{Modern Setting} The Whispering Cave (Return)

[Duniagdra]

We stop turning at the next click, which I expect to be the north alcove.

[patransom]

As Brad and Marcus turn the sarcophagus, the elevator in the yellow alcove descends quietly into the floor. When the sarcophagus clicks to a stop pointing at the green alcove, a cacophonous creaking of stone against stone emerges from the ground below the green lantern. Waiting briefly to see if anything happens, you find that no elevator emerges beneath the green lantern and nothing happens in the blue lantern passage, yet the rumbling and grinding sound continues.

[Duniagdra]

“Eric, the passage at the top is still open? I wonder what is making all that noise? I'm going to see if anything is opening above the north alcove.”

SpoilerShow

Searching north alcove ceiling (1d20+6=11)

[tdsprouse]

“Interesting.

I wonder if it opens a passage below?”

[Duniagdra]

“Interesting.

I wonder if it opens a passage below?”

“Hey! That would be something. Maybe we'll wait and see if it stops in a few minutes. I'd really like to continue though.”

[tdsprouse]

“Yes, id say we see what each position does before we go anywhere.”

[patransom]

Marcus moves up into the green lantern alcove. He scans the ceiling carefully, but the only thing he notices is the ground shaking under his feet, as if something is about to give way. He moves back to turn the sarcophagus again, but as he arrives at his original postion, something does give way...

Back in the green alcove, the stone circle engraved in the floor collapses and falls. Perhaps a second later there is a tremendous crash, as the stone and whatever it was attached to reach the bottom of whatever lies below.

There is now a hole in the floor beneath the green lantern, where the circle used to be. At least the rumbling and grinding have stopped...

[tdsprouse]

Brad moves to 1212, drawing his pistol...

Do you hear that??? “This does not sound good at all.”

“Anyone have a manhole cover in their pocket?”

[klakxor]

Sahid back up next to the sarcophagus and pulls out his gun, readying to climb up on it.

“Whatever it is, I don't like the sound of it. Remember I mentioned horror movies before, this is what they sound like.”

[Duniagdra]

“Bah! Sounded like the floor there fell a long way down. I likely held another elevator that just failed from time unused. Let's move on and turn again.”

[CGM3]

Drawn by the noise, Eric moves cautiously to 1607 and plays his flashlight beam over the end of the "North" corridor.

[patransom]

Apparently, Sahid and Brad heard something that Marcus and Eric did not, because suddenly a living geyser of beetles erupts from the hole in the floor! The beetles fall to the floor around the hole, coagulating into a swarm like an undulating blanket. The swarm of beetles begins moving, as one, toward the main chamber, leaving a thin coat of bright yellow slime in its wake!

The geyser of beetles is immediately followed by something larger: a horrible insect-like creature with six sharp legs sprouting from a central body that is little more than a disgusting eye! [The creature is "MS" on the map and pictured below]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Unfortunately, these creatures are not friendly and beat all of you on initiative. Combat begins.

 

ROUND 1

The swarm of beetles moves to partially envelop Eric, who finds the biting of thousands of insects most unpleasant. He also discovers that their yellow slime burns the skin. [5 hp damage - 4 biting, 1 acid. In addition, Eric needs a DC11 Fortitude save at the start of his turn to avoid being nauseated.]

The larger insect gives the swarm a wide berth and charges Brad. It attempts to slash him with one of its razor-sharp claws, but Brad is quick to duck.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Initiative: ROUND 1 CONTINUES Marcus Tilsworth Eric Lightner - 5 damage, potentially nauseated Brad Laskin Sahid Khan ROUND 2 Beetle Swarm Mad Slasher ---> Next validation

 

[tdsprouse]

Holy S*1t!!

Brad 'jumps' back 5' to 1213, and double taps the Slasher...

Double Tap (1d20 2=12, 3d6=9)


ERIC, Get out of there!!

[Duniagdra]

Marcus steps back to 1516 drawing his beretta as he does. He takes aim and fires a single round at the Big Bug.

