There are three beetles left, all small ones. Because they're non-thinking, they'll keep attacking until they're dead.
I count an attack on Valda, Embla and Engelhart. In that order, I roll on a d20, 12, 11 and 19.
I'm sorry, I can't recall if Valda has a shield, though I've depicted her with one. Could I confirm that she has a shield, in which case she will take no damage. Embla is clearly missed.
These are just baby beetles, so Engelhart will take 1 point of damage. Doesn't stun.
The party now moves (see comments below).
Success! The beetles are all dead. The final x.p. total is:
58 comments:
I attack, rolling an 8, so a clear miss.
I then move to 1108, to make room for any companions that may come to my aid.
Striking the beetle in 0706.
d20: 13 (+1Str,+1Puissance,+1Bless,+2Rear) 18 Total
Damage: 4 (+3Str) 7 Total
You could get to like a +5 to hit. That's another kill.
Oh, and yes, only 1 hit point. These little things are quite weak.
I know. It's killing me. The dice are on fire and I have done THREE DAMAGE.
Aaaagh!
We'll have to put bigger, thicker things in front of you.
Willa, having loaded last round, attacks the beetle in 1109. 3 on the die, so a miss.
Embla attacks the small beetle in 706, 15 on the die for a 17 total. 8 damage.
I don't have a shield listed for my men at arms on my background generator, and I don't remember it being stated anywhere that she had a shield.
Valda will attack the beetle in hex 0606.
Attack: 10 Damage: 3
Lothar will join Engelhart, moving to hex 0908 and attacking the beetle that bit Engelhart.
Attack: 16+1=17 Damage: 5
Holding on Bergthora's action until Embla's attack is resolved.
Embla,
You missed that Pandred had already killed that beetle. You MUST start reading the comments of your party members.
I'll rule that you kill the beetle in 0606 instead, since that's the only one left to attack.
Valda then does not need to kill it.
Lothar then kills the last beetle in 1009. They're all dead.
I've started watching the 2nd part of the Deathly Hallows; I'll come work out the final x.p. after the movie's done.
Pandred will rest her axe against her shoulder with a grunt, flashing a grin at the last crunch of the last beetle.
"A decisive victory, friends! Any wounded?"
Having no actual ability to assist with wounds, she'll go and retrieve her handaxe and shield.
So, Valda does take that point of damage. All the beetles that died in the last round all had 1 hit point.
Formerly, I have not been giving Pandred her 10%; but I've adjusted the x.p. table to include it. See the post above.
Congratulations. Only took five rounds. A search of the room will reveal no more unfriendlies. The two glowing pits each contain about a dozen gently glowing yellow orbs, much like eggs, with orange patches.
The small dead beetles turn dark within a few rounds ~ however, the large beetles all seem to continue to glow strongly enough to light the whole room (with the exception of the farthest corner), even though they are dead. Apparently, the patches on their backs are glands; each beetle has about half a dozen of these.
Unfortunately, Engelharts' Beast study for his cleric doesn't help with this. Though odd, these beetles are still bugs and not beasts; in this fantasy realm, they are still considered somewhat ordinary. Still, it seems likely that the glands can be removed somehow.
I am dreadfully sorry and will do better in the future.
"Do we think that these fire beetle eggs might have some value?"
"Doubtless to someone, but we should be careful not to damage them."
I don't recall, and can't seem to locate the post, but what actually IS the large grey bit in the center here? I assumed it was a sarcophogus or similar burial container, but I could very well be mistaken.
What do we think we can do to transport these things? I'd like to get the glands on the larger beetles, but if none of us have experience with these creatures, we'll have to find some way to transport them. How much does a large beetle weigh? A hundred pounds? Two hundred? Could we fashion some sort of sled to drag them back to Stavanger?
I'm guessing closer to fifty pounds, based on our previous overbearing attempts.
A couple of thoughts about those eggs. One, we could simply take them back to town to see if anyone wants to buy them. Two, we could leave them here and see if they hatch on their own and start our own fire beetle farm, especially if there is a market for the glowing bits in Stavenger.
Alexis said the glands look like they can be removed somehow. I ask Bergthora if I can borrow her dagger for a bit and try carefully cutting out/off one of the glowing glands. If that works, I'll do the rest of them unless someone wants to help.
Regarding the sarcophagus, we should definitely examine that in more depth: clear it off, see if there are any surviving markings, a discernible lid, etc. Engelhart, can you turn undead? I don't know much about disturbing ancient graves but I understand it's not a risk-free undertaking...
