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A scorpion of this size is quite dangerous, and is very likely the toughest single threat you have seen in the dungeon. Its sting is poisonous and potently so, able to sap the strength from your body.
Karth lets fly an arrow towards the large creature even as the barbarian moves forward, the shot finding a gap in its chitinous armor and causing it to rear back in pain.
Barreling forward, greatsword in hand, Kend tries to strike at the beast with the long blade, hoping to bring it down as quickly as possible, letting the anger of his people fuel his arm.
The barbarian lands a powerful swing that splits the creature open, slashing away a number of its plates and causing it to weep a viscous fluid.
The scorpion lashes back out at Kend in turn, snapping at him with its pinchers and then bringing its tail down.
The nimble warrior is able to duck out of the way of the first claw but the second snaps around him and holds him in place as the tail comes down. He's barely able to bat aside the stinging tip with his sword at the last moment.
Kathrine follows in behind Kend-Krid as he barrels into the room, watching the arrow and sword sinking into the creature's flesh and sending great gout's of viscous fluids to spraying about the room. Seeing the creature grab hold of Kend and his sword barely deflecting the darting tail of the monstrous scorpion, she shouts out incoherently and stabs forward with her Fauchard at the maximum distance of her reach.
Zeldins eyes are wide in absolute revulsion. He does not think. He mutters something and points a finger at the monstrosity before him, and a shaft of blue light flies at the scorpion and hits it squarely.
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Kathrine rushes forward with her long weapon, sweeping out with it towards the enormous scorpion though the blade bounces off one of its thicker chitinous plates.
From around the corner, Zeldin sends a burst of light from his fingertips, striking into the beast, its mandibles chittering in pain.
Errigal makes his way up right behind Kend, striking out with his whip past the barbarian. True to its name, the scorpion whip lands a square blow, popping at the sensitive place between the beasts claws where its eyes are. The hold on Kend loosens a bit as the creature sways weakly.
Unable to get too close without taking a sting of his own and seeing Kend seems to be holding up well enough at the moment, Buckwell takes a quick shot with his crossbow, though trying to avoid the barbarian makes the shot go wide.
The scorpion looks to be barely on its feet at this point, but more sounds are heard coming from the southern hallway beyond it, nothing sounds as large as what you are facing now however.
Karth
Kend
Scorpion
Kathrine
Zeldin
Errigal
Buckwell
Karth maneuvers into the room, keeping his eyes to the south. He continues to split his attention between the unseen creatures and the scorpion, which causes his shot to sail straight over the melee.
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Karth advances on the scorption, letting off another shot in its direction though it goes quite wide.
Kend however shows his strength, forcing the scorpions claw apart enough for him to slip free. The scorpion lashes forward at him with a claw again, trying to catch the barbarian before he escapes, battering him with the heavy claw. The reach over extends it, however, and a spray of black ichor rushes from the worst of its wounds and it collapses in a heap.
Even as the beast falls, three more, smaller than that one but still of immense size come scurrying around the corners towards the end of the hall towards the group.
Kathrine
Zeldin
Errigal
Buckwell
Karth
Kend
Scorpions
As she rushes past Kend and the large scorpion's fallen body, Kathrine shouts out "I'll hold them as long as I can, get Kend back on his feet."
Stepping forward to the mouth of the hallway, Kathrine sets her Fauchard extended in front of her and breathes slowly, ready to strike at whichever of these unnatural scorpions entered the reach of her polearm first.
Zeldin moves forward and into the room. He tries not to look at the monstrosity before him but with discust focuses his attention on the ones chittering down the hallway at them. He averts his eyes for a moment, and extends his hand. Again a blue dart shoots from his fingers and finds its mark in the lead scorpion.
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Kathrine rushes forward, bracing her fauchard ready for the next group of scorpions to come.
Zeldin follows in after her, bolts of energy sailing from his fingers to strike into the lead scorpion.
Errigal moves up beside Kathrine, scorpion whip at the ready as well, prepared to meet the incoming insects.
Buckwell hurries up behind Kend, reaching out and laying a hand on the barbarian and focusing his thoughts to try and mend some of the man's wounds.
Karth
Kend
Scorpions
Kathrine*
Zeldin
Errigal*
Buckwell
Karth dashes across the room, taking aim between the two defenders and letting an arrow fly. His hand hesitates between his quiver and the pommel of his greatsword, doubting that his bow will be of much help once the melee is joined.