SpoilerShow

Shooting at the Big Bug (1d20+1=21, 2d6=6)
Critical Confirm (1d20+1=8, 2d6=7)
I'm thinking an 8 does not confirm a crit, but at least I hit. LOL

[klakxor]

Sahid jumps back to 1613 and takes a shot at the big monster. “I told you this was a bad horror movie. Where the hell are the camera's”

[CGM3]

Fort Save vs Nausea (DC 11):1d20+4=17

Manfully fighting down the urge to puke his last meal onto the cavern floor, Eric scampers to 1713 while voicing hearfelt imprecations and slapping at the insects crawling over him, drawing his pistol en route but keeping his attention on the swarm.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Exactly when did poor Eric become the party's abuse puppy? “When the tidal wave hits the ship/A hundred miles out to sea/I'm the guy at the rail throwing up.”

 

[patransom]

ROUND 1 CONTINUES

Marcus retreats and shoots at the Mad Slasher. He hits and a greenish ichor oozes from the bullet hole.

Manfully fighting down the urge to puke his last meal onto the cavern floor, Eric scampers away while voicing hearfelt imprecations and slapping at the insects crawling over him, drawing his pistol en route but keeping his attention on the swarm.

Brad jumps back and fires two quick rounds at the Slasher. He just barely misses.

Sahid jumps back and takes a shot at the big monster. He is now even more certain this is a horror movie, because his aim is absolutely awful.

ROUND 2

The beetles swarm forward, moving up to envelop the nearest food, which happens to be the Mad Slasher!

The Slasher, annoyed by the biting and stinging and with more green ichor oozing from various tiny wounds, flees from the swarm. It runs all the way around to come up behind Brad, putting him between it and the swarm. It also attempts to slash Brad once more, but misses again.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Initiative: ROUND 2 CONTINUES Marcus Tilsworth Eric Lightner - 5 damage Brad Laskin Sahid Khan ROUND 3 Beetle Swarm Mad Slasher ---> Next validation

 

[Duniagdra]

Marcus moves back again to 1519 and fires another round at the slasher thing, Anyone got any type of combustible on them?

SpoilerShow

Another shot at the Big Bad Bug (1d20+1=21, 2d6=6)
This is not joke! I'm not cheating! LOL
Confirm Critical (1d20+1=12, 2d6=8)
Can I spend an action point to confirm a crit? If so...
Action Point (1d6=3)
That would bring my Threat to a Confirmed Crit I think. If not, well, at least I got it again.

Marcus seems pleased with his shooting, as if he was expecting he'd miss rather than hit. “Let's try and keep that thing between us and the swarm. Maybe they'll help rid us of it faster. But then we need to get rid of them as they feed on it.”

[tdsprouse]

Tumbling to 1117, Tumble (1d20 7=18),

“I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT CHEM LIGHTS! DAMMIT!!”

“Maybe they'll be full after the big bug?”


Brad decides to let the swarm eat the slasher, and will target the swarm itself Attack Swarm (1d20 4=22, 2d6=11)

[CGM3]

“Maybe if we kill the big one, the swarm'll be distracted eatin' the body and we can book!” Eric responds as he moves to 1514 (maybe the swarm won't come up on the dais?) and squeezes off a futile shot at the Slasher.

Eric Lightner Shoots at the Big Bug (and Misses unless it has a TERRIBLE Defense): 1d20+5=8

[klakxor]

Sahid just nods in agreement of letting the swarm keep attacking the slasher. He shoots at the big bug once more. “Definitely a horror movie”

[patransom]

ROUND 2 CONTINUES

Marcus moves back again and shoots the slasher in the back of it's hairy head globe. There is an explosion of green ichor and the creature wobbles on its knife-like legs, leaning crazily sideways. Marcus shouts, Anyone got any type of combustible on them?

Eric moves up on the dias and fires what amounts to a warning shot over the disabled slasher. “Maybe if we kill the big one, the swarm'll be distracted eatin' the body and we can book!”

