A Gathering Storm

Oria raises her sword and attempts to remove the head of the best from its shoulders. With it lying on the ground she feels she has an advantage and this would be a good time to redeem herself.

Oria's strike finishes off the Darkling before it can drag his prey away.

Combat is over.

"Did I mention keeping our eyes up?" Kvarek scans the group to make sure no one disappeared during the ruckus.

"We should keep moving."

Lothar scraps the mud slick from his cloak on a nearby tree and spits at the creature's corpse. "Yeah, lettus be on wid it." He gives Oria a knowing look and a quiet nod of appreciation. 'She obviously is skilled at fighting. Best not be on her bad side.' He thinks smiling to himself, before stepping back beside Bartalom. The huntsman quietly compliments the wizard's strike as they walk.

Ansel watches Oria finish off the creature while it lays down. No hesitations I see. Good. Ansel also gives Oria a nod of approval. "Modak, or anyone really... Does anyone know what these amphibian like creatures are? I assume we'll be running into more." Ansel starts moving but stays close to Kvarek, wary of being attacked without one of the others nearby.

"Darkling. Hunters, eaters of flesh. Don't care if beast or elf or human. All flesh they crave. Even trolls. Lucky just one. Not stay here is best."

Onward, along paths faint and illused. The forest grows more and more oppressive the farther you get from Thistle Hold. Strange sounds, creaking, clicking, breathing, just behind the next tree, or the bush you look at. Nothing there, at least that what you can see in the full dark. No sky, no stars above.

Modek stops and gathers you all, and fingers a broken branch on the side of the 'trail'. "A root cave, dry." He points in the direction of the branch. "Must see if anything else camps inside first, before goes crawlings in and --" he claps his hands loudly together and giggles. "Bad day."

He gestures, clearly wanting one of the armored people to go check. You can see where the bush has been moved aside by someone passing. Not a trail, but not unmarked either.

Bloody hell...

Kvarek raises his shield and proceeds down the path.

I guess a cave would be better than sleeping out in the open. Ansel glares at Modek as it giggles. His eyes linger a moment before he falls in line behind Kvarek. "You are brave Kvarek. I hope you don't mind me staying close behind you."

Oria is tired of Modek's antics and shakes her head but she is elated that she was able to redeem herself and slay the darkling and happy that her efforts were recognized. She follows behind Kvarek and Ansel down the trail

"You're next, Modek." The gruff huntsman comments, using his staff to motion the goblin forward. "They played your game of hogstaf, and you got 'nough meat in front o' ya to be safe. Go." He waits for the goblin to go on behind the others.

Kvarek and Ansel along the path, and after fifteen paces, find a tree with large a large, exposed root cluster. Underneath the tree is a depression, likely naturally caused, perhaps dug out by successive animals in years past. The hole is dark even in the darkness of the night, and Kvarek senses instinctively that there is some threat here. Is it the smell of a predator, or a nameless malevolence that merely radiates its hate? In either event, he steps inside.

A nameless rush, the slam of many tiny beasts into his shield, and suddenly he's wrapped in a swarm of something fel.

The character with the highest Quick score can act first, with higher Vigilant resolving ties. These creatures are Quick 15, which is higher than a player, and so they go first. They attack Kvarek, who should roll against his Defense -1 or take 0 Penetrating damage (ignores 5 points armor). If he fails to defend then he rolls armor (1d6) and if any bites get through (he doesn't roll a 5 or 6), even though it does no physical damage, he'll take 1d6 temporary corruption damage.

Everyone may act in whatever order they choose.

A narrow dodge, but a dodge nonetheless. Kvarek avoids anything more serious than tiny scratches.

Kvarek shrugs off the rush of creatures and resumes his forward motion.

"Good sign for us, hopefully it means anything big enough to worry about would have already sent those wee beasties a flying. Should be clear."

Choosing not to risk burning Kvarek with a cascade of Brimstone, the wizard grips his walking stick and stabs it towards the scurrying swarm

Oria chooses to hold, not knowing what exactly has befallen her comrade and shouts to him.

"What is it Kvarek? What have you found? What manner of beast is about?"

Lothar debates on whether to shout into the hollow after the other risking to be overheard by those in the wood, or dash blindly into the what lies within. He gives a frustrated grunt to the mischievous look in the goblin's eyes before turning to Bartalom. "Stay here, if we don't come out, have the goblin show you back to the city gate." He gives the wizard a look to not merit argument, but doesn't wait for rebuttal before dashing into the dark recess after the others.

Ansel is startled as the swarm of creatures. "Be on guard" Ansel spits out as he pulls out his Warhammer.

With Kvarek enswarmed but just ignoring the bat-like creatures, and Orla just standing around, Bartalom swipes with his staff and knocks one to the ground.

3 damage, halved due to it being a swarm, leaves 1 damage.

Lothar also delays responding to the threat swarming all over Kvarek.

Ansel begins to direct the fight, giving helpful advice.

Everyone gets an extra +1d4 damage attacking the swarm.

Left largely to their own devices, the swarm continues to gnaw and slash at Kvarek.

Their wounds close and the swarm attack Kvarek again, who should roll against his Defense -1 or take 0 Penetrating damage (ignores 5 points armor). If he fails to defend then he rolls armor (1d6) and if any bites get through (he doesn't roll a 5 or 6), even though it does no physical damage, he'll take 1d6 temporary corruption damage.

Everyone may act in whatever order they choose.