Brannart +2 Circumstance Bonus for earlier successful Perception Check
Brannart sensed the movement under his feet earlier. The tremors now feel stronger. Just as Brannart makes the connection, the ground gives way directly underneath him. The warrior barely has enough time to avoid a collision with the creature as the ground erupts around him. Dirt and rock fly everywhere and a bed gets flipped from the explosion. Standing now over a huge hole, as if guarding it, is a similar creature only it is three times the size of the others. It is about nine feet long with sharp, serrated mandibles to match.
Sho and Fenna, as you start making your way to the beech, you hear the eruption of ground and rock in the barracks.
Brannart just barely manages to keep his feet.
Brannart uses Total Defense (AC 24) and moves away, out of the treacherous ground. His movement will probably provoke an AOO.
Vexas looks down at the hole in front of him, and then back up at the newly emerged creature.
Well... so much for filling in this hole. Um... seems unwise to get very close.
He sheaths his rapier and draws his crossbow.
Fenna stops when she hears the all the noise from inside the barracks. She calls out to Sho to continue on with her.
"That sounded really bad, I should take a look. Go ahead and see what's happening down by the shore."
Fenna trots over to the door and takes a cautious peek inside.
The Mother Ankheg lashes out at Brannart, but the warrior is able to avoid the deadly mandibles as he moves out of reach.
Sho reaches the edge of the beach and it is almost unrecognizable compared to a few hours ago. The sun still rises in the east and shines its light down on a grim scene. The beach is pockmarked with tunnel openings and the small beasts seem to be everywhere. Some of the monsters have fallen, but some are attacking the colonists. Many colonists are standing on unloaded crates to avoid the holes made by the creatures. On one crate, Sho recognizes Anya Sandstrider. The Ranger is putting her bow to great effect against the ankhegs. In the distance near the water, Sho notices that the unloading ramp to Peregrine has collapsed and many crates lay in the bay. Guards, crew, and colonists fight more of the beasts down there. Many who are not in direct combat stare at the ground waiting for a beast to emerge.
Sho notices that the closest creature to her is about 200 feet away. It appears to be feeding on a fallen horse.
Fenna starts encouraging everyone remaining at the barracks to take down the giant bug as quickly as possible, they may be wanted elsewhere so there's no time to waste.
Malakar looks at his scimitar and hesitates for a moment. Shaking his head, he sheaths the blade and grabs one of the throwing spears from his back.
Meanwhile inside the barracks, Kowal reloads his crossbow and shoots at what has to be the mother of the other creatures. His bolt flies high and lodges into a ceiling crossbeam.
The Mother Ankheg climbs fully out of its hole and lunges at Brannart. The warrior blocks the attack with his shield but feels the power of the creature when it crashes into him. He continues to barely hold it at bay as its serrated mandibles crash against his barrier.
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Sho notices that her rapid movement gets noticed by the creature feeding on the horse. It looks up at her. Then quickly starts to burrow and disappears into the ground.
I've seen worse... not recently, though.
Brannart holds his ground and strikes at the Ankheg with his longsword. It is a well-aimed blow and might hit something vital...
Knowing that the colony itself is in jeopardy, Brannart responds to Fenna's empowering words. With the Ankheg's focus on the shield, Brannart sees an opening underneath the snapping mandibles. Bracing with his legs, he shoves his sword deep inside the beasts neck. The hard shell cracks and Brannart feels the sting of acidic blood as it splashes over him and the dirt floor below.
With Brannart's deep cut, Fenna sees an opening in the creature's defenses.
Fenna had planned to try to slip by the ankheg and get behind it, but when it comes after Brannart in reply to his strike she holds her ground and punches with her spear at anything that seems like it might be a weak spot in its carapace.
Her spear tip glances on the insect's hard plate, but rather than withdrawing Fenna slides the spear point along until it catches a place where it can dig in.
Good hit Brannart! Keep the mother right there where I can make a pincushion of her!
The halfling fires his crossbow into it.
With the barrage of attacks, the Mother crashes to the ground. Acidic blood sizzles out of the creature, giving the surrounding air a rancid taint.
Brannart cleans off his sword quickly, and heads out of the barracks.
"There were noises on the beach?"
"Why couldn't it be rats?"
Fenna moves back to give a listen outside the doorway.
"Yeah, and there still are. Something's got everyone down at the beach really worked up. Sho's already gone that way. We should too."
Fenna starts running for the beach.
Kowal will join the others and sprint toward the beach.
Malakar seeing the mother fall will join his allies who ran toward the beach. Not having taken any actions yet in this round he will take a Run action to move up to 4x his speed or 80ft. to try and close the gap toward the beach asap to see what the commotion is about.
