We should have Sorrel sound off here. That will quickly tell us if this is an ambush and what we're up against if so. The only reason we wouldn't do this is if she had y reason to believe there's a ghoul bat somewhere *else* in the underfloor.

If there's nothing chasing the bug or waiting behind him, then have Lisel try to tend his wounds while Kh'khechil talks to him.

>>1115702
agreed. tho maybe the beetles secretly have their own version of sign language going on if we want to avoid making noise?

1/2 Nalthar 2025/11/05(Wed)07:03 No. 1116393 ID: fd169b
File 176235499801.jpg - (484.31KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 59 an injured survivor.jpg )

It doesn't sound like anything else is around so you hiss a quick squeak to get the beetle's attention. He trundles over to you, leaving a few drops of ichor behind.

"What happened? Where's your party?" you ask. Lisel has already pulled a length of bandage and is using some kind of adhesive goo to cover the beetle's gash. He tries to pantomime a response, hampered a bit by the ministrations.

"This isn't working. Kh'khechil can you help?" You're a bit jealous of how well Sorrel was able to pronounce his name. Your beetle pulls out the map and hands it with the bit of charcoal to the other.

2/2 Nalthar 2025/11/05(Wed)07:04 No. 1116394 ID: fd169b
File 176235504772.jpg - (612.74KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 60 where it happened.jpg )

The beetle sketches out a scene of himself, one of the mice, and the half-squirrel rat being surrounded by spiders. He then adds a pair of rats holding a net, and crosses off his companions.

"Not dead?" you ask. The beetle shakes his head, a motion that moves his whole body. Considering what's happened to other guests of the house it might be better if they were. Sorrel is clearly thinking the same thing, as she is gripping her spear tight and grinding her teeth.

"How long ago was it?" Lisel inquires. The beetle makes some hand gestures but stops at you're clear incomprehension. He sets the map down on the floor and, dipping a claw into the ichor staining his chest, starts extending the map off the edge of the page. Looks like they were under the dining room when it happened. The beetle starts tapping from one side of a drawn chamber to the other. You don't understand what he means with this, but Lisel pipes up. "Ah! You mean to indicate the time it takes to walk across a room." He nods and executes a series of taps, repeating in one room then moving from one to the next.

"So it was only ten minutes ago?" Lisel rubs her chin "They might not have gone far. Should we go after them?"

...we really should, but we also have critical information to deliver. Can the injured beetle make it back? If so, they can deliver the scouting report while we go on the rescue mission.

>>1116394

We're relatively fighting fit. We've had a brief scrape, but come out from it very well. If this beetle can give us a trail to follow, we're obligated to at least try to liberate our comrades from a fate worse than death, and prevent ourselves from facing them later, when they will be worse than dead.

But be judicious in your adventures, and take no undue risks. If ever you run into unforeseen trouble, or you don't like your odds, abandon the engagement and retreat to safety.

for them to have a net means they were expecting/prepared to ambush them... we should still go for a rescue, but be very cautious of the surroundings.

also as morbid as it is, if we can't rescue them due to lack of ratpower, we can try to find out where they're taken and how they're processed.

>>1116444
This

Someone who knows where the coal is needs to go back to base. They also need to hear about Ornery.

>>1116406

If the injured beetle can make it back to base without an escort, AND if he can memorize the map, this would be the best solution. Otherwise we really have no good choices as to who to send back; we need Sorrel for scouting, Kh'khechil to keep the map updated, Lisel to observe if we end up watching ghouls being created, and of course Temerity to lead. Lisel is probably the best of bad options here.

>>1116444

I also agree with this approach.

Nalthar 2025/11/15(Sat)14:00 No. 1116986 ID: fd169b
File 176324405958.jpg - (604.37KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 61 splitting up.jpg )

You are loathe to stand by when there is a chance they could be saved. Still, they have information that needs to be relayed.

"Someone will have to take the map to the meeting point and tell them what we found. Sorrel what did you see?"

The bat sighs "I would have wanted to convey this in more detail in person, but in short there's a hallway, the furnace room to the southeast, and a room to the north east with a pit. I heard people in both rooms, and strange noises."

From where you are you know its just a straight shot down the hall to get to the lounge. One person should able to avoid the patrols and make it there undetected.
"Well no time to waste. Who's going to the meeting?"

