Sol smiles and kisses Ascaria on his gnomish head.
"Thank you, Ascaria! I feel so much better," Sol smiles sweetly before turning to her sister. "Oh Rae! You were so good! You got that mean ol' bugsie!"
Sol hugs her sister, a big smile of pride upon her face.
"What do we do now?" Sol says, looking around, putting away her flaskfire and sword, picking up the torch again.
The gnome becomes en-grossed with the extinguished nest.
The nest peels back, charred layer by charred layer. The alchemical of Mort's flask penetrated deeply, despite the beetle mucus. The colony seems to have created a radial pattern, with the deeper layers being seeded with eggs, and the nutrients they require. The orange paste seems to factor into the food source. In this deeper layer, you also find an undigested, mummified hand, which bears a single ring on its fourth finger.
Mort, benefiting from the gnome's growing time investment, searches the basin.
The basin, well, what you can scrape clean, is filled to the brim with the orange sludge. Just past the basin, in the southeast corner, you can make out three oblong lumps completely covered with the same orange sludge.
Mortimer, noticing the basin is pretty much filled with the same icky orange sludge that he's standing in, starts sifting thought it with his boot.
Gross. Wait! -- what's that?!
Mort shuffles over to the southeast corner just past the basin, and eyes three oblong lumps completely covered with the orange sludge.
"Um.... do you suppose this is some soft of nasty baby beetle stage thing?", he says, peering at them -- without touching them.
You can certainly Ready an Action to prevent a party member from getting close. Improved Initiative only gives you an edge when initiative rolls come up :)
Ascaria peels the nest back, charred layer by charred layer, probing the radial pattern. He gets lost in the dream of what the nest was before being put to the fire. As his dagger digs deeper it comes across something hard.
He looks down.
"Uh, OK. Hey look at this!"
He reaches into the nest and pulls out an undigested, mummified hand, which bears a single ring on its fourth finger. He holds it high with one hand and points to it with the other.
"Somebody was probably sad to lose this."
"Somebody was probably sad to lose this."
"Yes, very. How would they clap? Or hug?" Sol agrees solemnly, looking at the hand.
Mort takes a closer look at the oblong lumps to see if he can determine what exactly they might be. He tries to blow off the orange muck and in failing that, he very gingerly nudges one of the end ones with his foot.
The muck being quite... well, mucky, doesn't respond to Mortimer's pucker and blow, so the foot must do.
It doesn't take much either, as the crusting sludge breaks apart, revealing a corpse. Another couple of toe taps, and two more corpses reveal themselves.
They appear to be armored in mold, but further examination reveals reddish leather, with an eight-pointed star emblazoned on the left breast of each breast piece.
The star symbol represents a group called the Seekers. They are made up of archeologists and pseudohistorians, and the reputation of the organization is quite... moldy.
As Mortimer picks through the corpses, well cleaned, he comes across three full vials, as well as a pair of thick, leather cords, which are currently wrapped around the corpse's shoulders.
Tynan takes a look at the armor Mort has found.
"I don't recognize that insignia, but coupled with the red leather armor, it certainly makes for a distinctive look."
"Stop -- Heal the others first -- before me. Always."
O.k. I'm liking this big guy more and more. Definitely handy to have around.
Pillette takes a look at the hand held by the Gnome and the armored corpses emblazoned with the star. "It appears this place has claimed more than children from the town."
She looks more closely at the muck and beetle remains. "And unless this preserve flesh in death, then these might not be ancient like the sarcophagus, but somewhat more recent, like the children."
Wishing she had more alchemicals to help clear the muck away, the leather cords catch her eye, as she tries to ascertain if they had any special purpose.
Sol hugs her sister, a big smile of pride upon her face.
Rae hugs her sister back, her reluctance outweighed by her relief that the woman is safe.
"Ugh. What a way to go. That armor is something, but the mold has got to go."
Ascaria lowers the hand and looks at the bodies impressed with Mort's find.
"Yeah, I don't know what all this means either." He casts Create Water and washes some of the muck from one of the suits.
"I've been meaning to take a closer look at the past of this region, but I have been, alas, lackluster in my study habits. These symbols mean nothing to me." he looks up at the others before handing the hand off to... someone.
