Danzar smiles. "Feel free to all all you can catch. I will still, of course, pay you all for your service. Let me know if there are any tools or weapons you need for the job. Tonight would seem as good a time to start as any if you are ready."

Verzeg gathers his family and friends together and says "Okay, this hooman seems okay and hasn't tried to eat us. I don't think he's going to because I've worked with hoomans before and they barely care about food. He's actually going to pay us to hunt food! This is pretty good, about as good as I can think of. Has anyone got any questions?"

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 2):

"Are you sure he dunt want to steal them and eat them his self? Uzko do it all the time, are hoomans really not the same?"

Verzeg preens himself as this allows him to look knowledgeable.

"All hoomans are different." He says pontifically. "But this one looks to be interested in other things. We'll keep on guard of course but I don't think he cares about what we hunt."

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 4):

Aside from the tunnel you entered through that the beetles died in and a large exit in the opposite walls there are 6 other exits (3 each in the other walls). They are quite samll, not large enough to admit a full grown human, and definitely not one wearing armour and weapons.

Danzar points at them and say "These small tunnels seem to be where the rubble runners are getting in."

"All right 'kin, let's have a look at these Rubble Runners. Now, they have a nasty bight so you 'kin without good armour stay at the back. The tunnels look a bit tight so we'll leave our big weapons behind."

He rests his stuff against a wall and leaves his jagged spear with it. He has a drink of water and then looks over his friends as he readies his hatchet and shield.

"Kin, we're going to have to talk about house training' soon. Hoomans are kinda funny about a lot of things. To be short, don't crap or go for a leak anywhere in here. It upsets them."

"Now, are you all ready? No one needs a rest before we go in? Remember, if I go down you drag me back and cover the carrying-kin. No big heroes here, okay?"

OOC: Hatchet and Shield, Disrupt (1) readied. First tunnel on the north left.

Verzeg squeezes through the bars of the grill easily and sets off along the tunnel with is kin. There is a very gentle rise to the tunnel almost imperceptible to anyone who doesn't live underground. The smell of the place is mainly of stale, musty air but there is a definite smell of rubble runners there. After 200 metres or so Verzeg reaches a cross roads.

(OOC: How big is the tunnel in cross section?)

Verzeg, hunched over, has his beetle-chitin shield out in front of him and his hatchet at the ready.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 8):

In reply to Adrian (msg # 9)

Verzeg stops and listens at the crossroads deciding the way to go, he hears a rustling and squeaking down the tunnel to the left.

Crouched in his black chitin armour Verzeg appears to be some small, greasy dark and spiked monster. He swivels his snout to the sound of the noise and nods. He lifts his shield up to below his eyes and holds his hatchet at the ready as he shuffles forward, the bearded bladed bobbing slightly as he moves forward to the sound.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 11):

Following the corridor, his companions behind him, Verzeg suddenly spots 5 rubble runners. The are chasing and catching rats. As soon as they spot the trollkin 3 of them flee. The remaining 2 face the oncoming trollkin, razor sharp teeth bared.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Not that Verzeg or his companions would recognise it or its use but the tunnels look identical to RL Roman sewers.

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Verzeg freezes on place. He silently starts to prepare the spell 'Disrupt'

Without turning, Verzeg humms the 'attack' command to his trollkin friends and hurls a disrupt at a fleeing Rubble Runner.

Verzeg Black Beetle rolled 91 using 1d100.  Casting Chance: POW x5 = 85% + Magic Bonus: 17% = 92%, -9.9% (enc) = 82%. Failure

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 14):

The rubble runners stalk forward backs arched high, teeth bared in a threat display.
.
Verzg hears the familiar sound of sling whirling the whistling as three slingstones fly past him.

One of the rubble runners lets out a yelp as the stone strikes it in the forequarters.

The other has the bone in its front right leg shattered to a million pieces and slumps to the floor.

All bravado leaves the first  beast and it turns to flee.

Verzeg lunges forward and slashes with his hatchet.

Verzeg Black Beetle rolled 96 using 1d100.  Hatchet attack 66% + 20% = 86%. Fail

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 16):

The rubble runner dodges aside from Verzeg's strike before turning tail and fleeing down the corridor. The other trollkin hold their shots, they have seen too many trolls kill trollkin who accidentally struck them. It kills off bad habits quite quickly.

Verzeg hisses in frustration and dashes after the fleeing rubble runners.

Sprint action, only one attack. Move 4.

Seeing the armoured rodents scampering faster than Verzeg's little bowed legs can move he slows and hold his hatchet up as a signal for the others to stop.

"Damn it!" He growls, glaring as the rubble runners take off. "We can't catch them if they leg it. I'm going to have to go out there and herd them back towards you."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:36, Mon 08 July 2019.

In reply to Verzeg Black Beetle (msg # 18):

Verzeg sneaks along the corridor spotting several rubble runners up ahead. He manages to get past them unnoticed. There are now 3 rubble runners in between him and his litter mates.