The Sixth Adventure

[acodispo]

"I think you're probably right, Bilfur. And I agree with Dame S: let's head east and see what we find, and then maybe come back this way to get back to parts we know."

[mushgnome]

Attack!

Our heroes take the right fork, heading northeast into unexplored territory. They find themselves at the south end of a cavern (Area 32) that fades into shadows to the north.

But there's no time to explore any of that: The cavern is crawling with centipedes!

6 large centipedes swarm toward the party. They are about a foot long, and extra thick. (Imagine an armored salami, with legs.)

Bilfur knows (from his Druidic nature lore) that large centipedes have a neurotoxic venom that can paralyze their prey!

Neither side is surprised. What do you do?!?

[ehiker133]

Dougal quickly fires a sling stone off at the nearest centipede.

[mgtremaine]

Kiplyn would also try to get a sling shot off. (But I understand I'm not in the first rank so maybe not)

[dtspurrier]

bilfur comments, " these creatures are poisonous lets make sure we can hit them." Bilfurs goes into his pouch for some dead firefly essence and then throws it near the centipedes and speaks some divine words

(casting faerie fire)

[acodispo]

"Pelt 'em, folks!" cries Willie in encouragement. Since he's in the 1st rank, he raises his shield & prepares to hold the line if the creatures charge.

[kipper]

Dame Simonetta stands with Willie, ready to defend the slingers behind us.

[coffee]

Wilbur, in the rear of the party, faces our back trail to make sure there are none of them coming at us from that direction.

Otherwise he holds himself in readiness in case the rest of the party need him.

[mushgnome]

Round 1

Bilfur chants a few words in the ancient Druidic language, and the centipedes begin to glow with a violet fairy-light, making them easier targets!

Dougal's slingshot is good enough to kill one of the advancing centipedes, but Kiplyn absolutely destroys one of them with a perfect bullseye shot.

The remaining 4 centipedes attack the front-line fighters, nipping ferociously at their ankles! Willie kicks two of them away, and Dame Simonetta is saved from their venomous bite by her armor.

Dame Simonetta's attacks are ineffective, but Willie pulverizes one of the centipedes with his warhammer.

Wilbur guards the party's rear. He doesn't see anything within the 30' radius of lantern light, but he reaches out with his keen hearing... There! At the very limit of his earshot, he thinks he can hear a faint scratching sound, like fingernails or claws against stone.

This concludes Round 1. 3 glowing centipedes remain in the fight. They are locked in melee, so no more missile attacks. What do you do next??

Bilfur's Faerie Fire spell affects up to 12 linear feet of creatures (for example, two 6-foot humans, or four 3-foot hobbets). Six one-foot centipedes easily satisfies that requirement. They do not get a saving throw. The glowing centipedes are visible up to 8" (more than twice the range of lantern light) and attacks against them are at +2 to hit. Bilfur did not specify the color of the light, so I will determine randomly: 1d3 = violet.

The sling attacks also get an additional +2 to hit due to the short range.

Sling attacks:
Dougal 1d20=11 hit for 2hp, kill
Kiplyn 1d20 = 24! hit for 6hp, kill

Melee attacks, party loses initiative 1-5
2 centipedes vs Dame Simonetta: 15, 12 both miss
2 centipedes vs Willie: 9, 10 both miss
Dame Simonetta (two attacks, +2 faerie fire bonus): 4, 7 both miss
Willie (two attacks, +2 faerie fire bonus): 6, 15 one hit for 4hp, kill

Wilbur's Listen check 1d6=? (rolled behind the DM screen)

[mgtremaine]

Kiplyn draws his dagger and looks for an opening......