>>1116986
Hmm. Send Sorrel. She's got the most information, and is the least effective in a straight up fight. We know where we're headed, so we don't really need a scout.

As before, if the injured beetle can make it back on his own, and he can relay the information for us, let him do it. He's in no condition to accompany us anyway.

Otherwise, I will change my vote to Sorrel instead of Lisel, since she seems to want to go. I had assumed she would want to be part of the rescue attempt.

>>1117028
This

agreed w/ sending sorrel.

Agreed. Fliers are hardest to trap. Lisel's firepower is worth more than her stealth. If the beetle can still be saved, then letting Sorrel shepherd him might be a good idea.

Sending Sorrel is the best outcome

1/2 Nalthar 2025/11/24(Mon)19:41 No. 1117610 ID: fd169b
File 176404211766.jpg - (598.08KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 62 Sorrel is stressed.jpg )

You hear something patter onto the ground behind you. Looking around you see a few drops of blood on the ground. Sorrel is standing very still, staring ahead. One hand is clutched over her face, her long fingers dragging gouges through her fur. Blood trickles down from the rents.

"Sorrel! Hey stop!" Lisel looks up at your cry and gasps. "Sorrel what are you doing?"
The bat snatches her hand away, blinking at the crimson on her claws. "Ah, no I... sorry I just. The thought of being caught. trapped." she looks from one of you to the other in a panic. "B-but I can't falter here! Can't be useless again. I won't fail you. Like I failed my m-" Sorrel chokes. Tears mix with the blood on her cheeks as she clutches her spear to her like its the only thing holding her up.

You move to steady her, her lanky body surprisingly light. Lisel takes her other side, though she isn't tall enough to do more than let the bat lean on her. "You're no failure, Sorrel." the chemist says "You've been most helpful to us."

Patting her on the back in what you hope will seem comforting you add "Go to the meet Sorrel. You need to tell them what you saw. It's important. And you need to see this injured fellow back to safety."

Sorrel takes a few deep breaths and nods. "Right. I'll... go on ahead." She steps away, stance growing a little more sure with each step. The injured beetle follows her. Just at the edge of the lantern light she turns back. "Come back, you three. I'll be waiting." Then she slips into the dark.

2/2 Nalthar 2025/11/24(Mon)19:44 No. 1117613 ID: fd169b
File 176404229020.jpg - (142.30KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 63 corpse gatherers.jpg )

With no time to waste you run down the corridor. The trail of yellow ichor is easy enough to follow as you transition into the dining room underfloors. According to the beetle's map they were ambushed not to far in. You don't see any branching paths on the way.

And indeed, at only the third chamber in, you turn a corner and find the site. Several spider corpses are still on the ground, while their more mobile fellows are clustered around them. It looks like the fallen are being dragged away.

In total, five spiders' eyes still shine in the darkness. They don't seem to have noticed you yet.

>>1117613
We're outnumbered. Can't fight this. Sneak around!

We don't have time for this. If I'm reading the map correctly here we should be able to head further east (?) and try to find a way around. Don't engage the spiders if we can avoid it.

If there truly is no way to go but through, then I would say that this is a good use case for a grenade. Do we think our flashbang would blind them long enough for us to kill at least a few? Or would we be better served by having Lisel wade in and spray acid into their eyes?

Can you all try to climb on the walls in order to avoid getting the attention of the spiders?

avoid engaging as much as possible. it may be tedious to find an alternate route, but stealth must be prioritized. altho.. maybe we should follow from a distance and see if they're going to the same place...

1/2 Nalthar 2025/12/02(Tue)21:19 No. 1118327 ID: fd169b
File 176473918898.jpg - (647.11KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 64 consider sneaking.jpg )

You take a moment to reorient your mental map. You have entered the dining room underfloor at its north west corner. Based on what you remember of the house map your quarry is likely being taken to the south, where the kitchen and dumbwaiter are. The chamber in front of you runs to the south.

"Think you could sneak over them?" you whisper to Lisel.

"Well, yes, but I would have to move slowly." She waggles her arm so the contents of her hidden pockets clink and slosh. "Wouldn't want a bottle to fall on them. If that's how you want to do this, you two should go ahead and I'll catch up."

