Torod shakes his head as if to say 'they never learn'. "The entire complex has just been alerted. Now can I we kill them or are we still talking?"
"No!" Asta hisses. "Get in there and grab it!"
Asta moves to block the mite's path and jabbers at it in a strange language:
Knowledge: Nature
Torod stands ready to defend his companion.
Valeria pauses her charge, seeing the centipedes move out to the mite's aid. Se draws her sword and wields it with both hands, casting a quick, longing glance over her shoulder to where she left her shield.
She then takes a defensive posture, ready to cut anything down that approaches her.
Initiative:
"Andrei," Valeria says, her voice as tense as the situation, "would you mind bringing my shield up with you, the sooner the better!"
Initiative
Attack:
Damage:
Fort Save:
Valeria grunts in pain as one of the centipedes bites into her shoulder, and swings her blade at it in response, attempting to remove it's overextended head from it's body.
"What about now? Can I commence to killing now? She's already started."
Nodding, Andrei picks up Valeria's shield. Pushing his way through the root reinforced cavern he throws it to her while drawing his blade and moving to attack the centipedes.
"If the pretty boy draws blood before I do, I swear I'll burn this whole place down." Torod waits patiently for Asta to give him the go ahead.
Pretty boy? Andrei murmurs his face curving into a half smile. Thanks? I think. Asta what did you tell him? Andrei begins still holding his bastard sword and unsure to attack or not.
Valeria quickly slips the shield on her arm as soon as possible, nodding a silent thanks to Andrei while never taking her eyes from the creature that bit her.
To the others, she says: "Our new friend here is willing to answer some questions and keep these centipedes in check for five gold."
As a show of good faith, Asta fixes her icy blue eyes on the centipede - and they briefly flash bright crimson. As disquieting as it looks, the Healing Hex immediately takes effect.
"!? Torod scoffs. "I'm going to watch our backs. They're probably flanking us right now." He goes back to the entry chamber.
Valeria watches Torod leave, but does nothing to stop him. I hope Asta's making some progress with that thing, those centipedes can sure bite!
She refocuses herself and keeps an eye on the insects. She nudges Andrei with her sword arm, and nods towards Asta. She then begins moving carefully her way, keeping the insects at her front.
As Valeria moves closer, Asta glances at her -- and suddenly reaches out to touch her wounds, her eyes flaring red again.
When the moment passes, however, Valeria's injuries are closing up neatly.
Valeria jumps with a start when Asta touches her wound, part from the fresh pain, part from being startled out of her focus. Soon enough, the pain began to recede, and as Valeria glanced at the cut on her shoulder, she saw it had become not much more than a slight scratch barely enough to penetrate the skin. While still sore and bleeding, it was much less of a concern.
"Thanks, any luck with that one?"
"Our new friend seems amenable to answering questions in return for some gold," Asta reports.
"See if it knows about Svetlana's ring so we can get out of here."
Torod and Strawberry standing guard.
Strawberry Perception aid other
Torod Perception
Bah, I never thought I would need to known undercommon, it would have useful right now. Andrei thinks to himself as he watches the exchange between Asta and the mite.
"Where were the Mites supposed to have gotten the ring from, again?" Asta says, glancing at the others. "I forget."
The Winter Witch spits in her palm and holds it out to the Mite to seal the agreement.
Asta seizes upon the ring, grinning widely.
"Do pay our friend here," she suggests to the others. "Ten gold."
She nods to the Mite and addresses it once more:
"<grumble grumble> They're gonna be trouble later. Mark my words. We're gonna hafta come back here and burn'em out." Torod gives the 10 gold and storms out, Strawberry slinking behind him.
"Or else they are going to be a valuable source of information on the local underworld," Asta says, with just a hint of smugness as she pockets the ring. "Let's go deliver the merchandise, shall we?"
Once out of the cramped root system, Valeria stretches her back while responding to Asta, "Yeah, and map out the rest of the area along our way."
She then turns to get a good look at the bite now that there is plenty of light, then mounts her horse in preparation of travel.
I worry that they may become a problem later on, but if they are not aggressive then I don't see a reason for us to attack them. They usually only respond to violence in kind. Perhaps if we post signs around the area and warn travelers to keep their distance it would be enough. Glancing down at his hands Andrei frowns. I have known men that didn't mind getting blood on their hands for the right price, but I'm not that type of person. I have no problem defending others or driving away something that is clearly harmful or malicious, but from what I could tell of the body language the mite seemed to be seeking a peaceful solution.
____________________________
I've forgotten which hexes we've walked through and explored. I might need to work on my own map. Anyway, my plan is to return to Oleg's by way of plains. Going through hexes we haven't yet and exploring them.