Makara IC

Concentrating their fire on the remaining swarm, the group manages to take it down before it can do any more damage.

---

I assumed Adelinde would use Vicious Mockery again. It rolled the save and damage and it was enough to finish off the swarm. Which ends the combat.

You each get 85 XP.

As the dust of combat settles, Ketha smacks down her armour, trying to get the remaining ants, as she moves to the smoldering corpses of the swarm that had been chewing away at her. When she arrives, she quickly begins stamping their remains into the ground. "Sharten tohledi!" she yells as she crushes them, "Si mi wer versel ir persvek wer sulta!"

For Adelinde Only:

Parveth & Steam
The two exchange a look at the shouting dragonborn, and Parveth spends a moment putting away her weapons before carefully circling the angry dragon. She charges a spell, her hands glowing faintly, and says, "This will help," as she lays her hands onto Drachedion Ketha's armored back.
((Ketha heals (8) +3 = 11 hit points. Hooray for natural 8's on d8's!))

Once the magic has finished knitting some of Ketha's wounds closed, she backs off, moving to collect what arrows remain usable. "I recommend we continue moving; attempt to find a safer place to rest. Or rest as we search, as long as we do not remain here."

Steam rolls the flame ball around, toying with it while it still exists. It jerkily changes direction every now and then as she reflexively slaps on herself to try and squash an ant that got into her armor. "Works for me. It'd be nice if we can find a corner where I can get the rest of these bugs out of here." She pulls slightly on her armor. "Ooh! Ketha, could you send your little snake-thing out to check ahead of us, make sure that we're not about to walk into a big room of ants?"

Parveth looks to Adelinde and Drachedion Ketha to see if they have any thoughts, and if not begins strolling in the direction of the tunnel that ants did not appear from.

Ketha takes a deep breath after being heal, stopping her stomping. "Thank you. I agree, let us move." Ketha brings Mibis out once more and ask "Mibis, which way did you travel down when you got down here?"

Mibis answers that it went the direction the ants you just fought came from.

Ketha points down the direction the ants came from. "Mibis went that way earlier."

Steam & Parveth
The water genasi giggles and fawns over the wing-snake. "Aww! Their name's Mibis?!"
The wood elf looks in the direction Ketha gestured and asks, "How far did Mibis travel along here?"

Mibis responds it was a long way.

"Thank you Mibis."

"Mibis says the room is a long way away. But I do not know how long that would mean." Ketha brings the winged snake up in her hand for Steam to enjoy looking at...

Steam & Parveth
Steam giggles and claps her hands excitedly, before examining Mibis closer and gently reaching out to it.

"If it is quite far away, we had better start toward it then. If Mibis could check out the direction behind us to make sure we are not being approached from behind, that would be quite useful."
Parveth begins walking in the direction that the ants came from.

The group travels down the tunnel in the direction the ants came from. For the first few minutes it's pretty straight, then it starts to slowly turn and the tunnel narrows a bit, then it widens and straightens out again, then later it sharply turns and narrows, then widens and straightens out again.

At this last bit, when Steam lights her bonfire ahead, they see that they have come upon an intersection of tunnels. Straight ahead is a tunnel that looks recently made, but goes in an angle from which they cannot see far down it from here. To the left and right the group hears the noise of two separate gatherings of ants. Parveth is the only one close enough to get a good look.

To the right she sees ants similar to the ones they encountered before, dog and man sized black ants as well as swarms. In addition, she sees crimson red ants, dog-sized black ants whose antenna occasionally have electricity arc between them, and one very large ant whose exoskeleton looks as if it's made of iron plates.

To the left she sees more black ants, swarms, swarms of flying ants, man sized red ants, and dog sized whiteish ants.

