PBEM - Episode 415. Locusts!

FOUR HUNDRED FIFTEEN

(I/C)

Wyn held a finger to his lips and motioned the Scout to follow his back out of the hall. Is took them some time to make the short walk back down the hall to the stairs where the elf had to pluck a stubborn locust from the top of his pack and toss it back down the hall. Whispering, he said, “It be too dark to see much back dere en dere be A LOT more locusts den you’d expect. Wyn be fine wit leavin dem here unless one of ye has some plan.”

Lannis was shaking his head before the elf even finished his statement. "I bet there's EXACTLY as many locusts back there as I would expect, I've been very clear on how many locusts I think are back there.”

The Scout was also removing a few locusts that had ridden back with him from, tossing them back down the hall. He pointed at the torch Wyn was holding, “Since Doc is moving at great speeds he probably could destroy the bugs with fire like Big Brain suggested earlier,” he shrugged. “Or we could leave it alone.”

Wyn nodded, “Setting Salazar on fire might work... but it may also cause dem all to come out dis way towards us. Up ye all what ye want to do.”

Beaming, Lyra reminded the party, “If we want to start lighting people on fire, I can assist. I have a resist fire just ready for the lucky guy who wants to charge the locusts in a blaze of glory.”

“Why do you people only listen to parts of the things I say?” Lannis shook his head, “Setting Abraxas on fire was kind of a joke, if the bugs go swarming out of here I don't want them to alert everyone to our location.”

Abraxas was sort of bouncing up and down, anxious and full of haste. “NoEsEnFuego,TengoMasFuerza! SeñorKovughElGustaEstarEnFuego.”

The dwarf nodded with a smile and settled his hammer back on his shoulder. He took the torch from Wyn and rubbed it out against the wall (down to 10 minutes) before putting it back on the side of his pack. "Okay,” he said with some finality, “it sounds like the risk may outweigh the reward right now. Let's put a pin in the locust plan. Fire Kovid may make a return, but not yet."

Taking his bow back out and checking his supply of arrows (down to 13 regular, 1 doubleshot, 1 dragonslayer) Wyn pointed up the stairs behind Lannis, “Iffin we don’t want to mess wit dem, let’s make our way back up... en be careful of de trap panel. It could be armed again.”

“Great,” the Magic User stood up and scratched his ass, “Can we leave now?"

“VamonosAmigos.NecessitamosMoveAhora.”

Stepping to the front, Kovid joined the Scout at the head of the group and pointed to the landing at the top of the current flight, “Brendon, perhaps you can see if the guillotine has been rearmed."

“Will do,” the Scout made his way up swiftly, stopping at the landing to check it out, watching the ceiling above where the blade was situated. Running his fingertips over the faintest destabilization of the pressure area, he did offer, “I’d be funny if there was something astonishing in there that would help us ... like another way upstairs.” After a few minutes (no roll needed) he gave the green light and the group continued up the stairs.

They moved on to the next flight and came to the guard area, checking the lever position (without the lever) and seeing nothing had changed. From there they listened to the south door (no roll needed) and made their way through before turning east and beginning the long walk up the 4 flights of stairs to the Lower Watchtower. Abraxas was smiling as he walked, remembering his trip DOWN while grappling Greisse the harpy yesterday. “MasRapido. MasSlashes. MasSmashes. MasBashes. HacemosMenosGobsHobsRobsBobs."

“We’ll get there,” Lyra soothed the Fighter. “That haste potion bubbling like mad in your blood, huh?”

“Sisisi. Muchoshastebubbling!”

The party made it to the Lower Watchtower and carefully listening let them know that they were still alone up here. The sky was grey through the Rainbow Ward and we could see rain falling all over the ruins of Acreage. A sizable group of beings could be seen outside the ward to the north, banging on the ward and trying to open it. They appeared the be a variety of hobgoblins, some orcs, a few goblins, 2 ogres, and a pair of angry looking human females in sodden yellow and black robes, each with a small contingent of what appeared to be zombies as well as pretty big dogs with chains and spiked collars. They did not look happy and were having zero luck on either getting through the ward OR attracting the attention of anyone in the Ispan’s Castle.

“Lookslikethesupportstaffarrived.Ohfuckingwell! Toughshit.Jajajaja.”

“Let’s keep going,” Lannis groused. “I don’t need to see any other women who might want to wish me dead.”

The party climbed the spiral stairs to the Upper Watchtower where they approached the door to the Scimitar Hallway that was not behaving as it had done before. “Last time we tried this,” Lyra reminded the group, “Brendon here was convinced he was dead. What’s the plan for getting through here?”

“Brendon again, right?” Lannis suggested. “I mean that’s what we hired him on for. Go on Burglar, go and…burgle something.”

“Fat. Hobbit. Chance.” Brendon scowled.

Time now is Day 10, 7:07 AM

(OOC)

Haste – 55 minutes left.

What’s the plan?