Magdali figures she should at least ask.
"Maybe we withdraw from the room and close the door? There seems to be an endless number of bugs in there."
Round 4
Valiard's arrow sinks into the thick carapace and some blood secretes from the wound.
Nikolay takes a spike to the shoulder not that it seems to affect him much. Where as the Lecturn takes three spikes to the chest.
Borak swings his bardiche smashing the small magenta aberration. *SPLAT!*
Drake shakes his head and yells, "Medic we have one down!" He then rushes into the room realizing he is the closes thing they have to a medic. Then he channels healing his allies and any of the creatures that were bleeding out. It seems to take a lot out of him and he drops into the corner.
Round 5
Magdali
16 Nikolay
16 Visayn
14 Valiard
13 Zerglings
6 Borak
5 Lectrum
4 Drake
Sheathing his bow, Visayn runs to aid Lectrum who remained behind. "Doc! Try to catch as many as you can with bombs! They're too tough after all, I'm afraid!" he yells while preparing to strike aberrations getting too close
Magdali takes another shot at a bug since she has a clear line on it, cursing to herself as more people to into the room right after she suggests getting out of it.
She tries again.
"It's like we kicked over an anthill! Are we going to dead stand here and do this on and on until we're dead or we have to break for dinner before coming back to do it some more?"
"Like the lady said, grab everyone and get out of the room! Hold the door!" Valiard shouts furiously, frantically waving folks out of the deathtrap.
"Even the blood of those things is acidic! We need a better plan than this hash-up!"
Nikolay glances around at the instructions from Magdali and Valiard, nodding as he moves towards the doorway and throws another explosive to cover the group's retreat. "The lamplighter speaks the truth. So many sparks - windows into another world - but if you remain in a thunderstorm, you will be enlightened. We must curate the spark elsewhere, but time is like a loop, never ending but not always completed." Something about his mutagenic chemicals appears to have eroded what pretense of sanity he had left, and the young alchemist is almost completely incoherent. He leaps back towards the door, stopping and bowing to the insects before he leaves. "We will return with excess magnesium, misplaced candles."
Round 4
With Drakes exertions Lecturn doesn't drop but is in bad shape.
Round 5
The meat floor/goo/creep did not impede you from entering but works against your retreat.
The large bulbous floating creature with massive looking claws in the corner makes a loud roar of some kind which kinda sounded like, "Grouletch."
The hydralisks leave and move over to make a living shield of flesh and carapace to block the floating creature from you. They appear ready to strike.
As he moved into the room, Børak listened as the others rethought their strategy. Only catching about half of what Nikolay said Børak nodded at the good doctor and moved back. Keeping his bardiche at the ready in case any of the larger creatures advance. Hearing the creatures communicate, he wonders if there were some way to speak with them.
Round 5
Lecturn downs the healing infusion from Nikolay as he slogs his way to the group. Drake gets up and heads for the door as well.
Round 6 - End of combat
The group collects outside of the room. You notice that the floor has grown outside of the door by several inches. The door shuts.
As Lectrum and others depart the room and critters apparently formed a defensive line, Visayn also retreats after making sure no one was left behind.
"Okay folks, I severely underestimated ferocity of those beasts. My idea was to destroy their source, you know whatever that thing was where they came from so we wouldn't be overrun by masses. I'm sorry if you feel like I put you in danger."
Once everyone is clear of the room and the door is shut, Magdali begins the process by concentrating on her inner core, where the gleaming ember lies. Given her attention and encouragement it begins to expand exponentially so that within no more than a second it expands and breaches the borders of her skin. Brilliant white light flashes outward from Magdali. To all those engulfed in it, the light feels warm and nurturing. To those who are injured, it also soothes and repairs wounds.
After the first flash comes a second.
You notice that the floor has grown outside of the door by several inches. The door shuts.
Valiard moved forward, glanced into the room, then moved back into the hallway.
"Ok, so once we get everyone back in somewhat of a better condition, we need to recalibrate." Valiard said, quickly looking over the group and the numerous injuries present.
"They are backed up in the corner to guard that big one. Likely that one is the leader."
"Choices: One, we backtrack and look for another way. May not be the best idea based on what Drake is saying. Two, we hold fast back here at the door, and throw whatever we can at the critters from a distance, focusing on the big one. They either return fire, or they rush us. If they rush us, we use the doorway to limit their ability to surround or target. If they don't rush us, then we use whatever we can to hit as many of them as we can...bombs, flasks of oil, magic, whatever... Three, we rush them. Now that there aren't little guys to flank us, we try and pin down each of those front liners one-one one and double/triple team the one on the end to break through to the big guy."
"That's all I can think of? Any thoughts?" Valiard asked.
Nikolay gives another mad grin as Magdali's healing aura washes over him, glancing down at his shoulder and watching as the puncture wound heals over and the acid from the insects' spikes drains out. "My thanks, lamplighter. Entropic recursion delays our demise but does not avert it. Too many eyes for that - we would see things, and things would see us."
