Save the Queen
Log Info
- Title: Save the Queen
- GM: Dirk
- Place: Happy Valley - Snickerdoodle Apiary
- Summary: The adventurers Aelwyn, Andelena, Carver, Culix, and Ravendar have been employed by Tobias Cogswell Snickerdoodle to extract a queen bee from the old Snickerdoodle Apiary so that Tobias can establish a new hide. They find out they're dealing with giant bees, and prepare for an un-bee-lievable time as they infiltrate the Apiary yard. An attempt at stealth is thwarted when the bees detect the adventurers are there, but after combat with the bee soldiers, a queen bee larva is extracted and the job is done.
Your party has assembled at the Adventurer's Guild headquarters in Alexandria, having answered the listing posted by one particular Tobias Cogswell Snickerdoodle. A gnomish landownder and entrepreneur out of Happy Valley, he's the latest in the Snickerdoodle line. For three generations, they've managed a large apiary just this side of the Valley from Alexandria, providing many varieties of goods from their labor. Not just honey, but also beeswax for the chandlery industry. But the invasion of wights from Dragonier have hit the outlying farmsteads hard, and the Snickerdoodle Apiary was no exception. Though Tobias and his family escaped with their lives, their livelihood was not so fortunate.
"And that's why I've come to the Guild for help," says the dapper gnomish man. His fine clothing is worn and threadbare, and his fluffy blue whiskers droop from exhaustion. "Beekeeping is all I and my family know. It's our passion, our livelihood! Ever since my great-grandad Snickerdoodle's day, our bees have produced the best honey in all the land! If we lose that line of bees, we're done for! Ruined! Kaput!" He looks up to the gathering of you, holding his hat in both hands as he gazes with pleading eyes. "There's only one chance to save my family from ruin. We have to start over somewhere new. But to do that, we need bees. We need -our- bees!"
He produces a satchel that clinks softly from the sound of glass vials within. "Just before the wights came, the workers had started feeding some of the newest larvae with royal jelly. That means they're growing into queens! If you can rescue at least one of the princess larvae, then I can establish a new hive and get my family back on our feet!" He looks up and around, offering out the satchel. "Please, good heroes, won't you help me?"
Ravendar finally managed to check into the guild when there was a posting that was at his right skill level. He signed up and is sitting listening to Mr. Snickerdoodle explain what he wants them to do. "Of course we'd be happy to help. Do you have a map of the layout of your farm or could you draw us one if we provided you with supplies so we'll know where your hives are? Also are the hives with these princess larvae specially marked? I'm not familiar with bees at all, how will we know a princess larvae from a regular one? I'd hate to take the wrong ones."
Culix had picked up the contract. She doesn't know a huge amount about bees, but she does know that she likes mead now and then, and she'd rather the apiaries nearby kept running. The fact there's promise of coin, to boot, doesn't hurt.
The beady eyed goblin is sitting in the meeting room, and seems quite distracted- her attention seems not on their employer, but on a sconce on the wall. Watching with curiously rapt attention how the shadows it casts dance across the wall.
However, she demonstrates her ability to multi-task by looking up when the story came to an end. "So you just need us to go there and fetch some bees? Doesn't sound too awful, might get stung some... any reason you need guild talent for it? Expecting something nastier out there than bugs?"
<OOC> Dirk says, "Anyone with Knowledge/Local can feel free to roll!" <OOC> Andelena says, "No Knowledge/Local, but I do have Knowledge/Religion if undead factor into things, Dirk." <OOC> Dirk hrms. Not super relevant to this, I don't think. <OOC> Dirk says, "Knowledge/Geography would also work at a slightly higher DC!" GAME: Culix rolls knowledge/local: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/geography: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Ravendar rolls knowledge/local: (12)+7: 19
There's a Sunguard in the group of adventurers that has answered the call. Her waves of copper-blonde hair shake out as she removes the helmet from her head, steel-grey eyes fixed onto the gnome. Her white cloak and shiny armor makes her look like a proper Daeusite.
"I mean, yeah, I'll help. That's why I signed up," Andelena says with somewhat of a smirk. "And I guess why we're here on a mission to act as glorified beekeepers is to beat the shit out of some wights--"
There's a buzzing that comes from the Sunguard's longsword that's sheathed on her back, and she sighs. "Beat the snot out of some wights," Andelena corrects. "Just in case they're still there. But I'm just spitballin'." She folds her arms across her chest.
