Gregori shifts his large blade awkward in the cramped space. Almost immediately after he begins his swing he can tell that the strike is one of his worst, putting his squad members in more danger than the vermin they face.
Then he feels it, the divine fury of Ragathiel take hold of his body, redirecting his muscles, clearing his mind, guiding his movements into a sword stroke that could only be described as perfect.
Nessa swings again as a bug finishes biting her again.
Anevia nods at Eudocia's earlier comment "Aye, a sword... I'm not as skilled as with my bow... but few arrows survived the fall."
"Arrows I have ... I hope," Eudocia replies with a touch of worry as to how her own quiver might have fared in the crush of debris. "For now, keep your sword ready if the beetles get past us." Her own rapier in hand, Docia takes a breath and moves forward, skirting the wall at her right hand, before stepping forward and jabbing at the cockroach at the end of the line from the opposite direction, hoping to divide its attention between herself and the front line.
Though Nessa's blade sings only through the air and into earth, Gregori's divinely guided sword fares much better. With a brutal cleave he shears off the back section of the roach before him entire. Defying logic though, the beast still struggles on to fight with what is left of it's abdomen.
Eudocia's words are met with a brief hopeful look and nod from Anevia, as she skirts the conflict and comes upon the roaches from the rear. Her thrust is well aimed, but slow and the roach manages to scuttle to one side and avoid it.
Initiative Tracker (Round 2): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
Theodric can't draw a bead without endangering his companions, but in his search for an exposed roach carapace he notes the fluid spewing out of the wounded vermin.
These things are resilient, sure, but those two are fading fast. He points at the wounded roaches from the (relative) safety of the back line.
Theodric takes a long term view towards the back of the group with the other members of your group who are incapacitated through hobbling, blinding and cowardice. Anevia draws her steel and puts Aravashnial to her back as she stands guard over the tunnel from which you came as Horgus remains useless to one side.
Harrol steps back and looses the third of his stones at the roach that has been bisected by Gregori's blade. The ensorcelled stone flies true and hits the beast solidly in it's head, blasting through carapace and what serves for the roach's brain and ending it's short life.
Aarol steps back again and drives his spear forward at a roach...
Cold Iron Longspear: for
...though his aim is off and the spear bites through only earth.
The roaches that remain then continue to gnash and tear...
Bite at Nessa:
Bite at Nessa:
Bite at Aarol: for
...the halfling fairing well, but Aarol gets yet another cut upon his torso.
Initiative Tracker (Round 2): Theodric, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
Initiative Tracker (Round 3): Theodric, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches
Some were dead, some not, it did not make a difference, except the dead ones might be grosser. Nessa needed to get out of the circle of bugs and guts and fast. She ducks the lunging bug mouths to line up with Aarol.
The bug shapes seem to shift and shimmer whenever Nessa ties to focus on one. She shakes her head trying to clear her eyes but that seems to make it worse.
Ignoring the disgusting ichor, Gregori presses forward, attacking the roach facing Nessa.
Eudocia steps into a flank with the paladin and tries to overcome her squeamishness long enough to strike a telling blow.
As Nessa continues her assault upon all but the cockroaches, both Gregori and Eudocia fare better. First a raking slash from Gregori's bastard sword opens the roach's hide, then Eudocia's rapier flashes forth with accuracy to skewer it's heart.
With stubborn persistence the roach endures, but it freely leaks it's life-ichor unto the cavern's floor.
Initiative Tracker (Round 3): Theodric, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
Harrol, empty handed, looks around for a weapon, snatching a dagger from Aarol's belt and swiping it at the roaches.
Seeing the tide turn in favor of his companions, Theodric continues to watch, not wanting to exhaust any of his spells just yet.
Harrol's grab for Aarol's dagger leaves him open to the predations of the roach...
Bite at Harrol:
...which is luckily avoided. And though he does grab the dagger, his resultant swing is ineffectual and wild.
Aarol steps back once more and drives forward with his spear, breathing heavy with the loss of blood...
Cold Iron Longspear:
...though his aim is foul and the spear does not lance through chitin. Theodric and the others remain steadfast and offering mental moral support throughout.
The roaches that remain then continue to lunge with searching movements...
Bite at Gregori: for
Confirm:
Bite at Nessa: for
Bite at Harrol:
...insectoid mouths finding gaps in steel and leather to gnaw and tear.
