The small gnome tries to stop Bielsi, but he is no match against the stout and experienced Oread. With a swift sprint, Bielsi is able to reach the actor in time to stop the bleeding before it poses any serious threat to the man. Everyone else seems on edge, especially the gnome, but as Giovanni takes charge, they all seem to calm down. Someone of them mutter-"Better get a mop to clean that blood up. It's a puddle big enough to slip on!"
The man Bielsi healed thanks him, but seems very distressed as he tries to move his fingers and writhes in pain - Bielsi gathers that the injury must have hit his ligament too, difficulting movement.
The gnome with the top hat pipes up and says-"I'm in charge here, trespassers. I thank you for your concern and your aid, but as I see it I'm in a bigger mess now. Name's Maestro Bellowskin - the director of this play. Flavicomos here-"he says pointing at the injured actor-"is supposed to be the star of my play, as he is the only one skilled enough with a sword to pull off some stunts. Without his good arm, my play is as good as dead!"
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"So sorry," Bielsi says, examining the wound. It's sealed up but obviously still bothering the man. There's really nothing else he can do for the man, though.
He shakes his head at Haro. "A good idea Haro, but we probably need someone who knows Common better to run the lines," he says.
He looks expectantly at the other Pathfinders. "I'm probably too short for the job. Anyone else want to step up and be a star?"
He speaks as though it is a foregone conclusion even though the gnome director has made no indication that he agrees.
Maestro Bellowskin seems a bit skeptical to letting Giovanni take part in the play, but he goes to fetch the script and hands it to Giovanni, telling him to read off a particular line.
However, Harry's mind seems concentrated in something entirely different: the name of the theater rings a bell in his mind. Kendall...like the Kendall Vault! An underground series of caves smugglers used ages ago. He remembers this same theater was built on top! A bit of worry passes over his face, but he sighs in relief as he remembers the Kendall Vault was closed for good like a decade ago.
But...why was it shut down? Wait...it was for an infestation of Ankhegs! Large burrowing bugs that smell blood from miles away! Dear lord...Harry now remembers the Kendall Amphiteather only had two rules: dogs aren't allowed, and blood shall never be spilled!
Almost prophetically, everyone starts hearing and feeling rumbling from down below, almost like a small tremor is about to start.
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Oh H@~%~*+*#.
Harry says with a sigh.
Ankhegs incoming! Who's damned idea was it to use live steel in a performance above a Ankheg nest?!
He slaps the side of his rifle as it begins to glow with a soft light.
Wake up Odigo sweetheart He says as he flicks his hands and is shrouded in magical armor.
We got work to do.
He tries to remember what he knows about these creatures.
Harry remembers Ankhegs are horse-sized bugs with thick carapaces that secrete acid from their mouths. While they normally use this acid to burrow underground, they can also spit it out in long gushes. . Finally, he also remembers Ankhegs can sense any creatue within a good distance of themselves
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Harry flicks his hand again, conjuring up an arcane shield for protection.
Bastards got thick hides and spit acid. Also, they can sense people within 60 feet or so, so don't expect to hide from them.
He then makes sure to put some distance between him and where he feels like they're going to come out.
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"Bah! Since when is any kind 'o "keg" supposed ta be a bad thing? World's comin' 'part at the seems. Well, nuthin' for it now." He points to the actors, "You lot, get ta steppin', an' take the bleeder with ya. Suren they'll be out ta kill 'im ifin he stays."
He casts a spell, sprouting feathers near his ears. He then starts calling out to the assembled team. "Alright Pathfinder's, this is why we've been sent here, ta face down the doom 'n gloom tryin' ta kill everyone 'round us. Time ta earn our coin."
He unstraps his well crafted bow, pours some wine on it, and knocks an arrow.
To the enemies as yet unseen, "Alright ya bast'rds, let's dance."
You take on an aspect of a falcon. Your eyes become wide and raptor-like, and you grow feathers on the sides of your head. You gain a +3 competence bonus on Perception checks, a +1 competence bonus on ranged attacks, and the critical multiplier for your bows and crossbows becomes 19-20/x3.
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"We should really have someone see about dealing with this issue in a more permanent manner once this is all over with," Bielsi says.
He doesn't have anything to do to get ready either. At least not int he time he has. He needs at least a minute to summon Zarisha from his consciousness.
So, he just grips his scythe and readies for the first sign of an enemy.
The rumbling gets louder and louder, as you prepare for the battle to come. Suddenly, only 10 seconds later, 2 giant bugs crawl out from the floorboards. The wood goes flying off as they make their way towards their prey. They let out hissing sounds as they chomp on the wood with their acidic maws.
Initiative order: (Bold can go)
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Kyras, Giovanni, Harry and Haru
Ankheg Blue
Spackle
Ankheg Red
Bielsi
As both Ankhegs come out of the floorboards, Haro takes his chance and pummels one of them with precision and accuracy. However, the chitin plates of the giant bug seem too strong, and no damage is done.
While the bug is distracted, Harry takes his chance to line up a shot, but seems to bothered by Haro jumping on the bug's face to line up a safe shot, resulting in him missing it - the charged bullet arcing through the theater and making a hole in one of the walls.
On the other side of the stage, both Kyras and Giovanni take advantage of the Ankheg not noticing them, and shower it with explosives. The fire envelops the creature, while the acid, much more well-aimed, goes directly for the beast's left eye!. In a frenzy, it tries to retaliate against the nearest target - that being Bielsi. It opens its acidic maw and goes for the oread's leg!
But Bielsi deflects it with a fist to its injured eye.
