Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC IV

[CoffeeIncluded]

The puppy that Surdrak pets whines and lowers his head so the warlock can scratch behind his ears. The voices in his head snarl and spit out vile curses in rage as he pets the puppy. Meanwhile, the other puppy cautiously approaches Naga and Badger, but as she gets closer and sniffs them both her tail starts wagging and she barks in a tiny high-pitched voice. As the other puppies approach, with the bravest daring to get within range of Kheel, even Jadeite eventually reaches out a hand and brushes the back of one of them. Though he tries to seem nonchalant about it. The whole time, Sif and the other adults watch carefully.

The halfling asks Artorias and everyone, "Have you been to the other side of San De Sol yet?"

[Athedia]

Naga watched the puppy carefully observing it. As the tiny version of the adults drew near he noticed something. One paw on the pups head later he was licking mites out of the pups ear. Badger couldn't help but laugh, she had seen Naga do this to many dogs in the kennel and the stray cats that wandered near the guild.

[super dark33]

Don't be jealous, when you will submit to me I'll scratch behind your ears too. Tell all who would listen that Glames is here to start a party. BYOD.

The thought of making the spirits angry brought a smile to his face, he brings his second hand to rub the puppy's tummy

[Dusk Eclipse]

The puppy that Surdrak pets whines and lowers his head so the warlock can scratch behind his ears. The voices in his head snarl and spit out vile curses in rage as he pets the puppy. Meanwhile, the other puppy cautiously approaches Naga and Badger, but as she gets closer and sniffs them both her tail starts wagging and she barks in a tiny high-pitched voice. As the other puppies approach, with the bravest daring to get within range of Kheel, even Jadeite eventually reaches out a hand and brushes the back of one of them. Though he tries to seem nonchalant about it. The whole time, Sif and the other adults watch carefully.

The halfling asks Artorias and everyone, "Have you been to the other side of San De Sol yet?"

"Not yet, we were on our way there when Ciaran found us"

[CoffeeIncluded]

US? Submit to YOU?

But the voices say nothing more for the moment, save for rage-induced chuckles.

The puppy Naga licks squirms and tries to get away, while the others stay for more belly rubs, but they all scatter once Sif steps forward and barks.

"You should hurry then," the halfling translates. "I'm sorry we can't help, but when you're finished come back and we'll help you with the secret of Astra."

[super dark33]

Indeed, as it should be. Dont pretend you forgot already.

Surdrak lets the puppy go and gets up.

Well then lets go.

He really didnt want to go. He tried to convince himself that the others will let him reason with the Warlocks before attacking, but he knew that its likely to not happen.

[CoffeeIncluded]

With much reluctance, the Wyvern's Fangs eventually pull themselves away from the blink dogs and their puppies, promising to meet up again with the strange inhabitants of San De Sol once they had routed Alice's minions. Even Surdrak gets a lick from one of the puppies.

There's a light breeze flowing when the party steps outside of the old sandstone building; it scatters dust and carries the scent of aspen and pine into the cliffside. It's peaceful here, serene. Or at least it should be. But the calm has been shattered both by Alice and the knowledge that something was--and still is--guarded here. This anticipation and curiosity, along with their compassion and desire to help, drives the party forward to quickly finish things.

Artorias's nose is able to follow the general location of the scent, which leads him east to another cluster of buildings, but then a gust of wind recoils off the back of the cavern, bringing new smells--and new sights and sounds as well. They're below a triangular building, one with neatly-cut windows and an actual roof. Its walls almost completely intact, it's easily the best-maintained building in San De Sol.

And Ciaran looks inside the window and flies back shuddering. And Artorias and Kheel can hear faint scuttling. And the faint smell of blood and early decay wafts out from inside.

Spoiler: Map

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I'll update it after I shower.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"Elsee, see if you can enter through the window, I will try to draw their attention to me so you can flank them"Artorias tries to ignore the scent of blood and rot as he makes his way through the rubble towards the door.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move Action move towards the door
Balance (1d20+9)[13]
Balance (1d20+9)[12]
Balance (1d20+9)[27]
Balance (1d20+9)[24]

You said several rolls didn't you?

[Silverraptor]

"What is it? What's in there?"