Always on the hunt for a job, Aelwyn had barely read the job posting before coming up here. Which means the ruddy scaled Dragoon was simply staring at the Snickerdoodle. To his pointed ears, this all sounded like an elaborate prank. "Seems straightforward." He agrees with the others, "As long as the coin is right.""
Holding his hand out over his mouth, he leans towards the rest of the party, though. "... is this really how bees work?" He rumbles, tail moving behind him.
Carver's eyes are wide, round excited orbs shaded with her unusual practice of painting on thick streaky eyeshadow. She gives a very brief explanation, "G I A N T. BEES."
Ravendar spots Aelwyn and gives him a wave, "Hey Dragoon!" He calls out before his memory kicks in. He's heard about Happy Valley, they are known for something, something big...he looks over at Carver as she figures it out first. "Oh yah." He snaps his fingers, "I've heard of Snickerdoodle's Apiary before, you produce honey the comes from giant domesticated bees." His eyes go wide, "You don't think that those wight might have...well you know wightified those giant domesticated bees do you?"
And then the other shoe drops, and Culix sags in her seat, heaving a sigh. "Right, gnome, should have guessed. The queens we're after are giant, and so are the... I dunno. Knights or warriors or whatever they call the regular bees, who probably don't want us to take the queen."
"And you were planning to conveniently forget this little fact until we were well on our way, and do the whole 'oh I'm an absent minded gnomish savant' routine. Right?" Culix says, eyeballing the client, and apparently attempting to burn a hole through is forrid with her gaze.
Another huff, arms folded across her chest, and then shrug. "Fine, I'll do it."
Aelwyn bows his head towards Ravendar, "Fiddle." He greets, "This one will enjoy hearing his songs on this journey." But he was beginning to shift uncomfortably on his spot, rumbling as he was doubting the veracity of this whole assignment. Giant bees? Larva? _Happy Valley_? "Are the bees poisonous?" The scaled sith-makar wasn't so worried about getting odd strings, but his eyes were watching the more softskinned folks around him.
Tobias shakes his head, looking a little nervous. "N-no... the Alexandrian soldiers have told us that the wights are all cleared out," he says. His whiskers droop lower as his expression turns sad. "All we had was village militia when the wights came. We tried to fight them off but... we're just farmers. I barely managed to get my wife and children out before they came tearing through the yards." He looks back up at Ravendar and nods, tapping his gnomishly large nose. "Yes, that's right. No better way to meet giant demand than with giant bees!" He turns his attention to the rest of the party. "Wights shouldn't be a problem. -But-! If there's a surviving princess larva, then she'll very likely have her royal guard. Workers whose only job is to defend the newborn queen. To the death, if necessary!"
He fidgets a little. "If more of my farmhands had survived, we could do this on our own. But... I'm no fighter. If the royal guard swarm, they'd kill me and mine for sure! When the hive is so badly damaged, the only way to extract a princess larva is to kill the workers protecting her." He looks back up, boggling a bit at Culix. "N-no! No, of -course- not! I thought -everyone- knew about my apiary!" He fidgets some more, all but hopping from foot to foot. "I have a little capital left in my Alexandrian banking account. It's yours if you can just bring me back a living larva!" He holds up the satchel again. "I managed to grab my emergency stash of soporific. It can slow the workers down, make it easier to fight them. There's enough here for five doses, and it won't last long before they come to their senses but... please, I beg you, help me save my family's business!"
"Giant bees," Andelena mutters under her breath. "Fu--funky. Great. I go from wrangling naked men covered in bacon grease surrounded by giant chickens to giant bees."
She just sighs and nods. "Okay, crystal-clear. Get the royal bee, fight off her guards, get out. Sounds clear cut as it's going to get, I suppose. Bry's gonna wonder why the hell I get all the weird jobs and he doesn't." A grin cracks her face.
Carver kneels down in front of the gnome, and places one hand on his trembling shoulder. She knows the desperation of a common man, who is just doing the best he can. She knows things were hard even BEFORE the undead rampaged through everyone. Life is a struggle, and you never get time to really stop and smell the flowers. Her kind, dark brown eyes with the raccoon makeup softens as she gives a comforting nod. "I can't speak for everyone, but this is a freebee."
Ravendar listens intently to Tobais as he explains the full situation of what's going on. "Are there any more of the soporifics on the farm? Is there anything else you can tell us about these giant bees that might help us to defeat them? These aren't big enough to be intelligent right? We couldn't just try to convince the hive to come back with us and to go with you wherever you are going to set up next?"