Initiative order: (Bold can go)
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Kyras, Giovanni, Harry and Haru
Ankheg Blue
Spackle
Ankheg Red
Bielsi
As Spackle fires off an orcish bolt, the ankheg to the right sees it coming, deflecting it with his horns. The other ankheg, much better off, tries to bite at Haro's leg! The creature's maw chomps on the kitsune's limbs, and clamp shut with immense strength, but Haro is able to open the creature's maw and take out his leg just in time!
Initiative order: (Bold can go)
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Bielsi, Kyras, Giovanni, Harry and Haro (-14)
Ankheg Blue (-27)
Spackle
Ankheg Red
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All the armored carapace on this thing makes Bielsi pretty sure he's not going to get a good shot in with his scythe. He's got some spells that would be handy for the occasion but he doesn't want to take the chance of getting chomped by this thing in the process. So, scythe it is.
Then he moves carefully away from the thing to get some distance.
Haro and Bielsi both try to bring down the furious beasts, but their blows seem to bounce off their thick hides. Harry, however, goes for a shot directly at the Ankheg attacking Haro, the bullet piercing through its natural armor completely.
In the opposite side of the battle, Kyras goes for another bomb at the injured Ankheg - but this time, the Ankheg sees it coming and swallows it. A moment later, however, you see Kyras smirk as the bomb detonates inside the creature's head, blowing open a hole where it used to have a head. Its horn goes flying off, as the creature remains completely still.
Initiative order: (Bold can go)
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Bielsi, Kyras, Harry and Haro (-14)
Giovanni, Spackle
Ankheg Red (-8)
With one of the ankhegs down, Giovanni and Spackle focus on the other one, lobbing an orb of acid and an orcish bolt against the creature. And both shots hit dead center!
Mad against Giovanni, the Ankheg goes for a bite against the pathfinder, but he dodges swiftly, managing to relocate the hit to his chain shirt and taking no damage.
Initiative order: (Bold can go)
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Bielsi, Kyras, Harry and Haro (-14)
Giovanni, Spackle
Ankheg Red (-19)
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Bielsi's short, stubby legs do not serve him well, at the moment. He is relieved that one of their opponents is down, but not close enough to get to the other one. He moves closer and reaches out with his psychic abilities to pick up one of the shattered pieces of carapace from their fallen opponent. A flick of his wrist and his mind sends it hurtling at the one still standing.
With a swift motion, Giovanni is able to pirohuette and confuse the creature, which chomps directly at the floorboards instead of him. He takes advantage of his maneuver, plunging his rapier in the neck of the creature.
The huge ankheg remains still for a moment, but stands once again in an animalistic fury. Both Bielsi's and Haro's blows are deflected by its massive horns, but both of them are able to hold the bug off, enough for Kyras to lob one of his bombs directly at the creature. With both horns held by the kitsune and oread, the creature has not way to move away, as the bomb goes right for its tail and explodes in a fiery explosion, killing the creature for good.
As the chaos dies down, one of the actors seems to open the door and peer nervously, before giving the green light for the rest of the Andoren Chameleons and Maestro Bellowskin to pop back out, all of them saying-"Thank you, friends! Were it not for you, we would have been bug lunch! Concerned citizens saving the day!"
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"Someone definitely needs to do something about this. We should make a note with the leaders back home to send an expedition to deal with these creatures permanently," Bielsi says to his fellow Pathfinders.
He looks to the actors and Maestro Bellowskin as they return.
"Do you mind if we look around? We won't interfere with your practice any further but we would like to make sure there are no other ankhegs around and that everything is stable," he says.
He does not mention the possibility that someone has left a deadly poison around.
Maestro Bellowskin gives all of you a bow and replies to Bielsi-"No problem at all, friends. Anything to make sure more lives are not in danger."
As Bielsi looks around the theater, nothing seems out of place in the whole building - no poison left, nor anything besides props for the theater and pamphlets for the play.
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Bielsi thanks the Maestro once they are done. When they find no threat, he is both relieved and disappointed. Relieved that the danger is not already in placed, disappointed that their search is not done.
When they get outside, he regroups with the rest. "It seems that the only thing left to check is the Unicorn, eh?"
"Well my agent takes care of that, but our guest of honor will be Lady Qualstair of Taldor - a woman with a lot of pull and influence."-says Maestro Bellowskin at Spackle's question. But as you start asking questions, the actors seem to be interested in your quest, some of them reciting-"It is fate that has brought us together! For how is an actor to play the part of a rugged hero if not by watching heroes in the flesh!"-as they seem to indicate they have a preference for dramatic flair.
But as you interact with the actors, Giovanni feels funny - his ears get red and his neck itches, and as he turns his head to get a good scratch on, he notices something out of the corner of his eye. One of the actors, the injured man Flavicomos, seems nervous and dodgy, laughing with the other actors but looking at you with worry.
What led Giovanni to notice such a slight shift in behaviour, from an world-renowed actor no less? We might never know. But one thing is certain: this man is acting the part of an idiot, laughing as if nothing was wrong.
Flavicomos, the actor seems to reel back slightly from Giovanni's question, and the Rogue definitely feels something is off about him - feeling guilty, almost as if he was hiding something he is ashamed of.
He declares with a smile and a laugh-"No sir, nothing wrong. My wound will probably heal after a few months, but nothing I can't handle. I still feel thankful for your aid. Were it not for you, The Andoren Chameleons would have been done for!"-he says as he bellows another laugh.
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As Bielsi realizes there is more to find here, he follows Giovanni and eyes Flavicomos closely.
"If there is something you know you had best tell us or the wound on your arm will very likely be the least of your worries," he says, his voice surprisingly low but intense and backed by a certain otherwordly menace, perhaps even the flash of a tormented woman's face superimposed over his own.