The next morning the five of them; Kassius, Kibeti, Alohan, Remmi & Penny; set off towards the east. They reach the shores of the Emerald fairly quickly - the river that 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.


The Emerald River

They follow this river up into the Hellfurnances, but reach little more than the foothills before it grows dark and they must make camp. No campfire is lit and a they takes turns keeping watch through the night.

Over the next three days the Emerald river changes 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. Penny uses the same trick as before to find Kogoloxen's cave - she looks though the gaps in the mountains until she sees a tall tower with smooth sides and with great gouts of gushing flame bursting from the top of it.

"The tower of rust and fire," Penny pronounces. "Our rust monster freak resides in a cave in the vicinity of the base of that thing."


The Tower of Rust and Fire

Penny traces a rich red vein of iron ore which wanders across ravines and along canyons until it disappears into a cave mouth - Kassius recognises it as the dwelling of Kogoloxen the fiendish rust monster.

OOC: Here is what Kassius & Penny remember from the 'Corroded Caves' from their last adventure (which started back in December '14... how time flies!)



Location C1 is a canyon criss-crossed with shallow pools of corrosive fluid - DC12 if you want to move through at full speed.

FYI, you picked up a whole bunch of scrap iron from the fort, which poor old Remmi has been lugging through the jungle and mountains for the last four days.

There is a ledge over the top of the cave entrance.

What do you want to do next?

That was before I took over as Kassius!



Kassius looks over the scene, remembering the caves. They had been long and twisty, and difficult to maneuver in easily. As he stands outside the cavern, his memory of Macutotnal's acrobatics and magically enhanced speed returns to him. Perhaps that had been the point of the dream? To convince him that he could do this. "We should prepared our traps, pits and nets here, at the cave entrance. Once we're ready, I'll carry the metal in and lure the beast out."

OOC: Heh, that's right. Crazy.



OOC: <DM rolls eyes> Yeah, sure Kassius, that was exactly what the point of that dream sequence was.



OOC: OK, all prepared. How deep are the pits in front of the cave and how do they fit into the plan if you're going to net this guy?

Penny also makes some blunt arrows so she can do non-lethal ranged damage (abet at -4 to hit).

Alohan and Remmi dutiful dug into the soil at the entrance. Another arduous day of work after trekking through the jungle. He was beginning to severely miss Sasserine and the pampered lifestyle he was growing accustomed too. What he wouldn't give to wake in his four postered bed with the gentle touch of a woman. Speaking of women, his mind wondered about his friends, Logan, Celene, and Angati, curious to what they had been up to for the previous two weeks. Probably nothing as exciting as running through the jungle after a crazed Kassius or pummeling a rust monster into submission (hopefully). Logan was probably drinking in Shadowshore without him...

"I not wantin' ta be in de jungle ever again..." he muttered, pausing to wipe sweat from his eyes. "And what would ya be makin' from de rust monster.. I not wantin' ta drink any ding dis creature be giving." He pointed to Kibeti with his shovel, jealous of the lounging animal. "What we be doing wit de kitty?"

---

Plan: Here is my pitch.. Kassius goes in and leads the monster out. The rest of us go up on the ledge above the entrance so as Kassius is running out, he grabs a rope and Remmi, Penny and I haul him up like a fishing line. Rust monster stumbles out looking to eat Kassius only to see him get pulled away at the last instance causing the Rust monster to pitch forward into the hole we dug. Part II of plan is we either act fast enough to pummel the thing as he tries to get out. Worst case scenario is we toss the rope to distract him even longer. All I know is Alohan wants to jump down into the pit with a wicked flying elbow. Like in the WWF when wrestlers climb the ladder at the center of the ring and throw themselves onto their enemies. I am open to suggestions about the net. Maybe it would make sense tossing the net on the critter when he is in the pit. Just make sure I land an elbow. I want to tell the grandkids about it...

Kassius wipes some sweat off of his furrowed brow, taking a brief pause in the digging. "Oh come on, this is far more fun than sitting around in some overly fancy manor being pampered and coddled. The jungle is real, and alive. Sure it's hard work, but sweat is how you know you're doing something worthwhile."


"I'll tell Kibeti to stay back, unless something bad happens. He's not so good at the whole "not killing food" thing."


That plan, and the Flying elbow drop in particular sounds awesome. I think we should plan on throwing the net in first though, just to make it a little less dangerous stuck in a pit with you.

Kassius ventures into the dank and metallic smells of the cave and carefully moves his way through the caverns without torch light. He carries an arm full of pig iron and scrap metal.