"Hmmh, seems the Guard have better parties than many." Aelwyn rumbles at Andelena with a sharp glint of his teeth, but he bows his head. "This one will do the task with the agreed upon pay." He says and picks up his spear; seeming to be quite ready to go. The javelins' straps on his backs are rechecked and retightened as he listens to the others.
Tobias's whiskers quiver and his large eyes go liquid as Carver kneels before him, offering that bit of generosity. "You're truly kind, miss," he says. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." To Aelwyn, he nods his head. "Giant bee stingers aren't barbed like ordinary honey bees," he says. "And they have a strong apitoxin that can weaken your muscles. Unless you're allergic, you -should- recover fairly quickly, but it can be a frightening experience!" Turning his attention to Ravendar, he shakes his head. "I honestly don't know for sure," he says. "We kept a supply of soporific at stations all throughout the honey yards, but... I don't know if anything survived the wight attack. This satchel was stored in my house. When the ruckus first started, I thought maybe the bees were swarming, so I grabbed it and ran out to help pacify the hive. But... it wasn't the bees making the ruckus. It was..." His apple cheeks pale, and he shudders, shaking his head hard enough to make his whiskers swish to and fro. "I-I'm sorry... it was... awful. I'd never -seen-..."
He swallows hard and gives himself a shake, offering out the satchel to take. "But... to answer your other question... no. They're not intelligent, not like you and I are. More like exceptionally fierce dogs, really. Now, once you get to the farm, you'll have to enter the hive. We built a framework, like a large warehouse, for the bees to build in. There'll be walkways that can get you inside, but once you're in, you'll have to be careful. The wax -should- hold your weight, but if you break through into a cell, you might hit a worker larva--or worse, one of the princess larvae. That'll send out attack pheromones, and the workers'll swarm you in no time flat! Look for the cell that has a large amber cone built up over it--that'll be one of the royal chambers. You'l have to cut it out of the comb--it should be about the size of a large pumpkin. And make sure not to pierce the celll, it'll be full of royal jelly! If it breaks, the larva will die."
<OOC> Carver says, "would knowledge nature tell me anything else that might be useful about giant bees?" <OOC> Dirk says, "Roll it!" GAME: Ravendar rolls knowledge/nature: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Culix rolls knowledge/nature: (3)+6: 9 GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/nature: (9)+7: 16
Culix looks to Carver, and then Tobias, and her cheeks flush a little as she feels a bit guilty for her outburst. She clears her throat. "Sorry. Just worked for one artificer or alchemist too many I guess." she mumbles.
She falls quiet for a while letting others go to the business of questioning and consoling their client, finally speaking up again, "I think I've got a pretty decent idea of what to expect. I'm as ready as I'll ever be." she offers.
"Yeah, I think I'm ready to go here, too," Andelena adds in. "I've got no more questions, and it seems straight-forward to me."
Ravendar listens as Tobias explains about the lay out of the farm and how they should go about collecting a princess larva and what dangers to watch out for. He remembers that his cousin Millie Tamwood kept a small hive set up on the back of one of the wagons, an ingenious little set up. She knew all about bees and was happy to tell everyone and anyone interesting bee facts, not just about the bees she had, but all kinds of bees. He nods to Tobias, "Thank you, unless anyone else has any questions I'm good to go." He looks to the others, "So giant bees are immune to any mind-affecting effects, but they are vulnerable to large amounts of smoke. They can also see in the dark pretty well. At least that's what I remember my cousin Millie telling me about them and she was able to keep a small hive on the back of one of my family's wagons."
"Aw, shucks." Carver says, as her own big eyes start to well up in emotional response to the farmer's eyes welling up. "Stop, ya makin' my camoflauge all runny." She straightens, bouncing on her toes, the well-worn leathers of her boots creaking as she nods at Culix. "A'ight, well, I know a few tricks 'bout dealin' with bees but not sure how easy they'll be to pull off. Just try not to get stung. Poison reaaaal mean. We can try to pick up some smokestick's maybe, before we head out, but the 'mount of smoke ya need probably ain't enough."
She looks over the rest of the crew, thin shoulders bobbing as she agrees with Ravendar's very tactical breakdown. "Righ'!"
The trip out to Happy Valley isn't usually a difficult one. The road is well paved, the countryside normally idyllic. But the signs of the Dragonieri invasion are everywhere. Farmsteads and villages burned and crumbled. Signs of battle abound. Large swaths of scorched earth where bonfires were lit to cremate the dead, lest they rise again and join the wights. By now, the bodies of the fallen have largely been cleared away, but many a field still contain the corpses of livestock, with clouds of flies buzzing ominously around the carcasses.
