Checking In (Part 2)

In the dark of the chamber, with Theo's glowing mace the only real source of illumination, some things have been determined. Lheo and Culix investigated the markings on the floor, with some speculation as to their purpose. Theo stands close at hand. Aelwyn and Ulthan now stand a watch of sorts as Schara moves to check on the felled city worker, referred to as 'Bob.'

GAME: Schara rolls heal: (19)+8: 27

Schara carefully steps over to where Bob was, and kneeled down to see what they could do.

"They're dead, I don't think we could have done anything to help." The artificer states flatly. "But I'm not going to take their uniform just so they can give it to someone else. We'll take it out and bring it to the Vardaman temple, they can have it back after the body is prepared for the proper rites."

They turn them over and prepare to lift them before they stop, and step back. "No, they're dead but something's wrong with their chest. It's still moving." They warn.

"Let's get our man and tell the brass about this circle." Culix suggests to the others, after her attempt at poking and prodding it with her dagger doesn't do much. "Let them figure it out, after we get paid." she says, and then heads back towards the door leading into the place, pressing herself against a wall and out of sight to keep an eye out into the channel they entered via.

She looks back towards Schara at her revelation, "Still moving?" she asks.

Lheo, who is still sitting on the floor studying the arcane markings near the arc on the floor, seems quite intent on his task. When Schara speaks, though, he looks up, dagger in hand. "How can something be dead and still breathing?" He remains seated on the floor, his curiosity piqued.

Aelwyn stood vigil nearby; glaive held by his side, he did not do much else beyond making sure his pseudo-mask was appropriately filled with good scents. "Hmm, ever mindful of life, Brass." The Dragoon says, but he moves on to help the not-golem with picking up the body.

Except when the news of something moving reaches his ear. Slowly, he lowers down his glaive and moves on closer. "Stay back." He urges, orange eyes peering into the dark.

Theo's ears perk at Schara's description and he places himself a little more solidly between Lheo and the corpse. "Undead?" He asks curiously, his eyes on the corpse in question. "Or..." He's not sure what other options there are.

Ulthan's standing relaxed, but as he hears that the worker was actually dead, his hands tighten on his weapon, and the head of the flail begins to swing slowly back and forth, maintaining momentum.

The movements of Bob's chest are small, and difficult to see by any but Schara (who already noted them) and possibly Aelwyn (by virtu of position and Makari senses). That is, until the movements intensify and shift. The top of Bob's coveralls lurch once, twice, and then something skitters out through the neck of them. Followed by a second.

Long antennae, squat dark carapaces... they are not unlike cockroaches spotted in a pantry or larder. Except these two are about the same size as Culix. What are they feeding these things? Aside from Bob, but that lunch date was just interrupted and the things hiss loudly at Schara and Aelwyn.

GAME: Ulthan rolls melee+1: (10)+5+1: 16
GAME: Ulthan rolls 1d10+3: (9)+3: 12

Ulthan turns around in a spin, and he sees the movement of some critters, he dashes between his compatriots, and with a heavy overhead swing, he brings his weapon down, managing a solid hit that smashes his target down, letting him see it clearly.

The good news: the roach of unusual size has its carapace crushed by Ulthan.

The bad news: this must have been a family picnic, and this one the mother, as numerous more normal-sized roaches suddenly skitter out from her remains.

The really bad news: There are alot of them. Thousands? Tens of thousands? They are tide of chitin and legs that flows to Ulthan's boots, up his pantlegs, even up his weapon to his arm and chest. It then spreads out to cover Schara and Aelwyn, too.

Even worse news: The little ones are hungry.

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d6: (1): 1
GAME: Culix rolls weapon3+2: (19)+8+2: 29 (THREAT)
GAME: Culix rolls weapon3: (15)+8: 23
GAME: Culix rolls damage3+damage3: aliased to 1d3+0+1d3+0: (2)+0+(3)+0: 5
GAME: Culix rolls knowledge/nature: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL)

Culix grimaces and takes a half step back as the oversized arthropods erupt from Bob's uniform. But then she is in motion, ducking low she darts across the stone floor of the chamber towards one of the nearest bugs. She reverses the grip on her dagger and then brings it back. She slides to a stop and the dagger darts out, plunging into a gap in the creatures carapace, and then is wrenched back and forth before being yanked out covered in ichor.

"I hate bugs." she complains, a shrill edge of panic in her voice.

GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon10: (16)+8: 24
GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage10: aliased to 1d10+3: (8)+3: 11

Theo looks in aghast at the insect infestation, his mouth slightly open, his nose curled in disgust. "That... I think I would have preferred the zombie." Indeed. Now is not the time to worry about what one wants in such a situation however, so Theo reaches into his pack and digs around a bit for his gear. "Where in the nine hells is that- Ah!"