Brad tumbles easily away from the still somewhat threatening creature. He fires a shot into the swarm that passes mostly harmlessly through it and ricochets off the floor. His bullet might have squished a beetle or two, but the effect is negligible. It is immediately apparent that Marcus is right: you'll need fire or some other means of creating an effect big enough to disperse the swarm. “I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BUT CHEM LIGHTS! DAMMIT!! Maybe they'll be full after the big bug?”

Sahid shoots the slasher and puts it out of its misery. The creature collapses in a gooey mass on the floor. “Definitely a horror movie.”

ROUND 3

Given a choice, the beetles apparently find two living, breathing targets much more inviting than one dead one. The swarm moves to envelop both Eric and Sahid![7 hp damage each - 6 biting, 1 acid. Both need a DC11 fort save to avoid being nauseated]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Initiative: ROUND 3 CONTINUES Marcus Tilsworth Eric Lightner - 12 damage, possibly nauseated Brad Laskin Sahid Khan - 7 damage, possibly nauseated ROUND 4 Beetle Swarm ---> Next validation

 

[/quote]

[Duniagdra]

OUT OF CHARACTER

How long are the slasher's legs? If they seem like they could provide reach as a bludgeoning weapon, at an attack penalty for improvised weapon of course, then Marcus would try making use of them.

 

Seeing that the Big Spider Thing's legs could be improvised weapons that may do better damage, Marcus takes his knife out and goes to the creature to begin removing it's legs.
“Brad, come give me a hand. Something's better than nothing, and shooting at that swarm won't do much good.”

OUT OF CHARACTER

If the legs are too short or too difficult to remove.

 

“Try stomping on them and getting away!”

[CGM3]

Eric's Amazing Technicolor Second Save vs Nausea: 1d20+4=22!

Ignoring the queasiness induced by the swarm's bites and stings and knives (don't tell me a bunch of bugs could do that kind of damage without knives!) with heroic aplomb, Eric once again beats at the insects clinging to him as he sprints to 1520. “I think I'd prefer the buxom teenage tart having her obligatory topless scene over this!” he informs Sahid with acerbic intensity.

[tdsprouse]

To Marcus...

“Uh, what?”

Brad Drops his Glock, and draws his knife on the move (to 1215) and begins to hack off a spider leg.

“I dont even have anything flammable. An extra set of clothes may, but nothing exceptional.”

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Advice from your kindly GM: the slasher's legs will take some time to hack off. Even if you got them off before being eaten by the swarm, they would be no more effective as a weapon than the severed leg of a human. Meaning not very effective in the best of circumstances, and completely ineffective against the swarm. There are simply too many beetles, moving too quickly, for any kind of melee weapon or gun to do any appreciable damage. You need something that will explode, burn, poison, or otherwise scatter huge numbers of tiny beetles all at once. The swarm does not move very quickly; you can easily outrun it if you are not nauseated and take double moves. The beetles will certainly give up and go eat the dead slasher if you get out of range. Then you can go back to the van or town and find something that will take care of the critters.

 

[tdsprouse]

OUT OF CHARACTER

Well crap... Redo:

 

Brad holsters his gun, appears to have an epiphany...

“We need to bolt, that swarm will eat us alive if we stay! We should be able to out run it, we'll regroup upstairs, make a call and get some gear. We can stop by the hardware store if we have to.”

[Duniagdra]

OUT OF CHARACTER

In this case...

 

“Exit! Stage Stairs! If we leave the room, its likely that these things will swarm the body instead. Perhaps two or three of us can remain behind while the other goes to get something that can handle this trouble. With three of us here, it would be a fair match should that trio stumble upon this cave. We could remain within the cave watching out for anyone entering.” Marcus makes a break for the stairs.

[klakxor]

Sahid agrees with the plan and attempts to get away from the swarm

[CGM3]

Eric sprints for the stairs. “We'll need a flamethrower, or a couple of blowtorches, or an industrial-sized can of bug spray!” he avers on the way.