Currents : a blog for my "Currents" posts

Quick note : I started a new blog to relate ongoing events in my life as an adventuress. That way, I can go on random ramblings without breaking the ongoing storyline. That more current blog can be found here :

http://smashymashy.blogspot.com/

Feel free to drop by!

Exterminators #2

More Creeping Crawlies

I was kinda saddened to hear we were heading back to Crawler's Nest for more of the same as last week. I was much apprehensive at the prospect of having to deal with yet another crawler train upon arriving on location. Thankfully, such wasn't the case. That also meant the basement had its normal flow of parties, thus we were heading towards what is known as the "secret room".

Coeurl >> How can there be a secret room?
Coeurl >> Not like crawlers are smart enough
Coeurl >> to build a hidden passageway or something...
Kinah >> That's the thing, it's man-made.
Coeurl >> Still, who'd want to have a secret room
Coeurl >> in a stinky dump like this?
Miliel >> It's an ancient civilization's doing.
Miliel >> They were trying to hide a device of sorts.
Ruff >> And now everyone knows about the place!
Coeurl >> ...well I don't...

Ruff lets out a roaring laughter.
Ruff slaps Coeurl's back.
Coeurl stumbles and falls forward.

Ruff >> You ain't gonna be a virgin after we're through!
Miliel >> Advice : run.
Coeurl >> =O.O=!!!
Kinah >> Hehehe! They're just kidding Coeurl!
Cirdek >> With Mil's straight face, sometimes I wonder...
Shad >> ...Sneak.

We made it to the entrance of the racetrack room, where we partied last week. Alas, a group was already fighting valiantly a crawler at that location. Shad's order was quickly followed with a few casting of Sneak spells and consumption of Silent Oils. Since my trips to Yhoator Jungle, I grew wise enough to keep stealth meds on me at all times. A vial of oil later, and my every footstep was padded so not a single squeawk would be heard even at a full run. We walked straight for a while and I was taken aghast at the number of Exorays I'd have to navigate around to pull properly.

Kinah >> Where's Coeurl?
Cirdek >> Wasn't she following Ruff?
Ruff >> Uh, I wouldn't know, I didn't keep an eye on her.
Miliel >> Hard to believe, unless...
Miliel >> You were staring at my ass again, weren't you?
Ruff >> If you mean "general tail area"... maybe?
Coeurl >> I'm right... huh?
Coeurl >> Where did you guys disappear to?

Coeurl stops and looks around

Ruff >> To your left!
Coeurl >> Uh... I don't see anything...
Ruff >> A bit more... ok, straight forward now!
Coeurl >> I don't know what you're talking about, there's no-

Ruff's head ghastly emerges from the wall.
Coeurl shrieks in disbelief!!!

Ruff >> I found a Coeurl!
Coeurl >> Wha- What the hell?!?
Ruff >> Come one, we're waiting on you!

Ruff's arm emerges from the wall to grasp Coeurl's hand
Coeurl is pulled into the wall

Coeurl >> Wh-what was that?!?
Kinah >> It's an illusionary wall!
Coeurl >> An... illusion?
Miliel >> Yes, put there by some ancient civilization
Miliel >> It fools all the senses : sight, hearing, smell...
Coeurl >> ...now why would they put a wall there?
Miliel >> Look in the back.

Coeurl stares at the end of the tunnel

Coeurl >> ...a cermet door?
Cirdek >> Yah, and behind that door's a strange device.
Coeurl >> ...ok, and what does that thing do?

Cirdek shrugs

Cirdek >> Who knows. I ain't gonna try to find out.
Ruff >> What, afraid to lose an arm?
Cirdek >> Not just that. It could be deadly.
Kinah >> Aw! Where's your sense of adventure?
Cirdek >> Set on staying alive, that's where.

Kinah >> Ok! Let's get this party started!
Kinah >> Coeurl, you know what to do!
Coeurl >> Uh... sure, I guess...
Ruff >> What's wrong kitty?
Coeurl >> Well... I'm not used to this place.
Coeurl >> What if I forget where the fake wall is?
Ruff >> Oh, is that all?
Ruff >> Don't worry, I'll stick my head out of the wall.
Miliel >> Not sure that's a good idea,
Miliel >> being greeted by an ugly mug on every pull.
Ruff >> Well then, I can always stick my tail out.
Coeurl >> ...head it is... Pulling now...

For the first half an hour, things went smoothly. I ran out, shot a crawler with an acid bolt, then darted back to the camp hidden behind the illusionary wall, Ruff's head sticking out like a sore thumb from it. After a few pulls, he stopped adjusting himself and stood right outside the wall, probably his back being sore from bending over while waiting for my return. Kinah kept laughing and Shad smirking each time I came back through the walls, feeling my way through making sure I wasn't walking into the real thing. Eventually, I used the hanging sack of crawler eggs as a marker for where the opening was, so Ruff could stay with the party, cheering the mages with his ballads.

