Ukraine: Enemy in the Woods

This is a documentary about a small piece of the war filmed mainly from body cams - following a company of 99 Ukranian soldiers holding a railway forest against the Russian advance. It shows the daily lives of the troop: the down time, the scavenging, the danger, and yes - some of the fighting too. You will see a few dead people (most are blurred/censored/out of shot if too close) so that might be your time to "nope" out, but otherwise it is a sobering 1 hour flick that just makes me really glad I'm not there as I wouldn't last five minutes in those conditions - and that's without an opposing force! Definitely worth watching if you can find it and is possibly one of the best anti-war films around.

As of this post it is day 1585 of Russia's two day special operation.  The front seems to be a stalemate currently, but drone warfare has improved to the point where Ukraine is now hitting targets in Moscow.

Hazbin Hotel Live on Broadway and Songs of Conquest

Entertainment with a focus on music!

Hazbin Hotel Live on Broadway

Celebrating the release of Season 2 of Hazbin Hotel, this live performance on Broadway by the voice actor/singers is absolutely brilliant - my only complaint is that it is too short! Even my wife, who doesn't watch the series, enjoyed it. Highly, highly recommended (but just like the show its not for kids), and I hope they do more of these live shows as there are many more songs they could do in the series (and that's not even going into Helluva Boss songs). I suppose they could do Hellaverse Live on Broadway? :D Here's a little sample for you all to enjoy. Five out of five!

Songs of Conquest

This pixely turn based strategy game plays a lot like the old King's Bounty game, where you have a leader or leader(s) marching around the map to capture resources and towns (where you can spend resources in building structures to recruit more folk for your army) while fighting enemies (usually static ones) via armies in hex grid maps. After you've exhausted your move, then your opponents leader(s) take their turn to wander around. I'm very thankful for the auto combat button in this one to make lopsided fights just finish in a single button press.

While that's all well and good the main draw for me was the nice story and the songs which play at the end of each mission. Very cool. I was sad when the extra "story" missions didn't have this. :P

Warhammer 40k: Speed Freekz

In this really crazy racing game, you play as the Orkz who I suppose are just super bored and want to race and fight? While I'm unaccustomed to Ork (which is basically bad English) which makes the customization difficult to understand, I'm pretty sure its one of those, unlock more vehicles and decorations the more experience you have and there are two game modes on offer, both being team vs team with the option for multiplayer.

In the first one, you're trying to get points by racing but don't let that stop you from shooting the enemy team! First you race to a main marker, then you start a mini-race to hit checkpoint around the main marker and then repeat four more times and the team with the highest score wins.

In the second mode, each team has a slow moving giant robot (that also shoots at you) "racing" slowly to a finish line. The idea is that racers pick up randomly spawning bombs (or stealing said bombs from destroyed enemy) and then driving it into the opposing robot to "slow it down". The team of the first giant robot to cross the finish line wins. 

Both modes are chaotic and... ok. And death is a mere slap on the wrist as you respawn in under five seconds but there's not much else happening with this one. Maybe its fine as a once off party game but otherwise, not recommended.

The Mandalorian and Grogu and Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

Movies for fans of the series. 

Mandalorian and Grogu

This movie continues the story from The Mandalorian, and has everyone's favorite bounty hunter "dad" continue to teach, protect and nurture his charge Grogu, while doing some kick ass bounty hunting stuff. While the story is just ok, on par with the series, the action is definitely amped up with more fighting sequences. The two title characters also take turns taking the lead which is pretty cool but makes for a long run time. Not that I'm complaining! If you liked the series, you'll definitely enjoy this.

Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc

This movie continuation of the animated series follows our protagonist Denji thinking with his wrong head again, spending at least the first half of the movie trying to get lucky with a girl (which tracks). While the art is always top notch, the animation really kicks in at the second half which holds all the destructive fighting. Slow start but it turned out to be ok. Worth a watch if you've enjoyed the series. If you haven't seen the series, try that first and see if its for you (you'll know in a the first episode). 

Wuthering Waves

This is another gacha game which features better action combat than most and climbing / gliding system like Tower of Fantasy, which is fantastic. It also has a decent story and a ton of upgradable systems which is both good and OMG grindy. 

It also features thirsty gardeners...