---

Initiative
Parveth: 21
Medium Black Ant 3: 20.1
Acid Spraying Ant A: 20
Steam: 19.4
Flying Ant Swarm A: 19.3
Medium Black Ant A: 19.2
Small Black Ant 5: 19.1
Jolt Ant 2: 19
Flying Ant Swarm C: 18.2
Fire Ant 2: 18.1
Small Black Ant 4: 18
Iron Ant: 15
Ant Swarm A: 14.1
Small Black Ant 3: 14
Ant Swarm C: 13.3
Medium Black Ant 2: 13.2
Small Black Ant D: 13.1
Red Ant B: 13
Flying Ant Swarm B: 12.4
Ant Swarm B: 12.3
Ant Swarm 2: 12.2
Medium Black Ant 1: 12.1
Acid Spraying Ant C: 12
Adelinde: 10.1
Jolt Ant 1: 10
Ketha: 9.3
Red Ant C: 9.2
Red Ant A: 9.1
Red Ant D: 9
Medium Black Ant B: 8
Ant Swarm 1: 7.1
Small Black Ant B: 7
Acid Spraying Ant B: 6.2
Small Black Ant A: 6.1
Medium Black Ant D: 6
Jolt Ant 3: 5
Medium Black Ant 4: 4.2
Medium Black Ant C: 4.1
Small Black Ant E: 4
Ant Swarm 3: 3.3
Fire Ant 1: 3.2
Small Black Ant C: 3.1
Small Black Ant 1: 3
Fire Ant 3: 2.1
Small Black Ant 2: 2

Info
Ketha: 17/31 HP
Steam: 16/24 HP
Parveth: 25/25 HP
Adelinde: 24/24 HP

Parveth
The wood elf stops abruptly, seeing the two large swarms of ants. Hoping that the groups had also not noticed her, she quickly falls back, harshly whispering, "Back! Back! Cease the fire and fall back!"

Run away:

While Parveth falls back, one of the man sized ants on the right charges forward only to have one of the smaller whitish ants come up and bite into it.

---

Medium Black Ant 3 dashes from S7 to I6.
Acid Spraying Ant A moves from F4 to JF and hits Medium Black Ant 3 for ? piercing damage.

---

Initiative
Parveth: 21
Medium Black Ant 3: 20.1
Acid Spraying Ant A: 20
Steam: 19.4
Flying Ant Swarm A: 19.3
Medium Black Ant A: 19.2
Small Black Ant 5: 19.1
Jolt Ant 2: 19
Flying Ant Swarm C: 18.2
Fire Ant 2: 18.1
Small Black Ant 4: 18
Iron Ant: 15
Ant Swarm A: 14.1
Small Black Ant 3: 14
Ant Swarm C: 13.3
Medium Black Ant 2: 13.2
Small Black Ant D: 13.1
Red Ant B: 13
Flying Ant Swarm B: 12.4
Ant Swarm B: 12.3
Ant Swarm 2: 12.2
Medium Black Ant 1: 12.1
Acid Spraying Ant C: 12
Adelinde: 10.1
Jolt Ant 1: 10
Ketha: 9.3
Red Ant C: 9.2
Red Ant A: 9.1
Red Ant D: 9
Medium Black Ant B: 8
Ant Swarm 1: 7.1
Small Black Ant B: 7
Acid Spraying Ant B: 6.2
Small Black Ant A: 6.1
Medium Black Ant D: 6
Jolt Ant 3: 5
Medium Black Ant 4: 4.2
Medium Black Ant C: 4.1
Small Black Ant E: 4
Ant Swarm 3: 3.3
Fire Ant 1: 3.2
Small Black Ant C: 3.1
Small Black Ant 1: 3
Fire Ant 3: 2.1
Small Black Ant 2: 2

Info
Ketha: 17/31 HP
Steam: 16/24 HP
Parveth: 25/25 HP
Adelinde: 24/24 HP

Steam
Steam does not dismiss the bonfire. Semi-whispering, she says to the group, "Whoa, did you see that?! That ant just bit a different ant!" She continues to stare, eagerly awaiting whatever unfolds.
((Steam delays her turn to act with Ketha. Mostly just so we get a party block turn again.))

There is a flurry of activity as the two groups of ants rush each other and it only promises to get more chaotic once the two groups fully converge. The group notices a blast of lightning the hits a large number of ants and the large Iron Ant lumber over and get immediately swarmed by multiple swarms.

