Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[PupSage]

"Actually, the new guy going first doesn't sound half bad to me. If something grabs him it gives us a target and he can keep it distracted. We know that there are at least four and while they are ambush predators, to my knowledge they aren't normally pack hunters, so I expect they will be squabbling over the food and ... what's a blunderbuss?" She looks at Revenge a bit sideways, "I mean, sure, I'm down for picking them out of a crowd, but I've never heard of a Blunderbuss, and I certainly didn't see one, so why would we dedicate Valac to attacking an imaginary thing?"  

[Rain Yupa]

"It's a type of ranged weapon that uses explosive powder to detonate within the chamber and fire shrapnel out of a flared muzzle. It's quite deadly in close quarters. It's an expression I've heard in my travels in my youth; some human countries will sometimes have athletic events and will use such a device to signal the start of a race. Sometimes runners will start prematurely and disqualify themselves. The phrase was coined from that very instance; jumping the blunderbuss is getting started before the actual event begins."

Revenge would pause, and avert his eyes to the ground. "Sorry, I didn't mean this to turn into an etymology lesson. So you think they will be hunting in close proximity to one another?" Realizing he had paused his armor-donning, he picked up where he left off. "It sounds weird, referring to them as 'hunters'. Are ropers ambulatory enough to 'hunt'? I always assumed they just grabbed anything that just happened to be nearby and didn't move all that much, if at all."  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Revenge, I think you are arguing semantics. If they do close in, then they can die in group, as their tentacles try to any find creases and holes Illikan has to plug." Turning to the human, the shortest on would add. "The more I think on it. It sounds like a good idea you go first."

"And if they are solo grabbers, we would only have to kill one or two to clear a path."  

[Rain Yupa]

"Your imagination is very... vivid, Ruin..." Revenge would say a bit awkwardly. "But you do make a good point, regarding roper ingenuity at least. However..."

Pausing, Revenge would kick the toes of his boot into the ground a few times on one foot, then the other, to make sure they were on securely.

"Having Ilikan take responsibility for his fellow human is one thing, I can't in good conscience 'sentance' him to take point against his will. If we are to go in a tightly-packed group in order to hopefully evade the ropers, than either someone willing to engage - or be engaged - in the frontline of their own volition can lead the way; Valac has already voiced intent for such a role. If a situation were to arise where no one would want to take a frontal position, you will default to me as the individual to do so."

Securing his scabbard at his side and picking up his shield with his left arm, he'd nod. "I'm ready to go. Just point us in the right direction, Kuori."  

[Psychofish]

Illikan snorted. "Race's got nothing to do with it. And willing isn't an issue, unless you lot intend to leave me to dry and sneak on by. As I see it, you and I ought to take as much attention as possible from them. Valac and Ruin ought to be able to cut them down a lot faster than I could."  

[PupSage]

"Sounds like a volunteer to me. You lead on ahead fifteen or twenty feet and we;ll be right behind you. Revenge bring up the rear in case they go for the last person instead."  

[Kowsauni]

Irene would clap her hands together. "Alright it seems like we are ready to move on. I'm excited to finally see these ropers!"

With a magic word from Irene, the camp instantly packs back up into a tightly bound satchel which Irene then places in one of her infinitely deep pockets. She also stores away her basket of everlasting provisions and her casket of ale.

The party begins to decent into the rocky caverns and Kuori would notice the half eaten critter she saw from the night before was gone. It is not long before they reach the spot where she saw the ropers and Kuori could tell three of the four suspected stalagmites had moved all but confirming her suspicions. However, she could not immediately tell where they had moved to as she had not the time or the light to memorize the terrain the previous night.

(Kuori may roll a perception check to try and re-spot the ropers, everyone else may first roll an Arcana knowledge check to see if they know enough about ropers to be able to spot one and then roll a perception check as well.))  

[PupSage]

[Perception 26!]

Kuori looks at the rock formations, trying to match them to last nights scene.  

[Rain Yupa]

How much does Revenge know about ropers?

Only 22 Arcana Dungeoneering can tell.

Does he see them, though?

With a 16 Perception, probably not well.  

[Psychofish]

"You said how many? Three? Four was it?"

[Arcana: 25 OR Dungeoneering: 31]

The warden felt pretty confident he knew what he was looking for, and slowed his pace at the head of the group as the goliath indicated they were in the area- closing his eyes for a moment, only for them to reopen different- irises yellow, pupils growing, reflecting what light there was and shining golden as he scanned for promising shapes.

[Minor Action: Eyes of the Hawk, +10 to a perception check.]
[Perception: 30]  

[Kowsauni]

After careful studying of the surrounding stalagmites Kuori and and Ilikan are pretty sure there are three that look slightly different from the rest. One of them is dead ahead while another one lies ahead to the right and the last one to the left.

((Kuori, Ilikan and Revenge also know that if they get grabbed by a roper, attacking the tentacle holding them is a good way to make it let go.))  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Whelp, I guess they heard us coming and fled in terror." Ruin spoke as twirled his blade and he continued forward.  

[Rain Yupa]

Scanning the area around them, Revenge would nod. "I imagine we'd have bumped into them by now. I believe you are correct, Ruin."

Looking to Ilikan and noticed his wide-eyed view of their surrounding area. "Calm down, Ilikan. As the Sehanites would say, sometimes a stalagmite is just a stalagmite."

"Or was that stalactite? I always get the two confused."  

[Psychofish]

Illikan took several long strides and stopped, an arm across Ruin's chest. "Hold up." His eyes reflected the light like a cat's, gleaming circles of yellow, as he looked back at Revenge, though the effect slowly started to fade as he held up his other hand and pointed carefully at each of the three he'd spotted.

"Stalagmites, in this case. I see three of them that aren't. They're spread out, so we'll want to pick one side and approach there. If they want to work together, make them come to us instead of getting flanked. Kuori, Valac, you see any others?"

He'd lower the shield arm from Ruin's chest and pick out a javelin, for the moment.  

[PupSage]

"Stalag, Stalag, clings tight to the ceiling, Stalag, Stalag, he might reach the top." Kuori muses to Revenge's statement. "Thats kid's stuff Revenge." She shrugs at Illikan, "I see what you see, no more, no less."