Can we call this a "Raid"-ing party?

The party to destroy the ants had returned to the surface in search of more resources. Jack sent Charles to the Adventurer’s Guild to gather up some more bodies while he ventured off to visit SD and apprise him of the situation. SD agreed to more people and the additional costs for supplies. But they also discussed what was found in the cavern, including the most likely magma vent they could not approach and the entomology of this species of ant. Ben was brought along with his master map to lay out where things were in relation to the surface. After a …small mistake… Ben was able to properly orient the map to reflect that the caves and the magma led off to the north west of Midway and likely centered somewhere just outside the main Midway population under the surrounding mountain. Addie, a new Druid in town who had participated in a previous tunnel run was called in for her expertise. She was able to tell them that any queen eggs would most likely be different in size and attended by a good number of workers and soldier ants. A new plan was formulated to kill the queen and destroy her queen eggs which Addie confirmed should likely cause the colony to die.

Charles was unimpressed by the available adventurers in the Guild but Jack ventured back and was willing to take whoever was available. This included Taern, Rylie, Vallan, Talon, Addie and Myla. Myla wasn’t sure she would or could go but the offered pay was sufficient encouragement. She traipsed back to her teacher, Tollemay, to ask for permission…inform him of her decision and the possible chance to gather other component materials. This idea appealed to him and he gave Myla instructions to look for a certain special ore that might be in the mine. It would be extremely black and dense. With the party now grown and new supplies, along with a butt load of oil for burning the ants obtained, after a night of rest off they went back in to the caves.

On a quick side meeting, SD visited with Vora to ask if things had been noticeably warmer, which he said no. He then asked if he knew about a lava chamber under Midway and if he could make use of it were there one there. Which Vora said he could. In fact it would be VERY useful in the forging of certain special items. SD then went to try to speak with the Galeb Duhr resident under the orphanage. It was able to confirm the lava and that it emanated from a shaft that rose up from deep underground. With this information he let Vora know that plans could be made to make use of this source.

Down in to the cavern again they went. Quickly making time past the areas they had previously ventured. They found the first smaller side chamber and decided to have a look in to the higher chamber they had seen ants carrying eggs around. Grogg and Vallan scaled the 30 or so feet up to the hole and peered in. The not all that large chamber held ant eggs. A good number but there were no worker ants attending them. They made note of this side chamber and let it be deciding to search for a chamber with more activity.

Traversing the tunnels down and around they finally arrived at the first large chamber they had found where they encountered a cave fisher. They knew there was another side chamber here because ants were spotted carrying numerous eggs down the side wall and across the cavern floor. At the place they expected to find it they affixed a light coin to an arrow and had Ollie shoot it up to illuminate the area in hopes of spotting a tunnel opening. The shot went up and skittered around the stalactites providing enough light to spot an opening about 70 feet above the floor level with no activity in the location. This opening being a bit higher than they wanted to spend time on was once again marked and they moved on.

This time now Jack was determined to find the vent openings in the floor like the one they spotted last time. There may be others and they might be able to use them. They explored the cavern in a centipede like fashion scanning for the vent holes. They found the first and moved on. Then a second where the chamber below had little activity within. Then a third that revealed a significant amount of activity. They could not see any significant variation in the egg size but they were relatively sure there would be queen eggs in this chamber. After an arduous discussion regarding tactics and how they should deploy the oil casks they noted the location and moved on heading for the lower side chamber where the magma vent was and where they had seen the side wall vents that led in to the egg chambers.

They entered the lower chamber and found a small, fiery, burning, heat emanating bipedal shaped creature milling about the heat vent. Jack and his lead folks slowly approach the creature attempting to make some form of contact. The creature emitted intense heat and caused some concern for the oil casks they carried. They found the creature spoke very little and broken common tongue. The only details they could gather were that it was lost, it liked heat, most likely was living in the heat vent and his name was Blargg. Well, not really, but that was the only conclusion they could draw after their confusing conversation. They tried to get it to assist them against the ants but were unable to get that sophisticated in the discussion. A decision was made to move on from this creature and examine the side vents to find the right chambers.

But the fire creature just walked along side of Jack as they went to the chamber vent area. Jack tried to keep enough distance between them to avoid any combustion. As they approached the egg area the ants began moving far more frantically. The fire creature grabbed and ant and rended it in two, giggling madly at his accomplishment, his hot hands and claws slicing through the worker. With that it stepped back from Jack to give him room. With that the frenzy of activity began.