Out comes a torch and Theo deftly sets about lighting it aflame. Sometimes the only answer is fire. The paladin grins grimly and with the torch lit eyes the insects and flashes his eyes toward his brother. "If they swarm me brother, I give you full permission to set me on fire." A chuckle.

GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (16)+1: 17

Aelwyn didn't know much about inside anatomy, but he did know that things moving like that wa- "Shi-!" The Dragoon snarls, as the cockroaches pile out. There was a constant stream of very unpleasant sounding makari.

Thankfully. One dances. Tiptoeing his way out of the swarm with his bare claws, he separates from the rest of the group to slam down his glaive, crushing the bug. Barely having a breath, he stares at the opposite wall, with very wide eyes. "More are coming from the walls! Where is the fire- oh." It was only a torch Theo was holding.

"Tch." The Makari adds, holding onto his glaive.

GAME: Schara rolls knowledge/arcana: (11)+9: 20

Schara flinches as the roaches swarm them, and a metal hand thumps against their chest as somehow they manage to get inside the armor. The artificer scrambles backwards, rifling through one of the pockets on their armor until they manage to pull out a large glass bottle. "Please step back! I've got some acid that may be able to burn them away, but it might not be enough, and if you're too close, It'll probably end up burning you too, but it's better than those things getting another chance." The artificer warns. "If there are more coming, they shouldn't trigger those runes on the ground, but they're still more dangerous creatures."

GAME: Lheo rolls knowledge/nature: (5)+8: 13

From the darkness ahead, as Aelwyn warned, two more skittering shapes (of the larger comparative variety) make their presence known.

"I don't think that'll be necessary, Theo." Thinking fast, Lheo scrambles to his feet and sheathes his dagger, turning instead to fish in his pack. "I didn't bring the fire spells today, but I brought something that should be just as good. Better, even."

His heart races as battle is joined, but he finally finds the flask he's looking for. "Perfect," he says, sounding pleased. "Alchemist's fire, brother. Clinging fire when you break the bottle."

Ulthan, his face in grimace of disgust as he feels the babies crawl and gnaw on him, takes rapid steps backwards and to the side, trying to angle for a new line towards the big bugs skittering in the distance.

The hungry babies are still hungry and move to the largest, closest mass of food. Which would be Culix and Schara.

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d6: (2): 2
GAME: Culix rolls weapon3-6: (11)+8+-6: 13

Culix shudders as the swarm of bugs begin crawling up her legs- intensely grateful for her foresight of tucking her trouser legs into her boots, which slows their ingress. Slows, but does not stop it, as tiny pincer jaws begin gnawing at her. She throws her dagger at one of the incoming bugs, figuring it's not especially useful against the swarm at her feet. She sweeps her crossbow from where it's slung across her back and into her hands- not that bolts seem particularly more useful than the dagger was.

Theo peers into the darkness, barely able to discern the incoming insects, but he trusts the senses of his comrades. "Retreat!" He calls out, lifting the torch and mace high to offer illumination. "Make for the exit!" If there are more of the young inside the larger of the insects... they will quickly be overrun.

Aelwyn turns his head around, hearing acid, screams of retreat and - his orange eyes fall down to the unfortunate corpse of Bob. "This one agrees, retreat!" The draconian calls out, as he hoists the body over his shoulder and starts making his way over the twins. While trying not to think too much of what he is carrying and what is potentially falling over his ruddy scales.

GAME: Schara activates her Titan Armor, gaining: +4 Dex
GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+9: (14)+9: 23
GAME: Schara rolls knowledge/nature: (15)+6: 21
GAME: Schara rolls 1d6: (2): 2

Schara takes another step back, and continues running backwards, tossing the flask at the large pile of smaller insects, causing several to melt into the stonework as the glass shatters, but leaving more above.

"I don't know if the others have more." The artificer shouts as they adjust their armor, causing numerous plates to shift with a hiss of steam and whirring of various gears and parts. "If there are more, you may be correct, but I don't want anyone to be harmed if we can not deal with them. If they are present, they might be carried on their backs."

GAME: Lheo used a Alchemist's Fire.
GAME: Lheo rolls ranged: (3)+4: 7

Wizards throwing anything other than spells is, unfortunately a disaster. Lheo finds this out, the hard way, as he slips around his brother to cast his flask at the seething, roiling mass -

- only to have it slip from his hand and crash nearly at his feet, bursting into flame in front of him. "Damn it!" Knowing he's going to get a round scolding from his brother for that move, he turns to withdraw with the others.

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (10)+1: 11 GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (12)+1: 13

The two Culix-sized roaches skitter to Culix, as she is the nearest to both them and the swarm of little ones. Mandibles made for carrion snap and click at her, but are either avoided or deflected by armor.

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d6: (1): 1

Ulthan works his flail, with a shudder as his gloved hands touch the ichor from the squashed ROUS, onto its carrying sling, before pulling his shortbow ready.

