Extinction Curse- The Show Must Go On!

[DeVermis]

"Everyone alright over there?" Pip calls out. Seeing that they seem to be at least able to stand, he turns his attention the the still smoldering remains of the nest, squinting at it to see if it was built around anything or if it was, well... just a normal nest. A really really big normal nest...

[Farmerbink]

As best you can tell (much of it is now ashes wafting through the room), the wasp nest seems normal- aside from its unusual size. The only noteworthy part is how many wasps it would take to build such a nest, but that has largely been explained already.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Spoiler: Redacted

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Rising from the nearby stream, Giggles makes his way back into the mill. "We should look around, see if there are any clues or signs of how this happened. But be careful - if those weren't the only wasps then we'd be in trouble if we stir up another nest..." He then begins looking around, starting inside the house and then going in a spiraling path away from the door in an unusually well-organized search pattern.

[Gwynfrid]

Kehskaru calls out to Sipher. "Well done. Those concoctions of yours are more than just for show... Good." She winces as she sits next to Vorgrok, and tries to help him with his ministrations as best she can, while Ozkrak trots around, examining the premises and checking to see if some food can be found.

Spoiler

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Not being trained, I don't think she can try to really help, from a mechanical perspective. Some Medicine applied to her would be welcome though.

[pianoman]

Sipher beams at Keshkaru's compliment and puffs out his chest slightly and proudly to better display his bandolier. "Well of course they're not just for show! I'm a proper alchemist." He removes one of the remaining vials, spins it into the air, catches it behind his back and snaps it back into place with a flourish that silently says "ta-da!" ""Now, shouldn't we be looking for something?" Sipher then climbs the ladder to the upper floor and peeks his head into the room in the back corner.

[JWallyR]

The lines of pain having lessened at the corners of the taciturn dwarf's eyes, Vorgrok turns to Keshkaru. Brusquely waving away the lizard-woman's hands, which quest for some useful application, the dwarf grunts as he turns his efforts to her. His weathered, muscular hands begin probing her exposed scales and spreading measured dollops of an earthy-smelling salve with a gentleness incongruous to Keshkaru, and imperceptible to those of their companions not involved in the process.

Spoiler: Actions

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Medicine to Treat Wounds: (1d20+6)[16] for (2d8)[9] healing. Additional (2d8)[9] if critical.

[Farmerbink]

Giggles hops up, declaring his intention for cleansing, and makes his way to the double doors. Once opened, the clear morning air and bright sunlight greets the little Gnome, just before he notices a significant amount of seemingly-fresh spider's webbing. He pauses long enough to take rudimentary stock of his surroundings and without too much effort notices a pair of grossly large ((mechanically medium)) spiders, eying him.

He blinks twice before skittering back inside, and announcing his discovery to his companions.

((Spiders in the garden (for now), and 2 unknown rooms upstairs. Do you take the time for Vorgrok to heal now, or pursue a safer scenario first?))

[DarkOne-Rob]

"Whoa!" cries Giggles as he slams the door shut again. Looking at the others' reactions he shrugs and says, "Big spiders, like bigger than me...The wasps weren't the only bugs around here causing problems..."

Spoiler: OoC

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I say we wait - Giggles doesn't want to risk any deaths beyond what we must...

[Gwynfrid]

Keshkaru takes the news with calm. "Those can be dangerous, but they can't be as painful as the wasps. Let's take the time to get back in shape, please - Vorgork, you are a man of many talents - and then we'll investigate these other pests."

[DeVermis]

"Do we know what happened to the people living here? I hope they weren't anything's lunch..."

[DarkOne-Rob]

With shallow, frightened breaths Giggles still looks startled as he says, "I was going to look around, after taking a dip, to see what there is to find. Seeing those monsters, I think I will wait until everyone is ready. Then we can start inside..."

[JWallyR]

Vorgrok grunts dismissively in Giggles' general direction. "'Haste makes waste'." he rumbles, not pausing at all in his ministrations to Keshkaru's wounds.

