“We’ve got a whole hexagon of this to cover?” Bryl said.
“Now I don’t see why any character would want to leave the forest terrain,” Tallin said.
“All this is starting to make me remember something,” Vailret said. He slowed his pace, taking time to look around.
“Come on, I want to get out of this place,” Bryl said. “Something unpleasant could crawl out of those holes.”
“Don’t worry. Be happy,” Journeyman said.
“We’re stuck anyway,” Delrael said. “According to the map, there’s another hex of desolation after this one, and we can’t go any farther than that today.”
Vailret nodded. “It’s in Rule #5.”
Bryl bit his lip and said nothing. He pulled the folds of his blue cloak tight around him. The orange dawn behind the Spectre Mountains looked like fire across the desolation.
Then, between a cluster of the hexagonal wells, they came across a place where the dusty ground was churned and broken. A glossy dark shape lay half buried in the earth.
Journeyman scooped dirt off the polished black form. “Holy ant farms, Batman!” The golem stood back, showing the uncovered carcass to the others.
Bryl gasped. Vailret squinted down, as if trying to remember something he had read. Delrael and Tallin were hard pressed to remain silent.
They gazed upon the dead hulk of an ant ten feet long. Its antennae appeared broken, but the hard exoskeleton retained its shape like a perfect suit of armor.
“Do you remember stories about the Anteds?” Vailret swallowed hard, “We could be in a lot of trouble here.”
Tallin kicked at the carcass. “This one’s dead enough.”
“Yes, but we’re standing on a whole colony of them.” Vailret turned around, but the growing light was not enough for him to make out anything. “We may be better off running back to the last hex of forest terrain and going around the long way. We’ve got to make up our minds fast.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Journeyman said.
Delrael studied the gleaming black hulk. It wasn’t exactly like an ant, but had stockier legs and more powerful joints to accommodate the increased size. He could kill one or two of the giant insects, given a few advantages, good luck, and time to fight.
But he couldn’t take on an entire colony, not even with the assistance of his companions.
He looked across the desolation and a chill feeling went up his spine. He could see no end to the colony ahead. Every step they took, every movement they made, sent tell-tale vibrations to other Anteds waiting below.
A loud chirp echoed from one of the holes behind them, inviting an answer closer to their left. Another chirp sounded behind them. The travelers drew themselves together, looking around. Tallin nocked an arrow in his crossbow. Delrael pulled out his sword, and Bryl removed his two Stones. Journeyman balled his fists into two battering rams.
“It’s Howdy Doody time,” the golem said.
The Anted chirps grew louder and more frequent, closer to them.
***
7. Catacombs of the Anteds
“All characters play games: dice games, games of skill, role-playing games. These things are for our amusement. But we also play power games, games for conquest, dominance, and victory—games of life and death.”
—Preface, The Book of Rules
Delrael knew they would never make it across the colony that filled the open, desolate hexagon. They could sense the Anteds out there, coming nearer through the tunnels beneath them.
He pulled out his sword, he bent his knees, he narrowed his eyes. Adrenalin pumped into his bloodstream, and time slowed down. His kennok -wood leg felt completely a part of him, ready to perform. He swallowed in a dry throat, prepared for battle. The excitement of the Game filled him.
“Wonderful,” Tallin said, “I leave my forest to get eaten by bugs.” The ylvan placed a small arrow in his crossbow and stood beside Delrael. His green-splotched forest camouflage made him look conspicuous on the rocky
“Now I don’t see why any character would want to leave the forest terrain,” Tallin said.
“All this is starting to make me remember something,” Vailret said. He slowed his pace, taking time to look around.
“Come on, I want to get out of this place,” Bryl said. “Something unpleasant could crawl out of those holes.”
“Don’t worry. Be happy,” Journeyman said.
“We’re stuck anyway,” Delrael said. “According to the map, there’s another hex of desolation after this one, and we can’t go any farther than that today.”
Vailret nodded. “It’s in Rule #5.”
Bryl bit his lip and said nothing. He pulled the folds of his blue cloak tight around him. The orange dawn behind the Spectre Mountains looked like fire across the desolation.
Then, between a cluster of the hexagonal wells, they came across a place where the dusty ground was churned and broken. A glossy dark shape lay half buried in the earth.
Journeyman scooped dirt off the polished black form. “Holy ant farms, Batman!” The golem stood back, showing the uncovered carcass to the others.
Bryl gasped. Vailret squinted down, as if trying to remember something he had read. Delrael and Tallin were hard pressed to remain silent.
They gazed upon the dead hulk of an ant ten feet long. Its antennae appeared broken, but the hard exoskeleton retained its shape like a perfect suit of armor.
“Do you remember stories about the Anteds?” Vailret swallowed hard, “We could be in a lot of trouble here.”
Tallin kicked at the carcass. “This one’s dead enough.”
“Yes, but we’re standing on a whole colony of them.” Vailret turned around, but the growing light was not enough for him to make out anything. “We may be better off running back to the last hex of forest terrain and going around the long way. We’ve got to make up our minds fast.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Journeyman said.
Delrael studied the gleaming black hulk. It wasn’t exactly like an ant, but had stockier legs and more powerful joints to accommodate the increased size. He could kill one or two of the giant insects, given a few advantages, good luck, and time to fight.
But he couldn’t take on an entire colony, not even with the assistance of his companions.
He looked across the desolation and a chill feeling went up his spine. He could see no end to the colony ahead. Every step they took, every movement they made, sent tell-tale vibrations to other Anteds waiting below.
A loud chirp echoed from one of the holes behind them, inviting an answer closer to their left. Another chirp sounded behind them. The travelers drew themselves together, looking around. Tallin nocked an arrow in his crossbow. Delrael pulled out his sword, and Bryl removed his two Stones. Journeyman balled his fists into two battering rams.
“It’s Howdy Doody time,” the golem said.
The Anted chirps grew louder and more frequent, closer to them.
***
7. Catacombs of the Anteds
“All characters play games: dice games, games of skill, role-playing games. These things are for our amusement. But we also play power games, games for conquest, dominance, and victory—games of life and death.”
—Preface, The Book of Rules
Delrael knew they would never make it across the colony that filled the open, desolate hexagon. They could sense the Anteds out there, coming nearer through the tunnels beneath them.
He pulled out his sword, he bent his knees, he narrowed his eyes. Adrenalin pumped into his bloodstream, and time slowed down. His kennok -wood leg felt completely a part of him, ready to perform. He swallowed in a dry throat, prepared for battle. The excitement of the Game filled him.
“Wonderful,” Tallin said, “I leave my forest to get eaten by bugs.” The ylvan placed a small arrow in his crossbow and stood beside Delrael. His green-splotched forest camouflage made him look conspicuous on the rocky
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