You consider if the flash bang might help. Perhaps if it were thrown as they start climbing, it would both disorient and distract the spiders. But there's one other option you want to check. "There was another passage behind us, lets quickly see where that goes."

2/2 Nalthar 2025/12/02(Tue)21:20 No. 1118328 ID: fd169b
File 176473921186.jpg - (544.50KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 65 the dining room.jpg )

A hole in the east wall behind you leads to a dead end chamber, or so it seems at first. After a moment your a faint light catches your eye. There is a hole up in the corner leading to the dining room. You scrabble up to take a look.

Thick curtains block all but the thinnest rays of sun in the musty room. The scent of rot hangs thick on the air, no doubt emitted by the fungos you can see distantly glowing on the ceiling and walls. Their work is evident by the squared spiderwebbing of cracks above, which leak warm yellowy light and muffled talk. The combined pinpricks of illumination is enough for you to make out the bulk of a clothed table, its high plateau hosting glinting peaks of silver and crystal. Around it chairs are strewn haphazardly.

The floor is a ragged mix of half-chewed carpet, fallen plaster, and crumbling wood. It appears the rot has gone far enough to provide a number of rough holes, one of which might allow you to get the drop on your allies' captors.

Although, you recall, weren't you warned to stay particularly quiet in this room?

They're probably being taken to the dumbwaiter. Traveling through the dining room should let us get ahead of the kidnappers, which means we can set an ambush. So yeah, despite the risk, I think we should sneak through the dining room. Make sure Lisel's stuff doesn't clink while she walks and we'll be ok. If necessary, the other members of the group can carry loose bottles during the sneak. Or we can leave behind non-essentials.

>>1118338

Agree. Leave behind anything we can afford to and go through the dining room. They're not expecting us to go that way. That said, if we make noise it sounds like the master may hear us personally, so that is something to avoid at all costs.

Don't leave behind anything useful in combat, though. If that means Lisel has to move more slowly, so be it. We're not going to be able to come through this room with ghouls in hot pursuit, so we're almost assuredly going to have to fight our way out once we free the captives.

This is, you are in the belly of the beast. Be quiet, scout out your area, and not just the floor, look at the ceiling. Proceed onward with caution. The whole situation feels like the calm before the storm, and when that happens, be sure to have an umbrella ready.

Retreat. Cut the losses. There is no sense piling risk upon risk in an attempt to play rescuers. Traveling through the most dangerous room of the house in order to engage in battle is not a part of our mission today. It's worth more to return intact yourselves, with the knowledge you've gained and your abilities still at the disposal of everyone in the shed. This passage to the dining room floor may yet prove useful for transit or eavesdropping, but only if you can report on its availability, and be alive to use it in the future.

Nalthar 2025/12/07(Sun)23:29 No. 1118707 ID: fd169b
File 176517895325.jpg - (616.01KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 66 tread lightly.jpg )

Weighing up the risks you decide to go for it. The others said they had hunted fungos in here, so it can't be that dangerous, right?

Lisel leaves some of her vials and bottles in a corner for later retrieval, so that her pockets won't rattle.

Once you are all up she casts the lantern light across the floor. Long brittle strips of fallen plaster lie in patches, ready to snap underfoot. It gets more abundant closer towards the table, and you notice the holes in the floor do too. This makes sense as the fungos would have started their feasting on any food left out, before chewing on the cloth and then wood. You would expect the holes to be most numerous under the table, where the tablecloth would make a more enclosed space, which fungos like.

Along the edge of the table you note some plates and glasses are perilously close. The cloth bunches on the floor like the whole thing had been pulled. Perhaps in whatever event has left several of the chairs knocked over.

Your options for direction would seem to be either:
Skirt the wall headed south with no visible entrance to the underfloor
Follow the wall going east to go around the table
Or going to the table to look on or under it

There's probably like a billion spiders under that table. Head south.

Follow the wall going east to go around the table

Nalthar 2025/12/18(Thu)18:59 No. 1119232 ID: fd169b
File 176611315122.jpg - (455.06KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 67 echo of an altercation.jpg )

Swiftly you make your way south. There's a few close calls, but everyone manages to avoid stepping on the plaster chips.

