"I think it thinks Grusk is its mom."
"I tink I'll calls him tiny Tim."
Picks the thing up. "Doc looks like we gots a volunteer."
"Not sure tha claws ken break skin yet, but won't be long till this ting will be dangerous."
"Boss, if we train 'em from this size, we've got armored, burrowing acid-factories t' pull the battle wagon. Sieges an' ruins just b'came relaxing jaunts. Ah know ye don' quite see it yet so ye'll jus' 'ave t' trust me when Ah tell ye that' these little bugs 're worth more t' us than everythin' we've found so far put together."
Blaze sighs. Sometimes he's friends get a little too creative. "Alright Sentis. I'm putting you in charge of trying to at least partially domestic them. Tween you and the rest of Team Green, you guys should be able to pull it off. However, if they become too problematic or Sarenrae forbid, hurt any civilians, we kill them, no questions asked. Got it?"
"Yah ken bet yer ass I ain't shovelin no f%%&ing bug dung!"
I hear you Sunny. I dont know if I can even train them though. I mean theyre...bugs and that alot different than the animals Im used to. But its worth a shot and like you said; if they become a problem we put them down.
"So what d' we do wit' th' bodies? Haul 'em back fer burial?"
"Lets take back tha bones fer a proper burial, I ain't fighten tha lil bugs fer tha meat."
The little ankheg Grusk picked up sneezes and propels a spatter of acidic snot onto his breastplate to sizzle against the green chitin. Looking into the beast's alien face it almost seems to smile?
Dark will grab one of the little tykes, hoping he can convince Sentis to help him train the fella, before he heads back to the cart up top where Lucky is waiting.
Sentis smiled in delight at the little ankhegs antics with the half orc.
Kaavel hit the nail on the head...
He paused to make sure he used the saying that he had picked up from Doc correctly. Satisfied he continued.
...it thinks your it's mommy Grusk but I wouldnt risk nursing it if I was you.
Doc lights a cigar and watches the acid run down Grusk's chest. "At least we're all wearin' th' right suits t' be wranglin' these little guys."
"Lets take 'em all topside. Ah c'n make a holdin' pen for 'em outta the one o' th' big ones we killed earlier. We can't git t' the remains while they're swarmin' 'round down 'ere anyways. Once th' nest is clear we c'n see if there's anythin' else worth takin'."
Doc reaches down grabs one by the top of it's carapace picks it up and rolls it over onto it's back so it can't struggle much taking care to aim it's head away from him.
"Lets make certain we have a box tah hold em not sure these guys has seen tha sun yet."
"A box? To hold the burrowing, acid spitting monster bugs? What the hell kinda box you hidin'?
Sentis was disappointed that his attempt at humor didnt go over but didnt dwell on it very long as there was a lot of work to do if they were going to transfer both the ankhegs and the bodies of the Baited Hooks topside.
We could leave these pups here until we get the pen built. I have an empty sack to carry at least one body...well some of the pieces anyways.
Kaavel looks around before picking up one that looks different from rest.
The rest of the nest holds little of interest beyond the bodies of those that you came for. Gathering up what is left of them you return through the tunnels, past the ziggurat and make for the surface. Baran falls in alongside Sentis, but the druid finds him looking upon the ankheg infants with twinges of caution and a touch of fear.
Emerging from the dark and into a day that is painfully bright you find that Lucky and the Mwangi are still standing sentry near to your wagon. They look upon you with surprise as you emerge unscathed... which only deepens and mixes with suspicion when the Bas'o see the ankheg infants that you carry with you.
With the mask bask in his pack Sentis reassured Baran with an ear scratching and well understood his discomfort. The ankhegs were a gamble and only time would tell if it paid off or not. It was good to see that Lucky was still with Dark and the half elf told his friend so.
Lucky looks healthy. We are starting to gather quite the managerie of pets.
Doc wastes no time fashioning an acid-proof pen for the bugs and says "Ah'd like t' leave in th' mornin' an' take the rest o' th' evenin' t' git this carapace proper stripped an' oiled. This trip'll be a big waste if'n it starts t' rot b' fore Ah c'n make it inta somethin' useful."
montage is fine......
"wha is a proper name fer a bug?"