[Dusk Eclipse]

"If I am right, the Warlocks that attacked the dogs"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Artorias slips and falls on his first few attempts, dislodging rubble--large boulders and little pebbles alike--that slides down towards his feet. He pauses, wary and ready for anything that might spring out of the rubble. But there's nothing aside from a few dislodged spiders and lizards that scuttle between the cracks, and after a moment's hesitation he tries again. The boulders are sturdier now, or he's got a better sense of balance, and so the warblade is eventually able to pick his way across to the other side of the rubble pile, where's he's standing what seems to be a yard between three buildings. The one furthest southeast is a two-storied tower like the other two on the west side of San De Sol, and there's another tower like that to his north. But the blood is coming from the building directly to his left.

Spoiler: Before having Artorias enter

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Does anyone else want to try the window?

[Athedia]

Badger shrugged and moved toward the window. "Let me give this a try, would rather not sprain an ankle trying to crosss that. Naga guard the puppies." She gestured at the rubble before jumping to hoist herself through the window. The command to Naga went unheard as Badger noticed that her dog had never followed her out of the room, still busy licking the pup clean.

Spoiler: Windows are fun

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Seriously, I have had to climb in through windows about 50 times since I could never remember my key. The bathroom one was the worst, outside was a sloped roof and if you weren't careful your foot got caught on the toilet. Living room or brother bedroom were better.

Escape Artist: (1d20+4)[20]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Just as Artorias enters the room through the door on the side, Badger easily hops through the window and lands with several small crunching sounds.

The room is large, and one of the most furnished. Stone slab counters line the walls, and a small assortment of dishes, eating utensils, and carving knives are set on the counter next to a bucket of water and a small stack of firewood. It's a kitchen, perhaps a place where food is prepared. There's still meat here, abandoned in the assault and partially decayed in the summer sun as a result.

Of course, Badger and Artorias don't pay much attention to the aesthetics of the room because of the fountain of ants swarming everywhere. They pour out of tiny cracks, climb through the tiniest gaps, move in masses and march over the bodies of...bodies. It's impossible to see what the dead things on the floor and partially slumped on the counter are, because hundreds of thousands of ants have covered every single available inch of the carcasses. They're covered in a shimmering shifting scuttling ravenous coat of black ants. And some of them are huge.

Badger feels an itching around her ankles and looks down to see hundreds upon hundreds of mindless swarming ants pouring around her feet. She landed right in their path but they keep marching around her, keep marching over her, swarming over her boots and ankles, covering her lower legs and biting every exposed inch of her skin.

Spoiler: Initiative and video

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Watch this for full effect!

Ant swarms: (d20)[12]
Badger: (d20+4)[23]
Artorias: (d20+6)[22]

[super dark33]

Surdrak didnt want to bother walking through the rubble.

Maybe its time to try out the technique he worked on for a long while.

After a short silly dance, Long black tendrilous clouds sprouted from Surdrak's back, expanding and scuttling for a few moments. Then, each tendril places itself up in the air as if it touched a platform of some sort, and climbs up.

Surdrak is now flying.

Spoiler: Fell flight!

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Who needs wings when you can have somthing else?

Surdrak himself doesnt seem to shake arpimd in the flight. Imagine its like a flight spell only with tendrils grabbing around, not moving like an actual organism.

[Silverraptor]

Sora stares at Suradrak a moment.
"That was somewhat unsettling to watch..."

[Athedia]

Badger breathed carefully, avoiding opening her mouth. Carefully she reached into her quiver, the arrow she wanted coming to her fingertips. The expense of the arrow versus the discomfort of the ants battled for a second, but the discomfort won out. Fleeing the center of the swarm she backed away shaking. The arrow loosed itself from her bow shooting the swarm in the center.

Spoiler

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Move to BI45
http://dndtools.eu/items/arms-and-eq...lchemists--93/

I don't know if the arrow does any damage. Roll if it does. Alchemist fire will ignite whatever it touched one round from now.

EDIT: And I didn't roll a hit comfirmation because if it misses is would hit a surrounding square and therefore something else. She was aiming centerish so not at any particular ant (swarms are weird)

[Dusk Eclipse]

Momentarily stunned by the sheer amount of ants, Artorias fumbles with the pouch hanging from his belt before retrieving small ball; dropping it front of him.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard Action Draw bonifre from the Survival pouch-
Free action: Drop it in front of him
According to the mic it is a "small campfire (about 2 ft. square)
I'll roll damage for normal fire (1d6)[2]

[CoffeeIncluded]

The ants seem to ignore the arrow Badger looses on them from atop the countertop, but scuttle away as the campfire Artorias pulls out from his pouch sears the swarm closest to him. The number of bodies roasting and popping can be heard even over the crackling flames. Some ants move away, catch fire, and spread the flames to other ants before collapsing dead into tiny burnt husks. But there are still so many of them.

