Then, after a few minutes more, Beldonna and Altius snap their eyes open.
"Wha--What happened? Where is Gellion?" Beldonna says.
"We're not sure", said Dachus, kneeling down to talk to the worried parents. "We think he got mixed up in something terrible, and when we find him, we will hopefully find the rest of the missing boys."
"I understand you may still be in poor condition, but could you tell us exactly what led to you being under the effects of poison?"
Beldonna says, "Oh Dac, it's good to see you're not hurt! We noticed a change in Gellion a couple weeks ago, consumed by some of his alchemical experiements. We heard him ranting in his room about a warehouse, and saw him heading in the direction of our acquaintance Marcuccio Bravoni with one of your friends, Morvinarr. He seemed quite drunk, unusual for Morvinarr. We went to confront Gellion, assuming he'd returned home, but then found that spider in his room, along with a little horrible blood-stained man! Here, let me give you directions to the warehouse. Maybe you can help Morvinarr. Please, don't hurt my boy, either. He might not know what he's gotten himself into!"
Mayor Sandra Trinelli strides into the temple as Beldonna relates her tale. When she finishes, Mayor Trinelli walks over to the group and says, "I know that warehouse. It's near the docks. I can have my guards clear the streets nearby on some pretext so that no innocents are harmed in any conflicts. Please let me know when you are ready to investigate it, and I will send word."
Holding Belldonna's hand, Dac's eyes became misted. "'Gell' might not come back a 'free' man after this, but if i can bring him back to you, I will."
Mayor Sandra Trinelli strides into the temple as Beldonna relates her tale. When she finishes, Mayor Trinelli walks over to the group and says, "I know that warehouse. It's near the docks. I can have my guards clear the streets nearby on some pretext so that no innocents are harmed in any conflicts. Please let me know when you are ready to investigate it, and I will send word."
Dac looks up at the mayor and the rest of this search party, and winces. "Well, in all honesty, despite how I would love to act the 'tough guy', I still have two nasty bites taken out of my legs. I can't speak for Sir Onnello, but I'd like my injuries looked at before we leave, please?"
Yuld sighs. "Fine, one more investigation. But after this, I'd like to sleep."
You make your way to the docks, following the directions that Gellion's parents gave you, and, true to the mayor's word, the streets are clear of anyone, making it an eerie walk. When you reach your destination, the warehouse itself looms before you. Two sets of doors serve as entrances to the building. The double doors look to lead directly to the main area of the warehouse, however they seem to be locked. The rusty front doors to the north of the large, dingy warehouse are slightly ajar, as if someone forgot to close them entirely. Sprawled across the door and the southern side of the building are thick, disgusting, purplish-black strands that pulse with malevolence. There are no windows that you can see, with the door being the only entrances.
What do you do?
Dachus makes his way to the northern open door. Noticing the Demon Bile, the young warrior uses his longsword to carefully open the door further so others can enter without coming to contact with the outsider contagion.
"I'd love to light this place up a bit, but a stealth approach would be ideal. Don't step in the purple if you can help it."
Looking into the dark building, Dac fishing in his clothes for a round dull white orb the size of a marble. He flicks the ioun torch near his brow where it begins to orbit and illuminate the surrounding area. Switching weapons to his morningstar, Dac nods to the knight to approach.
Wow! Sir Onnello is showing me a lot of faith! That's so cool!
Before you left, in the temple, the mayor turned to an individual next to her and introduced him.
"This is Cabo Kreusch. Since the last couple of hirelings I have sent with you have not panned out, I've decided to employ him. Please allow him to aid you in this."
___
Now, at the warehouse, as soon as Dac gets near the door, he sees the Demon's Bile belch forth a mass of skittering spiders! Yuld's quick reflexes kick into action as he acts first.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 1
Yuld
===========================
Spider Swarm
===========================
Cabo
Sidhe
Onnello
Dac
"Disgusting!" Yuld exclaims. "I didn't know Demon's Bile could do that. Hm." The astronomer makes a note to read more about the substance, before switching gears to combat.
Yuld begins to glow, almost by second nature, gifting the influence of the Moon to Dac and Onnello.
Reaching into his pack, Yuld produces a small vial of acid. He tosses it gingerly at the swarm.
The vial of acid flies off course and lands to the left of the swarm, splashing acid on a few of the spiders. The spider swarm moves up and over Onnello, several biting him at once.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: moon aura
Environmental effects:
Round 1 / 2
Yuld
===========================
Spider Swarm
===========================
Cabo
Sidhe
Onnello (-1, need fort save)
Dac
Cabo Kruesh takes his time getting places, enjoying the scenery and carving small figurines of animals, people and whatever else takes his fancy as he walks.