He then bends down and checks the bodies for a missing hand to see if the hand he found somehow connects to those bodies. He also checks them for causes of death and the like.
As the gnome tries to hand off the ... hand, Mort simply offers his backpack as a repository for it if no one else has
any better cache type things to offer.
"It appears this place has claimed more than children from the town."
"I'm going to guess these folks weren't local."
After a pause he holds up the three vials of stuff and adds, "I could be wrong but -- given that -- I'm also going to guess we should have these things checked out before anyone tries to use them -- unless anyone here can positively identify this stuff..."
He carefully places the three full vials of something into his backpack if the latter turns out to be the case.
He looks curiously at the leather cords around their shoulders.
What the ...?
As Pillette and Mortimer struggle to understand the nature of the leather cords , Ascaria starts to understand the fate of the three corpses.
The three corpses are fully formed. The mummified hand appears to be singular. Heavy acid corrosion and side gashes appear to confirm death by large beetle. No doubt, the corpses also suffered from the smaller beetles as well, but it's hard to say when the bodies were savaged by swarm. Something seems less consistent in the breakdown of the tissues- the parts of the bodies closest to the basin seem less thoroughly stripped, as the layering of the orange sludge appears thickest.
Sol stares, alookin' off into the dark, thinking about Mum.
"Well it looks like maybe something in the sludge kept them from being eaten quite so much by the little beetles, but it certainly looks like they were killed by the large one."
He takes a closer look.
" -- unless anyone here can positively identify this stuff..."
Oh yeah, I do that!
"Oh yeah, I do that! Sorry, forgot about checking for magic. Won't happen again..." he mumbles as he draws forth the arcane energy needed. He takes the items from Mort and examines them, even asking for the hand back so he can check it too. As an afterthought, he examines the bodies as well just in case.
Detect Magic Spellcraft checks
The bodies appear to have lain in repose for dozens of years.
Ascaria holds each item up as he investigates it.
"Well these three are likely all potions of curing like the one Mort had earlier, but I'm only certain of this one. The other two look the same, but I'm just not sure. I can try again tomorrow I think so maybe we should leave these aside until I can be sure."
"He holds up the cords, these - wrapped around your body the right way - let you carry enormous quantities of goods . Anyone want 'em?"
"This hand isn't magical, but the ring is and I don't know what. Again, let me hang onto it and I'll take a closer look tomorrow." he gestures toward the bodies, "Their armor isn't magical nor is anything else on them."
He straightens up and looks to the group smiling at the haul. "What next?"
Careful to separate the identified Cure potion from the still unidentified vials, Mortimer packs them along side whatever else the gnome hands him into his backpack. If no one takes the Muleback cords, he'll also pack or wear those -- whichever they fit best.
"Hey Ascaria -- can you draw or otherwise copy this insignia? Maybe there's a scholar in town who can tell us what it is. Then maybe we can check out one of the other tunnels?"
"Oh, good idea! I can do that!"
If the party is willing to wait a moment, Ascaria excitedly gets out his pencil stub and some paper and draws the armor as best he can.
When he's done, he stuffs the drawing into his sling bag and is ready to proceed with the others.
"I've got a couple of bags on Thistle already, and after what we've seen down here, I'm ready outfit us with additional resources, just in case. Perhaps some more vermin repellent, among other things."
As Ascaria heals, investigates and sketches, Pillette studiously examines the area outside of the basin, trying to make sure nothing is overlooked.
The gnome consumes a large amount of time in his studies , which gives you a chance to examine the orange sludge more closely. The north side of the basin seems less traveled by beetles, and the coloring of the sludge appears more purely orange. Where the beetles roam, the orange has a slightly darker color.
The basin itself is full to brimming, and then some. It's subtle, but you almost think the sludge rises, glacially slowly, from the beginning of your study, until your attention is drawn away.
Solrisa smiles sweetly at her new friends, admiring their industrious and ability to find things. She keeps guard near the opening passage.
As you gain the intersection, your eyes alight upon several stone slabs, roughly four feet in height, with an aisle down the middle of the room across the hall. On the second slab on the left, there appears to be another body, clad in red leather armor.