Spoiler: Athedia

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Badger can't move there. She's also on a countertop right now. Please choose a different moving space, then I'll go.

Outside, Jadeite looks up at Surdrak's eldritch tentacles climbing through the air and seems to be vaguely ill. "I concur. Badger? Artorias? Is everything okay in there?"

[super dark33]

Yes my choreographing skills are bad so what.

His tone is tired and submissive, like a henpecked sitcom husbend's.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"Ants, loads of them, help!" Artorias yells back while trying to figure how to deal with ants, he frankticly searches for anything that could help to deal with the swarms.

Spoiler

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Spot just in case (1d20+9)[22] +5 if Ciaran is within 5 ft. of me

[Athedia]

Spoiler: Movement

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Why cant she move there?

[CoffeeIncluded]

Spoiler: Movement

Show

Why cant she move there?

Spoiler: Why Badger can't move to BI45

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BI 45 is outside the building.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger hops off the counter and runs through the ant swarm to the other side of the room. Every single step makes a disgusting crunching noise, and when she turns around the ants are right behind her. She doesn't know whether they followed her or are fleeing Artorias's fire, but in either case they're there, swarming over her, crawling over her feet and up her legs and biting every available inch of flesh.

Spoiler: Damage and fort save

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Badger takes (2d6)[9] damage, half of which is acid. She also needs to make a DC 13 fort save or be nauseated for one round.

Surdrak takes this exact moment to appear, suspended in midair, supported by eldritch tentacles that rise from him and grip the doorway.

Spoiler: Initiative

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Surdrak, Badger, and Artorias are up. Shout for help and more will come. And yes, Surdrak looks a bit like Dr. Octopus here.

[super dark33]

Shut up.

Surdrak takes no time in launching a blast out of his fancy new gloves.

Spoiler: Lots of d6

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(1d20+7)[13]
(5d6)[17] one mortalbane use remains
(2d6)[2] Fire damage double damage.

[CoffeeIncluded]

The gloves fizzle and spurt out nothing more than a couple of embers--Alice must have exhausted all their magic for the day. But his blast cuts a large swath through the ants, incinerating a long arc of them.

Outside, Jadeite hears the shouting and asks loudly, "Are you under attack?"

Spoiler

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The gloves are out of charges for the day. Badger and Artorias are up.

[Dusk Eclipse]

"Not exactly, there are tons of Ants who seem to want to devour us... and let me tell you a greatsword isn't the best weapon against them" Artorias yells back, a note of panic creeping into his snark. He prepares to throw another campfire ball.

Spoiler

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Standard action: retrieve another portable campfire from the pouch (3 uses remain)

[Athedia]

Badger took the oppurtunity of Artorias's firethrowing to dash behind him. "Surdrak, Jadiete. Go mad wizard on those ants! JUST GET THEM OFF ME!"

Spoiler

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Fleeing the building onto rumble (just behind Artorias)

Balance: (1d20+4)[17]

Alchemist Fire will go off this turn.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger flees the building, screaming as she shakes ants off of her, and takes cover behind Artorias. As she runs, Artorias burns even more ants and the alchemist fire goes off with a rather nice BOOM!

Jadeite's eyes widen and he grabs the window, trying to force his way through.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Alchemist fire: (d4)[1]
Campfire: (d6)[2]
Jadeite Escape Artist: (d20+2)[22]

I'll do more later tonight. Sorry!

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite's slim and spry, and he easily hops through the small window, landing with yet another crunch. "Oh my," he says, looking down, his nose wrinkled in distaste. "Well, I suppose I ought to get further data on how exoskeletons can affect forced reverse osmosis. Thank you for furthering my research!"

Spoiler: Dessicate

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(2d6)[9]

A whole clump of ants seem to burst, their bottoms torn out under them, spreading goo everywhere. The spell also hits the carcass, causing more foul fluid to seep along the floor. It's hard to tell, but it seems like over half the ants are dead. There's still quite a few of them though.

[Silverraptor]

Sora winches as the snaps ad cracks of the ants reaches her.
"Jadeite, I don't know what you're doing, but I don't think I want to look..."