Maq momentarily ducks around Dolgrin and blasts the oncoming ants with flames, then pushes Dol back in front of him, ending Dol's indecision over what weapon to use as he is thrust into melee range. Dol's overhand chop hacks into the ant on the left leaving it severely wounded.
Anvil hits the tunnel wall on the way to a rough landing and misses the injured ant.
The ants strike back at Dolgrin, the one on the right manages a nasty bite.
As the ant chomps on Doglrin once again-Ants....why'd it have to be ants..., he slashes at the wounded ant trying to bring their number down to one.
More ants...delicious!
If the wounded ant is still up, otherwise the remaining ant:
Cast Elemental Ray2
Dol takes out ant1, while Maq blasts ant2 and Anvil chomps at it but misses.
Ant2 bites Dol again.
-26HP
Cast Ray of Frost
Dol's swing goes wide, but Anvil and Maq both connect with the ant which continues attacking Dol but is unable to penetrate his defenses.
Cast Ray of Frost
-26HP
Maq manages to hit the ant with his ray but the rest of the party misses badly, luckily the ant misses too.
-26HP
Can't get AnvilScarab to post?
Here's his action:
Maq is up
Fire off another Ray of Frost
Only Anvil succeeds on the attack this turn.
Ray of Frost
Why couldn't the Stone have sent me a giant ant companion?
The ant goes down under the combined attacks of Dol and Maq.
End of combat
-26HP
Dolgrin wipes a few beads of sweat from his brow and cleans his blade-I guess I don't have to worry about staying in shape down here....or Anvil staying fed. As the beetle happily munches away at the sweeter spots on the ant.
You good to push on Maqej? If so, let's find out if this tunnel pays off somewhere.
Anvil goes back to the ceiling of the tunnel and Dolgrin continues to
follow the trail of humanoids.
cast infernal on Dol. "I'm ready, Dol."
-16HP
You search around while Dol's infernal healing is working on you. Half buried in the dirt in the passageway you find a finely made iron chain with an small ornate iron hammer attached. It looks like it would be worn as a necklace, the chain's clasp is intact but the chain itself is broken.
Dolgrin leans over an pulls out the chain and hammer. After staring at it a few moments he shows it to Maqej-Any ideas? Looks like something my folk might craft.
Unless Maqej has a rim-rocking answer continue down the tunnel.
Dolgrin believes it could very well be related to Torag.
You head down the tunnel and it opens into a 20' by 30' room that is filled with what you surmise is ant eggs. The room has a tunnel exiting the far side.
Ooh, I like eggs!
Take a quick glance for anything of value (besides the eggs) and head out the far side.
Dolgrin grimaces as he sees the eggs-Best we move through quickly Maqej. The queen won't like it if she finds us dawdling here.
You got it, Dol!
You move quickly through the room and into a passage on the far side. Dolgrin senses that the passage slopes down and you are moving deeper. It looks like there is another chamber up ahead.
Dolgrin scans the passage ahead, happy to have passed through the egg chamber with no swarm of angry ants at their heels.
There's a chamber up ahead and we are moving deeper. Keep your eyes out for a likely place to rest up. Things are going to get real dicey without Char about. Your infernal healing is great, but I seem to have developed a bad habit of being a damage magnet.
Looking for traps/trouble:
Anvil continues to scramble atop the ceiling of the tunnel wary of threats.
Yes, you appear to be going in the direction of the island and you also notice that the walls are damp and the floor is muddy with occasional puddles in the areas that earth/sand. Some areas of the tunnel are rock and are accordingly more firm.
You see 2 ants in the chamber ahead but they are facing away from you and do not appear to sense you so far...
Dolgrin looks at Maqej-You ready for some sneaking?
Sensing its companion's intention, Anvil quietly moves in to a position to drop and flank the ants if battle is required but is ready to move past if a donnybrook can be avoided.
You can't tell what is occupying them from your vantage but it is something on the left side of the chamber. It looks like at least one other exit is available on the far side of the chamber but there could be more to the left or right that you can't see.
Go ahead and make stealth rolls to try to sneak past if you want.
Cast Message on Dol. "I'm ready for some sneakin Dol"
"How'd I do!?!?", as I stumble and cry out...
Hearing Maqej stumble and cry out, Dolgrin loses his focus as his efforts turn from stealth to preparing for combat.
His great sword hisses as it slips out of its harness.
Well at least we know how to fight these things...
The ants obviously notice the group due to Maq's stumble but continue to ignore you. There is a. Eict on the far side of the room, looks like a long tunnel and it slopes down.
Easy Maqej, they appear to be some type of worker ant. Still don't want to piss them off but if we stay calm they should continue their work.
With that he slides by them to the exit and down the long tunnel.
Sheepishly follow...
As you enter the tunnel you step over some sort of clear paste like substance smeared across the entrance. It is about 6 inches wide and goes across the floor and about half way up the sides of the tunnel. Definitely looks like something done by some sort of intelligent being.
The tunnel slopes down and continues for about 120 feet before it looks to open into a cavern/room of some type.
It looks like some type of secretion...
I say we avoid it...
....unless it's the smear of Magic item attraction...
...in which case, I roll in it....