Kend advances to help with the new threat. As he scrambles to get into position he calls out over his shoulder, "Thanks Bucky" then turning his head back towards the corridor where everyone is gathering shouts, "It'll take more than that to slow a Nightfang!"
As Kend rushes forward he decides to cover Errigal should the scorpions get inside his reach.
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The scorpions barrel forward towards the group, the first taking a swipe from Kathrine's fauchard as it tries to avoid the whip, before overcompensating and taking a blow from the whip in avoiding the polearm. The sharp snap of the whip enough to bring the creature down in a heap.
The two remaining scorpions dash down the hallway, their tails flashing out towards the pair. Both their stingers go quite wide though.
Zeldin
Buckwell
Karth
Kathrine
Errigal
Kend
Scorpions
Zeldin moves forward and eyes the beasts before them. He is impressed with the instincts of the warriors in front of him. They saw what he did not, that they should stop the creatures in the bottleneck.
From behind the front line he tosses a ball of sparks at the scorpion closest to him.
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Zeldin advances up behind the front line fighters as well, trying to send a jolt of energy between the fighters towards the scorpions, but its hard to aim with the bustle and it strikes the stone floor before them.
Buckwell comes up behind Kend, seeing the barbarian is still quite battered and touches his shoulder, healing up more of his wounds.
Zeldin
Second, I was curious if Chris had gotten the last email I sent that had a couple corrections for her character and an idea about where she could start? If we go with that, the starting location is literally around the corner, so we could bring her in anytime(even mid-combat).
With melee joined, Karth sets his bow down and draws his sword, stepping forward and assisting Kathrine with her scorpion.
Seeing Karth next to her and the scorpion directly in front of her. Kathrine takes a quick jump back and swings with her Fauchard.
Growling as her Fauchard crashes into the stone floor where the scorpion was just a moment ago. She says with exasperation, "I hate bugs!"
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As Kathrine hops back and brings her fauchard down onto the stone, Errigal shoulders into the scorpion that was before her, sliding in past its tail and driving his armor spikes into the open wounds left by Karth's greatsword, the powerful hit causing it to collapse in a heap. He slips forward to stand over its body, leaving room for both Karth and Kend to reach the remaining scorpion without having to swing around any corners.
Kend
Scorpions
Zeldin
Buckwell
Karth
Kathrine
Errigal
With the way open, Kend moves to the entrance of the passage sweeps his greatsword low across the floor at the last remaining scorpion.
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Kend steps in after the scorpion, bringing his blade in a wide arc that splits it open.
The scorpion tries to strike back at the barbarian, lashing out with both its claws as well as its tail but again showing his combat skill Kend manages to use the reach of his sword to keep the creature at bay.
Alone and severely wounded, the scorpion takes a step back away from the group back down the hallway.
Zeldin throws another sparkling ball at the remaining scorpion.
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Another jolt of electricity leaps from Zeldin's fingers at the wounded scorpion, though in its withdraw it manages to duck out of the way.
As the creature starts to retreat, Buckwell brings up his own crossbow, firing between the group in front of him, though their jostling sends his shot wide as well.
Karth
Kathrine
Errigal
Kend
Scorpions
Zeldin
Buckwell
Karth wades into the fray, swinging his greatsword upwards in an arc that manages to completely miss the retreating scorpion.
Attack
Damage
Seeing the creature ducking and jumping away from her companions swings, Kathrine steps forward and attempts to jab her Fauchard through a gap in their spacing to pierce the scorpions thick hide.
A grin splits her face as she watches her steel pierce the large insects hide and spurts of fluid gush out of it.
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The jab from Kathrine's fauchard is enough to bring the scorpion down to the ground completely, the man sized bug leaking its foul smelling blood over the stones.
Beyond the bodies of the scorpions the hallway ends in a door after splitting east and west. This dark, dank corridor smells of mold. The walls occasionally boast an interesting stone of bluish hue here and there, but upon closer examination, its just some kind of slimy coating probably better left alone.
To the group: Is everyone okay? Do we need to rest?
To Karth: Karth, did you hear anything from any of the other doors? If not, I think we should head back and try the door I was at. Better to not have anything unsavory follow us!
"This was the only one I heard anything behind," Karth replies, wiping ichor off his blade. He puts it back in its sheathe and stoops to pick up his bow before adding, "We would do well to check that whole room though, I think." He stands up and surveys the carnage while he awaits others replies.