You see, you have the usual gacha luck-of-the-draw party who can all level up and you can also level their weapons (both need special material grinded to break level caps). And then each can equip "captured" enemies. FIVE of them. That can also be leveled. But no its not just, "I want a lizard thing instead of this slug thing" because they also have randomized stats and abilities. This lizard might breath fire. This other lizard just naps and heals you. Want to tell the difference? 

Too bad you can't. You need to go kill the lizards until you capture one that does what you want. AND has the substat bonuses that interest you FOR THAT CHARACTER. Good thing you can only have three characters per squad... :P Also, I REALLY DESPISE they systems where everything levels up with you. Great you reached level 10? Well those level 1 monsters are now also level 10. It's like, what was the point of leveling up? But guess what, you can't AVOID leveling up, because its your exploration level that determines the monster level.

Yup! So even if you remained at level one but explored the hell out of the map, guess what? You're just leveling up the enemies. Pity, because there's some really nice story in there. If you feel like you don't mind that level of grind then I recommend this for you. Definitely not one for me though.

Spider-Noir, Harley Quinn and Kite Man

A trio of alternate superhero shows!

Spider-Noir

This currently single season story has Nicolas Cage star as a 1930's private detective who also moonlights as "The Spider", their version of Spiderman - and guess what? When you have a good story, good characters and good acting you get a good result! Without a doubt this is now our favorite version of Spiderman. On Prime you even have the option to watch in in black and white if you want. Highly recommended and hope they make a season two!

Harley Quinn (and Kite Man, Hell Yeah!)

This currently five season animated comedy features the titular Harley Quinn who starts off breaking up with Joker and then forming her own gang. A lot of the laughs come from the irreverent way it treats the whole cast, with many extras dying gruesome deaths, but it can quickly get abrasive if that's not your sort of thing. Definitely shines brighter in the earlier seasons than the later ones. 

Kite Man, Hell Yeah is a currently one season spin off from Harley Quinn and follows the adventures of the guy whose power is he has a kite? It has the same tone too so if you like the main show you'd probably like it.

Ouroborus King and Rogue Waters

Two different roguelikes.

Ouroborus King

The weak story about a King reclaiming his lands doesn't cover up the fact that this is simply chess with a variety of unique pieces. You start with only four, and on your journey can "recruit" more, "upgrade" the ones you have, or find relics that do some neat stuff like take back your previous move. Not recommended unless you really like chess.

Rogue Waters

This roguelike has a lot more effort put into it with the art and animation and tells the story of an undead pirate seeking revenge. Combat starts with three rounds of exchanging cannon fire where you either target enemy cannons so they don't wreck you, enemy soldiers so you don't have to fight them later, or "modules" that provide many buffs to their owners.

Afterwards it becomes tactical grid combat with a focus on pushing (and some cool abilities). While you will lose a lot at the start, especially to annoying cut scenes, it really gets addictive once you start upgrading your ship and crew. Thumbs up for this one!

Brightburn and Boy Kills World

Movies about a boy killing the world?

Brightburn

A husband and wife praying for a child have their wishes granted when one falls from the sky in an alien spacecraft. They raise the kid as best as they can but going with nature always wins over nurture, once the kid hits puberty he starts getting violent and powerful. So yeah, this horror movie basically answers "what happens if superman was bad and somewhat sadistic"? It's goes just about as you'd expect which is not great. Predictable movies are predictable.

Boy Kills World

This action comedy movie takes predictable and throws it out the window. With a mute protagonist who is always voiced over and wants to revenge on the woman who controls everything through violence, the action scenes are great but totally unbelievable given the amount of bullets that miss our hero. It's funny with some really wacky parts (drugs!) but also gory which makes it a hard one to know who their target audience is. Me? So yes, the main plot is good but getting from point A to B is very convoluted, ridiculous and sometimes hilarious while the violence, especially the martial arts violence is well done. Worth putting on while you're doing something else if only to pay attention when the fight scenes start up.

Hogwarts: Legacy and Calico

Games of Magic (and animal abduction :P)!

Hogwarts: Legacy

Set in the world of the popular Harry Potter series but taking place much earlier, you get to play as a student in the magical academy and quickly get involved in a plot that only you "the chosen one" can resolve. But also, you need to attend class, explore the (vast) lands around, while helping (or not helping) other students and residents. This also involves doing some Pokemon by capturing saving a variety of magical beasts and putting them in your own pens for your personal use. Also, expect to be beating the absolute shite out of your opponents in this one to the point of "I don't need the killing curse because its so much more satisfying to break all your bones, cut you into pieces and then explode you from inside out, MUAHAHAHAAHAH!".

