"It's settled then. We exterminate them."
The would-be knight adjusts his gear and sets his jaw, a hard determined edge to his demeanor. He turns to the kobold.
"Mikmek, it will be dangerous. Will you accompany us? We will fight back past the entrance if you should desire to leave on your own."
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Mikmek leans heavily on the axe as he eats the berries provided by Ezekial, "Aye, kill the blue devils. Kill them all! Mikmek will fight at your side."
Mikmek points to the darkness beyond the chasm, "The blue devil chief waits there."
"Hmm, I don't like leaving a ton of those things to our back ... recommend we chase down the ones we were just fighting and then head to the boss. Although there is a case for cutting off the head of the snake," Connor states as he peers somewhat suspiciously into the dark chasm.
"Hmpf, that's a little better." Popping a berry into his mouth, the sage ponders Connor's stated predicament as he rubs his arthritic knee.
"I do believe, Sir Lake, that taking out the 'snake's head,' as you put it, may prove the most expedient and effective cure." Nodding affirmatively, he approaches the end of the cavern and peers into the next segment of this underground complex.
As he approaches, however, he mutters a valid reason to take his opinion with a grain of salt. "Of course, being a gardener and herbalist, I know little of battle tactics, so..."
Connor turns and opens his mouth almost reflexively to reply and then stops himself. He looks pensively at Aldarion absentmindedly reaching up to twirl a melted loop of metal that hangs from a chain on his neck.
He takes a breath and then looks away, saying, "It's a strange new world. Perhaps you're right. Can one of you elf bloods see in the dark?"
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"By starlight, yes... full dark, no."
Aldarion, walking up to the fissure edge you see that the chasm is a few yards wide, and twice as deep, but thick ropes of tangled roots fill the entire area. The passage continues on the far side of the chasm, and between the two ledges, numerous loops have been tied into the roots to serve as hand and footholds. The echoes of footsteps and urgent chatter can be heard from both in front and behind you.
Mikmek joins you at the threshold, "Me no been past this room, but I see fey climb up and down the roots."
Connor looks around and notes the centipede's body. "Let's shove it over the edge. Maybe we will get lucky and knock some off the edge."
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The centipede's body goes sliding into the darkness without obvious effect.
"Mmm, guess not," Connor notes as he watches it go over. "Let's clear this thing ... can we jump it or should we climb?"
He judges the gap to determine how many yards a "few" is.
Aldarion looks over and down the chasm with apparent doubt in his eyes. Recalling to mind his inability to climb even the moderate decline at the entrance to this underground lair, "I'm afraid jumping and climbing are neither my strong suits. However... I can try."
He waits for someone else to take the lead... wondering if the vermin carcass can provide an easier crossing... or at least provide a shorter fall should the worst come to pass.
Ezekial easily leaps the 15 foot chasm and lands safely on the other side. He finds himself standing in the darkness on the edge of the torch light. The room feels noticeably colder and there is a palpable feeling of malignancy and evil. From somewhere ahead of him he hears a voice speak in heavily accented common, "So, you would come to kill me and desecrate this unholy shrine. May the black goat feed on your soul. Kill them all!"
"Um, perhaps a more adept climber would care to go before me?" Al says as he looks dauntingly at the rope.
Connor swears and stows his axe and then scrambles across the rope as quickly as he can.
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Seres will move up to the chasm and ready an arrow in case anything hostile comes into view.
;
;
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Ezekial quickly ties the rope to the exposed tree roots before turning to face his attackers. Connor sheathes his axe and climbs the rope about half way across the chasm.
From the shadows emerges a mite riding a giant tick. The tick lunges at Ezekial and latches its fangs deep into his torso . The mite curses and shakes his fist at you as the tick attacks. "Bleed him dry Tickleback!"
Mikmek scrambles down the chasm wall and jumps down onto the dead centipede. Seres fires upon the giant tick and sinks an arrow into it's abdomen.
From the shadows of the cavern your hear the chants of multiple mites.
;1=Ezekial, 2=Connor, 3=Aldarion
The gardener draws his sling and readies a bullet. He worries as Zeke is grievously wounded, but figures on taking a shot at the big bug. "I've seen some large and uninvited bugs help themselves to my flowers and herbs back home," he muses to nearby Seres, "But these are by far the biggest critters I've ever seen."
He rings a shot out at the big critter, hoping beyond hope to actually hit his target this time... but his hopes are in vain as the stone ricochets into the stone wall behind him. "Oh my..."
Seeing Zeke struggling to stand, the gardener sighs a quick breath before beginning to climb across the chasm to use his healing touch upon him... he instead lands on his back upon the dead centipede below with a loud smack. "Ooof!"
