The Old Forest

TR1
Xenophon

With the big bug punctured at the belly, Xenophon crashes his shield into the insect while violently snatching his spear backwards. This tears his weapon free and sends the broken beetle tumbling over into the brush in its death throws.

Hit.

TR1
Syrena

Syrena's arrow lodges under the top shell at the beetle's side. The beetle turns and squirms, swatting its jointed front legs, but can do nothing to remove the puncturing shaft.

Hit

TR1
Gennadius

Withdrawing from the poisoned area, Gennadius recovers his breath. His effort to pierce the closest beetle with the javelin is unsuccessful, but he has put a few steps’ distance between himself and the bugs and does not seem to be in immediate danger at the moment.

Miss

Bottom of Round 1 (BR1)
Beetles (3)Frightened by the assault, the remaining three beetles do their best to skulk away, backing into the cover of the downed tree or following the trunk away from the carcass mass. They are still guarded against their attackers, though clearly making efforts to withdraw.

Begin Fighting Withdrawal

TR2

Required Action, PCs: Declare and take Action in Combat Round 2.

Opponent Notes: 3 Active Beetles are retreating , in Fighting Withdrawal Defensive Movement. B8 and B9 injured.
5 other beetles remain inert, in effects of Sleep spell.
Disruptive effects (Attack -2, Damage -1) persist for PCs/NPCs who failed Save in R1, while in vicinity of rotting carcass.

TR2
Xenophon

Xenophon thrusts the spear at a beetle that has an arrow lodged in its side, but the bug is alert and actively defending. It knocks at the spear and shifts position, denying a hit.

Miss



When Xenophon comes close, the beetle springs forward with a quick counter-strike to snap at Xenophon with its immense horn-like jaws.

B9 AttackA fluid sprays out from the jaws of the bug when it latches onto Xenophon's thigh. A burning sensation begins immediately, quickly worsening to a searing pain.

The sticky liquid is some sort of chemical toxin!

Toxin Effect: -2 penalty to Attack Throws. Duration: TBD

TR2

Required Action, PCs: Declare and take Action in Round 2.

Action Complete: Xenophon
Action Remaining: Culchas, Damanandros, Gennadius, Gundus, Syrena

Opponent Notes:
3 Active Beetles are retreating, in Fighting Withdrawal Defensive Movement.
B8 and B9 injured.
5 other beetles remain inert, in effects of Sleep spell.
Disruptive effects (Attack -2, Damage -1) persist for PCs/NPCs who failed Save in R1, while in vicinity of rotting carcass.

TR2
Gundus

Gundus lends support to Xenophon in his stress. The beetle with the arrow snaps its jaws and waves its appendages menacingly but continues a retreat with one of its spawn brethren ahead of it.

Success. Xenophon can use partial Movement to reposition to safer position if desired.

TR2
Culchas



Culchas charges recklessly past Xenophon to attack the next beetle beyond. Spittle pours out of the Krysean mountain-man's mouth as he continues to gag and cough. Despite his degraded state, he is overtaken by his savage battlelust.

Charge. Attack B10. (Attack: +1 STR, +2 Berzerk, +2 Charge, -2 sickened. Dmg: +1 STR, +1 Barbarian, -1 sickened, double if hit for charge with spear.)

TR2
Culchas v. B10

Culchas stumbles along his route and is off angle for a killing strike. His spear is deflected by the beetle's shell.

Miss

Once its attacker is in close range, the scrappy insect lunges in with aggression.

Attack.
Result: Hit

The beetle sprays its toxin onto the wound and into the skin.

Culchas does not respond to the pain as his flesh begins to redden and blister.

TR2

Required Action, PCs: Declare and take Action in Round 2.

Action Complete: Culchas, Gundus, Syrena, Xenophon
Action Remaining: Damanandros, Gennadius
Optional Action, Xenophon: If desired, Xenophon can shift to better position b/c of support by Gundus

Opponent Notes:
3 Active Beetles are retreating, in Fighting Withdrawal Defensive Movement. B9 and B10 counter-attacked on trigger after being attacked.
B8 and B9 injured.
5 other beetles remain inert, in effects of Sleep spell.
Disruptive effects (Attack -2, Damage -1) persist for PCs/NPCs who failed Save in R1, while in vicinity of rotting carcass.

"Be on guard!" Damanandros gathers any gear tossed aside by his companions at the start of the fight and make his way to follow Syrena.

"It occurs to me that these may be preparing the carcass for the brood mother."

BR2

Bursting out of the brush near the ruptured root base at the distant end of the fallen tree, a gigantic beetle not seen before emerges and raises up on its hind legs.



Culchas is caught unaware and the monstrous insect towers over him in height.

A near-deafening sound of air discharged at high-pressure blasts out as a pitched roar. A spray of reddish fluid and a mist vapor of the same color spits forth from the monster’s abdomen. Culchas is covered in the acidic liquid and partially obscured from view by the cloud.

In a thud, the giant beetle crashes back down to the ground and drives into Culchas with an assault of sharp horns, snapping mandibles, and stomping front legs.

Brood Mother Attacks

Culchas is knocked to the ground and battered beneath the crushing assault. He screams out briefly when bathed in acid, but then falls abruptly silent after being mauled on the ground. A crunching sound is heard, the crush of either his skull or rib cage in the insect’s external jaws.

The hulking insect, 5 feet tall at the shoulder and 9 feet long, sets in a deliberate stance over her defeated prey and continues to swat and bite the burned and brutalized body.

With their brood mother covering their retreat, the smaller beetles scurry away into the underbrush.

The beetles put to sleep magically continue to rest comfortably, further down the length of the tree near the trail and the carcass.

The mother seems intent on a confirming a thorough defeat of her immediate victim and pays no mind to the others who are retreating.

Culchas: Killed.

Damanandros is gathering dropped equipment packs near Syrena.

Xenophon is withdrawing with a limp, wounded and blistered.

Gundus is covering the retreat and snapping Gennadius into motion.

The way over the tree and to the continuing trail beyond seems clear enough for the moment, assuming the brood mother remains focused on the body of fallen Culchas and the sleeping beetles aren’t awakened.

The group must decide quickly what to do in this dangerous moment turned fatal.

What happens next?