As Valiard expounds his plan, the tiefling shakes his head. "A direct attack is counterindicated by empirical data. What was will be, and I can see it in my mind's eye - you, Børak, dead with a spike through your eye; you, Lectrum, torn to shreds by a thousand claws." As he names each of his party members, he points a spindly finger at each of them. "However, if we wish to strike from a place of safety, we may succeed."
The young alchemist seems to consider something for a moment. "If we wish to seal the entrance, I can craft adhesive and laminate its exterior. It will take time, and I will need ingredients..." His eyes dart around the room, coming to rest on Visayn as he extends his finger to point at the young sylph. "...I can work with the tendons of his arm. Or the reagents in my bag. His arm would be better."
"I have a deadly bow if we are attacking from the hallway. It's not my favorite, but it hurts... a lot. Won't it be hard to target the monster that's spitting out the other monsters? Is there an endless number? We could be fighting all day." He smiles a little at that concept, his dragon teeth gleaming.
Chuckling at Visayn's confession, Børak, figures, as Magdali heals everyone, that it was a good learning experience. Moving beside the 'scout' he adds, 'Don't worry, we're still learning each other's abilities."
Listening as Valiard sorted his three options, Børak, nodded at some, frowning at others. As Nikolay began to speak, Børak needed to sort through some of the words. Not sure about some of his friends speech, he understood on part, snorting, "Dead with a spike in my eye? I don't see it."
As Lectrum added that he had a bow, Børak mentally shrugged, he didn't have 'deadly' ranged weapon, he didn't want one. But he did think that burning the creatures out from range was a good idea. Looking towards Nikolay, he responds. "I don't think sealing the door would be good since Drake said that was the way to go. If we are going to fight, then burning the creatures out would be my preference."
He paused for a moment, not sure he wanted to voice his other thought. Shaking his head, knowing it sounded stupid, he asks. "The creatures moved to protect the other thing. Is it possible they are sentient, and we could just ask them if we could pass?"
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Oh my, Doctor Ramada really is quite mad.
"How would we ask them? I think that ship has sailed at this point though, if it was ever a real possibility."
Even apparently cut off the sludge continues to grow and at a faster pace with the help of the positive energy. Though when the channels stop you can't see the growth very easily.
The little lizard shakes and offers up, "Not sure what you plan to do but you only have my damage reduction for a few more hits today."
He made his way to the far wall and slid down the cool stones. He eased himself into a sitting position and let the youngsters figure out what they were going to do next. He kept his ears open more for other forms of movement. Bow across his lap he centers himself.
His eyes dart around the room, coming to rest on Visayn as he extends his finger to point at the young sylph. "...I can work with the tendons of his arm. Or the reagents in my bag. His arm would be better."
Visayn stares at the doctor with barely noticeable smirk His sense of humor is impeccable.
"They seem to be very territorial, not interested in communication. However, they clearly can make basic tactical decisions like staying on defense and this meat floor may have effects we just don't know yet." he ponders
Chuckling as his mentor takes a seat, Børak shakes his head in responce to Magdali, "I don't know." Turning towards Visayn, he nods. "They do seem territorial, what if they are just defending their nest. Even without being able to speak to them, what if we walked towards the other exit without bothering them?"
Chuckling as his mentor takes a seat, Børak shakes his head in responce to Magdali, "I don't know." Turning towards Visayn, he nods. "They do seem territorial, what if they are just defending their nest. Even without being able to speak to them, what if we walked towards the other exit without bothering them?"
"It isn't a bad thought. Could we obscure the room somehow with smoke, go invisible or something similar? I mean, we know nothing about this floor meat...it could even communicate with them somehow." Valiard thought aloud.
"We may just need to test something out."
There is a foot of floor meat to test, if anyone stands in that square the door opens.
Do you think I should try chopping the floor meat with my horse chopper?
Asnwering Valiard, "I've no magics for fog or invisibility, but I wonder if they would bother us, if we just stay out of reach."
Not sure of what else to do, Børak gestures at the 'meat' "May as well chop away Lectrum. Maybe we could just cut our way to the other side."
"Or I could just try and sneak through and see what they do..." Valiard groaned, dropped his pack, rolled his shoulders to loosen up and tucked his ioun stone away before sliding into the darkness of the meaty room.
Valiard, senses alert, watched for any twitches or movement from the creatures in the far corner as he made his way to the opposite door.
You sneak along the western wall and see several burrowed critters. You get to the door and realize it is a combination lock and you just need to turn them to the circle symbol. Then the door opens.
You see a pristine room of molded white granite with little flecks that shine from the floating orbs of light in the room. The room is dominated by a throne of sorts near the eastern wall. Across the way you see another door.
Valiard slips away through the door before Lecturn begins chopping. If anyone goes to watch him,
Lectrum stands back, waiting. He's brave... or crazy.
Realizing Valiard was headed back into the meat room, Børak, no sure how to respond looked at Lectrum, "You've known him longer than us, which is it?"
Magdali has no useful ideas herself, so she just waits to see what the experimentation brings.
"You've known him longer than us, which is it?"
"Brave, hopefully not TOO brave."