He had been wondering how to attract the beast's attention but this proves to not be a problem when he gets to the final cave. Kogoloxen bursts out of the deep, dark hole that is his home and practically flies at the hunter - the half-orc needs to sprint back at top speed and ends up dropping half of his metal. It doesn't matter, the brute never hesitates to follow and as Kassius grabs the rope and is hoisted to safety, Kogoloxen blunders out of the cave and straight into the camouflaged pit trap (rolled a natural 2).

There is not much nice to say about this legendary creature. The fiendish rust monster is covered in a multitude of sores and pustules. Whatever mutagen that has allowed him to grow this ungodly large has not been good for its health.

http://rythiae.wikia.com/wiki/Kogoloxen

OOC: Does it bother anybody else that Kogoloxen is only 'large'? Come on!

OK, make a ranged touch attack against this guy, AC: 18/touch 11/flat-footed 16. All of you are on the ledge above him, about 15' above the guy.

Penny nocks a blunt arrow. "He stinks even fracken worse than I remember!"

Kassius, still feeling perhaps a might over-confident from his success as Macutotnal swings up the rope and grabs the net in one hand, casually flinging it down at the rust monster. Sadly, his attempt at showmanship fails miserably, as his lack of proficiency with the weapon results in the thing not even unfolding as it falls and lands uselessly besides Kogoloxen.

Net attack, includes -4 non-proficiency penalty
19:29, Today: Kassius rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  net attack.
That's going to be a failure even against touch AC I assume.

By the way, the link has some spoilers about the rust monster being used to overthrow some house? Did you mean to give us that information?

Without the aid of his pele, Alohan plants his feet and heaves the rope bound Kassius. He strains his muscles against his ally's weight looking to haul him to safety and -with the aid of Penny and Remmi- the half-orc was soon perched on the ledge beside him. "Dis ding is bigger den I imagined" he mutters wide eyed. He felt his pele on the surface, ready to fling him into the pit at a moments notice but in this conscious moment, Alohan gave pause.

At Kasisus's instruction, Alohan bent down and picked up his side of the net... but Kassius had already flung it out! As the net plummeted down, Alohan was left with one strand of hemp -which he tried to fling out in time- but was unsuccessful in aiding with the ball of unfolded net. 

The only options left were to elbow the thing, grapple it, and pray he could pummel it into submission.

---

Net Attack: I got a 5!!!! (check dice roller, on mobile)
Spoilers:I dont know if I want to help anymore.. especially if it brings down a noble house!

Kassius doesn't even hit the hole - the net lands well to one side.



OOC: I saw that and decided it was fine since the information wasn't relevant - so no harm done :)



Was Alohan trying to help? Who knows, the native achieves very little other than almost falling off the ledge and into the creature's maul.



OOC: :P There's no noble house involved in our version of this module! Actually, our version is truer to the original module than the modified version run in that game I linked to.

Kogoloxen roars in fury and starts trying to scrabble its way up the 10' walls of the pit - the pit it dug into loose, stony ground and it is difficult to climb but the beast's claws actually make pretty good tools for the attempt.

16:47, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 25 using 1d20+10.  Kogoloxen climb. DC25
OOC: Heh heh

The rust monster slowly but surely scampers its way up towards ground level.

OOC: DM's ruling, if you do some damage to it in the next round then you can knock it back down to the bottom of the hole again.

"Frac!" yells Penny (like usual). She jumps down from the ledge and moving off to one side unslings her compound bow. (So that was her turn).

"It's going to get out!" screams Remmi. (And that was his turn).

OOC: Here are Remmi's stats by the way:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG...les.html#noble-scion

Kassius, Alohan and Kibeti, it is up to you guys to keep this dude in the hole.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:56, Thu 25 Feb 2016.

"Well, this is simply wonderful!" Kassius calls out, watching with wide eyes as the monster makes easy work of the group's capture plan. Kassius orders Kibeti to hold, since the goal is still to capture, not kill the beast, and animal companion looks at him dubiously before rubbing his fur against Kassius' leg.

The action seems to help him focus oddly, and Kassius steps back, draws his new magical bow and knocks a blunt arrow, firing it at Kogoloxen in an attempt to stun and push back the beast. The arrow flies reasonably true, but in his attempt to avoid permanent damage, has little effect.

