The Danger Gang Auxiliary Begin To Think They've Been Spinning Their Wheels
In the morning, when they rise, the Danger Gang Auxiliary finds that their Secure Shelter has been snowed in, only instead of snow, it's bugs. Yuck. Xenon kicks out the front door and bugs come raining down everywhere, only one of them isn't bug size. It's a mantis (sans-forelimbs) roughly the size of a small elephant. Wirshin tries to reason with it, but all this thing can talk about is how it is so amped up to eat our heroes. There is much fighting. Mirella explains that, while there are bug people in Arthropodia that she has done business with in the past, and that they do look Mantis-y, this is not one of them. It is then that the thing vomits acid on half the party. What a hastle. Arben finally Reduces the thing, which puts it in its place. It starts mumbling about how it needs to get back to the tunnels. They demand to know where the tunnels are, and it gives them some vague directions before a bunch of other bugs set upon it, devouring it. They rest a little more, then head out.
En route, they encounter a giant beetle. Arben decides to cut to the chase and reduce it now. It scuttles away. They soon find the tunnel entrance the mantis-like creature aluded to.
It is slightly less buggy in here, which is nice. After wandering around, they find a wall manufactured from bits of brush and maybe some spittle. There is a door in the wall. Arben straightens up his outfit and gives a gentle rap at the door. A man covered in millipedes answers.
"Hello, my name is Arb..."
The millipede man punches Arben in the face. Arben produces his wind dagger and scatters the millipedes about the room, revealing that the man was not covered in millipedes, but, in fact, made of millipedes. It begins to reassemble himself, and the boys begin to ready themselves for battle, when a star-shaped spool of thread interposes himself. "Don't hurt him, he's my friend!" he says in an extremely grating voice. This guy really gets under your skin. He introduces himself as the Odrodek. This guy is really fucking annoying. He explains that he can roll around wherever he wants like he's cock of the walk. If anybody messes with them, he just breaks their thread of life. They ask him if he knows where to find the mummy queen; they have a letter of introduction from the baronness. He tells them that doesn't make any sense, as the two of them are known to have beef. The gang starts grumbing. Odrodek explains that they already know everything they need to know to solve the mystery, but then he refuses to explain. Christ, this guys is annoying. He wants to get back to catching up with his friend, the Colony, so they ask him if maybe they can chat some more later. He's non-commital. They leave the Colony's room and set up a Secure Shelter in the hallway. Wirshin casts Augury and gets a Woe on wearing Luanna's cursed ring, which only makes sense. A giant centipede attacks the secure shelter, but they take care of him. Olybrius pops the seal on the letter of introduction from the Baronness, but ends up damaging the whole thing. It refers to the boys as snacks, that much is clear. Arben is seething with rage and declares the new plan; fuck this place.
It is then that receive a Sending from Gerbertus, who explains that the City of Blood is all fucked up, it's too high level, and they shouldn't go there. Also, that Gebertus will contact them again tomorrow. They all grimace, acknowledging that this means they'll have to go there. Arben sends this message in return:
"Killed Luanna. Betrayed by Barronness. Not sure of next move. Lost some spells. Going after Stupiferous. Have spedesku. Miss you. You're alright in my book."
After a proper rest, they knock on Colony's door again, just because Arben wanted to clear up whether or not he could cut the thread of life on the undead. Turns out he can't. They wish him well and leave his annoying ass to hang out with the bug guy.
Fortunately, they're relatively close to the border of the Serpent Road, their next stop. Arben asks St. Simon to keep his nose going for monsters, and he says he smells snakes. It is then that a 20 foot long snake with three tentacles in its face comes crashing out of the brush. Mirella explains that it is an Echidna, but not like Knuckles. It's tentacles seem to release some sort of tapioca like poison, and a couple of people get hit with it. This stuff is almost definitely sperm or something. Anyway, Arben eventually Reduces it, which makes it much easier to handle. The creature is soon defeated. Arben sets up a new Secure Shelter. Wirshin Removes Poison on Cyril, so no 20 foot snake will burst forth from his guts tonight.