Also, we should probably get started on making lunch...
Pandred, the large grey bit in the center has been described as a tomb. It is a large, stone block rising about 4 feet from the floor of the barrow. Only the edges of the block are visible, however, as the matting covers the main part of the tomb like a mound. Judging from those corners, it does appear to be a sarcophagus, as the top part of the block seems to be a 'lid.'
A large beetle weighs about 35 pounds, about as big as a fair-sized dog.
The gland seems to come away rather freely, Lothar, almost popping out of the body. It is gelatinous in feel, with a thick outer skin like translucent leather. The light seems to be self-generated. There is a thin umbilical like cord that attaches to the creature, which is easy to cut and does not allow the inner "stuff" to leak out.
To examine the sarcophagus in more depth, the matting will have to be hacked away. The sappers have brought two shovels with them and they each have hatchets. They'll be happy to do some digging if that's the job that's wanted.
Fjall has started a fire and has some tea brewing. Petar is hunting in the open woods for more fuel.
6 glands per beetle, and six large beetle makes 36 glow-glands, yes?
I think we'll want some jars if we want to keep any of these. When harvesting them, I try to leave as much of the umbilical attached as possible to allow for them to be tied to some sort of twine or rope later.
I doubt it will do any harm to clear off the sarcophagus, so I ask them do do that while I'm extricating the glow-glands.
The cord won't be strong enough to tie it to something ~ however, the heaviness of the outer casing seems to be tough enough they could be loaded into a backpack. 36 of them, yes, and each weighs about a pound.
The sappers will get to work, asking Fjall to drop down their tools.
Fjall expresses some concern about how long Petar has been gone.
I have an almost entirely empty pack which I left up above. I'd be more than happy to retrieve it and bear the load of our plundered bits and bobs. All 36 pounds would barely affect my encumbrance at all.
If one of our hirelings would be so kind as to toss it down to me so I can load it up.
We can also load up the donkey - they are not carrying very much at all.
Lothar, do you and I want to go look for Petar? Make sure he's OK?
Fjall can drop Pandred's pack for her.
Yeah, we should do that. I hope he hasn't gotten himself eaten by a bugbear... Or a regular bear...
It hasn't been very long that we've been down here, I should be able to track him down pretty easily.
I climb up the ladder to go look for Petar.
I'll take my bow and arrows with me.
Y'know, in case of bugbears.
Understood. Willa would like to know if you'd like her to go with you.
It never hurts to have another pair of eyes. Embla, any objection?
Absolutely not. I'd love for Willa to follow. I exit the barrow after reclaiming my javelin.
Great. Lothar and Willa climb out, starting off in the direction that Fjall points Petar to have gone. Embla may or may not follow, it's up to her.
It does not matter; the duo, or trio, go about a hundred yards before seeing Petar coming through the bush towards them. He calls out. "Come look! I found something!"
"What did you find, Petar?"
I close the distance between us as quickly as possible. Does he seem excited or fearful?
"Lead on, good fellow! What is it?"
"It's big. I'll show you." He starts to lead you back in the direction he came. Presuming you follow, after five minutes he takes you to a gully and points out a large stone block at the bottom of it.
The block is about the size of an open wagon plus the wheels; it has the shape of a large frog.
"This must be the frog mentioned in the tomb description!"
What else can we see about this gully from our current vantage - are we at the top, looking down?
"Or an emblem of the Frog King, marking his realm or some such."
How deep is the gully?
You are at the top of it, looking down. The gully is about twenty feet wide and about eight feet deep; the edges are earthen, with places where stone emerges. The bottom is just dirt; there isn't a creek, it is more of a drainage place for heavy rains or snowfall run off.
I gingerly make my way to the sculpture. I would like to examine it in more detail.
I follow suit. Though I recommend that after we make our initial examination we reconvene with the others and decide whether to open the tomb or conduct a fuller investigation of this monument after lunch.
Neither one of you have any particular skill at understanding the value of sculpture; it just looks like a stone frog to you. Squared around the edges, like a frog squeezed into a box, but that's about it.
The sculpture is laying on its side, however, like it has fallen into its position. It would weigh perhaps 12, 14 tons. You notice one other thing about it:
The bottom of the sculpture is embossed with flecks of bronze metal; these metallic flakes look like they've been ground into the statue.