---

Kassius
11:09, Today: Kassius rolled 20,3 using 1d20+7,1d8+2.  Bow attack (non-lethal), damage.
Swift Action: Activate Animal Focus (Tiger, +2 dex)
Free Action: Five foot step away from Kogoloxen.
Move Action: Draw Longbow
Standard Action: Fire blunt arrow

---

HP: 21/21  AC 18, Saves+4/+8(+9)/+4
Spells Slots: 1st: 3/4;  Animal Focus Minutes Left: 2/3, Door Sight 6/6
Current Buffs: Animal Focus: Tiger (+2 Dex), round 1/10, Guidance (used)

---

Kibeti
Full Round Action: Cast Guidance on Kassius

---

HP: 19/19 AC 19(20), Saves+4/+7(+8)/+3
Current Animal Focus: Tiger(+2 dex)
Current Buffs:none!

In reply to Kassius (msg # 56):

Nice, but your DM has ruled that this is not enough to knock it back into the pit. Alohan is going to have to 'drop the elbow' on it.

"It is time..." Alohan muttered to no one in particular. He looked to Penny, Kassius and Remmi and let go of his control. His pele bubbled forth. He revealed in it, cherishing it comfort embrace. It was time. Time for Alohan to become the hero he was meant to be. He closed his eyes and catapulted into the pit.

His mind's eye was filled with pictures -unexpected pictures- of all the women he had possibly conquered. He thought of all his previous lovers, Rowyn included, in an array of positions, entwined in an endless embrace of female anatomy. He thought on this buffet of birds as if he himself was amidst their flock, ready to dive into their feathers. It was distracting -all that flesh. He opened his eyes, shocked to see the bottom of the pit racing to meet him.

Needless to say, Alohan impeccable elbow was severely misguided. The images of countless mammaries had thrown off his dive and Alohan came streaming in hot. He had to let go the elbow less he smash himself into the pit and mangle his forearm. At the last instant, Alohan landed on all fours, looking up at the rust monster escaping the pit.

"Dis not be good" he groaned.

---

19:18, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 10,8 using 1d20+8,1d6+4 ((2,4)). -I hate you dice roller.. I really do.
19:27, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 22 using 1d20+5 ((17)). Reflex save for the hell of it. Accidently did a +7 (fixed it in post)

---

Move Action: Dive into pit!
Standard Action: ELBOW DROPPPPP!!!!
Free/Swift Action:

---

HP: 34/34  AC: 15(-2 rage | No mage armor) CMD: 21 | 23 vs grapple Saves: +7/+5/(+2)
Rage: 8  |  8  Stunning Fist: 1  |  1  Note: Gave myself a +1 'On higher ground' bonus- figured you wouldn't mind ;) DAMN THIS DICE ROLLER! I accept whatever penalty you chose to give! Goodbye Alohan.

Kogoloxen pauses at the top of the pit, looking back at the barbarian now almost lying prone at the bottom. Why was it trying to escape when the very prey it wanted to attack was lying beneath it? The fiendish rust monster tilted its head back, its antennae vibrating quickly along their length, and then let go of the pit wall with all four claws at once.

It seemed to hang there in the midday sun until it picked up speed and slammed down towards the native back first. The reverse body slam hits Alohan in the back and squishes him into the mud at the bottom of the pit (4 hp damage).

20:20, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 12 using 1d20+7.  Kogoloxen puts the beat down on Alohan.
Still a hit since Alohan is prone



I was going to suggest a bonus myself - I certainly gave Kogoloxen one for his more effective flying attack :D

Penny rushes over the stands at the lip of the pit, firing two arrows into the beast at point blank range with her blunt arrows. One hits the soft area at the back of the creature's head, the other bounces of its armoured hide usefully. (3 hp non lethal damage).

"Good work!" she screams out. "Stay under it and keep it busy!"

Remmi has also drop down to ground level and tries to hit the rust monster with his short bow - he misses by an inch. "Yes Sire! Keep it down there!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:38, Fri 26 Feb 2016.

<ROUND THREE - PLAYERS' TURN>

Alohan, Kassius and Kibeti still to play.

Alohan:   30/34 <PRONE>
Penny:    29/29
Remmi:    20/20
Kassius:  21/21
Kibeti:   19/19

Koxologen:
Lethal:     0
Nonlethal: -3 -3

Buffs and Debuffs:
Kassius has used animal focus (tracked in his own status text)
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:40, Fri 26 Feb 2016.

Kassius fires two more blunted arrows, aiming for the same soft spot Penny had already struck. This hadn't been quite the original plan, but if Alohan could hold up, it just might work! Kibeti continues to stand by Kassius side and stare, making no move to attack.