The voracious veil of vermin vie their way back towards the adults and Culix. Whether they want supervision or Culix is just tasty, they get bits (and nibbles) of both.

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (17)+1: 18
GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (6)+1: 7

Culix looks over her shoulder as one of her allies sounds the retreat, and then shudders as the bugs draw nearer. "Couldn't agree more. Get moving, I'll follow up behind." she says. Holding the crossbow in one hand, she reaches into a pouch on her belt and withdraws a small clay sphere. She throws it down at the ground under her feet, and it explodes into a cloud of thick yellow smoke, obscuring her and the nearby insects from sight.

GAME: Culix used a Smoke Pellet.
GAME: Theo rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Theo rolls 1d8+3: (4)+3: 7
GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon2: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon2: (12)+7: 19

Theo watches as Cluix is surrounded by insects. Chattering, clamoring over her hungrily. He looks back at his brother apologetically and offers a half shrug. "Get them _out_ of here Lheo." He says seriously, and with a trace of something dark in his eyes turns toward the bugs. He squares his shoulders, and rushes the nearest insect with his mace upraised. There's a sharp crack of crushed chitin, and he hopes he is distraction enough for Cluix to make the get-away that she planned. Smoke billows around him and he coughs. "UGH. That stinks!"

GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage2: aliased to 1d6+0: (3)+0: 3

Aelwyn turns his head as one of the twins just rushes past him back into the fray. "Tch, that's not the-" Breathing in deep as his eyes narrow to look towards the cloud, he (somewhat) gently lays down the poor-Bob. "One's brother always so eager for the fray?"

Picking up one of the javelins jutting out from his back, he takes a short step forward and throws it into the chaotic mess of bugs, smoke and some living bodies.

There is surprisingly satisfying 'thunk' as the javelin finds its target.

In fact, there's a corresponding yell as well. "WATCH THE FRIENDLY FIRE FOR SERRIEL’S SAKE!"

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (12)+1: 13
GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (4)+1: 5

It's hard for Lheo not to snicker, even as worry for his brother blooms in his eyes. "Watch it!" he shouts to the others. "We don't want to hurt our friends!" Instead of retreating, though, he waits, hands raised, staring at the cloud. First unfriendly thing to come out of that cloud gets a spell in the teeth.

Amidst the smoke, and known really only to Culix and Theo is the fact that the bugs within the cloud (the large ones) are not terribly harmed by the smoke. Mandibles clack at each of them, though armor serves its intended purpose and protects even against things unseen.

GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d6: (5): 5

Ulthan draws an hunting arrow from a quiver on his hip, pulling back on his shortbow and then frowning, as there isn't a visible target. So he steadies and waits for any unfriendlies to pop into view.

What could be more uncomfortable than being in a dark room, in a smoke cloud, with unseen giant roaches? Having the little ones crawling all over you.

Also, possibly catching a spear with one's buttocks.

GAME: Culix rolls stealth: (11)+16: 27
GAME: Culix rolls weapon17: (8)+9: 17
GAME: Culix rolls 1d100: (33): 33
GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Tlanexhuani rolls 1d20+1: (6)+1: 7

Culix clucks her tongue, "Ok billy big bollocks didn't you hear? We're leaving." she tells Theo who just charged up to the bugs. Whether he is leaving or not, though, she springs from the smoke- Ducking and dodging between clacking mandibles as she moves, putting it between her and the bugs, and makes her way towards the door. Turning back, she fires her crossbow back into the smoke- roughly where one of the bugs was. "So are we going or not? Because the contract didn't include extermination."

GAME: Lheo casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 2 DC: 15
GAME: Lheo rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4
GAME: Ulthan rolls weapon6: (15)+4: 19
GAME: Ulthan rolls damage6: aliased to 1d6+0: (3)+0: 3
GAME: Schara rolls 1d20+9+1: (9)+9+1: 19

The moment the smoke cloud dissipates, Lheo's hands move, and he shouts a word of power. Blue-white streak flies from his finger, slamming into Theo's opponent, cracking the carapace and leaving it to slump.

GAME: Schara rolls 2d6+1+4: (9)+1+4: 14

As the smoke from whatever the gobber with the daggers does dissipates, Ulthan lets loose with his readied arrow as a dark shape emerges from the cloud. The arrow flies true, and embeds itself in the carapace with a solid <Thunk!>, but unfortunately the ROUS isn't finished.

Schara was waiting for something to escape from the smoke that could be harmed, left arm and several wire coils of artifice glowing bright red once exposed by moving plates. While nothing left, the smoke dissipated, and the death ray erupted into a gout of fire that burnt several of the insects, but not enough. "It is unfortunate it is made for not hurting things I did not intend to." The artificer sighs. "It would take too long to kill them all to be safe to do so."

-End