Do the dimensions of the bottom of the frog align roughly with the dimensions of the back room of the ruined farmhouse?
It could.
Engelhart finishes gathering the remains of his fallen comrades, as well as their belongings, into our beast of burden. Their fate is to be Stavanger's graveyard.
(This is only practical insofar as I understand that the remains are completely picked clean).
He then goes to bear witness to Valda and Bergthora's work, bated breath with waryness that such a costly prize may yet have been for nought.
About how far is the gully from the farmhouse? I look around for some sticks that I can break to the length and depth of the base of the statue so I can bring them back and compare them.
On the way back I'll keep an eye on the ground to look for a rut or more evidence of the hardened earth/brass rod combination, or some other track that might have been used to slide the frog into it's current position.
[I can't comment in-character on what you're doing Lothar, but it's a hell of a job, great catches all 'round!]
Engelhart,
My only question is what do you wrap the bones in? You'll want to keep them separate.
By the time you complete your task, perhaps with Pandred's help, the sappers will have cleared away most of the matting. From there the digging is easy; the underlay seems to be like rotten sawdust.
It is indeed a sarcophagus. The lid is about an inch and a half thick, and broken into three pieces, each laying across the top. The smallest piece is towards one end and would weigh about 240 lbs.
Lothar,
You can use your bow to measure it; your bow is shorter than the statue is wide.
As far as a rut, the area has long since grown over and all trace is gone. The farmhouse and the barrow are at least a thousand years old.
Let us say, whatever tattered shreds of clothing they yet retain?
Other than that, I've a few articles of clothing (a nightshirt, a backpack, the saddlebag itself?) that might conceivably be used to keep the three discrete piles separate.
Is there any distinguishing feature for which side of the sarcophagus would be the head? This might come even from the disposition of the surrounding architecture.
Also, inscriptions? Any relevant imagery, pictograms or symbols?
We should also hunt around the barrow proper for signs of secondary graves or buried grave-goods.
I communicate upwards to Fjall: "Look about you, comrade, we're waiting on the others and a hearty meal to set upon this heathen monolith of ours".
Is there anything else in this gully other than the statue, on closer examination? Are there traces in the gully walls of the same bronze-colored material?
If Petar is still with me near the statue, I thank him for finding this and letting us know.
Engelhart,
My concept of the beetles is that they would chew down anything that is organic. However, I am good with the suggestions you make; likely, you would find something or one of the sappers would willingly sacrifice a cloak to the purpose.
Seems to me that the area around the barrow was searched on the first go around. At any rate, it will turn up nothing new. We can presume that Petar, searching for wood, walked all over the area ~ this being largely a pine forest and usable deadfall having to be deciduous, it takes more walking to find firewood. Petar found nothing other than that he pointed out.
Fjall promises that he will get a meal started ~ he has a good idea for a pottage, a sort of oatmeal soup.
Embla,
There is nothing of note but the statue. There are no such traces on the gully slopes (not really walls, but clay and earth slopes with occasional rock outcroppings).
Petar will answer, "I wasn't really looking for it; but thank you. I wouldn't keep this to myself."
Engelhart,
I missed that last point. No, no inscriptions or engraving of the stone. It is quite plain throughout.
I return to the barrow.
"Shall we open it?"
With news from her comrades, Pandred will set down her battleaxe, shield, and backpack full of glandular goodies and make for the smallest piece of the sarcophagus.
"Who's going to help me lift this thing?"
I'm interested in why the Toad King's Statue has gotten so far, and for that matter, how. Perhaps it was rolled from whatever hidden conclave crafted it, and they were attempting to reclaim it.
I want to crack open this sarcophagus now, and hell, could probably manage it, but maybe disturbing crypts is best accomplished with an ally or two nearby.
In your judgement, Pandred, you could probably not lift it alone. However, you likely could slide it without help.
I'll go ahead and take out one of the still-glowing glands and slide the lid a few inches, holding the gland up so I can see inside.
It takes real effort to slide the lid a few inches, but you manage it; holding the gland on one side of the open slit and looking through the other, you are able to tell that there's a skeleton inside. You can see a leg bone and a foot with unusually long toes.
Alright well, if breaking the seal hasn't unleashed some sort of hellish blight on us, I might as well finish the job.
I'll go ahead and slide my segment the whole way off, redepositing my gland into the pack. Are the other fragments slidable, or are they too large for one to handle alone?
I descend into the barrow to assist Pandred.
The next post is up.
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