Call of the Couatls

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Campaigns: Slaadi Invasion | Northern Strife | Heroes & Traitors | Hollows | Black as Pitch | Air Islands of Nack | BUFD Wars | Weapon of the Gods | Couatlán

Couatlán: Call of the Couatls Call of the Couatls (DMed by David W.) Many of the legendary couatls have shed their mortal disguises and beseeched the elders to shed in turn their inter-tribal disputes and differences in order to band together and form an alliance strong enough to fight back against the fair-skins. This call for solidarity, collectively known as the Couatlán, is the only way the indigenous peoples have a chance to repel the fair-skins. As such, the discordant tribes have for a time become harmonious, and warriors and shamans from each have banded together to strike back at the hearts of their enemies to expel them much as an obsidian blade lets blood to expel an affliction.

For character information, go here.

Mission 1: "Red River Outpost"
Date: 9 Flintknife - 11 Crocodile (33 days)

Played by Cuauhtémoc, Kntanta, N'olvidar, Riclamin, and Sisava

Setup:
 * 1st Couatlán location: clearing deep within the jungle, a few weeks journey from the eastern coastline.
 * Two scouts, Icuahca and Calatlo, spotted after attempting to conduct reconnaissance on an newly constructed outpost, southern side of the Red River, overlooking a 100ft cliffside.
 * Spotted and attacked during scout.
 * One was injured and the other captured.
 * The injured party (Icuahca) managed to escape after a great displacer beast attacked the pursuers. Retreated to Couatlán location.

Objective:
 * Track back to the outpost and retrieve the captured party (Calatlo).
 * Kill or capture as many fair-skins as possible.
 * Destroy outpost if possible.

Outcome:
 * Attacked by two coyotl hunters during travels, dispatched both.
 * Spotted smoke near objective on second day of travel.
 * Discovered dead displacer beast.
 * Three Akkens, two of which injured, tracked back to outpost.
 * One other Akken assumed to travel to separate village for reinforcements.
 * Tracked Akkens to the outpost.
 * Smoke came from a humanoid burned at the stake.
 * Presumed to be objective (Calatlo). Suffered torture and mutilation before execution by fire.
 * Riclamin attempted to pretend to be Akkens. When that failed, sprung attack.
 * Cuauhtémoc nearly felled by an arrow to the neck.
 * Riclamin gave aid to fallen elf, saved his life.
 * Others used the confusion of attack to sneak up to outpost and climb up, killing all three Akkens.
 * Looted the outpost, set it to fire, successfully retreated before reinforcements arrived.
 * Returned to the next Couatlán rendezvous to report on completed mission.

Downtime Activities:
 * Cuauhtémoc: Returned to Cuauhtli village to report mission to elder Quetzal. Received further work and training at tribal village.
 * Sisava: With aid of Kntanta, Riclamin, N'olvidar, found and tamed a giant snake. Will accompany on future missions.
 * Kntanta: Gathered total of eight snakes as companions while travelling with Sisava, N'olvidar, Riclamin.
 * N'olvidar: Traveled with Riclamin, Kntanta, Sisava. Foraged for supplies and created an atlatl for darts.
 * Riclamin: Traveled with N'olvidar, Kntanta, Sisava. Successful foraging and hunts allowed to cure and dry several days worth of rations, sharing with companions.

Mission 2: "The Poisoned Village of Uxmal"
Date: 11 Crocodile - 12 Poison (30 days)

Played by Cuauhtémoc, Atrox, and Raktajino

Setup: Objective: Outcome: Downtime Activities:
 * 2nd Couatlán location: somewhere on the border of the southern marshes, a week's journey from the eastern coast.
 * Itencualac, the Couatl of Poison, has come to lieutenant Xehsamaal (specialized in poison and traps) in a dream.
 * A concentration of new poison has come to the fishing village of Uxmal, deep within a mangrove forest to the northwest.
 * Xehsamaal has chosen Atrox, Raktajino, and Cuauhtémoc for their knowledge of poisonous substances, familiarity with watery environments, and penchant for violence respectively.
 * Locate Uxmal and determine the source of the poison.
 * Study and extract said poison if at all possible, bring back to the next Couatlán.
 * Poor navigation by Cuauhtémoc, losing a day of travel and going too far north.
 * Group runs into quicksand and warriors from the Cuanmitzli tribe -- jaguar elves.
 * Atrox attacks the group, Raktajino nearly goes unconscious in the melee.
 * After killing the tribesmen, Cuauhtémoc mutilated one of their jaguar headdresses and added the mutilated parts to his own eagle headdress.
 * Backtrack to Uxmal, discovering large froglike humanoids called grungs.
 * Fight with grungs, nearly died, had to retreat.
 * Grungs tracked group to their hidden retreat. Had to kill them, nearly died in the struggle.
 * After a night's recovery, went back to Uxmal, killed several grungs and captured tadpole eggs of red, purple, and green. The red grung leader escaped.
 * Atrox: Traveled with Raktajino with eggs of each colored tadpole (red, purple, green). The eggs hatched and the tadpoles were given to the leaders of the Couatlán.
 * Cuauhtémoc: Returned to Cuauhtli village to continue training toward becoming a Talon.
 * Raktajino: Traveled with Atrox with eggs of each colored tadpole. The eggs hatched and the tadpoles were given to the leaders of the Couatlán.