He had just finished carving a small bird when he walked into the town of Saringallow, nearing darkness. When asking directions to the nearest inn, the man he talks to points him towards one but also notices his... eccentricity. "Listen, I don't mean to pry but you wouldn't be an adventurer would you? It's just I know that the mayor was looking for some people to help her out with something, and my boy has gone missin' recently. Please, if you think you can help, go talk to her. Mayor Sandra Trinelli 's her name."
Cabo immediately responds to the poor man. "Of course I will help, thank you for your directions. Here, have this." Cabo passes the small bird over, and starts walking towards the mayor's office.
After discussing with the Mayor the recent problems plaguing the town, the heroes arrive, and Cabo joins them, being filled in on their misadventures so far on the way to the warehouse.
As the spider swarm spills out of the Demon Bile, Cabo raises his cane and points the top at the swarm, blasting them with a stream of small toys and baubles with evaporate as soon as they smack into the swarm.
Onnello moves back from the swarming creatures. The new addition, Cabo, strikes out with a blast but fails to connect.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: moon aura
Environmental effects:
Round 1 / 2
Yuld
===========================
Spider Swarm
===========================
Cabo
Sidhe
Onnello (-1)
Dac
With no better strategy available, Dac positions himself near the swarm and bashes at it with his morningstar, but it's ineffective.
Dac bashes at the spider innectually while Sidhe and Yuld watch on, horrified and unsure what to do. The spiders, seeing Onnello run away, turn and swarm over Dac now.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: moon aura
Environmental effects:
Round 2 / 3
Yuld
===========================
Spider Swarm (-1)
===========================
Cabo
Sidhe
Onnello (-1)
Dac (-3)
"Move back, everyone." Yuld commands. "Try to stay away from the spiders." And with that, Yuld chooses to step back himself.
Dac, overun by the swarm, decides to rolls away from the swarm, hopefully squishing as many as he can along the way.
Cabo raises his cane once again, swirling it in the air before bringing it down. As he does so, two objects crash down into the spider swarm, appearing from nowhere. They are two toy soldiers made of stone, which begin swing their arms at the toys, animated by Cabo's unique magic.
Cabo's toys smash down onto the swarm flattening most of the spiders and dispersing the rest. You move in past the bile and into the warehouse's side room. Basic warehouse supplies, such as ropes, hammers, crowbars, and cargo nets, hang from the northern wall of this room. Several crates stand against the western wall. Doors stand against the east and south walls. A pulsating mass of purplish-black sludge lies along the floor near the southern wall between the two doors, and long filaments anchor the substance to the walls and ceiling. A large, strange egg sac lies at the center of the slime, with tiny legs visibly scrabbling beneath its surface. Three other nearby egg sacs have already burst.
What do you do with the slime and the egg?
"Have you seen anything like this before?" Cabo asks the group.
"No", Dac admitted, "And it might still be here."
The young warrior begins to direct his ioun stone at the running boards, behind boxes, and near the ceiling and doors, looking for any small hole a creature could escape.
"Honestly, that thought had crossed my mind", replied Dac. "It's just..the Mayor didn't say anything about arson", the young warrior smiled sheepishly.
"If we do set it alight, I could create a stone slab to drop on the fire and smother it if it gets out of hand."
Let's try that then. Hopefully this slime isn't too flammable. Cabo, when you're ready."
Using fire to kill the Demon's Bile works increasingly well, and once it has burned out, Cabo quickly quells the flames with a summoned slab, a loud thunk echoing throughout the warehouse.
The only entrance you see to the warehouse other than the double doors outside is the door to the South. How do you proceed?
Dac stands amazed at Cabo's mechanical expertise.
"Wow! Great job, Mr. Kreush!"
Looking to Sir Onnello, Dac carefully and quietly opens the door.
Dac opens the door to the warehouse and you step through, immediately seeing the grotesque sight before you. Torches in each corner of this large room shed dim flickering light between high columns of barrels and crates. Four large pillars support the ceiling. Purplish-black slime covers the eastern wall and much of the room’s southeast corner, stretching between the walls, pillars, and crates with long filaments. Countless shapes, varying greatly in size, crowd the sludge. Several of these shapes, pinned to the walls and crates or lying on the floor, appear human-sized. These must be the missing apprentices!
You see an adolescent crouched behind crates with a mad grin on his face as you enter. He brandishes a crossbow. Also buzzing about the room is a fly-like creature dripping in the purple goo. They move to attack as soon as you enter.
In Combat!
Giant hook flies are terrifying, overgrown insects that
thrive on their victims’ fresh blood. In particular, giant
hook flies are known for their rampant breeding and fast
gestation period. Their reproduction is tied to the blood
they drain from victims; the more blood they drink, the
quicker they can expel their young—which are threats on
their own.