"Rae, look! Another body! OH! Red armor too! Come look!" Sol chimes to her sister and the rest. She moves closer, trying to be patient...but what could happen with the others so close?
Rae rolls her eyes, but moves to see what Sol has seen, should Sol have seen something serious.
"You should probably stay with the group, Sister. It's only fair, after all."
Passing the intersection, eyes wide open, you can also see the passage to the north, which ends in a set of stairs, likely. Your ten-foot step towards the room across the hall reveals more stone slabs.
Unable to stuff the cords neatly into his backpack, Mortimer opts to donning them.
"I've got a couple of bags on Thistle already, and after what we've seen down here, I'm ready outfit us with additional resources..."
"Wow. With this on -- I could likely carry everything Thistle is carrying -- including Thistle!" he exclaims. It's a bit of an exaggeration, but he's impressed.
Then he sighs.
"Where'd the Twins go now?" he says, starting after them.
He catches up to Sol.
"What do you see?"
Tynan joins the sisters near the newly found remains.
"So many suits of matching armor. I'm starting to wonder if this was a rival military group... or perhaps a cult. I wish I recognized that insignia."
Tynan looks around the area for anything of interest, including signs of what may have caused the death of this individual.
"Rae, look! OH! Stairs and slabs!" Sol points up the corridor while walking 10' more toward the body, following Tynan and holding her torch for him to see.
As various investigators take in what the torch and pin's light reveal, it starts to become more evident that the skull of the body appears to have been caved in, like a watermelon.
At the very end of the room stands a red marble statue of a powerful warrior, wielding a cylinder-headed greatclub. His eyes survey the room from his stage.
Also, a very sluggish big beetle moves from one side of the room to the other, passing in front of the stage, and the marble statue. It doesn't appear to have noticed the light and the new arrivals.
Ascaria moves up behind Sol and Tynan - at least as far as he needs to to see the body. Looking over and around the two large folks, and curious to investigate further, he starts into the room past Sol and Tynan.
If nothing further happens, he goes up to the body and investigates trying, again, to determine a cause of death. He'll cast detect magic as he goes so as to get a better look at what the poor dead guy might reveal.
"Don't go too far, Ascaria. There might be another trap here, and we certainly don't want to see you get your head caved in."
Tynan tries to ascertain from what direction the crushing blow came, whether from directly above, or from one side or the other.
"Another trap?!" Ascaria asks with some alarm, remembering the wind trap that so very nearly ended with him broken at the bottom of a long shaft.
He waits for the tougher members to sort it out before proceeding.
"I don't see anything, what's up?"
As far as you can tell, the face of the skull is bludgeoned from directly above. The torchlight extends halfway into the room, but only reveals four slabs. There doesn't appear to be any rubble on the floor.
The slight scraping of something hard being dragged across the floor can be heard at the far end of the room, cloaked in darkness.
"Another trap?!"
Solrisa points into the darkness, not quite aware that her elven eyes can see things that others can't in the darkness.
"Maybe that big red marble statue with the club is the trap! Or maybe that big beetly slug...or sluggish beetle is the trap?" Sol says helpfully to all.
"That big beetle slug might be the Daddy beetleslug that Rae smashed!"
Noting the damage appears to have came from directly above the remains, Tynan advances another ten feet, then checks the ceiling a bit more closely.
Tynan is surprised to hear something from the darkness beyond the torchlight.
"There's something moving out there in the darkness... I heard it scrape along the floor. Don't advance though... I'm still worried there may be a trap."
Tynan takes a torch from his pack, lights it from Sol's, and hurls it into the room toward the sound.
As Tynan steps across the doorway, he is immediately overcome with the desire to sleep.
His torch finds its way across the room, illuminating it for all.
The room contains eight slabs, in all. They appear to be the length of beds for medium build humanoids. A body part or two of Mortimer's might very well hang over the edge of one of these stone tables.
At the end of the room stands a powerful warrior cast in red marble, wielding a cylinder-headed greatclub. His gaze seems to study the room.
The familiar glint of golden shell huddles behind the last set of slabs, on the left. As the torch comes to rest, another giant beetle moves slowly to investigate it.
Tynan's eyes begin to droop, and he steps back to the door frame.
