Caldariel strode forward, peering through his Oni mask at the undead rats. He tsked at the nearest one as he reached it. His fighting style was based around using pressure points to maximize the pain from his strokes, but what was the point against the undead? Deciding to just aim for the pterion, the weakest part of the skull, he punched the rat without hesitation. His size and training made the attack as deadly as that of a monk…
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REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Caldariel's punch is forceful enough to utterly destroy his target: The rat twitches once and then lies still.
Slinging her bow over her shoulder with a grunt of displeasure, Arani draws a short sword from its sheath across her lower back. She didn't relish close quarters combat, especially with rats, but arrows weren't going to be all that effective.
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REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
When Caldariel eliminates the first rat, it twitches once before expiring...and then explodes in a mess of gore that covers an area about five feet out from where the corpse had been .
These undead rats are dire rat plague zombies. They have the usual undead traits, but interestingly don't have the damage reduction regular zombies normally have. Instead of filth fever, these things are usually diseased with--and can transmit through their bites--whatever illness killed them and transformed them into the undead.
When destroyed, the corpse of a plague zombie explodes, exposing adjacent creatures to whatever disease it's carrying.
Eyes going wide as the disgusting explosion of rotting gore plasters Caladriel, Arani quickly decides against switching to using her sword. It might take more arrows to bring these things down, but she sure as hell wasn't going to fight them up close.
Uttering a prayer to Milani, she runs a finger along her bowstring, feeling it begin to thrum with power.
This was turning out to be one of the times that Caldariel was glad that he was wearing appropriate garb. And while his oni mask did not protect against disease, it at least kept the gore out of his mouth…
Seeing the disgusting rats, particularly when the one exploded, Falina decided she wasn't getting near them. Instead she chanted and gestured and sent a volley of magical bolts at the one furthest from her companions.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Falina blasts the farthest zombie rat with a volley of three magic missiles, but it's not quite enough to destroy/explode the monster. T'chazzar moves to support Caldariel, mithral blades at the ready. The silent undead beasts lumber toward the party's warriors, but only one is quick enough to also get a bite in, its teeth bouncing off Dom's shield.
Everyone notices ripples in the sewer water as one or two submerged threats move toward the party; it's unknown yet what lurks in the murky water.
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Caldariel walked forward to the next rat, raised a foot and brought it down on the creature's head. He felt the bones crack beneath his boot, followed by the 'pop' of the creature exploding. His oni mask remained emotionless, though beneath it his eyes showed disappointment. Where was the fun in destroying that which could not feel pain?
Dom swipes at the rats in front of him with his sword, then grabs for his belt. Next time, drink the stuff before you go in, dummy!
Not wanting to waste the spell Falina pulled out her missile wand and launched one single bolt at the rat she nearly destroyed hoping that would be enough.
Knowing the rats would be resistant to her arrows, Arani fires a pair of shots into the other rat directly in front of Dom
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Caldariel and Dom take out two more rats, while Falina's lone wand-summoned magic missile is sufficient to destroy (and detonate) the zombie rat she wounded previously. Arani fires two arrows into the rat a bit north of the one Dom hacked down, and it bursts like a gigantic disease-ridden pimple.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
T'chazzar readies an attack should whatever's swimming in the sewage get close enough. Both underwater threats partially surface, revealing themselves to be nothing worse than more zombified dire rats. They swim close to Dom and Caldariel & T'chazzar, but they'll probably have to climb up onto the sewer walkways to attack effectively. The rat fighting Dom snaps its jaws in vain; likewise, T'chazzar's unable to strike the partially submerged rat nearest him.
While getting covered with the bits and gore of exploding zombie rats is never pleasant, you're surprised that you're immediately feeling some aftereffects. You feel a touch woozy, fuzzy-brained, and tired.
Game Effects: -1 Con, -3 Wis, and fatigued.