But soon, the Valley itself comes into view. Turning off on a side track, you follow the gravelled path to an arched gate. The fencing has been splintered. One of the wooden gates has been torn completely off its hinges, while the other creaks as it sways back and forth in the wind. A large, gaily-painted sign cants crazily to one side, having been torn off the post. 'SNICKERDOODLE APIARY' is just visible beneath splatters of tacky dried blood and other less wholesome things.
The farmyard itself must have once been a bustle of pastoral activity. But the farmhouse is a shambles. The neatly manicured lawns are torn into clods, and there's bloodstains everywhere from where the poor farmhands lost their lives to the rampaging horde. But at the center of the field is the hive itself--a massive, boxy affair fully three stories tall. On one end is a series of clever pumps and storage tanks, where the honey can be harvested and processed. A spacious shed on the other end is set up to render beeswax. But the machinery is all smashed, and the ground is sticky with spilled honey. But, from within the hive itself comes the low drone of many wings buzzing. At least a -few- bees have survived.
Culix had brought her horse, but that idea soon proved to be a bad one. It was fine at first, saving her feet from the cobbles. But the smell of death and bloodshed got the horse's heckles up pretty promptly, and Culix as it turns out is not good enough with animals to keep a nervous horse calm.
A short way into the journey, she has to make a brief diversion to stable her horse with one of the few waystations that were still manned on the way, catching up with the rest of the party after a little while.
When they finally draw near to the farm, her beady eyes cast about taking it in. She eyes the machinery, the pumps and tanks. Eyes follow the walls of the hive up, looking for openings that might offer an industrious goblin- or be- ingress or egress in lieu of the front door.
"I could take a sneaky peek inside, see what we're dealing with." She suggests to her companions, pulling her hood up over her head.
Ravendar is visibly disheartened by all of the destruction that he sees as they get to the farm. He starts to look around and it's easy to spot where the hive is. He gets out his fiddle and bow and makes himself ready to start to play if needed. He nods to Culix, "Sure, maybe take one of the soporifics with you." He looks around, "I doubt we'll find any laying around here." He does continue to look just incase he's wrong.
Aelwyn wasn't too bothered by the visage of the ravaged farmlands - but he cannot help but to feel unnerved by the stark contrasts. And nauseated by the scents. Very nauseated. Rolling his shoulders, he rumbles by himself. "Hmmh, explains why the guild was arranged." He looks around the corpses, "... perhaps they will be returning for the guild again to clean this place."
The draconian picks off a javelin from his pack and holds it at the ready by his offhand, waiting for the others to make their way towards the hive. His orange eyes observed the hive proper, to at least gauge how many buzzers were in there.
"Just be careful if you're gonna sneak in," Andelena tells Culix. Her steel-grey eyes sweeping the environs seem just as displeased as Ravendar by all of the carnage. The loss of life doesn't settle well with the Daeusite, her voice measured as she says, "I'd volunteer to sneak in, but my armor ain't exactly the greatest for that kind of thing."
Ravendar chimes in, "If you want help I can be pretty sneaky, so I could come with you to try to help."
"If you feel confident innit," Carver says. "I can sneak with ya, or you can be slinky by yeself. S'up to ye." She has already strung her bow in preparation for the danger they'll be in, and checks a vial on her belt to make sure its contents haven't spilled out. "Bees, they're not the MOST observant or necessarily aggressive creatures until ya get close to their hive or Queen. Shame s'that what we have to do 'zactly."
<OOC> Dirk says, "Give me some Perception rolls!" GAME: Andelena rolls Perception: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Ravendar rolls perception: (16)+10: 26 GAME: Carver rolls Perception: (8)+9: 17 GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (2)+1: 3 <OOC> Aelwyn can see the sky. Maybe. GAME: Culix rolls perception: (9)+9: 18 <OOC> Dirk says, "You can all see that the hive has a series of catwalks and gantries that lead up to openings on the top two stories. There's clear passages into the hive itself at various points, and they all appear to lead inward to the central chamber, so you have your choice of entry points!"
Ravendar hears the buzzing and he sees some movement on the ground that causes him to look up as well. He sees some of the bees are on the side and it looks like they are repairing the hive, "We are in luck it looks like there are some workers over on the side fixing up some damage, I bet if we go around to the opposite side and make out way in we won't be noticed." He offers his suggestions.