Mission 3: "Hunting the Hueliloc Hag"
Date: 12 Poison - 12 Snake (6 days)

Played by Cuauhtémoc, Coyo, Riclamin, N'olvidar and Chakax

Setup: Objective: Outcome: Downtime Activities:
 * 3rd Couatlán location: cliffside overlooking city of Teotepec, capital of the Teotlihuacan, half-day journey around the cliff to get there.
 * Couatlán lieutenants Teoquemitl, Anquemolo and Eztli recruit the warriors to investigate a kidnapping.
 * Nameless, infant daughter of Toctli (temporary leader of the Teotlihuacan) disappeared from her crib.
 * Teoquemitl is infant's aunt, says, "She has fallen from the embrace of Teotl."
 * Anquemolo requests those adept in tracking to start from the crib itself and work from there.
 * Eztli has brought one of her own Huastac tribesmen, Coyo into the Couatlán to assist.
 * Investigate child's disappearance, determine culprit.
 * Rescue child if at all possible.
 * Investigation starts in chieftain's house, leads to infirmary where Toctli's wife Cictlalmina is paralyzed with grief
 * Coyo talks to kids in central plaza playing stick-ball (now called Coyoball.
 * Discovered that a young teenager calling herself Xoxoh would come from the woods and play with the kids from time to time.
 * Encouraged them to do naughty things -- break things, steal, hurt others.
 * Followed lead on Xoxoh after speaking with two older kids, Ollin and Ichtaca, took younger of the two,Ollin along. Traveled several miles, two days.
 * Found marsh devoid of Teotl, hut in middle. Xoxoh is an ancient hag, disguises herself as beautiful young elf.
 * Has several girls working for her, seemingly devout servants - not sure if magical or brainwashed.
 * Call each other not by name, only by age: 12, 10, 7, 7, 4, 2 and 0 (the noble infant).
 * "Nana" Xoxoh tried to strike a deal with them, a simple kiss from N'olvidar or Chakax, but to no avail.
 * Fight breaks out, Chakax and N'olvidar are both seriously injured to the verge of death. Nana Xoxoh is killed.
 * All kids taken back to Teotepec, reunited with parents, save 12. Atrox takes her under his wing instead. "0" is given back to Toctli and Cictlalmina.
 * Says, "Child, you know that you will not be able to live comfortably in the city. You have been marked by a power greater than yourself. Come with me and unlock your destiny."
 * Report back to Teoquemitl, Anquemolo and Eztli at the next Couatlán location.
 * Cuauhtémoc: Returns to Cuauhtli village of Puxcatán to continue training to become a Talon.
 * Coyo: Traveled with Riclamin and N'olvidar, hunting and foraging for a month.
 * Riclamin: Traveled with N'olvidar and Coyo.
 * N'olvidar: Traveled with Coyo and Riclamin.
 * Chakax: Took 12 south to the marshlands, training her and studying the source of her mysterious powers.

Mission 4: "The Flame of El"
Date: 13 House - 1 Crocodile (24 days)