So yes, while I enjoyed it there are a couple of negatives: while there is broom riding there's no Quidditch (which is fine I guess), and despite the huge map the activities are kind of repetitive. Go here and clear a cave, go there and clear a cave. Oh a puzzle. Oh its the same sort of puzzle but elsewhere. Lastly, unskippable lines in cut scenes. Sure, you can skip the entire cut scene but you can't read faster than the voice actors (who do a wonderful job btw) and press a button to go to the next sentence like in other games. Is that one a minor point? Well, there's loads of lengthy cut scenes so you tell me. Still recommended, especially if you like Harry Potter.

Calico

In this pastel color game you are in a magical land where all the animals are friendly so you can pick them up, let them sit on your head, and take them to the cat cafe you are trying to open which you can also interior decorate to your hearts content. Also, just to add to the WTF factor you can prepare food... by shrinking down to a tiny size and then running around the kitchen like an action game to grab ingredients and basketball them into the boiling cauldron? Yeah, it lost me there at that point. I guess I'm not magical enough for this game. :P

Evil Black Phone

Shows about the supernatural!

Evil (TV series)

In this four season show a psychologist, a priest in training, and a tech expert make up the Catholic Church's assessor program, which takes on cases to determine if people have demonic possession or are just crazy, because the two actually look very much alike. It is very well written and well acted (especially the little kids) and 90% of the show is just cool character growth, world building and plot advancing. The other 10% is made up of horror which shows up every now and again, and holding back on it actually makes it super effective. Big thumbs up for this one, I highly recommend it.

Black Phone (1 and 2)

When a young quiet boy is taken by a kidnapper, he ends up having to rely on voices from a disconnected black phone to help him out - voices of the kidnapper's previous victims. While yes, that's a pretty scary situation to be in, there's not so much horror to it if the ghosts are on the protagonists side. I do like that everything the kid does that seems for naught actually plays a part in the end, but its almost like the bad guy doesn't stand a chance here. 

In the second film years have passed and now it focuses on the sister of the quiet boy, a sister who gets strange visions and ropes in people to go with her to a frozen camp to follow the clues (there's still a disconnected black phone there, don't worry), only to discover its where the kidnapper from the first movie started his killing spree. Yay for there being a bad ghost this time around which makes for some scarier moments but when said bad ghost starts to ice skate... um...

It's interesting that the second film succeeds both in being scarier but also in being a less interesting movie. All up, give number one a try and if you really liked it, continue with number two. Or just watch Evil which is much better, but a bigger time investment. :P

Oddsparks Lonestar and the Stone of Madness

Three games that are just not for me.

Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure

As you explore this fantasy world you will need to create a bunch of cute helpers to help you do things, like forage, chop trees and... fight? That last one isn't so much of a problem, but the whole idea of this one revolves on automating processes using your helpers like batteries to power magical machinery and conveyor belts to make components turn into other things and so on. The grind is not hidden from the start either, with early quests requiring hundreds of processed materials to complete. I'd probably have given this one more of a chance had I not gotten sick of the whole conveyor belt processor puzzle thing from Arknights: Endfield. 

Lonestar

In this rogue like, you get to pick a pilot from a random trio of options and a ship (based on your level) to then go do some bounty hunting! Majority of this game is turn based battles which are simply about putting power components in your guns and other ship components and then blasting the enemy as it does the same to you. Whoever has the higher numbers hits the other guy, and if you have fuel you can do tiny manuevers to dodge some enemy firing lanes. Minor events in between fights let you refuel, shop, upgrade or treasure hunt, often with a cost and then its onto the next target. Again this gets super grindy very quick.

Side note: Grindy much like Green Hell's: Spirits of Amazonia expansion. OMG. We enjoyed the base game but in this one they decided that you need to do thousands of things over and over just to advance the story. No thanks!

Stone of Madness

A stealth game with awesome hand drawn animation set inside an insane asylum!? This should be right up my alley! Except, its a stealth MANAGEMENT game. You see in it, you (playing as a priest) must assemble a squad of people with special abilities - like a strong guy and a violent woman. While you can only control one person at a time, your other two squadies can either wait or follow you. Except all of you are actually crazy. The strong guy hates darkness and can't be left there. The woman hates fire and can't do anything near it. The priest hates violence so has to be away when the woman is murdering guards. Only the priest can deal with the ghosts that come up at night. What!? Ugh, so yes. As much as I wanted to like this the management part of it was too annoying for me. Recommended though if you don't mind that sort of thing!

