"So there's 6 buildings left. We could continue as we've gone, counter clockwise until we're through, but we should be careful. Kar's taken some damage, and Mr. Nanjet looks pretty beat up."
I should be fine. I stay near the rear and protect Grandfather. Let us continue if everyone is ready.
Jader surveys the interior of what is obviously a smithy. There's no doubt as to the buildings worth, specifically to the apparently warlike Ghosthater goblins. The outside worktable is covered with a few tools and pieces of metalwork such as weapons, tools, and farming implements abandoned halfway through being forged or repaired. The water in the cooling tub is filthy with soot, ash, and charcoal residue.
The living quarters inside have a tussled pile of soiled blankets, and is in disarray with tools carelessly strewn all over. The goblins' work, no doubt.
A few pieces of exceptional craftsmanship can be found among the mess the goblins created. Jader finds two well-made machetes, a well-made chain shirt, and a seemingly magical darkwood buckler. He also salvages 40 metal arrowheads, which could save some time in the future re-colonization of this place.
"Grandfath..." he begins to ask as the realization hits. "Oh! Ha! You mean me...I tell ya what, I used to be a much younger and spry fellow myself. Why this one time..." he dives in, regaling Kar about what he could have done in his younger days...given the chance.
Noticing the forge, he remarks midsentence "Besides I could have....hmm that was lit recently. Within 7 moons...let me see that shield there."
After Posh attempts to identify the magical properties of the darkwood shield Jader announces ”This shield could be of some use to someone who would like to take it? Also these machetes look to be of fine workmanship they may come in handy, and if anyone has skills with fletching then these arrowheads are useful too. I suggest we follow Tess’s recommendations to continue to investigate the settlement.”
"Unless anyone else feels strongly drawn to it, I'd like to have the buckler. I didn't bring any shield with me to the colony, but it seems this place might be more dangerous than I anticipated."
Tess looks over to the next building. "... and I have an uneasy feeling this might just be the tip of the iceberg..."
Nodding slowly, Posh holds the buckler out to the lady. "Of course dear. If we manage to get you a better shield though, don't toss this out. It may have further use for the group."
Glancing around the compound, he smiles sheepishly. "Meat shields, lead on." he announces with a wink.
You cross over the main entry and exit, or at least on of them, to the outpost, and you glance out to the west where the dock extends out into the water. You come upon the next building in line - this mud building has a door facing east and one shuttered window. Above the door is a plain wooden sign that reads. "Tool House."
The door is unlatched, and easily pushes inward to reveal the contents of the building, which are useful but unremarkable. Hanging on the wall from hooks and nails are an assortment of tools, such as hammers, handsaws, hatchets, machetes, trowels, and the like. Various other implements such as makeshift ladders, barrels of tar, and shovels are stacked or otherwise arrayed about the room.
Glancing about the contents, you realize that there is no way the original colonists could relocate successfully without taking these tools.
You see one thing out of the ordinary - a wooden box with the words " Emergency Only" carved on the lid sits on a shelf.
Remember the chapel. Kar says in warning.
Kalathiel enters the building with his blade drawn, ready for another fight that never actually materializes. He lowers his rapier as he moves around, looking over the tools arrayed about the room. The elf lightly kicks one of the barrels with his foot. He shrugs when nothing happens.
"If it were going to throw things at us, it would already have done so," Kalathiel replies to Kar's warning. He quickly adds, "Probably."
He takes interest in the wooden box sitting up on the shelf. He slides his blade back in its scabbard and goes to inspect the box.
From the safety of the doorway, Posh glances inside. Quickly asking the powers he wields to show him the prettiies, he casts a spell.
"I say, it looks safe enough....I'll stay here though...just to be safe."
Neither the interior of the tool house or the box radiate any magic. Kalathiel picks up the box and gives it a quick look, finding that it has a simple lock.
Kalathiel sets the box down and begins to fiddle with the lock on it.
Kalathiel takes his time, and is able to open the box easily with his full concentration. He opens it to reveal two vials of alchemist's fire, and one set that appears to be a swarmsuit.
”Nice find Kalathiel those things may be useful. Especially since the box said in case of emergency. That leads me to think that this emergency has happened before so we should be on our guard. Let’s continue our search shall we?”
Exiting the tool shed, you continue to the north to the next building in line. This rectangular building is constructed of mud brick walls. The building has a simple door facing east, but unlike all other buildings in the colony, it lacks any windows. A heady smell of dried plants, herbs, and dried meat lingers in the air.
The door is slightly ajar, giving you a view of the interior. Inside, the ground has been dug out to a depth of about 3 feet so that the floor is lower than the ground outside. A short flight of steps set with flat stones leads into this darkened area, lit only by any ambient light coming through the door.
Eyeing the open door with caution, Posh winks to Jader and calls out...
"We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up and no one will get hurt!"
"Think they bought it?"
Tessamine takes in the smells of the building. "Some kind of central food cellar, possibly?"
She thinks for a second. "And left intact, I'd wager. Curious. All creatures we've faced seem to have just squatted here after the fact. There don't seem to be any signs of great struggles or invasion forces. But at the same time, with all the foodstuffs and valuables and magic swords still lying around here, it doesn't seem like there was any large-scale migrations to other sides of the island either... It really is like everyone just vanished in a heartbeat."