Giant hook flies and their parasitic broods can be
found anywhere, from a nest in an abandoned barn to
the depths of a neglected basement to untold stretches
of wilderness. Naturally, they are attracted to blood, so
any place where blood is spilled can become a hook fly
breeding ground. Butchers and livestock farmers, in
particular, must stay vigilant against these dangerous
pests, as even the sighting of a single juvenile hook fly
might herald a terrible infestation just weeks or even
days away. Blood cultists, too, sometimes find that giant
hook flies and their spawn are unwelcome visitors to
their lairs. On more than one occasion, giant hook flies
and their swarms have unwittingly driven evil creatures
from their hiding places, surreptitiously aiding a
populace shocked that the cultists have been operating
in their midst the entire time. Left unchecked, giant
hook flies can overrun small farms or other rural places
where individuals capable of ending these infestations
might be scarce.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 1
Yuld
Cabo
Dac (-3)
===========================
Gellion
Fly
===========================
Onnello (-1)
Sidhe
shouts Dachus is frustration and surprise! "What have you done?!"
The young warrior advances on his friend, morningstar in hand.
"Easy, Dac! Be careful!" The astrologist says, before hypocritically moving forward himself.
Yuld raises his crossbow at the fly, and taking a moment to aim, releases a bolt.
Cabo raises his staff and swirls it in the air, and his two toy minions appear again, slamming down onto Gellion.
Yuld takes aim and lets loose a bolt that flies true, burying in the egg sac of the hook fly. Its screams of torment echo throughout the warehouse. Dac moves forward to engage his once-friend. Cabo summons a pair of toys to fight the crazed apprentice. Though they miss their initial fall, their attacks hit Gellion, bruising his legs.
"No!" Gellion shouts. "I must bring them! Must bring the demon worms home!!"
The young man fires a crossbow bolt toward Cabo attempting to end his creations, but misses, the bolt flying into the wall behind the man.
The hook fly buzzes forward, probiscus snapping out to feed. It bites Dac on the shoulder and attaches onto him, probiscus driving deep into his shoulder, sucking out the blood. The fly then becomes engorged, egg sac pulsing.
Bold may act.
Active party buffs:
Environmental effects:
Round 1 / 2
Yuld
Cabo
Dac (-6, 2 CON damage, grappled)
===========================
Gellion (2 NL)
Hook Fly (-5, grappled)
===========================
Onnello (-1)
Sidhe
Cabo brandishes his staff once more, directing his creations to latch onto the unstable individual in front of them.
Dachus lets out a piercing scream of pain as the hook fly stabs into his shoulder. Noticing through the pain the giant vermin drinking his blood, the young warrior's resolve actually strengthens.
Releasing the wooden shield from arm, Dac clutches the giant hook fly and attempts to wrench the insect off him.
"..Let..go of me!! ..That's..MINE!"
Bah. Yuld hoped to save it for the caster, but at the moment Dac needed a hand.
Yuld takes a step back before beckoning the star's light onto the fly.
Yuld expends the last of his power, wrapping the fly in chains of light.
Yuld also reactivates his aura, giving aid to the injured.
Onnello moves up to better assist Dac. Sidhe is hesitant to engage in the battle. Yuld also attempts to aid Dac, wrapping the fly in light. Cabo's toys manage to whollop Gellion again when he drops his guard to shoot his crossbow, but cannot get a grip on him to grapple due to the size difference between them. Dac attempts to be rid of the hook fly but cannot break its hold.
Gellion continues to rant. "They're coming! Coming hooooomme!" He steps over to where Dac is battling the fly and drops his crossbow and draws out a large mace, intending to spill his old friend's brains across the warehouse floor! Gellion delivers a nasty blow to Dac.
The hook fly, engorged as it is, detaches from Dac as its sac begins to undulate with smaller creatures trying to escape.
The hook fly's sac bursts apart causing damage to it, revealing a swarm of smaller hook flies!
Bold may act.
Active party buffs: moon aura (1 temp hp, +1 fort)
Environmental effects:
Round 2 / 3
Yuld
Cabo
Dac (-14, 2 CON damage)
===========================
Gellion (3 NL)
Hook Fly (-5, spawn brood)
===========================
Onnello (-1)
Sidhe
"Gell! NO!!"
Wrestling with the hook fly, Dac can only scream as one of his best friends slams his mace against Dac's skull.
His thoughts now clouded like a overcast night, Dachus Dolabellio mentally reached out to his divine parent. "Mother..I am sorry. Please forgive me.."
With the pain of the hook fly still at the forefront of his consciousness, the young warrior tries once more to rip the giant vermin from his person.
Yuld reloads and fires at Gellion. "Sir Onnello, if you would please keep the crazy magician away from me."