Quest #36 "Out Of The Jungle, Into The Swamp"

[OGRE MAGE]

Shocking!
The Dead Marsh
Moonday, 8th of Harvester?
Mid Morning, Cloudy, Humid, Buggy

Andron creates a magical hammer that swooshes through the swarm as the electricity in the air builds to an inaudible crescendo.

As the swarm is about to envelop the group again, Alordan alone decides to hop back through the portal into the Dark Ether, where the froglings continue to watch outside with great interest.

Tlachtga unleashes the power of nature into the middle of the bug cloud, bringing down a bolt of lightning that crackles and sizzles, burning a huge, jagged hole directly through the center of the swarm. Crispy dead bugs explode out in every direction, showering the group with swamp water and tiny blackened carapaces. The electric tingle under the water is definitely noticeable when the bolt hits the surface, but the sheer amount of the water diffuses any possibility of lasting physical damage from the blast. Comet winces painfully once again at the sudden loss of life.

The swarm immediately dissipates after the horrendous damage it takes, loosing about a third of its total mass from the blast. A large portion of the cloud hovers away to slowly reassemble out over the center of the water again, a few hundred yards away from the obelisk. It appears to be regrouping, with the remaining bugs trying to form back into one solid shape again. This reforming seems to take the creature a good long time to accomplish fully.

Actions?

Aliendron AC10 13/17 (CL4) 1st 2/5 2nd 3/4 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st 0/2 2nd 0/1 Levitate:11 SH:3
Theo AC:5 10/10 (Light Coin/Sword) Nail Gun:31 Torch
Alordan AC3 18/22
Torbath (M2) AC8 13/13 2/2 RM, CL, DM [(top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4] Helmet / Laser Torch:3 / Sprayer:33
Lerrick (C4) AC5 18/20 1st 2/5 2nd 4/4 (Light Stone) Gas Mask / Glue Gun:2
Tlachtga (D4) AC7 31/31 1st 6/6 2nd 4/4 3rd 2/3 (Light Stone) CL:30

[Rex]

Tlachtga

When the swarm is within range she will call down another bolt.

The spell says I can call down a bolt within 36" distance. She can call down 1 bolt every 10 rounds until she has used 4.

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric stands in awe after witnessing the shear power and destruction of the magic cast by the druid. Oh my.. She continues to hold the gem and monitor the situation before her, deciding to not use spells of her own as the may need her assistance at a later time.

[Quonundrum]

Aliendron

Andron lowers himself back down to the watery swamp and begins to intone a deep, raspy, baritone chant.

Begins casting Chant.

[gurusql]

Torbath

Torbath will defend the Druid against the One with the anti-nature wand if the swarm attacks before the next lightning strike, otherwise will wait for the strike.

[jemmus]

Theo feels a little sheepish about having been overly concerned about the lightning. He has his torch ready to play his small part in burning bugs.

[OGRE MAGE]

The One End
The Dead Marsh
Moonday, 8th of Harvester?
Mid Morning, Cloudy, Humid, Buggy

Andron chants to the sky while Tlachtga concentrates on her second bolt of lightning.

The swarm moves closer again, just before they have time to finish their spells. Torbath steps forward and sprays into the cloud, keeping them at bay just long enough for the druid to unleash her electric fury a second time. This blast nearly wipes out the swarm fully this time, while more dead bugs pile up on the swampy surface.

With the thing retreated for good this time, a third bolt is eventually brought down upon the distant swarm, obliterating it completely.

Shortly after this unique monster, made up of billions of tiny bugs, has been dealt with, the pesky insects don't seem nearly as intolerable. Sure there are still a few around, but they aren't nearly as big a distraction as they were before.

Looking out over the vast smelly swamp reveals nothing new to see.

Actions?

Aliendron AC10 13/17 (CL4) 1st 2/5 2nd 2/4 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st 0/2 2nd 0/1 Chanting
Theo AC:5 10/10 (Light Coin/Sword) Nail Gun:31 Torch
Alordan AC3 18/22
Torbath (M2) AC8 13/13 2/2 RM, CL, DM [(top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4] Helmet / Laser Torch:3 / Sprayer:23
Lerrick (C4) AC5 18/20 1st 2/5 2nd 4/4 (Light Stone) Gas Mask / Glue Gun:2
Tlachtga (D4) AC7 31/31 1st 6/6 2nd 4/4 3rd 2/3 (Light Stone) CL:10

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"An abomination of the natural order has been destroyed. Now we need to see what we can learn here."