[Farmerbink]

For some, the next twenty minutes is almost frantic, as Vorgrok tends to himself and the Keshkaru with care but urgency. In the end, both are substantially better prepared for more punishment, but keenly aware of the injuries they've already taken.

For the others, it's maybe worse. After investigating the room and finding nothing noteworthy out of place (aside from the now-destroyed, monstrously large wasp nest). It looks as if the mill workers packed things up for the night and simply never came back. Still eerie, but not the bad news they've come to worry over.

Regardless, for all of you, it's a moment of relief when Vorgrok's grunt of relative satisfaction reveals that his work is, for the moment, complete.

The first order of business appears to be the upper landing. After climbing the ladder upwards (some more easily than others, but none with undue difficulty), the party finds a cozy living area. Three simple wooden chairs wait around a circular table for family time that may or may not ever come. A long counter with several cupboards serves as a food preparation area along one wall, all positioned from a vantage where the occupants can easily overlook the milling operations below.

Two heavily-framed doors lead northwards and southwards from the upper living area into the rest of the building.

Map refresh

[DarkOne-Rob]

Giggles walks up to the two doors, one at a time, and listens with his ear against them each. If he hears anything he gestures to the others to try and get them to be ready to burst in and attack whatever it is...

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Perception bonus is +6. Can I take 10 or 20? If not...(1d20+6)[21] and (1d20+6)[21]

[JWallyR]

Vorgrok mounts the higher platform with wary eyes. Finding nothing untoward, merely the trappings of domesticity in the living area, he skirts the edges, listening carefully at each door.

Spoiler: Actions

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I think Perception gets rolled behind the curtain, right? But Stealth: (1d20+3)[5] to avoid attracting notice from his own movements.

[Farmerbink]

Giggles doesn't notice anything untoward about either room by listening at the doors.

[Gwynfrid]

Keshkaru follows the other upstairs, Ozkrak in tow. Upon arriving on the landing, she stops, listening for anything revealing a sign of life.

Spoiler

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EDIT - move to J7. Ozkrak is in I7. I assume she can climb the ladder. If an Athletics roll is needed, she has +6.

Perception is a secret check in this case I think - Keshkaru has a +8
She doesn't particularly try to be stealthy, something she doesn't know how to do anyway.

[DarkOne-Rob]

When he doesn't hear anything Giggles shrugs and announces, "If anything is there, it is really quiet and probably heard us downstairs with the wasps. Let's see what there is to see!" He then throws open the door nearest the rest of the party and steps back out of the way, peering inside the room...

[Farmerbink]

Giggles carefully opens the door leading northwards and finds what appears to be a girl'd bedroom, in relatively good state. Paintings of various fantastic beasts adorn the walls. Her clothing and furniture is obviously of good make, and largely appears to be in place. Clearly, the Hawfton's are fairly well-off, to afford what many would call finery. After a cursory inspection, you're left more confident that nothing violent, at least, took place here. Aima (the Hawfton's daughter) is nowhere to be found.

The door across the hallway reveals a... slightly different sight. Most of what must be a master bedroom appears to be in order: several vases of flowers drying for want of water stand atop sturdy shelves and chests of drawers. However, a wooden armoire sits on its face against one wall, face down with its doors open against the floor.

Map updated, need locations (general is OK) for Sipher, Vorgrok, and Pip.

[DeVermis]

Pip follows warily behind as the investigation of the upper area commences. He nods approvingly at the decor in the girls room, very tasteful. After nothing immediately bursts from beneath the fallen furniture, he cautiously knocks lightly on the back with the long handle of his net, staying as far back as possible.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Giggles closes the little girl's door with a smile. "We aught to leave it nice, in case they come back," he says. Then he turns to watch the inspection of the master bedroom.

[Farmerbink]

When Pip knocks on the back of the armoire, a sudden scrabbling noise erupts from inside.

Whatever is trapped inside seems to be unhappy in its predicament, unable to do anything about it, and hasn't yet said anything at all.