The kitchen door stands before you, shut tight. You can hear some sounds of activity behind it's peeling wood. Faint bluish light peeks through the crack below.

The bones of a broken glass rest next to a sizable hole in the floor. Looks like fungos cleaned up the spill and kept going. The chamber below runs north, with a exit at the other end to the east.

There is also a vent passage, corroded open by some fungo's secretions. It travels east, you can't see how far.

You think you can hear movement both north and east, but it's not close.

Damn you, door!
Let's try the vent passage.

hmmm acquire broken glass shard if possible. enter vent time.

Time to vent

The dumbwaiter is directly to the west of us now, correct? But the passage in the underfloor goes east?

Was there a westward passage somewhere we missed that the kidnappers could have taken? Or do we really think they took the victims east?

I'm tempted to say we should go back into the underfloor and try to pick up their trail down there, but if they did go east the vent will get us there faster.

1/2 Nalthar 2025/12/27(Sat)11:56 No. 1119430 ID: fd169b
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Natural rodent acquisitiveness leads you to pick up a good sized piece of glass, about the length of your long knife, and stow it away in your cloak.

Quiet as you are, the metal floor of the vent still rumbles gently as you drop down. The air is cold and still, unlike the vent you crossed through before. In fact when Lisel shines her light around you can see the passage is blocked to the west. The three of you head east towards sounds of movement and voices.

After a little while the lantern light shows another rent in the side. Now you can better make out voices, though they're no more intelligible. One seems to be a stream of cursing, while the other rougher one occasionally hisses to be quiet.

With a likely bead on your quarry you hurry out of the vent and northeast through the underfloors until you come to a chamber with four exits. Holes east and west flank the one you're looking through, and way on the other side, another rough hole leads north.

2/2 Nalthar 2025/12/27(Sat)11:57 No. 1119431 ID: fd169b
File 176686542534.jpg - (521.58KB , 800x600 , cadvere2 69 ratcatcher.jpg )

It is through this north hole that a leather armored rat is pulling a heavy burden. Netting covers two figures, one of whom lays still while the other thrashes and curses. The cords seem to have gotten snagged on the splintery wood, with the rat attempting to tug them free. One his back you can see some brass contraption glinting. A cylinder that follows his spine, its segments click and twist seemingly at random. It looks much like the one that deer Ornery had, though in miniature.

"Unhand that, ungrateful scum. You've an invite to see the king, but you don't need arms to do so." the figure hisses. It kicks at its prisoner, who curses back as only a house mouse can.

On the other side of this tableau you can see some clusters of glowing eyes. At least three spiders are accompanying this rat catcher.

Bum-rush him while hes still preoccupied with the net, you and Kh'khechil combined should be enough to push him into the hole and keep him there, hopefully preventing (or at least delaying) the spiders from getting through, while Lisel sees to the captives.

If the prisoners are fit and able stay and fight, otherwise flee.

Also hes armored but unmasked, does Lisel have any particularly vile concoctions we could shove up his snoot?

Go for subduing the ratcatcher and freeing the prisoner. If you keep the ratcatcher at the entrance of the hole, his helpers won't be able to go past him, and it will make their strength in numbers meaningless.

if you rush the ratcatcher, see if you can shove the glass shard into an opening of the brass contraption and slam it in.

Two against four, maybe more; it is not cowardly to listen to your fear. These are bad odds. I would repeat that there is no shame in turning back at this point. Two lives lost is enough; no need to risk another two, and to let the enemy know the extent of Lisel's ingenuity while doubling the casualties.

But you'd rather live up to your name, and be brave, I know. I say then that if you must allow your bravery the field, then keep your wits about you. Evening the numbers to the extent you can, and preventing them from fully utilizing their numerical advantage must be your highest priorities. What can you do to turn their hostage to your strength? Clearly, the mouse has fight left; if you can only provide freedom of movement and weaponry, then liability becomes strength. If you can grab the prisoner and retreat back through the opening, then you might be able to deal with the spiders one at a time, using Lisel's cannon, your knives, and whatever you get the prisoner to fight with.

Let's do some rat on rat action! Stab the fucker in the neck with glass!