Culix takes the dose of soporific when it's taken, and then nods her head, "Always am." she replies on the topic of being careful. She listens to Carver's advice about the bees, and nods, "Alright. Well I got this and some smoke bombs, so I should be alright to take a look and get back out again with minimum of commotion."
One of her ears twitches, and she tilts her head a bit, listening. "There's a bunch of bees at the back of the hive. Probably fixing up a hole." she adds then. "I'll go take a gander." she adds, moving towards the hive, keeping low and looking for cover to mask her approach.
"Ye got this, lil' green!" Carver says, inspiring Culix with her faith in the Hoodlum's skills.
"Wish I had a prayer I could offer to the Knight for you, but He's not terribly interested in sneakin' about," Andelena says with a bit of a laugh. "Go ahead. Be quick and be safe."
Aelwyn can't see or hear anything from the buzzing and stench. So the practically blinded draconian watches the stealthy types get into action with a tilt of his head. Turning towards the rest of the party, he asks, "Stay in formation and be prepared to rush in when they get caught?" The ruddy sith-makar asks from Andelena with a toothy grin. "This one can fend off the first wave." He hefts his ribboned glaive.
The orange eyes return towards the skulkier sort; but he makes sure to move only at a respectable distance away from the scouting party.
<OOC> Culix says, "I'd like to stealth approach, away from the mass of workers." <OOC> Dirk says, "If you're stealthing up, roll it!" GAME: Culix rolls stealth: (10)+15: 25 GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+1: (9)+1: 10 <OOC> Dirk says, "They don't seem to notice you!"
"Have faith in Lil' Green," Carver admonishes Aelwyn's cynical proposition. "Did ya see how she so confidently vouched for the idea? I bet she whispers in an' steals the jelly, without buzzing any alarm at'll. Jus' watch and see, Heavy Metal."
Culix manages to find some low shrubbery and bits of rubble to blend in with on her approach towards the hive, her dagger comes out along the way, just in case. She reaches the entrance, and doesn't seem to run into any trouble, so she leans across to peek inside and see what she can see, before heading in to get a clearer picture.
Ravendar keeps watch on what the workers are doing on the side of the hive that has been damaged as Culix does her sneaky thing.
Andelena similarly keeps watch, although she looks at Aelwyn and says, "Yeah, sounds like a good idea. I'm best at being in the fray and keeping people up and alive, not at the infiltration."
The passage within is dimly lit from sunlight filtering through the wax comb. Anyone without low-light vision might have a little trouble seeing clearly within. However, the passage is pretty much a straight shot into a large, spherical chamber in the center. The floor and walls are all hexagonal cells, each one the size of a large gourd. Some are sealed over with wax seals, and many are full of rich honey. The exact center of the hive, however, is the jackpot. In the middle of a cluster of cells is one larger than the rest. Its wax seal has been built up into an amber cone, just as Tobias described. All around it, no fewer than six plump bees scuttle around. Dimly visible through the semi-translucent wax is the larva. It's moved into its pupal form, like a ghostly white bee in miniature. The structure of the comb is built with the precision that only nature could provide--so long as the royal guard can be dealt with, it should be simple enough to cut through the hexagonal framework and free the royal cell without harming the slumbering juvenile queen within.
Culix steps back out of the entryway, pausing by it, and she holds up her hands to get the attention of the group. She lifts all five fingers on one hand, plus the thumb on her left. Then she beckons them to come to the hive as well, pointing up to perhaps suggest one of the higher entry points.
"Heavy metal? That is a sound, Huntress. Usually this one steps light." Aelwyn rumbles back at her, but he tilts his head towards the sneaking Lil' Green. "It is not of the faith this one wonders; but of these bees. It is the getaway this one really wonders about." Seeing the gestures, he calmly picks up glaive and javelin, moving to follow the path Culix indicated.
Ravendar looks back over towards the rest of the group and he sees Culix motioning for them to join them. He starts to move sneakily towards Culix although he's looking up as well to see if perhaps there is a higher entry point that he might try for instead.
GAME: Ravendar rolls stealth: (14)+13: 27
Carver slips an arrow from her quiver, and brings it into place, but does not draw back on her bow. "A'ight, guess it's our turn now. At leas' there won't be any," She pauses, a snort busting through her airway, "any Zombeeeees."
GAME: Carver rolls stealth: (8)+10: 18
Andelena follows suit. She's not exactly stealthy, but she'll follow with Aelwyn to keep formation, her mouth pressed together in a thin line as she concentrates on not being a racket.