[pianoman]

Upon seeing that the girl's room looks mostly normal and abandoned Sipher is disappointing, hoping that something more exciting would take place. He moves towards the master bedroom in hopes that he can witness something more exciting and comes across Pip investigating the armoire. Hearing the sound from inside he takes a step closer, cautious but overtaken by excitement at the idea of more interesting events. He is very curious as to what may be inside and suspects it could be a friend rather than foe. Not wanting to be too sure though, he stands atop of the armoire hoping his weight will keep whatever is inside from leaping out. He knocks on the armoire again and questions softly,"Hello? Is someone trapped in there?"

[Farmerbink]

Nothing responds overtly to Sipher's call. The wispy sounds continue, though they're odd and arhythmic- nothing like you'd imagine from an animal trying to scratch its way out or panicked child trapped inside.

[DeVermis]

"I would very much like to know what's in there. It doesn't sound like another mutant bug. Anyone want to help me flip it over?"

[Farmerbink]

((As soon as anyone tries to move the armoire, that person will find that it's made of real, solid wood. And quite heavy. DC 21 athletics, any number can assist))

[Gwynfrid]

Keshkaru comes into the room, listens to the strange sounds. "Odd. I don't think it's a person inside. Let's be careful." She grabs a side, ready to pull the heavy piece of furniture off the floor together with Vorgrok.

Spoiler

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She prepares to help, DC20 if I'm not mistaken. (1d20+7)[27] Wow, that's a crit. So +2 to Vorgrok's roll.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Giggles watches curiously, whispering something to his snake familiar, Sssss, and keeping a little out of reach of anything that might spring out from underneath the furniture. When Keshkaru makes a prodigious effort he nods appreciatively before calling out in a voice too high to be intimidating, "You there, under the dresser! We don't want to hurt you, but we will if you attack! We're letting you out now!"

[Farmerbink]

Once Sipher hops off, it takes just a little effort for Pip, Vorgrok, and Keshkaru to lift the armoire a few inches off the floor.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the creature that emerges is both alien in nature and demonstrably unhappy. A tiny bipedal creature with ephemeral, batlike wings springs through an opening that seems much too small for it to pass. Without waiting for introductions, it leaps towards the heroes and lashes out at Pip with a pair of sharp claws ((Pip takes 3 damage))

Map updated

[Gwynfrid]

Keshkaru expected this. Without comment, she springs into attack mode.

"Esprit flamboyant,
Punis ce mécréant!
Par son impolitesse
Il mérite le feu aux fesses!"

In the open palm of her hand, a tongue of fire grows, twists, and strikes the creature, immediately followed by a swipe of her sharp claw.

Spoiler: round 1

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#1/2 Produce flame (1d20+8)[23] fire damage roll]1d4+4[/roll] (if crit, double damage + 1d4 persistent)
#3 Claw Strike (agile) (1d4+3)[4] damage roll]1d4+3[/roll]

Spoiler: Stats

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Keshkaru
Female Iruxi Druid (animal order), Level 2, HP 24/24, Speed 25
Medium humanoid (Frilled Lizardfolk), Animal Wrangler
AC 17 (shield down), Fort +4, Refl +4, Will +10, Perception +8
Abilities Str 16, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 14
Senses: Baseline
Attack, Claw +7 (1d4+3 slashing, agile)
Attack, Tail +7 (1d6+3 bludgeoning, sweep)
Attack, Sling +4 (1d6+1 bludgeoning, propulsive)
Athletics +7, Diplomacy +6, Intimidation +6, Nature +8, Performance +6
Focus Points: 1/1
Conditions: None

Ozkrak
Female Raptor (dromaesaur) Animal Companion, Level 2, HP 22/22, Speed 50
Small Animal
AC 17, Fort +6, Refl +7, Will +5, Perception +5
Ability bonuses Str +2, Dex +3, Con +2, Int -4, Wis +1, Cha 0
Senses: Low-light vision, scent (imprecise, 30 feet)
Attack, Jaw +7 (1d8+2 piercing, finesse)
Attack, Talon +7 (1d6+2 slashing, agile, finesse)
Acrobatics +7, Athletics +6, Stealth +7
Conditions: None