"Something's not right in here."He yawns widely."We should <YAWN> probably let the beetle come to us."
As you back out of the room, the fatigue so swiftly come has now gone.
Tynan shakes his head, throwing off the drowsiness.
"Whatever it was, it ended when I left the room. Still probably best not to be in there any longer than we have to... those slabs were starting to look like a good place for a nap."
As the others explore on, the halfling keeps scanning the room with the Rae-smashed beetle, the burnt hive and swarm, and a surprisingly riveting basin of sludge.
"Guys. Not to rain on whatever is not right in the next room over, but I swear this... sludge... is rising. Verrrry slowwwly, but rising."
She slowly steps back into the hallway, motioning for Rae to follow, ready to move on with the others if Rae removes herself from whatever is rising in there. "Not the friendliest place, huh?" What were those words? 'Hopeless. Sacrilege. Enemies.'
Tynan shakes his head, throwing off the drowsiness.
"Whatever it was, it ended when I left the room. Still probably best not to be in there any longer than we have to... those slabs were starting to look like a good place for a nap."
"Hrmph! This is no time to nap, Tynan. You should talk to Lazarre about adding more eggs to your diet, to help aid your stamina!" Poor thing. No wonder he's a servant. Needs someone to take care of him.
Rae moves up to look in the room, shining her torch in to see.
As Raella steps into the room, the beetle finishes its assessment of the torch. Finding it uninteresting, it turns its attention to the new noise at the doorway. A faint gurgling can be heard as it changes its position.
Round 1, Init 22
<endless nagging>
This girl needs a hobby...
Tynan looks over Raella's shoulder, and studies the beetle carefully. He quickly draws a dagger, leans to his left around her, and hurls a dagger at it's glimmering carapace.
If she wants to provide cover for me, who am I to argue?
Round: 1, Initiative: 20
Weapon Equipped = Sling (cold iron)
Cold Iron Bullets (8/10), Silver Bullets (10/10)
Conditions = None
Channel Energy (1/5) (1d6+1)
Amiable Blunder (1/1) (if Diplomacy failed by >5, reroll to avoid worsening attitude)
Ranged Attack: BAB +1, Dex +1 Damage: +0
Spells (Caster Level 2, Concentration +6)
Once per Day: Arcane Mark, Comprehend Languages, Message, Read Magic
Zero (14): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Spark, Stabilize
First (15): (2/5) Bless, Cure Light Wounds, Liberating Command
”Watch out for that bug!” Unsure what to do and concerned about his dwindling resources, Ascaria takes out and loads his sling.
He 5' steps into the hallway and peers into the fog that is his vision...
Round 1, Init 15
Tynan shakes his head, throwing off the drowsiness.
That's weird...
[...] I swear this... sludge... is rising [...]
Mortimer grunts.
Figures.
Mortimer watches in utter disbelief as Rae steps over the threshold into Sleep Area.
What the hell was wrong with waiting for it to come to us!!? We already blew the Surprise again...
He steps to the side of Tynan and takes a move to Call Out the Beestle.
"Someday I like to chill out at home and think about you with shattered legs!" he shouts. "Come say hello to me, Weak Ugly Beetle!"
As it might happen, his chances of intimidating the Orange Sludge could be higher than his chances of intimidating the Beestle.
Round 1, Init 12
Hearing commotion ahead, as well as a hallway full of allies, Pillette moves forward and raises her crossbow. She looks down the other halls, to make sure nothing comes at the others from behind.
She sighs as it appears something else nasty is again threatening. "Yeah, not the nicest place." But rather interesting, if dangerous. Certainly a place of power. Hmmmm....
Tynan buries a dagger into the beetle's back. Ascaria considers a strike from a distance with his sling. Mortimer tries to draw the beetle's ire with words, while it writhes in pain from Tynan's thorn. Pillette brings up the rear, assuring awareness should something amble out of the darkness.
The beetle makes good on its gurgling promise, closing distance, and bursting upon the front three companions.
Round 1, Init 8
Rae fumbles with the torch as the beetle charges, dropping it at her feet . Quickly, she attacks, swinging at the nastiness, but misses due to the pain of the acid.