RQG 22 - Carry On Swarming

## Content Warnings

Animal (dog) endangerment, graphic description of corpses

## Summary

The party battle the swarms of creatures. After Sasha beats them, she finds something large and shambling in another room.

## Synopsis

The party scatter from the swarms, with Hamid, Zolf and Bertie fleeing into another room and Sasha running back into the room they were in previously. Sasha is able to dissipate the swarms, but not before Hamid bumps into a brown mould-like plant with a corpse in it. As Hamid attempts to pull the corpse out of the mould, he is hit by extreme cold and passes out. Bertie is knocked out by the swarm before Sasha disposes of it using her bombs. Zolf stabilises Bertie, before going to get Hamid, dragging him away from the mould, although he's still extremely cold.

Sasha goes to check on Brutor and believes that Brutor might be dead. Zolf and Sasha bring all the unconscious party members together before they hear a dragging noise on the other side of the room. Zolf attempts to heal the party, but feels a resistance that he's not felt before. As such he's only able to awaken Bertie. After giving him a potion, Zolf attempts to slap Hamid awake, but it does nothing. Bertie has loads of little scars on his arms. Realising Brutor is dead, he screams in despair and carries Brutor back into the first room.

The party hide in the 'safe' room and Sasha sneaks back into the room with the mould in an attempt to see what is making the crunching noise. She realises that something is dragging something else in the room, although she can't see what it is.

## Quotes

**James**: "Bertie manages to fight off his disgust even though being assaulted by a mound of tiny, faceless, identityless creatures reminds him an awful lot of his idea of what an uprising of the poor might be like."
**Alex**: "God, Bertie’s so horrible."
**James**: "Yes, yes he is. How have we not realized that, we’re 20 episodes in. He’s a horrible person. He’s absolutely horrendous."
―Bertie fights back against the swarm.

**Zolf**: "Look, I know I didn’t drown those people, but I’m gonna! Brilliant, I hope Hamid’s happy with himself."
―Zolf, looking at his holy symbol.

**Bertie**: "Why did we ever tame you! Nooooo! Nooooooooo!"
**Zolf**: "Bertie, Bertie, shut up!"
**Bertie**: "Go away, I’m too busy being sad."
**Zolf**: "Will you please shut up before we spend most of our time being dead?!"
―Bertie mourns Brutor.
## Dice rolls and Mechanics

* Sasha makes a Heal check on Brutor: 12
* Sasha and Zolf make a Perception check: Zolf gets 19, Sasha gets 22
* Zolf channels positive energy and heals everyone in the room for 7 hit points, however, because Poseidon is displeased with him, he only heals them for 4.
* Bertie drinks a potion of *cure light wounds* - gets 6 hit points back.
* Bertie makes a Perception roll to notice Brutor: nat 20
* Sasha makes a Perception check through the door: 25

## Combat Breakdown

**Combat continued from previous episode.**

**Initiative:** Swarm 2, swarm 1, Sasha (17), Bertie (16), Zolf (15), Hamid (12)

**Round 2, continued**

* Swarm 1: Lunges at Bertie, dealing 8 damage to him. He successfully makes his Fortitude save (25) against being nauseated.
* Sasha: Steps in front of the door and throws a bomb at the swarms, she gets a nat 20 and confirms the crit, doing 8 damage + 2 splash damage, scattering and killing many of them.
* Bertie: Strikes at the swarm, missing on a 12, before stepping away from them.
* Zolf: Converts *advanced scurvy* into *cure light wounds* and casts it on Bertie, healing 3 hit points, before moving toward the door.
* Hamid: Turns around and casts *acid splash*, successfully hitting on a 15. He deals 1 acid damage before leaving to the next room. Spread throughout the room are glass cages, full of steam, containing something with a luminescent glow.

**Round 3**

* Swarm 2: Scurries over to Sasha, dealing 8 damage. She makes her Fortitude save with a roll of 18 and isn't nauseated.
* Swarm 1: Engulfs Bertie again and deals 5 damage. He makes his Fortitude save with a 22 and isn't nauseated.
* Sasha: Leaves through the door, shutting it behind her and wedging it shut with a Disable Device check of 11.
* Bertie: Attacks the swarm, hits on a 16 and deals 7 damage, before running over to Hamid.
* Zolf: Steps through the same door and closes the door behind him, smashing the opening mechanism with a Disable Device check of 13.
* Hamid: Screams 'Where is Sasha?!' and runs around a crate. Around the crate, he makes a Perception roll of 10 and finds a giant mould covering the double doors with a person's body engulfed by it. There is a chill coming from it. He casts *acid splash*, hitting on a roll of 7, and dealing 3 acid damage, but it appears to quickly grow back.

**Round 4**

* Both swarms attempt to smash through the doors.
* Sasha: Opens up another set of doors and throws a bomb in, hitting on a 17. She deals 2 damage plus 1 splash damage, destroying one of the swarms.
* Bertie: Attempts to hold the door shut but rolls a nat 1 and falls over in front of the door. His hands go through the panels of the door.
* Zolf: Attempts to help Bertie up but fails on a Strength roll of 3.
* Hamid: Tries to drag the body from the mould, but as he approaches the plant, the cold is immediately overwhelming and he takes 12 points of non-lethal damage. Hamid falls unconscious.

**Round 5**

* Swarm 1: There is another bang on the door, then it is silent. The swarm makes its way up to the vent.
* Sasha: Sees the swarm fleeing and drinks a potion of *cure light wounds*, healing 5 hit points back.
* Bertie: Decides to shout the swarm off, the swarm hears him and heads for him again.
* Zolf: Goes to find Hamid, seeing him unconscious.

**Round 6**

* Swarm 1: Moves back to Bertie, smashing against the door. The lock gives way.
* Sasha: Sighs and sneaks towards the swarm, getting a nat 20 on her Stealth check.
* Bertie: Does a Power Attack at the swarm, missing on a roll of 8.
* Zolf: Is shocked at the reappearance of the swarm, drops his mace and pulls out his trident. He attempts to attack but misses on an 8.

**Round 7**

* Swarm 1: Swarms over Bertie, knocking him out as it deals 7 damage.
* Sasha: Throws a bomb at the swarm, hitting on an 18. She deals 3 damage and 1 splash, killing enough of the swarm to dissipate the rest.
* Zolf: Stabilises Bertie.