly looking pustules across its body. The half orc isn't brave or desperate enough to contemplate eating it, but there are half a dozen eggs in the lair that look more promising. He carries them carefully back to the camp, where Penny looks them over with an expert eye.

"I suppose that is a good omen. At least we're in the right terrain for the beasts. It was covered in sores you say? I think the influence of the tower of rust and fire breeds all sorts of mutant beasts in these parts. If it can just make a rust monster the size of a house then I will be happy. Ha! And rich!"

They boil the eggs over a small smokeless fire and they make a delicious meal.

The next day they break camp and head into the mountains. It quickly becomes clear that Penny has no plan other than heading straight towards the tower, which is occasionally visible through the peaks. When Kassis tries to ask her what she is looking for, she waves him off irritably. The sun is high in the sky before she finally stops, and points at a streaky layer of rock high above them.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:48, Sat 07 Mar 2015.

"I think that is it. We're looking for something called the 'Corroded Caves', that apparently have a vein of iron-rich rock running through them. If we follow that vein up there until it reaches a cavern then that should be our target."

So they spend several hours marching up and down the mountainous terrain, trying to keep the dark red string of rock in view. It proves to be much harder than Penny anticipated, with a lot of climbing being required and with the special rock just disappearing into the mountainside sometimes. But they finally find the spot where the vein winds its way into a cave mouth.

"OK. Last chance to back out. But keep in mind that if you want to get paid then we've got to go in!"

Kassius gives a derisive snort. "What you think I came all this way just for the pleasure of your company," he retorts, giving Penny a mischievous wink.

"Come on Kebiti, we'd better get a move on before Penny here chickens out on us," he whispers loudly so as to be overheard as he strokes his feline companion fondly.

Penny tilts back her head and howls. "Frak yeah! Let's do this!" she exclaims with a disconcerting amount of enthusiasm.

They scramble up a low bank to the cave mouth and pause at the entrance while Penny lights a torch. Kibeti ranges ahead and makes the most of the shadows just out of the torch light to act as an almost invisible scout.

The interior of the cave is hot, damp and smells of rancid iron. Numerous trickles of slimy water drip from the ceiling or slide down the cavern walls, giving rise to a small ecosystem of bugs and insects. The constant drips from the cavern roof also feed the stalagmites encrusting the floor, making their entirety of the cave difficult terrain. They quickly come to a junction, where Penny directs them to the left. The tunnel then descends deeper into the mountainside through a series of corkscrew-like bends that leaves them disorientated.

Just when Penny is beginning to look worried - "This better not lead into the bottom of the frakken tower of rust and fire," she mutters - the tunnel widens into a small natural cavern about 15 feet in diameter. Many small stagnant pools of tepid water steam among tooth-like stalagmites in the dark, uneven chamber. The water looks grotty and reeks of something more than stagnant slim. Perhaps it really has been tainted by the magical energies from the tower they had seen in the distance? Needless to say, the three of them stick close to the wall and stay as far from the pools as they can, and head into the tunnel on the far side.

This route ends after just ten feet when the tunnel widens again, this time into a much larger cavern. The scent of iron is especially thick here, and the walls show signs of erratic digging as though something has burrowed into any spot where the rusty red mineral was present. In the centre of the room is a large sink hole, its step walls mostly hiding it from the torch light.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Mon 09 Mar 2015.

Artist's impression only. There are a lot more twists and turns in reality.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:44, Mon 09 Mar 2015.

Penny stops at the cavern entrance and places the torch on the floor. She draws her bow and then motions for Kassius to go forward. "You can see in the dark," she whispers. "Go check out what is in the hole. I'll cover you."

OOC: Sounds like a fair enough plan. What could possibly go wrong?

"My eyes are better than yours, but even I can't see in darkness that deep," Kassius mutters approaching the hole wearily.

[OOC: has Low-Light vision instead of Darkvision]

Picking up a small pebble, he mutters an incantation causing it to glow, and tosses it down the shaft, nocking an arrow, he leans over and peers down, drawing back on his bow nervously.

[OOC: readies attack against whatever the nefarious DM has planned, lol]

The pair of them stand motionless by the cavern entrance, arrows nocked and bowstrings drawn, as the shinning pebble disappears into the hole and then clatters down the side. Kibeti stands between them, as taunt as a bowstring himself.

For many seconds nothing happens, until Penny actually lets the tension off her bow and turns to Kassus as if to say something, but then the soft rustle of a breeze starts pushing out of the deep pit. Penny turns back to the centre of the cavern, staring at the hole in puzzlement as the gentle wind increases into a stiff jet of air, and then quickly increases again into the roar of a tornado. The air smells sickly sweet, like corroded iron bars mixed with rotting flesh and toxic chemicals.