More pressing for them, a few of the ants break off and go for Steam and Ketha (and presumably Parveth who was quick enough to run past the other two while they alternately hesitated or weren't fast enough to act before the ants were upon them). Steam gets bitten by one of the types of man-sized ants they encountered before, Ketha manages to go unscathed....for now.

---

-Flying Ant Swarm A moves from G6 to I6 and misses Medium Black Ant 3.
-Medium Black Ant A moves from H8 to L14 and bites Steam for 6 piercing damage. (Steam passes concentration check.)
-Parveth dashes to
-Small Black Ant 5 dashes from W8 to K8.
-Jolt Ant 2 moves from V6 to P6 and uses Lightning Strike centered on H6 hitting Ant Swarm A (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant B (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant A (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Small Black Ant A (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Acid Spraying Ant A (passes dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant 3 (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Flying Ant Swarm A (passes dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Small Black Ant B (passes dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant B (passes dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Small Black Ant C (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Small Black Ant D (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant C (passes dex save, takes ? lightning damage), and Ant Swarm B (passes dex save, takes ? lightning damage). (Small Black Ant C & D die.)
-Flying Ant Swarm C dashes from C8 to K8.
-Fire Ant 2 dashes from T5 to K5.
-Small Black Ant 4 dashes from T9 to M14.
-Iron Ant dashes to J&K 6&7.
-Ant Swarm A moves from H6 to J6 and misses Iron Ant.
-Small Black Ant 3 dashes from S6 to K4.
-Ant Swarm C moves from D4 to J7 and hits Iron Ant for ? piercing damage.
-Medium Black Ant 2 moves from R6 to L7 and misses Flying Ant Swarm C.
-Red Ant B moves from G7 to H7 and tries to Sting Flying Ant Swarm A, but misses.
-Flying Ant Swarm B moves from E5 to K4 and hits Small Black Ant 3 and kills it.
-Ant Swarm B moves from F7 to K7 and hits Iron Ant for ? piercing damage.
-Ant Swarm 2 dashes from S8 to M15.
-Medium Black Ant 1 moves from R8 to N14 and misses Ketha.
-Acid Spraying Ant C moves from C6 to H6 and misses Medium Black Ant 3.

---

Initiative
Parveth: 21 (M22)
Medium Black Ant 3: 20.1 (I6)
Acid Spraying Ant A: 20 (JF)
Flying Ant Swarm A: 19.3 (I6)
Medium Black Ant A: 19.2 (L14)
Small Black Ant 5: 19.1 (K8)
Jolt Ant 2: 19 (P6)
Flying Ant Swarm C: 18.2 (K8)
Fire Ant 2: 18.1 (K5)
Small Black Ant 4: 18 (M14)
Iron Ant: 15 (J&K 6&7)
Ant Swarm A: 14.1 (J6)
Ant Swarm C: 13.3 (J7)
Medium Black Ant 2: 13.2 (L7)
Red Ant B: 13 (H7)
Flying Ant Swarm B: 12.4 (K4)
Ant Swarm B: 12.3 (K7)
Ant Swarm 2: 12.2 (M15)
Medium Black Ant 1: 12.1 (N14)
Acid Spraying Ant C: 12 (H6)
Adelinde: 10.1 (M17)
Jolt Ant 1: 10
Steam: 9.4 (L15)
Ketha: 9.3 (M15)
Red Ant C: 9.2
Red Ant A: 9.1
Red Ant D: 9
Medium Black Ant B: 8
Ant Swarm 1: 7.1
Small Black Ant B: 7
Acid Spraying Ant B: 6.2
Small Black Ant A: 6.1
Medium Black Ant D: 6
Jolt Ant 3: 5
Medium Black Ant 4: 4.2
Medium Black Ant C: 4.1
Small Black Ant E: 4
Ant Swarm 3: 3.3
Fire Ant 1: 3.2
Small Black Ant 1: 3
Fire Ant 3: 2.1
Small Black Ant 2: 2

Info
Ketha: 17/31 HP
Steam: 10/24 HP
Parveth: 25/25 HP
Adelinde: 24/24 HP

Adelinde shivers in disgust for a moment at all the swarming ants nearby before taking a moment to calm herself. Taking a deep breath as she comes up with an idea she places a hand against her forehead and throat and focuses on her magic. Once the spell is cast she takes another steadying breath before speaking to the group of ants that have split of to attack them.

