The gnomes call back in answer, [Language unknown: "A eeevasos tin pro thalai ill tiwhom.  Ul she ingwhehat trelur m lar essratble bleectomeout.  Ourst adti hi whli..  N ontrna illvortin. Arrend!  Ussi olill lat.  O nde hicon se thu stear pre menlatove fosi.]

As they are completing their sentences, and as you are still pulling stones away from the collapse, you hear something coming from the south.

It is a fast-paced clicking as if many bugs -- giant bugs -- are making their way in your direction, clicking and clacking as they come.  And you remember Fingas and his cleric friend running in fear, screaming from something too powerful for them.

Whatever it is -- or they are -- will round the corner in moments.  Your noise has brought them.

Borimer stops excavating rocks and turns to face the incoming threat, stepping to the front of the group and drawing the obsidian-like Godslayer.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Thu 02 Apr 2015.

"Quickly, everyone back away.  I will cast a web once the beetles appear and try to get as many caught in the webs as I can." Tahldar says as he begins to back away from the rubble.

"I'll be careful not to catch the gnomes.  And with luck I'll get them all caught in my sticky trap then we can simply burn them."

OOC:  I will cast web.  I can create a max of eight 10' cubes, though if I can create little less I will (as needed).  I want to position it so it doesn't extend down into the rubble so we'll have to back up a bit, then cast once they appear.  I will cast it so I can get as many as possible.  Hopefully any behind it won't be smart enough not to run into the webs and get trapped.  After a bit we can then burn it off for 2d4.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:08, Fri 03 Apr 2015.

Didit ran for cover "I'm sorry I can't help now it seems, I'm dry of spells and getting close isn't an option. If I had a bow I could still help you, but I haven't had one in years"

Leo draws Frehelian ready to attack any that get through the web.

Borimer backs up enough to allow Tahldar room for his spell.

Kahan lights a torch in the hopes that the bugs will be scared of fire, preparing to sweep it along the ground to keep them away.

Lukas readied his bow with some  arrows

You see a hundred or so beetles round the corner, heading toward you.  The beetles are identical to the one that attacked Kahan previously.  They have pincer front teeth, are about the size of a clenched fist, and have a golden back and ebony side.  They are well armored, and do not appear to have eyes or other appendages other than six spiked beetle legs.

(You remember that Kahan detached such a beetle as it was boring into his arm by immersing his arm in the fountain of acid.  You also remember that when Borimer went in to kill the beetle, it emitted lightning-like impulses that traveled up his sword arm and shocked him.)

The gnomes move behind you, and Tahldar casts a web between you and the oncoming beetles.  About twenty of them get caught in the web.  They immediately begin pulsing lightning flashes that is thinning and dissolving the web.

Kahan lights a torch.  This seems to draw the beetles that had been previously reluctant to enter the web area, and about 10 more are caught and begin pulsing with electricity.

You can attack the approximately 100 beetles, or you can probably squeeze through the opening into the FEAR test with the gnomes.

You start to think that unleashing this horde of beetles is probably what led Fingas and Batruss to run and then jump over the cliff.  You still recall their diminishing screams as they fell unfathomably far down.

OOC: Sorry for delays. Finally getting back into the swing of things now.

Borimer sheathes the Godslayer and shakes his head, still keeping himself between the gnomes and the incoming beetle infestation.  "We should go further, enter the FEAR test.  Worry about the beetles after.  Maybe even find a way around them."

if others agree, borimer will guard while the others enter the test, then go after them

"I have no problem with that plan", Leo says as he heads through the hole and then stands at the other entrance waiting to stab at any beatles that might make it through.

"I like that plan!" Didit didn't waste time to run towards the entrance, she would try to help any of the gnomes approaching to enter if it was needed.

Shae also agrees and holds back for last, just in case she has to shapeshift for a fast getaway.

Tahldar is pleased to see his web has at least held off the beetles, at least for now.  But he is disappointed to see his did not get more of them.

Going along with Borimer's plan, he joins the others.

You squeeze down into the area with the other gnomes, and are followed by your gnomes.  Together, you go through the open doorway, similar to the others but slightly crumbled after the ceiling collapse, and enter the interior chamber.

The chamber is hexagonal in shape, about 50 feet across.  The floor is made of glassy marble in one solid, slightly convex shape, bulging slightly in the center.  Above you, there is only darkness, unpenetrable by your light.  Like the previous area of darkness, it appears to be a magical construct of some kind.  In the center, you see a familiar dragon-shaped pedestal.  This one has a pink, glowing gem in its maw.

You hear behind you the crackling sound of the beetles shocking and dissolving the web to get to you.

Shae says, "Well, here goes nothing," as she steps forward and takes the gem from the pedestal.

"The beetles are likely the first part of the test. I doubt that we were supposed to have to climb through the collapsed remains of the door, but it still serves the same purpose; scaring the daylights out of us. Regardlessly, we must push forward and hope for the best," Kahan remarks, looking to see if there are any large rocks that can be knocked loose to help keep the bugs out, a shiver going up his arm as he recalls the eery effect the last beetle had on his arm.

Borimer stays near the entrance to ward off any beetles.  He grabs a torch from his pack and lights it, and then double checks the 2 flasks of oil in his Rizian shield harness just to be safe.

Lukas follow along with the others not wanting to try facing 100 beetles on his own, "Was there a reason that we don't set the web on fire.  Seems that the beetles are attracted to fire.  Why didn't we just light them up and let the flames do the rest."

OOC: Lukas doesn't have any means of lighting a fire.  Some oil would be helpful as well

"Well, I am not sure much more was thought about it except escape.  But in hindsight, webs don't burn very long and this tunnel does provide a sort of kill zone if necessary."  He pauses as he continues to look down the tunnel and help fill it in if necessary, and continues, "It looks like Borimer has the right idea there maybe."

Didit just closes her eyes while cowering in the back.

Tahldar waits with trepidation for what will come next after Shae grabs the pink glowing gem.

Shae takes the pink gem.  From above, something drops from the darkness--then another, and then another.

Three things that look like waxy beehives have fallen in three separate corners of the hexagonal room.  When they hit the marble floor, they break open as the wax or amber separates, releasing what lays within...

You barely have time to take notice of that when you notice all five walls retract about three feet simultaneously. And then the room begins falling.  Not just dropping, but actually free falling down.  Your mental calculations recall that it was 10,000 or more feet to the bottom of the mountain.  Freefalling will put you there very quickly...

After about 200 feet, your room briefly falls through a black area of darkness like the one you saw above you.  It recedes, and then you pass through another one after about another 200 feet.  The darkness area is about 15 feet high--or at least, that's your best guess, and it occurs every 200 feet.

Meanwhile, the things that escaped from the beehive items have been loosed.  They appear as a swarm of insects that begin encircling each of you--thousands of them.  That's when you feel the biting begin.

"Kahan!  Try a dispel magic!" Tahldar screams as his whole being shakes in fear of the situation they find themselves in.

OOC:  If indeed Kahan does try a dispel, Tahldar will cast Stoneskin on himself but not till the dispel has gone off.  He doesn't want to lose his casting.  If after all that the bugs are still biting he will cast his last Stoneskin on one of the Gnomes.

As the insects converge, Shae begins shapeshifting into an alligator, hoping its tough skin will prevent too much biting from insects.  She tries to crush them with her tail.