That's less ghouls than I was expecting. Though the ratcatcher seems to be a more sophisticated variety. Would be nice to drag his control device back so Lisel could analyze it. If nothing else, we want to disable him so he can't report on our capabilities.

Freeing the captives and getting away has to be our first priority, though. I suspect the glass shard may be the sharpest tool we have and it might be best to use that to cut the net.

I'm going to suggest throwing the chain knife at the ratcatcher while we have the element of surprise, and trying to pull him off balance with it while Kh'khechil goes to block the hole and tank the spiders. Lisel should try to blast them with acid at the same time to blind them and/or do damage over time. Then Temerity can deal with the ratcatcher one on one.

1/2 Nalthar 2026/01/03(Sat)19:22 No. 1119638 ID: fd169b
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With little time to act on this advantage you make a quick plan of attack. You and Kh'khechil will charge and engage the rat before the spiders can get in the room. Lisel checks her pockets and comes up with a pouch of some sort of dust. "It's a skin irritant, and not great if you get it in the eyes." she shrugs "Throw it at his face, I suppose?" she hands it to the beetle.

The rat catcher has his back turned, tugging hard at the net. "Just. Let. Go. You-" He stiffens as you tear down the passage at him. Kh'khechil is right behind you, crawling up the wall and onto the ceiling as easily as a ball rolling down a hill. The burly rat drops the net and turns to face you, eyes flaring as he grabs a metal studded club from his belt.

Behind him comes chittering and clicking as the spiders process this.

2/2 Nalthar 2026/01/03(Sat)19:23 No. 1119639 ID: fd169b
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Kh'khechil hurls the pouch as he gets close. It bursts against the rat's pauldron and sprays reddish dust. Unfortunately the rat flinches away and spares his face.

However this opens him up for your attack. Long knife lunging for his face, he manages to parry but is partially turned from you. Using your cloak you grip the shard of glass to jab at the contraption on his back. Shiny in brass, its segments have gaps large enough for the jagged edge to slip in. The rat pushes you away, which only serves to twist the glass in your grip. It snaps off, leaving a piece inside. You hear some internal mechanism crunch.

"Hrrrngh. Stop that, miscreants." As he turns to glower at you the rat's movement hitches, as if he has to consider for the briefest moment what he's doing. With a stuttering swing he pushes you back, club blocking your long knife.

Kh'khechil drops behind him and grabs the net, easily yanking it into the room now that the occupants are not resisting. Lisel is rushing to catch up, acid sprayer at the ready.

>>1119639
The other two should focus on denying the spiders entry; kill them if possible. We will harass the rat to keep him occupied and further damage the cylinder, maybe see if we can give him enough free will to rebel. Or maybe he won't want to even if he gains some measure of free will, depends on how he's treated I suppose, and what his orders are. We do know it was hard for even Ornery to fully disobey, but... maybe there's a gap to be exploited. See if you can engage him in conversation during the fight, encourage him to resist.

If he can't resist enough to let you take the captives, don't be afraid to kill, and remember do not FULLY disable the cylinder. We don't want to have to fight a berserker. If we can just disable the rat for long enough to cut the captives free, then that'll be our chance to escape.

A hole full of spiders is a good target for Lisels sprayer and Kh'khechil can back her up if need be.

As for the ratcatcher, I don't know how your knife will fare against that leather, maybe go for the exposed arm joints?

How are the prisoners? Toss them whats left of the glass shard so they can free themselves.

Alternativly (if you're feeling particulary daring) throw the chain blade near them, they can use the blade to cut themselves free and then together you can trip your foe with the chain.

Agree on throwing the glass shard to the prisoners, if they can use it without cutting themselves. Otherwise, Kh'khechil will have to handle it.

Lisel's acid spray is best used on the spiders as they all try to crowd through that hole. It's the best chance you're going to get to hit them with an extended blast. If you're lucky they'll end up blinded, or crippled, or walking dead, which will make this fight much easier.

Remember you have a chain on your knife. You can use it to trip or tangle the ratcatcher; or even try to strangle him if your blade can't penetrate, though I don't know if these ghouls actually need to breathe.

throw glass shard at prisoners then duck to avoid any incoming swipes. create distance then throw long knife to tie around the ratcatchers ankle and pull. if he gets thrown off balance, good, if he falls onto his back even better.