Lueck hops down from his vantage point and returns to the others. He smooths out a patch of sand and then uses a long finger to draw a crude map of what he saw. "I saw an enormous centipede in a pile of sand there. From what I've seen of them in the Expanse, it will likely attack once it knows we are there. And as often as not, those creatures are not alone."
As you carefully make your way up the wall, you can see more of the impressive manor inside the estate. Two stories tall, it's richly decorated with carvings, pillars and narrow windows to let the sunlight into the interior of the building.
Your vantage point lets you see into a small courtyard just beyond the gates, the ground covered in dust and sand.
To the north, a small flight of steps leads up to a pair of ornate doors in the south wall of the house between another set of columns.
To the east and west stand a pair of columns, once brightly painted and now bleached from the sun, which support stone archways leading to other sections of the property. Tarnished bronze gates hang open under both arches.
Through the eastern gate, you can see more empty courtyard. To the west, you can peer into the bottom half of an L-shaped yard that was once a garden. Now, it is mostly given to sand, sun-dried earth and the ancient husks of dead trees.
Stone benches line the walls of the yard and a large tiled pool sits in the southwest corner, dried and partially filled with sand. A huge centipede lounges upon the warm sand in the pool, apparently relaxing in the sun. Its long double tails whisk lazily from side to side. It does not appear to have noticed you.
"I think we should clear the grounds around the building before heading inside. That gigantic roach could be a serious problem, if we don't deal with it. Do you think it's venomous?"
Seben keeps her voice low, almost to a whisper. "I'd guess it climbed the wall to get in there, and so it can probably climb the walls to get out."
She puts her spear away and gets her bow out, knocking an arrow. She steps back from the wall and readies an action to fire at any bug that might pop up over the top.
The Sacred Ibis flies high overhead and watches the centipede from a safe distance above - high enough not to annoy the creature. He will signal the Brigade with a sharp dive if the creature advances towards them.
Apparently Seben has not spent a lot of time on the study of giant carrion eating insects, but Indus recalls a bit of knowledge from various sources.
Whiptail centipedes are carrion eaters, and are known to viciously attack any who would intrude upon their lairs. Their powerful bite is indeed venomous and can inflict grievous damage even if you can withstand the poison. The double tail is equally dangerous and is often used to sweep unprepared enemies off their feet. Despite its massive size, a giant whiptail centipede is faster than it appears and it's long reach makes it difficult to get close enough to strike it with melee weapons.
Fortunately, it still shows no sign of being alerted to your presence.
"Sounds like a nasty beast! I certainly do not want to get stung again. I do have one acid flask if you think it might come in handy."
"Given that almost all 'normal'-sized centipedes are, I dare say that it is a safe bet. Precisely what the venom will do to a target... I have no idea."
"My limited understanding of the animal kingdom tells me that regular-sized centipedes are venomous to compensate for their size. I shudder to think why a gigantic centipede would need venom ..."
Indus starts looking through his backpack, then gives up with a sigh. "I was sure I had packed some antitoxin, but alas. Anyone got any in case we need it?"
Indus starts looking through his backpack, then gives up with a sigh. "I was sure I had packed some antitoxin, but alas. Anyone got any in case we need it?"
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Seben shakes her head, still staring alertly at the wall with her bow ready.
"Sounds like a nasty beast! I certainly do not want to get stung again. I do have one acid flask if you think it might come in handy."
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The gates are solid bronze.
The gates are rather decrepit and appear to have been broken open by force long ago. There are no means to secure them and they would not stand up to much punishment.
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"We could just open the gate and charge to glory, but if you prefer such caution, I can certainly climb back up and report on the creature's advance."
"If we could get off some shots at it from ambush at the same time as I yell my challenge from the gate, we might be able to seriously wound the creature and enrage it towards me. I will then lure it through the gate and do all I can to keep it from killing me while everyone continues to ambush it."
1. Indus and Sobekhotep check the gate then move in first to sweep the courtyard for traps, with Diorio and Seben close behind. Meanwhile, Lueck is on the top of the wall keeping an eye on the critter and Sacred Ibis is flying overwatch.
2. Once everyone are in position, you open fire. I should note that the centipede is currently lounging at the bottom of an empty pool, so you can't actually get a line of fire until it climbs our (unless you're on the wall), but you can ready an action to shoot once you attract it's attention.
3. Diorio takes a defensive stance at the western gate leading into the garden, while the rest of the team provides ranged support - note that you'll be firing into melee at that point.
4. Lueck may or may not do a bloodthirsty leap from atop the wall into melee. Time will tell...
4. Lueck may or may not do a bloodthirsty leap from atop the wall into melee. Time will tell...
2. Once everyone are in position, you open fire. I should note that the centipede is currently lounging at the bottom of an empty pool, so you can't actually get a line of fire until it climbs our (unless you're on the wall), but you can ready an action to shoot once you attract it's attention.
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Perception:
Initiative:
Armed with a daring plan to defeat the giant centipede, the Smokin' Bask Brigade are finally ready to enter the House of Pentheru.
While Lueck and the Sacred Ibis continue to keep careful watch, Diorio and Seben take position outside the gates while Indus and Sobekhotep move into the small courtyard, carefully checking for signs of traps and other hazards.
The two scouts have only ventured a few feet when Indus halts, his sharps senses picking up something the eludes Sobekhotep. At the blue-skinned wizard's side, Neith bristles and growls angrily.
You pick up a faint sound in the distance, which grows rapidly in strength. It sounds like an angry mob approaching!
A quick glance through the gate does not reveal any signs of movement outside the compound.
Through your emphatic connection with Neith, you clearly sense that she detects some sign of danger.
"Something's coming!" Indus calls out while preparing to fire off his crossbow at the first sign of enemies, the bolt crackling with arcane energy.
As Indus and Neith tense up, the source of their alarm soon becomes apparent for everyone.
Even though the streets outside the estate are completely deserted, the sound of an angry mob can be heard outside the walls. A woman’s voice cries out in terror.
From out of nowhere, powerful blows shake and rattle the gates. The woman's voice rises to a pitched shriek of very infectious panic!
Supernatural fear grips you and erodes your resolve. You are both currently frightened for one round and must flee from the courtyard at the best of your ability. Neith is unaffected.
The voices and rattling gate is the manifestation of a haunt, a hazardous region created by unquiet spirits who endured terrific mental or physical anguish at the end of their mortal life.
Haunts can be temporarily disabled with positive energy, such as a cure spell or channel, but must be exorcised with specific actions linked to the cause of the haunt to be permanently destroyed.
"Argh, this place is haunted!" Indus cries out, scrambling to get away from the unseen source of the ruckus.
As suddenly as they appeared, the voices and the violent shaking cease, and the courtyard falls quiet once again.
From atop his perch on the wall, Lueck can see that the giant centipede does not appear to have noticed the commotion.
Seben goes back to readying an action to fire her bow if a giant bug comes over the wall to eat us.
Knowledge (religion) .
"Does anyone know what that was? Some sort of wizardry, perhaps?"
Indus shakes the fear off but is still visibly shaken. "My father told me of dig sites where the restless spirits of former inhabitants would sometimes cling to the very stones, haunting and terrifying anyone who disturbed their rest. I'm not an expert, but I assume they can be somehow finally laid to rest, though I don't know the exact process."
"Argh! Why can't the dead just stay dead?"