Nikolay watches intently as Valiard enters the room, but at Lectrum's words, he scoffs. "No such thing as madness. So-called 'sanity' is like light - the brighter it is, the more things are obscured. Only when it is gone do we see the world as it truly is." He moves over to where Lectrum is chopping at the moss and begins hacking away with his own aspergillum. "I hypothesize that this substance will prove resistant to strikes meant to crush and perforate, but the introduction of acid may serve as a retardant to its spread." As he strikes, pistons within his weapon whir, expelling small amounts of acid from the holes that dapple the mace-like tool.
"Shall we just wait here until he returns?" Visayn asks while watching Doc striking the moss unsure how it will react
He gets up and walks over to the door. After looking in he states, "It looks like they have all left, just the floating one. Also the bodies are gone and the door is open." He looks at the others before he begins to slowly enter the room.
The creep slices easily enough but then reforms or regenerates quickly. The bludgeon and acid don't seem to have much effect.
REalizing Drake was right, Børak, steps into the room to follow Valiard. Keeping his bardiche at the ready he heads to the opposite door, keeping an eye on the 'floating one.'
Valiard let out the breath he had been holding in a silent sigh. He had made it to the room in one piece, the door was now open, but he had no idea if it would work for anyone else.
Valiard glanced around the room, looking for anything that might be able to help the group get across the meat room. His eyes were drawn to the odd throne, and he moved closer, looking for any clues as to its purpose or activation.
Curiosity satisfied for the moment, and now more secure in the safety of the room, he moved back to the doorway and motioned across the meatroom towards the group, beckoning them across the meat carpet expanse, while pressing a finger to his lips.
Valiard you take your time and see several raised tiles which likely will activate a trap or something. You also see a glowing red beam of light that is about 3 feet off the ground.
Likely avoiding those things you get to the throne and see that there is a fine layer of dust over everything making the colors below barely shine through.
Those looking through the open doorway see Valiard, beyond the closed door and in the next room.
He follows Borak to the next room.
Growing bit impatient Visayn decides to follow Borak into next room. He stays alert and tries not to make too much noise.
As Børak looks at the floating monster one last time, he steps over the threshold asking Valiard "Is it safe?" As he carefully takes the room in from the doorway.
"No, not really." he answered Borak. "There are traps, there, there, there and that thin line of light." he continued, pointing out the various traps.
"I haven't had a chance to look at them yet, didn't want to seal the room off or make a ruckus before everyone snuck in."
Nikolay, noticing his friends' successful navigation of the room, follows, gliding through the shadows at the infestation's edge as he nears the door in the opposite wall. Inside the trapped room, his lambent red eyes sweep the ancient carvings, taking in the chronicles of kings and heroes etched into the walls of the room, before resting on the dusty throne. "I recall a tale my mother told. A tale of a king with a noqual crown. He vanished eons ago, but they say his daughter heard the whispers every time she sat on her throne, accusing her of what she had done."
After a moment, he begins to hum to himself, a strange tune with a few snippets of eerie verse mixed in, his eyes staring into space as he awaits the arrival of his other two allies.
"...Along the shore the cloud waves break, The twin suns sink beneath the lake..."
"...Song of my soul, my voice is dead; Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed..."
You see a pristine room of molded white granite with little flecks that shine from the floating orbs of light in the room. The room is dominated by a throne of sorts near the eastern wall. Across the way you see another door.
Likely avoiding those things you can get to the throne and see that there is a fine layer of dust over everything making the colors below barely shine through.
The large floating creature remains in the corner but there is no sign of the others.
As Nikolay sits on the throne the lights turn red.
Then the door slowly unlocks the 9 locks from within the door after Drake unlocks it. A faint red glow comes from the newly opened door.
Drake's pace quickened and he went to the other door. He placed his hand in the hole on the door and winced.
As the door opens, he doesn't wait and slips through when it opens enough.
As you follow him into the room or look in after him, you see him walking slowly towards a massive red glowing crystal with arcane runes all over it in golden elvish script.
Since everyone else is crossing the room to go through the open doorway and nothing terrible seems to be happening, Magdali does so as well.
Valiard froze as his friend simply moved and plopped right down on the white throne. Valiard moved closer, eyes watching for any signs of ill activity in the doctor...well odder than usual anyways.
Actually, how would I tell if something horrible had happened to Ramada's mind? He becomes horribly lucid? He couldn't be more erratic without simply drooling a puddle on the floor..
The Apothecary released his ioun torch back above his head and then stood watch over the good doctor, hood up, long traveling cloak pulled about him, hands hidden beneath where they nervously gripped his daggers.
Seeing the Raised tiles and red beam that Valiard had pointed to, Børak slowly moves into the room. He nods politely as Nilolay began to tell his story, but wasn't sure how to respond to the singing, especially when the doctor plopped down on the ancient throne. Not wanting to hurt Nikolay's feelings, he resisted the urge to shake his head, but the doctor's actions sometimes seemed strange to him. Shaking off the sensation, who was he to judge a educated man's actions. He was practically raised by wolves. Even when he lived with Drake he had very little interactions with others, and when he did, it didn't seem to go well.
Seeing Drake wince when he placed his hand in the hole on the door, Børak moved that way, wanting to protect his mentor.