By the time Sho gets to the beach, many of the colonists swam back to the ship or are in the process of swimming back. The few stranded colonists made it to the top of a pile of crates but are surrounded by the hungry beasts. Anya is there, but it appears she is out of arrows. She along with a few guards are barely keeping the ankhegs at bay and away from the other colonists.
After defeating the Mother, you run to beach to aid Sho and to discover what is going on. You see Sho in the distance shooting arrows, but before you can get to her, another Ankheg nymph erupts from the ground.
Brannart moves to get between his allies and the Ankheg.
If my diagonal cout is right Malakar is 25ft. from the next one so he can close the gap with a charge.
Anya meets Sho's eyes as she speaks and nods in thanks as the arrow strikes the Ankheg.
The Ankheg let's out a curdling, spittle-flying scream when the arrow pierces it shell. It turns to see its newest meal.
Brannart runs ahead to meet the next beast before it can get to his companions. When they meet, the Ankheg springs forth with its sharp mandibles. Brannart feels his shield tossed to the side and expects the fierce predator to tear through his armor, but a silver light bursts forth from his sheened breastplate, temporarily blinding the creature and making it retreat an inch.
Malakar takes advantage of the momentary distraction and slashes his scimitar down and through the creature's side, creating a deep, seeping wound of acidic gore.
As she arrives Fenna uses the gap between Brannart and Malaker to skewer the ankheg.
Kowal moves up to Brannart and reforms his ward on Brannarts armor
Now outside on the beach with the others, Vexas sprints out to the side to get a better shot, and reloads his crossbow.
Fenna shoves her spear deep into the ankheg's body. The beast rears its head for a moment before it collapses into the sand.
With the immediate threat over, the companions are able to view the predicament at the beach. Most of the colonists are desperately swimming toward Peregrine, if they are not onboard already. A few are trapped on land, clinging to the top of some crates and barely fending off several of the monsters. There are a few bodies sprawled, unmoving on the ground.
Sho is being charged by an ankheg as she prepares to loose another arrow.
Brannart runs to the beach. He regards the fallen colonists with worry. I hope they can be saved... maybe if I draw the bugs away someone else can check on them.
He has his sword in hand and is ready to engage the beasts.
Fenna outpaces Brannart with her lighter kit, but is careful not to pull too far ahead of him. She follows the same route as he does until she reaches the closest tunnel hole.
It occurs to her she might be able to use the hole to her advantage since she can reach across the hole with her spear, while to ankheg on the other side will either have to cross it or go around to get to her. It's not much, but it might be better than open sand.
Once she's positioned with her spear set at the ready, Fenna begins calling out to attract to attention of the bug on the other side . Her call out is a stream of comically insulting banter about the intelligence and lack of aesthetic appeal of insects. Of course the ankheg can't understand, but it might raise the spirits of the people facing them.
The little halfling plods long, not remotely as fast as either Brannart or Fenna. He sets up just behind Brannart, with no immediate intention to move any closer! He trains his loaded crossbow on various members of this new group of ankhegs.
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Sho's arrow does strike true. The charging ankheg crashes to the ground and slides a few feet in the sand before coming to an abrupt stop. It does get back up.
The half seems a little short of breath, having just run down the beach from the previous building that one of them erupted from.
I really hope... *huff* this is all of them!
He aims and fires at the nearest one.
Can't easily edit the slides on mobile.
Malakar will move 15' to red and make an attack.
The monster does not seem phased by Vexas’s bolt as it turns towards Malakar when his scimitar fails to break through its hard shell. It lashes out, but the Undine fends off the nasty, serrated mandibles with his shield
Fenna braces her spear as a different ankheg leaves the on-crate colonists and charges at her. Her spear punctures the creature, but that leaves her defenses open. The beast overruns her and she feels the ugly, serrated mandibles squeeze the breath out of her as they tear through her armor and skin. As she is lifted off the ground, its nasty maw completes the attack as it digs its teeth into her and releases its acidic spittle. Her body burns from the attack and she barely realizes that the monster is starting to makes its way down the nearest hole.
As these attacks happen, the other Ankhegs disappear down holes, somewhat to the relief of the colonists. Although, some of them peer over their perch waiting for the monsters to reappear.
"Fenna!"
Brannart moves up next to Fenna and attacks the Ankheg.
Brannart rushes to action and drops his sword on the Ankheg clutching Fenna. Moments later, an arrow flashes by and digs deep into the beast. It lets out a wail before it drops to the ground. With its momentum, it starts to slide into the hole. Fenna feels the mandibles release and she is able to draw a full breath as she slowly starts to slide with the creature.
Vexas stows his crossbow and runs up to give Fenna a hand, along with Brannart.
Watch your footing there!