Tessa, I believe that you are correct. Or they left under some sort of enchantment. It is also worth noting that none of the sentient creatures we've encountered so far have chosen to squat here, so close to available food. Which means either the food has spoiled beyond the point of edible or that something more dangerous is already taken up residence here. Be cautious.
"Just up and left under an enchantment? That's an interesting thought... And a slightly frightening one. Could there be something out there that can enchant an entire colony..? But I'm getting sidetracked. Let's finish up our exploration here. Anything of note in the cellar, Kal, Jader?"
Jader notices nothing odd within the gloom.
Jader draws his glowing green longsword and his shield and defensively enters the darkened building
As soon as Jader pushes through the door and lets a large amount of light into the room, small skittering creatures scurry out of every crevice. No doubt they had been complacent in the darkness, but the ambient light from outside and a glowing green sword entering their midst has stirred them into a frenzy.
As one, hundreds - maybe thousands of tiny bugs scurry out of the darkness at the intruders!
"OH MY!" shrieks Posh. "What is...are those?!"
Snapping his fingers, the gnomes eyes light up. "Oh yeah! That's called a...."
Not really knowing what all is going on, and being in the back of the group, Kar will take a defensive posture and remind Posh to stay away from the danger.
Standard action= Full Defense
Grandfather, stay back. These creatures appear agitated.
”Back up everyone there looks to be a swarm of strange insects coming this way! Kar I need that alchemists fire please!”
I don't have them! Kal does!
Posh is certain that this is a swarm or cockroaches - he'd often heard the horrible clacking sound of their thousands of little legs in his nightmares. As a swarm, these will be nearly impossible to harm with normal weapons...Jader may be right indeed.
Vashina backpedals out of the building, and calls in through the open door. Pull back! We can better prepare!
The swarm surges forward, quickly enveloping Jader. The swirling torrent of vile little insects crawl, scamper, and bite, finding flesh.
Kar will swing his fist in a downward motion, trying to smash as many as he can.
For his AOO Jader smashes and brushes at the insects crawling on him
Tess responds to the sudden onslaught of bugs with a few fierce jabs from her trusted trident, not immediately realizing the weapon might not be a good fit against these creatures.
Kalathiel grimaces as the swarm materializes and presses forward. I hate it when this happens!
He swings at the mass of bugs with his rapier, but it proves to be about as effective as one might expect.
"AAAIIIIEEEEEE!" squeals the small man as he takes the advice of the youngsters. "Uh...yeah you all gotta burn it! Burn it!"
Hobbling backwards out of the building, he calls out "You can't smash enough with weapons before they bring you down. N-n-n-need to use his fire bottle!"
Kal throw that alchemist fire on the swarm. Don’t worry about me I’m dead anyway if we can’t stop them from gnawing on me! Jader grimaces in pain as he attempts to cast healing magic on himself Kal! Throw it as soon as my Spell is uttered. I will try to heal myself as the fire hits just kill as many as you can with that fire!
Jader fights the urge to swat bugs as he chants the healing words of a cure light wounds spell
Burn them? Very well Grandfather. Then they shall burn. With that, Kar's fists ignite with fire and he attacks the swarm quickly.
Bludgeoning and
Bludgeoning and
As the swarm encompasses Jader, those nearby swat, stomp, slice, and slam in an attempt to kill off enough of the little insects to stop the swirling swarm. However, the strikes barely disturb the scrabbling mass - the roaches simply move around the strikes in a wave and reform around Jader.
Posh moves out of the building, yelling as he goes.
Vashina
Swarm
Tess
Posh
Kal
Jader - casting CLW; correct no con needed since its a standard action
Kalathiel grimaces again before digging into his pack. Once he finds one of the vials of alchemist's fire, he quickly prepares it but pauses before throwing it. "Get out of the building if you can before I throw this thing!" he yells out, then proceeds to move out through the doorway. "I don't want to be the guy who burned down you and the storehouse."
Realizing nothing she can do will be very effective against the swarm, Tess retreats out and positions herself next to Posh, hoping to at least be able to draw the swarm away from the elderly wizard if they were to come for him.
"I can't believe we had a bunch of bugs get the drop on us!"
Kar actually manages to pass a strike through the mass and, though his fist doesn't connect, the flaming trail from the strikes causes several of the diminuitive creatures to sizzle and pop.
The swarm once again swirls around Jader, scrabbling and biting.
Vashina
Swarm
Tess
Posh
Kal
Jader
Vashina backpedals out of the building, and calls in through the open door. Pull back! We can better prepare!
The swarm surges forward, quickly enveloping Jader. The swirling torrent of vile little insects crawl, scamper, and bite, finding flesh.
[Dice=damage]1d6
Kar will gtfo.
But before he goes, he will use the aid another action to "attack" the swarm.
Successful aide to Kal to use the alchemist fire, then a move action to get away from the swarm and out of the building.
Tess will just Total Defense, because she really has no good way of dealing with this.
Jader still wreathing from the pain and expecting the flames to ignite the bugs and possibly even himself any moment. He cringes at the thought and casts cure light wounds again on himself
Feeling utterly and completely useless, Posh nopes a few more steps away. "You need to get out of there." he advises, squeezing his eyes shut for fear of a companions demise.
Kalathiel stands with the alchemist's fire in hand, weighing his options.
Damn it, you should have moved. Deciding he can't keep stalling, he steps forward and throws the alchemist's fire, aiming to hit at the part of the swarm furthest from Jader.