Far, the 6th of Vult

From around the corner the buzzing produced a large, man-sized monstrosity; a humongous wasp. Instinctively, I tossed by axe at it and moved back towards the center of the room. I was joined there by Dadak a moment later. I yelled for Pol and the rest to aid us as another shape appeared behind the first, buzzing just as loudly; it went straight for Dadak as I took on the first. Only my skill kept me from being stung, poor Dadak was stung at least once before help arrived. Our band stayed together as a third wasp appeared. It was only a matter of moments before the insects were twitching their last… breath?… on the ground. In moments we found the hive and Dadak took up a position to attack any last wasps that exited.

Damn! That thing was fast! That giant queen bee grasped Dadak before any alarm could be raised. Earlier, I had poked my head into the room containing the large wasp nest and seen its massive shape. The entrance to the room was blocked by Dadak, Pol, Dadak’s companion Kailia, and a summoned hippogryph, all preparing to take on whatever monstrosity exited from that grey shape.

There was little I could do while they stood there, so I explored about the inside of the ruins we were in. I found several dusty rooms, all with stairs to a lower chamber and some with statues along the walls. I was hesitant to go deeper into the ruins and risk not hearing any call for assistance, so all I did was to reconnoiter the area. There was no room that avoided the jungle’s touch, and one room I found only by peering through some massive vines and clearing them away with my axe.

That was when I heard the call.

I rushed into the room just in time to see Dadak being dragged into the upper reaches of the ceiling, on top of the great hive. The room thrummed with the beating of the queen’s wings and the yells from Dadak as he was being pulled away. I climbed upon the outside of the nest to try and grab a hold of Dadak as he wildshaped into a rat. Unfortunately, the queen kept a good hold on him, stinging him again and again. As I climbed the outside, Pol bravely entered the nest through the bottom opening.

Once I reached the top of the hive, Dadak had been already dragged into another opening on the top. I dove in, lighting my watchlamp so I could see within the shrouded interior. The queen had Dadak in a large hexagonal chamber, grappling him to the ground when I entered the cramped quarters; a moment later, Pol entered from another direction. My light and the light of Pol’s glowing swords jumped about as we fell onto the queen bee. My fighting style is more flips, tumbles, and swift movements to confuse my foes so the tight quarters limited my actions and I was less effective against the queen. Fortunately, Pol, and Dadak back to his real shape, were able to thrash her. The battle was held in a balance for a while.

I am glad Dadak was able to survive this encounter with the monstrous wasp. It was a close thing.

—from the log of Kreshton Rel’Astra

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