"W-w-w-wait! Don't attack, we're not here for any trouble! Please just... what is going on here? M-maybe we can help somehow?"

Stuff:

All three of the larger ants respond at basically the same time with the exact same following response: "Attack invaders. Other colony invade. We kill invader colony. We kill invader Queen. Hive safe. Help our colony, no kill. Help invader colony, kill invaders." They do seem to hesitate slightly for a response. The swarm of ants also hesitates and responds, with probably the same response but you can't make it out because their "voices" are impossible to pick up since most of what you're understanding is actually body movement (mostly antenna) and subtle pheromone signals, which just kind of blur together into meaningless "noise" from the swarm given how much larger you are than each ant and the way they're all bunched up together.

While Adelinde converses with the ants near the group, one of the jolt ants advances and blasts the other group with lightning, killing three of the opposing group's ants.

Adelinde perceives the Jolt Ant to be saying, "Kill invaders! Moving here. Using brightflashboom attack."

---

Jolt Ant 1 moves from U8 to O8 and uses Lightning Strike centered on F6 hitting Medium Black Ant C (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Small Black Ant B (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant B (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Acid Spraying Ant C (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant B (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant A (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Acid Spraying Ant B (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant D (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant C (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage). (Small Black Ant B and Acid Spraying Ant B & C die.)

---

Initiative
Parveth: 21 (M22)
Medium Black Ant 3: 20.1 (I6)
Acid Spraying Ant A: 20 (JF)
Flying Ant Swarm A: 19.3 (I6)
Medium Black Ant A: 19.2 (L14)
Small Black Ant 5: 19.1 (K8)
Jolt Ant 2: 19 (P6)
Flying Ant Swarm C: 18.2 (K8)
Fire Ant 2: 18.1 (K5)
Small Black Ant 4: 18 (M14)
Iron Ant: 15 (J&K 6&7)
Ant Swarm A: 14.1 (J6)
Ant Swarm C: 13.3 (J7)
Medium Black Ant 2: 13.2 (L7)
Red Ant B: 13 (H7)
Flying Ant Swarm B: 12.4 (K4)
Ant Swarm B: 12.3 (K7)
Ant Swarm 2: 12.2 (M15)
Medium Black Ant 1: 12.1 (N14)
Adelinde: 10.1 (M17)
Jolt Ant 1: 10 (O8)
Steam: 9.4 (L15)
Ketha: 9.3 (M15)
Red Ant C: 9.2
Red Ant A: 9.1
Red Ant D: 9
Medium Black Ant B: 8
Ant Swarm 1: 7.1
Small Black Ant A: 6.1
Medium Black Ant D: 6
Jolt Ant 3: 5
Medium Black Ant 4: 4.2
Medium Black Ant C: 4.1
Small Black Ant E: 4
Ant Swarm 3: 3.3
Fire Ant 1: 3.2
Small Black Ant 1: 3
Fire Ant 3: 2.1
Small Black Ant 2: 2

Info
Ketha: 17/31 HP
Steam: 10/24 HP
Parveth: 25/25 HP
Adelinde: 24/24 HP

Adelinde explains to the others about her spell and what they said in response before looking back out at the fighting. Suppressing a shudder for a moment she turns her attention back to the ants infront of them. Considering the situation for a moment she points towards the group that came from the right (blue team) as steadily as she can.

"We'll help you."

The ants immediately respond by spraying Ketha and Steam (who they can reach) with pheromones, which Adelinde only knows since this is a means of communication. The "blue team" sprayed them with "allowed in colony" pheromones and the "yellow team" one sprayed them with "kill" pheromones. The "blue team" ones then say, "Kill invader." indicating the "yellow team" ant.

Steam
The water genasi turns to Adelinde, and says, "So which of these are we fighting? This one?" She raises a hand and fire erupts around the ant closest to her.

Fire:

"Injury! Harmful area here." the man-sized ant that Steam has lit a fire under communicates to other ants/Adelinde.

