Jovial Jungle Jaunt (ToA)

"Keep a close eye on the trees around us.  These ones may just be a distraction"

Getting no answer from the creatures Allister tries to spot others approaching us (Perception 14)

"Unfortunately, I am only friends with snakes, Nenne," Sthara hisses, "Perhaps our hairier friends would have better luck speaking with them than I, who has scales."

Fearful of the jungle and reminded of her early memories of having run through it as a child, Sthara listens closely to their surroundings for anything else near them (Perception: 15). She makes the motions to whisk an illusion into existence, just off to the party's left. It appears just like one of the apes that stands before them, but with different markings that set it apart–long white streaks in its fur and smoldering eyes. The illusion walks between the apes and the party, stopping to look at the apes, before walking back out of sight to the left.

The beast Boosey targets with his words drops low into a crouch looking around; its prehensile tail whips about excitedly. As Allister takes a step forward to speak the leading two primates stop and hunker down. Suddenly the light catches all of their attention, which holds them for a moment until the illusory creature walks by. The creatures' tails move this way and that as they all move towards it somewhat. The leading creature's tail stiffens suddenly and it throws itself towards Allister and Nenne aggressively and silently. Its mouth opens to show teeth capable of tearing meat and its powerful hands slam the ground as it races forward.

//roll initiative\\

The creatures pound forward and the four of you out front feel your minds assailed as they make their way to you. 

With the ape charging forward, Sthara does the same. She rushes forward, around Funderburk and Nenne, stopping to the right of a large stump, her fist bubbling and frothing as she does. She sweeps it across her view from left to right and a giant wave pulls itself up from the ground, crashing over the three creatures ahead of her (tidal wave, DC15 Dex save or 14 and prone, half as much on save).

"Beware these creatures. Something seems wrong about them."

The three leading creatures get pounded to the ground by the wave. The center creature hits face first on a tree root knocking out some of it's teeth. The other two's breath whooshes out of them as the wave crushes them to the ground.

Allister stabs the monkey directly in front of him twice, scoring deep wounds. When he cuts with his cutlass, he loses his footing on some mud caused by the tidal wave and misses. He curses under his breath and tries to regain his balance

Nenne strikes the symbol of Kelemvor on her shield and casts Bless on herself, Allister, Funderburk, and Boosey. 

As the creatures spring forward to attack, the gnome quickly sends a spell to the monkey trying to flank the group, creating a loud screeching noise in its head.  He steps forward behind Nenne and offers Allister some inspiration. 

Boosey notices the one in front of Allister lying very still in its own spreading red puddle mixed with the magically created water. The creature spots the gnome at the same time and their eyes connect. It begins to charge towards the gnome only to stop suddenly grabbing its head. It turns and flees scrambling to get away as fast as it can, slapping at its own head as it does so.

Funderburk, moving ahead until he was just behind Allister, slammed his staff on the ground. The staff, beginning to glow red with whisps of fire springing forth, produced six small floating, firey rocks (minute meteors).

Pointing the end of his staff at the monkey (I 15), Funderburk shot off two of those meteors at it. Each one hurling towards him at high speeds.

DEX: 15 (or half damage if succeed)   Damage: 13

Sthara dashes forward (L12). Taking aim at the two apes nearest her with either hand, Sthara stirs up a collection of sparks, splits it into two and sends one at each of the beasts (Fire bolt, 23 for 12 and 13 for 8).

She then summons the spectral skull hammer and brings it swinging down at the ape on her right (K12 – 27 for 7).

"How many are left? Just the cowardly one?"

Sthara's firebolts hit their targets exactly as the sorceress planned. None of the creatures fall, but both show grievous wounds. The spectral hammer slams down with a sickening crunch, sending the creature fleeing for its life. The primate between Sthara and Nenne runs up the tree to hang on the lowest branch with its tail. The creature's face lined up with the sorceress's it hisses softly and strikes out with all four of its clawed hands. The movement irritates its own wounds and it misses badly from writhing in pain.

The creature Funderburk throw' meteors at dodges the first, but takes the second full on. Smoking embers and singed hair mark its coming as it runs up to Allister clawing and biting. The claws rake across the fighter's forearm (6 damage) and the creature dips low to bite the warrior's hip (4 damage). 

The creature that ran from Boosey continues to do so.

Facing to gravely injured foes Allister decides to end the life of the beast on his flank. A quick stab and a slash across its midsection leave it with its blood flowing from vital organs. Seeing the creature fall to the ground he jumps over the corpse in front of him, flanking the monkey in front of Nenne. Allister can pierce the unprotected side of this foe with his cutlass, it jerks itself free of the blade, only to fall face down on the ground.

Nenne catches Allister's eye as the creature falls and gives him a nod of thanks. "Well done, warrior," she says, casting Healing Word for 7. She then looks to the retreating creatures and prepares herself in case anything should pose a threat to her friends (Ready action for Sacred Flame). 

As the battle rages Boosey readies his crossbow, but in a matter of moments there are three dead monkeys on the ground.  Lowering the bow he walks to Allister and casts healing word on the fighter for 7 Healing

Funderburk, watching the monkey over to the right of them bolting away at high speeds (W14), fires two more firey meteors at it. Damage: 11

Then, glancing to his left, at the other creature running away, Funderburk's staff quickly transitions from a hot red, to a cool blue, to which 4 blue bolts (magic missile level 2) fire upon it. Each one hitting thier mark: Damage 14

Both creatures fall to the ground quickly becoming very still.

Allister inspects the bodies and makes sure they are really dead. „Look at those ugly bastards. I’m not gonna cut them up for lunch, unless anyone insists. We should move on and take short break later so I can recover from the attacks.“