GAME: Andelena rolls Stealth-4: (16)+-2: 14 <OOC> Aelwyn 'll roll stealth too. <OOC> Dirk says, "Ooh, lucky!" GAME: Aelwyn rolls stealth: (5)+3: 8 <OOC> Dirk says, "Aelwyn, give me a Reflex save!" GAME: Aelwyn rolls reflex: (10)+4: 14
The rest of you all creep up the catwalk to join Culix and begin carefully making your way into the hive. The royal guard don't seem to take notice of you all as you step from the sturdy metal grating and onto curiously soft and tacky beeswax. Even Andelena in her heavy armor doesn't seem to make much appreciable noise as you make your way towards the hive center. But then, Aelwyn puts his foot down on a deceptively thin spot. There's a muffled cracking sound as the wax gives way. He's able to keep his balance and prevent himself from falling into the cell beneath, but the royal guard within the central chamber all freeze as one. They turn, their antennae flicking and their wings buzzing. Uh oh, you've been spotted! With an angry hum of their wings, they surge forward to attack!
<OOC> Dirk says, "Andelena, you're up! You're in a roughly circular chamber about 50' across. The royal cell is in the middle, and there's Angry Bees swarming at you!" <OOC> Andelena says, "Sort of. Kind of. Anyway. Casting bless on the whole group and moving 20' forward." GAME: Andelena casts Bless. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
Andelena calls upon her god as the bees decide it's time to kick things off. "Daeus, Holy Knight, make our blades strike true and see that we make it through this with Your grace!" she bellows. Daeus seems to answer, as holy magic washes over herself and her allies, and she nods firmly, steel-grey eyes full of fire.
"Let's go," she declares. She draws her longsword as she moves forward.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (2)+2: 4
One of the bees scuttles forward. With a buzzing of its wings, it lifts off the ground and jabs at Andelena with a stinger the size of a short sword. But the stinger harmlessly skates off her armor, sending the bee wobbling away from the force of it impact!
<OOC> Ravendar says, "Bard Song and move back away from the bees" <OOC> Ravendar says, "+1 Attack Roll and +1 Damage Roll"
Ravendar has his fiddle out and ready as the bees start to attack. As Andelena calls upon Daeus he strikes up a lively tune on his fiddle, the music filling the air, touching each of his companions to fill their souls with courage. He moves back away from the bees so he's not so obvious a target.
<OOC> Ravendar says, "+2 to attack +1 to damage" <OOC> Carver says, "I would like to rapid fire and deadly aim shot at one of the bees not yet in melee. Maybe bee3?" GAME: Carver rolls ranged -1: (15)+7+-1: 21 GAME: Carver rolls ranged -1: (12)+7+-1: 18 GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+5: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+5: (5)+5: 10 <OOC> Dirk says, "Okay! Both hit, and you have one dead bee!"
Carver's bow is up! The arrow is already kissing one sun-bronzed cheek. "Beehive yeself." The rapid flit of her shots scatters one of the drones, disappearing out of view from the impact of the twinned bite.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (16)+2: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls 1d4: (1): 1 <OOC> Dirk says, "Gimme a Fort save!" GAME: Carver rolls fortitude: (18)+4: 22 <OOC> Dirk says, "Okay, you resist the bee's apitoxin!"
One of the royal guard goes down thanks to Carver's expert archery! It lands on its back, legs curling up and wings twitching as the great insect expires. However, undetectable to the party, its death has released a wave of panic pheromones, drawing the rest of the remaining royal guard's attention! One of the bees charges forward with an angry buzz, and its stinger manages to graze her arm. Fortunately, it's not a direct enough of a strike for the apitoxin to inject!
<OOC> Culix says, "Can I get to the one that just tried to sting Carver, and Flank?" <OOC> Dirk says, "You can!" <OOC> Culix says, "I'll do that and backstab." GAME: Culix rolls weapon3+2+2: (3)+8+2+2: 15 GAME: Culix rolls damage3+2d6+2: aliased to 1d4+0+2d6+2: (3)+0+(7)+2: 12
"Keep doing that and we'll have them down in no time." Culix calls over to Carver, dashing across the weird, waxy floor after the Bee that charged her- dagger held in a revers grip, she plunges it into the bee, in between the plates of its exoskeleton. The blade is wriggled, and then wrenched free, and flipped over her knuckles into a regular grip.
"I'll try to keep them off you." she offers the archer then, dagger held at the ready and stance low.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (9)+2: 11
The bee that Culix jumped on buzzes furiously as its gravely wounded. Another wave of panic pheromones releases, and one of the royal guard turns to attack! But Culix proves far too nimble, and the great stinger stabs at thin air!