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With ease, Caldariel brought a foot down onto the neck of another rat. He did not strike as hard as he might have, as he was doing his best to ensure that when it inevitably exploded, the gore and viscera would not reach his face or exposed skin.
Domitius reels as the rat's remains do a number on him. Still trying to hold it together, he lashes out at the rat that's left on the ledge, and steps up to chop at the other one if it shows itself.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Caldariel and Domitius demolish two of the remaining rats, leaving the one swimming in the filthy water near the half-orc as the only apparent threat.
Falina used the wand in her hand to fire off a magical missile to strike the remaining dire rat.
Arani continues firing at the surviving rat, watching for the ripples in the water.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Between Falina's magic missile and Arani's second arrow, the last zombie rat is destroyed. The reverberations of the beast's post-death explosion echo throughout the subterranean passage for a few moments before the ambient sounds of dripping and slowly-moving water return.
A little more winded that he'd have ever expected, Dom gathers himself. Good work, let's get, uh..." he shakes his head trying to get right, "...let's keep on it. Arani, bow fire might count for a lot if we see more of that stuff. Maybe more to the front, reduce the risk of one of us blocking a target?"
Taking a deep breath, Arani moves forward, bow ready, as she picks her steps, trying to avoid scattered zombie rat bits.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
To the north, the sewer passage branches east and west. The sound of rat-like squeaking can be heard echoing in the distance, and with a little effort the party is able to determine the animal noises come from the west. Arani also finds rat tracks--some large, some tiny--in the slimy dirt on the sewer shelf. The smaller prints are strange, pointing in all directions, with many a drag or stumble apparent from their randomness. The jumble is consistent with what one might expect from the tangle of rats Dom described the Gray Queen to be.
"It would seem that we are on the right trail. Let us engage the rats from a distance, if we can." He glanced at Domitius, taking in that the warrior was certainly diseased. His eyes slid off his comrade. With his oni-mask on, the concerns of medicine and treating others felt distant. What mattered was finding the source of this contagion and removing it.
Domitius nods in agreement with Caldariel. "Yeah, that was pretty awful." Dom sheathes his sword and draws his bow. Frowning with concentration, he utters, "If they engage, we all back, firing as we go, then I'll go back to swords when we're out of maneuvering room."
Moving a bit ahead of the others, Arani scouts the area seeking their quarry.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Around the next corner, the party is met with another choice: The shelf heading south is 10 feet wide, allowing a pair of heroes to fight abreast; but immediately on the eastern wall, a hole about 6 feet tall and nearly as wide has been tunneled into the sewer passage. Entering this area will likely require the party to move single file. As if to taunt you forward, a serious of rat squeaks sound from the darkness of the warren of tighter natural tunnels.
"Looks like whatever we're looking for is through this hole, and as much as this feels like a trap, it's clearly been recently dug." Arani says, indicating the opening.
Taking a moment, she draws a vial from her belt, popping the wax seal and quickly downing the violet liquid, before looking across at the eastern wall again. "We'll have to go single file. Shall we carry on?"
"Oh, without a doubt this is a trap." Caldariel said in an urbane tone. "I shall take up the rear then, for the inevitable ambush that we are walking into."
With a nod, Arani jumps down, leading the way through the dark hole, with her weapon trained ahead of her.
"We've willingly walked into worse." Figuring the quarters will be tighter, Dom switches back to his sword and heads in.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
It quickly becomes obvious to Dom that the party's on the right trail: The nice cushion he and Davina presented to the Gray Queen the last time they met with it lies discarded against one wall, ripped up and soiled.
The Queen herself is scrabbling in a 10' x 10' open chamber to the east; from the south comes more squeaking as several mangy dire rats--similar in appearance to the undead ones fought earlier but with a spark of life and cunning in their eyes--scurry forward to defend their queen.
You notice a glint of metal amid the mass of tied-together rat tails on the Gray Queen.