"Being thorough is good, but what was THAT?" Kend faces the double doors with his sword brought up to the ready. "It didn't look interested in a fight but it might have friends."
Zeldin gawks at the door with his mouth wide open.
Karth gives the occurrence the same stony gaze he gives most everyone. After a few moments pass with no one answering Kend, he replies, "It could be a trick. An illusion or a... disguise."
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None of you are quite sure what to make of the creature as it doesn't really match anything you've met before. Its definitely not naturally, nor does it appear to be any sort of abberation or outsider. Zeldin's best guess would actually put it as some sort of construct or animated object, though with the brief glimpse you had it was difficult to tell, and its obviously has some sort of customization to it.
Unsure what to do but sure that we have been spotted, Zeldin gestures that we should advance on the strange creature. He also whispers his observations to the group.
Assuming they agree, he takes his place toward the rear and moves forward cautiously.
Karth nods and wordlessly murmurs his assent. He'll draw his greatsword and follow Kathrine and Kend into the room.
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The group approaches the southern double doors and slowly pulls them open revealing a large room lit by what look like orbs of magical fire nestled against points of the ceiling.
Two massive, square pillars, almost ten feet to a side, support the center of the ceiling in this wide chamber. Beautiful silken curtains drape from the walls, and equally lavish woven carpets of red and gold adorn the floor. Throughout the chamber, old but still serviceable wooden furniture can be found: a divan here, a bureau there, a wardrobe, a credenza, a few tables of varying sizes, and a massive, sumptuous bed. Even a marble bathtub hides behind a folding wooden screen next to a silver-plated rack for hanging towels. The place seems clean and well-kept, and yet does not feel lived-in.
A man lays sprawled out upon the comfortable looking bed, snoring noisily with a trident balanced against one of the bedposts beside him. As you open the door you can see the small potato like creature flitting away from him, a small stinger almost like that of a wasp retracting into its body as it moves away and begins to dust at one of the dressers without seeming to pay any attention to you. Though since it has no obvious eyes its hard to tell just what it may be paying attention to.
'm..gna... rivers, rivers under sea... red....SNORRRRRK!"
The figure on the bed stirs and mumbles and then is still again. One arm rests exposed atop the blankets the muscles are defined and the hand callused. A braided leather cord is visible around his neck.
Kend sweeps his eyes about the room for a moment checking for obvious threats and decides not to advance any further into the room just yet, then begins inhaling deeply and cups a hand over his mouth in obvious preparation to shout.
Karth, surprised to find a room like this in the middle of a dungeon, slowly paces the room. Well acquainted with fey trickery, he moves slowly around the room, opening doors on the furniture, running his hands along the curtains, and even giving the bathtub a little nudge with his boot.
Kend's shout causes him to start, though he merely gives a glance over his shoulder and figures the barbarian has the right idea, even if the shout didn't rouse the sleeper.
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The odd little creature doesn't seem to pay Karth any mind as he enters the room and looks around, even as he touches things. It all certainly seems real enough. When he actually pulls open one of the wardrobe doors however it flits over and quickly pushes it closed, the small stinger protruding from the creature again almost as a warning.
Occa
Zeldin seems on edge in this room. He looks for danger first, and then focuses on the snoring man. Looking to the others he says quietly and bewildered, Perhaps we should let him sleep, and leave this room.
"..River..Lionfish...catus.. Lethe"
The figure on the bet is growing more animated. In his struggles the blankets are disaranged revealing that he is wearing a blue robe and that his arms and upper chest are covered in tiny puncture wounds.
Karth glares at the potato-thing briefly as its stinger protrudes. Having finished his circuit, he joins Kend next to the sleeping figure and quickly puts two and two together.
"I don't think he chose to sleep here," he says in response to Zeldin. "That... thing has a stinger; he seems to have been stung repeatedly."
After a moment, he adds, "Although what he did to provoke it that we haven't, I do not know."
"It would be strange if the stinger caused him to sleep and this man just happened to provoke a stinging by laying on the bed... I doubt the thing would or could have put him there after it stung him. Perhaps something else has caused him to sleep through being stung."
Kathrine stays outside of the strange room for a time keeping an eye out along the corridors her Fauchard held forward and ready. Kend-Krids shout into the room makes her jump slightly and she glowers at the tall man before turning completely away from the corridor and stepping into the room herself. Giving a brief glance of the room she walks up to the bed and speaking softly, "What if this man was brought here as a prisoner? We should wake him and find out what he is doing down here."