Pezock does not seem to hear Lorenz's remark. He's too busy talking quietly to his sword about the glory they will soon attain. "Provided, of course, this blasted walking ever ends," he can be heard to say at one point.
A bit of rain in the afternoon helps to break the heat a little, but alas, it's not a lot of rain and the remainder of the day continues to be sweltering, not really starting to cool until the sun starts to get low on the horizon.
Apart from that, however, the day is uneventful and calm. You set up camp on a small hillock in the grassy plains. There's a good view from here of the surrounding area.
"How much farther to Kalabuto?" Pezock asks almost immediately as the group decides to stop for the evening.
"A few more days," Shokambe replies with a hint of a smile.
"Bah!" Pezock snorts. "You always say a few more days. On Smuggler's Shiv, I could get anywhere in just a few days. This place is too big."
After an uncomfortably hot, but otherwise peaceful night, you set out again under the unrelentingly hot sun. After a break in the afternoon for the savage midday heat, you continue on for a couple more miles before reaching an unusual sight: A collection of snaking mounds about three feet high spreads across the savanna like an alien land formation. Some twist and wind for several hundred yards, while others sink back into the soil after only a few yards.
Shokambe bends down to examine the first of them . After a few moments, he stands back up. "They're burrows, he says. "And they're relatively new. The creatures that dug them are quite large and insectile as best I can tell. They're undoubtedly still out there somewhere. We can cross over them if you like, but I can't guarantee the stability of the ground. There's no telling how many tunnels the creatures have dug. Also, the creatures could come at us at any time. We could go around, but depending how wide-ranging the tunnels are, it could cost time, hopefully no more than a few hours."
Lorenz looks nervously at the ground. "I really don't like the sound of that. Can we go around them?" He begins to move more carefully, testing the ground with his toes before applying his entire weight.
Lorenz finds himself wishing he'd cut a staff from the jungle so he could prod more effectively at the ground with it.
"It probably wouldn't harm our progress to go around," Jask suggests. "In fact, if the ground collapses under us, it could cost us more time getting back out then it would just going around."
"It's a wise observation," Mahjik nods. "Let's get around this. We may already be on top of it - so maybe backtrack a little first?"
"Don't forget we are on something of a timetable. Going around could take more time than we have. Maybe Douena could find us a safe path through." Urza turns to Douena.
"If we fight, someone will likely get hurt or fall in a hole, causing us to use time an magical healing. If we go around, we only risk a little lost time."
"Didn't you hear what Jask said, Urza?" Lorenz asks. "Getting stuck in a pit won't be an efficient use of time."
"Wise man would follow a decision, however good or bad it may be - rather than lounge indecisively. That one is an original. Paraphrase."
"I'm not afraid of some unstable ground or giant insects!" Pezock declares. He points forward with his sword. "I say we go on! If we fall into an underground cave, it might just be more interesting than this boring grass."
"I wonder if they're like the skritchy-doll tunnels," Douena ponders. "I don't think I ever did get to explore all of them. But no one made these on purpose; they're not like traps," she tells Urza. "I can't fix them so no one will fall in. And you guys are awfully big and stompy."
"I was merely offering another option. Let's go around."
Pezock grumbles a bit about everyone being cowards, but acquiesces relatively quickly to going around the area. It turns out to be a fairly large area, but according to Shokambe, it could have been much worse. It costs you a couple hours of time, but overall, you still haven't lost what you gained from cutting through the mine. By late afternoon, you make it to the other side and continue as if there had been no interruption.
A heavy downpour in the evening helps take the edge off the heat as you set up camp. "How much longer?" Pezock asks for the bajillionth time.
"How much longer do you think?" is the only answer Shokambe supplies him with. Pezock scowls.
Lorenz smiles. "I'm sure it won't be much longer now." He can't help being amused by the little fellow's impatience.
Sasha nods at Lorenz's response. "About one day less than was left yesterday, I'd think," she says with a smile.
Pezock continues to scowl.
"At least we have some rain to cool us off. Imagine if the rain had started while we traveled the bug grounds earlier. Stuck in a sinkhole filling with water wouldn't have been enjoyable."
Lorenz's smile falters a little. "I prefer trying to avoid holes in the ground in general. They can be most unpleasant to fall into." He wrinkles his nose, recalling the moonless night early in his travels when he'd accidentally stumbled into the latrine pit while on watch.
After a pleasant night, you continue on the next morning. The heat seems a little less intense today. It's still hot, but it's a relief nonetheless. You've only travelled for a little over an hour, when you spot movement ahead, large figures moving through the grasses.
It's not unusual to spot animals in the distance, but this instance marks itself as different quite quickly when a large insect-like head with snapping pincers peers up above the grass. Its eyes immediately settle on the party and it lets out a loud chirping noise. Five other insect heads rise above the grass.
Order: Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Creatures, Mahjik.
"Excitement at last!" Pezock yells. "Charge!" He takes off ahead towards the creatures, drawing his sabre as he moves .
Next Up: Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Creatures, Mahjik, Pezock.
Mage Armor on Majhik. Move 20' straight ahead.
"Save some for me, Pezock!" Makoa calls out as he runs after the tengu. "The early bird doesn't always get the bug!"
An invisible field of protection springs up around Mahjik at Urza's touch. Urza then moves forward.
Not wasting any time, Sasha springs forward, pulling out her weapons , followed closely by Makoa.
"Shouldn't we perhaps..." Shokambe starts to say, but realizes no one's waiting for consultations. He pulls out his mace and moves forward to stay with the group, but behind those now in the lead
Jask moves over beside Lorenz and lays a hand on his shoulder. "May your aim be true," he says.