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Grappled and in the jaws of the giant tic Ezekial is staggered as blood gushes from the near fatal wound. Multiple spells target him as well helping to seal his doom. Twisting in the grip of the tic he thrusts his cold iron kukri up at its rider in a last defiant act. As the blade hits he manages Bastard! before he slumps over unconscious and begins to bleed.
Connor leaps to the edge next to Ezekial drawing his axe on the way roaring a challenge at the tick as he swings a the disgusting creature.
"Blighted unseelie filth," Seres taunts as he moves to the edge of the chasm and points at the mite, sending a bright spark at it.
;
Ezekial plunges his dagger into the tick in a heroic final strike before falling unconscious. Connor scrambles up onto the ledge but is unable to land a solid hit on the tick . Aldarion's sling stone ricochets wildly off the cavern ceiling. The druid then slips on his climb down and slides down hard to the dead centipede . Seres fires a bolt of energy at the mite on the tick and burns it badly.
The giant tick continues to bleed Ezekial . The mite curses at Seres and attempts to invoke the sorcerer's doom, but he fails to maintain his concentration. Mikmek scrambles up over Ezekial's unconscious body and attacks the tick, but is unable to hit.
Four additional mites enter the fray. One attacks Connor, but is unable to penetrate the cavalier's armor.
The gardener gets back onto his feet, groaning in pain as he does so. He rubs his lower back as he closes in on the other side of the chasm. He gives Connor a look to get rid of the mite just above him, so he can attempt to climb up without any more difficulty than his own arthritic knee and achy back can provide.
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"They really shouldn't group up like that..." Seres laments before casting a sleepy enchantment on the new arrivals.
Connor hits the giant tick hard with his axe. The tick releases Ezekial and lunges at Connor in retaliation, but it's fangs are deflected harmlessly by the cavalier's armor. The tick's rider continues to scream and point at Connor, "Kill him now, Tickleback! What are you waiting for?"
Aldarion holds, looking for a opening on the ledge. Mikmek swings his axe at the monstrous tick, but is again unable to penetrate the creatures thick skin. Seres casts a spell and two of the four mites drop. One of the mites steps up and attacks Connor, but is unable to hit him.
; left to right
Sweating from exertion, Connor adjusts his footing. "Al, I can't make room for you here, see if you can hold on to the rope and heal him. This bloodsucking spider-thing has got to die ... ooomph!"
He accentuates the last with a great overhand chop, but slips in the ichor.
Seres targets the mite leader with an electric spark.
;
With the passage free above him, Aldarion attempts to climb up. At last, the aging druid manages to overcome his arthritic knee and sore back, and kneels down beside Zeke.
He meditates briefly over Zeke, humming a healing mantra. Hovering his outstretched palm over the scout's chest, a green-hued energy radiates from his hand and enters Zeke's chest.
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Connor continues battling the giant tick but is unable to land his axe. Seres fires another bolt of energy at the tick's rider and burns him again. Aldarion reaches over the ledge and heals Ezekial. The rogue opens his eyes to realize that the battle still rages around him .
The tick leaps at Connor and is able to dig his fangs into the cavalier .
Mikmek attacks the tick but is unable to hit. The mite attacking Connor is again unable to hit.
Seres continues to target the tick rider with shocking bolts.
;
To the likely concern of his nearby allies who spot him, Aldarion whips out his sling once more. Loading it, he begins to whirl it overhead. The gardener, untrained in the art of war, takes aim and hopes to hit something ugly this time.
Hopefully, not Mikmek...
Reeling from the bite, Connor changes tactics swinging at a nearby mite to drop it and follow up in its space making room for his companions.
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While in the clenches of the giant tick, Connor manages to swing his axe and kill the mite attacking him. Ezekial moves to the safety of the chasm. Aldarion loads his sling while hanging onto the chasm ledge. Seres once again hits the mite leader with another jolt, but is unable to kill him.
The giant tick begins to drain blood from Connor . Mikmek again attacks the tick but can't penetrate it's natural armor. The mite leader, severely wounded, curses and attempts to dismount, but in so doing lands hard on his head and does not get up. The last mite withdraws screaming into the darkness.
Connor swings at the tick again.
"Zeke, get through here and flank this clown before he sucks me dry."
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Seres tries to finish off the mite leader with another jolt of electricity.
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With a wing and a prayer, the gardener attempts to strike something with a bullet. If the fleeing mite still flees after his allies attack, he aims for the mite.
Otherwise, he attempts to strike the tick. And, hopefully, not strike Connor instead...
...and when the gardener hears the sound of a direct hit, his first reaction is to look around at his fellow agents, with an apologetic expression upon his face, to see who he accidentally hit...