<OOC> Aelwyn says, "Aight, I'll try to finish off the hurt one with the glaive." GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon11: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL) <OOC> Aelwyn says, "... and I guess I'll be rerolling that. .-." GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon11: (18)+7: 25 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage11: aliased to 1d10+3: (5)+3: 8
Aelwyn hisses by himself as he accidentally slips and alerts the whole bee nest, "Skies are not gentle today..." He claws at the ground agitatedly with his feet as he tries to recover his step. He moves into the fray after the others and thrusts his spear into the combat - skewering one of the wounded bees. "Tch, this one might have lost their taste for mead." He hisses, as he attempts to wriggle the corpse off the sharp end.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (9)+2: 11
Hearing Aelwyn disparage the product of their hard work seems to infuriate the remaining royal guard. Or maybe it's because he killed one of their number, releasing another burst of panic pheromones. Either way, one of the bees turns on the sith and jabs at him with its stinger. But the strike goes wide, and misses entirely!
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (13)+2: 15
The other bees are still fixated on Carver. One zooms in and swipes at her with its stinger, but once again, it's a swing and a miss!
<OOC> Andelena says, "Ok! Gonna swing longsword at them with power attack." <OOC> Dirk says, "Roll it!" GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+2-2: (10)+8+2+-2: 18 GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+1+2: aliased to 1d8+5+1+2: (8)+5+1: 16
Andelena steps forward, longsword in hand. Her steel-grey eyes flash with lethal intent as she sees her allies being harassed and harangued by the giant insects.
"Deliverance," she utters to her sword. "Let's make this quick."
The Sunguard picks a giant bee and brings her blade down. The steel rips through insect sinew and exoskeleton, tearing it down in half.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (3)+2: 5
Yet another bee falls, the royal guard being whittled down quickly by the heroes! Responding to its fallen comrade's panic pheromones, one of the bees lunges at Andelena. Yet once again, her heavy armor protects her easily, the stinger clacking uselessly against the metal plating!
<OOC> Ravendar says, "Free action, continue bard song, action: cast ear piercing scream on bee1." GAME: Ravendar casts Ear-Piercing Scream. Caster Level: 3 DC: 14 GAME: Ravendar rolls 2d6: (6): 6 <OOC> Ravendar says, "Fort Save for half and no daze" GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16 <OOC> Dirk says, "Alas, it is not dazed, but you certainly got its attention!"
Ravendar continues to play on his fiddle, his foot lightly tapping against the waxy ground. The music continues to bolster his allies and he decides to take a more direct method of helping. He turns towards one of the bees and he opens his mouth to let out an ear-piercing scream towards it. The bee seems to be only partially affected by the spell.
<OOC> Carver says, "just deadly aim this turn" GAME: Carver rolls ranged +2: (16)+7+2: 25 GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+5: (2)+5: 7
"Coul' just kiss ye both," Carver flashes a cheeky smile after the grimace of pain as she is saved, wheeling under Aelwyn's weapon and firing a shot. Then she'll retreat about ten feet to get out of the melee.
<OOC> Culix says, "Alright, I'll go finish off the injured one then." GAME: Culix rolls weapon3+2: (20)+8+2: 30 (THREAT) GAME: Culix rolls weapon3+2: (8)+8+2: 18 GAME: Culix rolls damage3+damage3+2: aliased to 1d4+0+1d4+0+2: (1)+0+(2)+0+2: 5
Culix ducks under a stinger coming her way and then flashes a grin over at Carver. "Maybe later." she retorts with a wink before dashing after one of the remaining bees, ducking low and fipping the dagger once more to bring it up and plunge deep into the bee's carapace. She wriggles it and then wrenches it free once more.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (16)+2: 18
The bee Culix strikes buzzes in fury, and it lashes out with its stinger. But the gobber is far too nimble, and the stinger misses entirely!
<OOC> Aelwyn says, "I'll move on to smack one of unhurt ones." GAME: Aelwyn rolls weapon11+2: (20)+7+2: 29 (THREAT) GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage11+2: aliased to 1d10+3+2: (1)+3+2: 6 GAME: Aelwyn rolls damage11+2: aliased to 1d10+3+2: (3)+3+2: 8
"Tempt, and the Huntress shall become too tempting of a target." Aelwyn calls out to Carver, as he lets her slide past him. Spinning his blade around him, he moves on after the undamaged bees. "Let the temptations run wild..." With a heavy, two handed clubbing swing, the blade smacks into the bee's side. "... and blood shall follow." The bee buzzes with the last of its thread.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (10)+2: 12
The bee that Aelwyn strikes turns with a clacking of mandibles. It staggers from the powerful blow, but isn't out yet! It leaps up with a flickering of legs and wings, jabbing at the sith with its stinger. But fortune is with Aelwyn, for the stinger misses him entirely! Whiff!
