It is apparent now that the stone around the clay has no more substance than the soft material and all collapses into a deep hole with Kricker hitting bottom in a loud crash of metal. He lands on the corpse of a human guard lying on the bottom with a broken neck, half buried in clay now.
Perrik takes a half-step closer to peer down and ask after his fallen companion, but before Kricker can answer, an adult Xill emerges from the wall behind Drahlneep and bites him!
Jeji:
Perrik:
Kricker: ;
Drahlneep:
foe:
Perrik raises his hands over the party, summoning a potent divine effect.
Drahlneep's eyes widen as he's bit unexpectedly. A look of pure annoyance flushes his face and he sneers and spins about with the neural inhibitor in one hand and activating the shield with his other. He brings the weapon up and back down hoping to just crack the blasted alien's carapace.
The tall multi-armed, bug-like alien claws at Drahlneep as the kobold shakes off its venom. Two claws hit tearing off scales. Drahlneep swings with the buzzing baton, but the alien's chitin deflects the strike.
Perrik steps up behind Drahlneep and sends healing coursing into him.
Kricker stows his crowbar and readies his Auto-grapnel.
Shortsword drawn, Jeji crept around to get behind the alien creature and pin it in between Drahlneep and herself.
Down in the pit, Kricker switches to his grapnel gun. Jeji tumbles between the alien's legs unscathed. Perrik heals Drahlneep as the creature claws and bites once again. Drahlneep dodges most of the many claws, but is snagged by one long enough for the envenomed mandibles to rip into his scales.
Drahlneep continues to resist the paralytic agent in the xill's bite and swings in a flurry at his foe.
If the Xill is still up, Kricker takes aim with the Autograpnel:
Drahlneep is infuriated by the bites and lays into the tall, plated alien with the baton. It hits twice discharging upon impact and momentarily inhibiting the creature.
With the creature's attention fully on Drahlneep, Jeji hoped to take advantage of the opening by stabbing the creature in the back.
Jeji attempts to stab the ferocious alien from behind, but her nervousness interferes with her attack.
Perrik tries to use his longspear to further distract the xill, giving Jeji a better chance to tag it.
There is a whirring sound as Kricker ascends back to the edge of the pit by autograpnel. Perrik jabs at the monster to distract it. It tries to focus on Drahlneep, who seems the greatest threat, but it is distracted by kobolds on nearly every side and only lands a claw.
Struggling to keep his rage in check, Drahlneep grimaces at the claw wound and snarls, baring his fangs at the giant bug before bringing the inhibitor down in another flurry.
It is evident he is about to lose control of his anger.
Kricker lets go of the Autograpnel and pulls his crowbar out as he moves to strike the Xill.
There is a whirring sound as Kricker ascends back to the edge of the pit by autograpnel. Perrik jabs at the monster to distract it. It tries to focus on Drahlneep, who seems the greatest threat, but...it is distracted by kobolds on nearly every side and only lands a claw....it's executive function is jumbles by the pulse from Drahlneep's baton.
Unfortunately, it's defensive function is unimpaired and it dodges or blocks Dranlneeps' follow-up attack. Kricker rushes in low and kneecaps the alien with his heavy crowbar.
With the creature momentarily distracted, again Jeji tried to pierce the creature's hide with her little blade.
The oracle moves around behind Kricker and, chanting in () a guttural language, taps the iron priest's crowbar.
He continues in the same language.
Emboldened by her companions' assault, Jeji stabs the alien in the rear. Perrik prays in a savage sounding tongue and Kricker's crowbar thrums with ominous power. The insectile humanoid decides a retreat is in order and sidesteps to merge into the wall. Its skin takes on a stony texture as it begins to shift phase.
Kricker gives it one last swing with his crowbar:
"You think I won't break open this whole cavern to kill you?" Drahlneep shouts in Draconic while he drops the inhibitor and pulls the adamantine warhammer free.
Kricker and Drahlneep hurriedly smash at the stone-phased xill causing some minor damage with their ultradense weapons.
Stepping back a few feet, Jeji drew her are pistol and fired a shot.
Unable to meaningfully contribute to the combat, Perrik looks around the chamber for anything of interest.
Jeji fires, but it is a moment too late as the rocky shape sinks into featureless stone wall leaving the kobolds alone with the dead man at the bottom of the pit.
Drahlneep, come over here and I'll heal us up. I think we scared it off for now, but we should keep our eyes open for if it comes back.
Should one of us check out the dead body and see if there is any loot or anything else of use?
The fighting over, Perrik's language module returns to normal. "I will see if it carried magic."
Perrik peers into the pit for the tell-tale glow of arcane fields, but detects none.
How is the body in the pit dressed? As a miner/slave or as a guard?
Moving close to Kricker, Drahlneep stares for a moment at the human corpse. "Do you suppose anyone down here still lives?" He then shudders thinking of the kobold trapped in the stone with young xill gestating within her body. "Let's hope not."
Kricker casts his mind back to the top of the page...
...all collapses into a deep hole with Kricker hitting bottom in a loud crash of metal. He lands on the corpse of a human guard lying on the bottom with a broken neck, half buried in clay now.
There are two other soft clay areas that are likely pits. One passage leads back to the entrance and another leads deeper into the delve.
Can we approach the other clay areas without automatically falling into the pits?
Can we approach the other clay areas without automatically falling into the pits?
"Does one of you have a rope? One of us can approach the pits while the rest of us hold them."
Kricker has rope and with it tied around him, he sets off the other pit traps. The next one is empty. The collapse of the final one disturbs two xill hatchlings that have been eating the corpse of the human from which they've emerged. They shift through the clay that has been dropped on them, hiss at Kricker staring down at them, and phase into the wall...
"Bring up the other body so we can destroy it before they hatch."
A good idea, I hadn't thought of that.
With a flask in her hand, Jeji spoke up.
"I can probably burn it from here."
Good idea Jeji, much less effort that way.
Jeji drops a bomb on the corpse, incinerating it and hopefully, any Xill eggs.
"Forward."
Always go where the oracle decides to go.