.png/640px-Ape1_(PSF).png)
I intend on doing a 365-day challenge, creating a single adventure/location with 365 encounter areas, created one per day, on Patreon. The results are not a reward tier thing, but will be available to all patrons. At the very least, you might get some encounter ideas!
If I miss a day, I will try to make up for it on subsequent days, so as to have 365 keyed entries by New Year's Eve 2023, with the intention of turning it into an actual product around mid- to late-2024 (depending upon publishing partners).
Background
Three centuries ago, the Huala controlled a vast empire, united the tribes of the Pelperis Jungle under their terrible rule. They worshipped many dread Powers, deities combining the worst aspects of men and beast, all of which demanded the sacrifice of sentient beings. Chief of their terrifying gods was Zal-Rah, whose blood-soaked idols were half-bat and half-ape.
Legend says that the great temple of Zal-Rah held a perfect ruby the size of a man’s fist, cut into many facets. This stone, the Heart of Zal-Rah, was lost when the Pelperis tribes threw down their gruesome overlords and the vile god’s evil temple was swallowed by the jungle.
1. Temple Entrance: The heavy jungle foliage parts reluctantly – movement through the dense tropical growths is slow and difficult – but at last you can see the lost temple beyond. The masonry is cracked and fallen, covered in heavy vines and supported in places by trees which have grown up along and through the walls, but you can still make out the carved images of bat-winged apes which adorn the walls. An ornate gaping arch, 20 feet wide and nearly as tall, gives entrance to whatever lies within.
The heavy foliage around the temple entrance is hard to push through, requiring an Agility check (DC 5) to move every 10 feet. Characters can, of course, cut through the foliage, although this takes longer and attracts the attention of the carnivorous apes in Area 4. Creatures with a listed climb speed can move through this vegetation at half their normal climbing move, without requiring a roll. Creatures that can fly can simply go over it.
The trees around the temple entrance form a wide clearing, and are inhabited by a troop of flying monkeys which is represented as a swarm. These creatures resemble Red Uakaris, with reddish fur and bright red, hairless faces resembling skulls. Their wings are black and bat-like. Each is about a foot long, with a very short tail in relation to its body length (especially for a monkey).
These creatures swoop down upon the PCs as soon as they enter the clearing before the temple. If they fail a morale check, or fumble the monkey swarms go howling to the treetops, where they screech and fling fruit (and/or feces) at any characters remaining in the clearing. If the characters continue to attack them (via missiles or spells), they disappear completely.
Flying Monkey Swarm: Init +4; Atk swarming bite +5 melee (1d5 plus theft); AC 13; HD 8d8; hp 26; MV 40’ or fly 50’ or climb 40’; Act special; SP bite all targets within 20’ x 20’ space, half damage from non-area attacks, fling feces and sticks, theft; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will -2; AL N.
When these flying monkeys successfully attack, the target must succeed in a Luck check or some random small object is stolen. The item can be recovered if the thief is specifically targeted (AC 16; 1 hp), which kills that individual flying monkey, but doing so does no appreciable damage to the swarm. The stolen item is dropped, but must still be recovered, and may be stolen again. A PC can specifically protect a single item so that it cannot be stolen, but this has to be declared before the theft occurs!
These monkeys can also fling feces, sticks, overripe fruit, and the like at targets within a 30' x 30' square, who must make Will saves (DC 5 +1 per additional round) or flee the area.
They have no treasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment