Narnel looks with disdain on Elinor and her actions towards Abbas. He pats the large man on the back as he walks by.
Guess its your turn big fella...enjoy.
He winks, smiles broadly and then intently looks deeply into the surrounding woods.
Perception:
Initiative:
Perception
Initiative
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From your right side, and some 15 feet away and closing fast is a roiling mass of chitinous life. Legs, pincers, and the brown orange glint of their carapaces move in a mass, and concentration of numbers that seems to be impossible, yet there it is. The centipedes are staggering in their grotesque charge.
Luckily the wary party is ready, and while they did not see them until they were near on top of them, they shall have a chance to defend themselves.
Perhaps this then is why the larger predators shied away, but if wolves dare not fight what hope do you have?
When her turn rolls around, I'm pretty sure all Elinor is going to be able to do is wake up properly, say "Huh???" and stop being flat footed. But she's up on the wagon so probably isn't in the target zone. (I hope).
Aidan doesn't know much of the vermin, but he throws out a slab of meat marked for Tkurzhan. The cat isn't happy, but it might delay the advance just enough.
Pluchak hops up on the wagon which seems to be outrunning the swarm.
Harlynn says to Bryndyn Hold friend unless you think that you can take each and every creature in that swarm out.
Taedric swings Trumps around, "I don't think I could stomp all of those before they crawled all over me... At the same time, I imagine we're faster than that mass. Let's press on... Though I wonder if we could lure it somehow to the goblin camp?"
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Full withdrawal and cast acid splash
damage
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Harlynn throws acid at the creatures, but comes up short in the attempt. Acid sizzles and burns some dry grass.
Larayn reviews her options and opts to simply run, but opts not to follow Pluchak and the cart.
Aidan throws a ration to the hungry swarm, and the meat disappears quickly. Thurzhan and the druid follow Pluchak and the wagon.
Bryndyn moves away and then lobs an arrow into the midst of the swarm. In a moment the creatures are covering the exposed shaft, without any concern or care.
Elinor takes a moment to realize what is happening, and with a solitary quesiong sound she at once grasps the gravity of the danger they are in. Abbas' quick thinking pulls her to safety.
Narnel retreats full movement (30') and prepares an oil flask top throw at the swarm.
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Narnel flees from the face of this onslaught and Seneca alone is left when the crush of chiton comes. He is bitten and stung repeatedly, and all his thoughts are on fleeing this doom.
Running from the swarm, he hopes he can put enough distance between them and himself to avoid a repeat of these last moments. He feels the bile in his chest rise, but with great effort he manages to push back and retains his composure. But something else is happening. His movements are suddenly clumsy. He has been poisoned!
In turn he unleashes a wave of unholy energy which lashes through the insects but does not stop their advance.
Abbas continues to drive the team away from the writhing horror.
Pluchak sees all of his friends staying to fight, and he figures he can do the same. He turns back toward the swarm, but tries to stay away from the others as to not allow the swarm to encompass them both. He spits acid at the swarm, hoping to kill off some of the creatures.
Acid Splash
Damage if necessary.
Narnel moves to within 10 feet and throws his lit flask of oil at the swarm.
ATT:
DAM:
Aidan curses vehemently at Narnel and his affinity for fire. After a cuff over the head for the pyromaniac elf, , he rolls into the wagon, uncapping his waterskin in the hope he can stifle the flames before they reach dry grass or the autumn leafall.
Harlynn scowls at the half-Orc having summoned the same acid as he. Only with better aim. He attempts to center himself and casts acid splash again.
attack
damage
Touch me again Aidan, and you will find an arrow in your eye! I would no more cause a fire in this wood than you would.
Find a care for even that which you will outlive. You're all the same. Forest kin, indeed! Hmmph.
Elinor hangs onto the careering cart and looks through the stuff in the back for the torches, grabbing one and a tinderbox.
"Boys. The centipedes..."
She gestures with her chin at the ravening swarm.
"B itch slap each other later."
When this is over you can both hug a tree until then I would like to live
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Harlynn gives another try with the acid, but it is in vain. Larayn looks for an opening to help Seneca, but holds back as the chitinous swarm still follows Asmodeus' son. Aidan watches Narnel in horror as he grabs the oil, but thinks, "Surely an elf would not start a fire here." Thurzhan stands by. Bryndyn is unsettled by his arrows lack of effect and tries to think of another strategy, when Narnel throws the flask. The burning oil hits squarely and the scream and hiss of the inscents is plain to hear. At his action, Aidan races to get water. Now the centipedes react, and they roil and turn on themselves, and thier charge is stopped because of the fire. And then they flee, going back the way they came.
Thankfully for Seneca, he seems able to shake off any further ill affect. Larayn moves in to tend his wounds while while Abbas and Elinor rejoin the group.
The towering half orc moves toward the flames, using his big feet to stop it out now that the swarm has passed. He didn't quite know what to think of the rest of these people. Forming a bond with those who went to the herbalist was easy, these new people might be a bit more difficult. That wizard could spit like he did, but didn't seem to appreciate the similarity. That elf seems to not mind making an enemy of Aidan. That woman seemed to get along with Abbas, so they couldn't all be bad. Maybe these things had to take a little time...
He remained silent to watch the rest of the group's reactions.
Narnel just stares at Aidan for a few minutes and shakes his head in disgust. He turns to head back to the road saying loudly so that all can hear.
Let's get back on the path to the hole. Dire situations call for whatever is necessary to stay alive and complete the task.
Aidan seems to either not notice or ignore the glare, but the Sabertooth gives the elf a long, icy look.
Seneca returns to the rest, while rubbing at the little bites all over his flesh. "Ah, Prince of Darkness, heal your servant so he may continue in your service."
"That was a close call. Any of you with experience in the wood have any idea what caused such a large group of them to come together like that? I've never seen anything like it."
Noting the uneasiness between the elf and the druid, a good change of subject seemed like a fair plan. "If this were caused by someone around here, perhaps they are still around." Pluchak takes a quick look around him.
"Well done sweetheart," says Elinor to Narnel, tossing her unused torch back into the cart, "I have real trouble with anything with more legs than my horse. Brrrghh." She shudders. "At least this lot were smaller than my horse."
Narnel winks at Elinor.
No problem, Eli.
"I guess not. Perhaps we should move on?"
Agreed
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And so the group goes, having not seen anything in the night. And the rest of the trip to the Devil's Hole is uneventful.
As the group approaches they see on the ground the bodies of three enormous spiders whose homes were at one time in the canapy of the trees. The trees themselves a ghostly image of gossamyr tendrils flowing slightly in the wind. But here is it dark, and quiet.
And before you is the hole, like a maw opening into the belly of some gargantuan beast.