Underfed (part 8)
Nasrin lets out a holler. After narrowly dodging a blast of smelly goop she narrows her gaze t the stick insect, the blood red axe in hand. A frown develops. "I've never had to fight a tree," the woman mutters. THen she charge
With a whoop of glee Nasrin wields her axe two-handed, chopping into the insect as it lets out a wild hiss, flailing.
"OH! I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay! I chop the trees that are in my way!"
Yes, Nasrin is singing as she chops the insect to bits. No one tell her it's not a tree.
The stick insect seems unperturbed by its companion falling. Hey, it's a bug. What do you expect?
In any case, it lashes out with long, clawed forearms, scraping viciously both Soup and Victor at their approach.
Victor looks surprised as the insect creature is chopped down before him. He gives Nasrin a quick glance at the song. Then he turns and runs at the second monster. He swings a fist as he approaches, but the blow bounces off harmlessly.
GAME: Whirlpool removes the timestop.
Timestop by Whirlpool has left.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 13.
It is now Asmli's turn! Echo is next!
When last we left our heroes, they and Knap had been attacked by a terrible group of stick insects at their camp site.
The stick insects, of course, had been masquerading as trees and sticks before launching their sttacks, spraying horrible smelling oil on you while trying to claw you down.
It isn't going well for them.
Also, somehow, one of them is getting munched on by Nasrin's friend, the pygmy bulette.
GAME: Asmli rolls weapon1: (5)+6: 11
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 12.
It is now Echo's turn! Nasrin is next!
Having freshly woken up and done a little yawning, the clash of battle is better than any coffee ever born for getting Asmli to wake up and focus. Weapon in hand, he bounds over to the mighty lumberjack, and tackles the tree alongside her, shoulder-to-shoulder with the mighty Paul Nasrin!
...it would help if he hit anything other than air, which he does not, his swing gone wild.
GAME: Echo rolls melee6: (5)+melee6: 5
GAME: Echo rolls 1d20+7: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 12.
It is now Nasrin's turn! Stick Insect 1 is next!
GAME: Nasrin rolls weapon12+2: (7)+7+2: 16
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 11.
It is now Stick Insect 1's turn! Victor is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10]: (8)+10]: 8
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (15)+10: 25
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+5: (6)+5: 11
K'nap has dived for cover with a yelp.
Measnwhile, the terrible stick insect that Nasrin and Echo have moved on to swipes twice at the red-headed cleric with its claws, brutally smashing into her with its forearm and leaving her concussed quite badly.
That's what sh egets for singing.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 11.
It is now Victor's turn! Soup is next!
GAME: Victor rolls 8: (14)+8: 22
GAME: Victor rolls 2: (5)+2: 7
GAME: Victor rolls 1d4+4: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 5.
It is now Soup's turn! Stick Insect 2 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 4.
It is now Stick Insect 2's turn! Alaryn is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (6)+10: 16
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (6)+10: 16
Victor is still trading blows with one of the stick-monsters. He punches with each hand, and manages to land a solid hit with one. The blow causes a light cracking sound although it's hard to tell if the creature's hide is damaged, or it's just the normal sound they make being struck by metal.
One of the stick insects lashes out, desperately trying to get a good claw in on Victor or Asmli, to no avail.
They seem unable, really, to do much else than attack now that they're engaged.
K'nap is DEFINITELY staying down.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 20.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Asmli is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 13.
It is now Asmli's turn! Echo is next!
GAME: Asmli rolls weapon1: (8)+6: 14
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 12.
It is now Echo's turn! Nasrin is next!
Dodgig as he is, Asmli is similarly unable to put a good whack in on the stick-things as a result, and the blade goes wide again.
GAME: Echo rolls weapon6: (8)+7: 15
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 12.
It is now Nasrin's turn! Stick Insect 1 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 11.
It is now Stick Insect 1's turn! Victor is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (20)+10: 30
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+5: (6)+5: 11
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 11.
It is now Victor's turn! Soup is next!
GAME: Victor rolls 7-1: (16)+7+-1: 22
GAME: Victor rolls 1d6+9: (4)+9: 13
Victor flings up an arm and the reinforced glove he's wearing barely manages to ward off the swiping blows of the stick-like insect he's fighting. He pulls his free hand back and then smashes it forward in a wide blow that strikes and ellicits an even louder CRACK. No doubt about it this time, that is the monster's hide splintering into shards under the force of the blow.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 5.
It is now Soup's turn! Stick Insect 2 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 4.
It is now Stick Insect 2's turn! Alaryn is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (5)+10: 15
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (6)+10: 16
Two swipes from the remaining isnects follow up at VIctor, though this time they both are avoided.
There's a hiss.
The foul residue they spewed clings to you, stinking to high heaven. This is going to be adifferent problem, but it's a problem for later.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 20.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Asmli is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 13.
It is now Asmli's turn! Echo is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 12.
It is now Echo's turn! Nasrin is next!
