CHAPTER 7a: Under the Gam'A Zone

[shaidar]

Silvestri Agreed, let's take a look-see

[Urson]

Belial

Sure, sounds good. I kinda hope it is bees- those roasted bees we got before were most deliciouso!

Belial knuckles forward, his spear in one hand.

[Norjax]

...

Main tunnel or side passage?

...

[Mimdalf]

Blixx


Blixx catches a quick drink from his canteen and looks down the side passage, waiting for the others to decide the direction of travel.

[GreyWolfVT]

Jack shrugs and heads down the side tunnel "Guess we're gonna go this way then."

[Zhym]

Kurot nods and follows along.

[Norjax]

...

With some effort, you clamor up the surface of the curved tunnel and enter the side passage. Kurot’s “bright eyes” shine forth and illuminate a 30ft X 40ft room with a concave wall at one end. The arced passage continues through the room and another 10ft corridor leads off to the right. A 10ft diameter pillar with what appears to be a door in the face stands from the floor to the ceiling. The ceiling is 10ft above the floor and is spotted with the same domed caps that line the ceilings of these side corridors.

You are able to see flickers of light from somewhere down the curved passage across the room. The sound of rolling gravel has gotten louder, emanating from the same corridor as the light.

Actions?

...

[shaidar]

"Onward to the light and noise?", suggests Silvestri

[GreyWolfVT]

Jack nods "Yes, but we should be prepared it could well be foes ahead." heeding his own advice he takes up the rifle and checks that it is loaded.

[Norjax]

...

You press on towards the flickering light and ambient sound in an attempt to discern their sources.

The odd-shaped room you pass through is made from the same type of artificial stone used in the main tunnel. Unlike the tunnel, the finish of the floor, walls and ceiling appears to have had more care and craft applied to its construction. Even though it is aged and cracked, it was once very smooth and polished to an almost glass-like finish. A few spots of flaking paint indicate symbols or lines once adorned the walls.

Kurot’s “bright eyes” continue to provide the illumination for your subterranean trek. The intermittent light gets brighter as Belial approaches the end of the curved hallway. He stops when the sound of rolling gravel gets louder, and the source is revealed; swarming down the corridor, covering the floor and creeping up the lower walls, is a wave of beetles, each the size of an adult human hand!



---

You catch a brief glimpse of another tunnel ahead, from where the beetles originate, that resembles the main tunnel you have been traveling in.

MAP:

Actions?

...

[shaidar]

That ain't good remarks Silvestri Perhaps we should backup, if they reach the main corridor we could be cut of from our route home

[GreyWolfVT]

Jack "To that I can agree let us go back the way we came?"

[greyarea]

Sap this! says Denslow and he will chuck one of his exploding fruit at the head of the mass of beetles. Incoming!

Denslow "Gala" explosive apple mutation check [1d20+1] = 8+1 = 9
Hmmm. Can I glowburn?

Never mind, I'm spending 5 points of Luck to gain 10! That should result in a 19.

number of fruits [1d3] = 3
dmg [2d4] = 5, [2d4] = 5, [2d4] = 3
Not bad

[Zhym]

Kurot backs away from the beetles, not wanting to find out whether they find duralloy tasty.

If needed:
Axe: [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6 [1d6+1] = 1+1 = 2

[Norjax]

...

Beetle Swarm, Round 1

The plantient, with colorful fruit, thinks fast and tosses three apple grenades past his companions. Those in the front ranks see the fruit bombs wiz past and explode into the mass of insects (-13hp). Chunks of carapace fly in all directions, some impacting Belial and Frekken. The blasts buy you some time, as the swarm momentarily pauses before resuming its advance.

Hundreds of beetles pour forth from the tunnel beyond. Belial, Frekken and Kurot back away from the swarm, so not to expose their backs to the enemy. All others beat a hasty retreat into the main tunnel, hesitating at the 10ft drop from the side tunnel before sliding down the curved wall and banging into the 2ft diameter tube running the length of the 20ft x 30ft oval corridor.

Unable to keep pace with the retreat, Belial, Frekken and Kurot are swarmed by the mass, which writhes around their feet and claws at their lower extremities. Belial and Kurot are able to avoid most of the bitting (-2 & -1 hp respectively), but Frekken succumbs to the swarm’s hive attack (-8hp). The frogmonn has the satisfaction of knowing his dermal poison has an effect on the insects (-28hp). Dozens of the beetles drop and turn upside down, shaking uncontrollably in their exoskeletons.

Kurot ineffectively swings his ax at the swarm, trying to knock the insects out of the way.

Actions?

MAP:

SUPPORTING ROLLS:

Beetle INV = [1d20+4] = 7+4 = 11
Frekken INV = [1d20+3] = 14+3 = 17
Belial, Frekken, Kurot Reflex Saves vs. DC13:
Belial REF = [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13
Swarm DMG = [1d8+2] = 3+2 = 5 (Half = -2)
Frekken REF = [1d20+4] = 6+4 = 10
Swarm DMG = [1d8+2] = 6+2 = 8 (Full = -8)
Kurot REF = [1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20
Swarm DMG = [1d8+2] = 1+2 = 3 (Half = -1)
Swarm Save vs. DC14
Swarm FOR Save = [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6
Epidermal Poison = [6d6] = 28 (Full -28)

...

[GreyWolfVT]

Jack thinking it futile to attack swarms of bugs continues to retreat being that he hasn't any large area of effect weapons to use against the swarm of bugs.

[greyarea]

Denslow barks, Use your ranged weapons! Fire your guns! Prune them beetles!

They're already swarming our friends, LEAVE NO LEAF BEHIND!

He chucks another explosive fruit, hopefully over his friends, into the mass of beetles beyond.
Denslow "Gala" explosive apple mutation check [1d20+1] = 5+1 = 6

Fiddlesticks! Use 4 luck to bring that to 14.

LUCK down to 7 temporarily.
dmg [1d8] = 8

[Zhym]

Kurot hacks wildly at the bugs as he continues backing away.

Axe: [1d20+2] = 7+2 = 9 [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5

[Urson]

Belial

Oh, dudes! Most gnarly!

Belial backs away, picking off beetles and smashing them on the floor and walls as needed. Occasionally, he'll take a big bite of one, then spit out whatever he bites off.

[shaidar]

Although unsure of the effectiveness of such an attack, Silvestri grabs his bow and takes a shot at the swarm:

Long Bow: to-hit = [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14, damage = [1d6] = 1