Four soldier ants appeared from the side chambers and charged towards the party. Worker ants emerged from a far side wall vent carrying eggs at least twice the size of any others they had seen. It took three workers to carry each of the three enormous eggs they were transporting. Along with them came several soldier ants guarding them and what could only be the Queen. All of these were making for the back tunnel exit while the soldiers defended their retreat.

It started with a volley of arrows. Kenny was the first to hit a soldier as they moved in and engaged the group. The first ant bit in to Blargg injecting his venom and dropping him to the ground. Grogg and Charles struck back and the fire creature, engaged by one of the soldiers attack the ant and ripped in to it. The ant struck back causing a small wound to it but the attack caused damage back to the ant probably from the intense heat of the creatures body. The fire creature struck back again and the soldier ant was dead. The queen, along with the eggs and her soldier escort hurried down the back tunnel and disappeared moving as quickly as they could. It was now necessary to dispatch the screening force quickly to catch those in retreat.

Rispin scored a deep hit with her sling, Ben with his sword, Grogg with his ax, bow shots pinged different targets weakening the soldiers. The fire creature moved to and finished off a second, the one that apparently had dropped Blargg. Grogg dropped the third ant and Rispin’s sling finished the last. Talon used his First Aid skills to stabilize Blargg.

The battle over, Charles moved to heal Blargg and was able to successfully revive him. Addie removed several of the legs off the soldier ants using them to cast her Repel Insect spell, hoping it would work against this species. Meanwhile, Jack and the rest of the crew investigated each of the egg chambers finding two chambers containing more queen type eggs. They used all but two of the oil casks to set fire to the chambers, burning all they could and focusing specifically on the queen eggs. They were the beneficiary of an assist from the fire creature that gleefully lit the oil starting the fires in each of the chambers.

This business concluded they lined up and made to chase after the ants that escaped. The fire creature did not accompany them, returning to his heat vent. Addie and Kenny led the way double checking each other to make sure they were following the proper tracks, focusing on the significantly different queen’s tracks. Knowing they needed to move quickly to catch them the party made double time through the cavern tunnel. The tunnel twisted and turned as they moved at this quick pace. Some in the group (Charles, Addie, Talon, Taern and Blargg) suffered exhaustion effects from the run and they slowed to recover and once or twice they slowed to ensure they had not lost the trail. During the run Myla spotted some of the black ore in the cavern wall Tollemay had asked her to look for but she could not stop or she would be run over. She made as good of a mental note as she could to remember her location.

The first tunnel spilt was found and Myla broke in to tell everyone this was a short cut to the tunnel exit. After she brought it up Addie, Taern and Rylei remembered this as well. The side tunnel was thin and they could only go single file but would get them to the exit far quicker than going down the main path. So down the tight passage they went as quickly as possible and found themselves spilling out in to the entrance cavern of this set of tunnels. They checked for track and were fairly sure they had beaten the other ants to this point. Rylei was able to hear the sounds of the approaching ants coming from down the tunnel. With the advantage, the group set up to ambush the ants when they emerged.

The ants emerged from the opening, the workers leading the way carrying the queen eggs, followed by two soldiers and the Queen. But Charles spotted another slightly larger ant behind the Queen and called out hoping to stop Myla from using her spell intended to cut off the ants escape route until after this unexpected creature emerged. Fortunately she did hear and understand his intention.

The ants now in the cavern Ben transformed in to his were form and leaped in on the first egg carriers, rending the egg to shreds. Others fired arrow shots at the other eggs. Kenny, Talon and Ollie fired multiple shots destroying the remaining two. The larger ant now in the chamber, Myla let loose her Phantasmal Force of a cavern collapse that cascaded down and around the final creature sealing off the rear of the chamber. The creature succumbed to the spell effects and jolted to his right, losing its footing.

Now in a frenzy the worker ants broke for the cave mouth but were stopped by the Repel Insect spell cast by Addie. They stopped dead in front of her and dared not challenge her position. Now their attacks turned as Kenny, Blargg, Grogg and Jack scored hit on to the soldiers, the Queen and the … “King”?

Next time… Are we done yet?

We also welcome back a long missed to our table. Here's to many more great nights with a group that now numbners SEVEN!

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