"Spike? Spitty? Hmm how about leaf?" says with a serious face to Grusk's question.
Once the juvenile ankheg are seemingly safely seconded behind a makeshift fence, the next day or more is spent at hard labour lugging ankheg corpses aboveground where they might be more easily worked upon. The Bas'o quickly leave after a heated argument when they realise that youa re not going to kill the ankheg young. Their outlook is closed to the fact that the beasts could be turned to usefulness, and were strident that the beasts should be quickly put to death. Their parting was amicable enough and without blows exchanged.
The corpses stripped and Doc happily up to his whiskers in a variety of ichorous joy, a makeshift sled is made out of the biggest carcass so that the patient bullock already hitched to your wagon can drag the bodies back to Kalabuto where the real work can begin. The ankheg young are still fairly dormant... at least after Team Green rustles up some fresh killed antelope for them to chow down on. Their acid spitting ability is still in it's infancy though their claws and bite are still sharp.
The time comes when all that can be done has been and it is time to head back to Kalabuto and report in.
That sounds like the acid proof box I mentioned earlier.
I bet when the little ones we left behind grow up the place will have another bug problem;)
The squad makes their way back to civilization at a more leisurely pace than when they left - the little additions to your arsenal seemingly contented to relax in their pen. The skies are reasonably clear, though there isn't much traffic on the road as you approach Kalabuto.
As you draw nearer to the city and it comes into view - your travel is shared by a bushwhacker for the military on horseback. He was out patrolling the Eastern plains near to Kalabuto and is heading back in. There have been stories of scouts from Mzali making their way onto the plains again - which have the Kalabutan council on edge.
Though apart from that... he has a query "I ain't gonna question your uses for the buggers, since you look like you can handle yourself... but do you really think the guard are going to let you waltz inside the city walls with them in tow?" referring of course to your new-found friends.
Sentis grimaced when the Bas'o left with tempers still hot. They might have solved the mystery of what happened to the Baited Hooks and taken care of Thronebound but they had failed at diplomacy with the region's natives and who could tell what the repurcussions of that would be? With the stories of the Mzali the whoel region could escalate into chaos. With Baran staying as far away from the cage as possible, often out of sight of the group all together; the druid was having doubts to their decision to take the ankhegs pups. The old bushwacker confirmed them with his question.
He has a point. Are we sure keeping them is a good idea? We might have a hard enough time at the gates with a wolf and bear in tow let alone four acid spitting antlings.
"Pretty much harmless right now an tha guards ain't tha only authority tha barracks err our own turf not taken em tah town taken em tah tha barracks, sides tha adults makes fine armor."
Once the rider leaves....
"Guess I might have tah put out a gold peice tah tha guard tah get them in."
The Keleshite ponders the words of his friends "Well, you guys could stay out here, at least for the next couple of days while you acclimate the ankhegs. Other than that, I am not sure. Doc, any suggestions?"
"I would be willing to stay out here and help acclimate them. The less time I have to spend in the city the better."
I dont know what you mean by acclimate Sunny. Its gonna take a while just to teach them to sit and stay. If I can even teach them. Like I said, they dont think like animals. But I will stay out here with Dark and see what comes of it.
"As long as they don't spit acid on everybody that gets too close, that's good enough for me"
"I would stay but Doc normally needs me to help with his experiments. I am hoping the next one gives me more flexible."
Dark and Sentis are set aside with their animal friends to watch over the ankheg initially, and a temporary camp is made within sight of the city gates - but far enough away that the ankheg would be hidden from casual observers.
The remainder of the group continues on to where a few bored guards sit watching comers and goers - and apart from getting a strange look or two from their battlescarred appearance and outlandishly colored armor they are let through without challenge. A beeline is made through the city back to the barracks, where the gate guard passes on that the Captain's in his office and the Ulfen is still convalescing in the barracks hospital.
Once inside, Blaze makes his way straight to the Captain's office to report on the mission. As he's telling of the battle with the statues he remarks "That was one Hells of a tough fight, but my unit did a damn good job. While the rest of us provided a distraction, Kaavel slipped around and broke the chains on the cyclops, setting it free. Once that happened, the other statue that was left use some sort of innate teleportation ability and fled."