It was an hour in when we finished our umpteenth crawler.

Coeurl sets out to get another crawler.
A burly arm grabs Coeurl's tail and yanks hard.
Coeurl clearly loses the tug'o'war and lands flat on her toosh.

Coeurl >> =O.O=!!!!
Coeurl >> WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA!!!

Coeurl twists around on her knees and stares wildly at Ruff.

Ruff >> Trouble.

Ruff points to right outside the tunnel

Had he not pulled my spine back, I would have ran head first into an Exoray. Those creepy mushrooms are known to turn a perfectly good Crawler's Nest party into a waiting game.

Coeurl >> Grrreat... we're stuck now.
Cirdek >> Can't you pull something over yonder that 'shroom?
Coeurl >> Nope, nothing close enough to shoot past the bugger.
Cirdek >> That's it, we're done. Let's head home.
Kinah >> Bah, it'll move eventually! Let's wait it down.

Everyone waited for the Exoray to move...
The Exoray moved in closer to the tunnel's entrance.
Everyone waited for the Exoray to move again...
The Exoray moved slightly away, but not enough.
Everyone waited for the Exoray to move yet again...
The Exoray moved back to its previous spot.
Everyone waited again for 10 more minutes...
The Exoray disappointed eveyrone's hopes.

Cirdek >> Now can we go home?

Shad shakes his head.

Cirdek >> What? It's made its home right in our path.
Cirdek >> Face it, we're done here.

Shad points at Ruff.

Cirdek >> What? Him? Sleep the 'shroom? Are you mad?
Miliel >> I admit, Galkas aren't known for singing good lullabies.
Ruff >> Hey, if Coeurl had a few more bad pulls, I'd prove otherwise.
Miliel >> Yah, thanks Coeurl, my enfeebling skills are lacking now.
Coeurl >> Huh? Why?
Miliel >> Not enough mobs to put to sleep because of your pulling.
Coeurl >> ...Sorry, didn't knew-

Ruff slaps Coeurl's back, laughing

Ruff >> She was being sarcastic, don't take it hard!
Ruff >> She meant to say your pulling's amazing!
Coeurl >> Erm... thanks?
Ruff >> Anyways, I think I know what Shaddy wants me to do.
Ruff >> You take a break, I'll start pulling.
Coeurl >> WHAT?!?
Cirdek >> That's it, we're gonna wipe.
Cirdek >> Your reraise's up Shad?

Shad sighs dejectedly.

Ruff >> Bah, a bit more confidence, will ya?
Kinah >> Certainly! Do your thing Ruffy!
Ruff >> Ok! Sit back and enjoy the show!

Ruff casts Sneak on himself.
Ruff gains the effect of Sneak.

Kinah >> Need help?
Ruff >> Nah, you guys get ready to do your SATA thingy.

Ruff leaves the camp.

Cirdek >> Damn, Galkas are dumb.
Cirdek >> He's going to aggro the Exoray on the way back.
Miliel >> Have a bit more faith in him,
Miliel >> I think I know what he's gonna do.
Cirdek >> Yeah, right, and I'm two feet tall.

Ruff comes back to camp, not making a sound.

Cirdek >> ...okay, you came back empty handed.
Cirdek >> I knew you couldn't pull anything.
Ruff >> Hehehe, you sure about that?
Cirdek >> Come on, a bard, pull a mob?
Cirdek >> That's a death sentence for-what the heck?!?

A crawler runs in the tunnel, past the Exoray.
Kinah provokes the Crawler.

Cirdek >> Where did it come from?
Coeurl >> Ruff? How?
Kinah >> Stop standing there and start SATA'ing!
Kinah >> The bugger's killing me!

...a fight later...

Cirdek >> What in tarnation just happened?
Ruff >> That, old friend, is a Bard's secret!
Coeurl >> That's amazing? What kind of ability...
Miliel >> He slept the crawler.
Coeurl >> ...did you-huh?
Miliel >> ...You guys are hopeless.
Kinah >> ...oh! I get it! Amazing!
Coeurl >> ...mind someone explaining it to me?
Ruff >> Aw! Mil, you're ruining the magic!
Miliel >> Come on Ruffy, it's not like ancient magiks.
Miliel >> All he did was sleep the crawler before coming back.
Miliel >> That gave him the leisure to Sneak back to camp.
Coeurl >> ...wow!
Cirdek >> ...heh... that's pretty lame.
Kinah >> No it's not! We can pull while the Exoray's there!
Kinah >> Ok Ruffy! Bring another one back!
Ruff >> My pleasure!

And so we were able to keep on getting experience until lunch was upon us. By the time our picnic was over, the Exoray had found a new spot to wander in, so I was back on the pulling roster. We came out of that party session with enough experience under our belt to not come back there the next week. I was surprised to learn that Bards had such tricks hidden in their musical repertoire, a trick I later used myself as I undertook Ruff's career, long after our static disbanded.