GAME: Echo rolls weapon6: (14)+7: 21
GAME: Echo rolls 1d10+4: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 12.
It is now Nasrin's turn! Stick Insect 1 is next!
Echo brings out his triple sectioned staff, and manages to smash one stick insect in the head. Hard enough to kill it apparently as he looks around.
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 11.
It is now Stick Insect 1's turn! Victor is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 11.
It is now Victor's turn! Soup is next!
GAME: Victor rolls 7-1: (9)+7+-1: 15
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 5.
It is now Soup's turn! Stick Insect 2 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Five - Init 4.
It is now Stick Insect 2's turn! Alaryn is next!
Victor blocks again with one hand.
Victor blocks again with one hand. This time his own return blow glances harmlessly off of the trunk. He frowns slightly, considering changing his tactics once more. Using spells might be a better approach.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 20.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Asmli is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 13.
It is now Asmli's turn! Echo is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (14)+6: 20
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+4: (7)+4: 11
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 12.
It is now Echo's turn! Nasrin is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (18)+10: 28
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+10: (5)+10: 15
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d6+5: (3)+5: 8
Edinaz has arrived.
The remaining insect looks like its getting ready to spew more of that oil it did earlier, its mouth bubbling as it lashes out once again, catching Victor in a savaghe clawing strike.
GAME: Echo rolls weapon6: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Echo rolls 1d10+4: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 12.
It is now Nasrin's turn! Stick Insect 1 is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+7: (2)+7: 9
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 11.
It is now Stick Insect 1's turn! Victor is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 11.
It is now Victor's turn! Edinaz is next!
GAME: Victor rolls 7-1: (15)+7+-1: 21
GAME: Victor rolls 1d6+9: (6)+9: 15
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 6.
It is now Edinaz's turn! Soup is next!
GAME: Edinaz rolls 1d20+9: (5)+9: 14
Victor battles the monster tirelessly. When Echo strikes it he takes advantage of the momentary distraction and pounds it viciously with a backhanded blow.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 5.
It is now Soup's turn! Stick Insect 2 is next!
GAME: Victor rolls reflex: (19)+4: 23
Edinaz tries to step up and finish the creatures, but his strike deflects off of its carapace!
GAME: Edinaz rolls ref: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Echo rolls Ref: (9)+5: 14
GAME: Nasrin rolls ref: (5)+3: 8
GAME: Asmli rolls ref: (8)+2: 10
The spray...
Oh gods, ehre we go again. The creature backs up and /breathes/ a foul smelling oil out onto you all in a massive belch of it. It's sticky and /vomitously/ bad.
GAME: Edinaz rolls fort: (10)+6: 16
GAME: Echo rolls Fort: (16)+7: 23
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Six - Init 4.
It is now Stick Insect 2's turn! Alaryn is next!
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 20.
It is now Alaryn's turn! Asmli is next!
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 13.
It is now Asmli's turn! Echo is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+4: (1)+4: 5
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Seven - Init 12.
It is now Echo's turn! Nasrin is next!
GAME: Echo rolls weapon6: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Nasrin rolls fort: (17)+7: 24
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d12+5: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Whirlpool removes the timestop.
Timestop by Whirlpool has left.
GAME: Edinaz rolls survival: (17)+11: 28
GAME: Victor rolls survival: (9)+7: 16
GAME: Echo rolls Survival: (3)+3: 6
...with the stick isnect dead, K'nap says, "I don't need a nose to know we can't stqay here. It even got in the water," a nbod towards the bit of it you had stopped by to use when you were attacked. "We need to move, move quickly, and find a place to get the stench off you."
He's relieved, still nursing his injured wing, to get you a move on. At least the stench will keep the predators away, but you're going to be moving in misery for the next few hours.
So you do.
Out of the canyons, scaling through them slowly. Much more slowly. And finally, emerging into the desert proper.
K'nap is spending his time cooperating with you and eventually settles for what he politely calls 'a sand bath'. It's extremely uncomfortable, practically scraping a layer of skin off to try to remove as mucn of the stench with the help of sand grit and a brush. It works. Marginally.
It's less awful than it was.
But you're at least closer to your desintation. Just hope the mummy's caravan isn't downwind.
Echo, fortunately, can't really smell anything. But he does look pretty darn clean once the sand bath is done! Afterwards, he moves with the rest to get the hell out of there. That's definitely a good idea.
Victor endures the scouring even though he doesn't seem to have been sprayed. Better safe than sorry. He's looking at their guide more closely than ever. He knows the terrain is dangerous but their entire journey has been nothing but close calls and misadventure...
Edinaz loses his lunch while the stick-insect is struck down, then scrapes his dignity and torso clean afterwards. Well, he tries. The sand bath helps more, and he's more than willing to endure it if it helps even a little. His hair, it's sandy, everything is sandy. He'll pay for this, but it's a price he's willing to pay.
Victor belatedly remembers the spell Prestidigitation. Would that have helped? Could it have cleansed the party without resorting to a sand bath? ...he decides to keep the thought to himself.