Initiative Tracker (Round 3): Theodric, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
Initiative Tracker (Round 4): Theodric, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
With a growl, Gregori brings his blade driving down into the roach that bit him twisting the blade as it strikes.
Harrol grits his teeth, and done flailing the blade aound ineptly, reverses his grip and plunges it toward the creature...
"This one has the taste of me! I can't shake it." Nessa will shift again trying to divert this bug's limited attention with Gregori.
Shivering in distaste at the twitching barbed legs of the roach's death throes, Eudocia jumps back quickly toward the rock wall, hoping to avoid the living insect's mandibles, then just as quickly steps in again on the opposite side of it, jabbing with her rapier and hoping to put an end to the badly-injured vermin.
Theodric moves up next to Aarol and fires his crossbow at the surrounded roach, trying to find a weak point in its shell.
Nessa finds her rhythm finally and her sword deals a grievous wound even as Gregori ends the second of the roaches. Eudocia then moves with sure feet to put paid to another. Finally Theodric advances and expends a precious bolt in putting the last of the roaches beyond this world. Catching your breath from the brief exertion you listen, but do not hear any further reason for wariness nearby.
Picking through what is left of the campsite, you salvage a torn bedroll, three candle stubs (each can burn for 30 minutes), a bent fishhook, 10 feet of badly frayed hemp rope, and a copper brooch depicting a bat perched on a mushroom — both of the bat’s eyes are tiny amethysts.
Horgus is heard to mutter "Finally" but his eyes are furtive and he does not cross gaze with anyone. Anevia sheathes her sword and guides Aravashnial forward as she instead speaks with thanks "Well ended... it seems there is more than just beasts below with us." gesturing towards the remains of the bedroll.
Knowledge Nobility
"It would appear so," Gregori replies scanning the area. "Eudocia, do you have any idea whose house symbol this would be? May give a clue as to who else might've been down her."
Eudocia glares darkly at the mutilated roach remains and looks around for something to wipe her blade off on before resheathing it, finally settling for the rough surface of a rock to remove the ichor and stray bristles. "They say some cultures eat insects," she remarks with distaste. "I hope we're not down here long enough to regret the loss of the beetle carcasses."
"Eudocia, do you have any idea whose house symbol this would be? May give a clue as to who else might've been down here."
She accepts the brooch from Gregori curiously. "And why," she adds, examining the symbol. "It might be the symbol of an organization of some kind, rather than a family crest. Or a holy symbol of some obscure god. Or perhaps someone just likes bats. In certain Tien societies, bats are considered good luck, like butterflies are where Desna is worshipped."
Harrol gathers up two of his stones, dusts himself off and tries to make himself useful salvaging the campsite, apologetically returning Aarol's dagger. If there is time enough, he'll gather up a few dozen rocks, choosing the best as sling bullets. He'll spare the amulet a passing glance, but decides to leave it's meaning to the big folk. "... are we to stop here, Miss Fairday? Or are ye meanin' to press on?"
Eudocia inspects the pendant and can find no indicators as to where it might have come from, though fairs slightly better at an estimation of it's worth. It is very well made and the amethyst eyes are of fine color, she puts it's value in the region of 200 in gold.
"It's an expensive bauble," Eudocia concludes, "so whoever was down here is either wealthy or a thief. The signet means nothing to me, however. I wonder...." She crosses to the trio of walking wounded and shows Anevia and Horgus the trinket. "Does this mean anything to any of you?" she asks. For the benefit of Aravashnial, she describes the piece of jewelry. "It's a copper brooch depicting a bat perched on a mushroom; the bat has some rather fine amethyst eyes. Do you know anyone to whom it might belong?"
"... are we to stop here, Miss Fairday? Or are ye meanin' to press on?"
Docia glances back down the passageway where the pile of rubble they climbed out of would still be visible if not for the darkness. "Well, I did hope to make more progress than crossing a single cavern," she replies. "We've more injured now, though. Is there any way to patch them up?"
Nessa gives the bugs a couple of extra chops as the corpse twitch, just to make sure.
When she sees Harrol handing back the large dagger, she approaches him, "I've got a dagger or a sling if'n your in need of a weapon, take both if you want, my sword will serve me for now. Halfling craftsmanship will suit you better than that big clumsy blade." Nessa holds out both weapons.
Theodric stoops to recover his bolt in the darkness, stowing it with the others in his case. At the mention of the brooch, he mutters a quick incantation, studying it for any magical auras.