<OOC> Andelena says, "I'm gonna smack one of the injured ones. Bless, power attack, bard song, etc." GAME: Andelena rolls weapon7+2-1: (16)+8+2+-1: 25 GAME: Andelena rolls damage7+2+1: aliased to 1d8+5+2+1: (1)+5+2+1: 9
Andelena whips around with her blade drawn, glaring at one of the remaining bees. "Fuck /off/," she growls, and while the Sunguard's sword buzzes in her hand in an almost irritated way for her swearing, it still gets the job done as she raises it and brings the weight down.
- Squelch.* Down goes the bee. "Keep up the assault!" Andelena barks to the others.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d20+2: (9)+2: 11
The royal guard is rapidly falling! The last unscathed bee takes offense at Andelena's attitude, and expresses that with another futile stinger jab. They just can't punch through that sturdy armor the Daeusite wears!
<OOC> Ravendar says, "I'll continue to play bard song and use one of the soporifics on the uninjured one." GAME: Ravendar rolls 1d20+6+2: (7)+6+2: 15 <OOC> Dirk says, "Nice! Bee2 is now fatigued and flat-footed!"
Ravendar sees the there are only 2 of the royal guard left, but he's worried there might be more. He digs out one of the soporifics and he tosses it to the ground under the uninjured royal guard. He continues his playing of bard song as the soporific fills the area around the bee, hopefully making it easier for the next person to hit.
<OOC> Carver says, "like to take one shot at both." GAME: Carver rolls ranged+1: (16)+7+1: 24 <OOC> Carver says, "thats the injured" GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Carver rolls ranged+1: (13)+7+1: 21 GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+5: (3)+5: 8
Carver is reminded that she needs to get a cool name for her bow, maybe Whisperwind? Or Deathbringer? Focus!
The young ranger peers at the two target and each shot proves true, with competency in action if not efficiency in thought.
<OOC> Culix says, "Throw my dagger at the last remaining bee. Still flat footed?" GAME: Culix rolls weapon3+2: (3)+8+2: 13 <OOC> Culix says, "I'll spnd that reroll now" GAME: Culix rolls weapon3+2: (10)+8+2: 20 GAME: Culix rolls damage3+2d6+2: aliased to 1d4+0+2d6+2: (3)+0+(7)+2: 12
The bee's stinger scrapes at Culix's side, tearing a hole in her shirt and corset alike- much to her consternation. But it doesn't penetrate the gleaming silver links beneath that protect her. She's about ready to get her comeuppance when the bee before her is taken out.
So, she pivots on a heel, flipping the blade around so she's holding it by the tip- she hurls it in a swift overhand toss at the last remaining bee. The blade wobbles in the air but then finds its flight and plants itself squarely in between the bee's insectoid eyes.
With Culix's masterful dagger throw, the last of the royal guard collapses and is still. The hive is silent, save for the sound of the workers on the far side, still busily working to repair the damage wrought by the wight attack. Quickly and carefully, the party is able to carve the royal cell out of the honeycomb. The princess within remains none the wiser as her cell is extracted without incident, floating in her nourishing bath of royal jelly. Once she's freed, you're able to beat a hasty retreat from the hive and take your leave of the ruined apiary. Without a viable queen, the remaining workers will soon die off, and this population will go extinct. But the cycle of life continues. The hope for a new and prosperous hive cradled in wax and gel, carried by the victorious heroes back to Alexandria. There, a profusely grateful Tobias Snickerdoodle is almost moved to tears of joy as he reverently accepts the queen. He promises that, with the help of his druid wife and newly hired farmhands, Snickerdoodle's Apiary will return from the brink of failure. Soon, the same quality honey and beeswax they had produced before will flow readily to Alexandria's eager markets. He promises them all the honey they could ever want, should they decide to come and pay his new farm a visit. And who knows, they might even get to meet the queen bee that they've rescued--assuming they haven't had their fill of giant bee hive interiors, of course. In all, a fine ending to an exciting challenge--just another day's work for Alexandria's adventuring heroes!