The Gray Queen is a rat king, a strange amalgamation of rats whose tails have become tied together. The mass of rats has taken on one personality and a sort of hive mind, becoming what is classified as a magical beast. As with most rats, a rat king is a carrier of virulent disease.
Rat kings can communicate with rats of all types. The disease they usually carry--bubonic plague--can be transferred not only with bites but inhaled by creatures in close proximity to the beast.
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The dire rat 'court' of the Gray Queen look similar to the undead plague zombie rats you fought earlier, except they're not undead yet. (Or are they?) They're definitely diseased, but seem to be walking a fine line between living and undead.
Arani (40/40; gravity bow (40+/40+ rds.))
Caldariel (43/43)
Domitius (44/44; diseased (-1 Con, -3 Wis, fatigued)
Falina (26/26; mage armor--5 hours)
T’chazzar (34/34)
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Dom looks at the cramped tunnels, and, not seeing much choice, moves to cut off the rats' path to Arani.
"I thought we were going to try peacefully coexisting. Spreading plagues wasn't part of the deal!"
The elf strode forward, smiling beneath his oni mask. Reaching the first rat he kicked it viciously in the face.
Responding t the obvious act of hostility, Arani quickly fires off a pair of shots at the rat directly in front of her, as Dom faces off with the Rat Queen.
T'chazzar draws both of his swords and takes a few steps forward to support Dom.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Dom reluctantly puts some hurt on the grotesque Gray Queen. Her rat components squeak and squeal in unison in what almost sounds like a sentence.
"We burns! Metal tangled in tails...buuuurns!"
T'chazzar moves to support Dom against the mad queen, risking a nip from the amalgamated beast in the process as he prepares to bring both his blades to bear. The smell of sickness and decay coming off the rat king/queen is horrific.
Elsewhere in the warren, Caldariel bashes in the skull of another dire rat minion. Falina ponders briefly how she can best be of use in the fight, deciding that maybe a barrage of magic missiles can take out an oversized rat with each casting. If so, that'll help keep her new ally, Caldariel, from being swarmed. Indeed, her missiles blast one of the big rats to the floor.
The Gray Queen manages to bite both Dom (multiple hits for a total of 13 damage) and T'chazzar (one hit, 3 damage) in a flash of yellow-brown teeth. One of the bigger rats manages to just elude Caldariel's defenses, drawing a trickle of blood (2 damage).
Arani (40/40; gravity bow (40+/40+ rds.))
Caldariel (41/43; disease?)
Domitius (31/44; diseased (-1 Con, -3 Wis, fatigued)
Falina (26/26; mage armor--5 hours)
T’chazzar (31/34; disease?)
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Trying to pick the best spot to strike the mass of rats, Domitius sidesteps and brings his Falcata to bear.
Caldariel shrugged off the bite and the disease that came with it. He had been exposed to far worse in his time. Taking the rat with both hands he lifted it up and in one swift movement snapped it’s neck.
T'chazzar, too, shrugs off the nip and stabs away with both blades!
Arani fires another pair of shots at the Rat Queen, hoping to bring it down swiftly.
Falina was glad to see her theory on dealing with the rats worked as one went down so she quickly cast her spell again and sent another flurry of magical bolts at yet another rat.
REDROOF DISTRICT (Sewer-Realm of the Gray Queen; Desnus 4)
Caldariel and Falina eliminate the last two diseased dire rats...but the two already dispatched shudder and return to the battle as undead plague zombies! Meanwhile, Arani, Dom, and T'chazzar continue to press the Gray Queen, who looks like she can't take a whole lot more punishment before she expires. But she intends to go down fighting....
T'chazzar's bitten and chewed on three times and Dom's nipped once .
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Faced with two unpleasant alternatives, Dom decides on the option that ends the threat sooner. Putting the tip of his falcata through the rat's corpse, he then swings back around to try and catch the Queen.
It was no time for words, not when there were about to be exploding rodents. Caldariel stomped down on one of the creatures with feeling, ensuring that it did not rise to bother them.