Jack Ryan: Ghost War and Punisher: One Last Kill

When you need gun action!

Jack Ryan: Ghost War

This flick continues on from the series and finds a retired Jack Ryan (still played by John Krasinki) being roped back into what's supposed to be an easy mission "to meet a guy", but its never that simple. Chase scenes and combat sequences shortly follow but plot wise I can't help but think that Jack was only required for the second half or last third of the movie, as it looked like all the other characters had it handled - even the comedy relief guy? My overall feeling is that unfortunately, the movie is weak. :(

Punisher: One Last Kill

This episode length special continues its series, starring Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle now better known as the titular vigilante. In it, it explores what happens when Frank's killed everyone he's wanted to kill and goes too deep in his own head. But don't worry! Bad guys are stupid and by the second half he is back to ruthlessly executing the hordes of scum that decide to take him on. For its length and given it works as a standalone, it's super entertaining! Recommended! :) 

As a bonus for other gun nuts, here's a review of the Zev FDP gun... which turns out to not be so practical. 

More than Nothing: Finding Warmth

[Part of the Party Time journal]

On the other side of the forest the team makes their way up the Stone Dragon mountain where Eagley says the profitable pink salt trade has stopped for some reason. Asking at a tribal camp they learn it was due to the sudden appearance of Mikra (abominable snow men things) after an earthquake. Rather than ask any more questions they start heading up the snow covered mountain (Eagley buys them warm coats) and ignore a wind-blocking campsite (with dead bodies under the snow) to forge on into the night and howling winds - taking cold damage as they do so.

Half a dozen Mikra appear and are slain just before the PCs start dying themselves, and Jerghonson has the great idea of pulling the corpses together and sleeping inside them for warmth (like Star Wars). The next morning Bal Bahadur and four assistants find them and declares he's going to solve the Mikra issue, asking for their help, offering 1% of the future pink salt profit and shared credit for their troubles. Aah convinces him (with a good dice roll) to make that 90% of the profit but he can keep all the credit. At the summit they find a dark cave in the rock face where no doubt the Mikra are coming from and so work to collapse it - doing so before the sun sets again.

They manage to make it back to the village where Bal declares the threat ended and pays the team their earnings. They and Eagley quickly get out of there in case Bal's over confidence is unfounded. Their last stop is the town of Drystan, near a swamp. Luckily its leader, Lord Moroney - the best physician in the region (I introduced him accidentally killing someone who had a cold), is already an ally to Praetor Artorias and outfits them with better arms and armor. While waiting for the Praetor to arrive he asks they look into the "toad demon" tribe in the swamps who have recently become organized and have started kidnapping his townsfolk in raid. They also all seem to only have one hand?

The squad finds them easily enough in their swamp. Hundreds of them. Jerghonson prays to Luna for assistance and this time becomes a big wolf himself, then howls to get majority of the tribesmen chasing him (in vain, he's too fast as a wolf) while the rest circle around to an important looking ruin where they fight more tribals and hand-spiders (Mamita again leading a good spear throw), rescue the now handless victims, and slay their leader (Mamita and Ugh snipe him) - who turns out to be caravaner Jhonen!? The remaining tribesmen lose all cohesion and don't give chase.

Returning to Drystan with the captives they learn Jhonen always had it out for Moroney, as Moroney was unable to cure Jhonen's wife of a sickness (probably also a cold).

More than Nothing: A Tale of Creatures

[Part of the Party Time journal]

At the next stop of Wallen they learn bandits had recently robbed them and kidnapped purple haired Pellestina, so they go track and take them down which was easy because they were all drunk and celebrating a big pay day for selling the woman to the Brown Buzzard who lairs further in the woods. Despite already having the money, the continue on to try rescue the girl finding strange violent hooded men who speak in buzzes and explode into bee swarms when "slain". 

The swarms eventually leave and the team finds Pellestina tied by vines in the hollow of a tree. The woman pleads to be taking back to her village but also starts speaking in buzzes. Ughh tells everyone to leave first and blind folds the woman before using "his knowledge of being a colony of possums" to "possum-no-jutsu-massage" the bees out of her, saving her life!