---

Medium Black Ant A fails it's save.

"Understood." Ketha brings her greatsword up and swings down on the ant, cleaving it in two as electricity rushes through and causes the two sides to make their final spasms...

(Booming Blade Attack Roll (Medium Black Ant A): 14 (Roll) + 6 (Str) = 20)
(Damage Roll: 6 + 5 (Roll) + 4 (Str) = 15)

The ants finish converging with the other group and a furious melee ensues. Also a blast of lightning. Adelinde hears a lot of reports about where ants are moving to, "Kill invader!", and the announcement of the blast of lightning.

---

-Red Ant C moves from D6 to H6 and tries to Sting Medium Black Ant 3, but misses.
-Red Ant A moves from H4 to J4 and Stings Fire Ant 2 for ? piercing damage. Fire Ant 2 fails save and takes ? poison damage and dies.
-Red Ant D moves from C7 to I7 and tries to Sting Medium Black Ant 3, but misses.
-Medium Black Ant B attacks Medium Black Ant 3, but misses.
-Ant Swarm 1 dashes from R5 to K4.
-Small Black Ant A attacks Medium Black Ant 3 and deals ? slashing damage.
-Medium Black Ant D moves from D7 to I8 and attacks Iron Ant, but misses.
-Jolt Ant 3 moves from V5 to P5 and uses Lightning Strike centered on G6 hitting Medium Black Ant C (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant B (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant C (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant B (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Small Black Ant A (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Medium Black Ant 3 (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Flying Ant Swarm A (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), Red Ant D (fails dex save, takes ? lightning damage), and Medium Black Ant D (succeeds dex save, takes ? lightning damage). (Red Ant B & Small Black Ant A & Medium Black Ant 3 die.)
-Medium Black Ant 4 dashes from V9 to J8.
-Medium Black Ant C moves from F6 to I5 and attacks Iron Ant, but misses.
-Small Black Ant E moves from C5 to I9 and attacks Medium Black Ant 4, but misses.
-Ant Swarm 3 dashes from U5 to M5.
-Fire Ant 1 dashes from T8 to J9.
-Small Black Ant 1 moves from R7 to L5 and attacks Flying Ant Swarm B and hits for ? slashing damage.
-Fire Ant 3 dashes from W7 to L4.
-Small Black Ant 2 dashes from S9 to L8.

---

Initiative
Parveth: 21 (M22)
Acid Spraying Ant A: 20 (JF)
Flying Ant Swarm A: 19.3 (I6)
Small Black Ant 5: 19.1 (K8)
Jolt Ant 2: 19 (P6)
Flying Ant Swarm C: 18.2 (K8)
Small Black Ant 4: 18 (M14)
Iron Ant: 15 (J&K 6&7)
Ant Swarm A: 14.1 (J6)
Ant Swarm C: 13.3 (J7)
Medium Black Ant 2: 13.2 (L7)
Flying Ant Swarm B: 12.4 (K4)
Ant Swarm B: 12.3 (K7)
Ant Swarm 2: 12.2 (M15)
Medium Black Ant 1: 12.1 (N14)
Adelinde: 10.1 (M17)
Jolt Ant 1: 10 (O8)
Steam: 9.4 (L15)
Ketha: 9.3 (M15)
Red Ant C: 9.2 (H6)
Red Ant A: 9.1 (J4)
Red Ant D: 9 (I7)
Medium Black Ant B: 8 (H5)
Ant Swarm 1: 7.1 (K4)
Medium Black Ant D: 6 (I8)
Jolt Ant 3: 5 (P5)
Medium Black Ant 4: 4.2 (J8)
Medium Black Ant C: 4.1 (I5)
Small Black Ant E: 4 (I9)
Ant Swarm 3: 3.3 (M5)
Fire Ant 1: 3.2 (J9)
Small Black Ant 1: 3 (L5)
Fire Ant 3: 2.1 (L4)
Small Black Ant 2: 2 (L8)

Info
Ketha: 17/31 HP
Steam: 10/24 HP
Parveth: 25/25 HP
Adelinde: 24/24 HP