With a deep throated roar a mighty beast covered in corpulent pustules throws itself out of the hole - its girth is so wide that it fills the hole almost like a cork in a bottle and it was pushing the air out in front of it as it ran up the shear walls of the pit. The beast roars again, and waves its two feathered antenna as though trying to sense something. Kassius realises that it IS a rust monster, just one so covered with sickness and filth that it is almost unrecognisable as such. And it is huge. As big as a house.

http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs7...y_evelar-d4um3a5.jpg
I won't post the picture here because of copyright, but this link shows what this beast looks like coming out of the hole.

"Well!" chuckles Penny quietly. "I call that mission frakken accomplished! If this isn't the Kogoloxen then I don't know what is. Let's get back to town and tell the crazy old man that his days of impotency are as good as finished!"

Sitting astride its burrow, the antennae of the creature swivel with lightning speed and point at Penny. The feathery tips vibrate up and down its sensor stalks like an oscillating wave and then stop frozen. Kogoloxen bellows and begins its charge.

"Frak me!" screams Penny as she turns to run, arrow dropped forgotten at her feet.

Initiative please
22:29, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 8 using 1d20+3. Kogoloxen initiaitive.
22:29, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 17 using 1d20+3. Penny initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:32, Tue 10 Mar 2015.

OOC: Or I can roll.

21:15, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 17 using 1d20+2. Kassius Initiative.
21:15, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 11 using 1d20+5. Kibeti Initiative.
Initiative order is:
Penny (17)
Kassius (17)
Kibeti (11)
Kogoloxen (8)

Penny is off down the corridor first, but Kassius is not fair behind. The hunter screams an order at Kibeti, but the little cat is slow to response, perhaps off-footed by the noise and thread of the incoming monster.

Penny quickly reaches the cavern with the pools of steaming, noxious water, but rather than skirting around the edge she sprints directly across, trying to jump between the slippery rims around each pond.

DC12 acrobatics check
21:25, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 20 using 1d20+2. Penny acrobatics check.

The ranger manages to easily stay on her feet and reaches the far end of the cavern.

OOC: Kassius has a choice. Try to jump over with a DC12 acrobatics check, or slowly go around the edge of the room. Consequences for failing are that he falls into one of the smelly pools of water and might get attacked. Consequences for going around are that he won't fall in, but definitely will get attacked.

OOC: OK, let's say that both Kassius and Kibeti choose to brave the stinky ponds.

09:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 19 using 1d20+2. Kassius acrobatics check DC12.
09:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 11 using 1d20+5. Kibeti acrobatics check DC12.

Hmm, but Kassius would have used animal focus and selected 'tiger' giving both himself and Kibeti a +2 bonus to dex. So both of these are a pass.

Kassis and Kibeti are both just a few steps behind the ranger. The hunter is able to navigate the thin slippery lips of the ponds without difficulty, but Kibeti struggles and almost falls in. Perhaps he is off put by the tremendous bestial roar coming from The Kogoloxen. The fiendish monster has barrelled out of its own cavern and is now heading into the cavern with the ponds, scraping against the sides of the corridor connecting the two rooms and knocking stalactites clean off in its haste to catch up. Once the albino panther has cleared the last pond it opens up to its full sped and quickly pulls ahead of Penny and Kassius, leaving its master at the back of the queue.

The ranger and the hunter make it a few more yards but the tough terrain starts slowing them down. Kassius has the choice to push on as fast as he can and risk tripping or take it slower. If he does slower than The Kogoloxen will get one hit at him, but at least he won't be prone.

It is a DC15 acrobatics check to keep running through the rough terrain.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:12, Mon 06 Apr 2015.

"Kibiti! Kuto!," Kassius call out, urging the great cat to escape all the while pushing himself to catch up.

Kassius rolled 15 using 1d20+3. Kassius acrobatics check DC15

The cat needs no urging to continue running out of the cave and is soon far ahead and lost in the darkness. Kassius struggles to keep close behind Penny and can soon hear the rust monster's snorting closing on him. Somehow, the hunter manages to maintain a small lead and makes it out of the caverns before The Kogoloxen can reach him.

Penny and Kassius scramble back down the small cliff at the cave entrance and look back anxiously into the shadows of the tunnels, but nothing leaves the cave. Kogoloxen bellows and roars but refuses to come out into the sunlight.

"Yeah. Mission frakken accomplished," pants Penny.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 06:22, Mon 06 Apr 2015.

The three of them make their way back to Sasserine over the next couple of days, following the Emerald river back to where it empties into the great lagoon. Penny says she is 'happy' with Kassius' performance and pays him the agree amount for his help - 50 gold Sasserine crowns. But there is one additional surprise in store. She asks him to accompany him to some sort of social engagement in the Champion district the next day. Penny mutters something about it being a cousin's wedding and not wanting to turn up alone... She seems a little embarrassed about it.

We'll say that Kassius accepted since he turns up at the wedding in the next scene...