---

Kassius
16:29, Today: Kassius rolled 22,15,6,6 using 1d20+6,1d20+5,1d8+2,1d8+2.  Rapid shot attack, damage (nonlethal).
Full Round Action: Rapid Shot

---

HP: 21/21  AC 18, Saves+4/+8(+9)/+4
Spells Slots: 1st: 3/4;  Animal Focus Minutes Left: 2/3, Door Sight 6/6
Current Buffs: Animal Focus: Tiger (+2 Dex), round 2/10, Guidance (used)

---

Kibeti
Full Round Action: Cast Guidance on Kassius

---

HP: 19/19 AC 19(20), Saves+4/+7(+8)/+3
Current Animal Focus: Tiger(+2 dex)
Current Buffs:none!

Feeling the weight of the beast come crashing down reminded Alohan of the largest girl he ever... 'STOP' his mind screamed- interrupting his one track mind. With the monster and all it's mandibles now wiggling on top of him, Alohan knew his next course of action. Sure, he might have been the perfect meal but Kogoloxen was not aware of Alohan's impeccable ground game. Kogoloxen was not aware this was Alohan's intention all along. 'The bards of Sasserine will not speak of the flying elbow- no'he thought to himself, trying to find Remmi through the chaos. 'The bards will speak of how King Alohan Nuari grappled a rust monster into submission'. It was time to get this creature in his famous Nuari hug™.

Throwing his legs around the bug(?)s abdomen, Alohan squeezed with all his might. He left his torso open to attack, reaching out with this arms to grip the creature's carapace. He squeezed, pressing Kogoloxen to him as if welcoming an old friend (at the bottom of a pit, of course). His pele burned with the effort, screaming at his muscles to bend, flex, and submit. Had the creature any sense of temperature, Alohan would have felt like a burning rock pressed up against it's hide -a rock intent on chocking the life out of it.

"COME TA YA MAKUAKANE" he hollered, lost in the heat of the moment.

---

09:12, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 22,6 using 1d20+4,1d6+4 ((18,2)).
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classe...s/raging-grappler-ex
As far as I understand it, I deal 6 nonlethal if I land the grapple. PLUS, the big beasty would be grappled. The only thing I am not clear about is if we are 'prone' and rolling around in the pit. Still, I added the -4(for being prone) and got the 22. Take that Kogogstupid!

---

Move Action: --
Standard Action: Raging Grappler -Starting a Grapple
Free/Swift Action:

---

HP: 30/34  AC: (15)11(-2 rage | -4 prone) CMD: (21)17 | (23)19 vs grapple (-4 prone) Saves: +7/+5/(+2)
Rage: 8  |  8  Stunning Fist: 1  |  1  Note: Come on Kassius... is this not the most epic thing you have witnessed? You better lock up Penny before my battle epics do it for me!
This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Sat 27 Feb 2016.

OOC: Loving this battle :D

Alohan wraps the bug up pretty well, but Penny and Remmi both miss with their attacks and then Kogoloxen starts to get MAD. The beast roars like a hurricane and squirms until it just manages to break the natives hold (rolled at 21 vs Alohans CMD of 21).



OOC: Come to Daddy!



I think you're both prone - seems only fair that the creature would also end up with this condition for pulling the same stunt.

<ROUND FOUR - PLAYERS' TURN>

Alohan, Kassius and Kibeti still to play.

Alohan:   30/34 <PRONE>
Penny:    29/29
Remmi:    20/20
Kassius:  21/21
Kibeti:   19/19

Koxologen: <PRONE>
Lethal:     0
Nonlethal: -3 -3 -6 -6

Buffs and Debuffs:
Kassius has used animal focus (tracked in his own status text)

Ron, please remember to tick down your rage rounds each round of the battle.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:25, Sun 28 Feb 2016.

Kassius stands at the mouth of the pit, and continues to simply fire arrow after arrow into the rust monster. Alohan's wrestling would have impeded the monster's ability to dodge, but with the monster prone there is a smaller target radius.

---

Kassius
Note: Kogoloxen being prone gives him +4 AC vs. ranged attacks. I think both attacks still hit thanks to nice die rolls though.
15:50, Today: Kassius rolled 21,24,3,7 using 1d20+6,1d20+5,1d8+2,1d8+2.  Rapid shot attack, damage (nonlethal).
Full Round Action: Rapid Shot

---

HP: 21/21  AC 18, Saves+4/+8(+9)/+4
Spells Slots: 1st: 3/4;  Animal Focus Minutes Left: 2/3, Door Sight 6/6
Current Buffs: Animal Focus: Tiger (+2 Dex), round 3/10, Guidance (used)
(5 blunt arrows used)

---

Kibeti
Full Round Action: Cast Guidance on Kassius

---

HP: 19/19 AC 19(20), Saves+4/+7(+8)/+3
Current Animal Focus: Tiger(+2 dex)
Current Buffs:none!