Played by Coyo, Tannin, Tzakaw, Tzultacaj and Whisper

Setup: Objective: Outcome: Downtime Activities:
 * 4th Couatlán location:' Three hours north of the Akken city of Tuk-ruthwoad, on the coast.
 * Couatlá lieutenants Tlatilo and Ta'akik need those skilled in stealth and/or espionage to infiltrate the city walls and steal the Flame of El.
 * Flame apparently has magical powers, and is used by enemy priests for unknown reasons.
 * The Couatlán would like to study this artifact, and deal a blow to enemy morale.
 * Infiltrate the inner walls of Tuk-ruthwoad and steal the Flame of El from the temple.
 * Can choose either stealth or deception. Stealth by night, using one of the sluices under the docks. Or deception by day, pretending to be slaves or Akkens living within the city walls.
 * Steal the Flame of El and bring it back to the Couatlán headquarters.
 * Group chooses to stealth at night, swimming across the small bay and attempting to enter under the city through an underwater sluice.
 * Plan backfires, as many members aren't capable of holding their breath long enough to accomplish goal.
 * Instead try to stealthily climb city walls at night. Unnoticed for a moment, but forced to kill gate guards.
 * Alarms sound, guards run to the action, and civilians still out run away.
 * Coyo knocks out two civilians running away.
 * Dash to the temple, break in through front door, Whisper keeping to the rooftops, keeping watch.
 * Using torch, steal the Flame of El and dash out of the temple.
 * Acolytes and priest notice them, fight breaks out.
 * More guards come, forcing the group to flee with a copy of the Flame in hand.
 * Tzakaw casts fog cloud while crossing a bridge to aid in escape.
 * Take Flame of El to hidden location in jungle, send Whisper for Eztli.
 * Eztli explains that Flame is watchful and allows El to see where the wielder is, so servants of El will descend upon the wielding thief.
 * Burden of surveillance might not be worth having the magical flame.
 * Coyo wishes to study further, meditates on it for several weeks in a cave.
 * Whisper and others defend Coyo against the Akkens searching for them.
 * Dinosaurs attack, somehow possessed by El, along with Akkens.
 * Fight of all enemies, down to the last deinonychus.
 * Coyo uses the Flame of El to eject a holy fire over the charging dinosaur, killing it at the last second.
 * Coyo successfully conquered the influence of El and destroyed the possessed deinonychus on the sacred day of the Couatl, the day after 13-Flower and before 1-Crocodile
 * None. All warriors of this mission stayed with Coyo for weeks after retrieving the Flame of El until the beginning of the next Couatlán.

Mission 5: "Quitzlac and the Messhikah Dissidents"
Date: 1 Crocodile - 2 Poison (30 days)

Played by Kntanta, Atrox, Yelcan, and Chimalli

Setup: Mission 5 - snake thingy
 * followed elven ruins, fought coyotls
 * 15 days or so, tracks veered away
 * eventually tracks merge, find the opening and such
 * dozen slaves half eaten, still alive
 * excellent trap, pretending to be would-be cult joiners with slaves
 * spring trap, kill quitzlac before he can even move
 * win fight overall, but yelcan goes unconscious twice
 * other shady stuff
 * go back taking 8 of 12 survivors
 * 3 die to poisons and not recovering from vicious wounds
 * 15 days later, get back to couatlan
 * gifts for atrox, thingy for kntanta, other benefits down the line messhikah

Mission 6: "The Beast of K'intaj Ts'onot"
Date: 1

Played by Raktajino, Kntanta, Tannin, Jahan and Chimalli

Mission 6 - The Beast of K'intaj Ts'onot
 * unknown beast been killing fishermen and children in and around the K'intaj Cenote
 * conflicting views from Anquemolo, Teoquemitl concerning what to do with the beast
 * Anquemolo: kill it, Teoquemitl: bring it back alive for further study
 * a chuul, devoid of Teotl
 * travel to cenote, 10 hours
 * find severed arm in the cenote entrance
 * swim deeper into cenote, use shape water to create air pockets for breathing at regular intervals
 * get to small Ilhuicaatl hamlet, deserted
 * see two leaving the hamlet, zombie like swimming away into the unknowable depths
 * use owl to survey the underground cavern -- see group of Zakedaemoni awaiting in ambush
 * start making way toward them around the outer side of the cavern, get attacked by the chuul
 * second chuul attacking the Zakedaemoni
 * horrible struggle, chuul quickly paralyzes Tannin, grabs Kntanta
 * when near death, plunges back into the water and starts to run away.
 * Bacchios de la Torre, Zakedaemoni leader, swims across cavern and attacks.
 * wizard Jahan casts sleep on human priest in the water, casts scorching ray on chuul and kills it, releasing Kntanta and Tannin
 * Bacchios, hurt, escapes in the water using magical swimming, priest is brought up, bound, questioned, nothing useful
 * take back priest to Couatlan, can't determine what happened to the other beast, but killed one.
 * Priest taken by Teoquemitl's people, unsure what his fate is -- Jahan asked for the elves to be better people than the vicious humans
 * Teoquemitl said that sometimes atrocities must be committed so that more in the future are prevented... not what he wanted to hear