Ptolus: 165 Vock Row - "Rat-catchers"

[Wool]

Thurst looks up from loading his pistol, considers the current battlefield situation, and is suddenly very bored. He begins to have a very detailed conversation about the proper care and maintenance of steamtech with the magically incapicitated ratlings.

[sblock=ooc]I'm not sure if I am supposed to be waiting for Aeshen or not, but I imagine at this point it doesn't matter what I do anyway. Figured I would have some fun, just in case I forget to log on this weekend.
[/sblock]

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I know I keep doing it, but I apologize for all the delays. I went back and reposted all the combat stuff together into one post so that I could properly catch up:

Hoping that distance will help clear her eyes, Valana stumbles away from the twisted ratling. As she does, she coughs out, "Aeshen! Help Mairan!"

Knowing she may not have time for her vision to clear completely, Valana fumbles in her quiver for an another arrow. Squinting through her tears, she takes aim and fires at the blurry outline of one of the far ratlings.

Valana's arrow strikes one of the distant ratlings, spinning it around. It does not rise after it falls.

Mata glances at Mairan to make sure she is ok, blinks her eyes, and raises the crossbow to fire at one of the ratlings in the distance.

A moment later, Mata's crossbow bolt downs another ratling.

Grunting in distaste, Thurst reloads his pistol and moves a short distance ahead of the group. Thurst slips away from Mairan, who is still struggling with the slime-coated ratling.

Mairan attempts to stab the slime-coated ratling attacking her, but the purple grease causes her borrowed sword to slide past harmlessly.

But the ratling is distracted, and doesn't notice Aeshen slipping around behind it. His rapier slips in between the creature's shoulderblades. The ratling squeals in pain and confusion a moment, and then goes limp as Aeshen withdraws the blade.

The tomb is as silent as, well, a tomb.

Mairan misses, but thanks to flanking Aeshen finally hits and backstabs, er, sneak attacks someone.

COMBAT ENDS.

150 XP all around.

 

[Wool]

Falling into routine, Thurst enlists Mairan's assistance in collecting the ratling tails while Aeshen checks for anything worthwhile the bodies might be carrying.

[sblock=ooc]Hijacking Aeshen isn't really in my game plan, but I think we forgot to check last time, and Thurst can't be bothered to care himself.
[/sblock]

 

[Filthy]

While Thurst and Mairan collect the ratling tails, Valana kneels down next to the purple slime coated ratling. Scraping some goo off with the edge of her dagger, she stares at it curiously. "Almost certainly some sort of Alteration or Transmutation ...", she says, absently. "Anyone have a glass vial or anything we could use to take some of this back to Master Kunstler?"

[sblock=ooc]Can I get Knowledge/Spellcraft check to try and learn anything about the spell the ratlings used? Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Spellcraft 9[/sblock]

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Looking at the material, it's obvious to Valana that this isn't a spell they cast, or even a potion they took, it's something that was cast on the ratlings.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

[sblock=ooc]If people could volunteer to take over Aeshen and Mairan, we could plow through the end pretty quick I think. We're nearing the end of this dungeon. Next time, lots more RP above ground, I promise.[/sblock]

 

[Vdou]

Ella stoops down to inspect the slime with Valana.

"It looks like what we had for dinner a few nights ago" Ella says sarcastically.

[sblock=ooc]
I'll take a stab at a knowledge check as well, couldn't hurt
[/sblock]

 

[Voca]

Mata peers at the slime, poking a finger into it in disgust. "Aeshen, have you ever seen anything like this?"

[sblock=ooc]I'll do a spellcraft check to see if I recognize it also. Perhaps, since it may be a magical substance rather than a spell, Aeshen might do a local knowledge check to see if he has heard of any such thing.[/sblock]

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

The goop is a complete mystery. While there are many unpleasant things in the sewers beneath Vock Row, this particular slime does not appear to be any of the ones that Aeshen has had to deal with in his time working for Erac Kunstler.

At best, the slime resembles that conjured up by spells like acid arrow, although of course, there's no arrow here.

 

[Filthy]

[sblock=ooc]If people could volunteer to take over Aeshen and Mairan, we could plow through the end pretty quick I think. We're nearing the end of this dungeon. Next time, lots more RP above ground, I promise.[/sblock]

[sblock=ooc]I'll take over Mairan. Not sure I could resist the urge to actually involve Aeshen in combat.[/sblock]