Next Up: Ishirou, Douena, Creatures, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask.
Lorenz glances at Shokambe as he reaches for an arrow and unslings his bow. "Do you think those are the things that make those burrows? Watch out for holes in the ground!" He shouts ahead.
Lorenz moves more slowly, readying his arrow but not shooting for the moment.
"They could be," Shokambe replies.
"They're ankhegs," Jask says. "Be careful! They're acidic!"
With a nod at Jask's words, Ishirou moves forward, pulling out his katana .
Next Up: Creatures, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou.
"Pezock! Wait for me!" Douena rushes after the tengu.
As Douena rushes forward, the ankhegs chitter loudly and begin forward.
Next Up: Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs.
"Is it wise to rush them if we think they can make sink holes?" He casts Mage Armor on himself.
Mahjik moves forward . His eyes keep a sharp lookout for a surprise assault from behind.
Mahjik makes his way cautiously forward.
Pezock continues forward, waving his sword gleefully while Urza casts a mage armour spell on himself. Sasha continues forward as well .
Next Up: Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha.
Oops!I forgot to put in my movement. 20' forward again please.
Oops!I forgot to put in my movement. 20' forward again please.
Thinking of the taste of acidic bugs and grimacing, Makoa continues to rush forward to get it over with.
Shokambe follows just behind Makoa . Jask also hurries forward .
Next Up: Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask.
Lorenz keeps moving carefully closer until he's fairly certain he's in range of one of the giant insects. He stops, lifts his bow and pulls back on the arrow, concentrating on a weak looking spot on the creature's exoskeleton before loosing.
The shot feels wrong from the moment he releases the arrow. "Curses!"
Lorenz's shot flies wide, landing in the grasses well past the creature.
Ishirou continues forward .
Next Up: Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou.
Douena glances back and forth between Pezock and Sasha, both of whom have displayed a troubling propensity to run into danger and get themselves into trouble quickly. "Wish they'd stick together," she grumbles. "I can't be in two places at once. Have to be quick on my feet, Desna," she implores before dashing forward with a sudden burst of speed.
As Douena moves forward at high speed, several of the ankhegs also pick up speed, creating a light rumbling sound as they crash forward. The two in the rear continue at the slower pace.
The charging beasts bite into each of their opponents with acid-covered mandibles, tearing away bits of flesh. Sasha and Ishirou are particularly badly hurt. Ishirou looks close to collapsing from just the one attack.
Mahjik moves up closer.
Pezock growls at #5, which attacked him, but quickly rolls away from it, moving instead around to flank #4, avoiding retaliation from both .
The tengu's blade slices open a long gash on the side of the ankheg's carapace.
Next Up: Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock.
Move to G13 and cast Magic Missile at 01
Urza's spell slams into the face of #1, leaving a noticeable dent, but seems only a minor annoyance to the beast.
Sasha grimaces from the pain of the attack against her. "I really have to learn to be a little less rambunctious, don't I?" she says to Douena as she attacks.
Her rapier merely slides along a mandible without causing harm, but she manages to cut open a small wound with her kukri by the joint of one of its front legs.
Next Up: Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha.
Growling fiercely, Makoa lashes out repeatedly with axe and fang.
Makoa's vicious attack leaves the ankheg's carapace cracked and broken in several places. The beast still stands, but it wobbles on its six legs, looking as though it could collapse at any moment.
Shokambe moves swiftly beside Makoa and attacks.
His mace smashes the neck of the ankheg, which crumples over.
Jask hurries forward to help Ishirou .
Next Up: Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask.
Lorenz moves closer and fires another arrow, though his worry for Sasha makes it difficult to concentrate.
Lorenz's arrow lodges right into a gap in ankheg's carapace, just beneath its eye. The beast chitters in annoyance.
Just as the arrow strikes and before the ankheg realizes what is happening, Ishirou strikes, his katana slicing under the mouth and down the throat. The beast chitters loudly, almost like a screech.
Next Up: Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou.
"You don't always have to be the first to get hurt," Douena agrees with Sasha, pulling a new wand from her pack and touching it to the redhead's back. "Let someone else do it once in a while."
"Thanks," Sasha says as a few of her wounds close over from the touch of Douena's wand.
Badly injured, Ankheg #1 takes a step back and spits a stream of acid that sprays over Ishirou and Jask.
Ishirou ducks and rolls out of the way of the stream. Jask tries to do the same, but only avoids a portion of it.
#2 bites again at Sasha, but she spins aside just in time. #3 and #6 both lower there heads and begin swiping at the ground, burrowing down with incredible speed. In moments, they have disappeared beneath the ground. You can just hear a hint of rumbling and feel the tiniest bit of shaking on the ground as they tunnel along .
#5 rushes forward, snapping its mandibles around Mahjik's waste and biting deep.
Next Up: Pezock, Urza, Sasha, Makoa, Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs.
"ARGH! Faster than they look," Mahjik yells in surprise. He tries to respond with quick knocks against the hard shell - but the sudden pain has numbed his actions.
Urza continues to target 01 with Magic Missiles and moves to F18
Mahjik is unable to hit the ankheg.
Laughing gleefully over the fallen ankheg, Pezock scurries over to #5 to flank it with Mahjik .
Unfortunately, the tengu trips over a small rock as he swings his sword and his attack goes wide.
Urza shoots off another pair of missiles that slam into #1. The roof of the creature's head collapses from the impact and the beast slumps over.
Feeling invigorated by the healing, Sasha lashes out at #2. However, both her blades merely scrape across the beast's carapace without penetrating it.
Next Up: Shokambe, Jask, Lorenz, Ishirou, Douena, Ankhegs, Mahjik, Pezock, Urza, Sasha.