Theodric detects no latent aura upon the pendant.
Aravashnial considers the iconography described and shrugs "It is not a sigil that I recognize... and conforms to none of the art that would hold for the crusaders."
Looking over the pile of bones you find them well picked clean by the cockroaches, and find that purely by their size it seems to be a refuse pile built up by a carnivore.
Horgus scoffs at the prospect of waiting, before a withering look from Anevia cuts him off before speaking. She ventures "Is it safe here? Someone did camp here... but it looks like they've left for some time."
Theodric prods the pile with the tip of his crossbow, speaking to the others as he does so.
No remains of any people in here, definitely rodents, some once again grown to prodigious size. You know, the common variety of cochroaches can produce offspring at an alarming rate. One would think that the size of these creatures would be accompanied by a reduced capacity to breed, simply from an ecological standpoint. Without a steady influx of food, a high population of roaches would starve to death and, I think, quickly. Of course, they are hardy and, if necessary, I imagine would consume their own kind, so it's hard to say for sure. I suppose we can only hope that their numbers are limited to scores and not tens of thousands.
Eudocia tries to keep her skin from crawling at the thought of scores of overgrown cockroaches lurking just outside the radius of the light. "It does seem an inopportune place to set up camp, right next to evidence of some sort of predator ... unless the predator came along after our bat aficionado did and frightened Miss Muffet away." She looks again at the pile of bones and at the dead roaches, then glances back into the dark where they bypassed the spider carcass and its inhabitants. "No, I wouldn't think this would be safe. The dead beetles are likely to attract scavengers, if nothing else. I think we should press on. If we must rest, perhaps we can at least find a more pleasant place to do so."
Anevia: leather armor bears faint abjuration
Aravashnial: three potions with faint conjuration, a number of scrolls in a scroll case that are difficult to discern without inspection, a wand with faint necromancy, and a cloak that bears faint illusion
Horgus: his cloak has a faint aura of abjuration
Looking forward the tunnel curves back around to the right and soon meets what appears to be the southern arm of the tunnels that was not travelled. The point where they meet swells into a small cavern with several mounds of rock lieing in heaps, seemingly recently fallen from the walls and ceiling. Now and then, bits of dust settle from cracks in the stone above.
Apart from the tunnel that doubles back, there is a second that bores into the distance to the East.
Harrol gratefully accepts the weapons. "Thank ye. I don't want to be gallivanting behind the others if there's foighting to be done..." he says, tying the dagger to his belt. "That's... a hell of a sword you have there. If yew don't mind my sayin' so."
As the others make to leave, Harrol mutters a short prayer, placing a hand on Nessa's shoulder. "May the Inheritor keep your arm steady and your spirit strong."
"It would seem there's only the one way to go," Docia nods toward the eastern tunnel. "I believe the cavern is safe to cross," she glances up at the dust sifting from the ceiling doubtfully, "but I shouldn't care to put it to the test too strenuously. Let's not linger."
Docia puts the brooch away carefully in her pack, then, after considering a moment, adds the three candle stubs.
Harrol houlders the bedroll. "A wee bit big for little old me, but I'm sure somebody can put it ter' use."
The path forward begins to wind and wend into the distance, and your group sets into it with cautious intent.
As you travel, Aarol can be seen to lean more heavily upon his longspear and his face grows flushed with exertion. The blood spilled during the fight with the cockroaches having stained through his armor and clothes, and causing him to fall further back within the group's procession to where Anevia and Aravashnial bring up the rear. Horgus travels with a perpetual scowl, while both the cripple and the blind seem in more stoic spirit.
After maybe half an hour in time and near three quarters of a mile trudging by your reckoning, you reach the tunnel’s end at a junction. To the north, a narrow five footwide opening in the cavern's rough earthen wall leads into a cave filled with soft but nasty-looking green light - the tunnel itself continues to the south bending through into the distance.
Eudocia recalls several types of underground moss and lichen that have a tendency to throw off luminescence... and also other creatures that use it as a lure to draw in prey. But given the isolated position and lack of thoroughfare shown in the dust at your feet... if it is a predator it's unlikely to be a successful one. Pondering on the light a little longer, Eudocia mentally talks herself around to thinking that it is unlikely from a natural source... the color is too intense and amount of light thrown too high, even flickering off the walls as it is.