The Captain waves you in as you arrive and listens attentively. He grimly nods at hearing the fate of the squad you ventured forth in order to find, though he takes a particular interest in the stories of the cyclopean ziggurat and the creatures fought. Pressing you for details of their appearance, he takes notes for reference "I'll send a man to see if he might wring out what they were from what serves for scholars in this town." standing to deliver a handshake to Blaze and offer him a cigarillo from his stash, taking one for himself and moving outside to smoke.
Assuming that Blaze follows in his wake "You did good Corporal... though I'm not sure about these extra friends you've picked up... perhaps best you have words with the Quartermaster on them... see if he can't square you away with a babysitter for them."
Taking a long drag and running a hand through lank sweat stained hair "Fecking Eastern plains are getting mighty restless... and the council here ain't much better. A lot of shadow talk about Mzali rising up and even some crazies saying that Anghazan's going to strike at the same time... nasty time to be us. Get your squad some rest, but keep em close... no doubt there'll be work for you again soon enough."
Sentis went about the normal tasks of setting up a camp and was thankful that they were out of casual view of the typical gate traveler. He took the time to wash all the tunnel grime off at the creek and scrubbed Baran down as well as pulling off a couple of ticks he found. He settles in back at camp glad to have a chance to really rest.
hey Dark, can you teach me Polyglot? I feel like a pup not being able to understand it and it seems every local we've come across only speaks that.
"If nothin else we could set these guys tah guard tha camps, jus get unner tha ground an pop up as a nasty surprise! I been on tha receivin end o tha an tis a good trick!"
"Honestly Sir, I am not so sure about our new additions either. However a few in my unit believe they'll be useful. If they harm any innocents though, they are to be put down without question. He pauses then says "I'll take Doc and go speak to the quartermaster next."
"We'll be ready, whenever you need us."
The Captain nods acknowledgement and waves you away "Stay close"
"Sure, it's an extremely useful tongue in these parts, and you can teach me how to handle creatures in return. I tend to scare most of them for some reason."
Doc, as usual, wastes no time getting to work once dropping his gear.
By spreading some coin, some booze, and some promises of favors around he manages to rope a few handy members of the other garrisoned squads into a talented group of craftsmen. By nightfall he has the chiton cleaned, hardened and ready to be worked, a half dozen pots boiling and bubbling making who knows what, Kaavel's chassis laid out and in peices ready to be rebuilt, and the wagon stripped down to a bare platform and axles ready to be fully modified.
I wouldnt say that you scare them Dark but theyre surely aware that you fall into the top predator category of the food chain. Its more of a respect really.
- Go see Holmburg
- Go see the gnome about Kaavel's golem-suit... now you have a new bit to it
- Look into the rumors about Mzali
- Opportunity pending Blaze's Perception check
- Get some revenge upon the animal pit-fighting guy
- Check in with the Ulfen in the infirmary
- Engage in some inter squad shenanigans
Blaze goes to find Doc, filling him on the captain's suggestion then tells him "There was a letter which seemed to come from Vankerman, though the name was partially obscured."
"Did'ja compare th' hand writin' from th' original contract? Ah ain't much o' a linguist, but tha's probably where t' start if'n ye wanna verify it as real."
Blaze chuckles "It was a quick glance. The envelope was on the captain's desk. Couldn't exactly ask him to borrow it so I could conduct a handwriting analysis now could I? I saw Nkerman. You tell me what that oversized dwarven brain of yours makes of that" He says with a grin.
Continues to try and weild the large trident practicing tumbling with the heavy weapon...
Grusk does discover that the haft can act as a stabilizer during some manuvers, more than the greataxe, but still something is not quite right.
"Honestly, Ah got nuffin'." Doc says with a shrug before taking a sip of some bubbling concoction. The muscles in his bare neck and shoulders ripple and cord for a few seconds and he grimaces. "Needs more ant pulp. And salt."
"Th' captain's calling' ye back in a few, right? Try jus' asking' 'im. Ah'll think 'bout it fer a but but ye might have more luck wit' th' direct approach. Ah ain't never known him t' withhold information. Ye jus' gotta prompt 'im a little. Come back after ye meet wit' 'im an' Ah might have somethin' fer ye."