Upon returning to Eagley, Aah assists in fighting off a few more attackers then learns that some of their soldiers have deserted - especially after finding out what Eagley did to "take care" of the previous troublemaker. With a number of arrested bandits now in tow, Eagley also sends a squad of soldiers to take the prisoners back to Partopia while they press on into the lands of Goatgetterville ruled by Empress Palisa. It's well known that she was in love with the late Aeternan Emperor Julian and that she would be also working on her own claim to the throne so Eagley suggests of an opportunity to support a drug trafficer in the capital city which would benefit them and hurt her. The team flatly disagrees and bypasses her city altogether and continue onto Twain.

En route, Aah saves a little girl who had snuck into the tomb of Ug "father of the pack", from its resident Jba'fofi (giant spider). The over a hundred years old leader of Twain, Jerg, thanks them and lets them rest in town but says they have no funds to give as the Empresses' tax men have already come. There's supposedly treasure in a canyon tomb nearby, which is where he sent the other tax men, but the team have no interest in confronting them. Jerg then tells them that a now "over" protective magical statue (constructed by a wastard / "a son of a witch" hired by Mama Yapa) blocks the way between Twain and Goatgetter village, making trade difficult. Magical waves of force push people back but Aah is the one who finally reaches the thing and deactivates it.

In thanks, Ma, the new leader of Goatgetter Village provides them with spears and funding. She also warns them of the dangerous forest they plan to travel to next but it doesn't stop them from going right down the middle of it to a large clearing where the corpse of a giant rainbow snake is pinned to the ground with a spear. Angry apes soon surround them, confirming that they slew their own god for demanding too much tribute, and they don't let any who enter their territory survive. Mamita leads the troops in an excellent spear throw, keeping nullifying the first wave of apes while Jerghonson rushes up the giant snake corpse and pulls the god spear.

Suddenly the great snake QQ quickly regenerates and in a rage begins to wipe out the apes. Eagley gets everyone moving before it turns on them!

More than Nothing: Bad Allies

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Outside town the team group up with seasoned tax collector Eagley, who acts as their guide. While he and the rest of the squad guard the treasure box it is up to the four PCs to actually do the collecting - starting with the dirty pig village of Thorsen, where leader Rorke's plan to make them go through some humiliating trial for taking his daughter with them previously is foiled by Ughh who manages to simply threaten payment out of them.

Their next stop is a small "hippie" berry-eating community of Gossett whose sing songy spokesperson Dylmah says all their money went with some of the young folk to pay a hermit deeper in the woods to learn how to hunt. None of them have returned. Ughh forces Dylmah to take them there in a thunderstorm and sure enough in a rickety old shack is Rash the hermit who admits all of the rookies became prey to the many wolves around. Aah convinces him for a refund which he obliges to, but on their way out they are surrounded by wolves and Rash himself transforms into a werewolf!

Jerghonson manages to summon Luna again who charges Rash back into and through his hut (no trace of either of them after) while the others fend off the wolves, with the few remaining ones running away. Ughh breaks Dylmah's legs there for leading them into a trap and wishes her luck making it back on her own. 

Returning back to Eagley they find their convoy had repelled an attack, but one of their members (a convicted judge who took bribes) is missing. It doesn't take long to find him being eaten by one of their cannibal allies who they then arrest, but the cannibal claims innocence - he didn't kill the man, he was just hungry. Mamita does note there is a single puncture mark in the victim's neck, which leads to another of their ex-con soldiers who happens to be knitting at the time - a woman who was jailed for poisoning her husband (and many others). She says the ex-judge had it coming since he was the one who found her guilty. They tell Eagley about it and he says he'll deal with it.

After resting up at a road side inn and declining to stay for the evening wrestling match that might earn more gold, they find the poisoner missing and Eagley confirming not to worry about her and that he "dealt with it".

Plot armor was used!

Jerghonson remembers how his brother and biggest rival Jimgon managed to solve a maze puzzle faster than he did by "following the right wall" and how Jimgon could always go past his limits to beat him physically as well.

Ughh remembers that while he looks like a person he isn't one - he replaced the real Ughh in the forest years ago. In reality he's actually a hivemind colony of possums.

More than Nothing: Back to Partopia

[Part of the Party Time journal]

Soon a messenger bird arrives with orders that splits the team. Ughh and Aah stay with the dig team who uncover a giant hand behind a stone door that squishes 12 of the miners before it is defeated, while Mamita and Jerghonson along with half the soldiers go to the mining town of Jellyroll which is in threat of being overrun by Bhir'Beli forces. They are to hold the line until reinforcements arrive.