[jemmus]

Theo wants to cheer, but instead his homely face breaks into a rare grin. Well done, Tlachtga and everyone else.!/dialog]

[Quonundrum]

Aliendron

He breathes a sigh of relief and gazes about the barren swamp land. "The insects are far less abundant now. Could it be The One was responsible for the ubiquitous insects on the island? Perhaps yet another of The Master's experiments that he abandoned like Brutus?" He then enters the portal and relays the good news to the new Elder and froglings. "The creature has been destroyed. It is now safe for you to return."

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric breaths deep sign of relief. Well done everyone. With the threat no long in front of her she turns towards the portal and slowly makes her way to its location.

[gurusql]

Torbath

"Now the question is when are we?"

[OGRE MAGE]

The End?
The Dead Marsh
Moonday, 8th of Harvester?
Mid Morning, Cloudy, Humid, Buggy

With the threat of the bug swarm gone, and the annoyance of the stinging and biting insects far easier to tolerate, the group moves back inside the Dark Ether.

Once Aliendron makes his announcement, the froglings move back out into their swamp and begin going about their normal business again. Most of them disappear under the surface or into the mud huts scattered about.

Oddly, there is no sign of Til-dirion, the froglings new Eldar, anywhere inside the darkness or out in the swamp.

Actions?

While we figure out why you aren't getting any appreciation from these ungrateful bastards, remember that you still have a bunch of items to split up evenly among the group. I will start figuring up some XP for this mission, so lets get a discussion started for who is taking what. Thanks!

+1 Bastard sword (Theo?)
Light Saber: (3 charges) Torbath?
Glue Gun: (2 uses)
Toxic Sprayer: (1/4 remains)
Nail Gun: (31 nails remaining)
Welding Helmet:
Gas Mask:
Grey Mega-Gem:
what else am I forgetting?

Aliendron AC10 13/17 (CL4) 1st 2/5 2nd 2/4 (MU3) RM, CL, DM, 1st 0/2 2nd 0/1
Theo AC:5 10/10 (Light Coin/Sword) Nail Gun:31 Torch
Alordan AC3 18/22
Torbath (M2) AC8 13/13 2/2 RM, CL, DM [(top of backpack) Comet AC:7 4/4] Helmet / Laser Torch:3 / Sprayer:23
Lerrick (C4) AC5 18/20 1st 2/5 2nd 4/4 (Light Stone) Gas Mask / Glue Gun:2
Tlachtga (D4) AC7 31/31 1st 6/6 2nd 4/4 3rd 2/3 (Light Stone)

[Quonundrum]

Those colored crystal shards Torbath collected from the cave. I thought the sword is a bastard sword? Otherwise, I think that's it.

[Rex]

Looks right once you add the shards. I think it was a bastard sword.

[OGRE MAGE]

Right you are. I edited in the correct sword.

Looking at the colorful shards now, they look dull and lusterless. There is no longer any heat coming off of them either. They do not detect as magical.

Any pills (tiny disks of chalk) leftover have degraded into a strange smelling paste stuck to the inside of the bottles due to the excessive moisture and humidity. (though this residue may actually still be useful in some way)

[Quonundrum]

Aliendron

Andron scans the area both inside the Dark Ether and outside in the swamp, a bemused expression clearly evident on his alien face. "That is indeed the salient question. When?" He then gazes off to the area where they had before seen the colorful ribbons indicating the Grippli settlement. He shrugs his shoulders, futilely attempting to ascertain what occurred. "Perhaps the Eldar and The One were somehow linked? Destroying the latter in the future changed the past of the former. Although, Til-dirion did say that time works differently in the Dark Ether. Consider also the Maedar, Marquees, how did he survive for so long? Hundreds, maybe thousands of years? Well ... let's head back to Beachtown and see if anything has changed."

Andron has no particular interest any item, but given his current condition, the gas mask may be appropriate ...

[ravenn4544]

Alordan sighs in relief that the bug infestation swarm has been defeated. "It's one thing after another around here, eh?"

His relief is quickly and predictably short-lived. "I can only imagine that everything has probably changed if we head back to town. Remember, when we left town - sorry, i mean fled town - it was to get away from those marauding dwarves! I'm sure they haven't left!"

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Everything depends on how much time has passed, we should be careful as always but town is a good idea,"

[gurusql]

Torbath

"I terms of the items, I would like to keep the wand of electricity (light saber), but certainly only borrowed the helmet to help with the smoke and would prefer to NOT keep the anti-nature wand (bug spray) given that Comet could be negatively impacted by the magic.

In terms of location, Beachtown is all we know, but yes we have to watch for the dwarves!"