The creature squirms away from Alohan -it was no consequence. He was now free of the creatures weight and had plenty of room to mingle. Kicking his feet, Alohan sprung from his back in an instant righting himself and looking for battle. With nary a thought of caution, he threw himself back onto the squirming creature, hanging onto it's carapace. As he did so, he altered his weight, pushing hard and attempting to twist Kogoloxen's backside in an unnatural manner.

---

19:28, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 19,9 using 1d20+8,1d6+4 ((11,5)).
Raging grapple

---

Move Action: Standing (please remember my Mobility buffs)!
Standard Action: Raging Grappler -Starting a Grapple
Free/Swift Action:

---

HP: 30/34  AC: 15(-2 rage) | CMD: 21 | 23 vs grapple Saves: +7/+5/(+2)
Rage: 7  |  8  Stunning Fist: 1  |  1  Note: Mobility should give me a +4 to my AoO for standing -but the creature is also prone.

The rust monster squirms but this time Alohan is ready for it and there is no escape. Penny hits it again and tables are turned in this combat.

<ROUND FOUR - PLAYERS' TURN>

Alohan, Kassius and Kibeti still to play.

Alohan:   30/34
Penny:    29/29
Remmi:    20/20
Kassius:  21/21
Kibeti:   19/19

Koxologen: <PRONE>
Lethal:     0
Nonlethal: -3 -3 -6 -6 -10 -9 -2

Buffs and Debuffs:
Kassius has used animal focus (tracked in his own status text)

OOC: I am calling time on this combat since it is obvious you guys are going to win.

The battle continues for a few more seconds but the end is never in doubt. The great Kogoloxen is subdued and bound by Alohan. Trusted up like a giant spit roast, there is only one question left to ask. How to get it back to town?!

OOC: Your characters would have prepared for this, so just let me know what the plan is. It is a 4-5 day walk back to town.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:20, Mon 29 Feb 2016.

Alohan stood above the hogtied rust monster panting from the overexertion. They had rolled about in the mud -at the bottom of the pit- for the better part of a minute, each trying to gain the upper hand in their sweaty wrestling tango. The Native was the better, more controlled, angrier -an unexpected difficult meal to eat. Poor creature barely had a chance, especially with the constant hail of blunted arrows fracturing and bruising it's body. When all was said and done, Kogoloxen was subdued.

Now they had to keep the creature alive and transport it back to Sasserine.

"Ya be givin' me a moment ta catch my wind," he said, holding onto Remmi as if to steady himself. He looked at Kassius"Koa, how ya be dinkin we get him back to da city?"

---

Plan #1: It is assumed we get a long piece of rainforest lumber and we carry the rust monster back like a pig going to the fire. Don't know how much they weigh or if he is too big to effectively dangle but I picture us shouldering this giant log and carrying the beast back.

Plan #2: Manufacture some kind of sled and drag the thing back. Could maybe fix some kind of wheel to it. Maybe we hauled up a wheelbarrow or something.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:15, Tue 01 Mar 2016.

In the end they decide to begin Kogoloxen's journey to civilisation by trusting him up like a pig ready for the spit and then humping him for FOUR days until they get out of the mountains. Although it is agonisingly difficult to move him this way there really isn't any other choice - the mountainous terrain is free of tracks and would not support transport by cart or sled. Even with four of them carrying the load it is an arduous trip.

Once they reach the flatter lands they head towards the site of Kassius' ranch which lies on the shore of the Emerald River (at least it does now!). The take one of the flat bottomed barges that Kassius used to transport the critters from Sasserine and head downsteam towards the city - at least this part of the trip is quick and it only takes two days to get back.

They camp by the side of the river the first night and the collection of amorous groans and moans tells Kassius that Alohan and Penny are now sharing a tent.

OOC: Oh dear me. I hope this one doesn't go pyscho and haunt the party for the rest of the AP like Alohan's last girlfriend...

The next morning see Penny emerging from the love nest and giving Kassius, who already has the fire going and is making tea, an un-guilty smile and a questioning look with a raised eyebrow. The hunter notices that Kibeti also seems to be looking at him expectantly...

OOC: Nothing? Nothing at all?

They arrive in the city just after dawn on the same day that sees the rest of the party battling in the bath-house. 'Young Master Kassius' pulls some strings and gets them into the harbour without any questions being asked and they transport their precious cargo into the North Marshalling Dome.

OOC: Congrats! You're now in the same thread as the others!