Upon arriving the mine leader tricks them and locks them in one of the mine shafts though, saying they've already made a deal with the Bhir'Belians and handing them over to the invaders (due to arrive soon) will do much to foster relations with them. Leaving them there Jerghonson prays to his moon goddess Luna (chosen upon character creation) who hears his call, appearing as a giant wolf that occupies most of the tunnels. She mauls a lone guard and opens the gate before wandering off. 

Rather than escape, the team digs pit traps in the mine and waits in hiding along side passages. The ambush is successful when the mine leader and Bhir'Beli advance party arrive, and only one Bhir'Beli soldier manages to escape to his horse and flee with incredible speed. Jerghonson then takes the mine leaders head and threatens the remaining Jellyroll citizens who then all scatter and flee, knowing the punishment for treason. 

Soon enough a new regiment from Partopia arrives and after ascertaining the situation decides its not worth dying over a dead town. They torch it and collapse the mine, sending the PC party back to Partopia where they regroup with the expedition team who have also returned with a good haul of artifacts. It is at this time that Captain Tamir informs all of them that Emperor Julian has been assassinated, and the previously allied lords of Aeternea are now making claims for the throne. They will back their patron, Praetor Artorias, and their new duty is to collect funding and support from as many people as they can. Aah easily convinces her stepfather Governor Quintus to help.

On their way out of the city they defend a young girl being pursued by stake wielding assailants and the last attacker, a man named I'lbakstabyo who works for Numero Uno ("god" of the very oppressed Numerologist religion) claims the "girl" is a vampire who has taken the form of the child which it killed. A house guard of the girl recognizes her and takes her back to her family though, and while the team try to warn the guard of potential vampy-ness he remains unmoved and they are unwilling to do more - apart from take I'lbakstabyo to jail.

They're also approached by a woman who claims to be the widow of thief King Autolycus who asks them to get the gem of the Crocagator located in his vault, be returned to her. She's afraid she'll be killed if she goes after it herself and gives the team instructions how to get there via a secret door in the sewers. Beyond they are surprised to find a Crocagator temple with worshipers that Jerghonson manages to befriend with tales he heard about their predecessor Testikles of the fisher people. They opt out of the mission deciding the widow is too shady for their liking.

More than Nothing: Black Vale Expedition

[Part of the Party Time journal]

After more weeks of police work the team save a pregnant woman being chased by some idiotic thugs that keep yelling "Pale-dogs!" (their gang name). The woman thanks them for the save and continues on her way to the temple of Koochikoo while the others track down the Paledog leader in a run down house in the city. He reveals they were paid to slay the woman with the still moist offertory box from the temple itself, so they quickly rush there to find the very lecherous priest Carpef organizing some "friends" to take care of her. All the bad guys are arrested and Carpef admits that he needs the woman killed because he had a vision her baby (his child) would bring about the end of the world. But he couldn't kill her himself because he's devout!?

They are then joined by new recruits (all the survivors from the prison) to join caravaner Jhonen's archeological expedition to find treasure for Praetor Artorias. They first stop at Thorsen, a filthy pig farm, where a young woman named Jalla asks to join the mission - because she hates it there. Her father Rorke is against this but Ughh makes him back off. 

While traveling alongside a river Aah goes to save a drowning person only to find its a trap by a quartet of great river cats with hands for tails and human voices! Unfortunately the cats didn't count on there being so many soldiers and Jerghonson leads the militia to bash them to death before they can do anything.

Upon entering the Black Vale, bitterworm has spoiled over 70% of the caravan rations and the dark mountain men that live here move their flocks away but send a scout to keep tabs on them. It is a temple of theirs to their god Popeta that Jhonen wants to uncover, and sure enough near a mountain summit the 30 extra miners uncover a belfry they can descend (which saves a lot of digging)!

Jhonen, 5 soldiers, Ughh and Aah rappel down with the miners where they find an odd looking altar - a humanoid form above what seems to be a hand, and sudden movement in the surrounding ash reveals many "hands" / handspiders that come to attack them - with one managing to climb up a miner and puppeteer him! The hands are of little threat with the organized defenders though.

The defense upstairs is good too, led by Mamita and Jerghonson the mountain men's pincer attack raid is easily foiled (despite losing four men) when they kill over half the attackers in one combat round, routing the enemy immediately!