[Petals & Thrones] Session 19:

Session XIX

The short rest was ominous, the unflickering glare of Ribbles's dancing lights flanking them with jade green halls of impenetrable darkness. Acrid smoke still lingered from the scorched spawning pits, and the ichor of slain vermin made for a truly macabre scene in their isolation. Aquilan's sharp ears could pick up an unnerving skittering deeper in the Great Hive. Upon receiving their rest, the heroes Ribbles, Thoradin, Morluck, & Aquilan unsheathed their tools of violence to delve farther into the hive; Sharra, Vincent, Pierrot, & Talon accompanying them.

Having barely taken two turns, they come upon a pair of giant scorpions, who simultaneously notice the invaders and bellow a truly primeval screech of mandibles scraping on mandibles. As they finish the first scorpion, they see behind the behemoth threats a truly vast number of giant ants. The ensuing fight is a slog of blade & spell upon ancient weapons of carapace & venom. Giant vermin are replaced literally faster than they can slay, and when the mortar ants begin to connect with their attacks, followed by a smaller group coming up from behind, is when the party realizes they may have to retreat.

Their attempts at retreat are truly hard fought. Vincent is the first to fall, followed by Pierrot & Sharra. Talon only manages to keep up through Morluck's use of his wand of web to at least slow down the giant army ants. There's literal discussion of which tunnel leads them out of the Great Hive as they run.

Then they meet the spiders.

At one of the junctions, spiders had begun to carve a nest, which nearly overwhelms them as they hear army ants and the dreaded mortar ants slowly catching up. Their attacks are fortunately not true, especially after Ribbles drains the last of his spells with a well-timed use of shield. Ultimately, they do finally escape by the skin of their teeth, returning to their base battered & bloodied.

As their long rest continues, they hear news of Prince Darius picking up the pieces, personally leading a charge into the Great Hive. The threat is finally ended, and the Order of the Wyrd joins the cause against the Lunatic Court's rebellion.